Comments and advice required on HOW I COULD RETIRE IN THAILAND, :-)

[laislica]

Apply to the Thai Embassy Paris for a 3 month (90 day) Non Immigration O (ther) visa.

You have a period of grace before you have to use the visa so your travel plans do not have to be written in stone.

Get yourself good health insurance that will continue at reasonable prices as you age.

 

Arrive in Thailand and travel to your desired destination and rent somewhere for long enough for you to know if the location really suits you long term.

 

Remember that if you decide to take a trip out of Thailand, your visa will be cancelled as you exit Thailand.

Therefore, you should purchase a re-entry permit (form TM8), (1,000 baht) before you depart, this keeps your visa alive (and/or your permission to stay in Thailand [an extension])

You also need a passport photo for the TM8.

 

A multi re-entry permit costs 3,800baht so unless you intend to make more than 4 trips during the period of your visa (or extension) it's cheaper to buy a single re-entry permit as and when you need one. It is possible to buy one at Immigration at the international airports but check first.

 

Locate hospitals and health care facilities, entertainment etc.

Learn about the noise, smell, where you can find foreign food and wine at reasonable prices etc etc.

Learn about VIP buses to travel within Thailand.

 

30 days before your visa expires (Some Immigration depts allow 45 days before, check) you can apply to Immigration to extend the visa for 1 year as a retiree and it costs 1,900 baht..

You are over 50.

You must show 800,000 Baht in a Thai bank for 60 days continuous before the day you apply

Note that if you decide to stay long term, the proof of funds period becomes 90 days after the first time when it's 60 days.

 

You must update the bank book on the day you apply and take photocopies of the book.

You must also get a letter from your bank to state that your funds were in the bank at the correct amount and for the correct period.

(Kasikorn Bank charge 100 Baht for the letter)

You will need a completed TM7 form (application for the extension) and a photograph.

I have the retirement ext so I always buy a single re-entry permit when I apply for the extension.

OR:

Contact your embassy and prove to them that you have an offshore income of at least 66,000baht per month.

The embassy may charge you a fee to provide you with a letter to Immigration as proof of funds.

 

Also remember to make a 90 day report to Immigration for every 90 continuous days in Thailand.

 

If you decide to rent rather than stay in hotels/guest houses you must report your address to your local immigration.

The first time TM28 and possibly TM30.

When you leave the country and return to the same address a TM 30 bust be given to Immigration.

If you change your location, TM28.

 

When you stay in hotels/GH's, they make the appropriate reports.

 

Truthfully, the property owner should make the reports but some don't

If the reports are not made, it is you who will be fined!

So for safety's sake, do the reports yourself.

 

Good luck.

 

 

[4MyEgo]

Judging by the 3 pages that already replied, I will go straight to a couple of points as I read you had already been to Chang Mai and a few other places.

 

1) If you decide to settle down in a rural place, research the smoke issues, as it will affect your health if its as bad as Chang Mai from what I have read (seasonal)

 

2) Health insurance, a lot of international health insurers will insure you when you hit 60, but cut you off at 70, and IHI is expensive and you will need it here, because if you have an emergency or require elective surgery in a private hospital, you might not get treated, and when in a country like Thailand you want private cover.

 

3) Check out the laws in your country regarding foreign or non residents, same meaning, because there are a lot of countries that deem you a foreign/non resident once you are out of the country for more than 180 days, this means you are treated differently, even though you still are deemed a citizen of France, for example, you may need to be in France to get your old age pension as opposed to being overseas, i.e. you may need to return and stay for a while before its portable, i.e. able to receive it overseas when living abroad

 

4) When and if you meet a partner and go forward, keep everything separate, and only invest as much as your prepared to lose, e,g, 10%

 

5) Stay low, Thailand is a nice place, but don't be fooled by all of the smiles, The Land of Smiles can have a double meaning

 

6) Consider what is accessible to where you will be staying, hospitals, airport, shops etc etc

 

The rest you will have probably have had from all of the others on TVF

 

Good Luck

[crazykopite]

There are a lot of French living on the islands of Koh Samui and Koh Phangan but be aware that both these islands are expensive compared to other parts of the Kingdom come in on a 90 day visa and convert it to a 12 month extension of stay you have to be able to prove you have an income of 65.000 baht per month or have a Thai bank account with at least 800.000 baht in it for a minimum of 2 months when applying for your 1st extension of stay . There is no such thing as a retirement visa it’s called extension of stay. Good luck?

