Very nice.madam. I used to live in Chiang Mai 12 years I studied and was a teacher at CMU I love and still miss Chiang Mai very much. city with culture and simple lifestyle Often I go to eat at the restaurant and watch music. The River Size Rimping because I like the air and mountains more than the sea But now I'm in Hua Hin, doing art, and wanting to go back to Chiang Mai the most. because I felt that it was my home.
As I am northern , I prefer Thailand and ,The north for you relaxing with personality, The North is deference ,people ,culture, but all Thailand well come yours.
We were in Bangkok Thailand and my sweetie had a sudden heart attack and died and as they were doing CPR for about 7 min, they defibrillated his feet and he came back, they rush him into surgery and the medicine in Thailand was amazing, it literally made us feel like we had 3rd world country medicine in America. We would love to retire in Thailand, the respect for one another is amazing. Also our bill for 2 weeks in the hospital was 18k. Its sickening that in America this event would even be easily to 250k
Your experience is really reassuring because I am planning to retire and return to Thailand after 30+years in US. My biggest concern is healthcare access in Thailand. I will have health insurance from employer as a retiree. What hospital did your husband have surgery?
@@GrowingUpWithoutBorders I am sad to say this " it is only good if you have enough money to go to private hospital." Majority of Thais go to government funded hospitals. Services are slow. If you are foreigners with good health insurance, you can go to private hospital. It is definitely good. Services are good and fast. A lot of doctors who practice in private hospitals finished their fellowship in US.
@@GrowingUpWithoutBordersit’s very good if one is reasonably proximate to a private hospital. If too far away, one is a dead duck depending on the nature of the medical emergency. But I guess that’s the same in most any country. I’m an Irishman in the Korat countryside and so far so good.
@@DreamofThailand19000It’s slow but it’s faster than most of countries in the world. And the cost of treatment is 100% of Gov’s expense. ไม่รู้ข้อมูลของประเทศอื่น อย่ามั่วค่ะ
I have 20 different species of ants living in my home along with a collection of geckos, spiders and the occasional wandering scorpion, snake and frog. No one mentions these things when you move here.
@@michaeljcarneyjr.6187 I used to live in Malaysia, mum told me to put sulphur around perimeter of house to prevent them entering BUT still your quality of life is FAR better. Have been in London nearly 50 years, taxes, food, travel, housing, etc, extremely high, now due to terrible (Bojo the clown) government mishandling of Brexit/Ukraine situation, petrol rising to £2 a litre. Just been back from Mallorca (island in the Mediterranean), previously before Brexit, food prices were on par with UK, after Brexit/Russian oil sanctions, food shopping here is two thirds the price more and much less fresh as it takes longer to arrive from Europe due to customs checks/paperwork at the border. U r in the best place, and oh crime shot through the roof, 250 cars stolen daily, can't walk in parks once it starts getting dark/quiet roads. Windows/doors must always be locked even if u r in, not answering doors to ANY strangers, etc, etc.
@@catherinehui795 I was trying to be comical not serious. I grew up in Manhattan, was in the USAF and stationed in Vietnam during the war, lived in Beirut, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Spain and the Philippines. My mother was a tough Scot who sent me to Scotland to live with my Aunt and I did my Uppers there, what you call A levels now. As a Radio Operator on C 47 I have travelled and seen the world, even Antarctica. Travel is nor ever was a passion but my job made me go everywhere.
@@michaeljcarneyjr.6187 And not just spiders, but those giant scary looking black spiders will enter your home from time to time. Pros and cons. Also worth mentioning the visa process isn't that easy for most people, and 90 day check in can be annoying. But there are still options.
Great informative video. One thing I would like to add about the money requirements required to retire here is that you don't have to have $27000.00 US in the bank. If you can simply prove that you receive 67000 baht (which is less than $2000.00 US) each month, which is received by a Thai bank, this also qualifies you to renew a 1 year retirement visa each year. I have done it for 5 years straight with no issues whatsoever.
Thailand is wonderful.Very friendly people, safe compared to the West and other emerging economies, great private healthcare at a fraction of the West, wifi and mobile broadband everywhere, super affordable and tasty local food and a seriously, beautiful country from the mountains to the beaches. However, if you do not like hot, sunny weather, pretty much all year round (everywhere has aircon), do not like Thai food and have no flexibility in your approach to life, it is unlikely to be the country for you.
I love sunny and hot weather and Thai foods. If that is the only disadvantage, I am perfectly fine with it. What countries do you have in mind when you say the West?
Wow! I found your Chanel from the day you went to the palace in Bangkok then this one and very impressed by everything you put together for the contents especially this video it’s just like I’m watching the TV program 😊 I miss my home country Thailand 🇹🇭 and I can’t wait to go there next month!
Thailand is an ideal country to retire for everyone especially westerners. I lived there for three years. Quality of life is excellent for the money. Great informative video again!👍
I think there are many countries in Asia that are suitable for retirement. But Thailand is the best with the elderly because Thai medicine is ranked in the world, even rich people in the Middle East fly to Thailand for treatment, Thailand has very good doctors and hospitals
@@Kodcha24 When you get sick, you can go to see the doctor whenever you want. No need appointment in advance and many hospital particular in Bangkok and big city have 24 hours doctor stand by and the transfer for emergency or advance case treatment needed is so good.
@@Kodcha24 Beware the private hospitals before getting inpatient for big operation by asking them how much money you have to pay with the procedure to cure your body. If not they may overcharge you. SIRIRAJ Piyamahakarun is the best private hospital, All doctors are professor from Siraraj. Medical School.
Some visitors told that when you live in Thailand at same money, you can live longer than other European countries or USA for 2-3 times. Welcome all retired peoples to live in Thailand with our Thailand friendship and hospitality minds.
Nice to see how the other half are living. I've lived in Thailand for more than 20 years but I live a much more humble lifestyle than you. It suits me though. Nice to see how you are living up there in Chang Mai with it's very hot afternoons and cold nights. I used to travel all over Thailand and have experienced most places. Now I remain in the rural south. I love the green nature and beautiful scenery here. Looking at lush tropical landscapes under a vivid blue sky is bliss for me. I've got a little motorbike and love to go for rides in the country passing through towns and villages. Some awesome storms here too. Seriously awesome lol. No tourists here. No westerners except me. I can speak quite a lot of basic Thai so no problem communicating. Very little english spoken here. I'm English by the way. The Thai writing in my name here says Andrew. Stay happy. Keep enjoying. Good lucks!
@@donaldstretz7720 You can ask me questions. Rural living is away from the tourist trail and the city. People are different. Being able to speak some Thai is important. Not so much english is spoken. You will probably do better to look for a place that caters for foriegners.
@@MaroonedInDub I have some information to adding, Can i adding, Korat Nakornratcha srima, and Udon Thani in northeast, maybe not a huge westerner community like as Chaingmai but 2 of this city have many westerner living as well, there have a huge city and the rural area is not far to city. but for the rural living there have just one problem, you cannot own the land, and there have not condominium in the area, you have to find agency to rent the land if you don'thave any connection in Thailand
People have been retiring in Thailand for the last 50 years, so its not something new, some of the benefits, excellent culture, food, people and cost although increasing in the last 20 years. Good luck on achieving 197 countries, thats quit the achievement. Great video.
