Alternative Retirement Destinations For Expats (other Than Thailand)

[NeverSure]

If the Thai guy living next to you in Nakhon Nowhere had 8 years of grade school education and an assault rifle, I imagine that many TVers would be at a keyboard within hours of discovering the latter, indignant that the authorities allowed that combination to exist in suburbia. Somehow, it's different in the US, land of hope and dreams, right ? Any country where people are allowed to keep wild animals - including Apex predators - in their own backyard isnt my idea of an ideal retirement destination. I get peeved with our nanny state here in Oz, where we have a form for everything, but sadly that goes with the territory once the average IQ starts to plummet. I dont try to wrap myself in cotton wool, but if the point of finding somewhere beyond Thailand is to improve one's quality of life, surely personal safety has to be a big part of that equation ? Not too many tornadoes, tsunamis or quakes in BKK ....

I guess it comes down to asking yourself whether you feel lucky

What was the story in the news last week about all of the gang shootings in Australia? Shootings and plane crashes are always news.

There are almost ten times as many gun murders per capita in Thailand than there are in the US, so I have no idea where you're coming from. Link

Next, how many people were killed by the floods in Thailand? How much devastation from lack of giving a hsit?

The life expectancy in the US is five years more than it is in Thailand. Link You don't have to, and I don't, live near any tornadoes or hurricanes.

So, when in Thailand, "Do you feel lucky?"

[NeverSure]

Ok, let's get back to the topic. We don't need personal details here, please. And probably enough focus on the US. OK?

OK, sorry, I was writing when you posted.

[NeverSure]

Nice looking house. And as you say, not available here. Builds here are shoddy compared to the "western" world.

As mentioned above, I like living someplace other than where I grew up. Just for something different. And that someplace can't have snow! 5555

makes me wonder what kind of people you know who live in "shoddy" houses in Thailand.

I spent all of April touring Isaan. Do you really not know what I saw? You know that some expats choose to live in them, on a farm. I have nothing against that if that's their choice, but there are better options for me.

Seriously, if that makes a guy happy, more power to him. It's not for me.

Edited June 3, 2013 by NeverSure

[MrWorldwide]

OK, I'll drop the US angle, but 5 years difference ? Sheeeit ..... that's just scary. If you ever get a chance, watch this doco and tell me if that's a worksite that anyone in a western country would have ever set foot on, much less guys with zero bridge building experience:

http://www.abc.net.au/tv/guide/abc2/201301/programs/ZX1458A012D2013-01-17T193056.htm

I've said it before, and I'll say it again - Thais are tough people. That said, I dont fancy their average life expectancy.

[JWNLV]

I have lived in Thailand since retirement at 59. One thing that is drawing me back to USA is real estate cost since the housing bust in US. I bought a lovely 175 sq. mt. Townhouse in SW Las Vegas; I would have been lucky to get a 60 sq. mt. Condo in Bangkok for same price. Go figure!

[Jingthing]

I have lived in Thailand since retirement at 59. One thing that is drawing me back to USA is real estate cost since the housing bust in US. I bought a lovely 175 sq. mt. Townhouse in SW Las Vegas; I would have been lucky to get a 60 sq. mt. Condo in Bangkok for same price. Go figure!

Prices are going up rapidly in some areas now so that temptation is likely to go away.

[lovetotravel]

Nice looking house. And as you say, not available here. Builds here are shoddy compared to the "western" world.

As mentioned above, I like living someplace other than where I grew up. Just for something different. And that someplace can't have snow! 5555

makes me wonder what kind of people you know who live in "shoddy" houses in Thailand.

Sad to say, but pretty much all of my wife's relatives.

Even in the nicer homes here, the standards are just not the same. As I know you fully understand. I remember seeing a pic of your house in Florida. What a beauty.

[jaideeguy]

It's funny that this alternative retirement topic that I have been checking in on for over a year has gone full circle and we're now talking about the US. I've been in the Kingdom for a good 13 yrs and altho I said that I would never return to the US, I'm now re thinking my final move.

Realizing that LOS is probably not the best place for an old man with the heat [or my ability to endure it], it's never ending and ever increasing annoyances and I will never learn the language or understand the culture.

And I think about the education system here and have dim hopes for my kid's futures. Yeah, Thailand is 'emerging' but into what??

I'm 66 yrs old with a few health issues and to imagine myself at the end of my life in pain and can't get hospice here or even heavy duty pain meds outside the hospital is somewhat frightening. Obamacare may offer some hope??

I come from a quite progressive state......Hawaii, with the best climate in the world and it is still possible to live a decent lifestyle if you live in a rural area, which is what I prefer anyway.

So far, not many of the options mentioned have much appeal and the thought of starting all over again in a new country with a strange culture, language, challenges and rules etc is not what I want to do at my age.

My problem is probably shared by a few others.... I've dug a deep hole here in LOS with my Thai family, real estate, vehicles etc and would have to sell at a terrible loss to make the move with family and then there is the issue of getting the family into the US............

What to do??

Edited June 3, 2013 by jaideeguy

[Naam]

Nice looking house. And as you say, not available here. Builds here are shoddy compared to the "western" world.

As mentioned above, I like living someplace other than where I grew up. Just for something different. And that someplace can't have snow! 5555

makes me wonder what kind of people you know who live in "shoddy" houses in Thailand.

Sad to say, but pretty much all of my wife's relatives.

Even in the nicer homes here, the standards are just not the same. As I know you fully understand. I remember seeing a pic of your house in Florida. What a beauty.

touché! if you refer to the average Thais and their homes, especially in rural areas, the expression "shoddy" might apply because their income does not allow a home according to western standards.

by the way, a comparison of our house in FL with our house in Thailand would yield "Florida = shoddy" although both are nearly identical in looks and size.

Edited June 3, 2013 by Naam

[Tomtomtom69]

One of the main negatives about Thailand as a retirement destination is that foreigners who open their own businesses especially bars, restaurants and hotels? are not allowed to be seen working in them. In every other country in the region, such as Laos, Cambodia, China, Vietnam etc. foreigners are certainly allowed to work inside their own businesses and in fact, are generally encouraged to be seen doing some work!

For me,this would be one of my main reasons for considering retiring in a neighboring country rather than Thailand only because those countries are a lot less discriminatory when it comes to where foreigners can work in their country.

Edited June 14, 2013 by Tomtomtom69