Do you miss home?

[mrnicey1966]

Thanks for the honest replies , i would also like to know how you expats survive , do you run businesses in thailand ?, were you born with a silver spoon in the mouth and recieve monthly incomes?,
do you live on a bowl of rice per day ?
you people must have incomes to survive?

[BKKSTAN]

Thanks for the honest replies , i would also like to know how you expats survive , do you run businesses in thailand ?, were you born with a silver spoon in the mouth and recieve monthly incomes?,
do you live on a bowl of rice per day ?
you people must have incomes to survive?

Joined in 2005? Whoah,all those posts and you ask a question like this We pimp our wives of course and run scams on the side!Would you like to know how we run scams??

[tinyterry]

Nice reply Stan. Even I, as a relatively new member would never have asked a question as MrNicey. I presume he does not have much imagination especially as all the other posts on living in Udon and its costs. Maybe he does not bother to read these. One has only to look at the visa requirements to establish how much one needs to have as income to qualify for living in Thailand.

[Wisdom]

Who is mrnicey1966 really? Certainly if you take the Mr Men characters, he isn't too nice, and he isn't Mr Clever. 'Born with a silver spoon in the mouth and receive monthly incomes?' Hello, many people retired here, pensions give monthly income. 'Bowl of rice a day?' Sticky rice of course. However, i mustn't knock mrnicey cos whether he meant to or not, he opened a very interesting thread, with thought provoking replies. Well done there, mrnicey1966! =D>

[maaka]

go easy on him fellas, he sounds like a 43yrs old newby, at the crossroads of life, and just searching for answers before he makes that final big decision on whether he can come live here, and survive, without going belly up, and missing the rallies back home to much..we all probably all at the stage somewheres way back, and looking for someone to help us make that decision..

Me, I have been here on and off since 1974. Definately not the sliver spoon type, or even plastic spoon type for that matter. A loner, son of lighthouse keepers, a bushman, Crocodile Dundee type, travel light, sleep anywhere, cook over an open fire type, rice once a day, and barmee soup twice a day, jeans and T-shirt, walk everywhere or bicycle. Last time I spoke to a white fella was 6 weeks ago at the immigration office, and then it was just hello..I am ten years away from the pension, and I only get 23 baht to my dollar, not like these yanks, poms and euros.

Missing home, or being homesick depends on the person you are..I have kids, and parents back home downunder, but they do just fine without me, even though I do pop in now and then, just to let them no I am still alive. I have a very nice wee group of thai friends, most of who cant speak english, or me thai, but we get along just fine around the table in the evenings, just like family, no, they are better than my true family. They have helped me out, and visa versa.

do I miss home ? Whats there to miss ? well I must admit I come from a small paradise island off NZ, very remote, where you can walk around with a pair of undies on your head, and knowone gives a dam, where you can pee of your deck and not have to worry abpout the jones, because there aint no jones.however there are more lesbians per square mile than anywhere on earth, and all the single babes are taken or pretty much feral..The ocean is all I miss, but a trip up to Nongkhai and the Mekong River for afew days is now my ocean..

as for an income, well I sell chinese golf clubs, and exploding golfballs, no, no, sorry I am joking that was another subject on here. I am fortunate enough to have a Ponarosa back home, a home, and umpteen hectares of mature forest, across the beaten track from the ocean and the best rock fishing in the world..hence a nice little money earner for renting out to the platium spooners at 10,000 baht a week, more in the peak season..I will slice abit off soon and maybe go reside on the Mekong, who knows..

anyway I am rabbiting on..home is where you make it..sometimes its good to disappear back home for awhile just so you dont go cabin feverish, but heck whop wants to live you the wet and cold with a stogdy white woman, when you can swan around in short and T-shirt all year around and with a raven haired beauty latch onto you as well...hands up all those who want the wet and cold...hehehehe..

[mrnicey1966]

[quote]
Joined in 2005? Whoah,all those posts and you ask a question like this We pimp our wives of course and run scams on the side!Would you like to know how we run scams??


