# Moving to Thailand in 2013



## chicoyoung

Hello,

I am new to this site and have many questions. I have read through many of the Threads pertaining to, moving to, and living in Thailand, most are extremely helpful.

I would like to introduce myself. I am 42 years old, from the US, have been with my Thai wife now for about 4 years. I have visited Thailand 3 times in the last decade and have enjoyed the experience good and bad each time. The first time, visiting all of the nice resorts and nice restaurants, living in a nice upscale house in the outskirts of Bangkok. Had a great time but still had it's ups and downs.
The last time I was there I visited my wife's family in Pangna (Southern Thailand). This time I lived the life of a local. We lived on very modest means, traveling mostly by bus and by motor bike. Stayed in a make shift house that had running water that came out a drop at a time from the water well. House had a metal roof so when it rained it sounded like a tin can. The living conditions were very different and the surrounding native culture took much adjustment since I spoke relatively no Thai and could only communicate by my wife translating.

Well, given the economic situation here in the U.S., we are planning to move to Thailand in 2013. I will be planning to teach English in a local school or as some private tutor and she will try to find work in a resort, possibly doing massage therapy or as a tour guide. I will have additional $1000.00 of income coming in from a rental property here in the U.S. 

I have read through many of the great threads that recommend Thailand for retiring but I was wondering if anyone had input on living, working as a teacher and or raising a child in Thailand? 

Any real live, current stories would be greatly appreciated.


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## stealthe

chicoyoung said:


> Hello,
> 
> I am new to this site and have many questions. I have read through many of the Threads pertaining to, moving to, and living in Thailand, most are extremely helpful.
> 
> I would like to introduce myself. I am 42 years old, from the US, have been with my Thai wife now for about 4 years. I have visited Thailand 3 times in the last decade and have enjoyed the experience good and bad each time. The first time, visiting all of the nice resorts and nice restaurants, living in a nice upscale house in the outskirts of Bangkok. Had a great time but still had it's ups and downs.
> The last time I was there I visited my wife's family in Pangna (Southern Thailand). This time I lived the life of a local. We lived on very modest means, traveling mostly by bus and by motor bike. Stayed in a make shift house that had running water that came out a drop at a time from the water well. House had a metal roof so when it rained it sounded like a tin can. The living conditions were very different and the surrounding native culture took much adjustment since I spoke relatively no Thai and could only communicate by my wife translating.
> 
> Well, given the economic situation here in the U.S., we are planning to move to Thailand in 2013. I will be planning to teach English in a local school or as some private tutor and she will try to find work in a resort, possibly doing massage therapy or as a tour guide. I will have additional $1000.00 of income coming in from a rental property here in the U.S.
> 
> I have read through many of the great threads that recommend Thailand for retiring but I was wondering if anyone had input on living, working as a teacher and or raising a child in Thailand?
> 
> Any real live, current stories would be greatly appreciated.



Hi.. I am also an expat and have been here in Bangkok suburb for over 4 months. My wife is pregnant and she has to complete her 2 years stay so i want to be h.ere to be with her and the baby. Planning to go back to the states next year. I am not working so can't give advice regarding employment. Do plan to have additional income to support your lifestyle as there is almost no work for foreigners (teaching English is not my thing). I think food is about same price as in US and in some case higher when you account for portions and quality of food. So if you are planning to homecook, expect today more. Love the beaches in Thailand so that is one thing I look forward to. Not sure what others do for fun but I don't like rushing to the mall as it gets old after a while. Lots of locals do that every weekend but I am not much into that scene. Fortunately I have Internet so that I can still keep iN touch with people back home.


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## chicoyoung

*reply*

I hear you....My wife mentioned (when she visited last year by herself) that the price of food had gone up. She mentioned it was because of the flooding. 

I remember there are an array of shopping malls that like yourself get redundant after a few trips. Yes, the beaches are a definite plus to life in Thailand. Thank you for you reply. I will make sure I stay connected to the internet this time!


