Thailand ranked as one of world’s best places to retire in 2015

[Nowisee]

As someone that has been ‘shopping’ for a place to retire/live fulltime/partime, I’ve been reading “best place to retire” articles for the past 2.5 years.

Still living in thailand full time and having my ups and downs, but not hating the place yet and not fully enamored with it either.

My reason for here was safety, cost, food, infrastructure, decent health/dental care and ease of getting retirement visa and visiting surrounding countries.

I’ve only been to mexico, costa rica and thailand, so hardly qualified to make too much sense.

BUT, I will say that I do not care for the women (and really, why move to a place as a single guy that does not have attractive available women?) in central america.

Panama is too hot and I agree that is probably being highly regarded by most with an agenda… but, i have not been so there’s that.

I have heard the colombian women are good looking, not so sure about availability of good looking mid 30’s women there…. its' the safety issue that is brought up a lot. But the climate and countryside is wonderful... and close hop to home country.

I have decided long ago and every more increasingly that I will not live in a muslim dominated country (just my decision and not wanting to get into it over this)

So, Ecuador and Columbia are on the top of my go check it out list as is spain and since portugal is right there…well…and I can speak spanish on a conversational level.

I know spain will cost more that thailand, but you get more also...the cost is not so much a deciding factor for me anymore…and the idea of speed train to another city is appealing.

Maybe 6 months there 6 months here.

BUT, look forward to and enjoying reading some good input by others that have been to these places recently as some nicely written experiences are always good to read.

Edited January 6, 2015 by Nowisee

[SinCityGr8One]

Costa Rica is probably at the top of my list. The country is stable. No military.

Education and healthcare fantastic. Woman.... beautiful.

Do some research. Preferably, live research. VERY BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY.

I lived in Thailand for seven years. I am married to a Thai. Currently in Australia, - but I have my eye on moving to Costa Rica ... based a on about six months of living there (before Thailand).

I am done with Thailand. We miss many things about Thailand, - but it seems to have gone down hill.

COSTA RICA. Check it out!

Chok Dee! Adios! Buena Suerte! "Home is where the Heart is", and for ME, No Thanks, I'm staying in Thailand.

[simon43]

Thailand maybe good for a lot of people thinking of retirement. However, seems many people come here to commitassisted suicide in their droves like a Hari Kari Lourdes scenario .....

ScotBkk,any particular reason why you posted that graphic photo of someone committing suicide, other than trying to get your post count up?

I hope the Mods ensure that your post count increases no further.

[SiSePuede419]

I'm surprised this article didn't mention that most Americans retire in America.

Why? Too poor to retire "overseas", 555

[Jingthing]

I'm surprised this article didn't mention that most Americans retire in America.

Why? Too poor to retire "overseas", 555

Not exactly.

It's more like the USA is a very large country and if you want a warm climate, you can find that within the country.

Also Americans are propagandized that everyone in the world wants to move to the USA, so moving out of the USA still carries some stigma.

To many Americans, expatriation away from the USA is downright anti-American.

So for an American to retire abroad it's still a bold move, going against the grain.

Unlike when a Brit does that, from there it is much more common and seen as much more normal.

That said, I was rather surprised when Mexico raised their financial requirements for retired expats so much that I think they are now excluding the majority of U.S. social security recipients. Most Americans these days will only have the government pension and no private pension as well, as in the past was more common.

Edited January 6, 2015 by Jingthing

[SiSePuede419]

"You have been to to these other countries right? Have you lived there?"

Yeah, I live in Mexico.

I worked on a fruit farm in Costa Rica. Rode my bicycle all over CR for a month. Didn't see those "beautiful women" another poster was raving about.

Lived 3 months in Ecuador. It's a small country, easy to travel in, but Otovalo was depressing.

I travelled almost exclusively on the Carribean coast for a couple monghs in Columbia. Full of idiot binge drinkers there to party on coke.

Yeah, I get around for a Mexican...

