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I left the USA in 2012 and moved to Thailand. My thai wife had a small private school only 50 students. I came with only 2 million baht. My goal was to make the school large enough to provide a reasonable income. I purchased adjoining land in her name of course and built 4 additional classrooms and purchased another van for school. I taught at local high school 1 year and used that money to air condition all classrooms. We currently have 200 students from nursery school though Anuban. We how have 4 vans, with a need for more. We now employ 23 people. We aren't rich by no means just live a comfortable life.
I left the UK 20 years ago. I have lived and worked in Thailand, Burma and Laos, and now live for the past 5 years or so in the beautiful town of Luang Prabang, Laos. I teach online and from next year I will also have my UK state pension - that pension is not great but absolutely enough to live a modest life in Laos :)
I left the U.K. 3 weeks ago. I’m currently checking out Vietnam for a few months until I turn 50yo. I’ll then get a retirement visa in Thailand. I’m not in a financial position to retire. But I’m alright for a good few years. I hope to make an income stream from interest, stocks and crypto. No way I’m waiting until I’m 67yo. I’ll make it work. I spent 8 months in Thailand last year, so know what to expect.
I did that 15 year's ago .. had a nightmare with crypto in 2018 though 😂 .. rental income was my saviour ,let's hope crypto fly's high soon ,as well as my Tesla 🎉
Just a dude in a hat sat next to a caravan 😂 love it! you're a top lad mate, no jokes. You've inspired me to move over. I'm on day three in thailand, and I'm trying to choose between holiday mode and living mode its hard, lol. But your videos and life story has helped me. Big respect from a Yorkshire lad to a Lancashire lad ❤
I agree with all of your points. Whether you are rich or not, if you are well-organized, have plans A, B, and C, do as much research, and find confidence, you can live in Thailand or other countries.
Three simple rules for living in Thailand. 1. Never sell your place back home. 2. Never buy a bar or go into business. Thousands have failed. There is NOTHING special about you. 3. Don't overstay the visa unless you REALLY love that cucumber soup LOL!!
@@AG-so4glThe bubble going to burst, don't you mean you have burst your bubble in Thailand, House prices will stay high in the UK for many years to come. Good luck with your bubble 😁
I have lived all my life without a 'proper job' so have had to live on my wits. I started off in Asia about 30 years ago teaching English in Phnom Phen but graduated from that to importing second-hand digital mobile phones as Mobitel set up and started dislodging the analogue ones. When I met my future wife in Bangkok I moved here and we set up an Ebay biz selling Thai handicrafts. This turned out to be very profitable and allowed us to build a house in her home village and buy some land which at the time was dirt (Sorry) cheap. Now I have a small UK pension which with our farming means we live well. Life is a journey to be lived not endured locked in an office.
Same here. I've done odd jobs and ran random businesses in the United States. I am still young compared to you and have the same mindset. Have a plan and make it happen but go experience life and get out of the rut most people are in. A 9 to 5 to pay off a house over the course of my life isn't that satisfying to me.
You’re an amazing hardworking good family man with a very smart business sense, to be honest I think most people will not be able to survive on your advice because they don’t have what it takes to, I think advising them to come with a minimum amount of 10k£ would be better. Love your stuff 🙏
Very good points Ryan banged the nail on the head, thanks 👍🙏. If I were to give JUST ONE PIECE OF ADVICE to any newcomers, please can I say, do not under any circumstances use Financial Advisors or Pension advisers/ providers here. Do not transfer your investments and private pensions from the highly regulated offshore juristictions ie Isle of Man or Jersey/Channel Is. I have lived here 18 years with a rental portfolio in the UK, but I moved most of my investments and private pensions in 2011. Terrible terrible decision, lost a lot of money. But nowhere near as bad as many I know. Total losses in the region of £300-400 or 500,000. Be ware!!
Hi Ryan as usual, I love your content. Currently sitting in a Hotel in Manchester airport waiting on my flight. So excited to start my next life's journey in thailand.
