Need Retirement place for 70

[UKresonant]

2 hours ago, Jingthing said:

you would be building a life here on quicksand.

That's a great starting point, of the way to approach Thailand's Immigration (and Visa) System.

Assume all money you bring here is spent, don't aim to own anything, especially property.

There is not really a retirement visa, just a stay a little bit longer extension because you are retired, that you may or may not be able to keep extending, ( assume it will continually change, and past performance perhaps appears to be no guide to the future, based on the last 18 months, the devil is in the detail).

Otherwise lovely country, should be able to live on <36k THB per month with >6kTHB per month health and emergency contingency savings & insurance.  The big advantage here is accommodation costs, and local food costs (except for Butter/Cheese perhaps )

 

[sfokevin]

57 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Not at most. Only a few offices have reported as not accepting a application.

Chiang Mai is one of the few that aren’t processing combo method renewals... 

[ubonjoe]

11 minutes ago, sfokevin said:

Chiang Mai is one of the few that aren’t processing combo method renewals... 

Are you sure. I have seen a report of at least one being accepted.

Some offices are only refusing them if you do not have proof of income from your embassy.

[Banana7]

Come to Pattaya. A 64 sq.mt. condo, with swimming pool, can be rented for 15k a month + utilities ( utilities are about 1k-2k a month), located between 3rd road and the highway, near Pattaya Klang. 32sq.mt. would cost about 8K/mo.. These prices are for a 1 year lease. Cheaper prices are also available.

 

That leaves you about 800b-1000b per day for food, entertainment, and transportation. If you eat Thai food, 300b/day,  breakfast 80b, lunch in Big C food court 80b, dinner 120b. not including booze. Beers in bar are about 55-70 baht.

 

Motorcycle rental can cost 2K a month. MC taxis are about 50-60b in central Pattaya.

Can you walk 1.5km to the beach?

 

 

 

 

Edited September 27, 2019 by Banana7

[wgdanson]

4 hours ago, wgdanson said:

Bht 10,000 a month will not get you very far. Stay where you are.

Sorry, maths Alzeheimers again ! 

[wgdanson]

3 hours ago, MRToMRT said:

500,000/12 = @42,000 ??

Sorry, failed my O Level maths !

[JWRC]

Kanchanaburi is good value, Thailand's 3rd largest province and one of the most beautiful, but not on the ocean. Bordered by a mountain range, some of Thailand's most stunning waterfalls close enough for a day trip. Small foreign community. This is not really a place where tourists come to for an length of time, mostly just a couple of days to see the famous bridge on the River Kwai, the museum and death railway so we are not subjected to people trying to rip you off.

Good air quality, it does get quite hot, March, April and May, but most have air-conditioners. Places to rent from 1,800 per month up to say 12,000.

Not a big choice if you want western food, I cook my own so that doesn't bother me. 

Close enough to Bangkok to get there in a mini bus in around 2 1/2 hours.

2 private hospitals that have doctors that speak English.

This place is more like a big country town than a city, after 2 decades here, I haven't found anywhere else I would want to live.

[dcnx]

2 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Latin America. Some countries there you can:

 

Easily afford to live at an upper middle class level

 

Easily qualify for retirement visas even leading to permanent residence

 

Even be able to buy into national health programs in some countries

 

I would strongly advise forgetting about Thailand at your financial level. You aren't even really welcome here at that level.

 

Yes you could do it if you can afford to lock up 800k baht or pay for an elite card but you would be building a life here on quicksand.

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mexico has a lot of safe expat communities, it’s affordable and you can get good health care.

Ajijic, Mexico (or surrounding area) is where I would probably go at 70 years old. 
 

Cuenca, Ecuador is another good spot. 
 

There are many safe and very welcoming options, you just need to research. There’s no way in hell I would attempt to live out the rest of my days in Thailand.

 

[Jingthing]

OK, I can see that some of my posts here have been OTT. The OP said he WANTS to do this and wasn't asking whether he SHOULD do this. So sorry.

There is nothing wrong with giving suggestions and advice to people that have already made the decision. I do that myself. 

But I still strongly feel that lower wealth people that are still in the decision phase should think twice about what that will mean for their lives long term and then think twice again. I wouldn't recommend it now to any lower wealth person.

[Saltire]

9 minutes ago, JWRC said:

Kanchanaburi is good value, Thailand's 3rd largest province and one of the most beautiful, but not on the ocean. Bordered by a mountain range, some of Thailand's most stunning waterfalls close enough for a day trip. Small foreign community. This is not really a place where tourists come to for an length of time, mostly just a couple of days to see the famous bridge on the River Kwai, the museum and death railway so we are not subjected to people trying to rip you off.

