If Not Thailand, Where?

[JSixpack]

I'd never lived in Bali for the simple reason that a <deleted> load of Aussies "throng" there.

But of course there is a <deleted> load of Brits in Thailand--besides the Aussies.

But if one could get over the Aussie factor, I wonder about the Indonesia visa situation. Last I checked it was not very friendly.

Edited May 19, 2008 by JSixpack

[rick75]

As an Aussie I would say that not many Aussies go to Bali anymore, the whole bombings thing scared people away, secondly Australia was going the way of a dictatorial right wing state when Howard was in power but with Labour back in it is definatly swing back. There are plenty of changes happening at the moment that show this to be the case.

[Nignoy]

I will definitely try and find out , why sunshine coast retirement villages (oops I mean over 55,s villages) are advertising their bungalows and lifestyles to retirees in UK, here on the Sunshine Coast we are witnessing a large influx of working class retirees from UK as we have noticed on the new memberships of our locals Bowls Clubs and RSLs. Not many millionares , or private jet owners among them,mind you there are a few knotted handkerchiefs and socks and sandal wearers amongst them Nignoy

[whopper]

Costa is toast....expensive third world country with alot of gringos. If that appeals to you , you will love it.

[Naam]

However, if your assets are investments in companies which pay Australian companies tax, you get a rebate of your tax payable based upon the tax that those companies pay. This can mean that a couple could earn up to $80,000 or so, and pay virtually no income tax (just the medicare levy).

yeah right! we went through the whole rigmarole and bought land in QLD to build a home. then in december 1999 the indefinite stay for foreign retirees was limited to TWO years subject to a positive medical report from a government hospital. in the meantime it has been changed to FOUR yeas but the requirement for "good health" still exists!

retirement visa requirements:

You must invest in State/Territory government bonds:

* $500,000 if you intend to live in a regional area OR;

* $750,000 if you intend to live in a non-regional area.

if you fulfill one of the above-mentioned mandatory conditions you pay tax in Oz through your nose. not to talk about what will happen to your investment in immobile property if they kick you out for medical reasons! besides that foreign retirees are taxed on their worldwide income. that means either living like a pauper to keep the verifyiable expenses low and talk to your bank in code when buying or selling assets or pay (as mentioned above) freaking income tax.

[dominator]

If you've got the money, Singapore any day.

And it's got the sleeze, if that's what your after.

[Naam]

If you've got the money, Singapore any day.

i'm not so sure that the OP who asked for alternatives to Thailand has 5 million Singapore Dollars to invest which are blocked for FIVE years or 2.5 million Singapore Dollars to buy a mediocre home on Sentosa Island. any of these options enables him to obtain a residence permit in SG

[PattayaParent]

i think the philippines might be comparable to thailand, there have been some threads on this, do a search

The P.I. has, and always will be, more comparable to a tin-pot South American dictatorship than any place in Asia. They sold themselves to Catholicism and the American Way® years ago and are paying the price now.

But it's OK for a couple of months at a time.

Just don't expect to get a visa for Thailand there.

[craighj]

As an Aussie, my two favorite places would have to be Thailand and PI (Philippines). I've been most places in Asia and while I like a lot of different countries, if I was living here in Thailand it would have to be PI. Cheap, great looking girls, better English skills than Thai's and many, many great beaches.

Craig

[happyending]

whoa

lots of responses

im going to try to get back to everyone

here goes...

[happyending]

I don't think anyone has yet mentioned Vietnam?

I have a couple of buddies who live and work there - they seen to like it.

I have spent only a few days in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

Didn't like Hanoi at all, thought Ho Chi Minh seemed quite pleasant.

I do hear that the cost of accommodation is quite high, and cost of living generally is escalating rapidly.

But anyway, should be on the list to look at?

J.

J

thanks

vietnam is def. on the list

still busddist?

communist buddist - is that possible?

heard the south is best

this is a country on the rise with chinese backing

goes into the 'see it now before its too late' category

i think they will be overrun in the next 10 years

[nungnatee]

India has excellent curries

so does london and birmingham

what about bradford

[happyending]

My responce in blue.

cambo still seems too 3rd world - but that must change with asia on the rise

myanmar - when it opens i think it will boom - now too risky

laos - agree plus no beaches

How about 1st of all First worlds - Japan.

