Live In Thailand Forever

[Eman]

I am living in farangland, and still working to save enough money to retire...

I have enough money now to retire in Thailand but not in farangland.

That is, if I think I will live in Thailand forever (until I die of old age) I could retire now.

But if I think I would someday want to return to my own country, I would not have enough to live on for very long.

So, I guess my question is this... Do most of you (long term) Thailand residents plan to stay here forever, or do you think you will return to your country someday ?

[Captain Chaos]

Neither, I'll work anywhere around SE Asia where the pay is good, and that is reasonably commutable to BKK, until I do have enough money to retire back to Thailand ... and no, I don't plan to return to my home country (UK in my case)

[Jingthing]

I retired early. I moved over here thinking it was for life and wanting it to be for life. But now I realize, especially considering the visa system here, it is wiser to look at life year by year. Never say never. Things can change. I am a USAer so I could imagine if I developed an expensive health problem I would be better offer going back to be on Medicare when I reach that age. As it is now, I will not go back to the US without a fight. I prefer to be a retired expat and never want to work again. I would have to work if I went back to the US. If Thailand doesn't work out, I plan on moving to the Philippines.

Edited August 23, 2007 by Jingthing

[garro]

I have no plans to move anywhere else but I'm still only 37 and have learned to never say never. The great thing about life is that you never know what's going to happen next.

Good luck with your retirement

[jasreeve17]

I have been planning to leave for a long time (I'm 37 too), but I keep saying, ok one more year...

It's easy to stay here but I wish that I'd stayed in the UK in my old job for another 20 years or so, then gone somewhere a bit more upmarket.

Just my thoughts. Thailand is a holiday resort only, for me.

[bendix]

Thailand is the only place in the world where I GENUINELY wish i was ten years older. I could (relatively) easily retire in Thailand now. My house purchase is pushing through, my car is delivered next week, I love my wife and life is good; i have the savings to live comfortably and securely until I pop my clogs.

But, but, but ... I'm 43 years and a day old. I earn a decent living and opportunities continue to come my way. Just this week I've been offered very good and tempting jobs in both Singapore and Tokyo. Just last week I signed up a nice consulting retainer relationship to supplement my job here in Bangkok.

If I was 53, these opportunities would be much less attractive and my choices would be limited; I'd feel MUCH more comfortable about retiring.

So, to answer the question. I'm pretty much hear for life but I suspect there will be some to-ing and fro-ing on 2-3 year stints overseas over the next 5-10 years before I finally give it up.

[Scalawag]

Im 70 and plan to spend the rest of my life here with my Thai wife.....Life is good here and I never plan to "retire" as long as I can still walk and chew gum and teach English. I don't have to work but unlike many others, teaching is my passion and an integral part of my life style. The only possible obstacle is the age discrimination here which is so shortsighted. I am a professional educator with years of experience, all the paper(legitimate) and an earned doctorate in education. One institution wouldn't hire me because I was over 45!!!!

[lazeeboy]

Im 70 and plan to spend the rest of my life here with my Thai wife.....Life is good here and I never plan to "retire" as long as I can still walk and chew gum and teach English. I don't have to work but unlike many others, teaching is my passion and an integral part of my life style. The only possible obstacle is the age discrimination here which is so shortsighted. I am a professional educator with years of experience, all the paper(legitimate) and an earned doctorate in education. One institution wouldn't hire me because I was over 45!!!!

nothing is forever ,ask me today if i want to stay forever and i'd say yes ,ask me again in a year who knows ..........

[mackayae]

Forever.......and a day!

[naka]

Im 70 and plan to spend the rest of my life here with my Thai wife.....Life is good here and I never plan to "retire" as long as I can still walk and chew gum and teach English. I don't have to work but unlike many others, teaching is my passion and an integral part of my life style. The only possible obstacle is the age discrimination here which is so shortsighted. I am a professional educator with years of experience, all the paper(legitimate) and an earned doctorate in education. One institution wouldn't hire me because I was over 45!!!!

