Achieving the dream? by LMW
Posted by LMW | Blog, Reader Submissions | Posted on August 24th, 2009
So I’m a 30 year old guy in the UK. I have a good but boring job. I work as a software consultant and I’m on 64k a year with a decent pension on top. I kind of hate my job.
I date in the UK and get my fair share of poon. Either through meeting girls in nightclubs or more and more often, as I get older, internet dating. Got laid the last three weekends and I’m emailing four girls at the moment looking to set things up for the coming weekends.
Not really sure that I want to take any of that and have a relationship though. Been there done that… enjoy my freedom though.
I rent a city centre flat in a medium sized British town. It’s a nice place. Costs me 750 quid a month plus 110 council tax. I suppose with bills it costs a grand a month to run the place. I generally spend 100-150 a week on nights out, entertainment and eating out. I eat out several times a week.
I’ve got three really good close friends in my town who I generally socialise with and another really good mate halfway across the country. My family has started to die off unfortunately and I’m not that close to the remaining members.
Been to Thailand twice on holiday, going again soon. I get six weeks holiday a year so can easily fit in a few trips.
I really love Bangkok. Love pretty much everything about it that I have seen – yet I have only seen it from a tourist’s point of view. When I’ve chatted to guys who live there or read blog posts from them it just seems that they are the guys who are living the dream. I’m probably just not a marriage and 2.4 kids guy (at least not yet) and Bangkok seems to be the ideal place to live the life I want.
I like being an ex-pat. I like walking in to a bar, like the mango, and just being able to chat to strangers. You can’t really do that in the UK. Not much anyway. I love the crazy adventures. Every weekend it’s like walking in to the Cantina bar in Star Wars.
Obviously I love the poon but it’s not just that.
I’m half considering taking my savings, currently got about 25k was 75k before the stock market crash 
, and committing to at least a year over there. Signing up for language school and maybe working on an online business getting some adsense revenue coming in.
Now my question to the blog is in two parts:
- Reading about my situation would giving up the pleasant but far from rock star lifestyle I have in the UK to move to bangkok be the worst idea ever? Or would you recommend staying in the UK and just enjoying holidays over there? Is the standard of living I am used to going to be much improved in BKK?
- How the hell do you do it? How do you make money? Get a job? Is it possible to do it and still have a good career?
71 Responses to “Achieving the dream? by LMW”
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walking by lolitas and hearing my name...never!;)
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I would like Daywalker to "pull a train " in Jenny Star Bar . I will e...
Well they should start the trip by stealing a taxi from a tout in bang...
I would like these two obnoxiously drunk (which shouldnt be an issue) ...
@ Barfine warrior you got some pretty harsh sh*t in there, goddamn! ha...
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Translator
Keep the job you have now but tele-commute from Bangkok
View all comments by bobonzo
I would recommend saving the six weeks vacation time up, and spending the whole 6 weeks in Bangers to see how it suits you. Remember, Thailand is not an easy country to make money in. But is a great country to spend in. Owning a business, or being Employed in Thailand = Greed, Corruption, Cultural differences, Language barriers, etc… = Temptations are everywhere here. It is very, very easy to go way over your budget. Daily consumption of Alcohol further dilutes proper reasoning.
Thai Girls have a Billion Reasons for always needing Money. They see all Farangs as Walking ATM’s. They will have you on their Radar Screens. Be it Bar Girls, Freelancers, Good Girls, and every variation in between. It will take an Iron Fist, and Very Thick Skin to fend them off. I have spent more quid on Good Girls than I have on Bar girls, and got less sex for my effort. I would suggest calculating a yearly budget, Then triple it. – That would probably bring you closer to what you would need to “Live The Dream” – Unless of course – your planning on residing in a cabin somewhere out Issan Way. Surviving on Som Tum, and Mama instant noodles daily.
Having sad all that, There are more than a few Successful blokes carrying it on here, Quite Successfully. = And having a ball doing it. = “Living the Dream” – Unfortunately the majority fail. Read some of the local news out of Pattaya to get an idea of the daily shenanigans taking place. = Talk too many, Ask a lot of Question. And Look Deep Within.
The Final question would be – What do you do if it all goes south? Is there a escape plan? Do you Crawl back home with little or no Money. Try and pick up the pieces, and start anew? How worse for the wear would you be?
How about the distant future? = 20-30 or more years. = Old Age, Does the thought of being a Senior Citizen living in Banger’s seem appealing? Some would say yes, Some would say No. Most would probably not care. Having “Lived the Dream” Even if only for a “Short Time” Might leave enough good memories for a lifetime.
What say you?
