loppylugs1

If I had a dog ,a dog that I truly felt for I would contact Soi Dog Trust BKK They know the procedures of getting it shipped out and re-homed with a loving family in US Canada ,UK ,anywhere really. Have to pay for transportation think around $400,but pet will be far happier position than abandoned to its fate in Thailand

Have 3 mutts ,but am thinking of doing this to my younger mutt as will be leaving Thailand in a year or so.,other two come with me

Have you seen the plans of Tower 1 in Jomtien, a 91 level tower is going up there, nobody would pump money in that if it was going backwards.

Oh wait, actually the plans is the only thing that exists.

2 of the ones I have mentioned are almost completed and sold out, the 31 level hotel has started work already, bit of a difference.

The Centric,would that be the Centric Sea,flag wavers outside to drum up business. when I go past at night all I have seen is 3 apartments with lights on. If it sold out or whatever it would be the off planner brigade wanting to flip quickly. The place is a dead duck,who the hell would want to live in a council block,it looks awful

And this recent viewpoint on the Pattaya condo market: http://www.stickmanbangkok.com/StickmanWeeklyColumn2015/Pattaya-real-estate.htm

Made mention of Laguna...surprised at this project continuing as it stood still for so long and a "bargain" at 2.3 million for one asking price. you would have to be completely off your rocker,and I mean dribbling lips to buy into this project, all around desolate buildings lying unfinished abandoned ,and pop around the corner the Holy of Holy Sawan Sawarm (deep breath) the leader far ahead of its time going tits up.. The Laguna project was most certainly off plan material, who would give anything to live there (no? as not asking a Q)

Soi 6 off the Suk highway,at the bottom of the lane a guy takes care and feeds many dogs. Took an ancient mutt and I mean ancient mutt today,paid him 500 to look after for a week or so and then hopefully it will make its home amongst dozens of other dogs there,they have a good life ,but saying that the pups are a bit small yet to look after themselves

The only problem with Spain is taxes , especially if you want to retire there and own a house , on a 500,000 euro house you have to add 14% registration and various other charges , that is around 70,000 Euro. In Thailand you only pay 2% to register a condo in your name.

In Spain you have to pay real estate tax of at least 7,000 euro yearly on a 570,000 euro house , in Thailand there is no yearly tax on condos .

In addition to income tax , and other types of taxes that are not available in Thailand .

So if taxes are not an issue of course living in Barcelona and watching Messi and co play every week is the better option.

How does that saying go" if after 60 never buy anything"....rents are way down pound for pound in most areas in Spain over Thailand's

Have you guys seen the plans for the plot of land next to view talay 6 (next door Central). There is a 31 level hotel going in there, no way a hotel would pump money like that into Pattaya if it was going backwards. Then there's Centric on 2nd road 30 + level towers, soi honey 30 + level towers.....it just goes on and I haven't even counted anything from there to Sukhumvit yet either.

Have you seen the plans of Tower 1 in Jomtien, a 91 level tower is going up there, nobody would pump money in that if it was going backwards.

Oh wait, actually the plans is the only thing that exists.

2 of the ones I have mentioned are almost completed and sold out, the 31 level hotel has started work already, bit of a difference.

The Centric,would that be the Centric Sea,flag wavers outside to drum up business. when I go past at night all I have seen is 3 apartments with lights on. If it sold out or whatever it would be the off planner brigade wanting to flip quickly. The place is a dead duck,who the hell would want to live in a council block,it looks awful

As far as I know the original host (his name was not Anton ) left/sold the business quite a while ago.

The quality of the breakfast has gone down over the years. I gave up visiting.

Never had the evening buffet.

Drove-by about week ago or so and it still looked open at this time.

So a very recent development.

Just read some vague infos on German sources:

It IS definitely closed and moving(?) to Soi 27.

Don't nail me for that.

Well they wont be moving very far then

Anybody searching this thread will be seriously considering a move there (Spain) The days of retired expat languishing in Thailand are rapidly coming to a close with early retirements,slashed pensions coming to a rapid end ,and the coming Chinese hoard ,making it feel more and more uncomfortable.

