To be completely honest, one of the best things about Thailand is the price. How many of the retirees in Thailand would be here if they were worth millions and millions? Some would, but many wouldn't. Bang for your buck, Thailand is ahead of the pack, but overall quality of living, not so much.

for some of us (like me) it's not the price only but the huge advantage not to give away a big share of the income to the taxman. if you are well off it means living in Thailand is completely free of charge because of tax savings AND there is still money left to burn. on top of that there are some things most of us just can't afford in an industrialized country.

best examples: having domestic employees or building your dream home for the price of a studio apartment in a posh location of London, New York, Paris, Munich or San Francisco. the "humble dwelling" that i built in a gated community of Pattaya would have cost me in my home country Germany approximately €UR 2.5 million cost of land NOT included!

as far as overall quality of living is concerned i only miss the speed and reliabilty of internet connection, the several hundred TV-channels and the four seasons. everything else is available and can be bought with freaking money.

Dr Nam... your probelms are over.

loxinfo high speed ... real high speed.. via satelite its nore expensive then the lan lines.. its about 4000 baht per month but is speedy and reliable.

several hundered TV cahnnels are available from the satelite dish as well. there is a company in bangkok that will set it up for you with the reaciver and just about any TV staion you wish for.

four seasons...if you ar refering to the hotel is in Samui.

No more expensive than land lines? At 4,000 bht per month!!! I pay no more than 1,000 for TT&T ADSL. KTV is 300 per month.

Ireland 27th top place to retire????????

but

best place in the world to live

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4020523.stm

Ireland!! Does it ever stop raining there?

retiring to thailand isnt everyones choice but its mine ,never having to wear coats and gloves ,clear rhe ice off the windscreen with the visa card ,thailands for me 100%..........

It is official.

Australia is better than Thailand.

USA and UK are worse than both.

Something we Australian have long known.

ive been to aussie..right round it.. everydays like sunday there and to overpriced and no where near as exiting as thailand..sorry not in the same leauge...Thailands no1..

They cannot be taken seriously when they include South Africa at number 7. number 207 perhaps. You wait unitl after the World Cup and people see what a real crap hole it is.

It is official.

Australia is better than Thailand.

USA and UK are worse than both.

Something we Australian have long known.

ive been to aussie..right round it.. everydays like sunday there and to overpriced and no where near as exiting as thailand..sorry not in the same leauge...Thailands no1..

Me too. Great scenery and one or two decent bits of totty, but a real shame about the beer and whining locals

Spain or NZ for me with lashings of Muang Thai for good measure

If I had the Money I would have a nice place on Lake Geneva, Switzerland, an equally nice place in Annecy, France, and maybe a coastal Chateau in Nice.

As I'm but a mere mortal, Thailand will have to do.

Edited September 23, 200718 yr by Maigo6