Thailand 17th choice to live in for U.S. social security retirees

[PhonThong]

3 hours ago, keemapoot said:

The thing to remember is that many US expats resident in all the countries of Asia are former or retired US military & DoD civilians who were stationed in PI, Japan, Korea, Guam, even Australia & Singapore. So, the knock-on effect is probably significant.

Guam is the United States!

Also, you left out Thailand, Vietnam. 

Edited July 29, 2019 by PhonThong

[marcusarelus]

20 minutes ago, Caldera said:

This is quite meaningless, as the article itself explains - many social security recipients continue to get their payments deposited into their U.S. bank accounts, and in that case, they won't make this list.

 

In Thailand in particular, direct deposits to Thai bank accounts only became an option recently.

What do you call recent?  I've been doing it for 10 years.

[Jingthing]

This is quite meaningless, as the article itself explains - many social security recipients continue to get their payments deposited into their U.S. bank accounts, and in that case, they won't make this list.
 
In Thailand in particular, direct deposits to Thai bank accounts only became an option recently.

Somewhat true but misleading. They will count all that claim a foreign address. That includes those getting the deposits in the US. As I do.

Sent from my Lenovo A7020a48 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Nemises]

On 7/28/2019 at 6:51 AM, Olmate said:

If you could speak the lingo Oz is the place to be, but you would need to leave your guns behind!

No. It’s not the place to be. Cocaine costs more in Oz than anywhere else in the world. 

Article in yesterday’s Sydney Telegraph...

 

 

[sawadee1947]

On 7/28/2019 at 1:37 AM, mania said:

No other country affords you the rights you get as a citizen

Who wants to live in a country of hatred and racism unless you have to? 

[marcusarelus]

2 minutes ago, sawadee1947 said:

Who wants to live in a country of hatred and racism unless you have to? 

A lot of people apparently as shown by the caravans coming up from all of Latin America.   

[sawadee1947]

2 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

A lot of people apparently as shown by the caravans coming up from all of Latin America.   

The thread was about retirees, not migrants. 

[Isaanbiker]

On 7/27/2019 at 11:05 AM, mania said:

Not surprising actually.

 

Because when one considers total quality of life the cleaner air etc of many of the front runners is obvious

 

Plus with Canada US expats on medicare are just a drive away from a US hospital

 

 

What was surprising was seeing the Philippines has 4 times as many US expats as Thailand.

Between those two I would have thought Thailand was ahead

It's in no way surprising. The Philippines were a very important base in the cold war for American GI's. The Philippine Revolution in 1898 marked the beginning of the American colonial era. 

 

   

[marcusarelus]

10 minutes ago, sawadee1947 said:

The thread was about retirees, not migrants. 

I was mislead.  I though those were retirees who had left Thailand.  My eyes aren't so good anymore.  

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Thailand - 17th on the list of countries based on the number of Americans receiving their SS payments abroad...

 

And likely soon headed downward into the 20s ranking in the years ahead based on arduous and inconsistent Immigration policies, TM30 enforcement, the likely imposition of a health insurance requirement for O-A visas and who knows what else, the loss of Embassy income affidavits for extensions of stay, and the general "welcoming" attitude increasingly found here.

 

Edited July 29, 2019 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[Olmate]

4 hours ago, ThaiBunny said:

So you'd prefer them to be selling their children for sex?

Wa ko comment,I,m referring to folk who have been accepted into Oz as refugees!

[malibukid]

5 hours ago, Mansell said:

I am surprised they don't want retirees, mainly because there is only 30 million people living there and the country is the size of the continental USA which has 320 million people.....though a lot of Oz is uninhabitable. And getting all the foreign currency should be a boon. I'm sure Aussies on here can enlighten us.

great surfing, but i don't like spidee's

Edited July 29, 2019 by malibukid

[malibukid]

1 hour ago, marcusarelus said:

A lot of people apparently as shown by the caravans coming up from all of Latin America.   

because they are desperate, and they will be met by a lot of bigotry

[Jingthing]

8 minutes ago, malibukid said:

because they are desperate, and they will be met by a lot of bigotry

Yes of course.

But many U.S. expats are plenty motivated NOT to live in the U.S. as well.

Not suggesting an equivalency per se but there is definitely a racial and/or nationality aspect in why some people are called refugees and others are called expats.