Good air quality, it does get quite hot, March, April and May, but most have air-conditioners. Places to rent from 1,800 per month up to say 12,000.

Not a big choice if you want western food, I cook my own so that doesn't bother me. 

Close enough to Bangkok to get there in a mini bus in around 2 1/2 hours.

2 private hospitals that have doctors that speak English.

This place is more like a big country town than a city, after 2 decades here, I haven't found anywhere else I would want to live.

Hi I would appreciate links or info on the 2 private hospitals there thanks.

[NCC1701A]

Cha Am 20 minutes north and Pranburi 20 minutes south of Hua Hin are possibilities on a tight budget but still near hospitals and Farang groceries. 

 

Kanchanaburi just mentioned is a excellent suggestion.

[Jingthing]

May I ask what visa strategy the OP has in mind?

500K will not work for the pure income method as that requires 65K per month.

Does the OP have significant liquid assets in addition to the income? Or not?

I was reacting as if the 500K income was the whole story because he didn't mention anything else.

If he has significant assets he would no longer be in the lower wealth category.

If not, he will be.

OP should keep in mind if using the 800K bank method that 400K of that will be locked up permanently as long as he stays in Thailand. If he spends one baht under the 400K during the year for example for a medical emergency he will not be eligible to apply for an extension the next time.

That's just one of a number of uncertainties that retired expats face here. The more money you have the easier you can make those go away. 

Money may be Number One in all countries, but in Thailand it's Number One on Steroids. 

Edited September 27, 2019 by Jingthing

[RJRS1301]

A reasonable grasp of Thai language will be an essential, especially if dealing with medical, immigration and other official.

Thai is a difficult language and if you are beginning at 70 could present some challenges

 

[Jingthing]

Just now, RJRS1301 said:

A reasonable grasp of Thai language will be an essential, especially if dealing with medical, immigration and other official.

Thai is a difficult language and if you are beginning at 70 could present some challenges

 

That depends on where it is in Thailand. Certainly not needed in the Pattaya area.

[Saltire]

16 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

Cha Am 20 minutes north and Pranburi 20 minutes south of Hua Hin are possibilities on a tight budget but still near hospitals and Farang groceries. 

 

Kanchanaburi just mentioned is a excellent suggestion.

I second Kanchanaburi, having been here 3 years and no immediate plans to move, although if family circumstances change the wife and I are likely Hua Hin bound, it is our 'lets escape from the village' holiday place for now.

 

For the OP, rent is cheaper than most places, minimal tourism as was mentioned and you can live very well and very cheaply. My current monthly outgoings average between 10-15k a month (120 - 180k per year), excluding the cost of my excursions to Hua Hin etc. Note I do live rent free though. It has a bar street if that's also important. And the immigration office has nothing of the drama other places seem to have.

Edited September 27, 2019 by Saltire

[PatOngo]

In all seriousness, try Vietnam. Thailand has lost the plot!

[Jingthing]

Just now, PatOngo said:

In all seriousness, try Vietnam. Thailand has lost the plot!

In all seriousness, don't.

Vietnam has no retirement visa and in my opinion never will. 

Endless visa runs are tedious enough for a young person. 

Vietnam might be good for a year or two adventure phase but not for expat retirement. 

The Philippines can offer more long term retirement residency security but you have to want to live there. 

[NCC1701A]

44 minutes ago, wgdanson said:

Sorry, maths Alzeheimers again ! 

i was going to say something about your math but i figured you would not know who i am.

[Momofarang]

2 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

You are basing your post on unknown info.

@watkoh has 4 posts on Thaivisa hence is officially,  TVwise, a "newbie". I based my assumptions on the information provided.

 

But anyhow, I only want to reiterate that our days one should have compelling reasons such as family, kids, employment or a solid business case to move to a country that clearly doesn't seem to want us. The OP, as he indicates, is a low income pensioner, and a such is likely to be entitled to health and other benefits from his country of origin, benefits he may well lose through his expatriation. This becomes even more critical at 70, an age where most of us start to have health issues.

 

Also, to come back to the "unwanted" thing, OP states clearly a budget of 500000, then this figure is well short of what Thailand wants foreign retirees to spend here. He may get around this as you have suggested, with the combination method if he has any savings, but then he must factor in the a good health insurance or at least several million bahts to cater for catastrophic illness.

 

Edited September 27, 2019 by Momofarang

[Jingthing]

1 minute ago, Momofarang said:

@watkoh has 4 posts on Thaivisa, is officially,  TVwise a "newbie". I based my assumptions on the information provided.