Okinawa?

Or anywhere in Kyushu? No stray dogs, guaranteed.

kit mah

didnt even think about japan [too much]

but why not.

maybe ill work my way up to that as i fear it will be expensive

It's not expensive as people think.

Assuming that developed countries provide pensions for their seniors good enogh for normal living, Australian pension is about 1200A$, same as Japanese.

And no crime, drug, alcohol ridden shitholes in Japan. Let alone places like Isaan.

Alternatively, why not Australia? Port Douglas. Same climate as Thailand, known language and laws, a robust democracy, world class facilities....

Port Douglas Australia

Why not?

Simply put;

1] 40% tax (minimum 30% income tax & the 10% GST on most things, unless the new Labor govenment has changed things)

2] excessive laws in every quarter - you can't scratch your bum without breaking a law. Almost equivalent to the wonderful USA.

3] the governments of such societies are expert at lying to the populace & getting away with their lies. Let's face it, most people in Amstralia (Ausmerica) love "Big Brother"...keep 'em dumb & amused & they won't argue.

Is the Australian "Old Age Pension" $1200.00 Nett or Gross per month?

Who the moses would want to live in little America (Australia) no matter how clean it is?

If you don't know the exact number and answer to

Is the Australian "Old Age Pension" $1200.00 Nett or Gross per month?

then I am afraid your whole response is void.

Void? Why would my response be void if I simply am not current with the amount Australian Old Age Pensioners get paid? Please forgive me...I have not lived in Amstralia for about 2.5 years. Since this is the case, feel free to enlighten "us" on how much Australia Old Age Pensioners get paid. Please specify period of payment & whether it is Gross or Nett.

Edit: if you are anti Oz-government, would you have something to say against Thai rule?

Are they perfect?

Don't drag this into politics.

If you have bothered to notice my previous TV posts, you may notice that I am anti "authoritarian". This includes the OZ government.

The question here could be - where a poverty packer might live a good life + (cheap) night life.

You are right but not all "poverty packers" wish a life of cheapness (consumeristically speaking). Some of us "poverty packers" actually want a life away from the the <insert your country here> dollar, which buys a lot of "stuff" in <insert host country here>.

It's the "best bang for your buck" crowd that ruin everything for those who wish for a "quality" life.

ok you two

take it easy

youre both right

oz is paradise but an expensive one

previous govt. made life tough - seems to be easing now under capt. kev

and to set things straight

im not exactly a poverty packer - but i do enjoy a bargain

its more a question of similar places to thailand

good living w/out costing too much

a balance between good quality of life and affordable living.

[happyending]

why not australia?? especially Queensland ,for retirees the east coast is a paradise, because it so popular it is starting to get a bit more expensive to buy property, but if you are prepared to live an easy hour away from the coast still plenty of bargains to be had,no great traffic problems, the same as any major cities,cost of living is well below Europe and the US, medical and elderly support is the best in the world bar none, and if you are a veteran it is even better, language can be a bit difficult at first, and life in the back blocks makes the the oldest Isaan village look modern .I suppose as a dedicated whinger and critic of all things Australia, I must admit living here is the dogs &lt;deleted&gt;!!thailand is only a 500 bucks flight away so you can have the best of asia and Australia. Sure lots of australians prefer Bali to Los but most of them have relatives in JAIL over there!!! Nignoy

thanks nignoy

im in my early 40's so not yet a full retiree

im semi retired - as in only need to monitor my investments to fund my travels

i know qld well

lived and worked there before

many good memories

ps

no relos in jail thankfully

did get a speeding ticket once tho!

[happyending]

To start with Australia has NO retirement visa so unless you are Australian or a Kiwi you can not get a retirement Visa. While it is a very nice place to live the Oz goverment does not want you there.

When we left Australia (we were retired there and had a retirement visa for 12 years which they discontinued issueing new ones and put new rules on old ones.)

