Ten great reasons to retire in Phuket, Thailand

[snoop1130]

 

Cost of living in Phuket

 

It’s relatively inexpensive to live in Phuket, as long as you avoid the ‘touristy’ west coast (Patong, Kata, Karon, Surin, Bang Tao, Mai Khao, Kamala, Nai Harn) to live. These areas are some of the most popular tourist areas and attract the highest rents and living costs.

 

There are large expat communities in Rawai, Chalong, Koh Kaew and Kathu. Even in the local ‘capital’ Phuket Town and Thalang have better value for rental costs. But, right around Phuket, you can find cheaper alternatives for rent and food – you just have to have time to get into the local network and meet some friends who have lived on the island for a longer time.

 

Internet, electricity, laundry and health costs are all quite low, compared to western counterparts. The motto is, to live cheaply, “live like a local”.

 

Good weather

 

Phuket is hot all year around, with defined wet, hot and dry seasons. Usually the only thing you need to worry about in Phuket is if it’s raining or not – it’s always going to be hot. You get some localised thunderstorms and flooding during the wet season, but there are rarely any extremes of heat, cold, wind or intense weather events. 

 

You can see here that the wettest months of the year are September and October, the ‘dry season’ usually November through to April, and the wet season start in late April and runs through to the end of October. But there are annual variations on the same theme.

 

The good weather is also matched by good air quality throughout most of the year. Whilst Bangkok and northern Thailand have to cope with three or four months of the ‘burning season’, air pollution, smoke and smog each year, Phuket will have much lower incidence of air pollution in comparison.

 

Accommodation

 

There are many levels of affordable accommodation all over the island, from 8,000 baht+ for a small house on the east coast in places like Phuket Town, even with air conditioning. You’d find a 2 bedroom pool villa in the south of the island for 20 – 25,000 baht per month.

 

There are certainly many websites that cater for foreign tourists that will advertise peak costs for monthly rentals. Do lots of homework before renting a house, condo (apartment) or villa in Phuket. Get some recommendations from friends before calling the first website you see.

 

There are laws in Thailand which control the amount of bond you are required to pay before moving in to your room or house. You should check the fine print of any lease before signing it. If it is in Thai language you MUST get it checked by a Thai lawyer and ensure you know what you are signing.

 

Keep in mind that, during the annual holiday season of December to the end of February, the rental prices can peak.

 

Food

 

There’s quite a lot of fresh produce grown on the island and fresh food markets everywhere, probably within 5 minutes of where you live. There are also western-style supermarkets and shopping centres which give you more of a western-style food shopping experience – you will pay more for fruit and vegetables in these establishments.

 

Apart from all the local fresh seafood, fruit and vegetables available in Phuket, you can also get many of your favourites from home. Villa Market, for example, is a supermarket (there are Villa Markets in Chalong, Koh Kaew and Cherngtalay) that stock international favourites from many countries.

 

Big C, Makro, Lotus and Tops are the most popular supermarkets and there is a 7-11 or Family Mart on just about every corner for the emergencies.

 

For eating out you are spoiled for choice. Obviously Thai food is everywhere, cheap and tasty. Whilst you might pay 300-400 baht in a ‘nice’ restaurant in a touristy area for a traditional Thai meal, you will surely find exactly the same food for less than 80 baht in a local market or street-side restaurant.

 

There’s also a wide selection of foreign food, especially in the tourist zones. You’ll usually pay more for the pleasure but will still be able to eat most foods from around the world at a reasonable price.

 

When it comes to street food, never be shy about trying some of the often exotic treats on display with the many street vendors along the roads. Probably unlikely to be particularly healthy, they are certainly delicious. May we recommend a banana pancake sometime!

 

Expat life

 

There are around 30,000 expats living in Phuket with all sorts of international and local associations, clubs and groups. Many have Facebook pages. Beyond that making contact with people you know will usually lead to a wider circle of friends on the island – an important aspect of living as a foreigner in Thailand.

 

Flights

 

Every day there are hundreds of planes, from around the world as well as domestic locations, flying in and out of Phuket. The international airport has flights to every continent and major cities around the world. Also plenty of cheap, discount flights to get around Thailand and the region.

