What is life like in Thailand for very old expats?

[geriatrickid]

6 hours ago, Bonobojt said:

I'm only 25, I have to wait a long time before I retire, and god knows what the world will be like when I'm in my 60s or 70s, with all this global warming and wars happening, animal agriculture killing the planet, no fish in the oceans by 2050...I'd say you might be lucky to be old expats living in Thailand...I'm slightly jealous of all you expats, the ones that are happy and healthy that is..

 

Newsflash: If those old codgers are happy now, they were most likely happy when they were your age. 99% of people don't suddenly become happy once they hit 50 or 60. Those older folks we see doing well, are genuinely decent people. They didn't abandon their parental responsibilities, didn't work in a Bangkok boiler room to make their stash, didn't abuse kids working in the sex trade, and  didn't throw away their manners or common sense when they got to Thailand. Some might be  tough or  crusty, but all will do the right thing.   And then we get to the angry old folks. They blame everyone else for their   situation. They were doing that when they were 25  years old too, while they were screwing around.  Their unhappiness is  their reward for a life misspent, and for not planning.   Old saying rings true: As yee sow, so shall yee reap.

[balo]

4 hours ago, geriatrickid said:

As yee sow, so shall yee reap.

Hear hear! 

I am reaping right now. Not sure what it is but I feel fine. 

 

 

 

[SaintLouisBlues]

12 hours ago, Bonobojt said:

I'm only 25, I have to wait a long time before I retire, and god knows what the world will be like when I'm in my 60s or 70s, with all this global warming and wars happening, animal agriculture killing the planet, no fish in the oceans by 2050...I'd say you might be lucky to be old expats living in Thailand...I'm slightly jealous of all you expats, the ones that are happy and healthy that is..

Have you thought of slashing your wrists right now?

[GinBoy2]

Most people are realistic to know that Thailand is not a good place to be if you become infirm. Most Thai's rely on family to take care of them when they are old.

Also health care, without decent medical insurance you are going to be in a whole world of hurt.

Now if you are lucky, and the woman in your life is willing and able, then you may be OK.

If however that's not the case, just make sure you have a bolt hole back in your home country, preferably near your kids. I know my eldest daughter would look after me....my youngest daughter? She'd have me sleeping under a freeway overpass!

[Naam]

9 hours ago, geriatrickid said:

 

Newsflash: If those old codgers are happy now, they were most likely happy when they were your age. 99% of people don't suddenly become happy once they hit 50 or 60. Those older folks we see doing well, are genuinely decent people. They didn't abandon their parental responsibilities, didn't work in a Bangkok boiler room to make their stash, didn't abuse kids working in the sex trade, and  didn't throw away their manners or common sense when they got to Thailand. Some might be  tough or  crusty, but all will do the right thing.   And then we get to the angry old folks. They blame everyone else for their   situation. They were doing that when they were 25  years old too, while they were screwing around.  Their unhappiness is  their reward for a life misspent, and for not planning.   Old saying rings true: As yee sow, so shall yee reap.

 

i hate it when i'm forced to agree with you! 

[geronimo]

I think they are inclined to die, as do we all eventually. In what environment? That kind of depends on what kind of life they lived.

[geronimo]

17 hours ago, Bonobojt said:

I'm only 25, I have to wait a long time before I retire, and god knows what the world will be like when I'm in my 60s or 70s, with all this global warming and wars happening, animal agriculture killing the planet, no fish in the oceans by 2050...I'd say you might be lucky to be old expats living in Thailand...I'm slightly jealous of all you expats, the ones that are happy and healthy that is..

There may be nothing left when you get to our age lol

[little mary sunshine]

5 hours ago, GinBoy2 said:

Most people are realistic to know that Thailand is not a good place to be if you become infirm. Most Thai's rely on family to take care of them when they are old.

Also health care, without decent medical insurance you are going to be in a whole world of hurt.

Now if you are lucky, and the woman in your life is willing and able, then you may be OK.

If however that's not the case, just make sure you have a bolt hole back in your home country, preferably near your kids. I know my eldest daughter would look after me....my youngest daughter? She'd have me sleeping under a freeway overpass!

 

 

I wouldn't count on your oldest daughter either.  If a child would

let her father sleep under an overpass, it tells what kind of a

father she had....KARMA. (  For the drunks.)

[GinBoy2]

1 minute ago, little mary sunshine said:

 

 

I wouldn't count on your oldest daughter either.  If a child would

let her father sleep under an overpass, it tells what kind of a

father she had....KARMA. (  For the drunks.)

Dude, embrace humorous banter!

