Money Equivalent

[slashlarue]

I was wondering what $1,000 USC would be (buying power) to the average Thai in Nakhon Phanom and surrounding area? Would it be like having 3000, 4000, 5000 in the US?

[jerry]

Times 5 , 5k U$ . They would be in the top 10% of earners in that area if that would be their monthly income . 

[slashlarue]

Times 5 , 5k U$ . They would be in the top 10% of earners in that area if that would be their monthly income .

 

Are things that much cheaper there or is it they just pay crappie wages (combination of both)?

[Tarl]

If it was their monthly wage I would expect they would be in the top 10% as well. If it was just a one off doesn't mean as much as people think for example could buy them a mid size aircon installed or could pay for a year and a half true vision.

[jerry]

Are things that much cheaper there or is it they just pay crappie wages (combination of both)?

 

Mostly crappy wages , biggest part of the country is on 300/600Bht a day wages . 

Over 20k a month is already good money for most . 

[AlantheBuilder]

I was wondering what $1,000 USC would be (buying power) to the average Thai in Nakhon Phanom and surrounding area? Would it be like having 3000, 4000, 5000 in the US?

How much is a beer in the USA ,how much here ?   

How much for a good meal in the USA ,how much here ?

Rent ?

Petrol ?

Wine ?

Some things in Thai are not so cheap anymore IMO

[udontony]

I was wondering what $1,000 USC would be (buying power) to the average Thai in Nakhon Phanom and surrounding area? Would it be like having 3000, 4000, 5000 in the US?

If you take $1,000 and change to Thai baht that would be approx 34,000 baht.  About two months ago my wife and I spent a night in Nakhon Phanom in a very good hotel which cost us 1,500 baht for the night.  We had a good meal and several beers which added another 1,200 baht - mostly beer!  Diesel is about 25 baht a liter but no idea what it would be in US. So include fuel, accomadation and food for the day it cost us around 3,000 baht and this was in very good hotel right on the river side.  This means that for the $1,000 you could have about ten days and nights living like this, how much would it be in the USA?

[slashlarue]

So items seems that $1000 to the average Thai in that area is nothing to sneeze at. This is good to know if I visit the area.

Thanks to all.

[Tarl]

How much is a beer in the USA ,how much here ?   

How much for a good meal in the USA ,how much here ?

Rent ?

Petrol ?

Wine ?

Some things in Thai are not so cheap anymore IMO

That is the interesting thing and I agree 100%.. I pay less in my home country for satellite/cable tv, less for whitegoods and other household items, less for wine etc Some things like accommodation, local restaurants and beers and smokes are cheaper but many things aten't. Going and doing a big shopping in Tesco costs the same as shppoing in a supermarket back home when you look at prices of soaps, laundry, meat, milk, toothpastes and other toiletries etc.

[AlantheBuilder]

If you live Thai style and eat Thai style things can be cheap BUT as farangs we can end up spending more here than back home sometimes.

 

Sent from my SM-J700F using Tapatalk

[udontony]

If you live Thai style and eat Thai style things can be cheap BUT as farangs we can end up spending more here than back home sometimes.

 

Sent from my SM-J700F using Tapatalk

We do live almost Thai style but in a decent house of our own so no rent to pay.  Eat Thai style most of the time but do have bread and butter as well,  eat bamboo and mushrooms from Jungle with our Thai family.  We live 30K`s away from any 7/11, bar,  restaurant or ATM so the temptation to over spend is not that great.  Every six or seven weeks I do have a trip off to Pattaya for a week and blow all the saved cash there!

[slashlarue]

Well I found out how much/far it (and a little more that I budgeted for myself) goes. = how fast a GF and family can spend it.

Had to put the "hand brake" on this one!!! I couldn't spend money that fast in New York.

[Magnum PI]

Hopefully you found that out before you were in too deep!!

 

[slashlarue]

12 hours ago, Magnum PI said:

Hopefully you found that out before you were in too deep!!

 

I can only compare to Filipinos (my now ex was one) and I must say Thais (IMHO) can spend money faster and are more money  oriented. Everything in "regular Thai world" is all about money, money, money and I don't like it. I know, I know they are poor but everything seems to be about it. Oh I forgot, the answer is no.

[Tarl]

3 minutes ago, slashlarue said:

I can only compare to Filipinos (my now ex was one) and I must say Thais (IMHO) can spend money faster and are more money  oriented. Everything in "regular Thai world" is all about money, money, money and I don't like it. I know, I know they are poor but everything seems to be about it. Oh I forgot, the answer is no.