Hi Ryan- it’s almost time for us to do exactly the 3 months stay in Thailand & cannot wait! We will be nomadic to see which area would suit us before shipping some of our belongings there. Thanks for sharing video 😊
This just might be the best & most comprehensive advice I've heard in a single RUclips vlog, for people looking to escape to Thailand. A very, very nice job, by just a guy in a hat. :) My only caveat would be that 3 months, in any new country, is likely to be too short to make a true "for the rest of my life" decision, esp. for those people who have spent little or no time living outside of their home country. Someone who has previously lived for a few years in a foreign country (perhaps as a US Peace Corps Volunteer or equivalent), or an experienced slow traveller (not a 1-2 week tourist, but someone who spends 6+ months in each country and in multiple countries), might make do with a 3-6 month evaluation period, but a newbie is probably going to need a year, or more, to shed the baggage of living in the West, to pass through the "I'm in a new country!" tourist/honeymoon period & multiple "I love/hate this!" cycles, and finally begin to glimpse what it will truly take to integrate into a totally new culture, for the rest of his/her life. But, this is just my two baht of opinion - take it or leave it - based on my own personal experience.
On this subject, you've nailed it Ryan. The only thing i would add is, if you move from the UK way before any retirement funding age, remember that whatever pension you'll eventually get will be based 'only' on how many work years contributions you've put in & on top of that your eventual pension is frozen at the monetary value on your retirement draw date. No increases there after.
@@thenakedguru That's fantastic Ryan & intelligent people like you will have it covered, but very few are savy enough to look into their options, or even be aware they could have options.
@@thenakedguruThis is a good thing about the UK. They allow you to do that. Unfortunately in Ireland when you live abroad you generally can't contribute to the national insurance so you have to forego the state pension unless you have already made 520 social insurance contributions before leaving
Great message. The only tiny bit of advice i have is when you get boots on the ground and you've made the jump from the uk, dont rush anything. Slowly, slowly and stay humble. Plan two steps ahead and build on that plan. Avoid buying that villa and rent until you are more aware of the laws, pitfalls and your own feelings. Lets just call it a period of adjustment. ❤
Polling day was Thursday in England & everyone doing so had to take photo I.d with them. Boris Johnson brought this in before Sunak took over. Only on Thursday Johnson himself turned up to vote without I.d & was turned away. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 Imagine, this was the guy in charge of the whole country 😮
The recent financial statements regarding the Thai economy should be a concern to all living here! Thailand is spending more than it is earning! 14% of GDP is being spent on Chinese goods! Uncontrolled borrowing is rampant! The Thai banking system has not done the 'due diligence'! An estimated 92% of Thais are in debt! If the Baht collapses it will not be all good for foreigners! Higher costs for all goods and services will be automatic! I hope I'm lucky as I have overseas funds? Glad you are making these points! Never rely only on Pensions! * I've been here nearly 40 years! Good luck!
Thanks for this vlog as always Ryan. My advice for anyone thinking of coming to Thailand to live would be to thoroughly do your research from all angles. Make some contacts, save some money, plan an exploratory trip so that you can see for yourself what you might be letting yourself in for. Always take out Health and Life Insurance when you are young and fit enough to do so and make sure that you have sufficient cover for your needs. Don't restrict yourself to a certain area, there are many beautiful places in Thailand. The holiday spots are not always the best. Be imaginative but not foolhardy. Always have an escape plan, even though you may never use it. Be bold, go for your dreams but always keep one foot firmly planted on the ground. Beware of scammers and tricksters. As with any country, Thailand is not exempt from such devious people, but somehow many foreigners seem to forget that. Whether it is the heat, the beer or the sight of a pretty girls thigh, I don't know, but whatever your safety mechanisms are in your home country, don't forget them here. It is always advantageous to learn the language of the country you reside in, although I have to say that as an older man, and despite various attempts, I have been unable to master Thai after 12 years. I believe that younger people have a much better chance so don't let that put you off. Finally, if you do decide to make the move, I am sure that you won't regret it. I can't think of a better place to see out my days than here in the Isaan region of Thailand. God bless 😀❤🙏
If you are free and have no commitments with family, kids, debt or work, then moving around the world working is an option whilst living the rest of the time in Thailand. You have to have a job that you can find the work where and when you want though. There's a little bit of uncertainty but the freedom to come and go as you please far outweighs any negatives.
