Age 50 "Retire" In Tland Ramblings

[chubby]

aloha from honolulu,

i am 45 working on 46, have elderly parent in california, who is ok for now.

i recently met a local living guy, who was in peace corps in south thailand in early 70s, where they give you 6 hours/ day of lessons before you arive. consequently, he is very fluent in written/reading/speaking thai and is teaching me now 1 day/week.

i have spent 1 month in bkk, in 2004, 2009, and 2011 but always in the cool season. BKK seems to be the only place I date, and I've always been single.

the guy i met, i asked him, ever think about retiring in thailand, his answer : the visa is a hassle, it's too hot and in hawaii, i don't have to worry about any strange diseases. ...

i'd always thought, being in bkk or thailand full time would get old, as any place can, even hawaii. my perfect plan would be 6 months in usa/6 months in thailand or 9 and 3 or something, however, i just rent and don't have a place to return to, should i spend 9 months in thailand.

my finances are in very good shape for an age 50 "retirement" and maybe doing volunteer work in thailand

but, i'd like to hear from anyone in similar situation, who was able to make it work at age 50 or so ; and feedback on my doubts on my little dream that keeps me going .....

cheers

[JeffreyMcCollum]

I'm A Hilo boy. 20 years in the islands and now over here. My plan was to wait until I was 50, have a few rental condos here for income and ride until my hear is content. But with the death of my daughter, then my father (here in Thailand) when I was here a few years back, I just decided to stay. Very happy and not looking back. First, Thailand is wonderful. Much like Hawaii and more. I live up north in Chiang Mai, Honolulu size but you would never know it. I find more people here from Hawaii than any where else I have ever been in the world. I'm not talking hundreds, I'm talking thousands. So that in itself is saying somethings. If you come here with an open mind, and a sense for adventure, you will do well, If you want things like America, you will fail. Hawaii is something in the middle if you from Hawaii you will know what I mean. I am 49, and I wanted to be here and found a way, You too, easily could go today and stay, if you really wanted to. I want to wait on the retirement visa a few years for some reasons like work, as well as others.

If you seriously want to move here, you're off to a good start. But catch a flight over and look around more. In Hilo I had a ocean front home and thought I never would be away from the water, Here I have a home near the beach, but much more like it up north and live there now. Look around an see where you like and fit in. Some things are just different here, Both good and bad, and some things are the same as in Hawaii. Weather is a little hotter than Honolulu by a few degrees but the rain is mostly the same. Some things cost less, way less, and some thing more, way more. You really have to toss out things you've learned back home and start over on a new life adventure. It is easy to keep in touch with friends back home by phone or internet, as well as travel if you wish, I have not. Health care here is way better than in Hawaii and at 1/10 th the price. I am learning more thai every day, but it really is not nessasary to start here

I am happy to help more, if you need, Think of what you like to do there and what will you do to keep youself busy here.

PM me if you wish

Aloha !

[moe666]

Yea its workable, and the visas and extensions of stay are not that big of a deal. If you meet the requirements, age, and money, a few hours of your time is what it takes. Sounds like you would be coming on a double tourist visa for 6 months at a time. Just keep coming travel around to different area to see if you prefer a different area to Thailand.

When you reach retirement age you should know if its for you.

I have been coming once or twice a year since 1998 and now I am staying 6 months out of the year. My first trip was in 1970 and had a long lay off and its the only place for me.

As the Thais say up to you

Really doing it this way is probably the best you donot make a big comittment before you know its for you.

Edited June 22, 2011 by moe666

[Mario2008]

A retirement visa is easy in Thailand. There are basicly only two requirements to live in Thailand based on retirement:

1. You have to be 50 or older.

2. 800,000 THB in abankaccount in your name in Thailand for at least 3 months (2 months only for the first time)

OR

You need to show an income of 65,000 THB a month

OR

a combination of yearly income and money in the bank in Thailand totaling 800,000.

[IanForbes]

I agree with what the other folks said already. But, I don't think I'd want Thailand full time. I enjoy my life in Canada too much. So, I live a nice 50-50 life. I am NOT investing in Thailand but I sure enjoy it while I'm there. I've been doing it for 15 years and it hasn't gotten stale yet.

[chubby]

how do you, personally, manage 6 months on/off; seems like one would have to have a support system, to manage your things, or pay someone to do it, and be more complicated, then if you have relationships in thailand, poof your gone for 6 months, would not seem to work .........

