Are expats being tempted by Thailand?

[NanaSomchai]

3 hours ago, VBF said:

Only problem with that is that Spain, Greece, Portugal have the same summer season as UK. Part of the attraction of Thailand is the weather in our winter (December -April) is just perfect in Thailand. It's that "snowbird" thing again ????

F L O R I D A /thread

[jacko45k]

5 hours ago, VBF said:

But....... would it not be fair to ask if you're "punching above your weight" with (ahem) paid-for companions?

 

If so, you can do so in UK......it just costs more!  I don't know your age, but I've just become a pensioner and the money I'm not spending on travelling does get spent on "personal enjoyment"...which is as detailed as I'm going to get on this forum ???? except to say that I'm a believer in the adage "If it floats, flies or f***s, rent, don't buy"

Of course, as the old adage goes, I have to spend a bit of money on them here, and usually I want to. 

Now I have not been to the UK for a couple of years now, but there is a plague of obesity that makes a lot of them repugnant to me... that was my recollection. I would also expect a far better attitude and service level in Thailand. Not being there in the UK, perhaps I get it wrong, but generally even attitudes to elderly men would hardly support a pretty girl on each side of me enjoying myself in the local Wetherspoons. Not many Go-Go bars in my home town, maybe a lap dance joint, no touch place, designed to empty your bank account. 

Edited September 10, 2021 by jacko45k

[garyk]

Not tempting me back. I left because of the pollution. Thailand and that area has undoubtedly the worst air pollution of any country I have ever visited. 

Retire there and choke to death several months of the year.

 

[Sticky Rice Balls]

19 hours ago, Antonymous said:

They may be trying to get your a$$ though.

Be gentle... Im very delicate..

[brianthainess]

Possibly the only country in the World that has discriminated on giving Covid vaccinations to foreigners (not Chinese <deleted>)  Oh and another thing   You are not an ex-pat unless you are already living abroad from your home country! click bait headline.

[ThomasThBKK]

8 hours ago, Rookiescot said:

With 90 day reporting requirements.

If the Elite visa gave you a Thai passport, or maybe citizenship you might actually have a point but the fact is apart from not having to do yearly renewals of your temporary exemption its bereft of any advantages. You just have to do it every 5 years.

You keep banging on about this Elite visa as being some kind enticement for rich people to come here but get this.

Rich people got rich by not spaffing money up the wall on things which are pretty useless.

Do tell us why rich people should choose Thailand rather than the other many options they have.

- Beaches

- Girls

- No taxes

- all amenities the west has to offer

- Tons of decent beachfront real estate and penthouses

- No taxes

- Did i already say taxes?

 

 

Thailand is a tax heaven with territorial taxes.

Vietnam isn't, most other countries aren't except Panama, Philiphines and the likes which are all objectively bigger <deleted> holes than Thailand with less amenities and more crime. Singapore and co are really hard to settle in even for billionaires these days and very anti immigration.

 

 

You are so detached from reality it's not even funny anymore. 

 

 

 

Which other many options are there??? Let us knowwwww. I still wait for a list. Where is that list?

 

Quote

Rich people got rich by not spaffing money up the wall on things which are pretty useless.

 

Spaffing money aha, 125 usd per month is what the visa costs which is basically nothing, not even worth thinking, one visit at the steakhouse.

[Road Warrior]

caution --  when too old in thailand cant get medical insurance so no visa  -- just return home 

[Misty]

16 hours ago, Dogmatix said:

The aritcle is nonsense from people who make a living out of providing financial services, often of questionable quality, to financially illiterate expats.  I have never heard of the 5 year retirement visa mentioned.  Investment in your own business through the BoI is only open to approved projects in the sectors BoI wants to promote and the process and reporting and inspection requirements for BoI companies are onerous.  If you BoI privileges expire or are cancelled you lose the right to 100% foreign ownership. 

