From Holiday/Vacation to Long Stay/Living There

[bumblebee]

No doubt many guys reading here have a some stage, usually the first or second trip I'd imagine, wondered to themselves "How can I move here and do this all the time?"

 

Most will go back home alas, cool down and get on with their regular lives and live for their next trip to Los. But what about you guys who took that step and made it a reality, staying long time in what many consider paradise for LB lovers.  How did you manage to make the dream come through?  I am sure there are a fair few members here who would be curious to hear how you went about it.

[mardhi]

I am probably one of the few guys who did not choose to come to Thailand.  My job was switched from being based in Singapore to Bangkok.     After four years I left that job and setup my own business here.   

 

Ironically, if I had my time over again, I would not have moved from Singapore.     Dealing with business matters here is not easy and becomes very tedious.   Unless you can read Thai and speak it very well you are always at risk for one thing or another.   As one friend said to me "In Thailand, your better off working for someone, rather than setting up your own business".  I think he is right. 

[bumblebee]

I have heard a few guys over the years say the ideal situation would be to be based in Singapore and travel to Los when the opportunities arise.

 

I was one of the many guys who went along what is perhaps the most popular route, teaching there.  Like some guys I felt like I had to spend some extended time in Los and get my head around what was really going on.  Holidays were just an appetiser for something more.  

 

Teaching is perhaps the easiest way to work and stay long term in Thailand, but having the correct qualifications is the key. The rate of pay in most language schools has hardly risen over the last decade or more, but for guys who want to live there and experience more than just a two weeks to a month vacation, it can be an exciting time.

[Trenton42]

1. Start saving at an early age.

 

2. Invest well.

 

3. Retire early.

 

4. Live the dream.

 

Simple really.

[bumblebee]

Simple indeed Trenton, good on you.  The key is to start saving early, but alas not all guys have the foresight to invest for the future. When they are in their 20s I don't think retirement before 50 is a priority for most people, nice as it would be. So for those who discover Los later in life, ie 30s, 40s & 50s, and want to move there, they have to come up with some alternative option of course, to finance their time there.  

 

So besides teaching and early retirement what other options are there to hang around Los long time.

[ciobha]

 

So besides teaching and early retirement what other options are there to hang around Los long time.

Marry a rich LB

[dixon cox]

I consider the phrase "living the dream" to be primarily used by those who are not living in Thailand 

 

Personally speaking when here long term, even if only on a semi-permanent basis or trial retirement, it is simply a continuation of my life but in a place which I prefer to be and where I can live without having to work. So far I have not become bored, but I do enjoy my own company which is just as well. To have to work here to stay here would defeat the point of being here for me as much better salaries could be obtained elsewhere in the western world if it was money I needed.

 

Age has been mentioned already and I feel happy to have discovered Thailand later in life at 36 years old. The frustration for some of the younger guys of having discovered it too early and the temptation to throw away some of the best years of their earning ability in pursuit of living the dream could be an issue. 

 

Many of the questions I hear people ask about how much money is needed, what's best accommodation etc. I find troublesome because the answers are so subjective and accurate answers come from experiencing things for yourself. For each trip new knowledge is gained as you hone in on your own personal preferences and experiences and financial needs can be learned the longer you spend in-country.

 

I began, like most others, with a few two week holidays a year staying in hotels, this then moved on to numerous one month stays then two or three month stays with monthly rentals until a few years ago I stayed for 6 months away which included a lot of time in Cambodia too. I turned 50 this year but chose not to get a retirement visa as I wanted the nudge to make me jump from Thailand to Cambodia periodically as I enjoy both countries.

 

Years ago I planned numerous financial investments to come to fruition around my 50th birthday to allow some lifestyle choices to be made. Although at the time I started them I had no idea what those changes might be.

 

The most recent trip I planned was to stay for 12 months (starting June 2012) and return to the UK in August 2013, but I wish to come back again in early September to repeat it. The information I have obtained during this time suits me perfectly but would probably not suit others. We all have different needs regarding spending habits, accommodation needs and other requirements.

 

Until I am totally sure staying in SE Asia on a more permanent basis is what I really want for my future I will not burn bridges back at home or sell-up completely. I want to maintain a potential life back in the UK to which I could return should I become bored or dis-satisfied. One day I hope to commit to a choice but that time is a way away yet and there is no hurry.

 

One thing I remain aware of should I wish to work again in the UK is that vacating your own country  for long periods can leave large gaps in your CV (resume) which may need explaining to future employers. I was fortunate enough to be a contractor in IT so my extended trips after a contract ended were never an issue and employment upon return was fairly easy to come by. The problem is the longer you remain absent from your homeland the harder it may become to re-integrate should you choose or need to do it.

[wangsuda]

I moved to Thailand 10 years ago. While options for employment are limited for foreigners, that was not a problem for me as I am a certified teacher from California. What I saw was my teaching load drop from 30 to 15 contact hours per week, and my student load drop from 180 students to 75. Plus being foreign certified opened up many opportunities for me that are just not available for most people. In short, I have a pretty nice lifestyle and the transition was almost painless. Learning the language was a pain and I am nowhere near fluent (but I can hold my own). I have also made many mistakes along the way. But now, 10 years on, I am glad I made the move. I go home yearly, my retirement is taken care of (off shore), and thanks to my son, I own the house I live in. It hasn't always been easy though. Coups and riots do tend to be worrisome.

[xyzzy]

1. Start saving at an early age.

 

2. Invest well.

 

3. Retire early.

 

4. Live the dream.

 

Simple really.

 

I thought so until I realized I didn't really want to live in Thailand although I could. My next trip will be 3+ months so guess most would consider that a long stay. But for me it's a nice place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there. So far...

