Big Decision: Which Asian country is ideal for foreign retirees?

[Millcx]

Well it ain’t Thailand with the amount of money and draconian immigration interrogations attitudes (Unless you spend more money) .. There is no more land of Smiles it’s now Land of 2 pricing systems

vietnam or Cambodia is way out in front so must have been Burmese and Thais asking questions for survey

less hassle and more for you buck in Nam or Cambodia “;0)

don’t be suckered by fake news on Thailand or just make sure your prepared to spend through the nose

[mrfill]

10 minutes ago, NanaSomchai said:

And what about Sri Lanka then?

 

Well...

 

A staggering 8.54% of the total Sri Lanka population has HIV.

 

Source? It's all over the web (although these numbers are from 2020).

 

So, yeah neither of these destinations, thanks.

 

Next time, try Singapore.

Really? Looks like fake news to me.

https://www.aidsdatahub.org/sites/default/files/resource/2020-aids-data-book-srilanka.pdf

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7529248/

[NanaSomchai]

11 minutes ago, mrfill said:

Really? Looks like fake news to me.

https://www.aidsdatahub.org/sites/default/files/resource/2020-aids-data-book-srilanka.pdf

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7529248/

Fake news you say? Let's look at the first paragraph of your linked articles then, shall we?

 

"HIV prevalence, sexual risk behaviours and HIV testing among female sex workers in three cities in Sri Lanka: Findings from respondent-driven sampling surveys"

 

Now let's add emphasis to it:

 

HIV prevalence, sexual risk behaviours and HIV testing among female sex workers in three cities in Sri Lanka: Findings from respondent-driven sampling surveys

 

You see that? Female sex workers, the statistics do not include MALE sex workers. This is why I did not link a source to my previous post because I legally cannot do so, male prostitution is supposedly "non existent" in Sri Lanka, which we all know is a load of BS, arguably because then again male sex workers are supposedly non existent as well.

 

Now should you compute the official female HIV rate with the officious male HIV rate (which by the way is through the roof) among heterosexual, bisexual and gay males, you end up with a staggering 8.54% HIV rate through it's population.

 

Not so "fake news" anymore, eh?

 

Edited February 14, 2022 by NanaSomchai

[vandeventer]

1 hour ago, blazes said:

Retirement doesn't necessarily mean "for ever" in a country.  It could be 6 months here (in home country) and 6 months there (Asian country).  From that angle, the lack of visa hassles in places like Malaysia and Sri Lanka would seem major pluses.

Funny no one seems to talk much about Malaysia? I guess that is why most retired people pick the cheapest Asian country to live? I wish I knew what China and Russia are up to as living in Asia may be one of the most dangerous places in the world to live. 

[olfu]

I kinda learned that rent before buy work pretty good so considering your taste you should visit  all countries on your list. I remember Florence city, Italy was washing streets

[DezLez]

5 hours ago, RubbaJohnny said:

If starting again Japan, Israel or Indonesia

When did Israel become part of Asia?

[vandeventer]

52 minutes ago, steven100 said:

Why  ?    Vietnam is better than the Philippines in my view.   Philippines is ok but their food leaves alot to be desired.

I'm with you on the food, when I spent 3 months at Clark Air Base in 1969 and when I went to town to see the girls and get something to eat, I hated the food but loved the girls.  Some things in life you never forget.

[jacko45k]

3 minutes ago, DezLez said:

When did Israel become part of Asia?

It is part of the Asian Continent geographically... close to where Asia, Africa and Europe meet.

[Dan747]

 I personally feel Thailand should be off the list with it's Covid-19 Entry Insurance Scams, TM-30 reporting, and all. It seems to be getting more expensive by the year as the TAT comes up with a New Tourist Schemes to their advantage. I am surprised Tourists want to come to Thailand with all the "B$." I believe it would be much more beneficial to go somewhere else. Just my thoughts.

[steven100]

I'm looking at Kota Kinabalu ...   very nice beaches and rainforest ....  substantial expat community ...

 

Is Kota Kinabalu a good place to live?

 

 

Kota Kinabalu is one of the cheapest cities in the world for expatriates to live in, says Forbes. Live and Invest Overseas founder Kathleen Peddicord rated Kota Kinabalu as among her top choice for cheapest places worldwide for expatriates to live, in a list published by Forbes.

golf ...