Am making a couple or three journeys over there in the next 6 months,sound various regions out,think I may have isolated a couple of locations using that other web site expatforum.com

Del Sol too expensive for me,Torreveja bit like glorified Blackpool,but those houses up for rent/buying etc good first base to rent 6 to 12 months while a search is under way. Got three mutts too,one in all in I guess

More of a structured life,clean,your own kith and kin,clubs and social activities,plus no worries about health care

Not surprised if it had,numbers were well down and food choice was getting low,shame really western food as you liked it

The cultural centres that most small towns villages boast,where the locals congregate in the afternoons are excellent,good wine and food (tapas)

Just checked with wifey. She said some places had free tapas, but they were very basic. For a few Euros, we opted for the better selections. But many bars did not have free ones...or at least "good" free ones! Of course, we were in the touristy areas. We were tourists after all! 55555

Madrid was OK, but it's a big city. We were just coming off 21 days of driving around France. Needed a break and just relax. Got a great hotel for a cheap price, so camped out a bit.

Let us know how your trip goes! I love spain and can't wait to get back. But think our next trip will be to explore more of Portugal. Hopefully in 2017 like you!

Looks like a lot of people base their dreams on what they experienced in Spain 8 - 10 years ago.

Wake up boys, the world and Spain especially has changed, and then I will add that free or not free tapas is the least of those changes you should worry about.

Agree ,but so has this place,and for the worse. going over next couple of weeks to look see,but Portugal is in my sights,but looking into it further and yes those tax hikes they are /about to experience are something else(and still the yanks from the Sunshine State want to get there) Plenty of property on the market there too,more added as well

The expat web site expatforum.com is a mine of information of people living there,not on the site at the mo, (got banned by answering a homosexual Pakistani seeking asylum in the UK of a change of ways was his ideal solution, just stay in Pakistan),anyway Ill be back with them soon

Looking at both countries now Spain and Portugal,Spain sure has the edge ,just instant acceptance and taxes do not appear as onerous,and if I can get around the gross tax bill it would be ideal,just have to plug away asking fellow members,and they are all helpful

Reason for leaving Thailand? sick to the back the back teeth with it

Another reason prevails though ..health. All you live forever types that's OK,but the body is a machine,one day something wears out goes kaput,in Thailand a fortune to fix,Spain free if registered. I go over to India every couple of years get cancer scans ,heart check-up etc,small ops whatever,but one day one of those cancer scans is going to come back positive, what then? mad scramble out of Thailand

Now I'm past 65 years old,so a near certainty something will develop more sooner than later,and if based in the EU its free whatever treatment I will eventually need

Building standards are pretty low here in parts of spain but it is a case of buyer beware,like in Thailand.taxes are no problem if you are up front, the brits who get hammered here are the ones who own property here, rent it out for 6 months and then use it for a couple of months in autumn and winter, while driving their UK registered cars and claiming all their allowances from UK , most of them not even registered as residents, their was practically a wrinkly riot here when the brit govt stopped the heating allowance for brit expats,of course we have expats more Spanish than the Spanish just like in Thailand, but who gives a xxxx, just like Thailand we have beautiful weather and very easy living, the free medical care for pensioners is amazing, maximum 8.80 a month for prescriptions,having spent years in Thailand before the average could even spell it ,no bars in pattaya in fact nearly no pattaya, Phuket was a jungle only one road to the town , the jungle came down to the beach in what is now Patong, Thailand is ideal for many people as is spain for others,but some expats are prone to whinge where ever they are!!

Its the Spanish first years tax bill(tax gross on everything) then set aside in year 2 and so on that I'm not happy with. Bit more on Portugal,it does look as if its 10 year tax free too

The irony is that one has to be truly pennyless to reside worry free in Spain and ignore the tax situation.

I don't know how people have properties in Spain or even any assets outside of Spain and pay crazy taxes over there.

Just looked at Spanish tax rates,not a million miles off UK ones ,bit more ,but cost of living more than makes up for it

Plus the tax free allowance of around 6 to 7 thousand Euros

communities of Andalusia and Catalonia apply a higher regional income tax than.docx

I went to Spain once ,it was full of English looking for Bisto.