[azza33]

I think a combination of what trenton & dc said is applicable.

1. Have a savings goal. You don't need to start early because for most guys knowing what they really want will take a few decades. For me I've calculated a number I need I need to live from 50-60 & that is what I'm aiming for. If I outdo it, I can retire early if not so be it.

2. I'm a realist and see great changes underway in Thailand, so Philippines is my first backup.

3. If all fails, you need a fallback in your home country. That means a house. It's a source of income whilst u live abroad and a hedge against the differing costs of living if you need to return at some point.

4. 60+ have a pension/retirement fund to meet cost of living.

Personally living the dream is not working in Thailand. I wouldn't be pursuing that option.

[mardhi]

I think a combination of what trenton & dc said is applicable.

1. Have a savings goal. You don't need to start early because for most guys knowing what they really want will take a few decades. For me I've calculated a number I need I need to live from 50-60 & that is what I'm aiming for. If I outdo it, I can retire early if not so be it.

2. I'm a realist and see great changes underway in Thailand, so Philippines is my first backup.

3. If all fails, you need a fallback in your home country. That means a house. It's a source of income whilst u live abroad and a hedge against the differing costs of living if you need to return at some point.

4. 60+ have a pension/retirement fund to meet cost of living.

Personally living the dream is not working in Thailand. I wouldn't be pursuing that option.

 

 

The comment about how Thailand will look in the future is well worth another thread.  My view is similar to yours by the sound of things. Lots of changes both internal and external will affect Thailand and I am not sure they see the external changes that are already announced and virtually on their doorstep.    Two examples spring to mind:-

1. Labour

The ASEAN free market opens I believe in 2014/5 which will allow free interchange of labour across the Asean countries.   So for example someone from Cambodia can come and work in Thailand with minimal, if any paperwork.    The country that will probably benefit the most is Laos because most are fluent or near fluent in Thai due to similarity of language (bit like the English versus US English - same same but different).   Who knows what the results will be.  In a growing economy, it will be good.  If the economy contracts, many tens of thousands could be laid off and odds are they will be the least productive workers - Thai's.   Ask any Thai business owner and they will say a Laos worker is much more productive and focussed on their job especially at the lower skill set levels.     Look at any garment factory today in Thailand and they are filled with illegal workers from Laos.   

2. Consumer purchasing

Thailand is importing a lot more than ever before - everybody assumes TH is a substantial nett exporter (thanks to the foreign firms with manufacturing such as Honda, Toyota, etc etc) and it is currently.    However some bloated heavyweight Thai companies are coming under big pressure.    One simple example being Porcelain tiles for a house.   A luxury before and priced around 1000b sq m for a Thai made tile.    Price now in Homepro DIY centre is 350b sq m and made in China.  The likes of Cotto are losing sales and their share of the market is dropping like a stone.   They are losing the 200b sq m customer as they are trading up to the better tiles and they are losing the premium customer as nobody can tell the difference when they laid on the floor, so they buy the cheaper one and save a fortune.    

 

What will be especially interesting is how the drink industry handle it.   Already Thailand has tried to cheat the free market and made difficulty for Beer Lao in actually getting their product over the border and into Thailand.    An easy way around that is for Beer Lao to just open its own factory up near the Mekong.   No cross border and no delays/hassle with customs.    San Miguel already did just that and is cleaning up in the premium drink market with San Miguel light.   As Chang have no such premium offering they are not too concerned but I bet some of the other influential breweries are.  

 

However all of this is coming after the Rice debacle which is still being misunderstood by the common voter and they struggle to quantify how much money is being pilfered through the scheme.  It makes the usual 'cream off the top' viz a viz building Swampypoom to be miniscule in comparison.   What makes this even worse is that the stuff is all sat in warehouses and unable to be sold as nobody wants to pay 30% over the market price.   

[Foggy]

 How did you manage to make the dream come through? 

 

I have been living in Ko samui now for 3 years and 3 months full time.

 

Previous to that I had come here for 2 week holidays for 23 odd years, so I had an a small insight to the lifestyle here.

 

15 years earlier I had been introduced to Samui and 8 years ago I bought 2 Rai of land and started building 2 houses. that stopped after a year as there were just to many problems not being here ( how naive was I then ) A whole new thread that one. 

 

To answer the question ......  

 

Suddenly I reached 45 and hadn't and didnt want to followed the suburban wife and kids route and needed a life change. The Uk way had worn me down and so I decided to work my butt off for 5 more years and get as many pennies as I could and just go.... lock stock and barrel.  

This was also the first time I had considered living and moving abroad let alone Thailand.

 

So thats it in a nut shell for me as there is no magic formula to retirement or lifestyle changes.

 

 

I didnt have enough to leave back up plans and unburn't bridges but enough to make a go of things and stop doing the things I didnt want to do any more.

 

There are so many things in life u cant change or control so I chose to go in a direction that I felt would make me happier as some times u just have to take the bull by the horns and do it before your healthy eligable best days are a distant memory.

 

Being here now as an ex pat and experiencing the Good Bad and Ugly of Thailand, did I make a mistake ??   No not at all and today is another good day in a new life.  If that changes then so will I.

 

 

 

As a side note to this thread I took up the challenge of finishing the houses or at least one to live in for free.They resembled  Angkor Wat being over grow and were just concrete shells and roof's but to this day and 3 years on I have finished and sold one allowing me to live in and start finishing the second one.

 

And I thought I didnt come here to work but at least it's my choice and a bit of fun too    

[SiamSam]

Good for you Foggy. 

[Foggy]

Good for you Foggy. 

 

Thank u SS