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## stednick

*Food for Thought*

chicoyoung:

What you want to do "can" be done. However, it will not be easy. First, can you handle "living" in Thailand. Considerably different from visiting/vacationing. As you have indicated in your post, you know that the good is accompanied with the bad. When living in Thailand you will have to accept the bad as part of your way of life. Don't minimize the frustration this may cause. The last thing you want to do is move to Thailand and THEN decide you have made a mistake. It would be a very costly mistake. 

Cost-of-Living: I enjoy Thai food and ate primarily Thai food, restaurants and food vendors. Lived in a "good", not luxury, nor serviced, apartment. One bed, air conditioned, cable TV, Internet, American Bathroom, Thai kitchen. Used public transportation, primarily, sky-train, bus, tuk-tuk, and the occasional motorcycle taxi. No drinking, no bar girls. Entertainment was primarily the typical tourist type venues and attractions - "double-pricing" system, guided. 

Anyway, for the "lifestyle" identified in the previous paragraph, I found the cost-of-living in Bangkok "slightly" more expensive than the US. I wouldn't be able to live in Bangkok on a teacher's salary. Even if subsidized with USD 1k/month. 

English teachers salaries in Thailand vary considerably based on school, location, Certifications, etc. The actual salary paid can be dependable and/or erratic. Either way, you need to be very particular about who you work for. Use great care in selecting your place of employment. 

You have experienced both the high and low classes of life in Thailand. A teacher's salary supplemented with USD 1k/month places you somewhere in the middle. Also, realize that there are hazards, potentially expensive, in being a "long distance" absentee landlord. You obviously can't rush back to your rental properties to take care of emergencies, nor, to handle tenant turnover. 

Thai Baht fluctuations can change the buying power of your USD 1k/month supplemental income. In the past ten years the Thai Baht has fluctuated from approximately 30 - 45THB/USD. This is a 40% swing. Or, in more practical "worse-case" terms, your $1k/mo supplemental income may hit a low of $600/month in buying power. 

The point being, Global Economic and Political Uncertainties can seriously impact your budget and future plans. Realize the economic uncertainty is on a Global basis, not a USA based local problem. Also realize that the global political climates are changing on an almost daily basis.

You must have a bailout plan. Should things head south, you must be able to fall back on a Plan B that provides safety for you and your family. Remember US citizen hostages and evacuations, i.e. Iran in ‘79 and Indonesia in ‘98. Political climates change. A political upheaval in a country or a region may make immediate evacuation necessary. No time to arrange things post-incident. You must preplan. Pray for the best and plan for the worst. Your Plan B emergency repatriation must be planned and periodically reviewed.

Anyway, this post is "Food-for-Thought". I hope this helps and good luck.


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## Song_Si

chicoyoung said:


> I hear you....My wife mentioned (when she visited last year by herself) that the price of food had gone up. She mentioned it was because of the flooding.


another factor is flooding/natural disasters in other countries, their demand for Thai-export foods impacts on local prices too; and the wealth of China - an article a couple of months ago about local (Chanthaburi) orchardists selling mangosteen fruit to Chinese buyers at 100b per kilo (they re-sell at 180b equivalent in China) when locals expect to pay around 35b/kilo at the market. Reminds me of NZ where the best crayfish, steaks all go to Japan at prices most NZers could never afford - supply and most of all, demand.
Fuel cost has risen so much, and has an impact on foods with greatly increased transport costs.


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## chicoyoung

*Food for thought to last me many weeks*

Stednick:

I had to take a moment to digest your response. There is much information in your words. I read through you response some 10 times. It is a bit like receiving pieces to a puzzle that ultimately will never be finished. " THE JOURNEY OF LIFE"

I have some six months before we make our move and before then I will continue to research and prepare, taking all of your words into careful consideration. 

Thank you,

Not just for the detailed response(to my thread and the countless other threads on this forum) but for the wisdom within those words to help myself and others!