 

There are many domestic airlines flying an extensive network around Thailand – Bangkok Airways and Thai Smile (the domestic arm of Thai Airways) are the main full service airlines. Nok Air, Thai Viet Jet, Thai Lion Air and Thai Air Asia are the discount airlines with very competitive pricing to a range of destinations, within Thailand and regionally.

 

Beaches

 

The island has 30 beautiful beaches, some which are more touristy and accessible than others. There are also many pristine islands within 20 minutes to an hour from the main island with a range of tour companies providing competitive itineraries Most of the departure points are along the east coast, in Chalong, Boat Lagoon, Royal Phuket Marina, Rassada Pier and Ao Por.

 

Phuket’s beaches along the west coast are characterised with wide, sandy beaches, all unique. During the wet season there is often a strong south west swell running that produces large waves and dangerous rips. Many (not all) of the west coast beaches are patrolled. Take note if there are red flags along the beaches and don’t over-estimate your swimming skills as it can quite challenging for even competent swimmers at this time of the year.

 

Paperwork and Thai bureaucracy

 

There are three immigration offices on the island and a number of registered visa agents to help you with your paperwork. The Immigration outlets are in Saphan Hin, Patong and Cherng Talay (Blue Tree).

 

There are also visa agents to assist with things like finding a property, getting a Thai license, residents’ certificate and insurance. Of course, you will pay for their help, but, particularly with immigration matters, a reliable visa agent can often ‘smooth’ any wrinkles in your application. Keeping your visa up to date is a prime responsibility of a foreigner visiting or living in Thailand. 

 

Retirement visas (O and O-A visas) are available for foreigners over the age of 50 and requires a minimum bank balance and monthly income requirement. There are also Elite Visas available which cover you for stays of 5, 10 or 20 years – not cheap but eliminate just about all the hassles of maintaining a visa. There are also new Long Term Resident 10 year visas available for skilled or high-income individuals which may fit your requirements.

 

A few hours on the internet or a consultation with a reliable visa agent will help you decide what is best for you.

 

Be aware, whenever you interface with the Thai public service there is usually a lot of paperwork and red-tape involved. The same vibe has spread to many private sector companies as well. Be prepared and smile when you have to initial 32 pages of A4 paper after getting new brakes installed in your car (true story!).

 

Healthcare and education

 

There are world class private hospitals, as well as good public hospitals, and lots of excellent (but not cheap) international schools scattered around the island – there’s a lot of choice. All Thai people, and foreigners on a Thai Work Permit, can use Thailand’s universal health care system which is mostly free. Otherwise you would be well advised to ensure you have proper private health insurance that covers you whilst in Thailand.

 

For retirees, it is even more important to maintain your health insurance and is usually a requirement when renewing your ‘retirement visa’ annually.

 

Travel

 

Bangkok is an hour away from Phuket, by air. Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam about 2 hours away by air. India, Hong Kong, Philippines, Japan and southern China within a 5 hour flight. So many choices for exciting travel adventures within hours of Thailand.

 

Within Thailand there are another 75 provinces, plus Bangkok, waiting to be explored outside of Phuket. A Thai smile will be waiting to welcome you around the country and affordable car and motorbike rental make it easy to get around.  Even within a 2 or 4 hour drive from Phuket, you can be in up to four different provinces, all with their own personality and attractions.

 

Source: https://phuket-go.com/phuket-news/phuket-life/ten-great-reasons-to-retire-in-phuket-thailand/

 

-- © Copyright Phuket GO 2023-02-23

 

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[ikke1959]

To retire we don't need international schools.... apart from that there are many place in whole Thailand where you live quietly and in a nice enviroment and cheap....Happy i never have chosen Phuket....But Thailand is focusing on Chinese now.... 

[Adumbration]

10 great reasons why not to retire in Phuket:

 

1.  Road deaths

2. No public transport

3. Dishonest and violent taxis drivers

4. North Africans riding 300cc scooters in gangs

5. Russians so drunk they attempt to drive a car along Rawai pier

6. No proper lifeguards because the experienced (and often trained in Australia) ones were all fired due to corruption and theft of the allocated budget

7. All coral gardens of the island are now dead and dying due to siltation from over development. Nai Thon is just one relevant example

8. Fecal coliforms counts far above any acceptable levels at Patong and many other west coast beaches

9. The seafood Restaurants (especially the ones displaying the seafood out the front of their premise) have little, if any actual local seafood.  The prawns are farmed, the crayfish are farmed, and the bulk of the fish are farmed.  If you are considering eating oysters or other shellfish please refer to point 8 above.

