I am Done With Thai Retirement Extensions - Relocating to Ecuador or Mexico on Permanent Residency

[sam6345]

Just sharing my experience and thoughts.

 

Lived here for 15 years on monthly retirement extensions and had a great time. Thank you for all those beautiful Thai people who made it all worthwhile. But I've had enough with the authorities! With no hope for permanent residency and the constantly changing requirements for retirement extensions. Not to mention the inefficient, repetitive and redundant reporting requirements (90 days, TM 30). It's time to move on!

 

Here are the facts:

My expenses for the past 15 years:

- Home purchase (2 million baht)

- Toyota vios (520,000 baht)

- Honda HRV (1.1 million baht)

- Annual living expenses (600,000 per year x 15 years = 9 million baht)

Total spent in Thailand = 12.62 million baht (I have probably spent more since this is all I can recount)

I plan to recoup 2.5 million by selling the house and car.

 

Hope this helps some of you who feel the same way I do. I had a good time in Thailand but what I want most at this point of time in my life is STABILITY with some adventure while I still can. Btw, I am 65 years old.

 

Take care!

[NanaSomchai]

10 minutes ago, sam6345 said:

But I've had enough with the authorities! With no hope for permanent residency and the constantly changing requirements for retirement extensions.

May I ask you which citizenships do you hold at the moment? I might have an easy for solution for you...

 

Edit: Also which languages are you fluent in?

Edited November 5, 2021 by NanaSomchai

[sam6345]

3 minutes ago, NanaSomchai said:

May I ask you which citizenships do you hold at the moment? I might have an easy for solution for you...

 

Edit: Also which languages are you fluent in?

US and English

[NanaSomchai]

Just now, sam6345 said:

US and English

Sorry then I'm afraid I can't be of any assistance...

[EricTh]

@sam6345

 

Yes, I agree with you. Things are getting tougher and tougher every year for retirees with more and more requirements.

 

If I had known, I wouldn't have come to Thailand either. Unfortunately, some of us still have commitments in Thailand and can't really pack up and leave.

 

Best of luck in your new country.

Edited November 5, 2021 by EricTh

[NanaSomchai]

Just now, EricTh said:

If I had known, I wouldn't have come to Thailand either. Unfortunately, some of us still have commitments in Thailand and can't really leave.

This.

[freedomnow]

Yip, I would not have the energy for the shifting sands requirements in Thailand when I'm older.

 

PR somewhere else and DONE.

[freedomnow]

Retired at 50, so you did....

 

Nice !

[Mike Teavee]

26 minutes ago, sam6345 said:

Lived here for 15 years on monthly retirement extensions

I take it this was a typo & you meant annual extensions... 

 

I'm only in my 3rd year of doing extensions but I don't find them (or TM30/90 day reports) onerous as I just pay an agent to do it for me:-

• Annual Extension - 7,000 (Bangkok) - 8,000 (Pattaya) - NB If you don't meet the financial requirements it's 12,500 + an extra 2,500 if you're on a Non-Imm OA & don't meet the health insurance requirements either
• TM30 - Free, my Estate Agent did it for me
• 90 Day Report - Normally free (online) but have problems this year so 200 THB with an agent. 

I get that these requirements may change but in the past decade+ since I've been planning my retirement in Thailand, the only examples I can think of are the tightening up around the financial requirements (limits stayed the same) & the addition of Health Insurance for Non-Imm OA - (Which I acknowledge is a huge deal for some guys)

 

 

 

TBH If I was 65 & sick of dealing with annual extensions, I would get the 20 year Thai Elite Visa (1 Million)  before I would up-sticks & move 1/2 way across the world (though I get that it's a lot closer to the US for you). 

 

[JayAus]

I can fully understand mate. We are also selling up and moving back home. (2023.) after 17 years. 

 future Stability is also a major factor in our decision to up and go. even though I’m on a marriage non O visa, I can’t but help sense trouble in my later, more vulnerable years.
 

enjoy the new experience. We are biting at the bit too leave. ???? 

[Chris.B]

You must be a wealth man to be able to afford to retire at 50 years old.

Edited November 5, 2021 by Chris.B

[CHEYENNE5668]

I've heard good things about Panama's expat friendly Pensionado visa. A friend recently relocated there. I'll let him be my canary in the coal mine so to speak before I make any rash decisions. Good luck to you... 

[DrJack54]

1 hour ago, EricTh said:

Yes, I agree with you. Things are getting tougher and tougher every year for retirees with more and more requirements.

List the changes.

Skip the change to money in bank requirement. Not huge hurdle.

And the others are? 

I did annual extension this week.

Keep 800k in Thai bank all year.

Bank letter. 

Few photocopies of passport pages.

Pretty much all I needed to provide. Walk in the park.

Edited November 5, 2021 by DrJack54

[Zikomat]

You will come back, sooner or later. There is no other place on Earth like this. Learn to accept its negatives as a part of its uniqueness. Other places may be 100 times better on the paper, but in reality…. there is no other place like this one. Magic in the air.

 

 

Edited November 5, 2021 by Zikomat

[ChaiyaTH]

The visa issue as well TM39 and 90 day reports are like resolved by simply paying a agent to do them, so this is a man made problem optionally only. In terms of some here that comment on doing so for a secure future or for the vulnerable years, not sure how this would be better in Ecuador or Mexico to be honest.

 

Generally speaking no place on earth can offer sustainability, safety or security in 1-2-3 decades from now, western countries are going downhill faster by the year too. I'd agree with Zikomat that is hard to find a place comparable to Thailand unless you just wanna live cheap and stay at home all the time.  

