Pros and cons of living in Thailand

[JamesR]

I do, I want to doing business in England and spend some of it in Thailand, it is too hot for me personally to work in Thailand, but that is my personal preference, plus I can own property in my home country of England but it is a real minefield in Thailand.

I am not knocking anyone who has other ideas. 

A friend of mine in Phuket bought land,  he built four holidays homes he rents out with a communal swimming pool, 25 years later (last year) found out the land had been sold illegally by the local council and so he and the neighbours in the adjoining houses some of them Thai have had to hire lawyers and the fight will go on for years. 

[Meechai]

I agree with soidogs post & truthfully would like to live full time again in Thailand someday maybe.........

We left in 2016 as we saw teh Junta direction was different this time & looking back I think we were right.

 

The only other thing in the future that would make our decision easier is if they would offer real health insurance that didn't discriminate by age

All insurance in Thailand is one way...till you become the risk then they drop or price you out...That will be tough for all but the wealthiest expats. We can all self insure yes....but not against a longer term problem

Edited August 10, 2021 by Meechai

[JamesR]

1 hour ago, Meechai said:

I agree with soidogs post & truthfully would like to live full time again in Thailand someday maybe.........

We left in 2016 as we saw teh Junta direction was different this time & looking back I think we were right.

The only other thing in the future that would make our decision easier is if they would offer real health insurance that didn't discriminate by age

All insurance in Thailand is one way...till you become the risk then they drop or price you out...That will be tough for all but the wealthiest expats. We can all self insure yes....but not against a longer term problem

Thailand for me is good for visiting even though it might  be for six months at a time as long as my investments etc are in my own country where I have full control.

I see no difference to farangs in Thailand re the government, they leave us alone, it is no different to the many other military governments, I remember the tanks rolling into the streets in the 1980's no affect on us.

There is no national health service in Thailand for farangs so the insurance is not discriminatory as they are sold by private insurance companies and the risk is based on age and the price is determined by actuaries just like all other private health insurances around the world.

Yes, if a person wants to live in Thailand they need money just like everywhere else in the world.

I like my own country the UK unlike many (not all) farangs living in Thailand who have some personal dislike for their country of origin and so for me six months a year in Thailand is ideal.

 

[HolyCowCm]

Pro. My entire life is here with my wonderful family and dogs. No other place I would rather be. For me the food is a savior. Western food would have killed me years ago.

[JamesR]

14 minutes ago, HolyCowCm said:

Pro. My entire life is here with my wonderful family and dogs. No other place I would rather be. For me the food is a savior. Western food would have killed me years ago.

That all sound a little bit too general.

Lots of us have wonderful families no matter where we live in the world, and if you walk down any street in Thailand you get to feed a dog for free as so many hundreds of thousand are abandoned.

Italian food as is eaten in Italy (not pizza) etc is regarded as a very good diet with the salads and vegetables etc, the quality of meat in Thailand is poor due to the climate, it is fatty and of poor quality.

I noticed last year when I was in Rayong for a while there are so many fat people as they eat Macdonalds, Burger King and other fast food, just see how many fast food restaurants are opening up there.

So we can all eat good food no matter where we are, it is down to personal choice. 

What will happen when you get to 75 and can not get health insurance anymore and as a farang can not get free hospital treatment, it will then be over and back to you home country to be taken care of medically?

 

[HolyCowCm]

3 minutes ago, JamesR said:

That all sound a little bit too general.

Lots of us have wonderful families no matter where we live in the world, and if you walk down any street in Thailand you get to feed a dog for free as so many hundreds of thousand are abandoned.

Italian food as is eaten in Italy (not pizza) etc is regarded as a very good diet with the salads and vegetables etc, the quality of meat in Thailand is poor due to the climate, it is fatty and of poor quality.

I noticed last year when I was in Rayong for a while there are so many fat people as they eat Macdonalds, Burger King and other fast food, just see how many fast food restaurants are opening up there.

So we can all eat good food no matter where we are, it is down to personal choice. 

What will happen when you get to 75 and can not get health insurance anymore and as a farang can not get free hospital treatment, it will then be over and back to you home country to be taken care of medically?

Yes it was really just generalized.

OK, I love the freedom to hop on any one of our bikes and zip anywhere easily in CM. Our cars have such low mileage on them that they are still practically new.  Shorts all day everyday, but shoes when go out. I love to be able to go out anywhere and that I have the ability to talk to any Thai in their language.