 

[Cleareye]

5 hours ago, RubbaJohnny said:

If starting again Japan, Israel or Indonesia

You can't retire in Japan unless you're married to a Japanese. Marriage visas are easy to get but there's no retirement visa program. Plus  it's expensive, the Japanese don't like foreigners, and few people speak much English.

[muratremix]

Malaysia would be great if they weren't favoring muslims and have a dual law system (sharia + civil) where Muslims hold advantage over non-muslims (or infidels)

 

[nickmondo]

56 minutes ago, blazes said:

Prefer Spain myself.  Almost anywhere there, but especially Seville and  Granada...

ok if you are an EU national.  If a Brit, the Residency rules are horrendous, and you have a very strict restriction on travel outside of Spain for the first 5 years.  Travel too much, and you will lose Residency.  I bought there in 2003.  Just sold up.  Thailand much better and much easier

[malibukid]

45 minutes ago, NanaSomchai said:

Fake news you say? Let's look at the first paragraph of your linked articles then, shall we?

 

"HIV prevalence, sexual risk behaviours and HIV testing among female sex workers in three cities in Sri Lanka: Findings from respondent-driven sampling surveys"

 

Now let's add emphasis to it:

 

HIV prevalence, sexual risk behaviours and HIV testing among female sex workers in three cities in Sri Lanka: Findings from respondent-driven sampling surveys

 

You see that? Female sex workers, the statistics do not include MALE sex workers. This is why I did not link a source to my previous post because I legally cannot do so, male prostitution is supposedly "non existent" in Sri Lanka, which we all know is a load of BS, arguably because then again male sex workers are supposedly non existent as well.

 

Now should you compute the official female HIV rate with the officious male HIV rate (which by the way is through the roof) among heterosexual, bisexual and gay males, you end up with a staggering 8.54% HIV rate through it's population.

 

Not so "fake news" anymore, eh?

 

who goes to Sri Lanka for sex?  Sri Lanka has great beaches and good surfing.  beautiful animal parks. and very nice people and a wide variety of environments. 

[Shocked farang]

1 hour ago, zzaa09 said:

Frankly, I might suspect that none of them have a great desire to "host" foreign [Euro-type] retirees. 

Nothing terribly special about this crowd.

I would say that Cambodia does! Try Cambodia for a month as a tourist, you will be surprised! 

[stupidfarang]

If unsure then go live in the country of your first choice for 1 or 2 years, just rent a condo, travel around and see if you like the place. Living in a new country for a year or two is totally differant from dreaming about going to live there or being there on a weeks holiday and saying that is the place to retire.

[DFPhuket]

I'm always amused when someone suggests retiring in Japan or Singapore. Having worked in both countries for several years, I can assure you that neither offer a retirement visa or anything similar. 

[Nemises]

1 hour ago, steven100 said:

Why  ?    Vietnam is better than the Philippines in my view.   

I like to have the freedom to travel by car in my aged-retirement and that’s means owning a car in my name. Can’t do that in Vietnam. 

[spidermike007]

2 hours ago, Dustdevil said:

Japan?! Only if you speak fluent Japanese and are not white.

Japan and Israel only apply if you have a fortune to burn. Starter homes in Tel Aviv are over $2 million. Japan is frighteningly expensive. However, the women, food, language and culture are amazing. Israel would be about 98th on my list. 

[NanaSomchai]

14 minutes ago, nickmondo said:

ok if you are an EU national.  If a Brit, the Residency rules are horrendous, and you have a very strict restriction on travel outside of Spain for the first 5 years.  Travel too much, and you will lose Residency.

There goes your Brexit. Serves you right.

Edited February 14, 2022 by NanaSomchai

[Shocked farang]

1 hour ago, Dustdevil said:

Hoi An might be nice to live in, although I personally haven't been there yet. Saigon--forget it. Extremely difficult getting around, and overcrowded.

Hoi An? It's a touristy construction, it's not a real city with real people.

[NanaSomchai]

Just now, Shocked farang said:

Hoi An? It's a touristy construction, it's not a real city with real people.

Neither is Pattaya. When was the last time you met a working girl or a waitress or a room maid who was FROM Pattaya?

 

[tlcwaterfall]

1 hour ago, jacko45k said:

The Philippines get it all, not only typhoons.... earthquakes, tsunamis  and volcano eruptions on the menu.  