 

For expat couples and others who have no Thai family and no interest in acquiring one or playing the girly scene, I would not advise retirement in Thailand. I came here to work and was able to get PR and then citizenship but neither are possible to those who don't work in Thailand.  I would hate to be treated like a third class citizen with no right to own land or my own business and always at the whim of surly and corrupt immigration officers to renew visas.  Even as a PR I was fed up with the fact that PRs are not treated as they are in developed countries where they usually have all right except te right to vote and other political rights.  In many ways Thai PRs are treated no differently from other foreigners without the right to work, own businesses and land.   Not having to renew visas is good but they have to go through a costly annual endorsement rigmarole at Immigration, if they want to travel, and have no other rights, even though gettting it is a hugely onerous and costly process.  

 

I think there are many places where expats can be treated with more respect.  I would also look for places with reciprocal healthcare benefites.  Many expats end up having to relocate urgently when they hit an unexpected health crisis.  

Agree with the above, and sincerely appreciate the advice from a voice of experience.

 

I would add that PR is no longer available to those who merely work and meet or exceed all requirements for application.  For a PR application to even be accepted for consideration, currently an agent must be used, and "VIP service fees" must be paid.

 

 

[DrJack54]

4 minutes ago, Road Warrior said:

caution --  when too old in thailand cant get medical insurance so no visa  -- just return home 

Think your referring to extensions to a non O-A (not a visa). Insurance not difficult.

Extensions to non O retirement no insurance required. 

[richard_smith237]

51 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

Possibly the only country in the World that has discriminated on giving Covid vaccinations to foreigners (not Chinese <deleted>)  Oh and another thing   You are not an ex-pat unless you are already living abroad from your home country! click bait headline.

Has it discriminated?.....  I received the Vaccine on the same day as my Brother in Law, a few days before my Wife and a week before my Wife’s Parents (Thai).

Many Western friends also received the vaccine very early on alongside their Thai families and peers. 

 

From a personal perspective, I saw no discrimination against foreigners whatsoever. 

 

The vaccine roll out has been atrocious, and Thailand struggled to set up a decent online registration system for foreigners. Its shrugged to get the vaccines to the outer provinces. I don’t think there was specific discrimination involved, just utter incompetence. 

 

Ex-pat argument has been kicked about before - its something slightly different to each nation, to each national and in each destination country.

Ultimately, it means you call somewhere else home other than your country of origin - there’s really no need to get into the nuts & bolts of it any more than that. 

 

 

 

 

[Rookiescot]

12 minutes ago, ThomasThBKK said:

- Beaches

- Girls

- No taxes

- all amenities the west has to offer

- Tons of decent beachfront real estate and penthouses

- No taxes

- Did i already say taxes?

 

 

Thailand is a tax heaven with territorial taxes.

Vietnam isn't, most other countries aren't except Panama, Philiphines and the likes which are all objectively bigger <deleted> holes than Thailand with less amenities and more crime. Singapore and co are really hard to settle in even for billionaires these days and very anti immigration.

 

 

You are so detached from reality it's not even funny anymore. 

 

 

 

Which other many options are there??? Let us knowwwww. I still wait for a list. Where is that list?

 

 

Spaffing money aha, 125 usd per month is what the visa costs which is basically nothing, not even worth thinking, one visit at the steakhouse.

Is this a joke?

Beaches? The entire planet is filled with them. They are not unique to Thailand. 

Girls? You think millionaires come to Thailand looking for girls? Yeah they are going to hang around walking street trying to get some action LOL. 

Taxes? Lots of tax havens around the world. Many have exclusive locations just for millionaires to have as a playground.

 

Tell me something. How many high profile millionaires can you name that have retired to Thailand? People like movie stars, politicians, businessmen?

Oh yeah thats right. They dont. They go to places like the Seychelles, the Maldives, the Spice Islands, Bahamas and the Virgin Islands.

They dont rock up to Pattaya saying "I'm here for the girls".

Get real. You understand this thread is about actual millionaires not the two week variety?

