I am almost ready to Pull the plug and leave

[Ban Phe Dezza]

Hi in other posts i have Discussed  retirement extension if on minimum funds' 

I still am border line on that issue however with rapid decline in the amount of pension,

I get in baht under 40,000 this month is even staying here worthwhile?

Going home to Australia is not a realistic option so perhaps Cambodia, Vietnam or the Philippines?

I wonder if any other Aussies or Brits face this issue and if  due to declining funds are or have considered leaving.

Not Back to your home country but researched alternative countries. due to my age I am reluctant to leave.

Unless I obtain an extension  in October I/O may make the the decision for me.

Please Note this post is about is it worthwhile staying:  not about how to get an extension

I hope mainly Brits, Aussies or others having declining amounts reply to this post

Perhaps a Vain Hope I guess

[wgdanson]

Part of the decision depends on who you have here to stay with. I have someone so would not leave.

[cleverman]

I assume on such a low income,you haven't medical insurance. If this is the case, get back to Oz.

[ezzra]

Jeez.. you're lucky in the sense that you can get the Aussie pension at all while living abroad permanently,, many of the Aussie expats would have like to get it too and deservedly so, having said that, no one can really in a position to know what are your real needs and wants, there's a lot of material online you be able to access to help you to make in informed decisions regarding you future...

[Peterw42]

The other places you mention will still have financial requirements to qualify for long stay Visa etc. Same situation different country, cost of living probably similar.

I know you have said the thread is not about how to get an extension but if you do the income letter (no proof required) from Australian consulate you can still get visa extension no matter what your finances.

Depending on your lifestyle it can still be way cheaper than Australia and probably the same as the other destinations you mention.

You still have an income better than most Thais, teachers, policemen, bank workers etc. Not sure if you are saying you are having problems living on 40k or qualifying for visa on 40k ?

 

Edited September 5, 2018 by Peterw42

[sammieuk1]

Your not alone death by slow financial strangulation is relentless?

[BritManToo]

11 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

The other places you mention will still have financial requirements to qualify for long stay Visa etc.

Surprisingly they don't.

The Philippines allows you to stay for 3 years before requiring you to leave for 1 night (no proof of finance), and they don't chase foreigners working on a tourist VISA.

Vietnam only seems to require an 'agent' to process your applications, if married to a local 5-year VISA costs $40.

I have several friends, too poor to stay in Thailand, who now rotate around Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Philippines.

Edited September 5, 2018 by BritManToo

[meechai]

There must be more for you in your home country no?

 

At least you would be covered for medical & maybe there is some social programs?

Eking out a living on less than 40k baht is doable for a Thai who has the 30 baht health scheme at

govt hospitals to fall back on.

 

But if your stretched now & aging as you said...Thailand is not a great place for the inevitable

 

[theguyfromanotherforum]

Why would you go from bad to worse?

[Peterw42]

2 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Surprisingly they don't.

The Philippines allows you to stay for 3 years before requiring you to leave for 1 night (no proof of finance, but you need to declare $10,000 savings).

Vietnam only seems to require an 'agent' to process your applications, if married to a local 5-year VISA costs $40.

I have several friends, too poor to stay in Thailand, who now rotate around Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Philippines.

Either way, not much different to Thailand, you either put money in bank, pay a back-door option, declare income/savings you may not have etc. I have friends in Cambodia and Philippines and cost of living appears very similar, X is cheaper, Y is more expensive etc. 

[BritManToo]

7 minutes ago, meechai said:

Eking out a living on less than 40k baht is doable for a Thai

I know a couple of Thai families living quite well on 10k/month (and paying rent and uni fees for their kids out of that).

As for health care, some of us aren't constantly ill, my last visit to a doctor was 4 years back for a few stitches after a crash (about 1,000bht). I live well on 20k/month + house loan repayments.

I've not had any health insurance since I left the UK.

Edited September 5, 2018 by BritManToo

[Odysseus123]

23 minutes ago, cleverman said:

I assume on such a low income,you haven't medical insurance. If this is the case, get back to Oz.

