Thinking of retiring to Hua Hin - what is important

[theprice01]

It begs the question, does money really make a person happy?!
Of course everyone needs money, but i'd be suprised if theres anyone spending 5 times what i do AND is 5 times happier.

[Mod Edit] your 'Where would you live if you could?' thread is already alive and kicking here:
viewtopic.php?f=17&t=28473

[Stargeezer]

I found that living in HH was easy, as long as I did not go to the bars
very often, and stayed sober at least 4 days a week.
It sounds like I would have to have a bit more money in the bank, to
be able to afford HH year round, and that depresses me.
I may have to only show up for 3 to 4 months every couple years.
What a drag! Bummer!
Stargeezer

[GLCQuantum]

I suspect that's true for many more people here than will admit it publicly...

^^Maybe, maybe not. I'm not sure why anyone would be shy about it though.

In my case, if I could spend that amount a month, I definitely wouldn't have decided to live here 10 years ago, but if I suddenly had access to that sort of money now, I doubt I'd move on anywhere else. I'd simply be able to improve my lifestyle and help my adult kids more. I've "dun roamin'" now...

Could be an interesting poll/thread that. 'If you had more money would you live here?' For me it's a resounding 'no', of course.

[hhfarang]

We're moving back to the U.S. soon (at least that's the plan) and I will probably never darken the door of Hua Hin again... Nothing but bad experiences and bad memories, lesson learned.

[richard]

I wish you luck HHF

I know many from the US who just cannot settle here in Thailand. I think it may be very difficult for them to adjust to the culture as the ones I know/knew were constantly drawing comparisons between the good-ol-USA and East Asia.

To get this back in topic I would recommend to anyone retiring here to be sure they can adjust to Thai culture. To live here and expect to have everything as it is at 'home' will end up regretting the move. I have lived in many parts of the world and always made an effort to live amongst the indigenous people avoiding every day contact with fellow Brits. It worked in Africa, Europe, Thailand (more than a year in the jungle) and even in the USA (Wisconsin). Unless you immerse yourself in their lifestyle you will never be truly happy IMO. I did not come to Thailand to be surrounded by fellow countrymen

Having said that, you may not be the same type of animal as me. HH has many enclave estates where Germans, Norwegian and Swedish prefer to live amongst themselves. Fair enough. Each to his own.

[dundrillin]

I remember when I got my first car I had carefully budgeted the likely cost of running it but it turned out to be almost double what I expected. Subsequently just about everything else worked out more expensive than I had expected.
So to answer the title of the post I feel it's important to retire here adequately funded. Also to keep a property in your home country if possible , it can be very difficult to re-enter the property market after a few years.

Then make friends,have a health and exercise plan. Watch your drinking.

Use Thailand as a base to explore the Far East. ( Google Pandaw to see some great(but expensive) river expeditions )

Embrace the culture,accept the failings of your adopted country after all if your homeland was perfect you wouldn't move here.

There's more off course but that's probably the main stuff.

[lespaul1940]

Hi

Thanks for all the info, I seems like the experiences are the same all over the world.

If you want to be happy in a country you have to accept what it gives, not what it does not have.

Thailand is not the UK, nor is Germany. To want Theakstons on tap at your local is a big ask.

Les