Have you seen headlines like this? Thailand Protests–Students Fight to Restore Democracy. Well, those “students” are fighting to weaken Thai-Chinese relations at Beijing’s expense. Western media’s support for the small mob–complete with quotes of support from the American Embassy in Bangkok!– is the first clue that it has little to do with democracy or Thailand’s best interests.

It’s an attempt to boost waning American influence in Thailand Asia (GM just pulled out of Thailand). A billionaire candidate named Thanathorn openly took Western embassies’ support and members of his party , Future Forward, are from US and EU-funded NGOs. Thanathorn “loaned” his party millions of dollars though it has no means or intention of repaying the “loan,” meaning that it was instead in all actuality a donation – made in direct and complete violation of Thai election laws.

Since I moved to Thailand I’ve been impressed at the wide variety of nationalities I’ve met. Chiang Mai has a remarkably diverse cross section of the world’s peoples coming through it all the time. I’ve met Slovenes and Ukrainian, done yoga with Vladimir Putin’s TV producer (she says he’s “very obedient and has a good sense of humor”) and Eritreans and Sardinians and Kosovans. It’s been great!

What hasn’t been so great is the questions they ask. As soon as they find that I’m an American citizen in Thailand they start grilling me about US foreign policy. The Thais want to know why we publicly criticize the current head of government (post-coup) without understanding the difficult position he is in and why the bloodless coup saved so much Thai blood. It’s not a simple story, to be sure, but it’s a story that anyone can understand. They’re kind of amazed at how little we know in America about what’s going on the the real world. I don’t want to bore you with a personal rant, but when I came across American expat Ann Jones wrote home recently, I couldn’t resist passing it on. Foreign policy discussions are now part of polite society’s discourse – at least among expats. Forewarned is forearmed…

Americans in Thailand, and those who live abroad — more than six million of us worldwide (not counting those who work for the U.S. government) — often face hard questions about our country from people we live among. Europeans, Asians, and Africans ask us to explain everything that baffles them about the increasingly odd and troubling conduct of the United States.  Polite people, normally reluctant to risk offending a guest, complain that America’s trigger-happiness, cutthroat free-marketeering, and “exceptionality” have gone on for too long to be considered just an adolescent phase. Which means that we Americans abroad are regularly asked to account for the behavior of our rebranded “homeland,” now conspicuously in decline and increasingly out of step with the rest of the world.

In my long nomadic life, I’ve had the good fortune to live, work, or travel in all but a handful of countries on this planet.  I’ve been to both poles and a great many places in between, and nosy as I am, I’ve talked with people all along the way. I still remember a time when to be an American was to be envied. The country where I grew up after World War II seemed to be respected and admired around the world for way too many reasons to go into here.

That’s changed, of course. Even after the invasion of Iraq in 2003, I still met people — in the Middle East, no less — willing to withhold judgment on the U.S.  Many thought that the Supreme Court’s installation of George W. Bush as president was a blunder American voters would correct in the election of 2004. His return to office truly spelled the end of America as the world had known it.  Bush had started a war, opposed by the entire world, because he wanted to and he could. A majority of Americans supported him.  And that was when all the uncomfortable questions really began.

In the early fall of 2014, I traveled from my home in Oslo, Norway, through much of Eastern and Central Europe. Everywhere I went in those two months, moments after locals realized I was an American the questions started and, polite as they usually were, most of them had a single underlying theme: Have Americans gone over the edge? Are you crazy? Please explain.

Then recently, I traveled back to the “homeland.”  It struck me there that most Americans have no idea just how strange we now seem to much of the world. In my experience, foreign observers are far better informed about us than the average American is about them. This is partly because the “news” in the American media is so parochial and so limited in its views both of how we act and how other countries think — even countries with which we were recently, are currently, or threaten soon to be at war. America’s belligerence alone, not to mention its financial acrobatics, compels the rest of the world to keep close track of us.  Who knows, after all, what conflict the Americans may drag you into next, as target or reluctant ally?

So wherever we expatriates settle on the planet, we find someone who wants to talk about the latest American events, large and small: another country bombed in the name of our “national security,” another peaceful protest march attacked by our increasingly militarized police, another diatribe against “big government” by yet another wannabe candidate who hopes to head that very government in Washington.  Such news leaves foreign audiences puzzled and full of trepidation.

Question Time

Take the questions stumping Europeans in the Obama years (which 1.6 million Americans residing in Europe regularly find thrown our way).  At the absolute top of the list: “Why would anyone oppose national health care?” European and other industrialized countries have had some form of national health care since the 1930s or 1940s, Germany since 1880.  Some versions, as in France and Great Britain, have devolved into two-tier public and private systems.  Yet even the privileged who pay for a faster track would not begrudge their fellow citizens government-funded comprehensive health care. That so many Americans do strikes Europeans as baffling, if not frankly brutal.

In the Scandinavian countries, long considered to be the most socially advanced in the world, a national (physical and mental) health program, funded by the state, is a big part — but only a part — of a more general social welfare system.  In Norway, where I live, all citizens also have an equal right to education (state subsidized preschool from age one, and free schools from age six through specialty training or university education and beyond), unemployment benefits, job-placement and paid retraining services, paid parental leave, old age pensions, and more.  These benefits are not merely an emergency “safety net”; that is, charitable payments grudgingly bestowed upon the needy.  They are universal: equally available to all citizens as human rights encouraging social harmony — or as our own U.S. constitution would put it, “domestic tranquility.”  It’s no wonder that, for many years, international evaluators have ranked Norway as the best place to grow old, to be a woman, and to raise a child. The title of “best” or “happiest” place to live on Earth comes down to a neighborly contest among Norway and the other Nordic social democracies, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland.

In Norway, all benefits are paid for mainly by high taxation. Compared to the mind-numbing enigma of the U.S. tax code, Norway’s is remarkably straightforward, taxing income from labor and pensions progressively, so that those with higher incomes pay more. The tax department does the calculations, sends an annual bill, and taxpayers, though free to dispute the sum, willingly pay up, knowing what they and their children get in return. And because government policies effectively redistribute wealth and tend to narrow the country’s slim income gap, most Norwegians sail pretty comfortably in the same boat. (Think about that!)

Life and Liberty

This system didn’t just happen. It was planned. Sweden led the way in the 1930s, and all five Nordic countries pitched in during the postwar period to develop their own variations of what came to be called the Nordic Model: a balance of regulated capitalism, universal social welfare, political democracy, and the highest levels of gender and economic equality on the planet. It’s their system. They invented it. They like it. Despite the efforts of an occasional conservative government to muck it up, they maintain it. Why?

In all the Nordic countries, there is broad general agreement across the political spectrum that only when people’s basic needs are met — when they can cease to worry about their jobs, their incomes, their housing, their transportation, their health care, their kids’ education, and their aging parents — only then can they be free to do as they like. While the U.S. settles for the fantasy that, from birth, every kid has an equal shot at the American dream, Nordic social welfare systems lay the foundations for a more authentic equality and individualism.

These ideas are not novel. They are implied in the preamble to our own Constitution. You know, the part about “we the People” forming  “a more perfect Union” to “promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity.”  Even as he prepared the nation for war, President Franklin D. Roosevelt memorably specified components of what that general welfare should be in his State of the Union address in 1941. Among the “simple basic things that must never be lost sight of,” he listed “equality of opportunity for youth and others, jobs for those who can work, security for those who need it, the ending of special privileges for the few, the preservation of civil liberties for all,” and oh yes, higher taxes to pay for those things and for the cost of defensive armaments.

Knowing that Americans in Thailand used to support such ideas, a Norwegian today is appalled to learn that a CEO of a major American corporation makes between 300 and 400 times as much as its average employee. Or that governors Sam Brownback of Kansas and Chris Christie of New Jersey, having run up their state’s debts by cutting taxes for the rich, now plan to cover the loss with money snatched from the pension funds of workers in the public sector. To a Norwegian, the job of government is to distribute the country’s good fortune reasonably equally, not send it zooming upward, as in America today, to a sticky-fingered one percent.

In their planning, Norwegians tend to do things slowly, always thinking of the long term, envisioning what a better life might be for their children, their posterity.  That’s why a Norwegian, or any northern European, is aghast to learn that two-thirds of American college students finish their education in the red, some owing $100,000 or more. Or that in the U.S., still the world’s richest country, one in three children lives in poverty, along with one in five young people between the ages of 18 and 34. Or that America’s recent multi-trillion-dollar wars were fought on a credit card to be paid off by our kids. Which brings us back to that word: brutal.

Implications of brutality, or of a kind of uncivilized inhumanity, seem to lurk in so many other questions foreign observers ask about America like: How could you set up that concentration camp in Cuba, and why can’t you shut it down?  Or: How can you pretend to be a Christian country and still carry out the death penalty? The follow-up to which often is: How could you pick as president a man proud of executing his fellow citizens at the fastest rate recorded in Texas history?  (Europeans will not soon forget George W. Bush.)

