Is Thailand still worth it for Aussies?

[BritManToo]

6 minutes ago, Odysseus123 said:

Must be something in the water over there..lead piping,perhaps?

I have to say early death in Thailand appears to be the norm.

But I'm OK with that.

[madmen]

In Thailand I have a nice 3 bed house overlooking fields and mountains.
1. Not a problem, no financials, I'm OK with 90 days at a time.
2. None, except the the 3,000bht in treatment and meds last month (first in 7 years).
3. 11k/month for my home loan repayments. (Utils inc moobaan and 100/100 fible add 3Kbht/month)
4. All really cheap, doubt if I spend 200bht/day
5. Great when I'm not ill, very low if I'm ill (but that would be the same anywhere)
 
Taken from my bedroom balcony (before the smog).

Are you worried you may be rejected having to many stamps as a tourist.?

[totally thaied up]

1 hour ago, Gecko123 said:

Have I stirred things up enough this on this glorious sunny Sunday morning, gentlemen?

No a lot of people will have their knickers in a twist with a Labour loss on a election that they say should have not been lost.

 

As @giddyup said, Australia is pretty slow. I miss my late afternoon motorcycle rides, my gym and my coffee shops in Thailand. It is all relative to what you want. I am neither hater or apologists as well. More of a realistic person that understands both sides of the fence are different for all. I have the best really of both worlds.

[Andrew65]

In recent years the Thai Baht has tracked or bettered the US$ vis-a-vis interest rates and value, contrary to their denials, I think the Thais are "fixing" the Baht rate, Donald also thinks that (as he did with China), for what that's worth!

 

Up until about 6 years ago I worked in Australia, when the Aussie $ achieved better than parity with the US$, which correlated with 33Baht/US$/A$.

[CharlieH]

Off topic removed.

[Old Croc]

2 hours ago, BritManToo said:

I have to say early death in Thailand appears to be the norm.

But I'm OK with that.

Cheap smokes, boozy lifestyle.

[cranki]

1 hour ago, Old Croc said:

Cheap smokes, boozy lifestyle.

Yep, what a life...doesn't get any better does it..... lol

[ThaiBunny]

Just now, cranki said:

Yep, what a life...doesn't get any better does it..... lol

Plenty of sheilas

[Lacessit]

7 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

Australia has been in trade surplus for the last 12 months.

 

Yes, and who is busy pissing it up against a wall? It'll be back in deficit before you can blink. Or do you believe promises by politicians?

[Odysseus123]

5 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

Yes, and who is busy pissing it up against a wall? It'll be back in deficit before you can blink. Or do you believe promises by politicians?

Terminal 'dualism'.

 

Sitting in a country where they can't even COUNT the election results..let alone announce the results.

[ThaiBunny]

1 minute ago, Lacessit said:

Or do you believe promises by politicians?

You only have to remember Saint John Howard's response when he was challenged on his promises after winning an election - he made the distinction between "core" and "non core" promises - https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=non-core promise

[Lacessit]

6 minutes ago, ThaiBunny said:

You only have to remember Saint John Howard's response when he was challenged on his promises after winning an election - he made the distinction between "core" and "non core" promises - https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=non-core promise

Yes, he did introduce a new dishonesty into politics. It's been the model for politicians ever since.

[Peterw42]

10 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

Yes, and who is busy pissing it up against a wall? It'll be back in deficit before you can blink. Or do you believe promises by politicians?

It ends up being a double edged sword, a low dollar means more exports and a trade surplus, A high dollar great for ex-pats in Thailand but then exports will suffer. Then we are pissing it up against the wall instead of the Government.

[Lacessit]

5 hours ago, totally thaied up said:

 We just had a election that was decided in six hours peacefully (great win by the way).
 

 

Yes , it was a great win for the Coalition. I'd like to hear your explanation why it was a great win for Australia and Australians.

[Cadbury]

11 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

It ends up being a double edged sword, a low dollar means more exports and a trade surplus, A high dollar great for ex-pats in Thailand but then exports will suffer. Then we are pissing it up against the wall instead of the Government.

More bad news for Australian expats on the way. Next month the Australian Reserve Bank is tipped to lower interest rates causing a further drop in the AUD against the USD. In fact It is predicted the Australian interest rate will drop to below 1% and the AUD will consequently fall to about 65c. It is now just above 69c and has fallen about 3c in the last month or two. 

[GinBoy2]

6 hours ago, Gecko123 said:

 

@GinBoy2 :

if I understand it correctly you live in Wyoming, USA which shows up on lists of "most affordable" states to retire in. Got my interest, and started looking around. But what I haven't heard from you is much about the hellish winters, the flooding, the mining pollution, the lack of racial diversity, the poor airline connections, the remoteness, the cultural wasteland, or how your Thai wife is treated as a non-white person or being in an inter-racial relationship. I'm just saying if you're going to compare other places to Thailand, you need to be objective and present a realistic and balanced portrait, not just make it a self-congratulatory puff-piece about where you've chosen to move to.

