Think about moving to Thailand

[ftm]

Hi,I hope I can get good honest advice.I have just joined Thaivisa and I have been thinking about moving to Thailand to retire.The problem I have is it safe to take the plunge.I have been following the news about the troubles there at the moment also reading some of the posts it seems there are mixed opinions.I would appreciate some informal honest answers before I take the plunge.My intentions were to sell up and invest my future in Thailand.I would appreciate any advice.

[kurnell]

All good I reckon. So does this site http://thailandretirementguide.com/

[ubonjoe]

If you are 50 or over and can meet the financial requirements for an extension of stay based upon retirement I would say go for it.

[ftm]

All good I reckon. So does this site http://thailandretirementguide.com/

Thanks I'll take a look.

[ftm]

If you are 50 or over and can meet the financial requirements for an extension of stay based upon retirement I would say go for it.

Are there any drawbacks that you are aware of.

[Maestro]

If you mean the political turmoil, the removal of the care-taker Prime Minister, etc., I would not worry. I lived through half a dozen political coups in Thailand and none affected me in any way.

[ubonjoe]

If you are 50 or over and can meet the financial requirements for an extension of stay based upon retirement I would say go for it.

Are there any drawbacks that you are aware of.

I can't think of any but I might have slightly different opinion than others since I have made this my home for some time and have a family here.

I assume you have spent some time here already that has helped you to make your decision to move here. If not it might be wise to come here and spend some time before pulling up all your roots back home.

[ftm]

If you are 50 or over and can meet the financial requirements for an extension of stay based upon retirement I would say go for it.

Are there any drawbacks that you are aware of.

I can't think of any but I might have slightly different opinion than others since I have made this my home for some time and have a family here.

I assume you have spent some time here already that has helped you to make your decision to move here. If not it might be wise to come here and spend some time before pulling up all your roots back home.

I have been a couple of times on tour packages so only spent a couple of days at any one place,so I can't say I know Thailand.I am trying to findout my best options should I take the plunge.I have seen on other sites where people get ripped of so I want to try and avoid the pitfalls.

[kurnell]

I have a house here, and plan to retire when it's paid off. I don't see the political situation changing Thailand at all

[Soutpeel]

If you are 50 or over and can meet the financial requirements for an extension of stay based upon retirement I would say go for it.

Are there any drawbacks that you are aware of.

There are plenty of "draw backs" living Thailand but that's part of the fun of it.....

I would say however if your one of those people who goes somewhere then complains its not like home, then Thailand may not be for you, living here as a farang can be a challenge at times, and one does need a sense of humor

Read some of the whining threads on TV and you will understand what I am talking about

[Soutpeel]

If you are 50 or over and can meet the financial requirements for an extension of stay based upon retirement I would say go for it.

Are there any drawbacks that you are aware of.

I can't think of any but I might have slightly different opinion than others since I have made this my home for some time and have a family here.

I assume you have spent some time here already that has helped you to make your decision to move here. If not it might be wise to come here and spend some time before pulling up all your roots back home.

I have been a couple of times on tour packages so only spent a couple of days at any one place,so I can't say I know Thailand.I am trying to findout my best options should I take the plunge.I have seen on other sites where people get ripped of so I want to try and avoid the pitfalls.

Coming here on holiday is vastly different from living here, initially you don't need to take the plunge, just take an extended "holiday" say 6 months until you find your feet and take it from there.

[Dogberry]

If you are 50 or over and can meet the financial requirements for an extension of stay based upon retirement I would say go for it.

Are there any drawbacks that you are aware of.

Drawbacks? Yes... generally kind people, beautiful women, delicious inexpensive food, great jungles and fun cities... I would highly advise you not to come... but honestly yes there's a millions of things wrong with Thailand. It just depends on your tolerance level. I have found nothing yet to drive me away and a lovely lady to keep me here.

[davejones23]

I have a house here, and plan to retire when it's paid off. I don't see the political situation changing Thailand at all

Of course it will change. Nothing last forever.

