Any regrets

[Munchin glad rags 0]

Expats,

 

Do you have any regrets ?

 

Do you know of anyone who upped sticks and regretted it ?

 

Los seems a great place, but tell us the downside if there are any ?

[StupidFucker 0]

Expats,

 

Do you have any regrets ?

 

Do you know of anyone who upped sticks and regretted it ?

 

Los seems a great place, but tell us the downside if there are any ?

 

 

One guy I know that moved here almost 12 years ago isn't having such a good run of luck lately. He was having a good stretch for a while. He bought his wife a bunch of land, and a house near Bang Chang. They had a nice daughter. He has a good job with a company vehicle.

 

Then things went tits up when he started fucking around on his wife constantly. Lost his good job, lost his mode of transportation. Left his wife, wife hept the house and the land. He got fuck all. He has to pay her 10,000 baht a month, from his 80,000 baht a month salary (which is closer to 70,000 after taxes).

 

He's been bounced around from 4 or 5 jobs here in Thailand the last 3 years or so. Now living in a one room apartment, with no transportation, no television, and a quickly dwindling savings account that might not last another 6 months.

 

I am hoping that he gets things turned around. I hate to see anyone in that kind of position.

[fredcyber 0]

We all know the upsides but it is those that lead to the downsides.

 

1) Figure out how much money you need to live on then double it. If you want to live a good life here it is not cheap and Pattaya is not the place to be short of money.

 

2) The more you get to know the thai people the less you will like them.

This a very different culture and not one most westerners can stomach which is why most farangs here spend their time with other farangs.

 

3) You have to chose mongering as a way of life (lonely) or a long term relationship with all that entails.

 

4) Living here is a full time job because it takes forever to get the simplest things done.

 

5) Never put all of your money into this place.

 

I could go on but if you have a specific question I would be happy to try and help.

[joekicker 53]

2) The more you get to know the thai people the less you will like them.

This a very different culture and not one most westerners can stomach which is why most farangs here spend their time with other farangs.

 

I suggest you have no experience at all, and should make it crystal clear you are speaking for yourself and not for any other person. Frankly, although I have finite sympathy and time, I'm spending a brief moment and a soupcon of pity for you.

 

one ... two ... thr... okay, finished.

 

I know there are others like you, but believe me that there are many who are UNlike you. And thank goodness, too.

 

 

I could go on but if you have a specific question I would be happy to try and help.

 

How?

 

Surely the only advice you could usefully give would be directions to the airport?

 

 

Then things went tits up when he started fucking around on his wife constantly. Lost his good job, lost his mode of transportation. Left his wife, wife hept the house and the land. He got fuck all. He has to pay her 10,000 baht a month, from his 80,000 baht a month salary (which is closer to 70,000 after taxes).

 

To quote Tina Turner, sort of: What's luck got to do with it?

 

Funny how much good luck you have when you work at it, and how life goes TU when you start fucking around on the side, eh?

[nus01 305]

We all know the upsides but it is those that lead to the downsides.

 

1) Figure out how much money you need to live on then double it. If you want to live a good life here it is not cheap and Pattaya is not the place to be short of money.

 

2) The more you get to know the thai people the less you will like them.

This a very different culture and not one most westerners can stomach which is why most farangs here spend their time with other farangs.

 

3) You have to chose mongering as a way of life (lonely) or a long term relationship with all that entails.

 

4) Living here is a full time job because it takes forever to get the simplest things done.

 

5) Never put all of your money into this place.

 

I could go on but if you have a specific question I would be happy to try and help.

Thanks for sharing your opinion, how you can be attacked for posting the above is beyond me.

[Owen` 2]

There is an aspect of perspective here that I will suggest to folks.

 

Permanence is very likely not. Most people, for health care reasons, WILL be going home at age 65 because private insurance usually shuts off then. In the US, Medicare triggers at age 65, but it will not send money outside the US for health care reimbursements.

 

The reality is private health care insurance usually shuts down at 65 and if you find a policy that does not and you aren't in it pre-65, well, by age 65 you will have accumulated so many pre-existing conditions that the policy you found won't cover much anyway.

