Thailand or Vietnam: Retirement choices

It is worth noting, that (I think) the financial requirements came about in large part because too many people were lying on the income affidavits.

Edited August 24Aug 24 by Yellowtail

1 hour ago, KhunHeineken said:

Interesting.

So, they may have pegged it to the USD. I had not considered that.

I had to Google the date but up until July 1997 THB was fixed to USD so whichever way USD moved the THB FX rate stayed constant...

The Thai Baht was decoupled from the US dollar on July 2, 1997. The Bank of Thailand abandoned the fixed peg system and allowed the currency to float, which triggered the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis. [1, 2]

Background and Events

• The Peg: Thailand had maintained a fixed exchange rate, or near-peg, to the US dollar since the mid-1950s.

• The Pressure: Heavy speculative attacks and draining foreign reserves forced the change.

• The Result: The Baht lost significant value rapidly, setting off an economic chain reaction across Southeast Asia. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

17 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

With the bank method, if that's what the Thai government thinks people will use for emergencies, if they do, that makers their status instantly illegal.

Whether bank method or not people should have a separate liquid emergency fund. How much? It would be a can of worms to be specific.

Medical insurance helps to manage risk.

8 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

Medical insurance helps to manage risk.

In theory.

In reality it very often doesn't.

Too expensive or hard to get in old age / with conditions.

If you can get it and afford it, there are often exclusions for what you need it for the most.

Depending on plan, often need to shell out the money first and then make a claim whuch may or may not be paid.

If you're using your 800K baht to shell out, you're then in violation of your visa status.

Edited August 24Aug 24 by Jingthing

56 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

Medical insurance helps to manage risk.

But it costs more, and is much more difficult to verify than B800K in the bank.

2 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

But it costs more, and is much more difficult to verify than B800K in the bank.

I'm buying a product, not donating money to a Thai bank. Big difference.

9 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

I'm buying a product, not donating money to a Thai bank. Big difference.

Is it not possible to have a discussion without telling the same lies over and over?

Decent medical insurance would likely cost me at least $1,000 a month, if I could get it, or about B800K in two years.

Do you think the insurance company will give my $24K back after two years? The bank will.

4 hours ago, Yellowtail said:

Do you think the insurance company will give my $24K back after two years? The bank will.

BINGO, we have a winner ...

Unless you're in a state of constant bad health, healthcare insurance is a waste of money. Like renting vs owning your home. You have nothing in hand after all those decades of payments.

Insurance is like gambling, you're paying someone, hoping something bad will happen, and they got you thinking scared, that it will happen. That's way too funny.

To obvious to an intelligent person, you're losing the bet. Just like the casino, the odds are stacked way in favor of the insurance company, or neither would exist. Both are billion $$$ profit making businesses every year.

Edited August 24Aug 24 by KhunLA

2 hours ago, KhunLA said:

BINGO, we have a winner ...

Unless you're in a state of constant bad health, healthcare insurance is a waste of money. Like renting vs owning your home. You have nothing in hand after all those decades of payments.

Insurance is like gambling, you're paying someone, hoping something bad will happen, and they got you thinking scared, that it will happen. That's way too funny.

To obvious to an intelligent person, you're losing the bet. Just like the casino, the odds are stacked way in favor of the insurance company, or neither would exist. Both are billion $$$ profit making businesses every year.

Having worked at Lloyds of London it was interesting talking to some guys there, they said insurance is about scaring people and with fear they buy insurance

9 hours ago, Yellowtail said:

It is worth noting, that (I think) the financial requirements came about in large part because too many people were lying on the income affidavits.

It also came about because Thai IMM came to the (shocking) realization that the US and other embassies were in no way authenticating that the expat IN FACT had the necessary 65K deposit per month. And the embassies responded when IMM suggested they should so authenticate: Forget about it.

But as long as I'm here, Thai law in general provides that there cannot be only one way (i.e. 800k bank deposit) to meet a requirement so that the ministerial regulation provided a secondary way to meet the requirement i.e. the 65 K per month deposit. That is, a secondary option to meet the requirement other than paying a bribe to IMM through a conduit.

Edited August 24Aug 24 by JerryM

10 hours ago, Yellowtail said:

You meet people in gyms, and they start talking about their wives' in-laws? What, like in the shower?

I never said that, but yes, I am lucky. "I'd rather be lucky than good", as they say.