View all comments by Radicalron
i came to live here once i ve accumulate a bankroll of about 150 k £. Since, im living here from the profit im making by playing on the markets. Im not living hi so, but im very free n enjoy lots of sexy babe! I can even afford to buy a land n a house 4 a lovely whore i impregnated! It makes me feel like a gentleman! Life is really good here! People, food, weather — all good. N cheap. Im riding a motorbike wtout licence n no problem!
View all comments by katechon
the downside is that u’ll quickly become a junky; 4 one, i would rather than live for more than a year in farang land! If u dont go on tilt too often, living in thailand is very easy! N India is not far 4 the mandatory no-meat no-alcool no-smoking annual yoga detox!
View all comments by katechon
Read some reader submissions on stickmanbangkok.com and then make up your mind. There is little doubt there are turbulent times ahead, far worse than the country has seen so far, so you’d be taking a risk. Depends how much of a gambler you are. You’d have a good lifestyle but could also lose everything.
View all comments by Barry
i agree wt barry, 4 i am a degen gamblah! N all those viruses runnin around! but is it not better to enjoy life like a survivor, a lion in the wild, than to live in fear like a lamb in security?
View all comments by katechon
@ bobonzo – funny thing is I do work 100% from home in the UK but my company won’t let me do that from outside Europe.
If I had 100% guaranteed excellent internet and perfect phone access via a UK number redirecting to Thailand with no hint of being overseas I could spent more time over there… but then I’d still have to have a place to stay and bills to pay back home.
@ radicalron – I’m looking at a few options. Maybe a year learning Thai in Bangkok and trying to get an online income and then, depending how it goes, go back to the West and spend a year doing a Masters and then back in to the workforce.
My current savings aren’t really enough for that though. Hopefully my investments will do well this year though.
@katechon – Funny thing is I do have a few investments that could get me up to 150k in the next wee while. It’s unlikely that they will but it’s not a million to one shot. Maybe 10 to 1.
Would be an absolute dream to live out there managing a portfolio. Although I haven’t down so well at that over here!
Become an alcoholic may well be an issue for me but I reckon I could limit drinking to the weekends. And Midweek. And special occasions. Like Mondays.
Damn you guys live the dream though. I want to live it too.
View all comments by LMW
Come to Bangkok and extort money from Tesco lotus.
Oh wait someone has already tried that.
View all comments by Wenthworth
internet cnx is very good, n cheap, n available at the remotest of areas. Really.
View all comments by katechon
My firm belief is if you live here, you need to work. Living the party life off savings/retirement/whatever will gradually suck all the humanity out of you. But English teaching is NOT the way to go.
There are places — and if you e-mail me I’ll direct you to it — where you can come here, train for a new career that will let you live a great lifestyle anywhere in the world, not just Thailand, and sponsor you for up to 7 months while you train and get started.
While you’re doing that, you get to experience Thailand and decide if you want to stay. If you don’t, you still walk away with a professional certification.
TheGhost@PattayaGhost.com
View all comments by Pattaya Ghost
ww, any link about the tesco-l scam?
View all comments by katechon
Stay where you are, your not ready for the real Thailand. It ain’t what you think it might be. More smoke and mirrors here than at a David Copperfield show.
View all comments by THE MAN
Just put on the Nike shirt and “Just Do It”!!
View all comments by Canadianboy
I am in pretty much the same boat as you….income, savings, and profession. I also lost a similar amount last year.. lol
Also expecting a decent payout in the next month or so from an earnout deal.
Unless you can are pretty much assured you can replicate your income then I wouldn’t move yet. Wait for your investments to recover at least so you don’t have to sell anything in a down market.
Personally when I get my earnout cash, I am going to invest all of it in mostly high risk/high growth chinese stocks and sit on it for the next 18 months at least. Given that we are supposed to be coming out the recession then I hope to ride the market up. I then plan to move it into low risk funds and dividend stocks.
Only then will I consider a part yearly move to BKK, since I actually plan to split my time between the UK and BKK.
View all comments by Greg
life in the uk will become even more shitty than it is now — when the Tories will have to clean the mess perpetrated by the Labour gvt… Huge debt, n way too many islamofuckers in the streets now. n the West is turning into a society of control for old people n angry ‘youth’ wt no freedom. Between hallunigenic n corrupt n sexy Thailand and bored n disciplined n geriatric England, the choice is easy to do!
View all comments by katechon
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/06/08/headlines/headlines_30036369.php
View all comments by Wentworth
LMW- don’t read stickman unless you really want to lose faith in humanity. i would suggest selling crack cocaine or heroin for a year. if you got good game slanging rocks then you should make enough money to set you up for life in thailand. you may even have enough for a gold grillpiece.
another option is upping your pimp game and getting a pack of hardworking hoe’s. put them on the strip for a few months then sell them to another pimp for a hefty profit. the only startup investment you need for pimping is a purple fur coat and a gold plated cane. you should also take lessons in pimp slapping to get your pimp hand in shape.
