Another Newbie

[AndyT]

Hello, all,

I'm a newbie to this board but have been looking at Thailand as a place to move, work a bit and retire for some time. I live in California, in the US, am 53, your standard model Caucasian. The downward trend in what used to be called "Domestic Tranquility" suggests it's a good time to travel a bit.

My particular interests in Thailand are the incredibly attractive guys, the thought that they treat us older folk a bit better than in the U.S., even as desirable partners in or out of the bedroom, and a desire to get to know Buddhism better.

From my limited experience the first two seem true; I date a fair number of Thai guys over here and, even though they're 18-25ish and have nearly flawless bodies (which is not the case with me -- pretty average) and there are times (you know those times) I just stare at them and ask them what in god's name they're doing with an old guy like me (it's not a money thing). A couple brave guys have tried to explain it to me but it's just one of those things I don't understand so accept and am quite happy about.

My recruiter tells me there may be a job in Thailand (BKK) that I would like. I asked to travel a bit so she's helping me out. Thailand is by far my #1 choice. I've got a confirmed job offer in India and one in Saudi Arabia but they're not the same.

Jobwise (I almost said "professionally but I'm not sure of that) I work in healthcare technology, usually managing things like IT, Marketing, HR, Communication, Education as I have a diverse background. Recently I got a group of Web folks together and tried to see what we could do for our employer, and it went great, including finding patients with rare illnesses. Thailand has (or had) a significant Medical Tourism industry (I don't know what affect the current fracas in Thailand will have on people's willingness to go there for cardiac, pulmonary, orthopedic, and of course plastic surgeries); they may redirect to India or Malaysia. They'll need some real work to assure potential patients things are OK, and I leverage the Web & social media to fix a damaged brand. My god, I'm boring.

Well, I have a profile with a picture (but not an exciting one) and really just want to learn all I can. Thanks & hope everyone is well.

[Thaimo]

Since you are a gay gentleman, then you will probably consider Thailand to be a gay paradise on earth. Thailand is one of the most, if not the most, gay friendly and tolerant countries in the world. In Thailand you will feel perfectly free to be the person you really are.

However, sexual preference is by far not the only reason to choose Thailand as the place to retire. You did not say whether you have been to Thailand before. My interpretation of your post is that you have not. Before setting your heart on Thailand or committing to Thailand, I suggest, if possible for you, to spend at least a couple months here first to make sure living here is what you really want. If you do move here, I also suggest keeping your options open for at least a year in case you later decide that Thailand is not the right move for you after all

I love living in Thailand. I have been here for years now and I have no regrets at all. I would do it again without hesitation. But life in Thailand is vastly different from what you have experienced in California. Some people have a difficult time adjusting to it.

As a gay man, I suggest visiting not only Bangkok during your first trip here, but also Pattaya and Chiang Mai. These are the cities to which the majority of gay men gravitate and it is these cities that offer the bulk of gay day and nightlife. Pattaya, for example, has a large gay beach area and two areas of the city almost exclusively for gays. Bangkok is certainly gay friendly and has quite a bit to offer. Chiang Mai too. Many prefer Chiang Mai because it is more picturesque and laid back than Bangkok or Pattaya and many find the climate there more to their liking.

In any case, I hope you will have the opportunity to get to know Thailand a little bit before making your decision. I also hope you will feel perfectly comfortable coming to us on this message board whenever you have questions, problems, or seek advice.