Thread: We'd like to move to Thailand eventually

Hi, I've been married to a Thai lady for 8 years. We have two sons ages 2 and 5. For now we are settled on beautiful rural Adirondack property near Saratoga Springs. I wonder about a few things. How much does it cost to live a very comfortable life in Thailand? I've built 7 homes for myself over the years and the house we are in now was a year long nightmare. Building in Thailand seems to push the envelope on patience from what I have read but I am getting ahead of myself.
My next question is how do I live there and keep my mother in law away. I'm serious. There seems to be no limit to the guilt and emotional drain she can put into my wife. No matter what $ she receives is gone in a few days if it's $50 or $5000.It is our # 1 concern. Another concern is to find the coolest weather if that is not an oxymoron. It's for my sons health.
My wife tells me she worries that I will naively get involved with people who will get me into trouble because it seems I will never speak the language without making a fool out of myself.
Do many guys live in the USA half of the time and Thailand the other half with their families? My wife tell me the education of my kids will be bad and suffer.
By the way I can't believe how many Thai people live around here and Albany. There seems to be an endless amount of Thais here should one be inclined to befriend them.

Do you want to live in a city or in the sticks.

What is a "a very comfortable life " ?
You need to give a lot more info if you want a decent reply.

Some folks live here on 20k baht per month, others cannot get by on 100k

Welcome to TD!

A lot of questions for a first post. Take your time to browse the board, some questions have been addressed already, or post them in the relevant section.

Originally Posted by ota

how do I live there and keep my mother in law away

you dont. Living at least 50kms away helps, unless, that is you have unwittingly financed a car for them to show up at your dream home construction site weilding the begging bowl. Learn to say no. folks out in the sticks can get by on 200 USD per month for a small family. any more they just waste on crap they dont really need.

Originally Posted by ota

Another concern is to find the coolest weather if that is not an oxymoron

Chaing Mai / Chaing Rai should be considered.

Originally Posted by ota

How much does it cost to live a very comfortable life in Thailand?

Anywhere between 30K and 250K baht per month, it depends on your concept of very comfortable and your extended familys desire to relieve you of cash.

ps. Welcome to Teakdoor

^
Spot on! And they live comfortably on $200/month, it's an above average salary in the Mooban, it's what a school-director takes home. Think about it!

Originally Posted by Thetyim

Do you want to live in a city or in the sticks.

What is a "a very comfortable life " ?
You need to give a lot more info if you want a decent reply.

Some folks live here on 20k baht per month, others cannot get by on 100k

We want to olive in the sticks if it's at all possible to have a couple thousand sq. feet with AC. ( my idea of very comfotable) Sorry I threw in the word " very " as it confuses me now that I look at it.

Wifey tells me everybody knows your every business in the country. That is a problem. We like privacy.

Originally Posted by stroller

Welcome to TD!

A lot of questions for a first post. Take your time to browse the board, some questions have been addressed already, or post them in the relevant section.

I've been up all night reading TD and I have learned alot of stuff I have never discussed or was afraid to ask.

Originally Posted by stroller

^
Spot on! And they live comfortably on $200/month, it's an above average salary in the Mooban, it's what a school-director takes home. Think about it!

My father in law ( he recently passed on ) was a Principle in a school system in Udon and he took home $300. My wife was a Professor of Librarian Science in Bangkok and Udon and made $200 a month.

Originally Posted by Helicopter

Originally Posted by ota

how do I live there and keep my mother in law away

you dont. Living at least 50kms away helps, unless, that is you have unwittingly financed a car for them to show up at your dream home construction site weilding the begging bowl. Learn to say no. folks out in the sticks can get by on 200 USD per month for a small family. any more they just waste on crap they dont really need.

Originally Posted by ota

Another concern is to find the coolest weather if that is not an oxymoron

Chaing Mai / Chaing Rai should be considered.

Originally Posted by ota

How much does it cost to live a very comfortable life in Thailand?

Anywhere between 30K and 250K baht per month, it depends on your concept of very comfortable and your extended familys desire to relieve you of cash.

ps. Welcome to Teakdoor

Thanks. I think I've had my question answered. Doesn't anyone have their in laws disappeear? ( JUST KIDDING )

Nan, Loei or Phrae are quite "cold" by Thai standards as well, in the evenings that is.
There are a few topics with nice pictures in the "travellers tales" section.

Originally Posted by ota

Doesn't anyone have their in laws disappeear? ( JUST KIDDING )

It could be arranged, probably for less than they manage to suck out of you in a month.
(only kidding as well, of course)

Originally Posted by stroller

Welcome to TD!

A lot of questions for a first post. Take your time to browse the board, some questions have been addressed already, or post them in the relevant section.

I never posted online before. I'm not that sociable at this point of my life. BUt I like the tone and atitude of you people. I laughed alot tonight.

Originally Posted by ota

Doesn't anyone have their in laws disappeear

Often, normally when the refridgerator is empty and the whiskey is finished

Originally Posted by Thetyim

Do you want to live in a city or in the sticks.

What is a "a very comfortable life " ?
You need to give a lot more info if you want a decent reply.

Some folks live here on 20k baht per month, others cannot get by on 100k

To me comfortable is not having a neighbor breathing down my neck, having AC, a couple thousand sq. ft. of living space and some dynamite weed.

ota,

you asked a lot of questions. I will try to answer the ones that I know.

1. What is a comfortable life? How long is a piece of string?

Answer: Let say you want to live a comfortable life similar to the one in upstate NY. You will need at least B75,000 per month. However, this does not include the school fees for the kids.

CM does have one or two good international schools, but they are not on the same level as the states. For a decent Western education here in Thailand the parents have to also be part-time teachers.

2.Keeping MIL away? Depends on the wife...

Answer:Give the MIL B3,000 per month and that's it! That is what I do. You have to put your foot down.

As a suggestion try posting this question in the Cap's lounge. You will recieve a better response.

Regardless, good luck and welcome through our doors...

Originally Posted by Helicopter

Chaing Mai / Chaing Rai should be considered.

Unfortunately it must be about 45 degrees here at the moment.

Originally Posted by ota

My next question is how do I live there and keep my mother in law away.

A 450 kilometer road does the trick for me.

Originally Posted by stroller

^
Spot on! And they live comfortably on $200/month, it's an above average salary in the Mooban, it's what a school-director takes home. Think about it!

What does spot on mean?

It means 'exactly right'.

I think your biggest problem will be education.
Your kids are 2 & 5. Do they speak thai ?

What sort of education are you expecting to provide for them?
International schools are only in the big cities

"Spot on" means "this is very true and accurate".
Is this British slang I inadvertently picked up while I lived in the UK?

I wouldn't send my kids to any of the international schools in ChiangMai.
I couldn't afford to for starters, but the education that they are getting is iffy at best.There is only one Thai school here that I would consider too.

Thanks for all the ideas to get started with.

Originally Posted by stroller

Is this British slang I inadvertently picked up while I lived in the UK?

You may be an obnoxious bastard but your English is to be commended.

^NO ABUSE OR ANY NASTINESS tolerated in this section.

However it doesn't say anything about facts

OTA, you said this,

Wifey tells me everybody knows your every business in the country. That is a problem. We like privacy.

Did wifey also tell you that they won't know a damn thing unless she tells them everything they want to know.
I had a hell of a time with my wife, but she says she don't do it anymore and I think she does, It is just natural for them, even down to whats in the sacks that they just bought 3 minutes ago and will even offer to tell anyone that they meet in the market.
Not that much going on in the moo ban so thats what gossip was invented for.