We have often threads about people deciding to move to Thailand for the rest of their lives.

How about you? Did you decide to live here for some time or for the rest of your life?

Are you flexible enough to change your mind if conditions change?

Or are you one of those people who will never leave until they are deported?

 

Personally, I came here almost 30 years ago with the intention to live here and work here. It worked out, and I am happy here. But I never made this "this is forever" decision.

Maybe 10 years ago, after a visit in Myanmar, I thought for a moment if I want to live there. I decided against that. Good.

Now I guess I will stay here for the rest of my life. But that rest are probably a few decades. Lots of things can happen. Maybe one day I am sick and the more or less free medical support back home would be a good alternative. I don't know. But I might move again - if it makes sense. 

 

I remember several people who were thrown out of Thailand because they had nothing anymore. They could have left earlier because it was obvious that they had no future here anymore. But they stayed and stayed and tried to ignore reality. Sad.

 

I burned all bridges when leaving the USA, and knew I would never return to live there.  TH, wasn't sure if I would stay when arriving.

 

And without the daughter, I may not of, though TBH, only other place that was a thought, was Czechia, since after 5 yrs, can own land/house.   Like it being a temperate zone, never was a hot weather person ???? and COL also low, at the time researching.

 

Things would have to change drastically bad here, and for the good elsewhere, for me to even think about leaving TH.   Can't see neither happening.

 

I'll keep the Devil I know.

18 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

I burned all bridges when leaving the USA, and knew I would never return to live there. 

I leave it up to you if you want to answer to this: Could you go back and live as a free man if you wanted to? Because as far as I know Americans have to declare their worldwide income to the US authorities and things like that. Would that be big trouble is an American would not have done that for many years and then return?

 

I don't plan to return to my home country. But there are no legal obligations for me back home. I could go there anytime I want. 

 

1 hour ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I leave it up to you if you want to answer to this: Could you go back and live as a free man if you wanted to? Because as far as I know Americans have to declare their worldwide income to the US authorities and things like that. Would that be big trouble is an American would not have done that for many years and then return?

 

I don't plan to return to my home country. But there are no legal obligations for me back home. I could go there anytime I want.

I could return any time I wanted, with no legal issues at all.  Even live quite comfy.  After a year or so, checking out all the National Parks, I'd be bored as hell.   

 

Haven't a clue where I'd live.  Nowhere interests me any more there, than where I'm at right here.  Pretty sure it wouldn't be walking distance to the surf though.

Was going to head back to uk in a few years time.

But looking at the place now,  Nah. F-that.

Will stay here.

Thailand is ok, officialdom, gets on me tits some times,

but well doable. 

 

Ps The resent tax announcement that may or may not affect us. could mean more time spent in others countries. time will tell on this issue.

 

 

After I fell in love with LOS I always wanted to live there till I died. Unfortunately I married the wrong woman and also didn't realise I couldn't get my pension there, so for financial reasons I had to leave.

 

I was all set to live there in 2008 but the financial crisis put paid to that. Had to work years longer.

I'm from the US, not sure why it's changed here but it has. My yearly visits to the US makes returning to my slow paced life in a small beach town so sweet. I own more than one US home so having a place to live isn't a problem but it's simply easier in Thailand. 

 

 

I had a six-week visit to New Zealand Feb/Mar this year, finalised the last of assets/property there, can't see any reason to visit again, enjoy hosting friends here far more than i do visiting there.

No ties there now except for $ investment with a bank. Prefer to do our travels within Asia.

On 10/1/2023 at 8:05 AM, quake said:

Was going to head back to uk in a few years time.

But looking at the place now,  Nah. F-that.

Just spent 5 weeks there and concur.

 

I hope to go up the flume here to the big Thermaes in the sky.

I can't predict the future,

But I just got an 'under consideration' stamp which should keep me here until October 2024.

For all I know TWAWKI might end tomorrow, or at 67 it might just be my world that ends tomorrow.

11 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

TWAWKI

Is that a name of one of your rabbits or did I miss something important?

 

Just now, OneMoreFarang said:

Is that a name of one of your rabbits or did I miss something important?

 

The

World

As

We

Know

It

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

For all I know TWAWKI might end tomorrow, or at 67 it might just be my world that ends tomorrow.

Don't stress about the world, one day at a time, as don't want tomorrow to come to soon.   Already on borrowed time.

5 hours ago, Denim said:

Just spent 5 weeks there and concur.