Chiang Mai is certainly a beautiful city and wonderful to visit for the food, the lovely people, and massages. One of the knocks on Chiang Mai is the "burning season", several months of smoke in the air and burning eyes. I wonder how Howard and his wife deal with that issue?
Chiangmai is great. Just 30 minutes on a bicycle from the city center hotel, you can reach the nice park adjacent to Chiangmai University and at the foot of Doi Suthep. There is an annual walkup Doi Suthep to the temple up there (12 km) which thousands of participants take part. If you are a budget traveler like me (senior citizen Thai), you can drive up Doi Suthep-Pui and put up a tent there without paying any charge. If not senior citizen but Thai, you pay 80 baht to pitch tent a night and 30 baht more for additional night. If you don't have your own tent, you can rent one at the cost of 300 baht with bedding, pillow and blanket a night, much cheaper than one night stay at the hotel (800-1000 baht for budget hotel). The only downside is pollution in Jan-March when local farmers burn their fields. During that time, Chiangmai is one of the most polluted city in the world due to the fact that it lies in the valley surrounded by mountains, trapping particulates. BTW, I live in Nonthaburi, just 5 km from Bangkok border but visit Chiangmai regularly over the years, but not in Jan-March period.
I caught the train up to Chiang Mai 2 months ago for the scenery, return trip back to BKK. Unfortunately could only stay for a week but was really impressed with the city.
There are streets that are dangerous in Chiang Mai, in Suttitum. The signs are not in English they are Romanized. I am an Expat living in Thailand for 44 years. The visa process is not as easy as this man makes it, lots of hoops to jump through.
Ask the retirees who came to Thailand 10 to 15 years ago what they think about visas,exchange rates,language barriers and thai friendliness.Maybe it's a good idea before you decide to retire somewhere else.
I am a 69 year old retired US Citizen who has lived in Thailand for the past 12 years.I live in Chianyai.I have been to 188 of the 197 countries in the world.Before I drop dead like you I want to visit them all.Much cheaper here than the USA and I don't have to worry about going into a supermarket and having someone shooting the store up.Plus I live here on 5000 US dollars a year
My rent is only 2000 Baht a month,my cable TV IS 300 baht a month,My internet is 400 baht a month,my visa is 15,000 baht a year,my water is 100 baht a month,electric 500 baht a month,my hospital visits are about 22,00 baht a year,the rest is for food,transportation (I do not own a vehicle) ,necessaties and entertainment.I don't know all the exact costs but I have been in Thailand 12 years(never traveled anywhere ecept fro Thailand and Malaysia) ,I do an audit once a year and every I have seen that I have never spent more than 5000 US dollars,in some years it has been as low as 3000 US dollars,
@@barrykowal6409 enjoy your peaceful stay in the land of buddha teaching. and next life reborn as Thai. Thailand is safe place on earth if there is war among U. S.and Rusia (coming soon) cuase we are nutruel country.
@@insightwisdom7022 Thailand is also very close to China.They know how to walk the fine line between China,Russia and the USA.Unlike other Asian countries Thailand has never been occupied by a foreign power other than Japan for 4 years during World War II.I myself am an agnostic/atheist but I prefer to live amongst Buddhists rather than Muslim or Chrustian fanatics.
Thailand & especially Chiang Mai is very nice. We lived there full time for 6 years & may go back some day. That said this video is kind of sugar coating many things. Yes food is cheap in Thailand but most prepared meals are quite unhealthy in fact due to deep frying in cheap palm oils etc But of course you can cook healthy yourself & ingredients are inexpensive mostly. About the outdoor life which we excel in we have to say Chiang Mai has many months that you would not want to exercise at full tilt outside due to bad air & PM particle levels so high they are truly dangerous. Medical? Yes you can get quality medical care & yes diagnostics are very inexpensive BUT once you do have a serious condition you will find the prices not cheap at all. Also if your older than say 65 you may not be able to even buy Thai medical insurance nor be covered for anything pre-existing so try to buy a International policy not a Thai policy. Lastly realize there are 40-60 + deaths on Thai roads everyday...Every Day! That is quite insane really & those numbers are just those that die at the scene of the accident. Many more die en route to hospital or at hospital So yes for many reasons Thailand is beautiful & we still own a home there & may move back but please take a good look as it is not all rainbows 😉
Thank you for commenting on this. I fully agree. Some of these videos are not realistic and over simplistic for some strange reason. This distorts reality....
If you look into alternative approach with Thai herbal medicine or Chinese, it will be a lot cheaper. It definitely takes longer, but results will be long lasting. I think a lot of us are more aware of health related issues, so there are definitely more venues food wise to meet healthier lifestyle.
Thailand is wonderful but there are a few issues…… Visa is very strict and changes regularly to include the 800,000 baht must show movement in the account instead of just leaving it there. Also never buy property. It is cheaper to rent which also allows you to move at the end of your lease. Also the burn seat was not mentioned which lasts three months.
Regarding healthcare, I’m trying to determine if I can find the meds I need. Is there a site from which I could contact or get information to see if I can get my medications in the drug stores or otherwise? Thank you!
I coincidently met a man from Vancouver-Canada when I was attending a concert at Nonthaburi back in 2016 and he said to me that retiring in Canada itself is so pricey. Therefore, he choses to retire in Thailand instead.
Not that expensive for me at $2200 cad per month (single) in my own home in Calgary. But the 7 month winters are getting tougher to handle as I get older. And there's little chance of meeting attractive women here. So I am considering Thailand for 4 months/yr in the core winter months.
Happily stumbled upon your informative video today while WFH from my overpriced apartment in NYC. I'd be interested to learn more about how to receive the social security benefit checks on a monthly basis as an American expat retiree living in Thailand. Does the expat need to maintain his/her bank account(s) in the country that he/she is a citizen of so that the security benefit checks can get direct deposited into the bank account in the expat's home country as well as opening and maintaining the local Thai bank account at one of the Thai banks so that the money can be easily wire-transferred digitally while retiring in Thailand?
I’m pretty sure you’d have to do both to be able to receive it and then simply do a transfer. Best to join a FB group of expats living abroad and specifically where you’re looking to go to and then ask around.
You can receive Social Security benefits deposited directly into your Thai bank account. This is true for many other countries as well. Check the Social Security website. Social Security has a large office in Manilla the services US citizens in Asia. I keep a US bank account and have my pension and Social Security checks deposited to my US bank. I then wire transfer money to Thailand as I need it.
@@martypoll Thanks a bunch for sharing your intel. I can envision doing similar process as you have suggested in your shared comment (keep/maintain my US bank accounts and credit card accounts that have been issued by the US banks such as Bank of America and Citi Bank active as well as open/maintain a bank account in Bangkok, Thailand to have the Social Security checks direct deposited into my main US bank account then wire-transfer the money into my Thai bank account say once every 3 months or so). Question for you: Do you need to keep your house/residential property in America in order to maintain the residency in the US as a US citizen? I've been renting apartment throughout my adult life here in the US and do not anticipate purchasing an apartment or house at all before I'm ready to actually retire and 'walk the earth' like Kane from Kung Fu - the TV series. Do you have to travel back to the US at least once a year or some kind of incremental routine if you have not owned any residential property in the US? Would keeping a simple PO Box address in say New York City, NY be good enough as the address within the US?