[davejones23]

If you are 50 or over and can meet the financial requirements for an extension of stay based upon retirement I would say go for it.

Are there any drawbacks that you are aware of.

There are plenty of "draw backs" living Thailand but that's part of the fun of it.....

I would say however if your one of those people who goes somewhere then complains its not like home, then Thailand may not be for you, living here as a farang can be a challenge at times, and one does need a sense of humor

Read some of the whining threads on TV and you will understand what I am talking about

I agree. If you don't come with an open mind then you might not like it here. Lots of things are different to UK, and sometimes things can be frustrating. But I love it here. I see life as an adventure and don't let little things get to me. There are also plenty of frustrations in the UK. It's really down to the individual. Some move here and love it, others move here and hate it so go back home, and a few ThaiVisa members move here, hate it, but decide to stay just so that they can come on here and complain all day long. LOL. I'd suggest coming and seeing whether you like it or not before selling up everything back how. Only you can tell whether it will suit you.

[KittenKong]

"My intentions were to sell up and invest my future in Thailand."

No problems with retiring here. I have. But invest? No thanks.

I would never invest a penny more in Thailand than I can afford to lose. And you should especially watch out for people and companies and websites off all nationalities who are only out to separate you from your money. You cannot imagine to what extent lies and cheating and deception are rampant here, and it's not necessarily Thai people doing it.

All that said, as long as you keep a firm grip on all your finances, and keep most of it with reputable institutions overseas, and above all in your sole name, you should have a great time and are unlikely to lose very much. I sleep very soundly at night knowing that 90% of my wealth is not in Thailand, and if I lose my condo and car and furniture and spending money here, I really wont care as there is plenty left elsewhere.

The phrase "caveat emptor" was created for Thailand.

[elgordo38]

I have lived in a rural setting in Thailand and in Chiang Mai city. The rural adventure lasted a year. The girl I was with was under her mothers control and worked all day in the family store which was not what we had agreed on prior to moving from the city to the country. I would only see her for a couple hours in the evening. Foreigners were few and far between not much friendship material. Food selection was terrible and she was not much of a cook. The closest hospital/immigration was a couple hours away and as a senior this is important. I moved back to Chiang Mai found a new girl friend have built a new life close to everything I need and want. She is a great cook and everything I ever wanted in a female companion. Moral of this tale reminds me of my days/years running a metal detector. You must dig a lot of trash to find even the smallest treasure.

[thrilled]

1st.dip your toe in the water.Meaning take it slow.Go visit the country for A few months.Visit it all.Bangkok,the beaches,go up to ChiangMai area.And from Bangkok go up north to Issan area.Korat ,khon Kaen ,UdonThani, and NongKhai..

Myself UdonThani is the place to be.Good prices.Plenty of expats.Good Luck.

[VBF]

If you are 50 or over and can meet the financial requirements for an extension of stay based upon retirement I would say go for it.

Are there any drawbacks that you are aware of.

There are plenty of "draw backs" living Thailand but that's part of the fun of it.....

I would say however if your one of those people who goes somewhere then complains its not like home, then Thailand may not be for you, living here as a farang can be a challenge at times, and one does need a sense of humor

Read some of the whining threads on TV and you will understand what I am talking about

I agree. If you don't come with an open mind then you might not like it here. Lots of things are different to UK, and sometimes things can be frustrating. But I love it here. I see life as an adventure and don't let little things get to me. There are also plenty of frustrations in the UK. It's really down to the individual. Some move here and love it, others move here and hate it so go back home, and a few ThaiVisa members move here, hate it, but decide to stay just so that they can come on here and complain all day long. LOL. I'd suggest coming and seeing whether you like it or not before selling up everything back how. Only you can tell whether it will suit you.

Spend at least 6 months in whatever part of Thailand appeals to you - if you know that is. Do not stay in hotels or guest-houses; rent a furnished condo, or house and live like a real resident. THEN you will have stopped being a holidaymaker and will have a real taste of living in Thailand. I did that 18 months ago after years of planning to retire to Thailand. Now I'm back in UK, working in contracts whilst I think it over! Why? Still not quite sure it's for me and haven't burnt my bridges. Having said that, I will probably repeat the experiment when winter comes! And I'm still only 59 years young!