[laislica]

Read the book, Thailand Fever

Not only will you learn about Thai culture, you may learn some of your own culture.

 

Read also Private Dancer.

 

Under no circumstances get into confrontational situations, politely walk away.

Never lose your temper or display rage in any form, anywhere, no matter how right you are or how wrong they were.

Do not use zebra crossings.

Look for and use the pedestrian bridges.

Always ask for the meter to be used Before you get into a taxi.

 

Remember that Thai's can commit no wrong that a simple Wai and apology can't resolve.

The foreigner is always wrong and will always pay.

 

The head is revered, the feet are not!

So no pointing with your feet LOL

 

 

 

 

[peterb17]

Of course you can retire here- O-A is the way to go- research on Thai Goverment immigration web sites . It’s really quite easy . This will give you two years - as long as you leave the country before it expires for a trip to a neighbouring country.

 

My initial concern is that you have not visited this country very often. Many retirees have been visiting for decades and have planned ahead to retire here. 

 

To just move to another country takes a bit of courage - it’s a bit of a culture shock.

 

ignore all the comments of the usual brigade about Thai women. 

 

Do not rule out Pattaya ( I certainly would not recommend the centre of town - but there are some pleasant places to live a bit further out). No you would not go there for pristine beaches- but I always miss the sea when in places like Chang Mai .

 

You can build up a really good social life - takes time- I know quite a few French friends- but it would seem the French stick together- so join clubs - get involved in things like Rotary- they do excellent work here and there is a French speaking club and they welcome anybody to go along.

There are simpler things- for example our local bakery / patisserie is owned by a pleasant French lady and always has many French going along for breakfast everyday- it’s a way perhaps to meet people. 

 

You need serious money or a decent income - do not think for one minute that Thailand is a cheap option. 

 

 

[Brunolem]

12 hours ago, Franck60 said:

... the cost of life on those islands is much higher !
... I’ll tell you as well that for me the prospect of “changing language” is really interesting. Speaking English everyday ... and even learn a few sentences in Thai is INTERESTING to me.

What is a “1 YEAR NON O visa” ?
Do you think I could meet the requirements to get one ?

Thank you,

Franck


Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect

 

I am also French and I have been here for almost 20 years, knowing the country very well.

From what I have read, you have little information, and the one provided by other posters is confusing, as usual (go here, don't go there, get this visa or that one...).

 

I won't go into that here, but if you want we can communicate by email, in French or English, outside of all the noise.

 

Let me just say that, if I had to decide today, in a situation like yours, I would 't chose Thailand, for a number of reasons...

[domdom]

Hello

We are a french couple retired in Thailand..

The best option to come here is to ask for a OA visa in thai embassy Paris (if living far from Paris, go for it through a visa company, cheaper than go and stay in Paris)

On the embassy site you have the list of documents.. The important one is a document from your bank confirming you have 20 K euros on your account for more than 3 months..

Then, choose where to live.. Always think living somewhere full year is not the same as spending a month holiday..

Chiang Mai, smoke during some months of the year, islands, acvording to me, good for holiday but not to live full year..

We choosed to live outside of Pattaya, in fact after Jomtien.. According to us, perfect place.. All supermarkets with european products, as, even if we like thai food, we also like to eat european food and have wine and cheese.. Lots of restaurants to go and eat with all over the world cuisine types, reasonable cost of life, seaside (as soon as you get ouf of Pattaya you get nice beaches), a few marinas if you like boating like we do), very good health facilities, international airport 1.15 hours drive.. Bangkok less than 2 hours..