Agree.

 

They also have excellent English speaking skills. A friendly and welcoming attitude to foreigners. They have special lanes in restaurants for seniors to ensure quick service. They have a dedicated program to allow you to retire there.

 

If you do not wish to be part of this retirement program you can continue to renew your visa easily and never have to visit an immigration office if you don't want to. Need to leave the country every three years this way but can come back the next day.

 

Stunning beaches, Stunning ladies who can speak English and you can have an intelligent conversation with about all topics.

 

7135 islands to choose from.  Reasonable cost of living.

 

Most importantly you are welcomed by the country and not treated as an annoyance by the government and immigration officers as you are in Thailand.  Thai people and Thailand are great but the policies and demeanour of the government and immigration to foreigners is nothing short of abominable.

 

They are a democratic country and welcome foreigners.

[simon43]

16 minutes ago, malibukid said:

who goes to Sri Lanka for sex?  Sri Lanka has great beaches and good surfing.  beautiful animal parks. and very nice people and a wide variety of environments. 

Late last year, when researching a new destination to reside in after Laos, I looked at Sri Lanka as a potential candidate.  But the country has some big (and worsening) economic problems, particularly concerning financial debts to China.  I gave it a miss...

[spidermike007]

From what I hear from my friends who live there, the threshold for taking care of a PI gal is far lower than here, and so are their expectations. There is nothing inexpensive about caring for a Thai woman! I speak from experience! 

 

In terms of beauty, I find both have stunning women. But, the primary issue for me, if I was single, would be the actual quality of life there. From my point of view:

 

 

Philippines

Pros-

1. The women can be lovely. And many of them speak english. And if you are older guy, that is a plus in the PI. Plus they are way less demanding, and the bar is set much lower, in terms of their expectations. Older guys can get with far younger women, without an issue. The parents actually encourage it! Generally, it is possible to have a real conversation with many women there. Not the case here. It is rare here. Unlike most Thai women, the women there can have a real sense of curiousity, and will ask genuine questions about you, and your life, beyond where do you come from, how much do you earn, and what do you own? The PI seems to have a higher level of intellectual development.

 

2. The visa system is something that some think is simpler. You do need to have money on deposit, and unlike Thailand it remains on deposit the entire time you live there. A minimum of $20,000 for the SRRV Smile visa, unless that has changed.

 

3. The place has thousands of islands, and some stunning beaches, and cleaner water than Thailand, at least on the Gulf Coast. But, the islands are fairly hard to get to, and the services are very limited, and more expensive than in Thailand. So you really need a yacht or a helicopter if you want to take advantage of the remote islands. 

 

4. In general I would say the people can be quite friendly. Especially the women. But, unlike Thailand, even the men can be friendly. I suspect if I lived there, I would have a number of local male friends, unlike here. I have never met a society of men, who are less interested, less curious about, and less willing to get to know foreigners, than I have here in Thailand. It is sometimes astonishing. It is a real disappointment.5. The place is more Westernized. You do not feel like you are living on another planet, which can be nice sometimes. Some shopping can be better, as there are Costco type outlets there. Some of the highways are better, and as an American, I can have goods shipped to me, with a preferred system, that allows low cost shipping, and duty free imports. Unheard of in Thailand. Importation of goods in Thailand can be horrendously difficult. It is an onerous system, one that is outdated by decades, in this age of globalization. Thailand is far, far more insular and fearful of the outside world, than the PI.

 

nomadcapitalist.com/2018/01/15/the-philippines-residency-srrv/

 

Cons-

1. The entire country is like one big Tijuana. It is depressing. Very little landscaping in the homes, even nice homes are ugly, and have barbed wire, and glass topped walls everywhere you look.

 

2. The security situation is not very good. You always have to keep your eyes open, keep an eye on your back, and beware of robbery, home theft, and violence. It is rampant. I have many friends who live there, and they all say the same thing.

 

3. If you do get into an altercation with a Philippine man, or are getting robbed or harassed, unless you are a 6th degree sensei, do not fight back. More about that later. 

 

4. The food sucks. The only other country I can think of with worse food, is Cuba. Granted, if you are willing to spend the money, you can find good food. But, it is not the general rule, as it is here. Also, the access to fresh fruits and vegetables is pathetic compared to Thailand. Very low quality, and often not fresh. Thailand is a paradise by comparison, when it comes to all things related to food.

