There are quite a few things American expat Nick enjoys about living in Bangkok. Read his interview to learn what they are, as well as some of the things he's learned that expats in Thailand would do well to learn about, too.	Nick

-Where were you born?

San Francisco, USA

-In which country and city are you living now?

I split my time between Bangkok and the San Francisco Bay Area.

-Are you living alone or with your family?

I live with my wife and dog Keiko.

-How long have you been living in Thailand?

About 4 years.

-What is your age?

51

-When did you come up with the idea of living in Thailand?

I probably started thinking about living in Thailand at some point soon after my first or second trip here 11 years ago.

-Was it hard to get a visa or a work permit?

Not at all.  I first got by on Tourist Visas and got a non resident visa when the rules on tourist visas started to tighten.  When I turned 50 (about they time they started to tighten even more) I got a retirement visa.

-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?

I'm still in the process of getting a decent policy that covers me in both countries.

-How do you make your living in Thailand? Do you have any type of income generated?

I have a marketing firm.

-Do you speak Thai and do you think it's important to speak the local language? Please add your thoughts on local customs and whether it's important for expats to respect/observe local customs.

I have been remiss in learning the Thai language, but I'm stating to learn, finally.  I could write volumes on the local customs here, but yes, it's important to respect the Thai people and their customs.  Especially when it comes to respecting the monarchy.

-Do you miss home and family sometimes?

I miss my friends and sometimes my home.  I miss being able to speak English to everyone around me (of course in California it helps to know some Spanish).  I miss going to top notch Jazz concerts, since there isn't much of that here.  I miss the culture of San Francisco.  I would miss baseball, but I make it a point to be in the U.S. during the season.  I miss pretty much the entire NFL season here.

-Do you have other plans for the future?

I like my life the way it is now, being here half the year and in the U.S. half the year.  But the way things are going in the U.S. with the economy and facing a home that's not worth what I owe on it, I could find myself here all year pretty soon or at least most of the year.

-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?

I purchased a condo 3 years ago for about 210K U.S. dollars.  With the movement in the exchange rate I've made money on that investment.  We are in the process of trying to buy a house, but we need to sell our condo first, easier said than done.  The house we're trying to buy is 4500 square feet (400 square meters) and it's about 270,000 U.S.!

-What is the cost of living in Thailand?

Much lower then the U.S., that's for sure.  If I wasn't paying for my house in the U.S. I'd be in great shape right now!

-What do you think about theThais? 

Thai people are wonderful!  They love foreigners and I love them.

-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Thailand?

I don't have time to go into that.  Read my blog, http://mytitblog.com, and you can see my thoughts on that.  Let's just say there are many of both.

-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Thailand?

You'll love it!  But you better like the heat.

-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about Thailand?

My favorite is http://mytitblog.com (lol).  That's my blog.