Thailand's foreign retirees see their good life slip away

Mott the Hoople said:
You obviously have not been to Southeast Asia. First it’s spectacularly beautiful and you can have a beachfront home or a home in the mountains where the temperatures are milder for a fraction of what it costs here. In addition Thailand has pretty close to a first world infrastructure and the cost of living is roughly half of what it is here.

Now don’t get me wrong, to live a middle class life style you still need money. For example, for about $2,500 per month net income I can have pretty much the same standard of living, with first world accommodations, that I have here for about $4500/ month. Now I could live for significantly less, say around $1,000/month in the provinces but I’d be living a local lifestyle, eating local food and living in local housing and have a decent lifestyle but I wouldn’t have the lifestyle I have here.

The other issue is can you adjust to the cultural differences and integrate like would be expected if you immigrated here?

Now having said that, I could retire to rural Mississippi on $2500/month and have close to the same standard of living I have in suburban Columbus for $4,500/month.

I personally want to have the experience of living abroad so the misses and I may live abroad for a year just for the experience but I have no desire to leave the US permanently.
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You're blessed to live in a lovely city...how about that new bridge?
https://www.dispatch.com/business/20200303/dublin-pedestrian-bridge-largest-of-its-kind-in-world
 
Cypress said:
I have never been to Scotland, but I just have an affinity for Goth-like weather: cool, brisk weather with lost of overcast skies and fog.
Love Maine and Nova Scotia on this continent. Upper Penninsula sounds pretty good too! There is a beauty to a Russian winter that is timeless. Though I would not want to live year round in it.
If I had a choice between Bahamas and Iceland, it would be a no brainer. Great White North for me! Suprisingly, I have had a hard time selling that choice to girlfriends and significant others throughout all the years.
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Yeah, the Frozen North is not for everyone. Which is why we live in a township with a population density of 3.2 people per square mile. You might be amazed (as we are) how many retired ppl live here though. And not just ppl who have lived here their whole lives. Many are like us and deliberately chose this place for its winter activities, pleasant summers, and most of all its astounding beauty.
 
Cypress said:
I have never been to Scotland, but I just have an affinity for Goth-like weather: cool, brisk weather with lost of overcast skies and fog.

Love Maine and Nova Scotia on this continent. Upper Penninsula sounds pretty good too! There is a beauty to a Russian winter that is timeless. Though I would not want to live year round in it.

If I had a choice between Bahamas and Iceland, it would be a no brainer. Great White North for me! Suprisingly, I have had a hard time selling that choice to girlfriends and significant others throughout all the years.
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You been to NS?? It is on my list of places to visit......
 
ThatOwlWoman said:
Yeah, the Frozen North is not for everyone. Which is why we live in a township with a population density of 3.2 people per square mile. You might be amazed (as we are) how many retired ppl live here though. And not just ppl who have lived here their whole lives. Many are like us and deliberately chose this place for its winter activities, pleasant summers, and most of all its astounding beauty.
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Too right you are. Northern beauty is underestimated in my opinion!

If I get lucky, here is my dream retirement rotation:

Saint Petersburg Russia in the summer
Quebec Province in the fall
coastal California in the winter.
 
Cypress said:
Too right you are. Northern beauty is underestimated in my opinion!

If I get lucky, here is my dream retirement rotation:

Saint Petersburg Russia in the summer
Quebec Province in the fall
coastal California in the winter.
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Have you ever been to St. Petersburg? It's on my bucket list! But yeah -- only in the summer. As my friend from Ukraine says "In winter in Russia your eyeballs freeze!" lol
 
Bill said:
You been to NS?? It is on my list of places to visit......
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Yes, did a bike tour there years ago with my cousin Vera.
I would like to get up to New Foundland at some point.
Northern Quebec and the Canadian Shield is beautiful.

The white sand beaches of the Caribbean have their allure. But in my opinion, the savage beauty of the northern glaciated landscape and the northern seas is just the type of thing that makes me feel alive.
 
Cypress said:
Too right you are. Northern beauty is underestimated in my opinion!

If I get lucky, here is my dream retirement rotation:

Saint Petersburg Russia in the summer
Quebec Province in the fall
coastal California in the winter.
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Coastal Calif???

Barley a winter here, especially as compared to most of the country..

SF is about 55 low - 65 high year round.

You want a cold winter, go to SF in July...... Wear a tankTop & shorts over on the Warf, a park or bridge & about 4pm cowacko will swing by selling parkas for $500......lol
 
Cypress said:
Yes, did a bike tour there years ago with my cousin Vera.
I would like to get up to New Foundland at some point.
Northern Quebec and the Canadian Shield is beautiful.

The white sand beaches of the Caribbean have their allure. But in my opinion, the savage beauty of the northern glaciated landscape and the northern seas is just the type of thing that makes me feel alive.
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I still have many of my grandmothers relatives living there.......


Grandparents eventually moved down to Calif & got a kick out of ppl here piling snow on their cars to drive home from the Sierra & showOff........
 
Bill said:
Coastal Calif???

Barley a winter here, especially as compared to most of the country..

SF is about 55 low - 65 high year round.

You want a cold winter, go to SF in July...... Wear a tankTop & shorts over on the Warf, a park or bridge & about 4pm cowacko will swing by selling parkas for $500......lol
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I always felt like summer in SF was in October. On balance my sweet spot is 60 degrees F, brisk, fog or overcast. Paradise!
 