View all comments by UnCochinoWetback
@ Greg – re: that ‘investment’ strategy, you might want to consider a trip to the roulette if your risk/return appetite is what you say here. At the very least you will have your results a lot quicker, and considering the state of China’s banking system you might well have better odds to be a winner. Alternately a well diversified portfolio with an equity bias and regular re-balancing will get you better-than-market returns with a very reasonable risk profile.
@ LMW – my long term plan is to live overseas again (did it in my 20’s and miss it). To do that I’m trying to get consistent freelance work (I have skills in finance and database programming which are still in some demand) before I think about moving. To me having an income stream coming from out of the countries where I will live lets me more or less not worry about local visa/work rules. There are plenty of kinds of work that can be done these days from anywhere with a cell tower and internet connection. I certainly won’t be in BKK for the hot season but spending fall there might be nice.
View all comments by Scampering Jack Wilshere
Your still young enough to go back home after you have gone busted in thailand.I say come over now an have a jolly,jolly,fun,fun,time with the young ladies.The only way to learn about life is the hard way.Take a gamble,do your thing.You only live once.Money don’t mean nothing,you make it an then spend it.Then once you reach 60’s or 70’s you can sit an drool over your photo’s an memories.
View all comments by Trapperjohn
You are only 30. Just holiday here for now, solidify your savings and advance your career.
BKK is a great place to live and work when you have the liquidity and a plan in place to keep and grow it.
The lifestyle will be here in 1 / 5 /10 years (and so will the girls).I know you say it isn’t all about the girls – maybe it’s just me, but I wouldn’t live here if the girl scene isn’t what it is… I am certainly not here for the traffic and the weather!
I can see a debate brewing here about just how much you need for a decent lifestyle and you will get wildly conflicting views. I simply dont know how some guys do it on teachers salaries for example, yet they seem happy. I have met guys who have rooms that make Harry Potter’s room under the stairs look like a palace – to me, that isn’t living, that’s compromising (and sad). Sort out the cash before you come young man!
Just remember – you don’t lose girls chasing cash, but you will lose cash chasing girls!
View all comments by Livin' the Dream
= Words of Wisdom from a box of Cracker Jacks.
View all comments by Radicalron
While I won’t move to Thailand permanently just yet, I’ve said good bye to the West and moved to one of the developed countries/territories in the general neighborhood (you have two guesses). This way, I can pop over on any weekend basically while maintaining a Western salary and a Western standard of living, but an Oriental lifestyle – not quite to the Thai standards of fun, but not bad either. Also I can try the other destinations in the area which are undeservedly neglected – which arranges me just about right as the farang presence – read prices – is much much lower.
And if 5 years from now I decide Thailand isn’t really for me for the long term, but perhaps Indonesia might be, or Palau, or who knows what, I have the option of going there – I’ve saved my money, I’ve seen a few places, I can decide based on personal experience.
The downside? Ever since I moved here, landing at Suvarnabhumi isn’t as magical as it was when I was coming here only once or twice a year. But then, we do get used to the good life and I would rather have this to deal with than 6 months of snow and all the other niceties that come with living back ‘home’.
View all comments by Julian
I would Guess Singapore.
View all comments by Radicalron
@sjw – thanks… you may be right… I’ll have to give it some thought given that I’ve already lost a huge amount of cash to chinese stocks. I do think going forward that’s where the most potential growth is.
That said.. I am not sure why you think that the chinese banks are in a mess… I thought they would be a lot better shape than our western ones, though I am aware that the amount of cash these banks are lending has declined slightly.
View all comments by Greg
Radicalron, said it all, as you are only 30 and you do have a life in the UK, although you state it’s not the best. I would suggest the same advice as Radicalron, carrying on in the UK, save money, have your holiday trips to Thailand and get to know the people, the place and learn some of the language, then over time you can decide what you want to do. If do you give up your well paid job, then decide to return back to the UK, you may feel that you were a bit rash in trying to ‘achieving the dream’.
View all comments by Geezer
I second Julian’s reply.
You can live close by and still live a comparable lifestyle – don’t get sucked in my romantic stories you hear about Asia. Living here is different to being here on holiday, and doing business here is a lot different to doing it back home in a well regulated western country.
