Up in Chiang Mai...

[Lancelot]

Those photos are great, Lance! wish I knew how to load photos... (could be dangerous!)

Bring on those photos Akaisha!

Yes, many good deals abound in Chiang Mai.

Lance

 

[JohnnieRed]

I'm new to the site...great pix

Do you have a budget for a very comfortable lifestyle in Thailand? What does it include?

Do you live near the coast?

Do the Thais try to tax your income,even if it is from offshore, if you are a resident? E. G., like a US pension, IRA distributions, dividends, interest, etc.   Don't even know if your American/Australian? Citizenship?

I enjoy physical fitness, water sports and golf...any of that inexpensive around where you are at?

Where would you suggest going first if someone was to go to Thailand to check out an "early retirement lifestyle?"  (I'm a divorced guy, young and healthy in mid 50s thinking of going from part time to ER next year.)

Thanks in advance.

 

[Lancelot]

Lancelot,
Thanks for those photos.   This really gives an idea of what life looks like in the retireearly-lifestye.  The traditional photos of tourist areas do not give an idea of what normal everyday activities are like.

Do you have other photos of where you normally eat, shop and read a book?

Dex, I really don't take that many photos and don't have the ones you've requested. The places I eat are basic Thai style local neighborhood restaurants-nothing flashy but delicious food! I read at the little "sala", a covered patio in the tropical garden by my building's pool.

All the best,

Lance

 

[dex]

Lancelot,
I know it may sound strange but it is the normal occurances that give me an idea of what an experience in Thailand would be like (I was there in 1985). That is what I liked about your room photograph - you can picture yourself there. So for me I would like to see a photograph of:
grocery store
local restaraunt
local bar
local bookstore
etc.
Thanks for sharing

 

[Lancelot]

I'm new to the site...great pix

Do you have a budget for a very comfortable lifestyle in Thailand? What does it include?

Do you live near the coast?

Do the Thais try to tax your income,even if it is from offshore, if you are a resident? E. G.,  like a US pension, IRA distributions, dividends, interest, etc.   Don't even know if your American/Australian? Citizenship?

I enjoy physical fitness, water sports and golf...any of that inexpensive around where you are at?

Where would you suggest going first if someone was to go to Thailand to check out an "early retirement lifestyle?"  (I'm a divorced guy, young and healthy in mid 50s thinking of going from part time to ER next year.)

Thanks in advance.

Welcome to the board JR!

My budget is $1,100 / US per month and includes everything (tax, travel, all living expenses)

I do not pay Thai income tax. Everyone pays the 7% VAT (sales) tax on most purchases.

I am a US citizen and; therefore, I pay US Income Taxes on my dividends, interest and capital gains.

I don't golf, but people who do say the golfing is terrific here - 365 days per year.

Check out this site for comprehensive Thailand living  www.stickmanbangkok.com

Most 50 year old guys like Thailand  

Lance

 

[Sheryl]

I am really enjoying the photos and links! Thanks, and keep 'em coming!

 

[Billy]

Lance,
Great job with the pics!

But thanks to YOU they are now full! Some things are better kept quiet...

Billy

 

[pbrane]

My budget is $1,100 / US per month and includes everything (tax, travel, all living expenses)


Lancelot:

Thanks for the budget numbers. I'm curious about the breakdown. For ex., how much of that is rent (and where is you home base)? Does it include trips home? For me, if I were to fly home more than once/year, it would dig into my budget ($1000 to 1200/flight).

Also, anything NOT to like about retiring/living there (I'm a fifty-year-old single male)? Or any other comments... really appreciated!

-m

 

[justin]

Lance and Kaderli's:

I'm curious about how you are dealing with airfare too. Bargain shop? A good travel agent somewhere? Frequent flier miles? Round-the-world tickets? Depends on the flight? I'm guessing a few regular "discount" tickets can add up quickly on a budget of ~$12,000/person, which seems to be what you all are running at.

I'm talking intercontinental international - SE Asia to Australia/NZ to S America to USA (or wherever you fly) - not the local Thailand to Vietnam kind of flights.

Thanks.

 

[Billy]

Justin,
Just about all of what you mention. It's inportant to remenber this is a lifestyle, NOT a two week vacation. So, if you pay 1000 for a ticket, plan on staying months to spread out the costs. Right now, Air Asia has a deal BKK-Hanoi for 39 US or something like that. Very tempting. Lance knows more about this one, but my point is that there's always deals. When we fly from the US to Asia our FF miles add up to just about a free domestic trip, so we use everything...

Billy

 

[justin]

So it sounds like if you're spending $1000 on a plane ticket once or twice a year for those transatlantic/transpacific flights? I know the local tickets (like BKK-Hanoi) cost only a small fraction of the US to Thailand RT tickets.

 

[ForeignExchange]

From JR:

>>>Do you have a budget for a very comfortable lifestyle in Thailand? What does it include?<<<



For an idea of living costs in one of the lowest cost areas of Thailand, you may want to take a look at this comprehensive list , from Udon Thani, located in Isaan (Northeast Thailand).

http://www.udonmap.com/costs_of_living.html

 

[justin]

"Thai massage 1hr 120"

I guess that is in baht in Udon Thani. In the US, it's about the same, except in US dollars

I guess you can live pretty good on $1000 in Thailand, especially the smaller outlying cities outside Bangkok.

