If Thailand refused you, where would you live? And why?

[borderhopper2005]

Cambodia. 

The only requirement for the foreign retirees to stay long term is being 55 YO or older.

Absolutely Nothing Else unlike in Thailand.

 

On entry, pick an Ordinary Visa(can be changed to Retirement Visa valid for 3, 6,12 months through the local travel agents). It costs about U$300- or so.

One good news.  It comes with re-entry permit.

So you don't have to buy Re-Entry permit separately.

 

And their RV can be extended each year at the same cost.

 

Their banks also offer a lot more attractive  interest rate for the term deposit than in Thailand.

 

I am happy with my daily life here.

But at the same time, Plan B is always in my mind just in case.

Thai government might try to kick out foreign retirees  other than the very/super rich in the future.

 

 

 

Edited October 19, 2023 by borderhopper2005
better wording

[Muhendis]

11 hours ago, still kicking said:

Can you afford the petrol?

Who said it's not electric?

Apparently there's a fair bit of sunshine most of the year so solar power has become extremely popular in Australia.

A nice big mobile home with plenty of solar panels on the roof and away you go.  

[borderhopper2005]

2 hours ago, MichaelHunt said:

I lived in the south of Vietnam, and my friends there told me that even they don't find the northerners very friendly. Once I met a very friendly and helpful guy at the reception of my hotel in Sapa (his name was Mr. Thai, to my surprise), and it turns out that he was from the deep south of Vietnam. He told me that even he gets overcharged in Hanoi because they can hear that he has a southern accent. So maybe a strategy would be to live in the south and only visit the north for short periods.

Hello, 

Pretty interesting comment.

Could I possibly ask you which kind of visa you currently have for your long term stay in Viet Nam?

 

I thought Viet Nam does not have any retirement visa unlike Thailand, Cambodia, and some other SEA countries.

 

More than a decade ago, I have come across an American early retiree  in Thailand.

He said that he usually lives  in Viet Nam on tourist visa.

Then he added that he can have his stay permit  extended for indefinite period with the help of local travel agent.     

No further details were not disclosed though.

Edited October 19, 2023 by borderhopper2005
spell correction

[KhunLA]

35 minutes ago, chrissables said:

Easy visa? No retirement visa there.

Yes, mind boggling what people suggest.  I try to move forward & up in life, not backward or less secure.

[chrissables]

3 hours ago, NorthernRyland said:

am I only the only person that thought Vietnamese people were a little aggressive and  not very friendly? I only visited Hanoi and they weren't pleasant at all. The honking by itself was enough to keep me away from there anyways. Maybe the south is nicer.

 

Honestly I don't even consider Thai people that friendly, compared to Americans at least. I don't know why they get that reputation honestly. They smile back at you is all I can think of. 

I have ridden my motorbike all around Vietnam for a total of 9 months and found them very friendly. Besides one person one time near Hamburger Hill who thought i was an American and shouted "loser" at me!

[foreverlomsak]

48 minutes ago, NorthernRyland said:

true but the bad police are a reflection of the people not caring about respectful driving. 

chicken and egg scenario

 

IMHO the population would care more if stricter policing was carried out, but better policing won't come until the authorities care more about the population.

[NorthernRyland]

1 minute ago, foreverlomsak said:

chicken and egg scenario

 

IMHO the population would care more if stricter policing was carried out, but better policing won't come until the authorities care more about the population.

Trying to get Thai's to comply with strict driving standards would require a colonial government. I've totally given up them ever changing unless they're invaded and their government totally replaced. 

[ChipButty]

2 hours ago, roo860 said:

Static caravan is what they're called for the permanently based home.

I thought the law in the UK was you can only live in it for 10 months a year.............?

[The Theory]

16 hours ago, BE88 said:

Italy in the climate towards Rome, pleasant in winter, sociable people, excellent cuisine and cost of living like in Thailand

I've never been to Italy, but if it's all that good what are we doing here.!!!

How about visa ?

