Thailand is still among the most affordable destinations for expat retirees

[NoshowJones]

3 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

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

 

Lets have the most hassle free countries. I would bet that Thailand  will be at or very near the bottom.

[elliss]

11 minutes ago, moe666 said:

Ah nothing like a good cost of livin article to get all the cry babies out enforce, I love it my nightly entertainment

     Better  than thai moves ,  sure . 555

[ross163103]

Hmmm, funny how just yesterday there was an article in ThaiVisa stating that Bangkok, Phuket, Chang Mai, and Pattaya were among the most expensive cities to live in ASEAN, with Bangkok 2nd behind Singapore and Phuket (4th), Pattaya (6th) and Chiang Mai (8th). Maybe two different journalists with different parameters. I guess if you live like a Thai person would it can be a cheap place to live.

[bkkcanuck8]

25 minutes ago, moe666 said:

Ah nothing like a good cost of livin article to get all the cry babies out enforce, I love it my nightly entertainment

your nightly entertainment is definitely cheaper than some others ????

[randy723]

5 hours ago, SammyT said:

I'm just here to read the angry comments from the retirees who also can't afford to retire in their own country but feel they have a god-given right to retire cheaply in Thailand and will complain like there's no tomorrow if they have to pay more than they did 10 years ago for something. Sammy you smart mouth know it all my self and most of the Farang I know live here because it is a very nice place to retire and the people are great. For your information Have more money than I could ever spend in any country. 

 

P.s. I've heard the Philippines is nice this time of year... 

 

 

If the Philippines is nice then why don't you take your ugly remarks and do us all a favor and move there. I live here because the Thai people and Thailand is a better and safer place to live than California USA. 

[jesimps]

5 hours ago, SammyT said:

I'm just here to read the angry comments from the retirees who also can't afford to retire in their own country but feel they have a god-given right to retire cheaply in Thailand and will complain like there's no tomorrow if they have to pay more than they did 10 years ago for something. 

 

P.s. I've heard the Philippines is nice this time of year... 

 

 

Your smugness is staggering.

 

[ramr]

5 hours ago, SammyT said:

I'm just here to read the angry comments from the retirees who also can't afford to retire in their own country but feel they have a god-given right to retire cheaply in Thailand and will complain like there's no tomorrow if they have to pay more than they did 10 years ago for something. 

 

P.s. I've heard the Philippines is nice this time of year... 

 

 

Like them, you have a rich and full life.

[jesimps]

28 minutes ago, moe666 said:

Ah nothing like a good cost of livin article to get all the cry babies out enforce, I love it my nightly entertainment

Knew when I read the title of this thread that the "wallies" would be out in force. If the mods could just get rid of half a dozen or so idiots, TVF would be an excellent forum. As it is you have to sift through all the smug comments before getting to the meat.

 

[overherebc]

I really do get a bit pi--ed off with all the posts on the lines of if you haven't planned to have enough money for your old age then you are stupid etc and should not be here.

Not everyone is an Einstien and not everyone is a financial wizard.

Lots of setbacks in life can happen to your average Joe in his working life, laid off, wife gets very sick etc etc and it all can eat into cash plans for the future. Fathers pay to help their kids get through Uni' etc and then the kids get a good job, wife and family etc and won't or can't help 'dad' later.

Wife dies first and dad's on his own, takes a break in Thailand feeling lost and a pretty smile cures all ills he has. On that point no-one, other expats, put him straight and he ends up staying here.

His limited income is sufficient for his needs, even legally, until the rules are changed almost overnight and he ends up between a rock and a hard place.

I don't know why people gloat over the hardships of others, in their own mind they probably see themselves as superior. Here's a comment on that point, your sh-t still stinks.

[Emdog]

This "news article" was more of a poorly disguised advert for various resorts and gyms IMO, aimed at those who don't live here and know how things are in "real life". Everywhere has + and -, for sure.

[Dumbastheycome]

4 hours 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!

In real terms there  have  been minor changes  and a tightening up on long existing requirements.

That it is about to cause issues  for the small percentage that have relied on circumnavigating the requirements may deserve some sympathy but  should come to realize they have no honest justification for complaint.