 

Have I stirred things up enough this on this glorious sunny Sunday morning, gentlemen?

 

Actually I have described most of this.

 

We live in Western South Dakota, tucked up in the Black Hills quite close to Mt Rushmore.

 

I have discussed weather. Yes it can be harsh for a couple of months, but nothing compared to the prairie East of the State.

The summers are beautiful, thats why 500K bikers descend on us every year for the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally

 

Since my wife grew up in Chicago, for her these winters are child's play! 

 

For airline connections, we have daily direct, flights to Denver, Dallas, Chicago, Salt Lake, Phoenix, with seasonal flights to Los Angeles, San Francisco and Charlotte, Newark, from the Rapid City Airport 10 miles away, so don't think we're spoilt for choice there.

 

As for how she is treated here. Never experienced any kind of discrimination or abuse for mixed race marriage.

 

My wife works for DoD on the local AFB, where it's probably as right wing as it gets, yet she's treated like everyone else.

 

I've also criticized politics in the US, which as this point is almost as bizarre as politics in Thailand.

 

I have also discussed the right wing nature of SD.

It's a tad too Red for my taste, but not Redneck Red. I think I mentioned once before, I self censor what I say about politics and religion here, until I'm sure I'm in the coven of fellow Liberals LOL

 

I've discussed at length the downside of housing.

I would love to move back to California, but I know I simply couldn't afford housing, thats partly why I have a house in SD, which I always kept as my primary residency all the time I was overseas, since it's a zero tax State.

 

So, I do try to discuss fairly the pro's and con's of both places, of which there are many, but those of us who mix n match, I think have a voice

 

I never decry either, but I think those of us that do live in both, get a much more 'balanced' view than some of the Thailand zealots 

 

 

[cranki]

5 hours ago, GinBoy2 said:

 

 

I never decry either, but I think those of us that do live in both, get a much more 'balanced' view than some of the Thailand zealots 

 

 

You yanks are a confused lot eh...Zealots were a political movement in 1st-century Second Temple Judaism, which sought to incite the people of Judea Province to rebel against the Roman Empire and expel it from the Holy Land by force of arms, most notably during the First Jewish–Roman War

[CharlieH]

Troll comment removed.

[madmen]

More bad news for Australian expats on the way. Next month the Australian Reserve Bank is tipped to lower interest rates causing a further drop in the AUD against the USD. In fact It is predicted the Australian interest rate will drop to below 1% and the AUD will consequently fall to about 65c. It is now just above 69c and has fallen about 3c in the last month or two. 

I hope it gets to 50 cents so I can sell my condo even at a loss and still make a fortune!

 

Feel bad for the renter brigade. Getting hammered while ripping up $.. Sad

 

Ozzie Ozzie Ozzie!

 

[Old Croc]

9 hours ago, Lacessit said:

Yes, he did introduce a new dishonesty into politics. It's been the model for politicians ever since.

Tony Abbott once said his only utterances that should be regarded as ''gospel truth'' were carefully prepared and scripted remarks such as those made during speeches or policy pronouncements.

Otherwise, he indicated that statements he made during the ''heat of discussion'' such as radio interviews or under questioning at press conferences, were not necessarily reliable.

''I know politicians are going to be judged on everything they say but sometimes in the heat of discussion you go a little bit further than you would if it was an absolutely calm, considered, prepared, scripted remark,'' he said.

[GinBoy2]

11 hours ago, cranki said:

You yanks are a confused lot eh...Zealots were a political movement in 1st-century Second Temple Judaism, which sought to incite the people of Judea Province to rebel against the Roman Empire and expel it from the Holy Land by force of arms, most notably during the First Jewish–Roman War

What a ludicrous comment.

 

You know exactly the meaning of zealot in modern parlance and what I was trying to say, so I'm curious what point you are trying to make, other than to show your knowledge of Biblical history?

[mania]

35 minutes ago, GinBoy2 said:

What a ludicrous comment.

 

You know exactly the meaning of zealot in modern parlance and what I was trying to say, so I'm curious what point you are trying to make, other than to show your knowledge of Biblical history?

I doubt much actual knowledge since it was copied & pasted right out of Wikipedia ????

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zealots

 

But if he had googled it he would see the first choice from dictionary is as you intended...

"a person who is fanatical and uncompromising in pursuit of their religious, political, or other ideals"

[totally thaied up]

12 hours ago, madmen said:

Feel bad for the renter brigade. Getting hammered while ripping up $.. Sad

We don't rent in Thailand. Yes, with the lower dollar, it just costs more. I only bring in my pension money every fortnight and live off that. Still, if we had to sell off the rice fields and house, it would take years and we are on a main road in a main area. Each month, I always have the pension coming in so will sure lose a bit on currency changes but don't edge into my savings. Good thing about a pension, it is neverending till I am dead. Dollar is going to get slammed more.

