how low does it go before it's a no no ?

[timmberty]

as we all know the baht is growing stronger and stronger against other currencies, how much would have to be knocked
off your local currency before you would consider giving thailand a miss ?
for my next trip my hotel bill has already gone up by ┬г30 pounds, which tho not a massive amount, its 10 pints i shall have to think* about not drinking !!!
an extra ┬г200 quid for 3 weeks isnt going to break the bank, but it will make me wonder if its worth the journey if the baht continues to rise and rise.
are any of our esteemed members worried about the rise and rise of the baht ? or any expats thinking of heading for home.?
* after thinking i decided to have the drinks.

Compared to some people i only have a modest amount of money but after paying my bills all my savings go on my trips to Thailand....i never went thier because it was cheeper than other places.....i went there and will still go because i love the culture, love the people and have a lovelly bf.
So its an important part of my life and would still go if it were expensive

[joe552]

Although I'm on a fixed income here, it would take a lot to make me stop going to Thailand. Having less cash this time will just mean fewer offs, but I'll still have a good time. There may well come a time when I simply can't afford the trip, but that's some way off, I hope.

[Marsilius]

I suspect that most people would/will still go - but maybe less frequently or for shorter durations.

[TravellerDave]

I've just come back home after 3 weeks in Pattaya. The strength of the baht certainly made a negative impact on my bank balance. When you factor in the higher cost of the flight a holiday in Thailand is looking much more expensive than alternative such as the Spanish resorts such as Stiges, Playa del Ingles, and Ibiza. I used to go there before I discovered Pattaya and enjoyed the gay beaches and night life. Maybe a short trip to Eastern Europe would pay dividends. On the other hand the delights of the Thai boys take a lot of beating.

[ikarus]

I need to remind to esteemed readers of this message board that baht is appreciating also vis-a-vis Chinese renminbi and especially Japanese yen.
So, we should not whine too much IMHO. For me personally the trips to Thailand became much more expensive because I switched to business class airfare
and in light of this all currency fluctuations are negligible. There may come time, when my financial situation may change which will make my trips too expensive. That is where I hope to stay in Thailand on permanent basis.

[Impulse]

No way will I let Bush/Cheney and all the idiots who went along with war with Iraq...no way will I let them stop me from going to Thailand and having fun. As far as I'm concerend, they started the weakening of the dollar with a balanced budget inherited from Clinton...then ramping up the deficit trillions of dollars.

In fact they have ruined the lives of so many around the world with other countries forced to print money and thus creating inflation...hurting poor people who have to pay more for food etc.

I have taken the step of buying two condos with the hope of renting one out and hedging the currency risk by getting an income in Thai baht, however small it will be. My feeling is the baht is still undervalued and no telling how low the dollar, pound and other currencies will drop in the future.

So I am taking steps to deal with this serious problem all of us face converting our home currency to the baht. Don't let the currency stop you from the cute smile of a Thai boi.

Well mate just coz the Poms and the Euros and the Yanks have made a mess of there economies it doesnt mean the rest of the world is suffering for us Aussies the Thai baht is pretty steady around 31 to the $ mind you if you read all the fascists in the Aussie press the countrys sliding into the same mess as Euro under Joolya Gillarde so maybe it will slip to 30 and its been around 31 to 33 for a couple of years or more now.

[rifraf]

Rocket, I have a similar financial plan to yours firmly in place. When I moved to Thailand to live and work, I took the decision to sell my business back home, but not other properties. I especially wanted to keep my home in case I ever had to return to my country of origin. So these properties are rented or leased for income that goes to pension savings. I am a relatively young man and am still some ways off from full retirement.

I was able to secure gainful employment in Pattaya that provided me with a steady income, medical insurance (which I topped up out of pocket), work permit and an apartment. Not sitting on my laurels, though, I purchased two condos that are currently rented out and providing a steady additional income. Between my salary and the rental income (all earned in Bath) I can save and live comfortably enough and I do not transfer monies to Thailand anymore. If Thailand should ever have a major political or financial crisis, I know that my Plan B allows me to go back home or find somewhere else to live.

