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[Greenside]

It's oft been said by people who are usually trying to make a point about the perceived excesses of expats spending habits that they could get by without difficulty on a mere pittance if only they "lived like the Thais" or lived a "Thai Lifestyle".

People in my wife's Isaan village can barely afford shoes for their kids and have a really tough time making ends meet whereas residents in our modest suburban moo ban range from poor through poor looking (we met the guy collecting his goats from a nearby patch of waste ground and learned his son was at university in England) to our retired police officer neighbour with a Merc and two SUVs in the driveway.  I see plenty of Thai families with 5000 baht shopping carts checking out of Big C and Tesco – if these are the Thai's whose habits we should be adopting I'd say I'd probably have to up my spending!

Our day to day concessions to my farang cravings are a loaf or two of decent bread a week, drinking Tiger and Singha rather than Chang or Leo, having butter and milk in the fridge and banning Nescafe from the house.  Oh yes, we live in a rented house rather than three up in a 28 sq m apartment and go bowling and swimming occasionally.

What does "living a Thai Lifestyle" mean to you?

[WinnieTheKhwai]

A Thai lifestyle to me isn't primarily related to money because you can do very Thai things that cost a bundle, and you can do very Thai things that cost nothing.

As long as you enjoy those things, be it high or low spending, I'd say you're leading a good life in Thailand.

Edited by WinnieTheKhwai, 2009-03-10 20:53:47.

[Rasseru]

Greenside, on 2009-03-10 14:31:44, said:

It's oft been said by people who are usually trying to make a point about the perceived excesses of expats spending habits that they could get by without difficulty on a mere pittance if only they "lived like the Thais" or lived a "Thai Lifestyle". . . . .

What does "living a Thai Lifestyle" mean to you?

I must assume that people who use the term in that sense mean, among other things, living life without wine.

[IanForbes]

Patience and happiness with very little is what I'd call the Thai lifestyle.

I can't say I live a Thai life style because I have more than the average Thai person, but I have FAR less than a lot of Thai people I see. Even if I was a multi-millionaire I wouldn't change my lifestyle all that much. I just enjoy what I'm doing with what little I have. I don't NEED a lot to be happy, but I DO need most of what I already have. My small pension allows me the freedom to do what I want most of the time. If I had more I'd just give more away than I already do. For me, giving is more of a reward than receiving. what I receive from the joy on people's faces is all I need to survive with a smile on mine.

What I am TRULY thankful for is a healthy, strong body and an independent, adventurous spirit. I was lucky to be blessed with good genes.

[satiariyan]

Greenside, on 2009-03-10 15:31:44, said:

What does "living a Thai Lifestyle" mean to you?

Take it easy. Why worry? If everything fails you've always got at least three refuges to turn to.

[Thakkar]

"Live like a Thai."
Is that anything akin to "Walk like and Egyptian?"
I'm not sure living a Thai lifestyle has too much to do with groceries. Surely Thais (like everyone?) prefer Heineken over Beer Lao, and, budget permitting, will imbibe the former.

At a recent party held at a Thai neighbor's the only beer served was Heineken. Goes well with deep fried grasshopper btw.

On the other hand, I do seem to notice more Westerners in the cheese area at Carfour.

Perhaps language fluency is an inherent part of 'living like a Thai'?

Could one rule of thumb be: the less time one spends on Thaivisa the more one is living a Thai lifestyle?

Thanks to the OP bringing up an interesting topic.

Curses! Now I can' get that song outta my head

     Walk like N Egyptian...

[Chaimai]

Rasseru, on 2009-03-10 23:37:34, said:

I must assume that people who use the term in that sense mean, among other things, living life without wine.

Yep. I've learned to live without wine. I also now prefer Chang and Leo

[scottyd]

I think when someone suggests "live like a Thai" they do mean eat like a Thai and generally go about your business like a thai, whether it be travelling by bus instead of taxi, or just cooking for yourself.

Actually, to sum it up, which I just thought while typing this, act like you live here instead of acting like it's a holiday.

[mistavengeance]

Being late to work.

[noise]

Greenside, on 2009-03-10 14:31:44, said:

It's oft been said by people who are usually trying to make a point about the perceived excesses of expats spending habits that they could get by without difficulty on a mere pittance if only they "lived like the Thais" or lived a "Thai Lifestyle"......People in ....Isaan village can barely afford shoes for their kids and have a really tough time making ends meet whereas ............neighbour with a Merc and two SUVs in the driveway. .....Thai families with 5000 baht shopping carts checking out of Big C and Tesco –...........

What does "living a Thai Lifestyle" mean to you?