I could live in Bangkok maybe three months of the year before I had to get out. Overwise I think I’d permanently disappear
View all comments by human tsunami
Working in the UK and holidaying in Thailand may well be the option I go with but it has obvious downsides. Only get six weeks holiday and I’ll probably have to use some of that for other stuff so max 1 month in a year over there.
Plus the cost of the holidays can add up to quite a bit. My last two trips plus my next one are going to be around 6k in total. No I guess I could just live out there for 6 months on that.
Of course, I wouldn’t be earning my UK wage though so a bit of a false comparison.
Maybe it’s just a crazy dream. I mean I like the UK but it’s… boring. It’s just the same old stuff. What could I be doing in 2010? Going to the same pubs and clubs? Meeting the same kind of girls? Doing the same work?
Or I could do something else…
View all comments by LMW
You’re young and you’re skill level is adequate and, I assume, sufficiently up-to-date to leverage a little flexibility from your next employer.
So change employers and do that first.
Then invest a little time casting around in the UK and the international IT markets ’till you find a stable employer who’ll allow you to work from Bangkok.
You may have to take a pay cut but then again you may be pleasantly surprised.
You don’t want to play out your pile and then at 33 land back in the UK to live in a council flat in Broak-ass on D’ole.
The key to your situation is options and flexibility. Keep your irons in the firs (not the charred pieces of bullshit that every second expat here claims are his irons, but real irons; a work history, a network of mates back in the UK and your common sense.
IMHO 25K is just enough to get yourself into a bit of trouble.
But what the fuck would I know?
I don’t possess those keen insights and innate sensibilities most expat IT experts and pillar-to-post check- to-check English teachers can lay claim to.
View all comments by Prufrock
@ LMW – Last few years I have been visiting BKK and staying for about a month at a time. Within the first year or two of visiting BKK I was looking at buying condos etc and investigating ways of starting a business – and then in the following two years I kinda backed away from that. I would rather be there than here right now but I know that once I had been there for a few weeks I am ready to go home – this could of course be age related (50) because I have a number of friends out there your age (and one my age) who are happy as Larry to be there.
Good advice from Radicalron I think – spend a good few weeks there and see if you start to get a bit bored….
View all comments by doctorbond
JUST DO IT
Unless you are a person who needs security, are very career continuous and instead are willing to take some risks in life I doubt you will ever regret it. And if it does not work out and say you give it 6-9 months but don’t like it or run out of funds just go back and get your programming job back (I assume there will be plenty of that available at all times).
What has been lost but some cash?
What have you earned? Life experience plus the added bonus of maybe hitting jackpot by loving it and finding new alternative ways of making a living. Given your programming background I would be surprised if you couldn’t earn a few bucks somewhere on the interwebs given you have some initiative and drive.
I pulled the plug 12 months ago and haven’t looked back. My short term solution is poker. Maybe that is something to look into.
Might be a good idea to nit it up a bit money wise for half a year and build some starting buffer.
Good luck and just do it.
View all comments by Dan
And by the way read “Four hour work week” by Tim Ferris. Will change your outlook on life for sure
View all comments by Dan
greg – china is smoke and mirrors. so are the banks.
View all comments by sideshowBOB
It’s interesting. Thanks for all the advice. All of which is good even though differing.
I agree 25k isn’t anything. I suppose I’d want a 20k “emergency return to the West” fund plus say three years worth of living expenses at 15k a year. So 65k would be a magic number.
I’m only thinking off a year at the moment. So I’d just tell people that I spent a year travelling and would hopefully be able to easily find work again on my return.
Thing is while I hate and despise my job I have it pretty good. I work from home. If I changed jobs I’d be looking at a 20k pay cut for my line of work as I have done well with pay rises. I’d also miss a big potential redundancy cheque if I just quit. Also no payments in to the pension fund.
But you’re only live once right?
View all comments by LMW
@ Greg – China uses it’s quasi-national banks (Construction Bank, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, etc.) as massive slush funds that do what we would call ‘quantitative easing’ or ‘monetary stimulus’ in the west. I.e. they create new money when times are bad and throw it at deals that probably shouldn’t be done, including a lot of infrastructure and building that is unnecessary. Nobody can get honest non-performing loan stats out of them (the government that collects the data has no problems lying about it) and, in my opinion, it’s a ticking time bomb of geopolitical size. Not just finance or trade, but geopolitics, and I take a very measured view of risk. Which is not to say that your 18 month trade will lose you money, it could make it for you in bags, and some exposure to China is an absolute necessity IMHO, but just be a little careful.
@ LMW – it’s a tough one, and we do only live once, though the Thais don’t actually agree with that. All I would say is spend a little time and effort putting yourself in the position where success is as likely as possible. To me that just means having a good bankroll, a good idea how to make a living, and realistic expectations. Sounds like you’re pretty far along.