[Jingthing]

I want to add yet another wrinkle into why these stats don't mean all that much. I've been researching moving to Latin America. One thing I've learned is that the postal service in the countries I'm looking at is massively unreliable. Well, social security sends out a "proof of life" letter annually to S.S. recipients in these countries. If you fail to send it back (they mail two separate times) your benefits are suspended. Then you must deal with a nightmare trying to get them reinstated. The reason for this buildup is that I've learned that many expats in these countries don't tell S.S. they are living there because of the postal service problem. They give an address of a friend or relative instead. That's technically not OK with social security and can lead to problems as well, but it's probably much more likely to be a problem having to rely on the postal service of such countries.

[Captain 776]

I am a licensed Ship Captain.

My original plan was to retire in the Caribbean somewhere and Captain a private yacht, or even run a Ferry or take fishing charters a few days a week.

But the last 17 yrs before retiring had me in Australia, Africa, and China.

So I set up here in Thailand 14 yrs ago.......and happy here, but if given a do-over.........I would have stuck to he original plan.

 

I find tranquil azure blue ocean water n warm balmy days most soooooooothing.

[IAMHERE]

10 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Canada has no retirement visa. So those Americans retiring in Canada are likely dual citizens, yes?
 

I'd suspect many Canadians worked in the USA long enough to qualify for Social Security, they just went home to live their older life. Same for Philippines, Filipinos that worked in the USA and go home for a better older life. Heck, I'd expect a lot of Mexico workers have US social security credits and a good retired life nearer to where they were born.

 

[Inn Between]

Each to their own. I'm Canadian but not quite at retirement age. Canada is just not my cup of tea, especially Ontario. I've always said, "Canada is a nice place to come from, but I wouldn't want to live there."  It's not just the weather, although the 6 months of winter we basically face every year has a lot to do with my feelings. 

 

I love the country and care very much for its well being, and I will likely end up doing my final years there, mainly due to family, but as long as I can function well, I plan to make SE Asia my home again. Unfortunately, Thailand, where I spent many years happily working probably won't be where I land next for various reasons, mostly to do with currency conversion and the uncertainty of immigration rules. Vietnam seems the most likely option these days from what my research shows. 

 

But for those from places like the US and UK who can handle long spells of frigid weather, Canada is probably a good  choice with its weak currency and favourable conversion rates. 

[Traubert]

6 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Thailand - 17th on the list of countries based on the number of Americans receiving their SS payments abroad...

 

And likely soon headed downward into the 20s ranking in the years ahead based on arduous and inconsistent Immigration policies, TM30 enforcement, the likely imposition of a health insurance requirement for O-A visas and who knows what else, the loss of Embassy income affidavits for extensions of stay, and the general "welcoming" attitude increasingly found here.

 

Oh well....every cloud, as they say..... ????

[ericthai]

On 7/27/2019 at 12:05 AM, mania said:

What was surprising was seeing the Philippines has 4 times as many US expats as Thailand.

Between those two I would have thought Thailand was ahead

I wouldn't be surprised that a big number of those US expats are originally from the Philippines. 

[Jingthing]

22 minutes ago, ericthai said:

I wouldn't be surprised that a big number of those US expats are originally from the Philippines. 

Definitely true.

[Sheryl]

On 7/28/2019 at 1:41 PM, cmarshall said:

 

 

...Canada is a better country than the US.  All the sames benefits, plus much better health care, plus the Canadians aren't nuts.

 

I fully agree.

 

If only it wasn't so &^%* cold.

[thaicurious]

1 hour ago, ericthai said:

I wouldn't be surprised that a big number of those US expats are originally from the Philippines. 

True also of other countries preceding Thailand on that list....

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_Americans

Total population

1,466,514[1]
0.4% of the U.S. population (2017)

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Americans

Total population

1,062,640
0.33% of the American population

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filipino_Americans

Total population

4,037,564
1.23% of the U.S. population (2017)

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_Americans

Total population

36,668,018
11.3% of total U.S. population, 2017

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_Americans

Total population

43,100,000[1]
13.26% of the U.S. population (2017)

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Americans

Total population

Self-identified as British
1,891,234 (2017)[1] 
0.6% of the total U.S. population.
Other estimates: 72,065,000 [2]
23.3% of the total U.S. population

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_Americans

Total population

17,063,646 (2017)
(5.3% of the U.S. population)

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polish_Americans

Total population

10,500,000
U.S. Estimate, 2013, self-reported[1]
Around 3% of U.S. population

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_Americans

Total population

1,316,074[1]
0.4% of the U.S. population (2010)
Other estimates: 3,000,000

 

But not such a large population of...