Hi Guru. If a single guy goes and live in Thailand he will probably will not last unless he meets a nice Thai girl that really loves him and support each other. You give great advice for anybody wanting to move to Thailand permanently. Having lived in Thailand for seven years we have seen many expat come and go from broken hearth or ran out of money. Me and my husband had moved to Phuket in 1995 with our two kids that were 2 and 9 years old. We opened a souvenir shop in Kata beach. We sent our older son to international school and when our younger son turned 5, we sent him to a Thai private school. But after 7 years we realized that the education standard at the time was not very good. So we decided to come back to Canada and have a proper education for our children. Next year we will be retiring and planing to come and check out to see if we move back permanently or just go for 6 months at a time. Thailand changed a lot and so did the weather. Thanks for all of your informative videos.
I escaped Australia in 2021 and have not returned apart for one holiday lol I do love your videos. Yours was one of the channels I watched before moving here.
Everything you said is absolutely true of Japan also. Identical, even though the economy is stronger. I'm looking in to making the transition to Thailand, so your channel is proving quite the resource.
I really enjoy thailand when u visit. I cannot tolerate the heat & I miss having English chat with friends. It is beautiful, enjoy the beautiful people great food diverse culture I will stay in canada but do enjoy thailand.
Another very informative video presented in such a sunny and charming way. I can understand how you made a success of your move to Thailand. Sitting here in the appalling freezing cold of the early Nordic spring, I wondered whether it would be inappropriate to ask where or in the grounds of which hotel this video was filmed? Would love to pay it a visit next year.
Your excellent advice pretty much covered it all. Same for the Philippines. Don't know the working rules in Thailand , but in the Pills first priority is always given to the Filipinos, so getting a job , (other than online or a part owner business with a Filipino) is virtually impossible.
Never thought I was escaping the U.S. when I retired over here a few years ago with my Thai wife. But it’s now turning out to have been a great move given all the nonsense going on there and in Europe. See no reason to ever go back now except for short visits. We spend about $5000 or $6000 US per month here which sounds like a lot but our monthly budget was twice that when we left the U.S. Here we live like royalty and still save half our income!
Funny you see yourself as a guy in a hat that knows nothing, as said before to you over a long time = you are an intelligent charming soul who has a plethora of interests and experiences at the same time putting the massage across in reality rather than the concept of our vivid imagination, being rich or wealthy doesn’t always mean how much money one has , being rich in mind and soul in the end is worth much more.
Issan Thais live together collectively very often on family land so they need less to live on.. IMO, to live in Isaan or anywhere rural Thailand, you will thrive if you don't need Western company to socialise with and speak your language, you don't need Western food and you are adept at learning difficult languages. All 3 rule me out so my plan has to incorporate always living in Tourist areas. I live in Pattaya and have seen price rises of 20-40% for *some* of the foods I buy in the last 2.5 years and rents have recovered about the same after Covid pricing. I am easily able to and am happy to pay the increases. My point being, if you plan for the bare minimum and have no buffer, what are you going to do if price shocks hit over time? Plan for a buffer - my recommendation is 60K+ per month.
Doubt you read all these replies, but please keep posting your experiences and advice, they are very useful to me as something I can measure and relate my experiences to. Ignore the trolls that embarrass themselves on here but lack the intellect to notice.
I'm sorry to hear UK, the homeland of the original Americans is so bad right. Even though America is too expensive it's really nice outside the cities and you can live a good quality of life and not deal with many of hassles we face in Thailand. I'd prefer to live in both countries if I could afford to.
Similar to the western countries, the visa and registration in Thailand tend to screen people by their skills and wealth to live in the country. Otherwise, it may have many problems later on. If you have sufficient skills and get working visa in multinational corporations operated in Thailand, you are considered as an high income earner in this country. To be a language teacher with 30,000 Bahts a month is considered as average salary for local Thai. It is low compared to the western income, however, most local people live on that income. The money is quite tight in the big city like Bangkok; however, if you live in other provinces, such salary is quite high compared to the average salary in the provincial area. The average cost of living in the province is usually 30% lower than that in Bangkok. Finding a job is not difficult, but finding the right job for you is very difficult because there are limited job opportunities that meet the western standards.
