8 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

So fewer people renting rooms and banking hookers reduces the variety of available rooms and hookers, that makes sense.

You're right, reduced demand always increases prices.

That's the way normal market forces work, but in Thailand, money go down, put price up.

23 minutes ago, JerryM said:

As with many criminal investigative instances, the culpability may be established by a sting.

I'm sure Vietnam will welcome all the crackdowns Thailand can throw at foreigners. 😂

3 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

I'm sure Vietnam will welcome all the crackdowns Thailand can throw at foreigners. 😂

It's nice to know that you're sure.

15 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

I bring in way more than the 65k each month, so that's my Plan B for my Plan A, but I won't be keen wasting my time in immigration. What a PIA.

Not everyone who uses an agent can't afford the 800k / 65k.

I simply refuse to donate 800k to Thai bank, who pays a pittance.

I make Thailand work for me, not the other way around.

Oh, I was not talking about you. You only used an agent because you don't want to waste a few hours at immigration. I was taking about the guys here that live in rentals, ride scooters, bang hookers and use agents because they're skint.

We all know you are independently wealthy that owns multiple properties in Australia and club memberships and whatnot.

Yep, partly they are on a power trip, partly they were told to by head office, of course same day requirement is a waste of everyone's time

7 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Yep, partly they are on a power trip, partly they were told to by head office, of course same day requirement is a waste of everyone's time

As a nation they put on a good front but Thais with authority are able to show their evil side - and <deleted> me, it's usually verging on demonic.

Oh well. Them's the hoops!

28 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

Oh, I was not talking about you. You only used an agent because you don't want to waste a few hours at immigration. I was taking about the guys here that live in rentals, ride scooters, bang hookers and use agents because they're skint.

The less dealings I have with any Thai government authorities the better.

Whilst some may be skint, many are just smart. The 800k, left safely in one's home country, earns more than the cost of the agent, and you don't need to waste your time at the immigration office.

I remember years ago going to the immigration office here. I needed a Certificate of Residence. I was waiting in the hot sun, along with some older guys. One of them looked like he was about to collapse and an ambulance would be needed. I felt sorry for these guys.

I thought I was well prepared, but of course, I was one photocopy short, and back to the end of the queue.

Went to an agent for the certificate, and been using agents ever since.

11 minutes ago, Tourist2 said:

As a nation they put on a good front but Thais with authority are able to show their evil side - and <deleted> me, it's usually verging on demonic.

Oh well. Them's the hoops!

The more hoops they make, the more crackdowns they do, as soon as Vietnam announces a retirement visa, it's bye-bye Thailand for many.

8 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

The less dealings I have with any Thai government authorities the better.

Whilst some may be skint, many are just smart. The 800k, left safely in one's home country, earns more than the cost of the agent, and you don't need to waste your time at the immigration office.

I remember years ago going to the immigration office here. I needed a Certificate of Residence. I was waiting in the hot sun, along with some older guys. One of them looked like he was about to collapse and an ambulance would be needed. I felt sorry for these guys.

I thought I was well prepared, but of course, I was one photocopy short, and back to the end of the queue.

Went to an agent for the certificate, and been using agents ever since.

I hear ya, that B800K is an enormous amount to a lot of people.

20 minutes ago, Tourist2 said:

As a nation they put on a good front but Thais with authority are able to show their evil side - and <deleted> me, it's usually verging on demonic.

Oh well. Them's the hoops!

That has not been my experience. I have had dealings with any number of government agencies, and they have most all been fine.

1 minute ago, Yellowtail said:

I hear ya, that B800K is an enormous amount to a lot of people.

It is to a lot of people but I would argue it is a low number relative to other nations that welcome retired expats based on banked money.

Also if having 800K locked up is not something you can easily afford, you probably can't afford to retire anywhere else.

My issue with the Thailand retirement visa system is not the financials. They are quite fair and reasonable. They're not looking for welfare cases. The issue is that there is no path to increased residency status.

Typically countries that have retirement schemes offer permanent residency betwen instantly and five years.

Some are like Thailand offering nothing but most aren't

Edited August 21Aug 21 by Jingthing

1 hour ago, Yellowtail said:

In the event Thailand cracks down on visa agents, I think it is a good idea for everyone that cannot afford the B800K in the bank method, should have a plan B.

Very sound advice there, thanks. In my case, and with the perilous state of my Plan B, I am earnestly working on Plan C.

2 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

I hear ya, that B800K is an enormous amount to a lot of people.

It's not that much money, but it's better working for the farang owner of it, with interest covering agent's costs, plus some, rather than donating to a Thai bank's shareholders. 😂

1 hour ago, KhunHeineken said:

I'm sure Vietnam will welcome all the crackdowns Thailand can throw at foreigners. 😂

I seriously doubt that Vietnam will be as welcoming laissez-faire as Cambodia.

4 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

That has not been my experience. I have had dealings with any number of government agencies, and they have most all been fine.

Did you get the missus to do it all? 🙂

1 minute ago, NanLaew said:

I seriously doubt that Vietnam will be as welcoming laissez-faire as Cambodia.

One can live there on 3 month back to back tourist visas, or, marry a Vietnamese national for a 5 year visa for $50. Easy enough.

4 hours ago, KhunHeineken said:

Then it's Plan C - Bali.

Oh, bad choice. Chock full of Bogans. Bali is to Australia what Benidorm is to the Poms.