@@scorpiorising577 Some, not all, banks want you to have a US address and a US phone number. I use my sister’s address as my US address. I maintain an AT&T phone number which does costs me about $60/month. There are companies that expats can sign up with that will give you a US address and will collect your mail and open or forward it to you. I think there are possible internet US phone numbers too but some banks don’t like them. I stick with what I have because that is what works for me and I don’t feel like experimenting. Otherwise no one cares whether you are a resident of any state. I stopped paying state taxes last year. Still I recommend that you get a drivers license with a long expiration date. And I recommend that you have a credit card from two different banks.
@@martypoll Appreciate the tricks & tips that you've shared via this comment/reply thread. As I'm a naturalized Thai American citizen (grew up in the US since I was 12-ish), all of my relatives are all back in BKK. We (my Japanese wife, our daughter - an American born who is Half Japanese Half Thai, and me) don't have any other relatives living in the US. So, I think I might consider what you mention here 'the companies that will give a US address then collect/forward the mails to me' and the 'internet US phone number' or just maintain my existing mobile phone number through T-Mobile or some other carriers. BTW, good tips about the drivers license expiration date and the credit cards from more than 1 bank - in my current scenario, I already do have a few credit cards from 2 different banks, Citibank and BofA. Again, thanks for sharing the solid info. Enjoy your time in Thailand, huh?
He says that a foreigner can build a house , own the house and use the land in perpetuity. I don’t think that is true as the land lease must be recorded at the land office and can only be for 30 years. Can you pls ask him to clarify? Also, condos must have a quota where foreigners are allowed only 49% ownership of the units. I don’t believe all condos have this quota. Can you please clarify? I also think the visa process can be more tangled than he describes.
From what Howard says, the health care is really good. I have no idea about their school though. I did a quick search on Google and this is what I found: "It is a commonly unknown fact that although a foreigner cannot own land in Thailand, he can own the house or structure built thereon". I hope this helps.
"👏🎬 Thank you so much for producing this fantastic video about retiring in Thailand! Your attention to detail and passion for the subject shine through. Great job! 🏝🌇"
Just to clarify, if one wanted a nicer home (not a condo), they could purchase/own the home but not the land? Are the homes comparable to American in quality and appointments? Thank you for an informative video!
I like Chiang Mai, but only for short getaway visits. I live in Chiang Rai, 185 kilometers away where the air is cleaner, the cost of living is cheaper, there is less traffic, and the weather is cooler.
@@AllAboutLifeInThailand Dear delusional: The following is from an article in the Thaiger: “ smoke and haze affect numerous provinces in northern Thailand. As the major city in the north, Chiang Mai often makes the headlines during what some expats call the ‘smoky season’. Although the haze is a real problem throughout Chiang Mai province, official statistics over the years show that the pollution is usually more severe in the provinces of Mae Hong Son and Chiang Rai. Other provinces in the north are also affected including, Lampang, Lamphun, Phrae, Phayao and Nan.” You need to be more aware of what you are doing to your lungs! Sorry to break the truth to you!
Hi thank you for the video and sharing the info. Just wondering, What’s the fees to extend ur stay from 90 days to a year after paying the initial 80k? Thank you.
Immigration costs - for those over 50 years old you will either need to put 800,000 baht in the bank or show monthly income of 65,000 baht/month. The 800,000 baht needs to be in the bank for five months of the year and not drop below 400,000 the remaining 7 months so be prepared to bank that money and consider it largely unusable. The monthly income method allows you to spend that monthly income down to zero every monthly. A terminology note - you don’t renew your visa every year. You extend the original visa every year.
Yes, the money was originally meant to demonstrate that you have sufficient funds to support yourself, or maybe pay for medical bills, but then when most of it has to remain in the bank, sort of defeats that purpose--very frustrating for some and limits their ability to move here--another key point to understand prior to packing up and moving to Thailand.
Like every Asians parents, Thai parents want their kids to be a doctors🤣 so, 80% of top students in high schools go to medical schools. The difference between Thai doctors and other Asian doctors is they almost always come back to their hometowns and help developing the hospitals there to be better and safer for their own family and neighborhood 😊
Another thing is there’s a rule that after finishing med school, first year of your internship you’d randomedly sent to the different provinces in the country. That’s the way to make the new young doctor learn what the ppl in the small cities need and inspired you to do what you can do to help them get better and better healthcare 😉
I would recommend a water filter set up in your home if you plan on being there long term. Tap water isn’t recommended or at least it wasn’t in the places we’ve visited in Thailand.
I am really considering retiring to that region myself I am Med Retired Army in my 30s and make enough in retirement to qualify for a Retiree visa. I did read yearly I heave to leave and come back into the country to keep it current I guess I found that odd I will prob visit first!
Just really research first about the time of year when the farmers are burning because the quality of air is so poor. If you work it out to leave during those months, you'll be good to go.
American? If so you’re very lucky with the US$ being so strong. I’ve been an expat in Japan for a whopping 30 years ( it’s a long story 😏) but have always seen myself retiring in Thailand. My home country Australia, I have no desire to go back there and live. The way the authorities and police behaved during the pandemic sealed it for me.
Didn't really talk about the cons of living in Chiang Mai and it's burn seasons. Where 3 months out of the year, the farmers burn all the crops and the air quality is really bad.
We are South Africans looking at retiring in Thailand and investigating the 1 year O-A Retirement Visa. Is there a South African on this forum that can contact us, and share their experience with us? Thank you kindly.
I've lived in Thailand for a while. As an expat you have zero rights. You must reapply for your retirement visa every year, with no guarantee it will be renewed. The paperwork is never ending. You must have 800k Baht (about $23000) in the bank, which is an enormous sum for a person living on a pension. You are not allowed to own a house or land, are forbidden to work, and must report your address every 90 days, or risk being permanently deported. There is even a law that requires you to report going on holiday for more than three days, though it is not enforced everywhere. You have no additional rights if you are married to a Thai. In the eyes of the gov, it means nothing. They can legally deny you a visa regardless. In many tourist places you are automatically charged double what the locals pay, for almost everything. Many doctors charge you double for the same service as locals get. Gov hospitals charge you 2 to 4 times. The national parks make foreigners pay up to 10x what the locals pay. It doesn't matter if you are a legal resident or not The list goes on....
Thanks to people like you the price of apartments and cost of living of Thai people is more difficult. Thanks God my country doesn't have a lot of tourist.
Hi Chantal and Howard, I was originally looking to retire in Thailand about 3 years ago. But Thailand immigration rules started to tighten up and appear to be LESS friendly to expats who desire to retire in Thailand. The one thing that really frosted me was the travel rules. They required expats to check-in and register if they leave their home city and travel to other parts of the country. I was like WTF is Thailand turning into a communist country. Monitoring everywhere you go! No Thanks, but I will say the housing, food and infrastructure is definitely superior to the Phil's.