I've even tried Cambodia, Malaysia and Laos for a year, similar but not the same at all as it is here. Vietnam might come close by offering a very vibrant life but neither is anything close to Thailand. If there was such place many would go.

Edited November 5, 2021 by ChaiyaTH

[KhunLA]

Been here 20 yrs myself, and the retirement visa is just too easy to get & extend.

 

Nothing about that visa has changed in 20 yrs; prove residence & income (meet financials).  Doesn't get any easier than that.

[DrJack54]

12 minutes ago, ChaiyaTH said:

The visa issue as well TM39 and 90 day reports are like resolved by simply paying a agent to do them

Think you mean "extension issue".

No issue for me using money in bank method for retirement. Very simple. Once a year. Not difficult.

 

TM39 (think you mean TM30) along with 90 report is minor.

I have never done a TM30 in 10 years of living here and as for 90 report, I use mail. Alternative as you suggest is agent.

I never understand what all the fuss and complaints are about.

[ChaiyaTH]

2 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Think you mean "extension issue".

No issue for me using money in bank method for retirement. Very simple. Once a year. Not difficult.

 

TM39 (think you mean TM30) along with 90 report is minor.

I have never done a TM30 in 10 years of living here and as for 90 report, I use mail. Alternative as you suggest is agent.

I never understand what all the fuss and complaints are about.

No I mean both or one of them, I do not do anything for all 3 of those things. Neither do they get my money to rot away.

 

Actually they even take care of any other aspect of my paperwork Thai life too, including driving licenses. It isn't that expensive to let someone take care of you in Thailand so why bother the frustrations and waste of time.

Edited November 5, 2021 by ChaiyaTH

[DrJack54]

8 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Been here 20 yrs myself, and the retirement visa is just too easy to get & extend.

 

Nothing about that visa has changed in 20 yrs; prove residence & income (meet financials).  Doesn't get any easier than that.

A ray of reality from @KhunLA

 

Glad I'm not the only one that finds it all so simple and easy.

[ChaiyaTH]

@DrJack54Not sure if your confused reply is some sort of spasm or the fact that you not understand how things work for ten thousands of people who do the same? Or are you just envy that people who take the smart fast track get it done easier than you do?

[DrJack54]

5 minutes ago, ChaiyaTH said:

@DrJack54Not sure if your confused reply is some sort of spasm or the fact that you not understand how things work for ten thousands of people who do the same? Or are you just envy that people who take the smart fast track get it done easier than you do?

Agents are an option that's well know and if suits someone then fine. 

Here is link to my report of annual extension done Tuesday. You won't read it but it outlines how simple extensions are.

 

[Zikomat]

42 minutes ago, ChaiyaTH said:

The visa issue as well TM39 and 90 day reports are like resolved by simply paying a agent to do them, so this is a man made problem optionally only. In terms of some here that comment on doing so for a secure future or for the vulnerable years, not sure how this would be better in Ecuador or Mexico to be honest.

 

Generally speaking no place on earth can offer sustainability, safety or security in 1-2-3 decades from now, western countries are going downhill faster by the year too. I'd agree with Zikomat that is hard to find a place comparable to Thailand unless you just wanna live cheap and stay at home all the time.  

I've even tried Cambodia, Malaysia and Laos for a year, similar but not the same at all as it is here. Vietnam might come close by offering a very vibrant life but neither is anything close to Thailand. If there was such place many would go.

Let them go to Mexicos and other Maldives… we never came and stayed here because of the easiness of getting the Visa and we will never leave the place because of it (the Visa) becoming somehow harder to obtain… 

 

 

Edited November 5, 2021 by Zikomat

[WhiteBuffaloATM]

Spain/Portugal & Iberian Culture: YES (worked & travelled in Spain for four years). Completely Safe.

Latin America & Culture :NO (worked Venezuela, stayed Mexico, Brazil & Costa Rica). Giant Rathole.

Drugs,Wars,Cartels, Murders, Mutilations, Kidnappings, Trafficking, Robbery, Corruption, Death Worship, Machismo, Misogyny.

 

Yeah, give up Safe Pleasant Thailand for the “Risky Horror Show”…go for it. one million retired Americans love it down there. cant move from their gated communities or marinas though…….. go figure…….

[Old Croc]

Nothing has changed, unless you're an O-A!

 

Heard of the corrupt insurance?

 

[NanaSomchai]

1 hour ago, Old Croc said:

Heard of the corrupt insurance?

Enlight us, Oh Great One.

[Jack1988]

It's these stupid visas that make everything difficult and stressful. Immigration has power. C'est la vie, as french people use to say

[ExpatOilWorker]

Awesome, soon this forum will have an active poster located in Ecuador. 

Aseannow is going global!

[Chad3000]

I'm not so certain that retirees won't be forced into insurance without being given any insurance to choose from. This is very Thai thinking.

 

Americans have slim if any options for overseas insurance especially without a domicile in US. It's never been a nation that embraced working or living abroad.

[Lemsta69]

3 hours ago, ChaiyaTH said:

No I mean both or one of them, I do not do anything for all 3 of those things. Neither do they get my money to rot away.

 

Actually they even take care of any other aspect of my paperwork Thai life too, including driving licenses. It isn't that expensive to let someone take care of you in Thailand so why bother the frustrations and waste of time.

this is my plan too for when I come over next month and convert to non-O. I just can't bear the thought of all that capital rotting away in a Thai bank. not when I can keep it invested in stonks and crypto and 5x or 10x it in a couple of years. ok maybe five to ten years. 

[Captain Monday]

A great thread to remind all the expats who don't have a reasonable path to PR or citizenship

need to work on plan B. The virus changed everything and my plan B is now plan A. 

 

What's in YOUR bug out bag?