Retirement in Thailand for low and mid level budget expats -- is the party really over?

[Jingthing]

1 hour ago, 3NUMBAS said:

https://www.express.co.uk/travel/articles/1560070/british-expats-worlds-healthiest-city-valencia-spain

Obviously a list about working expats. Not relevant here.

[JackGats]

Right now I pay 60% of what I paid pre-covid at the same time of the year for the same high-end hotel in Pattaya. However I still have to check wether this holds for Bangkok and the (few left unpoluted) beaches on Ko Chang and Krabi province.

[bkk6060]

Within the next 2 years many will be forced to leave.  I bet inflation is coming here at some point big time sadly those from lousy fixed pension countries may be forced to move back home with their mommy's to make it.

Edited February 11, 2022 by bkk6060

[Boomer6969]

4 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

It is definitely still possible to live well here on a reasonable monthly budget. It is certainly not cheap anymore, but compared to anywhere in the West, it is reasonable. You can rent a nice home here in a smaller town for 10,000 to 15,000 baht a month. You can rent a smaller condo in Hua Hin for 10,000 baht a month. In Los Angeles, a decent 3 bedroom house would be $3,500 a month. Hyper inflation in the US right now is positively stupid. Prices are skyrocketing. And food is not expensive here, nor is dining out. And when it comes to anything labor related, that is where you really can save some money.

 

The last time I had my motorbike seat redone on my scooter. 400 baht. A friend of mine had similar work done in the US. $275.

I recently had a guy come over and insulate my ceiling. I bought the insulation and paid him 2000 baht for labor. In the US? $800 and up.

I recently had an electrician do some work on the house. Nearly a full day of work. Paid him 1000 baht. In the US? $800 and up.

An oil change for my scooter costs me 200 baht, with Castrol oil. In the US? $75.

When I travel here I stay in nice four star hotels in Bangkok. 1200-1500 baht. In the US? $130 for a crappy motel. $200 and up for a nice room.

I eat well here. In a smaller town you can get a three course meal for 200-250 baht. In the US? 2000 baht and up, plus tax and a nearly mandatory 15% tip.

I visit the emergency room here to visit a specialist, and with x-rays I am out the door for 2000 baht, at a private hospital. In the US? $300-2000.

Friends of mine, who are single, enjoy the company of a young, beautiful woman for a couple of hours, for 2500 baht. In the US? $800 an hour now for a decent looking gal, with rules and regulations and alot of attitude. Now, that is barely fun at all.

I could go on and on, all day long. I live at a level here, that I would never be able to live at, in the US, in most of Europe, in Oz, or Canada. Yes, the higher baht is an annoyance. And yes things are more expensive than they used to be. But, it is very relative.
 

 

 

Fair enough, but when I retired here 7 years ago people were blaming Yinluk for raising the minimum wage to THB 300 a day, now we are talking about 500 a day, so if I am not wrong that's a 66%, which will be reflected in the cost of living in due course. I let you ponder over how this will affect the lifestyle of those living here with UK or OZ state pensions.

[JackGats]

2 hours ago, Pravda said:

 

 

Personally one thing I can't stand about Thailand is what most expats gloat over. Food. I just can't eat the slop they serve on the street and at the supermarkets. The only solution is to cook yourself, but I hate cooking here. No dishwasher, too hot, major lack of ingredients.

 

I am relieved I'm not alone in finding Thai "deliceous" overrated (to say the least). 

[thaibeachlovers]

5 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

Not all retirees would live in a place like Pattaya so what you're  angle.

Many do ( or did ) There is/ was at least one large expat club, and Pattaya has probably the best hospitals outside Bkk.

 

If any elderly expat can't survive in Thailand on the pension they get from back home IMO they don't have a hope of doing so back home if they returned.

I can't believe how expensive everything is in NZ and rent is fast becoming unaffordable, never mind groceries or petrol. 

[Sparktrader]

4 minutes ago, JackGats said:

I am relieved I'm not alone in finding Thai "deliceous" overrated (to say the least). 

If you cant find good food maybe stick to kfc and maccas

 

 

[Denim]

 Desperate publicity about Brits stuck in Thai hospitals, dependent on crowd-funding to save their lives, has finally killed off the nonsense that the embassy will ride to the rescue.

 

As long as I can remember , the idea that the British Embassy would do anything for you other than relieve you of your cash , never had the breath of life in it in the first place.

 

Personally , I have never thought the British Embassy owed me anything much but I do resent the high prices they charge for their services , some of which are of dubious propriety.