Wow! That’s pretty crazy. We’ve been to many countries and visited friends who had to go to the local police office to register us in their homes. We though that was wild.
@@GrowingUpWithoutBorders I don't know if that requirement is still in place as it was almost 3 years ago that I heard a retired expat talk about it. Maybe it's changed but i doubt it. Especially with the past 2 years virus hysteria.
Well now in the Phils, you have to register your sim card with the govt so they can track your movements also. And if you want to leave the country after 6 mos stay, you need to get an exit visa.
@@ricke6854 At least the PI Gov doesn't require you to check-in with the local authorities when you move from city to city in the PI. I watched an expat who said that's what they do in Thailand. That's the kind of Gov control that's a bridge to far for me, so I opted to remove Thailand from my retirement list. So it looks like I'll end up in the PI. As a side note the Gov in the good old USA can track cell phone locations of Americans. That's how authorities have been able some solved crimes. It just happened with the guy that murdered 4 college students in Idaho. His cell phone showed he had been around the location of the murder's over 12 times.
@@danielhackney7806 Yeah, no country is perfect. I'm not sure where I'm going to retire, maybe just stay in Canada and travel winters only. But having been in Thailand several times, the food is spectacular and infrastructure much better for me, including medical. So these would tip the balance for me. I believe in the USA, police need a warrant before they can track your cell phone data. Not sure about other countries.
Thank you very much to love Thailand and we are welcome all people who love our country too. Diversity from people around the world is making world wonderful and beautiful. 😄😄😄🙏🙏🙏
As Thai myself. we have always welcome foreigner into our coutry, And we don't have any dicremination aginst race or LGBTQ. If you can speak thai then you're no longer a guest and everyone will treat you like a native. I'm haft thai-chiness and I have my relative from Norway,Australia,Sweden. Thailland is always a mixer pot of everything. Food+culture+people everything is openly recieve in Thailand since long ago. We adopt and adapt everything into something better. 1. Food = coconut milk + spice from India .... Soy sauce + Pan + oil from China .. Even Pizza and Spaghetti have been adapt to thai style 2. International Relationship = We buy submarine from China and buy fighter jet from USA And more... But as you can see Thai mean freedom so we like to said and think (Whatever = Ar-Rai-Gor-Dhai) and (No problem = Mhai-Pen-Rai) most of the time in life.
My thai wife and I will be visiting Chang mai next week and want to buy or build. Curious of the location or area Howard lives in? We Just want to get a good feel for areas to live outside the city but close to the mountains.
I don’t fully know all the details. It’s best to check online. Most government websites have information about their different visa programs. Good luck!
Bangkok has 5 million, not 17 million.Thailand is attractive, and I love visiting. But many places have problems with poor air quality. I know someone who left Chiang Mai partly for this reason.
Thanks for this video guys!! It looks amazing. We are looking to stay in Chiang Mai for a while. Which area were you guys in that was quieter than the main city? We like peace, quiet and a little bit of space. Thank you.
I'd love to retire in Thailand but unfortunately I'm 9yrs too young to apply for the retirement visa😝. Living in Thailand while still working is still possible but having 4 cats make it difficult for me to do the visa runs.
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Very nice.madam.
I used to live in Chiang Mai 12 years I studied and was a teacher at CMU I love and still miss Chiang Mai very much. city with culture and simple lifestyle Often I go to eat at the restaurant and watch music. The River Size Rimping because I like the air and mountains more than the sea But now I'm in Hua Hin, doing art, and wanting to go back to Chiang Mai the most. because I felt that it was my home.
As I am northern , I prefer Thailand and ,The north for you relaxing with personality, The North is deference ,people ,culture, but all Thailand well come yours.
R u single mom 🧐
We were in Bangkok Thailand and my sweetie had a sudden heart attack and died and as they were doing CPR for about 7 min, they defibrillated his feet and he came back, they rush him into surgery and the medicine in Thailand was amazing, it literally made us feel like we had 3rd world country medicine in America. We would love to retire in Thailand, the respect for one another is amazing. Also our bill for 2 weeks in the hospital was 18k. Its sickening that in America this event would even be easily to 250k
Your experience is really reassuring because I am planning to retire and return to Thailand after 30+years in US. My biggest concern is healthcare access in Thailand. I will have health insurance from employer as a retiree. What hospital did your husband have surgery?
This was a friend I had a talk with. He says the health care in Thailand is very good.
@@GrowingUpWithoutBorders I am sad to say this " it is only good if you have enough money to go to private hospital." Majority of Thais go to government funded hospitals. Services are slow. If you are foreigners with good health insurance, you can go to private hospital. It is definitely good. Services are good and fast. A lot of doctors who practice in private hospitals finished their fellowship in US.
@@GrowingUpWithoutBordersit’s very good if one is reasonably proximate to a private hospital. If too far away, one is a dead duck depending on the nature of the medical emergency. But I guess that’s the same in most any country. I’m an Irishman in the Korat countryside and so far so good.
@@DreamofThailand19000It’s slow but it’s faster than most of countries in the world. And the cost of treatment is 100% of Gov’s expense. ไม่รู้ข้อมูลของประเทศอื่น อย่ามั่วค่ะ
With the climate, food and all year round outdoors, sounds wonderful Chantelle !
I know many digital nomads have called Chiang Mai home and really enjoyed their time here.
I have 20 different species of ants living in my home along with a collection of geckos, spiders and the occasional wandering scorpion, snake and frog. No one mentions these things when you move here.
@@michaeljcarneyjr.6187 I used to live in Malaysia, mum told me to put sulphur around perimeter of house to prevent them entering BUT still your quality of life is FAR better. Have been in London nearly 50 years, taxes, food, travel, housing, etc, extremely high, now due to terrible (Bojo the clown) government mishandling of Brexit/Ukraine situation, petrol rising to £2 a litre. Just been back from Mallorca (island in the Mediterranean), previously before Brexit, food prices were on par with UK, after Brexit/Russian oil sanctions, food shopping here is two thirds the price more and much less fresh as it takes longer to arrive from Europe due to customs checks/paperwork at the border. U r in the best place, and oh crime shot through the roof, 250 cars stolen daily, can't walk in parks once it starts getting dark/quiet roads. Windows/doors must always be locked even if u r in, not answering doors to ANY strangers, etc, etc.
@@catherinehui795 I was trying to be comical not serious. I grew up in Manhattan, was in the USAF and stationed in Vietnam during the war, lived in Beirut, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Spain and the Philippines. My mother was a tough Scot who sent me to Scotland to live with my Aunt and I did my Uppers there, what you call A levels now. As a Radio Operator on C 47 I have travelled and seen the world, even Antarctica. Travel is nor ever was a passion but my job made me go everywhere.
@@michaeljcarneyjr.6187 And not just spiders, but those giant scary looking black spiders will enter your home from time to time.
Pros and cons. Also worth mentioning the visa process isn't that easy for most people, and 90 day check in can be annoying. But there are still options.
Welcome to Thailand and wish everyone happiness , peace and safe life in this country. 🤗😊❤️🇹🇭
Thanks so much!