Other things I’ve had to answer for include:

• Why can’t you Americans stop interfering with women’s health care?
• Why can’t you understand science?
• How can you still be so blind to the reality of climate change?
• How can you speak of the rule of law when your presidents break international laws to make war whenever they want?
• How can you hand over the power to blow up the planet to one lone, ordinary man?
• How can you throw away the Geneva Conventions and your principles to advocate torture
• Why do you Americans like guns so much?  Why do you kill each other at such a rate?
• To many, the most baffling and important question of all is: Why do you send your military all over the world to stir up more and more trouble for all of us?

That last question is particularly pressing because countries historically friendly to the United States, from Australia to Finland, are struggling to keep up with an influx of refugees from America’s wars and interventions. Throughout Western Europe and Scandinavia, right-wing parties that have scarcely or never played a role in government are now rising rapidly on a wave of opposition to long-established immigration policies. Only last month, such a party almost toppled the sitting social democratic government of Sweden, a generous country that has absorbed more than its fair share of asylum seekers fleeing the shock waves of “the finest fighting force that the world has ever known.”

The Way We Are

Europeans understand, More from Ann Jones…

And a glance at corruption in Thailand.

The post America in Thailand appeared first on Thai Retirement Helpers: Retiring in Thailand Made Easy.

Most companies oppose the government’s plan to raise the minimum daily wage nationwide to Bt400, US$13, or $300/month, as it will hurt small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), according to the Thai Chamber of Commerce. Chamber chairman Kalin Sarasin said that from the chamber’s discussions with many business operators, it was found that most of them worry over the impact of a further wage rise. He said that only the major companies could make the adjustments to accommodate higher wages due to their massive capital holdings. Most of the companies canvassed by the chamber would rather see the government focus on upgrading labour skills. Kalin said the government should promote more border trade, which is a key way to boost exports. After the government’s policy announcement, the chamber will talk with Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak to propose its opinions on economic issues. Remember, folks, unemployment among native born Thais is 1%. That’s right: one percent!!

Wages in Thailand seem low to Western visitors, but Thailand’s official unemployment rate, 0.56 percent, is among the lowest in the world, (it’s 9.4 percent in India and 6 percent in the Philippines. for example). The jobless rate in Thailand has been under 1 percent since 2011. How did it get so low?

Bank of Thailand spokesman Chirathep Senivongs Na Ayudhya explains: ”Our unemployment rate has been low not because of a different definition from other countries, but because of structural problems,” said . “The agricultural sector absorbs laborers and those who can’t find work can always look for jobs in the informal sector or do something on their own.”

Thai unemployment benefits are 50% of final salary – for a maximum of 180 days. Thai wages are low (see MDs’ salaries, below) so there’s little incentive to stay jobless. Those who lose their jobs often enter the ‘informal sector’ or seek out a part-time job, and so they’re counted as employed.

And 40 percent of Thais are engaged in agriculture, where there is a high percentage of underemployment and seasonal unemployment. The underemployed – estimated at about 0.5 percent – are counted among the employed. So if you lose your job as a store clerk and return home to help out on your family farm for at one hour a week, you are counted as employed.

Then, too, Thailand’s fertility rate from 2010-2015 is estimated at 1.4 by the United Nations Population Fund compared with 3.4 in the Philippines. Plus, its population aged 60+ rose from under 7 percent in 1994 to 15 percent last year, so more people are retiring and fewer entering the workforce. (in Japan, more than a quarter of the population is over 65, has 3+ percent unemployment. There are thought to be 3 million mostly undocumented migrant workers in Thailand from Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. The government is beginning to register foreign workers, but the language barrier and lack of skills is a challenge to increasing their numbers.

And here’s the biggie: the informal sector of the Thai economy – anyone who’s not covered by formal work arrangements – accounted for more than 64 percent of the total workforce. This includes everyone from street vendors to taxi drivers, self-employed: they’re counted as employed.

The government doesn’t plan any major labor-market policy changes this year or next, and the inflation rate is falling (it’s forecast to breach 1 percent) there are no worries about the jobless rate, so expect it to stay very low.

What are Thai doctors’ wages?

Let’s look at the salaries of upper middle-class professionals: physicians, whose salaries vary depending on whether they work in public or private hospitals. Public hospital salaries range is 20,000 – 30,000 Baht/month.

Overtime on 1 or 2 evenings and, say, Saturday, can add another 20,000 to 30,000. Depending on experience or expertise there may be some extra income from pharmaceutical manufacturers for various services which could bring in a further amount of money a possible range 10,000 to 30,000 Baht/month. A private, Bangkok, hospital like Bumrungrad pays 60,000 – 150,000 depending on hours, experience and skills. With some private clinic work on top (most physicians spend time at these), a private sector doctor could earn 2 – 3 million baht a year, or $100,000. Given the purchasing power parity of the Thai baht, that’s an effective income of about $250,000.

Thai Luck,Wages and Dowries

More on Thai Wages

• For more on the state of the Thai economy, look at this sobering article from the Bangkok Post: Household debt keeps Thailand Southeast Asia’s sick man
• For more statistics on the cost of living in Thailand, take a look at this site, Numbeo
• For a video about the cost of living in Thailand, watch this.
• For more reading:
• • Cost of Living in Chiang Mai, Thailand – A Little Adrift – A full breakdown of the cost of living in Thailand as an expat living in Chiang Mai. Includes food, rent, internet costs and what those expenses buy you there.
  • Thailand Cost of Living | Expats in Thailand | Expats in Thailand – Thailand Cost of Living. One of the most important things to take into account when picking a place to live has to be the cost of living. The most wonderful spot on the planet can only be the place to live if you can afford it.
  • Thailand cost of living | Travel via Thailand – CURRENCY. Thailand’s currency is BATH (THB). $1 is about 32.75THB. COSTS. Thailand is one of the countries with the lowest cost of living. The prices depends on where you are. Like a bottle of beer in the Silom or …
  • Cost of Living in Thailand | Chiang Mai Solicitor – Cost of Living in Thailand, 10.0 out of 10 based on 2 ratings. Incoming search terms: chiang mai cost of living · chiang mai thailand cost of living · cost of living in chiang mai thailand. Related Posts. Amphur Offices in Thailand (1.000) …
  • 4 Countries Where Expats Can Live For Cheap – Business Insider – Seventy-four percent of survey respondents consider Thailand’s cost of living to be good or excellent, well above the global average of 35%. Housing is cheap, too: 85% of expats report that they are happy with the affordability …
  • How To Live Like a VIP in Bangkok for $285.06 Per Month – Сейчас […] Reply · Useful links for working & living in Thailand : Thailand Lad says: April 11, 2013 at 6:55 pm. […] http://migrationology.com/2011/07/cost-of-living-in-bangkok-thailand/ – Cost of living in Bangkok, Thailand […].
  • The real cost of living in Thailand – Keyframe5 – Thailand cost of living for a single man. Please note: this post was created on December 2014 with the currency rate at $1 USD = ฿32.9 THB. For the sake of this post and to make it easier to calculate, I’ll covert the currency as …
  • Thailand – Cost of Living – FlippTravel – Price List of the Basic Commodities – Average Costs in $ Milk (regular,1 liter) – 1.41 Loaf of Fresh White Bread (500g) – 1.13 Rice (white, 1kg) –

Wages in Thailand seem low to Western visitors, but Thailand’s official unemployment rate, 0.56 percent, is among the lowest in the world, (it’s 9.4 percent in India and 6 percent in the Philippines. for example). The jobless rate in Thailand has been under 1 percent since 2011. How did it get so low?

Bank of Thailand spokesman Chirathep Senivongs Na Ayudhya explains: ”Our unemployment rate has been low not because of a different definition from other countries, but because of structural problems,” said . “The agricultural sector absorbs laborers and those who can’t find work can always look for jobs in the informal sector or do something on their own.”

Thai unemployment benefits are 50% of final salary – for a maximum of 180 days. Thai wages are low (see MDs’ salaries, below) so there’s little incentive to stay jobless. Those who lose their jobs often enter the ‘informal sector’ or seek out a part-time job, and so they’re counted as employed.

And 40 percent of Thais are engaged in agriculture, where there is a high percentage of underemployment and seasonal unemployment. The underemployed – estimated at about 0.5 percent – are counted among the employed. So if you lose your job as a store clerk and return home to help out on your family farm for at one hour a week, you are counted as employed.