10. Blood bank is bone dry in Phuket due to the amount of road accidents every day and the fact none of the farangs ever donate.  If you have an emergency that requires blood you are done for.

 

I wish I could provide more than 10 reasons....I am just getting warmed up.

Edited February 23, 2023 by Adumbration

[harleyclarkey]

"Ten great reasons to retire in Phulet"

 

And 100 reasons not to? 

[RichardColeman]

7 hours ago, Adumbration said:

I wish I could provide more than 10 reasons....I am just getting warmed up.

Quite surprised risk of rabies from a soi dog bite did not make it into the list

[smedly]

I can think of 10 great resaons why I don't go to the rip off capital of Thailand - I have been there and I will not be back 

[Mansell]

I’m surprised one of the good reasons to live on Phuket wasn’t mentioned. All the negative farangs live in other parts of Thailand…..Thank God.

[Tropposurfer]

9 hours ago, Adumbration said:

10 great reasons why not to retire in Phuket:

 

1.  Road deaths

2. No public transport

3. Dishonest and violent taxis drivers

4. North Africans riding 300cc scooters in gangs

5. Russians so drunk they attempt to drive a car along Rawai pier

6. No proper lifeguards because the experienced (and often trained in Australia) ones were all fired due to corruption and theft of the allocated budget

7. All coral gardens of the island are now dead and dying due to siltation from over development. Nai Thon is just one relevant example

8. Fecal coliforms counts far above any acceptable levels at Patong and many other west coast beaches

9. The seafood Restaurants (especially the ones displaying the seafood out the front of their premise) have little, if any actual local seafood.  The prawns are farmed, the crayfish are farmed, and the bulk of the fish are farmed.  If you are considering eating oysters or other shellfish please refer to point 8 above.

10. Blood bank is bone dry in Phuket due to the amount of road accidents every day and the fact none of the farangs ever donate.  If you have an emergency that requires blood you are done for.

 

I wish I could provide more than 10 reasons....I am just getting warmed up.

# 5 hilarious ... mad n dangerous yes but hilarious ????????????????

[Denim]

Original article taken from advert in Pravda and translated from Russian ?

[SuperSilverHaze]

And 100 not to.

 

Horrible article pointed at whom? Reads more like bad airline travel mag pablum

 

Of course, 90% of what's written as available in Phuket is available everywhere else cheaper and problem better

 

Nasty tourist ghetto

 

Never stepped foot in the province other than traveling thru on bus or in/out of south by plane.

 

I think it's much like living on lower Sukhumvhit. Someone only morons do. The entire living experience is a racket.

Edited February 24, 2023 by SuperSilverHaze

[Tropposurfer]

1 minute ago, Tropposurfer said:

