Thailand suffers sharp fall in rankings of best countries for retirement

[hashmodha]

Never ever believe these indexes,each and every person's(financial and personal) circumstances are entirely different and based on an individual's lifestyle, wellbeing,age etc..

[mr_lob]

1 hour ago, Yellowtail said:

 

Where are you from originally? 

UK. Lived in thailand for 16 years until 2019. We have kids in school here, kinf of semi-retirement....other option was UK, but far harder to get a visa for the wife, along with crappy weather. We got all our paperwork together here, went to the immigration office, excellent friendly service, 20 minutes later we are walking out with our 5 year temporary residence cards.

[spidermike007]

I like my life here. But the incredibly toxic and regressive government is a major negative. It emenates down into many aspects of life, at the local level, if you are trying to get something done. The Thai people are fine. But the govt. employees have been infected with the xenophobia disease. 

 

And their unwillingness to do anything to improve the quality of life here, such as the air and the environment, traffic and public safety, easing of visa policy, etc., has compelled alot of expats to leave. 

 

However, Costa Rica is not an alternative for me. Decent food and nice people. Gorgeous beaches. Some cute babes. But, it feels like a very very vanilla version of Hawaii to me. Boring. Colombia, maybe. Albania, Spain or Turkey, maybe.

 

The PI, only if I was being paid huge money to live there. It feels like one giant Tijuana to me, with some of the world's worst food. But, the babes are amazing. Likely the only reason expats would live there. 

 

I will stick with Thailand. For now. 

[hotchilli]

On 3/6/2021 at 2:01 PM, rooster59 said:

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.

Something for Prayut & Co to think about.

[noone223]

In 2021, Thailand is for those who have yet to discover the balkans.

[rumak]

5 minutes ago, dbrenn said:

On 3/6/2021 at 3:24 PM, WineOh said:

Thailand is not the place it once was

Is anywhere?

 

For me that answer sums it all up.    I do not disagree with those here who are finding that the "attitude"  of Thailand (mostly those in power )  has been getting more sour over time.  

 

as dbenn might ask  ,  " WHERE  is the shangri la  for the common man nowadays ?  "

 

As my earlier post says,  for me it has been a very long and decent run.   I can still walk around without people hurling insults ( or bullets) at me ,   I am an old guy now who can still get a young pretty to smile or laugh.............. and the cost of living is IMO  one of the best .

 

Inflation, crime, poverty, political correctness,  exorbitant health costs,  pollution ,  freezing weather,  hundred dollar parking tickets,   snarling immigration officers,     OK ,   pick your dream country where you are going to love all things.

 

I'll still be here...... well,  a bit further south than i am right now in CM.  

[sambum]

4 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

Something for Prayut & Co to think about.

 

And precisely how long do you think that Prayut & Co would  take to"think about it"?

[Andy from Kent]

3 hours ago, arick said:

Give me my investments back Thailand and I will leave in the next plane and I won't day a word 

 

Can't you just put them up for sale on the open market and leave?

[ThailandRyan]

2 minutes ago, sambum said:

 

And precisely how long do you think that Prayut & Co would  take to"think about it"?

another 18 years as that is when they have given themselves to complete their roadmap....

[madmen]

5 minutes ago, noone223 said:

In 2021, Thailand is for those who have yet to discover the balkans.

I'm from there but unfortunately it has a winter. 

[Yellowtail]

2 minutes ago, Andy from Kent said:

 

Can't you just put them up for sale on the open market and leave?

 

Mostly bar-fines....

[rawaimike]

On 3/6/2021 at 7:27 AM, colinneil said:

No need to wonder why Thailand has fallen in the rankings, just look at the clowns supposedly running the place, like Anutin, his comments about dirty farangs are sure to help.

Last few years there has been a surge in anti farang comments/ actions, anybody now thinking of somewhere to retire will not even consider here.