[ftm]

If you are 50 or over and can meet the financial requirements for an extension of stay based upon retirement I would say go for it.

Are there any drawbacks that you are aware of.

There are plenty of "draw backs" living Thailand but that's part of the fun of it.....

I would say however if your one of those people who goes somewhere then complains its not like home, then Thailand may not be for you, living here as a farang can be a challenge at times, and one does need a sense of humor

Read some of the whining threads on TV and you will understand what I am talking about

Thanks for the tip,I have read several posts and have noticed there are lots of conflicting opinions about Thailand.I think a bit more research on my part is required before making a final decision.Has anyone any experience of living in a neighbouring country to Thailand and if so how do you compare it with Thailand

[ftm]

"My intentions were to sell up and invest my future in Thailand."

No problems with retiring here. I have. But invest? No thanks.

I would never invest a penny more in Thailand than I can afford to lose. And you should especially watch out for people and companies and websites off all nationalities who are only out to separate you from your money. You cannot imagine to what extent lies and cheating and deception are rampant here, and it's not necessarily Thai people doing it.

All that said, as long as you keep a firm grip on all your finances, and keep most of it with reputable institutions overseas, and above all in your sole name, you should have a great time and are unlikely to lose very much. I sleep very soundly at night knowing that 90% of my wealth is not in Thailand, and if I lose my condo and car and furniture and spending money here, I really wont care as there is plenty left elsewhere.

The phrase "caveat emptor" was created for Thailand.

Thanks that sounds like good advice.

[ftm]

I have lived in a rural setting in Thailand and in Chiang Mai city. The rural adventure lasted a year. The girl I was with was under her mothers control and worked all day in the family store which was not what we had agreed on prior to moving from the city to the country. I would only see her for a couple hours in the evening. Foreigners were few and far between not much friendship material. Food selection was terrible and she was not much of a cook. The closest hospital/immigration was a couple hours away and as a senior this is important. I moved back to Chiang Mai found a new girl friend have built a new life close to everything I need and want. She is a great cook and everything I ever wanted in a female companion. Moral of this tale reminds me of my days/years running a metal detector. You must dig a lot of trash to find even the smallest treasure.

That is something else I have to consider,where is the best place to live,where to avoid and the problems of getting involved with a lady.At the moment I have an open mind about being involved as I have read some horendous stories about foreign men being taken to the cleaners.I would welcome peoples opinions on this.

[wayned]

In 1997 I was diagnosed with coronary artery blockage and was having severe angina attacks. I had no ties left in the US due to 2 divorces so I cancelled my heart surgery, sold everything, took early retirement and moved here to live the last days of my life on my own terms. The angina stopped the minute I got on the flight and I'm still living my life on my own terms 17 years later! Life here is what you of it as it no matter where you live, and, thank god, life here will never be "like home"!

[xylophone]

There has been some good advice posted on here and I can't disagree with it.

I was in a similar position to you (by the sounds of it) and decided to take a few trips here of between one and two months at a time, just to check the place out. I based myself in Patong and travelled around to places like Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Phitsanulok, Koh Samui and visited Pattaya for a few days.

I made friends with a lovely older Thai lady and her German husband who owned a guesthouse and they made me feel just like family, so staying in Patong was easy.

Even when I got back to my home country, I still wasn't sure whether this was the right thing to do, but decided I had to get rid of the stress in my life and this seemed to be a good place to start, so I sold everything and moved here in 2007.

I left my investments overseas and invested wisely so that I could live off the interest without investing anything in Thailand, a decision which I can recommend and certainly haven't regretted, although I have bought and sold a couple of houses here, something I wouldn't do again. In my opinion, as one gets older, renting is the only way to go, so that precious capital is not tied up, and you can move at a whim.