View all comments by Scampering Jack Wilshere
@sjw…. Thanks for the advice
View all comments by Greg
You don’t need to learn Thai, certainly not if you are living and spending on a Western standard.
If you want to build a career in this part of the world, I’d recommend you learn Chinese.
My opinion would also be you’re better off taking 5-6 weeks all at once here on holiday and going for broke. Living here is not all it’s cracked up to be–it can be pretty great if you have the cash to spend, which you do, but what are the consequences when the year is up?
Let’s face it, it’s the pussy that is calling you–the puss will always be here, don’t make rash life decisions based on pussy. If your career loses momentum, there may not be a chance to get it back up to speed, whereas you can ALWAYS come to BKK to get your f**k on. It’s not going anywhere.
View all comments by Alan Smith
When I was 26 I took 6 months off to go travelling. After a month in India I came to Thailand and basically didn’t go anywhere else. I had a great time and have no regrets> I had the best time of my life, and not just for the pussy, the whole Asian culture really did change my total outlook on life. I came back to the UK with nothing but after a few months got a job. I later had a life threatening illness but lucky for me I survived – you only live once so just do it. If you really need inspiration to follow your dreams then read the Alchemist by Paulo Coelho.
I’m 45 now, work in the public sector in the uk in a reasonable well job but one which allows me total flexibility in work life (pussy) balance. I go back to Thailand for hols, and each year or every other year (depending on how busy work is) get to take unpaid leave from work – the shortest period was 2 months, the longest 6 months. When I’m away my job is kept open for me and I keep my pension entitlement.
By the time i’m 50 I plan to finish work and to live in Thailand for 6 months of the year Sept – Feb and the rest of the year in the UK. I own two properties (no mortgage now), both of which I’ll rent out when I’m away – earning me an income as well as being an investment. I could retire now if I want to but I’ll just continue earning the salary until the new labour gravy train comes to an end.
The moral of my story is follow your dreams but plan for the future.
View all comments by muckycresta
@ LMW – I am thinking of doing the same thing. I am just a wee bit older than you and earn a bit more cash but the back and forth to BKK has wiped out the savings – hence looking to move closer.
Finding a well paid job is the challenge for me, I want to keep up the career rather than switch to teaching. Having my cake and eating it I suppose.
I am probably going the route Julian suggests and have done quite a lot of research into feasibility. From HKG or SIN it is roughly £80 return to BKK and flights are pretty convenient after work on a Friday and heading home on a Sunday afternoon. I will look for an apartment share in BKK so I have a place to crash at the weekends.
You can afford to take a bit of a salary cut there as tax is so low (circa 14% in HKG & 8% in SIN) but there are theoretically jobs our there that definitely wont compromise the career.
Right now it is a tough job market depending on your industry. Mine is fairly specialist which means few jobs but less competition from locals, YMMV in the IT market.
I am in BKK next week and actually have an interview lined up with the local office of my company. I still haven’t decided how dangerous it would be if they offered me the position. Money aside, I may actually be better off commuting at the weekends like Julian than living full time in BKK even if it works for the career.
Whatever u decide, good luck !
View all comments by WarCorrespondentDave
Moved to a post:
http://www.bigmangobar.com/reader-submissions/2009/08/25/response-to-lmw-by-antonio/
View all comments by Antonio
A couple of thoughts:
1) The ant and the grasshopper. Remember that old fable?
2) Do you sometimes feel that the posts of long-time ex pats are a little jaded? May be a reason for that…
and 3) as my dear old dad used to say, “There’s more important things than getting your lizard wet.”
View all comments by Soi Dog
@Antonio – Thanks for the great post. Really appreciate you sharing your experience.
It is hard to balance the whole working and making money with wanting to truly live an amazing life. I could work like I am till I’m 50 and then be set for life I’m sure… but I want to do it now not as an old man.
Realistically I don’t really have the means right now… but how does everyone else do it. In some ways it almost feels as if the good career back home is the straight jacket that keeps you in. I have enough money to live a good life but only in the UK and only if I keep doing the dull, steady job.
If I do go ahead and do it I do think there is a possibility of making it work. I’d enrol in Thai classes, work on some extra IT certifications, try and beef up my adsense income.
Then when I go back either enrol on a Masters, something I’ve always wanted to do, or try and get straight back in to work. I think if I sell it as ‘a year off travelling’ I can still keep my career intact. Will have to work back up the pay ladder though…it will cost a lot more than what I spend!
