Thinking Stage

[sika]

I am very seriousely considering retiring to Thailand  

However there are certain activities I don't think I can continue to do there . For instance ;

1. Is there any sport hunting of animals allowed in Thailand .

2. Is it legal for farang to posess / own firearms in  country .

Also what would be considered the normal cost of living for a single male in one year ? By this I mean just living expense . No social or entertainment , I realize that may change person to person .

Also should I decide to move there what percentage of farang are american ?

And one final question , is the cost of living in Chaing Mai cheaper then say Phuket , Pattaya or Bangkok ?

Also the temperature in Chaing Mai should be a good bit cooler correct ?

[Snick]

A foreigner can not legally own a gun.
I don't know about sport hunting, I prefer to shoot with a camera

I would Guess Phuket is the most expensive place to stay, followed by Bangkok, CM and Pattaya would be close to each other.
CM is cooler, but do some google searches for research; CM also gets more rain and flooding.
American expats are the minority, there are more Australians and British.

Living costs are allover the board. Some people live in one room apartment in a Thai neighborhood; others live in luxury buildings with security and swimming pools. Some people eat street food for $1 a meal, others only eat Western food and pay 5x more. Etc...

[sika]

(Snick @ Aug. 27 2007,11:39) A foreigner can not legally own a gun.
I don't know about sport hunting, I prefer to shoot with a camera  

I would Guess Phuket is the most expensive place to stay, followed by Bangkok, CM and Pattaya would be close to each other.
CM is cooler, but do some google searches for research; CM also gets more rain and flooding.
American expats are the minority, there are more Australians and British.

Living costs are allover the board. Some people live in one room apartment in a Thai neighborhood; others live in luxury buildings with security and swimming pools. Some people eat street food for $1 a meal, others only eat Western food and pay 5x more. Etc...

Well no guns

So I would have to liquidate my collection

Well that would put a nice amount in my pocket for ummm socializing and entertainment

[Bravo]

Sounds like a trial run might be in order. 3-4 months, sometime spent in Chiang Mai and a couple of other places.

[sika]

I've spent a fair amount of time recently on the web looking for apartment/condo rentals in the variouse cities .

Chaing Mai looks pretty decent as does of all places Pattaya .I expect I will prefer Bangkok when I actually get there and look around , but to live in a style of which I am sorta accustomed it will cost to much in Bangkok . And part of the idea of moving to Thailand is the supposed cheaper cost of living then most areas of the USA

Actually I would be up for the PI , but I think the muslim terrorists would make life a little to uncertain over there for me to feel really comfortable .

I take it once you arrive there finding a "reguler" partner is pretty simple , be it GG or LB

[stogie bear]

it will cost to much in Bangkok

Rubbish. You're not even looking are you.

I just spent 4 years in a house and paid 4000 Baht a month. I was sorry to leave but did anyway!

You can live in Bangkok in a nice apartment all expenses paid from 10,000 baht a month to 100,000 baht a month.

the idea of moving to Thailand is the supposed cheaper cost of living then most areas of the USA

You are coming here for the wrong reasons. Have you thought about an African country? They are amazingly cheap. Central America is another fantastic option if you want a place cheaper than the USA.

I take it once you arrive there finding a "reguler" partner is pretty simple...

Depends... If you are a regular kind of guy then, yes... it's pretty simple. If you are a bit weird then it's not.

[sika]

Hmmm everything I was finding online was in the 25,000 - 45,000 Baht a month range .

20,000 Baht a month for all living expenses would be a piece of cake  

Then the ass bill permonth would most likely be about 50,000B a month .

So then I could live at piece for about $2000 US dollars a month  


The african continent is not a viable option , central america would be okay although I am not as drawn to the hispanic ladies as I am to those of asian descent .

What is the current state of affairs with us/europeans in Canbodia and Vietnam ?

[Guest]

the prices you find online almost always will be much higher..find locals that live there to help you find a place you will be amazed at the cost differance

[sika]

[quote]
(stogie bear @ Sep. 10 2007,12:59)

Depends... If you are a regular kind of guy then, yes... it's pretty simple. If you are a bit weird then it's not.