Yes, that's Asia unfortunately ... Alan Greenspan would have been sent to pasture decades ago

Naka.

[canuckamuck]

Live in Thailand forever, probably not. I don’t like the idea of being really really old here. I also don’t think I will ever properly retire. My life is what I want it to be, what would I do if I retired? It is also possible that I will succumb to the charms of another country someday

I think I will stay as long as I can, and then go back home to die. That’s real retirement.

[palm]

I've made Thailand my second home, (I was born in Belize - British Honduras). Now I have a Thai son here, I feel very settled.

I retired early too (28). Worked very hard for 10 years and now lucky enough to just have to do a few hours a week to manage my investments and help with my GF's Thai business.

Living in Thailand is great; just a quick stop to Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia and all the other interesting places in Asia.

Its definitely a country I can see myself living for the foreseeable future.

[Jimjim]

I want to live in Europe again someday. I'd like to live in other places like Hong Kong as well. I'd like to live in a lot of places, really, and visit even more. Thailand isn't the only nice place in the world.

[billzant]

Having enough money to retire in the UK meant that I would have had to continue working until 65 - retired at 54, 55 now. As I didn't want to live in the UK anyway, once I had enough to retire in Thailand I did. I won't necessarily stay here but I cannot aford to return to the UK.

Hope you are keeping well,

All the Best

Bill Z

[baboon]

This thread jogs my memory about a conversation I had with a German fellah when I lived in Phuket. He was about the same age as me. [27 or 28 at that time.]

Me: "Do you plan on living here forever?"

Him: "Nah. Going back to Germany when I get old."

Me: "Oh really? Why?"

Him: "Who in Gods name would want to be old and more than likely infirm here? Getting from A to B is challenge enough for the able bodied! Look, we are in Phuket, the richest province of Thailand and look how crap the infrastructure really is. If I became seriously ill I would want to be speaking German in a German hospital eating familiar German food and surrounded by things German. Yes, I can speak English fairly well but could I really be bothered if I was in chronic pain and distressed? Plus you never know if the Authorities will start messing round with visa regulations.

How many old folk have friends here? I mean REAL friends like we have in Europe who really care about us. You must know X. Silly bastard still thinks he is popular. None of his "mates" really give a toss about him except in the bars. Wait and see how many visits he gets in Hospital. Look at his "girlfriend." How could he be so stupid as to believe she has any feelings for him? Look at him - 65 and thinks he is Brad Pitt.

Yes, Thailand has a lot of good things going for it, but then so does Europe if you open your eyes."

A man far ahead of his time, maybe.

[mraitchison]

I got bored so i left. I had enough of Thailand for the time being. I will be back once I have had time to reflect and analyse my time there.

I knew it was time to go when I didn't want to ride or drive anywhere because i was scared of losing my temper with the other drivers.

So it was time to go.

[tominchaam]

I decided to make Thailand my new home country long ago and have no intention to change it. I like it here and enjoy all the "pluses" and try to ignore the "minuses" which works out fine.

[JimmyCA]

I retired early. I moved over here thinking it was for life and wanting it to be for life. But now I realize, especially considering the visa system here, it is wiser to look at life year by year. Never say never. Things can change. I am a USAer so I could imagine if I developed an expensive health problem I would be better offer going back to be on Medicare when I reach that age. As it is now, I will not go back to the US without a fight. I prefer to be a retired expat and never want to work again. I would have to work if I went back to the US. If Thailand doesn't work out, I plan on moving to the Philippines.

Jingthing, we are thinking alike. I am on the fence as to spending more time in PI. Really like the island feel, beaches and of course the Pinyas.

[howtoescape]

Him: "Who in Gods name would want to be old and more than likely infirm here?

A man far ahead of his time, maybe.

Im too young to be worrying about sickness in my old age, but i wouldnt have thought being infirm in Germany is any better a prospect of being infirm in Thailand, other then the fact treatment is free.

[baboon]

Him: "Who in Gods name would want to be old and more than likely infirm here?