My hope, though, is that I get to live out the remainder of my years in Thailand. Yes, the Bath is stronger and prices of goods and services are increasing as well. But I love my life here. I still visit home and stay in contact with friends and family, but this is where I now call my real home. And I have no intentions to walk away from it easily.

[Impulse]

Well mate just coz the Poms and the Euros and the Yanks have made a mess of there economies it doesnt mean the rest of the world is suffering for us Aussies the Thai baht is pretty steady around 31 to the $ Good, I'm glad to hear that some countries are stable.


Rocket, I have a similar financial plan to yours firmly in place. When I moved to Thailand to live and work, I took the decision to sell my business back home, but not other properties. I especially wanted to keep my home in case I ever had to return to my country of origin. So these properties are rented or leased for income that goes to pension savings. I am a relatively young man and am still some ways off from full retirement.

I was able to secure gainful employment in Pattaya that provided me with a steady income, medical insurance (which I topped up out of pocket), work permit and an apartment. Not sitting on my laurels, though, I purchased two condos that are currently rented out and providing a steady additional income. Between my salary and the rental income (all earned in Bath) I can save and live comfortably enough and I do not transfer monies to Thailand anymore. If Thailand should ever have a major political or financial crisis, I know that my Plan B allows me to go back home or find somewhere else to live.

My hope, though, is that I get to live out the remainder of my years in Thailand. Yes, the Bath is stronger and prices of goods and services are increasing as well. But I love my life here. I still visit home and stay in contact with friends and family, but this is where I now call my real home. And I have no intentions to walk away from it easily.


Even better. Plus you're young. I think you will get your wish because of your good plan. What country are you from, if you don't mind me asking?

Sorry Boss, my post gets all screwed up if the whole quote is not put in. I know it's a waste of space. :notworthy:

[ikarus]

I have taken the step of buying two condos with the hope of renting one out and hedging the currency risk by getting an income in Thai baht, however small it will be. My feeling is the baht is still undervalued and no telling how low the dollar, pound and other currencies will drop in the future.


Buying overpriced condos in Pattaya is hardly a solution or a well-thought investment. There are excellent real estate opportunities currently in US and that is where I invest my money.

[Neal]

Ikarus is completely correct. In the USA there currently are what is called "short sales". These are houses that have gone into a sort of foreclosure. The bank has agreed with the current owner to try and locate someone who is willing to buy the property/house a huge loss in order to obtain a sale and the bank takes a loss of all the interest and some of the principal. You get the house and then can get a company to do some freshning up, rent it out or whatever and maybe in the soon foreseeable future list it at a decent markup when the markets start to recoupe. A person with some money to invest haas great opportunities there.

[iwonderwhy]

Who knows what's in store for the economy. One day, it seems like everything's falling apart while the next day things look great. Welcome to the brave new global economy!

The recent combination of the weakening western currencies and rapidly increasing prices (at least in Bangkok) is going to put the squeeze on a lot of people. Most people coming for a short holiday of a week or two probably will just absorb it but anyone staying longer needs to consider the impact. It seems like prices are going up almost every month I visit Bangkok (DJ Station drinks going from 100 to 150 baht for example). I certainly have become more careful with my money.

I think it's wise for anyone who wants to live or retire in Thailand to start planning like rocket and rifraf. It would be wise to be able to limit the reliance on external income. I purchased a condo in Bangkok a few months ago and have been looking at buying a rental to supplement my income in Thailand. I know there are mixed thoughts on owning real estate in Thailand, so I'm curious how others have started to plan in the current economic conditions.

