I didn't mean to imply that somebody was not paying for Canadian health care system!But there is doubt in my mind that if someone complaining about ''chest pain''would have to wait in line and not get immediate attention as I have experienced in Thailand!

If you want to ride to the hospital in a vehicle without life support systems and attendents not trained in emergency support applications while sitting in traffic,I guess there is nothing wrong with the Thai ambulance for you!

Welcome back home,by the way it sucks here.Not many jobs,the worst winter in fifty years,criminals who get a slap on the wrist,falling house prices and rising property taxes.

Good luck, 38. I always enjoyed your posts, hope you pop into the Forum now and again.

some people do not have the option of staying here for many reason I met 38 and IMO I think he is doing the correct thing he has all ready had open heart surgery and he has a new born child and he has free medical care in Canada BTW it by far better than the USA plan we don't have one and when we do then all you right wingers can do the comparing and as for medical care here I doubt it any good yes it cheap
the old saying is you get what you pay for some times you don't even get that

Let's not hasten 38's departure. His opening post mentioned May 1st as his target date for visas. Even Canada should be warmer by then?

Tilokarat wrote:BKKSTAN, yes incidents of the kind you have mentioned do occur in Canada now. This happens more when they arrive at emergency at the hospital. The ambulances seem to do their job but the waiting lines for emergency care at many hospitals are very long now, and deaths that should not have taken place, have occurred. This is why those who have the means will go to Buffalo or other cities from Toronto to have their operations instead of waiting until death is on the doorstep.

Ten years ago this would not have happened, but this is now. It is too bad because the Canadian medical system used to be the envy of many countries.

This is not too say that everything is wrong with medical services in Canada but it has gotten worse recently.

The one other advantage in an emergency situation,that should be better in Canada,is communication between yourself and care givers!

over the years i have known a few French Canadians in the towns along the river from Nong Khai ,Tha Bo especially and they have all gone home now . problems with their wives seems the be the reasons cited .

The first day of spring for 2009 is March 20th, a Friday. But here I think March and April are
traditionally their "summer months". Kids off from school. The dreaded "songkran carnage" etc.

S & A, if you do return to Canada, then I also wish you the very best. I've often thought of you and your health.

I, however, still want out of the West badly. But I'm locked into the full-time working life, and in an occupation I've never liked. Working will kill me -- I believe I'm mostly healthy, otherwise. I'll be 60 next October 11, and each day I have to get up at 3:30 a.m. to start readying for another dreary day at work and yield up yet another day of my life...it often brings me to curses, and sometimes tears of frustation and the helplessness to be able to change anything.

I'm about to enjoy a Salary Revision that goes back to June 21, 2007 -- plus get a $4,000 bonus in the very near future that will count towards my best five years of Salary for Pension purposes. But as it stands now with my present Salary history, my projected monthly Pension if I left in July 17 of NEXT year (i.e., 2010) would not be enough to make today's Thai financial requirements for staying over there. And I'd have about 19 1/2 years of Pensionable Service by then! So I'm hoping that this imminent Salary Revision stretching back to 2007, and the bonus, will push me over the threshhold.

If my wife had only wanted to live in Thailand after coming here in 2006! But she likes it here. And her two sons are now here, too -- ages 11 and 14. Good for them...sincerely! They arrived last September, finally able to live with their mother. But without some sort of miracle, I'm sentenced to my job. I can't even suggest that we pull up stakes and head far South to some place like Ecuador -- not while Jack still has family and a home in Nong Soong.

She makes my life worth living over here -- I know that. But I'd sure like to be done with the sucking working life, and be able to get on with what remains of the rest of what I deem will be my real life.

As do other Forumites of the non-expat variety, I have concerns about the Thai Visa process. So many other countries sound more welcoming! But I've never been to any of them -- only Thailand, and just three times. I dread finally being able to try out Retirement there, only to find that I'm too old to adapt to it. I haven't been back there since marrying in Udon in 2005, and it sounds like the changes are just about dramatic.

I expect that the ticket to succeeding over there would be to fellowship with some of you 'Old Hands' to help make the adjustments that would be needed more clear to see and understand. In my favour, I suppose, is that Jack's sons very much like me. They could be sterling allies one day if they both wanted to return to Thailand, too.

For now, I can only do as everyone else is doing -- awaiting the future, and seeing what unfolds.

sounds like the changes are just about dramatic.

things aren't that bad, we're just a bunch of cry babies. exchange rate, overall isn't that bad, tho brits got hammered past 6 months. for yanks, maybe down 15 % since 2000, not sure about you canucks. 60 soon, hmm, you are a healthy lad, thought you were younger. married, 40 k a month, if that doesn't work, and all the same, tourist/renew, few times a year and no problem staying. even better, is support of family, as not financial requirement, but needs to be applied out of country. not sure if extendable in country. i used that after divorce till i turned 50, then got retirement.

for myself, just the increased traffic and congestion bothers me, noticeable increase in 8 yrs, i guess to be expected, but something you wouldn't notice unless in town alot, which i am now.

Phil if your planning on retiring here it took me five years to really adjust and was home. But, that was rough five years.

Relaxing visa rules I donlt think you will see that as a matter fact tighter now then when I came here. They know brings us her in the first palce and ha nothing to do visas. I have to admit of late all I see on the Thai news has to do with arguments, fights and murders. But for the most part if you live a quit life here in town you will have very few problems,

I will tell you really have to want this, or yuo will probably fail to stay. Think about that before your sale your assets. there is big difference between living here and visiting.