As the saying goes " You  can't  keep  your cake and  eat it  too. "

Everyone  who  applies  for an annual  extension is ,or should  be > aware that it is just that.....an Extension of Stay.  Legitimately comply  with the requirements and no problem.

I renewed my extension based on retirement today. Over and  done in 35 minutes  including a re-entry permit. Despite  signs  saying  "photo copying will no longer  be done here" dated  sometime in January they did  some  with no  comment or suggestion of paying for. No reference  to  any changes  or  upcoming changes was  made and the  atmosphere  was  very friendly.

The only unusual thing  was that  I was one of only  two customers in the time it  took instead of the  usual 20 +.

So as  far as I am  concerned and I am sure  for the majority who do things by the numbers it  is  life as usual.

 

 

 

 

[ThomasThBKK]

27 minutes ago, possum1931 said:

Lets have the most hassle free countries. I would bet that Thailand  will be at or very near the bottom.

 

https://wikitravel.org/en/Retiring_abroad

 

Doesn't seem so.

 

Can't even imagine how a Thai person would retire in Germany, but it must be extremely expensive if even possible (a la buying a passport in malta for a million usd).

[Dumbastheycome]

11 minutes ago, overherebc said:

I really do get a bit pi--ed off with all the posts on the lines of if you haven't planned to have enough money for your old age then you are stupid etc and should not be here.

Not everyone is an Einstien and not everyone is a financial wizard.

Lots of setbacks in life can happen to your average Joe in his working life, laid off, wife gets very sick etc etc and it all can eat into cash plans for the future. Fathers pay to help their kids get through Uni' etc and then the kids get a good job, wife and family etc and won't or can't help 'dad' later.

Wife dies first and dad's on his own, takes a break in Thailand feeling lost and a pretty smile cures all ills he has. On that point no-one, other expats, put him straight and he ends up staying here.

His limited income is sufficient for his needs, even legally, until the rules are changed almost overnight and he ends up between a rock and a hard place.

I don't know why people gloat over the hardships of others, in their own mind they probably see themselves as superior. Here's a comment on that point, your sh-t still stinks.

There  will be few  who  would/do  gloat.

Few are  "Einstien 's" or financial wizards.

Yes, stepbacks  can and do happen.

As  a  voluntary expat none should  burn all bridges 

The  legal rules  have  not changed . Only tightened. 

Thailand  has  the right.

Repatriates should  look  for their own.

[DrTuner]

2 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

A lot of the local seafood sold in commercial markets here is cr** as far as I'm concerned -- either farm raised and fed all kinds of junk and doused in chemicals and medicines, or from polluted seawaters. And then you get to the common practice where the Thai buffet places take their farm raised local salmon and use colorings to get the nice natural orange color that normal salmon should have.

As you mentioned most of the "seafood" here hasn't ever seen salty water. Most of the good stuff seems to get exported. 

 

Really good Thai food is getting harder and harder to find. Mediocre ingredients from Makro, BigC, etc combined with little ability to cook them right. 

[GinBoy2]

Maybe it's worthwhile thinking of it this way.

 

As a retiree, you are not an immigrant, you are at best a long term tourist doing annual extensions.

 

The Thai's could choose on a whim decide to change that, they may not, who knows.

 

But you don't know. A lot of guys here think of themselves as permanent residents, but thats far from the truth.

 

Enjoy it while it works for you, but always have an escape plan

[NoshowJones]

10 minutes ago, ThomasThBKK said:

 

https://wikitravel.org/en/Retiring_abroad

 

Doesn't seem so.

 

Can't even imagine how a Thai person would retire in Germany, but it must be extremely expensive if even possible (a la buying a passport in malta for a million usd).

Do people who are not German go to Germany to retire?? Unless of course they have a German spouse.

I think what is being referred to on this thread is countries where people go to retire because they are better and cheaper than their own countries.

I hate the UK and have no time for those who run Thailand, but Thailand despite all the hassle and hoop jumping has a lot more good than bad, where the UK is the exact opposite.

[ThomasThBKK]

Well the head of thailand is living in South Germany... ???? so i guess they do. Many retirees in the black forrest, sylt, north sea etc. Most europeans. Germany is definitely not expensive, food is super cheap. Fresh Milk is around 50 cents for a litre... I don't like it there either, that's why i am here, but it's certainly not cheaper here. 