[Jingthing]

A poster mentioned that he didn't find the Ecuadorians open and friendly. That's interesting to me. I have very limited experiences of Ecuadorians in the USA and more experience with Colombians in the USA. My random sample the Ecuadorians were indeed more guarded and the Colombians impressed me as some of the most open and friendly people I have ever met.

[lapd]

International Living is mostly geared towards the North American market so naturally Latin American destinations will dominate. I've been following these trends for a long time. Colombia is the riser. But yes, for places like Colombia and Ecuador, you need Spanish or a translator on call.

Spanish is soooo much easier for an NES to learn than is Thai. Spanish uses the same alphabet and the same basic sentence structure. It isn't tonal.

Many words can be learned by word association as they have similar derivatives. "Casa" = home or house. Ah! A man's home is his casa. Got it. "Por favor" pronounced poor fuh vor' literally means "for favor" or "please." "Cafe" = coffee. Ah! "Cafe, por favor?"

I can read and write and speak basic Spanish from absorption with not all that much contact. That would never happen for me with Thai.

I actually find the Thai language a lot easier to learn than Spanish. There are fewer rules and fewer words needed to be able to form sentences that make sense. Thai language doesn't use a lot of fill words like English and Spanish. Thais tell me that is the hardest part for them when learning English. As far as the tones, even if you get that wrong they can still understand you most of the time.

Edited January 6, 2015 by lapd

[lapd]

I am in Rio at the moment on Vacation, and Yes it's nice, but could not live here.

Do tell. Rio or Brazil in general?

I have never met a Rio expat who didn't have at least 1 mugging story. Usually more. Crime and safety is very very bad. Gotten very expensive in the last 10 years. Women are off the charts incredible though.

Edited January 6, 2015 by lapd

[peecee]

"Thailand received full score on entertainment and amenity," ---

Thailand gets next to no international shows, has no major sporting events (Takraw doesn't count), hardly any non-thai musicians who aren't a decade past their peak come to play here, has no worthy musuems or libraries or art galleries, fewer recreational venues than other countries..... yet it still gets full score?

I guess if your definition of "entertainment" is limited to shopping, drinkiing in bars and hiring prostitutes.

Sure there is worse places to live, but seriously maybe some "expats" could enlighten me what constitutes entertainment for old folk in Thailand? Sitting in traffic? Evening Aerobics in the Big C parking lot?

I'd have thought for retirees disabled access (Nil in Thailand) and road safety (Less than nil) should be in there somewhere?

[JGV]

What about people's experience in Cambodia

Good and bad points

[Jingthing]

What about people's experience in Cambodia

Good and bad points

Access to decent medical care is still an issue there for older people. Plus no retirement visas but there are workarounds.

[SiSePuede419]

"I have heard the colombian women are good looking"

Outside of Argentina, Columbia probably has more European genetics than other countries in Sudamerica (South America).

Girls raved about how handsome men from Artgentina are. I agree. But those same genetic traits don't translate to "beautiful" in the women.

Same in Columbia.

I was told by locals that Medellin had the "most beautiful girls". So I went there and stayed in both a local low-cost area and also the most exclusive area, that resembled an upscale California beach town, such as Santa Monica.

First of all, many people in Medellin speak Spanish with an Italian accent. It sounds horrible to my Mexican-American ears.

And the women look like trannies. So, if you're into masculine looking women, Medellin, Columbia is the place for you!

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Malta should be number 1, great place although more expensive! But it is in the EU.

Having lived in Malta and Gozo), can say no.

Poot internet, poor TV, more drunks on the road than Thailand, no available local women, expensive.

Very dry and barren landscape, almost desert.

Great place for a beach holiday, but wildlife in the sea all gone.

Portugal or Spain would be better choices than Malta.

[Jingthing]

What about people's experience in Cambodia

Good and bad points

Access to decent medical care is still an issue there for older people. Plus no retirement visas but there are workarounds.

Simlar situation in Thailand i.e. no retirement visa but a suitable (above board)work around, though the medical care here is exceptional.

That's ridiculous.

There is the O-A visa available from abroad and also annual retirement extensions. Nothing like that in Cambodia.

[Jingthing]

"I have heard the colombian women are good looking"

Outside of Argentina, Columbia probably has more European genetics than other countries in Sudamerica (South America).