Amazing place
not 100% safe to foreigners
Just shared you channel with 20 million of my followers on all my platforms, you all are inspirational people.
Great informative video. One thing I would like to add about the money requirements required to retire here is that you don't have to have $27000.00 US in the bank. If you can simply prove that you receive 67000 baht (which is less than $2000.00 US) each month, which is received by a Thai bank, this also qualifies you to renew a 1 year retirement visa each year. I have done it for 5 years straight with no issues whatsoever.
That's great to know. Thanks for sharing!!
Thanks. It is good to know.
They dropped the income requirement
My wife is a thai…may I know use BANK joint account can I apply retirement visa?
With this plan, must you get health insurance or is it optional
Thailand is wonderful.Very friendly people, safe compared to the West and other emerging economies, great private healthcare at a fraction of the West, wifi and mobile broadband everywhere, super affordable and tasty local food and a seriously, beautiful country from the mountains to the beaches. However, if you do not like hot, sunny weather, pretty much all year round (everywhere has aircon), do not like Thai food and have no flexibility in your approach to life, it is unlikely to be the country for you.
Very well said. 👏
I love sunny and hot weather and Thai foods. If that is the only disadvantage, I am perfectly fine with it. What countries do you have in mind when you say the West?
Wow! I found your Chanel from the day you went to the palace in Bangkok then this one and very impressed by everything you put together for the contents especially this video it’s just like I’m watching the TV program 😊
I miss my home country Thailand 🇹🇭 and I can’t wait to go there next month!
Thailand is an ideal country to retire for everyone especially westerners. I lived there for three years. Quality of life is excellent for the money. Great informative video again!👍
I think there are many countries in Asia that are suitable for retirement. But Thailand is the best with the elderly because Thai medicine is ranked in the world, even rich people in the Middle East fly to Thailand for treatment, Thailand has very good doctors and hospitals
So true!
@@Kodcha24 When you get sick, you can go to see the doctor whenever you want. No need appointment in advance and many hospital particular in Bangkok and big city have 24 hours doctor stand by and the transfer for emergency or advance case treatment needed is so good.
Not true !! Times have changed thai government sold out to India for trade deal. Westerners won't holiday with Indians
@@Kodcha24 Beware the private hospitals before getting inpatient for big operation by asking them how much money you have to pay with the procedure to cure your body. If not they may overcharge you. SIRIRAJ Piyamahakarun is the best private hospital, All doctors are professor from Siraraj. Medical School.
Some visitors told that when you live in Thailand at same money, you can live longer than other European countries or USA for 2-3 times. Welcome all retired peoples to live in Thailand with our Thailand friendship and hospitality minds.
Thanks Chantal, great interview 👍🏽
Glad you like it. 🙌
Nice to see how the other half are living. I've lived in Thailand for more than 20 years but I live a much more humble lifestyle than you. It suits me though. Nice to see how you are living up there in Chang Mai with it's very hot afternoons and cold nights.
I used to travel all over Thailand and have experienced most places. Now I remain in the rural south. I love the green nature and beautiful scenery here. Looking at lush tropical landscapes under a vivid blue sky is bliss for me. I've got a little motorbike and love to go for rides in the country passing through towns and villages. Some awesome storms here too. Seriously awesome lol.
No tourists here. No westerners except me. I can speak quite a lot of basic Thai so no problem communicating. Very little english spoken here.
I'm English by the way. The Thai writing in my name here says Andrew.
Stay happy. Keep enjoying. Good lucks!
I have so many questions. We are going in August, A long visit to plan for retirement. Simple and Humble Rural living.
@@donaldstretz7720 You can ask me questions.
Rural living is away from the tourist trail and the city. People are different. Being able to speak some Thai is important. Not so much english is spoken. You will probably do better to look for a place that caters for foriegners.
@@MaroonedInDub I have some information to adding, Can i adding, Korat Nakornratcha srima, and Udon Thani in northeast, maybe not a huge westerner community like as Chaingmai but 2 of this city have many westerner living as well, there have a huge city and the rural area is not far to city. but for the rural living there have just one problem, you cannot own the land, and there have not condominium in the area, you have to find agency to rent the land if you don'thave any connection in Thailand
@@NattapolPhorueng Yes
Lucky you don’t get rob .
Wow,good interview.
Thanks!
People have been retiring in Thailand for the last 50 years, so its not something new, some of the benefits, excellent culture, food, people and cost although increasing in the last 20 years. Good luck on achieving 197 countries, thats quit the achievement. Great video.
Very informative video, thank you. My family and I are retiring to Thailand in 5 weeks.
Have fun! Glad it was helpful for you. We have 1 more video on Bangkok coming out soon.
Great info! I am living proof all he said is true!
Would have been nice to see the home that the gentleman is living in Thailand, the cost of the build.
Wow!!! Open minded family😊😊😊 adapt and overcome. You guys the best.
Thanks for the encouragement!
ผมอยากให้พวกคุณอยู่ไทยตลอดไป
Love love🥰❤
Thanks!
Chiang Mai is certainly a beautiful city and wonderful to visit for the food, the lovely people, and massages. One of the knocks on Chiang Mai is the "burning season", several months of smoke in the air and burning eyes. I wonder how Howard and his wife deal with that issue?
You’re right about that. I believe they probably head out durning that time.
Great channel and great host and guest! Thank you to the guest for his insight and host, WELL DONE!
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the nice comment!
Before Covid I stayed every winter time for 3 Month in Chiang Mai. It's really a lovely city. Hope times get better but I'm afraid they don't
Such a beautiful life.
Yes!!
Chiangmai is great. Just 30 minutes on a bicycle from the city center hotel, you can reach the nice park adjacent to Chiangmai University and at the foot of Doi Suthep. There is an annual walkup Doi Suthep to the temple up there (12 km) which thousands of participants take part. If you are a budget traveler like me (senior citizen Thai), you can drive up Doi Suthep-Pui and put up a tent there without paying any charge. If not senior citizen but Thai, you pay 80 baht to pitch tent a night and 30 baht more for additional night. If you don't have your own tent, you can rent one at the cost of 300 baht with bedding, pillow and blanket a night, much cheaper than one night stay at the hotel (800-1000 baht for budget hotel). The only downside is pollution in Jan-March when local farmers burn their fields. During that time, Chiangmai is one of the most polluted city in the world due to the fact that it lies in the valley surrounded by mountains, trapping particulates. BTW, I live in Nonthaburi, just 5 km from Bangkok border but visit Chiangmai regularly over the years, but not in Jan-March period.
That’s really great information. Thanks for sharing. I do remember the fires. We visited in February and there was lots of smoke in the air.
Yes cm is great, but not during BURN SEASON
I caught the train up to Chiang Mai 2 months ago for the scenery, return trip back to BKK. Unfortunately could only stay for a week but was really impressed with the city.
There are streets that are dangerous in Chiang Mai, in Suttitum. The signs are not in English they are Romanized. I am an Expat living in Thailand for 44 years. The visa process is not as easy as this man makes it, lots of hoops to jump through.
Thanks for sharing this. 👍
At least there aren’t mass shootings every other week, like here in the United States. I want to move to Thailand so bad!
