As a long term Hong Kong expat I can honestly say moving to Asia was the best decision of my life. Moved from UK aged 27 and been here for over a decade. Spent 4 months in uk back in 2019 and learned I had missed precisely nothing......Thailand, Malaysia and Bali are future options but one thing is for sure: I am never gonna finish my life in the West. The West is finished, at least for another one/two generations.

"Maybe you're so scared because you're in an environment of fear" Ouch! This really hit home for me

I LOVE the jungle sounds and ALSO that beautiful bird(s) that sings in the background at your house, too. Makes me feel like I’m someplace different and beautiful and exciting.

Most of us are listening to *YOU*. I only noticed the birds when you brought them up! Continued success.

I never regretted anything about my year in Chiang Mai. Too busy enjoying life. I was a bit different from others. I was on a retirement visa but way too young for real retirement. So I took it as a kind of "gap year", a chance to try out living in a foreign country 'as if' I were retired. Highly recommend doing that, btw. There is no cut and dry way to do anything...and never too late to make a change.

I've been saying this for years and love to hear it coming from you. People talk about reading books so much as if to make themselves look good just for asking what your favorite book is, assuming that everyone reads. I confidently say I don't have a favorite book. I don't read books. I search online for things that help me achieve my goal and that's it.

3:44 Brett's First Thing that he regrets (quite long preamble ;-) ) 5:42 Second thing that he would do differently... 7:12 The Third thing that Brett regrets.. (at 8:30 actually... or even at 9:30 frankly.. ) 10:20 The Fourth point will be.. (what to read 13:40..) 14:50 and Finally .. :-) thanks Brett it was instructive

Not to worry Bett, the birds are just noticible, not bad at all. Very good video, Brett. I need to read books about digital photography and how to upload those photos.

Just started following you. Thank you for the insight & the hard reality that is moving to Thailand. I’m still a few years away if I choose this option but would like to thank you in person (if I make the move). Please keep up the great quality videos. You are helping to change lives. Very appreciated. KJ from Canada

I love the nature sounds in your videos!

Amazing thoughts ! well articulated. You are absolutely correct that human mind tends to project the current environment resulting big error. You said it so well - "Maybe you're so scared because you're in an environment of fear" . So one has to get out and make a change in environment and experience life first hand for at least 2/ 3 months. Thanks.

The only person you can rely on, is yourself.There are a lot of dreamers in Thailand. In hindsight for most people, their biggest regret is that they did not save enough.

I think many of us can relate to this, I spent at least my first year chasing that 4 hour work week, whilst neglecting what was really making the money. I would always advise though that you start to build a business before you come here, it really is much easier to take the jump and make it work when you already have some income coming in, otherwise the pressure is real when your savings start to plummet

Amazing advice Brett! Love your honesty bro. 100% correct have to be focus on your goals in work and life.

Birds are great. Adds to the ambiance. Keep up the good content.

Though I am Thai, your sincere suggestion is wonderful and Brett you are a really honest person. When I have time, I will add some rules on how to live in Thailand happily. Sincerely, If you are a good person, Thailand is a country to live in easily and peacefully.

Very good points. To reinforce your points.. Long Term Visa (1000_1300_USD/Yr), Motorcycle License (20_USD), Motorbike(1500_USD).. You are all set after that.. Don't commit to a long term lease. Thailand is very diverse. Travel all the places before settling on a town. Bank accounts are easy too.. Just get one. You don't have to carry cash every where. Saves you lots of time and post traumatic stress after misplacing your cash at least a few times. Its easy to move from town to town on a motorbike. With in 4 hr drive you will probably find a nice town to live. I recommend motorbiking across thailand. Ultimately yes CM in the winters and Ao Nang in the summers is my choice of locations. I don't like to live any where near touristy areas. Any where 10 min drive out of those areas are pretty good decent places. I love Thailand. Most importantly don't own stuff. Just live with as less as you can. This will help you keep mobile. Big back pack can be carried on any 125 cc for a whole day with no problems.

Great video. Great advice. Pretty deep at times. Thanks!

I turn 57 this year - I hear you - and I am on my way...ouch.

Great video Brett, like the new scenery

I recently came across your Vlogs and I am trying to work out how I can move to Chiang Mai from the UK and I just want to say that I find your content very helpful. Who knows, maybe if I can sort myself out, , I might even see you there.. 🙂

Starts at 3.44 .

love your real talk mate!! no bull...t quality

I love your videos. Thank you very much for all your help. Much love from the U.S.

Real talk. Great advice dude! And the bird sounds are just a bonus - not a problem at all!

Awesome video, thanks for making this!

What I’m questioning most though is the visa situation. I’m not afraid of moving or living on 1 grand a month. I don’t know how I’ll get a visa to stay though. Visa runs every 90 days is not attractive to me. Maybe I’ll try the educational visa.

