Be careful, I would not like you to mislead my question, given that it is not my goal to judge or criticize, that everyone is free to choose what to do in their lives. I would like to put this question to pensioners (mainly from Western countries) because we decided to spend the last part of their lives in Thailand.
The Kingdom, as we can see every day, is an authoritarian layer and the control over foreigners is very high, not to mention the various TMs, the currency is no longer as convenient as it once was, and the environment is saturating.
Why have you never considered quieter, more civilised and relaxing destinations to spend your retirement? Excellent food, pleasant weather, culturally similar, for example Greece, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Costa Rica. 

I hope to receive some answers, friendly as the questions, thanks to all. 

 

Another why are you here thread.

 

Lots of sex with young sexy girls. No Soi 6 in any of those countries

 

Next....

 

 

Edited September 25, 20196 yr by bkk6060

31 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

Another why are you here thread.

 

You could have just ignored it. It's not a coercive question sir. 

1 hour ago, zhounan said:

The Kingdom, as we can see every day, is an authoritarian layer and the control over foreigners is very high, not to mention the various TMs, the currency is no longer as convenient as it once was, and the environment is saturating.
Why have you never considered quieter, more civilised and relaxing destinations to spend your retirement? Excellent food, pleasant weather, culturally similar, for example Greece, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Costa Rica. 

OK Ill play.

 

I spend half my time here because its a cool place. I spent the last 30 years of mylife in the "country" so to speak and now I am living large in the most affordable decent big city in the world. I dont consider the Government to be a problem, its not like its China or North Korea or some other dangerous Government country. The environment is disgusting but I like the food and the culture. The money is great. I dont like Spanish culture and Italy is too Third World for the money. I may go to Costa Rica for part of the winter next year if I get married back in the States..

 

Oh and there is a great Georgian Restaurant in lower Suk with a special "bar" across the street for desert.

Edited September 25, 20196 yr by Nyezhov

it was a popular holiday destination in my home country,

and at the time, it was also comparatively cheap,

given the currency exchange at the time.

i didnt know about the visa hassle at the time,

but rest assured i have come to regret i came here

instead of somewhere where i would have been a citizen,

i.e any plot belonging to EU

7 hours ago, zhounan said:

You could have just ignored it. It's not a coercive question sir. 

Thank you for that information.

Edited September 25, 20196 yr by Scott

boom boom.

If you separated everybody into three groups.

1. Players on the field of play.

2. Spectators in the stadium

3. Lonely people walking outside the stadium facing the cold wind.

 

Back in the uk guys feel they are on the field of play up to about 40. In the stadium till about 50 and walking around the car park after that.

I hit ,50 and just wanted to at least be on the bench. Thailand degintely allows all the feeling of at least being in the stadium with the chance of running onto the field when the ref isnt looking.????

1 hour ago, zhounan said:

Why have you never considered quieter, more civilised and relaxing destinations to spend your retirement?

Two Thai children is what's stopped me.

I made the decision based on comments on Thaivisa! ????

1 hour ago, zhounan said:

I would like to put this question to pensioners

what is a pensioner?

1 hour ago, zhounan said:

The Kingdom, as we can see every day, is an authoritarian layer and the control over foreigners is very high,

i like. wish USA had.

1 hour ago, zhounan said:

Why have you never considered quieter, more civilised and relaxing destinations to spend your retirement?

sorry but with the new attitudes in the west Thailand is more civilized. Thai men have a amazing culture here. Try to find it.  

1 hour ago, zhounan said:

Excellent food, pleasant weather, culturally similar, for example Greece, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Costa Rica. 

food could be better, yes it is hot, you can take your western culture and well you know...

Not a pensioner but will have a go at answering.

Had spent many years of visiting Thailand for holidays, enjoyed them.

Then moved there, mostly because the weather a far more attractive proposition than the UK, I had become fed up of dreary cold winters.

Other attractions also.

 

Living in Thailand coming to an end for me, chosen Italy as a main base.

Chilly winters though so perhaps Thailand/Vietnam or someplace else for a mild and not cold winter climate.

Consider this, the decisions and plans you make as a younger man don't always work out as perhaps you thought, no one can predict government changes/requirements currency fluctuations etc.no crystal balls, you do what you think and feels right at the time.

So, you visit a country and enjoy it, you return many times and love it, then you meet and fall in love with one of its inhabitants and the lifestyle.

The relationship progresses you "make a life" and so on, then 15 yrs down the line things change, govt. changes, currency fluctuations and more all impact on your life style. It's too late !! many are at the end of the working life, can't replace it, life has moved on and relationships and the life in the home country has long gone, nothing back there but memories..

So you have what you have, a life and family you made but through no particular fault of your own has just evolved into something very different.

 

The point being, many didn't intend to retire here at all, many just ended up here through life choices, relationships and just plain fate ! and its where we ended up.

shnitzel visa for eu countries was a pain in the <deleted> for american. have to show all kinds of income/financials/health years prior.