Sure there are lots of things wrong with this place, as there are just about every place in the world, and for me, I keep my sanity by focusing on the reasons why I am here and what "floats my boat" so to speak. I try to look past the faults in this place, however unfortunately they have gotten quite bad over the past years but I still try to remain positive.

One thing that I have taught myself to do, is not to worry about things that I cannot influence, and this particularly applies to the government and the way that the country is run, including the amount of corruption. I remember at one time in my home country always worrying about what the government was going to do and what the next budget would be like, and so on, however here I really don't give a toss, as long as it doesn't affect me in any great way (seem selfish I know, but it's the only way I can survive) and I can live my life as I want.

I want to travel more around this part of the world and will do so over the coming couple of years, and I may or may not stay here, but then keeping an open mind is one of the benefits of not being indebted to anyone, any country or any financial institution for that matter.

Take it for what it is, its good points and its bad points and most of all focus on what pleases you.

I wish you the best of luck if you do decide to come here.

[pitchag]

I have lived in a rural setting in Thailand and in Chiang Mai city. The rural adventure lasted a year. The girl I was with was under her mothers control and worked all day in the family store which was not what we had agreed on prior to moving from the city to the country. I would only see her for a couple hours in the evening. Foreigners were few and far between not much friendship material. Food selection was terrible and she was not much of a cook. The closest hospital/immigration was a couple hours away and as a senior this is important. I moved back to Chiang Mai found a new girl friend have built a new life close to everything I need and want. She is a great cook and everything I ever wanted in a female companion. Moral of this tale reminds me of my days/years running a metal detector. You must dig a lot of trash to find even the smallest treasure.

That is something else I have to consider,where is the best place to live,where to avoid and the problems of getting involved with a lady.At the moment I have an open mind about being involved as I have read some horendous stories about foreign men being taken to the cleaners.I would welcome peoples opinions on this.

Hi, As regards to the horror stories you will only hear the stories of the guys who got ripped off and conned by the girl friend, but there are many more of the successful Thaii/ falang relationships, due diligence would be the right way to approach a relationship here in Thailand, as a rule long term tattooed bar workers who speak good English don't make good partners, but there are exceptions to every rule, check out the family because you don't want to be supporting too many of them, an orphan with no kids around 40 would be ideal but very rare commodity in Thailand.

The condo block I live in has quite a few Falangs with Thai wives/girl friends and when we get together we all agree we are living " The Dream" with great partners, as the saying goes " once you go Asian you never go back to Caucasian "

I sold up everything in Australia and moved here with just my suitcase and golf clubs and have not regretted one day

Good Luck

[Soutpeel]

If you are 50 or over and can meet the financial requirements for an extension of stay based upon retirement I would say go for it.

Are there any drawbacks that you are aware of.

There are plenty of "draw backs" living Thailand but that's part of the fun of it.....

I would say however if your one of those people who goes somewhere then complains its not like home, then Thailand may not be for you, living here as a farang can be a challenge at times, and one does need a sense of humor

Read some of the whining threads on TV and you will understand what I am talking about

Thanks for the tip,I have read several posts and have noticed there are lots of conflicting opinions about Thailand.I think a bit more research on my part is required before making a final decision.Has anyone any experience of living in a neighbouring country to Thailand and if so how do you compare it with Thailand

Which Neighboring countries are you thinking of ?...

you don't mention where your coming from but assuming the UK and I know I am going to pick flack for doing this but....if you look are your current life in the UK, ie the Cultural norms, the services, the "life style" etc, the closest, most familiar to you to what the UK "is" is living in Singapore, (I don't think you can retire there and its expensive), next on the list using the "UK" as a benchmark is Malaysia, you can retire but it costs more, but you have more "rights" as a retiree...eg My second home program....

from here on in we now take a bit of cultural leap and start getting into Thailand/Vietnam/ Cambodia/Indonesia/Philippines

From an infrastructure perspective/lifestyle/services etc. Thailand tops the list here IMHO, but in many respects there are significant differences from what you are used to, whether you can handle the "cultural" differences is something I cant comment on, only you can answer that..some people can handle it other cant..