Then, too, Thailand’s fertility rate from 2010-2015 is estimated at 1.4 by the United Nations Population Fund compared with 3.4 in the Philippines. Plus, its population aged 60+ rose from under 7 percent in 1994 to 15 percent last year, so more people are retiring and fewer entering the workforce. (in Japan, more than a quarter of the population is over 65, has 3+ percent unemployment. There are thought to be 3 million mostly undocumented migrant workers in Thailand from Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. The government is beginning to register foreign workers, but the language barrier and lack of skills is a challenge to increasing their numbers.

And here’s the biggie: the informal sector of the Thai economy – anyone who’s not covered by formal work arrangements – accounted for more than 64 percent of the total workforce. This includes everyone from street vendors to taxi drivers, self-employed: they’re counted as employed.

The government doesn’t plan any major labor-market policy changes this year or next, and the inflation rate is falling (it’s forecast to breach 1 percent) there are no worries about the jobless rate, so expect it to stay very low.

What are Thai doctors’ wages?

Let’s look at the salaries of upper middle-class professionals: physicians, whose salaries vary depending on whether they work in public or private hospitals. Public hospital salaries range is 20,000 – 30,000 Baht/month.

Overtime on 1 or 2 evenings and, say, Saturday, can add another 20,000 to 30,000. Depending on experience or expertise there may be some extra income from pharmaceutical manufacturers for various services which could bring in a further amount of money a possible range 10,000 to 30,000 Baht/month. A private, Bangkok, hospital like Bumrungrad pays 60,000 – 150,000 depending on hours, experience and skills. With some private clinic work on top (most physicians spend time at these), a private sector doctor could earn 2 – 3 million baht a year, or $100,000. Given the purchasing power parity of the Thai baht, that’s an effective income of about $250,000.

Thai Luck,Wages and Dowries

More on Thai Wages

• For more on the state of the Thai economy, look at this sobering article from the Bangkok Post: Household debt keeps Thailand Southeast Asia’s sick man
• For more statistics on the cost of living in Thailand, take a look at this site, Numbeo
• For a video about the cost of living in Thailand, watch this.
• For more reading:
• • Cost of Living in Chiang Mai, Thailand – A Little Adrift – A full breakdown of the cost of living in Thailand as an expat living in Chiang Mai. Includes food, rent, internet costs and what those expenses buy you there.
  • Thailand Cost of Living | Expats in Thailand | Expats in Thailand – Thailand Cost of Living. One of the most important things to take into account when picking a place to live has to be the cost of living. The most wonderful spot on the planet can only be the place to live if you can afford it.
  • Thailand cost of living | Travel via Thailand – CURRENCY. Thailand’s currency is BATH (THB). $1 is about 32.75THB. COSTS. Thailand is one of the countries with the lowest cost of living. The prices depends on where you are. Like a bottle of beer in the Silom or …
  • Cost of Living in Thailand | Chiang Mai Solicitor – Cost of Living in Thailand, 10.0 out of 10 based on 2 ratings. Incoming search terms: chiang mai cost of living · chiang mai thailand cost of living · cost of living in chiang mai thailand. Related Posts. Amphur Offices in Thailand (1.000) …
  • 4 Countries Where Expats Can Live For Cheap – Business Insider – Seventy-four percent of survey respondents consider Thailand’s cost of living to be good or excellent, well above the global average of 35%. Housing is cheap, too: 85% of expats report that they are happy with the affordability …
  • How To Live Like a VIP in Bangkok for $285.06 Per Month – Сейчас […] Reply · Useful links for working & living in Thailand : Thailand Lad says: April 11, 2013 at 6:55 pm. […] http://migrationology.com/2011/07/cost-of-living-in-bangkok-thailand/ – Cost of living in Bangkok, Thailand […].
  • The real cost of living in Thailand – Keyframe5 – Thailand cost of living for a single man. Please note: this post was created on December 2014 with the currency rate at $1 USD = ฿32.9 THB. For the sake of this post and to make it easier to calculate, I’ll covert the currency as …
  • Thailand – Cost of Living – FlippTravel – Price List of the Basic Commodities – Average Costs in $ Milk (regular,1 liter) – 1.41 Loaf of Fresh White Bread (500g) – 1.13 Rice (white, 1kg) –

Wages in Thailand seem low to Western visitors, but Thailand’s official unemployment rate, 0.56 percent, is among the lowest in the world, (it’s 9.4 percent in India and 6 percent in the Philippines. for example). The jobless rate in Thailand has been under 1 percent since 2011. How did it get so low?

Bank of Thailand spokesman Chirathep Senivongs Na Ayudhya explains: ”Our unemployment rate has been low not because of a different definition from other countries, but because of structural problems,” said . “The agricultural sector absorbs laborers and those who can’t find work can always look for jobs in the informal sector or do something on their own.”

Thai unemployment benefits are 50% of final salary – for a maximum of 180 days. Thai wages are low (see MDs’ salaries, below) so there’s little incentive to stay jobless. Those who lose their jobs often enter the ‘informal sector’ or seek out a part-time job, and so they’re counted as employed.

And 40 percent of Thais are engaged in agriculture, where there is a high percentage of underemployment and seasonal unemployment. The underemployed – estimated at about 0.5 percent – are counted among the employed. So if you lose your job as a store clerk and return home to help out on your family farm for at one hour a week, you are counted as employed.

Then, too, Thailand’s fertility rate from 2010-2015 is estimated at 1.4 by the United Nations Population Fund compared with 3.4 in the Philippines. Plus, its population aged 60+ rose from under 7 percent in 1994 to 15 percent last year, so more people are retiring and fewer entering the workforce. (in Japan, more than a quarter of the population is over 65, has 3+ percent unemployment. There are thought to be 3 million mostly undocumented migrant workers in Thailand from Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. The government is beginning to register foreign workers, but the language barrier and lack of skills is a challenge to increasing their numbers.

And here’s the biggie: the informal sector of the Thai economy – anyone who’s not covered by formal work arrangements – accounted for more than 64 percent of the total workforce. This includes everyone from street vendors to taxi drivers, self-employed: they’re counted as employed.

The government doesn’t plan any major labor-market policy changes this year or next, and the inflation rate is falling (it’s forecast to breach 1 percent) there are no worries about the jobless rate, so expect it to stay very low.

What are Thai doctors’ wages?

Let’s look at the salaries of upper middle-class professionals: physicians, whose salaries vary depending on whether they work in public or private hospitals. Public hospital salaries range is 20,000 – 30,000 Baht/month.

Overtime on 1 or 2 evenings and, say, Saturday, can add another 20,000 to 30,000. Depending on experience or expertise there may be some extra income from pharmaceutical manufacturers for various services which could bring in a further amount of money a possible range 10,000 to 30,000 Baht/month. A private, Bangkok, hospital like Bumrungrad pays 60,000 – 150,000 depending on hours, experience and skills. With some private clinic work on top (most physicians spend time at these), a private sector doctor could earn 2 – 3 million baht a year, or $100,000. Given the purchasing power parity of the Thai baht, that’s an effective income of about $250,000.

Thai Luck,Wages and Dowries

More on Thai Wages

• For more on the state of the Thai economy, look at this sobering article from the Bangkok Post: Household debt keeps Thailand Southeast Asia’s sick man
• For more statistics on the cost of living in Thailand, take a look at this site, Numbeo
• For a video about the cost of living in Thailand, watch this.
• For more reading:
• • Cost of Living in Chiang Mai, Thailand – A Little Adrift – A full breakdown of the cost of living in Thailand as an expat living in Chiang Mai. Includes food, rent, internet costs and what those expenses buy you there.
  • Thailand Cost of Living | Expats in Thailand | Expats in Thailand – Thailand Cost of Living. One of the most important things to take into account when picking a place to live has to be the cost of living. The most wonderful spot on the planet can only be the place to live if you can afford it.
  • Thailand cost of living | Travel via Thailand – CURRENCY. Thailand’s currency is BATH (THB). $1 is about 32.75THB. COSTS. Thailand is one of the countries with the lowest cost of living. The prices depends on where you are. Like a bottle of beer in the Silom or …
  • Cost of Living in Thailand | Chiang Mai Solicitor – Cost of Living in Thailand, 10.0 out of 10 based on 2 ratings. Incoming search terms: chiang mai cost of living · chiang mai thailand cost of living · cost of living in chiang mai thailand. Related Posts. Amphur Offices in Thailand (1.000) …
  • 4 Countries Where Expats Can Live For Cheap – Business Insider – Seventy-four percent of survey respondents consider Thailand’s cost of living to be good or excellent, well above the global average of 35%. Housing is cheap, too: 85% of expats report that they are happy with the affordability …
  • How To Live Like a VIP in Bangkok for $285.06 Per Month – Сейчас […] Reply · Useful links for working & living in Thailand : Thailand Lad says: April 11, 2013 at 6:55 pm. […] http://migrationology.com/2011/07/cost-of-living-in-bangkok-thailand/ – Cost of living in Bangkok, Thailand […].
  • The real cost of living in Thailand – Keyframe5 – Thailand cost of living for a single man. Please note: this post was created on December 2014 with the currency rate at $1 USD = ฿32.9 THB. For the sake of this post and to make it easier to calculate, I’ll covert the currency as …
  • Thailand – Cost of Living – FlippTravel – Price List of the Basic Commodities – Average Costs in $ Milk (regular,1 liter) – 1.41 Loaf of Fresh White Bread (500g) – 1.13 Rice (white, 1kg) –

Thailand’s official unemployment rate, 0.56 percent, is among the lowest in the world, (it’s 9.4 percent in India and 6 percent in the Philippines, for example). Thailand employment is high and doctors’ salaries are low. The jobless rate in Thailand has been under 1 percent since 2011. How did it get so low?

