Thailand -- Getting Out of the City and Living in a Village

 The village has always been the center of Thai life. The Thais call it "Moobaan", which means "the village where home is", and this is an accurate term because the family, the home, and the village are basically one and the same. The village is a close knit working and living unit where the majority of Thai people are born and raised. It is the central feature of countryside living and even those who live in the large cities of the country hold many of the village values in their hearts.

If you are considering living or retiring (being a RIPper - Retiree in Paradise) in Thailand, then maybe the city life isn't what you would want. Maybe you'd be more fulfilled living in a village. So let's take a peek into life in a Thai village. "Remember, there's always an option!"

Thailand -- Foreigners Please Don't Honk Your Horns

Membership site now open: http://retirecheap.tv/members  Driving in Asia is quite the unique experience. It seems to have its own random 'code of ethics' and 'rules of the road'. And it seems sometimes the laws are merely suggestions! And the perception is that each country seems to have its own distinctive twist on road etiquette.

In Thailand even though the driving might seem crazy, there is little if any horn honking other than a tuk-tuk or taxi giving a quick toot to get a possible fares attention.

Compare that with last time I was back in North America. I saw a lot of cursing and single-fingered hand gestures. One guy actually got out of his car and started walking back towards me, as if to start a fight, because he felt I had turned on to a road too soon and a half block wasn't enough of a cushion.
And in some Asian countries like Vietnam, China and Philippines, the horn is as important as the brakes. Possibly even more important, because often times drivers have no intention of stopping.
The horn is used to communicate; it's like a primitive version of Morse code. One beep means something totally different than two or three beeps; and of course the long single wail typically means "get out of my way you %$#@!"
But here living in Thailand every time I hear an angry long horn honk I see an angry foreigner trying to tell Thais that his personal boundaries and rules have been violated as if to teach the whole country how to drive the proper way. As crazy as it seems it works well here without the horn honking. So my plea to travelers visiting and foreigners living in Thailand is become Thaianized and lay off the horn instead of on it. Please don't start teaching this horrible habit that has already become the norm in other Asian countries.

Living the Good Life Outside of Pattaya - Cost of Apartments Jomtien and Naklua Beaches

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I think many of people are kind of embarrassed when meeting strangers or telling relatives about living in or around Pattaya. But there are some very nice places around Pattaya that aren't like living in a blender on high speed like it is in Pattaya.
Naklua
Naklua, situated north of Pattaya, is still very much the old fishing village, with traditional wooden houses and of minor touristic significance except for its famous weekend market.
Now there are some nice hotels and guest houses that can be found there.
What many tourists wrongly denote as Naklua, is actually just the northern part of Pattaya along Pattaya-Naklua Road (northern extension of Pattaya 2nd road, north of the Dolphin Roundabout), which actually merges with Naklua.
Jomtien
Most tourist brochures describe Jomtien - with its six-kilometer-long stretch of sandy beach, as a kind of Pattaya's little brother, with a bit less of everything that might be "over-the-top" in Pattaya: less nightlife, less noise, less traffic etc. Although Jomtien Beach, which has become popular especially with family vacationers and Thai tourists from Bangkok, doesn't really resemble what tourists might expect from a tropical beach, Jomtien offers a much more relaxed environment for swimming, sunbathing, and enjoying various beach activities, than Pattaya's over crowded main beach. The nightlife at Jomtien is much more relaxed and laid-back.

Cost of Fitness Centers in Pattaya

Membership site now open: http://retirecheap.tv/members  Sitting on a bar stool reminiscing about the good old days shouldn't be the goal of anybody living anywhere. Keeping in shape should be a high priority, especially as we get older. So if you are living in Pattaya or just visiting, what are some of the costs of fitness centers? Check out a few prices.

Things to Do in Chiang Mai - Royal Flora Exhibition

Membership site now open: http://retirecheap.tv/members   When living in Thailand there are always events and gatherings to go to because Thai culture is very sociable. Many events will have the same food, products or music every time. But not the Royal Flora Horticultural Exhibition. The last time I attended this event was back in 2006. This exhibition is a tribute to a hard working King. For decades since his ascension to the throne, no terrain has been insurmountable or remote for His Majesty who visited villages in all corners of the Kingdom to learn first-hand the problems and challenges the Thai people were facing.
Over the years the King initiated more than 2,000 development and agricultural projects aimed at alleviating the hardships of the rural poor throughout the Kingdom. His Majesty coined the term "sufficiency economy" based on his philosophy of self-reliance through the rational use of environmental and natural resources and the use of simple and effective techniques which the Thai people can adopt in their daily lives.
For his role in the advancement of Thai agriculture, the Royal Flora Ratchaphruek 2006 was conceived as a tribute to His Majesty. Here is a look at the 2011 event.

Cost of Rental Chiang Mai - Small Studio Apartment $66 a Month

Membership site now open: http://retirecheap.tv/members    Say you have a monthly income of only about $500 a month. You have in the calculations in our Retirement Budget Calculator on our website that gives you about 5000 Baht to spend every month on rent. But if you could get a place to stay for only $66 a month (2000 Baht) then you are way ahead of the game and have more money to spend on other things. Hmmm..... can you think of anything?! Anyway, check out this little apartment and compare it to something back home for that amount. Opps, forgot, you can't! Interested in this building?? Contact me through my You Tube channel or through the website.

Cost of Buying a Used Motorcycle at Thai Prices -- Chiang Mai

Membership site now open: http://retirecheap.tv/members  There are many things to see and do around Thailand. I f you decide to stay a while or retire in Thailand then you should purchase your own transportation. Transportation is inexpensive. You can even own a great little motorcycle that will get you around town for $500. Normally I would let a Thai negotiate the price for me so I wouldn't get a higher price which could happen some times. But if you don't have a Thai that could accompany you, how can you get the same price as a Thai person? If you live in Chiang Mai, here's how!
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