[RafPinto]

On 9/10/2021 at 8:06 AM, ChipButty said:

They have got that much money they dont care about luxury tax, when you see the amount of BMW's Merc's around where I live, Last week a German guy rented one of my apartments he turned up a brand new Merc 250 coupe, it had Bangkok plates on it and I asked him did he drive here he said no he paid someone to drive it here for him. That Merc would be at least double the price of what it would be back in Berlin,

And later, I asked him if he will drive around and later drive the car back to BKK.

He replied: NO

I asked why he brought the car.
He replied: at least I can look at the red number plates when I am paying the monthly finance and I want the same feeling as back home. Every Paul and Peter has a BMW and Benz on lease or finance. The neighbours must be kept happy.

[RafPinto]

On 9/10/2021 at 8:56 AM, HeijoshinCool said:

.

Dunno, because all the girls look like sisters...?

Yes and the brothers are waiting outside on the motorbikes to bring the lovers of the night, safely to the hotel.

[ThomasThBKK]

27 minutes ago, Rookiescot said:

Is this a joke?

Beaches? The entire planet is filled with them. They are not unique to Thailand. 

Girls? You think millionaires come to Thailand looking for girls? Yeah they are going to hang around walking street trying to get some action LOL. 

Taxes? Lots of tax havens around the world. Many have exclusive locations just for millionaires to have as a playground.

 

Tell me something. How many high profile millionaires can you name that have retired to Thailand? People like movie stars, politicians, businessmen?

Oh yeah thats right. They dont. They go to places like the Seychelles, the Maldives, the Spice Islands, Bahamas and the Virgin Islands.

They dont rock up to Pattaya saying "I'm here for the girls".

Get real. You understand this thread is about actual millionaires not the two week variety?

 

Quote

Girls? You think millionaires come to Thailand looking for girls? Yeah they are going to hang around walking street trying to get some action LOL. 

You really think being a millionaire is anything special these days, u need help.

 

1 out of 6 american retirees is a millionaire....

8.8% of all americans are millionaires, that's 22 mio people alone from america.

There's over 5 mio millionaires in broke china, tiny germany has like 3 mio millionaires.

15% of all swiss are millionaires, there's around 60 mio millionaires in the world. 

 

But yeah, no one would ever go to and stay in Thailand. ridiculous.

 

 

 

 

 

Even Thailand itself has 90 000 thai millionaires... 

 

You are cute tho, typical broke person having fantasies of "millionaires" being anything special and living a different live while most of them are just everyday people you will never know about, shopping in the same Tesco supermarket as everyone else.

 

 

Who the hell retires in the maldives or seychelles? It's not a place to live, it's a place for a holiday but that's it. There's nothing to do.

 

 

 

 

Still waiting for a list of countries that tick those boxes i mentioned outside of Thailand, let's see and compare them.

 

 

 

 

[Misty]

2 minutes ago, ThomasThBKK said:

 

You really think being a millionaire is anything special these days, u need help.

 

1 out of 6 american retirees is a millionaire....

8.8% of all americans are millionaires, that's 22 mio people alone from america.

There's over 5 mio millionaires in broke china, tiny germany has like 3 mio millionaires.

15% of all swiss are millionaires, there's around 60 mio millionaires in the world. 

 

But yeah, no one would ever go to and stay in Thailand. ridiculous.

 

 

 

 

 

Even Thailand itself has 90 000 thai millionaires... 

 

You are cute tho, typical broke person having fantasies of "millionaires" being anything special and living a different live while most of them are just everyday people you will never know about, shopping in the same Tesco supermarket as everyone else.

 

 

Who the hell retires in the maldives or seychelles? It's not a place to live, it's a place for a holiday but that's it. There's nothing to do.

 

 

 

 

Still waiting for a list of countries that tick those boxes i mentioned outside of Thailand, let's see and compare them.

 

 

 

 

It's true, having a million USD ain't what it used to be. Thus the term "middle-class millionaire" .

 

Thailand ticks some boxes such as those you've mentioned, but definitely not others.  And the downside of Thailand has become more apparent recently.  If the millionaires from the West weren't flocking here before, I'm not sure why they would now. 

 

 

[bendejo]

19 hours ago, DrPhibes said:

And your point is... (miss Robert Palmer RIP):

 

Is this the Russian band Kutcherpeckeroff?

