Many members are heavily vested in Thailand with family, homes or businesses.  Given Thailand is experiencing political upheaval and a growing Covid problem crippled by vaccine procurement problems, what are your long term plans? 

 

Please feel free to leave a comment.  

 

Looking at the way things are going in North America and Canada in particular I do not think I would  be any better off than I am here either health wise or financially.

Thailand is not the relatively easy retirement country it was 20 years ago and if i was considering retiring here now I would reject the idea.  Having said that,OP is right, many of us have a wife/partner, assets, etc here and have maybe burned most of our bridges at home, so regardless of the political or Covid situation here - both of which are pretty dire - I suspect most of us will stay put, simply because it is too difficult to do otherwise.

How about: I will stay here as long as I don't see any alternative which is a lot better than Thailand.

 

Obviously Thailand is far away from perfect. But we still have nice weather, many nice people, good food, lots of pretty girls, no hassle with police, low crime, and and and.

 

It seems many people see problems with immigration or with politics. Personally I think that is maybe 10% of what is important.

There is a lot about the government and politics in Thailand which I don't like. But does it affect my life? No, or very little. And looking at "home" and many other countries in this world it seems bad politicians exist almost everywhere.

And about visa and 90 days, etc. That needs a few hours every year. Who cares? 

Well, sooner or later is just has to get better?  In the meantime, I will keep my umbrella handy for the next shi* storm to hit Thailand.....????????????

6 minutes ago, Hornell said:

Thailand is not the relatively easy retirement country it was 20 years ago and if i was considering retiring here now I would reject the idea.  Having said that,OP is right, many of us have a wife/partner, assets, etc here and have maybe burned most of our bridges at home, so regardless of the political or Covid situation here - both of which are pretty dire - I suspect most of us will stay put, simply because it is too difficult to do otherwise.

And lets not forget that most of us moved to Thailand because we didn't like it back home very much. Otherwise we would not have moved.

Just looking at the weather report from "home" is enough for me not to consider going back to that place.

 

I would have left already if I knew where to go. It's also a grass is greener thing. I'm tired of incompetent blowhard, warmongering politicians who seem to have taken over in too many countries. I'd like to go to Italy France or Spain.....I can speak Italian and French so they would be preferred.....but are they that much better than here?

I already left about 2.5 years ago, settling in Luang Prabang, in north Laos.  Of course, my relocation was pre-covid, and was based on my perception of future uncertainty about the direction that I saw Thailand moving, in terms of immigration/visa rules, cost of living, xenophobia, 'paperwork hassles (visas, banking etc).

 

I wasn't constrained by family or business - I'm divorced for many years and have an online job.  I should also mention that I moved from the UK to south-east Asia almost 20 years ago for medical reasons (I have aspergillosis, a long-term lung illness, and symptoms are all but eliminated by living in a hot and humid climate, daily exercise and a healthy diet!)

 

So far, I happy with my move to north Laos ????

Edited July 25, 20214 yr by simon43

Just keep on trucking , I ain't going anywhere,what's the

point Covid 19 and its variants are World wide, if the World

is not burning ,it's flooding, Mother Nature is <deleted> off and

fighting back.   that was P^ssed off

 

regards Worgeordie

Edited July 25, 20214 yr by worgeordie

When the borders reopen I will set foot in Italy in the south where the weather is well, where we eat and drink very well and where people are nice and do not care about the future because they are all without money or almost same me, what more can you ask for in life

My issue with Thailand remains the same as before the covid19 and  the military dictatorship. Its the increasing cost of living and the immigration hussle. With my family in Thailand and no better option, I'll stay, for now. One Nothing is carved in stone. 

I tend to remain in and around the house, writing and researching in my office leading to the second story veranda, or working in the yard trimming trees and beating back the bushes. So not much need to change my lifestyle either way. I'll stay, but I'll be more careful walking to and from shops and stores around my suburban Bangkok village. Desperate people will do desperate things. Most of us posting on TVF/AN can afford to sit on our rear end, do nothing, and get by. Most Thai people cannot. And we live among them. Their quality of life is tied directly to ours. We should never forget that, even if only for the most selfish of reasons.

Excuse me, I'm looking for the "boiling frog" thread.

Edited July 25, 20214 yr by NanLaew

34 minutes ago, BE88 said:

When the borders reopen I will set foot in Italy in the south where the weather is well, where we eat and drink very well and where people are nice and do not care about the future because they are all without money or almost same me, what more can you ask for in life

What is the grass like in Italy ?

I have heard that its a lovely shade of green 

I am under no illusions, I have it good now since retirement 10 years ago.

 

At 66 I doubt I could find a cheaper place to spend my pensions. I live rent free thanks to the wifes land and the house we built (shared the cost 50/50) in a rural, but not-in-the-dark-ages village. Monthly expenses are very low, and we live and eat well.

 

I voted 3rd option but the only real asset I have is a wonderful wife (3rd time lucky) and if we decided to leave it would need to be to somewhere with easy visas for us both. That's a challenge.

 

If I was retired in Scotland I'd be pretty skint, alone in a small tenement flat 4 floors up, no elevator and spending the days looking out at the cold, dark rainy days like my granny used to do.

 

My actual plan just before Covid hit was to rent a beach condo somewhere long term but the pandemic has put that on hold.

 

11 hours ago, Scott said:

Given Thailand is experiencing political upheaval

When isn't Thailand experiencing political upheaval, Thailand, hub of coups. As for Covid, just have to wait until I get jabbed, I've no where else to go at the moment.

