55 minutes ago, KittenKong said:

My retirement extension in Thailand costs me 2000B per year, all-in. It takes me under one hour to obtain at an office that is a 10 minute walk from my condo (which I own outright with no limitations) and requires no special paperwork of any type. If I like I can stay here indefinitely without ever leaving, or if I prefer I can leave as often as I like for a total extra cost of 3900B.

 

Someone please let me know when any other SE Asian country even comes close to that.

 

Yep. The Thai visa/extension system is a lot cheaper. I have the Thai retirement extension. Viet immigration is getting very greedy. Yet, as someone else points out above, foreigners can set up and own their own businesses and work in their own businesses without much trouble. Of course, things could change, as they do in VN. 

4 hours ago, KittenKong said:

If you only stay for 3 months you are hardly an "ex-pat". For me to consider living somewhere I would need easy access to as many one-year visas as I like. Thailand offers that but as far as I can see Vietnam is just a temporary holiday destination (albeit a nice one).

U know very well they have all sort of visa deals Monthly, yearly ect.

 

10 minutes ago, Destiny1990 said:

U know very well they have all sort of visa deals Monthly, yearly ect.

But nothing like the Thai retirement extension, as far as I know.

On 4/20/2019 at 10:37 AM, BritManToo said:

Both easily as nice a place to live as Thailand (and Vietnam).

Frequent power cuts in Cambodia are a bit of a pain, but the beaches and ruins are nicer than Thailand.

 

The reason I'm still in Thailand is because 10 years back my choices weren't so wide, and now I have Thai children to look after.

The food in PI is crap.

 

Plus their accent annoys the hell outta me, although they all speak decent English.

 

A lot of them also have moles which for some reason annoys me as well.

 

My choice would be Tokyo, although pretty expensive and no idea of visa requirements. It's more civilized than most western countries - clean / organised / different seasons / polite people / amazing public transport / lots to see and do but $$$$

7 minutes ago, KittenKong said:

But nothing like the Thai retirement extension, as far as I know.

If u are satisfied   with the Thai retirement visa procedures all together then by all means simply stay.

This thread is more for folks unhappy with these procedures looking at other destinations visa deal offers elsewhere.

For Europeans actually Spain may be the least complicated and least expensive option imho.

Just now, Destiny1990 said:

If u are satisfied   with the Thai retirement visa procedures all together then by all means simply stay.

This thread is more for folks unhappy with these procedures looking at other destinations visa deal offers elsewhere.

For Europeans actually Spain may be the least complicated and least expensive option imho.

I'll just check, but i don't think Spain is in SEA.......

 

Ok, i've checked, Spain is in Europe - confirmed.

Just now, JaiLai said:

I'll just check, but i don't think Spain is in SEA.......

 

Ok, i've checked, Spain is in Europe - confirmed.

Well i could have said Phills but since we know ur upset with their English accent and moles. so then for u staying in Thailand makes good sense u must have developed a wonderful Thai accent urself duhhhh.

As long as ur not near to mine location i be fine.

1 minute ago, Destiny1990 said:

Well i could have said Phills but since we know ur upset with their English accent and moles. so then for u staying in Thailand makes good sense u must have developed a wonderful Thai accent urself duhhhh.

As long as ur not near to mine location i be fine.

But you can confirm Spain is not in SEA, right?

 

The PI accent does not upset me, just annoys me, but the moles more so...

1 minute ago, JaiLai said:

But you can confirm Spain is not in SEA, right?

 

The PI accent does not upset me, just annoys me, but the moles more so...

Have a conversation with ur Taxi-driver In the Philippines and with ur Taxi driver in Thailand.

see which conversation works out more satisfying. 

4 minutes ago, Destiny1990 said:

Have a conversation with ur Taxi-driver In the Philippines and with ur Taxi driver in Thailand.

see which conversation works out more satisfying. 

Taxi driver?  what are you on about?

24 minutes ago, JaiLai said:

The food in PI is crap.

Once you pull your head out of your arse you will find out PI has amazing western food available everywhere for 50% of the cost in Thailand.

 

Only the local food sux, but what can you expect for the price? Sushi and caviar?

Derogatory comment removed.

1 hour ago, Destiny1990 said:

For Europeans actually Spain may be the least complicated and least expensive option imho.

Portugal would get my vote over Spain. In fact all other things being equal (which they arent) I would be in Portugal right now.

1 hour ago, AtoZ said:

Once you pull your head out of your arse you will find out PI has amazing western food available everywhere for 50% of the cost in Thailand.

