Dwindling Options

[Naam]

6 minutes ago, swissie said:

Most of the Caribbean Islands have also become "pricey". Of course, somebody with unlimited financial resources, will not have to take this into consideration.

non pricey islands are Haiti and the Dominican Republic if you fancy an exorbitant high crime rate and daily power cuts lasting several hours.

 

still affordable islands are Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago (both low crime rate and Jamaica with a high one).

[anotheruser]

24 minutes ago, swissie said:

Thanks for all the comments guys. I put my emphasis on "compared to 5 years" ago. Not wanting to go into too much detail, a number of so called "emerging 3rd world countries", political stability is rather on the decline instead of on the increase. While at the same time "infrastructure" has not improved in a meaningful way.
The south of Europe has gotten expensive and the winters are not warm enough (exept for the Canary Islands). Most of the Caribbean Islands have also become "pricey". Of course, somebody with unlimited financial resources, will not have to take this into consideration.

As far as prices are concerned, the price increases we have witnessed in Thailand over the past 5 years, appear modest to me, in comparison to other places. Having said all that, I am getting the impression that retirement options have gotten fewer compared to 5 years ago. So, anybody contemplating "pulling up stakes" in Thailand, should think twice.
Cheers.

If you have the money the destinations haven't changed. I am a bit confused as to how you came to that conclusion?

 

[anotheruser]

11 minutes ago, Naam said:

non pricey islands are Haiti and the Dominican Republic if you fancy an exorbitant high crime rate and daily power cuts lasting several hours.

 

still affordable islands are Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago (both low crime rate and Jamaica with a high one).

Funny you should mention Trinidad. I might end up there other than high salaries it sounds like a complete hell hole.

[swissie]

19 minutes ago, Naam said:

non pricey islands are Haiti and the Dominican Republic if you fancy an exorbitant high crime rate and daily power cuts lasting several hours.

 

still affordable islands are Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago (both low crime rate and Jamaica with a high one).

I have taken Haiti & Dom.Rep off the list, for reasons you mentioned = Crime Rate!.

Cheers.

[anotheruser]

4 minutes ago, swissie said:

I have taken Haiti & Dom.Rep off the list, for reasons you mentioned = Crime Rate!.

Cheers.

Cross the other 198 places off because you simply can't afford it.It will cost you at least 4 or 5,000 dollars a month. If you like beaches. If I was broke and had to start again I would try Playa Del Carmen. Realistically places like Trinidad aren't on the table. 

Edited May 4, 2017 by anotheruser

[anotheruser]

46 minutes ago, swissie said:

Thanks for all the comments guys. I put my emphasis on "compared to 5 years" ago. Not wanting to go into too much detail, a number of so called "emerging 3rd world countries", political stability is rather on the decline instead of on the increase. While at the same time "infrastructure" has not improved in a meaningful way.
The south of Europe has gotten expensive and the winters are not warm enough (exept for the Canary Islands). Most of the Caribbean Islands have also become "pricey". Of course, somebody with unlimited financial resources, will not have to take this into consideration.

As far as prices are concerned, the price increases we have witnessed in Thailand over the past 5 years, appear modest to me, in comparison to other places. Having said all that, I am getting the impression that retirement options have gotten fewer compared to 5 years ago. So, anybody contemplating "pulling up stakes" in Thailand, should think twice.
Cheers.

Go fight inflation. 

[pattayahenry]

19 hours ago, dotpoom said:

Interesting for me to read your post. I feel like taking a "break" from Thailand myself after 16 years here, things are not going good between myself and my partner of about 8 years but am finding it real difficult to sell my house (and a condo). Like yourself I find my attitude getting a bit bitter, not because Thailand has changed, I'm aware it is myself that is changing due to the "trapped here" feeling I have.

She ( my partner) is living in the house while I live in a condo in Patts.

  At 68 now I also find myself doing a lot of "looking back" and thinking of how I want to spend my remaining years on this beautiful planet ( at least before the people on it started to go crazy).

your partner is viewing this house as her property, she will threaten anyone to buy it, this is thailand, forget the house, if you want to celebrate your next birtday.

 

[jerojero]

Long term rent makes no sense if you care about your Thai wife. If you pay rent or pay for a house in your wife's name, at least after you croak a house leaves her shelter. You're being totally selfish by leaving her nothing, unless you bequeath her a few million Baht. If that's the case why not invest in a house for her instead of giving a landlord millions.

 

 

[ballzafire]

Great topic. Lotsa good info here.

May I suggest using numbeo.com to do cost-of-living comparisons between cities and/or countries. VERY useful.

Also, surprised no one mentioned Bali as a worthy alternative to spend some off-time from our beloved LoS. AirAsia flights are cheap and plentiful, and the 30-day VOA is free for most western countries now. For longer stays, look into getting the 60-day Social Cultural Visa, then extending it up to 4 times, for a maximum stay of 6 months, after which you can readily fly back out to Singapore or KL to renew.

