What bottom/ minimum cash balances do you keep on hand for the following categories? I've included below what I feel comfortable and can afford at the moment. They sort of loosely correlate to USD, but it's not an objective

 

** Please don't go on about Thai Banks. If you don't trust them that's another thread not this one. Don't prattle on about the need for insurance either. Finally, don't go on about fancy timed transfers and balancing from your home country.

 

Please use Thai baht. If you don't live here you need not participate in the thread. Thanks

 

Healthcare (self insured): assumes you are in good health and no history of serious issues (yet).

 

My balances

Extension 400,000

Healthcare 1,500,000

Long Savings 600,000

Gen. Spend Bucket 2-300,000

2.75M THB +/-

 

I think my healthcare set aside could be higher, but it's the best I can do at the moment.

 

Thanks for your participation

I have 3 000 000 thb in the bank  for health insurance

            850  000 thb in a seperate bank account for retirement extension,  and i transfer/or bring back cash from abroad every 3 or 4 months for day to day living

           house and cars are paid off, i would guess i  spend around 100 000-150 000 baht a month, Bangkok is not cheap 

800K plus 12 million.

Your health fund is about right, IMHO, depending on age.   Especially for govt hospital.  

The rest seems well thought out, and more than enough for comfy lifestyle.

 

My health / oops fund is 1M ... also self insured

... at 71, don't think I would spend much more just to stay alive for another, not so healthy year or two.   Seems like a waste of money, and my time, just to suck air & exist.  Cure me and I'll spend more.

 

Wife has a few bank accounts, as they only insure 1M each (bank, not account).

 

Have a play fund, never more than 1M, and she usually buys a parcel of land, when it starts to fill up, as she did last week.   Land is better, safer investment, and buying anything available on our dead end soi, more so not to have neighbors, and the lots are there, if she ever needs in the future, though very unlikely.  She owns about 1/3 of the soi now, and the few lots left, aren't selling, or she'd buy.

 

I bring in ~1M a year, DD for 65k Imm requirement, and our monthly expenses are now around 30k +/~, so the rest goes into the wife's retirement funds.   So she has a few satang and land set aside.   Her will gives all to our daughter, in case she craps out before me, also unlikely, being 49.

 

We're all bought in, so 30k a month provides more than needed, and also includes our 'thrifty' O&A (out & abouts) a few times a year.  We're whole food, home cooks, and really don't eat out that much, don't buy much processed food.  Even grow a bit in the greenhouse / garden.  Not enough of some things, and way too much of others.

 

Most of our monthly budget goes to food and O&A, as minimal other bills, since almost off grid w/ BEV.

44 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Your health fund is about right, IMHO, depending on age.   Especially for govt hospital.  

The rest seems well thought out, and more than enough for comfy lifestyle.

 

My health / oops fund is 1M ... also self insured

... at 71, don't think I would spend much more just to stay alive for another, not so healthy year or two.   Seems like a waste of money, and my time, just to suck air & exist.  Cure me and I'll spend more.

 

Wife has a few bank accounts, as they only insure 1M each (bank, not account).

 

Have a play fund, never more than 1M, and she usually buys a parcel of land, when it starts to fill up, as she did last week.   Land is better, safer investment, and buying anything available on our dead end soi, more so not to have neighbors, and the lots are there, if she ever needs in the future, though very unlikely.  She owns about 1/3 of the soi now, and the few lots left, aren't selling, or she'd buy.

 

I bring in ~1M a year, DD for 65k Imm requirement, and our monthly expenses are now around 30k +/~, so the rest goes into the wife's retirement funds.   So she has a few satang and land set aside.   Her will gives all to our daughter, in case she craps out before me, also unlikely, being 49.

 

We're all bought in, so 30k a month provides more than needed, and also includes our 'thrifty' O&A (out & abouts) a few times a year.  We're whole food, home cooks, and really don't eat out that much, don't buy much processed food.  Even grow a bit in the greenhouse / garden.  Not enough of some things, and way too much of others.

 

Most of our monthly budget goes to food and O&A, as minimal other bills, since almost off grid w/ BEV.

 

Thanks, appreciate the detail

 

My wife still works and has another five years. After that I'll need to rethink what I'm bringing in.

 

Currently, my monthly walking around money is 20k. That also covers groceries, weekend food for us and some alcohol in home. I want for nothing and eat lunch out most weekdays, massage and 'massage'.

