Thailand is still among the most affordable destinations for expat retirees

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

On 2/13/2019 at 1:23 PM, orchidfan said:

I believe it does exist but it's in the form of a $300 annual fee to renew your extension.

Problem is does anyone think their Thai wife or gf will want to live in Cambodia whose language neither of us understand. ..no friends or family nearby etc etc

 

Thanks.... The price itself isn't bad, if they don't hassle you during the remainder of the year.

 

But, do you know, is that one of the variety where you can do it directly thru the government there, or as often seems to be the case, you're only applying and dealing thru 3rd party agents and agencies who take your money and passport, and then....

 

On your broader point, I do agree, Cambodia certainly would be a hurdle for those with Thai spouses and families. But for single guys, much easier to pick up and move where one likes.

 

[Jimdandy]

 

Yeah, that's right. come on over from the high cost of living to the low quality of air. You've worked hard all your career, so now's the time to decrease your life expectancy. 

[Pravda]

4 hours ago, bkkcanuck8 said:

Yes, going down the drain fast... quick... everyone leave before it is too late!  Crap, no one is listening... only complaining ????

 

The biggest complainers are the ones who until yesterday complained about their nanny state going down the toilet while Thailand was the greatest thing since sliced bread. After 15 years here comes a miniscule change in retirement requirements (not even a raise which would be justified considering the inflation) and suddenly Thailand is finished.

 

See ya in Vietnam and Cambodia folks!

[ginjag]

2 hours ago, Pravda said:

 

The biggest complainers are the ones who until yesterday complained about their nanny state going down the toilet while Thailand was the greatest thing since sliced bread. After 15 years here comes a miniscule change in retirement requirements (not even a raise which would be justified considering the inflation) and suddenly Thailand is finished.

 

See ya in Vietnam and Cambodia folks!

Miniscule  ????  by that you mean mega shift, from Embassy cancel, transfer of money's to a Thai bank,  800k tied up virtually, what on earth are you on about, and can you also guarantee no more changes, not been here (if you are ) long.

[Pattaya46]

9 hours ago, mike787 said:

Does that include the immigration cost and inconvenience? //

Not many countries must have an immigration cost lower than the 1'900 baht of Thailand. 

And for inconvenience, it's for many of us just one visit to Immigration per year. 

[Pattaya46]

2 hours ago, ginjag said:

Miniscule  ????  by that you mean mega shift, from Embassy cancel, transfer of money's to a Thai bank,  800k tied up virtually, what on earth are you on about, and can you also guarantee no more changes, not been here (if you are ) long.

- Thai Immigration didn't "cancelled" or stopped to accept Embassy Letters;

- The "transfer of money" aka "12 x 65k" is an additional method to get extension, not a change;

- 800k permanently in a Thai bank is what many of those using the 800k were already doing; the augmentation of the seasoning period is in fact the only change in many years.

 

Maybe not a minuscule change, but certainly not a mega one either.

 

[ta158]

22 hours ago, GinBoy2 said:

Trouble with crime stats its all local, aggregated numbers, especially the bigger the country don't make much sense.

Our house in Thailand...would I leave the gates and doors open when we go out, Hell No.

 

In the US where we live I could leave the house open, the car running with keys in (which is actually what most of us do to warm the car up in frigid cold) without worrying, Yes

 

Then again we're not living in Chicago or Detroit. 

 

I'm hispanic, so obviously fully aware of crime in Mexico. So would I live anywhere in Sinaloa, Mexico City or Tijuana? Of course not

But many many cities in Mexico outside of the drug areas, are just normal peaceful places 

this website only uses feelings to calculate the crime rate, there is no crime statistics there, many cities is in the complete wrong rank.

[ginjag]

12 hours ago, Pattaya46 said:

- Thai Immigration didn't "cancelled" or stopped to accept Embassy Letters;

- The "transfer of money" aka "12 x 65k" is an additional method to get extension, not a change;

- 800k permanently in a Thai bank is what many of those using the 800k were already doing; the augmentation of the seasoning period is in fact the only change in many years.

 

Maybe not a minuscule change, but certainly not a mega one either.

 

Hey DO NOT twist my post, I did NOT say immigration cancelled the Embassy letters.

65k is out of reach for 90% of retired pensioners, are you above knowing that ??

Hadn't you also noticed that some consulates stopped issuing non 0 visa, making many who used this tourist visa change to Retirement.

Hadn't you also noticed from 2 years ago there is a general shift to make it more difficult for persons staying here.

The most puzzling thing about it is, they want 65k a month because in their mind you cannot live here comfortably, BUT if you deposit 800k in a Thai bank, you can live ok on 25k and they not care then  ???

[madmen]

On 2/13/2019 at 12:15 PM, Gweiloman said:

I believe you can do that in Malaysia. But I personally wouldnt do that


Sent from my iPad using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

why not? he could convert to Islam and take on several wives and solve the horrible life he had in Thailand ...easy peezy ????

