Thailand Ranks Second in 2026 Retirement Abroad Index

6 hours ago, Yellowtail said:

I understood your post, did you not understand my question?

I think keeping track of where foreign are residing in the county is a good idea.

I think the issue being made is that you have to report even if your address hasn’t changed.

Reporting if your address changes so that the government knows where you are, is different to reconfirming an existing address.

Not that I care, I travel out of the country every month or so, so I never have to do a 90 day report. I’m simply clarifying what appears to be some confusion.

12 hours ago, Random8 said:

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...

Its the feeling of being a convict out on parole at the whim of the Thai Immigration. Maybe they would all like us to wear ankle bracelets with GPS monitoring our movements. So untrusted is the Farang. So scared are the Thais that we might take over the country.

My main interest in researching other countries is about both curiosity of what else is out there and also to have some Plan B ideas in place in case I need to leave Thailand.

That said, if I found an option that ticked all my boxes (and that I was eligible for and could afford), that would tempt me, but I don't think such a place exists. It's not only about the country but the specific place in the country. There are always tradeoffs

3 minutes ago, DaRoadrunner said:

Its the feeling of being a convict out on parole at the whim of the Thai Immigration. Maybe they would all like us to wear ankle bracelets with GPS monitoring our movements. So untrusted is the Farang. So scared are the Thais that we might take over the country.

Hmmm...

What happens when foreigners (legal or otherwise) are allowed to run amok in a country?

Might there be a case study available?

19 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Lower financial requirements should add points, such as Panama which almost all pensioners can qualify for vs. Malaysia where only a minority can.

Actually I prefer to rub elbows with fellow expats of means, and not vagrants.

15 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

A change is not very complicated

A change to ministerial regulations is not complicated. An Amendment to an organic act such as the Immigration Act (1979) IS complicated.

2 hours ago, JimGant said:

Actually I prefer to rub elbows with fellow expats of means, and not vagrants.

Not related actually.

Financially requirements don't necessary track typical cost of living.

Panama is a great example.

Low requirements high cost.

In contrast Malaysia and Mexicohigh requirements moderate costs.

14 hours ago, baansgr said:

So not once but twice, must be simple then...but you made the wrong choice of ladies 👍

Or the ladies made the wrong choice.

10 hours ago, GarryP said:

If only it were that easy. Many people are left waiting for 4 years or more post application before even being called for an interview by the MOI.

Yes, it is very inconsistent but the criteria makes Thailand one of the quickest routes to gain citizenship

14 hours ago, Yellowtail said:

I have been here since '99 and do not know anyone that was kicked out of the country.

19 hours ago, Yellowtail said:

That you have never heard of something means what exactly?

Let's interpret this last question as non-rhetorical, shall we?

Time to resurrect the "joke of the day"!

12 hours ago, DaRoadrunner said:

Its the feeling of being a convict out on parole at the whim of the Thai Immigration. Maybe they would all like us to wear ankle bracelets with GPS monitoring our movements. So untrusted is the Farang. So scared are the Thais that we might take over the country.

More nonsense...

The average expat in Thailand has GPS permanently activated on their phone. Openly sharing their location with apps that don't really require it. Thousands of tracker cookies following their every move on the internet. Openly sharing their contacts with apps that don't require it. Giving all their personal data to Facebook, Tiktok, Line, LinkedIn, Google, Shopee, Lazada, Grab, Bolt, Maxim etc, etc. And then they complain about having their "movements monitored" when they verify their address once every 90 days. They don't even have to physically be at their home address when they confirm their home address online.

Utter nonsense. People actively looking for something to complain about. Looking for the hair in the soup.

2 hours ago, Random8 said:

The average expat in Thailand has GPS permanently activated on their phone. Openly sharing their location with apps that don't really require it. Thousands of tracker cookies following their every move on the internet. Openly sharing their contacts with apps that don't require it. Giving all their personal data to Facebook, Tiktok, Line, LinkedIn, Google, Shopee, Lazada, Grab, Bolt, Maxim etc, etc. And then they complain about having their "movements monitored" when they verify their address once every 90 days. They don't even have to physically be at their home address when they confirm their home address online.

These are two different issues, albeit related.

One is being unaware to give tons of personal information that could be damageable in a near future.

The other is being required to comply with a recurring rule that makes not much sense nowadays.

3 hours ago, gamb00ler said:

Let's interpret this last question as non-rhetorical, shall we?

I'm sorry, what was the first question?

1 hour ago, Yumthai said:

The other is being required to comply with a recurring rule that makes not much sense nowadays.

You may be right that a requirement that was established in 1979 does not have the same justification as today.

But it will require an amendment to the organic Thai Immigration Act (1979). And once you establish a proposal amendment to do away with the 90 day report, others might use that proposal to do away with the ministerial directive that allows an IMM officer to waive all requirements for extension of stay which likely would not make the 'reputable agents' happy.

On 6/13/2026 at 7:10 AM, baansgr said:

Yes, it is very inconsistent but the criteria makes Thailand one of the quickest routes to gain citizenship

No foreign male retiree is going to qualify for citizenship. You must be working and have held a valid work permit for a minumum of three years. And if you are not married to a Thai (also for a minumum of three years before applying), you'd first have to go through the PR route, which can also take several years. So not really an option for retirees.

5 minutes ago, GarryP said:

No foreign male retiree is going to qualify for citizenship. You must be working and have held a valid work permit for a minumum of three years. And if you are not married to a Thai (also for a minumum of three years before applying), you'd first have to go through the PR route, which can also take several years. So not really an option for retirees.

Exactly, per my previous lost

21 hours ago, JerryM said:

But it will require an amendment to the organic Thai Immigration Act (1979).

It seems there actually is an Amendment in the works to modify the Immigration Act -- but it deals with the Article 38 TM 30 and implies that the Article 37 90 day report is still in place. I.E. the amendment deals with foreigners that have entered Thailand for LESS than a 90-day stay.

On 6/12/2026 at 9:14 PM, wensiensheng said:

I think the issue being made is that you have to report even if your address hasn’t changed.

Same nuisance with the TM30. If you have a lease, then they already know in their system 1) where you live and 2) when you left and 3) when you came back. The actual filing of the TM30 is a redundancy for expat residents here. Even for tourists, because their hotel accommodation must be reported.

On 6/13/2026 at 10:17 AM, Random8 said:

More nonsense...

The average expat in Thailand has GPS permanently activated on their phone. Openly sharing their location with apps that don't really require it. Thousands of tracker cookies following their every move on the internet. Openly sharing their contacts with apps that don't require it. Giving all their personal data to Facebook, Tiktok, Line, LinkedIn, Google, Shopee, Lazada, Grab, Bolt, Maxim etc, etc. And then they complain about having their "movements monitored" when they verify their address once every 90 days. They don't even have to physically be at their home address when they confirm their home address online.

Then tell that to Thai Immigration.