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## stednick

*Good Luck*



chicoyoung said:


> I have some six months before we make our move and before then I will continue to research and prepare, ...
> Thank you,


chicoyoung: 

Your Welcome. Thank you for your kind words.

Your research and preparation will guarantee the success of your venture.

Good luck in all your future endeavors.

Tom


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## cooked

Does it have to be Bangkok? Living costs there seem horrendous to people that live out in the sticks, we do ok, more than ok, in Buriram on ฿46 000.- a month (no kids, own house, which we could rent for ฿4 - 5 000.- if we were looking for something).


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## stednick

*Cost-of-Living*

Mr. Cooke,

Your point is correct and it is unarguable. You can live economically in Thailand. 

Location does make a serious difference in "how much you spend". You can live for considerably less in Thailand than I did in Bangkok. However, the amount I spent living in Bangkok was determined more by my lifestyle, preferences and desired luxuries than by my necessities.

I used my Bangkok spending habits because I know them. They are facts, not speculation. I easily could have "survived" on less, and, *considerably less*, if money was tight. However, money was not an object and my spending habits reflected that. 

The lifestyle I lead, cost "slightly" more in Bangkok Thailand than it does in the USA. However, since I have never lived in the "heart", or inner city, of a large metropolis in the USA, my example is not comparing apples-to-apples. 

I have typically lived in the outlying suburbs of a city in the USA and drove my personal automobile for transportation. In Bangkok I did not drive and utilized public transportation.

An apartment "similar" to my Bangkok place, in the heart of the business district off Silom would cost approximately 25% less in the USA suburbs. Bangkok luxury is pricey. Counterpoint to this would be my in-laws flat in the Dindaeng district. Two room Thai 25 sqm, dimly lit, basic concrete construction, fourth floor walk-up living quarters. This cost approximately 10% of my Bangkok apartment. Could I live there - yes. Would I live there by choice - no.

Another, unnecessary expense is my desire for specific personal care products; soaps, shampoos, toothpaste, lotions, etc. Considerably cheaper brands are available on the economy - but I could afford to "splurge" and I did. 

One thing to take into consideration is that the "amount" of your compensation (teacher's salary) in chicoyoung's case, is largely determined by location and the cost-of-living at that specific location. The closer he/they live to a metropolitan area where the availability of our exotic foreign products increases along with the cost-of-living, the higher his compensation will be.

In closing, you can live on very little in Thailand - if necessary. However, not everyone can handle the Thai country lifestyle. Your personal cost-of-living is entirely dependent upon yourself.

And we all do realize that: All that really matters is you and your families ultimate satisfaction and happiness with the "ways and means" of how they live.


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## Song_Si

on the 'cost of living' topic - this site Cost of Living in Bangkok, Thailand quotes figure from "766 entries in the past 18 months from 79 different contributors"

Nothing's perfect, but at least gives an indication; having never lived in a large city here be interested in what people think of those estimates.

*Gasoline *
Noted gasoline prices up again today - standard 91 is now 43.05 baht a litre

In January 2009 it was half that - 21.39 baht per litre. January 2010 it had increased 35.64. (source)

Easy to see why my bus fare Chanthaburi - Bangkok has gone up a whole 15 baht last month.


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## thai-insights

chicoyoung said:


> Hello,
> 
> I am new to this site and have many questions. I have read through many of the Threads pertaining to, moving to, and living in Thailand, most are extremely helpful.
> 
> I would like to introduce myself. I am 42 years old, from the US, have been with my Thai wife now for about 4 years. I have visited Thailand 3 times in the last decade and have enjoyed the experience good and bad each time. The first time, visiting all of the nice resorts and nice restaurants, living in a nice upscale house in the outskirts of Bangkok. Had a great time but still had it's ups and downs.
> The last time I was there I visited my wife's family in Pangna (Southern Thailand). This time I lived the life of a local. We lived on very modest means, traveling mostly by bus and by motor bike. Stayed in a make shift house that had running water that came out a drop at a time from the water well. House had a metal roof so when it rained it sounded like a tin can. The living conditions were very different and the surrounding native culture took much adjustment since I spoke relatively no Thai and could only communicate by my wife translating.
> 
> Well, given the economic situation here in the U.S., we are planning to move to Thailand in 2013. I will be planning to teach English in a local school or as some private tutor and she will try to find work in a resort, possibly doing massage therapy or as a tour guide. I will have additional $1000.00 of income coming in from a rental property here in the U.S.
> 
> I have read through many of the great threads that recommend Thailand for retiring but I was wondering if anyone had input on living, working as a teacher and or raising a child in Thailand?
> 
> Any real live, current stories would be greatly appreciated.