I have a family to take care of. Running away would be the cowards way out.

11 hours ago, Scott said:

what are your long term plans? 

sex.

Eat, drink and be merry.

57 minutes ago, simon43 said:

based on my perception of future uncertainty about the direction that I saw Thailand moving, in terms of immigration/visa rules, cost of living, xenophobia, 'paperwork hassles (visas, banking etc).

Thankyou for your comment and one of the main reasons I also departed Thailand, after almost 20 years, across the border to "hassle free" Cambodia where I have been happily living (without any ties) in Siem Reap for 1.5 years. As a former volunteer with the Thai Tourist Police, I could see the way practices were becoming very much pro military and anti true democracy - medieval in fact!!

Edited July 25, 20214 yr by Burma Bill
additional information

I remain and I share a house with GF. If anything were to happen to that relationship...I would go to Malaysia in a flash. People in general more open and more like a multicultural society I grew up in.

 

Having said that, Thailand is perfectly acceptable place to ride out a storm, being back in the USA, both cost wise and '#$#hole' wise is not on my agenda ever.

Once the COVID is under control, if not before, I can see a lot of civil unrest.

29 minutes ago, RotBenz8888 said:

My issue with Thailand remains the same as before the covid19 and  the military dictatorship. Its the increasing cost of living and the immigration hassle. With my family in Thailand and no better option, I'll stay, for now. One Nothing is carved in stone. 

Living in rural Kamphaeng Phet the central government mostly leaves us alone. My main gripe with them is that have no idea what to do or where to get vaccinations from.

 

The cost of living seems to be slower to rise up here.

 

I have n problem with KPP Immigration as apart from one woman captain everybody in the office are helpful and mostly farang friendly.

 

If I were to return to the UK there is my son, DIL and 2 grandchildren, some friends and my ex wife.

 

I basically left the UK in 1991 to work offshore, divorced in 1999, remarried to my current Thai wife in 2000 and moved to Thailand full time in 2001.

 

I live with my wife and 17 year old son in her house on her land of about 15 rai. We are comfortable and don't or need much else and IMHO we have no reason to move back to the UK.

It always has been my plan to come to Thailand to be with my wife and daughter, enjoy it until old age starts taking its toll, then go back to England for end of life health care and take the family back. I do not want to die in Thailand. At 57 I do not have the income to take the family back with just early 55 year old pension and rental income, but at 67 and UK pension kick in I should be able to move us all back quite easily. (I could probably move the family back now by selling the house in the SE and moving up north to a bigger better house).

 

I would however move the family to the UK tomorrow by selling the house though if I could, due to being away from them for 16 months and covid, but , I have problems sorting out personal issues in Thailand that cannot be sorted quickly meaning the wife and daughter are stuck there - but sticking them in a dingy and claiming asylum would solve them

 

So, kind of stuck until further notice !

1 hour ago, kingstonkid said:

Looking at the way things are going in North America and Canada in particular I do not think I would  be any better off than I am here either health wise or financially.

 

Went back to Canada many times pre covid and you couldn't be more wrong. 

52 minutes ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

That money goes to pay other peoples housing benefit 

In Bristol 95.5% of my CC goes to social care, education, health, roads, transport, leisure facilities and waste management. 4.5% is for social housing. Housing benefit paid out by councils is recovered from central government funds via the Dept for Work & Pensions. Its not paid out of the CC.

Edited July 25, 20214 yr by pj123

I don't get the panic, Covid has been bad in other countries as well, just a different times. Eventually, the current wave will have passed. I got my first jab early this month and I'm currently waiting for the second one, so making plans to leave now would be foolish.

 

The political situation, since it's been mentioned in the survey, has been a complete and utter disaster ever since I've known Thailand. Unless it descends into outright civil war, that also isn't a reason for me to leave.

 

For the time being, my long-term plan remains unchanged - I'll stay in Thailand and enjoy the weakened Baht while it lasts!

 

I voted that I'll stay in Thailand, but in fact I'm leaving in a few days for around 3 months - there was not a suitable choice for this.

I don't have any significant assets (except my bank accounts) or ties here,  and I haven't burned any bridges.

I'm having a blast here.  Cost of living is very low compared to back home, and most importantly I have plenty of opportunities to do things I enjoy. If I couldn't go to Europe I would go on a one month solo kayak trip to the Ang Thong archipelago. Warm water, no crocs, no sharks - a paradise. If the good pre-covid times come back, Thailand is an excellent base to do trips around too. Long term...who knows, whatever Buddha says.

in 2004 taxsin introduced some laws like 0% intrest policy for foreigner, as well cpital controls on sending money out ( limited temporary without premisson of bot), cancellation of old investment visa

 

that makes me feel dont put anything on 1 card

 

so lucky ,  , was thinking one day it will pay out the decisson bcs of goverment or militray...but that it is covid never tought. and second i lucky sold short bfr covid assets in thai, just have 1 apart there now, i no worry more.

 

last 17 month i learnd thai is not all, and there more places to stay, with better enviroment lesss restrictions and cheap living costs.... 

 

yes missing soi six and party but this game even over.....

I decided to leave before covid, been here a looonngg time and am leaving because I just don't like it, like I did before, anymore. It may be partly because I am very old now. I need a country where I can dial 999, 911, 112, 111 etc and know an ambulance will be at the door in 15 minutes.

 

I already have a house in Blighty were I usually spend a couple of months most years.

Edited July 25, 20214 yr by Whale