# 5 hilarious ... mad n dangerous yes but hilarious ????????????????

1. don't ride bikes EVER and drive a large, high safety standard SUV - always with seatbelts. Head on a swivel at all times, never drive fast, and never make sharp direction changes. Anticipate bad drivers. 
2. Who cares. - see # 1.
3. Who cares see # 1 - if in an accident with a cabbie and you can't speak decent Thai, sit in the car doors locked and speak through the window, never argue with or blame the other even if they're in the wrong. Let the BiB and the camera's you have in your car do the talking. 
4. Yeah there's lots of wacko tourists  (and Thais too) riding bikes here - see # 1 ... to my knowledge a bike always comes of a serious second best when hitting a 2 tonne SUV. If you haven't broken a road law, and if need be have a decent lawyer your cool. 
5. See previous guffawing post ????????
6. Yep lifeguards aren't much chop and have lousy equipment - Never swim alone unless you are a excellent swimmer, never swim in conditions beyond your capabilities, never swim with alcohol or other drugs in your system - this applies to the day after getting plastered! Never swim with a full belly. Never let your male ego (yes this is for the boys reading this) push you to show-off, or swim beyond you capabilities. Don't swim on west coast during wet-season swells - it's extremely dangerous! Surfing if experienced and the water is clear enough to see the huge trees that abound here during these swells, yes.
7. The coral and weed life has been all but destroyed except in depths that require 'open water' aqualung skills, in most of the Andaman Sea - this applies to all accessible tourist free-diving areas across the globe. The pandemic (2020 to now) has seen a big uptick in sea-life and even some spots showing signs of coral and weed species returning close to shore (Nai Thon) was coming back and amazing with the amount of sea-life I saw swimming my beach laps there a few times a week, but these won't survive with the resurgence of the power boats, their anchors, and people in the water.
8. I come from Aussie where the beaches have been cleaned up to a huge degree from coliform's. It was, for many years, in many cities, shocking and very dangerous. Coliform's and other bacteria contaminants are almost worldwide to some degree. Swimming at crowded beaches with dense residential populations anywhere in Asia means poo in the water. I swim mainly at Nai Thon and have a good trained eye and nose for sewerage in the NaCl. I haven't smelt or felt the a-typical greasiness/scum sludge on the water - yet! I haven't gotten any illness's ... yet! For the last 3 years the water quality has been superb. But like # 7 this won't last. For the rubbish waste we take biodegradable bags in the car everywhere and we spend a short time collecting some every time I/we go to the beach and put it in the garbage bins. I alwyas grab bags I see when swimming and put them in the bins. Its a pleasant time to wander silently and caringly collecting beach trash and getting a bit of sun. I've hasd soem hot women come and talk to me and join me in doing so over the many years I've done this.
9. Yeah sadly the entire world is like this. We buy local caught fish from a few small-catch hand and rod line fishermen for our home consumption. Restaurants its as you say often shipped in mixed with some local catch. 
10. Give blood regularly throughout the year (if below 60 years old) and help fix this problem. Get together with your mates and families and take a trip to the bank and donate and make an outing of it. Encourage and take any staff you have or neighbours too. I keep my own blood at BKK Hospital for use if needed.

There's always ways to see and negotiate life. I'm only as restricted as I allow myself to be. Creativity, flexibility, and a nurtured sense of humour, and, for me, letting go of the 'victim' persona is 'good-form'.

Letting go of my appalling level of assumed Caucasian privilege and huge ego lol ????????  helps me a great deal too. One thing I have learnt and am still learning about is its not 'I, me, my, and myself' but 'us and we' that makes life beautiful. 

[riverhigh]

My only memory of Phuket was how unhelpful the southern Thais were and their lack of willingness to interact with foreigners unless money was involved. Foreigners treated as cash cows.

[SoilSpoil]

57 minutes ago, SuperSilverHaze said:

 

 

Nasty tourist ghetto

 

Never stepped foot in the province other than traveling thru on bus or in/out of south by plane.

 

 

Care to explain how you travel through the province, Phuket being an island?

[SoilSpoil]

1 very good reason to live in Phuket is the air quality. 

[Doctor Tom]

Almost none of those 10 are true in any real sense. Its expensive, as much as Bangkok, if not more so/  It is crime and scam ridden, the weather is not nearly as stable and acceptable as other parts of Thailand. You have to fly to get anywhere from there, you are effectively restricted to a very small area of the country.  Finally,. the locals are generally unfriendly.  No thanks. 

[Old Croc]

10 hours ago, Adumbration said:

10 great reasons why not to retire in Phuket:

 

1.  Road deaths

2. No public transport

3. Dishonest and violent taxis drivers

4. North Africans riding 300cc scooters in gangs

5. Russians so drunk they attempt to drive a car along Rawai pier

6. No proper lifeguards because the experienced (and often trained in Australia) ones were all fired due to corruption and theft of the allocated budget

7. All coral gardens of the island are now dead and dying due to siltation from over development. Nai Thon is just one relevant example

8. Fecal coliforms counts far above any acceptable levels at Patong and many other west coast beaches

9. The seafood Restaurants (especially the ones displaying the seafood out the front of their premise) have little, if any actual local seafood.  The prawns are farmed, the crayfish are farmed, and the bulk of the fish are farmed.  If you are considering eating oysters or other shellfish please refer to point 8 above.