And yes, I do love to eat Thai food everyday as it is my preference. We predominately cook at home and so have a big range of Thai food from the range. We grow bored of eating the same thing so we change it up a lot with many different Thai foods. And yes Thai food for me rather than big Western bulky and big meat Style foods is better for my health. But we do make western food at home maybe once a week or so, or buy a pizza occasionally, or go out and eat, but if I eat western food every day it reacts with my bottom I get hemorrhoidal flare ups with bleeding. Every time if I eat too much western food. With Thai food is no, never a problem.  When I go visit the USA I give it about a week and I can feel it.

Sorry, I don't touch Soi dogs. Closest I get to them is when they chase me on my motorcycle and I kick them.

Get health insurance? Never had it. Pay out of pocket. And when I get older I will just be taken care of by my family and do low cost hospital visits like I do now. I can self fund easily. Now if Thailand mandates insurance I will then have to get it and when too old to get it or can't pass a physical will probably give Mr. or Mrs. Insurance person a brown envelope to write a policy I will never use. Anyway I am getting close to 60 and am in pretty darn good shape as run everyday. But if anything does happen it is no big deal, I will just cross that road when we all come to  it. If my wife needs care first, then I will take care of her. And hiring someone to come in and help out is really cheap here as well. But we all gonna die some day.

[JamesR]

3 minutes ago, HolyCowCm said:

Yes it was really just generalized.

OK, I love the freedom to hop on any one of our bikes and zip anywhere easily in CM. Our cars have such low mileage on them that they are still practically new.  Shorts all day everyday, but shoes when go out. I love to be able to go out anywhere and that I have the ability to talk to any Thai in their language.

And yes, I do love to eat Thai food everyday as it is my preference. We predominately cook at home and so have a big range of Thai food from the range. We grow bored of eating the same thing so we change it up a lot with many different Thai foods. And yes Thai food for me rather than big Western bulky and big meat Style foods is better for my health. But we do make western food at home maybe once a week or so, or buy a pizza occasionally, or go out and eat, but if I eat western food every day it reacts with my bottom I get hemorrhoidal flare ups with bleeding. Every time if I eat too much western food. With Thai food is no, never a problem.  When I go visit the USA I give it about a week and I can feel it.

Sorry, I don't touch Soi dogs. Closest I get to them is when they chase me on my motorcycle and I kick them.

Get health insurance? Never had it. Pay out of pocket. And when I get older I will just be taken care of by my family and do low cost hospital visits like I do now. I can self fund easily. Now if Thailand mandates insurance I will then have to get it and when too old to get it or can't pass a physical will probably give Mr. or Mrs. Insurance person a brown envelope to write a policy I will never use. Anyway I am getting close to 60 and am in pretty darn good shape as run everyday. But if anything does happen it is no big deal, I will just cross that road when we all come to  it. If my wife needs care first, then I will take care of her. And hiring someone to come in and help out is really cheap here as well. But we all gonna die some day.

CM, a nice place.

An English friend married to a Thai who worked in the Thai Embassy in London has been living there for many years now, he is 60.

He rides a bike but it is a push bike and he rides six days a week, early morning starting at 5am and does 50 to 80 kms each time so is super fit. And when going though the small villages he gets off his bike and kicks dogs if they chase him, they soon stop chasing him on the next trip

He does eat at home which is home cooked but he does mention going to an Italian restaurant, German, oh and the Red Lion which I have been to quite a few times on my visits. 

He mentioned drinks are banned at the moment but he likes red wine and said in the restaurants there he gets a mug of coffee which is not coffee but red in colour if you know what I mean.

When in Phuket I walk the six kms around the reservoir where mostly Thais walk for exercise and I take my left over food to feed the stray dogs.

I too eat at home in Phuket most of the time and watch what I eat, Makro is a great place to shop too for the supplies.

Re cars with low mileage, I bought a Toyota Avanza in 2004 in Thailand, it has only done 50k kms so far and it still feel like new even though I did do a round the trip drive once to CM and to many other places.

I suppose it not being used and sitting on my driveway for six months a year in Phuket helps on the mileage. 

So enjoy CM and the lifestyle, I am biding my time before going back to Phuket as it is in lockdown and as we are free and open here in England and it is summer there is no point in going now.

But I really miss Moo dang noodles. 

