Where will you retire?

[malcontent]

Has anyone heard about this 10 year LTR visa that Thailand rolled out last month? They have some high obstacles for certain categories, but for retirees (anyone 50 and above) it’s actually quite easy. As long as you can prove you’ve made at least US$80k over the past two years on the date you apply, there doesn’t appear to be any other major financial requirements - nothing to deposit or invest, no other income to prove… just health insurance that covers at least US$50k and pay the B50k (US$1,300) application fee - - that seems to be it. You can get an initial 5 years that is extendable for another 5.

[PNGMK]

I've just spent 10 days up in North Thailand. Around CM and CR as well as right over near the Laos border (Chiang Khong) and all the way up to Mae Sarin and over to Pai (hippy country). I met quite a few expats who have retired up there happily. Mostly married to locals but some not. They have a great lifestyle although boredom can creep in.

[malcontent]

I've just spent 10 days up in North Thailand. Around CM and CR as well as right over near the Laos border (Chiang Khong) and all the way up to Mae Sarin and over to Pai (hippy country). I met quite a few expats who have retired up there happily. Mostly married to locals but some not. They have a great lifestyle although boredom can creep in.

That sounds awesome. I need to do something like that.

I’ve also thought about hitting the dunes up in Miu Ne, Vietnam.

[PNGMK]

? What's in the dunes

[malcontent]

? What's in the dunes

What awaits you is off-road adventure on ATVs (or Side-By-Sides if they have them). There are two sets of dunes, red dunes and white dunes, probably the largest area of its kind in Asia. The nearby town of Mui Ne has quite a few seaside resorts that appear halfway decent as well. It’s about 5 hours up the coast from HCMC.

[PNGMK]

Has anyone heard about this 10 year LTR visa that Thailand rolled out last month? They have some high obstacles for certain categories, but for retirees (anyone 50 and above) it’s actually quite easy. As long as you can prove you’ve made at least US$80k over the past two years on the date you apply, there doesn’t appear to be any other major financial requirements - nothing to deposit or invest, no other income to prove… just health insurance that covers at least US$50k and pay the B50k (US$1,300) application fee - - that seems to be it. You can get an initial 5 years that is extendable for another 5.

That would be far better than the current O visa (which needs to be renewed). Does it also have a 90 day residence reporting requirement? I'll ask my friend Harri the Finn - he knows about these things.

[PNGMK]

From HtF:

They always come up with shit like that. Not one of their schemes is popular at all, like the "Elite" visa, pay up front and get everything sorted, then they change the conditions after 6 months. Total crap shoot. Best way in Thailand is enter on any visa, and convert in country to a Non- O visa by reason of "retirement", need a term deposit of 800K Thai baht and gives a visa for 12 months , multiple entries, as get a multi re entry permit. Have to do 90 day reports , online takes 5 mins. Have to initially register an address with immigration (TM30 ) one time. Don't have to be retired, as long as over 50 yrs old. Takes 30 mins at most immigration offices, but then they all read the regs different, usually up country easier. Point to note if a foreign couple it is BHT800K deposit per person. OR just enter on multi tourist visas and cross the border into Laos or Cambo when required, land crossing limited to 2 per year , no limit if flying in/out. Many ways to do it.

[malcontent]

From HtF:

They always come up with shit like that. Not one of their schemes is popular at all, like the "Elite" visa, pay up front and get everything sorted, then they change the conditions after 6 months. Total crap shoot. Best way in Thailand is enter on any visa, and convert in country to a Non- O visa by reason of "retirement", need a term deposit of 800K Thai baht and gives a visa for 12 months , multiple entries, as get a multi re entry permit. Have to do 90 day reports , online takes 5 mins. Have to initially register an address with immigration (TM30 ) one time. Don't have to be retired, as long as over 50 yrs old. Takes 30 mins at most immigration offices, but then they all read the regs different, usually up country easier. Point to note if a foreign couple it is BHT800K deposit per person. OR just enter on multi tourist visas and cross the border into Laos or Cambo when required, land crossing limited to 2 per year , no limit if flying in/out. Many ways to do it.

Everything he stated looks spot on. Besides the 90 day reporting, another pain is having to buy Thai health insurance. Regarding border runs by flying in/out, I understand the unwritten rule is no more than 6 visa exempt entries per year. But, if you get an actual tourist visa (normally 60 days, extendable another 30), that won’t get counted in your visa run tally.