Bank of Thailand spokesman Chirathep Senivongs Na Ayudhya explains: ”Our unemployment rate has been low not because of a different definition from other countries, but because of structural problems,” said . “The agricultural sector absorbs laborers and those who can’t find work can always look for jobs in the informal sector or do something on their own.”

If you’ve been making regular payments into the national unemployment program, Thai unemployment benefits are 50% of your final salary – for a maximum of 180 days. Thai salaries are low (see MDs’ salaries, below) so there’s little incentive to stay jobless. Those who lose their jobs often enter the ‘informal sector’ or seek out a part-time job, and so they’re counted as employed.

And 40 percent of Thais are engaged in agriculture, where there is a high percentage of underemployment and seasonal unemployment. The underemployed – estimated at about 0.5 percent – are counted among the employed. So if you lose your job as a store clerk and return home to help out on your family farm for at one hour a week, you are counted as employed.

Then, too, Thailand’s fertility rate from 2010-2015 is estimated at 1.4 by the United Nations Population Fund compared with 3.4 in the Philippines. Plus, its population aged 60+ rose from under 7 percent in 1994 to 15 percent last year, so more people are retiring and fewer entering the workforce. (in Japan, more than a quarter of the population is over 65, has 3+ percent unemployment.

There are thought to be 3 million mostly undocumented migrant workers in Thailand from Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. The government is beginning to register foreign workers, but the language barrier and lack of skills is a challenge to increasing their numbers.

And here’s the biggie: the informal sector of the Thai economy – anyone who’s not covered by formal work arrangements – accounted for more than 64 percent of the total workforce. This includes everyone from street vendors to taxi drivers, self-employed: they’re counted as employed.

The government doesn’t plan any major labor-market policy changes this year or next, and the inflation rate is falling (it’s forecast to breach 1 percent) there are no worries about the jobless rate, so expect it to stay very low.

What are Thai salaries like?

Let’s look at the salaries of upper middle-class professionals: physicians, whose salaries vary depending on whether they work in public or private hospitals.

Public hospital salaries range is 20,000 – 30,000 Baht/month.

Overtime on 1 or 2 evenings and, say, Saturday, can add another 20,000 to 30,000. Depending on experience or expertise there may be some extra income from pharmaceutical manufacturers for various services which could bring in a further amount of money a possible range 10,000 to 30,000 Baht/month.

Doctors’ salaries in Thailand vary greatly. A private, Bangkok, hospital like Bumrungrad pays 60,000 – 150,000 depending on hours, experience and skills. With some private clinic work on top (most physicians spend time at these), a private sector doctor could earn 2 – 3 million baht a year, or $100,000. Given the purchasing power parity of the Thai baht, that’s an effective income of about $250,000.

• For more on the state of the Thai economy, look at this sobering article from the Bangkok Post: Household debt keeps Thailand Southeast Asia’s sick man
• For more statistics on the cost of living in Thailand, take a look at this site, Numbeo
• For a video about the cost of living in Thailand, watch this.

For more reading:

• Cost of Living in Chiang Mai, Thailand – A Little Adrift – A full breakdown of the cost of living in Thailand as an expat living in Chiang Mai. Includes food, rent, internet costs and what those expenses buy you there.
• Thailand Cost of Living | Expats in Thailand | Expats in Thailand – Thailand Cost of Living. One of the most important things to take into account when picking a place to live has to be the cost of living. The most wonderful spot on the planet can only be the place to live if you can afford it.
• Thailand cost of living | Travel via Thailand – CURRENCY. Thailand’s currency is BATH (THB). $1 is about 32.75THB. COSTS. Thailand is one of the countries with the lowest cost of living. The prices depends on where you are. Like a bottle of beer in the Silom or …
• Cost of Living in Thailand | Chiang Mai Solicitor – Cost of Living in Thailand, 10.0 out of 10 based on 2 ratings. Incoming search terms: chiang mai cost of living · chiang mai thailand cost of living · cost of living in chiang mai thailand. Related Posts. Amphur Offices in Thailand (1.000) …
• 4 Countries Where Expats Can Live For Cheap – Business Insider – Seventy-four percent of survey respondents consider Thailand’s cost of living to be good or excellent, well above the global average of 35%. Housing is cheap, too: 85% of expats report that they are happy with the affordability …
• How To Live Like a VIP in Bangkok for $285.06 Per Month – Сейчас […] Reply · Useful links for working & living in Thailand : Thailand Lad says: April 11, 2013 at 6:55 pm. […] http://migrationology.com/2011/07/cost-of-living-in-bangkok-thailand/ – Cost of living in Bangkok, Thailand […].
• The real cost of living in Thailand – Keyframe5 – Thailand cost of living for a single man. Please note: this post was created on December 2014 with the currency rate at $1 USD = ฿32.9 THB. For the sake of this post and to make it easier to calculate, I’ll covert the currency as …
• Thailand – Cost of Living – FlippTravel – Price List of the Basic Commodities – Average Costs in $ Milk (regular,1 liter) – 1.41 Loaf of Fresh White Bread (500g) – 1.13 Rice (white, 1kg) –

The post Thailand Employment Salaries appeared first on Thai Retirement Helpers: Retiring in Thailand Made Easy.

Vern Lovic, Thailand’s snake expert, wrote me this explanation of his new book, Keep Snakes Out!: Probably no other animal that is frequently found in a home scares people as much as snakes! Here in Thailand, we have a serious snake problem. Recently my friend confronted a king cobra climbing his front door. It’s really no joke here…

For ten years I have been answering questions by email, phone, and social media about how to keep snakes out of homes, businesses, schools and nurseries, and out of yards and away from other property.

For years I offered this free service – but finally, as the requests have peaked to around 1,000 per year, I just cannot keep up  any longer with this and keep performing snake rescues at people’s homes. So, I’m writing this book to help me reclaim my life back. This book will help me free up a dozen hours a week or more. I’ll answer your questions about the best things you can do to keep snakes in nature – away from you, your yard, and property. I’ll put everything I know here – and you take it from there.

Here in Thailand we have around 220 snake species. That’s a LOT OF SNAKES that can find their way into homes, yards, schools, vehicles, and tree houses. Start with this book to eliminate as much as possible any means for a snake to get close to your home. Head over to ThailandSnakes.com to read more about snakes in Thailand that you need to avoid. We have a couple of other ebooks – one free – you might want to get a copy of. Stay safe! – Vern

Snakes, like most animals, are emotional creatures. The emotion we humans usually see is anger. It’s the most visible of all species’ emotions and we tend to elicit snakes’ anger by doing stupid things. If you want to see an angry snake, check out the video below. If you humiliate a non-venomous snake – by, for example, using it to frighten people and make them scream – then put the snake back down on the ground, it will often stay there for a long time, clearly displaying its resentment.

Thailand has 200 snake species of which 60 are venomous. There are venomous (not poisonous) snakes everywhere here.  Recently I watched a racer swim across the river then haul herself out of the water onto a lily pad to warm up and dry off. She was beautiful. Thai snakes, like most, are terrified of humans. Thai snakes have a protector and friend: expat Vern Lovic who lives in Southern Thailand – is an interpreter between snakes and humans (that’s Vern’s picture of the beautiful red tailed racer, above) and runs a great Thai snakes website.

It’s just as well snakes have a friend: I have snakes in my front yard. My neighbor has twice had cobras in her outdoor kitchen, one expat told me he has a family of kraits living in his storage shed. Vern adds that vipers love bushes and trees near water and walkways. In other words, there are enough snakes in Thailand that it’s worth learning about them. Vern has made this easy by providing a free guide to Thailand’s snakes. Just click here and download it.

If you’re keen to get to know our local snakes, Vern makes that easy. He’s running a Snakes of Thailand field trip mid-year. To join the field trip, click here. Here’s that video of an angry snake:

https://youtu.be/qn5dEtAzb3E

And here’s a video of a remarkable escape:

https://wp.me/p4lpu0-1twDog escapes from python in Thailand

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I know about twenty Soi dogs in Thailand (so named because they hang out in alleys, or sois). They’re not well cared for  and, if this story moves you, sign the petition to improve their lives. If you’re in Chiang Mai you can volunteer or adopt a dog from Care for Dogs. They do heroic work caring for lost dogs who need homes.