We are very happy with our choice.

PM me if you need more infos

Have a nice week end

[keeniau96]

You seem reasonably realistic and better informed than most who come here. Tingtongtourist makes some good points so do pay attention but not all of them are good. 

 

Bangkok is big, crowded city with all the worst aspects of Paris and few of the good ones. Stay away from Pattaya, Phuket is too expensive and currently almost unlivable due to continuing ongoing construction, dust, nuisances no end.  Issan has some merits but it is much hotter and often dry ... when not flooded. The North is most interesting, especially Chiang Rai area, also Loei.

 

I have been living in Phuket for sixteen years and would leave but for having married a most wonderful Thai woman who has never been in a bar and is old Phuket family. But for her I would be seriously considering move to Vietnam or maybe the Philippines. This after seeing most of the world and sailing over much of it. 

[finnishmen]

really true, best way to retirement in thailand have, make visa apply at paris one year O-A pension visa. and go to live here, and ewery year made new, simple, but need 800 000 Baht in THAI bank account more than 2 month if make new visa in thailand, i mean if make visa in thailand pattaya have many office who make, but better make itself, need only 800 000 in thai bank ower 2 month must be have in account, and bank book, need, and then go to immigratino and make visa paper apply. simple. ir you have pension salary, ask you payment who pay pensino salary paper at english how much you have salary, and thailand go embassy he stamp this paper to true, then no need 800 000 B in bank, only salary if have 800 000/ year or if not have full 800 000B have about 600 000 then you need be in thai bank account 200 000 B ewery year when you go to make new visa, easy only need make visa onetime /year, no working now, go out of country manytime ,ewery 3 month. and back, now have only visa go out after 3 month and go back new visa 3 month only 2 time and then no can more.all visa hassle have only make big proplem to you and maybe immigration police take and you go jail first 2-3 month then cheapen fly to homeland and no can go back last 5 year. name have in blackbook.better made all true right how law say, no big work.

[finnishmen]

malaysian no need hassle at visa, you go to malesia retirement you give 10 year visa easy. and many peoples have coverment keep discount if buy house,car,etc, and stay live pension in malaysian. better country at retirement, but proplem have wery expensive country, same all cost than europe. no my opinion newer. thailand or vietnam or cambodia have most cheapen country live little pension salary all life end easy and good.

 

[NutsMango]

I would recommend to look at Vietnam as well. Much easier visa conditions, much cheaper and amazing. You have also many city choices with less hot weather if 40 degrees isn't your thing.

[peterb17]

1 hour ago, domdom said:

Hello

We are a french couple retired in Thailand..

The best option to come here is to ask for a OA visa in thai embassy Paris (if living far from Paris, go for it through a visa company, cheaper than go and stay in Paris)

On the embassy site you have the list of documents.. The important one is a document from your bank confirming you have 20 K euros on your account for more than 3 months..

Then, choose where to live.. Always think living somewhere full year is not the same as spending a month holiday..

Chiang Mai, smoke during some months of the year, islands, acvording to me, good for holiday but not to live full year..

We choosed to live outside of Pattaya, in fact after Jomtien.. According to us, perfect place.. All supermarkets with european products, as, even if we like thai food, we also like to eat european food and have wine and cheese.. Lots of restaurants to go and eat with all over the world cuisine types, reasonable cost of life, seaside (as soon as you get ouf of Pattaya you get nice beaches), a few marinas if you like boating like we do), very good health facilities, international airport 1.15 hours drive.. Bangkok less than 2 hours..

We are very happy with our choice.

PM me if you need more infos

Have a nice week end

Well said 

 

Pattaya lives on two levels- just ignore the lower level- and it’s a good place to live.

[Swimman]

3 minutes ago, finnishmen said:

malaysian no need hassle at visa, you go to malesia retirement you give 10 year visa easy. and many peoples have coverment keep discount if buy house,car,etc, and stay live pension in malaysian. better country at retirement, but proplem have wery expensive country, same all cost than europe. no my opinion newer. thailand or vietnam or cambodia have most cheapen country live little pension salary all life end easy and good.

