Retiring In Thailand

[LaDolceVita]

Hi, I start this thread for like-minded people who have retired or planning/thinking of retiring in Thailand.

For me, I intend to retire initially in Bangkok and then explore other places like Hua Hin.

Come in & let's discuss

Why not retire in Malaysia?

good idea, but there's lots of pollution, dirty streets. other than that, things are really cheap, thailand is a manufacturing industry with lots of natural resources. when you're really old and unable to move, don't expect people to give way to you because the streets are crowded, mugging is rampant, hospital care is not up to standards imho. if you speak thai, this is the place for you.

Chiang Mai could be a good place to retire. You can live there on US$1000 per month. You can use your CPF Life payout of $1000 per month to finance your retirement.

http://*****************.com/

go to:

***************** dot com

retire in chiangmai (one word) dot com

Best Place To Retire Chiang Mai, Thailand

January 3,2014


Monthly budget: US$1,100
Monthly rent: US$400


Thailand is arguably the cheapest place on earth to live well. Our friends Paul and Vicki, on-and-off residents of the country for more than two decades, have long been teasing and tempting us with tales of US$1 Pad Thai lunches and US$11-a-night hotels (including breakfast and free WiFi)…


Thailand has three very distinctive areas. The capital, Bangkok, located roughly in the center of the country, is the largest city. Fascinating in many ways, it‘s worth seeing at least once—if you‘re traveling to Thailand, you‘ll almost certainly have to pass through its airport. Farther south, extending for nearly 600 miles along a narrow peninsula, lay hundreds of idyllic beaches, dense vegetation, and tropical islands. Many foreigners choose to make central or southern Thailand their home, but probably more people end up settling around Thailand‘s “third country,” Chiang Mai.


Across Thailand, the standard of medical care is very high and costs are extremely reasonable. This has helped to make the country a popular destination for medical tourists, who find it much less expensive to fly to Thailand and receive treatment there, than it would be to have the same procedure done in their home country.


Exotic living on a budget—Chiang Mai


The city of Chiang Mai, with a current population of nearly 240,000, has existed for over 700 years. The heart of Chiang Mai lies within its old city walls. Here, dozens of ancient and modern Buddhist temples coexist with public and international schools, residential and commercial neighborhoods.

Street markets and festivals occur almost nightly, and a huge array of restaurants catering to all tastes can be found within walking distance of almost anywhere in the Old City.

Chiang Mai has grown beyond the ancient walls, though, and extends for several miles in every direction. Large shopping complexes are located along the superhighway, a multi-lane, controlled-access ring road that circles the outskirts of the city. Several “mega-malls” and huge multi-national grocery and department stores line the access roads to the Superhighway.


Chiang Mai is an inexpensive place to live by almost any standard. With housing prices so low, it’s no wonder so many expats have chosen to make Thailand their permanent home. Unlike some cities, foreigners here are more likely to integrate with the locals and live in any area in and around Chiang Mai. One popular area is the neighborhood near the trendy Nimminhemin Road. Upscale condominiums are conveniently located near excellent restaurants and a good foreigner infrastructure, close to English-speaking dentists, internationally accredited hospitals, and within a short walk of the Old City.


With an abundance of restaurants, offering a huge array of Thai, Oriental, and Western cuisines, you won‘t go hungry around Chiang Mai. Along the main streets of the Old City are rows of mainly inexpensive restaurants catering to Western palates. Everything from fine Italian food to Greek gyros, fresh sushi, vegetarian wraps, Indian food, German cuisine and English fish- and-chips are easily found, as well as excellent Thai and Chinese food. Along the banks of the Mae Ping River, not far from the Wororot Market and just across the Nawarat Bridge, are many higher-end restaurants with loyal expat followings. Scattered throughout the city and shopping areas are restaurants in all price ranges, many serving fine international cuisines.


You can buy a comfortable expat-standard house in Chiang Mai for as little as US$100,000; however, as a foreigner, you cannot hold title to the land, only to the construction. Alternatively, you can rent a furnished house in the city for around US$400 per month. If you own your place, the estimated monthly expenses you’ll incur will be of around US$650, and of US$940 if you rent.


For a long time, the Thai city of Chiang Mai has been luring expats from the West. Some come for the weather; others are attracted to the low cost of living. High-quality health care and health-related services are important draws for retirees. Housing prices are very affordable, and foreigners rarely have problems purchasing condominiums or, in some cases, real property. Whatever the reason, at least 17,000 foreigners have chosen Chiang Mai as their home. Could you be next?…

[LaDolceVita]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

good idea, but there's lots of pollution, dirty streets. other than that, things are really cheap, thailand is a manufacturing industry with lots of natural resources. when you're really old and unable to move, don't expect people to give way to you because the streets are crowded, mugging is rampant, hospital care is not up to standards imho. if you speak thai, this is the place for you.

You can get a full-time nurse to look after you for about B15-20,000 (S$590-788) per month. I know this because my friend hires one to look after her dad.

The hospitals especially the private ones have English-speaking doctors who have been trained overseas. Health care cost is affordable. My friend went to see a specialist for her sinus problem. Consultation cost and medicine totaled B1900 (S$75).

I don't where you have been or how late you stay up but I disagree that "mugging is rampant". I feel safety level is about the same as in SG.

Yes, I can speak a bit of Thai. Plan to enroll in a thai language school once I spend more time there.

[LaDolceVita]

How much is enough for retirement? You can read the countless (sometimes heated) threads on the thaivisa forum (cost of living, how much do you spend etc) and you won't get one answer.

For me, I think for a single, B30-50,000 (S$1200-2000) is sufficient for comfortable living in Bangkok (excluding rent). There's Thais and foreigners who claim they can live on B10,000 (S$400) but that would mean staying in a thai apartment and eating mostly street food or living in the rural areas.

Depending on your intended lifestyle, you may need only S$1000 (S$25400) per month but I find this tough.

[LaDolceVita]

This link will give you some idea on the cost of living Ajarn.com cost of living Cost of Living | Help & Guides | Teaching English in Thailand