I have lived in the same small rural farming village in Lopburi Province for the past 9 years, and moved here just before my 50th birthday. I landed here (which shouldn't be too much of a surprise to other ex-pats) because my former wife lived here. Although we have long since gotten divorced, I still live here in this same small town, and I generally speaking love it here. Here are a few pieces of advice which I hope you will find to be constructive. 

In general, based on my experience, the average age of ex-pats living here full time is around 60 years or older, although I have seen some signs of a few younger people moving here after the 2008 financial meltdown. When I moved here at the age of 50 I definitely was the youngest ex-pat locally, and in many ways, this is still the case. Someone in their early forties would definitely be younger than the average ex-pat. Of course, particularly in highly touristed areas, there are tons of foreigners of all ages, and in Bangkok there are many younger foreigners who are working full time as well. But out in the country-side, "up country", as it's referred to locally, the average age is definitely older. That's something to consider in terms of what sort of ex-pat social support system you might have over here. 

The other age related issue I wanted to touch upon is that your forties and fifties are generally regarded as your peak income earning decades, and before I dropped everything and went off to an idylic Southeast Asian paradise (which in many ways Thailand is), I would sit down with a financial planner, or perhaps give Suzy Orman a call. I'm talking about the kind of chat where you let the financial planner do all the talking, if you get what I mean. The older you get, and the longer you have this "Thailand" black hole on your resume, the harder it's going to be to move back to the US and get back into your old groove. Your employment options are going to be much more limited over here than they are back in the States. All I'm saying is to really think about the implications of such a move as much as possible beforehand. 

Can I touch on cost of living just for a minute? I planned my "escape" to Thailand a full five years before actually moving here, and in hindsight, did an excellent job of ballparking my living costs. If anything, I probably over-estimated them. But there are a couple of things you may not fully appreciate if you have only visited Thailand for brief stays. First, there is inflation here. For example in 2003, pork was 80 baht a kilo; today it is 120 baht a kilo. In 2003, the baht was 40/$; today it is about 30/$. That means that in dollar terms, the cost of pork went from $2.00 a kilo to $4.00/kilo, or a 100% increase. Now, $4/kilo is still cheap by US standards, but I think you get my point. Secondly, what an earlier post said about currency risk being an important factor to consider, I whole-heartedly echo. If you are dependent on monthly rental income, your vulnerability to currency risk will be considerable. 

Finally, for a number of years I lived on my own here: a no car, no motorcycle, no I-phone, no computer, no TV, no wife, no health insurance lifestyle. In short, a frugal, humble, "go native" "simple living" lifestyle. Frugality became a form of spirituality. A lot of fun actually. And I lived dirt cheap for a good five years. Dirt cheap, as in $5-6,000 a year cheap. No BS. But in the past several years, I find myself sending a step-daughter to private school, buying a pickup truck, buying a computer, eating higher on the hog, travelling back to the states more often, and my annual living expenses have jumped into the $15-20,000/year range in the blink of an eye. The moral of this story is that having a Thai wife, kid, and extended family can get a little costly, and even if you don't have a Thai family, it's not realistic to think that you can live in Thailand on "peanuts," at least not forever.