[Pattaya46]

20 minutes ago, ginjag said:

65k is out of reach for 90% of retired pensioners, are you above knowing that ??

They don't ask retirees to have a 65k pension, just to transfer this amount monthly.

 

20 minutes ago, ginjag said:

Hadn't you also noticed that some consulates stopped issuing non 0 visa,

making many who used this tourist visa change to Retirement.

?? Non-O is not a Tourist visa

and which consulates ?

 

20 minutes ago, ginjag said:

Hadn't you also noticed from 2 years ago there is a general shift

to make it more difficult for persons staying here.

No, but you now use the word "persons" while this thread is about "expat retirees"

[ravip]

21 hours ago, bkkcanuck8 said:

Yes, going down the drain fast... quick... everyone leave before it is too late!  Crap, no one is listening... only complaining ????

Where else could they go? If TH goes down the drain... all have to share the drain-space. Maybe the whinnings may stop as it would be more 'homely'.

[ginjag]

9 minutes ago, Pattaya46 said:

They don't ask retirees to have a 65k pension, just to transfer this amount monthly.

 

?? Non-O is not a Tourist visa

and which consulates ?

 

No, but you now use the word "persons" while this thread is about "expat retirees"

Baiting that is what I call your post

 

!st point, I did not say 65k WAS a pension, I said it was out of reach for pensioners

 

The non immigrant visa 90 days from Laos was a tourist visa, work prohibited and no income stipulation

 

The other point about WHICH consulates --look them up yourself to find out who stopped them,  I will give you 1, Hull in the Uk  find out your homework for the rest.

 

STOP nit picking and arguing TEACHER wanna be,  go away, stop baiting......any twist you make to a post is baiting.

[ginjag]

12 hours ago, Pattaya46 said:

Not many countries must have an immigration cost lower than the 1'900 baht of Thailand. 

And for inconvenience, it's for many of us just one visit to Immigration per year. 

1 visit a year to immigration  ??   I thought we reported every 90 days.   I must inquire again.

[RBOP]

Then there are the articles that say the opposite

https://go.shr.lc/2SzK6QV

[Pattaya46]

1 hour ago, ginjag said:

Baiting that is what I call your post

Sorry, I replied to your posts because you wrote many of them on a way that make them sound wrong/false...

 

1 hour ago, ginjag said:

1 visit a year to immigration  ??   I thought we reported every 90 days.   I must inquire again.

Seriously??

You just spoke of Non-O visa; people who use them never make 90-Days reports...

Others often do their report by Internet or by mail. No need to go to the Immigration Office

 

1 hour ago, ginjag said:

!st point, I did not say 65k WAS a pension, I said it was out of reach for pensioners

You can say it, but it's false.

I personally don't know any pensioners who doesn't have least 65k in the bank when he receives his pensions. (In other words: It's not because you have a small pension that you don't have money available)

 

I could make more comments but will stop here, because already out of subject. Sorry. 

[CMNightRider]

On 2/12/2019 at 3:14 PM, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

So Peru and Thailand are the only two countries that make BOTH the Best and Most Affordable retirement lists above....

 

International Living tends to be less than credible on their information.  They are more interested in selling real estate and you subscribing to their news letter that isn't that informative.

[ginjag]

2 minutes ago, Pattaya46 said:

Sorry, I replied to your posts because you wrote many of them on a way that make them sound wrong/false...

 

Seriously??

You just spoke of Non-O visa; people who use them never make 90-Days reports...

Others often do their report by Internet or by mail. No need to go to the Immigration Office

 

You can say it, but it's false.

I personally don't know any pensioners who doesn't have least 65k in the bank when he receives his pensions. (In other words: It's not because you have a small pension that you don't have money available)

 

I could make more comments but will stop here, because already out of subject. Sorry. 

Good you stop, YOU quote @ I don't know of any pensioners who doesn't have at least 65k in the bank. <deleted>  ????  get out more, ask the majority of pensioners.  BYE

[Pattaya46]

3 hours ago, ginjag said:

Hadn't you also noticed that some consulates stopped issuing non 0 visa, making many who used this tourist visa change to Retirement.

 

2 hours ago, ginjag said:

The other point about WHICH consulates --look them up yourself to find out who stopped them,  I will give you 1, Hull in the Uk  find out your homework for the rest.

 

Hull: Non-Immigrant Category "O" Visa on the basis of being a UK State Pensioner

http://www.thaiconsul-uk.com/non-immigrant-visa-cat-o-pensioner.php

 

(Sorry, couldn't resist to this one more flagrant wrong information)

[ginjag]

11 minutes ago, Pattaya46 said:

 

 

http://www.thaiconsul-uk.com/non-immigrant-visa-cat-o-pensioner.php

 

(Sorry, couldn't resist to this one more flagrant wrong information)

You mislead,  The visa is not for a person of pensionable age,   Stop it, I used to go there to get my multiple entry 1 year visa ,  it is not available....get your facts right and read it again.   I couldn't resist the answer,  the info is NOT for a UK 65years and over on his old age pension.  For this you must visit the Thai Embassy in London.

