Thailand is still among the most affordable destinations for expat retirees

[madmen]

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.

To funny [emoji1] what a drama queen

Stay away from undercover gangster what ever they are, stop chasing lady boys and don't get involved with mafia lol

[fruitman]

54 minutes ago, sup3r1or said:

Affordable if you were a CEO of a company with a nice retirement package.

And if rice with msg and palmoil is your favorit food.

[maccastime]

Yes no problem just leave 800,000 baht in your bank account 3 months before extending retirement visa and then 3 months after great system??? Not

[bkk75]

I don't understand all these conflicting marketing reports...some say BKK is most expensive just under Singapore (which I seriously doubt) and others like this say it's the cheapest top 5 blah blah.

 

Then you have all these jaded long-term stayers (farangs) threatening to leave BKK for greener pasture in Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, etc.  

 

 

[Hummin]

1 hour ago, Pattaya46 said:

No need to say it's the result of a survey made in USA.  

The result would be very different with a survey made in Europe...

If Sweedish and English chaps was doing the survey, it would have been ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,drumrolll,,,,,,,,,, guess who? 

 

Cambodia ????

[Brickbat]

I love it. But sad to see a few pals forced to leave with the new Immi rules. Compulsory health insurance will be another nail in the coffin for many. Enjoy . There’s no tomorrow.

[Hummin]

1 hour ago, sammieuk1 said:

It helps a lot if you don't smoke drink wine fall foul of the daily crackdown and the ensuing ridiculous fines.  but the first class healthcare must be a typo being gassed in the PM 2.5 smog haze should be the correction otherwise welcome if you can afford it ???? 

This is cheep wine at the moment. 

 

 

[Gweiloman]

1 minute ago, Brickbat said:

I love it. But sad to see a few pals forced to leave with the new Immi rules. Compulsory health insurance will be another nail in the coffin for many. Enjoy . There’s no tomorrow.

Compulsory health insurance will be the death nail for many retirees, myself included. Millions of baht worth of assets will be on fire sale. Anyone interested? Lol

[Just1Voice]

Been here 10 years in Chiang Mai.  Married all that time.  I just turned 70, my wife just turned 60, but looks 40.  I adopted her Thai son, who then legally changed his last name to mine, to "honor the man who is my father.  He's a school teacher who loves what he does.  March will be the final payment on our house, which is valued at over 3.5mil.  I don't keep 800k in the bank, but my monthly VA Disability and Social Security combined go well over double the 65k a month income figure.  Chiang Mai has changed, grown, over the past 10 years, but I still love it here and can't think of anyplace else I would rather live.  I'm here for the duration.  

[SammyT]

3 minutes ago, Just1Voice said:

Been here 10 years in Chiang Mai.  Married all that time.  I just turned 70, my wife just turned 60, but looks 40.  I adopted her Thai son, who then legally changed his last name to mine, to "honor the man who is my father.  He's a school teacher who loves what he does.  March will be the final payment on our house, which is valued at over 3.5mil.  I don't keep 800k in the bank, but my monthly VA Disability and Social Security combined go well over double the 65k a month income figure.  Chiang Mai has changed, grown, over the past 10 years, but I still love it here and can't think of anyplace else I would rather live.  I'm here for the duration.  

 

A legit and deserved success story. Seems the loudest ones on here fell for the first Thai girl who showed any interest in them, despite a three decade age difference and now they're bitter that the woman was seemingly only after them for their money, not their rockstar personalities. Hope you're enjoying your retirement!

 

[madmitch]

1 hour ago, crazykopite said:

No doubt this report was completed before the Immigration Burea decided to introduce financial penalties in order to obtain the retirement visa .

I looked up the link and the article containing the report was dated 1st January, so you're right.

 

It's as though someone, somewhere has dug up this article as a counter to the cost of living in SEA report published yesterday. A bit like the kindly taxi driver stories appearing shortly after the accident and scam articles!

[Gweiloman]

3 minutes ago, Just1Voice said:

Been here 10 years in Chiang Mai.  Married all that time.  I just turned 70, my wife just turned 60, but looks 40.  I adopted her Thai son, who then legally changed his last name to mine, to "honor the man who is my father.  He's a school teacher who loves what he does.  March will be the final payment on our house, which is valued at over 3.5mil.  I don't keep 800k in the bank, but my monthly VA Disability and Social Security combined go well over double the 65k a month income figure.  Chiang Mai has changed, grown, over the past 10 years, but I still love it here and can't think of anyplace else I would rather live.  I'm here for the duration.  

