Suggestions On Where In Thailand To Retire?

[JayBird]

Hello everyone,

I'm a long time lurker, and first time poster. Please be kind I've spent a while reading the literally invaluable information on this site and truly appreciate all the valuable advise and info the members give here. That's why I decided to post my question here to see if someone has a suggestion for me

About me: I've been visiting Thailand back and forth for about 6 years, 1-2 months each time, and I do love it here. I decided to 'retire' here (I'm only 40 but decided to give up the conventional job and live off of my assets -- so not looking for a job or setting up a company or this/that).

Where I've looked: I've spent nearly a year in Bangkok (live in a condo there now), about that amount of time in Pattaya, spent a month in Phuket and a couple of weeks in Buriram.

I have not been anywhere else in Thailand yet, but hope to explore more over the years.

What I'm looking for (and why I love Thailand):

1) Places to *WALK* and enjoy the views/scene/people/life (When in Pattaya or Phuket I would go for 3+ hour walks daily and enjoy seeing the shops, people about their lives, the houses, the beach, everything). Sadly in Bangkok, I can walk 10 minutes before the pollution gets to me

2) FOOD! Glorious food! Love the food in Bangkok & Pattaya (good restaurants and Isan food respectively). Don't care for it in Phuket (no luck finding enough good restaurants. Locals I talked to also praised Bangkok for its food, so I don't think it was just me).

3) Shopping! I'm a shop-aholic! I have a medical need to be near malls! (One reason I like Singapore). Bangkok has it covered, but the other places, not so much.

4) Good clean air. I need to breathe

5) Things to keep me active (I'm not going to sit around sipping beer all day (I don't actually drink)). So need things to help keep me active -- a Good gym is good (I presently work out about 3hours/day).

So far from my own list, I would rate Pattaya the highest (it hits most of those points the best). But maybe there is somewhere else In Thailand I have not been that might also be a good fit? (Hua Hin, Sri Racha? Somewhere?)

Any tips/suggestions greatly welcomed!

(Sorry for the long post! Didn't want to put out such a general request that any city would fit)

[BKResort]

If you are single...you will live where the soulmate of your dreams is living or its will likes to live. At your age...the only problem will be too many choices. Focus is mandatory.

[fey]

try chiang mai

good balance between malls and walkable nature areas, food is good too

[GuestHouse]

try chiang mai

good balance between malls and walkable nature areas, food is good too

The OP says he needs clean air, no pollution.

Hardly Chiang Mai then.

[elliss]

try chiang mai

good balance between malls and walkable nature areas, food is good too

The OP says he needs clean air, no pollution.

Hardly Chiang Mai then.

Chiang Rai. No pollution, and few farangs .

[AlexRich]

I think Chiang Mai is good for 10 months of the year, the period outside the burning season. Plenty of outdoor activities and pretty decent malls and food locations. Nightlife is okay but is not like Pattaya or Bangkok. If you have access to a vehicle you can also spend some time in the Chiang Rai region, great for exploring the countryside and mountains. No beaches though, so that might be an issue.

[R123]

OP: I would suggest that Pattaya is the best place for you to start. Acceptable and inexpensive gyms such as Tony's, plenty of restaurants and places you can go for walking; and the shopping is good enough.

Other amenities in Pattaya include decent hospitals etc

Can use your time in Pattaya to travel to other areas in Thailand to see if anywhere else preferable.

U mention "retirement" but u are not old enough for that Visa so u need to work out your visa status to stay here long time.

[mesquite]

***

Edited March 25, 2016 by mesquite

[1happykamper]

I think Chiang Mai is good for 10 months of the year, the period outside the burning season. Plenty of outdoor activities and pretty decent malls and food locations. Nightlife is okay but is not like Pattaya or Bangkok. If you have access to a vehicle you can also spend some time in the Chiang Rai region, great for exploring the countryside and mountains. No beaches though, so that might be an issue.

When referring to the nightlife.. Are you referring to the opera, live theater or a major artist concert? No? I didn't think so. No really good nightlife here in Chiang Mai City.