 

Medical and dental not included, holidays and incidental larger one off expenses not in above. 

 

I definitely need to get a government hospital sorted here in Bangkok. The good ones are such a wait. 

52 minutes ago, georgegeorgia said:

I would start to spend it have a good time with it ...71 your on the downhill now 

Do you think you will make 81?

We do spend it, though not frivolously.  Don't need or even want anything.   Maybe a new truck, Riddara RD6, though keep talking myself out of it, as a bit frivolous, having two 4 wheel vehicles.  Can only drive 1 at atime.   More for 'camping' hobby, but hotels really are too inexpensive here.  Be nice, never having to look for a pet friendly hotel again.

 

Squeezing 10 more years out, possible.  No health issues, and #s all good.

1 minute ago, MarcusAurelius said:

I definitely need to get a government hospital sorted here in Bangkok. The good ones are such a wait. 

I've used Chula before, and Q was silly long, months for procedures, so just paid extra for 'off hours' service, had it done (scopes) the next week.   

 

Our local hospital is OK, has evening hours, as our 'GP' (nephrologist), uses it for his 'clinic' and  is really good, will order anything I want.   On the spot, and usually no waiting if department still staffed.  Got a full abdominal MRI, on the spot, as I simply asked about ultrasound, and decided on MRI, and he called down, and they did right away.

 

Only negative, there's no resident cardiologist, so if having cardio issues, not a place to retire.  Closest real trauma hospital is Hua Hin 100+ kms, 1.5 hrs away.  So I try to stay healthy 🙄

I have about 1,200,000 in Thai banks. I am retired and married to a Thai. I get about  50,000-55,000 month from social security and dividends from my US Exchange Traded Funds. Since I used to work in Thailand, the Thai government has allowed me to keep my government health insurance. It cost about 430 Baht a month, deducted from a bank account. The health insurance covers just about everything up until my death. We have a house, a car and no debt. Neither of us work. I doubt if we ever spend more than 50,000 Baht a month. 

1 hour ago, khaepmu said:

I have about 1,200,000 in Thai banks. I am retired and married to a Thai. I get about  50,000-55,000 month from social security and dividends from my US Exchange Traded Funds. Since I used to work in Thailand, the Thai government has allowed me to keep my government health insurance. It cost about 430 Baht a month, deducted from a bank account. The health insurance covers just about everything up until my death. We have a house, a car and no debt. Neither of us work. I doubt if we ever spend more than 50,000 Baht a month. 

 

Thanks for that

 

I wasn't allowed to keep the insurance. The govt placed a poison pill in the law and I needed to be registered in a domicile. That was impossible. 

 

I guess given you have catastrophic health insurance it's ok amount 

 

Appreciated

On 11/17/2025 at 9:08 AM, howerde said:

I have 3 000 000 thb in the bank  for health insurance

            850  000 thb in a seperate bank account for retirement extension,  and i transfer/or bring back cash from abroad every 3 or 4 months for day to day living

           house and cars are paid off, i would guess i  spend around 100 000-150 000 baht a month, Bangkok is not cheap 

 

I live in Bangkok and spend about 20k pm excluding medical, big ticket, holidays. I buy some groceries for weekends, wife has own job and spend. 

 

I'm guessing 100k + you're loaded and you're kinda new here and ... you don't much like local food 

Anything less than a billion baht is reckless. 

2 hours ago, MarcusAurelius said:

 

I live in Bangkok and spend about 20k pm excluding medical, big ticket, holidays. I buy some groceries for weekends, wife has own job and spend. 

 

I'm guessing 100k + you're loaded and you're kinda new here and ... you don't much like local food 

 

2 hours ago, MarcusAurelius said:

 

I live in Bangkok and spend about 20k pm excluding medical, big ticket, holidays. I buy some groceries for weekends, wife has own job and spend. 

 

I'm guessing 100k + you're loaded and you're kinda new here and ... you don't much like local food 

Not Quite new, full time 6 years but came 3 or 4 times a year since 1980s had a decent job in UK not loaded compared to my peers, You are correct about local food, never liked it excess salt/sugar fried in the cheapest oil over and over, i find a lot of the produce of poor quality, so cook most of my own. yes most of it imported.