Edited October 19, 2023 by The Theory
Adding

[foreverlomsak]

17 minutes ago, NorthernRyland said:

Trying to get Thai's to comply with strict driving standards would require

Maybe summary execution squads touring the roads looking for transgressor's, and it would still take a long time to sink in as bad things happen to others not to me and I've got an amulet anyway.

 

[SiSePuede419]

1 hour ago, daveAustin said:

Got any pics?

Where the Buffalo stay outside. 🙂

[MichaelHunt]

53 minutes ago, borderhopper2005 said:

Hello, 

Pretty interesting comment.

Could I possibly ask you which kind of visa you currently have for your long term stay in Viet Nam?

 

I thought Viet Nam does not have any retirement visa unlike Thailand, Cambodia, and some other SEA countries.

 

More than a decade ago, I have come across an American early retiree  in Thailand.

He said that he usually lives  in Viet Nam on tourist visa.

Then he added that he can have his stay permit  extended for indefinite period with the help of local travel agent.     

No further details were not disclosed though.

I moved back to Thailand in December of 2021, after working in Vietnam for seven years, due to being unable to remain employed there without being vaccinated. (I am an anti-vaxxer.) While I was there, I got visas through my employer.

 

I had heard of people being able to renew visas through local travel agents, but I think that was quite some time ago. Things change, and I think that's one thing that has changed. It would be great if Vietnam would see the light and offer retirement visas. I'd be back there in a minute if there were such a visa. And without such a visa, I wouldn't even consider going back. I need a certain amount of stability in my life.

 

 

[StayinThailand2much]

1 hour ago, borderhopper2005 said:

On entry, pick an Ordinary Visa(can be changed to Retirement Visa valid for 3, 6,12 months through the local travel agents). It costs about U$300- or so.

Great advice. Any recommended travel agents for this in Phnom Penh?

[ignis]

22 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

I thought the law in the UK was you can only live in it for 10 months a year.............?

If it on a Holiday Park then there licence is around 9 - 10 months a year..  

 

with a Static Home there is different places    = Private land or 'Residential park' [365 days]  or 'holiday park' [9 - 10 months]

 

Static Homes are built very different than Holiday homes

 

[John Drake]

American Samoa. Peaceful and attractive. Were it not for my wife, I would already be there.

[Nemises]

3 hours ago, Northstar1 said:

Not true, please don’t comment on something you know nothing about 

As expected there is no mention of RETIRED foreigners in your link. Please try harder to do a proper search include and  the word “retired” in your next google search. 

[roo860]

1 hour ago, ChipButty said:

I thought the law in the UK was you can only live in it for 10 months a year.............?

I've no idea, was just stating they're called statics.

[Caldera]

Vietnam and Cambodia.

 

I've been there many times and generally like it there, but as long as Thailand remains open, I'd prefer Thailand. Just.

[Felt 35]

Home

[bignok]

1 hour ago, The Theory said:

I've never been to Italy, but if it's all that good what are we doing here.!!!

How about visa ?

Boring

[QuantumQuandry]

Where would you guys recommend, as an alternative, for an American that likes American (or at least western) food and groceries?

 

Don't need 'stuff to do', don't care about beaches or tourist stuff.

 

Do care about decent medical, western restaurants and groceries, cost of living, convenience, language and being in at least a mid sized city.  Long term visa has to be consideration, ofc.

 

I loved Angeles City, Philippines.  Still do.  Other than that, what's the next best option?  (just exploring new ideas)

 

Interest currently piqued by:

Malaysia (English and great long term visa but prob more expensive in the city?)

Indonesia (Not sure about the visa)

Mexico (Near US is a plus, have to research which areas are safe and if crossing the border is too time consuming)

Brazil/Columbia (girls not my style but close to US is a plus and not too expensive, I think)

Spain (Not sure about visa and no particular draw, other than being affordable)

[Don Chance]

India is pretty good.  Nice beaches, mountains,ruins, temples to see, nice people speak English and food, Cheaper than Thailand. Good visa, medical care, transportation, internet.  Pollution, crowds and garbage are a problem however. Definitely not boring.