 

[RafPinto]

19 hours ago, khunPer said:

Ladyboys with stretch marks on their bellies...????

Not only on his belly.

Stretched to the limit 555

[Rookiescot]

17 minutes ago, ThomasThBKK said:

 

You really think being a millionaire is anything special these days, u need help.

 

1 out of 6 american retirees is a millionaire....

8.8% of all americans are millionaires, that's 22 mio people alone from america.

There's over 5 mio millionaires in broke china, tiny germany has like 3 mio millionaires.

15% of all swiss are millionaires, there's around 60 mio millionaires in the world. 

 

But yeah, no one would ever go to and stay in Thailand. ridiculous.

 

 

 

 

 

Even Thailand itself has 90 000 thai millionaires... 

 

You are cute tho, typical broke person having fantasies of "millionaires" being anything special and living a different live while most of them are just everyday people you will never know about, shopping in the same Tesco supermarket as everyone else.

 

 

Who the hell retires in the maldives or seychelles? It's not a place to live, it's a place for a holiday but that's it. There's nothing to do.

 

 

 

 

Still waiting for a list of countries that tick those boxes i mentioned outside of Thailand, let's see and compare them.

 

 

 

 

Whether they are special or not they are not flocking to Thailand and are not buying pointless Elite visas mostly because they cant even own a house here and cant be bothered with 90 day reports.

Go ahead and name some of the millionaires who have retired here.

[StevieAus]

16 hours ago, 1FinickyOne said:

Glad to see that someone else can compare and contrast...

 

The requirements to live here full time are so minimal... its only a problem if you can't meet the requirements easily. The actual cost is near nothing... and most of us can just walk in w/a 30 day stamp for free.. it is quite a process for a Thai to go to USA and then most will not qualify... 

Usually when you post a balanced view or the true situation on this site you are berated, called a Thai apologist then sent to stand in the naughty boys corner.

As a former lawyer I have been insulted and accused of many things, but paid well for the privilege, so it’s water off the ducks back to me. 

[spidermike007]

16 hours ago, OJAS said:

Suspect that @spidermike007 might, in fact, be referring to that considerably more blind and toxic dinosaur called the EU!

 

Nope. I was definitely referring to the entire Prayuth administration. They make the EU look like a gleaming, streamlined group of stunningly competent, efficient and honest officials. 

[spidermike007]

On 9/10/2021 at 8:40 AM, josephbloggs said:

Yep, it is only the cheap charlies on here that think the rich are bothered about paying 1,000 baht for a bottle of wine that would cost 500 back home.  They really don't care or even notice - they are drinking 10,000 baht bottles of wine anyway.   

 

If they did care nobody would visit or live in Singapore.

No, they care, they just do not have a choice. When you have traveled overseas, and seen that 10,000 baht bottle available in LA, NY, or London for $55, you tend to be annoyed and abused by onerous taxation by fools. But, what are the other options, if you like good wine?

 

It is just one more nail in the tourism coffin of rich tourist dreaming, on the part of the comedy organization called the TAT. 

Edited September 11, 2021 by spidermike007

[StevieAus]

2 hours ago, brianthainess said:

Possibly the only country in the World that has discriminated on giving Covid vaccinations to foreigners (not Chinese <deleted>)  Oh and another thing   You are not an ex-pat unless you are already living abroad from your home country! click bait headline.

Myself and several other expat, non Thais, visitors or whatever you want to call us received our AZ vaccine  before many other Thais we know.

[spidermike007]

11 hours ago, VBF said:

But....... would it not be fair to ask if you're "punching above your weight" with (ahem) paid-for companions?

