Minimum Income Required

[Guest thaiworthy]

I am trying to improve my status as a thread starter, which was brought to my attention in another thread. So here goes one of three subjects, one gay-Thailand related, one Thailand-only related and one gay-only related:

 

How much gross income would be desirable to maintain a Thai boyfriend? A friend of mine said that of all his farang friends with Thai boyfriends, no one has gross income of less than $100K baht a month. Do you agree with this? I know some would say it depends on a lot of factors. Such as what, for example? And if not 100K, how much lower or how much higher would you think?

[pong]

AFAIK the only ones asking for real statements for regular income etc are Thai immigr-for retirement visa.

Now do the math: 100k (NO $$ are needed for that, SIR!!),otherwsie it is that here we cannot make the EUR-sign!, nor GBP.

equals about 2.500 EUR or about 2200 GBP, and I guess thats meant per month. These are even lower as the median incomes in countries concerned (well-for EUR most of the starters in West-Eur, not so much Slovakia). Mean income in Finland is around 55/60lk EUR/year. And yes- the OAP regular pension in my country is lower-but most get extra pensions from work from companies/govmt etc. beside it.

SO:
1.does this mean income made in TH?

2.or does it mean income from pension etc from ''back home''?

3.nothing has also been said about ''maintaining'' Thai BFs out of it.

In fact, I think there is hardly anyone with regular income who is a lot below that amount

[Guest thaiworthy]

Pong, the title of the thread "Minimum Income Required," is just a cliche, so no real statements. And if a Thai boy ever asks to see your bank statement, run the other way.

 

Yes, omit the $ in the 100K quote, but note the word "baht" after it. This can be income from a pension that obviously must be converted to Thai baht if you live here, hence "Thai boyfriend." For some, working Thai boyfriends may be a plus, and for others "boyfriend" means a stipend for little expenses (or big ones in some cases) which need to be a part of the monthly budget and must be planned for.

 

AFAIK = as far as I'm concerned? (C instead of K).

 

I really thought this was going to be a simple topic. Wrong again.

[Guest jomtien]

As far as I know  AFAIK means as far as I know.

[Bob]

How much gross income would be desirable to maintain a Thai boyfriend?

 

Geez.  First, I don't particularly cotton to the word "maintain" as that simply implies the "older partner" (that's us, boys!) exists solely as a money machine.  A bit derogatory to those of us who have had partners (beyond the "guess-what-I-rented-at-the-bar-last-night" category) for a while.  Second, you ask what income level is "desirable."  To whom?  How much do I desire to have or spend or how much does he (the "spendee") desire me to have or spend?

[Gaybutton]

As far as I can tell, in far too many cases no matter how much you spend on or give to the boyfriend, it's never enough.

[Rogie]

I love that word - desirable.

 

A streetcar named Desire?

 

Thai barboy / girl / 'ordinary' person / ladyboy / politician / fixer / jetski swindler - they all have something in common, and we know what that is.

 

The desirability of this, that and everything is obvious in Thailand, witness the mushrooming of giant shopping malls (they're not simply places to get out of the midday sun into some AC comfort-zone!).

 

Those that desire have dreams, dreams in which they are rich beyond avarice. Sad reality dawns quickly enough but if they spy their very own walking talking ATM all is not lost!

 

Later: Ah, I see Gaybutton has posted while I was 'composing'. He basically said the same as me but a lot more succintly!

[KhorTose]

but, but ,but but-----I've always been told that all you need is love-------not true?

[Guest timmberty]

im glad im a tight git .. it may mean i will often sleep alone, but it also means i'll never be skint.

[Guest]

How much gross income would be desirable to maintain a Thai boyfriend?

Anything upwards of about £10 million a year would be desirable, although once it has reached that level, spending any additional increases would be difficult.

 

I suspect 100,000 baht would be a minimum if one is actually expected to maintain the boyfriend.

Obviously I just visit  Thailand as a tourist, but guess he going to sap 30,000 baht a month ?

I guess one could get by with 70,000 to pay for accommodation, food, healthcare, travel etc, but more would be desirable. 

 

As someone still working,  it eventually boils down to retiring early on a tight budget or working for a bit longer and enjoying more income.