[craigt3365]

As stated before, visas are easy. Weather can be hot and humid...but a pool sure helps.

Travel around before you decide what to do. For sure visit Chiang Mai, Hua Hin, Phuket, Samui, Pattaya...plus as many other places as you can.

It's a very diverse country. Different around each bend.

We spend about 8+ months here. Have family that takes care of the house and details when we are gone. Lucky setup...

I agree that there are lots of Hawaiian's here. I was born there, but moved when I was young. Military brat. I've met many people from Hawaii as well as a few natives. Interesting to see them here.

Enjoy!

Craig

[Raesum]

Well Chubby thats where its up to you to get your finances, bill payings etc in order.You can get all your bills paid in Hawaii via direct debit from the bank . I Hope-forgive me I am not from there but the rest of the civilised world allows for that.

I myself live in Thailand and although I see the bills here I don't have to lift a finger-it all gets taken out of my Thai bank account.When I lived in Australia I would pay on-line but could have direct debit if I wanted

The thing you need to do is get an address in USA where your correspondence can be sent to(and sent on) or else, preferably ,an address in Thailand

.You have got a few years up your sleeve to organise these things,

The most annoying thing I found when I was planning to come here to live was how much junk mail I got to my current address.So ,over a long period of time, I would re-address it "Return to Sender.Now living overseas" It took over a year but I now get no mail I don't want.

The other thing is to get everything on-line eg bank statements etc etc.

Your plan to live here for 6 months and ":back home" for 6 months is quite a feasible one seeing as you can't own any property here and rents are reasonable(depending on where you decide to live).I came over here about 5 years ago on Long Service Leave from my job with the intention of doing just that-6 months "here"(Bangkok), 6 months there("Home").After 3 days I knew that "here" ie outer Bangkok was going to be home for more than 6 months so here I am living happily ever after.I was here for a couple of years before I turned 50 so had to go thru the Visa Runs etc but in the end its all been worthwhile.

[PattayaParent]

Well Chubby thats where its up to you to get your finances, bill payings etc in order.You can get all your bills paid in Hawaii via direct debit from the bank . I Hope-forgive me I am not from there but the rest of the civilised world allows for that.

I myself live in Thailand and although I see the bills here I don't have to lift a finger-it all gets taken out of my Thai bank account.When I lived in Australia I would pay on-line but could have direct debit if I wanted

The thing you need to do is get an address in USA where your correspondence can be sent to(and sent on) or else, preferably ,an address in Thailand

.You have got a few years up your sleeve to organise these things,

The most annoying thing I found when I was planning to come here to live was how much junk mail I got to my current address.So ,over a long period of time, I would re-address it "Return to Sender.Now living overseas" It took over a year but I now get no mail I don't want.

The other thing is to get everything on-line eg bank statements etc etc.

Your plan to live here for 6 months and ":back home" for 6 months is quite a feasible one seeing as you can't own any property here and rents are reasonable(depending on where you decide to live).I came over here about 5 years ago on Long Service Leave from my job with the intention of doing just that-6 months "here"(Bangkok), 6 months there("Home").After 3 days I knew that "here" ie outer Bangkok was going to be home for more than 6 months so here I am living happily ever after.I was here for a couple of years before I turned 50 so had to go thru the Visa Runs etc but in the end its all been worthwhile.

Foreigners can legally own condos in their own name.

They can also legally own a house but not the land it sits on.

Suggest you maximise your nest egg as much as you can before you come here and don't burn any bridges back home just in case.

[moe666]

The girl relationship is no problem. Rule: 1, you donot lose your girlfriend just your place in line.

I have a very nice girlfriend in Chiang mai I donot know if the rule applies to her but it is ok, cannot expect her to wait for 6 months

[kerryk]

I got fired from my corporate job when I was 50 and started my own business in the States. I waited till my mother died and then moved to Thailand 10 years later. I burned all my bridges so I have less alternatives to worry about on a daily basis. I could have done it when I was 50 but mom demanded a lot of care as she got near the end and I wanted to keep her out of a nursing home as long as possible.

I don't regret doing what I did. 50 would have been more fun. At 50 I was still a handsome man. God I don't know if I could have taken the stress. 40 would have been too young for me but 50 is a good age to live in Thailand. Speaking Thai is important. The more you speak the easier the whole thing becomes.