 

But anyhow, I only want to reiterate that our days one should have compelling reasons such as family, kids, employment or a solid business case to move to a country that clearly doesn't seem to want us. The OP, as he indicates, is a low income pensioner, and a such is likely to be entitled to health and other benefits from his country of origin, benefits he may well lose through his expatriation. This becomes even more critical at 70, an age where most of us start to have health issues.

 

Yes, he won't be able to use Medicare in Thailand. Perhaps he has military Tricare. As far as other "benefits" for poorer older Americans, they are often exaggerated by people that are against social programs. I discount the don't leave because you lose Medicare argument because even Americans on Medicare spend on average (old stat) 150K USD over their lifetime out of pocket for medical care. So if you live in a lower cost pay retail medical country you might come out ahead even losing Medicare. Thailand's medical situation is definitely moving in the direction of higher cost and getting insurance at age 70 is problematic to put it mildly. 

[damascase]

3 hours ago, Henryford said:

I've travelled around most of Thailand and (apart from Bangkok) didn't notice much difference in living costs. A bottle of Chang costs the same in Pattaya and Chiang Mai. With only 42k a month you will be living a thai life anyway on rice, chicken etc which again costs the same everywhere.

You may have travelled around, but you did not really look around you while having that Chang - otherwise you wouldn’t state what you did.

[FritsSikkink]

3 hours ago, jackdd said:

As a single person with 40k per month he is also upper middle class in Thailand

No he isn't

[jayboy]

3 hours ago, jackdd said:

As a single person with 40k per month he is also upper middle class in Thailand

It might put him in the higher than the average income bracket but not in a million years does it make him upper middle class.

[phuketrichard]

i live on 40-45,000/month for TWO of us here in Phuket;

 

rent 10,500  two bedroom house with air con ( which we seldom use) 1.2km from beach in Kamala

shopping/food extras in supermarkets/markets 8,500 

dining out 5,000

electric 800

internet 700

phones 350

gas for car/motorcycle 1,500

misc....

as long as you not out drinking/whoring

it should be fine ( as long as you have back up $$ in bank ), BUT u need the 800,000 in the bank for 5 months or show 65,000/month income which according to you , you dont  have.

 

 

Edited September 27, 2019 by phuketrichard

[bkk6060]

You can get apartments in Pattaya in the 5 to 6 k a month range that are not that bad.

My friend has a place off Klang.  Walk to everything, good free wifi, older building but quiet room off the main road.

Should leave enough (1000 b a day or so) to at least have a life.

Good luck.

 

 

[Almer]

3 hours ago, Momofarang said:

Yes, but certain lifestyles require stamina and or support from love ones. At 70, being a newbie, single and on a budget, in Thailand is more than adventurous. I'd rather go back paragliding.

 

Don't get what you mean when you say "The income option and contamination of the two is still available."?

By "contamination" you mean going to an "agent"?

Combination

[Almer]

26 minutes ago, phuketrichard said:

i live on 40-45,000/month for TWO of us here in Phuket;

 

rent 10,500  two bedroom house with air con ( which we seldom use) 1.2km from beach in Kamala

shopping/food extras in supermarkets/markets 8,500 

dining out 5,000

electric 800

internet 700

phones 350

gas for car/motorcycle 1,500

misc....

as long as you not out drinking/whoring

it should be fine ( as long as you have back up $$ in bank ), BUT u need the 800,000 in the bank for 5 months or show 65,000/month income which according to you , you dont  have.

 

 

Has anyone had there bank balance checked on a 90 day report yet. ?

[jackdd]

41 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

No he isn't

35 minutes ago, jayboy said:

It might put him in the higher than the average income bracket but not in a million years does it make him upper middle class.

I did look up various ressources, usually in US related articles they say the top 15% are upper middle class, but i couldn't figure out how much income you need to be top 15% in Thailand. But when looking at the numbers it is generally about twice the average income.

Ressources in German say if you have twice the average income you are not considered middle class anymore, but "wealthy".

The average income in Thailand is about 20k THB (for a single person), OP has 42k.

So we can say he is upper middle class in Thailand.

Edited September 27, 2019 by jackdd

[Momofarang]

5 minutes ago, jackdd said:

The average income in Thailand is about 20k THB (for a single person), OP has 42k.

So we can say he is upper middle class in Thailand.

I'd die of boredom and dehydration on 42k. And actually even though I hate some of TI's dumb rules I reckon that 65k is a very reasonable requirement for a retirement visa. Possibly with some proper health insurance on top.

[phuketrichard]

31 minutes ago, Almer said:

Has anyone had there bank balance checked on a 90 day report yet. ?

not required in Phuket ( did my renewal n June and have l aready done my 90 day report online)

BUT when you apply for ur next extension i assume they will check,if its not correct....no extension.