3 months of pollution in Chiang Mai. Worse than India and China. Check with other long-term expats who know.
@@doug849 yes pollution is bad but this year was different because of the rain in the dry cool season
@@michaeljcarneyjr.6187 d
Ask the retirees who came to Thailand 10 to 15 years ago what they think about visas,exchange rates,language barriers and thai friendliness.Maybe it's a good idea before you decide to retire somewhere else.
Definitely a good idea. Also connect with expats on FB groups to discuss and get to know the community. 👍
No need to ask. Just experience for yourself. All ppl have different preferences.
Great video very helpful before going to visit Thailand in a few months, thanks.
I am a 69 year old retired US Citizen who has lived in Thailand for the past 12 years.I live in Chianyai.I have been to 188 of the 197 countries in the world.Before I drop dead like you I want to visit them all.Much cheaper here than the USA and I don't have to worry about going into a supermarket and having someone shooting the store up.Plus I live here on 5000 US dollars a year
How come you can spend only 13700 baht per month.?
My rent is only 2000 Baht a month,my cable TV IS 300 baht a month,My internet is 400 baht a month,my visa is 15,000 baht a year,my water is 100 baht a month,electric 500 baht a month,my hospital visits are about 22,00 baht a year,the rest is for food,transportation (I do not own a vehicle) ,necessaties and entertainment.I don't know all the exact costs but I have been in Thailand 12 years(never traveled anywhere ecept fro Thailand and Malaysia) ,I do an audit once a year and every I have seen that I have never spent more than 5000 US dollars,in some years it has been as low as 3000 US dollars,
@@barrykowal6409 enjoy your peaceful stay in the land of buddha teaching.
and next life reborn as Thai. Thailand is safe place on earth if there is war among U. S.and Rusia (coming soon) cuase we are nutruel country.
@@insightwisdom7022 Thailand is also very close to China.They know how to walk the fine line between China,Russia and the USA.Unlike other Asian countries Thailand has never been occupied by a foreign power other than Japan for 4 years during World War II.I myself am an agnostic/atheist but I prefer to live amongst Buddhists rather than Muslim or Chrustian fanatics.
@@barrykowal6409 smart ass.
Agreed looking forward to move back to my hometown .Thank you for nice video .from Mystic CT USA
Enjoy your time back in Thailand.
Papaya is real easy to grow in Thailand. Like you said just throw the seeds on the ground. It's that easy. LOL.
Thailand & especially Chiang Mai is very nice. We lived there full time for 6 years & may go back some day. That said this video is kind of sugar coating many things. Yes food is cheap in Thailand but most prepared meals are quite unhealthy in fact due to deep frying in cheap palm oils etc But of course you can cook healthy yourself & ingredients are inexpensive mostly. About the outdoor life which we excel in we have to say Chiang Mai has many months that you would not want to exercise at full tilt outside due to bad air & PM particle levels so high they are truly dangerous. Medical? Yes you can get quality medical care & yes diagnostics are very inexpensive BUT once you do have a serious condition you will find the prices not cheap at all. Also if your older than say 65 you may not be able to even buy Thai medical insurance nor be covered for anything pre-existing so try to buy a International policy not a Thai policy. Lastly realize there are 40-60 + deaths on Thai roads everyday...Every Day! That is quite insane really & those numbers are just those that die at the scene of the accident. Many more die en route to hospital or at hospital So yes for many reasons Thailand is beautiful & we still own a home there & may move back but please take a good look as it is not all rainbows 😉
Thanks for sharing this with everyone. All very important things to take into consideration.
Thank you for commenting on this. I fully agree. Some of these videos are not realistic and over simplistic for some strange reason. This distorts reality....
Thanks for a reality check.
If you look into alternative approach with Thai herbal medicine or Chinese, it will be a lot cheaper. It definitely takes longer, but results will be long lasting. I think a lot of us are more aware of health related issues, so there are definitely more venues food wise to meet healthier lifestyle.
Very interesting video about Thailand, I enjoy watching it.
Nice information..thanks enjoyed from Toronto Canada
Glad you enjoyed it.
A Thai bank account with 800,000 baht? Or a USA (foreign) bank account? How do you get the bank account and transfer the money though???
Thailand is wonderful but there are a few issues…… Visa is very strict and changes regularly to include the 800,000 baht must show movement in the account instead of just leaving it there. Also never buy property. It is cheaper to rent which also allows you to move at the end of your lease. Also the burn seat was not mentioned which lasts three months.
Regarding healthcare, I’m trying to determine if I can find the meds I need. Is there a site from which I could contact or get information to see if I can get my medications in the drug stores or otherwise? Thank you!
Nice video. Very informative 👍👍 ciao 🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹
I am Ross, from Brisbane Australia . I love your informative video .
Awesome! Thank you!
Very great interview 👍
Glad you liked it!
I coincidently met a man from Vancouver-Canada when I was attending a concert at Nonthaburi back in 2016 and he said to me that retiring in Canada itself is so pricey. Therefore, he choses to retire in Thailand instead.
That’s interesting. Vancouver is a very expensive place to live so for sure his money would stretch much further in Thailand.
@@GrowingUpWithoutBorders I agree with you, not to mention I had a little regret because I didn't choose Alberta in the first place.
We live in Ontario and it's getting very pricey here. Our city is one of the highest for property tax so we are thinking Thailand.
Not that expensive for me at $2200 cad per month (single) in my own home in Calgary. But the 7 month winters are getting tougher to handle as I get older. And there's little chance of meeting attractive women here. So I am considering Thailand for 4 months/yr in the core winter months.
Happily stumbled upon your informative video today while WFH from my overpriced apartment in NYC. I'd be interested to learn more about how to receive the social security benefit checks on a monthly basis as an American expat retiree living in Thailand. Does the expat need to maintain his/her bank account(s) in the country that he/she is a citizen of so that the security benefit checks can get direct deposited into the bank account in the expat's home country as well as opening and maintaining the local Thai bank account at one of the Thai banks so that the money can be easily wire-transferred digitally while retiring in Thailand?
I’m pretty sure you’d have to do both to be able to receive it and then simply do a transfer. Best to join a FB group of expats living abroad and specifically where you’re looking to go to and then ask around.
You can receive Social Security benefits deposited directly into your Thai bank account. This is true for many other countries as well. Check the Social Security website. Social Security has a large office in Manilla the services US citizens in Asia. I keep a US bank account and have my pension and Social Security checks deposited to my US bank. I then wire transfer money to Thailand as I need it.
@@martypoll Thanks a bunch for sharing your intel. I can envision doing similar process as you have suggested in your shared comment (keep/maintain my US bank accounts and credit card accounts that have been issued by the US banks such as Bank of America and Citi Bank active as well as open/maintain a bank account in Bangkok, Thailand to have the Social Security checks direct deposited into my main US bank account then wire-transfer the money into my Thai bank account say once every 3 months or so).
Question for you: Do you need to keep your house/residential property in America in order to maintain the residency in the US as a US citizen? I've been renting apartment throughout my adult life here in the US and do not anticipate purchasing an apartment or house at all before I'm ready to actually retire and 'walk the earth' like Kane from Kung Fu - the TV series. Do you have to travel back to the US at least once a year or some kind of incremental routine if you have not owned any residential property in the US? Would keeping a simple PO Box address in say New York City, NY be good enough as the address within the US?