[GuestHouse]

try chiang mai

good balance between malls and walkable nature areas, food is good too

The OP says he needs clean air, no pollution.

Hardly Chiang Mai then.

Chiang Rai. No pollution, and few farangs .

Perhaps all the Farangs are hiding in doors from you 'no plroblem' air pollution in Chiang Rai

http://mobile.dudamobile.com/site/chiangraitimes4?dm_redirected=true#2894

[GuestHouse]

try chiang mai

good balance between malls and walkable nature areas, food is good too

The OP says he needs clean air, no pollution.

Hardly Chiang Mai then.

Chiang Rai. No pollution, and few farangs .

Perhaps all the Farangs are hiding in doors from you 'no problem' air pollution in Chiang Rai Edited March 25, 2016 by GuestHouse

[JayBird]

OP: I would suggest that Pattaya is the best place for you to start. Acceptable and inexpensive gyms such as Tony's, plenty of restaurants and places you can go for walking; and the shopping is good enough.

Other amenities in Pattaya include decent hospitals etc

Can use your time in Pattaya to travel to other areas in Thailand to see if anywhere else preferable.

U mention "retirement" but u are not old enough for that Visa so u need to work out your visa status to stay here long time.

Sadly no retirement visa for me, but I will do trips every 2-3 months to Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, etc. Grab a 2-month visa and return. Also plan to spend 3-4 months in Europe (I have a house there so I like to visit it). I'm Canadian/G7 so its pretty easy for me to get the 60-day visa. (I thought about getting the PE/Thai Elite Visa, but for 100k/year I could do that *OR* spend it travelling around south east asia.. for the moment I choose the latter).

Yes, right now I'm leaning towards Pattaya (and the convenience of 24-hour food, walking, shops, is great). I'm actually focused on Central Pattaya vs. Jomtien or North Pattaya (specifically between Beach Road, North, South, and Sukhumuvit).

[JayBird]

try chiang mai

good balance between malls and walkable nature areas, food is good too

The OP says he needs clean air, no pollution.

Hardly Chiang Mai then.

Chiang Rai. No pollution, and few farangs .

I'm okey with Foreigners (not looking to get fully embedded and go native): I can take it or leave it either way. (I only get annoyed when Thai people will not serve me spicy food because I look foreign... I can handle my Som Tom spicier than they can!)

I looked up Chiang Rai. It looks like a very nice, peaceful, quiet place with lots of nature and museums. I might last 3 weeks before I die of boredom But I'll definitely put it on my list of places to check out first! Thank you.

I know about Chiang Mai, and have it on reliable sources that the pollution there can get awfully bad, which is why I didn't put it on my list.

[Sheryl]

Hua Hin merits serious consideration as well and I think air there may be cleaner.

If you buy a condo for 10 million baht you can get an investment visa. Or a condo at less than that and he difference invested in a fixed deposit account or certain types of securities (state bonds, I think, but check).

Of course should live in an area for a while before considering buying, to make sure it suits you.

[CharlieH]

Take a trip "up North" to Isaan territory, have a look at Udon Thani, there is a good chance a dusky maiden from that area has already chosen you, you just dont know it yet

[villagefarang]

I lived in Bangkok for 30 years before moving to Chiang Rai in my 50s. From my perspective, I would make Bangkok your base and wait until you are older to move upcountry. Bangkok is huge so where you choose to live is important. I lived within walking distance of Central World and Paragon with easy access to the Skytrain. Certain areas flood or are too close to the nightlife. It is one thing to go there for entertainment, it is something else to live in it 24/7. Lumpini Park is not too far from that area but I found it more comfortable to workout in high end health clubs.

[AlexRich]

I think Chiang Mai is good for 10 months of the year, the period outside the burning season. Plenty of outdoor activities and pretty decent malls and food locations. Nightlife is okay but is not like Pattaya or Bangkok. If you have access to a vehicle you can also spend some time in the Chiang Rai region, great for exploring the countryside and mountains. No beaches though, so that might be an issue.

