Living In Thailand - Taking A Closer Look
What is it like living in Thailand? What are the pros and cons? Who is this lifestyle for? This is a behind-the-scenes look at living in Thailand as a foreigner.
When I tell people that I live in Thailand, I often get feedback along the lines of "You are so lucky", "I would love to be able to do that too", "You live in paradise", or "What an amazing lifestyle."
For those people who are not sure on which continent Thailand is and who have a hard time locating it on a map, here is a tip. China is easy to find on a map, it is plenty big enough. If you look for the lowest or southernmost part of China, you will see Thailand right below there along with some other small countries like Burma, Cambodia and Vietnam. This part of the world is called "Southeast Asia".
An easy way to find it is to google "google maps", and up pops a world map which you can easily move around on your screen. If you look at a globe, you can see that Thailand is at the opposite side of the planet if you are from America.
So why would anyone want to live half way around the world in a country where people speak a totally different language and have a very different culture and habits?
There are a number of reasons.
1. Money: Financially it makes sense to spend your time in a place where your dollars or Euros go a lot further than in your home country. Many retired people on fixed pension income realize that their dollars buy them a better lifestyle in a country like Thailand. Buying the same standard of living for a third of the cost is a very attractive idea, and millions of westerners have chosen an expatriate lifestyle for this reason.
Is everything cheaper in Thailand? No, some things are more expensive than in the West. Many electronics cost more. For example cameras can be up to 50 percent more expensive than in the US. Cars are also no bargain in Thailand, and especially second hand cars cost much more than they would in the US.
Although you would not save any money buying a car, you will be able to maintain it for much less than in the West since the cost of labor in Thailand is very cheap. For example my motorcycle mechanic charges me about US $6.- per hour, and there are little hole-in the-wall shops that only charge about $3.- an hour. A car dealership might charge $10.- an hour for service. So cost of labor is where your savings will be.
Thailand has very high import duties which makes many imported items very expensive. Western style food products and imported health food items can cost twice as much as in the US.
However if you eat Thai food, buy your groceries in Thai markets, and eat out in simple Thai restaurants, you will pay a third or a fourth of what you would pay in the US.
Accommodation is another bargain in Thailand. In Chiang Mai, one of the most popular cities in Thailand, you can rent an efficiency apartment from $100 to $150. Even more upscale apartments will be less than half of comparable western rentals.
Transportation is also very affordable. For example, an overnight sleeper train ticket from Chiang Mai to Bangkok, a 500 m (800km) journey, costs about $25.
2. Climate: If you live in a cold climate, you could live in Thailand instead and enjoy warm tropical weather. You could be suntanning at the beach instead of shoveling snow at home. This is an option for retired people or for people who have a business that can be run over the internet. Examples would be stock market investors, internet marketers, copywriters, travel writers, or ebay sellers.
Thailand has two seasons in the southern part: Hot and relatively dry for a few months during the winter, and hot and rainy for the rest of the year. The northern part has three seasons: Pleasant, relatively cool and dry from November to February, very hot and dry from March through May, and rainy and moderately hot from June through October. The rainy season in northern Thailand is an off and on affair, not a constant monsoon. It is actually my favorite time of the year. The clouds keep the temperature down, the rains keep the air clean, and everything is lush and green.
3. Relationships: Tens of thousands of western men have found partners or wives in Thailand. Before you make up your mind what is right or wrong with this, there is a very helpful series of nine articles on this subject that explore it from all angles.
4. Health care: Medical treatments, dental care and massage therapy all cost a fraction of western prices, and quality standards are high. Massage prices start at $5 per hour in the northern part, whereas in the southern beach areas you pay almost twice as much, which is still a fraction of western prices. Dental and medical care are less than half of what you would pay in the western world. The best hospital in my hometown of Chiang Mai is Ram Hospital. One of the best known dental clinics which cater to westerners is Grace Dental Clinic. Both facilities are modern, have the latest equipment, and very friendly staff.
5. Studying Thai massage: Thousands of westerners come to Thailand every year to learn Thai massage which is enjoying a surge in popularity all over the world. Many have turned it into a full time profession by starting a new career or they enhanced their existing healing arts career.
In summary here are some pros for living in Thailand: the cost of living is much lower, the pace of life is slower, people are friendly and accommodating, the weather is always warm, health care and massage therapy are very affordable, there are many colorful festivals throughout the year, and for men it is easy to find a female partner.
There are some cons as well: The Thai language is not easy to learn for most westerners, and you will be mostly confined to contacts in the expat community. Thai culture might be interesting and fascinating, but it is different enough that you will never really become part of it. Thais think very differently from westerners, and they do not express their feelings. So most of the time you will not know what they are really thinking.
Thailand is a fairly modern and well organized country, at least by southeast Asian standards. You can get most everything you need or want. But you don't have the same rights as you do at home. You cannot fully own property or a business, and in most legal disputes you will lose against the Thais, even if you are right.
In the north of Thailand there are major air pollution problems during February, March and April due to indiscriminate burning practices in agriculture and other areas, and the heat can really get to you during that time of the year.
Thailand might not exactly be paradise, but it is a great place to be, and tens of thousands of westerners have found a lifestyle here that suits them well.
Shama Kern is a long time resident of Thailand and loves to share his knowledge of the culture, natural beauty and healing arts of his adopted home country through writing, photography, and video. He has also been teaching Thai Massage and other Asian healing arts for over a decade.
Thailand blog: http://www.shamakern.com
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By Shama Kern
