Participant Accounts
Honest words from people who took the time
These are real accounts — varied, occasionally mixed, and written by people at different life stages. We share them as they were given to us.
Back to Home340+
Participants since 2018
4.7/5
Average satisfaction, 2024–25
7 yrs
Running programmes in Chiang Mai
3
Programmes, each its own level
Participant Feedback
What people say about the programmes
Sunee Kaewmalee
Chiang Mai · First Field
"I had been putting off dealing with our household accounts for years. My husband kept saying we should understand what we have and where it goes, but I didn't know where to start. The first session alone answered questions I'd been carrying for a long time. The language was simple and nobody made me feel foolish for not knowing things."
May 2025
Richard Thwaite
Expat · Chiang Mai · Building Terraces
"I've lived in Thailand for eleven years and always felt uncertain about the financial side — what accounts to hold, what to do with savings here versus at home. This course gave me a much clearer picture of how the Thai system works. The sessions moved at a comfortable pace. I would have liked slightly more depth on fund options, but overall it was very worthwhile."
April 2025
Pornpan Wattana
Chiang Mai · Full Harvest
"I joined The Full Harvest Programme after my husband passed away. I had very little understanding of our financial situation and felt completely overwhelmed. Pichaya and Nattaporn were extraordinarily patient and kind. They helped me understand what I had, what I needed to find out, and who to speak to for the decisions that were beyond what the course covers. I cannot thank them enough."
May 2025
Nakarin Rungsri
Lamphun · Building Terraces
"The recorded lessons were something I used heavily — I work irregular hours and being able to go back over the material at midnight if that's when I had time made a real difference. The planning notebook is something I still use every month. Worth every baht."
March 2025
Jean-Luc Beaumont
Expat · Chiang Mai · Full Harvest
"I was a little sceptical before starting — I've done financial seminars before and they always end up being promotional. This was genuinely different. Nothing was for sale. The questions I asked about Thai pension arrangements were answered honestly, including when the answer was 'you need a licensed advisor for that decision, not us.' That kind of honesty is rare."
April 2025
Apinya Prasomsuk
Chiang Mai · First Field
"I went with my sister. We were both completely new to this. The group was small — maybe seven or eight people — and it felt safe to ask even very basic questions. I came away understanding what kind of savings account I actually have and what it does. That sounds small but for me it was a real change."
May 2025
Case Studies
Participant journeys, in more detail
Case Study — Building Terraces
From uncertainty to a written monthly plan
The situation
A retired schoolteacher in her early fifties, recently separated, with savings in three different accounts she had opened over the years and no clear picture of what any of them were earning or whether they were the right place for her money.
What the programme covered
Over six weeks, she worked through how different Thai savings products compare, how to read the documents for each account, and how to build a monthly overview of incomings and outgoings that would actually be useful rather than aspirational.
Where she arrived
She consolidated two accounts and understood clearly what the third was doing. She began using the planning notebook within the first week and described having "a clear picture for the first time in years." She subsequently took a separate consultation with a licensed advisor, a step she felt ready to take because she understood what she was asking.
"I didn't know what I didn't know. That sounds obvious but the programme made the gaps visible in a way that felt manageable, not alarming."
Case Study — Full Harvest Programme
Preparing for a retirement that wasn't as far away as it felt
The situation
A British expat in his mid-fifties, working as a consultant in Chiang Mai, with a decent income but no systematic understanding of what retirement would look like or what provisions were available to him as a long-term foreign resident.
What the programme covered
Ten weeks moving through Thai pension basics, the distinction between what's accessible to Thai nationals and what isn't for foreign residents, healthcare insurance structures, and the documentation he'd need to have in order before reducing his working hours.
Where he arrived
He completed the programme with a list of five specific questions to take to a licensed financial advisor — questions he hadn't known how to form before. He described the programme as "doing the preparation so the expensive advice session is actually useful." He has since attended a follow-up session with another cohort as a returning participant.
"I knew retirement was coming. I just had no framework for thinking about it in a Thai context. The programme gave me that framework."
Contact Us
Get in touch before committing to anything
We're happy to answer questions about the programmes, the format, or whether a particular level sounds right for where you are. No obligation at all.
Phone
+66 53 472 8615Address
29/7 Suthep Rd,
Chiang Mai 50200
Hours
Mon–Fri: 9–17
Sat: 10–14
Credentials
Professional standing
Chiang Mai Adult Learning Network
Member since 2019. A collaborative network of adult education providers committed to shared quality standards across northern Thailand.
PDPA Compliance — Verified 2022
Data handling practices reviewed against Thailand's Personal Data Protection Act requirements. Participant information handled with full respect for privacy provisions.
Expat Life Thailand — May 2024
Named among recommended financial education resources for long-term residents of northern Thailand in the magazine's annual community guide.
Ready to see what a session is like?
Get in touch and we'll answer any questions you have. There's no commitment in reaching out — we're here to help you decide whether this is the right fit.
Get in Touch