[Marvest]

Cost Of Living Comparison (numbeo.com)

[BangkokReady]

5 hours ago, rumak said:

maybe someone can explain to me what "enacting privilege"  means?

It means the author dislikes White people and wants to find a way to justify treating them badly.

[BangkokReady]

47 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

those from lousy fixed pension countries may be forced to move back home with their mommy's to make it.

You think someone on a pension will go home to live with their mother?

[JackGats]

22 minutes ago, Sparktrader said:

If you cant find good food maybe stick to kfc and maccas

 

 

The fact that KFCs or McDo's could compete doesn't speak in favour of Thai food.

 

I love Thailand's (delicious cheap) food so much so that I order multiple dishes. At 3 to 5 puny shrimps pro curry, which are the average war-time rations of this domestically-grown product you get in Thai eateries, I can hope to cover 15% of my daily protein needs. The rest I can cover with whey protein powder since cheese and yogurt are twice the price of Angus steak. Wake-up folks, Thailand is not a dining paradise!

 

There's a lot to be said for eating little though, especially when getting on in age.

[John Drake]

5 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Not actually a journalist but .........

"Sarah Scuzzarello (PhD Lund University) is a Lecturer at the Department of Geography and a Research Fellow at the Sussex Centre for Migration Research (SCMR). Her research focuses mainly on 1. gender and transnationalism and 2. comparative politics of migration and integration."

She has a photo as well.

 

[thaibeachlovers]

5 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Perhaps but the total numbers are definitely way down from 5 years ago. I would only recommend Thailand now to wealthy retired expats. Less than that there are better options.

Given why many of us retired to LOS I very much doubt there is an equivalent scene anywhere else that is as safe.

I gather Mexico has such, but also maniacal gangsters.

[John Drake]

4 hours ago, mokwit said:

This is true, most Americans here seem to be on fat Government and Military pensions.

You're on to something. All those bloated military and government pensions need to be reduced by at least a third. With inflation and a dollar crisis on the immediate horizon, it just might happen, too. Time to get the debt under control. And we should start with those on bloated pensions.

[The Hammer2021]

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

You don't need to hijack every topic to promote the right wing side of western culture wars. 

Ha Ha..Independent thought predates your culture wars or woke attempts to colonise our thoughts and speech. Left wing intersectionalism has killed feminism and trans ideology too has contributed to its demise.  You sound very silly at times. Queroulous even! Lol

[The Hammer2021]

26 minutes ago, John Drake said:

She has a photo as well.

 

Would you?

[The Hammer2021]

33 minutes ago, BangkokReady said:

It means the author dislikes White people and wants to find a way to justify treating them badly.

Dislikes white 'hetro normative men'. Is threatened by them..

[sirineou]

6 hours ago, rumak said:

maybe someone can explain to me what "enacting privilege"  means? 

That's the privilege's of paying farang prices ????

I have no idea what she is talking about. How are we "enacting privilege " over the local people? I read the article a couple  of times trying to understand the point she is trying to make as  she meanders trough several issues. 

The truth of the mater is that it's not beneficial enough to justify the hassles of living here any more, and that there are other better options.  

April we are going to Greece, we will spend the summer there and while there we will look into moving our retirement base there.

No Immigration hustles, and I can buy into the Greek national health care system (rated 26th in the world) , reasonable cost of living,  and as an EU country easy access to the rest of the EU. 

A Real estate investment of EUR 250,000 required. for a Greek Golden Visa, We are going a different route. 

If that does not work out, we are going back to Florida. 

If Greece is not your cup of Tea , Portugal has a very reasonable  retirement policy , look into Portugal golden visa.

Point being that there are other better IMO options. 

 

Edited February 11, 2022 by sirineou

[The Hammer2021]

4 hours ago, CANSIAM said:

Good choice on Serbia, there won't be any food on supermarket shelves soon in Canada, truckers are honking instead of hauling ! 

I love Serbia  GUCA!!!!

[roo860]

1 hour ago, bkk6060 said:

Within the next 2 years many will be forced to leave.  I bet inflation is coming here at some point big time sadly those from lousy fixed pension countries may be forced to move back home with their mommy's to make it.

You mean they'll be living in a cemetary?

[The Hammer2021]

8 minutes ago, The Hammer2021 said:

Dislikes white 'hetro normative men'. Is threatened by them..

We have to learn the language of the new age fascists and wokerati..To them 'right wing' is an insult as is 'white male' as is 'hetro normative'.

[spidermike007]

5 hours ago, Jingthing said:

I would be comparing to other retirement destinations.