 

Many people retire in Spain and Portugal, greece too, but only easy for europeans soon not so easy anymore for brits. Spain and Portugal both have a golden visa for 500 000 euro real estate investment. 

 

Australia closed down their retirement visa plan afaik... 

 

Everyone is saying it's super easy to retire in other countries, i can't find where it's much easier except german south American countries. 

Even colombia wants 25 k usd in the bank, same as thailand. 

[Lacessit]

3 hours ago, utalkin2me said:

If bargirls tripled their fees, the quality of the expat community would shoot theough the roof overnight. I wish they would do it, for their sake, and everyone else's.

No problem with that, as long as the bar girls tripled in quality as well.

[Lacessit]

2 hours ago, JAG said:

Well, I don't eat pies, like cheese. do drink a glass of milk every evening. avoid Coca Cola, can't stand Burger King, make my own Pizza and the only Australian woman I have ever known dumped me after 6 months.

 

 

Consider yourself lucky. Australian women have cost me a fortune.

[hotchilli]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

"Lured by the rich culture, first-class healthcare, and low cost of living, an increasing number of expats are calling Thailand home," the report said.

Now I know it's <deleted> !

[chama]

6 hours 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...

You can make surveys say what =ever you want them to say. Don't put much faith in them.

[Lacessit]

2 hours ago, overherebc said:

Think carefully. They serve them in a bowl of pea soup.

BS. That's a pie floater, common in the UK. We Aussies are more civilized. Fillet steak and a good shiraz.

Pies and sauce are only eaten by the hoi polloi at Aussie Rules football matches.

[overherebc]

1 minute ago, Lacessit said:

BS. That's a pie floater, common in the UK. We Aussies are more civilized. Fillet steak and a good shiraz.

Pies and sauce are only eaten by the hoi polloi at Aussie Rules football matches.

Maybe but how uncivilised can you get, I mean replacing a cup of hot Bovril with Vegemite, the mind boggles.

[Stargeezr]

Grass always seems greener on the other side of the fence, I am curious about

Vietnam, do they have the 90 day rules? I have heard that some things are cheaper

and we would all be Viet millionaires with their currency so low. Do they have the same sugarcane burning air pollution problems?  I only visit Thailand for now 2 months per Winter, but who knows what the future holds.

Geezer

[baansgr]

2 hours ago, ttrd said:

Providing that you are eligible to stay ...

Of course as the cost of living is a moot point if you are not even eligible to stay. Plenty threads on that subject but Thailand I think certainly does win hands down for cheap living albeit alone without a tirak.

[Felt 35]

6 hours ago, SammyT said:

 

Presumably still more affordable than your home country, hence why you're here?

Your assumptions do not necessarily fit on everyone retired in Thailand and why they are here. ????

[overherebc]

50 minutes ago, Dumbastheycome said:

There  will be few  who  would/do  gloat.

Few are  "Einstien 's" or financial wizards.

Yes, stepbacks  can and do happen.

As  a  voluntary expat none should  burn all bridges 

The  legal rules  have  not changed . Only tightened. 

Thailand  has  the right.

Repatriates should  look  for their own.

Strange thing in my mind is that the idea was to prevent agents doing the illegal bit.

[baansgr]

2 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

A lot of the local seafood sold in commercial markets here is cr** as far as I'm concerned -- either farm raised and fed all kinds of junk and doused in chemicals and medicines, or from polluted seawaters. And then you get to the common practice where the Thai buffet places take their farm raised local salmon and use colorings to get the nice natural orange color that normal salmon should have.

 

Freshly caught sold Jomtien Beach mornings. 

[lifeincnx]

6 hours 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...

The internet is wonderful thing. Try it sometime.
https://internationalliving.com/the-best-places-to-retire/

 

[overherebc]

15 minutes ago, baansgr said:

Of course as the cost of living is a moot point if you are not even eligible to stay. Plenty threads on that subject but Thailand I think certainly does win hands down for cheap living albeit alone without a tirak.

Of course it can same as other places but it all depends on your own needs and preferred lifestyle.

I don't need much but I could pay for more but why should I when I don't need or want too.

I would take it a few out there have read Zen and the art of motorbike maintenance by Robert M Firsig ( spelling, might edit ) but it's a very interesting book.