[little mary sunshine]

1 hour ago, Naam said:

 

i hate it when i'm forced to agree with you! 

 

1 hour ago, Naam said:

 

i hate it when i'm forced to agree with you! 

 

 

Such a a true statement...KARMA at work!

[little mary sunshine]

43 minutes ago, geronimo said:

There may be nothing left when you get to our age lol

 

 

 

Some see see a glass half full others half empty.....but totally 

empty??  Hope you get some professional help!

[little mary sunshine]

5 minutes ago, GinBoy2 said:

Dude, embrace humorous banter!

 

 

Sick humor?...more realistic in your case!

[geronimo]

1 minute ago, little mary sunshine said:

 

 

 

Some see see a glass half full others half empty.....but totally 

empty??  Hope you get some professional help!

There isn't a more positive person than I on this planet miss Mary Sunshine, all was said in JEST.

 

[GinBoy2]

Dude, I;m not sure what you think about me, but if you somehow think I;m some degenerate drunk, couldn't be further from the truth, I haven't had a drink in over 30 years

[little mary sunshine]

1 hour ago, GinBoy2 said:

Dude, I;m not sure what you think about me, but if you somehow think I;m some degenerate drunk, couldn't be further from the truth, I haven't had a drink in over 30 years

 

 

Just a a drunk when you should have been responsible

with your children...Now I get it!

[GinBoy2]

1 minute ago, little mary sunshine said:

 

 

Just a a drunk when you should have been responsible

with your children...Now I get it!

Well 30 years ago I would have been 25, hadn't even had any kids at that point. So get a life and stop your pointless accusations

[little mary sunshine]

18 minutes ago, GinBoy2 said:

Well 30 years ago I would have been 25, hadn't even had any kids at that point. So get a life and stop your pointless accusations

 

 

Denial. Sign of a drunk for sure...."  Me Thinks Thou Protesrist

To Much".....

[GinBoy2]

3 minutes ago, little mary sunshine said:

 

 

Denial. Sign of a drunk for sure...."  Me Thinks Thou Protesrist

To Much".....

You really seem to have some issues of your own to deal with, God knows what, but this is enough for me. You have a good day

[khunpa]

I would guess that getting really old and sick really sucks, no matter where you are in the world. But if you have family around you, I guess that makes it easier.

 

I know some pretty old farangs living here. Compared to the old people I know in my home country, they live a pretty good life. At least they can sit outside and enjoy the weather, without freezing to death ;-)

Edited October 9, 2016 by khunpa

[Gary A]

As far as drinking, I'd like to get drunk once in awhile. Unfortunately my old body is now getting even with me for all the years of abuse. The day after a drinking session makes the suffering TOO expensive to be worth it. I can still have a couple beers but I know when to quit.

[retoohs]

On ‎10‎/‎5‎/‎2016 at 9:13 PM, Munchkinboss44 said:

Theres a farlang guy in the village fell and broke his hip, the hospital will not operate until he pays 100000 baht, so they took him back to his room where he lays in his bed, has a Thai girlfriend who just spends all his 55.000 baht per mnth pension and leaves him to rot in his bed. He has no medical insurance so is basically finished. Has made me think and I will be returning back to my country before its to late.

 

 

Call the guys embassy so they can arrange some medical care.

[retoohs]

16 hours ago, khunpa said:

I would guess that getting really old and sick really sucks, no matter where you are in the world. But if you have family around you, I guess that makes it easier.

 

I know some pretty old farangs living here. Compared to the old people I know in my home country, they live a pretty good life. At least they can sit outside and enjoy the weather, without freezing to death ;-)

 

and still boom boom a youngish girl when energy levels allow which isn't so easy in the west

[retoohs]

I met an old girl aged in he late 70's in an Aussie bar at Jomtiem. She had just packed up to move back to Australia after living the past 40 years in Thailand without ever returning home once. She was worried as hadn't kept touch with family or friends and now knew nobody back in Oz. I clearly remember her saying that if she was a man she would be staying as she saw Thailand as a paradise for men but found it very hard to live a satisfying life as an elderly single woman in the Kingdom.  I guess after 40 years she understands the Thai life for an expat better than most but is she right?

[Living in a cartoon]

Always thought this was insightful about growing old, at least here in the US.

 

If you see someone really old, walk up to them and just say hi and ask them how it's going. Some of them just want someone to talk to, and many have some really interesting stories.

 

John Prine.

 

We had an apartment in the city,
Me and Loretta liked living there.
Well, it'd been years since the kids had grown,
A life of their own left us alone.
John and Linda live in Omaha,
And Joe is somewhere on the road.
We lost Davy in the Korean war,
And I still don't know what for, don't matter anymore.

