Living in Thailand

[DjJack76]

I'm not intimately familiar with Phuket, but I've been there once and I know it is expensive. Why retire there? For the 5000 / month which Wolvenvacht says gets you rudimentary accommodations in Phuket, I believe you could get a decent room with air conditioning and hot water in Pattaya, and for even less (say 3000 or so) in a salubrious upcountry city like Udon Thani or Khon Kaen.

Scooters do not use much fuel if you avoid the automatic ones and get a regular bike. Girls are cheaper in Pattaya, though I have never taken a girl overnight as I don't see the point. You can get plenty of short times for 500-700 baht if you are a regular around town and become a regular for some girls. Then just splurge once in a while if you get tired of regulars.

If you live upcountry girls will tend not to be any cheaper than Pattaya, contrary to some expectations. Figure 1, 000 baht short time for good looking younger girls. There are, in some but not all cities, small brothels where you could go for 500-800 baht, but they really aren't very good as service is generally poor.

Anyway. 45, 000 / month would be enough upcountry, adequate in Pattaya, and I guess probably rather tight in Phuket or Bangkok, unless you don't plan to pay for girls. If no girls, then it is enough for anyplace.

To add on this one, a friend of mine resides in Pattaya and knows a few spots, if your looking for hookups? He even emailed me this link.

http://thailand.adultsearch.com/patt...tien-beach/939

, and said that the girls were A+ for 400 to 600 baht. He's actually asking me come over next month which interest me cause it will give me the opportunity to share my adventures here.

[BionicMan]

Does anyone recall the Thai music bar on the end ot the soi 2 complex called Kum Punn, does anyone know if it has been moved to any where else in Pattaya or if there is a comparable bar inside Pattaya please give details? I always found it broke the ice with a non English speaking girl and appreciated by her

Maybe posting this on hte Pattaya forum will be of more help to you

[Col Law]

Does anyone recall the Thai music bar on the end ot the soi 2 complex called Kum Punn, does anyone know if it has been moved to any where else in Pattaya or if there is a comparable bar inside Pattaya please give details? I always found it broke the ice with a non English speaking girl and appreciated by her

[CesarRomero]

I am heading to LOS for my 55th birthday and am considering retiring in three years in either in Thailand or P. I. I have read this forum and the P. I. Forum quite extensively and would like some feedback. What are the advantages of Thailand or P. I. For an American Ex-Pat on a fair sized (45k or so USD) retirement?

Thanks for the wisdom.

The Joker

[Mr Enternational]

Where can good quality copy clothing be purchased in Pattaya now? Thanks

What type of copy clothing are you looking for? Send me a PM.

[Col Law]

Where can good quality copy clothing be purchased in Pattaya now? Thanks

[Keeniu]

I have looked at several businesses. My observations.

Finance / Housing / Money advisers and consultants. Good luck, lots of them, as this is the first choice for people not wanting to 'work'.

The successful ones give bad advice, high one off turnover and keep the commission. Can't be choosy about customers, and it not good to tell the truth as it is, and loose a sale may be good ones YMMV, but lots of Russian speakers in this segment scooping the easy money.

Shop Houses.

The most stable profitable one was run by an astute American that had the rooms full long term boarding 'English Teachers' staying at his place long term, and 'day trading'. Want a room, wait 6 months. Apparently when vibe was such that (Americans wanted to cluster together, and lowest price was not it. It was the leads and local info etc. Yes there was a bar downstairs but it was low key. He sold Mexican food of sorts, not for great profit, but more to attract long term stayers. He said had high dreams, opened something 4 times as big, but downsized 3 times, well away from the best positions. Ruthless, but saw reality, and that there is a 'perfect size' that does not attract attention.

In LK the 'size' factor was about right, some failed badly, some do ok, but the best ones pull in ONE nationality, and lay on events.

I saw a few failed places in the middle bit, the lesson is expat with best (insert food of country) alone is unlikely to make it.