Your ex sounds a good filipina. I have found they have the same attitude to money as their thai sisters.

[slashlarue]

1 hour ago, Tarl said:

Your ex sounds a good filipina. I have found they have the same attitude to money as their thai sisters.

You know it really does get tiring with this money shit! 

[Magnum PI]

Well my wife is from Issan, now living in Australia,

Ive had many trips to the village, even staying in Mamas house the first few times. Money was never an issue, Sure we bought food and drink but nothing over the top.

over the past 6 years have only been asked to give money once and refused( to cover sisterinlaws gambling debt ) and my wife agreed with me.

I did offer money to repair a different sisterinlaws house because it was in a terrible state. It was my idea and was gratefully received. I actually get on well with my inlaws.

But does help that we only see them twice a year!!!

So their not all money hungry parasites. There are some good ones out there.

you just need to sort through them

Good luck with it all

 

[udontony]

On 4/18/2017 at 7:23 PM, Magnum PI said:

Well my wife is from Issan, now living in Australia,

Ive had many trips to the village, even staying in Mamas house the first few times. Money was never an issue, Sure we bought food and drink but nothing over the top.

over the past 6 years have only been asked to give money once and refused( to cover sisterinlaws gambling debt ) and my wife agreed with me.

I did offer money to repair a different sisterinlaws house because it was in a terrible state. It was my idea and was gratefully received. I actually get on well with my inlaws.

But does help that we only see them twice a year!!!

So their not all money hungry parasites. There are some good ones out there.

you just need to sort through them

Good luck with it all

 

Your experience sounds much like my own except that we now live 12K`s away from family in Thailand.  I contributed to making a house for my daughter in law, built a shower block for mother in law but all my own ideas.  In return, without any asking, I get back so much from them in help and advice.  If I want anything I just ask the family and they can usually sort it out for me.  One sister in law occasionally asks for a loan, but only small amounts and they have all been paid back at an agreed time.  We do cook for family on a regular basis as our house just happens to be very central for all their farms but they often bring food with them to cook.  If we are in any of their houses they make sure that there is food that they know I like to eat.  There are bad Thai families out there but I have been lucky like you and have a brilliant family looking after me.

[Magnum PI]

My wife comes from a very small village about 90 minutes out of Udon, near Phon Phisai, the family all have rubber plantations, we own 10 Rai which the sister in law  and husband looks after, really only generates money for sister in law and a bit left over for Mama. But it saves me from being asked to send money. the whole family is salt of the earth and honest, hard workers. my brother in law always has something new to show me each trip and despite the language difficulties we get on well. got a tribe of nieces, nephews and great neices living in Mamas house, and its always a great time being there.

Because they don't have a car, when we are there with the dual cab truck there is always family road trips planned, i have been to places I would have never found by myself and seen some amazing sights. I feel blessed to have seen and been a part of the real Thailand. Something the people who never get out of Pattaya would never understand!!

We are lucky with the people in our lives, but I am sure there are many like us, You just don't hear about it much on the forums, especially Thai Visa forum as people seem to enjoy pushing the negative veiws. I have met a few of the money hungry / grabbing women, one is a friend of my wifes who wants me to find her a man. I have told her i am not interested as she is only after their money and her mother is worse!!! spends all her spare time trawling the internet and sends us emails fom prospective suckers to translate for her, so unfortunately the negative veiw is true as well.

Whilst the Aussie dollar is down again. everything is still very cheap when you get out in the rural areas, so I don't mind spending a bit to make sure everyone has a good time, and in over 6 years no one has tried to have a lend of me.

[udontony]

Magnum PI.

Again so similar to my circumstances, we live two hours from Udon city.  All family have rubber farms of varying areas but it keeps them employed and provides enough money.  My brother in law also is brilliant, he has been the major factor in helping all the family over many years and he is such a nice person.  Mama died a short time ago but the house was always filled with mainly nieces and some grandchildren, some are still there now, some gone to work in other places.  All family are hard working, some do so much trying to get ahead I don`t know how they keep going.  I have the greatest respect for all of them and now they all treat me as family as well.

I am sure that you are right about only hearing the bad cases and nobody reports all the good ones as we are happy living the way that we do.  I read Thai visa forum a couple of times and found it so negative and so removed from the Thailand that I know that I have never even looked at it again.

As for women asking me to find them a husband, it happens so often and my stock answers are that I don`t know where shop to buy them is or don`t know anyone good enough for you!  The later answer is for people that I regard as decent people but I would never get involved as the risks would be too great.