Life in Thailand - Test Results

[Dodger]

I started planning/preparing for retirement 5 years prior to that magic date to make sure I had all bases covered and now find myself extremely grateful that I dedicated the amount of time that I did. Working in my favor was the fact that I knew without question that Thailand was the place I wanted to retire and after spending nearly two decades of routine holidays in Thailand I had all the information I needed for retirement planning purposes.

Similar to what most people do - my panning included; long-term financial considerations, health & safety considerations, logistics (where to live based on the lifestyle I wanted for myself after retirement), transportation needs, bank account(s), health insurance, visa maintenance, living arrangements (buy versus rent), and of course risk management as it pertains to all of these things.

I spent 5 years planning, and have now completed 5 years of living here full-time which I’ll refer to as the “test phase”. Fortunately, due to a lot of planning and a good tail wind, I’m happy to say that overall things have worked out remarkably well with no regrets.

My love affair with Thailand spans a little over two decades now with no signs of slowing and I still, as I’ve been saying all these years, contend that there’s no better place on earth for a gay man to hang his hat than Thailand. The cost-of-living is one of the lowest in the modern world…good health care…lots of sun…lots of skin…lots of boys and boy bars…plenty of places to take exotic side-trips, and, most importantly, the opportunity for the like-minded to enjoy sexual relations and romance with guys, who, before experiencing Thailand, only existed in your dreams.

One thing I’ve learned is that there’s a significant difference between coming here as a routine sex tourist for holidays and living here full-time. This is something I considered during the planning phase once I determined the type of lifestyle I wanted after retirement. I wasn’t interested in “going native” and living out in some remote jungle village (been there–done that), nor did I want to remain a bar-runner/boy chaser bouncing around from one penis to the next any more (been there-done that too). The vision of how I saw myself living after retirement became crystal clear to me after a while.

I chose the “Little House on the Prairie” lifestyle to force myself to focus more on health than I did before…small town (Bang Saray) on the sea…sidewalks roll-up at 10:00 PM…clear skies (and water)…and nothing but the sounds of the oceans waves and birds chirping at night…but also close enough to the gay scene in Pattaya when so inclined, etc. The perfect choice for me. Admittedly, having a terrific partner like Jai makes this all work. He’s a dream (literally) and I’m so fortunate to have hooked up with him.

My visits to the bar scene are rare, and when I do visit it’s mainly to rub elbows with friends - pinch a few cute butts - and just enjoy the camaraderie. Other than that, the best of anything I can experience is waiting for me back at home. This is probably the most pronounced difference between “tourist” and “resident”. When you live here year-round “time” is not a concern…and I think a lot of expats realize this shortly after they retire. There’s no more counting down the days on the calendar for that dreaded departure date – when paradise comes to an end and reality takes its place.

It’s also common for expats to have their own cadre of regular boys they spend time with who they can just call on the phone when in the mood, and/or have live-in Thai boyfriends, versus having to rely on the bars or apps. The best example of this is when you go to gay scene like Jomtien Complex and see the majority of expats more interested in just socializing than they are boy-chasing. In short, boy-chasing is for the tourists. Expats don’t have to chase.

Pitfalls to Avoid:

- Don’t plan anything until you can actually visualize the lifestyle you want after retirement
- Never implement the plan until you’re sure you meet the financial income requirements.
- Don’t ignore the aging factor as your needs will inevitably change with time.
- Forget living in the boonies. You’re an old gay man from the West – not Tarzan.
- Obtain a good Thai health insurance policy before age 70 if possible.
- Don’t squander all of your hard-earned money on #14. Just tip for sex and be done with it.
- And, as my old friend Carolina Jim would say, “Never fall in love with a whore”.


Mai pen rai

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