retiring in Thailand

[Guest]

As Ziggy suggested I start a new topic about retiring in Thailand. Does anybody know what is needed for a permanent visa what documents to procure to facilitate the proceedings does one need proof of means of support and if how much, where to rent houses or flats by the month, without breaking the bank, etc.
Thanks, Deric

[kahuna]

Don't want to sound to rude here Derik...and I don't know where you are from...but your first stop should
be the Thai embassy or consulate web site in the country you live...you will find all the requirements and application forms for a retirement visa there...retirement visas are relatively easy to obtain... a permanent residence visa is not...

As far as accomodations in Thai, might be a good idea to let folks know just where in Thailand you would like to settle...it's a fairly large country...

Also...think you should have posted in the new members forum...you will get a better response...

kahuna

[Ladyboy_Loser!]

How old are you, that is the first thing I would ask you face to face? What are your financial means? Have you spent any time in Thailand in different parts? I might have been like you at one time but the cold hard facts are mighty hard to dismiss out of hand. You would need to spend a lot of time in the country to determine where you will feel the most comfortable. It isn't 24 hour fucking when you decide to live here. That scene gets boring real real fast and you will need other outlets for your sanity to stay in tact. Yes, you can have a great life here but you must be brutally honest with yourself. It's a great country, reasonably inexpensive, lots to do, lots of places to visit and in my opinion the people outside of the main tourist areas are very friendly. Depending on your age and your financial means a retirement visa is the way to go. Not too difficult to obtain after you have first accquired a Non-Immigrant O Visa for a years period. If you have specific questions ask me as I made the move last November after three years of serious soul searching.

[stogie bear]

www.thaivisa.com has the most extensive range of information concerning the retirement visa, etc...

That said - there may be some specific questions and aspects of living here that we can help you with, so ask away...

[Guest]

Like any country, the range of prices for everything is huge, so I think you'd have to narrow it down for us where you want to stay and your budget. Think of a range of 5K Baht/month - 100K Baht/month. Basic geography is North & North East, Central, South.

For Visa's, as noted, best you do basic research first, and then we can give the details. I'm going for permanent resident which is dramatically different from retirment visa, so pick which one first and then again we can give details to help.

It's like asking how much does a house cost in the USA and can you recommend which place to live?

[Guest]

thanks for your concerns guys. I m basically an old asia traveler , first time hitch hiking in Thailand in 74 lived in Indonesia for several years and India as well. Its just that I have not been back for a decade and out of the loop as to whats going on, now that I m 56 thought I would retire in Java since I know the place and the language to some extent but due to the recent anti white sentiment I figure Thailand may be better than a muslim nation. Laos is also a consideration as I spent a month there in 98 and really liked Luang Prabang except its way out there in the country .
I will contact the Thai embassy eventually, just wanted to get the feel of some of the forum members who live there who may have some insights that only come from living in the country as a foreigner.
I thought Hua Hin may be a good place to live ,I remember getting my first encounter with the local whisky courtesy of the chief of police who was drinking with his buddies by a roadside inn in that sleepy little place or outside Pattaya or Ko Chang as I like to hike in the hills.
I will probably work with $1500 a month spending money which would have lasted me a probably a year 30 years ago, lol. But times have changed even though last time I was there you could still get a good meal for 10 baht at a roadside restaurant up in Nong Khai or Chiang Rai.
I may be lgoing in a year or so from the states I may also start just traveling around for a while till I find the right spot. Any suggestions are welcome
Thanks again, Deric

[stogie bear]

$1,500 US will provide you with a comfortable living in Thailand assuming that you have got money in the bank and/or proof of income for the retirement visa AND all your big ticket items havwe already been paid fr.

I'll settle down in Hua Hin and anticipate living confortably on 50K (Baht) a month after I have bought my house, car and everything in it!

At the moment I'm living on a lot less in a nice house in the boonies. Been here for 5 years and love it... but it's time to get a place with a pool soon.

Mind you my friends need a lot more than me to live... Some are paying from between 50K and 120K a month just on rent! To me that's insane money, but they seem to be able to afford it just fine. I couldn't.

If you like Thai food and don't need a/c then your living expenses are almost nothing! I hate Thai food and I need a/c so my living expenses are about 12,000 Baht a month which includes rent, cleaner twice a week, DSL, electric, water, trash and phone etc...

But I could pretty easily get by on half that if I wasn't too lazy and picky etc...

