How many of the readers here will be retiring to Pattaya this year or 2027?

Most of you really need to move there if your from a Western country 🇦🇺🇺🇸🇨🇦🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Time is limited, life is limited⌛⌛

Like sands through the hourglass so is the Days of our lives 

Whether you live in the UK, USA or Germany, sell up ( if you own your house) 

, move  over to Pattaya to lead an exciting life ,dancing 👯👯‍♂️, guys on call 👦👨sex everyday , the best restaurants , you can easily live on 25,000 baht month if you buy a apartment there 

Bars every night 🍷🍾🥂sex everyday , meeting people from around the world 🌎 

Do it .... otherwise remain stagnant in your Western country doing absolutely nothing !!!

So, what do we do when the blush is off the rose?  Vacationing somewhere is vastly different than living full-time in that destination.  While an early arrival may hit the bars nightly / frequently upon arrival and off the boys ... it's likely that changes over time.  Eating out at restaurants regularly?  That becomes lesser and lesser over time. The ability to speak/communicate in Thai makes a transition easier but not having that ability can isolate us and cost us.  Hopefully, over time ... we develop regular callers, therefore making trips to the bars less frequent - but the financial commitment not much less.  What else, though, will occupy our time there?  Expat network?  I've been an expat outside the USA previously (not Thailand), and I know that the grass is not always greener on the other side.

Ok.  when are you making the move?

16 minutes ago, Mavica said:

So, what do we do when the blush is off the rose?  Vacationing somewhere is vastly different than living full-time in that destination.  While an early arrival may hit the bars nightly / frequently upon arrival and off the boys ... it's likely that changes over time.  Eating out at restaurants regularly?  That becomes lesser and lesser over time. The ability to speak/communicate in Thai makes a transition easier but not having that ability can isolate us and cost us.  Hopefully, over time ... we develop regular callers, therefore making trips to the bars less frequent - but the financial commitment not much less.  What else, though, will occupy our time there?  Expat network?  I've been an expat outside the USA previously (not Thailand), and I know that the grass is not always greener on the other side.

Ok.  when are you making the move?

I will make the move in the next few years 

I will then have a very exciting life whilst many of you languish in your country whilst I'm out being forever young ,

dancing , clubbing ,bar hopping , being  gangbanged in the gay sauna ,moneyboys , massages everyday , Fine wines🍷🍾 ,cheeses 🧀

and the list goes on while many of you will be in your crime ridden country dreaming about Pattaya !!

Oh like sands through the hour glass ⏳⌛⌛.... So is the Days of our lives 

1 hour ago, Olddaddy said:

move  over to Pattaya to lead an exciting life ,dancing 👯👯‍♂️, guys on call 👦👨sex everyday , the best restaurants , you can easily live on 25,000 baht month if you buy a apartment there 

Good luck living on that type of budget = 833 baht per day (25k / 30 days).  A more realistic monthly budget is 60k to 70k baht (based on the above mentioned assumption that you bought an apartment and don't have rent to pay).  On some days it is possible, but on many it is not, if you want to do the things that you describe on your above list.  Also, if friends come over to visit you - they are in vacation mode (with a travel fun budget that they saved up all year) and that 833 baht per day suddenly becomes 2,000 to 4,000 baht per day.

37 minutes ago, Mavica said:

So, what do we do when the blush is off the rose?

and in my opinion, this is the hardest part of retirement - how do you repurpose yourself?  How do you find new purpose in your life?

I'm sure there is gay farang in Pattaya living on that budget ( obviously own their own Condo and no rent  ,)

The gay bars actually are much more expensive than the straight bars ,has anyone noticed that ?

I usually pay the 250;baht at the gay sauna where I'm a very popular slut and no need for rent boys 

I wonder if I should take over l/ buy a  small bar , have a few money boys. Have a few tables out the front and provide some excitement 

Have the 1980's music going 

Even hire Boy George to come into the bar ?

I don't want a big bar , I just need a small one where we can all play bingo , strip poker and dance to the night 

1 hour ago, Mavica said:

So, what do we do when the blush is off the rose?  Vacationing somewhere is vastly different than living full-time in that destination.  While an early arrival may hit the bars nightly / frequently upon arrival and off the boys ... it's likely that changes over time.  Eating out at restaurants regularly?  That becomes lesser and lesser over time. The ability to speak/communicate in Thai makes a transition easier but not having that ability can isolate us and cost us.  Hopefully, over time ... we develop regular callers, therefore making trips to the bars less frequent - but the financial commitment not much less.  What else, though, will occupy our time there?  Expat network?  I've been an expat outside the USA previously (not Thailand), and I know that the grass is not always greener on the other side.

Ok.  when are you making the move?

Oh don't be jealous !!!

 

A number of YouTube videos have appeared  recently which can only be described as  warnings against relocation. The issues appear to relate to visas and banking, as well as a rise in costs. The issues raised by bkkm2648 and Mavica have also been mentioned.  Is there general dissatisfaction in the expat community?

