I'm new here. Help

[Ric]

Hi.  I'm obviously new here.  I am 46 and thinking of semi-retiring to Thailand within the next 12-18 months.  I am interested in finding about about infrastructure for business such as telephone and high speed internet availability.  Also if 2500 - 3000 US dollars a month is enough to live okay while I am running a business from abroad.  I would like to keep a fairly tight budget.  I would prefer to have a girlfriend instead of the bars scene every night and have a full time house keeper and cook on this budget.  Any advice would be great.  Thanks, Ric  Maybe enjoy the bar scene for a month or two first.

[nookiebear]

Hi.  I'm obviously new here.  I am 46 and thinking of semi-retiring to Thailand within the next 12-18 months.  I am interested in finding about about infrastructure for business such as telephone and high speed internet availability.  Also if 2500 - 3000 US dollars a month is enough to live okay while I am running a business from abroad.  I would like to keep a fairly tight budget.  I would prefer to have a girlfriend instead of the bars scene every night and have a full time house keeper and cook on this budget.  Any advice would be great.  Thanks, Ric  Maybe enjoy the bar scene for a month or two first.

Hello,& Welcome to the forum..........Correct me if I'm wrong but I would think you are probably very new to Thailand too.I would suggest you stay here for a while ,study the business scene very, very carefully indeed as there are so many pitfalls /red tape to prevent farangs from running successful concerns here.

[urleft]

Hi.  I'm obviously new here.  I am 46 and thinking of semi-retiring to Thailand within the next 12-18 months.  I am interested in finding about about infrastructure for business such as telephone and high speed internet availability.  Also if 2500 - 3000 US dollars a month is enough to live okay while I am running a business from abroad.  I would like to keep a fairly tight budget.  I would prefer to have a girlfriend instead of the bars scene every night and have a full time house keeper and cook on this budget.  Any advice would be great.  Thanks, Ric  Maybe enjoy the bar scene for a month or two first.

Just FYI, I am a Buriram Novice.  However, have some USA experience.   


If your GF has a place and you make it liveable, AC/american Toilet, then you have more that enough.

You have 3000 USD a month, you are good to go.  PM me if you want some American outlook.  Otherwise you get Farang (European) persective. 

[dave the dude]

What are you trying to say urleft ? That us from europe are so different from AMERICANS?? 

Sorry, back on topic, Ric. As suggested it sounds like you need to do a lot of research with regard to business opportunities here. There are many hoops to jump through(generally). In saying that, I would say the figures you quote would be plenty to live on, at a reasonable standard.

ADVICE:
Take your time and ask many questions on all the forums. Read old threads too, they usually cover most things.
This is not meant to be derogatory, but beware of the beautiful lady gold-diggers. "There's money in them there Farang pockets."
You might be offered fantastic deals from Thai's (& farangs) who want to sell up and move on. Ask youself, if its that good, why are they going?
Most people leave investments off-shore, check out why?

Please don't think I am being negative, I am very happy living here in Surin and love this area but our small business has all but failed and I am mighty glad not to have relied upon income from it. There are some good guys around who will give you honest straight advice so dont be shy to ask for help.

Dave 

[Ric]

Thanks for the replies here.  I appreciate all of the perspectives.  I will not have a business based out of Thailand.  It will be based in US, but I will need high speed internet.  Is that available?
Thanks,

[dave the dude]

Thanks for the replies here.  I appreciate all of the perspectives.  I will not have a business based out of Thailand.  It will be based in US, but I will need high speed internet.  Is that available?
Thanks,

Ric

I am no geek but the definition of high speed internet in most of Thailand is only 4meg! I sh!t you not!

My mate has an IT shop in town and is now getting 10meg but that is rare (I think) outside of BKK & maybe Pattaya/phuket.

Dave

[Ric]

Thanks Dave the Dude.  4 megs might wok.  Is the service relatively reliable?  Do you live in Thailand full time now?

[urleft]

What are you trying to say urleft ? That us from europe are so different from AMERICANS?? 

Dave 

Of course, look at the term Fooball, Americans know it is a game played in the fall/winter with helmets and shoulder pads and the ball is not round.  When Europeans say football we yanks have to think to ourselves, "Oh, you mean soccer."   

  WOOOOO WOOOOO, ALABAMA 2009 NCAA National Champs!!!!! 

Keith

[dave the dude]

Yes a crazy & difficult subject top debate urleft.

From a UK perspective you hear the old cliche "but we were doing it first" so we must be right 

From an American perspective, I suppose you could say that our (U.S.) indiginous population (Red (not spot) Indians INVENTED THE GAME. 

I think we need to the from Mr. Running Chrome Pole(AKA Wildoats) about this 

Ric

Yes, Been here in Surin just over 3 years now full time and loving it. Wish I'd done it at 38 instead of 48(then)
I have 4meg TOT broadband and it is quite stable. I accept I am lucky to have it, seeing as I live 8k outside of the city centre. CAT CDMA seems to be getting better and more greatly used now BTW. Something you might like to check out if ADSL is not available in your prospective home/area??

Dave

Dave 

[urleft]

Yes a crazy & difficult subject top debate urleft.

From a UK perspective you hear the old cliche "but we were doing it first" so we must be right 


Dave 

I kind of like the saying "America and the Unitied Kingdom, people separated by a common language."