Thailand Ranks Second in 2026 Retirement Abroad Index

Thailand is indeed a good country to retire, however the integration is almost impossible as nothing can be done in Thailand without a workpermit, the air quality and safety on the roads is terrible, the double standards even in healthcare should not be done, although many health insurances are paying the price.

The costs of living are affordable indeed, but still for imported products very high, as example a bottle of cheap wine which costs here in Thailand more than 17 euro and other imported things often 2 or 3 times more expensive than in the home country.

Visa is also a issue. the 90 days report, as you are a criminal and the yearly extension of the visa, with all the documents is a burden. Thailand should scan the documents so that not every time the same have to be given. and the 90 days reports. should be cancelled surely if people after a few years did their duty. Trust in foreigners is better than treat them as criminals and unreliable. That are only a few

Based on how they rate countries. I can't take their rankings seriously.

What's missing that's very important?

Residence security. Thailand offers none. It should be way down on the list based on that.

Taxation. There are worse countries but Thailand should lose points for that.

The health insurance point is hilarious. Most retired expats in Thailand avoid the OA and start with an O instead specifically to avoid the pain in the arse health insurance immigration complication of the OA. Of course, having health insurance is desirable but it makes things harder to tie that directly to each annual retirement extension

I think countries that offer (or require) expats to join in decent national health care systems (as getting insurance for older people can often be very problematic) should be very positive for ratings. For example, Costa Rica which I'm not a big fan of otherwise does do that. Other than that Costa Rica is now expensive with a growing crime problem.

More subjective are financial requirements. Lower financial requirements should add points, such as Panama which almost all pensioners can qualify for vs. Malaysia where only a minority can. Who cares what the ranking is if you can't qualify?

Portugal should be downgraded because their immigration is overloaded and things can take a year to get done.

No argument here, and has worked out better than planned, or should say, unplanned, as having no real plan when I got here. Only place I didn't research. Only thought about 3 on the list above, and none out of the Americas, and not CO.

Why TH for me was high risk choice, since only 1 short diving trip visit prior. Total ignorant noob when arrived, hence the very quick 1st marriage & almost as quick divorce

Aside from that speed bump, really can't think or know of a better place to retire, on the small budget that's needed. If single, or even married, then the 800k a year makes it comfy, and I really wouldn't try to do it on less.

400k if married, doesn't allow for a lot of perks, though comfy existence, without kids.

1 hour ago, KhunLA said:

If single, or even married, then the 800k a year makes it comfy, and I really wouldn't try to do it on less.

And if you don't like the 800k baht in the bank extension requirement, there's always the 15-25k baht 'alternative' option.

2 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

Thailand is indeed a good country to retire, however the integration is almost impossible as nothing can be done in Thailand without a workpermit,

Why does a retiree need a work permit?

23 minutes ago, JerryM said:

And if you don't like the 800k baht in the bank extension requirement, there's always the 15-25k baht 'alternative' option.

Nobody really has to leave 800k in the bank, and seriously, if you don't have 800k cash readily available, you probably shouldn't be retired overseas, without really good health insurance.

Why I'm opposed to the, illegal, 15-25k alternate options, as simply a 'go fund me' waiting to happen, or another hospital getting stiffed with a bill, and makes the rest of us, responsible people, look as bad as those idiots.

Never question why they keep enforcing the fine print, more & more every year.

7 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Nobody really has to leave 800k in the bank, and seriously, if you don't have 800k cash readily available, you probably shouldn't be retired overseas, without really good health insurance.

Why I'm opposed to the, illegal, 15-25k alternate options, as simply a 'go fund me' waiting to happen, or another hospital getting stiffed with a bill, and makes the rest of us, responsible people, look as bad as those idiots.

Never question why they keep enforcing the fine print, more & more every year.

The Thai legal system is largely built on a system of complaints. The idea is that an injured party will make a complaint against the transgressor. However when both the giver and the recipient of a bribe are complacent, nothing happens.

I completely agree with what ‘Jingthing’ says, but as a European I wouldn’t want to live in an EU country under any circumstances; the taxes, rules and laws are getting worse by the day.

Although my motto is ‘there’s no such thing as paradise on earth’, I’m very happy after living here in LOS for almost 30 years.