 

You forgot to mention the very high cost of securing a retirement visa in Malaysia.  Such visas are not handed out easily and they most certainly are not free... 

[peterb17]

10 minutes ago, finnishmen said:

malaysian no need hassle at visa, you go to malesia retirement you give 10 year visa easy. and many peoples have coverment keep discount if buy house,car,etc, and stay live pension in malaysian. better country at retirement, but proplem have wery expensive country, same all cost than europe. no my opinion newer. thailand or vietnam or cambodia have most cheapen country live little pension salary all life end easy and good.

 

It’s an Islamic country - so sorry a total and absolute NO 

[anon789561]

22 minutes ago, finnishmen said:

malaysian no need hassle at visa, you go to malesia retirement you give 10 year visa easy. and many peoples have coverment keep discount if buy house,car,etc, and stay live pension in malaysian. better country at retirement, but proplem have wery expensive country, same all cost than europe. no my opinion newer. thailand or vietnam or cambodia have most cheapen country live little pension salary all life end easy and good.

 

vietnam property prices were much more expensive when i looked into it than thailand and this is also what i am told by a few friends that moved there from thailand recently

[Happy Tadpole]

Hi Franck,

my profile/thinking/past situation in France/age etc, is pretty similar to yours. I retired and moved permanently in Thailand 4 years Ago. I gonna give you my perspective. But first, be aware that many comments on this site are biased.

To start with, obtaining a retirement visa in Thailand is easy and straightforward, and it would be better to get it in France, before your move. This would be a 1 year visa, renewable in Thailand every year without trouble, providing you can prove sufficient retirement income and/or savings. Once in Thailand, you will have to re-confirm the address of the place you are staying in every 90 days, this is a little annoyance but achieved within an hour at the local immigration, and can also apply online. That is it for the administration ! Really nothing compared to France....

Anyway, I am living in Chiang Mai with a lovely girl 20 years younger than me (I am 59) for more than 3 years now. I am much happier here and going back to France is totally out of my mind. 

I am against the mariage institution, but obviously, and as in any long time relationship, it is necessary to build in some kind of security in a couple. We do not know what can happen tomorrow, therefore I bought a decent house for my girlfriend and made it clear to my family that whatever I own in Thailand (money in thai bank, car, motorbike etc) will be the property of my partner should I die. I also support her family, and pay the University for her 2 daughters. All of this is affordable in this country. For a very decent life here, I would say you need about 2000 euros per month.

Happiness is round the corner, but please ignore the comments of 60 years old chaps living in Pattaya, short timing 20 years old beauties... 

[ubonjoe]

A a post containing a abusive personal attack has been removed.

[robertson468]

If you read Onera1961's post you will have all the advice for what to do about paperwork on how to get here and start to live.

 

Where you live will be very much up to you, and I would agree with the recommendation of staying in different places until you find your ideal.  I did this until I arrived on Koh Samui and to me this has become home from home with all the advantages such as, you can live in a busy touristy spot, or you could live a couple of Ks outside the Touristy area and go in when you want to socialise, or you could go South, which is relatively unspoiled with very few tourists and lovely scenery.  There are hundreds of beach around the Island, some of which you will be lucky (or unlucky) if you see a Tourist.  There is a bit of a French enclave in Fisherman's Village which might be a good point to get to know people and to be honest, Fisherman's Village is a great place to socialise where the clientele tends to be a little less rough and ready and more your age group.  Renting on the Island is not a problem and my advice is rent for a month and tell the owner you might stay longer, but you want to see what the place (and his service) is like before committing long term.  There are many things to do on and off the Island to explore and a great launching pad for say visiting Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam, India et al, not to mention the diverse and interesting places actually in Country.  I came here 13 years ago and met a wonderful Thai Lady, but did not over commit myself to her until we had been together for 5 years.  In that time we got married and I got to know her and her Family as my own, then turned over all my properties to her and as they say, we are living happily ever after.  I appreciate it doesn't happen in all the cases, but it is down to your own judgement and if that is a bit iffy and your brain tends not to be in your head, you are probably better off with the occasional fling with a Bar Girl, some of which are quite companionable.

