Thailand suffers sharp fall in rankings of best countries for retirement

[Denim]

35 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

No, you're getting married and retirement extensions confused. For marriage it is still 400k for 2 months prior to application.

 

I think its the poster I quoted who is the one confused .

[Blumpie]

2 hours ago, EricTh said:

These rankings are useless when there are still tons of people who want to retire in Thailand.

Your version of "tons of people" are not really tons of people.  It's a circle that you probably have that are still enthusiastic about retiring there.  Just like tourism.  Tourism in Thailand will never die, despite the expats saying that it will.  Tourists don't care how the government treats expats.  They fly in, lay on a beach, and fly out.  As long as the product is there, they will continue to do it even if it's not the same as it was.  

It's no stretch of the truth that Thailand really no longer cares about expats.  If you don't like it, leave is their approach, and that's fine.  The rest of the world is watching.  And the visa system there is so ridiculous, but yet it used to be like the wild wild west there.  They've over-clamped down and, of course in a way, blame others for their mistakes.

And yes, there are many other places that you can retire comfortably.

For those who are already in Thailand, it's home and I don't blame you for staying.  It's exactly where you're at if that makes sense. ????  

[Moonlover]

1 hour ago, Denim said:

1 hour ago, Moonlover said:

No, you're getting married and retirement extensions confused. For marriage it is still 400k for 2 months prior to application.

 

1 hour ago, Denim said:

 

I think its the poster I quoted who is the one confused .

No the poster was not confused. They are talking about the requirements for a retirement extension. You are talking about the requirements for a marriage extension. 

 

They are quite different and you needn't fret, for marriage, nothing's changed.

[JerseytoBKK]

11 hours ago, gearbox said:

Useless ranking by useless rag. Cambodia scores almost as high as France in health, and Portugal scores 30 points higher for climate than Italy, although they are quite close and at the same latitude. And where is the crime score?

 

How many Aussies retired in Mexico? Probably less than five.

Worse than a useless rag. It seems very few people are aware that this company has been pumping their real estate developments in Costa Rica for a couple of decades. Then they added Panama and other countries. That's why CR always comes out on top followed by Panama. Look at some expat sites for these countries and you'll get very different viewpoints.

 

Looks like they are no longer into developments themselves but still make money off these listings:  https://internationalliving.com/listings/. Note the countries and where they are on the list.

[nasko]

High Air and Water pollution, annual floods and droughts, unfriendly Immigration regulations lower Thailand's ranking as a great place to retire. Pollution washing up on the beaches

Thailand makes Expats and Retirees feel unwelcome and treats them like a punching bag. 

P. S. Costa Rica is not safe: theft is a problem

 

[rumak]

14 hours ago, colinneil said:

You ask how he spends so much.... Well it could be, girls, girls, and more girls, plus buying loads of Viagra.????????????????????

Colin,  i think you missed the point on this one.  I think that the poster was wondering how I could live

on so little ( 30 k baht a month ).   I didn't respond to that because many guys do know that is a reasonable figure .

As for the joke about girls girls girls...... my younger days did have fun times,  but costs were less, drugs not necessary,  and i  really was a hansum man.   Nowadays reading the younguns boast on TV provides entertainment enough ..........

 

[bdenner]

For me it's the frustration's generated in the annual extension process, just completed my 12th. The fundementals are the same but why do they continuely move the goal posts, paint the hoops different colours then throw them in different directions.

It's almost too obvious they are trying to get us ALL to use a 20K Baht dodgy visa services as about 60% of the expats are doing now in our amphur. A friend with 800K+ in a term deposit has just gone through a week of hell.

[metisdead]

A post containing content that was copy and pasted from another site without a supporting link has been removed as well as the replies. 

[KarenBravo]

11 hours ago, Denim said:

 

Hang on a minute. Last November I got my first 1 year extension based on marriage with 400,000 baht in the bank. That amount had to be seasoned for 2 months before I could apply.