 

[ForeignExchange]

Justin wrote:

>>>"Thai massage 1hr 120"

I guess that is in baht in Udon Thani.<<<

Yes, about the equivalent of just under $6 U.S. for a two hour massage.

 

[WanderALot]

We pulled into Chiang Mai at noon, and de-trained to the mass of tuk tuk/songtaew drivers waiting to Air

Well, I'm certainly coming in on this thread late. When exactly were you in Chiang Mai? We were there from Nov. 26th till the 30th. Had a wonderful time. Took Air Asia from BKK and then took the train back slowly stopping at Sukkotai (by way of Philanstok) and Ayuthya. Sukkotai was AMAZING!

 

[WanderALot]

I'm talking intercontinental international - SE Asia to Australia/NZ to S America to USA (or wherever you fly) - not the local Thailand to Vietnam kind of flights.

Check out Evaair. We flew from LAX to BKK for $700 including all taxes (except for BKK's $12.50 departure tax). Cheapest that I could fly with another airline was over $900. It wasn't a great flying experience though, LAX to Taipei was on an older 747 with poor airconditioning and cramped seats, but Taipei to BKK was on a newer 777 which was much nicer.

 

[MJ]

On Billy's recommendation, I took EvaAir to Thailand from NJ for $840. It was a carefree flight. They offer unlimited drinks, slippers and nice eye masks.

 

[justin]

I looked at airline tickets to BKK from Raleigh-Durham Int'l - after taxes and fees it'll be $900-$1000. I found this package deal for 14 days in Thailand w/ airfare, transfer, all hotels (in nice places) and many meals for about $1100-$1200 incl. taxes, fees, etc (that's departing from NY or LAX I think - I'd have to get there on an el cheapo domestic plane ticket). http://www.friendlyplanet.com/thailand.html if anyone is interested - might make for a good, relatively cheap intro to Thailand. Nice too for the working stiffs on here who can't take off more than 2 wks at a time (my family falls in that category now ).

I did see some good deals from RDU to other places in Asia - $700 or so .

 

[Lancelot]

Lance just returned from the beach...

I arrived in Thailand almost three years ago on a one way ticket, US to Bangkok. About $640. Last December I had to make the emergency trip back to the US (father criticaly ill), paid almost $1,250 US RT. My parents live in rural NC, so the final leg of the journey significantly increases the price.

October 2004 I paid about $300 US RT Bangkok to Shanghai. My best bargain was a Bangkok - Chiang Mai trip on Air Asia for $13.50.

When I book a ticket, I just start calling travel agents advertizing in the Bangkok Post. I make my best deal and the firm's motorcycle courier delivers the ticket and collects the payment, pretty much hassle free

I think I'll check out te Philippines next

Lance

 

[Lancelot]

Thanks for the budget numbers. I'm curious about the breakdown. For ex., how much of that is rent (and where is you home base)? Does it include trips home? For me, if I were to fly home more than once/year, it would dig into my budget ($1000 to 1200/flight).

12 month ending expense- Dec 12 2004 to December 11 2005

Capital Purchases $135 Cell phone, coffee pot
Dining 947
Groceries 644
Medical 546
Recreation 3,302 Nights out, some short trips to the beach, wtc
Rent 3,073
Tax 150 Quarterly US Income tax payments @ $50/ qtr.
Telephone/Internet 255
Transportation 299 Taxi, subway, skytrain, bus
Travel 2,155 Includes emergency trip to US
Misc 994 Everything else

Total $12,500


Like Billy said, the way to cut down on travel expense is to average out those expensive flights by staying longer at your destination.

Also, anything NOT to like about retiring/living there (I'm a fifty-year-old single male)? Or any other comments... really appreciated!

Sure, there are problems everywhere. Bangkok is crowded and polluted, then there are the language and cultural differences.

When I get frustrated, I take a deep breath and think "It is what it is..."

Works for me

Lance

 

[pbrane]

Lance:

I appreciate the (further) breakdown on the budget. But I didn't see an entry for ..."bar fines." (ha ha). But seriously, my budget would probably look very similar to yours, if I ever get off my duff and get over there.

Also looking forward to a report from the Philippines. There was a discussion on Lonely planet Thorn Tree forum on comparing Thailand, Phillippines and Malaysia that might be worth a look. (search on member name "xix.")

Thanks again..

 

[justin]

...My parents live in rural NC, so the final leg of the journey significantly increases the price...

Just curious, what part of rural NC?

 

[spike]

I wanted to take another trip to Thailand and the air fare is about the same price as a Grand Circle 3 week trip, which included air-fare, flight from BKK to Chiang Mai, lodging and two to three meals a day.

I thought about taking the same tour and just using the cheap air, food and lodging and doing my own thing and skip all the Buddha's.

I love that place!

 

[justin]

Spike,

Can you post a link for more details about that Grand Circle trip? I googled them, and all I saw was $1500 and up for 16+ days (at www.gct.com). I have the same idea as you do about using the "all expenses paid tour" for the plane tickets, meals and lodging and then striking out on my own. I believe the friendly planet tour I mentioned above would allow for this kind of "do it yourself" trip - most of the side trips are optional and cost extra anyway.

 

[Lancelot]

Just curious, what part of rural NC?

Hi Justin, about 30 miles from Elkin, in the Blue Ridge Mtns.

Lance