When referring to the nightlife.. Are you referring to the opera, live theater or a major artist concert? No? I didn't think so. No really good nightlife here in Chiang Mai City.

You'll rarely find these things outside of a capital city, unless you are in Europe. You forgot Ballet, Museums and Art Galleries, and major Exhibitions. The Op never mentioned that he had a taste for these activities, so I presumed they were not high on his list of priorities.

Chiang Mai has a mix of bars, restaurants and cinemas, markets with the odd cultural event. There was a Jazz Festival last year, for example.

[prestburypark]

Head for the far south, banjo picking country, enjoy...

[fey]

my guess is that you wont end up "retiring" here at all

you seem to be in the same situation i was in. traveling around every 3 months is in fact preferable at your age then digging in would be imo

so you just visit a new location every 3 months, call it "home" and move on

youll probably be drawn back to certain places for whatever reason, cost of living or a girl you know, whatever. most people end up staying in fewer locations as they get older.

it is easy to get lazy and just sit in bkk. had a neighbor who was in the same flat for 15 years before going back to belgium. i really had to pull myself out of bkk, did not like it, but its easy to just sit there and watch the time fly by sleeping days and partying at night.

had another neighbor who was into whoring and i left to travel the world, i returned about two years later (i stay in the same building each time), he was still sitting there like it was yesterday, single, getting older and whoring. man, kind of depressing really.

he also had not shaved or waxed his back hair since when i left and it looked like a rug. bizarre, given all the spa services around.

Edited March 25, 2016 by fey

[Craig krup]

Take a trip "up North" to Isaan territory, have a look at Udon Thani, there is a good chance a dusky maiden from that area has already chosen you, you just dont know it yet

If you take a look at a map the thing that jumps out about Udon is the excellent parks - most places have nothing like them. They're really nice for daily use, and within Isaan there's obviously massive national parks for longer trips. There are at least two "western" gyms, Your Fitness and Fitness First, and they're both in/next to UD Town, which is a pretty substantial shopping mall complex. You might be a wee bit limited at night, though. If you're in and out regularly timing it so your December-January "in" leads to 90 days in Udon, with the rest in Chiang Mai, might mean more to do most of the year, with clean air during the burning season.

Edited March 25, 2016 by Craig krup

[2fishin2]

Chiang Mai seems the perfect place for you

[elliss]

When referring to the nightlife.. Are you referring to the opera, live theater or a major artist concert? No? I didn't think so. No really good nightlife here in Chiang Mai City.

UGH , Who are you trying to kid , maybe yourself .

CM , has plenty of everything , especially after dark .

Burmese ladies , are simply the best , CM have

[geronimo]

I would suggest a Bangkok suburb, still green if you pick the right one and not too far from the action. You can rent a mansion for 300 $ a month and still live in the "countryside"

[JayBird]

my guess is that you wont end up "retiring" here at all

you seem to be in the same situation i was in. traveling around every 3 months is in fact preferable at your age then digging in would be imo

so you just visit a new location every 3 months, call it "home" and move on

youll probably be drawn back to certain places for whatever reason, cost of living or a girl you know, whatever. most people end up staying in fewer locations as they get older.

it is easy to get lazy and just sit in bkk. had a neighbor who was in the same flat for 15 years before going back to belgium. i really had to pull myself out of bkk, did not like it, but its easy to just sit there and watch the time fly by sleeping days and partying at night.

had another neighbor who was into whoring and i left to travel the world, i returned about two years later (i stay in the same building each time), he was still sitting there like it was yesterday, single, getting older and whoring. man, kind of depressing really.

he also had not shaved or waxed his back hair since when i left and it looked like a rug. bizarre, given all the spa services around.

Heh, hopefully that doesn't become me. I don't really party or go drinking in bars. I enjoy fine wine, but I save that for when I'm in France ( I spend about 3 months/year there as well).

