Yesterday I was in a restaurant that is near the “Smith Residence” in Chiang Mai where you will find many foreigners living and dying by the look of it. The Smith Residence is just one of the many places that offer long-term or short-term rentals for furnished apartments. They are small studio apartments but quite adequate. The location is also perfect because you don’t have to walk too far for medical, food or anything really. You can get a place here for about $800 a month plus electricity. Many old people from many western countries are finding it more and more difficult to survive financially and so many are packing their bags and coming here to Thailand. To be honest it’s something I have considered myself, but the difference between myself and many of the single men that come here is that I don’t feel the need or want to drink everyday and recapture my youth by going to bars and picking up some young thing a 3rd of my age, but in saying that maybe I might just fall into that category . Of course the other reason is that if I did do this then any money I had would quickly disappear, these girls are in business not charity. If I did come here then I would need to find a life similar to the life I have in China where I have been lucky to meet many people and have been given opportunities. to try new things

Many folk are content with the really simple life and they also need company, in fact they crave company and they can have that here very easily. I on the other hand like my space and every so often I will venture into the real world. I like a simple life on one level, I like an easy uncomplicated life, a stimulating life where you can discuss complex issues or at least have your brain challenged, you need to exercise your brain just as much as you need to keep your body in shape. By completely judging the books (people) by their covers it looks like many of the men I see here are really just coming here to die, but they have also decided to go out with a bang, they’re going to drink and party till it kills them.

I’ve been in Chiang Mai many times and for the last 3 years I have passed through here on an annual basis. There is a guy that I have seen many times and I don’t know if we have had a conversation or what but I know his face. I saw him the other night in Chiang Mai and he looks really old and haggard. Yes he might be ill I don’t know his circumstances but he was floating around the bars in the red light area and he was wearing all the correct hippy clothes that many expat locals will wear after a while. He looked sad, fat and lost and that seems to describe many of the old men that you see and I will not be joining their team any time soon. Of course not every foreigner comes here to die, some come and set up a business and create a new life for themselves just like they do anywhere else in the world. But Thailand makes it very easy for you if you wish to retire here and this of course is why so many older people come here. And you know there is no stigma if and when an older person craves the company of a younger one whether that is for pleasure or simply company,

I enjoy going for a massage when I’m here and I can have an hour-long relaxing oil massage for $10. I can then go and have some lunch and I will pay around $3 or less and then I will have tea or coffee for about $3 also. Life here can be simple and very cheap. You don’t need to cook anymore, you can just get on with doing what you want to do. The climate in winter is very pleasant although the summer heat can be oppressive and you will need air conditioning. It’s easy to buy a car, driving here is easy but I would not travel outside the city after dark because on the open road in Thailand it can be quite deadly.

So maybe one day I too will come to Thailand to die, I could think of worse places to do it.