Hmmm "weird" is a relative thing don't ya think !

Everyone can be considered weird for some small thing they may do regurly as force of habit .

But weird as far as being introverted or something of that nature . I am not of that category !

Now some of my friends that are not aware of my new found intrest for the LB's , may think me a bit weird . Although I would have to say that is there problem and if they cannot deal with it since it does not effect them then they were really never good friends anyway !

Hmmm weird , I supposed the strangest thing I do by the standerds of today is have a compulsion to collect and fire many many firearms . And to pursue a "harvest" poor little unsuspecting deer . But then in the USA thats a whole nother can of worms .

[stogie bear]

So then I could live at piece for about $2000 US dollars a month...

For 65,000 Baht you can live in great comfort in Bangkok. As trocks69 points out there are fantastic deals to be had if you know where to look or enlist the help of someone who does. There's no way I'd pay these rates of 25k to 45k a month just for a place to sleep in! That's insane and you would be just pissing money down the toilet.

Of course if you have money to piss away then that's different. But for anyone who is moving or retiring on any kind of fixed income then you have to be judicious about your most important monthly expense which is of course your rent.

The first thing people tell me when they move here (or make plans to move here) is "Well, I've got X amount to spend and I want to be near the Skytrain!" You can set a conversation by it! It's never ever NOT happened!

Your budget of 65,000 baht a month will allow you to do most things often and a few things occasionally anywhere in Thailand.

[stogie bear]

As for the weirdness factor...

Thais are finickity people. Cleanliness or the appearance of it is very high on their list of what constitutes weirdness. Sweating, smoking and stinking of drink are also up on the nastiness and weirdness ladder. Aggression and being noisy are also likely to bump you from having a 'regular' partner. Making a fuss in public, complaining about anything, eating strange food...

What you may take for granted may upset a potential partner. Do you bite your nails? Well, you may as well just fart in their faces if you do! Do bad drivers and traffic jams get you all worked up? That's weird!

But you can always turn to hookers. That's basically what they are there for... Those of us (me included) that are too weird to find a nice girly to like us!

[sika]

(stogie bear @ Sep. 10 2007,13:39) As for the weirdness factor...

What you may take for granted may upset a potential partner. Do you bite your nails? Well, you may as well just fart in their faces if you do! Do bad drivers and traffic jams get you all worked up? That's weird!

Hmmm 2 strikes for weird against me already

By weird I took it to mean the way we would define it in the USA . Again I suppose one should "ASSUME" nothing

[sika]

What does a decent Harley , Triumph or Royal Enfield normally cost over there ?

In USA normal "decent" Harley is gonna be about $20,000. Nice Triumph about $12,000 and a new Royal Enfield is about $6000 now I think . Think a decent Ducati here now is about $16,000 although not as sure on this one . By the way these are mid new prices for the different brands in this country . I assume I would be better off with a bike then a car over there ?

[Road Runner]

Hello Sika,

It's not (in theory) possible to buy a large capacity motorbike in Thailand.
The government restricts the size to something like 125cc.

However it's not uncommon to see Harleys and one or two other more exotic bikes on the streets of Bangkok.
I understand that they are bought in Singapore and knocked down into a few large pieces and then shipped in as 'spares'.  You then get a local to re-assemble the parts for you.
I've never tried this though and don't know anyone who has.


As for being 'better off with a bike'  -  have you seen the way the Thai's drive  

I learned in the Home Counties of England  -  they all drive like the end of the world will be in a few minutes and they are going to be home for it!  

The Thais (at least in Bangkok!) drive the same way  -  but with much less training and skill  

To put it another way  -  90% of the Thai's I know have at least two scars from motorbike accidents.
Herself (my girlfriend) seems to lose an uncle roughly every two years killed in a motorbike accident.

RR.

[stogie bear]

I assume I would be better off with a bike then a car over there?