Don't forget the 24/7 persecution of expats and tourists by the police, got stopped 14 times in Phuket in 2 months, and I'm legal.......

[Bogbrush]

On 3/6/2021 at 2:51 PM, 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.

Not only that - Vietnam scores higher than Thailand on ‘visa’ yet doesn’t have a retirement visa scheme at all. 

[WineOh]

Thailand truly is Paradise Lost.

 

so much potential squandered by greedy despots and an ignorant populace.

 

it really is a shame.

[madmen]

2 minutes ago, rawaimike said:

Don't forget the 24/7 persecution of expats and tourists by the police, got stopped 14 times in Phuket in 2 months, and I'm legal.......

You got stopped every 4 days? 

????????????

[Yellowtail]

2 minutes ago, rawaimike said:

Don't forget the 24/7 persecution of expats and tourists by the police, got stopped 14 times in Phuket in 2 months, and I'm legal.......

 

Funny how some guys are constantly being persecuted and harassed for no other reason but their nationality while others of the same nationality  never feel persecuted and never get pulled over.

 

I wonder why that is...

[dbrenn]

7 minutes ago, rumak said:

 

For me that answer sums it all up.    I do not disagree with those here who are finding that the "attitude"  of Thailand (mostly those in power )  has been getting more sour over time.  

 

as dbenn might ask  ,  " WHERE  is the shangri la  for the common man nowadays ?  "

 

As my earlier post says,  for me it has been a very long and decent run.   I can still walk around without people hurling insults ( or bullets) at me ,   I am an old guy now who can still get a young pretty to smile or laugh.............. and the cost of living is IMO  one of the best .

 

Inflation, crime, poverty, political correctness,  exorbitant health costs,  pollution ,  freezing weather,  hundred dollar parking tickets,   snarling immigration officers,     OK ,   pick your dream country where you are going to love all things.

 

I'll still be here...... well,  a bit further south than i am right now in CM.  

I think as we get older we become less tolerant of discomfort and inconvenience that we thought of as adventure when we were young. We start to run out of choices too, as we age and get stuck in ruts - jobs, families, habits or whatever. That said, the freedom that we enjoyed that simply isn't there anymore, in Thailand or the west.

 

At least we have happy memories. Today's young folk will probably be making similar observations, when they get to our age.

[Yellowtail]

1 minute ago, WineOh said:

Thailand truly is Paradise Lost.

 

so much potential squandered by greedy despots and an ignorant populace.

 

it really is a shame.

 

Referring to expats as greedy despots may be a little harsh. 

[Yellowtail]

Just now, dbrenn said:

I think as we get older we become less tolerant of discomfort and inconvenience that we thought of as adventure when we were young. We start to run out of choices too, as we age and get stuck in ruts - jobs, families, habits or whatever. That said, the freedom that we enjoyed that simply isn't there anymore, in Thailand or the west.

 

At least we have happy memories. Today's young folk will probably be making similar observations, when they get to our age.

 

Covid restrictions aside, what freedoms have you lost in Thailand?

[onebir]

7 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

Referring to expats as greedy despots may be a little harsh. 

"Dexpots"?

[hotchilli]

27 minutes ago, sambum said:

 

And precisely how long do you think that Prayut & Co would  take to"think about it"?

A nano second.... if even that.

[dbrenn]

8 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

 

Covid restrictions aside, what freedoms have you lost in Thailand?

Well, like everywhere else, the place has become more regulated and orderly, new rules appearing with better enforcement. The place felt a bit like the wild west when I first arrived, but that was a long time ago. 

 

Thailand is still a lot freer than the west though, I'll be the first to admit - particularly regarding freedom of speech. At least it hasn't succumbed to the scourge of political correctness, yet. So long as one observes a small number of taboo subjects, you can still say what you like in Thailand.