 

So in general, when you "retire" to Thailand it is likely not, for most, permanent. It is a 10+ year vacation until age 65.

Edited July 4, 2007 by Owen`

[joekicker 53]

So in general, when you "retire" to Thailand it is likely not, for most, permanent. It is a 10+ year vacation until age 65.

 

I don't find this post offensive like the one above, but same criticism, really: You're just talking for yourself without any facts and little if any experience. The one thing that is definitely wrong in your post is when you say "in general".

 

In fact, people who live in Thailand "in general" do not go back to the US or Yurp when they reach 65. They have insurance, or they have income or they plan medical care on the Thai economy because it is generally (heh) affordable. In *my* experience which is very limited but I'm sure more general than yours, I know one Yurpean who went back for a free, Dutch quadruple bypass and was back in Thailand in a month.

 

It seems from your post, and correct me by all means if I'm wrong, but it seems you know something about the US and its medical system, and pretty much eff all about Thailand its medical system.

 

If I had to say anything at all in general, I'd say it is impossible to say "in general" about expats in Thailand and be taken seriously.

[Munchin glad rags 0]

There is an aspect of perspective here that I will suggest to folks.

 

Permanence is very likely not. Most people, for health care reasons, WILL be going home at age 65 because private insurance usually shuts off then. In the US, Medicare triggers at age 65, but it will not send money outside the US for health care reimbursements.

 

The reality is private health care insurance usually shuts down at 65 and if you find a policy that does not and you aren't in it pre-65, well, by age 65 you will have accumulated so many pre-existing conditions that the policy you found won't cover much anyway.

 

So in general, when you "retire" to Thailand it is likely not, for most, permanent. It is a 10+ year vacation until age 65.

 

 

Owen I have read your very well written responses here and on other boards, whilst you bring financial acumen and reason you are a very cautious sounding guy, by the way that is not a flame.

 

Money cant be taken in a shroud, and life is for living but your financial reality checks are always read with joy.

 

Keep posting them, I would hazard a guess you are wealthy but cautious !

 

I bet you would like to me a little more reckless ?

 

Cheer

 

 

Keep posting

[sinbinjack 251]

I know one lad who has been in Pattaya for 10 years +and has gone through his money.He live almost like a Thai and manages "to live" on about 7000baht a month,when I asked why he didn't go home get a job and come back he said no chance as he loved it here even on a pittance.

Edited July 16, 2007 by sinbinjack

[mykl 72]

Thanks for sharing your opinion, how you can be attacked for posting the above is beyond me.

 

You can and will be attacked for any post on PattayaTalk.

[Krowdon 0]

You can and will be attacked for any post on PattayaTalk.

 

Never fear the insignificant little snipes though; they're harmless.

[ginseng 0]

Rather than speculating and flaming each other to death I would love to hear stories of people who made a go at livin in LOS but it didn't work out for one reason or another. Particularly from the people themselves rather than 3rd person accounts.

[biggles 509]

FredCyber, I agree with your comments and have many friends who would also agree with you. There are many aspects of thai society/culture that are quite alien to us and which we struggle to understand. The longer you stay here the more frustrating and annoying they can get. It doesn't mean you want to pack up and leave, tho many do.To try and put a "rosy" picture on everything here is unrealistic and pretty stupid. Ignore the flames, they havn't taken their rose coloured glasses off yet.

[torrenova 644]

I spent months down in the South Andaman quite a few years ago and I could have lived there on next to nothing if I had to. I ate whatever the fishermen caught, all Thai dishes, prepared for a pittance. I drank with the owners family, his place being family land in a cove on an island.

 

With an investment of about USD2000 I could live there rent and bill free forever and all I'd need was money for food, beer and clothes.

 

Could I do it ? yes, I probably could if I was single. Maybe go out with the fishing guys, the occasional TV when there was electric etc.

 

Boring ? perhaps but you live in touch with nature. After a while you don't miss aircon, or TV. You want a cold shower and hot water feels strange (even heated by the sun).

 

I could not be destitute in a westernised city like Bangkok, Pattaya or even places like Buriram, Udon etc.