I have actually been a member here for about a year and a half. I asked some questions before my first trip in 2010. Now I am back because I am thinking of moving to Thailand. My girlfriend lives in Yang Talat, about 2/3 the way from Khon Kaen to Kalasin.

Me, I am a water boy. I love the sea, fishing and diving. I was a light tackle fishing guide in the Florida Keys for 16 years. All this is available in Thailand, but I also loathe the tourist areas where we must all pay artificially higher prices, due mostly to the ignorance (ok, naivity) of Americans and Europeans who, for example, tip 15-20% when the norm in Thailand (according to what I have read here) is 5-10%, if anything at all. Then there are the farang who live in Thailand and who will need services and labor from time to time. While it is normal for farang to be charged a higher price, they often pay this without question, because the quoted price for such a service, while it may be double the norm, is still so much cheaper than one would pay for the same goods/services in their native country.

Nothing new here, it is the same in Mexico, where I also have a second home. I accept all this, but it doesn't mean I have to partake, if you know what I mean. So I will live far away from my beloved ocean, except for vacations and getaways.

So I am directing this more to those who also live up-country. Are you retired? If so, how do you occupy your time in Thailand? I am thinking that there are cultural differences between the west and east regions of the country, and I am just looking for ideas. Anything that comes to mind, that would be interesting, useful, or even critical to someone making a move like this. I am a little unique, in that if I do eventually move there, I will have to give up everything in the U.S., since I have no family here to watch over things while I am there. Everything will have to be sold or given away and this is quite a daunting task.