Biggest problem with moving to Thailand is not the money, it's the fact it"s never permanent. You will never get citizensip or permanent residency and will always have that worry that your visa will not be renewed.
if you think it is bad just come across the pond to the 'good ol' u.s of a....just be careful not to get shot on the streets! Crime is rampant and with everyone owning a gun, it is deadly! The younger generation do not care to work. The service in fast food restaurants is awful. The cost of living is through the roof. Everyone is trying to sue you. Road rage is a constant as everyone seems pissed off all the time. Almost every medium city has two to three shootings every day without fail!! People have a nasty attitude! So political everywhere. You could meet someone for the first time and within a few minutes they try to find out which political party you ascribe to. But the worst overall is the high cost of living! I have some plumbing issues I can't get to, but know I can't afford to call for one! Everything is ridiculous expensive!! Most folk rather sit home and collect from the government than work. Almost 40% of the country is getting some kind of assistance, could be a lot more, but the government keeps it discreet. They care more for migrants coming in than for the citizens of this nation. Millions are homeless but the government immediately tryst to find 4 star hotels for the migrants coming in. They also get a credit card with a huge allowances, twice my disability income after working until age 50. Free medical to have as many babies. Free education and then the President cries out, I don't know why they are coming but if they say the magic word "Asylum" regardless of what country they come from, could be the richest, the government will bend over backwards to accommodate them! It is no longer a government of the people...just a government of a few selected people who have all the politicians in their pockets. I despise the country I live in. Even the Supreme Justices were shown to be corrupt looking for ways to enrich themselves! Deplorable nation! I would NEVER encourage anyone to go fight and die for this nation. Never! It has lost it's way!! It is corrupt to the core! Meanwhile the country is going to hell with all the shootings and crime and the rising cost of living fast putting enormous stress on families causing the kind of crime we see all the time! Millions are homeless because one cannot afford to live anywhere anymore! Everyone hates each other and so they don't want resources going to help people. Too many exploiting the government hand outs refusing to work, and that is why the millions of migrants are being allowed in. This is causing tensions in neighborhoods causing a lot of the racial gang violence...I could go on...but I think you get the picture! The only reason most choose to stay is because of family and this is all they know. Yeah, get the hell out of Dodge as soon as you can.....
You can live really cheaply in Thailand but as you say it depends on the lifestyle you want to lead. My wife and I are fine on 20k baht a month but that's with a house in central Thailand paid for, so no rent. I'm too young to retire and have no pension to look forward to in the future but the way the UK economy is going I doubt anybody else will either!
I really respect your perspective. However, my view is very different! I'm not in Thailand but in East Africa. The most important is the family, and building connections, as I see it. It is not really about money. If I didn't have, my African family would help. But school fees and basic foodstuff are super important. We have a farm and 7 fields. Two kids go to primary school. I have to go to Europe now and then because of "kids" there too. An important key issue is understanding the culture and interacting with it.
"Don't know shit about shit" - on the contrary, I think you nailed it again, so I'd say "you tell the whole turd, and nothing but the turd"! ;-) Indeed, resourcefulness and grit is hard currency. (Showing up and spontaneously by a bar the next week...is, however, not...)
if your not 50 years old (im 45) what visa do you recommend? I know you can do thai speaking class a year? And heard some have done it up to 3 years. Visa runs?
Regarding the frozen pension scam, I think you can skip over to the Philippines and spend a bit of time over there (I'm not sure for how long) . Your pension will be updated to the current CPI? This is because the Philippines have an agreement with the UK. More research into this loophole would be recommended.
How difficult is to register a company in Thailand? I know you need somebody who is Thai as a partner but moneywise how much do you need to get it going?
The best videos on this topic are in Russian with English subtitles as there are a lot of very serious Russian entrepreneurs out there in Phuket and Pattaya.
Your not too old. U can travel no neabouring countries for £20 if you want to look around. It will take you years just to explore Thailand. Great show as usual sir from Maria and Col
I retired at 58 years old after 40 years in NHS as a nurse. I get approx 1,300 sterling a month from my pension and will get state pension at 68 years on top. I also have some savings. Having watched this channel and others I think I'd get by in Thailand, away from tourists.