@@scorpiorising577 Some, not all, banks want you to have a US address and a US phone number. I use my sister’s address as my US address. I maintain an AT&T phone number which does costs me about $60/month. There are companies that expats can sign up with that will give you a US address and will collect your mail and open or forward it to you. I think there are possible internet US phone numbers too but some banks don’t like them. I stick with what I have because that is what works for me and I don’t feel like experimenting. Otherwise no one cares whether you are a resident of any state. I stopped paying state taxes last year. Still I recommend that you get a drivers license with a long expiration date. And I recommend that you have a credit card from two different banks.
@@martypoll Appreciate the tricks & tips that you've shared via this comment/reply thread. As I'm a naturalized Thai American citizen (grew up in the US since I was 12-ish), all of my relatives are all back in BKK. We (my Japanese wife, our daughter - an American born who is Half Japanese Half Thai, and me) don't have any other relatives living in the US. So, I think I might consider what you mention here 'the companies that will give a US address then collect/forward the mails to me' and the 'internet US phone number' or just maintain my existing mobile phone number through T-Mobile or some other carriers. BTW, good tips about the drivers license expiration date and the credit cards from more than 1 bank - in my current scenario, I already do have a few credit cards from 2 different banks, Citibank and BofA. Again, thanks for sharing the solid info. Enjoy your time in Thailand, huh?
He says that a foreigner can build a house , own the house and use the land in perpetuity. I don’t think that is true as the land lease must be recorded at the land office and can only be for 30 years. Can you pls ask him to clarify? Also, condos must have a quota where foreigners are allowed only 49% ownership of the units. I don’t believe all condos have this quota. Can you please clarify? I also think the visa process can be more tangled than he describes.
What about the smog from the brush fires in the summer?
Yes this we didn’t talk about. It gets pretty bad during this time.
I would like to know how he got round the land ownership clause and has that property. Wasn't mentioned. Only land on condo properties was discussed.
that was a very nice interview. Thank you for the wonderful information. I am interested and excited to look into this.
Glad it was helpful!
How to buy a property in Thailand as foreigner? how is school and health care?
From what Howard says, the health care is really good. I have no idea about their school though. I did a quick search on Google and this is what I found: "It is a commonly unknown fact that although a foreigner cannot own land in Thailand, he can own the house or structure built thereon". I hope this helps.
Really good video 👍👍ciao from friends in italy 🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹
Ciao! Glad you enjoyed it!
"👏🎬 Thank you so much for producing this fantastic video about retiring in Thailand! Your attention to detail and passion for the subject shine through. Great job! 🏝🌇"
Thanks for the nice feedback.
Great interview 👏😍
Just to clarify, if one wanted a nicer home (not a condo), they could purchase/own the home but not the land? Are the homes comparable to American in quality and appointments?
Thank you for an informative video!
The quality of the house depends on the amount of money in your account.
Hiw easy to order from Amazon if you live in Chiangmai ?
I like Chiang Mai, but only for short getaway visits. I live in Chiang Rai, 185 kilometers away where the air is cleaner, the cost of living is cheaper, there is less traffic, and the weather is cooler.
Sounds lovely!
Except, tge air isn’t cleaner. I’ve monitored the air quality fur years and it’s about the same as CM… which is horrible. You are deluding yourself.
@@BradSabako we will have to agree to disagree on that. If you are correct, I know many deluded people.
@@AllAboutLifeInThailand Dear delusional: The following is from an article in the Thaiger: “ smoke and haze affect numerous provinces in northern Thailand. As the major city in the north, Chiang Mai often makes the headlines during what some expats call the ‘smoky season’. Although the haze is a real problem throughout Chiang Mai province, official statistics over the years show that the pollution is usually more severe in the provinces of Mae Hong Son and Chiang Rai. Other provinces in the north are also affected including, Lampang, Lamphun, Phrae, Phayao and Nan.” You need to be more aware of what you are doing to your lungs! Sorry to break the truth to you!
Hi thank you for the video and sharing the info. Just wondering, What’s the fees to extend ur stay from 90 days to a year after paying the initial 80k? Thank you.
Immigration costs - for those over 50 years old you will either need to put 800,000 baht in the bank or show monthly income of 65,000 baht/month. The 800,000 baht needs to be in the bank for five months of the year and not drop below 400,000 the remaining 7 months so be prepared to bank that money and consider it largely unusable. The monthly income method allows you to spend that monthly income down to zero every monthly. A terminology note - you don’t renew your visa every year. You extend the original visa every year.
Yes, the money was originally meant to demonstrate that you have sufficient funds to support yourself, or maybe pay for medical bills, but then when most of it has to remain in the bank, sort of defeats that purpose--very frustrating for some and limits their ability to move here--another key point to understand prior to packing up and moving to Thailand.
How do I retire in Thailand since Visa only 90 days.
Like every Asians parents, Thai parents want their kids to be a doctors🤣
so, 80% of top students in high schools go to medical schools. The difference between Thai doctors and other Asian doctors is they almost always come back to their hometowns and help developing the hospitals there to be better and safer for their own family and neighborhood 😊
Another thing is there’s a rule that after finishing med school, first year of your internship you’d randomedly sent to the different provinces in the country. That’s the way to make the new young doctor learn what the ppl in the small cities need and inspired you to do what you can do to help them get better and better healthcare 😉
Everything in Thailand is based on providing for the family.
It's inevitable that they all return to Udon or wherever
I love Thailand can’t wait to go back. Phi phi island was amazing.
Our next video is all about Phi Phi Islands! So amazing! 🤩
What is your list of your preferred retirement locations in Thailand for people in their 60s?
What about the water quality, can you drink the water or are you recommended to drink bottled water?
I would recommend a water filter set up in your home if you plan on being there long term. Tap water isn’t recommended or at least it wasn’t in the places we’ve visited in Thailand.
Wow excellent information. Thanks.
When you're talking about temperature are you saying that in Celcius?
I am really considering retiring to that region myself I am Med Retired Army in my 30s and make enough in retirement to qualify for a Retiree visa. I did read yearly I heave to leave and come back into the country to keep it current I guess I found that odd I will prob visit first!
Just really research first about the time of year when the farmers are burning because the quality of air is so poor. If you work it out to leave during those months, you'll be good to go.
American? If so you’re very lucky with the US$ being so strong. I’ve been an expat in Japan for a whopping 30 years ( it’s a long story 😏) but have always seen myself retiring in Thailand. My home country Australia, I have no desire to go back there and live. The way the authorities and police behaved during the pandemic sealed it for me.
Great information..... I just love Thailand!
I'mThai
Happy in Thailand
Thanks!!
What visa you guys get
Anyone know what the rules are regarding those non immigrant visas for a (non married) couple where one partner is over 50 but the other is 40?
Didn't really talk about the cons of living in Chiang Mai and it's burn seasons. Where 3 months out of the year, the farmers burn all the crops and the air quality is really bad.
what should people with respiratory challenges do in burning season?
