whats your biggest fear/worry of retiring in thailand

[Lacessit]

18 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

I am reasonably ok on the money side and my wife sorts out all the visa stuff.

My biggest worry is health in old age.

I am 57 and retired in Thailand (though stuck outside currently), but I do not want to end my life in Thailand.

 

 

 

 

 

You are 57 and worrying about your health in old age already? IMO you are thinking too much. The mean life expectancy of a UK male is 81 years, you have a long way to go.

The only reason I would have to move back to Australia is in the event of a prolonged and painful progression to death, in which case I would be availing myself of Victoria's enlightened voluntary euthanasia laws. Otherwise, it does not matter to me where I die.

 

[Leaver]

I don't fear retirement in Thailand, that's because I have set things up for myself in such a way that I can leave at any time with no real loss, financial, or otherwise. 

If / when the day comes Thailand makes a problem for me staying here, or I have simply had enough of Thailand, I am off to my Plan B, which is Vietnam.

Those with contingency plans have nothing to fear.  

   

[Surelynot]

1 hour ago, daejung said:

Retired but not (yet?) living in Thailand.

My biggest worry is about dictatorship and red tape : I don't like to feel unwelcome with all this paperwork to renew extensions of stay, 90 days notification and so on.  I would feel much better with democracy. And thai people deserve democracy.

 

 

 

A chore....but no more than that.

[Bradmeister]

Communism! 

Too much PLA interference and influence in Thailand.  

As the rest of the world struggles to keep the Communists from spreading, our government continues to entertain the PLA with its promise of money and modernization. 

The Diesel Electric Submarine Fiasco is a perfect example.  

Any mariner on the planet with any experience will tell you: its a first strike weapon. Period. 

But were buying 3. 

Any questions? 

[RichardColeman]

1 hour ago, Lacessit said:

You are 57 and worrying about your health in old age already? IMO you are thinking too much. The mean life expectancy of a UK male is 81 years, you have a long way to go.

No, it's called planning. You plan for your very old age - and potential old age health need -  the same as you should plan for your retirement. Telling someone not to start planning for retirement at 20 as retirement is 40-50 years ago is a foolish thing. Least in my book. Anyone not planning for old age health requirements and planning to retire in Thailand until death is just storing up potential issues

[ross163103]

Dying in a road accident.

[geisha]

I’d given up the idea of retiring in Thailand a good while back mostly due to the very bad air pollution, sea pollution, fresh food I don’t trust anymore , and being obliged to give up my home residency in EU that’s guarantees me some of the best health care in the world and amazing quality food and wine.

[4MyEgo]

17 hours ago, Surelynot said:

My village was a still an hour's drive passed a sign that said..."this is the back of beyond"

Must be near whoop whoop.

[Lacessit]

9 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

No, it's called planning. You plan for your very old age - and potential old age health need -  the same as you should plan for your retirement. Telling someone not to start planning for retirement at 20 as retirement is 40-50 years ago is a foolish thing. Least in my book. Anyone not planning for old age health requirements and planning to retire in Thailand until death is just storing up potential issues

I don't disagree one needs to plan ahead, although von Moltke did say no plan survives first contact with the enemy.

However, you did say you worried about your health in old age, which is not the same thing. A bit early for that, you could be hit by a bus tomorrow, not that I am wishing you any ill fortune.

Edited March 16, 2021 by Lacessit

[Lacessit]

On 3/14/2021 at 2:09 PM, jayboy said:

Yeah that awful UK with its inflation linked state pension and free healthcare and vibrant culture.Who would want to retire there?

Much better to stick it out in Thailand with its pollution, ever increasing cost of living, political clusterfxxx, thinly masked xenophobia and immigration insecurity.

The Brits I know here all say they got out of the UK because of the miserable weather and the influx of immigrants. Perhaps they have a touch of xenophobia too.

The problems you cite can be easily dealt with. I just run air purifiers in my condo to get air of acceptable quality while the smoke season is on. I ignore the politics, none of my business, certainly I don't experience xenophobia from any woman here. Quite the opposite.

Ever increasing cost of living? Condo prices and rents have not changed in the last ten years. If anything, they have gone down. Unless one can only survive on imported foods alone, those prices have not shifted either. Fruit and vegetables in season in the local markets are as cheap as ever.

My inflation-linked pension keeps rolling in from Australia, the 800K baht stays in the bank year round. Allowing for the cost of flights and accommodation, ( don't mention quarantine ) it's now actually cheaper for me to have my medical needs attended to in Thailand.

I'll let the vibrant culture go through to the wicketkeeper, any country is what you make of it yourself.

 

 

 

[Hanuman2547]

Air pollution.

Being denied a visa due to insurance companies not selling health insurance to people over a certain age. 

Rate of exchange.

I only plan on living in Thailand about 5-6 months a year.  The reast of the time I will spend in my home country.  

[KannikaP]

7 minutes ago, Hanuman2547 said:

Air pollution.

