Thailand Expats

jesper_dk · #1 10-03-2006, 17:37

Today i got the best news from my boss ever,he had finally agreed to give me a 6 months leef.So from the 1st January 2007 i will move to Phuket and stay for 6 months.I´m seriously thinking about moving to Phuket and stay there permanent but i want to give it a try first to see how i will do as an "expat" i have only been to LOS on holidays many times,but never stayed for a long time and what i can read from other expats is that, it´s really different to be there on holiday and then to make the daily life a success.So it´s really great for me to have this chance to experience what it means to live there before i make up my mind and go for it 100%.And if i can´t adjust to the daily liffestyle in LOS then i allways have my job to go back to.
As maybe some of you know i had plans on bringing my GF to Denmark and we even applyed for Visa and everything was fine,but after our holiday to Patong in Febuary things started to go wrong i will not go into details here but we have now finaly broke up.I have allways had a dream that some day i could settle down in LOS and i hope now that this dream will become true.
I will be back to patong the 5th May for a 3 weeks holiday and i will then be going around looking for an appartment,(i prefer Nanai Rd) so if someone know about any appartment for long term lease then i will be very greatfull (i know that it´s long time to the 1st Jan, but just keep me in mind ok)
jesper_dk

LivinLOS · #2 10-03-2006, 17:49

Congrats..

As to apartments its rare to be able to find anything one month in advance.. Just arrive and then look..

Latino4life · #3 10-03-2006, 17:57

Congratulations Jesper and sorry to hear things went sour with your girlfriend. I've also thought about having a longer vacation in Phuket thou I doubt I'll ever get a 6 months leave of absence esp if it's just for holidays

The only time I got a 5 months stright was 18 months ago and was to participate in a Spectroscopy course at Gothenburgs university and work along with a professor in the field of intracavity laser spectroscopy.... However I do think I could get a way with a 2-3 months holiday. However as things look now it may not happen but you never know, I may also become a provisory expact next year

However I would try to get my self a good deal at a guesthouse, maybe 300 Baht a night or so.

Anyway, happy to hear about the good news and good luck!

IRISH JONNY · #4 10-03-2006, 17:59

Congrats Jesper And Best Of Luck In Your "retirement" To Los......ij

jesper_dk · #5 10-03-2006, 18:11

Thanks a lot guys..And now i will have the chance to meet many BM`s in the future not only on the board

I just hope my liver is strong enough

jesper_dk

Geir · #6 10-03-2006, 18:11

Good news Jesper......6 months is enough time to find out if you want to settle for good or not..... Best of luck.

Geir

jesper_dk · #7 10-03-2006, 18:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geir

Good news Jesper......6 months is enough time to find out if you want to settle for good or not..... Best of luck.

Geir

Thanks Geir,yes first my boss wanted to give me 3 months but i after some beers and alot of talking he finally gave up and i got what i wanted

....See you in May.
jesper_dk

Hep · #8 10-03-2006, 18:48

Really cool Jesper.. Hope you find what you seek and that all goes well for you.. Best of luck to you m8!

jesper_dk · #9 10-03-2006, 18:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hep

Really cool Jesper.. Hope you find what you seek and that all goes well for you.. Best of luck to you m8!

Tusind tak Hep.
I hope that evrything is going to plan with the Visa for your GF and that she will be with you in Copenhagen soon...And enjoy your stay in BKK..(you are going soon right?)
jesper_dk

Dodger · #10 10-03-2006, 20:54

Nice meeting you Jesper and I think 6 months is a good idea and will give you time to see if you do enjoy the living rathar than holidaying. I actuallt prefer it as you get both, if you can find the self control to stay in or just go out for afew local beers instead of Bangla every night.
I agree with Sef it will be easier to book when you come over, slight prob you will be looking for 6 month accomodation in Jan and quite a few want to charge high season for long time rental but you can still find plenty of place that will offera good deal, I was offered a 2 bed bungalow for 8K, 3 bed house with UBC and internet at 12k and a one room apartment at 5k this Jan.

jimholio · #11 10-03-2006, 21:08

Congrats mate, im next - Gonna try the expat life for 6 months aswell. Unless i find a permanent job that i care for back home or in Norway. I wont be going so soon tho im afraid, i believe i will go end of july or possibly end of august. I make enough money to put away atleast 75000 Bath a month now but the current job i have is not permanent so i have nothing to lose. I figure i could live 6 months on 375.000 bath? Thats roughly 2000 Bath a day, should be possible dont you think?

IRISH JONNY · #12 10-03-2006, 21:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Garybar

Have to find yourself a cheap room Jim,and eat on the cheap.If you don't party you should be able to survive but you are not leaving yourself much
room for the unexpected or emergencies.

AGREE 2K IS DOABLE............BUT YOUR NOT GONNA HAVE MUCH FUN...........
BUT YOU WILL SOON GET FED UP OF ROUGHING IT......ITS NICE TO HAVE LITTLE COMFORTS............
IJ

jimholio · #13 10-03-2006, 21:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Garybar

Have to find yourself a cheap room Jim,and eat on the cheap.If you don't party you should be able to survive but you are not leaving yourself much
room for the unexpected or emergencies.

Yes i figure, but im not much of a big drinker mate. And i actually like the street food, so Som tum for lunch and some chicken for dinner makes me a happy Jimholio. Ofcourse i do enjoy going out on the weekends having a few beers, but if im gonna live there for 6 months i need to limit the drinking to weekends.