 

Only the local food sux, but what can you expect for the price? Sushi and caviar?

Local food isnt that bad in the RP. They just dont use much spice. Apart from that they basically eat the same things as here.

3 minutes ago, KittenKong said:

Local food isnt that bad in the RP. They just dont use much spice. Apart from that they basically eat the same things as here.

 

I spent a year there, local food is very bland, no taste.


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1 hour ago, Destiny1990 said:

If u are satisfied   with the Thai retirement visa procedures all together then by all means simply stay.

This thread is more for folks unhappy with these procedures looking at other destinations visa deal offers elsewhere.

The retirement extension here works well for me and I find it easy and cheap.

 

But that isnt to say that I wouldn't want to live elsewhere, if elsewhere offered a similar easy retirement visa and similar overall costs of living (tax included). But as far as I know elsewhere doesnt. If anyone does know of somewhere that is a similar then I would like to hear about it.

2 minutes ago, JaiLai said:

I spent a year there, local food is very bland, no taste.

I spent many years there and often ask myself why I'm not living there now. I found that it was easy enough to spice up the local food when cooking at home, and it wasnt very hard to get them to do it in restaurants either once they got to know me. Some dishes are actually very tasty as they come: sinigang, escabeche etc. I also prefer Pinoy BBQ chicken to the Thai version. Most places I used to eat in would offer some fresh chilli to tart the food up with.

I have an enduring memory of eating great fresh oysters and lovely BBQ chicken and salad and rice in the Visayas, washed down with beer that was half the price of Thai beer and more than twice as good.

1 hour ago, JaiLai said:

Taxi driver?  what are you on about?

Why don't u try out the capital of Sri Lanka?

1 hour ago, Destiny1990 said:

Have a conversation with ur Taxi-driver In the Philippines and with ur Taxi driver in Thailand.

see which conversation works out more satisfying. 

I prefer 'Boss' or 'Sir' to 'Farang'.

Just a personal choice you understand.

I prefer 'Boss' or 'Sir' to 'Farang'.
Just a personal choice you understand.

Or master


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5 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I prefer 'Boss' or 'Sir' to 'Farang'.

Just a personal choice you understand.

Yea so polite and nice people

 

Sir, Madam everywhere - and not faking it, but genuinely sweet human beings.  

 

Hell my Thai gf doesn't get half as nice treatment even in Thailand. And she doesn't fit any bit of the profile that isn't desirable (ie tattoos, dark skin, esaan)

20 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I prefer 'Boss' or 'Sir' to 'Farang'.

Just a personal choice you understand.

I Think the polite Thais often will say to me Mr and not farang. Duhh

Filipinos will always  call me Sir.

The advantage is that 99% of the Filipinos can than continue the conversation in perfect English.

40 minutes ago, Destiny1990 said:

Why don't u try out the capital of Sri Lanka?

What for?

Just now, JaiLai said:

What for?

U didn’t see the news what happened there?

6 minutes ago, Destiny1990 said:

U didn’t see the news what happened there?

Nope

1 minute ago, JaiLai said:

Nope

Truly its a great destination for you.

1 hour ago, KittenKong said:

Portugal would get my vote over Spain. In fact all other things being equal (which they arent) I would be in Portugal right now.

 

1 hour ago, KittenKong said:

Portugal would get my vote over Spain. In fact all other things being equal (which they arent) I would be in Portugal right now.

Why would Portugal be better than Spain?

its more hot for sure there if that’s what ur after.

Portugal is nice i like the algarve etc but Spain all together  i think offers more.

7 minutes ago, Destiny1990 said:

Truly its a great destination for you.

Thanks, i'll take a look.

 

 

2 minutes ago, Destiny1990 said:

 

Why would Portugal be better than Spain?

its more hot for sure there if that’s what ur after.

Portugal is nice i like the algarve etc but Spain all together  i think offers more.

Pls stick to the topic!

 

SE Asia options for expats/ex Thailand.

1 hour ago, Destiny1990 said:

Why don't u try out the capital of Sri Lanka?

Actually Sri Lanka would be a reasonable alternative for me, though probably not Colombo the capital. The local food is fantastic: streets ahead of Thai food. The people are nice and speak a fair bit of English. The scenery is great and it has hill stations which for me at least offer a much more satisfactory climate than anywhere in Thailand. It is much less touristy than Thailand, and much less busy generally.

 

Long-term retirement visa options are not so good though.