 

5. Pollution. They use a lower grade of diesel. So, there is alot of soot in the air. The PI has an epidemic of lung diseases and respiratory diseases. Even on many of the populated islands. The hospitals are full of people who are having a very hard time breathing. It is a real issue there. Lung disease is at an epidemic level, though the authorities do not like to talk about it, and publish very little information on it.

 

6. Aesthetics. The average house you would rent, looks like a slum. Tall walls, with barbed wire, to keep out intruders. And they just do not pay attention to landscaping and gardens like the Thai people do. So, most neighborhoods are fabulously ugly. Alot of slums in the big cities, and just not physically appealing.

 

7. Renting. There is a vastly lower number of rental units available, few are as nice as what you can find in Thailand, and it is almost always more expensive, with the possible exception of Central Bangkok. You just cannot find the studio apartments like the ones available all over Hua Hin, for 6,000 to 8,000 baht a month. That does not exist there.

 

8. Infrastructure. The entire country lacks the infrastructure you have here in Thailand. As I am typing now, I am enjoying a 180MB download speed, and a 100MB upload speed, all on fiber optic cable, for 800 baht a month. Unheard of in many countries, including the US! Triple the cost there. No sky train network anywhere near comparable to Bangkok. Mo MRT network either. They have one under construction, and it will be limited to ten stations.

 

Shall I go on? I could. As far as I am concerned, the only reason to live there is the women, and a slightly more cooperative, and far less xenophobic and racist government. Alot of ex-pats are looking to leave Thailand, as the current administration is so far beyond heinous and incompetent, it is unspeakable.

 

I have a friend who does private security for a lot of very high net worth individuals, and corporate CEOs, when they travel, and he told me that the only country in the world that he will not take an assignment is the Philippines. When I asked him why he reminded me that he was at the 6th or 7th degree level in six different martial arts, besides the fact that he was 6'5 and about 280 lbs. of muscle. Spent his whole life training. Not the kind of guy you would want to mess with. He told me under normal circumstances he could incapacitate a group of four or five guys, in under a minute. Not in the PI. 

 

He said that in general, the Philippine men had the greatest degree of fighting skills of any group of people in the world, and that if you encountered a single guy, or a group of Philippine guys on the street you just never knew what their level of skill was, and you had to assume that they were expert street fighters. He said many were experts with knives, sticks and improvised weapons. Not the case here.

 

If you add on top of that, the fact that the country is extremely poor and that there's a fairly high level of desperation, it makes the Philippines a very, very dangerous place. Crime there is very opportunistic. And being a foreigner makes you a potential target. Again, not the case in Thailand. 

 

You really have to know what you're doing, you really have to know where you're going at all times, especially at night, and you always have to have eyes in the back of your head, and constantly looking over your shoulder. Of course, it varies depending on the city, the part of the city, and the region. But it is just one of many reasons I would not want to live there. 

 

I've been told this by a number of friends who live in the Philippines and it's been my observation, the several times that I have visited. 

 

I like the people. The level of english skills and the women seem to be the big draw for most guys. But random guys in the street, can be a hazard, and that is variable I would want to have to deal with, regularly. 

 

I consider the PI to be far more of a ghetto experience. But, I am referring to the environment, and I think you are referring to the social aspect. I agree with that. Thais are spectacularly insular, and seem to have little to no curiosity about the outside world. The people in the PI are infinitely more open minded, and far more Western. And the language is a huge plus in the PI. Many speak good english, and I would guess if you were attempting to speak poor Tagalog, the people would try far harder than here, to understand what you are trying to say. Since they are more Westernized, they are likely more creative, linguistically. If you do not have the pronunciation and the tones down perfectly here, the people are completely lost. A total inability to dance around in circles intellectually. And they barely even care to try to understand what you are saying! That is a huge nuisance and annoyance here. 

 

Thailand has a truly heinous government. Very xenophobic. However, most of the people are cool, and some of us have very good lives here, despite the official goons and immigration. 

 

The PI is a foreign country. It is far more western, and not afraid of outside influence. Thailand is a distant planet. More insular. Some of us like that! 