2 hours ago, Olddaddy said:

I will make the move in the next few years 

I will then have a very exciting life whilst many of you languish in your country whilst I'm out being forever young ,

dancing , clubbing ,bar hopping , being  gangbanged in the gay sauna ,moneyboys , massages everyday , Fine wines🍷🍾 ,cheeses 🧀

and the list goes on while many of you will be in your crime ridden country dreaming about Pattaya !!

Oh like sands through the hour glass ⏳⌛⌛.... So is the Days of our lives 

Far from keeping you forever young, it sounds like a recipe for an early drop off the perch.

Oh, and you misspelt 'Days'. I think you meant 'daze'.

One of the reasons I decided against relocation (one of many) is that I wouldn't have Thailand to  look forward to. 

3 hours ago, Olddaddy said:

How many of the readers here will be retiring to Pattaya this year or 2027?

Most of you really need to move there if your from a Western country 🇦🇺🇺🇸🇨🇦🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Time is limited, life is limited⌛⌛

Like sands through the hourglass so is the Days of our lives 

Whether you live in the UK, USA or Germany, sell up ( if you own your house) 

, move  over to Pattaya to lead an exciting life ,dancing 👯👯‍♂️, guys on call 👦👨sex everyday , the best restaurants , you can easily live on 25,000 baht month if you buy a apartment there 

Bars every night 🍷🍾🥂sex everyday , meeting people from around the world 🌎 

Do it .... otherwise remain stagnant in your Western country doing absolutely nothing !!!

So, Olddaddy, what type of visa would you be pursuing?

I don't know if I would ever move to Thailand on a permanent basis.  I would be willing to spend a few months there each year, but also have a base to return to in case things turned to custard in Thailand.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGPZKbAWHvc

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

82% of Western Expats in Thailand Lose EVERYTHING – Here’s Why

8 hours ago, Londoner said:

The issues raised by bkkm2648 and Mavica have also been mentioned.  Is there general dissatisfaction in the expat community?

This is a very hard question to answer. 

After living here for almost 4 years - here in the Pattaya/Jomtien area, this is what I perceive:

• There are 3 types of foreigners in the expat community, as follows:
  • Seasonals - they own or rent a place here during high season and come to stay for less than 6 months - thus avoiding to become a tax resident.
  • Tourists - they come for 30 days or less and are generally passing through Pattaya heading onto somewhere else.
  • Full Time Expats (FTE) - they live here all year round and Thailand is home for them.
• Of these 3 groups - my sense of it is that the Seasonals are the most happiest, then the tourists, and then the FTEs*  However, I assign one important caveat that can put the FTE into first place - that is to be in a full time relationship and in love and enjoying the Thailand experience to its fullest.

I am in the 3rd category, FTE - without a partner.  I have tried on 2 separate occasions to have a Thai partner - and during the initial phase of each distinct relationship, life was great.  But in both cases things fell apart due to the usual issues about constant requests for money due to extended family issues.  Unfortunately, the dating pool in the Pattaya area is full of guys who are not from Pattaya - but moved here out of financial necessity - as they come from poor families where there are not good opportunities for success.

Those FTEs that I see and know who are the happiest are those who have found a true Thai partner and the relationship works without the money issue becoming problematic.  Those kinds of partners, in my opinion, are very hard to find here.

Another strange thing is that most of my farang friends are in the Seasonal category - as I tend to get along with that group the best.  So, when they are here for the 5 months of the year - life is good.  But when they return to their home countries, during the 7 months of low season - life becomes more difficult and lonely.

I have had very limited luck with making true friendships with the FTE category of people who live here full time.  They tend to be in 2 different camps:

• reserved and closed off to new friendships - as they have been burned by other FTEs in the past,
• alcoholics and want to drink alcohol at a rate that I cannot sustain - nor do I want to. Sometimes I refer to them as, "farang sit farang drink".

Anyone else have a similar or different experience in Thailand?

9 hours ago, Olddaddy said:

Even hire Boy George to come into the bar ?...

If you do invite George, make sure you've got a plumbed in radiator and a set of hand cuffs. Believe he's into that sort of thing!

10 hours ago, Olddaddy said:

I will make the move in the next few years 

I will then have a very exciting life whilst many of you languish in your country whilst I'm out being forever young ,

dancing , clubbing ,bar hopping , being  gangbanged in the gay sauna ,moneyboys , massages everyday , Fine wines🍷🍾 ,cheeses 🧀

and the list goes on while many of you will be in your crime ridden country dreaming about Pattaya !!

Oh like sands through the hour glass ⏳⌛⌛.... So is the Days of our lives 

 

I think that @bkkmfj2648 has some excellent insight here.  I think that the thing that would make the most sense for most expats who love Thailand (or whatever other place) is to treat it like snowbirds in the US.  Go to Thailand for part of the year.  It keeps things fresh, while maintaining the connections back home with family and friends.  One doesn’t feel trapped in Thailand if things go south.  