 

[Thomas J]

On 3/6/2021 at 2:01 PM, rooster59 said:

 

On 3/6/2021 at 2:01 PM, rooster59 said:

Overall, Costa Rica (1st), Panama (2nd) and Mexico (3rd) made up the top three. 

I have personally been to Costa Rica, Panama and several regions in Mexico.  

Costa Rica seems nice though less developed that areas like Bangkok, Pattaya or Chaing Mai.  Panama City is much like Bangkok.  Sprawling and it certainly has become a major financial center.  Mexico, I can't think of anyplace in Mexico where I would feel safe.  Los Cabos is probably the safest of the areas but even that haven has had drug gangs infiltrate it.  There was a very popular Expat area called lake Chapala.  Higher elevation so cooler and very pleasant surroundings.  Close to Guadalajara and not terribly distant from Mexico City.  I ran into a couple from Mexico who were native Mexican now living in the USA.  I asked them about Lake Chapala.  They said that it use to be very nice but now not nearly as safe.  I said well where in Mexico is safe.  They said, no place, that is why they moved out of the country. 

In terms of Thailand biggest drawbacks are the hurdles to stay here and the distance to travel back to North America.  For those who think the cost of living is cheap here it is not.  In many areas of the USA you can purchase comparable housing for the same or less money.  Some things like insurance, taxi service, taxes, electricity, water, trash pickup, common labor are notably cheaper.  Others like most food products particularly beef, pork, many fresh vegetables, coffee, tea, soup and particularly dairy products are far far more expensive here.  So costs are a tradeoff. Some expensive, others cheap. 

[Hockeybik]

On 3/6/2021 at 2:08 PM, Fromas said:

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

 

 

So silly too. Retiree money is found money for the economy. Taking zero from the local economy only adding.

[David T Pike]

Too bloody HOT! 58 points for climate! ???? and if you are looking for a place to retire, who cares about opportunity? You aren't fully retiring if your WORKING!!! Cost of living, Fitting in/Entertainment and the World Class medical available with inexpensive insurance (get it when your 64!) is all I care about... 

[Yellowtail]

15 minutes ago, dbrenn said:

Well, like everywhere else, the place has become more regulated and orderly, new rules appearing with better enforcement. The place felt a bit like the wild west when I first arrived, but that was a long time ago. 

 

Thailand is still a lot freer than the west though, I'll be the first to admit - particularly regarding freedom of speech. At least it hasn't succumbed to the scourge of political correctness, yet. So long as one observes a small number of taboo subjects, you can still say what you like in Thailand.

 

 

So it's safe to assume no examples of lost freedoms in Thailand are forthcoming.

[Moonlover]

2 hours ago, robsamui said:

However, why a pensioner has to prove, year after year,  that he's still a pensioner seems, to me, just a little bit silly, to say the least.

 

2 hours ago, robsamui said:

I rather suspect that it's connected with local Thai tradition and culture. Thai people don't get a pension - in the sense that westerners understand the term

Perhaps you don't understand why government positions, such as civil servants, police, teachers and the military are such coveted jobs and why they are often 'bought'. (to use a Euphemism ) 

 

It's because of the perks. And one of those perks and probably the most desirable of them is a good pension. So I am very confident that immigration officers are very well aware of what being a pensioner means.

[khunkarl]

It's very simple really. When people feel not welcome they don't come...

[Yellowtail]

1 minute ago, khunkarl said:

It's very simple really. When people feel not welcome they don't come...

 

But were that true....

[OneMoreFarang]

Who cares about rankings like that?

Is anybody here looking at that ranking and planning to move to Costa Rica or Malaysia or any other country which scores better than Thailand just because of such a list?

And how many people in other countries look at such a list before they decide where they will move to?

 

Obviously some information like i.e. healthcare might be important. And Thailand is not bad for that criteria. But also that is very relative. There are lots of good (and expensive) hospitals in Bangkok. But the situation is a lot different somewhere near Nakhon Nowhere. So all in all that list is almost useless.