LivinLOS · #14 10-03-2006, 21:39

I dissagree.. Everyone is different.. I know guys who live (scrape by) on 20 - 30k (and some fiddles)..

Have an 8k room.. Eat 50 baht Thai food.. Dont be down the bars every night.. Normal lifestyle.. I reckon 75 is pretty easy.. I probably spent less than that monthly with a 2 bed house and wifey1..

Of course that means no outragious bar fining and probably having a regular GF with min spends for family.. Spending nights in.. Doing visa runs via bus to ranong not planes to HK.. But all pretty manageable even in Patong..

Just getting through that first 2 - 3 months when you can blow loads without thinking.. Easy to have 10 - 20k nights if you let yourself..

jimholio · #15 10-03-2006, 21:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by LivinLOS

Just getting through that first 2 - 3 months when you can blow loads without thinking.. Easy to have 10 - 20k nights if you let yourself..

The most i ever spent was 5k bath on a night out. And that was also the only night out i spent atleast 2 hours praying at the porcelain altar back at the hotel, and how i got home, well i have no idea at all. I believe i had fun, the first 3 hours drinking.

TomMcxx · #16 10-03-2006, 22:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by LivinLOS

I dissagree.. Everyone is different.. I know guys who live (scrape by) on 20 - 30k (and some fiddles)..

Have an 8k room.. Eat 50 baht Thai food.. Dont be down the bars every night.. Normal lifestyle.. I reckon 75 is pretty easy.. I probably spent less than that monthly with a 2 bed house and wifey1..

Of course that means no outragious bar fining and probably having a regular GF with min spends for family.. Spending nights in.. Doing visa runs via bus to ranong not planes to HK.. But all pretty manageable even in Patong..

Just getting through that first 2 - 3 months when you can blow loads without thinking.. Easy to have 10 - 20k nights if you let yourself..

10 - 20k nights, easily done!

For the two weeks I was there last Feb, I put myself on a budget of 4k per day. The day time is the easy bit, breakfast 80Bht, lunch 150Bht, water from the local shop, 17Bht, but as soon as the sun goes down and you hit Bangla, it’s a case of “f**k the budget”!!

But I was on holiday, living there will require a lot of self discipline I imagine.

Good luck, I’d be dead in the water within a couple months.

Tom

IRISH JONNY · #17 10-03-2006, 22:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by TomMcxx

For the two weeks I was there last Feb, I put myself on a budget of 4k per day. The day time is the easy bit, breakfast 80Bht, lunch 150Bht, water from the local shop, 17Bht, but as soon as the sun goes down and you hit Bangla, it’s a case of “f**k the budget”!!
.

AGREE..........
WITH ME........UP AT 12..........
A COUPLE OF DONUTS AND A COKE 60 BAHT..........BEACH CHAIR AND MOE DRINKS 200 BAHT......
THEN ITS HOME...INTERNET FOR 30 MINS .....30 BAHT......
SO ITS USALLY 300 BAHT ............BUT THEN THE SUN SETS AND THE SPENDING STARTS...........BUDGET..WHAT BUDGET......5555555...........IJ

LivinLOS · #18 10-03-2006, 22:41

Coke and donuts.. The breakfast of champions !!

Everyone is different and living here is a different feeling to vacation even though the first months year years you do tend to burn it a bit more..

jesper_dk · #19 11-03-2006, 02:15

I have not been think so much about my budget so far but i know that i can´t spend the same amount of money like when i am on holiday.I have been looking at maybe 100K a month maybe more or maybe less i will just take it as it´s comes.Because i also don´t know if i will have a regular Gf or just playing around

...Maybe some of you expats will tell me approx how much you spend every month?.........if not i will understand because it´s a private thing to ask about....
jesper_dk

LivinLOS · #20 11-03-2006, 08:51

I think you can live frugally but still enjoyably at 80 by 100 your living pretty relaxed and not worrying too much but not being mad with your money.. Over 100 and up your doing very nicely..

I think you will be fine on 100 as long as your expectations are not higher than a 1 bed apartment and a scooter etc..

Nicke · #21 11-03-2006, 12:21

Congrats Jesper.

tmontana arrived to Patong yesterday on his 6 months holiday, and he like many others on budget spend way more than they can afford/planned in the beginning. So my advice is stick to your budget if you have one if you want stay all 6 months.

I am not sure how much I spend monthly but I guess around 40-50k.

LivinLOS · #22 11-03-2006, 12:41

You do well on 40 - 50 including car and house payments !!

The first months you always blow out.. I saw Alan tmontana yesterday also and he said the same thing.. 1000 Euros in 3 days

!!! Ahh the joys of Pattaya and Bonkers

Nicke · #23 11-03-2006, 12:59

A big difference to your spending is if you have a gf or playing around. As a single guy I spent lot more, and I think for long term it helps to have a gf, as you spend too much as a single guy and some of us cant really afford it for long term. (People on holiday spend money, but as an expat living here you cant spend as you do on holidays! Some do and end up broke.)

LivinLOS · #24 11-03-2006, 13:16

Thing is some guys GF's cost them as much as the rental fees.. First few months together are usually a more expensive time anyway (ahh what an old romanitc I am !!!)...