Ya' know that old trees just grow stronger,
And old rivers grow wilder ev'ry day.
Old people just grow lonesome
Waiting for someone to say, "Hello in there, hello."

Me and Loretta, we don't talk much more,
She sits and stares through the back door screen.
And all the news just repeats itself
Like some forgotten dream that we've both seen.
Someday I'll go and call up Rudy,
We worked together at the factory.
But what could I say if asks "What's new?"
"Nothing, what's with you? Nothing much to do."

So if you're walking down the street sometime
And spot some hollow ancient eyes,
Please don't just pass 'em by and stare
As if you didn't care, say, "Hello in there, hello."

[irishken]

My plan with the Wife is possibly to retire in Thailand, which is still a long way down the road using state? and private pensions which we will have. I've told my wife i will not sell our home and it will not be passed onto the kids until we have passed away. They can live in it for free but if i retire to Thailand ill never leave myself without a fall back in Ireland and that is not up for negotiation with her. I've witnessed enough sorry stories from been a regular traveller to LOS for over 10 years to see that it could easily happen to me.

[Travel2003]

On 10/5/2016 at 9:34 AM, Tai777 said:

Tons of old Thais everywhere, don't know what country you're in OP

Maybe read the post again before you comment?

What country are you in?

[Travel2003]

This is a good question.

I asked this a few years ago, but most expats (NOT you who visits once i while) do not want to think about it, so moronic remarks was written instead, and most of them by sexpats.

 

As expected, many of the members here jumped on the keyboards not even reading the OP through again.

 

My concern is, will my wife roll me into the Immigration Office when I'm 97 years old, sitting and drooling in a wheel chair, not even knowing what is going on?

I am better off if she pushes the wheelchair in the klong, with me in it long before that.

[NancyL]

On 10/5/2016 at 3:13 PM, Munchkinboss44 said:

Theres a farlang guy in the village fell and broke his hip, the hospital will not operate until he pays 100000 baht, so they took him back to his room where he lays in his bed, has a Thai girlfriend who just spends all his 55.000 baht per mnth pension and leaves him to rot in his bed. He has no medical insurance so is basically finished. Has made me think and I will be returning back to my country before its to late.

I don't know how I missed this thread when it first appeared.  As several have pointed out, something could have been arranged with the hospital where an initial payment was made and a contract signed for the balance, to be paid in, say two months time.  Now, if any real time has progressed, he may be so debilitated and probably suffering from bed sores and other problems, that it's going to cost more than 100,000 baht to get him up and walking again.  

 

His Embassy should be called.  It doesn't matter if the woman taking his money claims to be his wife, this is elder abuse.  If he is British and near Pattaya, then the Royal British Legion could probably help.  https://web.facebook.com/royalbritishlegionthailand/?_rdr

 

If near Chiang Mai, then Lanna Care Net   www.LannaCareNet.org

 

If he's in a rental room, then the owner of the property should be made aware.  Most Thai property owners don't want someone dying in their property and are willing to work in getting a foreigner assistance.  If in a village, then get the village head man involved.

 

 

[NancyL]

I'm involved with Lanna Care Net and sadly, we encounter someone like the man in the above post about once a month.  However, often it's the foreigner himself who is refusing medical treatment and insisting he just wants to be left alone to die in his room, of a condition that could have been treated if he'd had health insurance or adequate funds to seek medical treatment.  Usually it's a friend of the foreigner or the owner of the property, or a neighbor who contact us.  Sometimes the consul or embassy.  Sometimes the family in the home country who has lost contact with the person.

 

(Actually, the guy in the photo looks like he's being kept clean and is probably hydrated and fed regularly.  I just hope he's moved regularly to prevent bedsores.  I've seen, much much worse.)

 

It's essential that older people plan ahead and not just for having someone to take care of their physical needs, but also for having someone to do "the thinking" for them as they age.  As you can see from that photo, once someone gets to be in their mid-70s, it just takes one fall or illness for things to go downhill in a real hurry.

[thaibeachlovers]

On ‎05‎.‎10‎.‎2016 at 10:14 AM, boomerexpat said:

'What about the expats without families? Do most end up marrying Thais? I encountered a lot in Bangkok and Chiang Mai who didn't.

If an expat doesn't have a family to look after them, they'd better have lots of money to pay for live in care around the clock.

I suspect most go back to their home country for taxpayer funded care, if it is available.

That that is necessary shows how stupid western politicians are. It costs way more to look after an aged person there than it would be to give pensions in countries like LOS so aged people can continue to live overseas.