 

I hope to go up the flume here to the big Thermaes in the sky.

I came here 17 years ago to get out of my stressful corporate job and to heal my potentially pre-cancerous throat condition, not really giving any thought to whether it would be my last port of call, having lived in the UK, Australia and NZ, but so far I've been reasonably happy here and really don't think I will be going back to the UK as my last trip there was "very average" to say the least.

 

I live very comfortably here and have a wonderful Thai daughter whom I catch up with on her holidays from university, as well having as a few friends whom I catch up with from time to time.

 

I've occasionally thought of going to somewhere like Crete or Spain, or even Rarotonga, to live, but Raro being a very small island in the middle of nowhere really doesn't have much in the way of medical facilities, so not sure about that one. 

 

Will probably see my time out here and be happy doing so. 
 

Moved here about 10 years ago, with a plan to stay to the end.

 

No family and only a few friends back in Australia - only planned to go back for friends' funerals, if I could (COVID-19 prevented one trip).

 

As long as I can stay here legally, and the Thai government does not force me out, this is where I shall finish my life.

 

No country is perfect, but at this time Thailand is the best option for the rest of my life.

28 minutes ago, JimHuaHin said:

only planned to go back for friends' funerals

Interesting.

Wouldn't it make more sense to visit those friends before their funeral? 

On 9/30/2023 at 12:14 PM, OneMoreFarang said:

Because as far as I know Americans have to declare their worldwide income to the US authorities and things like that. Would that be big trouble is an American would not have done that for many years and then return?

No. 

 

If you have not burned bridges, yet have investments, property, significant OS salary income,  etc then yes filing with the IRS every year makes sense. Otherwise up2U. Whether you have burned the bridge or not. This does not affect receiving SSecurity payments, medicare, military benefits, etc and of course, entry or exit from the country. If someone claims it does there is usually another reason they are not telling you.

  

Likely I will be here the rest of my life. However I don't think about 'staying or leaving' as not an issue. If I had to move, likely another country or back to my home country. Again no problem with either. 

Forever is an interesting word.

 

None of us know what curve balls might be thrown our way.

 

So whatever 'forever' means can change.

 

When we moved from Singapore to Thailand, I thought it was 'forever', MrsG less convinced I might add.

 

Decade later, I was bored, Thai son in the US, not coming back, had to reconsider the 'forever' thing

 

So we moved back to the US to be with all our kids, and do the snowbird thing back to Thailand every year.

 

Is that 'forever', not sure

 

Events may happen that dictate otherwise, time will tell

On 10/8/2023 at 10:27 PM, EVENKEEL said:

I'm from the US, not sure why it's changed here but it has. My yearly visits to the US makes returning to my slow paced life in a small beach town so sweet. I own more than one US home so having a place to live isn't a problem but it's simply easier in Thailand. 

 

 

I went back to OZ after many years in TH and don't regret any moment of it. I am not young anymore, so I have a lot of benefits in OZ which I don't have in TH. I get my full pension free Medicare which I would lose in TH. Free hospital if need it. My wife is Thai, and she also lives here in OZ, and she loves it here and we only go back to TH for holidays. And NO, it is not that expansive to live in OZ unless you live in Sydney or Melbourne. I live in the west in a city of 2 million and after selling our house and live for rent now we just pay 240 AUD on rent for a 2-bedroom unit. We still have our property in TH, so holidays are cheap no need to stay in a hotel. Since my wife is younger than me, she still works makes a minimum wage of 38 AUD per hr, (weekends up to 50 AUD) The climate is nice not too cold in winter and in summer we can have up to 42 degrees. We would lose all that in TH. So that is my answer to all whingers who say they could not go back.

I've been in Thailand about a year. I have a lot of uneasiness living here, something just isn't right. I think it's because I'm not struggling, life is too easy here for me. I know if I leave life will probably be much more difficult for me but ultimately I have to grow a set and continue my journey. I'll miss riding a motorbike that's for sure. 

1 hour ago, still kicking said:

I went back to OZ after many years in TH and don't regret any moment of it. I am not young anymore, so I have a lot of benefits in OZ which I don't have in TH. I get my full pension free Medicare which I would lose in TH. Free hospital if need it. My wife is Thai, and she also lives here in OZ, and she loves it here and we only go back to TH for holidays. And NO, it is not that expansive to live in OZ unless you live in Sydney or Melbourne. I live in the west in a city of 2 million and after selling our house and live for rent now we just pay 240 AUD on rent for a 2-bedroom unit. We still have our property in TH, so holidays are cheap no need to stay in a hotel. Since my wife is younger than me, she still works makes a minimum wage of 38 AUD per hr, (weekends up to 50 AUD) The climate is nice not too cold in winter and in summer we can have up to 42 degrees. We would lose all that in TH. So that is my answer to all whingers who say they could not go back.