 

Note how Thailand is rated very low in multiple categories.

 

 

I would, but I moved here. I don't have a basis of comparison. Except the US. 

[billd766]

4 hours ago, Enoon said:

You could read the article and find out:

 

Practising privilege. How settling in Thailand enables older ...

 

Much of what is said has been said on these pages, but she interprets and presents it........"differently":

 

"Men who do not have access to the money that enables them to purchase full and ‘successful’ lives of travel, sports, and sex, find relocation to countries such as Thailand a way to achieve ‘success’ thus defined."

 

 

           

 

I have just read the thread and said, as politely as I can,

 

What a load of spherical reproductive organs.

 

I have no idea who, where or how many expats she supposedly interviewed for those few pitiful comments but she wasted her time. She may just have sat in the dark corner of a bar somewhere and listened to only what she wanted to hear.

 

I don't think that would describe anyone that I know in the slightest.

[Jingthing]

28 minutes ago, The Hammer2021 said:

Ha Ha..Independent thought predates your culture wars or woke attempts to colonise our thoughts and speech. Left wing intersectionalism has killed feminism and trans ideology too has contributed to its demise.  You sound very silly at times. Queroulous even! Lol

You've got all the canned phrases. Please don't hijack this topic. 

[Jingthing]

14 minutes ago, The Hammer2021 said:

We have to learn the language of the new age fascists and wokerati..To them 'right wing' is an insult as is 'white male' as is 'hetro normative'.

This is what the right wing does. Call the other side what they are. Thankfully their game is transparent.

 

Dude please start your own topic if you insist on hijacking this one to promote your political agenda

Edited February 11, 2022 by Jingthing

[billd766]

42 minutes ago, John Drake said:

You're on to something. All those bloated military and government pensions need to be reduced by at least a third. With inflation and a dollar crisis on the immediate horizon, it just might happen, too. Time to get the debt under control. And we should start with those on bloated pensions.

Those people on bloated military and government pensions (your words) actually earned those pensions. It is not as though when they retired they demanded extra money from their pension providers.

 

My "bloated State pension) was frozen from the day I received it and it will stay at that rate until I die, and I can assure you that bloated is the last word I would use for it.

 

Niggardly is a far better term.

[BritManToo]

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Given why many of us retired to LOS I very much doubt there is an equivalent scene anywhere else that is as safe.

I gather Mexico has such, but also maniacal gangsters.

Vietnam, Cambodia, Philippines all just as safe and similar scenes.

I'd be happy to live in either country, cheap women, cheap booze, cannabis, tropical climate, easy VISA.

I just acquired my baggage in Thailand first, even though the VISA is not so easy now.

 

If I were to start it (the expat/sexpat life) now, I suspect I'd be living in Baretto, Olongapo, Philippines. No regrets about Thailand though, I'm happy enough here, but it's become easier elsewhere.

Edited February 11, 2022 by BritManToo

[The Hammer2021]

35 minutes ago, sirineou said:

That's the privilege's of paying farang prices ????

I have no idea what she is talking about. How are we "enacting privilege " over the local people? I read the article a couple  of times trying to understand the point she is trying to make as  she meanders trough several issues. 

The truth of the mater is that it's not beneficial enough to justify the hassles of living here any more, and that there are other better options.  

April we are going to Greece, we will spend the summer there and while there we will look into moving our retirement base there.

No Immigration hustles, and I can buy into the Greek national health care system (rated 26th in the world) , reasonable cost of living,  and as an EU country easy access to the rest of the EU. 

A Real estate investment of EUR 250,000 required. for a Greek Golden Visa, We are going a different route. 

If that does not work out, we are going back to Florida. 

If Greece is not your cup of Tea , Portugal has a very reasonable  retirement policy , look into Portugal golden visa.

Point being that there are other better IMO options. 

 

"enacting privilege' is envy dressed up as social critique by middle class woke warriors looking for happiness and jealous of others' happiness.Their critiques are always aimed at 'white hetro normative men'

[BritManToo]

17 minutes ago, The Hammer2021 said:

....... middle class woke warriors ..........

middle class, middle aged, woke single female lesbian warriors.

Back in the day (1970s) Sussex University invented all of that to the extreme.

I'd actually considered learning there, but the 'right on' interview frightened me off.

Nice campus though, Brighton was my home town.

Top Rank Suite, dancing, ice skating, cinema complex, Hungry Years hippy druggy scene, live rock concerts at The Dome, I had an amazing and entitled childhood and teen years there in the late 60s and 70s.

 

Edited February 11, 2022 by BritManToo