 

Finally, take your time, explore and find your ideal and savour it for the rest of your life.  Certainly much better than living in Europe.

[watcharacters]

11 hours ago, onera1961 said:

If you can afford to gamble a few millions baht in Las Vegas and don't mind losing, you can buy a house for a beautiful girl 40 years younger than you. The girl will take care of you, entertain you, and make your life beautiful. Why not? Life is all about exploring new frontiers :)

 

 

 

YOU R funny.. 

 

Very, Very funny..

 

Edited April 21, 2018 by watcharacters

[nausea]

My advice, don't take advice. Everyone has an agenda. If you have enough money to move here legitimately it's all out there on the Net.  You're going to have a great time. There are two things to worry about - your exit strategy and health care. As for the rest, well you pay to learn; fresh meat, as they say, is finger lickin' good.

[peterb17]

52 minutes ago, Happy Tadpole said:

Hi Franck,

my profile/thinking/past situation in France/age etc, is pretty similar to yours. I retired and moved permanently in Thailand 4 years Ago. I gonna give you my perspective. But first, be aware that many comments on this site are biased.

To start with, obtaining a retirement visa in Thailand is easy and straightforward, and it would be better to get it in France, before your move. This would be a 1 year visa, renewable in Thailand every year without trouble, providing you can prove sufficient retirement income and/or savings. Once in Thailand, you will have to re-confirm the address of the place you are staying in every 90 days, this is a little annoyance but achieved within an hour at the local immigration, and can also apply online. That is it for the administration ! Really nothing compared to France....

Anyway, I am living in Chiang Mai with a lovely girl 20 years younger than me (I am 59) for more than 3 years now. I am much happier here and going back to France is totally out of my mind. 

I am against the mariage institution, but obviously, and as in any long time relationship, it is necessary to build in some kind of security in a couple. We do not know what can happen tomorrow, therefore I bought a decent house for my girlfriend and made it clear to my family that whatever I own in Thailand (money in thai bank, car, motorbike etc) will be the property of my partner should I die. I also support her family, and pay the University for her 2 daughters. All of this is affordable in this country. For a very decent life here, I would say you need about 2000 euros per month.

Happiness is round the corner, but please ignore the comments of 60 years old chaps living in Pattaya, short timing 20 years old beauties... 

Actually I think there have been sensible posts on this thread- certainly the post from the French nationals.

Nobody had mentioned short timing. 

Why is it that responding to a reasonable request for information- I think from someone who has little experience of Thailand 

it’s ALWAYS about sex.

There is more to life.

Chang Mai - cough cough. 

 

OP - do your research and certainly do not go to live in Chang Mai- the most boring, traffic locked , smoky place on the planet. 

 

Good luck 

[domdom]

Hello

On top of it the OP is asking how he can do to come and retire in Thailand.. He is not asking a comparison between Thailand and other neighbouring countries..

I have been living, apart from France in other countries, each time for over 2 to 3 years (time to see the real life and not the holiday effect)..Thailand is not perfect, but for me, way better than the other places I lived in ..

Have a nice week end

[watcharacters]

2 hours ago, peterb17 said:

Actually I think there have been sensible posts on this thread- certainly the post from the French nationals.

Nobody had mentioned short timing. 

Why is it that responding to a reasonable request for information- I think from someone who has little experience of Thailand 

it’s ALWAYS about sex.

There is more to life.

Chang Mai - cough cough. 

 

OP - do your research and certainly do not go to live in Chang Mai- the most boring, traffic locked , smoky place on the planet. 

 

Good luck 

 

 

WOW, Peter,

 

Don't hold back your thoughts about Chang Mai.    I've been there a few times but didn't realize it's that bad.     