 

If so, you can do so in UK......it just costs more!  I don't know your age, but I've just become a pensioner and the money I'm not spending on travelling does get spent on "personal enjoyment"...which is as detailed as I'm going to get on this forum ???? except to say that I'm a believer in the adage "If it floats, flies or f***s, rent, don't buy"

Nearly every friend I have in the US is single. Why? Because for a man in the US, who is past the age of 50, unless he is willing to get with a woman at least his age, his prospects are dim for finding love, or companionship. Some guys like me, simply prefer younger women. Not kids, but women who are 10, 15, even 20 or 25 years younger than us. For a dozen very valid reasons. I could break them down, but why bother? The PC crew will jump on this and say it is not right. You should not be able to have this kind of life, without jumping over ridiculous hurdles! Means nothing to me. I do not do PC.

 

Why be with a woman our age, if we do not need to? Nothing wrong with it, if it works for you.

 

But It is virtually impossible for a 60 year old man in the US, Canada, the UK, most of Europe, OZ, or NZ, to hook up with a 36 year old woman, unless she is very fat or very ugly, or he is a centi millionaire, or is famous. Period. It just does not happen in this day and age.

Here it is possible. Granted he will likely get with a woman of lesser means, who needs a guy who can provide some financial stability. So what? Who cares? Most women want financial stability anywhere in the world, whether they admit it or not. The difference is here the women are more honest about their financial needs and desires. I know a lot of men who have engaged in relationships with lovely, kind, supportive, humorous, and sexy women here, who are no longer lonely. We have very good lives. Fulfilling lives. Lives we could never dream of having back in the US, Oz, NZ, UK, Canada, or Scandinavia.

 

 

 

Edited September 11, 2021 by spidermike007

[digger70]

Are expats being tempted by Thailand? 

 

Maybe some ,It depends on the individual  and their Purse .

What one would want /expect from the country they may want to go on holiday/retire

 

 

[Tanomazu]

1 hour ago, Rookiescot said:

Whether they are special or not they are not flocking to Thailand and are not buying pointless Elite visas mostly because they cant even own a house here and cant be bothered with 90 day reports.

Go ahead and name some of the millionaires who have retired here.

The very rich often do not retire anywhere. They are nomads and commute between three, four or five properties. Usually residency is in a tax haven and they have properties in more interesting places where they split their time according to season or mood. If you had to live in BVI all year you would go insane from boredom.

[DLock]

18 hours ago, Tanomazu said:

The infrastructure in Thailand leaves much to be desired? Have you tried to connect to the internet in the Philippines? The infrastructure in Thailand is considerably better than the Philippines. It's known to be the country with the worst internet in all of SE Asia.

 

Why was Vietnam their favourite? Are they scooter enthusiasts?

 

Mexico? Latin America? If you want to be stabbed to death in the streets maybe. Caribbean? Most boring place in the world after a year, no culture. Bang for the buck? Caribbean is massively expensive. Plus you'd be out in nowhere land.

 

How is Thailand not welcoming? I can't think of a more welcoming place.

I worked in the Philippines for 2 years, and that was more than enough for me.

 

The traffic, poverty, food, 60/40 foreign investment requirements (yes, you only own 40% of your business), airport, phone and internet, were all show stoppers for me. Although the people were very friendly and helpful.

 

I really don't know how anyone could favor the Philippines over Thailand...it's false spite. PI may have better beaches and islands, but most foreigners will end up living in a condo in Quezon City,  wearing San Miguel single with pork adobo stains down the front, going "malling" every weekend, wondering how they get out of here...

 

Thailand isn't perfect, but life is pretty good if you made good decisions on how/where you live, who your partner is and your financial situation. If you satisfy all the visa requirements, it works as advertised. If you feel like a cash machine, treated poorly, suffer from police corruption or double pricing...I gotta question your decisions in Thailand. Change them.

 

Thailand is what YOU make of it.

[JustAnotherHun]

55 minutes ago, Rookiescot said:

Go ahead and name some of the millionaires who have retired here.

No need to. Just have a look around. Siam Royal View and other luxury villages in Pattaya with homes for 50 million THB an more. Mostly owned or payed by strangers. All those (for Thailand expensive) beach front condos. in the one I'm living there's a penthouse for sale - owned by an Austrian. Price: 68 million (ok, he'll never get that).