Just put new tyres on my car 25 000 baht, my car insurance 30 000 baht, a back up health insurance plan 120 000 baht( as unless you have health insurance or carry cash you will not be admitted into a non governement hospital) last electric bill 5500 baht, and most weekends get away with the dogs, so yes a good quality of life, but not a life of 5 star luxury

48 minutes ago, howerde said:

 

Not Quite new, full time 6 years but came 3 or 4 times a year since 1980s had a decent job in UK not loaded compared to my peers, You are correct about local food, never liked it excess salt/sugar fried in the cheapest oil over and over, i find a lot of the produce of poor quality, so cook most of my own. yes most of it imported.

Just put new tyres on my car 25 000 baht, my car insurance 30 000 baht, a back up health insurance plan 120 000 baht( as unless you have health insurance or carry cash you will not be admitted into a non governement hospital) last electric bill 5500 baht, and most weekends get away with the dogs, so yes a good quality of life, but not a life of 5 star luxury

 

Thanks. Interesting. A car in BKK ok..

As I live on my own I keep as little as possible in my thai bank accounts in two separate bank accounts I hold 2,000 baht in each one just to keep them live in my main one I currently have 20 k  I don’t pay rent as I own my own place and the only debts would be monthly utilities ! I have 10k GB in my Wise account it takes minutes to transfer when needed all the rest is in the UK which includes 25 k for medical cover as at 75 years young the medical insurance for me is crazy .i take myself  and have a full check up every year in over 25 years I’ve never needed a hospital bed and long may it last . My agent deals with all my visa issues been on an 0 visa for 19 years 

My BKK Bank balance varies between 1000฿ and 150000฿ depending on when I last moved funds from Oz (minimum 65K฿ per month) and how much my b/f has managed to burn through in the last 2 weeks ...

House paid for, and Around 4million baht earning 0.9%,  self funded health, and IMO if 3.5m don't fix me then it's all over red rover, plus monthly pension of around 40k a month pension...... 

I usually keep a mlnimum of 400k baht before transfer 2 or 3 million baht to top up. I allow 0 baht for medical as I have insurance. Use cc for co-pays 

On 11/17/2025 at 8:37 AM, MarcusAurelius said:

Healthcare (self insured): assumes you are in good health and no history of serious issues (yet).

 

My balances

Extension 400,000

Healthcare 1,500,000

Long Savings 600,000

Gen. Spend Bucket 2-300,000

2.75M THB +/-

Good post thank you. I think it is important to think these things through.

My situation: semi retired, healthy, divorced/now single, >15 year in Thailand. Own a hybrid, rent two apartments in BKK and HuaHin.

 

My current cash reserves:

 

Healthcare: self insured ~3M฿

Dividend income: 120K฿/yr.

Extension $: zero as i have 5 year DTV visa

Cash: >250K฿ (thai bank) @0.9%

Monthly wise income: 23K฿

On retirement monthly wise income would likely increase by another 52K฿/mo.

Again thanks for post and comments.

I keep a small portion of my monthly salary here to live on... everything is in offshore bank accounts.

As little as possible, transfer from my U.K. Bank as and when required, my lady has my details and in case of an accident/illness she can access my funds in the U.K.

Why keep money in a Thai Bank paying next to nowt in interest.

22 hours ago, howerde said:

 

Not Quite new, full time 6 years but came 3 or 4 times a year since 1980s had a decent job in UK not loaded compared to my peers, You are correct about local food, never liked it excess salt/sugar fried in the cheapest oil over and over, i find a lot of the produce of poor quality, so cook most of my own. yes most of it imported.

Just put new tyres on my car 25 000 baht, my car insurance 30 000 baht, a back up health insurance plan 120 000 baht( as unless you have health insurance or carry cash you will not be admitted into a non governement hospital) last electric bill 5500 baht, and most weekends get away with the dogs, so yes a good quality of life, but not a life of 5 star luxury

Wow - 25,000 baht for tires and 30,000 baht for insurance!  I don't live in BKK, but if I did, I wouldn't even consider having a car.  My insurance - grade A - is half yours and my vehicle is quite new.  I just put new tires on my spouse's car, and they were good quality, western brand, for 12,000.  BKK has good public transport and you could rent a car to get away with your dogs on the weekends for a fraction of what you are spending to own and maintain a vehicle.  By the way, my electric bill last month for two houses that I built four years ago was less than 2,000.  Produce where I live is very good quality.  We eat Thai food about half of the time and western food the other half - mostly cooked at home.  

Just want to thank everyone for contributing.  

 

It's not really about the monthly spend , but rather what's kept on hand specifically for health-care. 

