Stickman Readers' Submissions February 3rd, 2011

Living in a Fantasy World

I know this submission will upset some readers but it is the reader that I am writing about that it should upset because it is a wake up call to you. Some of the recent submissions have really made me wonder whether some people are living in an alterated
state of reality or merely denying the reality of their own situation. The recent submission by one writer who saves up a few thousand pounds to blow it all on a trip to Thailand is purely irresponsible and if continued will lead to a life of
poverty. I grew up very poor and am now a multi millionaire and I realise the importance of money and not having not. I am not saying money should define who you are as a person but if you are not putting sufficient aside for your later years
then you will find those years to be miserable. Possibly even worse in the current economic climate you could end up losing your job and find yourself struggling to pay the rent, unable to afford your car, scrimping for every dollar just to but
some food. Wake up!! The bar girls many of those people are throwing money to are probably far wealthier than you will ever be. For those readers who think that being in Thailand for 2 weeks spending the money you have saved makes you some sort
of "Thai millionaire" then you are severely deluded. To be blunt, you are plain stupid.

What is even more ridiculous if people who live it up in their homeland drinking out with their buddies, buying their designer sunglasses and wearing the latest fashions all because they are living with mommy and daddy. Even if they aren't
living with mommy or daddy very few of them have enough to live off their savings for 6 months if they ever lost their job. And then they think they can suddenly uproot themselves and move to Thailand. Well again, wake up. If you want to live
that comfortable lifestyle in Thailand, particularly in Bangkok, then you will need to be earning a significant amount from your investments or earning sufficient income from your business ventures in Thailand. If you can't manage money in
your homeland what makes you suddenly think you can do this when you move to Thailand? The reality is you can't and you will end up with either your tail between your legs and back at home or living in squalor in a developing country or if
you really can't cope with life end up a member of the Pattaya Flying Club. How pathetic.

He Clinic Bangkok

Stick is soo right on this matter. Get your affairs in order, take responsibility for yourself and your future family if you decided you want one. Realise that no-one is going to look after you into retirement except yourself and if you think
having a few thousand dollars, euro or pounds in your bank account makes you wealthy, wake up and smell the roses. You are poor!! You have chosen to be poor through your bad spending habits, lack of work effort and no careful planning. I understand
those who want to retire to Thailand and do so in their later years when they have built up sufficient funds to support themselves. I also understand those for whom money is not important and live a simple lifestyle and continue to do so happily
in Thailand. What I don't understand is the younger male who has a paltry sum put aside, goes to Thailand and spends all his money in 2 weeks and then thinks "Oh man I am rich and women respect me" maybe even beating their waxed,
buff chests at the same time. Well guess what, you aren't rich and in comparison to the wealthy in Thailand you are as poor as you are in your own homeland.

Now I hope people don't interpret this to mean that I have something against those of less means. I don't. We all have different financial circumstances in life but I do have a problem with younger people who spend all their money
on luxury cars, holidays, clothes, etc without one penny to their name and then think they can move to Thailand and continue to live the same life. Try it. You will find the money drying up fairly quickly I will think. Why not take your date to
Sirocco for one night and see how much you walk with. Last time I went (8 months ago) a dinner for 4 cost about 25,000 Baht. Yes that is right. The same price you would pay at a top end restaurant in London, Sydney or New York. Vertigo at Banyan
Tree is exactly the same. Try out the G-clubs. 30,000 THB minimum for membership at St Moritz last time I paid and that got me drinks for about 1 month. Yes almost $1,000 USD for a month of fun. And that doesn't include the sex.

Some will say but hey we don't want to go to those places. That is fine. But many of those young guys prancing about in their polo Ralph Lauren shirts, Prada shoes and carrying their iphone4 do want to go there. And they do. Spending
all their savings and then end up broke going back to earn money, save and do the same thing. Well go out, use your brains, build your career or business and when you do go to these places don't do it using up all your savings. Go there knowing
that you have about 6 months of income saved (at minimum) and spending that sort of money is really not that a big deal.

CBD bangkok

So many never think of the future and one day that future arrives. For many it will be a big change realising at 60 they can't dine at Sirocco anymore because their working life is over and they have barely enough to keep them going
for another 10 years let along using it to try to impress their friends and girls.



Stickman's
thoughts:

It's tough to get the balance between enjoying today but also saving for tomorrow. From what I observed in the West recently a lot of people have adopted ways similar to the Thais – live for the day – but circumstances have caught up with them and much belt tightening is now needed.

nana plaza