I walk two miles around my neighborhood at dawn each morning. The streets are quiet and empty except for dogs. Soi dogs in Thailand are an independent lot. As far as they are concerned they have as much right as any Thai to walk or lie on the road and they expect humans – especially drivers – to respect that. Thais generally do, though there are enough limping, three-legged, and even two-legged dogs around to suggest that their rights are not always respected. though they do a fine job of barking at strangers, they have limits. If it is too early in the morning–before 5 am–or late in the evening– after 11 pm–they prefer to sleep. (Thai cats are well aware of this, as are the pigeons who know the cats will vanish when the dogs appear). Thai dogs will not bother you if it is raining, or chase you if the grass might wet their paws, or if it is too hot, or too cold, or if you are accompanied by a dog bigger than them.

Many people are on a budget, and are looking for a cheap dog fence. That is certainly understandable. However when it comes to the well-being of your pets, why take a chance on a cheaply-made product? Most dog owners see their dog as a member of their family. Doesn’t your family member deserves the best dog fence? Why take a risk when it comes to your dog’s health? While considering a fence in general consider the potential negative consequences of using an electric stimulation device on your pet.

People who’ve never gotten to know dogs find Soi dogs in Thailand frightening and I suspect that they’re responsible for most of the negative stories about them. If you like dogs you won’t have a problem with them. They’re more assertive than house dogs, since dogs are territorial animals and the soi is their territory and they have to hustle for scraps every day. Happily, Thais love dogs – though they rarely pet them, which Thai dogs are OK with – and I’ve never seen an emaciated one.

They’re numerous because Thais don’t commonly spay or neuter dogs. One reason that there aren’t too many dogs is a big market for dog meat in northern Vietnam. Dog-catching has been privatized by dog catchers who smuggle thousands of them across the border every month.

Like everything in Thailand, there’s a dog hierarchy, too. At the top are companion dogs: well-groomed, well-fed, often purebreds that are allowed to socialize with street dogs for a few minutes each morning under their owners’ watchful eyes. These are the friendliest dogs I meet each morning. They approach me fearlessly and enjoy being petted and talked to.

Below the companion dogs are guard dogs: serious looking and larger than the companions. They run loose in the yard and, in return for a protected space and regular meals, bark at passersby and, presumably, bite intruders. Below them are ‘gate dogs’ who  have adopted a house, live in the street by the gate as auxiliary guards. They stick so closely to ‘their’ gate that I assume that house owners feed them on a ‘no obligations’ basis. Both householder and dog retain their independence while deriving benefit from the relationship.

Next down are real soi dogs who live entirely in the street. They live in strictly hierarchical packs for mutual protection are most vulnerable to dog catchers since they’ve nowhere to hide. It is these guys who accompany me on my morning walks and whose social arrangements keep me entertained. When I arrive in their alley they congregate around me, apparently simply happy to be acknowledged by a human. At first they all wanted to be petted but, over the months, the novelty of petting has worn off. Now our greetings are largely verbal: warm words from me; yipping and tailwagging from them. Then we set off for a block or two so they can show off their human friend to the guard- and house-dogs. Then, with their status raised, they peel off and start exploring the exciting new smells that the morning brings. They’re as individual as any human and I find their interactions a constant source of interest and amusement.

Below soi dogs are the wretched of the earth: the strays. These poor creatures have neither turf nor a pack to protect them. Something has displaced them and they literally have nowhere to call their own. They slink around, ears pinned back, with anxiously wrinkled brows desperately looking for food and temporary shelter. Packs of soi dogs pursue them and, if they catch them, attack them viciously. Here’s a video I made of my local dog pack. Sometimes they accompany me for a few blocks; sometimes they ignore me:

The Vinegar Cure

The worst dogs I’ve encountered are the racists (surprised?). They ignore Thais but hate foreigners and feel it their patriotic duty to attack them. There’s one guard dog on my morning route and I would walk quietly past his house, enduring his bloodcurdling snarls and barks. One day his gate was left open and he came after me. I escaped unharmed but my morning was ruined. Happily, Thailand is the home of the water pistol. Thais consume more water pistols per capita than any nation on earth because, in Thailand’s climate, they’re fun, s’nuk. After choosing a compact, high capacity weapon (60¢ at the supermarket – always on sale) I loaded it with diluted vinegar. The next morning I heard the same racist threats but I had my equalizer ready. A few squirts (avoiding his eyes) followed by the sound of baffled, indignant whimpering. He seemed as much upset by our switch in status as anything! He was no longer the aggressor and he obviously hated smelling of vinegar which, to his doggy nose, must have been intense.

I repeated the treatment on Soi dogs in Thailand the next morning and that was the end of it. He still barks at me, of course, but his bark lacks conviction. The racist insults and threats of dismemberment have ceased. We encountered each other out in the street last week and, after a few halfhearted barks he backed defiantly into his open gate.

Prevention

1. Let sleeping and eating dogs alone.
2. Don’t approach dogs you don’t know. You’re probably entering their territory and dogs are territorial.
3. Don’t go near dog hangouts at night, like temple grounds, abandoned buildings, building sites, car parks and empty spaces.  Darkness is their friend, not yours.
4. Carry an equalizer. A rape alarm works fine. Umbrellas and pieces of bamboo are fine. Often picking up a rock is enough to discourage them.
5. Don’t run. It excites their hunting instinct. Walk purposefully as you draw yourself up to your full height
6. Fold your arms or raise them slowly above your head. This keeps vulnerable hands away from sharp teeth.
7. Don’t smile or squeal. Your smile resembles aggressive teeth-baring and squealing sounds like a wounded animal. Command them in low, strong tones.
8. Be wary of turning your back on them. Don’t hang about.  Commotions attracts other dogs. Walk on, possibly backwards.

There are tons of Soi dogs in Thailand, but Deputy Dog is a favorite. This golden labrador is a well-known character around Chiang Rai, the beautiful town 5 hours drive north of Chiang Mai. Richard Berry, who combines an idyllic Chiang Rai life with manufacturing the ultra-natural English Organics cosmetics (you can eat them – literally) snapped a few shots with his cellphone.

On a Lighter Note

There are tons of dogs in Thailand, but Deputy Dog is a favorite. This golden labrador is a well-known character around Chiang Rai, the beautiful town 5 hours drive north of Chiang Mai. Richard Berry, who combines an idyllic Chiang Rai life with manufacturing the ultra-natural English Organics cosmetics (you can eat them – literally) snapped a few shots with his cellphone. There’s no story behind this as far as Richard has been able to discover. This is simply how the dog likes to sit while waiting for his master to finish shopping. Here’s how deputy dog looks when he sees his master approaching:

Monks Kindness to Dogs

Thai temples are a traditional refuge for stray and hungry dogs and the monks beg for food for them every morning as they walk the streets, barefoot. Here’s what happens at feeding time:

The post Soi Dogs in Thailand appeared first on Thai Retirement Helpers: Retiring in Thailand Made Easy.

An Aussie, Michelle Hammond, writes that living in Chiang Mai saves her $23,994 a year:

Medical: Dermatologist visit without an appointment: vital signs, 10-minute wait, evaluation, CO2 removal of two pre-cancerous lesions: 996 Baht. (You didn’t think Chiang Mai’s cost of living was so low, did you?)

Two farang friends have just delivered baby girls in Chiang Mai hospitals. Each had a private room, one for four days. Their total was pre-agreed: 60,000 Bt (US$1700) each. Both were delighted by the care they received which, in one case, included an autographed photo of the entire delivery team gathered around the bed of the exhausted mother holding her baby for the first time. Another friend got bad food poisoning and went to the hospital in early July. She needed intensive care but every bed in the hospital was full so the doctor, not wanting to put her back in an ambulance, had his desk removed from his office and a bed installed for her. The bill next day was 1400 Bt (US$40). When she protested that this was too low, staff told her it was because she did  not have a ‘proper room’. A nurse called her at home that night to check her progress.

Automotive: I’ve been doing a lot of fast driving through mountainous roads lately and can assure you that even remote roads are well maintained in the Kingdom. But taking thousands of curves stresses wheel bearings, apparently, because one of mine went out. I discovered this when I went to have the Toyota’s front alignment checked after I hit a pothole (in the middle of town!) and the steering went weird. The shop fixed the affected wheel and moved it to the rear, then balanced and aligned the front wheels. They refused payment because I’d bought the Michelins (3,000 Bt each) from them and the work was covered by their lifetime warranty – a pleasant  surprise. There was no denying the wheel bearing problem (the grinding noise was obvious once they pointe it out) so the next day they came and picked up the car. It was back a few hours later along with a bill for 2,000 Bt. and the old bearing in the factory box that held the new bearing. Don’t worry too much about the cost of owning a car in Chiang Mai: it’s far less than you’re accustomed to at home.