 

 

[benji57]

http://www.thaiembassy.fr/fr/visa-rdv/les-types-de-visa-et-les-documents-necessaires/visa-o-long-stay/

 

Visa O-A (Long stay)

Visa non-immigrant OA

 

Le Visa OA est destiné aux personnes retraitées et âgées de plus de 50 ans.

Ce type de visa ne permet pas de travailler et donne le droit de rester en Thaïlande pour un an avec de multiples entrées. Pour chaque entrée, si le séjour dépasse 3 mois, le titulaire doit se présenter au service de l’immigration. Le titulaire de ce visa peut le prolonger au service immigration.

Attention : à partir de la 2e demande de ce type de visa auprès de l’Ambassade, un dépôt bancaire de 800 000 bahts dans une banque en Thaïlande est obligatoire, et à présenter sous forme d’une attestation récente ou d’un carnet bancaire bien actualisé (moins d’un mois)

Les pièces à fournir
Les documents ci-dessous sont à présenter uniquement sous forme de papier A4 et dans l’ordre suivant :

1. Le passeport (original et une photocopie du passeport). Le passeport est valable au minimum 1 an et 6 mois à partir de la date de départ
2. Trois formulaires dûment remplis (signé et daté uniquement par demandeur)
3. Trois photos d’identité en couleur
4. Trois photocopies du passeport
5. Trois exemplaires de certificat médical
6. Trois exemplaires d’extrait du casier judiciaire récent (moins de 3 mois)
7. Trois exemplaires de justificatif de domicile en France (facture d’électricité, télécom, etc.)
8. Trois exemplaires de justificatif des ressources : un dépôt bancaire de 20 000 € par demandeur à présenter sous forme d’une attestation bancaire récente (original) Attention : à partir de la 2e demande de ce type de visa auprès de l’Ambassade, un dépôt bancaire de 800 000 bahts dans une banque en Thaïlande est obligatoire, et à présenter sous forme d’une attestation récente ou d’un carnet bancaire bien actualisé (moins d’un mois)
9. Trois CV (professions exercées pendant les 10 dernières années avant la retraite)
10. Une photocopie de la réservation du billet d’avion avec les détails (billet entrée du territoire thaïlandais)
11. La somme de 150 € (uniquement en espèces)
12. Convocation de rendez-vous.

A noter : Les avis d’imposition et les attestations de l’organisme des retraites ne sont pas acceptés

 

[anon789561]

41 minutes ago, domdom said:

Hello

On top of it the OP is asking how he can do to come and retire in Thailand.. He is not asking a comparison between Thailand and other neighbouring countries..

I have been living, apart from France in other countries, each time for over 2 to 3 years (time to see the real life and not the holiday effect)..Thailand is not perfect, but for me, way better than the other places I lived in ..

Have a nice week end

well said chap

[khunPer]

20 hours ago, Franck60 said:

My point is :

1 - How can I move to Thailand ... get a retirement visa ... or a right to residence ? IS IT POSSIBLE ?

2 - There are so many confusing stories ... I don’t manage to MAKE OUT how it works ...

3 - What are the different steps ? How much money would I have to show up ?

 

Would any of you have some good information which could help me to start bringing the pieces together ?

I did my move when I was 57, had similar thoughts as you before, and I'm not married (never been), but has a Thai girlfriend. It does often make things little easier when one is together with someone talking the language, and know how things work out, but others have managed to get around on their own, or by using advisers/lawyers.

 

Retirement visa

- is a Non-immigrant O (often shorted as "Non-O") visa, based on retirement. You can either obtain a three month single entry, or a 12-month multiple entry, or the new "1-year retirement visa" from your home country's Thai embassy. The last, "1-year retirement visa" is almost similar to obtaining an 1-year extension of stay, based on retirement – the rules seem slightly more strict when obtaining it abroad, than the extension-of-stay rules where I live – the benefit is that you can stay in Thailand for a full year without leaving the nation, but only reporting your address to a local Immigration office every 90-days, something almost all expats does. To obtain any of the Non-O visas you'll need to show proof of funds, i.e. how that you are able to live in Thailand without the need for work. Proof-of-fund is normal an amount equivalent to 800,000 baht, or a steady annual income summing up in that level, or a combination of both. Your local Thai embassy should have a guide page, probably similar to the one at the Danish Thai embassy (link); there's also a 5-year retirement-visa possibility, which don't seem that attractive to use.