View all comments by LMW
@ Antonio – just to be clear, in case you were referring to my post. I wasn’t suggesting misleading clients about where one is living. I know a number of coder friends who just tell potential employers, ‘I travel a lot. Right now I’m in [fill in country] and I’ll be here for a bit. If you want me to show up for a meeting and want to pay my expenses I’ll do up to three per year. I can do phone meetings almost any time if you give me notice.’ You might lose some jobs that way, but at least everyone will know the score and nobody can complain down the road.
View all comments by Scampering Jack Wilshere
you have many answers on the subject.but if you want to have good time in bkk do it.then you can learn the fun of living in thailand plus see what you can do for a job.
View all comments by geoff
Is there ever a right time? I have been planning to move to Thailand for three years now. I have a job in a bank in London that it is very hard to walk away from because it pays extremely well. The horrible irony being, the better the job back home the more agonising the decision to leave.
When I decided to move I was 33. Now I am 36. Time catches up on you. You only live once. I have let the fear get to me. My savings became sufficiently large to sustain me long term, yet I was still scared stiff of making an irreversible decision that I could regret all my life.
But my belief is that once you have that itch, it must be scratched or you will never rest. Plan, sure. Save, sure. But go you must.
I eventually came to the decision that I must let go of my job and set a definite timetable for doing so. For me the key was making the decision to refuse to look back (however bad things may get in LOS, and boy do they seem to go bad for some). Once I made the decision that looking back served no useful purpose (you can’t change the past), I was able to plan a departure date.
Also, I have a certain respect for those washed up farangs in LOS who have hit rock bottom. At least they are the adventurous kind. And for those that are happy, I have even greater respect.
The other key determinant for me in overcoming my fear was deciding that it did not matter what the folks here in the UK thought. Many will no doubt see my decision as foolish. I sat a raft of professional qualifications and now I am off to a land were it seems the harsh realities of the western style career ladder can be cast aside. Maybe I am a fool, but on my death bed I can live with the decision because it has been my own.
Set a definite timetable. Save like you have never saved. It is risky, it is scary. But if it was not, what fun would that be? And above all, if you want to go, you owe it to yourself to risk failure.
View all comments by bassyfarang
Thanks for the post LMV its a dilemma everyone moving over here has made. I moved to hong kong three years ago. I respectfully think its a good compromise between living in the UK and having access to the asia I love. There is plenty of action here, really low taxes cf the UK and I can be in Sukumvit at lunchtime if I leave in the morning. My other twopence is I try to have a 6 month sabbatical every few years to catch up on stuff ive been meaning to do. Good luck mate.
View all comments by dave
amazing post, Antonio!
View all comments by katechon
LMW – I have always told people with the asia itch just get to asia. for me I got to hk and china for a while and that is when I fell for SE asia but settled on thailand. it has not been easy but I still value the experience and am glad I have done it. I think learning the language is worth it – I regret not learning more chinese in hk but I was on the road too much. thai has a similar tonal structure and grammar so it wont hurt to know it. I still plan on tackling chinese next.
u only live once – that is true indeed…
View all comments by sideshowBOB
I left England 20 years ago with a one way ticket, a small backpack and 300 quid in my pocket.
I have never been back.
Best decision I ever made.
View all comments by MSB
LMW-
Why does your boss require you to work from Europe? Have you considered spending a few months a year in a less depressing European country?
I’m 37. I’d like to move to Southeast Asia now, but I’m holding out until the company I work for gets sold so that I can cash in my stock options, collect a fat severance check, and retire to Southeast Asia as a wealthy guy. I don’t want to be 49 years old and living in a dingy one room Sukhumvit hovel. No offense, Werewolf.
View all comments by gavinmac
China..smoke and mirrors. That would be funny if you actually knew what you were talking about, had ever actually worked (and I’m not talking about confrences, meetings and the occasional sales call) in China.
But..by all means, please continue to enthrall us with your vast knowledge of China, SSB.
View all comments by Indu WangZi
it might not be “all” smoke and mirrors, but pretty close (and yes, i have spent plenty of time working there over the past five years). screwy banking and fx regulations, reliance on exports (yes, i know there is some domestic demand), land issues, thousands of protests each year, massive unrest in 1/3 of the country, etc. come on, we’re talking about a country that lost wars to the british (twice) on their home turf. every country has its issues – china’s are just starting to surface though.
View all comments by generous sponsor
LMW,
If you come here without a job I reckon you can spend 25K GBP in a year without spending like a madman. Do an extended trip here, but plan to come here to take a job.
There is a need for software consultants here, unfortunately the normal pay is 1K GBP a month unless you come in for a special implementation like SAP.