[Pattaya46]

2 minutes ago, ginjag said:

// Stop it, I used to go there to get my multiple entry 1 year visa ,  it is not available....get your facts right and read it again.   I couldn't resist the answer,  the info is NOT for a UK 65years and over on his old age pension.  For this you must visit the Thai Embassy in London.

You are talking of Non O-A visa, not Non O...  

[ginjag]

22 minutes ago, Pattaya46 said:

You are talking of Non O-A visa, not Non O...  

Wrong, on all my visa from Hull they state non 0.......when they stopped this visa, I had to get  90 DAY VISA from Laos it also was a non 0 and said tourist on them all...

On any of my visa  Hull or Laos was non 0A  on, they all said tourist non 0.

[bkk6060]

The 3rd world neighbors are not that much cheaper.

Justifying cheaper beer as a reason to go is one of the most immature responses I can think of. But seriously, seems people are willing to move their whole life for it.

 

If it that important to save a hundred bucks or so each month to downgrade to 3rd world life it certainly says a lot about ones competence, confidence and self respect. Glad it is not a place I want or need to go.

[DLock]

One thing that confuses me, and I am being serious, because I have no idea.

 

I understand that leaving 800k in a bank for many months as a form of "means test" is not ideal, but if it is so important and you need access to it, and you do spend it, where do you get the 800k the next year...if you have spent it?

 

Was there some "agency" that provided 800k in a bank account for a day, for a fee in the old system?

 

Is that what they are trying to stop? The "merry-go-round" of the same 800k?

 

[ginjag]

7 hours ago, DLock said:

One thing that confuses me, and I am being serious, because I have no idea.

 

I understand that leaving 800k in a bank for many months as a form of "means test" is not ideal, but if it is so important and you need access to it, and you do spend it, where do you get the 800k the next year...if you have spent it?

 

Was there some "agency" that provided 800k in a bank account for a day, for a fee in the old system?

 

Is that what they are trying to stop? The "merry-go-round" of the same 800k?

 

800k for 3 months shown before you apply again,..... now for 2 months after you applied, giving you 4 months freestyle, then have the said amount in ready for the next application.

[Naamblar2014]

22 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

The 3rd world neighbors are not that much cheaper.

Justifying cheaper beer as a reason to go is one of the most immature responses I can think of. But seriously, seems people are willing to move their whole life for it.

 

If it that important to save a hundred bucks or so each month to downgrade to 3rd world life it certainly says a lot about ones competence, confidence and self respect. Glad it is not a place I want or need to go.

 

[Sealbash]

Factor in the rip off theivery, con artistry, conniving Island mafia and under cover gangsters, corrupt BiB/officialdom, not to mention many of the opposite gender waiting to prey on naive farang men mis-judging the “come on” smiles as welcoming friendliness, get feet under table and pay heavy price, with all of these somewhat intangibles, Thailand is not as rosy as some of the other countries in the survey.
 
Sorry to be negative to those obviously happy in the LoS, not intended to take away from your good luck, but there are costable dangers that need factoring when doing the DD on this subject.

All you have stated applies equally to all countries on the list.


Sent from my iPad using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Kaitangsou]

-+This list is a joke, had several visitors from Thailand, foreigners btw, in recent week here at my Klub Safari in Surigao del Sur, they ALL tell of horrifically high prices in Thailand, uniformly so...250 pesos equivalent for a beer there compared to 50 here on the average, and the girls are way prettier and not nearly as mercenary here...and they speak English, so real flirting and romance is actually possible...Philippines without a doubt the best retirement destination in Asia...and don't forget South Africa and Namibia, two truly amazing places in the whole world...Thailand is not in the Top 50...long since...past glories, glory past...

[ThomasThBKK]

More Philippines shilling, we get it but we don't like presidents who throw people out of helicopters ????

[crazyk]

Thailand was cheap a long time ago,pre 1997 it was less than B40 to £1 the way it's going now but things were cheaper but every country has inflation,but thailand  isn't chap anymore,especially with everybody wants to rip you off,if you complain about them ripping you off they threaten YOU with the police,also with the changing of the visa requirements,a 12 month visa was easy to renew in penang or elsewhere but not for a few years now,now 6 month multiple entry visa's obsolete so you have to get the setv visa & extend at immigration then repeat, extortion comes to mind with the government, with the retirees on a worse note surviving on a meagre pension the government wants them to put all their money in thai banks knowing they're gonna be dead soon,makes you wonder where the bar girls got the idea to rip off farangs

[Scott]

Off-topic post removed.