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  1. #1
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    Thoen district, lampang

    I am moving here from Canada this October and am curious to know people's thoughts on the town and surrounding area? Anyone been there?

  2. #2
    I'm in Jail

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    Nak, weird moving somewhere without scoping it. Maybe introduce yourself first too if you'd like a friendly response

  3. #3
    I'm not in jail...3-2-1. Jack meoff's Avatar
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    The ice skating rink is pretty cool.

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    Hangin' Around cyrille's Avatar
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    Visit in burning season and see how it is before moving there.

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    Hangin' Around cyrille's Avatar
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    Oh, and if you’re only heading there because it’s where your partner is from, then the advice to just go take a look first is X3.

    There is nothing more subjective than a ‘good’ place to live.

  6. #6
    I'm in Jail

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    ^ Both good advice

  7. #7
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    Hey everyone,



    It's been so very informative to read alot of the posts and content on here. Seems like a great community.


    So I'm looking at making the jump to move to Thailand. In an ideal world I'd stay forever but there's always a chance life can get in the way. So since I cannot guarantee "forever" I'm aiming for 3-5 years to start.


    I've been to Thailand 11x now generally two months or so at a time. My first trip was 04 and I've been back most years since.



    I own and operate a Muay Thai gym here in Canada and have had it for 4 years now but I've grown restless more recently and ever since my last trip to Thailand I knew in the back of my mind that Thailand has always felt more like home than Canada ever has.
    

    Coming up from the Muay Thai scene I've seen ALOT of the good and bad that the country has to offer. Been extorted by police officers, scammed by crooked cabbies, you name it. I've experienced first hand the corruption and gambling that goes along with Muay Thai. And I'm in no way deluded enough to believe that every Farang is beneficial to the country. I know the landscape is changing greatly I terms of foreign issues and the fact that some expats are slowly leaving.



    I understand the culture well and I love the people like they are my own family. So I think I have a pretty good grasp on life there, the culture, the way of life etc. At least from the Muay Thai scope of things. Obviously I'm much less experienced in the politics, red tape and the headaches than come along with it because my time there has never been more than training and fighting.



    I sold and liquidated my gym what I can and land in los September 1st. I have a bit of a support system and am probably luckier than most who take this leap as a long time mentor and Muay Thai coach of mine has lived back and forth between Thailand and Canada for the last 18 years. He has a daughter aged ten who's Thai and she still lives there fulltime. So I'm not going into this process completely blind and clueless or at least I don't think so.



    The gym he fought out of and still trains at is taking me on fulltime as a fighter and student. I'll help out where I can and in return my room and board and meals are free. So my overall expenses would be quite a bit lower than most people's. They have basically refused any payment on my end as they want me to stay in their home as family. The culture in the north seems different than what I am used to in the tourist heavy areas of the south. Even though they are refusing money now I'm still going to give them the lions share of what I earn fighting and however else I earn money obviously.

    I've been video chatting with the family daily for the last 4 weeks. The mother and father started calling me "son" after the first few days. Pretty endearing. They look at my Coach like he's family and it seems in their eyes that automatically makes me family too. They put together a bedroom for me already and took alot of pride In sending me tons of pictures of it.



    I cannot fight forever so I'd need to plan to eventually have a business or stay on at that gym or another as a coach. I've got a few ideas for some Muay Thai instructionals and some other areas to make some money long term as well as some excursion type of things where western Thai boxers can come train authenticity in Thailand.



    It's in Lampang, which is one area I know very little about. Thoen district to be exact. Most of my time spent has been in Pathum Thani, Bangkok, and Rawai (Phuket). I've seen Phuket change immensely over the years and it's not for me. I want something small, intimate and with minimal tourists acting like idiots. The gym is virtually unknown, off the beaten path and probably the last gym in the area a Farang or tourist would go to. They have no foreign fighters, I'd be the only one at this time. The first in a decade actually, which I'm happy about because I want to be able to live as close to the culture and country as possible. The family has welcomed me in with open arms even though they haven't had a Farang stay or train with them in a decade besides my coach who's basically family to them at this point.



    Based off my large Novel above do I sound like I am better equipped and suited for this than most people who come up with the idea of packing up and moving to Thailand?



    I'll be coming with some savings. Maybe 20k Canadian for emergencies and what not but the majority of the money I earn will be from Thai boxing. I'll be receiving another 10k Canadian in the first year and a half as my business partner slowly buys out some of the stuff in my business I'm leaving behind.



    In an ideal world I would do this for 3 years and if I'm successful I'd start working at staying forever and setting down roots here. The biggest point in my rambling above is I don't intend to live like a Farang. I don't need immenities and western comforts. I'm not coming because of the beaches, women or the fact I can party cheaply. I'm coming because of the art, culture and sport and what it means to me.



    Thoughts? Opinions? Questions? Concerns? Suggestions?

    I'll be using an METV visa for the first part of the journey, then I'll secure a ED visa learning Thai or a combatives class once a week in Chiang Mai. I have a degree in criminal justice and am working on the TESL certificate now to teach in Lampang City as another option.

    Lastly if all else fails I'll get the elite visa for 5 years

    

    I'm all ears and would love to hear what those who have experienced this and been through it think. Obviously I have rose colored glasses on as I'm eager.



    Cheers,


    Joshua

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