Why I left Thailand

[Confuscious]

 

Living in Thailand was never my first choice, but Thailand was a nice country to live in.
Everything was dirty cheap, unless you wanted to keep eating Western food and have a Western lifestyle.

Eating a full "Pad Grapao lae Kai daew" in a roadside restaurant costed 20 Baht (0.60 Euro).

 

But as I grew older and my Health started to go downhill, life in Thailand became less enjoyable.
Also, the cost of living became very expensive for me.
I needed to go frequently to a doctor visit at the hospital and I was feed a lot of medication.

Daily tasks became a burden to me.

 

What made me decide to leave Thailand?

1. In 2022, I got the message of my doctor at the hospital that my Kidney function was degradating very fast and that I would soon need to start to do a Kidney Dialysis. The cost of this would be a very big junk of my income.

 

2. The level of corruption at Immigration and other departments started to become a burden. At the age of 70, I am not keen to run around for every "requirement on the spot" of the immigration officers. I thought that thai people had more egard for the elderly.

3. The oncoming changes and requirements for foreigners who were staying more than 180 days in Thailand was a "NO" for me. New taxation rules, taxation on my foreign income and a message of my bank in Belgium warning me that they had send the documents about my "Wealth" that were asked by Thailand was the "Final Straw" for me.

4. I was residing in Thailand on a Retirement Visa, type "O". This type of Visa did not require to show a Health Insurance. But Immigration was changing the rules and there were remours that they would require a Health Insurance on this type of Visa as well. Which insurance company would be willing to write a health Insurance for a 70 year old men with a medical history of a Stroke, a Heart failure, a Pacemaker implant, recent surgery for an AAA, and Kidney failure?
Yes, paying a very high Insurance price which at the end would mean nothing as every little thing could be connected to existing diseases.

I went back to Europe.

I chosed Spain because it is my country of birth, the nice weather and benefit the (almost) free healthcare as an EU citizen, Besides healthcare, I have other benefits in Spain by being a 65+ citizen.

I will reside here 179 days in a year, to avoid being taxed and do trips to other countries as long a I can.
As an EU citizen, I am entitled to the EU health insurance which repatriate me in case of an accident.
If I have an accident or need hosptal care, but can not be transported, the EU healthcare will sponsor my hospital bill.

It is maybe not the most perfect choice, but for the moment it is the best option.

[GypsyT]

Thank for telling. Good luck!

PS. I may join you soon. EU have problems but freedom to live in 27 countries with same health insurance benefits is a great asset.

[scubascuba3]

1 hour ago, Confuscious said:

As an EU citizen, I am entitled to the EU health insurance which repatriate me in case of an accident.

Are you sure about that? I can't recall that when UK was in EU.

 

As soon as someone has serious health conditions which are very expensive makes sense to go home if it's covered there, good luck

[GypsyT]

5 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Are you sure about that? I can't recall that when UK was in EU.

Every country has their own rules re emergency flights. Some has co-pay ceiling like 1500 Euros dep on income.

It used to be free in some countries but maybe non has that now?

 

When you transfer health insurance it cover same as natives get in national hospitals. Privates do not need to honor but many do.

Spain and Portugal have very good policies.

 

[Confuscious]

5 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Are you sure about that? I can't recall that when UK was in EU.

 

As soon as someone has serious health conditions which are very expensive makes sense to go home if it's covered there, good luck

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?qid=1580380000365&uri=LEGISSUM:c10521

[Sydebolle]

Without having my family here I would have left with a oneway ticket many, many moons ago - this country is in total overdrive 

[ujayujay]

10 hours ago, Confuscious said:

 

Living in Thailand was never my first choice, but Thailand was a nice country to live in.
Everything was dirty cheap, unless you wanted to keep eating Western food and have a Western lifestyle.

Eating a full "Pad Grapao lae Kai daew" in a roadside restaurant costed 20 Baht (0.60 Euro).

 

But as I grew older and my Health started to go downhill, life in Thailand became less enjoyable.
Also, the cost of living became very expensive for me.
I needed to go frequently to a doctor visit at the hospital and I was feed a lot of medication.

Daily tasks became a burden to me.

 

What made me decide to leave Thailand?

1. In 2022, I got the message of my doctor at the hospital that my Kidney function was degradating very fast and that I would soon need to start to do a Kidney Dialysis. The cost of this would be a very big junk of my income.