I think buying an apartment before living there for about a year is a bad idea. It makes it much harder to change your mind easily if you find the experience is not what you hoped.

It also gives you a much better feel for what you want from an apartment and where you want it.

I wouldn't move there, but to each his own.

5 hours ago, t0oL1 said:

82% of Western Expats in Thailand Lose EVERYTHING – Here’s Why

Not only Thailand, but many places they decide to move without researching all the details.....  thinking with the little head 🤷‍♂️

@Olddaddy, your retirement plan sounds less like financial planning and more like an episode of The Golden Girls: Pattaya After Dark, and we all know you're capable of playing all the parts all by yourself 👯‍♂️

25,000 baht a month, fine wine, cheese, massages, bars every night, and being “very popular” at the sauna?

Popular, or notorious? Because there’s a fine line between “everyone knows me” and “staff have a nickname for me/us" 🧐

How about  a GoFundMe titled: “Help Me Grow Old Disgracefully, But With Better Cheese and my hairy ass in the air" 😝

10 hours ago, Olddaddy said:

I will make the move in the next few years 

I will then have a very exciting life whilst many of you languish in your country whilst I'm out being forever young ,

dancing , clubbing ,bar hopping , being  gangbanged in the gay sauna ,moneyboys , massages everyday , Fine wines🍷🍾 ,cheeses 🧀

and the list goes on while many of you will be in your crime ridden country dreaming about Pattaya !!

Oh like sands through the hour glass ⏳⌛⌛.... So is the Days of our lives 

You forgot your meds again

15 hours ago, Kiwi306 said:

So, Olddaddy, what type of visa would you be pursuing?

I don't know if I would ever move to Thailand on a permanent basis.  I would be willing to spend a few months there each year, but also have a base to return to in case things turned to custard in Thailand.

Probably a Muay Thai student visa🥋🥊🥊

Yes well ..life could get boring I suppose if I moved there 

But...the first thing is buy a condo , I don't want to pay rent 

The view talay is a good option although the walk across the busy road everyday isnt good plus the long walk down the driveway of the building 🏢 

I'm pretty sure I could live on $1500 AUD a month about 35000 baht give or take 

Would boredom set in?

Perhaps .

Would lonilessness set in?

Perhaps.

I would probably fill my day with going to the gym , my nights at the gay sauna 

Maybe then who knows after a few months I may be missing  Australia 🦘 work, friends , life ,routine 

And this is what you can't give up when moving to Pattaya....routine 

I don't really need a "relationship" as such , I like to be alone , some expats move to Thailand and become lonely 

I can be happy with my own company, I prefer talking to myself actually 

 

 

51 minutes ago, Olddaddy said:

I prefer talking to myself actually 

I would never have guessed 

5 hours ago, floridarob said:

Accidentally quoted floridarob, for no particular reason.

Buying a condo involves a commitment and the condo may be difficult to sell. Renting means that you can walk away.

2 hours ago, Olddaddy said:

I'm pretty sure I could live on $1500 AUD a month about 35000 baht give or take 

I assume you have taken account of the cost of the retirement visa - 65,000 Bt. per month regularly deposited into your account or 800,000 placed in a bank account untouchable virtually until you die or depart the country by some other means. I realise the latter reduces to 400,000 for part of the year but essentially you need to have 800,000 Bt. untouched as long as you remain in Thailand. One baht less and your visa could vanish!

Alternatively if you plan to stay for years you could become a big spender and go for a Thai Privilege Visa (used to be named Thai Elite). That used to be 1 million Bt. cash down (and forever lost) for 20 years. But you are too late as the Privilege business has changed. 20 year visas are by invitation only so you're stuck with a maximum of 15 years for 2.5 million Bt. If you plan to live longer than that, you start again at the beginning!

And that is the big unknown! The 800,000/400,000 Bt. untouchable was introduced around 2019. Beforehand you needed 800.000 in your account only for a couple of months prior to annual renewal. Thereafter you could spend that money paying for all your champagne, caviar and boys during the year. Then it suddenly changed at virtually a moment's notice. Thailand Elite became Thailand Privilege about a couple of years ago and existing members were given 3-8 weeks notice. Neither had any backdating.

The big problem in my view is that the Thai Immigration Department has a very quixotic and changeable view about policy and it has sometimes depended in the past not on actual government policy but individual Directors of Immigration. My worry now is the 65,000 bt. figure. That was introduced soon after the 1997 Asian Economic crisis at a time when the country was desperate for any cash. AFIK it has never changed. Given the government's frequently stated desire for wealthier tourists and wealthier retirees, how long will it be before that amount is jacked up? If it is jacked up, a lot of existing retirees will surely pack up and leave.

Now taxation has been ntroduced for some wealthier retirees. And once the tax and visa issues are solved, what about the ever-increasing cost of healthcare? Like it or not, premiums go up quite substantially once you are over 60 or 65.