Thailand ranked 5th best worldwide for retirees by French magazine

[Andycoops]

Retirement for most UK pensioners is not an option here with the average retirement income being only 15000 GBP, the costs are too much.

[blazes]

36 minutes ago, StevieAus said:

I do my ninety day reporting at the local Immigration Office.

Takes on average 4 mins from leaving the car to returning.

Only the passport is required, the staff are very polite and offer me a seat and point out the next date.

I can handle 16 minutes out of my life each year.

You miss the point, Squire.

What's important is not how long it takes to do the 90-day thing.  It's the bleeding principle of the thing.  Most countries do not demand that foreigners check in at all. 

Thailand does, and this, frankly, smacks of racism.

[StevieAus]

4 minutes ago, blazes said:

You miss the point, Squire.

What's important is not how long it takes to do the 90-day thing.  It's the bleeding principle of the thing.  Most countries do not demand that foreigners check in at all. 

Thailand does, and this, frankly, smacks of racism.

Fist of all I am not a Squire but do still hold a Commission as a JP.

Secondly it’s not Racism as it applies to all Races who choose to live here who are not Thai

Thirdly there are few countries I know of that allow a person aged 50 years years and older to arrive without a visa and with

800,00 baht in the bank and stay indefinitely.

Fourthly there is always the option to return to your Utopian homeland if dissatisfied, for me I enjoy more freedoms here than in Australia, so I am staying.

[Orinoco]

Just now, Andycoops said:

Retirement for most UK pensioners is not an option here with the average retirement income being only 15000 GBP, the costs are too much.

If you have your own place here.

15,000 GBP is an ok amount for retirement.

 

 

[PETERTHEEATER]

10 hours ago, arithai12 said:

I agree! Or I wouldn't be here.

And now, cue the bashers.

<deleted>!

[Orinoco]

Just now, StevieAus said:

Fist of all I am not a Squire but do still hold a Commission as a JP.

Secondly it’s not Racism as it applies to all Races who choose to live here who are not Thai

Thirdly there are few countries I know of that allow a person aged 50 years years and older to arrive without a visa and with

800,00 baht in the bank and stay indefinitely.

Fourthly there is always the option to return to your Utopian homeland if dissatisfied, for me I enjoy more freedoms here than in Australia, so I am staying.

Oh dear the go home post.

T.I.A.N.

 

 ( and stay indefinitely  ) 

Can you show me the link to this type of visa.  

 

[StevieAus]

6 minutes ago, Orinoco said:

Oh deer the go home post.

T.I.A.N.

Deer or Dear ?

Dear Me !

[StevieAus]

19 minutes ago, Orinoco said:

Oh dear the go home post.

T.I.A.N.

 

 ( and stay indefinitely  ) 

Can you show me the link to this type of visa.  

 

It’s not a Visa it’s called an Extension of Stay.

If you go to your local Immigration Office I am sure they will explain it to you.

[Orinoco]

Just now, StevieAus said:

It’s not a Visa it’s called an Extension of Stay.

If you go to your local Immigration Office I am sure they will explain it to you.

Wow,  your a laugh.

( and stay indefinitely )  your words,

no, its one year and can be revoked at any time and for no fault of your own and then be deported. 

Indefinitely is a stupid way to describe a 12 months extension of stay.

does that help you.

 

 

 

 

[sambum]

From the Headline of the "Top Post":-

 

Thailand ranked 5th best worldwide for retirees

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is pleased to report that Thailand has been ranked the best place in Asia and the fifth best place in the world for retirees by French magazine Capital.

 

 

 

How come I am not surprised that TAT are "pleased to report ............" etc etc etc!

 

I am sure that if I bought the reporter from my local newspaper a few drinks or gave him a suitably filled brown envelope he would make sure that my choice of destination would appear near the top of the rankings!

 

And I am sure that the world of tourism will be agog at the news that a French magazine has given Thailand the "heads up" despite the fact that so few French visitors choose to holiday here!

 

 

[BusyB]

11 hours ago, arithai12 said:

I agree! Or I wouldn't be here.

And now, cue the bashers.

I'll be there as soon as I don't face the elephant trap of 'hospitel' at my own cost a week after I've entered the country.

[KannikaP]

8 hours ago, RobinV said:

Biggest beef if the exit visa I need to travel.

S is two keys to the left.

 

If that;s your biggest 'beef', I feel sorry for you.

[jacko45k]

1 hour ago, blazes said:

Thailand does, and this, frankly, smacks of racism.

Well only foreigners have to, all foreigners. Heck nothing compared to theTM30 requirement......

[10baht]

6 hours ago, odanny said:

Can you elaborate more on these insurance issues? Thanks. 

My ins, form home is not accepted and I can't self-insure for medical. I could deposit the amount of coverage they want me to buy from a Thai , and not touch it except for medical costs, boy NOOOOOO!

[Shocked farang]

One thing that strikes me in Thailand is the question of integration. No matter how long you have been to Thailand, no matter how much you applied yourself in learning Thai language and customs, Thais will always and forever see you as Farang, there's no escape from that, not even Jim Thompson could escape this! 

[Marvest]

Accodring to the article, the ranking is based on cost of living, real estate, medical, cultural heritage, environmental heritage, food, weather, leisure activities, safety, difficulty in adaptation, transportation convenience, and infrastructure.

 

Given it is retirement focused, I would assume it is aimed at people with cost concerns not folks with more than enough money for retirement.

 

With this in mind, I agree with the ranking.  I chose Thailand for those reasons, and I like it here.  I like it for many of the criteria listed in the article.  I suspect most of the people commenting on this forum must have chosen Thailand as a place to live for similar reasons.

