Why you not living in Thailand?

[Olddaddy]

Rather than go a few times a year 

Just give me your reasons at this stage of your life the reason why and are you considering the move in the future?If not ,why not

what about opposite?

who left Thailand? 

[bkkmfj2648]

Olddaddy - some time ago you wrote something in one of your posts that really bothered me -

something like - what do all of the farang retirees do in Jomtien to pass the day - sit on their balconies looking out onto the sea.....

Well, I moved to Jomtien from the EU in September 2022 as a new retiree - and after 6 months I became bored looking out onto the sea from my balcony.

That was the HARDEST part of being a new retiree - how to repurpose ourselves?  What is our new purpose in life.

Out of the blue - my ex-boss from the EU called me on a day that I was really bored - he asked me what I was doing.

I replied, I am busy counting endless seashells on the seashore.....

He laughed and said to me - "Do you want a NEW chance to use your brain and be intellectual again?"

I jumped at the opportunity and I replied with a resounding = YES.

So, within a month I was back in the EU in early 2023 on a 4.5 month short retiree consulting contract using my brain and it felt so good to have purpose again.....

After night after night sitting in the Supertown Jomtien Complex sitting and drinking I was rapidly becoming more and more depressed and becoming negative - and that is not me - I am usually a happy lucky guy with a lot of energy.

The Supertown Jomtien Complex is made in a way that does not allow us to expend energy - the mantra is:

"falang sit - falang drink"  ==> and it you go against this program they get upset as I tried on many occasions to stand and even dance....The preferred Supertown program is for us to be sedentary and to spend our money....and I find this program SO boring and not stimulating....

So Olddaddy - I did not like what you wrote some time ago about retiring in Jomtien as I was SO confident that I would find a way after my new retirement to BOTH use my little brain down on the 3rd leg (which I did and often with great satisfaction) --> but the joy from using your 3rd leg brain does NOTHING for stimulating the real brain.

Anyone who is already retired in Jomtien - what is your secret to find ways to stimulate your brain to give it intellectual input and challenges??

[Keithambrose]

I have a friend, ex lawyer, who retired to Bangkok 7 years ago. He is well off, which helps, and has bought a condo. He has a wide variety of interests, travels a lot, and doesn't sit in bars, at least not much! He has a lot of interests, and friends. He  has a close relationship, which also helps. He seems very content at present. 

[Olddaddy]

5 hours ago, bkkmfj2648 said:

Olddaddy - some time ago you wrote something in one of your posts that really bothered me -

something like - what do all of the farang retirees do in Jomtien to pass the day - sit on their balconies looking out onto the sea.....

Well, I moved to Jomtien from the EU in September 2022 as a new retiree - and after 6 months I became bored looking out onto the sea from my balcony.

That was the HARDEST part of being a new retiree - how to repurpose ourselves?  What is our new purpose in life.

Out of the blue - my ex-boss from the EU called me on a day that I was really bored - he asked me what I was doing.

I replied, I am busy counting endless seashells on the seashore.....

He laughed and said to me - "Do you want a NEW chance to use your brain and be intellectual again?"

I jumped at the opportunity and I replied with a resounding = YES.

So, within a month I was back in the EU in early 2023 on a 4.5 month short retiree consulting contract using my brain and it felt so good to have purpose again.....

After night after night sitting in the Supertown Jomtien Complex sitting and drinking I was rapidly becoming more and more depressed and becoming negative - and that is not me - I am usually a happy lucky guy with a lot of energy.

The Supertown Jomtien Complex is made in a way that does not allow us to expend energy - the mantra is:

"falang sit - falang drink"  ==> and it you go against this program they get upset as I tried on many occasions to stand and even dance....The preferred Supertown program is for us to be sedentary and to spend our money....and I find this program SO boring and not stimulating....

So Olddaddy - I did not like what you wrote some time ago about retiring in Jomtien as I was SO confident that I would find a way after my new retirement to BOTH use my little brain down on the 3rd leg (which I did and often with great satisfaction) --> but the joy from using your 3rd leg brain does NOTHING for stimulating the real brain.

Anyone who is already retired in Jomtien - what is your secret to find ways to stimulate your brain to give it intellectual input and challenges??

Yes I remember writing that post in 2022:, you were about to retire there , I got bored after 2 months in Pattaya / Jomtien 

Great post thankyou for being honest 👍

 

[omega]

I remember seeing some article or other, that looked at the numbers of death occuring at each age over 60.

There is a spike in deaths after 65 that slowly flattens as the age approaches 80, where it plateuas for a bit before rising again after 95ish.

If I recall those numbers right.

A hypothesis is that after a life of working, and we suddenly just stop, we lose that purpose in life, get depressed and just kind of give up. The first illness after that comes along and just takes us.

 

I've still got a fair distance to go until I'm able to retire, but that sticks in my head. I have to make sure I have a purpose after I stop working.

[iendo]

I went last March and left again in September. I couldn't even make it a year. The same reason but different circumstances. I got bored even though I am a Digital Nomad. So I'll change my approach. I'm gonna spread my year over a couple of countries and fit Thailand in during the low season. I guess this might work for a retiree as well.

