Australia and Thailand

[Throwdownmyaceinthehole]

Hi guys! I am a 58 yo expat lucky enough to be working just south of Perth and getting ready to chuck it all after the first of the year. My hubby has been tagging along the last five years as my manslave as I have been working in an international traveling job and someone has to let the dog in and out. We lived cheap over our lifetime and have a paid for house in Texas, which is rented, and no bills and FIRECALC says no worries, mate!

Two weeks ago I was in a panic that I may lose my job and be sent home - but now I've come to realize - whoopee - I really don't need to work anymore, and I have made a complete 180 to this realization that I don't have to fear termination! Only the fear of losing health care is still there - but I can go cobra until 2014... It's like this huge block of concrete has been lifted off my shoulders.

So, I can answer any questions that folks have about moving to Australia - the good and the bad, and I am looking for info on spending a few months traveling Thailand after the first of the year -we are headed over in 3 weeks for a holiday and to start checking it out. Isn't there someone on this forum living there now?

I think I am going to like not answering to the man any more!

 

[MichaelB]

Hi Throwdown, welcome to the forum. We have a couple of members that live in Thailand. If you use the search functioning you can find many threads that discuss or mention it, here is one http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f26/the-joys-of-retiring-abroad-59212.html

 

[JDARNELL]

Welcome! I was in Sydney and the Blue Mtns back in Sept. I can certainly seeing myself spending an extended amount of time in Australia. I also see a lot of opportunity for my kids there.

JDARNELL

 

[YoungSaver]

Ask away about Thailand.

What are your interests? This will help determine where you should stay.
What is your budget?
What are you hoping to do/see in Thailand?

 

[Throwdownmyaceinthehole]

My interests Geez, I don't really know...all I've done is work. Not Golf, maybe beachie, swimming, snorkeling, biking. Interest in architecture, food, outdoors, birds/animals. Not a big socializer. I'm thinking 2-3,000 per month. And we want to bring out little dog. She has already made the trip from US to Aus.

Thinking 2-3 months at first. We are headed over to Phuket in 17 days, Kata and Rawai, so we can have a look around, although I understand that Phuket may not be typical.

 

[YoungSaver]

2-3000 what per month? US Dollars? If so, that's very easy.
Phuket is not "typical", but it's still Thailand....with a bunch of tourists. Phuket will have the beach and snorkeling. Not so much architecture.
There are many direct flights from Phuket to other places. Chiang Mai is one option. They have biking, outdoors, birds and architecture. You will also probably want to visit Bangkok to see the main sites there. You could take a bus from Chiang Mai to Sukhothai to see the temple ruins, and then a bus down to Bangkok.

I don't know how comfortable you are being in a foreign land, but Thai people are generally friendly and helpful as long as you are friendly and polite.

 

[Lancelot]

Pattaya get a bad rap (City of Sin...) but there are quiet beaches 10 kms south of there that are also less expensive. I would advise renting, the ongoing political chaos just might make a house difficult to sell if the situation deteriorated.

2008

Thailand's Political Crisis Deepens | Asia Society

 

[YoungSaver]

If the OP has been told that Phuket is not typical Thailand then Pattaya or Jomtien are not going to be any better than Phuket.

I would not recommend driving anywhere near Pattaya to a 58 year old married and retired Aussie couple.

How about the city of Trat? Nice small town, and easy to get to Koh Chang.

 

[Lancelot]

If the OP has been told that Phuket is not typical Thailand then Pattaya or Jomtien are not going to be any better than Phuket.

I would not recommend driving anywhere near Pattaya to a 58 year old married and retired Aussie couple.

Personally I prefer Pattaya to Phuket.

There are many golf courses and other activities away from the bars/Walking Street area. There is a very aggressive taxi/transportation mafia in Phuket extorting outrageous fares from tourists and expats. The standard baht bus price in the Pattaya area is 10 baht, about $0.34 US.

 

[YoungSaver]

She's already going to Phuket. See post #5