I'm over here and looking for it too

We Moved to Thailand in april 1990 lived for nearly 2 years in Cha am before we moved to Hua Hin near the Station,my Australian wife and I. both disabled and in our early 50,s enjoyed our time there till in spring 1994 the Scandinavian and german invasion of huahin, not very pretty I can assure you, estates and bars appeared and bargirls appeared in droves,in 96 we sold up and moved to Australia ,a couple of years ago we moved to spain to care for an aging aunt ,we live permanently on the Costa del expat, in a nice village on the edge of the mountains but still only 10 minutes from the beach, living standard with Thailand no comparison ,in spain once you are registered, everything falls into place , medical care is cheap and better quality than England , we brought the dog from Australia no problem, all our personal effects and car no problem, car registered ,tax, VAT and Insurance 850 euros, no jumping through hoops like in Thailand, no visa runs we think it is great, we still visit north east Thailand every 2 years for a couple of months , but return to live in Thailand , no chance!!here in the tourist hotspotsit is pretty noisy but that's all brits not the Spanish,but to compare it with Pattaya or Phuket is ludicrous, no bargirls or ladygirls here the police haul them away tout suite,and definitely no VD Clinics 5 tourist women were arrested in Alcoi the next village for bathing topless, living is good and good value for money but one thing we do in spain that we did in Thailand, never invest more than we c an afford to walk away from with a smile on our face!!

This is what I like,comparison Spain v Thailand. Every week I do get a listing of properties there in Spain,one particular took my eye yesterday villa two bedroom(could be three),two bathroom,really nice,nice estate,pool etc. manicured lawns well built and managed 95000 Euros,so well over a third off with the £,and then another 15% off as a last offer. Compare like for like here in Thailand...well it doesn't because its pure crap,plumbing,electrical work ,tiling pure crap.

Was not the first intended destination Spain,Portugal was and if read I did state in next couple of weeks I am jetting off to do a bit of fact finding there.

Days here are wasted,rip off merchants prevail in every nook and cranny,feel sorry for anybody suckered into buying property here,what a complete waste of money,falling down around your eyes as soon as you move in

...and as for you above well done ,how I envy you,but have a bit of baggage to sort out first then Ill be over there quicker than quick

The thing I appreciate most about Spain is the sense of 'community'. Your local bar quickly becomes the centre of your social life.

And this is different in Thailand because...

because bars in Thailand do not serve delicious "tapas" as they do in Spain but some salted and rancid peanuts (if any at all).

I'm sure the bars in Thailand would serve tapas as well, if you paid for it similar as in Spain, but here everyone want it for free.

They serve something similar...a bowl of chips... `100 bht

Economic issues aside, I'm surprised more people don't consider the Greek Islands. Even Athens for that matter. Cheap, beautiful, decent food etc. and European!

Oh, and NOBODY pays any horrible taxes!

Sod Greece,always considered it as belonging in Africa,and you ever experienced cold and I mean cold,? try those Greek islands starting the 1st of October

Personally I do not care if Portugal is the <deleted> of the rottenness nation on earth I just want out of Thailand.

At times I wonder "am I as stupid as that" or" is this the dumbest thing on the planet" " No hab" after waiting an hour and being told yesterday they "hab" Those bloody bikes with the bolt on carts trundling back and forth at a steady 10mph Christ they are all over the place

Learned a bit of Thai language,but realised the only Thais you would want to possibly relate to speaking Thai were the ones if you were stuck in a jungle wanting to know the way out

Sounds like it might be time for a change (out of curiosity, how long have you lived in Thailand?)

Have you considered South America (Panama, Ecuador etc...), I've never been but from what I've read it seems a retirement paradise...

Seven years No too far

Personally I do not care if Portugal is the &lt;deleted&gt; of the rottenness nation on earth I just want out of Thailand.

At times I wonder "am I as stupid as that" or" is this the dumbest thing on the planet" " No hab" after waiting an hour and being told yesterday they "hab" Those bloody bikes with the bolt on carts trundling back and forth at a steady 10mph Christ they are all over the place

Learned a bit of Thai language,but realised the only Thais you would want to possibly relate to speaking Thai were the ones if you were stuck in a jungle wanting to know the way out

Spain 5th (?)

Portugal 39th (believable)

Thailand 73rd (true 100%)

Stopped looking after 15, how the hell they make it to there?