Love your story. Let’s hope all this talk about compulsory health insurance is just talk. 

[dcnx]

1 hour ago, RotBenz8888 said:

Question is where Thailand will be in a few years ahead?

Many of the guys laughing today will be in a panic by then. The purge will eventually get to them too, they are just too blind or ignorant to realize it.

 

52 minutes ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

You can call it home but it never will be a permanent home when you are on a Non-Immigrant visa.

 

Clue is in the name and plan accordingly for sudden changes in requirements to continue living here.

 

You are only here for as long as your current visa allows and in certain cases not even as long as that!

This. Spot on.

[Odysseus123]

3 minutes ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

Correction, you are here for as long as your permission to stay is valid for.

I am in full agreement with you on this topic.

 

What is so hard to actually understand?"Duration..forsooth..

 

Yes..anywhere between $8-12 Aussie dollars will get you a more decent wine than those shown above..better,if they are "specials"..

[ttl]

Even Bangkok Bank have a snare going now,but maybe they are running short of CASH.Needed to draw 10K before going for my Visa extension at Mukdahan main branch. ATM said can only draw 2500Bt max in 100BT notes.  tried  the next machine which came up with the same answer.Great offer from main branch(this was at 8am)

At the counter had to sign withdrawl slip twice(Not writen in English plus 2 other a4 identical steets  TWICE,plus had to hand oner ATM Card, Passport and Passbook/ AHHHHHA!!!

Next I needed the Bank confirmation letter to confirm the balance showing 10K escaping. after 10K withdrawal Has always been 100Bt  free service to open the computer, change the name and figures.However this  time was given 2 100bt receipts and was told had to pay twice for 2 reciepts for letters.Photocopy must have gone up/reasonable miserable lot.No IFS or BUTS  So watch out do  not get caught twice,service is no in their dictionary.I have only been banking with them for 36 years Phew!!!!

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

The World’s Best Places to Retire in 2019

 

10. Spain

9. Thailand

8. Peru

7. Portugal

6. Colombia

5. Malaysia

4. Ecuador

3. Mexico

2. Costa Rica

1. Panama

 

The 5 Most Affordable Retirement Havens of 2019

 

- (tie) 4. Bolivia

- (tie) 4. Peru

3. Thailand

2. Vietnam

1. Cambodia

 

 *source: Internationalliving.com

 

 

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

 

[Hummin]

12 minutes ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

Those are less than 140thb a bottle in Aus. 

 

????

I would say around 3-5 euro in Spain ????

 

max 200 baht. 

[zydeco]

55 minutes ago, ThomasThBKK said:

Yeah mate, Mexico is for sure a safer country for us... We'll go there instead... ????

Depends on where you go to in Mexico. 

[overherebc]

What is your idea of retirement should be a questioned asked.

For me the requirements are not that difficult to fulfill.

I am at the let me be as I am stage. Get up in the morning and have a couple of coffees in peace and quiet before I have my breakfast. I don't like religion in any shape or form (those who believe are idiots) and I don't want it in my ears because they feel like it.

The rest of the day I want to spend as I want and detest being told what to do or when I should do it, by anyone, domestic or foreign. I had years of it in the army and since leaving I will call no-one Sir.

We have been travelling regularly around Asia since retiring and we still enjoy doing so and even with the 'new rules' we could continue to do so, but, every time on return I get, for some reason, a feeling of unease at the Imm' desk even although I am 100% legal visa wise, (Have they made up a new rule in the two weeks we were away) sort of feeling.

I don't need the bar scene and I don't want the expensive restaurant scene, most of the time we can do better ourselves.

I have told friends my next visa will be my last so I have 18 months to finish a few things and decide where I'm going, note I'm going. If my wife wants to stay here that will be her decision but it won't affect mine. At the moment my comfort and stability mental and physical is my only concern.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

1 hour ago, crazykopite said:

No doubt this report was completed before the Immigration Burea decided to introduce financial penalties in order to obtain the retirement visa .

 

These kinds of reports rarely if ever seen to address the important issue of whether an expat can actually legally continue to reside in these countries... visa obtainability and sustainability, and at what price. As opposed to come and go tourists.