[Guest]

thanks stogie, we may be neighbors some day. I love thaifood and generally prefer non a/c but perhaps the hot season will make me reconsider. I dont think I want to own a place so renting will be the way to go as I still like to travel a bit.
How did you manage to get your visa, whats the deal, retirement versus permanent and how much money does one have to show minimum? Does it need to be deposited in a thai bank or can it be in elsewhere like a letter from a US bank that states ones networth or income?

[stogie bear]

You can rent a nice quite villa with a pool in Hua Hin for about 30,000 Baht a month... You'll need a motorcycle to get around on but they are cheap to rent or buy.

A condo/apartment may be better if you are out of town for long periods... I dunno... but I don't fancy living in the same building as other people.

If you are 50 and have 800,000 Baht in the bank then getting a retirement visa is a formality. Or you can have proof of income and 400,000... Actually you'd better double check with ThaiVisa.com for that kind of stuff...

Pattaya is more exciting than Hua Hin but it's a seedy shithole for the most part. Hua Hin is sedate and relaxing and very cheap. But it's further from Bangkok. Phuket and Chiang Mai etc are just too far from the real world. bangkok is a horrible city with no peace and quiet at all...

Hua Hin is my final resting place for now. And since I've gotton good on the moped I have found some good beaches and other neat places too!

[dhz]

This is very interesting for me and since today so actual, about yesterday was my last day in the office.
Since long time there I had thought about this and had build up all my neccessary things for this.
In the last days there I had searching so much in the internet for this.
Next month I hope for can  come to Thailand for a visit and clear up some questions for me there and looking out for some connection of this, like were to get a room to rent.
And in the same time for trying to get a retirement-visa, or maybe find a (little) job in Thailand from a business of my country which be in LOS too, and then (maybe) get a working permit, about I think that I be and feeling to young for doing completly nothing than.
And hope that in about 4 - 7 months all is in the right way for moving to LOS.

[Guest]

well dhz I wish you good luck of course but you may want to read poghuemahones contribuition very closely first if you have never lived in a third world country before.

[stogie bear]

Well, a lot of people think about it and a lot of people talk about it but so far I've only met one bloke with the balls to do it and that's Ozzie...

(All the other people I know that live here or moved here had nice jobs to bring with them... but chucking it all in and moving here... well, that's quite a different airing cupbouard full of slightly damp laundry...)

[ShockToe]

(dhz @ Apr. 13 2007,16:20) And in the same time for trying to get a retirement-visa, or maybe find a (little) job in Thailand from a business of my country which be in LOS too, and then (maybe) get a working permit, about I think that I be and feeling to young for doing completly nothing than.
And hope that in about 4 - 7 months all is in the right way for moving to LOS.

FWIW you would not be able to get a Work Permit on a Non-Immigrant O-A (Retirement) Visa. If you think you might want to get a Work Permit here then a One-Year Multiple-Entry Non-Immigrant B (for business) Visa might be best? This is the type of Visa I have; it requires that I leave Thailand every 90 days.

What is your home country?

I'd suggest getting a 60 day Tourist Visa from a Thai Embassy/Consul for your next trip. This can be extended 30 days in country, after which time you might have a better idea on the best Visa solution?

[dhz]

(deric77 @ Apr. 13 2007,17:25) well dhz I wish you good luck of course but you may want to read  poghuemahones contribuition very closely first if you have never lived in a third world country before.

deric77, thanks for your honest words.
I know that this will be a deep step and life there in LOS is not always like paradise.
But on the other way, if I not do it now then when ? Or if i would wait then in some years there I could not turn back time.
In the last weeks there had change so much in my life and it looks like a sign now for me that I have to let my dream into reality. Or why I should go on living in my homecountry Germany with my financial possibilities of which a part shortly again for me freely available is and further investments of funds then in the course of the next years always again.  Or to enjoy my last third of life there in LOS more comfortable. And if this was for me then a mistake then there it is always a way back home, but I could say to me that I had tried it.

By the way it looks more and more that in future will be getting Europe the third world. All the business going east and lots of business closing here. Every day getting here more people unemployment, there job and machine are somewhere in a Asian country.  Or get a new job were they earn much less then before. Or so many families here have and get a private insolvency now.

[Guest]

Deric, you said you like hiking in the hills.

You have to really decide if that is important, because there aren't many hills in Thailand!

If you make that a priority, you immediately limit yourself to very few places (Ko Chang being one). That being said, a hill doesn't imply you can hike on it, and I'm a bit ignorant here, but I think hiking trails are extremely rare. The only place I know is Khao Yai, about 1.5-2 hrs from Bangkok, very, very quiet, and Chiang Mai, which is likely more livable.