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$US down 1.5% against baht this year...only 9 days into the year!


Stickman

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Yes, all true, but at the same time, in what just a few years (maybe 3?) the $/bhat has dropped from 42-43/1usd, so a bit more than 10%, more like 20% (approx)? Add to that, the cost of my hotel room went from 900 to 1200 in that time, bar fines and drink prices are up, the girls in many places are asking for/expecting stupid money prices, taxi prices may go up etc....street food prices seem about the same.

 

Stick,

 

Were/how has this effected me...? well add to all this that my salary is down, and I pay more into pension and medical, resulting in lower amounts of "disposable income." This results in me having to make decisions such as New computer Vs. Trip to LOS...? New camera? trip to LOS? So far LOS has won out, but that will all change at some popint when the espenses are necessary for basic/needed items such as food rent and car expenses...

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I'm planning a trip in a couple of months with my wife. I was last in Thailand 2 years ago (she returned alone to visit family last year), when I spent several days in Phuket, stayed in nice places, did some traveling around. This time I will be alot more careful as to the cost of the hotel I stay at (usually 4*, maybe stay at 3* this time) and where I go (likely will not fly to phuket or samui as I usually do). Airefare alone if costing me about $800 more this time (for 2) than 2 years ago.....

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im quite lucky i have money in uk and here in australia.

when i was going to los at xmas i was going to exchange my money in australia ,the best rate was 26baht to $1,when i used my bankcard in los i got 34baht to $1 big difference.

apart from that my info is useless in this thread

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Hold On, I think that when PPP gets in, and they will, that the Baht will get off its high horse, or Kwai if you will, and things will get back to normal. Exports will fall so fast at the current level! Look, Issan is a Thaksin stronghold but really the are the rice exporters, and they are going to get a big hit in the wazoo...... Thjey faired well this season but remember agro's a futures bound. the Dollar will contine declining to 32 and most other notes will start to rise also. I'mn delaying buying a house as I believe the houseing mkt will respone slower than the currency market. Hold your money out of LOS and opunce when it hits 36.5 or so. The overbuilt housing market cannot possibly rebound in the sort run. I would guess that it will take 6 months for PPP to get the baht back to a favorable export level and them we go hnouse hunting.... New builds are off about 20% in the last 6 months..... go down a little more, probably even while the bhat goes up the lag time in adjustments will a wide gap for investors!

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I alway intended to go back to the U.S., once my house was finished in LOS, for a few years to work (I'm only 54)and then retire around 65 to LOS. The dollar's decline, plus my wife's 3 children getting close to college age (and I have no desire to see them go to Thai schools anymore) will lead me back to the U.S., as soon as my wife's and the 3 kids visas (as permanent residents) are ready. If not ready by October, I may go back by myself and wait for them while working. I'll still make my one trip to LOS a year while working in the U.S.

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I agree that schools in LoS pretty much suck. Even the expensive private international ones. My girls were bored to death at NIST because they were so far in front of the rest when we moved back from Malaysia (they were at the Alice Smith School there).

 

And that bloody school cost B600k/year! I could have sent them here (which would have been my preference) for only a couple thou $$ more.

 

I'd say you are right to get them out of LoS and into proper schools!

 

Cheers,

SD

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I am interested in how this is affecting people. ... What I am most interested in are those guys retired here. My feeling is that it must now be at the point when some guys are hurting, and for sure, there must be some belt tightening going on. How has it affected people? If you have been affected, what is the net effect? Do you go out less? Drink less? Not go to the dentist?

Is this a "decline" or a full-blown "crash" ? It is a f..ing disaster! The future of all American expats in Thailand is threatened. I have lived a straight and stable life, saved money, invested and did everything one is supposed to do. I am 62 and I have no confidence in my financial future. When currencies melt down they can take societies with them. My situation is the same as other recently retired baby boomers, but most of them don't seem to know what's going on. I notice that the Presidential candidates are 90% silent about such thing. Don't want to bring up dark subjects that are beyond their control to change?

 

Well us retired Boomers loved getting into those CD's at 5% and now we are f..ked. Also, in America there is hardly any place to run to for financial shelter. I heard that smart investors are turning to emerging markets like Malaysia as shelters. It's incredible. Fleeing the US stock market for Malaysia!

 

At this point I haven't been much affected. I have a good deal of cash and income - all in USD unfortunately. I have surplus at the moment and will be wiring about $25k to LOS tomorrow, no matter what the rate. I know expats who are receiving their Social Security payment as automatic deposit in their bank in Thailand. They are get thousands and thousands fewer baht each month.

 

I want to buy Chinese Yuan. I'm in Taiwan for layovers. I wonder if I can set up a bank account there? Or maybe Hong Kong is better. I didn't get enough responses on my post thread about "Getting out of the USD."

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