 

im still looking at some cheap eu countries, but need to get over there are feel them out first to see if its worth it.

 

south america/mexico is beautiful but the guys are real dicks culturally and unavoidable as they aporoach you if ignored. in asia if you keep to yourself you can pretty much avoid the local guys and just date females socially.

 

the sex issue is moot. any cheaper country has more then you need. not into the bar stuff, wall to wall women anyhow, so not a factor for me.

.a lot of it is having traveked here on vacation years ago and just being here due to familiarity and getting lazier to travel as i get older.

 

Edited September 25, 20196 yr by fhickson

Sharia Law soon to be enforced

^{Well said CharlieH.}  

4 minutes ago, cyril sneer said:

Sharia Law soon to be enforced

Where? Thailand? It'll never happen.

39 minutes ago, seasia said:

Not a pensioner but will have a go at answering.

Had spent many years of visiting Thailand for holidays, enjoyed them.

Then moved there, mostly because the weather a far more attractive proposition than the UK, I had become fed up of dreary cold winters.

Other attractions also.

 

Living in Thailand coming to an end for me, chosen Italy as a main base.

Chilly winters though so perhaps Thailand/Vietnam or someplace else for a mild and not cold winter climate.

Sicily in winter...amazing place.

The weather is much better here than in the northern US.  It is cheaper to live here.  I have had no visa or TM issues.  Here in the northern part of Thailand the people are friendly. And finally my wife is Thai and she is from this area.

1 hour ago, NCC1701A said:

boom boom.

My award for "In a nutshell" goes to.....

They cant enforce Thai law, so dont worry about Sharia

2 hours ago, zhounan said:

culturally similar, for example Greece, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Costa Rica. 

Culturally similar? Ummm, no.

Before retiring here, I had worked as a consultant in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, the USA and New Zealand.

The factors influencing my decision were:

 

1/ Reasonably close proximity to Australia.

2/ The stunning femininity and grace of many Thai women.

3/ The absence of nanny state regulation. Pace the TM30 sufferers.

4/ A very affordable cost of living.

5/ Availability of good Thai cuisine, along with many others.

6/ Absence of boredom. Every day here is an adventure for me.

 

I acquired a Thai GF, or she acquired me. No regret whatsoever on that count.

6 hours ago, zhounan said:

Why have you never considered quieter, more civilised and relaxing destinations to spend your retirement? Excellent food, pleasant weather, culturally similar, for example Greece, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Costa Rica. 

Everyone's different and subject done to death, personally because they not as good as Thailand and other Asian countries 

Like many others have said, Thailand is a great place more than 3 years ago but not now due to many factors like

 

1. inflation

2. Baht getting stronger and stronger

3. visa applications getting tougher and tougher

4. TM30 monitoring getting more difficult

5. Thai people (especially from government) getting less friendly

 

4 hours ago, timendres said:

Culturally similar? Ummm, no.

European countries are certainly more similar than Thailand. 

 

1. Bread versus rice 

2. European languages are more similar to each other than Thai language

3. Christianity versus Buddhism

4. European weather is not as hot as Thailand

 

Yes, you can find bread in Thailand but it's considered western food and not native Thai food. 

 

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned the Temples... 

 

Isn't that why we all came to Thailand???

 

Joking aside, I fell in love with Thailand on my 1st visit 11 years ago & have visited 8-20 times a year since (now spend an average of 10 days a month in-country) but I would like to spend extensive time in some other places (Vietnam, Portugal & Colombia being top of the list) before committing full time.

 

Somewhat insulated from the Currency (Baht is "Only" 5% higher than SGD compared to when I 1st visited, though approx 18% higher than SGD's peak), no problems with Visas (extensions of stay) & don't bother with any of the TMs except the TM6 on arrival & a TM30 once per year when I go to do my extension), just feel like other places are starting to become more attractive & worth a try before committing completely 

 

 

No-one owning up to coming for the lady boys?

6 hours ago, CharlieH said:

The point being, many didn't intend to retire here at all, many just ended up here through life choices, relationships and just plain fate ! and its where we ended up.

Ja. Wisdom. Always look at the what ifs, it will make you smile.....

 

Like me. I could have woken up in front of a homeless shelter on my knees with a raging hangover, a rubber hanging out my a** and a fistful of nickels. So when I trip on a piece of broken sidewalk and almost get run down by a motosai texting while riding, I look to the sky and say, Thanks Big Omnipotent Dude......

8 hours ago, zhounan said:

Why have you never considered quieter, more civilised and relaxing destinations to spend your retirement? Excellent food, pleasant weather, culturally similar, for example Greece, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Costa Rica. 

because of the taxman Mate! even in Costa Rica he's rearing his ugly head friends told me. our cook prepares excellent food and if i want something which is difficult to prepare at home i order food from a huge variety of restaurants which our driver collects. the climate in our home is a quite pleasant ~26.5ºC and as a cosmopolitan i can adapt to any culture or ignore it. the latter i do as i live since nearly 30 years like a hermit... with a wee bit more comfort.