Firm but fair.

 

As you say,it is an assumption, but I am in full agreement that if you cannot afford health insurance (or to be self insured) then rockin' an' rollin' about in Asia is tossing the dice a few too many times for comfort.

 

I chose to retire from the fray before I had reached that stage-a rational decision even tho' I hated to leave.

[baansgr]

11 minutes ago, meechai said:

There must be more for you in your home country no?

 

At least you would be covered for medical & maybe there is some social programs?

Eking out a living on less than 40k baht is doable for a Thai who has the 30 baht health scheme at

govt hospitals to fall back on.

 

But if your stretched now & aging as you said...Thailand is not a great place for the inevitable

 

Eking out on 40k a single man. Me and three kids live very nicely on 30k a month, and we can even afford to go to Ramayana water park this weekend. Food, utilities just about everything except booze is cheap here.

[meechai]

4 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I know a couple of Thai families living quite well on 10k/month (and paying rent and uni fees for their kids out of that).

As for health care, some of us aren't constantly ill, my last visit to a doctor was 4 years back for a few stitches after a crash (about 1,000bht). I live well on 20k/month + house loan repayments.

I've not had any health insurance since I left the UK.

Yes like I said basically Thais can & do of course live on less

 

Would I want to live on $300 a month? Nah

 

As for health insurance yeah I'm over 60 & never been sick as an adult aside from 1 food poisoning I rode out in Thailand..

Will I eventually be sick enough to need help?

Have a heart prob?

 

Cant say but many do & they without insurance in Thailand have become a real sore spot for others retiring there as the Thai government has taken notice

of many like yourself. But good luck to you or hope your luck continues to hold tight or until Thai Imm forces you to have it rather than a go fund me page later ?

 

[cleverman]

Just now, BritManToo said:

I know a couple of Thai families living quite well on 10k/month (and paying rent and uni fees for their kids out of that).

As for health care, some of us aren't constantly ill, my last visit to a doctor was 4 years back for a few stitches after a crash (about 1,000bht). I live well on 20k/month + house loan repayments.

I've not had any health insurance since I left the UK.

That settles it then.nobody needs health,accident, insurance.if you have a crash. It will only cost you 1000 for the doctor.

[meechai]

3 minutes ago, baansgr said:

Eking out on 40k a single man. Me and three kids live very nicely on 30k a month, and we can even afford to go to Ramayana water park this weekend. Food, utilities just about everything except booze is cheap here.

Yes I lived in Thailand for near 10 years & I agree we (wife & I ) also lived for that at times but we owned our home & condo, truck, motorcycle etc so had no real bills.

 

Yes it "can be" cheap but life for me is not a race to live cheap.

Edited September 5, 2018 by meechai

[RichardColeman]

What makes you think moving to another country will be better, rather than just delaying an inevitable outcome in years to come ? If your pension will not rise as fast as any countries inflation each year, your just kicking the can further down the road.

 

A

[geriatrickid]

The reality is that Thailand does not want the  impoverished retirees. It has not wanted them for some time. This socio demographic group has been nothing but trouble for Thailand. They are often without medical insurance, live a marginal subsistence existence and take up space that is more profitably allocated to short term visitors and a wealthier demographic. In the coming years, Thailand will make it more difficult for these people to remain, not easier. The future is bleak for this demographic. If they are lucky, they have a quick death over the next five years before the economy undergoes an adjustment and they find themselves with even less income.

 

Until then, if one comes from an impoverished background. a lifestyle of living hand to mouth, free of worry about the future or care about what happens if he becomes ill, or if one really doesn't want the best for his kids, then all the tales of living on 20,000 or 30,000 or 40,000 baht a month work out.  