Bali is a 'saner' Thailand, IMHO -- and much more enchanting, too...

Edited May 4, 2017 by ballzafire

[rodney earl]

Like you I have also done some homework but unlike you I have found a few alternatives and if I could I would try and have tried them. At least in the other countries that I have been to they do not charge you 10 times 

the admittance price to go to a national park (government sanctioned)

[Kwasaki]

On 5/4/2017 at 9:19 AM, Twmsioncati said:

Sir what thai health insurance do you if u dobt mind me asking thank you ifor 

You should quote me or persons on here when asking a question.

I haven't been Knighted yet.    

 

There's many different plans and prices for Thai health insurance,  some people self insure but l can't afford that and even if l could l wouldn't want to tie so much money up anyway.

 

My cover for health is with Thai life insurance 32,000 bht annually plus 2000 bht for personal accident.

It comes with life cover and a very long list of amounts covering on all the various treatments in English if required,  l'm listed at the local gov hospital but can use any hospital in Thailand if necessary.

There's many for and against opinions on the Thai health insurance subject but l'm happy with my arrangement, it's better than nowt.

www.thailife.com     ......... l hope that you find what you require.

 

 

[craigt3365]

12 hours ago, janclaes47 said:

 

In Thailand they were also absolutely great in my first week here.

That wasn't my experience.  Bar girls aside. 5555

 

Apples and oranges.  Can't compare the two. 

[billd766]

21 hours ago, BigKahuna said:

Where do you live?

Rural Khampaeng Phet, 65 km from KPP city, about 2 km from the Mae Wong national park gate and the NP is also just over the back fence.

 

Little if any pollution, good roads, fresh air, 6 km from Klong Lan village where there is a bank, 7/11 and quite a few shops plus if I want it there are about 9 buses a day direct to BKK.

 

Reliable internet now that 3BB has run a VDSL link to the house, water supply now 24/7 but still crap electricity supply from the PEA with power outages especially during thunderstorms.

 

I live in my wife's house on 15 rai of her land plus she has another 10 up the road and we live a little less comfortably this year than last due to the Brexit currency drop but still quite comfortably.

Edited May 5, 2017 by billd766
Added extra text

[billd766]

8 hours ago, jerojero said:

Long term rent makes no sense if you care about your Thai wife. If you pay rent or pay for a house in your wife's name, at least after you croak a house leaves her shelter. You're being totally selfish by leaving her nothing, unless you bequeath her a few million Baht. If that's the case why not invest in a house for her instead of giving a landlord millions.

 

 

 

I did and would quite happily do so again.

[billd766]

4 hours ago, rodney earl said:

Like you I have also done some homework but unlike you I have found a few alternatives and if I could I would try and have tried them. At least in the other countries that I have been to they do not charge you 10 times 

the admittance price to go to a national park (government sanctioned)

 

How many times a year do you visit a national park?

[JAFO]

41 minutes ago, billd766 said:

5 hours ago, rodney earl said:

Like you I have also done some homework but unlike you I have found a few alternatives and if I could I would try and have tried them. At least in the other countries that I have been to they do not charge you 10 times 

the admittance price to go to a national park (government sanctioned)

 

How many times a year do you visit a national park?

I laughed when I read that comment to Billd766.

 

Unless you go every single day, 365 days a year who cares. The things that some people fixate on and bitch about is utterly amazing.

[Jingthing]

A caution on European destinations. For example, Portugal.

I looked into this and the news on that is the British expats in Spain and Portugal are very worried about Brexit because of the EU health care access situation.

If they lose that, Brits will be under the same rules as all potential expats there. You will be inflexibly REQUIRED to buy VERY EXPENSIVE private health insurance. That one cost pretty much overrules the other budget values of these destinations for many people. 
I understand the previous draw of Spain and Portugal for Brits .... but with this health care change, the bloom is off the rose. 

Edited May 5, 2017 by Jingthing

[craigt3365]

19 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

A caution on European destinations. For example, Portugal.

I looked into this and the news on that is the British expats in Spain and Portugal are very worried about Brexit because of the EU health care access situation.

If they lose that, Brits will be under the same rules as all potential expats there. You will be inflexibly REQUIRED to buy VERY EXPENSIVE private health insurance. That one cost pretty much overrules the other budget values of these destinations for many people. 
I understand the previous draw of Spain and Portugal for Brits .... but with this health care change, the bloom is off the rose. 

With that being said,  I know several individuals in Thailand who racked up huge hospital bills. One had cheap Thai insurance and it turned out to be just that.  Not worth the money. 

 

Medical coverage is a big deal as we get older. 

[Jingthing]

Yes, a huge huge deal wherever you live, including your home country (especially for Americans these days). 

[Naam]

On 5/5/2017 at 0:37 AM, anotheruser said:

Funny you should mention Trinidad. I might end up there other than high salaries it sounds like a complete hell hole.

we visited friends in Trinidad, didn't see a hell hole but the famous asphalt lake and extremely beautiful beaches.

