Why do so many retirees wish to spend their golden years in Thailand?, Is it the weather?, the people?, prices?, ladies?, or just want to escape their own country?,

I am a retiree, visited thai 3 times now, each time I leave I have no intentions to return, however after some time passes the urge to return becomes overwhelming, 

why is that?, opinions from retirees would be most appreciated.

As this not a question about getting a visa O am moving this topic from the Visa Forum to General Topics.

" weather?, the people?, prices?, ladies"

I add ( for me ), surely buddhism, also I think they are more beautiful than farangs, they also have a sort of shyness that I like and of course the language (speaking and writting ) , music, food , houses ( wooden houses ) and many smiles ( not a legend upcountry ) 

there are many people who like to do Thai bashing, it's not my case; I am here for 7 years, living among Thai people and I am not tired of them , the first time I came to Thailand was in 1975

Well, can live on the cheap is a good reason, the medical care isn't all that bad, the drivers are more than crazy and easy to hide out from those chasing me for no apparent reason? ???

 

I have been here in LOS for close to 14 years, but the shine is wearing off slowly...??

 

Have my bags by the door and in the launch sequence.....I think I see some greener grass? 

I believe people retire to Thailand mostly do to prices.As long as A person is careful they can live on social security alone.

quality of life and living on retirement income.

Why do retirees want to live here?  Apart from the nuisance of the 90 day reporting, weather, good food and inexpensive housing are obvious factors. 

1.  So tired of the straight life and people watching my every move and asking me to prove my love with Christmas presents.  2.  No eye contact in the West.  Here women of every age can look me in the eye and smile.  If you are not an old guy you may not realize what a pariah one feels like when a 20 something woman gives you that (I know you are a perv) look in the Western grocery store.  3.  I like younger women, faster horses and older whiskey and money.  Since I've stopped drinking and fell off my horse Thailand is my best choice. 

 

Lower prices, warmer weather play a big part but must include I was tired of life in the west. Curiosity and very different culture and approach to life in there. Good place to reflect on the mind set programming you grew up with and see if you can grow mentally to appreciate some aspects of situations that initially drove you nuts...

I think you will see more and more Asian retirees coming over to Thailand in the coming years. People from Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong particularly. People from those countries retiring at 60-65 years old have possibly 10-20 years left of active healthy life in many cases. The general cost of living over here is far cheaper and they have the opportunity of far greater activities at far cheaper cost for a number of years. I believe many will start to buy up small units over here and spend a number of their remaining years in Thailand before returning to their home countries as they get less immobile and head towards the end of their lives, departing in their home countries.

Beautiful weather in Southern Thailand where I live , more affordable than living in the UK but most of all a very relaxing life style . Back in the UK there can be to much pressure I for one used to drink far to much but since moving to Thailand some 12 years my alcohol intake has gone from a few pints every night to a couple of bottles a week which in itself is a far healthier lifestyle ?

39 minutes ago, thrilled said:

I believe people retire to Thailand mostly do to prices.As long as A person is careful they can live on social security alone.

I certainly think cost of living is a considerable piece of my reasoning for retiring in SEA. That, and I have lived and worked in Asia most of my life. Thailand, quite frankly, has the best infrastructure for the least cost of living in SEA. For example, I rent a 4bdr/3bth/3story townhouse in a big city for about 1/3 the price of one of my 2bdr/2bth rental units in Florida. However, some of Thailand's other issues are wearing heavily on me. I have decided to move-on to another country in SEA, but then I have never stayed long in one place.  

Anticipating retirement I looked at 4 countries: 1). Having international level medical care (as I have had heart issues). And that medical care is at a substantially lower cost than the U.S. 2). Age - Thailand my age is not considered a deficit, in fact some respect for age is part of the culture. 3). Your past  or current occupation is considered in the social pecking order. As a retired Professor I found I was in good standing. 4). Income plays into the social pecking order also and for any potential relationship, a steady income counts. OK, not rich but a comfortable retirement income (insufficient for such a comfortable retirement in my own country. 5). Caucasian background means my butt is as white as the young lady recently exposed on the internet. Hey! What's not to love in a match between me and Thailand. More, of course ...a more "sabai, sabai" culture (I swear I am getting younger without the stress and, yes, being with a girl 25 years younger than myself helps keep me younger. Oh, and I am Bhuddist in my life outlook. After 6 1/2 years, I continue to plan to live here until I go up in smoke (literally). Oops, forgot to mention they are currently shoveling snow in Kentucky.

Edited January 17, 20188 yr by wwest5829

retiring in thailand--for me, i have been visiting here for quite a few yrs,bought condo 2.5yrs ago,only just retired here permanently..

for me the main reasons are --warm weather year roound

                                                   --cheap cost of living-i can live on my pension but i do have substantial income from nz

                                                   -- thai ladies are amazing--happy friendly people,relaxed, not under pressure like at home

i have a major problem with "saving face" and all the lies due to that,a few other problems, but generally life here is very pleasant--i hope i can find a genuine honest lady to take care of me when i get to late eighties-i will just make the most of things, but havent cut ties with home country or family--

i could return at any time--its not a big deal...