High paying expat jobs (150k GBP per annum) are rare but do exist here. The downside is you spend all your time working and paying taxes to the Thai govt (37%). Even after that you are still treated like a 2nd class farang where you have to pay dual prices and have to leave the country or extend your visa the day you finish your work permit.
I think you may find it to be more boring than you realize once you spend a bit of time out here. Ironically the things that make Thailand so charming at first can easily turn to things that you find intolerable with the country after some time. I can explain but you’d need to experience it to fully understand what I’m talking about.
Good luck.
–Mike
View all comments by Jeezo
indu – sorry to offend and yes – I helped open up an engineering center in beijing for BEA – now oracle. small companies in case u have not heard of them
funny all the stuff the gov throws at the big corps to get them there in then follows through with very little.
also love how the gov will protect local companies who steal code but won’t protect real products with real IP
starting to change with the big case MSFT just won but there is a long way to go
not saying I am an expert but most people – guys like nouriel roubini – seem to have some similar opinions on china but hey – I will stop enthralling now…
View all comments by sideshowBOB
nouriel roubini? what does he know?
View all comments by generous sponsor
Nouriel Roubini, is an economist.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nouriel_Roubini
He can tell you what happened and give it a name but he couldn’t figure out how to fix an economic situation, because there is one thing an economist cannot predict or explain and that is human emotion.
View all comments by Dr. GoGo
Nouriel Roubini- aka Dr. Doom is a professor at NYU. He used to be a permabear until one of his close colleagues took a job with Larry Summers, under Obama. Now he just loves the Obama admin and has become a big bull.
The world is awash in debt. Forget about major growth anytime soon.
And China is also hurting. They need 8% growth just to prevent unemployment from getting out of control… 8% growth to avoid social unrest. The gov’t is spending $500+ Billion USD on stimulus, they have reserves of $2 Trillion. So they can do this 4 times… eventually they have to stop stimulating, then they will also sink into recession.
The key problem is the ultrahigh levels of consumer debt and public debt as a % of GDP- still higher than the great depression. Stimulus isn’t gonna solve it. As Bob Dylan sings, A hard rain is gonna fall…
View all comments by Jeezo
j – he is not a big bull at all.
read his article in FT times today – he is predicting a double dip recession – which will in turn affect the whole globe again
View all comments by sideshowBOB
@muckycresta : Fast forward your plan twenty years.
S’all good man.
View all comments by Prufrock
LMV – I am more or less on the same boat as you. 32, very good freelance job in IT in London, a couple of properties, some social life, usually in a relationship (but equally usually dissappointed with result), some hobbies …. but utterly bored and fed up with my life, especially my working life. And a bit lost with what I want to do with my future, to be honest.
Perhaps due to culmination of a failed very long term relationship and lack of social ‘roots’ where I live. For a while (well, ever since visiting Thailand a year and a half ago), I have been trying to find a way to change my life more or less the same way you are thinking. Do part time IT or work from home from any location, or train in something different. Anything that will allow me to escape a life that feels like a prison.
Regarding Thailand, I think it is not the pussy. At least I do not believe it is just that, though the availability of it is most definately a factor in Thailand’s attraction.
I like what Julian is suggesting, living and working in Singapore or Hong Kong in order to maintain a decent salary level, but make the move to Asia and be able to travel around the area. I also like what Ghost is suggesting.
All of this has been swirling in my head for a while now, but reading this post today sort of pushed me into realising that I am not alone in feeling unhappy where I am, dispite the financial freedom. There are others who need *more* than that and some kind of adventure in their lives. And that is quite comforting actually.
Ghost – I know what you are talking about regarding training and I am very interested, I had a brief email exchange with werewolf a while ago and he suggested I have a word with you, may I send you an email?
View all comments by Dreamlord
£25K, and you are planning to save up to £65k before even thinking of coming to a country where the average monthly salary is about £150.
especially with a couple of hundred quid here and there from your savings.
Stop messing about and get yourself over here; even if you take a job for £1k a month (55k baht)(someone mentioned that figure above for your sort of job in Thailand), you can rent a nice pad, and get laid plenty
And saving three years x £15k for your return to blighty; why? What are you scared of? you are young and skilled, you should easily get a job within a couple of months. I think that you are just making excuses (fair enough it’s a big step)….. but JFDI
(just fucking do it!)
View all comments by Deano
Hmmm, Deano. Well I’m guessing it’s not all that easy to walk in to a 1k a month job in Bangkok so would take time, effort, visa hassle, etc. I don’t know though.
View all comments by LMW
My Son.
If you have the balls – the sky’s the limit.
If u pussyhole – stay home.
Truth – No sugar.