I also want to advise you to study as much Thai as you possibly can before moving here. In my humble opinion it is next to impossible to speak or comprehend Thai well unless you first master the alphabet and tonal system, which it took me a full year of intensive study to get a handle on. I also suspect you may be in for a serious culture shock the moment you set foot in a Thai classroom. The educational culture is completely foreign to Westerners, and many people find teaching in Thailand much more different than what they pictured it would be. I have taught on and off from time to time in the schools, and only after being here 9 years do I feel like I am beginning to understand the Thai approach to education. I hope this helps, and I hope you follow your dreams.


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## stednick

*Thanks for the Excellent Advice*



thai-insights said:


> I would sit down with a financial planner ...
> 
> Can I touch on cost of living just for a minute? ...
> 
> I also want to advise you to study as much Thai as you possibly can before moving here ...
> 
> *I hope this helps, and I hope you follow your dreams.*


Thai-insights: 

First, let me thank you for your post and the wealth of information your experiences have brought to this forum. I certainly hope you will become a regular Poster. Many people will benefit from the knowledge your "insights" can provide.

Commentary concerning some of your very good advice. I fully support the idea of seeking professional financial advice concerning "money". You honestly need high quality professional investment and taxation advice. As no one can predict the future, your assets need to be well diversified on an international basis. Few people have the training to engineer a portfolio for an Expat's international retirement. It is truly money well spent to hire an investment professional to set up your finances. 

Ball-parking living expenses. Lifestyle (desired versus acceptable), Location (metro, suburban, rural), fluctuating currency exchange rates, inflation, food pricing (flood, drought, crop failure), import taxes, etc. can affect the actual "cost-of-living" an Expat will incur. Add to this the possible extended Thai family and your budget may wind up being a thing of fiction. Plan well and don't forget medical. 

Pasa Thai, sung not spoken, five tones, aspiration, 44 consonants, 33 vowel sets, long vowels, short vowels, shortened vowels, silent vowels. Transliteration issues, no punctuation, left vowels, right vowels, vowels above and below. Unwritten vowels. Yes, without a firm grasp of written Thai you will never be fluent in spoken Thai. If you live remote to other falang the inability to communicate can be a deal breaker. So you need to make a strong effort (intensive study) to learn Thai. I suggest beginners google for the Maanii Elementary School Books. 

I agree ... follow your dreams ... but, be fair to yourself and always plan an exit strategy. Anyone one of a great many things can go South. Pray for the best and plan for the worst. Good Luck.


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## chicoyoung

Thai insights:

I find all of your advise extremely helpful! You touch on a few more topics that most definitely need to be thought out before 
making this move. 

I asked my wife again, when she felt it would be a good time to return to Thailand. She said in about 5 years. She says it would be a good place to retire. As she knows there is much more earning power here in the States than in her own country. 

You touched on a few concepts regarding education I was hoping you could elaborate on.

You mentioned you are sending a stepdaughter to private school. I was wondering what your opinions are of the Thai school system (public, private, international) for children?

You also, mention how different it is to teach in the classroom there ( Thai approach to education). Can you elaborate in what way? From what I have witnessed as a visiting farang, many of the students seem respectful and willing to learn. I believe they hold their teachers in high regards.

You have pointed out several key concepts that I know will be extremely important to the success of one anyone trying to live, survive and thrive in another country. Similar to Stednick's response you have given me much to think about and digest. Nonetheless, it is educational and humbling to read and listen to the words of someone who has traveled the path that I will travel in the future. Thanks in advance for all of your help!