Very good insights. I've been in SE Asia for a year and have listened to many expats. A common theme amongst those dissatisfied might be classified as, "Failure to assimilate". i.e., unable to adapt to an entirely new culture/climate/economy. So, I'd suggest some thorough introspection prior to crossing the pond, asking yourself tough questions, e.g., "How well have I adjusted to new situations?" I am still amazed with how different the culture is here, including, e.g., the seeming absence of traffic laws! The other thing is to consider carefully what you really like about the country you're in, because some of those positive attributes may not be available in Thailand. I had become accustomed to the fast delivery of virtually anything via Amazon and still miss that here in Thailand, as one example. There are no 'perfect places' that I am aware of. Rather, there are trade offs when relocating and some careful considerations of what will be gained and lost will really pay off.
Like your videos, a lot of good infos as i am also planning to move over in a year. But i want to at least speak on the point of coming over with an "online work".. that topic is so big and fragile at the moment due to AI... we are month away from ChatGBT 5 and AGI and that will kill a lot of "online work" then with a small look into some more years we have the "Projekt Stargate Datacenter" get finished in 4 years in the US from Microsoft that will kill even more jobs online worldwide. So i would not suggest build a future in thailand with "online work". Other points where good like "renting out property", teaching as a real human will still be looked out for quite some time so yea teaching would be also on my list for ppl to suggest! I would say the biggest sector to go into for the future as an expat in thailand is tourism. Build something in that sector or work there. Keep up the good work and content!
Northern Ireland here, came back from Thailand last August. I went there for 6 weeks. I went because i met a girl from there. We love each other and talk every day. Dating two years but I am unemployed and it's heart breaking trying to get back and my girl works 7 days a week as an accountant. It's no good if you are like me and live in rural ireland with no job...we both hope something happens and we can live happily ever after.
agree... am on a financial 'research trip' out here in SE Asia now.. for whatever its worth to whoever, CAN live on under £1k a month to live out in Thailand or Vietnam (where I am right now!) but its a basic life... alcohol is the biggest expense in Asia!!... also Highly agree with having a back up lump sum!! it gets a bit stressful when you are living month by month out here, far away from 'Home' and limited support from family etc... Keep your investments back in your home country! do a few months financial research trip if you can... it WILL give you a good idea of your monthly spend.. the first month WILL be the most expensive as you buy little bits n pieces for your new home! ideally £1.5k per month income will give you a comfortable quality of life, best if no debt or minimal expenses back home and at least a yrs income as a back up... ie: around £18-20K or more.... if retiring.. or even that if you are looking to move out to Asia and looking for a new life.... have 1YR worth of income behind ya!! have been living in n out of various places in SE Asia over the last 25yrs and can 100% back up everything you are saying on the financial side of things!!! Have a job or something to do if 'retiring'.. it does get boring after a yr or so... have been 'retired' for over 10yrs and NEED to have something to do!! Good Luck to everyone!!!
dutch guy here, lived in new Zealand for the last 14 years,happily married with my Thai Isaan wife for 15 years, 1 child,14 years old now,moving to Thailand 29/5,permanently ,very low budged but we will make it work!🙏
@@AminCorea Its not always about cheaper. The difference is barely 10-15% across the board. Not enough to make it viable, Thailand has far far more amenities, choice and better quality services and products on every level.
@@AminCoreaNon of them speak Khmen so why would his Thai wife want to live in Cambodia? Or even his daughter who has dual Nationality. What opportunities does Cambodia offer that would be more rewarding for her when she finishes school?
@@AminCorea Its not always about cheaper, Thailand has far far better and wider choice of everything and better services and quality goods. The difference might be 10-15% in the cost of living but the lifestyle is far far greater. Cambodia is nowhere near as developed or sophisticated an economy.
@@AminCorea Seen as both my previous comments have not been posted. I suggest you do a cost of living comparison on Numero. Thailand is in fact cheaper across the board that Cambodia.
We can't be sure of anything. I was in Thailand for a long time. Now I'm back in Old Blighty. The UK is rapidly going down the tubes. Unfortunately I believe the new Thai government is trying to play catch up with the insanity of western governments. I was a teacher in Thailand. Hopefully not one of the worst. I am very, very sad that I can't find anything hopeful to say 😞
Beware the Thai Banks in event of a currency crises will not guarantee savings in accounts with over B1m. Open several accounts if you can, offset the capital and hopefully remain 'safe'!
yes vlad, i have been here almost 3 years and can see them drip feeding the woke, climate change agenda bit by bit. unfortunately the thais dont see it, they dont care, same as the brits, by that time it will be too late.