Thailand offers everything for retirees and at a fraction of the cost in most other countries. Visas are one of the easiest and as for citizenship, one of the simplist to obtain, marry a Thai and work after as little as 3 years you can become eligible

Easy fix for Thailand increased appeal … 90 Day Report ends. Instead only required report of residence address change and when entering the country. More involved but also an increase in Retirement appeal would be instituting a viable cost to join the national healthcare program. Thai healthcare earning the annual premium while cutting out the insurance company overhead and profits.

10 minutes ago, wwest5829 said:

Easy fix for Thailand increased appeal … 90 Day Report ends.

From the Thai Immigration Act (1979)

Section 37. An alien who is permitted to stay in the Kingdom temporarily

shall do the following —

(5) Staying in the Kingdom longer than ninety days, an alien shall notify the

competent official at the Immigration Division, of his or her residence ...

So what you are suggesting is an amendment the the Immigration Act. Not easy. And once you start the process to amend the Act to things you like, it can also be amended to things you don't like.

4 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

The country also received the maximum score of 20 out of 20 for health insurance requirements. According to the report, Thailand’s Non-Immigrant O-A Visa, one of the available options, requires applicants to hold health insurance cover, as a

condition of the retirement visa.

The Expatriate Group website is an "insurance" company....not surprising they give any country with strong insurance requirements (at least for a OA/OX visa) a maximum score for health insurance requirements.

1 hour ago, baansgr said:

Visas are one of the easiest and as for citizenship, one of the simplist to obtain, marry a Thai and work after as little as 3 years you can become eligible

Nonsense...

Marrying a Thai is not "simple" or smart...

People keep griping about the 90 day report. It's easy-peasy, for Christ's sake. It can be done online.

The same people griping about the 90 day report spend hours online each day, but they don't have time to check in with Immigration online? Give me a break...

"Nobody really has to leave 800k in the bank,"

And if you withdraw more than the allowed amount at the wrong time then they refuse your retirement extension!

2 minutes ago, biggles45 said:

"Nobody really has to leave 800k in the bank,"

And if you withdraw more than the allowed amount at the wrong time then they refuse your retirement extension!

Easy solution. Two bank accounts.

You're welcome...

33 minutes ago, Random8 said:

Easy solution. Two bank accounts.

You're welcome...

Or do ther65K+ baht per month FTT deposit and nothing has to stay in the bank.

I’d never heard of the Expatriate Group and had never seen this RetirementAbroad Index mentioned previously. They survey only 20 countries. So IMHO, it’s not worth the paper it’s written on.

1 hour ago, JerryM said:

From the Thai Immigration Act (1979)

Section 37. An alien who is permitted to stay in the Kingdom temporarily

shall do the following —

(5) Staying in the Kingdom longer than ninety days, an alien shall notify the

competent official at the Immigration Division, of his or her residence ...

So what you are suggesting is an amendment the the Immigration Act. Not easy. And once you start the process to amend the Act to things you like, it can also be amended to things you don't like.

I've never understood the entitled outrage expressed by so many expats at being required to report their residential address four times a year, with the option of doing it online.

They are residing in a country other than their own by their own choice. If they weren't aware of the long stay requirements when they chose to move here, that's on them as the Thailand long stay requirements are easily found.

I get the feeling that a lot of Western expats feel like they are doing Thailand a favor by living here and that the Thais should show gratitude for their presence by not requiring adherence to rules that inconvenience them in any way.

It's ironic as many of these malcontents are the same who constantly complain about their home countries lax immigration policies.

2 hours ago, wwest5829 said:

Easy fix for Thailand increased appeal … 90 Day Report ends. Instead only required report of residence address change and when entering the country. More involved but also an increase in Retirement appeal would be instituting a viable cost to join the national healthcare program. Thai healthcare earning the annual premium while cutting out the insurance company overhead and profits.

90 Day Report takes all off 10 mins a year, if doing online.

You can expect foreigners that haven't paid into a healthcare system for 40+ years to be accepted. Especially when it can barely, and I'm being kind, provide for it's own citizens, as stressed enough already.

Q's for services, procedures or surgery are already silly long at most Govt hospitals.

5 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

Visa is also a issue

Not with a Long Term Visa, particularly for retirement.

This BS made my day.What a false ranking.Not true at all.But as always Thailand ranks high in non serious polls.