 

Are you saying that before I can renew this visa for another year this coming November,  I have to top up this sum to 400,000 7 months before the application date ?? In other words , before the end of March ??

 

Non-Imm for marriage has different conditions than a Non-Imm for retirement. You can spend all of your 400k as long as you again have the 400k two months prior to application.

[Denim]

9 hours ago, Moonlover said:

 

No the poster was not confused. They are talking about the requirements for a retirement extension. You are talking about the requirements for a marriage extension. 

 

They are quite different and you needn't fret, for marriage, nothing's changed.

 

My apologies. On re reading that original post I see that he was indeed talking about the retirement visa.

My bad.

[cyril sneer]

with all it's problems I do find Thailand to be a better choice than other options available

 

it's all about choosing the lesser of two evils

[Fex Bluse]

16 hours ago, gearbox said:

Useless ranking by useless rag. Cambodia scores almost as high as France in health, and Portugal scores 30 points higher for climate than Italy, although they are quite close and at the same latitude. And where is the crime score?

 

How many Aussies retired in Mexico? Probably less than five.

 

Exactly, based entirely on survey. Entirely useless for making a real decision as to where to retire. 

[WineOh]

Costa Rica sounds nice..

 

Always need a Plan B when living here, never know when they will boot you out..

As long as they give me enough time to visit the bank before I leave I couldn't give a monkeys tbh.

[mikebell]

18 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Costa Rica abolished their army in 1948 and pledged that budget to education and healthcare.

And now they are top!  Just a thought Prayuth.

[Moonlover]

1 hour ago, Denim said:

 

My apologies. On re reading that original post I see that he was indeed talking about the retirement visa.

My bad.

No problem. Have a good day. ????

 

[realfunster]

18 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Earning the nickname “Switzerland of Central America” this peace-loving democracy shines in a region often plagued by political and civil unrest. Costa Rica abolished their army in 1948 and pledged that budget to education and healthcare. Resulting in a well-educated population and medical access for all citizens and legal residents.

 

[Kwasaki]

18 hours ago, canopus1969 said:

$1k - please say how !

No rent, everything paid for, I can live on half that.

[ThailandRyan]

17 hours ago, sungod said:

 

And those who moan about the above still do nothing about it and continue to live here ????

And what would you do, Move? Such a positive chap you are when sarcasm is involved. Moaning and whining makes the day, puts a song in your heart.

[ThailandRyan]

10 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

No rent, everything paid for, I can live on have that.

I could also, but instead choose to spend more, no reason to save, the bank and my assets are good fallback tools if needed to reconcile with.  Can't take it with me, and the monthly income is the same for life. I say spend it if you got it, of course a set aside amount is also there for the kids and the GF in the family trust.

[WhatsNext]

Portugal really ? The houses there are very very expensive and there is nothing much to do on the algarve apart from walking around and eating, o wait. 

For me at least Thailand has one huge giant big mother boinking plus that i cannot find anywhere else, freedom of taxes. That alone pays for my monthly expenses. 

So for the rest of the negatives i have to close my eyes a little.

 

Regarding immigration ; it seems that everyone has a different story, i have the 800k on an account and in the 3 years that i am here i have been in and out of immigration in under an hour once a year. 

I do not understand the crowd that is scared to park 800k on an account here, there are foreign bussiness and investors here with many many multiples of that, banks here are as fine as they are in other countries. Take the Bangkok bank with many offices outside of thailand, even in places like Singapore, London and New York. Yes i understand for many 800k is a lot of money but it's not something that Prayut is going to steal from you. Just park it, you will even get a little interest as compared to having to pay for your money in Europe....

[Kwasaki]

3 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

I could also, but instead choose to spend more, no reason to save, the bank and my assets are good fallback tools if needed to reconcile with.  Can't take it with me, and the monthly income is the same for life. I say spend it if you got it, of course a set aside amount is also there for the kids and the GF in the family trust.