Its obvious that some expats have a bit of a temper at times and yes mr terry you are right , i am not very clever and at times my posts may appear to be not that nice .
but it interesting to know how so many of you westerners manage to survive in thailand ,i just want to know if you live thai way or if you expect the western " so called " luxuries that westerners are use to in their own countries .

i love thai food myself and could easily adapt but i would find it hard not to have some western amenities and also some entertainment other than gogo bars and barbeers , such as a western newspaper and some english spoken programmes or films at times .
also if you live in a poorish area and you build a nice house , how do the permanent thai residents who may of lived there for generations , how do they accept you into their communities , is there jealousy or even hatred towards you?
i have stayed in a small thai village and the outside road was a red dirt road and i personally felt trapped and alone and could not wait to get back to the city even though in england i avoid cities at all costs but in thailand i did feel threatened because i was in the middle of nowhere and there was no escape route if needed.do any of you feel uneasy at times?

[Khun Paul]

i would also like to know how you expats survive

Ignoring the comments about youth, and it being a nonsencial question, the point is valid, some ex-pats, live hand to mouth, some live very comfortably, the vast majority I think live reasopnably well.
me I breathe a little, sleep a little, eat a little and drink a little .

[maaka]

MrNicey you dont seem to have a strong self confidence ,if you felt threatened becaused you were in the middle of nowhere. I have only felt uneasy once back in 74 in a room in the Malaysia Hotel BKK, when I gun was pulled on me. Lucky mine was loaded, and his wasnt. Other than that I dont feel uneasy, thought at times I can read some resentiment or forboding in the eyes of a handful of thais but that is understandable..

Thailand is the only SE Asian country never to have been colonized. Even during WW11 they worked a deal with the Japs to give them free passage thru Thailand, but not control..The Thais have seen what has happened to India, Burma, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam, even Tibet from the British, Fench, Americans, Dutch, Chinese.and as an indigenous person who's ancestors land was stolen and confiscated by the British colonial powers of the day, I side with the Thais..Heck they dont even like Muslims and commies... they just want to protect thier culture and heritage, language and land, so afew Thais get alittle nervous over how many farang are going to move into the country, and what will happen when / if they do, and will they have any say on matters, and will the culture change for the worst...if you can come to understand this matter, and live accordingly, and appropriately, then thais and thailand will good to you..

Man if you can get more luxuries at tesco than you can poke a stick at, the Bangkok times is there, videos in english, a juicy steak , if that what you looking for...home is where you make..

[KHONDAHM]

i would also like to know how you expats survive

Ignoring the comments about youth, and it being a nonsencial question, the point is valid, some ex-pats, live hand to mouth, some live very comfortably, the vast majority I think live reasopnably well.
me I breathe a little, sleep a little, eat a little and drink a little .

Co-signed.

...and some earn elsewhere and spend it in Thailand where it goes much, much further. I generally work a few months in the USA or remotely via internet. Most of my time while in Thailand, I live a semi-retired and relaxed lifestyle with no worries and (usually) peace-of-mind. Like others on the board who made the switch, we've evolved past the western concept of material things being important in life or bringing happiness. I value time with my family above all else. Wouldn't trade it for anything and glad to not have to work like a wage-slave back in the USA everyday with only 2-3 weeks of vacation time to myself.

I may be a bit younger than the average poster, but making Thailand my home has afforded me the opportunity to semi-retire at an earlier age and have the time to really enjoy and appreciate family.

[rick]

Hmm, how do we Survive financially? Mainly by having pensions or a fair bit of money. If you are under 55, you do need to have a sensible plan - SOME farang make a living here but most do not. And you need to know how you will deal with the immigration hurdles, health issues. Udon map can give you a good idea about all these - but in the end you still need to work out what works for you.