I will have paid off my mortgage this year and will rent it out to cover my expenses, plus savings. I have a house in Thailand that I can live in for free. I'm just scared to go into the bar or restaurant business. I can't teach because I'm dyslexia and I'm a builder so need to do something with my time. The last time I lived in Thailand I did get bored, you can only exercise and walk the dog so much. So just a little stuck with how to fill my time
@stevebomonster house and land in wife's name - but bought decades ago so new build soon. Condo is the way to go for a single man if you are sure. What some are paying for rent in some areas makes me wince a bit.
@stevebomonster Legally No but unlikely to get kicked out after 20+ years of marriage and trust set up in case Mrs dies first, that effectively stalls the entail until I die (it was tricky to set up). What I find equally frustrating are the business ownership laws, for small money, it's virtually a no as well.
I'm 27 years old from the US and I've been in Chiang Mai about 8 months now. Currently on an education visa and have an income online but I'm looking to transition into opening a small business over the next 2 years to help ensure my ability to stay and contribute to the community. Beyond getting fluent in Thai is there any key piece of advice anyone here can offer for me?
Solve a problem for people - that's the definition of what a business is. It's not an income stream - people don't care if you make money or not (only you do). What they care about is that your product or service solves their problem at a price they are willing to pay. So always ask yourself, "What problem am I solving?" and let guide you. If you do that well enough, the money will flow.
Love the rant, personal perspective, and common sense advice...but "the disclaimer"? . Come on Ryan, you do know many things here after 15 years of teaching, traveling, partying, marrying, then settling down in Rural Thailand. I grew up very frugal and think it is why I do not hang with many farangs I have met as so many seem very wasteful with money, yet most times that is a positive for Thais and local businesses. I am still fighting "envy" of those with money to burn at times, yet It comes and goes. So glad to see your view numbers doing well with this topic as "escaping" is something many consider these days . Family comes first as you know. By the way, where are Damo, Otis, and Hugo? 555 guess I have to wait until next Friday! As always Thank You, Peace and Love.
I’m in no man’s land at moment, planning my move, currently working a good contract in uk. I have a small mortgage but not quite enough profit to live off if I rent it out, once mortgage paid off should be ok. I’m trying to secure some online work which is reliable enough for me to make the leap to Thailand with some passive income from rent. I’m not risk averse but I want to be sensible and ensure everything is as secure as possible. I could sell up, but long term keeping my property is the sensible option. I take heed to all your advice, and agree with your views on uk 🇬🇧, farangs, Thai’s, and Thailand 🇹🇭.
Seems like a good enough plan - good luck. I am a little more aggressive thinking that real estate can be sold and equities purchased that will grow in time so I sold everything in Aust 2 years+ ago and love it. Unlike a UK Pension, which is fully indexed if you move to Phils but not Thailand (I hear), your rental income will grow over time, protecting you a bit from inflation and hopefully currency swings.
One comment about teaching online (which is what I do from Laos, so a similar lifestyle to Thailand). If you teach 'bog-standard' English, then pay rates are quite low (and getting lower all the time), because of the sheer quantity of English-speaking people who claim to be teachers! (Some are very good teachers, others are average and some are dubious). If you want to receive a higher rate of pay as an online teacher, then you really need to find a niche that is in demand, but where the supply of teachers is low. In my case, I teach all kinds of science because I was a scientist back in the UK. There is a big demand for this subject, so pay rates are about 1,000 baht per hour. But you really need to be qualified and know about science to teach it well! I would suggest that those who can teach primary grade Maths will be in demand. Food for thought...
Living costs . In the last week 2 guys from Udon quoted 22k and 48k.Guy from Pattaya wouldve been the cheapest but for 17000b on entertainment.😂. Remember in Issan thais earn 15k a month on average. Bangkok of course double everything. Horses for courses.
l've been living out of the UK for over 23 years and have been spending most of that time teaching in China. lf you like teaching and can build enough dedication and self confidence it is a good move. There's even ChatGPT now which makes lesson planning even easier. l enjoyed my visits to Thailand, although apart from sightseeing, l don't think living and working in Bangkok is entirely ideal. Regards the UK, enough said. lt was going downhill when l left. l won't mention the illegal mass migration and the use of expensive hotels which is another story. l like the hat by the way.