 

The fact I can get a $500 a year health club membership doesn't mean much if Thai Immigration keeps changing the rules and ends up making it impossible for many current expats to live here, or if not impossible, makes continual rule tinkering so burdensome and intrusive as to not be worth it anymore.

 

[ginjag]

Read the topic headline, the most affordable place to live....that is why most elderly have made their home here, because it is affordable.   affordable on the UK pension at 30k,  and have to spare the same as a Thai school teacher.

The problem being Immigration put a stupidly high figure on retirees of 65k.  just no need.  Surely a deposit of 500k in Thai bank and a show of the UK pension on a uk bank statement of 30k should be sufficient.

But we have posters on here stirring up trouble trolling, and slagging the ones that do not meet the Immigration criteria.. Shame on them.  it is choices at the end of the day, stay or leave I agree, BUT for those living comfortable before the the Embassy crackdown, and Immigration raising the bar, so many have a family, pets homes, these are the ones that are hurt.  Those said ex pats may have to sell their home to raise 800k and then pay out big money to rent.   We will have to see the backlash to all this.  TAT are they bothered  ??? NO all the help they offer is a 500k elite, and free visas to Chinese tourists

[balo]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

The 5 Most Affordable Retirement Havens of 2019

 

- (tie) 4. Bolivia

- (tie) 4. Peru

3. Thailand

2. Vietnam

1. Cambodia

TAT are already working on a face lift to get back on the top ,  will be published next week.

 

Thailand brings you more luck. 

 

 

 

 

[zydeco]

2 minutes ago, ginjag said:

Surely a deposit of 500k in Thai bank and a show of the UK pension on of 30k should be sufficient.

It is.

[legend49]

1 hour ago, darksidedog said:

Figures might be a bit different if they factored in how dangerous moving around in the country is. And that world class health care they talk about, most definitely is not at all cheap.

Yes a most expensive health hospital chain starts with B and has the same name as the capital of LOS, carried out a small operation on me. Ankle stabilising  bone fractured. So in went a titanium rod and twelve screws. That was end of November. Week after discharge had a the golden staph infection on that leg so two days of an antiflamm drip. Given all clear to put 100% weight on it 2nd week of January. Last two days its blown up to twice the size and some pain, going to a lot cheaper hospital on Friday meanwhile my Pharmacist sold me some anti flamm tablets that are 55% cheaper than what the other hospital charges ( hospital total bill was 320,00 baht). So yes not so cheap.

[ginjag]

3 minutes ago, zydeco said:

It is.

Sorry look at the new rules, it is not.  Immigration want money transferred at source direct to a Thai bank,    so I give up my UK bank account because I have no monthly income by direct debit.

[ginjag]

6 minutes ago, zydeco said:

It is.

You have also cropped my post to suit your post.

[Ctkong]

1 hour ago, realenglish1 said:

 Actually I have lived in Panama and it is a really nice country Very friendly do expats and very very easy to live there and work there No 90 day reporting or other ridiculous  requirement  Good infrastructure and hospitals as well What Thailand does not understand is they must compete with the rest of the world for expats money or there will be a breaking point for people will not come anymore

What thailand has going for it other than food and lodging over other countries are the easy ladies...once that well dries up, thailand will seem much less attractive as a retirement home for retirees.  

[ttrd]

2 hours ago, darksidedog said:

Figures might be a bit different if they factored in how dangerous moving around in the country is. And that world class health care they talk about, most definitely is not at all cheap.

Yes, the survey should have taken into consideration the fact that the majority don't afford a health insurance and compared the hospitalization costs without ....

[Lacessit]

I am very comfortable here, and live much better than I could in Australia. If there is one thing I could change here, it would be modernisation of Thailand's visa system so I did not need the services of an agent. The paperwork in this age of computers is excruciating. As is a visit to CM immigration.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Interesting, there's ANOTHER thread here in the forum focusing solely on Cambodia...

 

And in that Khmer Times article, there's a Cambodia visa reference I don't think I've ever heard of before....

 

Quote

In 2016, the government released a three-year multiple-entry visa targeting retirees and other long-stay travellers and investors.

 

I'm no Cambodia expert. But as best as I've generally been able to follow, about the best an retired expat could do there is paying brokers for an annual "business" visa....

 

Any notion of Cambodia having an actual 3-year visa targeting retirees is nothing I've ever heard before.