Just talking about Pattaya, Thailand's cheap charlie. What about Bangkok, Hua Hin, Samui, Pukhet etc? There must be thousands.

Don't you think, one must be a millionaire if he owns a condo or home worth more than A million Euros?

A millionaire is not so special. He's well off maybe, but far from what I'd call "rich".

[spidermike007]

7 minutes ago, JustAnotherHun said:

No need to. Just have a look around. Siam Royal View and other luxury villages in Pattaya with homes for 50 million THB an more. Mostly owned or payed by strangers. All those (for Thailand expensive) beach front condos. in the one I'm living there's a penthouse for sale - owned by an Austrian. Price: 68 million (ok, he'll never get that).

Just talking about Pattaya, Thailand's cheap charlie. What about Bangkok, Hua Hin, Samui, Pukhet etc? There must be thousands.

Don't you think, one must be a millionaire if he owns a condo or home worth more than A million Euros?

A millionaire is not so special. He's well off maybe, but far from what I'd call "rich".

But, it is likely those are not full time ex-pats. Those are more like rich nomads. And it is exactly the lifestyle I would have, if I were worth $50 million. $2 million for a large penthouse is considered reasonable these days, relative to property in many other nations. However now, it is likely someone could negotiate 30% off that unit, unless he was prepared to sit on it for years.

 

I would likely have four or five homes, or condos, and would bounce back and forth. I would venture to guess very few truly rich folks, would have an interest in spending more than 2 or 3 months a year here, for a dozen good reasons. There is too much else out there in the world to see, and most of it is far more civilized and more interesting that what is on offer here. Most of us, who choose to make our lives here, do it at least partly due to the relatively reasonable cost of living. 

Edited September 11, 2021 by spidermike007

[Tanomazu]

6 minutes ago, DLock said:

I worked in the Philippines for 2 years, and that was more than enough for me.

 

The traffic, poverty, food, 60/40 foreign investment requirements (yes, you only own 40% of your business), airport, phone and internet, were all show stoppers for me. Although the people were very friendly and helpful.

 

I really don't know how anyone could favor the Philippines over Thailand...it's false spite. PI may have better beaches and islands, but most foreigners will end up living in a condo in Quezon City,  wearing San Miguel single with pork adobo stains down the front, going "malling" every weekend, wondering how they get out of here...

 

Thailand isn't perfect, but life is pretty good if you made good decisions on how/where you live, who your partner is and your financial situation. If you satisfy all the visa requirements, it works as advertised. If you feel like a cash machine, treated poorly, suffer from police corruption or double pricing...I gotta question your decisions in Thailand. Change them.

 

Thailand is what YOU make of it.

Thanks for posting an informed view of the Phil.

I saw young children, whole families living under bridges in Phil, it was heart breaking. It may exist in Thailand, maybe I just never saw it. But the poverty in Phil is such that one feels a little unsafe sometimes.

 

Clearly Thailand's infrastructure is a lot better than Phil, the internet can not even be compared, unless you talk Quezon City. And it is vastly more expensive in almost everything.

 

The people are wonderful and  you have the added advantage of speaking English, the country is more beautiful than Thailand.

 

However, pricing, crime and poor internet, lack of western amenities, for a Westerner I'd say Thailand is usually better.

 

[ThomasThBKK]

1 hour ago, Rookiescot said:

Whether they are special or not they are not flocking to Thailand and are not buying pointless Elite visas mostly because they cant even own a house here and cant be bothered with 90 day reports.

Go ahead and name some of the millionaires who have retired here.

This is so dumb, pattaya beer bar level of dumbness, are you one of these fake navy seals? 

 

 

Dude, just check the land office registry of people who own fancy houses or yachts here if u need to know their names.

 

What's ur plan, robbing them?

 

Maybe go after the billionaires, better payout. 

 

Quote

Whether they are special or not they are not flocking to Thailand and are not buying pointless Elite visas mostly because they cant even own a house here and cant be bothered with 90 day reports.

 

Of course you can own a house in Thailand, keep the misinformation going.

 

Edited September 11, 2021 by ThomasThBKK