Please God,take me out of all this,Ive 'ad e'nuff

Got total of 3 mutts,thought I could get rid of one but no,saved all 3 from certain death,so have basic feeling for them,to abandon them now would seal their fate. Without them plain sailing,flog off the car ,bits and pieces (that's the beauty of fully furnished house).

Why Spain is favourable as a first instance,so many casas up for renting,one month down too. Signed 3 year lease here 2 month lease deposit ,... attractive enough and well sought after ,I'm sure the owner who I have never met will not mind a switch in renters as long as his money is paid on time

This is a dream coming true,...the 'plane ride back to BKK next month from the Algarve,hope its not going to be a tearful departing. Friend of mine emigrated there couple of months ago after 9 years here,not heard from him,but know he made right choice

http://www.valuepenguin.com/2015/07/safest-countries-world

Very interesting and looks quite real safety survey by country. One question is on Spain being 5th safest. Is it due to crime non-reporting or it is for real?

Do not see Portugal in the list ,...supposed its all lumped into Iberian Peninsular

Just weighing up the tax implication of both Spain and Portugal,Spain the gross tax bill for year 1, Portugal,that solidarity tax ,and I do not fancy a bank haircut later in the year if the forthcoming elections demand one,so Ill hold fire on a move there until the new year

No one with bank accounts containing less than the official EU guaranteed amount of 100,000EUR per banking licence lost a bean in the Cyprus collapse. The only people who lost money were those who deposited more than 100KEUR per bank, and most of them were Russians involved in tax fraud or other criminals. My heart bleeds for them. The "haircut" was really just a tax on stupidity and the proceeds of crime.

Besides which, just because you live in Portugal does not mean that you have to keep all (or any) of your money there. I live in Thailand but 90% of my wealth is not here.

...if I become resident ,which I will have to (over 183 days) it means everything I have becomes under their scrutiny (and potential taxation)

loppylugs,

Interested you mention a 'bank haircut'. We all know what happened in Cyprus. I would only maintain a small balance in these countries. You can always open a euro account with your UK bank if the exchange rate becomes too favorable. Just don't use your bank to buy euros.

The socialists are likely to win the coming election in Portugal, and Podemos, the Spanish version of Syriza, will have a big say in the outcome of the December election in Spain, so I think it's wise to prepare a worst case scenario for your savings. These countries are broke. It wouldn't surprise me if Spain introduced a 'solidarity tax', following their cousins in Portugal and Greece.

But, at the end of the day, we all have to continue with our lives. Who knows what will happen here, but here's a thought. What would happen if the retirement visa required a minimum balance of 2,000,000 baht when you apply for/renew your visa? Now that would be a 'black swan' moment for many ex-pats.

I feel at times I'm writing to Jesus Christ,...thanks be to heaven

I do need to hide those shares I have though if a move is on to either country,cannot help feeling with all their woes that may become an issue. Impossible when dividends are paid into main bank account to hide ,but might switch the payments to minor account I have, and not declare ail accounts (if possible) or would they eventually find out?

Edit: I should mention that I'm a bit of a Nomad so it's no problem for me to base myself in any country where I can get some form of legitimate residency status.

EU is great for us EU citizens (though our American cousins don't seem to have too many problems moving there) so I think this topic is well timed as more & more people start to question whether Thailand is the right place for them to spend their sunset years.

I honestly believe that if it wasn't for the women (either availability for the single guys or Thai wives for the married ones), even more people would look at (the sunnier) countries in Europe.

For me,and I speak for a fair few too who share my view ,you are so right. Age is an embarrassment,that clock ticks away,and there is nothing to look forward to ,not in Thailand anyway,its cheap,but its nasty . The potential for anything,anything to go wrong and you stand on your own. Friend here,not too badly off,but pension frozen (the idiot) cannot afford a lifesaving operation on his heart,sad

Spain has everything going for it,its the freedom that farang cannot possibly get in Thailand,the cheapness of it for farang food,wine ,beer if that is what is wanted.

I feel like I'm in a straightjacket here,and for too long,women ?sure Ive had 10 lifetimes of sex all in the last 7 years,fed up with it now

Just weighing up the tax implication of both Spain and Portugal,Spain the gross tax bill for year 1, Portugal,that solidarity tax ,and I do not fancy a bank haircut later in the year if the forthcoming elections demand one,so Ill hold fire on a move there until the new year

Cannot thank you enough for your comments