We looked at two places that we tought would be nice to retire in they were Thailand and Panama. We went to Panama first to check it out as we had already been to and spent time in thailand many times.

Panama definitely wants you to retire there and will allow you to buy property the same as the panamanians can. On new construction thay were giving a 15 to 20 year exemption on property tax. If you are over 50 you get a senior discount on everything. They had shopping malls that were top notch and you can buy most anything there. They use the US dollar as their currency. The people were very friendly and many of them spoke reasonable english. The cost of living falls somewhere between Thailand and Australia, it depends on the lifesyle you want to live. The women were very attractive. You can import your household good and a Automobile duty free, and a new auto every 5 years. Visas are easy and you can get citizenship if you wish and meet fairly easy qualifications. That takes 5 years or big bucks.

On the down side, mostly we ended up in Thailand as we did not find an area that we really felt we would like to live there. The quality of construction there was pretty bad and the cost of housing high compared to the quality. Some areas were considered unsafe to go to after dark and some you would not want to go to anytime. Drivers were very aggressive and you saw a large percentage of cars had dents. That was in Panama City outside the city it was less of a problem. The weather is comparable to Thailand. Medical is expensive.

In the long run we decided on Thailand. We are happy here but at times remember Panama fondly. We were only there for a month so I am not sure we gave it a fair go. Should have visited a lot more of the country.

If for some reason we ever left Thailand it is most likely Panama is where we would go to live.

BEENTHEREDONETHAT

this is interesting

panama is on my list [re cent. america]

did you feel welcome in panama

did you have that farang stigma

ive always imagined the safety aspect is a real consideration in sth am.

being as passionate as they are

i always feel safe here in thailand - being a buddist country

perhaps the coastal areas are a little easier there.

what about the neighbouring countries?

[happyending]

Australia's income tax is progressive. If you earn $30,000 per annum, you will pay $3600 in income tax, which means that a couple with assets structured appropriately could earn $60,000, and pay $7200 in total, or 12%.

However, if your assets are investments in companies which pay Australian companies tax, you get a rebate of your tax payable based upon the tax that those companies pay. This can mean that a couple could earn up to $80,000 or so, and pay virtually no income tax (just the medicare levy).

Yes, there is a 10% Goods and Services Tax. Having lived in countries like Thailand where the rich seem to be able to avoid paying tax, with a concomitant poor fund-starved public sector, I would far prefer to live in a developed country where income and other taxes do provide a reasonable level of public amenities like hospitals, roads, police and security, education, and even welfare etc etc etc

As for the silly stuff about Australia's population being "dumb and amused", I suggest that you visit here and get some factual experiences. I have lived and worked in several countries, including Hong Kong, Thailand, and the UK, and I can assure you that the political and cultural scenes here are better than any others in the Asia-Pacific. Certainly we do not have military coups, and our elections are free and transparent.

wamberal

you make some good points

especially the ones about franking credits on share dividends

tax free - in fact tax credits against other income earned [rent / interest etc]

you can sink all your capital into quality companies and live off dividends and capital gain.

from your hammock in thailand or ...?

[happyending]

Back in the early 90s, I was in the USAF and stationed with a guy who had met a Costa Rican girl in the U.S. on a student visa. They eventually married and he came back from a trip there raving about what a great place it would be to live. About that time, Parade magazine (or a Sunday insert of another name), advertised a video about retiring in Costa Rica. It was only $10 or so and I ordered a copy. I watched the video and it looked great! About a month later, I opened my local paper and saw an article with the headline: "Paradise Lost". It went on to describe how the influx of foreigners had driven up prices on real estate and goods. !

sadly the case for many places dave

costa was always that paradise i had in mind

whats left?

anyway

keep your head still and cock that left wrist a little more on the backswing

[dclaryjr]

anyway

keep your head still and cock that left wrist a little more on the backswing

Good eye, Happy. I have a tendency to revert to the death grip and hit the ball to the right. "Oily wrists" said Mr. Sneed!

[Gertrude]

If you've got the money, Singapore any day.