[ceejay]

I retired early on the 1st May last year. It was unplanned - the company I worked for moved towns and I took early retirement  course, retiring at 58 means that my occupational pension is a good deal less than it would otherwise have been.

I've been livng in Chiang Mai for the last three months and will be here for another two. The main thing I have learned is that you can actually live in Thailand for much less money than 70K baht/month. I am living in a good one bedroom apartment in a nice part of CM on the Huay Kaew Road. Basic costs are as follows:

Apartment, including water, electricity, internet, cleaning and linen - 15,000 per month

Food about 6,000 per month

Other (laundry, toiletries etc) about 3,000 per month

Long term (6 month policy) travel insurance baht 2500/month

Share of cost of ticket to Thailand baht 10,000/month

So, including the cost of getting here, the basic cost to me is about 36,000 a month. That's living in a decent apartment with a separate living room in a nice part of Chiang Mai. I don't actually live on that: I have taken trips to Nan, Fang and Luang Prabang and will be taking others before I go, I am taking Thai lessons and I go out for a drink when I feel like it. Still, I am not spending more than 45,000 a month.

A couple of comments:

I could do it for less, especially on the accommodation item. If I had to, I could live adequately here for less than 25,000 a month and still have a better standard of living than someone living on a state pension in England.

It does not include anything for visiting boy bars. I don't - when you have more time available you can look around for friends who do not expect to be supported.

[kokopelli]

Food about 6,000 per month

 

 

Wow!  I spend that much in one week.
 

[Guest thaiworthy]

Koko combines both restaurants and bars into a singular experience. Just last week he told me, "I'm having fruit salad for dinner. Well, it's mostly grapes, actually. OK, all grapes. Fermented grapes. I'm having wine for dinner."

 

I budget 6300 baht per week for groceries and restaurants for two people. But admittedly, we don't go to too many restaurants or bars. If you buy and cook Thai food, it isn't expensive at all. So I tried that. The bf did the cooking and served me the same thing he ate, spicy and hot.

 

Eventually one time I woke up with stomach cramps that turned out to be acute gastritis. The ambulance was called and I spent one night in the hospital. Total cost: 16,205 baht. So much for my budget, and my adventure into Thai cooking. Eventually, I might try again, I like Pad Thai, but hold the hot and spicy whateveritis, please. Gastritis can hurt like a son-of-a-bitch and I'm not going through that experience again, culinary endeavors be damned.

 

Hospital visits are not in the budget. So Koko's fruit salad is looking pretty good right now.

[ceejay]

Food about 6,000 per month

 

 

Wow!  I spend that much in one week.

 

About that. Maybe a little more, but it helps if you don't eat all that much (which I never have) and have simple tastes (which I always have). Typically, I'll have a large plate of fruit, fruit juice, bread, cold meat or cheese and a yoghurt for breakfast. Costs me about 70 baht on average. I don't usually have lunch (haven't for years). Typically, the evening meal is at a local Thai restaurant - something on rice and a plate of Somtam. Usually runs to about 100 baht.

That's not me being cheap. That's the food I prefer and it pretty much follows the pattern of what I eat in England. Actually, it is one of the items that is running in way under budget for this stay. I'd allowed for 1500 a day excluding accommodation for all spending- it's coming in at more like 1500 a day with.

It doesn't include another 4-500 baht a week for the two times I do have lunch, one when I meet a friend for a walk around town and something to eat along the way, and the Sunday buffet at a hotel in town where a group of expats meet for brunch. Those I'd count as social/entertainment.

[Rogie]

I find it's often too hot to eat much. That's when I'm staying at my friend's place which doesn't have AC. I don't think I would ever put on weight living in Thailand. Probably a more healthy diet than back home as I don't use much milk, don't eat cheese or cream and as Thai beer's boring I just have one bottle (big) with my evening meal. I am a bit suspicious of the fruit and veg, whether it be bought at the local market (my preference) or a grocers or supermarket. I wonder if it is loaded with pesticide residues. Fruit probably isn't very easy to grow yourself (although you see mangoes growing in people's gardens), but growing your own veg would probably get round the residue problem. Anyone any experience of growing your own veg in Thailand?