 

It is all relative. Some people are quite  happy living in poverty because they don't know anything else, nor desire to have a different lifestyle. They are fine with low quality living arrangements and poor quality  food.  However, for the vast majority of people, they wish to do more than to exist. They want to live comfortably and to have an enjoyable old age. They want clean water, proper facilities, good quality food, and a healthy environment. They want to be sure that they can access quality health care if something happens, and they don't want to worry about yaba fueled crazies in the neighborhood, or having to put up with noisy neighbors or living next door to Chester the Molester. 20-30-40,000 baht doesn't really get one that, despite all the claims to the contrary. A good quality home costs money. So does  food. So do quality clothes etc.   Claiming that all will be well  at 40,000 is an exercise in denial and self delusion. It won't be , nor can it be in today's Thailand.

 

 

 

[transam]

5 minutes ago, geriatrickid said:

The reality is that Thailand does not want the  impoverished retirees. It has not wanted them for some time. This socio demographic group has been nothing but trouble for Thailand. They are often without medical insurance, live a marginal subsistence existence and take up space that is more profitably allocated to short term visitors and a wealthier demographic. In the coming years, Thailand will make it more difficult for these people to remain, not easier. The future is bleak for this demographic. If they are lucky, they have a quick death over the next five years before the economy undergoes an adjustment and they find themselves with even less income.

 

Until then, if one comes from an impoverished background. a lifestyle of living hand to mouth, free of worry about the future or care about what happens if he becomes ill, or if one really doesn't want the best for his kids, then all the tales of living on 20,000 or 30,000 or 40,000 baht a month work out.  

 

It is all relative. Some people are quite  happy living in poverty because they don't know anything else, nor desire to have a different lifestyle. They are fine with low quality living arrangements and poor quality  food.  However, for the vast majority of people, they wish to do more than to exist. They want to live comfortably and to have an enjoyable old age. They want clean water, proper facilities, good quality food, and a healthy environment. They want to be sure that they can access quality health care if something happens, and they don't want to worry about yaba fueled crazies in the neighborhood, or having to put up with noisy neighbors or living next door to Chester the Molester. 20-30-40,000 baht doesn't really get one that, despite all the claims to the contrary. A good quality home costs money. So does  food. So do quality clothes etc.   Claiming that all will be well  at 40,000 is an exercise in denial and self delusion. It won't be , nor can it be in today's Thailand.

 

 

 

That reads like my life story...?............?

[CGW]

33 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I've not had any health insurance since I left the UK

I can understand your decision to not have health insurance, unlike most who seem to expect to come down with some serious illness or be involved in an accident i am confident of good health, my thoughts being that prevention is the best cure and I do what I can to prevent ? 

The insurance sales-folk must rub their hands together in glee when they read TVF, the selling is done for them, they must be making a killing! 

I do have insurance, this year the premium was over 130k, I have never claimed on this insurance, (I did get a 1% no claims bonus!) I avoid doctors like the plague & cannot remember the last time I saw one apart from compulsory work related medicals. With the money I have paid out in insurance it would have sponsored a lot of hospital visits! but it is a requirement for me as I travel a lot.

Stay healthy ? 

[BritManToo]

38 minutes ago, cleverman said:

That settles it then.nobody needs health,accident, insurance.if you have a crash. It will only cost you 1000 for the doctor.

Health care for the elderly is unnatural and pointless, I accept my fate whatever it may be.

Enjoy your erectile dysfunction, adult diapers, limited mobility and dementia, hopefully, I'll give them a miss.

Edited September 5, 2018 by BritManToo

[colinneil]

6 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Health care for the elderly is unnatural and pointless, I accept my fate whatever it may be.

Enjoy your erectile dysfunction, adult diapers, limited mobility and dementia, hopefully, I'll give them a miss.

So you are going to give limited mobility a miss!!

What a crazy comment, maybe you will like me have no choice regarding that.

If you are going to give limited mobility a miss, stay inside your home, never ever dare to go on the roads here, as doing so you could very easily lose your mobility, due to no fault of yours, but others.

[james1995]

there's this big myth out there that cambodia and vietnam are bargain destinations.  they're not. apartments are actually more expensive there than in thailand.

 

i'd probably recommend guys on a low budget to head to the philippines these days.

Edited September 5, 2018 by james1995

[impulse]

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

I know a couple of Thai families living quite well on 10k/month (and paying rent and uni fees for their kids out of that).