On point stuff

he is right ! I spent may hot hours going around town thinking i would get sound advice a bit of guidance but no, i drank a lot of coffee and it distracted me from just getting on with it

I’m 57.... that hurt man that hurt

Glad i opened my bank account years ago on a tourist visa. So now when i move i already have phone, number, online banking and a few language classes. Thai say that I’m totally over prepared lol

Great video!

I can’t remember laughing so much with one of your videos. Entertaining and informative. Thanks for the strategy for making the transition to Digital Nomad that much smoother and more productive. For $600 bucks a month I can live out of my car in the States or live in relative comfort in Thailand...so appealing.

I love skiing, bad Thailand don't have snow sports, mountains without a snow and ski resorts are not mountains, just hills, Thai culture is amazing, but unfortunately not 4 different seasons, I love living in Colorado with my Thai wife, she loves snow and skiing, hiking without sweat!!!

Thank you bro , just what I needed to hear. Bless ya bro !

Nice with beautiful your word around living in Thailand.👍

Great point about being clear about who you will associate with...

Some Real Talk. My goal is different but I feel your pain. I'm planning on retiring there ~10yrs away. Planning now and love your info.

I have been considering moving. I am very curious to hear how your life was assimilating to a new culture. Obviously as someone who spent the majority of life in one country with friends and family there, how does it become easy to leave everything behind?

I'm coming to Thailand for 60 days can I just cross the border to get another 60 days or am I wrong Thanks in advance

Great place to shoot your video!

AH Brett, a new dish - Chainsaw Bird Pie ! Look forward to trying that one Brett - LOL

Brilliant video!

nice one Brett great advice once again i agree with it all,Iv'e already made plans to do what you have said like the bank account buying a scooter ect makes perfect sense to me i'm also going to pay my rent six months in advance hopefully get a good deal and not have that worry of not having a place to live...

A perfectly optimized life is a dull life. Don't forget to enjoy yourself.

Great Video Brett!

Which Thai bank do you recommend for an expat / digital nomad and why? Also, which has the best online banking? Thanks!

Yes Brett - please bring us around to many different places in Chiang Mai but also in Thailand. Seeing you on your lovely balcony is nice - but now is the moment to start the adventure away from your balcony :>))

TOTALLY AGREED! Only YOU alone can make you successful. Thank you, Brett.

The main thing in living Expenses such as food, accommodation Places of beauty, variety, nature, parks International way of life People, local, culture and safety Is the journey comfortable? And international airport Hospital infirmary sanatorium sanitarium Electric water supply The internet is fast, is cheap or free in some places. Cleanliness fairness neatness pureness purity cleanness Delicious, varied and economical food and drinks So I think Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Korat, Khon Kaen, Kanchanaburi, Krabi, Trang, Bangkok, Nonthaburi and Chonburi would be good choices.

Great advice right there!

I love natural and view forest 😍

Hi Bret Like your channel, just wondering maybe it would make a lot more sense for someone wishing to move out there to first develop their online income or business first at home before coming out, remove the risk. Older people with assets can get a stable investment income to support also, couple of years planning then make the move. I like your outlook for a young guy, took me a lot longer to spot the deep flaws in our western world, crooked local govt taxes and general lowered living standards prevalent in nz Australia Canada us etc and getting worse, well done for taking direct action at a young age.

Hi Dev, great videos! Subscribed! What kinda bank account would you suggest for a 3 month trip please

Great points bro. Volume and clarity was fine. Most people may hold off on the bank account and buying shit until they decide Thailand is home. I’m a kiwi with a Thai woman I met in NZ. Never going back to western woman lol. Keep them coming bro.

Regret #6 - Not bringing a hat :P Nice points to think about Brett. Valuable info that I hope many will take to heart

Thanks Brett, love your videos. I think I would have named this video as "5 things I would have done differently when first moving to Thailand". I almost didn't watch it as the title implies you have regrets around moving to Thailand, which clearly isn't the case.

Which bank is safer and easier to open a bank account with?

I agree think of your specialty and skill sets you are trying to market and what products or services you can sell and then focus on that. You will drive yourself crazy with information overload if you spread yourself too thin. I say develop a structured project plan with goals and time frames around what you want to achieve. Like me I am a counsellor, so I am just find tuning my skills as a online telephone and video mental health clinician. There is so much white noise out there that get derail your focus. In regards to fear of it not working I say "A life lived in fear is a life half lived". Take a chance and live your life. I am 47 but I am already making the plans and structure within my own project plan to try and get there by end of 2021 once I sort out the rest of the shit I have to in Australia. Have a goal and work towards it

Thanks Brett, good averse.

Hello Brett. Lovely video location very peaceful to watch and hear you speak. Sound was really good quality. I have a question please. Is ware you live in the cheap quiet part of town under going a big construction boom and going to be totally different from now on compared to how it was when you first moved ther. Thank you Patrick from the north west of England.