And it's got the sleeze, if that's what your after.

Have to agree with Singapore, and I can afford it.

Great healthcare.

Great evenings at Clarke Quay, or Boat Quay.

Wonderful shopping.

Electrical goods that you can rely on. Computers etc that come with original software.

[Ulysses G.]

Is Singapore any cheaper than Hawaii?

The sleaze in Singapore is nice though.

[kangeroo]

I live in Aus 6 months and Thai 6 months , i dont think i would like to live in Thai or Aus for more than 6 months at a time but there are a lot of faults in both countrys.

But one thing for sure i can work in aus 3 months which pays for my 6 months in thai try doing that the other way around .

cheers

[happyending]

anyway

keep your head still and cock that left wrist a little more on the backswing

Good eye, Happy. I have a tendency to revert to the death grip and hit the ball to the right. "Oily wrists" said Mr. Sneed!

sam knows best

ive got an evil slice

hitting the inside off the backfoot

fooooouuuurrrr

arnold suggested standing a little closer on address

lee laughed as he does

jack sank a 30 footer and headed to the 2nd

greg took notes

[happyending]

I live in Aus 6 months and Thai 6 months , i dont think i would like to live in Thai or Aus for more than 6 months at a time but there are a lot of faults in both countrys.

But one thing for sure i can work in aus 3 months which pays for my 6 months in thai try doing that the other way around .

cheers

kanga

sounds like a nice setup

what do you in oz

where do you go in thailand

make $$$ in the rich countries

spend it in the others

helps everyone out

[thailand_tom]

my brother was in vietnam last year..said it was beautiful..cheap and growing..

[retirednavyman]

You may want to think about relocating/retiring to Lake Chapala which is located close to Guadalajara Mexico. There are throngs of US and Canadian retirees there but not so many that it dilutes the local Mexican culture and customs. The cost of living there is very reasonable and the locals are very warm and friendly. Good luck

[retirednavyman]

Is Singapore any cheaper than Hawaii?

The sleaze in Singapore is nice though.

Singapore cheaper than Hawaii!? It's probably a close second

[Jingthing]

You may want to think about relocating/retiring to Lake Chapala which is located close to Guadalajara Mexico. There are throngs of US and Canadian retirees there but not so many that it dilutes the local Mexican culture and customs. The cost of living there is very reasonable and the locals are very warm and friendly. Good luck

This might be OK for older retirees but I found the place about as exciting as watching paint dry. And really not that cheap. It was discovered 20 years ago. The houses are cheap if you are coming from LA.

Edited May 20, 2008 by Jingthing

[happyending]

You may want to think about relocating/retiring to Lake Chapala which is located close to Guadalajara Mexico. There are throngs of US and Canadian retirees there but not so many that it dilutes the local Mexican culture and customs. The cost of living there is very reasonable and the locals are very warm and friendly. Good luck

RNM

mexico sounds good

must be some nice beach towns there as well

must be cheap now too with the usd tanking

maybe s/where in the south

thanks

navy pilot?

[BEENTHEREDONETHAT]

Is Lake Chapala still a lake? I was there quite a few years ago and the water level was dropping rapidly. Didn't seem to be much to do there. but the locals were friendly.

[PeaceBlondie]

I also post on several Mexican forums. I also heard, years ago, that Lake Chapala was sinking, due to the water going to Guadalajara. Maybe they have solved that. Some folks on mexconnect said that prices in both Chapala and San Miguel de Allende were sky high, higher than South Texas for sure.

If you want mountains, beaches, warm weather, etc., atmoshphere, Mexico has it all. Plus lots of theft

As for Central America, only Costa Rica (and maybe Panama, probably not) is close to First World conditions.

Mexico is still my Plan B. The peso pretty much stays even with the dollar if you are on American pension. Spanish is a hundred times easier to learn - even has that quaint old Roman alphabet. But the visa has to be renewed annually, their bureaucracy is still provincial (estatal), but they are pretty friendly and less xenophobic than Thais. Almost as accepting of gays, too. Catholic mostly in name.