Being denied a visa due to insurance companies not selling health insurance to people over a certain age. 

Rate of exchange.

I only plan on living in Thailand about 5-6 months a year.  The reast of the time I will spend in my home country.  

Where are you from....Syria, Iran......LOL

[Hanuman2547]

52 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

Where are you from....Syria, Iran......LOL

...............ahhhh, no, but if I ever pass through there (highly unlikely) I'll look you up.  555

[oldhippy]

6 hours ago, Lacessit said:

The Brits I know here all say they got out of the UK because of the miserable weather and the influx of immigrants. Perhaps they have a touch of xenophobia too.

The problems you cite can be easily dealt with. I just run air purifiers in my condo to get air of acceptable quality while the smoke season is on. I ignore the politics, none of my business, certainly I don't experience xenophobia from any woman here. Quite the opposite.

Ever increasing cost of living? Condo prices and rents have not changed in the last ten years. If anything, they have gone down. Unless one can only survive on imported foods alone, those prices have not shifted either. Fruit and vegetables in season in the local markets are as cheap as ever.

My inflation-linked pension keeps rolling in from Australia, the 800K baht stays in the bank year round. Allowing for the cost of flights and accommodation, ( don't mention quarantine ) it's now actually cheaper for me to have my medical needs attended to in Thailand.

I'll let the vibrant culture go through to the wicketkeeper, any country is what you make of it yourself.

 

 

 

Isn't is truly funny?

As you point out, an important reason to leave the UK is the influx of immigrants.

.....and then they become immigrants themselves......

555

[BusyB]

What I really MISS in  LOS believe it or not is simply water pressure. That's it.

[BusyB]

2 hours ago, Hanuman2547 said:

Air pollution.

Being denied a visa due to insurance companies not selling health insurance to people over a certain age. 

Rate of exchange.

I only plan on living in Thailand about 5-6 months a year.  The reast of the time I will spend in my home country.  

That's the best model, I've been doing it for years.

I'll spend much longer in LOS when I retire, and I feel very much home from home there. Sometimes it's real hard to get on the plane back. It feels like leaving home to go earn money abroad 555.

But home base is still back home.

Edited March 16, 2021 by BusyB

[simon43]

I previously lived for many years in Thailand (I built 4 small hotels in Phuket).  Now I live in north Laos (Luang Prabang).  My greatest fear would be having to leave due to health reasons.  I do have a $1M medical insurance policy that covers me for life, regardless of claim history.  But a heart attack or major vehicle accident would probably mean a quick ending, since decent hospitals are back in Thailand etc.

Strange as it might sound, living in communist Laos results in far less intrusion into my life than when I lived in Thailand.  Laos is clearly right under China's domination, and the population seems to accept the good (grants/assistance/free Sinovac for all including expats etc), and bad that come with that.  (Actually, I'm hard put to think of anything bad, unless you are a Hmong freedom-fighter...)

My hope is to remain living my tranquil life here in Laos.  I have modest income, but suffice to say, it's quite easy to live a happy life here with only a UK government pension.

[jayboy]

9 hours ago, Lacessit said:

The Brits I know here all say they got out of the UK because of the miserable weather and the influx of immigrants. Perhaps they have a touch of xenophobia too.

The problems you cite can be easily dealt with. I just run air purifiers in my condo to get air of acceptable quality while the smoke season is on. I ignore the politics, none of my business, certainly I don't experience xenophobia from any woman here. Quite the opposite.

Ever increasing cost of living? Condo prices and rents have not changed in the last ten years. If anything, they have gone down. Unless one can only survive on imported foods alone, those prices have not shifted either. Fruit and vegetables in season in the local markets are as cheap as ever.

My inflation-linked pension keeps rolling in from Australia, the 800K baht stays in the bank year round. Allowing for the cost of flights and accommodation, ( don't mention quarantine ) it's now actually cheaper for me to have my medical needs attended to in Thailand.

I'll let the vibrant culture go through to the wicketkeeper, any country is what you make of it yourself.

 

 

 

Congratulations.You seem to be exactly the kind of person that flourishes in Thailand's expatriate culture.

Edited March 16, 2021 by jayboy

[Lacessit]

3 hours ago, simon43 said:

I previously lived for many years in Thailand (I built 4 small hotels in Phuket).  Now I live in north Laos (Luang Prabang).  My greatest fear would be having to leave due to health reasons.  I do have a $1M medical insurance policy that covers me for life, regardless of claim history.  But a heart attack or major vehicle accident would probably mean a quick ending, since decent hospitals are back in Thailand etc.

Strange as it might sound, living in communist Laos results in far less intrusion into my life than when I lived in Thailand.  Laos is clearly right under China's domination, and the population seems to accept the good (grants/assistance/free Sinovac for all including expats etc), and bad that come with that.  (Actually, I'm hard put to think of anything bad, unless you are a Hmong freedom-fighter...)

My hope is to remain living my tranquil life here in Laos.  I have modest income, but suffice to say, it's quite easy to live a happy life here with only a UK government pension.