 

 

[HolyCowCm]

8 minutes ago, JamesR said:

CM, a nice place.

An English friend married to a Thai who worked in the Thai Embassy in London has been living there for many years now, he is 60.

He rides a bike but it is a push bike and he rides six days a week, early morning starting at 5am and does 50 to 80 kms each time so is super fit. And when going though the small villages he gets off his bike and kicks dogs if they chase him, they soon stop chasing him on the next trip

He does eat at home which is home cooked but he does mention going to an Italian restaurant, German, oh and the Red Lion which I have been to quite a few times on my visits. 

He mentioned drinks are banned at the moment but he likes red wine and said in the restaurants there he gets a mug of coffee which is not coffee but red in colour if you know what I mean.

When in Phuket I walk the six kms around the reservoir where mostly Thais walk for exercise and I take my left over food to feed the stray dogs.

I too eat at home in Phuket most of the time and watch what I eat, Makro is a great place to shop too for the supplies.

Re cars with low mileage, I bought a Toyota Avanza in 2004 in Thailand, it has only done 50k kms so far and it still feel like new even though I did do a round the trip drive once to CM and to many other places.

I suppose it not being used and sitting on my driveway for six months a year in Phuket helps on the mileage. 

So enjoy CM and the lifestyle, I am biding my time before going back to Phuket as it is in lockdown and as we are free and open here in England and it is summer there is no point in going now.

But I really miss Moo dang noodles. 

I think a couple of Italian restaurants are still open but the Red Lion is shut like most everything right there. Yes, I am sure you can be accommodated with a drink in a mug, but all the bars are closed and the government just does not care whos lives are ruined and being ruined. rich get richer and the people scratch just to survive.

On one end I really like no tourists and tour busses and vans and no hordes of Chinese everywhere, and I mean they were everywhere. Nothing against the folk but jut way too many and nothing even in the middle. Guess that's what your get when you have over a billion and counting. CM if just how it is now has a lot of people on its own without having any tourists.

50k on a car 17 years old is probably going to beat me and is amazing you can say that. My Civic RS is 3 years old and has about high 8k. The truck the wife drives everyday to her work is 2 years old but has about 12k. The bikes get the mileage put on them. Just easier and more fast and free to ride them. 

For me life is ok, house and all vehicles paid for and just winging it everyday. Still not boring after a few decades.

 

Exercise I was running 1/2 marathons before CV-19, but now just run 4 - 6kn a day depending on time. For me still have the kids home as they are online University so nice to have them and the dogs around the house as friends. so life is pretty good, but UI do wish CV-19 would go away as I do miss my USA friends coming here and mountain bike rides. Just a little uneventful as even I have my once a week stay and drink at home by myself as no where to go out to. Could be worse.

[JamesR]

1 hour ago, HolyCowCm said:

I think a couple of Italian restaurants are still open but the Red Lion is shut like most everything right there. Yes, I am sure you can be accommodated with a drink in a mug, but all the bars are closed and the government just does not care whos lives are ruined and being ruined. rich get richer and the people scratch just to survive.

On one end I really like no tourists and tour busses and vans and no hordes of Chinese everywhere, and I mean they were everywhere. Nothing against the folk but jut way too many and nothing even in the middle. Guess that's what your get when you have over a billion and counting. CM if just how it is now has a lot of people on its own without having any tourists.

50k on a car 17 years old is probably going to beat me and is amazing you can say that. My Civic RS is 3 years old and has about high 8k. The truck the wife drives everyday to her work is 2 years old but has about 12k. The bikes get the mileage put on them. Just easier and more fast and free to ride them. 

For me life is ok, house and all vehicles paid for and just winging it everyday. Still not boring after a few decades.

Exercise I was running 1/2 marathons before CV-19, but now just run 4 - 6kn a day depending on time. For me still have the kids home as they are online University so nice to have them and the dogs around the house as friends. so life is pretty good, but UI do wish CV-19 would go away as I do miss my USA friends coming here and mountain bike rides. Just a little uneventful as even I have my once a week stay and drink at home by myself as no where to go out to. Could be worse.

Sounds all ok. The government of Thailand has no choice as the rest of the world has no choice until this virus recedes.

You just have to stick it out like the rest of us in the world as Covid has had an affect on all of us re family and friends and economies. 

USA, I did work in New jersey for a year with At&T in 1995 as you were introducing the GSM mobile system in the country to replace the older system and I was head of testing as it is a European system I had worked on a few years in Germany.

