Is my plan feasible? [moving to Thailand]

[handyman]

Regarding your dog N Barton ... I'm sure colin (storm fishing) can tell you the cost of bringing a dog over ... I know he bought a dog over from the UK last year.
I wish you well with your plans ... Its when I read posts like your I realize how fortunate I am to be living here ... I'm not like Dan and hate the UK ... I am English .. And proud of it ... And I do miss certain aspects of the country. But I don't miss the high prices ... The weather, and the Tory alliance government. I do miss my family and friends ... The light evenings .. Southend United and West Ham. The banter ... and the 20/20 night cricket matches at Chelmsford.
I've been here 2 years now ... I get accused of being a bit defensive of my views of Thailand... But then again .. It is just my view. It is a lot cheaper to live here ... I went last night and filled our truck up with Diesel .. Its a 3.0 litre truck ... It was near to empty .. And it cost 1,300 baht to fill it right up ... That's around 26 pounds ... Diesel is back down to 29 baht a litre .. Was the 30 for a while Have no idea what it is in the UK now ... But its about 60p here ... And I'm guessing it must be around 1.40 in the UK. I love riding my scooter here (with safety helmet) Eating out ... And getting change from 200 baht. I love the fact I can go for a swim in the sea 365 days of the year ... And its always warm. I love the fact that I have 3 vendors park up across the road different times of the day ... And can get a coconut smoothie or an Ice coffee ... And later in the day some BBQ chicken. When I feel hot I can walk to the little shop next door and get an ice cold Chang ... Sit behind our home in the shade ... Feet up with a good book. Can watch all the premiership games live on tv on Saturday nights .... So will be able to watch all the hammers games ...
So all this for 4 quick visits to immigration a year ...

[Phetchy]

It has been said that an immigrant is merely an unenlightened person who thinks that one country is better than another. Don't forget, when the Pilgrim Fathers set sail for America looking to improve their lot, there were only Indians there; they had no taxes, no national debt, no conscription, no prisons, no S.W.A.T. teams, no basketball, no hip-hop music, no McDonalds, and women did all the work - and they thought they could improve on that? (a paraphrased Cherokee proverb)

[Wolfy]

If your move abroad is for the right reasons then you will make a success of it.

If the move is for the wrong reasons, (running away from Britain's got Talent),

Beware, Thailand has it's own version, Thailand's Got Talent.

While over there recently i also caught site of another game show the same as here "Take Me Out", where one lucky bloke, in this case a handsome (well that's what Mai called him) Thai Dude gets to choose from an array of beautiful Thai women.

It's better than the British version though. In the British version there aren't any Thai women.

Dan didn't mention either, the general poor quality of Thai TV, soaps etc, the acting is appalling.

With you being a Geordie lad i know you'll like your TV.

No wonder Handyman and Phetchy are always busy "streaming". Perhaps they could stream "When the Boat Comes in" for you.

Anyway, going back to more serious stuff. One thing i always think about is what would happen if, after moving to Thailand, one of my parents dies. If it was my dad, i couldn't just come back for a week or two then leave my mom on her own, i just couldn't do it.

How do you expats cope with that in mind ?

The fact that your Dad's gone into Hospital Nigel, if that was me i think all plans would have to go on hold.

Me, well circumstances dictate that i'm not going to be living my dream anytime soon. I can't afford to give up my job, need the money too much, have maintenance to pay as well as sending money to Mai.

Sure, having recently visited Phil's house, Dave's, Handyman's and Harveys place last year it makes me wish i could do the same as them but even they have all arrived in Thailand in very different circumstances. Dan says it's not easy living in Thailand. The 4 guys mentioned above make it seem very easy in my eyes.

One Day, a long lost relative that i don't even know exists will pop his or her clogs and leave me about 50 grand.

The Dream goes on.

[handyman]

No wonder Handyman and Phetchy are always busy "streaming". Perhaps they could stream "When the Boat Comes in" for you.

Agree about the Thai "soaps' ... But my wife and her family seemed to hooked on them. I'm no different ...I've just watched last night Emmerdale

[N Barton]

With you being a Geordie lad i know you'll like your TV

Other than sport and the odd movie i never watch English TV.
Don't worry, the first time we stayed in our Thai house we arrived the day Newcastle were playing the mackems. I was like a coiled spring as the True Move fella fannied on trying to get the install done in time. All sorted just in time to see Michael Owen (yes he did make the odd apperance for us) bang a brace in.

[Wolfy]

I've got 18 episodes of Deal or No Deal recorded. I think i'll have to delete them.

[N Barton]

The fact that your Dad's gone into Hospital Nigel, if that was me i think all plans would have to go on hold

I know where you are coming from, and believe me it will take long hard consideration.
But it is a care home that he has gone into, he has 24 hour care and to be honest is in the right place.
He doesn't have a clue who i am, he talks to me about how he would rather be on the dole than do what he is doing now - he planted 24 rows of carrots yesterday and they never paid him a penny. He also fell over walking home from school and his sister had to wipe the blood off his knee with his snotty hanky. It is heart wrenching every visit and to move to another country, knowing that the worst could happen any time ........

How long do you put your life on hold ?
He may last 1 month or 10 years. When he goes i may have grand children (scary thought) my sons are 19 and 22. They will be another reason to not go.
Then i will be too bloody old to make the move

[Wolfy]

I remember when my Gran was in All Saints. This bloke would walk past playing his imaginary guitar. My Gran thought my name was Malcolm.

How long do you put your life on hold ? That really is the $64,000 question.