Yeah of course there has to be someone laughing get a grip 

On 10/9/2023 at 3:03 PM, gomangosteen said:

I had a six-week visit to New Zealand Feb/Mar this year, finalised the last of assets/property there, can't see any reason to visit again, enjoy hosting friends here far more than i do visiting there.

No ties there now except for $ investment with a bank. Prefer to do our travels within Asia.

NZ is just too expensive now. I was in a mall yesterday and they want $15 for a simple meal, and that's just food, not drink. That was in the food court, not even a restaurant.

At least takeaways are reasonable price- $6.50 for an eggburger, but that's in a rural town, and $8.50 in the city.

Rents are insane.

People's wages have not gone up correspondingly.

 

I went to the supermarket and what I'd have paid around $50 for last year is now over $100.

 

Petrol has gone up from around $2.30 to over $3 a litre.

 

Doesn't look like it's going to get better.

On 9/30/2023 at 11:38 AM, OneMoreFarang said:

Now I guess I will stay here for the rest of my life. But that rest are probably a few decades. Lots of things can happen. Maybe one day I am sick and the more or less free medical support back home would be a good alternative. I don't know. But I might move again - if it makes sense. 

Same here 

If it was not for my daughter and sister in the US , I probably never see the place again. "Probably" being the operative word. My medicare is in the US , and even though I can afford to pay for most of my medical needs in Thailand, who knows what the future brings? 

Other then that Thailand it is for the rest of my life unless again things change personally or regulations in Thailand make it difficult or undesirable to be here. 

  I have been fortunate enough to have secured a Greek passport, so if something was to happen to my wife I would liquidate what I can and give the rest to my wife's sister (lovely person) and move to Greece , advantages for me in Greece , aside of all that Greece and the Greek islands have to offer, is that with a Greek passport I don't have immigration issues,  for 6% of my pension I can buy into the greek national health care system, Most everybody in Greece speaks English, and I speak pretty good  Greek. Oh and they drive on the right side of the street. 

  But as I said the wife is from here and likes it more here, and so far a lot less hustles for me living here also . So Far!! LOL. lets see  what the future brings. 

On 10/9/2023 at 9:44 AM, BritManToo said:

The

World

As

We

Know

It

REM?

11 minutes ago, sirineou said:

REM?

The song  by R.E.M. "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine "

On 10/10/2023 at 8:31 PM, still kicking said:

I went back to OZ after many years in TH and don't regret any moment of it. I am not young anymore, so I have a lot of benefits in OZ which I don't have in TH. I get my full pension free Medicare which I would lose in TH. Free hospital if need it. My wife is Thai, and she also lives here in OZ, and she loves it here and we only go back to TH for holidays. And NO, it is not that expansive to live in OZ unless you live in Sydney or Melbourne. I live in the west in a city of 2 million and after selling our house and live for rent now we just pay 240 AUD on rent for a 2-bedroom unit. We still have our property in TH, so holidays are cheap no need to stay in a hotel. Since my wife is younger than me, she still works makes a minimum wage of 38 AUD per hr, (weekends up to 50 AUD) The climate is nice not too cold in winter and in summer we can have up to 42 degrees. We would lose all that in TH. So that is my answer to all whingers who say they could not go back.

$240 a week for a 2 bedroom?

Is it Government housing?

Seems cheap,unless your in a country city ,

What's the area like at night?

On 10/10/2023 at 10:03 PM, still kicking said:

Yeah of course there has to be someone laughing get a grip 

Are you replying to yourself?????????

On 10/1/2023 at 2:05 AM, quake said:

Was going to head back to uk in a few years time.

But looking at the place now,  Nah. F-that.

Will stay here.

Thailand is ok, officialdom, gets on me tits some times,

but well doable. 

 

Ps The resent tax announcement that may or may not affect us. could mean more time spent in others countries. time will tell on this issue.

 

 

You'd not get double taxed and doing the one year wait on bringing income in is 2nd step ?- is it not clearly defined for UK citizens already to keep their tax habits right and more of a cashgrab against those other nationalities with no agreements ?