Cypress said:
Yes my cousin Oleg lives there. UP winters must be punishing as well!
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They're not for the fainting tulips, for sure. lol

We're close to the Lake so although we get a crapton of snow, the temps are moderate compared to interior U.P. For instance, a week or so ago when I left the house it was bright and sunny and -- according to our weather station -- 13F. By the time I got up to the highway (about a mile as Crow flies) it was 5F. Intense cold like that doesn't usually last more than a couple of days though, probably because it's usually coupled with a high pressure system. We're mostly dominated by low pressure systems, hence the more maritime climate that you love about Scotland.
 
Cypress said:
I always felt like summer in SF was in October. On balance my sweet spot is 60 degrees F, brisk, fog or overcast. Paradise!
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LOL, yea, late Sept to late Oct, they call it Indian summer........ Yea, that sounds like your kinda place, my youngest daughter lives there now.. She might be moving to Santa Clara now though
 
ThatOwlWoman said:
Maybe Iceland, or Norway, Switzerland, northern Italy, British Columbia.
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Not much to Iceland outside the Reykjavik area. I lived in NE Italy for a yr. and couldnt wait to get back to AK. That should tell you something!
Lived in Germany for three yrs. The novelty wore off after about two.
 
ThatOwlWoman said:
I don't much want to visit our teeming crowded cities either.

I'm just going by what the real estate agents on those foreign home-seeker shows say. They often mention that the highs in the tropical areas (Central and S. America included) are in the 80s year round, except when they're even warmer. Sometimes the apartments/houses don't come with a/c -- or even window screens. Yuck, no thanks.
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LOL Well that would be like buying a cabin in Michigan that only has a fireplace for heat! LOL

I Mean you’re basing your opinion without having had any experience there. It’s not like aircon isn’t available if you can afford it and unless you’re living on $600/ month you probably can. All my wife’s family in the Philippines have AC in their homes and you’ve been in Michigan far, far to long if you consider 80 to hot!

Besides when the Sun goes down in the Tropics temps drop to a comfortably into the 70’s. Not to mention the breeze coming in off the Ocean. It seems you’re looking for the worst and finding it. ;)
 
Cypress said:
I think I am genetically pre-disposed towards cooler weather.

Scotland is my idea of great weather - overcast, foggy, cool, brisk!
I actually like the winter weather of Belarus, Poland, and western Russia to a limited degree.

I like sunshine and balmy weather to some extent.

But there is something about fog, rain, overcast, cold or brisk weather that just makes me feel alive, in a way that balmy weather does not.


Another downside: My pale, translucent northern European skin is defenseless against UV radiation, and I do not think they make SPF factor one million sunblock yet!
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Some people are pale and interesting, you're just pale.
 
Mott the Hoople said:
I’m sorry but you’re stereotyping. I mean sure Manila, and Bangkok and Saigon are teaming crowded large cities but so are New York, Chicago, LA, etc,. Where as my father in-laws farm in Luzon is very reminiscent of my Uncles Farm in Indiana and the bug thing is mostly a figment of your imagination unless you plan on hiking through an unpopulated rain forest.

It can certainly be sweltering hot there but that’s like around 3 months a year...kinda like Winter here.
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We are coming up to the hot season, which is typically between April and June. Not the best time of year admittedly going out and about on foot can be a very sweaty affair. I personally love the rainy season as it cleans the air and the humidity drops considerably. The most clement weather is between November and March, not too hot and low humidity. Of course that's when the hordes of tourists come as well, not now of course as all the Chinese and Koreans have gone home. Still we have the Russians, such lovely outgoing people always laughing and smiling, I am joking of course!!
 
Mott the Hoople said:
LOL Well that would be like buying a cabin in Michigan that only has a fireplace for heat! LOL

I Mean you’re basing your opinion without having had any experience there. It’s not like aircon isn’t available if you can afford it and unless you’re living on $600/ month you probably can. All my wife’s family in the Philippines have AC in their homes and you’ve been in Michigan far, far to long if you consider 80 to hot!

Besides when the Sun goes down in the Tropics temps drop to a comfortably into the 70’s. Not to mention the breeze coming in off the Ocean. It seems you’re looking for the worst and finding it. ;)
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Pretty much all hotels and apartments have aircon, I don't really need it much except between April to June when it's very hot and sticky. Usually just get by with fans or nothing in the cool season.
 
anonymoose said:
Not much to Iceland outside the Reykjavik area. I lived in NE Italy for a yr. and couldnt wait to get back to AK. That should tell you something!
Lived in Germany for three yrs. The novelty wore off after about two.
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Switzerland is a beautiful country but the people are incredibly dull for the most part and it's expensive as hell.
 
Cypress said:
I have never been to Scotland, but I just have an affinity for Goth-like weather: cool, brisk weather with lost of overcast skies and fog.

Love Maine and Nova Scotia on this continent. Upper Penninsula sounds pretty good too! There is a beauty to a Russian winter that is timeless. Though I would not want to live year round in it.

If I had a choice between Bahamas and Iceland, it would be a no brainer. Great White North for me! Suprisingly, I have had a hard time selling that choice to girlfriends and significant others throughout all the years.
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Scotland is full of dour miserable people, you'd love it there.
 
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