 

2. The level of corruption at Immigration and other departments started to become a burden. At the age of 70, I am not keen to run around for every "requirement on the spot" of the immigration officers. I thought that thai people had more egard for the elderly.

3. The oncoming changes and requirements for foreigners who were staying more than 180 days in Thailand was a "NO" for me. New taxation rules, taxation on my foreign income and a message of my bank in Belgium warning me that they had send the documents about my "Wealth" that were asked by Thailand was the "Final Straw" for me.

4. I was residing in Thailand on a Retirement Visa, type "O". This type of Visa did not require to show a Health Insurance. But Immigration was changing the rules and there were remours that they would require a Health Insurance on this type of Visa as well. Which insurance company would be willing to write a health Insurance for a 70 year old men with a medical history of a Stroke, a Heart failure, a Pacemaker implant, recent surgery for an AAA, and Kidney failure?
Yes, paying a very high Insurance price which at the end would mean nothing as every little thing could be connected to existing diseases.

I went back to Europe.

I chosed Spain because it is my country of birth, the nice weather and benefit the (almost) free healthcare as an EU citizen, Besides healthcare, I have other benefits in Spain by being a 65+ citizen.

I will reside here 179 days in a year, to avoid being taxed and do trips to other countries as long a I can.
As an EU citizen, I am entitled to the EU health insurance which repatriate me in case of an accident.
If I have an accident or need hosptal care, but can not be transported, the EU healthcare will sponsor my hospital bill.

It is maybe not the most perfect choice, but for the moment it is the best option.

Point 4 is Fake news.....

[Guderian]

10 hours ago, Confuscious said:

I went back to Europe.

I chosed Spain because it is my country of birth, the nice weather

 

Lucky you. A warm, sunny climate is very important to me, but returning home is definitely not an attractive option... lol

 

[Caldera]

Spain seems like a good choice for an EU citizen wishing to return to Europe, best of luck to you there.

[john donson]

spain, what part?  the flooded from in the news?

 

not too much arabs and blacks? being so close to africa?

[Thingamabob]

1 hour ago, ujayujay said:

Point 4 is Fake news.....

Point 3 also.

[Toby1947]

6 hours ago, GypsyT said:

Every country has their own rules re emergency flights. Some has co-pay ceiling like 1500 Euros dep on income.

It used to be free in some countries but maybe non has that now?

 

When you transfer health insurance it cover same as natives get in national hospitals. Privates do not need to honor but many do.

Spain and Portugal have very good policies.

 

 

13 hours ago, Confuscious said:

 

Living in Thailand was never my first choice, but Thailand was a nice country to live in.
Everything was dirty cheap, unless you wanted to keep eating Western food and have a Western lifestyle.

Eating a full "Pad Grapao lae Kai daew" in a roadside restaurant costed 20 Baht (0.60 Euro).

 

But as I grew older and my Health started to go downhill, life in Thailand became less enjoyable.
Also, the cost of living became very expensive for me.
I needed to go frequently to a doctor visit at the hospital and I was feed a lot of medication.

Daily tasks became a burden to me.

 

What made me decide to leave Thailand?

1. In 2022, I got the message of my doctor at the hospital that my Kidney function was degradating very fast and that I would soon need to start to do a Kidney Dialysis. The cost of this would be a very big junk of my income.

 

2. The level of corruption at Immigration and other departments started to become a burden. At the age of 70, I am not keen to run around for every "requirement on the spot" of the immigration officers. I thought that thai people had more egard for the elderly.

3. The oncoming changes and requirements for foreigners who were staying more than 180 days in Thailand was a "NO" for me. New taxation rules, taxation on my foreign income and a message of my bank in Belgium warning me that they had send the documents about my "Wealth" that were asked by Thailand was the "Final Straw" for me.

4. I was residing in Thailand on a Retirement Visa, type "O". This type of Visa did not require to show a Health Insurance. But Immigration was changing the rules and there were remours that they would require a Health Insurance on this type of Visa as well. Which insurance company would be willing to write a health Insurance for a 70 year old men with a medical history of a Stroke, a Heart failure, a Pacemaker implant, recent surgery for an AAA, and Kidney failure?
Yes, paying a very high Insurance price which at the end would mean nothing as every little thing could be connected to existing diseases.

I went back to Europe.

I chosed Spain because it is my country of birth, the nice weather and benefit the (almost) free healthcare as an EU citizen, Besides healthcare, I have other benefits in Spain by being a 65+ citizen.