I plan to keep myself busy with private projects so I should hopefully not waste away

[AlexRich]

Take a trip "up North" to Isaan territory, have a look at Udon Thani, there is a good chance a dusky maiden from that area has already chosen you, you just dont know it yet

If you take a look at a map the thing that jumps out about Udon is the excellent parks - most places have nothing like them. They're really nice for daily use, and within Isaan there's obviously massive national parks for longer trips. There are at least two "western" gyms, Your Fitness and Fitness First, and they're both in/next to UD Town, which is a pretty substantial shopping mall complex. You might be a wee bit limited at night, though. If you're in and out regularly timing it so your December-January "in" leads to 90 days in Udon, with the rest in Chiang Mai, might mean more to do most of the year, with clean air during the burning season.

A bit off topic ... is Udon Thani clean during the burning season? No haze/pollution?

[lovelomsak]

Jaybird from just reading between the lines from your posts I feel you are asking the wrong forum for help.

You appear to be a young health orientated guy. With lots of income. One who likes good wines and perhaps the arts.

Most guys in this forum probably donot travel in the circles you are accustom too.Difficult to assist.

The lifestyle you lead is rare. And to be honest sounds likeyou will only be in Thailand 4 to 6 months a year hardly retired, just more of one residence out of many.

My suggestion to start is Pattaya. Get a rental with every thing you want. you will just have to learn to live for a few months a year in a place with no real culture stimulations, Just raw entertainment and beachs. Donot expect good wines and fine dining. You will have to be happy with mediocure at best.

Your best bet is Singapore.

[JayBird]

Jaybird from just reading between the lines from your posts I feel you are asking the wrong forum for help.

You appear to be a young health orientated guy. With lots of income. One who likes good wines and perhaps the arts.

Most guys in this forum probably donot travel in the circles you are accustom too.Difficult to assist.

The lifestyle you lead is rare. And to be honest sounds likeyou will only be in Thailand 4 to 6 months a year hardly retired, just more of one residence out of many.

My suggestion to start is Pattaya. Get a rental with every thing you want. you will just have to learn to live for a few months a year in a place with no real culture stimulations, Just raw entertainment and beachs. Donot expect good wines and fine dining. You will have to be happy with mediocure at best.

Your best bet is Singapore.

Thank for your suggestion. I'm starting to think you may be right. (And I do nip to Singapore for a couple weeks every year as well). I'll look more into Udon Thani as others have suggested. Maybe its not as dull as I thought, however Hua Hin definitely appears to be *quiet*.

The plus side of Pattaya is its closer to BKK for International Flights (I believe everywhere else has to fly to BKK before flying to Europe/etc.)

Perhaps 'Retired' is the wrong word? I'm not 'working for a company' so I'm a free agent. (I did not want to say jettsetting playboy )

Oh well, time to dig more into Udon Thani and Pattaya. Thank you all for your feedback!

[lovelomsak]

(I did not want to say jettsetting playboy

Being humble is always a good thing. Thailand is not a jetsetter playboy place it is more of a whore mongers delight. But hey when you eat steak all the time beans taste good.

[fey]

Jaybird from just reading between the lines from your posts I feel you are asking the wrong forum for help.

You appear to be a young health orientated guy. With lots of income. One who likes good wines and perhaps the arts.

Most guys in this forum probably donot travel in the circles you are accustom too.Difficult to assist.

The lifestyle you lead is rare. And to be honest sounds likeyou will only be in Thailand 4 to 6 months a year hardly retired, just more of one residence out of many.

My suggestion to start is Pattaya. Get a rental with every thing you want. you will just have to learn to live for a few months a year in a place with no real culture stimulations, Just raw entertainment and beachs. Donot expect good wines and fine dining. You will have to be happy with mediocure at best.

Your best bet is Singapore.

or hong kong. that would be my alternative in this situation if money was not a top priority. many countries can get a 3 month visa free stay since its a special business zone.

great nightlife, walkable stuff and nature, cultural stuff, it has it all. but you pay more to live there of course.

[sandyf]

You should have a good look at Bang Saen, about halfway between Bangkok and Pattaya and has a lot going for it.