Brett what visa do you use and what about taxes?

Great content, once the situation is over, I want to meet up with you

laser focus is great advice

Man how can i contact you ? I have some question to ask u? Its many years i try to move in thailand

Enjoyed the video Brett. Especially the part about living in fear in western countries.

Hello Brett we hope all is well ? we are wanting to Move to Thailand as soon as we get the funds together, it is great to have input from you. stay safe Love and Light Sarah and Glenn

Good

You re still very young trust me!!!

What about snakes, spiders and bugs? How do you deal?

Hi...can you do a blog about second hand bookshops in Chaing mai. In particular Little Lion Children's bookshop. I live in Ubon Ratchathani. if I am in Bkk I go to shop called Dave's...near a BTS station and in Pattaya Canterbury Tales. They great places.

bro how do you plan to reset your visa when you need to quarentine ect when arriving in thailand?

Should i move with an online job? What if i lose my job, ill have to start a business or go get another online job and come back. I got about 100k usd saved what should i do im 30

Is this near the Chiangmai zoo. I used to live in Chiangmai back in 2004 and 2005. I spend alot of time in the mountains on top of Doi Suthep templel hill . Its a great place to be and there is a camping place too.

Chiang Mai is too far from everywhere. You should have done a month in Kanchanaburi. No beach but has rivers and lakes and waterfalls as well as mountains. You can even visit a fake beach on the side of a lake. Bangkok only two hours and 100Bht away or you could take a boat down the River Kwai to Hua Hin and the Gulf of Thailand. Agree with you about all the self-help books. Vast majority of those authors are just grifters (they who can, do. They who can’t do, teach). Such books are worth as much as a set of weights, which do nothing but sit in the corner of your bedroom. No good buying tools you’re never gonna actually use. Learn to do something rather than how somebody else did something.

Hi Brett, now that you've lived there for a few years, do you ever yearn to be living in a house you own? Something you can fix up the way you want ?

What about not learning to speak, read and write Thai?

Not birds, but cicade (insects).

Hi Brett, real quick: Has the burning season in Northern Thailand come to end ? Current air pollution levels look healthy. Cheers from Surat Thani😊

I dont hear any waste of time here. Sometimes you need to see people that inspires you to not be like them.

All you need to survive...is to not get eaten by a snake. HAHAHA! Welcome to my shoes! Was paranoid in Bangkok reading all the Thaiger stories of giant pythons in trees, cobras coming up through the toilet, and pit vipers in the parking garages of shopping malls. Now, in Lopburi, I'm paranoid about the damn house gecko trying to get into my apartment as I'm yelling at it, "There's no damn bugs in here to eat! Get lost!" Man, the only reptiles I like are turtles. The majority of them are slow moving, they don't have creepy scales/colors that make your skin crawl, and they're relatively friendly (besides the snapping turtles). Everyone I talk to tells me I should be more concerned about the damn monkeys and soi dogs. The monkeys are in a small part of town, and the dogs are all bark. I've heard the traffic in Thailand is dangerous, but, so far, I think it all depends on how you approach the subject of traffic. You have to be patient and cautious. As long as you're patient and cautious, I don't think you'll have problems in Thailand regarding traffic.

Brett, you really need to buy a hat :D

Were you aware you are complaining throughout this come to Thailand it’s great video. About the noise , your apartment , head getting burned etc... found that funny.

We see you when you made your next video or your next regret ? 🤣 (I like your "no nonsense" approach, totally my mindset too)

Man its why i love your channel. Too many jokers in Chiang Mai "pretending" to live the digital nomad dream, exhausting their funds until they have no money. Key piece of advice from me personally. Go to Chiang Mai AFTER you've started a successful online business, don't actually go there to build a business, it makes no sense whatsoever.

Also invest in crypto or stock trading :)

I'd you're going to move every few months, you really need to pack very little and accumulate nothing...does everything you own fit in a backpack? Or did you hire a van for each move? I'd like to move around more too but it can be disruptive to resettle...

"All you need here to survive is..." *McDonald's ad shows up* 🤦🏻‍♂️😂 Thanks youtube

Point 3 was almost verbatim my experience.

Can Americans get Thai bank accounts these days? A lot of tax evasion regulations in the last 10 years have made it a lot harder for US expats.

Regret no.6: No sunscreen!

The only thing I would add is that you should really get your motorcycle license in your own country before travelling to Thailand. Then bring your license and international drivers permit and get a Thai driving license (convert your home country license rather than take tests etc in Thailand). Do not ride a big motorcycle without the correct license because one accident without it can cost you so much money that you will have to return home.

Here you go, Brett: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/ipOWgMV_lq6Yd2Q.html . I promise it's relevant.

Get a hat, mate.

I am 57 😅

Please no more jungle. You’re too distracted

Is video sponsored by Coca-Cola? 😅

No can't hear any birds just you.

I am like #180

Size of that snake on that rock !