I will reside here 179 days in a year, to avoid being taxed and do trips to other countries as long a I can.
As an EU citizen, I am entitled to the EU health insurance which repatriate me in case of an accident.
If I have an accident or need hosptal care, but can not be transported, the EU healthcare will sponsor my hospital bill.

It is maybe not the most perfect choice, but for the moment it is the best option.

Another sponger going home, Thailand is full of them 

[FruitPudding]

10 minutes ago, Toby1947 said:

 

Another sponger going home, Thailand is full of them 

 

How is he a sponger?

 

It isn't even possible to sponge in Thailand,  lol.

[FlorC]

14 hours ago, Confuscious said:

3. The oncoming changes and requirements for foreigners who were staying more than 180 days in Thailand was a "NO" for me. New taxation rules, taxation on my foreign income and a message of my bank in Belgium warning me that they had send the documents about my "Wealth" that were asked by Thailand was the "Final Straw" for me.

How do they know about your bank in belgium ? From sending money though them to thailand ?

You can have several banks in belgium or else where. 1 bank is not going to know your wealth, just what is on your account there. 

Did your bank give them all the information or just your income deposited at their bank ? Which belgian bank ?

[FruitPudding]

Good luck in Spain!

 

To be honest, if I were your age and in your situation, I'd be in Europe too, maybe Spain, Greece, or France.

 

What's LOS got for you? Thailand's golden age is over. It's just downhill from here.

 

You can now enjoy good food, wine, clean beaches and genuinely nice human beings.

[saakura]

Thailand has come a long way from 30-40 years ago when it was a heaven for westerners. With the growing affluence of Asian countries and the decline in the Western economies, the tables have turned. Pensioners and economic refugees from Western nations can no longer feel like royalty as before. It was inevitable.

[edwardflory]

Living in Thailand is what you make of it, what your lifestyle is, and your LOCATION.

 

Been here 12 years, ( I'm 80 ) as a "virgin" I made many mistakes, mostly finding a place to live in comfort. I have, in the past, lived in a furnished room @ 5000bt monthly, a furnished condo 7000bt monthly, a hotel ( very clean, but small room ) 5000bt monthly, paying extra for all utilities in each location.. I now have a 2BR house with fenced yard and veggie garden in gated community.( unfurnished -10,000bt spent on furniture at move in, added furniture and household goods as desired - oven, pots, pans,  big refrigerator , 2 TV's microwave and etc. ) 4500bt monthly.

Location is great, 4 major stores 10 minutes, Immigration 15 minutes, 7-11 10 minutes, 3 mom & pop stores 5 to 10 minutes, fishing lake 3 minutes from the front door.  I pay the utilities. 3 years no rental increase - landlord 2 minutes away - the 2 problems I had, landlord fixed same day reported.

[save the frogs]

Irish vlogger, has been in Thailand 12 years, married and has a son in Thailand. He's getting tired of the visa bureaucracy. And sounds like if he had known he would have gone to Spain instead. If I had an EU passport, I would also prefer southern Europe. 

 

 

 

[still kicking]

6 hours ago, Guderian said:

 

Lucky you. A warm, sunny climate is very important to me, but returning home is definitely not an attractive option... lol

 

Verry funny I don't live in Thailand our average temp is about 32

[Confuscious]

50 minutes ago, FruitPudding said:

Good luck in Spain!

 

To be honest, if I were your age and in your situation, I'd be in Europe too, maybe Spain, Greece, or France.

 

What's LOS got for you? Thailand's golden age is over. It's just downhill from here.

 

You can now enjoy good food, wine, clean beaches and genuinely nice human beings.

Yes, I regret not having left Thailand before.

Spain is great.

[Confuscious]

2 hours ago, FlorC said:

How do they know about your bank in belgium ? From sending money though them to thailand ?

You can have several banks in belgium or else where. 1 bank is not going to know your wealth, just what is on your account there. 

Did your bank give them all the information or just your income deposited at their bank ? Which belgian bank ?

This was discussed in a previous thread.
No need to go trough everything again (which is irrelevant to this thread).

[Confuscious]

42 minutes ago, edwardflory said:

Living in Thailand is what you make of it, what your lifestyle is, and your LOCATION.

 

Been here 12 years, ( I'm 80 ) as a "virgin" I made many mistakes, mostly finding a place to live in comfort. I have, in the past, lived in a furnished room @ 5000bt monthly, a furnished condo 7000bt monthly, a hotel ( very clean, but small room ) 5000bt monthly, paying extra for all utilities in each location.. I now have a 2BR house with fenced yard and veggie garden in gated community.( unfurnished -10,000bt spent on furniture at move in, added furniture and household goods as desired - oven, pots, pans,  big refrigerator , 2 TV's microwave and etc. ) 4500bt monthly.