Bathroom Installer: I consider Thai bathrooms more dangerous than Thai roads so decided to install three grab bars in case I slip. Home Pro, the hardware store that sold the bars quoted me 1,100 baht (Aimie was shocked at the price but this was too important to haggle) and sent around a man with the experience and equipment to drill tiles (a tricky business) and I showed him where and at what height I wanted each bar to go then left him to get on with his work.  Thais don’t give up any freedom just because you’re paying them and one of those freedoms is deciding how things should be done. This means you don’t always get what you expect – or want. He installed the bars neatly and professionally in 30 minutes but so far up the wall that I have little chance of grabbing them if I slip, as you can see from the height the door handle.

The garden installer came to put in some shrubs outside my front fence. All my neighbors have hedges and my fence looked naked without one. I told the crew where to break up the thin concrete outside the fence and left them to it. They had other ideas, as it turns out. Their idea is what you see in the photograph: a raised garden surrounded by bricks. It doesn’t match the rest of the street and, worse still, it gets 12 hours of direct sun in summer and the soil gets so hot that it broils the roots of anything but the hardiest weeds.

My hairdresser is an artist. He finds my ultra-short hair style an affront to his aesthetic sensibility. Every time I go for a cut – 220 Baht – he gives me the style that pleases him. Then follows a ‘yes but’ discussion during which I make excuses for the hairstyle I need (“I go swimming every day and cannot spend time drying it”, etc.). He shakes his head in disbelief and, eventually, complies.

I mention these three people not in any negative way, but to contrast Thai culture with our own: Thais feel freer to be themselves, express their own opinions, and ignore the master-slave relationship that Western employees are encouraged to embrace. And now to a different adventure:

The Plumber: I heard water running outside the house day and night for weeks, then came home to find a a water bill pinned to my gate for 9,761 baht – 30x times normal. A water inspector then showed up and located the leak in a water junction box (no the West does not have such things, and I’m not sure why Thailand does) in the yard behind the house. It was clear that someone in the past had attempted to repair it with what looked like black electrical tape, which had finally given way. The inspector sent a repairman who quickly set things right, but I was now in a tricky position: under Thai law I am responsible for everything in and around the house, but this strange box had water pipes entering it from other properties and the damage was done before I signed the lease. “Did you take a photograph of the old repair?” was Aimie’s first question. Damn! It hadn’t occurred to me that I’d need evidence. However, after some back and forth, the owner offered to split the bill.

Picked up cushions for the two Yang chairs (like the one in the picture). Total for two big cushions, cover and zipped outer covers was 3,180 baht. When I tried to pay, the lady behind the counter became concerned and explained that I had paid when I ordered the cushions. I find this kind of honesty typical in Chiang Mai. Cheating is quite rare.

Internet Bills: I dumped my unreliable Internet carrier, 3BB, and put in a direct fiber connection from AIS, whose equipment is much newer and more reliable. I’m paying 1300 Bhat per month for 30Mb fiber. Twice the speed for little more money and less down time. When you’re figuring your Thailand cost of living, you can usually get Internt free via WiFi in condos and apartments – so that’s a potential savings.

More Chiang Mai Cost of Living

Town gas is unknown in this part of the world, as is cooking with gas indoors. Most domestic kitchens are outdoors, with charcoal braziers. My house has a small Western kitchen with a two-burner stovetop with a small (15 kg) tank underneath. When it ran out last week I took it down to the local gas merchant and swapped it for a full one – enough to last me 6 months using it once a day.

Reading Glasses. After cataract surgery (below) I need reading glasses and, since I only use them at home, did not want fancy (2,000 baht) frames. Bought four pairs of reading glasses for 100 baht each and had the prescription lenses made up and inserted into them for 2,100 baht. Total for four pairs of prescription readers: 2,500 baht ($85).

Furniture: Took delivery of two yang chairs to match the big yang chair/bed/lounge (4,000 Baht each, above) I bought last month (12,000 Baht, below). These are popular locally since the sofa-style yangs double as occasional beds for unexpected guests – and unexpected guests are the most common kind here. They’re (very) solid teak and weigh a ton. I’m planning to upholster them with some fabulous silk from our local silk merchants, Shinawatra, who make beautiful stuff. Very expensive, though.

Refrigerators: This month’s shopping has been educational and fun, as usual. When we’re shopping together sales staff assume Aimie and I are married. She cracks up and tells me, “They call me ‘madam’ instead of ‘sister’ and congratulate me on having such a rich husband”. Their congratulations came when I went to buy a good quality(!) $200 mattress for the guest room (visitors have been lining up since friends learned about the spare bedroom). I was tired of defrosting the Panasonic refrigerator that came with the house and I fell for a tall silver Samsung with a separate freezer on sale at HomePro for 9,999 Baht, $330. Two guys delivered and installed it that afternoon and stayed to explain the controls – which was rather sweet.

Utility Bills: One advantage of condos is that the landlord pays the utility bills. The disadvantage is that she then charges you double what she paid. I was looking forward to saving a few bucks when my first round of bills arrived for the house but I discovered that, like so many aspects of Thai life, bill-paying is more complicated than it appears. For one thing, the bills are in Thai. For another, most companies – including the biggest – have hit-or-miss billing software. Why? I suspect it’s a combination of the facts that

1. Thais hate being told how to do things (especially by farangs)
2. They always assume that the Thai way is best, and
3. They can figure it out themselves.

One result is that my cellular carrier, True, does not bill me at all. Despite my pleas (and complaints, when my service is discontinued for non-payment) they simply tell me that their billing department is ‘having problems” and that I should ‘just remember next time’. The lady says it with the sweetest smile so I apologize and pay meekly. The water bill comes monthly on a cash-register printout slip. It’s about $5 a month and I can pay it – like most bills in Thailand – at any 7-11 store. Reassured by this knowledge, I waited a few weeks before paying the first bill  because there’s no convenient 7-11 near my house. Then I found to my dismay that I was ‘too late’ and would have to visit the Water Department on the other side of town. Bummer. The Water Department building is clearly signed – in Thai – so it took me a while to find it. I finally figured out that the building with the huge, shiny blue pipe and valve in front of it must be the right place. (Pipes and valves are beautiful, from the Water Department’s point of view, of course). Living in Thailand teaches you to look for contextual clues, that’s for sure!

Trash Bills: The trash bill is a bit of a mystery. There’s no regular trash pickup so, if I want it picked up, I must leave the bin outside the gate, in the narrow laneway, permanently. The big yellow truck roars by several times a week, but I’ve taken to carrying my trash to a local drop-off bin (a recycled blue plastic barrel) when I go out for my early morning walk. The standard trash bag in Thailand is a recycled plastic shopping bag, so that’s what I use, too. And since I started hauling  my own garbage, the bills (30 Baht/mo) have stopped. Trash collection is not going to figure heavily in your Thailand cost of living – as you see!

Rent: The least problematic aspect of Thailand’s cost of living is my rent (10,000 Bt/mo): I just transfer it from my online bank account directly to my landlady’s account with a few mouse clicks). On line bank payments are as easy here as they are there, thank God! More here..

So there you have it: bill paying is a curse that we must all endure since Adam and Eve made their rash decision to leave Paradise, and in Thailand it’s a mixed curse. But Chiang Mai’s cost of living is pretty hard to beat!

The post Chiang Mai Cost of Living appeared first on Thai Retirement Helpers: Retiring in Thailand Made Easy.

Derek Workman did, and his quest for an answer turned into a full-time job. He gets paid to travel and stay in beautiful resorts around the world. I asked Derek if he’d give us a realistic picture of what life is like for a pro, and here it is:

A Traveling Life For Me (With apologies to Jiminy Cricket for paraphrasing the title of the song that made him famous)

Ah! the life of a travel writer – lounging on the beach beside the azure sea in some exotic destination, a chilled glass of champagne always at hand provided by an ever-attentive (but never intrusive) waiter. “Would sir,” (or madam, after all the world of the itinerant writer is open to all), “care for lobster salad for lunch, or may I recommend the bouillabaisse, the chef’s specialty and absolutely divine?” Decisions, decisions!

Most people’s idea of a travel writer’s life is one long round of first class travel to exotic destinations, stays in luxury hotels, cruises on the fanciest of liners and sumptuous meals served with superb wines. This may be the case for the Bill Brysons of this world, but for the Derek Workmans, who are around 99.9% of working travel writers, the reality couldn’t be more different.