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## thai-insights

chicoyoung said:


> Thai insights:
> 
> I find all of your advise extremely helpful! You touch on a few more topics that most definitely need to be thought out before
> making this move.
> 
> I asked my wife again, when she felt it would be a good time to return to Thailand. She said in about 5 years. She says it would be a good place to retire. As she knows there is much more earning power here in the States than in her own country.
> 
> You touched on a few concepts regarding education I was hoping you could elaborate on.
> 
> You mentioned you are sending a stepdaughter to private school. I was wondering what your opinions are of the Thai school system (public, private, international) for children?
> 
> You also, mention how different it is to teach in the classroom there ( Thai approach to education). Can you elaborate in what way? From what I have witnessed as a visiting farang, many of the students seem respectful and willing to learn. I believe they hold their teachers in high regards.
> 
> You have pointed out several key concepts that I know will be extremely important to the success of one anyone trying to live, survive and thrive in another country. Similar to Stednick's response you have given me much to think about and digest. Nonetheless, it is educational and humbling to read and listen to the words of someone who has traveled the path that I will travel in the future. Thanks in advance for all of your help!


Dear Chicoyoung:

To answer your questions about cultural differences between Thailand and the West, or for that matter, other developed Asian countries such as Taiwan or Japan, I would offer the following observations:

1. The resources devoted to educational development, particularly in rural Thailand are limited because Thailand is not a wealthy country. I suspect rural education has also been historically neglected, especially when compared with Bangkok.

2. The Thai culture seems to value non-confrontation and maintaining social cohesion. These are wonderful cultural traits which I truly cherished, but sometimes accountability for school administrators, teachers and students can fall by the wayside in the process.

3. The parent-teacher teamwork bond that is encouraged in the West does not appear to be especially encouraged in Thailand. Parents seem to be very reluctant to meddle or question a teacher's judgement, and I suspect that some Thai teachers are quite happy with this arrangement. But the downside from a teacher's viewpoint is that the parents are not a readily available resource for ironing out disciplinary or performance problems, or making sure that the students have all the resources and encouragement that you might otherwise hope for. 

4. There seems to be a somewhat fatalistic approach to whether the individual student applies his or her self to their studies. If the student isn't applying themselves, there isn't much social pressure for them to change. Thai students don't seem to be as academically competitive as Western and Chinese and Japanese students seem to be. So competition can't always be used as a motivational tool.

5. In rural Thailand, urbanization trends are very powerful and are accelerating. Parents of school age children are often forced to seek work in urban centers such as Bangkok. This more often than not leaves the children being cared for by relatives who may or may not be able to supervise them properly. Attendance and homework can be a significant problem. Along these same lines, another cultural factor which impacts Thai education is that oftentimes from a very early age, and certainly once they become teenagers, kids, out of sheer economic necessity, have to help their parents work in activities such as farming or selling produce at the market. This can really take a bite out of the amount of time a student has to study, even if the student is highly motivated to study. 

6. Finally, in smaller rural schools there can be a very wide range of academic ability lumped into a single classroom. Also, there aren't many special needs schools in Thailand for kids with learning or physical disabilities. The only options available to parents are for these children to stay at home or go to the local school. These factors can make teaching somewhat challenging.

I don't want you to get the wrong idea. Thai kids are unbelievably sweet, fun loving, smart, clever, kind, welcoming, and good natured. They can be quite eager to learn. But I do want to caution you that being mobbed by a bunch of exuberant kids on a soccer field who have never had a chance to interact with a foreigner, or the experience of guest teaching for an hour at the local primary school, isn't the same experience as trying to teach on a day in/ day out basis. The honeymoon period can come to a screeching halt when homework isn't completed, absenteeism soars and three quarters of the class flunks the mid-term. 

My experience with schools in Thailand is limited to rural schools in Lopburi province. My step-daughter's private school is Assumption Convent Lamnarai. I have visited there several times, met the teachers, reviewed the textbooks, monitered homework and activities and am pretty confident that my step-daughter is receiving a very good education there. I have asked my step-daughter many times to compare the quality of education at the new school with the old local school, and she reports that ACL is definitely better. Aside from my concerns about the quality of education at the local school, another big motivation for sending her to ACL was because teenage pregnancy is a big problem in rural Thailand. I would venture to say that if you live outside of a big city chances are that you are probably going to be inclined towards sending your kids to private school if it is feasible. I would be interested in hearing what your wife has to say about what I've said about Thai schools. 

