Story on SBS one tv in Aus tonight...don't know if you get that channel there or not..

"Dateline's Nick Lazaredes meets the Australians who have moved to Thailand for their retirement."

I wonder if the show will tell us something we're don't already know, on the other hand the show

might give and idea to relocate to a far east country to retire there as cost of living in Oz have

gone silly in the last 10 years or so, particularly if you live alone....

Aussies don't retire here..they come here to live life.

Here is a bit of meat on the bones of the OP ... Paradise-Pensioners

With the high cost of living and increasing squeeze on supers, retirement in Australia may not come as quickly or as cheaply as we’d like.

But an increasing number of Aussies are finding the solution in Thailand, where they can retire early and live very comfortably on just a few dollars a day.

On Tuesday’s Dateline, Nick Lazaredes looks at the phenomenon that’s seen a wave of older expats head to Asia to enjoy a cost of living that’s around 80% cheaper than back home.

Former builder Graham says he’d never have been able to retire at 52 if he’d stayed on the Gold Coast, and ex-butcher Ken from Melbourne is looking at spending just $60,000 on a two bedroom apartment.

But for others, the attraction is also the pleasures of red-light districts like Pattaya, amid concern from locals over too many ‘sexpats’ making Thailand home.

The short promo is here ... http://www.sbs.com.au/dateline/story/related/aid/898/id/602005/n/Paradise-Pensioners

.

Nick Lazaredes came up to Chiang Mai in preparing this story. His producer contacted me, asking about "reports of growing numbers Aussie pensioners who were coming into financial difficulties", asking if I could put Nick in touch with some who were in difficulty, maybe homeless and down on their luck.

Nothing could be further from the truth for the Aussie retirees in Chiang Mai. They seem to be a pretty happy lot, enjoying life. In the end, Nick interviewed some of my Aussie friends at a local restaurant -- retired Aussie women and couples. I'm afraid none of them were sexpats with young Thai women. The ladies talked about how older women are treated with respect by the Thai people, how they enjoy lunches with friends, spas, hairdressers, nail salons, dressmakers -- all luxuries that would probably be beyond their reach in Australia. It will be interesting to see if the interviews with the retired Aussie ladies enjoying life actually make it to the program.