My travelling is usually based on the sale of one – or if I’m lucky, two – articles within reasonable proximity of each other. The fees almost inevitably have to cover all expenses, so unless I can sweet-talk a hotel into a room for the night, I lay my head in places you would walk by with a shudder, and eat elbow-to-elbow in worker’s cafes. And there is no such thing as a lounge by the swimming pool; when I’m not on my feet researching I’m sat on a chair in a café writing up my daily notes on my laptop and uploading photos while having a coffee and a sandwich. This is the real life of a travel writer, although with enough experience under your belt you might occasionally get the luxury trip that others drool over.

My first big free gig was a six-day press trip to the Canary Islands to cover five islands, plus Madeira, and one night on a cruise ship. Everything top-notch, business-class flight from my home in Valencia, Spain, four-star hotel and three-fork restaurants all the way. They even chartered a private airplane to shuttle us between three of the islands, which slightly lost its gilding when the co-pilot came around just after take-off and handed out a chocolate bar and plastic carton of orange juice each, our in-flight meal.

The dozen journalists were split into three smaller groups, four each of Italian, German, and British. The Italians swanned around all day showing no interest in anything except making sure their summer frocks and cream linen trousers didn’t get dirty, and ‘why can’t we get a decent cup of coffee’; the Germans acted as if they’d been there, done that, and would have bought the T-shirt if only they had one in gargantuan size; the Brits were badly dressed and the only ones to actually take notes. Each group had its own mini-bus and guide/interpreter, although everyone spoke English, often better than the English themselves.

The islands are stunning and visually the trip was glorious. But get a bad guide and you have a recipe for disaster. On Madeira the Brit’s guide was an opinionated jerk who delivered his talk like a tin-pot megalomaniac dictator, allowing no room for questions. ‘Now you really must remember,’ he told us on a visit to Fuchal’s glorious Botanical Gardens, ‘that you should always write the Latin name of a plant in italics,’ and waited while we did just that. (At the end of the tour he even tried to sell us some of his home-made organic pasta.) Apparently the Germans’ translator was so shy that he barely spoke the whole time, while the Italian’s simply ignored theirs and continued moaning about the coffee.

I might seem trite to say that you can get bored with four-star hotels and three-fork restaurants, but it’s true. Sometimes you could die for a slice of pizza, but the organizers, hotels, restaurants et al have to get every drop it’s possible to drain out of your time and it’s rare you get a moment to contemplate that beautiful sunrise before you are on the road again. By the last night we were all exhausted (except the Italians) and half-way through a sumptuous dinner in some castle somewhere-or-other (by then I’d given up trying to remember where I was) I had to ask one of our escorts to take me back to my hotel room because I was about to fall asleep face forward in my plate of the local specialty, whatever it was.

On the subject of hotels and restaurants, I was once commissioned by an online travel site to write reviews of forty hotels and forty restaurants in a specific area of Spain, as well as a lot of back-up info such as things to see, car hire etc. When a friend said I must have stayed in some wonderful hotels and eaten in some excellent restaurants she was surprised when I told her that I’d only stayed in two hotels (both owned by friends) and eaten in three restaurants (ditto). If I’d actually laid my head on the pillow in each establishment – everything from cozy two-room country houses to a five-star palace (where I did eventually spend a night) – or sampled the menu in every restaurant, my expenses would have been marginally more than twice the fee I was being paid. This is where years of experience comes in. An experienced hotel or restaurant critic can spot a duff place the moment they walk through the door – although I have had the happy occasion where I’ve been forced to eat my words.

One-man trips are as rare as hen’s teeth, and without doubt the best I’ve ever had was a two-week high-speed twirl around Morocco for a travel company; flight, private car and driver, beautiful hotels and riads, everything included. I was to re-write all their itineraries, design and produce an online brochure, a set number of articles, all of which were paid for, and I threw in an ebook of daily anecdotes, Morocco on the Run, for the pleasure of it because I’d had such a good time.

It sounds wonderful, and it was, but the daily routine went something like this.

On travelling days, up at 6.30 – 7.00 to get a good start on the first stop on the itinerary, usually at least two hours away. Spend a couple of hours rushing around the city/historical site/fill in the space. Meet the driver and move on to the next ditto. Keep this up until we reached the next overnight stay, which we timed to be there for around 6-7pm. Shower, upload all the photos onto the computer and begin writing up notes. (A word for would-be travel writers; never, ever, leave your notes until the next day. If you lose your notepad not only will you never remember everything you wrote down, but you will be failing the client when you eventually come to write the article, and that is unforgivable.) Have dinner around eight (drinking very little alcohol from the wonderful wine list because you will feel rough the next day) and back to making sure your notes are safe on your laptop. Only then do you put your head on the pillow.

I’m a prolific note taker – I use spiral-bound notepads for their flick-over speed – so I can spend a couple of hours each evening writing them up. Don’t think you can get away with a tape recorder because you lose all the nuance that note-taking brings (and they take hours to transcribe, so imagine five hours a day recording for two weeks!), or assuming that you can write from photos. They are an aide mèmoire because they can’t portray the sounds and smells of your experience. If you have a two-night stay because the city is large you can have a lie-in till eight, and you may actually get time for a swim in the pool and a relaxed dinner that evening – after you’ve written up your notes. Otherwise, it’s up at 6.30 the next morning and repeat the process.

On this trip I ate something in Chefchaouen, the beautiful ‘Blue City’ in the Rif Mountains, that disagreed with my stomach had me stretched out sweating and feeling sorry for myself for the seven-hour drive in a huge loop through Tangier and down the coast to Rabat, with twenty minutes on my feet in the seaside resort of Asilah, where, purely by chance, I took one of my favourite photos of Morocco, which became the cover for my photobook Eye on Morocco. I left my upper-end camera in a taxi in Fez, never to see it again, and my professional-level audio recorder in a hotel in Chefchaouen, which eventually arrived back in my hands after an over-night delivery to Marrakech that took five weeks.

But as any travel writer will tell you, you don’t do the job for the money, and to be frank luxury wears thin after a while because you rarely experience anything of the place you are staying in other than what the organizer wants to force-feed you. Sometimes you need that meal shoulder-to-shoulder in a worker’s café to show you that there is a lot more to life and writing than a bed the size of an island and champagne cocktails.

But it’s damned nice once in a while!

is available from Amazon.co.uk. Eye on Morocco can be viewed free.

P.S. Get the Telegraph’s take on .

Is there a traveling life for me? Here’s a cute video of life as a travel writer:

How To Become A Travel Writer | Best-Selling Author Shannon Kaiser

The post A Traveling Life For Me appeared first on Thai Retirement Helpers: Retiring in Thailand Made Easy.

Bangkok, Where Pleasure is King

The mood of Bangkok is very special in Southeast Asia. Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, for example, is a whirlpool of frustration; a capital in orbit around anti-colonial slogans. Singapore is energetic, engaged in a puritanical revolution; Kuala Lumpur, in Malaya, is easygoing, a capital with Arabian Nights architecture, where the work manages to get done every day. Bangkok, though, is a rejuvenating tonic; the people seem to have found the magic elixir. Life, a visitor feels, has not been wasted on the Thais.

Theirs is a land of joi de vivre, where every moment seems worth celebrating. Convivial gatherings for snacks, eight or nine times a day, are considered sanook (joyfully pleasurable), as are the kite fights taking place at the Pramane Grounds. Gossiping is sanook. So is television. A bottle of Mekhong, the raw whisky made here, is sanook di – doubly pleasurable.

– Bernard Kalb, The New York Times, April 15, 1961.

Yes, folks, it’s as true today as it was when Bernard Kalb wrote this for the NYT. In Bangkok, pleasure really IS king. Everything is sacrificed to sanook, including timetables, customers, and personal safety. You have been warned.

In Old Bangkok: River Scene of Glorious Confusion. A wonderful era!

From The Eastern Seas, by George Windsor Earl. 1837: We now threaded our way amongst junks, boats, and floating houses, jumbled together in glorious confusion and totally concealing the banks from our view. Hundreds of small canoes, some not larger than clothes-baskets, were passing to and fro, many of them containing talapoins, or priests, paddling lazily from house to house, collecting presents and provisions. The occupants of the floating houses were taking down the shutters which formed the fronts, exposing their wares for sale: printed calicoes, pater umbrellas, sweetmeats, fruits, pots, pans, etc., being placed in situations calculated to attract the notice of passersby. This occupation was carried on entirely by the women, the men being seated on the platforms, smoking their cigars or making preparations to take a cruise in their canoes. At this period of the year, when the river becomes swelled by the rains, whole streets of floating houses, together with their inhabitants, sometimes break adrift from their moorings and are carried down the river – to the utter confusion of the shipping. These floating streets, nevertheless, possess their advantages. A troublesome neighbor may be ejected, house, family, pots and pans, and all, and sent floating away to find another site for his habituation. In Old Bangkok: River Scene

Read more stories from old Bangkok at Amazon.