1 hour ago, dddave said:

I've never understood the entitled outrage expressed by so many expats at being required to report their residential address four times a year, with the option of doing it online.

They are residing in a country other than their own by their own choice. If they weren't aware of the long stay requirements when they chose to move here, that's on them as the Thailand long stay requirements are easily found.

I get the feeling that a lot of Western expats feel like they are doing Thailand a favor by living here and that the Thais should show gratitude for their presence by not requiring adherence to rules that inconvenience them in any way.

It's ironic as many of these malcontents are the same who constantly complain about their home countries lax immigration policies.

Poorly informed. With a long term Schengenvisa no adress notifications are needed, while you can hop from 1 country into another. Criminals in Thailanf must report too at the rehabilitationcentre, but a lot don't do it and no consequences.

Foteigners, who spend their pension and contribute to Thai economy are being seen as criminals it seems. Reporting year on year the same address 4 times a year and my immigration office evrn say comevto the office as if it goes wrong online, you will be fined.

It is not complaining just a reality that it seems that foreigners are worse than criminals. As a retiree many want to do some volunteer work, but it is not allowed unless with a workpermit, which you can't get on a retitement visa. So you are right and less retirees are coming to Thailand. Thailand have no clue what these people contribute to the country, like you. But now there are less retirees, suddenly Thailand neefs to promote how good the country is, but maybe they start to show how welcome they are instead of all kind ridiculous rules

3 hours ago, JerryM said:

From the Thai Immigration Act (1979)

Section 37. An alien who is permitted to stay in the Kingdom temporarily

shall do the following —

(5) Staying in the Kingdom longer than ninety days, an alien shall notify the

competent official at the Immigration Division, of his or her residence ...

So what you are suggesting is an amendment the the Immigration Act. Not easy. And once you start the process to amend the Act to things you like, it can also be amended to things you don't like.

Ok, but we are granted a 1 year visa and so a permission to stay. What is the use than to do 90 days report, is that nothing more than control the foreigner who is in fact allowed to stay here with a visa, or di they have the idea that everybody is travelling around all the time. A change is not very complicated

3 hours ago, Random8 said:

Nonsense...

Marrying a Thai is not "simple" or smart...

For what reasons is it not simple or smart?

The Special Resident Retiree’s Visa is quite similar to the LTR-P. And if you qualify as a former official with an international organization, or from an embassy and retired, there's an even slightly better version which requires only USD 1,500. I believe both are tax free of foreign (e.g. pension) remittances.

Personally I wouldn't want to live in the Philippines. But I guess many others do.

2 hours ago, dddave said:

I've never understood the entitled outrage expressed by so many expats at being required to report their residential address four times a year, with the option of doing it online.

They are residing in a country other than their own by their own choice. If they weren't aware of the long stay requirements when they chose to move here, that's on them as the Thailand long stay requirements are easily found.

I get the feeling that a lot of Western expats feel like they are doing Thailand a favor by living here and that the Thais should show gratitude for their presence by not requiring adherence to rules that inconvenience them in any way.

It's ironic as many of these malcontents are the same who constantly complain about their home countries lax immigration policies.

Sounds liks a Thai-ier than Thai Stockholm Syndrome type of POV.

I'm not aware of even one other popular expat destination country that requires such a thing. It sounds like something the East German Stasi would have done.

12 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Sounds liks a Thai-ier than Thai Stockholm Syndrome type of POV.

I'm not aware of even one other popular expat destination country that requires such a thing. It sounds like something the East German Stasi would have done.

That you have never heard of something means what exactly?

2 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

That you have never heard of something means what exactly?

Perhaps you haven't noticed but I have a hobby at looking at immigration systems globally of countries offering paths to retirement status and hopefully more than that.

I don't know that a Thailand system doesn't exist at all in any expat popular country, but I am very confident if it does, it is rare.

Typically you are required to report your address when doing initial visa or renewal business and then later ONLY if you change your address.

Logical. Reasonable.

3 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Perhaps you haven't noticed but I have a hobby at looking at immigration systems globally of countries offering paths to retirement status and hopefully more than that.

I don't know that a Thailand system doesn't exist at all in any expat popular country, but I am very confident if it does, it is rare.

Typically you are required to report your address when doing initial visa or renewal business and then later ONLY if you change your address.

Logical. Reasonable.

Why do you think it unreasonable for them to know where you are staying?