10. Blood bank is bone dry in Phuket due to the amount of road accidents every day and the fact none of the farangs ever donate.  If you have an emergency that requires blood you are done for.

 

I wish I could provide more than 10 reasons....I am just getting warmed up.

Never let facts get in the way of a good hateful rant.

This poster lived in Phuket for some time, then moved just off the Island to take up residence in a village to the north. IMO, a good lifestyle choice for a positive person. He still frequents Phuket for many services such as shopping and hospitals, but spews his hatred of the place in his posts and topics.

The OP talks about expat living, not tourism, and states the west coast tourist areas are not recommended for residence, but ADumbRation ignores this in the rant. While some of his "reasons" listed above are correct, many are exaggerated or simply untrue.

I could pick holes in many of his points, but there's little to gain when up against a closed mind.

[SoilSpoil]

11 minutes ago, Doctor Tom said:

You have to fly to get anywhere from there, you are effectively restricted to a very small area of the country.  

What do you mean by restricted? Krabi, Trang, Surat Thani and Phang Nga, just to name a few places (with hundreds of beaches),  are nearby. 

[soi3eddie]

32 minutes ago, riverhigh said:

My only memory of Phuket was how unhelpful the southern Thais were and their lack of willingness to interact with foreigners unless money was involved. Foreigners treated as cash cows.

Think you are being a bit harsh grouping all southern Thais with those on Phuket. If you go to Songkhla, Trang and Nakhon Si Thammarat you will encounter many genuine friendly and generous Thais. 

I detest Phuket, having been at least 6 times since 1998 it is mostly a tourist rip off. Not just to Patong but Kamala and other areas. I'll never go back except to exit the airport, hire a car and head north across the bridge to Phang Na and Surat Thani. 

 

[Mad mick]

Thailand! Great main issue I will not live there again ! Is visas b_ go live Philippines same price no problems stay on or renew internally your tourist visa upto 3 years before leaving for a day or 2 rtn restart your 3 year tourist visa 1st month free 2nd month pay = $60 US your nearest local immigration office 99% speak English as 2nd language after 2 month move onto 6 monthly + upto you 1 year if you want extend visa inclusive of ID card pic chip passport number address where you reside , don't need carry passport for ID banks or money pawn shops ID tourist card is called ???? ID card strange that's what call expats ????instead foreigner on ID Card ! Thailand not been back coz all b_ with visas  Philippines no need put any money upfront as you do in Thailand 800k or 400k married into Thai bank rather leave my money  in Aussie  bank than Thai,  do have thai bank account  top evey now then keep open case go quick holiday no need prove amount of pension/ social security payments you are on ! Not every country pension is equivalent in US l believe  limit is US $1500 Dollars Per month long term for 1 year Aussie pension well below American pension limit  no issue unlike strict military / communist Thailand authoritarian country ! A Government treats you with disdain, Only wants your money ???? not you unless you connected to CCP ???????? Criminal Organisation.  I go where l'm welcomed ! rent no issues no stupid house registration ongoing reporting other than renewal of visa Simple fast easy ..  l get those with Thai Glf or wives ! Still one mighty hassle to stay in thailand " rules change like the wind Thailand umm. ! If u Marry local Filipina lass it's all over you can come and go as you please no need worry about renewal tourist visa move  onto a marriage visa status changes to Philippine residency via marriage mo need money up front live life normally.  My opinion 

Edited February 24, 2023 by Mad mick

[Lucky Bones]

TLDNR.

Anyhow.....each to their own and yes, the quieter places likely would be better.

 

I visited Phuket once (2008) and did the touristy evening things with a bunch of mates. Once was enuff. Most locals were unfriendly, only wanting money without a smile.

Happily ex-pat ensconced in East Pattaya for 10 years now.????????

[proton]

What does registered visa agents mean? I thought they had no recognised status and are not regulated, anyone can call themselves a visa agent.

[Doctor Tom]

13 minutes ago, SoilSpoil said:

What do you mean by restricted? Krabi, Trang, Surat Thani and Phang Nga, just to name a few places (with hundreds of beaches),  are nearby. 