 

I finally came to understand why health insurance is so expensive here and the answer was right in front of me. Hospitals are allowed by law to jack up our costs (not even limits). It stands to reason insurance companies have to cover that needless grift. 

6 hours ago, crazykopite said:

As I live on my own I keep as little as possible in my thai bank accounts in two separate bank accounts I hold 2,000 baht in each one just to keep them live in my main one I currently have 20 k  I don’t pay rent as I own my own place and the only debts would be monthly utilities ! I have 10k GB in my Wise account it takes minutes to transfer when needed all the rest is in the UK which includes 25 k for medical cover as at 75 years young the medical insurance for me is crazy .i take myself  and have a full check up every year in over 25 years I’ve never needed a hospital bed and long may it last . My agent deals with all my visa issues been on an 0 visa for 19 years 

 

Why do you keep it in Wise? Do they pay interest? Do you suffer paranoia over Thai bank solvency? 

is nobody keeping (buying) gold as a safe way to keep money aside ? (doing it the Thai way) 

Nothing, Zero, Nowt, Zilch. 

51 minutes ago, MarcusAurelius said:

 

Why do you keep it in Wise? Do they pay interest? Do you suffer paranoia over Thai bank solvency? 

Yes , 3.75% in a GPB current account,  it was 4% a few months ago , is keep £200,000 in my Wise GBP account and £750k in the Wise Stocks account,  that earns around 12% to 13% PA on average,  it goes into there Blackrock I Shares MSCI index fund , can easily transfer funds from the Stocks to the GBP current account in seconds 

1 hour ago, MarcusAurelius said:

Just want to thank everyone for contributing.  

 

It's not really about the monthly spend , but rather what's kept on hand specifically for health-care. 

 

I finally came to understand why health insurance is so expensive here and the answer was right in front of me. Hospitals are allowed by law to jack up our costs (not even limits). It stands to reason insurance companies have to cover that needless grift. 

 

ok... you asked abut minimum balances in Thailand - and I preferred not to state the money I have.  Especially not on a public forum. 

 

However in regards to health care, I have excellent health insurance from Europe, that is heavily subsidized as part of my pension (my former employer pays more than 50% of the cost and the amount I pay is 'capped' at rate of 65-year old, even thou i am age-71, and further, this health insurance covers both myself and my wife).

 

Having typed that, when I applied for (and obtained) LTR visa, at that time I did not know how to get BoI to accept my European insurance, nor did I know how to get my European Insurance provider to provide an appropriately worded letter that BoI would accept for my BoI approved LTR visa Health Insurance proof.  So instead I self insured, meeting the BoI requirement of $100k US$ in a Thailand bank.  I used a Thai bank since my money outside of Thailand is in accounts where i can trade equities, so those accounts were not accepted by BoI for self health insurance. Hence instead i use an FX account in a Thai bank that has the equivalent of $100k US$.  ...

 

I previously had other plans for that money.  However so to get the LTR visa, I instead financially restructured so to use that money already in Thailand for my 'self health insurance' (for BoI LTR visa proof) and I used other funds to address what I had originally planned to use the $100k equivalent for.  

.

When I renew my LTR visa proof in a couple of years, i plan to use my European insurance so to free up the $100k US$ equivalent.  i have subsequently learned from another AseanNow forum member how to go about this (to get BoI to accept my European Health Insurance), and I am hopeful it will work.

Is this a fishing expedition thread...........😁

 

Le's be careful out there.................

1 hour ago, Brick Top said:

Yes , 3.75% in a GPB current account,  it was 4% a few months ago , is keep £200,000 in my Wise GBP account and £750k in the Wise Stocks account,  that earns around 12% to 13% PA on average,  it goes into there Blackrock I Shares MSCI index fund , can easily transfer funds from the Stocks to the GBP current account in seconds 

 

Thanks. Very interesting. In the app is your home country Thailand? I'm guessing not. 

 

Would you happen to know if there Is there any problem with holding what you do as you do Your home country is Thailand?

 

I wanted to know more about wise what forum would you suggest that I post to? Thank you

24 minutes ago, transam said:

Is this a fishing expedition thread...........😁

 

Le's be careful out there.................

 

Understood.

 

I'm not asking people to volunteer anything more than just some super basic information. For free to report what they wish. 

 

We certainly don't need to know the banks of members.

 

Would like to ask people not to just write nothing or some bull<deleted> like that.