Four months in Arlington Texas which was really nice as the people were great.

[HolyCowCm]

1 minute ago, JamesR said:

Sounds all ok. The government of Thailand has no choice as the rest of the world has no choice until this virus recedes.

You just have to stick it out like the rest of us in the world as Covid has had an affect on all of us re family and friends and economies. 

USA, I did work in New jersey for a year with At&T in 1995 as you were introducing the GSM mobile system in the country to replace the older system and I was head of testing as it is a European system I had worked on a few years in Germany.

Four months in Arlington Texas which was really nice as the people were great.

Yes, USA has some great places to visit and see, and has some really nice people as well. I take my kids back for a holiday and showed them some great places and fun. Well did before Covid hit, but one day will again as there is more I want to show them. Me, am a California guy from San Francisco area. 

[JamesR]

17 minutes ago, HolyCowCm said:

Yes, USA has some great places to visit and see, and has some really nice people as well. I take my kids back for a holiday and showed them some great places and fun. Well did before Covid hit, but one day will again as there is more I want to show them. Me, am a California guy from San Francisco area. 

Great, I have never been to California, I did used to fly down to see an Australian friend for the weekend who was living in Florida while I was working in New Jersey. 

He told me to be careful of Cuban guys as they carried guns in those days.

Oh yes, in Texas they local girls loved the English accent so of course I might have just exaggerated the accent a little bit for affect and to gain some 'ground' with them.

I was told , "I just love your accent", all the time. 

New Jersey, forget it, they were just so cold. 

[HolyCowCm]

36 minutes ago, JamesR said:

Great, I have never been to California, I did used to fly down to see an Australian friend for the weekend who was living in Florida while I was working in New Jersey. 

He told me to be careful of Cuban guys as they carried guns in those days.

Oh yes, in Texas they local girls loved the English accent so of course I might have just exaggerated the accent a little bit for affect and to gain some 'ground' with them.

I was told , "I just love your accent", all the time. 

New Jersey, forget it, they were just so cold. 

Yes, certainly your accent with the gals, and goes the other way for English and Australian women for the men. Well at least it used to over 2- 30 ++ years ago. New Jersey gals pride themselves on being different. And their accent if true to the area is gross with a no thank you. Now everyone carries guns in many states, my brother is one as well. But in all reality, most those people are safe, it is the gang bangers who are not.

[HappyExpat]

1 hour ago, HolyCowCm said:

Yes, USA has some great places to visit and see, and has some really nice people as well. I take my kids back for a holiday and showed them some great places and fun. Well did before Covid hit, but one day will again as there is more I want to show them. Me, am a California guy from San Francisco area. 

You'll get this - I grew up in Redwood City, then decided to see the world, so I joined the U.S. Navy. My first assignment? A decommissioned supply ship in Alameda. 555!

[HolyCowCm]

1 minute ago, HappyExpat said:

You'll get this - I grew up in Redwood City, then decided to see the world, so I joined the U.S. Navy. My first assignment? A decommissioned supply ship in Alameda. 555!

Yes I got that. I am, was 10 minutes up the road from you two cities up.

[HolyCowCm]

3 minutes ago, HappyExpat said:

You'll get this - I grew up in Redwood City, then decided to see the world, so I joined the U.S. Navy. My first assignment? A decommissioned supply ship in Alameda. 555!

Marine World Africa USA. Now the Oracle or something like that..

[JamesR]

13 minutes ago, HolyCowCm said:

Yes, certainly your accent with the gals, and goes the other way for English and Australian women for the men. Well at least it used to over 2- 30 ++ years ago. New Jersey gals pride themselves on being different. And their accent if true to the area is gross with a no thank you. Now everyone carries guns in many states, my brother is one as well. But in all reality, most those people are safe, it is the gang bangers who are not.

Two American friends who I worked with in Amsterdam, Holland, they are from Texas, they told me in some states you are allowed to carry guns in a holster on your belt, true?

[JamesR]

13 minutes ago, HappyExpat said:

You'll get this - I grew up in Redwood City, then decided to see the world, so I joined the U.S. Navy. My first assignment? A decommissioned supply ship in Alameda. 555!

Was that Alameda USA or in Spain, Europe?