Well the life style I have in retirement suits me, I have low cost hobbies and motorcycle trips for 3 or 4 days away don't cost much.

A persons activities and what they do and where they live depends very much on cost of living here.

Extension money will be for the wife and my wife has an income from apartments she owes which I spent the rest of my savings on building, also our son and family will be there for any needs. 

[actonion]

Well deserved

[Kwasaki]

12 minutes ago, WhatsNext said:

Portugal really ? The houses there are very very expensive and there is nothing much to do on the Algarve apart from walking around and eating

Agree, not cheap at all.

I use to go clay shooting there.

It was an expensive holiday, you had to be careful muggings were rife, burglaries and when leaving the house we rented you had to take any valuables with you.

[Mr Meeseeks]

20 hours ago, Fromas said:

Thailand is a great country, but some of her policies for expats are bureaucratic obstacle courses.

It's just keeping out the undesirables, and it works, to an extent.

[rumak]

3 hours ago, cyril sneer said:

with all it's problems I do find Thailand to be a better choice than other options available

 

it's all about choosing the lesser of two evils

 

you're right,  everything is relative .   and though i hate to sound like my grandpa did,  i would have

to say that the world was a much nicer place 40 years ago .   

funny,  when people wish that Thailand hadn't changed...... i can only say that if  Sonoma Calif was

still like 40 years ago i would move back there .   Houses for 50 thousand dollars .   hahahahah

 

many here have complained over the years.............. very few have found a better place .  

[rumak]

14 hours ago, Blumpie said:

16 hours ago, EricTh said:

These rankings are useless when there are still tons of people who want to retire in Thailand.

 

I just saw four of those people at the local Mcdonalds.    Pretty sure if added together they were one ton.

[jaideedave]

4 hours ago, bdenner said:

For me it's the frustration's generated in the annual extension process, just completed my 12th. The fundementals are the same but why do they continuely move the goal posts, paint the hoops different colours then throw them in different directions.

It's almost too obvious they are trying to get us ALL to use a 20K Baht dodgy visa services as about 60% of the expats are doing now in our amphur. A friend with 800K+ in a term deposit has just gone through a week of hell.

Hi BD...After putting up with the IMM BS for years I now always use the same agent . Seamless and done in 1 day. Cost is less than 20k. Yes they would prefer if everyone used agents,then they wouldn,t have to deal with those pesky foreigners.

[Enzian]

No one has mentioned having friends around if you decide to live outside your original home country. I came here to visit a guy who had worked for me off and on for several years who moved here in the 90s to teach (he's now a monk). I had just exited a long term marriage and the girls amazed me. But the kicker was that knowing that guy I had an immediate large circle of friends, including some Thais. I love Costa Rica and Portugal, and Italy, but how long would it take to really get to know many people in those places? Thailand is half way between Europe and my descendants in CA. I have friends. Nothing is perfect. It works.

[Orton Rd]

23 minutes ago, Enzian said:

No one has mentioned having friends around if you decide to live outside your original home country. I came here to visit a guy who had worked for me off and on for several years who moved here in the 90s to teach (he's now a monk). I had just exited a long term marriage and the girls amazed me. But the kicker was that knowing that guy I had an immediate large circle of friends, including some Thais. I love Costa Rica and Portugal, and Italy, but how long would it take to really get to know many people in those places? Thailand is half way between Europe and my descendants in CA. I have friends. Nothing is perfect. It works.

Started coming here in 1994, lived here for 15 and don't have a single friend here Thai or otherwise. The Thai neighbors both sides have yet to say hello after 9 years, although they speak to the Mrs. I'd much prefer Italy or Spain, even if the locals are not friendly it can't be any worse than here.

[KarenBravo]

17 hours ago, holy cow cm said:

And don’t forget the banks are dropping the guarantee coverage to 1 million baht as well and the land where married if you are a foreign man to a Thai woman then you are dumped on, but if a foreign woman marries a Thai man then her citizenship is easily granted. 

 

Just like Singapore and Malaysia, then?