A US-based finance professional who moved to Thailand to retire early says he quickly realised the decision wasn’t as fulfilling as he had imagined. “I had a lot of anxiety that I wasn’t working. I thought
I would really enjoy being just a stay-at-home dad, studying Thai, and I really didn’t,” Jona Dunning, 40, told Business Insider.
Dunning had spent years working in finance in Seattle, saving aggressively to achieve financial independence. While the job paid well, he said it was never the source of his happiness. “I realised that the paycheques aren’t making me happier, but they are a vehicle that can help me to really accelerate things for my family and for me,” he said.
In 2018, after receiving a promotion, work pressure increased. His wife, Mary, noticed the impact, and the couple began discussing a move abroad. With their children still young, they relocated to Chiang Mai, Thailand, in 2019.
Dunning, who is half Thai and had visited the country often growing up, said the move initially brought the change they were looking for. Life was slower, and there was more time for family. He spent his days learning Thai and being at home, while Mary took up a teaching job at an international school.
At first, things felt like they were working out. Life was slower, there was more time outdoors, and the environment felt more relaxed, especially for their kids. “Here in Thailand, you bring your kids to a restaurant, and everybody gushes over them, and they don’t mind if they run around,” he said.
But within months, the lack of work began to affect him. He said stepping away from his career made him realise how closely his sense of purpose was tied to his job.
About 11 months after moving, he co-founded a burrito shop with friends in an attempt to regain some structure. He later stepped away from the business after securing a remote role with a Hong Kong-based consumer electronics company. “When I got that job, I’d say that’s when we really locked in,” he said.
The family has since settled into a long-term life in Chiang Mai. He added that despite the challenges with early retirement, the move has allowed them to build a lifestyle that balances financial stability with more time for family and community.