Attention to cleaning. Not just a wipe over. Was also an underestimated factor. New kids on the block have to beat established and skilled operators. A tough call. Those with near 100% occupancy rate. Are doing it right.

I saw many location open big on prime positions. Many failed, some made it big, but were then squeezed by the locals. Those good managers all got headaches from the locals. Running 20 staff is hard work. So going big is not a good move, not till you have learned to play. If you must go big, if you can can get a lawyer to get a mortgage from a wealthy Thai national with investment property overseas, only then protected from a swindle. This is difficult to find a 'swap', so lawyers offer lesser schemes. As Thailand has no real oil. Gazing ahead. Things may change in the next 10 years.

I am told running a restaurant in China with no local foodstuffs (locals think local food contaminated) may work. But would be stomped on for political reasons. Next is a tea house with westerners serving Chinese patrons. They want to be waited on and in private eating rooms (Money in cn is phenomenal). There are a few Indians carving this segment out, but even they complain about trading conditions and rent. And still get to work 12 hour days. For high intensity service industries.

[Keeniu]

I had my prescription glasses made in BKK in a matter of hours, and with a bit of special frame (reading glasses, with foldable frame)

I just picked up one shop in sukhumvit not far from Soi 33.

There are plenty of opticians and lot, if not only all, offer deals where you pay the second glasses with a 50% discount.

Chinatown BKK has heaps of Chinese imports. If ground zero is http://checkinnchinatown.com/ For reading glass wholesale shops. Must be 50 or so of them. Middle of no-where but for 850 bt fair value. All around here reading glasses imports mostly 100bt and up for standard rack sizes- oh lots of knock-off sunglasses too. Down the road is 'Hardware' street selling well hardware, but there is also a key-cutter that does complex keys. This is the place for landlords with the DIY bug.

[Dash Riprock]

That's the route I took. It's not for everyone, and it's a huge mess or crater if you fail. But for those that make it (I think the average is 1 in 10 or worse, if you go by the averages of new businesses that fail in the first 2-3 years) , it can be a rather nice life on relatively 'easy street' once you finally have zero debt or at least a comfy capital to debt ratio and get your low cost local labor 'clicking' finally making whatever product or providing whatever service that your business specializes in.

[Oidar]

I've read a few times that it's not easy for the average dude to find a job in BKK, besides teaching English. What though if you have a good MBA from a reputable school? Is it then possible to find a good white-collar job in a foreign company, even without speaking thai?

It is possible but not on the ground in BKK. You would have to find it or get recruited from abroad. Which would probably bring up the question,"Why hot and dirty Bangkok?" People here with the types of job you mention, are just lucky. They probably had no plans to go to Thailand, before the opportunity was presented to them.

However in today's world an MBA aint shit. Everybody has one. The type of job you mention would still pay less, than if you were REAL teacher, working at a high end international school.

[Chill Out]

I've read a few times that it's not easy for the average dude to find a job in BKK, besides teaching English. What though if you have a good MBA from a reputable school? Is it then possible to find a good white-collar job in a foreign company, even without speaking thai?

[BionicMan]

[QUOTE=Oldexpat; 1192378]You guys have saved me! I listened to a friend here who is planning on the Phuket move on that same budget as he's been there recently to a 'visit'. I am going to have a rethink now, and conversation with him on your points. I'll check out what Pattaya info I can find.

Again, thanks a million! [/QUOTE.

Happy ISG gave you good advises.

Often people underestimates lots of factors and think a vacation heaven (when often money is not a big issue) is an heaven for the rest of his life.

Reality is much harder. And different!

I have a freind too who leaves 9 months in Phuket and 3 months back in Europe, he is not retired and has sufficient fundigs as he still work and makes good earnings: a different story!

[Oldexpat]

I'm not intimately familiar with Phuket, but I've been there once and I know it is expensive. Why retire there? For the 5000 / month which Wolvenvacht says gets you rudimentary accommodations in Phuket, I believe you could get a decent room with air conditioning and hot water in Pattaya, and for even less (say 3000 or so) in a salubrious upcountry city like Udon Thani or Khon Kaen.

