Dear Hillary,
I am trying (with little success) to persuade my wife that we should consider selling up our house in England and move to Thailand or at least consider this as an option when we retire (and that’s now 66). We normally come to Thailand twice a year for holidays. My wife is a demon for sunbathing and I have caught the golf bug, so obviously Thailand suits us both. My problem is persuading “she who must be obeyed” that a permanent move to Thailand is an excellent idea. She is of the opinion that she would soon get bored and there is little else for her to do other than laze around by the pool or on the beach. Can you offer any advice on how to persuade her that a move to Thailand would not necessarily be boring? Any advice or ideas on how to persuade my wife to move would be gratefully accepted.
In a previous column you were asked about why there were so many golf tourists in Thailand. You quite rightly pointed out that there were many wonderful courses and they were considerably cheaper than elsewhere in the world. You forgot to mention the wonderful smiling caddies who just carry on smiling no matter how bad you play. It really is a golfing paradise.
Golfing George
Dear Golfing George,
UK or Thailand? It’s a lay down misere, surely! However, let me look at what could be keeping her in the UK. With us women folk, Petal, there are often hidden agendas that you men just do not realize or even consider to be important. There may be more to it than ideas of boredom. What about these for starters? Children? From your letter I presume that retirement isn’t all that far off, so they should all be grown up. Grandchildren? Perhaps. Her own parents? The security of having the house in the UK versus the “uncertainty” of life and ownership of real estate in Thailand? These are all issues that you should explore. As regards boredom, ask any of the members of the various ladies clubs if they are bored. Run off their feet more likely. I suggest that next time you come over on holidays get your wife to contact them and see where that leads. You will find the listings in this newspaper.