Did you ever need and ask for financial help from your relatives?

Quit feeling sorry for yourself, you are very lucky.

Been going to the same Gym for years. After a while you get to know people and have serious conversations. No conversations in the showers because showers are for one person only. Have you ever been to a gym?

Never asked money or much of anything from parents or a relative. The only relative that helped me was "Uncle Sam" You know who that is right? That is if you ever served. Lastly I do not feel sorry for myself. I have built a good life for myself and enjoy retirement with a solid finances. Most importantly I am not beholden to anyone.

On 8/18/2026 at 3:59 AM, scubascuba3 said:

Vietnam is only an option if still single, benefit of being single, you can go anywhere

I agree. I'm already vested here, and not wanting to move.

10 hours ago, Yellowtail said:

11 hours ago, Yellowtail said:

It is worth noting, that (I think) the financial requirements came about in large part because too many people were lying on the income affidav

Pretty sure the 800k hs been around even longer than the Embassy letter. The proof of income/ funds used to be even easier, my neighbours simply got a letter from a financial institution and did not involve any Embassy. The Oz affidavit was often dishonest. They just issued it!

What came later was longer time periods the deposit had to be held in the Thai bank. A bit of a contradiction as the money was supposed to be useable, It also boosted Thailand financially as retirees had to bring in a chink of foreign currency which Thailand needed at the time.

Edited August 24Aug 24 by jacko45k

11 hours ago, Yellowtail said:

Is it not possible to have a discussion without telling the same lies over and over?

Decent medical insurance would likely cost me at least $1,000 a month, if I could get it, or about B800K in two years.

Do you think the insurance company will give my $24K back after two years? The bank will.

As I have posted before, I retired younger than most.

I am simply not as old as you, thus insurance is still available to me, and whilst it's a little expensive, it's still affordable. I'm in good health, with no pre existing conditions. Get it?

If / when the day comes where insurance no longer represents value for money, due to my age, I will self insure. With Wise, money can be here in seconds. No need to donate it to a Thai bank. Yeah, I know, rocket science for you.

4 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

No need to donate it to a Thai bank. Yeah, I know, rocket science for you.

Isn't Wise set to become a Thai bank soon?

2 hours ago, jacko45k said:

It also boosted Thailand financially as retirees had to bring in a chink of foreign currency which Thailand needed at the time.

This is why I have raised the topic lately.

The Thai economy is not going so well. It's been decades the 800k / 65k have remained at these amounts. There is a higher cost of living in 2026. Other peripheral things that are more debatable, such as the PM is racist. There's the big crackdown of foreign ownership of property. The use of agents circumvent the immigration laws, similar to using Thai company nominees.

The Thai government can inject capital into Thai banks, at any time, by simply raising the 800k / 65k.

I would not be surprised it's it's still 800k / 65k five years from now, but I also would not be surprised to wake up next week and see they have raised the amounts.

It's not if, just when, and by what amounts. It's the amount of the increase that may be part of a broader policy to tip out those foreigners living here on meager means. If so, the increase will also come with a ban on agents.

As an aside, the visa laws here have got out of control, similar to Thai company nominees for owning land. Basically, there's a visa class that ensures that anyone who wants to live in Thailand can.

20 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Isn't Wise set to become a Thai bank soon?

https://wise.com/help/articles/3hVTV4OmZimsLpW0Z8LB6l/upcoming-changes-to-your-wise-account-in-thailand

7 hours ago, KhunLA said:

BINGO, we have a winner ...

Unless you're in a state of constant bad health, healthcare insurance is a waste of money. Like renting vs owning your home. You have nothing in hand after all those decades of payments.

Insurance is like gambling, you're paying someone, hoping something bad will happen, and they got you thinking scared, that it will happen. That's way too funny.

To obvious to an intelligent person, you're losing the bet. Just like the casino, the odds are stacked way in favor of the insurance company, or neither would exist. Both are billion $$$ profit making businesses every year.

Meanwhile, there's an Australian guy in ICU in a hospital in Bangkok who is racking up $50,000 per week.

13 hours ago, SamSpade said:

I had to Google the date but up until July 1997 THB was fixed to USD so whichever way USD moved the THB FX rate stayed constant...