 

Edited February 14, 2022 by spidermike007

[gejohesch]

1 hour ago, Dustdevil said:

I've lived in Malaysia for two years and subsequently had to visit many times. I wouldn't wish that place on anyone--well, maybe just my worst enemies. Overall, don't forget it's officially and majority a Muslim country with the mindset that goes along with that. The 25-30% Chinese population are in a weird mind bubble and the only thing they care about and talk about is food. What I had for breakfast and what I'm going to have for lunch and dinner, and of course Malaysia has the best food in the world and Westerners only eat cheese and steaks. They even use food as a greeting. And with bad English. "Have you taken your breakfast?" is confusing at first and wears very thin soon after.

 

Money, of course, is extremely relevant to them but they only talk about food, and maybe their new Honda Accord, which to them says "you've arrived." The so-called English they speak is obnoxious and often unintelligible. They have weird and warped ideas about the West. (Singaporeans are more sophisticated; I wouldn't mind living there if I could afford it.) They hear of or know of one instance of something in another country or group and they immediately generalize it across the board. Yes, I know. others do that too to some extent, but not to the extreme that Malaysians do.

 

It is NOT a friendly country. Don't be fooled by the gracious hosts in your 4 or 5-star hotel!

 

Women are incredibly beautiful, yes, but so are women across Asia. I prefer the smiles of Thailand. Not to mention the Rimping supermarkets in Chiang Mai! Nothing like that in Malaysia, stocked to the rafters with European and American goods. And American breakfast for 35 baht. Okay, maybe 50 baht by now. And wonderful Thai dinners for 50 baht.

I agree with part of what you say. I don't know however about Penang, never been there. But I lived and worked 1 1/2 years in Kuala Lumpur and did not like it one bit. I found the slogan "Malaysia, truly Asia" is a total misrepresentation of what it actually is, and very misleading.

 

I far prefer Thailand, with all its defaults and irritating factors (I could list a few but this is not the place). Compared to Malaysia, Thailand is a cultural giant. Food is at least as good, and women at least as beautiful as in Malaysia (and more available).

 

I checked the website Best Places to Retire in 2022: The Annual Global Retirement Index (internationalliving.com). The OP hides the fact that when looking at the world, not one Asian country makes it to the top 10 list. Obviously, one can always wonder about the criteria used. But this is a sign nevertheless that Asia is maybe not that extraordinary after all. Statements like "great food", "amazing natural beauty", "amazing cultural sites" or "great population diversity" are used too freely left, right and centre, without much sense of relativity.

 

I personally understand why Mexico, Colombia, France, Spain or Portugal figure in the top 10. Let's take Mexico, for example. Compared with Thailand, Mexico is at least as cheap, has much easier regulations for foreigners, has a lot more diversity and a lot more cultural sites etc.... good food but maybe not as good as Thailand. Very friendly people and much easier to communicate with (Spanish being more accessible for most foreigners than Thai). For those interested in women, I would say Thailand beats Mexico by a few lengths. Security could be an issue but certainly one should not believe that Mexican cartels and other gangsters are everywhere and every day going to jump on foreigners.

 

Colombia, great also, except for the food (great meat but limited choices). Portugal and Spain, great also, cheap enough, very safe, lots to do and see, good climates.

 

Etc. Ah, the climates : in my opinion, climates in Asia can be a problem for foreigners used to temperate climates. South European climates (including France) are fantastic. So are the climates in Latin America (especially in the mountains). Thailand climates : I find them brutal, and Malaysia even more.

[Whale]

1 hour ago, NanaSomchai said:

A staggering 8.54% of the total Sri Lanka population has HIV.

Not all retirees have shagging "available" ladies (or men) high on their list of requirements. I hope not anyway. Perhaps that is the failing of Thailand, maybe it does/did attract a large dose of bar flies and thats one of the reasons that is a negative about Thailand?

[Caldera]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Well according to International Living’s List, the top five countries in Asia to retire are Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam & Sri Lanka. 

Vietnam doesn't even have a retirement visa, so much as I like visiting the country, it has no business being on that list.

 

If Thailand didn't have an incompetent government and nonsensical immigration procedures, it would be pretty much perfect. Even as it is, I think it's pretty good.

[Tarteso]

1 hour ago, DezLez said:

When did Israel become part of Asia?

Since 1948, when the state of Israel was created.

[JustAnotherHun]

1 hour ago, DezLez said:

When did Israel become part of Asia?

Since Google maps was invented?