Girls raved about how handsome men from Artgentina are. I agree. But those same genetic traits don't translate to "beautiful" in the women.

Same in Columbia.

I was told by locals that Medellin had the "most beautiful girls". So I went there and stayed in both a local low-cost area and also the most exclusive area, that resembled an upscale California beach town, such as Santa Monica.

First of all, many people in Medellin speak Spanish with an Italian accent. It sounds horrible to my Mexican-American ears.

And the women look like trannies. So, if you're into masculine looking women, Medellin, Columbia is the place for you!

They're famous for being liberal with the cosmetic surgery there. Argentinian Spanish sounds like Italian to me. How does that compare to the Medellin dialect?

[craigt3365]

We get the point with the retirement visa. Let's move on, OK?

[dddave]

I'm surprised this article didn't mention that most Americans retire in America.

Why? Too poor to retire "overseas", 555

Not exactly.

It's more like the USA is a very large country and if you want a warm climate, you can find that within the country.

Also Americans are propagandized that everyone in the world wants to move to the USA, so moving out of the USA still carries some stigma.

To many Americans, expatriation away from the USA is downright anti-American.

So for an American to retire abroad it's still a bold move, going against the grain.

Unlike when a Brit does that, from there it is much more common and seen as much more normal.

That said, I was rather surprised when Mexico raised their financial requirements for retired expats so much that I think they are now excluding the majority of U.S. social security recipients. Most Americans these days will only have the government pension and no private pension as well, as in the past was more common.

Until the USA started requiring passports for Canada & Mexico, it had one of the lowest ratios of passport holders to population in the developed world...American citizens can be pretty insular.

I think you missed one really big reason many retirees stay in the US: Medicare is not portable, unlike the British and Canadian systems that cover their citizens in foreign countries. The older you get, the bigger deal that becomes.

I agree with you that the availability of warm climates in Florida & California and temperate areas in the Southeast & Southwest takes some of the incentive away from leaving the country. One can still live pretty cheaply in many areas of Florida....especially inland.

Edited January 7, 2015 by dddave

[Jingthing]

I'm surprised this article didn't mention that most Americans retire in America.

Why? Too poor to retire "overseas", 555

Not exactly.

It's more like the USA is a very large country and if you want a warm climate, you can find that within the country.

Also Americans are propagandized that everyone in the world wants to move to the USA, so moving out of the USA still carries some stigma.

To many Americans, expatriation away from the USA is downright anti-American.

So for an American to retire abroad it's still a bold move, going against the grain.

Unlike when a Brit does that, from there it is much more common and seen as much more normal.

That said, I was rather surprised when Mexico raised their financial requirements for retired expats so much that I think they are now excluding the majority of U.S. social security recipients. Most Americans these days will only have the government pension and no private pension as well, as in the past was more common.

Until the USA started requiring passports for Canada & Mexico, it had one of the lowest ratios of passport holders to population in the developed world...American citizens can be pretty insular.

I think you missed one really big reason many retirees stay in the US: Medicare is not portable, unlike the British and Canadian systems that cover their citizens in foreign countries. The older you get, the bigger deal that becomes.

I agree with you that the availability of warm climates in Florida & California and temperate areas in the Southeast & Southwest takes some of the incentive away from leaving the country. One can still live pretty cheaply in many areas of Florida....especially inland.

You're right about the Medicare issue for Americans and medical care is something that prompts a lot of expats to go home from Thailand or anywhere.

Not really sure about the national health systems of Canada and the UK covering their expats globally though (specifically Thailand). In fact, I think that is not the case, but getting really off topic now I think.

Edited January 7, 2015 by Jingthing

[emilymat]

I'm surprised this article didn't mention that most Americans retire in America.

Why? Too poor to retire "overseas", 555

Not exactly.

It's more like the USA is a very large country and if you want a warm climate, you can find that within the country.

Also Americans are propagandized that everyone in the world wants to move to the USA, so moving out of the USA still carries some stigma.

To many Americans, expatriation away from the USA is downright anti-American.