I had the same experience in Vietnam, the level of police presence and checkpoints was far less than in Thailand.

[Lacessit]

1 hour ago, jayboy said:

Congratulations.You seem to be exactly the kind of person that flourishes in Thailand's expatriate culture.

I'm not sure how to interpret your comment. Suffice to say IME the expats here that complain the most are also the least adaptable.

[1FinickyOne]

11 hours ago, Lacessit said:

Moltke did say no plan survives first contact with the enemy.

Or as Mike Tyson put it - everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face...

[oldhippy]

6 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

I'm not sure how to interpret your comment. Suffice to say IME the expats here that complain the most are also the least adaptable.

Immigrants, not expats.

Have you ever heard of Polish or Syrian expats?

Why the difference in what they are called?

Tthis comment is not directed against you, but against 99% of this forum).

[jayboy]

22 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

I'm not sure how to interpret your comment. Suffice to say IME the expats here that complain the most are also the least adaptable.

I'm sure you are right about this and everything else on this topic, including the interesting proposition that Thailand's appalling pollution can be dealt with by installing air purifiers in one's condo. Incidentally I know exactly the the type of Brit that emigrated to Thailand to escape immigrants to the UK.

[Lacessit]

3 minutes ago, jayboy said:

I'm sure you are right about this and everything else on this topic, including the interesting proposition that Thailand's appalling pollution can be dealt with by installing air purifiers in one's condo. Incidentally I know exactly the the type of Brit that emigrated to Thailand to escape immigrants to the UK.

You say my proposition is interesting, works for me. As John Maynard Keynes once said, "what do you do, sir?"

[OswaldBastable]

11 hours ago, Lacessit said:

The Brits I know here all say they got out of the UK because of the miserable weather and the influx of immigrants. Perhaps they have a touch of xenophobia too.

The problems you cite can be easily dealt with. I just run air purifiers in my condo to get air of acceptable quality while the smoke season is on. I ignore the politics, none of my business, certainly I don't experience xenophobia from any woman here. Quite the opposite.

Ever increasing cost of living? Condo prices and rents have not changed in the last ten years. If anything, they have gone down. Unless one can only survive on imported foods alone, those prices have not shifted either. Fruit and vegetables in season in the local markets are as cheap as ever.

My inflation-linked pension keeps rolling in from Australia, the 800K baht stays in the bank year round. Allowing for the cost of flights and accommodation, ( don't mention quarantine ) it's now actually cheaper for me to have my medical needs attended to in Thailand.

I'll let the vibrant culture go through to the wicketkeeper, any country is what you make of it yourself.

I got out of England because I had been locked up in a small room with all pubs and restaurants closed for most of the last year, and no end in sight. As for the cost of living, a small guesthouse room for one week in Worthing with a shared bathroom (200 pounds), was costing me more than a month in an apartment in Pattaya (175 pounds) with use of a gym and swimming pool. By the time my 3 month STV is over, I will have spent only a little more (including flights/insurance/VISA/etc) than I would have by staying locked up in the UK. If I extend for 2x 3 months, I'll have saved a lot of money.

Edited March 16, 2021 by OswaldBastable

[Neeranam]

My biggest fear of retiring is that I still have fears about trivial things. 

[Neeranam]

On 3/16/2021 at 7:36 PM, jayboy said:

Incidentally I know exactly the the type of Brit that emigrated to Thailand to escape immigrants to the UK.

I am an immigrant here and nothing like most of the immigrants in the UK. I had to prove paying tax for a few years, criminal background checks, interview with National Intelligence Agency, Ministry of Interior, Special branch police etc. 

[jayboy]

8 hours ago, Neeranam said:

I am an immigrant here and nothing like most of the immigrants in the UK. I had to prove paying tax for a few years, criminal background checks, interview with National Intelligence Agency, Ministry of Interior, Special branch police etc. 

So what? I wasn't comparing immigration procedures.I was referring to the irony of Brits who give immigrants in their own country as the reason they emigrated to Thailand.In practice these people do not actually do proper work in Thailand and thus never get on the road to Thai citizenship.

[Neeranam]

4 hours ago, jayboy said:

So what? I wasn't comparing immigration procedures.I was referring to the irony of Brits who give immigrants in their own country as the reason they emigrated to Thailand.In practice these people do not actually do proper work in Thailand and thus never get on the road to Thai citizenship.

Are there any Brits that really left the UK because of this? 

At least they are financially secure and don't/can't sponge of the system like in in the UK. I guess this isn't the immigrants fault, but the country's.

[Surelynot]

2 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

Are there any Brits that really left the UK because of this? 

At least they are financially secure and don't/can't sponge of the system like in in the UK. I guess this isn't the immigrants fault, but the country's.

It must hurt to find out that immigrants make a net contribution to the UK's fortunes.......unlike retired folk....... milking the system for pensions and benefits and extortionately expensive health care.