View all comments by Biz Markie
lmw – its not easy at all
View all comments by sideshowBOB
I would not make the move if I was you. You have a good job that pays well. Yet you have little to show for it. Yes you lost money on the stock market but so did a lot of people.
I first thought of making the move 20 years ago & am so glad I didn’t. Buy a bar in Phuket I thought. Great idea. Asylums do not give keys to the lunatics. I would now be broke, unhappy & an alcoholic. Instead I have a comfortable life, own business & 4 properties. Unless you work for my mortal enemies at the Child Support Agency in which case I have 2 properties & work as an awning assembler. Also 2 cars & a boat. So I am like a lot of men my age by which I mean I am mildly depressed & drink more than is good for me. 2 trips to Thailand a year is my tonic. Role on October 4.
Sometime in the next 6 years I will have paid off the last property & should be able to retire in Thailand. My real estate will provide enough money to live on & if I wish to return home then I will still be able to enjoy a comfortable lifestyle. And when I eventually croak I will leave a nice inheritance to the ungrateful lout I fathered & any possible grandchildren in the unlikely event his maternal grandmother allows anyone else in his life.
My advice to you would be to stay at your work & acquire some assets like real estate that will provde you with income & security. I get the feeling that most who make the move are not successful. The lifestyle will still be there in 10 or 20 years. I would not like to be broke in Thailand. Better to return home because you want to. Not because you have to.
View all comments by Wombat
Wombat,
I agree 100%. I’m not 100% happy in my job either, but I only have 5 years to go till retirement with a 401K and a large pension.
I have an overseas job (oilfield) that has a rotation schedule where I head to Thailand every 6 weeks or so depending on work-load.
When I’m at work, it’s all work, no weekends. When I’m in Thailand, it’s all time off, yet I’m still getting paid.
I’m looking forward to retirement in Thailand.
View all comments by bobonzo
@Wombat – That makes perfect sense. It’s depressing though.
It means I work in dull jobs for the rest of my working life then when I’m old I get to retire with some good money.
Thing is I’m not talking about early retirement at 30. It’s more a case of taking a year out and spending it in Thailand. I realise I’d have to come back and work… and after a year out that may not be such a bad thing.
View all comments by LMW
lmw – I do think taking time off and doing something cool is bad at all. just have a plan – dont leave it open ended.
my suggestion is figure out a long time plan for working and living in asia – whether it be thailand or not
if you got computer skills you can find a gig but you have to look
the path to death is pretty concrete so why not do something cool along the way?
View all comments by sideshowBOB
LMW
‘It means I work in dull jobs for the rest of my working life then when I’m old I get to retire with some good money.’
‘dull job’..?…’when i’m old’..?..
man you need to lighten up.
I’ll be retiring at 55, and while that sounds ‘old’ to most of you wippersnappers, i’ll tell ya right now 50 is the new 30 !
View all comments by bobonzo
I’m not talking about the rest of your life. Just a possibly better plan for the forseeable future. A good mate of mine has been retired & living in Pattaya for the last 5 years. Having the time of his life. Goes to the gym every day & is fitter than I am. Prick. Turned 60 this year.
A year off will need to be paid for at the other end. I believe it is better to lay the ground work now. Whether that be in your current circumstances or as others have suggested re working elsewhere in Asia only you can decide.
For depressing try to find in BBB’s archive the story of the old man rationing his money every day. When he ran out he would rather do a cordless bungy jump than return home. The apparently tight fisted BBB was so moved he bought him a drink in order to prolong his life by 45 minutes or so.
View all comments by Wombat
I’ve seen this type many times in Asia, Eastern Europe, and South America – most recent example, an old dude, English by his accent, at the bar last night, sitting next to me, engaging in conversation. I was kind of surprised at how friendly he was and apparently listening to any silly thing I had to say. When the bill came, he tried to make himself invisible, then he asked me if I could cover for his drink. I was ashamed of his shame… not a pretty sight.
Then I’ve also seen this other type: guys who always talk about doing something, sometime in the future. A future which somehow never comes. One of them called me yesterday – he’d just had this wonderful idea for a business that he wanted to run by me. Problem is, he has been having these ideas for ten years now, and they never get past the talking stage.
Not sure which is more sad.
View all comments by Julian
Stay with your job in the U.K.
Find out which U.K. companies in your line of work, or something similar, have a regional division in Singapore.
Get the level of experience/qualifications needed to be able to transfer to Singapore.
Once established in Singers, fly up to Bangkok every second weekend. During the week, pick up the odd shag down at Orchard Towers; a selection of Thai, Vietnamese and Phillipino being available.
Continue living and working in Singers – because you’ll be earning real world wages – and forget about living in Thailand.
Job done.
View all comments by MEGA