Location is great, 4 major stores 10 minutes, Immigration 15 minutes, 7-11 10 minutes, 3 mom & pop stores 5 to 10 minutes, fishing lake 3 minutes from the front door.  I pay the utilities. 3 years no rental increase - landlord 2 minutes away - the 2 problems I had, landlord fixed same day reported.

From 1999 to 2002, I was working in a factory in Rayong.
No choice about where I wanted to live.

In 2002, I went with 2 other guys from the factory in Rayong to Nakhon Ratchasima to start our own company.
No choice about where I wanted to live.

In 2010, I divorced my Thai spouse but kept the parenthood of my daughter.
My daughter was studying in Nakhon Ratchasima and it was impossible to move elsewhere with my daughter.
According to Thai law, the THAI MOTHER keeps being the sole responsable for her children and nothing was possible without the permission of the mother.
I had to contact many times lawyers and the Immigration Police because the mother could not be traced and I needed URGENT DOCUMENTS for my daughter.
Example: In 2009, a new law was introduced that all children had to apply for an ID-Card from the age of 9.
I went to several Townhall's, tourist Police, Lawyers, etc. to apply for an ID-Card for my daughter, but everywere I got the same answer: I needed to go to the Townhall where my wife was registrered and ask them to trace my wife.
No choice about where I wanted to live.

In 2018, I went to Belgium for an urgent life threatening surgery.
I went to Belgium with my daughter.
3 months later I returned to Thailand in a very bad condition and spent most of my time with friends who took care of me.
Read: www. child-abduction.net

In 2022 I had plans to return to Europe, but that was IMPOSSIBLE due to the Covid history.

Every person is different.

[Confuscious]

1 hour ago, save the frogs said:

Irish vlogger, has been in Thailand 12 years, married and has a son in Thailand. He's getting tired of the visa bureaucracy. And sounds like if he had known he would have gone to Spain instead. If I had an EU passport, I would also prefer southern Europe. 

 

 

 

 

Love it !!!!!!
He took the words right out of my mouth.

[Keeps]

1 hour ago, edwardflory said:

Living in Thailand is what you make of it, what your lifestyle is, and your LOCATION.

 

Been here 12 years, ( I'm 80 ) as a "virgin" I made many mistakes, mostly finding a place to live in comfort. I have, in the past, lived in a furnished room @ 5000bt monthly, a furnished condo 7000bt monthly, a hotel ( very clean, but small room ) 5000bt monthly, paying extra for all utilities in each location.. I now have a 2BR house with fenced yard and veggie garden in gated community.( unfurnished -10,000bt spent on furniture at move in, added furniture and household goods as desired - oven, pots, pans,  big refrigerator , 2 TV's microwave and etc. ) 4500bt monthly.

Location is great, 4 major stores 10 minutes, Immigration 15 minutes, 7-11 10 minutes, 3 mom & pop stores 5 to 10 minutes, fishing lake 3 minutes from the front door.  I pay the utilities. 3 years no rental increase - landlord 2 minutes away - the 2 problems I had, landlord fixed same day reported.

Haven't got a spare room have you? I'd be there in a flash. 555

 

Sounds perfect for what you need.

 

Glad you found your ideal place 👍

[Confuscious]

6 minutes ago, Keeps said:

Haven't got a spare room have you? I'd be there in a flash. 555

 

Sounds perfect for what you need.

 

Glad you found your ideal place 👍

I have 1 big bedroom and one sleeping couch in the living.
I am alone, so place enough for visitors.
I am working now on getting back my Spanish nationality which will give me additional benefits as I am 65+.
Slowly, but good.

[Keeps]

5 minutes ago, Confuscious said:

I have 1 big bedroom and one sleeping couch in the living.
I am alone, so place enough for visitors.
I am working now on getting back my Spanish nationality which will give me additional benefits as I am 65+.
Slowly, but good.

Good luck to you. I just watched the video by the Irish chap posted earlier. He spoke a lot of sense.

 

Myself being British, I think I am screwed on having my choice of European destinations to reside post Brexit. I think that has screwed a lot of retired Brits who relocated to Spain.

 

I could see myself splitting my time between Thailand and Spain but I would imagine there being endless complications being a Brit residing in Thailand with a Thai Mrs.