 

19 hours ago, Lacessit said:

Yes , it was a great win for the Coalition. I'd like to hear your explanation why it was a great win for Australia and Australians.

Just say my family does better under a Coalition Government always.

 

[thaibeachlovers]

On ‎5‎/‎17‎/‎2019 at 7:51 PM, GinBoy2 said:

but utilities, cars, eating like a Westerner, thats a lot different, and often more expensive in Thailand

The question I have to ask is why do westerners want to live like westerners in LOS? If one wants to live in a completely foreign culture why not live like people that are that culture.

Why eat western food? It's unhealthy and makes us fat. Local food has hardly risen in price in 30 years.

Utilities are a one off, and things like laundry are dirt cheap done by a local. If one wants utilities, there are cheap ones.

Car- why? The roads are sooooo dangerous, and local transport is cheap. Most Thais don't have a car. I never had one, but I still managed to get around.

 

Can live like a rich westerner, but it's a choice, not an essential.

[thaibeachlovers]

On ‎5‎/‎19‎/‎2019 at 8:19 PM, Lacessit said:

Yes , it was a great win for the Coalition. I'd like to hear your explanation why it was a great win for Australia and Australians.

I'm not an Aussie, but IMO it was good for Australians because it wasn't a win for Labour. They were a terrible government last time, and probably would be again, had they won.

[madmen]

2 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

The question I have to ask is why do westerners want to live like westerners in LOS? If one wants to live in a completely foreign culture why not live like people that are that culture.

Why eat western food? It's unhealthy and makes us fat. Local food has hardly risen in price in 30 years.

Utilities are a one off, and things like laundry are dirt cheap done by a local. If one wants utilities, there are cheap ones.

Car- why? The roads are sooooo dangerous, and local transport is cheap. Most Thais don't have a car. I never had one, but I still managed to get around.

 

Can live like a rich westerner, but it's a choice, not an essential.

You will gain weight much faster on unhealthy thai food loaded with sugar msg and boiled rice..carb loaded crap. I was in restaurant last year and could see in the kitchen where there was a large potato type sack with msg stenciled on it. 

[thaibeachlovers]

1 minute ago, madmen said:

You will gain weight much faster on unhealthy thai food loaded with sugar msg and boiled rice..carb loaded crap. I was in restaurant last year and could see in the kitchen where there was a large potato type sack with msg stenciled on it. 

I ate Thai food for years and didn't put on weight. However, I didn't sit in a bar all day sucking on a beer bottle and I was active all the time.

Thai food is better is cooked at home, but even from a restaurant is probably better than western food from a supermarket- chockaa with sugar, preservatives, salt and various chemicals.

Heard on the radio that life expectancy in the west is going down now- probably because food is so bad for us now.

[totally thaied up]

6 minutes ago, madmen said:

You will gain weight much faster on unhealthy thai food loaded with sugar msg and boiled rice..carb loaded crap. I was in restaurant last year and could see in the kitchen where there was a large potato type sack with msg stenciled on it. 

I have lost 6kg in two months being back home in Australia. I am just not eating street foods and that is the only difference. I don't drink and am active and not over weight for my size. Just the quality of food. Nothing else.

[xylophone]

8 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

The question I have to ask is why do westerners want to live like westerners in LOS? If one wants to live in a completely foreign culture why not live like people that are that culture.

Why eat western food? It's unhealthy and makes us fat. Local food has hardly risen in price in 30 years.

Ah I see, this is your idea of a joke isn't it TBL.....

 

I really do not want to live like people in this culture, often in rat infested hovels, crapping in a hole in the ground and with very little in the way of hygiene playing any part in their daily lives.

 

As for saying that Western food is unhealthy, well it is if you eat the wrong stuff, but have you seen how many Thais are getting fat anyway, and that's not always from eating the Western food. Then there is the potential early death from parasites from partially cooked fish, huge use of pesticides and other chemicals on the food grown here, with very little in the way of any control......and so on.

 

I for one did not come here for the food or local standard of living, but for an easy retired life, climate (although that is becoming a bit wearing at the moment) friends and family and the ability to choose whatever I wanted to eat from a wide range of cuisines available.

 

This whole thread has to be about what an individual wants for his/her future in life and if Thailand provides the majority of it, irrespective of the other potential downsides, then so be it.

[Lacessit]

6 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I'm not an Aussie, but IMO it was good for Australians because it wasn't a win for Labour. They were a terrible government last time, and probably would be again, had they won.

Your premise is false. There have been great Labor governments, and terrible Liberal ones. As recently as 2014, the Abbott government brought down a budget which outraged even Liberal supporters with the broken promises and sheer bastardry.

The smart governments are the ones that filch good policy from their opponents after they have won.