Like every other country in which I have lived, the local (Thai) lifestyle is varied, depending upon economic means and physical location within that country (i.e., trade off living in a remote location and buying imported lamb every week).  People like to live as well as they can with what is available, and will do so (always exceptions; people who benefit is some intangible manner living in a different life style).

[brennanstimpy]

I think I would rather be able to critically think for myself, about the future, and be curious about the question "Why?", than live a Thai lifestyle. Questioning is more important than believing everything you hear. I definitely agree with eating what they eat and travel like they do as well. It was a good comment about not living like you are on a holiday.

[orang37]

"What does "living a Thai Lifestyle" mean to you?"

private integer randomInteger(integer int_Min, integer int_Max)
{
  return
  (
    int_Min + (AmazingThailand.YouAreFracked / AmazingThailand.YouAreInHogHeaven) * (int_Max - int_Min)
  );
}

public boolean isLivingThaiLifeStyle(
integer monthlyIncome, integer monthlyExpenses, float indexOfHealth, float extentOverWeight, integer discretionarySpending, float alchoholConsumption, float drugConsumption, float fluencyInThai, boolean isEmployed, boolean hasThaiWife, boolean hasAtLeastOneRealThaiFriend, boolean hasMinorChildren, integer hookersPerMonth, boolean readsThaiHistory, boolean hasMotorcycle, boolean hasCar, boolean hasCableTV, boolean hasPension, boolean isRetired, boolean hasWorkInCountry, boolean livesInFarangGhetto, boolean doesVolunteerWork, boolean hasReligion, boolean practicesMeditation, boolean canEatSpicyVery, boolean hasRetirementVisa, boolean serialTouristVisaRunner, float frequencyOfCarpingAboutHowBadItIsInThailand, boolean isLegendInOwnMind, float indexOfParanoia)
{
return randomInteger(0, 100) > 75;
}

What is mean to me is a cry for kindness.

~o:37;

[chiangmaiexpat]

Living a Thai lifestyle means...

Burning the garbage in the garden to save 20 THB on rubbish collection. Spending the savings on Whiskey in the evening. Inviting the neighbours to drink the same. Borrowing 500 THB from the neighbour. Spending the 500 THB on a prospective mia noi. Borrowing another 500 THB to appease the mia luang if she finds out. Maintaining a small library that consists mainly of comic books. Working only when absolutely necessary. Eating five meals per day. Spending 50% of brain activity to think about what to eat next.

CMX

[Greenside]

orang37, on 2009-03-11 09:19:02, said:

"What does "living a Thai Lifestyle" mean to you?"

private integer randomInteger(integer int_Min, integer int_Max)
{
  return
  (
    int_Min + (AmazingThailand.YouAreFracked / AmazingThailand.YouAreInHogHeaven) * (int_Max - int_Min)
  );
}

public boolean isLivingThaiLifeStyle(
integer monthlyIncome, integer monthlyExpenses, float indexOfHealth, float extentOverWeight, integer discretionarySpending, float alchoholConsumption, float drugConsumption, float fluencyInThai, boolean isEmployed, boolean hasThaiWife, boolean hasAtLeastOneRealThaiFriend, boolean hasMinorChildren, integer hookersPerMonth, boolean readsThaiHistory, boolean hasMotorcycle, boolean hasCar, boolean hasCableTV, boolean hasPension, boolean isRetired, boolean hasWorkInCountry, boolean livesInFarangGhetto, boolean doesVolunteerWork, boolean hasReligion, boolean practicesMeditation, boolean canEatSpicyVery, boolean hasRetirementVisa, boolean serialTouristVisaRunner, float frequencyOfCarpingAboutHowBadItIsInThailand, boolean isLegendInOwnMind, float indexOfParanoia)
{
return randomInteger(0, 100) > 75;
}

What is mean to me is a cry for kindness.

~o:37;

[uptheos]

I don't think there is such a thing 'as live like a Thai' for a foreigner.
We are what we are....foreigners from a wealth of different countries.
Some are rich, some are poor but most are 'doing OK' and I would guess all cut their cloth accordingly.

We live like foreigners, in Thailand - we are not Thai....though some seem to think they are.

[Greenside]

My thoughts when writing the original post were triggered by someone on the Exodus thread currently running who said “it’s perfectly possible to get by on 20,000 a month if you live like a Thai”.  Of course it’s possible to get by on half that or even less if you’re prepared to live like a very poor rural Thai but at some point for each of us the deprivation factor overcomes the reasons for being here in the first place.  So at what point do you personally say the compromises aren’t worth it (assuming you have a choice by then)?

Edited by Greenside, 2009-03-11 14:08:05.