I want to emphasize that, although I have spent a lot of time in classrooms as a student, I am not a professional teacher, and my teaching experience is relatively limited. Hope this helps.


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## singto

I wouldn't want to live in Thailand as a teacher but it is possible. If you want to do what you say, it is definitely possible but it will take some discipline.


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## cooked

I agree, being a teacher here is for young guys wanting to gain experience. Supplementing your income and giving yourself an occupation for a few hours a week with teaching I could imagine, but that would mean losing the freedom that I came to Thailand to enjoy.
There is a general lack of intellectual curiosity amongst the Thais that I think would destroy any initial idealism I had for the job- I won't go into examples.


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## chicoyoung

Thai insights,

Thank you for the detailed, quick response!

Many of the ideas you mention hit home! It will take me a week or two to respond to your response as I gather information from my wife and other readings and threads. 

This is some great information that is just not found books! 

As of today, my wife and I will alter our plans and travel to Thailand in 2013 to see family and visit with the intent of staying in the future. There are many more issues that must be thought through before making this permanent move. Of coarse, learning the language, as you mentioned is one of them. 

IMHO, I believe there are serious underlying financial issues here in the U.S. , that will necessitate the move in the future. I do not know when that time will be, but I hope I will be in Thailand with plans A, B, C....H when that time comes. 

Best Regards!


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## thai-insights

cooked said:


> I agree, being a teacher here is for young guys wanting to gain experience. Supplementing your income and giving yourself an occupation for a few hours a week with teaching I could imagine, but that would mean losing the freedom that I came to Thailand to enjoy.
> There is a general lack of intellectual curiosity amongst the Thais that I think would destroy any initial idealism I had for the job- I won't go into examples.


I agree with Cooked's comments that a teaching commitment could crimp a "foot loose and fancy free" lifestyle, and I would definitely recommend giving one's self time to get settled in and explore Thailand before rushing into your first teaching assignment. With that said, teaching does provide an excellent vehicle for integrating into your new community and a tremendous opportunity to gain valuable insights into Thailand's wonderful culture.

I do not agree with Cooked's comment that Thais have a "general lack of intellectual curiosity." I am not trying to play one-upmanship games to see who can be the most politically correct or culturally sensitive, but I think that statement is an unfair and inaccurate over-generalization which comes perilously close to crossing a rubicon into cultural condescension.


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## cooked

I don't intend to enter into a dispute here: Thais can, given the opportunity, be very bright, my wife had two years of school and taught herself English to a high level. However a few examples: I had to wait for nine (yes, nine) hours at the Central bus station in Bangkok and we were surrounded by about three hundred Thais also waiting. Not one was reading, for the whole 9 hours. They read, on average 5 books a year, in Vietnam they read 30, on the average.
Try to show a Thai a different way of doing things (like using a wheel barrow or a concrete mixer, or installing earthing in an electric circuit.,for instance) and they go glassy eyed. Generally.
I don't see this as a matter of cultural condescension but I take it as a general fact of every day life here. If anyone is culturally condescending, it is the Thais, in the nicest possible way, of course.


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## chicoyoung

Song_Si said:


> another factor is flooding/natural disasters in other countries, their demand for Thai-export foods impacts on local prices too; and the wealth of China - an article a couple of months ago about local (Chanthaburi) orchardists selling mangosteen fruit to Chinese buyers at 100b per kilo (they re-sell at 180b equivalent in China) when locals expect to pay around 35b/kilo at the market. Reminds me of NZ where the best crayfish, steaks all go to Japan at prices most NZers could never afford - supply and most of all, demand.
> Fuel cost has risen so much, and has an impact on foods with greatly increased transport costs.


I asked my wife if she has heard of such a fruit called the mangosteen. She went on and on on what a delicious fruit it is. We just purchased some from the local asian market...it cost $17.00 U.S. dollars for about 10 of them. I nearly passed out!
Gasoline here has gone up .50 cents a gallon in 2 weeks! 

On the good side, I now know what is a mangosteen fuit.


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