[Wisdom]

I think to survive financially is a worry. But as long as you have a reasonable pension income, and a lump sum that can last a fair while, hopefully you'll be okay. However, i think health costs could be the 'spanner in the works' for some. I can not get health insurance unless i pay so much it'll be a joke, well a joke you wouldn't laugh at, but unexpected health costs could break many budgets. I have just found out both my knees which have suddenly become painful and stiff, have 'bits', floating about around them. This will mean both knees need key hole surgery. Now on the NHS, that's free! Okay, they may cock it up and i'll end up a cripple, or i'll get a hospital infection leading to early dementia as happened to my mum, but, at least they don't charge you for it! In Thailand, they would. Also, i have a heart valve that needs monitoring too, free in UK, not in Thailand.

Health costs won't stop me coming to Thailand, but it is something to be given much thought before making Thailand your home.

[KHONDAHM]

However, i think health costs could be the 'spanner in the works' for some. I can not get health insurance unless i pay so much it'll be a joke, well a joke you wouldn't laugh at, but unexpected health costs could break many budgets.

Great point that you bring up. Actually, this is one of the reasons I decided that we would live in Thailand. I am self-employed and barely decent insurance for 3 in America would run me ~$3,000 per MONTH. In Thailand, I have BUPA Platinum for myself (so wife would never have to worry) and Diamond for my wife and daughter. BUPA runs me ~$2,300 per YEAR (not cheap, but a bargain by comparison) and we get the royalty treatment at any hospital. With another on the way, there is no way I would be able to get such quality treatment in the States. I've been watching the health care debate in Congress with interest, but it seems a total Fup. Ah, well...one less thing I miss about the USA

[thanuhak]

Yeah strange int'it, the reasons some Brits need connection to UK - for NHS/healthcare is a reason some of us Yanks like it here - for the cheap, decent healthcare! Which we probably will never have in US, if left to wanking US congress, Liebermans, etc. Sorry!

KD, did you get your insurance around here? I hear BUPA is about the best. I know it's been covered on here before, but does someone have the local rep's contact info? Bout time I do something about this! (I think?!?)

Thanks.

[KHONDAHM]

Yeah strange int'it, the reasons some Brits need connection to UK - for NHS/healthcare is a reason some of us Yanks like it here - for the cheap, decent healthcare! Which we probably will never have in US, if left to ***** US congress, Liebermans, etc. Sorry!

KD, did you get your insurance around here? I hear BUPA is about the best. I know it's been covered on here before, but does someone have the local rep's contact info? Bout time I do something about this! (I think?!?)

Thanks.

Oh don't get me started about the worlds greatest democracy where it's representatives act like exclusive club members with absolutely no worries of accountability come election time because their constituents would rather pay attention to "Dancing with the Stars" than the people ruining their lives. Democrats who can't get S done and Republicans who were able to get all the wrong S done. Oh, don't get me started...

I DON'T miss that and it is another one of the reasons I left!

Anyway, I PM'd my agent's contact info. We have BUPA, auto, and renters insurance through them. Great service.

Cheers!

[Marlowe]

Sounds like a good thread on America in the making. But if I'm not mistaken, we're not supposed to get too political on here. Don't think we could do that thread without being political. Oh well, it would probably just get me hot and bothered anyway.

DO keep your avatar up there, KD. The right is far too noisy and intimidating to some! Ooops.

Do I miss home? Sometimes, yes. But only for visits. Once I'm there more than a few days, I'm ready to turn around and come back. Fast! For some of the reasons you note above.

Though...having said that...I do think about taking my young son back for his education... Then again, I am, and will continue to, supplement my children's education(s) with my home teaching.

I suppose in the end I have to agree with many above: Yes, I am home.

[tinyterry]

PhilR wrote about his knee's needing surgery. I too had a problem with my right knee and was told that I needed to have a partial knee replaceement because I had played rugby until past 48 years and damage had been done. I was lucky (so I thought) to have BUPA cover and had the op in their hospital. 6 moths later my leg was still 3 times its normal size and had to have a further operation to sort out. It would appear that they had not cut enough bone away. They also charged again for the second proceedure. Still after 2 years my knee is not right but I wont be going back again for more work by the butchers. Maybe I should have had it done in Thailand could only have been an improvement. Hope I have not gone off topic but felt had to comment. Cheers Terry

[mrnicey1966]

replaceement

moths

And you talk about my spelling.