Expats retiring. On what?

[pattaya127]

that sounds like a well-balanced view to me. the reason why i ask these questions is because i, and others, will eventually spend a lot of time in LOS, and wish to get an idea from the expats how the happiness of living in Thailand is really happy.

 

the first 2 or 3 years i started to visit LOS, i would have "killed" to be able to live there, made plans, was ready to do the jump. What helped me rein in my wishes and be more ponderous about it, is that I stayed long times in LOS, so i had a chance to somehow live in Thailand rather than just visit.

After 3 months, many of the unsavoury aspects of the country start creeping up in your stay/life, i saw them as sounding bells not to forget the good fortune i had to be born and living in places where, as an individual, you get to make your marks, at least for yourself.

The decisions i made professionally and in my private life had very little unknowns, and if so, nothing like the ones who have to face when in LOS, of which you don't really know where crap is going to come from.

Finally, i know many expats and a few retired in LOS, and there is just something about their life, however happy they say they are, that seems lacking, arrested, hard to pinpoint it really, it's a feel i get.

[Fidel]

Finally, i know many expats and a few retired in LOS, and there is just something about their life, however happy they say they are, that seems lacking, arrested, hard to pinpoint it really, it's a feel i get.

---

 

I know what you mean. If you were to meet me you would probably pick up the same vibe.... something you just couldn't put your finger on.

 

For me it comes from a feeling of uncertainty about my future and about the decisions I've made which have got me here.... then again the same feeling got me me out of my office job to Australia and now LOS... so.... is that feeling a good or a bad thing?

 

It also comes from missing my family and friends and thinking about how life is going on as normal back there, minus me.

 

I guess I'll work it out sometime.

 

As for the others.... well, we all know that many of the guys who are here are running from something.... even if it's only monotony or the rat race. Such people tend to give off such a vibe.

 

[spirit_of_town_hall]

Those guys who fucked up, you get them all over the world. They are certainly not exotic to Thailand. We all know people who havent a bean, survive on crummy credit, think they can build a business when the last 8 failed...

 

Maybe they are more visible in Thailand due to the fact that other farangs are automatically a source of interest and there is a good gossip network...

 

Lets face it, back in farang land you would hardly have much contact with people like that, unless its a friend in which case the support network would be there for him...

 

STH

[cardinalblue]

Each of us defines what an acceptable level of risk is.

 

Some are willing to gamble and move here with no savings or little investment. That person is living for the moment and not thinking or that worried about their future. Some people can live like this while....

 

Others cannot. These guys like me are more security oriented and have figured out some type of game plan (usually in their 40's or 50's) where they will live off their interest of their investments or erode some of their substantilal savings. They will either return to work in a few years. The greatest fear that these type of guys have is they are not making money in their prime years and cannot get back. This is where a trade-off comes in and for some, it is the wrong decision and for others a good one based on how much their net worth is, how good or bad their investments perform, and what market skills they have if any.

 

For every year i stay here, it is costing me a loss of $50,000 net income (after taxes and all living expenses based on what type of position i could get back in my home country). You can also throw in future contribution to SS which one does not do if living here with foreign income if any.

 

The bottom line is one needs luck, stay well, work-out like a dog, and have at least one million dollars invested with half generating monthly income and the other half in growth investments to compensate for future standard of living cost increases. Better have some SS or company/gov pension plans kick in about 62 or 66 to cover needed health care costs/insurance. This is all based on having a cost-considerate wife and not having kids or past debts or some major unexpected illness....

 

It is all big gamble one way or the other.....

 

 

Cardinalblue

 

 

[voodoo31]

Very interesting thread.

I have been a requent visitor to Thailand for the past 7 or 8 years. The thought of living their has always interested me but I have never made the jump.

 

As another posted mentioned one reason could be some of my visits have been for a month or two. I found that on the extended stays I would pick up on things that I didnt like so much about the country and would get bored by the bar-scene (yes it is true!!). When you are here for a week or two week holiday you dont have time to notice these things, it is too quick and you tend only to see the good things you want to see.

 

The other issue was the only job I could see myself getting was English teaching where it seemed the pay was about 35000/month. Not enough to have a good life on ion my opinion. I know some guys who have come on theat kind of income and through hard-work or their on good ideas have got themselve onto much better incomes but not everyone can or will do this.

 

I chose to come to Japan instead and it has turned out reasonably well, there are more opportunities in the job market than Thailand with higher salaries but one thing I think about i pention fund payments. In Japan, freigners who contribute to the national pension fund forfiete most of it when they leave so I dont have that kind of pension working for me for my retirement. Means I have to be careful to save money myself.

 

AS someone else said it depends on people risk judgements. I think if you really ove Thailand so much and are just depressed in your own country the it is probably worth the risk. But I think you have to love something in Thailand other than the bar-scene.