So for an American to retire abroad it's still a bold move, going against the grain.

Unlike when a Brit does that, from there it is much more common and seen as much more normal.

That said, I was rather surprised when Mexico raised their financial requirements for retired expats so much that I think they are now excluding the majority of U.S. social security recipients. Most Americans these days will only have the government pension and no private pension as well, as in the past was more common.

Until the USA started requiring passports for Canada & Mexico, it had one of the lowest ratios of passport holders to population in the developed world...American citizens can be pretty insular.

I think you missed one really big reason many retirees stay in the US: Medicare is not portable, unlike the British and Canadian systems that cover their citizens in foreign countries. The older you get, the bigger deal that becomes.

I agree with you that the availability of warm climates in Florida & California and temperate areas in the Southeast & Southwest takes some of the incentive away from leaving the country. One can still live pretty cheaply in many areas of Florida....especially inland.

You're right about the Medicare issue for Americans and medical care is something that prompts a lot of expats to go home from Thailand or anywhere.

Not really sure about the national health systems of Canada and the UK covering their expats globally though (specifically Thailand). In fact, I think that is not the case, but getting really off topic now I think.

There is portability within the EU for the Brits. To what extent I'm not sure.

[Jingthing]

There is portability within the EU for the Brits. To what extent I'm not sure.

Yes I assumed that but this is a Thailand forum and I think not here.

[techboy]

Someone ought to send International Living Magazine a link to ThaiVisa

If your implication is that they would find an unpleasant "real" Thailand you are incorrect. They would however discover that there is a large community of miserable, wretched creatures who have discovered that a good exchange rate did not change the fact that they are still just that- and now they take it out on the country by maligning it Yes. It is obvious

[sambum]

I'm surprised this article didn't mention that most Americans retire in America.

Why? Too poor to retire "overseas", 555

Not exactly.

It's more like the USA is a very large country and if you want a warm climate, you can find that within the country.

Also Americans are propagandized that everyone in the world wants to move to the USA, so moving out of the USA still carries some stigma.

To many Americans, expatriation away from the USA is downright anti-American.

So for an American to retire abroad it's still a bold move, going against the grain.

Unlike when a Brit does that, from there it is much more common and seen as much more normal.

That said, I was rather surprised when Mexico raised their financial requirements for retired expats so much that I think they are now excluding the majority of U.S. social security recipients. Most Americans these days will only have the government pension and no private pension as well, as in the past was more common.

Until the USA started requiring passports for Canada & Mexico, it had one of the lowest ratios of passport holders to population in the developed world...American citizens can be pretty insular.

I think you missed one really big reason many retirees stay in the US: Medicare is not portable, unlike the British and Canadian systems that cover their citizens in foreign countries. The older you get, the bigger deal that becomes.

I agree with you that the availability of warm climates in Florida & California and temperate areas in the Southeast & Southwest takes some of the incentive away from leaving the country. One can still live pretty cheaply in many areas of Florida....especially inland.

You're right about the Medicare issue for Americans and medical care is something that prompts a lot of expats to go home from Thailand or anywhere.

Not really sure about the national health systems of Canada and the UK covering their expats globally though (specifically Thailand). In fact, I think that is not the case, but getting really off topic now I think.

Quick answer - the UK National Health Service does not cover your medical costs in Thailand - you have to take out insurance, and the older you get, the more expensive it becomes e.g. 65 + up to 3000 BP per annum.

[sambum]

Of course Thailand is a great place to live in and retire to. It is a wonderful country with infinite potential, but spoils its chances on the world stage by blatant errors which any first year psychology student would have no trouble in identifying and exposing !

Tourist numbers are certainly down, and the accurate figures are not being truthfully exposed for obvious reasons. The Visa situation is complicated and hardly user friendly. The level of spoken English is markedly down compared with a couple of decades ago. Security has declined, and the attitude of the Police leaves a considerable amount to be desired. It has to be accepted that 'farangs' are second class citizens or lower, and Thais are never wrong or are able to lose face by admitting so! Possibly Martial Law, although selective, has cleaned up the general image of LOS in some respects, but that and the fiasco over the murders in Koh Tao, have done a lot to dent the image of Thailand throughout the world, but this seems to be ignored by the upper echelons, possibly at their peril.