[craigt3365]

2 hours ago, Naam said:

we visited friends in Trinidad, didn't see a hell hole but the famous asphalt lake and extremely beautiful beaches.

I've been to most of the Caribbean islands. Haiti,  DR, Trinidad and Tobago aside.

 

Would love to visit.

[anotheruser]

15 minutes ago, craigt3365 said:

I've been to most of the Caribbean islands. Haiti,  DR, Trinidad and Tobago aside.

 

Would love to visit.

I am sure it is great to visit. I have been researching it for a possible move. I think after about two weeks it would get old. The common theme I am hearing on different forums is the locals hate outsiders there. I would try it for a year if the money works out right but I doubt I would be clamoring to stay on after that.

 

I am not sure for most people Trinidad is a good alternative to Thailand. For whatever weird reason there seems to be a lot of insurance companies though. If you are in that industry there is money to be made. It evidently is the strongest economy of the Caribbean. Seems there is oil and gas there.

 

Looking into rents it looks like around $1,500 a month gets a reasonable place. It is a kind of tough place to get much info about online. Most forums involving Trinidad go months with no updates. If the contract comes through I will certainly let people know how it stacks up.

 

[GOLDBUGGY]

For me I think one of the big attractions is you don't need a lot of money to live here, although others would differ on this point. I think if you have a lot of money you can live just about anywhere. Man with Money No Have Problems, not only applies here in Thailand, but also most other places in the World. 

 

To be honest, if I won +$8M in a Loto, I don't think I would chose to live here. Or at least all the time. I like Thailand but with that kind of money there are also nicers places to live I think. a $2M House on Lake Taho might be one. So besides the normal things, like the climate, and the other benefits Thailand has to offer, lower expenses makes a difference to.  

[billd766]

8 minutes ago, GOLDBUGGY said:

For me I think one of the big attractions is you don't need a lot of money to live here, although others would differ on this point. I think if you have a lot of money you can live just about anywhere. Man with Money No Have Problems, not only applies here in Thailand, but also most other places in the World. 

 

To be honest, if I won +$8M in a Loto, I don't think I would chose to live here. Or at least all the time. I like Thailand but with that kind of money there are also nicers places to live I think. a $2M House on Lake Taho might be one. So besides the normal things, like the climate, and the other benefits Thailand has to offer, lower expenses makes a difference to.  

 

I agree with you about a lottery win however for me I would look at Lake Taupo in NZ. I spent 4 months working at Taupo back in 2009 and I loved it.

[F4UCorsair]

On 5/4/2017 at 0:52 PM, janclaes47 said:

 

My guess is that Swissie isn't from Canada, but that's just me, and I've been wrong before.

 

On 5/4/2017 at 1:28 PM, oxo1947 said:

When !!!!!!..............................

 

He's been wrong before now.   He's not Tawan Dok Krating Daeng or Alan Deer, who are never wrong!!!  Maybe that should be 'IS never wrong', if you follow what I'm saying.

[bill59]

I'm happy to spend two or three months a year in Thailand. It keeps the wife happy and connected with her family and friends and I enjoy the peace of our vacation home here.


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[perspectiff]

Maybe my opinions are biased since I have always felt an affinity with Thailand. I am in my early 30s and starting to plan my retirement. I would pack my bags tomorrow if my bank account permitted me to but alas im just a poor bloke.

 

Having lived in Singapore all my life, I have become disillusioned with the pace of life, lack of diversity in activities and the sky-rocket cost of living. I am hoping to reach my financial goals by 45 and take the next flight to CNX.

 

I have witnessed first hand what retirees in my country do. They get up, watch tv, go to the nearby coffeehouse and have a chat with friends and nothing more. Most of them live on 600-700 SGD a month (15000) which is very liveable in BKK but not so in Singapore. They cant afford to travel, there are no nature for you to hike and explore, fishing is limited, most people cant afford to own land so not much of a garden to tend to either. Malaysia is actually a very good option for those interested but personally I feel that its a little too close to home. 

 

My reasons for choosing Thailand

 

- Political stability: Nothing great to speak of but despite all the turmoil in the government, it hasnt affected the way of life too much
- Infrastructure: (including health services) Good hospitals and efficient transport system
- Climate: Similar to SIngapore but maybe a tad warmer. If I do end up at CNX at least theres the cooler periods to look forward to
- Personal safety: Never felt my life was in danger. I feel more at ease in Thailand than Malaysia
- Visa situation: Round trips not an issue for me. Flights are cheap and only 90 mins away. 
- Cost of living: As mentioned above, everything is cheaper when you have lived in Singapore. Quality of life is better with the amount that you can spend in Thailand. Alcohol is exorbitant in SG as well.

[Been there done that]

It looks like many are underestimating the slow, but definite, change in mindset of thais towards foreigners. On the complete level from the present pm to the streetvendor. Keep your freedom here and ONLY rent.

 

Nice to read that some stated, the easy availability of women. Cheaper than in many other countries.