Edited October 19, 2023 by Don Chance

[dingdongrb]

5 hours ago, NorthernRyland said:

Exactly, they have no manners when out in public. In private they're all manors though and it's very tedious actually.

 

All the Americans I know and have ever lived with are descended from English, Scottish, Irish and German (some nordics too but much less), which are not known to be friendly people. The people in the midwest (I think maybe Nordics and Germanic) are extremely polite and outgoing

 

I have a "Yeah, I'm from Ohio" shirt which I got second hand because I liked the fabric and ever year when I'm back visiting Colorado some people from Ohio notice it and strike up a conversion with me. Such nice people.

 

Never do you see Thai people making banter with each other in public like that. It feels like the jungle in Thai society, every man for himself, me first! etc... Some prick yesterday cut across the street from a parking place and cut me off while I was turning at a traffic light. This is common behavior over here.

Just wanted to say: 'Go Buckeyes!!'

 

......and there's few places that compare to The Great Colorado Rocky Mountains!'

 

Thailand is home for me until I leave this life...... Making the most of what I can and so far I'm enjoying it.

 

[dingdongrb]

2 hours ago, SiSePuede419 said:

Where the Buffalo stay outside. 🙂

IMO that doesn't look like a cabin but perhaps a stucco dwelling of some sort. And hardly in the Rocky Mountains. That could possibly be the Rocky Mountains there in the background but that so called "cabin" appears to be located out on the eastern plains of Colorado. Maybe the Sterling or Kit Carson areas?

[khunPer]

Cambodia or Portugal.

[Red Forever]

20 hours ago, observer90210 said:

Cost of living in Spain in many domains, is cheaper then Thailand for sure, with great quality standards at a fraction of the cost. I fully agree with yøu.

"cheaper than Thailand for sure" eh?

Okay then let's compare Bangkok with Madrid 

Hotel a/c with breakfast .....900bt.

Large draught beer in a/c bar in city centre.....99bt.

40km taxi ride...400bt.

Pad Thai street food....60bt.

Rent 1 bed apartment 1month...6 to 8k bt.

There: all the above are prices I observed in Bangkok last week.

Now give Madrid rough equivalents please.

[roger101]

16 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Been hearing the same doom & gloom for over 20 yrs.  For me it's actually gotten easier to stay.

 

Only people need to worry, are the ones using agents, because they can meet the requirements to stay.

 

When the Embassy stopped issuing 'income letters', that made more than a few leave, as could no longer BS Imm w/the phony income numbers.  Not Imm change, but an Embassies change.

 

Imm hasn't changed much of anything in 20+ yrs, just applied the rules they use to be a bit lax on.  Only because of the scammers getting caught, so now tend to verify everything, a bit redundant at times.

 

The one thing Immigration did change was the requirement for 65,000 baht a month. Before it was 65,000 a month or 780,000 Baht a year.

Now it's at least 65,000 Baht a month. Not 60,000 this month and 70,000 next month. I'm worried that a mistake on my part (0r the banks) could result in one month with a low payment which would invalidate my visa. Even though I transfer over 1,000,000 Baht a year.

[Bunny Silverhand]

1 hour ago, Don Chance said:

India is pretty good.  Nice beaches, mountains,ruins, temples to see, nice people speak English and food, Cheaper than Thailand. Good visa, medical care, transportation, internet.  Pollution, crowds and garbage are a problem however. Definitely not boring.

India is one gigantic trash can.

Worse place must be Varanasi where people throw half burned dead bodies in the river and then swim in it and then don't wash and go straight to their street food stall to cater for westerners. Enjoy !!!

 

[The Theory]

1 hour ago, Don Chance said:

India is pretty good. 

But where in India ? I don't think all about the same. 

[The Theory]

25 minutes ago, roger101 said:

Even though I transfer over 1,000,000 Baht a year.

Why don't you switch to 800,000 ?!!!! 🤔