A man far ahead of his time, maybe.

Im too young to be worrying about sickness in my old age, but i wouldnt have thought being infirm in Germany is any better a prospect of being infirm in Thailand, other then the fact treatment is free.

And fair play to you too! However please give pause for thought about the free treatment if you will. The day will come when you do consider these matters, not for some time maybe but I promise you will. Best of luck in the meantime!

[Heng]

I think having a couple nurses tend to you around the clock in old age here will cost you a lot less than it would in most places in the west. With the money you save, you can hire another half dozen gals to dress up as nurses and take care of the rest of the... ehm, house work.

Seriously though, the OP is asking a classic Thai forum "should I burn my bridge" type question. It's your call, but there are folks that have made that choice and are living happily ever after (so far anyway) and folks that are literally stuck in Thailand barely surviving in a place where they often aren't allowed to make a living should they choose to... with no way out, the internet -on dial up...scraping up change to buy net refill cards- as their only contact with the outside world (because the inlaws won't let them have UBC... too pang!), and cheap booze + various expat-in-Thailand web forums as their primary form of therapy.

Even as a Thai, I'd never sell my home and condo in the US, just in case. I'm 32, and even though I plan to grow old here, who knows where one might end up. Before finishing college, I never thought I'd live anywhere else but Austin, Texas permanently.

Edited August 23, 2007 by Heng

[lannarebirth]

Him: "Who in Gods name would want to be old and more than likely infirm here?

A man far ahead of his time, maybe.

Im too young to be worrying about sickness in my old age, but i wouldnt have thought being infirm in Germany is any better a prospect of being infirm in Thailand, other then the fact treatment is free.

And fair play to you too! However please give pause for thought about the free treatment if you will. The day will come when you do consider these matters, not for some time maybe but I promise you will. Best of luck in the meantime!

Once I realized I'm not going to live forever anyway, I stopped worrying about things like this.

[jasreeve17]

Is it just me, or has Heng become more reasonable in the last few months?

[IvanLaw]

Just waiting for the day when I can afford to retire,

Sell up & move to Thailand permanently & maybe next life to?

No intention of returning to UK,

Maybe for a short holiday & to see my Children & Grandchildren.

Nothing else to keep me in England.

My wife is Thai & enjoys England so maybe she will stay and help support me in Thailand.

Regards

[Heng]

What are you talking about, Bertrand?

[a2396]

I have no desire or interest to return from whence I came. I spent enough years shoveling snow, slip/sliding to work at 7AM in the dark, working for jackass bosses, and looking at hog faced ignoramuses with attitude. Once I overheard a person asking a Russian lady, who worked in a shop, how she liked living in this particular American state. Her reply was: "it isn't life, it's a sentance". The comment surprised me coming from a Russian, during the Soviet era (1986). My feelings were similar.

[jasreeve17]

What are you talking about, Bertrand?

My IQ's about 200 below that of Bertrand's.

Well you just seem less brazen. You're still a callous apathetic hi-si ********, but less brazen with it.

(OK, mid-so)

Edited August 23, 2007 by jasreeve17

[Heng]

What are you talking about, Bertrand?

My IQ's about 200 below that of Bertrand's.

Well you just seem less brazen. You're still a callous apathetic hi-si ********, but less brazen with it.

(OK, mid-so)

More likely you're just in a better mood about something. Did someone offer you their seat on the bus?

[jasreeve17]

What are you talking about, Bertrand?

My IQ's about 200 below that of Bertrand's.

Well you just seem less brazen. You're still a callous apathetic hi-si ********, but less brazen with it.

(OK, mid-so)

More likely you're just in a better mood about something. Did someone offer you their seat on the bus?

Don't start me on the bus seat wars, it's a daily battle for us proletariats.

Still I do enjoy the numerous times when my bus scrapes down the sides of a new BMW or Mercedes.

Power to the people.

[Heng]

I know why you're in such a good mood. Four words: "Roll Back! Roll Back!"