[timmberty]

i have also thought about going down the buying condo route, tho some of you guys seems to be dyslexic .. 3 condos here 2 condos there... you mean condoms i think ?
anyhows .. there are just to many condos being built, the prices can only go one way, and it isnt up, and who wants to live next door to 300 russians.
i dont think there is any great need to have bundles of money to live in thailand, tho it helps.
when i reach 60 i shall sell my house, the money i get from that plus any money i have in savings will more than cover me for the next 20 years, so by the age of 80 if i live that long, i may well be living on just a pension and the last drips of savings ... but i have no need to be leaving 100's of 10000's in the bank for those left behind .. the last cheque you ever write should bounce of into the night sky.
like joe said, he will cut down on off if things keep going up, id exect once living in thailand sex would no longer be something needed every waking minute, so all of a sudden thats your main expense gone by the wayside, and being as you can drink and eat for as little as you like.. .say 10 - 20 pounds a day it can still be a far cheaper option than the west.
plus the sunshine is free and often, not like here in london right now where its 1 degree and snowing,
roll on the next 4 n a half weeks.

[rifraf]

Rocket, I am from Canada.

Dyslexia, actually no. (Buying condoms - cute.) A combination of inheritance and hard work building a family business, yes. And of recent, holding down a job with a steady income and saving smartly. I have my fun but within budget.

Purchasing a condo or a house in Thailand costs a darn lot less than doing so back home. Overpriced condos and houses can be found in every country.
You can also find real estate projects that are sound investment. Thailand is not in anyway different on that score.

The real estate market in Pattaya, like the gay bars, have been written off every year for as long as I had been coming to Thailand on holiday and now living here as a resident. Yes, there will be a day when the market will go down. But it will also go back up again. It is not unique to Thailand. This happens worldwide. Wherever we put our money there is always a risk.

For those of us who want to move to Thailand to live in our early forties, it requires a lot more thought and planning for it to work out successfully in the end. There is no pension cheque in my case and I'm uncomfortable with selling everything back home and having no safety net to pack up and leave if things don't work out here. For now, though, it is smooth sailing.

And I like the idea of leaving something behind for the next generation. It is that kind of foresight by my parents that gave me the humble opportunity I am now enjoying. People think differently on matters such as these. I don't see it as right or wrong.

For those who will want to come and retire, or work and retire later on, the path will in many ways be different depending on our financial situation or security, employability, readiness to fully retire and, of course, age and health. By sharing our experiences, though, we can hopefully help to make the road a little less bumpy for those coming behind.

[timmberty]

what a marvellous reply riff ... thanks very much and i admire your point of view .. you are of course right money is a risk where ever it is put, who knows what will happen after watching the nightmares going on in cyprus its all guess work and luck.
do you have any ideas as to where i can find a cheaper condo area to rent in ? im not sure i'd want to be to close to the night life or beach, but also not so far that i cant get there within an hours walk.

[Impulse]

Buying overpriced condos in Pattaya is hardly a solution or a well-thought investment
True, I think they are over building now. And Neal is right, if you're in th USA there are many bargains to be had. The only problem with that is you are still in that countries depreciating currency when you buy there. But everyone has a different situation as has been mentioned. For instance, I will recieve a pension, so I am hedging it by converting some of my assets to Thai baht, as I hope to live in Thailand soon. I don't want to be at the mercy of what ever value the dollar has, and I only see it going lower from here.

I see that they are planning a 40 story condo unit on second road. Prices may drop if a huge over-supply comes to fruition, and that might be a great time to buy. But I would'nt count on rents always staying this low. Then you are at the mercy of landlords. It will be very interseting to see how this all plays out in the next 5 years.

[christianpfc]

tho some of you guys seems to be dyslexic...

The pot calling the kettle black!

[timmberty]

tho some of you guys seems to be dyslexic...

The pot calling the kettle black!
yes christain ... maybe its because english isnt your native tongue you didnt get the joke ??
or maybe you are just to smart?

[christianpfc]

I got the joke, confusing condoms with condos (short for condominium).