 

Moving to Thailand

- apart from buying an air-ticket for your person, and doing the check-out paperwork in your home country, you can have one smaller air-shipment, and one larger (surface) sea-shipment of household; i.e. a 20" or 40" container, which is often both cheaper and better than individual parcels, even you don't have enough to fill up a whole container (they will use air-ballons in empty space, to stop the goods from being thrown around inside the container). You need to make a detailed packing list, and the accepted items are personal household, i.e. not 10-pieces brand new identical something that can be re-sold. You can find good information on the Internet, there's an official government site with all explanations in English and up-yo-date information (my experience is about a decade old). Expect to pay a little custom duty, and a little v.a.t. in custom clearance,  all together a 20" container shipment will cost you between €7,000 and €10,000.

There are a number of threads in this forum with usable and detailed information about shipping household.

 

Right-of-residence

- can either be annual extensions – which most of us use – or a "permanent residence", which is more complicated, and need 7 years of continuously annual extensions, and a fee around 200,000 baht, and a lot of documentation, and a test in Thai language skills. The annual extension af stay based on retirement is fairly easy, however it vary a bit from province-to-province; in general a question of showing funds, and a proof of residence, the latter by for example rental agreement and maps showing the home. If you can afford it, then keeping 800,000 baht in a fixed long-term Thai bank deposit is the easiest method, for example a 12-month deposit at about 1.5% annual interest; you can cash the interest annually, which is some 10,000 baht after 15% withholding interest tax.

 

Tax

It might be a benefit to live in Thailand, but depending of you home country's rules and "how much" you can check out; i.e. there might be better tax-benefits living outside EU, than in another EU-country. Any retirement pension from France will not be taxable in Thailand, due to double-taxation agreement, provided you pay tax of the pension in France. Money earned abroad are only taxable in Thailand, if you bring the money into Thailand the same year as earned; i.e. bringing savings into Thailand is tax-free. Interest earned from Thai high-interest account; i.e. long-term deposits, are withheld taxed by 15% – which you in principle can claim back, if your Thai income is under the taxable minimum – whilst any fund placed in bond deposits are tax-free. You can use a so-called "Fund Book" from most Thai banks to save up in bonds, and invest in mutual funds, and you can even open an online account for the SET (Stock Exchange of Thailand). Any dividends are withheld taxed by 10%, from both Fund Books and SET stocks. A benefit of having some of one's money placed inside Thailand is to avoid currency exchange rate deviations, i.e. you are going the spend to money in baht, so it's better to get dividend in baht – but stay away from mutual funds in foreign currency bonds, or foreign markets – the Thai stock market is performing Okay, and has a low dividend tax.

 

My personal advises:

 

Try to visit and test-stay a number of potential locations of interest, before you decide where to settle more permanently. Check the locations at different times of the year, some places might be flooded during rain-season or monsoon, or extremely hot in the dry-summer-season, or bitterly cold during winter – cold weather are mainly northern places like up Isaan or in the Chiang Mai area – and availability of shopping, hospitals, social places etc. like restaurants, bodegas, pubs, nightlife, mingling with other expats, and so on. You might wish to check areas with numerous other French people (kind of communities), which could be some of the Southern islands, for example Koh Samui has numerous French folks living there.

 

Rent a place in the beginning, or the first few years, before considering to buy a home. If you find it's not the right area, which can show up as late as after a year or more, it's easy to abandon a temporary kind of rent. When buying a home be aware that a foreigner (officially "alien", in slang "farang" for Caucasians; originally meaning "French" or rather "farancee" due to one legend) can only legally own a condo in a complex, where 51% of the owners are Thai.