I have never said that anyone was making a mistake leaving here, We each have to look to our own lives and decide what is best for us and our famalies. I admire people who have the courage to make the move back instead sitting here making themselves and everyone else miserable.

Straight man it is a third world country, with many stange things to us. But if you can find your nitch it's great. But you will have to create what you want. It won't come to you. The hardest thing is understanding what that really is. You have more choice then have ever had in life when you move here.

I think there was a time 6 mo and 6 mo would have sounded good to me. Not anymore if I move it won't be back to the states. If anyhting things are much worse there now then when I left

I hope to be able to do more traveling after this year. What saves me in the Bike rides, the trip to Mae Hong Son wa like going to a different country compared to Udon. I need those breaks from the house.

The mythes about Thai people are as deep a they are about us. Some are good people some are not simple as that,

38 I wish you and your family nothing but happiness no matter where you live.

Thanks for your thoughts git. It took you 5 years to adjust in Thailand you say, well, i suppose i am a bit on the old side to come over! And i will not be able to return home, financially, so, hope move is okay. I do have a mate retired there 7 years now, and that is a big plus. However i ran some figures past him about how much i'd have to live on, about £60,000 (3 million baht) and income only £600 (30,000baht), and he did flag up worries on this being enough to live on through the years. [-o< If i ended up not having enough for visa qualification one day and got chucked back to UK, i'd be living in dire poverty! Although in UK NHS means health care free, and just had yearly heart check here since heart op a year ago, and what, blood test, echocardiogram, ECG, X ray, consultant, if this private here over £1000 (50,000 baht) and yet have to pay private yearly in Thailand, which although it would be cheaper, still a lot each year!

Add to that, my female friends life goes from disaster to disaster latest son getting his girlfriend pregnant and she's expected to pay 60,000 baht in compensation to girls family. She has a so far unpregnant daughter looks after a couple of stray young kids in the village, it isn't cheap! So with 38 going back to Canada, and others to UK and their countries, i still haven't made it to retirement in Thailand yet! And, well, i have already put back actual date, to save more and build up pension, and well, i'm still planning! But my female friend, and escape from miserable England and shift work job , one day i'm sure, caution to the wind!

Off Topic: Phil you are reasoanbly new to the forum read the entire relationship section. You have time use the forum to learn. Everything is here by people experiencing it now.

Phil, would say that 30,000 baht is tight for supporting family. Being in similar position to you, i have done my sums and reckon i would want 35,000 baht to be safe - that assumes renting; if buy house say 28,000 baht a month. And i have no expensive vices ( well, maybe..) If you start eating into capital you would find it hard to replace. So either be careful, save more, or plan for 10-15 years and a quick exit. Remember future needs are hard to predict - would you a year ago have expected 50 baht to the pound today? And where next? I have put back my move from about 2010 to 2012, so as to coincide with main pension, otherwise could run out before then. Of course, I am just a recent recruit to the Thai dream, but have planned a lot and have lived other countries.
If burning boats, need to be really committed. Wether UK or Canada, I am sure going back is pretty traumatic. So either keep options open, or really work through all the costs, all the positives and negatives. i am still working on that.

"Add to that, my female friends life goes from disaster to disaster latest son getting his girlfriend pregnant and she's expected to pay 60,000 baht in compensation to girls family."

Be careful of that pattern. You may thing you're helping and your generous nature will be appreciated
but often the crises never end......because you're their with bank account to help. Young Thai males
making babies and then avoiding responsibility are almost becoming endemic in the country.

Research Research Research. What you learn now, is free it isn't when you get here.

I guaranee you this is not for everyone. 40 K an no bills you can make it comfortably. The rate of exchange was not somthing I took into consideration, didn't know a darn things about it, I do now.

Some of us here at one time or another have lost as much as 37% of useable income you are not going to absorb that on 30K a month. The guys from Uk, Eu and Australia are feeling it now us American felt it last year. Americans are geing a bit back now, but you have to have enough to ride it out.

Research Research Research

Well a very informative topic. I have only one comment. If a person only has a pension income of the equivalent to 30k baht per month. What sort of retirement can you have in your own country? It appears to me you could have a better quality of life in Thailand on that sum, than most of our farang countries.

Trubrit wrote: If a person only has a pension income of the equivalent to 30k baht per month...what sort of retirement can you have in your own country?

Well,retirement here on that would be rubbish of course! Here, 2 bedroom rented flat more than 30k baht, about £700 a month. My problem is, to get figures shown, i have to split with family here, and because it is more expensive to live here, would be taking lot less than half available after sale of house and splitting private pensions. If i stayed here until i was 65, an extra 5/6 years, then split, it would look much much better, BUT, i'd have 5 years less in Thailand, and with not best health in world, best not to delay too long! But as with rick, a delay of months maybe even a year or so on original plan, does seem inevitable.

As for female friend. I have read 'relationship' section and have my mates experience with Thai ladies to go on, but i concede, it will difficult to ensure i don't become a 'family ATM' and end up in a critical financial situation! I am DETERMINED not to, but who knows, it may end up in the long run, frying pan to fire for me. But yes, research research research, i agree, and, in my case save save save! On the 60,000baht needed for sons girlfriends parents, i'm only sending extra 10,000baht. That's it. Not a baht more, well, hopefully not!