Just now, KhunHeineken said:

One can live there on 3 month back to back tourist visas, or, marry a Vietnamese national for a 5 year visa for $50. Easy enough.

You can live there in 3 month visa runs as long as you like on current rules, but who wants to do live like that for many years?

Some do, but it eventually gets awful.

As far as marrying a local there being easy, speak for yourself.

7 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

Did you get the missus to do it all? 🙂

No, I had an office manager until I retired, she was great.

My wife got the Thai social medical, pink ID and yellow book for me, and she handles all the visa stuff now. I just smile for the camera.

15 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

It's not that much money, but it's better working for the farang owner of it, with interest covering agent's costs, plus some, rather than donating to a Thai bank's shareholders. 😂

Only as long as he does not care about the law. I imagine you think tax evaders are smart as well, yes?

2 hours ago, KhunHeineken said:

One can live there on 3 month back to back tourist visas, or, marry a Vietnamese national for a 5 year visa for $50. Easy enough.

It's easy being married to a Vietnamese lass? Tell us more please.

5 hours ago, KhunHeineken said:

What would be interesting to see would be if Vietnam announced a retirement visa next week, how many in Thailand would jump ship.

Meh....about the same amount that jumped ship to Cambodia! Bloody lemmings everywhere these days.

3 hours ago, KhunHeineken said:

Issan's got nothing worth fighting for. 😂 😂

Got you good, did she?

2 hours ago, KhunHeineken said:

One can live there on 3 month back to back tourist visas, or, marry a Vietnamese national for a 5 year visa for $50. Easy enough.

You miss my point. Cambodia has been the bolt hole for many a dodgy farang for a long time already. They have a far lower bar than Thailand when it comes to turning a blind eye to dodgy fooks.

7 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

You miss my point. Cambodia has been the bolt hole for many a dodgy farang for a long time already. They have a far lower bar than Thailand when it comes to turning a blind eye to dodgy fooks.

He's not dodgy, he only uses an agent because he's rich and doesn't want to waste a few hours at immigration. It's the other guys here that live in rentals, ride scooters, bang hookers and use agents that're skint and dodgy.

He is independently wealthy and owns multiple properties in Australia and club memberships and whatnot.

Are We Really Still Debating This?

Okay I gotta ask... are we seriously doing this thread again? 😅

Every few weeks someone posts "Thailand vs Vietnam, which is better for retirement?" like it's some deep philosophical dilemma. Let me save everyone the 47 replies:

🇹🇭 Thailand has an actual retirement visa (the O-A / O-X, or the classic "extension of stay based on retirement"). You can live there. Legally. On purpose. As a retiree.

🇻🇳 Vietnam does not have a retirement visa. At all. Zero. Nada. You want to "retire" there? Cool, enjoy your visa runs to Cambodia every few months like it's a part-time job you didn't ask for.

I'm not saying Vietnam isn't lovely — the food's incredible, the coffee will restart your heart, and the coastline is gorgeous. But "lovely" doesn't file your paperwork for you.

So unless your retirement plan includes a hobby of "professional border hopper," maybe — just maybe — the country that literally created a visa category for retirees is the one built for retiring in?

Wild concept, I know.

Anyway, hope this clears things up for the next 15 people who post this exact question. 🙃

4 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

He's not dodgy, he only uses an agent because he's rich and doesn't want to waste a few hours at immigration. It's the other guys here that live in rentals, ride scooters, bang hookers and use agents that're skint and dodgy.

He is independently wealthy and owns multiple properties in Australia and club memberships and whatnot.

As long as he's not a member of Tweed Heads Lawn Bowls Club, I don't care what Walter claims.

2 hours ago, Jingthing said:

It is to a lot of people but I would argue it is a low number relative to other nations that welcome retired expats based on banked money.

Also if having 800K locked up is not something you can easily afford, you probably can't afford to retire anywhere else.

I know it's a lot of money to me as well, but the cost of keeping it in Thailand is not that much.

2 hours ago, Jingthing said:

My issue with the Thailand retirement visa system is not the financials. They are quite fair and reasonable. They're not looking for welfare cases. The issue is that there is no path to increased residency status.

Typically countries that have retirement schemes offer permanent residency betwen instantly and five years.

Some are like Thailand offering nothing but most aren't

No easy, inexpensive path anyway.

In retrospect, I should have gotten permanent residency it when I was working, it would have been very easy.

2 hours ago, NanLaew said:

Oh, bad choice. Chock full of Bogans. Bali is to Australia what Benidorm is to the Poms.

True.

There's always Malaysia or Portugal, but I still prefer Vietnam over these countries.

Edited August 21Aug 21 by KhunHeineken

2 hours ago, Jingthing said:

You can live there in 3 month visa runs as long as you like on current rules, but who wants to do live like that for many years?

Some do, but it eventually gets awful.

As far as marrying a local there being easy, speak for yourself.

Sure, I accept this, but there's also no guarantee the 800k / 65k are not increased at some stage. I've said before, they simply can not stay at these amounts forever. They may be raised a little, to reflect higher living costs, or raised a lot, in conjunction with banning agents, as part of a broader policy, in order to raise the financial standard of expat retiree here.

At the moment, I am in good health, and still enjoy traveling. I think by the time I am either unhappy or unable to do a visa runs, Vietnam will have a retirement visa by then.

If you are married to a Vietnamese national, you get a 5 year visa for $50.