 

If you should consider a house, be aware of the saying "Thai ladies are the best housekeepers in the World, you buy, they keep". A foreigner can own a house, but not the land under the house. The are different ways to secure a house, owned by a foreigner (might often need to be a new build house, to get status separated from the land under the house), either by a 30-year lease agreement, or a so-called superficies, and by a combination of both. There's also a "company limited"-method that is challenging the intention of the Thai law, but an often used method to hold land. Important: You don't need a Thai wife or girlfriend, to legally own a condo or a house on leased (or like) land, and it's not more easy with a Thai lady being the owner, in some cases it can be a fatal solution. You can read a lot more about land title deeds, and legal rights, on for example the web-site Samui for Sale, or search for other similar informative sites in Google, there's a number good ones.

 

Enjoy your otium, and be careful not easily falling in love – the pay-and-play method can show to be cheaper and more fun in long term – if you need someone to clean the house and cook, you can hire domestic help, or employ a housekeeper; some will confirm that it's much cheaper in long term than other solutions. If you find the right soulmate, you can live together without marriage – still makes everything more easy in case something... – and if you wish to secure someone in case of death, make a last will. I use the say that "one has to be worth more alive than dead in Thailand", a good explanation is "that if I die, the money-flow stops". However, a will is always a good idea, also if you have relatives in your home country, and make two wills, one in France covering any assets you have there (governed by French Law), and one in Thailand covering your assets here only (governed by Thai Law); there are no inheritance tax (yet) in Thailand. And even you decide to get married, it might be more easy to keep your extension-of-stay based on retirement, if you can afford the deposit.

 

Finally I'll say, that I began to think about early retirement in "paradise" a few years before I did the move, traveled a bit around to different places, and long-term rented a small home where I felt it was right for me. I spend the better part of a year in Land-of-Smiles before I officially checked out from my Scandinavian home country. Today I live with a lovely Thai girlfriend, we're not married, and together we have my only heir, now 12-year old. It's now also 12-years ago that I checked out of Denmark, and so far I don't regret my decision – however, sometime still scared that it’s nothing but a dream, and I shall wake up a snowy and freezing cold winter morning back home...

Edited April 21, 2018 by khunPer

[yuiop]

Wait AT LEAST one year before getting seriously involved with a thai lady.

Try to understand the local culture, the way they think and act to each other, it takes more than a year, and  if you're meeting only or mostly farangs it'll take much much longer.

It's very important to understand how society is structured here, and the place you are supposed to fill as a white wealthy man in order to get respect from thai people.

Don't spend more than 10% of your time in the red lights districts, avoid at all or just visit occasionally if you need, it's the wrongest place if you want to start a life in Thailand.

Travel around, see what you like more.

[peterb17]

4 hours ago, yuiop said:

Wait AT LEAST one year before getting seriously involved with a thai lady.

Try to understand the local culture, the way they think and act to each other, it takes more than a year, and  if you're meeting only or mostly farangs it'll take much much longer.

It's very important to understand how society is structured here, and the place you are supposed to fill as a white wealthy man in order to get respect from thai people.

Don't spend more than 10% of your time in the red lights districts, avoid at all or just visit occasionally if you need, it's the wrongest place if you want to start a life in Thailand.

Travel around, see what you like more.

Mmm

 

As I mentioned before- why on earth do posts always refer to , short times, prostitutes, getting involved with Thai women- always sex?

 

Have any of you people out there considered that the OP might want to live alone, be not interested in sexual intercourse, might be gay or perhaps transgender.

 

Have an open mind- think outside of the box ( very tricky on this forum) 

[rwill]

Read this page from the thai embassy in France.

 

http://www.thaiembassy.fr/fr/visa-rdv/les-types-de-visa-et-les-documents-necessaires/visa-o-long-stay/

 

[joecoolfrog]

You would probably enjoy the gulf coast just south of Hua Hin. Paknampran or Prachuap khiri khan are both pleasant and reasonably quiet.