[fedssocr]

I've been here for about 10 days now. It's just too damn hot. I couldn't live here full time because of the weather and pollution. And I know there's no chance I would be able to learn Thai which I think I would want to do if I lived here.

It was a bit nicer over in Ubon where I spent 5 days but during the say it was still quite hot. Just that it cooled off nicely at night.

[Shonen]

I’m here in Thailand for almost six months, then rest of time in USA.

Advantages of USA, the weather, the food, the air quality. But I love Thailand for the swimming, guys, malls, playing pool whenever I feel like it.

I don’t need a purpose really. My purpose is to have fun. Even if it’s having a coffee at Starbucks. Oh , one purpose would be improving my pool game. Another might be learning Thai slowly..  My most important goal is trying to stay healthy.

[Pantherz]

Very interesting thread. Thank you to those who have been sharing their experiences. I think a new reason not to live in Thailand more than 6 months out of the year is the change in tax policy, which makes foreigners liable to pay tax on foreign sourced income brought into Thailand. Malaysia is also implementing similar changes and unfortunately the changing tax landscape in making it unattractive to live in many places for more than 6 months out of the year. 

[floridarob]

6 hours ago, omega said:

A hypothesis is that after a life of working, and we suddenly just stop

There's the fault, I stopped working slowly over a decade ago.....as Bacardi says, "In moderation" 😇

[Boy69]

I see Pattaya as Disneyland for adults it's fun to be there for a while but not for living permanently. 

[siriusBE]

I like this thread, it covers what's on my mind at the moment. I'm taking early retirement this February and I'm thinking a lot about what to do next. I don't think I could be in Jomtien for more than a few weeks. I'm an engineer and I also have a part-time mandate that I can do remotely. Nevertheless, I am relatively sure that I will get bored over time. I would probably become lethargic and an alcoholic over time. Even having fun with boys would probably get boring 🙂 . I will probably do it in such a way that I will escape the beautiful but cold Switzerland for about 3 - 4 months, travel around Thailand a bit and then stay in a rather quiet place like Hua Hin. Of course with a detour to BKK and Pattaya  from time to time🙂
In two days in Jomtien... I'm looking forward to it

 

[Olddaddy]

I guess you have to do it slowly .

No use retiring from your job in UK Australia or USA after 30 years service and immediately moving to a condo in Jomtien forever 

The first few weeks would be ok then the same ol thing everyday without a purpose 

Then you slowly go mad 

[TMax]

I have seen guys retire and expire in the Philippines and Thailand, one common problem with those guys is they thought they could retire there and still carry on like a tourist. Without having plans to keep busy all they did was live the high life (so to speak), drink all day and night going from bar to bar their health soon deteriated to the point of no return. Moving to places like Thailand or the Philippines to live, in my view a person needs something to keep occupied with (other than drinking and whoring around), an interest in a hobby, maybe take up a course and do some studies etc, just something to keep the mind busy.

[fedssocr]

1 hour ago, TMax said:

I have seen guys retire and expire in the Philippines and Thailand, one common problem with those guys is they thought they could retire there and still carry on like a tourist. Without having plans to keep busy all they did was live the high life (so to speak), drink all day and night going from bar to bar their health soon deteriated to the point of no return. Moving to places like Thailand or the Philippines to live, in my view a person needs something to keep occupied with (other than drinking and whoring around), an interest in a hobby, maybe take up a course and do some studies etc, just something to keep the mind busy.

I think this applies to retirement anywhere. Even if you retire in the place you've lived your whole life you need to find things to do with your time that are fulfilling. 

[vinapu]

On 1/21/2024 at 6:12 PM, Keithambrose said:

 He is well off, which helps

You must be kidding ? it can't be. 

[Marc in Calif]

5 hours ago, Olddaddy said:

The first few weeks would be ok then the same ol thing everyday without a purpose 

Then you slowly go mad 

Nope. This is the case only if your own life has no purpose outside of work. 

Some of us do have interests, hobbies, and goals that keep us busy in retirement wherever we might be living -- at home or abroad. 

If you don't, then you'll always sit on your balcony looking out at the sea, the park, the neighbors, or the street.

[Boy69]

Prachuap Khiri Khan is better place to live than Hua Hin it's not far away and more relaxed place.

[Keithambrose]

4 hours ago, vinapu said:

You must be kidding ? it can't be. 

??

[10tazione]

On 1/21/2024 at 3:56 PM, Shonen said:

Advantages of USA, the food,

Really?

[Olddaddy]

14 hours ago, Boy69 said:

Prachuap Khiri Khan is better place to live than Hua Hin it's not far away and more relaxed place.

And what to do there ....?

[Londoner]

Retirement, unlike working,  is about being rather  than doing. 

[siriusBE]

19 minutes ago, Londoner said:

Retirement, unlike working,  is about being rather  than doing. 

In retirement, I have the time to do things that I never had time for when I was working. 😉

[Olddaddy]

1 hour ago, siriusBE said:

In retirement, I have the time to do things that I never had time for when I was working. 😉

Such as?

[siriusBE]

1 hour ago, Olddaddy said:

Such as?

Traveling, renovate my house, rebuild my old motorcycles, learn languages like Spanish, workout, hiking, cooking for friends, gardening...  during work, I was often too exhausted to get things done, even if I had had time to do so. Not necessarily Thailand related, I know.