Scooters do not use much fuel if you avoid the automatic ones and get a regular bike. Girls are cheaper in Pattaya, though I have never taken a girl overnight as I don't see the point. You can get plenty of short times for 500-700 baht if you are a regular around town and become a regular for some girls. Then just splurge once in a while if you get tired of regulars.

If you live upcountry girls will tend not to be any cheaper than Pattaya, contrary to some expectations. Figure 1, 000 baht short time for good looking younger girls. There are, in some but not all cities, small brothels where you could go for 500-800 baht, but they really aren't very good as service is generally poor.

Anyway. 45, 000 / month would be enough upcountry, adequate in Pattaya, and I guess probably rather tight in Phuket or Bangkok, unless you don't plan to pay for girls. If no girls, then it is enough for anyplace.

You guys have saved me! I listened to a friend here who is planning on the Phuket move on that same budget as he's been there recently to a 'visit'. I am going to have a rethink now, and conversation with him on your points. I'll check out what Pattaya info I can find.

Again, thanks a million!

[Opebo]

I'm not intimately familiar with Phuket, but I've been there once and I know it is expensive. Why retire there? For the 5000 / month which Wolvenvacht says gets you rudimentary accommodations in Phuket, I believe you could get a decent room with air conditioning and hot water in Pattaya, and for even less (say 3000 or so) in a salubrious upcountry city like Udon Thani or Khon Kaen.

Scooters do not use much fuel if you avoid the automatic ones and get a regular bike. Girls are cheaper in Pattaya, though I have never taken a girl overnight as I don't see the point. You can get plenty of short times for 500-700 baht if you are a regular around town and become a regular for some girls. Then just splurge once in a while if you get tired of regulars.

If you live upcountry girls will tend not to be any cheaper than Pattaya, contrary to some expectations. Figure 1, 000 baht short time for good looking younger girls. There are, in some but not all cities, small brothels where you could go for 500-800 baht, but they really aren't very good as service is generally poor.

Anyway. 45, 000 / month would be enough upcountry, adequate in Pattaya, and I guess probably rather tight in Phuket or Bangkok, unless you don't plan to pay for girls. If no girls, then it is enough for anyplace.

[Wolvenvacht]

can you live okay on US$1500 per month

Sure you can, but you may have to adjust your definition of "okay". .

Say 1500 USD is about 45000 baht at present exchange rates.

* 5000 baht per month for the most simple housing, without aircon, no heating and the most rudimentary Thai style bathroom.

* 250 baht per day, say 8000 baht per month for Thai food and that means getting your food from street vendors (which provide actually rather good quality food)

* 500 baht per week for your laundry, say 2000 baht per month. But you can do your laundry yourself in the sink.

* transportation: cheapest will be a scooter. It's fuel is rather expensive: 40+ baht per liter and I have no idea what these scooters guzzle. I assume (guess) you can get by on 10 l per week, so 1600 baht per month.

* telecom: local GSM calls are cheap, long distance is another story. Internet: 100 baht per hour in an internet cafe, but prices tend to vary a lot. Some places offer free wireless. Cable TV or sattelite: I have no idea at all.

Say you blow already 20000 baht per month on the bare necessities alone.

That leaves you 25000 baht per month for all other things. That is about 800 baht per day only! What are you going to do all day on that budget? Don't expect to get yourself a teerac LT every night. The cheapest I did in Thailand (in Jomtien) was to get an average looking bargirl LT to my apartment for a total cost of 2300 baht (1500 baht fee + 300 baht barfine + 300 baht on drinks and 200 baht tip) and we actually walked from her bar to my place. Getting a young spinner from a BKK a-gogo cost me double that. And I never touch a drop of alcohol, so that tends to limit the damage too.

1500 USD per month therefore looks at the low end of what is do-able. For 2500 USD per month I surely would give it a try.