[Tribal Fusion]

I don't watch much TV either in Thailand or the UK, so didn't miss it. I have been watching the Euros on BBC and ITV and couple of documentaries on BBC2 about our changing streets. I didn't mind the Thai soaps, turn the volume down and look at the pretty girls, can't watch Eastenders or Coronation Street, too depressing and too many fat birds!

[handyman]

can't watch Eastenders or Coronation Street, too depressing and too many fat birds!

Your no oil painting yourself tribal

[toddmeister]

While over there recently i also caught site of another game show the same as here "Take Me Out", where one lucky bloke, in this case a handsome (well that's what Mai called him) Thai Dude gets to choose from an array of beautiful Thai women

Some of us can't escape it even here in the UK Wolfy. We have dootv and the Mrs found this (after getting into the UK version) on there a couple of weeks ago. I now have to sit through it every night and will do for quite a while I would imagine as the episode list goes well back into 2011 . There have been a couple of episodes with farang as the single guy which were quite entertaining. One particular "handsome" farang was fluent in Thai and the girls, including my wife went mental for him

I went last night and filled our truck up with Diesel .. Its a 3.0 litre truck ... It was near to empty .. And it cost 1,300 baht to fill it right up ... That's around 26 pounds ... Diesel is back down to 29 baht a litre .. Was the 30 for a while Have no idea what it is in the UK now ... But its about 60p here ... And I'm guessing it must be around 1.40 in the UK

This is what is crippling me financially in the UK right now. I have a 60mile round commute everyday for work with no fuel allowance from them. When I joined the company 6 years ago it was costing me around £25/£30 a week in petrol which was not a problem as I was living at home back then, no house or wife to support. Right now my monthly petrol bill just to get to work is not far short of £200. The obvious answer is to find a job closer to home and believe me I'm trying, but even that's proving almost impossible with the current job market. Just this week we made 4 of our warehouse staff redundant.

[handyman]

This is what is crippling me financially in the UK right now. I have a 60mile round commute everyday for work with no fuel allowance from them. When I joined the company 6 years ago it was costing me around £25/£30 a week in petrol which was not a problem as I was living at home back then, no house or wife to support. Right now my monthly petrol bill just to get to work is not far short of £200.

Ever thought of one of these ?

Attachment 4850

[KhunIanB-UK]

Would prefer one of these!

[toddmeister]

I would defo have one of these:-

http://www.renault.co.uk/cars/model/twizy/product.aspx

There was one on display in our local sopping mall the other week. I thought it looked very cool. The wife on the other hand did not

[handyman]

Don't disagree with you Ian ... However at a starting price of 88,000 pounds ... Sort of defeats the object

[Wolfy]

I thought it looked very cool. The wife on the other hand did not

I'm with your wife.

Not literally of course.

[toddmeister]

glad to hear it

[falcon999]

I don't watch much TV either in Thailand or the UK, so didn't miss it. I have been watching the Euros on BBC and ITV and couple of documentaries on BBC2 about our changing streets. I didn't mind the Thai soaps, turn the volume down and look at the pretty girls, can't watch Eastenders or Coronation Street, too depressing and too many fat birds!

Lol yeah I haven't watched Eastenders for a while now, I tried getting back into it the other day... wow was it was depressing! We British do made some good television from time to time, but with a few exceptions I tend to stick to US drama series - the stuff on BBC/ITV's just too downbeat!

Originally Posted by toddmeister
This is what is crippling me financially in the UK right now. I have a 60mile round commute everyday for work with no fuel allowance from them. When I joined the company 6 years ago it was costing me around £25/£30 a week in petrol which was not a problem as I was living at home back then, no house or wife to support. Right now my monthly petrol bill just to get to work is not far short of £200. The obvious answer is to find a job closer to home and believe me I'm trying, but even that's proving almost impossible with the current job market. Just this week we made 4 of our warehouse staff redundant.

Mate I feel for you - I get the train to work, but nonetheless it's a 12-mile round trip every day just to get to the train station, not to mention £5+ a day for parking!! And then there's the train fare itself All in all it comes to about £200-250 a month, just for getting to and from work. So I can relate to your pain

I remember when I first got my licence back in 2007, it was 82p a litre hehehe....!

[livingwithathaigirl]

This is what is crippling me financially in the UK right now. I have a 60mile round commute everyday for work with no fuel allowance from them. When I joined the company 6 years ago it was costing me around £25/£30 a week in petrol which was not a problem as I was living at home back then, no house or wife to support. Right now my monthly petrol bill just to get to work is not far short of £200. The obvious answer is to find a job closer to home and believe me I'm trying, but even that's proving almost impossible with the current job market. Just this week we made 4 of our warehouse staff redundant.

The only reason petrol is cheaper in Thailand is because the government subsidises the price. How long can this market distortion last, given economic reality? I suggest it's not that long. Also, is it even desirable to distort the price this way, given the air pollution and traffic problems over there?

How about working from home a bit more, toddmeister? Have you got one of those jobs where you can?

As for TV, being back in the UK, it's a million times better. So, so much better. As is the air!

[KhunIanB-UK]

Mate I feel for you - I get the train to work, but nonetheless it's a 12-mile round trip every day just to get to the train station, not to mention £5+ a day for parking!! And then there's the train fare itself All in all it comes to about £200-250 a month, just for getting to and from work. So I can relate to your pain

Cost of living caused by Direct and Indirect Taxation eat away at chances of saving in the UK and add to the delay the eventual escape :-(

Got 170 mile round trip commute each day, 25 miles of which is the Train Station part and over the last 7 years just with the cost of fuel and train ticket increases it does get amazing how much it has ended up costing just getting to work :-( If ever can sell the house and get a decent amount of equity then it would be bye bye UK the way things are going, but the problem is the way things are going makes that harder and harder as time goes on :-S