• after living here for 32 years its just so easy to just stay :-)

1.  Cost of living typically less.

2.  Access to younger ladies (relative to the west).

3.  Decent standard of living, e.g., medical care, internet, international foods, recreation, etc.

4.  Weather.

5.  Tolerant Thai attitude.

 

An off topic troll post has been removed

Marry a Chiangmai wife with 2 kids is one of the mainreason I choose to retire in Chiangmai. Nice northern people, much lower cost of living, nice weather (except that 2 months burning season), good and affordable health care, better traffic condition, polite driver (except few drunk idiots) etc.....basically is depending on where you're from to compare with. 

Warm weather all year round , cheaper to live here , no PC police , i dont get fined if i do 35mph in a 30 mph zone , our son got a much better education and now has a job that i doubt very much he could have got in the UK . when i get my car fixed i do not have to take out a second mortgage . oh thelist goes on and on and on .

You can function well in English in the expat popular areas. Even for necessary things like banking, getting utilities, real estate, etc.

 

The retirement visa system, though offering no residence security, is one of the easiest in the world with one of the lowest financial requirements levels in the world. You can actually qualify for it with an income of ZERO satang. 

 

Weather is good for those that want to avoid very cold weather, snow, etc.

 

The food is good, Thai and international.

 

The cost levels overall are favorable but of course some things are more expensive here and some cheaper. Those on a budget need to make localized adjustments.

 

 

Edited January 17, 20188 yr by Jingthing

I like living here because no one ever asks of me questions like "Why do you like living here?"

Just now, JLCrab said:

I like living here because no one ever asks of me questions like "Why do you like living here?"

A while back a Thai asked me if I was here as a fugitive from the law in my home country. Came out of nowhere. I'm sure many Thais get fed those kinds of stereotypes and believe them too. 

Family the cost of living and the weather 

plus the easy going attitude of the Thai people 

After many years of working getting stressed out  now more relaxed blood Pressure near normal  enjoying retirement 

56 million reasons

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=sex+thailand&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-b

I always thought it was sex?  Every man has his lady friend or boy friend who is invariably much younger than he. 

Fell in love with Thailand when I first came here in 2005 with my then Thai girlfriend from Sydney who was previously married to an Aussie for 10 years. We arrived at BKK and travelled south of Phuket to places like Krabi, Ao Nang, Ko Lanta and Trang, then back up to Phuket town, never saw the Patong or Pattaya nightlife, i.e. we came with her 2 young daughters and my young daughter from a previous, she was always insecure of me playing up and kept breaking them, sure her x was an alleged player, not my problem, so after returning, I gave her the flick some 10 months later for telling me a big lie, and I felt relieved.

 

Two months after splitting with her a really good mate of mine split with his 2nd wife and said we should go to Surfers paradise in Queensland for a holiday, I said Farrrk that, lets go to Thailand, the rest is history, i.e. met my wife on that trip, and have been very happily married since I met her, 11 years ago, we have 2 gorgeous girls, and my young daughter from the previous marriage is now 21. I planned the move for 9 years, been retired here for just over 2 years and will be here until the day they burn me to a crisp.

 

The things I enjoy most is the affordability of everything, the friendly smiles and the relaxed attitude about everything, almost.

 

Building a house which was 1/10th of what it would have cost me in Sydney, water and council rates laughable, as is house insurance.

 

Food shopping, beer, restaurants, clothes, airfares, hotels, women, taxis, diesel, registration, insurance, car services, and extension of stays are all cheap.

 

Weather is good with two months of the year being cold in Isaan.

 

The only dislikes I have is; the morning smoke from the night burn, drivers not giving way, the lack of driving skills, but have learnt to adjust to their style, the Hi So thing, teachers bashing kids, (not mine), the corruption, lazy police force, the high road death tolls and the way the country has being suppressed by the ruling Junta, but hey, I am only a guest here, and in all fairness, I think where I came from is a controlled state IMO.

 

Apart from that I am much less stressed, pay no taxes back in the old country, eat more healthier and can think without rushing, although have become somewhat forgetful as I don't use what's left of the brain that much these days, 

 

Sydney is also within reach if I ever wanted to return and be stressed out again, but highly unlikely as I have enough to survive till I reach 101 years of age, and if we all had to go back, my wife has Australian Citizenship, and the girls Australian passports.

6 minutes ago, kokopelli said:

I always thought it was sex?  Every man has his lady friend or boy friend who is invariably much younger than he. 

When a Thai person (Thai conversation) asks me if I have a Thai wife or a girlfriend I sometimes just say: BOTH!

 

BTW to help in following the post just above:

Edited January 17, 20188 yr by JLCrab

 

OP :

"however after some time passes the urge to return becomes overwhelming, why is that? " 

 

It's your "urge", you tell me.

 

 

 

5 hours ago, Aforek said:

" weather?, the people?, prices?, ladies"

I add ( for me ), surely buddhism, also I think they are more beautiful than farangs, they also have a sort of shyness that I like and of course the language (speaking and writting ) , music, food , houses ( wooden houses ) and many smiles ( not a legend upcountry ) 

there are many people who like to do Thai bashing, it's not my case; I am here for 7 years, living among Thai people and I am not tired of them , the first time I came to Thailand was in 1975

 

 

 

 

YOu are a long timer with experience with Thailand.

 

Can and would you please spend a few minutes talking about what you observe as changes in Thailand  between now and your first visit to Thailand?

Climate,

Access to beaches,

Freedom from taxes,

No nanny state,

Cost of living,

Generally friendly smiling people,

Ability to travel inexpensively to many other interesting countries in the region,

My wife,

My garden.