I wouldn't move to Chiang Mai if you have any respiratory issues at all. Thailand is huge so there are many other areas you can choose to go to.
🇾🇪🇾🇪🇾🇪🇾🇪👍👍👍👍💝💝💝💝 ยินดีต้อนรับสู่ประเทศไทยครับ
I don't like Thailand
Just rent someting in Thailand..So you can always move on whenever you want.Thats my advice.
I'm glad you like Thailand.
Interesting talk, thank you. Kia ora Kiwi from Virginia
Glad you enjoyed it.
We are South Africans looking at retiring in Thailand and investigating the 1 year O-A Retirement Visa. Is there a South African on this forum that can contact us, and share their experience with us? Thank you kindly.
I've lived in Thailand for a while. As an expat you have zero rights. You must reapply for your retirement visa every year, with no guarantee it will be renewed. The paperwork is never ending. You must have 800k Baht (about $23000) in the bank, which is an enormous sum for a person living on a pension.
You are not allowed to own a house or land, are forbidden to work, and must report your address every 90 days, or risk being permanently deported.
There is even a law that requires you to report going on holiday for more than three days, though it is not enforced everywhere.
You have no additional rights if you are married to a Thai. In the eyes of the gov, it means nothing.
They can legally deny you a visa regardless.
In many tourist places you are automatically charged double what the locals pay, for almost everything.
Many doctors charge you double for the same service as locals get. Gov hospitals charge you 2 to 4 times.
The national parks make foreigners pay up to 10x what the locals pay.
It doesn't matter if you are a legal resident or not
The list goes on....
Yes Thai ppl are very helpful and they don't expect anything for helping a stranger. Its a Buddhist tradition.
🤣🤣
🤣🤣
@@sahpraphaphorn6240 why laugh? You are a Thai who experienced living somewhere then you laugh at your own countrymen. Shame on you.
@@sleepingbeauty690 Maybe she is one of those who scammed foreigners and she cant beleive Thais are honest🤣🤣🤣🤣
@@sahpraphaphorn6240 Maybe you are a necklace snatcher from Soi cowboy🤣🤣
Thanks to people like you the price of apartments and cost of living of Thai people is more difficult. Thanks God my country doesn't have a lot of tourist.
Hi Chantal and Howard, I was originally looking to retire in Thailand about 3 years ago. But Thailand immigration rules started to tighten up and appear to be LESS friendly to expats who desire to retire in Thailand. The one thing that really frosted me was the travel rules. They required expats to check-in and register if they leave their home city and travel to other parts of the country. I was like WTF is Thailand turning into a communist country. Monitoring everywhere you go! No Thanks, but I will say the housing, food and infrastructure is definitely superior to the Phil's.
Wow! That’s pretty crazy. We’ve been to many countries and visited friends who had to go to the local police office to register us in their homes. We though that was wild.
@@GrowingUpWithoutBorders I don't know if that requirement is still in place as it was almost 3 years ago that I heard a retired expat talk about it. Maybe it's changed but i doubt it. Especially with the past 2 years virus hysteria.
Well now in the Phils, you have to register your sim card with the govt so they can track your movements also. And if you want to leave the country after 6 mos stay, you need to get an exit visa.
@@ricke6854 At least the PI Gov doesn't require you to check-in with the local authorities when you move from city to city in the PI. I watched an expat who said that's what they do in Thailand. That's the kind of Gov control that's a bridge to far for me, so I opted to remove Thailand from my retirement list. So it looks like I'll end up in the PI. As a side note the Gov in the good old USA can track cell phone locations of Americans. That's how authorities have been able some solved crimes. It just happened with the guy that murdered 4 college students in Idaho. His cell phone showed he had been around the location of the murder's over 12 times.
@@danielhackney7806 Yeah, no country is perfect. I'm not sure where I'm going to retire, maybe just stay in Canada and travel winters only.
But having been in Thailand several times, the food is spectacular and infrastructure much better for me, including medical. So these would tip the balance for me.
I believe in the USA, police need a warrant before they can track your cell phone data. Not sure about other countries.
great video, howard is my idol ;)
Best papaya I ever had was one I grew in my wife's backyard when I would just throw seeds in the yard unbelievable good.
That’s amazing!
ขอให้มีความสุขกับการเที่ยวนะครับ
Thank you very much to love Thailand and we are welcome all people who love our country too. Diversity from people around the world is making world wonderful and beautiful. 😄😄😄🙏🙏🙏
Excellent interview! Very inspirational.
Any means to contact Howard for general advice? Thanks.
What visa?
Good video. Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it.
He doesn't mention the tremendous airpolution, espeically in Changmai the farmers burn the crops to clear the fields.
As Thai myself. we have always welcome foreigner into our coutry, And we don't have any dicremination aginst race or LGBTQ. If you can speak thai then you're no longer a guest and everyone will treat you like a native. I'm haft thai-chiness and I have my relative from Norway,Australia,Sweden. Thailland is always a mixer pot of everything. Food+culture+people everything is openly recieve in Thailand since long ago. We adopt and adapt everything into something better.
1. Food = coconut milk + spice from India .... Soy sauce + Pan + oil from China .. Even Pizza and Spaghetti have been adapt to thai style
2. International Relationship = We buy submarine from China and buy fighter jet from USA
And more... But as you can see Thai mean freedom so we like to said and think (Whatever = Ar-Rai-Gor-Dhai) and (No problem = Mhai-Pen-Rai)
most of the time in life.
My thai wife and I will be visiting Chang mai next week and want to buy or build. Curious of the location or area Howard lives in? We Just want to get a good feel for areas to live outside the city but close to the mountains.
They’re near the Grand Canyon water park.
@@GrowingUpWithoutBorders thanks so much.
Whats with the weird video clips in between - the transformer at 11.00 being worst example - who on earth picked these clips and why
I like this guy's vibe 😎
He’s super nice!
What are the visa options?
What if you want to move there, and are already retired, but are much younger, how hard is the process then?
I don’t fully know all the details. It’s best to check online. Most government websites have information about their different visa programs. Good luck!
Thank you for sharing. I hope one day, I will retire in my own country as well. Now I need to work hard for get money to pay the bills 😂 in Singapore.
I hope you’re able to make a good living in Singapore so you can go back and live a nice comfortable life. We were just in Singapore not too long ago.
Bangkok has 5 million, not 17 million.Thailand is attractive, and I love visiting. But many places have problems with poor air quality. I know someone who left Chiang Mai partly for this reason.
How much was the house you bought
you're great parents to let your children travel around with you.
Thanks! They do enjoy it.
Exellet Day 🌻
Thank-you!
Thanks for this video guys!! It looks amazing. We are looking to stay in Chiang Mai for a while. Which area were you guys in that was quieter than the main city? We like peace, quiet and a little bit of space. Thank you.
What are the visa options for those under 50 that are not retirees but want to live in Thailand and work an online business?
You can check. So many countries are starting to offer digital nomad visas.
Thailand is the paradise and the second home for all visitor !!!
I'd love to retire in Thailand but unfortunately I'm 9yrs too young to apply for the retirement visa😝. Living in Thailand while still working is still possible but having 4 cats make it difficult for me to do the visa runs.