As for health care, some of us aren't constantly ill, my last visit to a doctor was 4 years back for a few stitches after a crash (about 1,000bht). I live well on 20k/month + house loan repayments.

I've not had any health insurance since I left the UK.

 

One reason Thai families can live on 10K/ month is because they count on help from extended families and they do a lot of bartering- formal and informal.  That's not in the cards for most foreigners.

 

Good luck with your health situation.  

 

[Ban Phe Dezza]

1 hour ago, baansgr said:

Eking out on 40k a single man. Me and three kids live very nicely on 30k a month, and we can even afford to go to Ramayana water park this weekend. Food, utilities just about everything except booze is cheap here.

That is just the main sticking point basically I would have to leave behind a Companion/ Career  that cost Me  $$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

[Ban Phe Dezza]

2 hours ago, cleverman said:

I assume on such a low income,you haven't medical insurance. If this is the case, get back to Oz.

Have you seen rent prices in Australia 

[Ban Phe Dezza]

2 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

Either way, not much different to Thailand, you either put money in bank, pay a back-door option, declare income/savings you may not have etc. I have friends in Cambodia and Philippines and cost of living appears very similar, X is cheaper, Y is more expensive etc. 

Based on Current exchange rates and research The Philippines seems doable 

[baansgr]

1 hour ago, geriatrickid said:

The reality is that Thailand does not want the  impoverished retirees. It has not wanted them for some time. This socio demographic group has been nothing but trouble for Thailand. They are often without medical insurance, live a marginal subsistence existence and take up space that is more profitably allocated to short term visitors and a wealthier demographic. In the coming years, Thailand will make it more difficult for these people to remain, not easier. The future is bleak for this demographic. If they are lucky, they have a quick death over the next five years before the economy undergoes an adjustment and they find themselves with even less income.

 

Until then, if one comes from an impoverished background. a lifestyle of living hand to mouth, free of worry about the future or care about what happens if he becomes ill, or if one really doesn't want the best for his kids, then all the tales of living on 20,000 or 30,000 or 40,000 baht a month work out.  

 

It is all relative. Some people are quite  happy living in poverty because they don't know anything else, nor desire to have a different lifestyle. They are fine with low quality living arrangements and poor quality  food.  However, for the vast majority of people, they wish to do more than to exist. They want to live comfortably and to have an enjoyable old age. They want clean water, proper facilities, good quality food, and a healthy environment. They want to be sure that they can access quality health care if something happens, and they don't want to worry about yaba fueled crazies in the neighborhood, or having to put up with noisy neighbors or living next door to Chester the Molester. 20-30-40,000 baht doesn't really get one that, despite all the claims to the contrary. A good quality home costs money. So does  food. So do quality clothes etc.   Claiming that all will be well  at 40,000 is an exercise in denial and self delusion. It won't be , nor can it be in today's Thailand.

 

 

 

of course the more money you have the better things in life you can buy. I'm very happy,  live in a secure well kept condo with good facilities,  no yabba heads here, I eat quality food and mostly good at home,  so fresh, healthy diet,  I occasional have a few drinks  with friends, I have a well kept wardrobe. Although my car,  bike and condo are paid for,  I and my kids seriously do not want for anything. I would like to understand what "quality  food" means,  please explain? Even next year when I have a substantial  pension vesting I don't think I will spend anymore apart from a better school for my kids. 

[Jingthing]

For something different, that level of income qualifies for resident status in Ecuador, Colombia, Peru, and Panama.

[Ban Phe Dezza]

2 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

Either way, not much different to Thailand, you either put money in bank, pay a back-door option, declare income/savings you may not have etc. I have friends in Cambodia and Philippines and cost of living appears very similar, X is cheaper, Y is more expensive etc. 

Brit man said I have several friends, too poor to stay in Thailand, who now rotate around Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Philippines **I thought of that but entry to Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia cost $ 30 US every time  Philippines free entry on arrival. interesting to find out how your friends do it and average costs