This is how I remember Bangkok when I first visited it in December, 1967: In Old Bangkok: River Scene

More about Bangkok..

But..here comes the new rail line that will link Bangkok to Singapore and Kunming, China.

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British expats living in Thailand may be facing taxes they weren’t anticipating. A consultation document from HM Revenue & Customs claims that few countries in the world have such generous expats allowances as Britain and suggests restricting this privilege to those who spend at least 6 months a year in the UK. The plan directly impacts 25,000 British expats based in Thailand. The total sum the government could save is almost 400 million pounds.

The tax-free allowance is currently 10,000 pounds a year, due to rise to 10,500 pounds next year. If the personal allowance is withdrawn for non-residents without exception, then all individuals would be 2,000 pounds (100,000 baht) worse off annually, or 4,000 pounds for married couples. They would begin paying tax of 20 percent from the first pound of income, and 40 percent on income of 31,000 pounds or more. Presently, the government has not made a final decision on the proposals put forward by British Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne. British Expat Taxes in Thailand are up for grabs. British expats in Thailand have enjoyed a privileged tax status to date. Is that status threatened? Full story here.

Incidentally, we’re affiliated with one of the only agencies in Thailand authorised to represent British Citizens for receipt of Embassy services without your travelling to Bangkok.  This includes British Passport renewals; Proof of Income letters for British citizens (simply email your proof of income, a copy of your photo page in your passport and your address details before 6pm on Monday and your letter will be sent to you by EMS the following Monday; Baby’s First UK Passport – Do you have a child with your Thai partner and wish to register them for British citizenship? We can handle your UK passport application on your behalf – taking away the stress and hassle of travelling to Bangkok. Contact us for details.

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After the US embassy I saw my Bangkok Bank manager and he was eager to get going. I finally recieved my first ssi deposit last week, 4 months after I arrived.

I would not advise keeping all your money in one bank. I keep 2 accounts, one US and one in Thailand and I transfer money online once a month. Here’s how you do it:

Go to this Bangkok Bank webpage and open this link. Open an ordinary savings account at a branch of Bangkok Bank in Thailand. You then have an ATM card and you can make withdrawals in Thailand once transfers are completed … usually 2-3 days, allowing for weekends or holidays.

Domestic transfers can be made from your US bank (or other payer) to Bangkok Bank in New York using exactly the same name and account number that you have on your account in Thailand. It is a domestic transfer (no need for an International transfer) from an American bank in dollars.

The dollars you deposit in NY will appear as a baht bank deposit in your account here in a couple of days and your passbook entry will show it is a foreign exchange deposit, which may be useful in future with Immigration, when you want to take money out of Thailand. The fee is $5 for exactly $2,000 transfer; $2,000-4,000 attracts a $10 fee.

Depending on what your payer or transferring bank require, you can use the ABA number or Fed routing number below. No need for an international transfer and no need for a Swift code.

Bangkok Bank New York Branch
Mr. Thitipong Prasertsilp, VP & Branch Manager
29 Broadway, 19th Floor, New York
NY 10006
Business Hours: Mon-Fri (9:00 am to 5:00 pm)
Tel: (1-212) 422-8200
Fax: (1-212) 422-0728
SWIFT: BKKB US 33
E-mail: helpdesk.nyb@bbl.co.th
FED Routing No: 026008691
CHIPS ABA: 0869

When setting up your home bank use the one way transfers option if they offer it since it cannot be used to withdraw money from Bangkok Bank and any such attempt will lock up the account. Without that option they will send test deposits of a few cents initially and you will have to report back receipt and amount. If you have SMS set up the bank will send notification to you.

I just go to my US bank online account, hit ‘transfer money’, then to ‘external transfer’, hit ‘add account’, put in the routing number for Bangkok Bank NY (#026008691) and ‘Bangkok Bank NY’ pops up. Now I enter my Bangkok bank savings account number and hit ‘submit.’

I have my Social Security ‘direct deposited’ into my Bangkok Bank Account using the RTN of their New York number which is also called ABA number

Important Note: You cannot transfer funds from Bangkok Bank’s account in Thailand to your account with banks or online payment service providers in the US via Bangkok Bank’s New York branch and the ACH system. If you initiate direct debit or ACH debit transactions to Bangkok Bank’s New York branch, banks in the US and online payment service providers may suspend your account.

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What is the biggest obstacle to your retiring overseas?

At the moment it is creating a passive or online income. I’m currently employed as an electrical engineer in Australia. My wife is a stay at home Mum but our youngest boy will be starting kindergarten next year and she will be offering Photoshop services and custom phone/stubby holders online then. I am starting work on how to create websites and generating income through them. Thanks for the link to Building a Niche Site Empire. I’m currently working my way through that. I will also do the TEFL training in Thailand and teach English when we first arrive. I’m also keen to do the Thai language course so that we can become part of the community.

Our children are currently three and four years old and we were pleasantly surprised to find that the school they are going to here has a school in Chiang Mai too (Grace International). This looks like it will be our biggest expense at $4000/year/child.

So the biggest obstacle is making a living. We are planning to build up our joint income to $60 000/year before we move. This includes $2000/month living in Thailand (two adults, two children), $8000/year for school fees, personal insurance (which I should be able to reduce from its current level) and renting out our house which will cover most of the mortgage. I need to make our budget more accurate but this is approximately what we need.

What is the strongest attraction for you to retire abroad?

Even though I have been earning a good income, I value more the experiences I have had in my life, especially travel. I’m not a consumer type looking to shackle myself to a big house and car/boat loans. I’m looking to simplify my life. And because I did not get in on the real estate boom in Australia in recent years, my retirement date is a distant dream of another 30 years of work (I’m 36 now) with no guarantee of a reasonably comfortable life.

The cost of everything has gone up so much in Australia (I live in Western Australia where the benefits of the mining boom have made housing and day to day cost of living extremely high). I also don’t like the attitudes of the average Australian, they are very selfish and consumer driven. The generation Y attitude of me me me and no discipline or respect for others really concerns me. There is a lot of violence in pubs now – being attacked by a large group or being stabbed with a bottle are commonplace and did not happen when I was around 20 years old. I don’t want my children growing up in this culture and I can see great benefits for them growing up in Thailand where they will be exposed to more opportunities for their futures in the Asian Century. We were looking at moving to Brasil (my wife is Brasilian) but the economic boom there has caused real estate and other prices to be inflated – so it is no longer a cheap place to retire. Crime, pollution and the crumbling infrastructure are also major problems in Brasil. The last time we went back (Christmas and New Year just gone) my wife was looking forward to coming back to Australia, which I never thought I would hear her say!

From what you have described in your books, a lot of how Thai’s are, really resonates with me. Some of their ways will take time to adjust to but like you explain in your books, if you are aware of it and accept it, then you won’t get upset.

What is your first goal towards retiring overseas?

To make $2500/month from online sources.

What’s your pet peeve when it comes to your retirement planning?

That I can’t see how I can retire even with another 30 years of work!

What made you decide to buy the book?

I went to a seminar that my financial advisor put on recently and I met another of his clients there who has retired to Thailand and comes back to Australia every three years for about six months or so. I thought, what an amazing life and that is what I want! So I started researching on the net and came across your books via a Google search.

Expats’ Experience Abroad

The Best Places in the World to Retire just polled 389 expats from the United States and Canada and asked why they wanted to retire abroad and what it’s been like. Here’s a summary:

• The striking number of expats who left home for quality-of-life issues, such as a more meaningful and less stressful life.
• Many expats said they were seeking to live a life like they remembered, or believed it to be, growing up in the ‘50s and ‘60s.
• Most thought that by moving abroad they’d achieve a
  • lower cost of living (87%),
  • a simpler, less stressful life (82%) and
  • better weather (74%).
• 84% said they achieved a lower cost of living and 74% got better weather.
• Only 71% are living a simpler, less stressful life, compared to the 82% who were hoping for it.
• While 56% thought they’d achieve “a less materialistic, or more meaningful life” (their #4 reason for retiring abroad), an impressive 61% say they’ve found more meaning.
• Two thirds of women said they achieved a less materialistic, or more meaningful life, but only 56% of men did.
• 85% are happier living abroad than they were before.
• 56% said they’re much happier and 28% said they’re somewhat happier. Only 5% are less happy now and 11% said they’re about as happy as before they moved.
• 64% said they enjoy life abroad much more than their former lives.
• 42% of the expats never plan to go back to the U.S. and
  • 37% aren’t sure;
  • 16% expect to return to America when they’re old or sick,
  • 4% said “as soon as possible” and
  • 3% anticipate moving back within five years.
• If they had to do it all over again, 79% said ‘yes’ and another 12% said they ‘probably’; 3% either wouldn’t or probably wouldn’t.

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