I could go and on, but I am sure this will evoke a lot of controversial responses, so let's take it from there, for now anyway !

Well said! Thailand will ALWAYS be a 3rd World Country if they carry on in the future as they do now, and have always done. But hey - the upside of that is that it keeps the prices down!

[sambum]

A lot of sense in this post! I have been retired here for about 7 years, and certainly the novelty of some things wear off after a while. However, when I look at the alternative of returning "home", and weigh up the pros and cons, the decision is easily made! I do not have "plenty of money", and the thought of returning to bills for Council Tax, Water (Rates), Electric, Gas, Television Licence, House and Contents Insurance, Landline Telephone/Internet, Car Tax, MOT, Insurance, (Or bills for taxis) etc etc fills me with dread. (especially Electric and Gas during the winter months.)

So you don't have electricity or gas or water or pay TV or internet or insurance or a car or take taxis in Thailand?

You must live some life, please tell?

TT - I rather suspect that you are just being deliberately obtuse in your questioning simply for the sake of making an argument and appearing smart...

I would guess that most people with a modicum of common sense would realise that sambum is not inferring that he has no bills to pay in Thailand, but rather the cost of Utility bills is between 3 - 5 times as much in the UK. Similarly a taxi from BKK to Korat recently cost me 1500Bht (I was happy to give the guy 2000) - similar length taxi journey here in UK costs more like equiv 12,500Bht.. I find insurances and internet cost to be comparable as are luxury items or 'western food shopping'. Overall though it's a no brainer that Thailand has the opportunity to provide you with with a vastly lower cost of living that any EU country.

Exactly right! I have answered TT in post # 164 but thank you for realising that TT didn't use a bit of common sense before putting his keypad in gear! I have been coming to Thailand for over 15 years and been living here for 8, and the cost of living here has gradually increased over the years, but so has the availability of "farang" goods. I never thought I would be doing my shopping at Tesco when I first came here! Also the exchange rate was much more favourable then, so all in all, yes it is more expensive than it was 15 years ago, but still much cheaper than the UK when you factor in the cost of Utility Bills, and the availability of cheap Thai food.

[Shadychris]

So you don't have electricity or gas or water or pay TV or internet or insurance or a car or take taxis in Thailand?

You must live some life, please tell?

TT - I rather suspect that you are just being deliberately obtuse in your questioning simply for the sake of making an argument and appearing smart...

I would guess that most people with a modicum of common sense would realise that sambum is not inferring that he has no bills to pay in Thailand,

Exactly right! I have answered TT in post # 164 but thank you for realising that TT didn't use a bit of common sense before putting his keypad in gear! I have been coming to Thailand for over 15 years and been living here for 8, and the cost of living here has gradually increased over the years, but so has the availability of "farang" goods. I never thought I would be doing my shopping at Tesco when I first came here! Also the exchange rate was much more favourable then, so all in all, yes it is more expensive than it was 15 years ago, but still much cheaper than the UK when you factor in the cost of Utility Bills, and the availability of cheap Thai food.

Well I guess its true to say the cost of living has increased worldwide over the past 15 years. But I dont think that it has increased by a larger % in Thailand than anywhere else in the world. I guess that if you choose to settle in a less developed Eastern country than your homeland, but still insist on buying your food from Western outlets then you will pay a premium. Personally I dont see the point in upping sticks and moving to another country with a different culture if all you want to do is live and eat and sit around bitching about everything thats wrong with you newfound situation in exactly the same way and style as you did in your homeland. Always amazes me that so many westerners when on holiday always seem to make it a priority to seek out the things they are used to at home instead of embracing the different things they have paid handsomely to go and experience. Why not just stay at home in the first place..

[maidee]

despite

a) you cannot buy land/house

you need 800k in the bank every year

c) you will not get citizenship (extreme rare cases that can but you have to been working, right ?)

d) how many thais speak any english or understandable ?

e) low healthcare cost ??? what about that bloke (recent post) that got a million baht of fees over 5 days ?

