How to live in Thailand long term. – just my thoughts

I have met many guys over the years, many have had to return home, some don’t want to admit that. Lots of guys are surprised I was able to come here with 30,000 baht and make a go of it.

I see so many guys trying to be sensible and leaving their foot in the door back at home, just incase things don’t work out. (I think that is good advice but not always) I think that’s the wrong attitude if you are not a piss head or someone that wont be working at all. Staying here long term needs some risk for you to work harder, the more risk the better it is.

When I moved here I didn’t burn my bridges, I just made sure I had nothing left there in the UK. I can still go back if I needed to. I know a lot of guys that get as many loans as they can before they leave. (gets wiped after 7 years, in the UK – I think) I don’t recommend stealing, but the more reasons not to go back the better.

When I came with almost no money, I had no choice but to do many jobs, ideas, seo, websites, business startups, sales and lots of other stuff that I would never do now. It was sink or swim, that is the perfect breeding ground for success. When you meet some jobless chav/bogan back at home and they have no money or possesions but they still manage to find money for drugs. Those drugs or the fear of returning home will drag you out of the comfort zone, the comfort zone is rarely a place to make money.

I have a few friends that cannot go back to motherland for several reasons, maybe child support, criminal activities, depression, bad family or drug addiction etc. When these types are worried about having to return home, I always say your gonna stay here for a long time, because you have that drive not to go home. I had depression chasing me in the UK and the lack of choice of women. I hated it, it was never for me and there is no way I will go back to that ever. After moving here almost everyday, I had a dream that living in Thailand wasnt real, I dreamt that I was back at home. This made me jump out of bed to make some money. I never knew when the next money would come in, but I was Happy to live like that. I didn’t come here to get rich or anything. Just rich in life, so I wasnt being greedy and expecting too much. Some guys wont do work for small money because they compare to how much they earnt at home. This is a big mistake, you should take what you can until you have better offers. Yesterday I did a job that took 2-3 hours and I probably made 50 baht personally, why did I do it? Because doing favours/helping people opens doors. Money is very hard to come by in Thailand, harder than the west, so any job /money is a bonus. When I had 100 baht left (which happened many times) I would work cleverly and find a way of making money. You always find a way if you have to!

Later on in my stay I planned to get my first car here before I had my child, as I refuse to take/let him go on a motorbike ever, this drove me to earn more, the new baby motivated me… I am a pretty motivated person anyway if I like doing something! I still set myself goals constantly to push myself.

There has been a lot of blood, sweat and tears, sometimes the stress made me want to go home, the bullying from older expats was my first lesson when I arrived, wasn’t many young guys around, but those guys said I will fail and that drove me harder to prove them wrong, I am Happy they said that to me and I understand why they said it, because I see many guys coming here and failing. (having to return home)

Lots of guys that seem to fail is the ones that come with a lot of money, they have little incentive to do things they dont want to do, there is no reason to step out of there comfort zone, they spend to much on drinks/partying or even starting businesses and failing. I never understand if guys want a business here they should live here for a while or at least have some real good advisors. (and get the partying/girls out of the way – can take guys 1-4 years to get bored of partying) I recommend to guys if you want to stay here long term (Pattaya die hard fan like me) leave your money in farangland, set yourself a silly low budget, tie ends up in farangland, make sure you have nothing but family to go back to and say to yourself this is it, no going back. I know some guys get fed up or they realise they are happier going to farangland earning a ton of cash then coming back and living like a rock star. )

When I arrived I only knew a few tourists and I was trying to keep up with them, (drinking and women) but often going home empty handed, I wanted to play the field everyday but a good friend told me, you can smash hundreds of them later, just focus on work first. So I limited myself 1 for every week, which is all I could afford really. I see many guys spending all there cash on some excessive amount of ladies, well I think you should limit yourself until at least you are making enough to pay for it.

I’m starting to think actually the guys that take a year off work to travel/learn about Thailand are probably going to succeed living here for a long time, because when they move here, they will hit the ground running.

My current plan to keep staying here long term (I think its a constant battle) is to get XX bars/businesses and use the money to keep expanding, in the mean time I want to get a few houses, so if my income is wiped tomorrow some how, I can still live here even if its on a budget. I am around 5 years away from that goal, but of course I will move the goal posts as I get closer to it, keeps me keen and motivated.

There are lots of other subjects to talk about such as not trusting anyone here, even friends for a long time, you will figure out who’s ok or not later on. Or even looking after your health in Pattaya is essential for being here long term, hospital cover etc They are all different extensive subjects, but I only wrote this to raise one point. Start a fire and run, keep running!

One last note, I don’t believe in budgeting much, I believe in spending what you need to be happy and earning more to cover it. More guys look at how they can save opposed to how they can earn.