Thread: The real reason Thailand DOES have a low cost of living.

Seems like for ages that I could never quite square the peg. Some say 30k is enough some say it's a pittance and the sacrifices would be many. It popped into my head that it may come down to this;

The importance of social contact to the individual.

If a person places a greater value on things; a car, a PS3, a western kitchen, Levi jeans, etc then of course a Thai wage of 30k will seem like poverty.
For many all of the above would be exchanged in a second for a few good friends or even the chance just to be surrounded by people. And for these Thailand really is still cheap.

Standing on the street eating lunch in the UK, trying to get a smile out of a shop assistant, feeling a little bit attractive by walking into a 7/11, sit outside a corner shop drinking a beer. Do these things in the UK and they're either futile or you'd be branded a loser.
But for many teachers in Thailand doing any of the above is a real source of pleasure.

There are still many nice girls in Thailand that will be happy with a 150bht meal in a restaurant as a date. That's like trying to get a British girl to accept a M and S sandwich as a night out.

The truth is that you can still have a social life in Thailand for a very low cost and I believe THAT is the reason why many people say that 30k is enough still. And the ones who don't I believe may be the ones who value UBC, a western kitchen, and owning a few status symbols (especially if they are still comparing themselves with their friends in the west) over the above.

Of course there is a minority here who do want their social life to be a major part of their life, but who want to socialize with people who have a certain financial quality (as opposed to other qualities which I believe one can meet easily here) and these people will need a lot more than 30k to meet their life style goals. That also applies to guys who want to meet whores too of course.

Personally I'd rather stay in a 5k room, meet my friends for a couple of beers and a fried rice on the street most nights. Take a trip on a bus with a mate and our Mrs to a beach once a month and smile and be smiled at by the locals than live in a palace, drive a BMW and eat only the finest if it meant that I only had a little social contact.

Reminds me of when I used to collect money for charity in the UK: The working class areas where kids were playing on the street and there was (at that time) still a sense of community, the doors were usually opened with a smile. The posh areas were deathly quiet and often I met the most miserable looking poeple you're likely to find anywhere.

So I still feel that if you love people more than things 30k can still give you a good life even in Thailand's capital.

30 k isn't enough no matter how thinly you slice it

there are only so matter bowls of 30 baht noodles you can eat before it's time to blow 300 or so for pizza hawaiian w/all the trimmings at pizza company

I prefer to have a social life, a nice place to live, holidays where I want, the things that I want...also not having to worry about being skint if things go wrong.

30k is fuck all

There is a guy posting about his costs of living and to see if he can do it for under 30,000 thb on the ajarn website...

After 11 days he has spent about 16,000 including his rent , but not utilities. I am guessing he will be able to do it (barely).

You should check it out and see if the lifestyle he discribes would suite you.

It is important to note that he appears to be single (doesn't appear to have any expenses associated with a family or a girlfreind).

It also appears that he does not work because I have not seen any travel expenses related to going to work or any mention of going to work.

It also appears that if he is able to do this it doesn't look like he is going to have much of anything left over for a "rainly day" / "emergency" / "savings" / "retirement" fund.

Originally Posted by CWM

There is a guy posting about his costs of living and to see if he can do it for under 30,000 thb on the ajarn website... After 11 days he has spent about 16,000 including his rent , but not utilities. I am guessing he will be able to do it (barely). You should check it out and see if the lifestyle he discribes would suite you. It is important to note that he appears to be single (doesn't appear to have any expenses associated with a family or a girlfreind). It also appears that he does not work because I have not seen any travel expenses related to going to work or any mention of going to work. It also appears that if he is able to do this it doesn't look like he is going to have much of anything left over for a "rainly day" / "emergency" / "savings" / "retirement" fund.

we know, the thread for it is here

http://www.ajarnforum.net/vb/practic...-out-here.html (What does 30k in BKK actually get you? Find out here!)

Originally Posted by pornstar

Standing on the street eating lunch in the UK, trying to get a smile out of a shop assistant, feeling a little bit attractive by walking into a 7/11, sit outside a corner shop drinking a beer. Do these things in the UK and they're either futile or you'd be branded a loser.

Are you serious? Whenever I see someone drinking beer outside a corner shop from either a tin or bottle, I'm never inclined to say "now there goes a successful man"

Originally Posted by pornstar

Personally I'd rather stay in a 5k room, meet my friends for a couple of beers and a fried rice on the street most nights. Take a trip on a bus with a mate and our Mrs to a beach once a month and smile and be smiled at by the locals than live in a palace, drive a BMW and eat only the finest if it meant that I only had a little social contact.

No disrespect but I'll take the palace and the BMW. You usually find you're never short of friends if you got those two. Of course you will tend to attrct the kind of friends who are constantly tapping you up for a loan. The 'couple of beers and fried rice on the street' friends will tap you up as well though. That's usually why they're drinking two beers and eating fried rice on the street in the first place.

Originally Posted by pornstar

So I still feel that if you love people more than things 30k can still give you a good life even in Thailand's capital.

That's all very lovely but many people don't consider a car a luxury and don't buy one just for the status attached to it. (??!)

You can't save any money and if you are a bit older, life in a shoebox may not be all that attractive long term.

Well the opposition to my post so far seems to suggest that you need a lot more money than 30k to live in Thailand. I know that at least Phil says that outside BK aint no cheaper either.

Btw, I am trying to explain WHY people choose to live here on about 30k not about myself.

So lets take Chiangrai, Phitsanuluk or any Thai town as a good example. If you can't live a good life on 30k then why are there so many foreign people teaching there on about 30k? If the quality of life was crap (by their NOT your judgement) then they wouldn't be there surely?

Can any of the above posters explain why there are thousands of farang teaching in Thailand for a pittance then? And lets ignore the ones in their first year as rightly so they may be just enjoying the novelty of it. If you can't have a reasonable life on 30k and you have a degree or a skill then you must be mad to stay here if what you say is true. So what's your take on why they do?

Originally Posted by pornstar

Can any of the above posters explain why there are thousands of farang teaching in Thailand for a pittance then?

Because they are complete losers who had an even worse lifestyle back home, even less respect and no girls.