The Thai Baht was decoupled from the US dollar on July 2, 1997. The Bank of Thailand abandoned the fixed peg system and allowed the currency to float, which triggered the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis. [1, 2]

Background and Events

• The Peg: Thailand had maintained a fixed exchange rate, or near-peg, to the US dollar since the mid-1950s.

• The Pressure: Heavy speculative attacks and draining foreign reserves forced the change.

• The Result: The Baht lost significant value rapidly, setting off an economic chain reaction across Southeast Asia. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

I remember it well. Almost 80 baht to the pound sterling. I even rushed out and bought a Harley-Davidson that I didn't know how to ride.

2 hours ago, NedR69 said:

I agree. I'm already vested here, and not wanting to move.

What you want, and what the Thai government may want in the future, are two different things. Unless you have PR or Thai citizenship, you are just on a 1 year tourist visa.

27 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Isn't Wise set to become a Thai bank soon?

Wise is not becoming a bank, but it has received five regulatory licenses from the Bank of Thailand to operate locally as a fully licensed non-bank financial service provider.

On 8/19/2026 at 2:05 AM, scubascuba3 said:

Just stay for less than 6 months, same Thailand or wherever

Not true. Even if you live in VN for less than 6 months and cannot prove tax residency elsewhere, you will be considered tax resident

6 minutes ago, K2938 said:

Not true. Even if you live in VN for less than 6 months and cannot prove tax residency elsewhere, you will be considered tax resident

I'm tax resident in UK, but unlikely they will chase down guys on tourist visas staying for a few months

50 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

Meanwhile, there's an Australian guy in ICU in a hospital in Bangkok who is racking up $50,000 per week

What happened to him?

14 hours ago, KhunHeineken said:

Medical insurance helps to manage risk.

Only if you're too proud or stupid to use government hospitals.

54 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

Meanwhile, there's an Australian guy in ICU in a hospital in Bangkok who is racking up $50,000 per week.

His own fault for using a private hospital.

4 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

His own fault for using a private hospital.

If you're unconscious, I doubt you get to chose. 🙂

3 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

His own fault for using a private hospital.

And riding a MB, uninsured, inexperienced & helmet ?

News blip doesn't offer much info, and KH omitted the fact he 'supposedly' had multiple brain surgeries. And 500k for flight home ... on a private jet w/med staff ... WTF.

Edited August 25Aug 25 by KhunLA

2 hours ago, KhunHeineken said:

What you want, and what the Thai government may want in the future, are two different things. Unless you have PR or Thai citizenship, you are just on a 1 year tourist visa.

Yes, and it could be even worse than only having a 1 yr permission to stay. I think I read in news today Thailand could go further, such as limiting specific countries and some even based on countries economy.

1 hour ago, KhunLA said:

And riding a MB, uninsured, inexperienced & helmet ?

Must have been riding around in his hotel room.

https://www.dailymail.com/tvshowbiz/article-16068643/casey-james-thailand-accident-father-coma-warren-ginsberg.html

"He was found alone in his hotel room, unconscious, after suffering a serious fall following a sudden brain bleed."

1 hour ago, KhunLA said:

KH omitted the fact he 'supposedly' had multiple brain surgeries. And 500k for flight home ... on a private jet w/med staff ... WTF.

It's called a medical evacuation back to one's home country for public hospital system treatment, and to be surrounded by friends and family.

Medevacs are not cheap.

From AI.

"A medical evacuation (medevac) flight typically costs anywhere from $5,000 to over $300,000 depending on the distance, aircraft type, and medical care required.

Cost Breakdown by Transport Type

• Helicopter missions: Range from $10,000 to $40,000+ per trip, often used for regional or rugged rescues.

• Domestic fixed-wing flights: Range from $5,000 to $25,000+ depending on the distance and required staff.

• International or long-haul flights: Often exceed $100,000 and can reach up to $300,000+ (such as an evacuation from Bali to Australia costing $40,000–$90,000, or Europe to Australia exceeding $150,000).

Main Cost Factors

• Distance and route: Longer flights require more fuel, specialized crew rotations, and cross-border landing permits.

• Medical staffing: On-board specialized doctors, flight nurses, or critical care paramedics increase the price.

• Equipment level: Life-support systems, specialized monitors, and ventilators add to the operational cost.

• Logistics: Bed-to-bed coordination, including ground ambulance transfers at both ends, affect the total bill."

Edited August 25Aug 25 by KhunHeineken