With the exception of the Philippines, I have spent significant amounts of time in all the countries mentioned IMHO, and on balance, Thailand most likely gives the best mix, although I do enjoy going to Singapore on occasion and spending time in a "Civilized" place.....

All the countries mentioned have their pro's and con's and I am not intending into getting into specifics for each country...too much typing

Maybe if your outlined your reasons for wanting to come to Thailand, are your financially secure ?, what your aspirations are ?, people may be able to guide you better.

[Dogberry]

If you are 50 or over and can meet the financial requirements for an extension of stay based upon retirement I would say go for it.

Are there any drawbacks that you are aware of.

There are plenty of "draw backs" living Thailand but that's part of the fun of it.....

I would say however if your one of those people who goes somewhere then complains its not like home, then Thailand may not be for you, living here as a farang can be a challenge at times, and one does need a sense of humor

Read some of the whining threads on TV and you will understand what I am talking about

Thanks for the tip,I have read several posts and have noticed there are lots of conflicting opinions about Thailand.I think a bit more research on my part is required before making a final decision.Has anyone any experience of living in a neighbouring country to Thailand and if so how do you compare it with Thailand

I was 4 years in the Philippines. I lived in various places from a glass-less, no plumbing Nipa hut in BF Bohol to a luxury condo in Cebu to a girl-friendly flat in Angeles . I loved every minute of it. When I had to go back to the USA for personal reasons I had every intention of returning there. Then... for no particular reason other than I could I just decided to give Thailand a try. I like it very much here too. Philippines has a bad rap for lots of reasons, many of them justified. I never once had a problem even in Manila. One time alone on my motorcycle in backwoods Samar I wondered at what I was thinking but as you are reading this now it was a great ride in great place. Situational awareness required just as it is here in LOS. It is very easy to bank, drive, do visa stuff, speak and get along. Pinay women are the boss.

[KittenKong]

That is something else I have to consider,where is the best place to live,where to avoid .....

That rather depends on your personal preferences.

Some people seem to like living in rural areas of Thailand, presumably for the peace and quiet (if anywhere in Thailand is really quiet). Some like the tourist areas, probably for the good selection of restaurants and entertainment of all types. Some people even like Bangkok, though I'm not sure why unless it's for the food. Some like islands and beaches and even full moon parties.

I think your best bet is to rent a small condo or apartment somewhere for a year as a base and from there travel around to various towns, cities, villages, islands, whatever takes your fancy. Pattaya is quite central and convenient for transport around Thailand and for international flights, and there is no shortage of cheap accommodation, especially if you take a one-year contract. It also has most of things you might want from home. Hua Hin might be another choice, though less lively. You can drive from either place to the far ends of Thailand with just one or two overnight stops (some do it in one long day but where's the fun in that?), so that makes them good starting points for travelling.

That way during the first year you should find somewhere you like enough to spend the next year in, after which you may want to make it more permanent.

[KittenKong]

Philippines has a bad rap for lots of reasons, many of them justified. I never once had a problem even in Manila. One time alone on my motorcycle in backwoods Samar I wondered at what I was thinking but as you are reading this now it was a great ride in great place. Situational awareness required just as it is here in LOS. It is very easy to bank, drive, do visa stuff, speak and get along.

I've spent a lot of time in the RP over the years. General day to day living is indeed much easier there than here, and communicating with people is a doddle. Not only do they (mostly) speak English but (unlike here) they also think pretty much the same way that Westerners do, and all signs are written using English script so even if you don't understand it you can still recognise it.

I never came across anything surprising in the RP; it all just feels very familiar there. And they dont have any animosity towards foreigners just because they are foreign.

[raybal5]

The phrase "caveat emptor" was created for Thailand.

LOL. Actually "caveat emptor" was created for ancient Rome. In Thailand it would be ผู้ซื้อระวัง (P̄hū̂ sụ̄̂x rawạng)