All much the same, how about mountains, white water rafting, the cultural centers of the country such as Sukhothai and Chang Mai, how about going to Laos on a day trip, Nong Kai on the banks of the Mekong, all the festivals and meets in Central Thailand.  Its not all about beaches, although we have stunning ones here, East of Rayong and on Koh Samet and Koh Chang.    

[Old Croc]

5 minutes ago, Mad mick said:

Thailand! Great main issue I will not live there again 

Great Nik, well suited. 

Comments on a Thai forum about a topic discussing living in Phuket yet states he lives in Viet while raving about The Philippines.

Well off topic.

[Old Croc]

4 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Quite surprised risk of rabies from a soi dog bite did not make it into the list

Why would you say that?

Phuket is one of the few Thai Provinces officially free of rabies.

 

[Tropposurfer]

4 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Quite surprised risk of rabies from a soi dog bite did not make it into the list

Don't get all hot n bothered by that.

If ya' get bit ya' go have a first shot then a series of easy painless shots over about 14 days (I think it is?) ... and its all good. No need to worry as the shots guarantee no infection. I was bitten once a few years back, had the shots, had zero problems.

[SuperSilverHaze]

1 hour ago, SoilSpoil said:

Care to explain how you travel through the province, Phuket being an island?

It's not really an island. I always get a chuckle... island...

 

Koh Tao, Koh Rok... those are islands.

 

But to answer... buses transit into Phuket and then on to north or south as case may be. Sometimes need to break the journey.

 

 

[Old Croc]

The usual herd of Phuket haters have leapt onto this thread.

Most have only ever spent a short holiday in the town of Patong and found prices above their budgets.

Yes, taxis, etc. are a rip-off and more expensive than anywhere else in Thailand. It is a shameful national government failure that mafia organizations are allowed to ply their crooked trade there with impunity and can even dictate their own excessive price structures.

Why surprised that the tourist towns are expensive? As one of the world's most visited tourist destinations it naturally has higher prices and more rip-off merchants than Nakon Nowhere in Issan. Try to find something cheap in London or Paris.

However, this thread is about expat living and general COL expenses.  Try reading the OP again! Expats rarely use the mafia products and generally do not reside, shop nor eat in the tourist centers.

For the astute, Phuket has all the advantages of its world class scenery, beaches, Islands, etc. without becoming a patsy for the thieves. 

 

[SuperSilverHaze]

1 hour ago, riverhigh said:

My only memory of Phuket was how unhelpful the southern Thais were and their lack of willingness to interact with foreigners unless money was involved. Foreigners treated as cash cows.

This is Phuket and part of my whinge. S Thai are very nice, fun people.

[Old Croc]

1 minute ago, SuperSilverHaze said:

It's not really an island. I always get a chuckle... island...

 

Koh Tao, Koh Rok... those are islands.

 

But to answer... buses transit into Phuket and then on to north or south as case may be. Sometimes need to break the journey.

Of course, it's an Island!

Having a connecting bridge doesn't change that fact!

There are hundreds of islands around the planet that have tunnels or bridges to another land mass.

[SuperSilverHaze]

1 minute ago, Old Croc said:

The usual herd of Phuket haters have leapt onto this thread.

Most have only ever spent a short holiday in the town of Patong and found prices above their budgets.

Yes, taxis, etc. are a rip-off and more expensive than anywhere else in Thailand. It is a shameful national government failure that mafia organizations are allowed to ply their crooked trade there with impunity and can even dictate their own excessive price structures.

Why surprised that the tourist towns are expensive? As one of the world's most visited tourist destinations it naturally has higher prices and more rip-off merchants than Nakon Nowhere in Issan. Try to find something cheap in London or Paris.

However, this thread is about expat living and general COL expenses.  Try reading the OP again! Expats rarely use the mafia products and generally do not reside, shop nor eat in the tourist centers.

For the astute, Phuket has all the advantages of its world class scenery, beaches, Islands, etc. without becoming a patsy for the thieves. 

 

No, they just get banged up in road accident left for dead, hassled by cops, ripped off in Patong like any noob bc despite living there ten years they still don't know or care about you. Hospitals criminally expensive, tourist infrastructure not expat infrastructure, hordes of tourists, immigration hassles, airport taxi hassles..