Despite the hoops, Thailand remains popular because they are in a sweet spot for having one of the lowest cost -to- highest quality of life ratios anywhere in the world. Malaysia is probably the runner up in SEA, but it’s boring with less variety & natural beauty. The Philippines is the least hassle on the visa side (extend up to 3 years “per entry” as a tourist), but is also the least safe and has the least reliable internet and power grid.

[PNGMK]

I met some forum guys up in CM from the Golden Triangle Riders Forum (https://www.gt-rider.com/) - interesting meeting them as it was like meeting some of our forum people - their stories are interesting and they live good lives up there. What is true though is that there is wide range of quality of life as to where you live in Asia and TH does seem to be one of the best with MY running a second and ID, VN etc competing for third.

[Addadude]

For anyone to retire in Singapore, I think you need at least a few things. Here are a few I can think of from the top of my head…

First, family ties. I just can’t imagine anyone retiring in SG unless they have family ties. Staying close to family in retirement makes a lot of sense, regardless of whether it’s the best environment for a retiree.

Second, home ownership. Once you own a home outright, your cost of living can really become very reasonable, especially if you can forgo a car and other expensive hobbies.

Third, high tolerance. Living in SG requires a few special personality traits and a different outlook on life. Being back in the US these past few weeks has reinforced this point to me - life is just easier and less oppressive here in many meaningful and significant ways.

The first two items are pretty much settled for me. My wife and her family are Singaporean and she has no real desire to move anywhere else . Our home is fully paid for (and we didn't use CPF to pay for it) and we don't have a car or expensive hobbies (unless you count my alcohol consumption!)

The third one is a bugger - not so much any sense of 'oppression' but more like increasing frustration with general crowd behavior in Singapore. Yes, Singapore is a pretty crowded place but it seems like people go out of their way to make it feel even more crowded than it is... barging into lifts or MRTs before people can get out, stopping for family conferences at the bottom or top of escalators... or just blithely walking straight into you in shopping malls or footpaths. This more than anything else increasingly gets my goat. It's gotten to the stage where I refuse to go to shopping malls like Vivocity or Nex at the weekends. So in the future if you see a Stomp report about some siao ang moh going berserk and belting people around him in a crowded shopping mall, you'll probably guess who it is...

[PNGMK]

HtF just sent this through.

https://aseannow.com/topic/1265383-ltr- ... -changing/

(SMS - HtF goes back to my ROV days in the late 80s).

[sundaymorningstaple]

Well, I don't think I'll be retiring in Thailand. Looks like it's got to be here. I'm in the same situation as Addadude since I literally "lost the farm" 4 years ago. I have two living blood relatives in the US (Sister and her daughter) Currently I have 5 here, not counting the wife. All are Sinkies now 'cept me.

And at 75 I really don't feel like shifting again. for what? 15 years probably at the max?

[Lisafuller]

Has anyone heard about this 10 year LTR visa that Thailand rolled out last month? They have some high obstacles for certain categories, but for retirees (anyone 50 and above) it’s actually quite easy. As long as you can prove you’ve made at least US$80k over the past two years on the date you apply, there doesn’t appear to be any other major financial requirements - nothing to deposit or invest, no other income to prove… just health insurance that covers at least US$50k and pay the B50k (US$1,300) application fee - - that seems to be it. You can get an initial 5 years that is extendable for another 5.

Just a thought, what about retirees who haven't been working and thus have no income?

[Lisafuller]

I've just spent 10 days up in North Thailand. Around CM and CR as well as right over near the Laos border (Chiang Khong) and all the way up to Mae Sarin and over to Pai (hippy country). I met quite a few expats who have retired up there happily. Mostly married to locals but some not. They have a great lifestyle although boredom can creep in.

A friend of mine was remote working from Chiang Mai for the last 2 1/2 months, just came back about a week ago out of boredom. The people are nice, food is incredibly inexpensive, as is accommodation, but the pace of life is a lot slower than other cities, like Bangkok for instance, and there really isn't too much to do. If she came back after a mere two months, I can't imagine what it must be like to live there permanently.

[Lisafuller]

? What's in the dunes

What awaits you is off-road adventure on ATVs (or Side-By-Sides if they have them). There are two sets of dunes, red dunes and white dunes, probably the largest area of its kind in Asia. The nearby town of Mui Ne has quite a few seaside resorts that appear halfway decent as well. It’s about 5 hours up the coast from HCMC.

ATVs are awesome! Really fun to ride, and the wheels are so huge that you hardly feel the bump of the trail. Plus, if it's Vietnam, they probably let you go wild on them.