Wish I May, Wish I Might...

[TukTuk]

I lived in Thailand for 10+ years.

Now back in corporate American for the past 7 making the big bucks.

Accomplished the mission of getting the kid a western education. He is a junior now at the U of Florida

Not retirement age yet

Always something in the back of my mind?

I don't want to die in a US hospital, bankrupting my family of whatever I have carefully planned and saved for them.

In rural Isaan, when it is time to go, I think the Doc sends the patient home with morphine or something to provide painless rest, until the time of death arrives.

We just went through this with my wife's grandfather who was 100 years old. Died at home with his family.

While I never say never, would I return to Thailand in my old age?

Have a house and land all paid for.

Would have quite a financial fortune. 

Pension, social security about 240,000 tbh per month on top of all the savings.

At that age, I think my life would be puttering around the house and travel with family. 

Of course health is #1 and while I am in US I am taking care of my health religiously and getting all prescribed annual checkups etc.

In my wife's village there is absolutely nothing to do. Nearest 7/11 at this point in time is 38km away.

I am sure I could find things to tinker with everyday and can always jump in the car for a drive if need be.

Wife is finishing her western education as well. I am sure she would want to do something, but she has like 100 relatives in her clan in the same area so that would be appealing to her.

When you move away from Thailand, all the good times seem to haunt you, calling you back.

The bad times? Maybe forgotten how bad things can get? Or how bad things are going.

How much will Thailand change in the next 10 years is the million dollar question?

I haven't seen village life change at all the past 20 years so I could reasonably count on that being the same.

The rest of the westernizing of Bangkok and other areas, rising cost, insurance, traffic, pollution are anyone's guess.

As you can see, even the government has no clue what will happen.

Making wild predictions of a million tourists this month and getting 3,000 a week.

I would like to think I have an option, but in 10 years the whole ballgame could change.

For now just have to keep at it and keep the option here and the option there well planned for.

I cannot realistically base a return on happy times from 20 years ago. Just have to follow and see what happens to the country over time.

I don't really have any qualms about living in Isaan so remote in my old age. No stress and no problems to deal with.

Can only wishful think, the option will be available in the future if I choose it?

With all the COVID mess, no plans at all to visit Thailand in 2022. 

One year down, 9 more to go!

Happy holidays!

Photo: The calm before the storm, Florida, USA, 12/21/2021

 

[Shark]

Hey @TukTuk,

First of all nice post.

I just wanted to quote one thing:

12 hours ago, TukTuk said:

When you move away from Thailand, all the good times seem to haunt you, calling you back.

I don't know if these 'golden days' are still around, perhaps it has changed too much. Maybe for the better some would say and I do tend to agree with this in a big extend.

I'm currently in Thailand myself and it isn't all that bad, life is very Sabai Sabai even when your working it's still not "high season" blast currently. I guess this will indeed take an maximum of another 10 years to return to "glory days" assuming that world wide anti vaxxers come to their senses at some point and otherwise it might take even longer.

I can only sincerely wish you a lot of wisdom in whatever you choose to-do.  One decides himself where he calls home and where he/she wants to retire.