[Shadychris]

despite

a) you cannot buy land/house

you need 800k in the bank every year

c) you will not get citizenship (extreme rare cases that can but you have to been working, right ?)

d) how many thais speak any english or understandable ?

e) low healthcare cost ??? what about that bloke (recent post) that got a million baht of fees over 5 days ?

Just about wrong on every count

....

A)Granted you cant buy land - but you can buy buildings or leases. Owning land is not important to everyone...

B)Not sure in which currency your referencing 800k income every year, but that also seems wrong.

C)Citizenship is not that hard if you really want it. Provided you are not too lazy to learn some Thai and memorize their national anthem.

D)English is starting to become more widely understood especially amongst younger generation thais and in tourist areas, but hey - show some respect and learn the local language - its really not that hard with a little application you will soon know enough to get by in shops etc. If you are too lazy to do that then you are part of the problem and not the solution.

E) Healthcare cost is highly subjective. If you need antibiotics or other drugs its way cheaper in Thailand - just buy from the pharmacy with no need to pay crazy presription fees. Similarly basic outpatient treatments are not that expensive and less than paying privately in western countries. However if you need serious surgery after an accident or for a medical issue then yes you will get a big bill. But with the exception of the UK I think that applies pretty much anywhere in the world...

[northernjohn]

despite

a) you cannot buy land/house

you need 800k in the bank every year

c) you will not get citizenship (extreme rare cases that can but you have to been working, right ?)

d) how many thais speak any english or understandable ?

e) low healthcare cost ??? what about that bloke (recent post) that got a million baht of fees over 5 days ?

"a) you cannot buy land/house

you need 800k in the bank every year" Also B

Well you can buy a house and you do not need 800,000 baht in the bank. In fact you don't need any thing in the bank to have a legal yearly extension on your retirement visa. I call it a retirement visa because that is what it says on my visa.

"c) you will not get citizenship (extreme rare cases that can but you have to been working, right ?)"

Who really retires to get citizenship in another country?

"d) how many thais speak any english or understandable ?"

I have no idea. How long is a piece of string?

"e) low healthcare cost ??? what about that bloke (recent post) that got a million baht of fees over 5 days ?"

It would have cost him $1,000.000 in the states.

Well when it is all said and done it still comes down to what do you prefer. The one thing they left out in the article was the violent crime rate. Not sure if it is all that safe in many of the Latin American countries. Here in Thailand with just a small bit of common sense you can walk down the street in almost all of Thailand and feel safe.

Edited January 8, 2015 by northernjohn

[mikemac]

despite

a) you cannot buy land/house

you need 800k in the bank every year

c) you will not get citizenship (extreme rare cases that can but you have to been working, right ?)

d) how many thais speak any english or understandable ?

e) low healthcare cost ??? what about that bloke (recent post) that got a million baht of fees over 5 days ?

"a) you cannot buy land/house

you need 800k in the bank every year" Also B

Well you can buy a house and you do not need 800,000 baht in the bank. In fact you don't need any thing in the bank to have a legal yearly extension on your retirement visa. I call it a retirement visa because that is what it says on my visa.

"c) you will not get citizenship (extreme rare cases that can but you have to been working, right ?)"

Who really retires to get citizenship in another country?

"d) how many thais speak any english or understandable ?"

I have no idea. How long is a piece of string?

"e) low healthcare cost ??? what about that bloke (recent post) that got a million baht of fees over 5 days ?"

It would have cost him $1,000.000 in the states.

Well put northernjohn, but in this case I think your comment fell on deaf ears.

I cannot believe the lengths some people go to to run the country down, they must sit up all night thinking of new ways to whine, moan, groan and complain.

I especially liked this one - "d) how many thais speak any english or understandable ?"

Truth is a lot of Thai people expats meet probably can speak and understand English up to a point, but the minute they meet some nasty, arrogant Farang they pretend they can't. Don't blame them really.

And if I wanted to live in a country where the locals can speak English I would not have moved to Thailand.