 

[JamesR]

18 minutes ago, HolyCowCm said:

Yes, certainly your accent with the gals, and goes the other way for English and Australian women for the men. Well at least it used to over 2- 30 ++ years ago. New Jersey gals pride themselves on being different. And their accent if true to the area is gross with a no thank you. Now everyone carries guns in many states, my brother is one as well. But in all reality, most those people are safe, it is the gang bangers who are not.

I met two girls who shared a flat in West Orange New Jersey, we had lots of great nights out in bars, those girls could drink.

They had a very similar outlook to life as the two women in "Absolutely Fabulous", we had a great time.

A possible correction, it was a long time ago 1995 so it might have been East Orange. 

[HappyExpat]

28 minutes ago, JamesR said:

Two American friends who I worked with in Amsterdam, Holland, they are from Texas, they told me in some states you are allowed to carry guns in a holster on your belt, true?

Yup. Sadly true.

[HappyExpat]

27 minutes ago, JamesR said:

Was that Alameda USA or in Spain, Europe?

I joined the Navy to see the world. Alameda Shipyard was about 30 miles north, near San Francisco. And it was a decommissioned ship. It went literally nowhere.

[HolyCowCm]

24 minutes ago, JamesR said:

Two American friends who I worked with in Amsterdam, Holland, they are from Texas, they told me in some states you are allowed to carry guns in a holster on your belt, true?

Yes this is true. More states now, probably in the teens. So you can walk around feeling like a cowboy. I personally like guns and grew up with them, so for me no big deal.

[HolyCowCm]

24 minutes ago, JamesR said:

I met two girls who shared a flat in West Orange New Jersey, we had lots of great nights out in bars, those girls could drink.

They had a very similar outlook to life as the two women in "Absolutely Fabulous", we had a great time.

A possible correction, it was a long time ago 1995 so it might have been East Orange. 

Yes, New Jersey people are wild ones, that is definitely for sure. I had a couple friend girls from their who came to Ca to live. Wild off the wall. Also knew some other friends from there. A lot of USA music was born from New Jersey. For you I can just picture it. Those were the days. 

[riclag]

Smiles from Young Women , Pizza Company and newly found ,at lotus,Mission bread wraps!

cons - Not visiting massage parlors ,friends and pubs during covid! 
Trying to keep the USA banks and credit Card companies satisfied with their never ending verification requests !

Before you tell me you have had no issues ,good for you! I have had some in the past and I’m always looking over my shoulder when these institutions decide to change credit cards  or 2fa

Edited August 10, 2021 by riclag

[HolyCowCm]

16 minutes ago, HappyExpat said:

I joined the Navy to see the world. Alameda Shipyard was about 30 miles north, near San Francisco. And it was a decommissioned ship. It went literally nowhere.

I almost forgot about Alameda Air Station. Used to be able to see Navy ships coming in and going out and fighter jets taking off and landing there. I guess they closed it now. Bummer. But is ok as my Pro is living in CM now. Couldn’t afford to live in that area anymore. Land of the million dollar houses. Once upon a time but is still mine and yours real home, the Peninsula. 
 

[JamesR]

9 hours ago, riclag said:

Smiles from Young Women , Pizza Company and newly found ,at lotus,Mission bread wraps!

cons - Not visiting massage parlors ,friends and pubs during covid! 
Trying to keep the USA banks and credit Card companies satisfied with their never ending verification requests !

Before you tell me you have had no issues ,good for you! I have had some in the past and I’m always looking over my shoulder when these institutions decide to change credit cards  or 2fa

You get those never ending bank verification problems everywhere.

In January I went to the bank and said I want to draw out £8,000 in cash, we don't have that amount they said and so I was told to come in the next day with more ID, fill out a form stating what I wanted the money for.

I couldn't be bothered to do that so I used an ATM machine and took out £1000 per day for the next few days.

The fraud department from the bank phoned and asked what I was doing, I said I am having a new kitchen fitted as I am selling the house. The builder wants cash.

He told me to stop taking cash out, I told him to eff-off and I carried on doing it.

My bank account was frozen....long story.....it involved swearing a lot.

Half an hour later the police were at my house asking why I was taking such a large sum out, I said look at this house and imagine how much it is worth and so £8000 is nothing compared to that value, the house will be up for sale and I am making improvements for a better price.

They said ok using cash for builders is common and left.

So I sold the house a few months later, I put all the money in the same bank as above as it was easier, I opened seven other bank accounts and transferred all the money to them.

Their loss.