[uptheos]

Greenside, on 2009-03-11 14:07:17, said:

My thoughts when writing the original post were triggered by someone on the Exodus thread currently running who said “it’s perfectly possible to get by on 20,000 a month if you live like a Thai”. Of course it’s possible to get by on half that or even less if you’re prepared to live like a very poor rural Thai but at some point for each of us the deprivation factor overcomes the reasons for being here in the first place. So at what point do you personally say the compromises aren’t worth it (assuming you have a choice by then)?

I have a friend from UK who manages just on his basic government pension and a little something from elsewhere, total I think is about 22,000 baht at the current exchange rate. He has a nice little two bedroom house with a cute garden for which he pays 5,000 baht, has a lovely Golden Labrador dog, has a paid for well kept Honda 125cc, has the UBC gold package, loves Thai food so he is in his glory at eating well at 25-30 Baht. I see him out often drinking beer albeit Chang or Leo at the places that don't charge high prices, he goes out to the cinema, travels around Thailand and is involved in a couple of other things. He goes back to UK annually - sure, no major expenses other than airfaire as he stays with his family.
He seems very happy and I certainly don't think he lives like a very poor rural Thai. He lives the life that suits him and I would say on balance he feels much wealthier than a lot of his counterparts stuck in Europe, who when asked 'what they are doing' seem to respond with, 'nothing really, too cold...too wet...too expensive.... A person can live quite well and very cheaply in Thailand without becoming Thai.

[londonthai]

for foreigners housing is the biggest single expenditure, so trying to save on accommodation is the first step.

Still, having a house with a garden, rather than a terraced house on a mooban, is an advantage - doing some gardening instead of going to the gym or inviting friends in and having a barbecue or party rather than eating out. You can grow fruit trees, vegetables or fish in the pond. My wife picks up herbs and edible fruits from the wasteland (you can learn it from the elderly thai), when we go for a walk. Occasionally she does fishing in the khlong or collects some vegetables from the water.

for many farangs running aircon for the large part of the day is a must and cost a lot. In a modern, well designed and shaded house opening windows and using only fans will do and saves thousands.

get a bicycle rather than a motorbike or car for short trips.

[IanForbes]

I could live quite easily on 15,000 baht a month if it wasn't for the ladies. My nice room is only 6,000 B a month and I usually only have two meals a day at 40 baht each, but with some fruit and sweets added on top of that. I seldom drink more than one beer a day, but I DO buy the ladies their drinks and slip them the occasional 100 baht note. It's my "regulars" that come and visit me each day that costs me the most money. But, having been married twice I have come to realize that my "friends" are far cheaper in the long run... and prettier also.

[Rasseru]

Greenside, on 2009-03-11 14:07:17, said:

So at what point do you personally say the compromises aren’t worth it (assuming you have a choice by then)?

I have not had even to think about making any compromises, at least none that meant anything to me.  I find I can live better here for less than anywhere else I have lived.

[IanForbes]

Rasseru, on 2009-03-11 17:45:19, said:

I have not had even to think about making any compromises, at least none that meant anything to me. I find I can live better here for less than anywhere else I have lived.

Me also. I find it is less expensive for me to close up my home in Canada for the winter, pay the $1500 (Canadian) and fly to Chiang Mai to live for 5 months of the year. I don't even bother renting out my home. I've found it costs more to repair all the damages that tenants cause, than for what little rent I receive in return.

[BigSnake]

Take the Mai pai rai, never mind lay back, the devil could care mind set.     

[ozzieovaseas]

IanForbes, on 2009-03-11 17:43:29, said:

I could live quite easily on 15,000 baht a month if it wasn't for the ladies. My nice room is only 6,000 B a month and I usually only have two meals a day at 40 baht each, but with some fruit and sweets added on top of that. I seldom drink more than one beer a day, but I DO buy the ladies their drinks and slip them the occasional 100 baht note. It's my "regulars" that come and visit me each day that costs me the most money. But, having been married twice I have come to realize that my "friends" are far cheaper in the long run... and prettier also.

So your women are satisfied with a 100 baht note??

Bullshi_t...most would spit on you for that

[Chaimai]

I would also say that there have been little or no compromises. I have generally got out of the habit of drinking wine in the UK and Thailand, where it is poor value.

Any compromises have been in showing great respect for the people around me and the country - the latter is certainly not easily done in the UK anymore. It comes very easily in Thailand.

Thailand is also the easiest place, that I have found, to relax in. I think the secret is not to act like a tourist and embrace the culture and cuisine  as far as you feel able. Understanding and speaking the language is a distinct advantage (and something I need to develop).

[Chaimai]

ozzieovaseas, on 2009-03-11 18:37:41, said:

So your women are satisfied with a 100 baht note??

Bullshi_t...most would spit on you for that

They might in the places/girls you frequent.