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai_Americans

Total population

319,794 (2017 American Community Survey)

 

For others expatriating for adventure or just a change or for financial considerations or whatever, many might seek a society where they find belief systems conforming to their own.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_the_United_States

The most popular religion in the U.S. is Christianity, comprising the majority of the population (73.7% of adults in 2016)

 

According to a 2016 study, Buddhists are approximately 1% of the American population.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Canada

Christianity is the largest religion in Canada, with Roman Catholics having the most adherents. Christians, representing 67.3% of the population in 2011

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Mexico

Catholic Christianity is the dominant religion in Mexico, representing about 83% of the total population as of 2010

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Germany

Christianity is the largest religion in Germany, comprising an estimated 57% of the country's population in 2017

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_the_Philippines

Religion in the Philippines is marked by a majority of people being adherents of the Christian faith.[1] At least 92% of the population is Christian

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_in_Thailand

Christianity was first introduced to Thailand by European missionaries. It represents 1.2% of the national population, which is predominantly Buddhist.

[Sheryl]

This appears to be based  on the address SS sends checks to. Many US expats in Thailand still have their SS checks sent directly to a US bank as IDD to Thailand only began a few months ago. Whereas it may have been in place longer in other countries on the list.

[Ron jeremy]

On July 27, 2019 at 7:51 PM, Olmate said:

If you could speak the lingo Oz is the place to be, but you would need to leave your guns behind!

Oz is the place to be????? Hahahahahahaha! What a joke, I can't afford to pay attention there! It's the last place I would want to be. My niece and nephew from oz came to visit last summer to Canada. They couldn't believe how much cheaper Canada was compared to kangaroo land. Simply getting unaffordable to live there.

yes Canada gets cold in the winter, but Vietnam fills the gap quite nicely. Had my fill of Thailand.

Edited July 29, 2019 by Ron jeremy

[Olmate]

5 hours ago, Ron jeremy said:

Oz is the place to be????? Hahahahahahaha! What a joke, I can't afford to pay attention there! It's the last place I would want to be. My niece and nephew from oz came to visit last summer to Canada. They couldn't believe how much cheaper Canada was compared to kangaroo land. Simply getting unaffordable to live there.

yes Canada gets cold in the winter, but Vietnam fills the gap quite nicely. Had my fill of Thailand.

So they,ll be relocating some time soon Uncle Ronny?

[marcusarelus]

15 hours ago, Isaanbiker said:

It's in no way surprising. The Philippines were a very important base in the cold war for American GI's. The Philippine Revolution in 1898 marked the beginning of the American colonial era.  

And end.  It lasted 28 years.  

[marcusarelus]

5 hours ago, Ron jeremy said:

Oz is the place to be????? Hahahahahahaha! What a joke, I can't afford to pay attention there! It's the last place I would want to be. My niece and nephew from oz came to visit last summer to Canada. They couldn't believe how much cheaper Canada was compared to kangaroo land. Simply getting unaffordable to live there.

yes Canada gets cold in the winter, but Vietnam fills the gap quite nicely. Had my fill of Thailand.

Vietnam fills no gap nicely unless you don't need a retirement visa or health care or food and shopping and all the other reasons Thailand has a gdp and infrastructure and tourism far far higher than Vietnam.  15 mil to 40 mill.  25 million people realize the difference and choose Thailand.

[Tony125]

2 hours ago, marcusarelus said:

And end.  It lasted 28 years.  

Wrong. The United States recognized the Philippines as an independent state and established diplomatic relations with it in 1946. Except for the 1942-45 Japanese occupation during World War II, the Philippines had been under U.S. administration since the end of the Spanish-American War in 1898.

[Tony125]

21 hours ago, marcusarelus said:

What do you call recent?  I've been doing it for 10 years.

Direct deposit to Thai banks only started in Nov 2018---not ten years ago

PAYMENTS TO BENEFICIARIES OUTSIDE THE U.S.

NOVEMBER 2018

COUNTRIES WITH SSA'S
INTERNATIONAL DIRECT DEPOSIT 

THAILAND    Nov 2018

Source: https://www.ssa.gov/deposit/GIS/data/Reports/ALLCTRYWEB.htm

 

https://th.usembassy.gov/message-for-u-s-citizens-direct-deposit-of-federal-benefit-payments/

 

If you had direct deposit  to Bangkok Bank that was only because they had a branch and ach number to transfer to that NY branch which then forwared the money to Thailand. That cannot be done anymore.