 

Immigration and police are common complaints.  Neither are criteria and maybe they should be.  Immigration is difficult and frustrating in most countries, especially if you are trying to extend a visa or gain residency. I was surprised how difficult my own country is once my wife applied for residency.  If it's a bad place to retire, then why go through the immigration brain damage?  Which are the wonderful countries with streamlined immigration?

 

Corrupt law enforcement seems to be a problem here.  I don't have first-hand experience.  Are police problems common for law abiding residence?

 

Then there's the bribery thing.  If TAT bribed the French magazine for a high rating, then there must be at least four countries that are even more crooked than Thailand.

 

But I'll give it some time.  Perhaps I have not lived here long enough become pessimistic.

[Bezdomny]

Its nr.1 for the cheap charlies who enjoy weather, party cheap life and younger girls. And thats 90% of the man in SE Asia, dont fool yourself.  Nothing wrong with that, enjoy your day as it is last. 

I apology to the majority of TVF posters  here, who met their Thai wives in the library or opera  and came because of the tom yum, som tam, beaches, temples and elephant riding. ????

[Mr Meeseeks]

3 hours ago, StevieAus said:

Thirdly there are few countries I know of that allow a person aged 50 years years and older to arrive without a visa and with

800,00 baht in the bank and stay indefinitely.

You are not allowed to stay in Thailand indefinitely.

[Mr Meeseeks]

3 hours ago, StevieAus said:

Fourthly there is always the option to return to your Utopian homeland if dissatisfied, for me I enjoy more freedoms here than in Australia, so I am staying.

I am curious as to what freedoms you enjoy here that you cannot in Australia?

[billd766]

6 hours ago, possum1931 said:

SURELY NOT!!  Is this taking the ridiculous everchanging immigration issues into consideration?

I would never have come to stay in Thailand if I knew I was ever going to be treated like a prisoner on parole with this 90 day reporting nonsense.

I go up to Kamphaeng Phet city once a month for a bulk shop. I have a 3 monthly check up at the private hospital and I do the 90 report the same day. It takes about 10 minutes.

The only time I go out of these timings is my yearly extensions and use the first to check the paperwork and the second time to pass the extension. I do the paperwork myself with help from my wife and the actual visit takes about 2 hours.

 

I am retired so my time is my own and I find the staff at KPP Immigration friendly and helpful and quite farang friendly. In no way am I made to feel like a prisoner and up here the smiles are genuine smiles, as we are not a tourist area.

 

At the Immigration office in KPP there are 3 car parking slots including 1 for disabled persons.

[billd766]

4 hours ago, Orinoco said:

If you have your own place here.

15,000 GBP is an ok amount for retirement.

 

 

I don't but SWMBO does and that is where I live with my wife and son.

[NoshowJones]

43 minutes ago, billd766 said:

I go up to Kamphaeng Phet city once a month for a bulk shop. I have a 3 monthly check up at the private hospital and I do the 90 report the same day. It takes about 10 minutes.

The only time I go out of these timings is my yearly extensions and use the first to check the paperwork and the second time to pass the extension. I do the paperwork myself with help from my wife and the actual visit takes about 2 hours.

 

I am retired so my time is my own and I find the staff at KPP Immigration friendly and helpful and quite farang friendly. In no way am I made to feel like a prisoner and up here the smiles are genuine smiles, as we are not a tourist area.

 

At the Immigration office in KPP there are 3 car parking slots including 1 for disabled persons.

It is no problem for me to do my 90 day report as I go to the local Makro. But I hate being told what to do, and would never have stayed here if I had known that would have happened. so yes, I feel like a criminal, and also don't like taking orders from anyone.

With you having been in the RAF you would be used to taking orders, so being told what to do will not matter to you. But we are all different.

[Rocking Robert]

13 hours ago, 10baht said:

I am sorry, but the insurance issues make this not so. 

Why you need insurance no matter where you retire

[StevieAus]

2 hours ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

I am curious as to what freedoms you enjoy here that you cannot in Australia?

Australia has become a Nanny State, the list is endless with three tiers of government for just under

25million people.

Its no wonder nearly all industry has gone overseas.

Just a couple of examples, if I wanted to prune a tree in my garden I had to pay the local council to send someone to inspect the tree and give me permission.

If I wanted to make changes to the house including even a larger window I had to seek permission.

The local council would send a letter to close neighbors asking if they objected.

Does that give you some idea and they are only minor issues

 

[StevieAus]

3 hours ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

You are not allowed to stay in Thailand indefinitely.

Since when?

I have one friend who has lived here for 43 years and another for 32 years.

Sounds pretty definite to me.

Have you had any pressure to leave?

I haven’t.

 

[Albert Zweistein]

18 hours ago, RobinV said:

Been living here for over 20 years. Biggest beef if the exit visa I need to travel.

Portugal is on my list along with one of those cheap houses in Sicily.

I'm going to investigate them this year to see if it's really better than here.

I can recommend you the village of Corleone on Sicily.

[Albert Zweistein]

Does the TAT read French ?

[jacko45k]

10 hours ago, Rocking Robert said:

Why you need insurance no matter where you retire

Would a person need it in the UK or many other European Countries with a National Health Service? 

[daejung]

On 1/30/2022 at 9:35 PM, webfact said:

Retraite sans Frontieres.

Retraite sans Frontières.

[sandyf]

On 1/31/2022 at 10:35 AM, Orinoco said:

Right on mate. ( so your skint then ) LOL.

The arrogance has no bounds.

One day you will realise that expensive benefits are anything but benefits.