What you should of mentioned is that if you come from the UK to retire in Thailand you state pension is frozen. I've been here for almost 7year and missed out on 5 pension increases.🙄
I think in the Philippines they have a reciprocal agreements for social security so you get pension rises. If you live in one of the following countries and receive a UK State Pension, you will usually get an increase in your pension every year: EEA countries and Switzerland Barbados Bermuda Bosnia-Herzegovina Gibraltar Guernsey the Isle of Man Israel Jamaica Jersey Kosovo Mauritius Montenegro North Macedonia the Philippines Serbia Turkey USA
The new requirements to bring your spouse to the UK is crazy now!! Especially somebody who has lived outside the UK for so long. When returning the salary doesn't even meet the minimum requirement of 29K per annum..
Hi mate, great videos! what do you think about Thailand's new tax law from January? Now, all money transferred from the UK to Thailand could be taxed up to 35%. Of cause for people who are there for 180+ days per year. It sounds like it could really add to the tax burden in Thailand, not to mention all the extra hassle with tax registrations and returns, right?
Hello do you think it's safe for western women to move to Thailand alone? I am visiting Phuket in June just for a taster and a look around. I hate the UK now, I hate everything about it. I am 50 and I want OUT next year. This year I am just putting feelers out
@@thenakedguru I would expect them to be a problem, esp with people visiting from all corners of the globe. I'm visiting with family in June and if I form an attachment, perhaps I would try 2 or 3 months over the winter.
Ryan, how did you end up getting into Hospitality overseas? This is an option that I'm trying to get more information on since I do not think I'd be doing any favors teaching English. Maybe there are opportunities in the fitness industry since from what I can see that it's growing there.
Allmost 50 😊😊😊 live here now 8 years and come here 22 years now. Live close to Bangkok . If you not do much crazy things you can live relax in Thailand. But if go crazy you can spend a lot of money for sure 😂😂😂😂.
You cannot simply move here and ESCAPE your life. You must have: #1 the funds #2 an open accepting mindset #3 a plan/objectives to fill your days (which often requires sufficient funds)
I will be escaping the USA and moving to Hua Hin, Thailand in less than 5 years. Once settled then travel to Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, and Malaysia to experience all the great things I have seen by RUclipsrs like yourself. I am sad that the country I live in caters to crime and political turmoil. People have changed to...always angry and opinionated and you dare not disagree. I will always love the USA and family and friends but it's just not getting better. Having 1/2 Million+ in the bank and SS coming in so many years everyday you can live free and travel and eat like a king on all the great food SE Asia has to offer.
The problem with Thailand is visas I had the 2 months one then 1 extension then I did 1 more visa plus extension then got rejected in Kuala Lumpur The elite visas crazy expensive
I could teach computer science and electronics but if there are universities in the city it will be easier. Is there any interest of high level teaching in Thailand?
its so important to spend some time in the place you want to retire in and it needs to be a few months then you will see what its really about i'v met loads that go on a short holiday and then jump only to find they don't like a lot of things about the place then they moan like bad about living there
Where is your English accent from? When I was learning English I could hardly understand the UK teacher, he was almost swallowing half of every word. But you don’t do that - I can understand every single word perfectly even though you are not speaking slow. Is this your natural speaking voice, or are you doing something special just for the video to ensure you are understood? BTW, the tone of your voice is beautiful, reminds me of Rod Stewart a bit. :-)
I have adapted my spelling over the years in Thailand so Thais, and other non English people can understand me - this was also important for teaching English which was my initial job 👍
im loving this series of information for new expats thinking about coming here....Of course America sucks, England sucks etc......If your poor and have no skills you will be more poor and have less skills here unless you speak the language....Also, its worth noting when you get here and get settled, maybe you buy and can build even a small house, your going to have problems like people trying to steal your families rice, or who knows!!!! Dogs biting your inlaws and having to take them to hospital for shots, clothing your kids or your wife's kids for school, navigating the increasing heat year to year!!!! Lets not even talk about your aging heath needs!!!!! even last night im sure a large spider crawled down my throat and who knows what would would have happened had'nt i had the ability to swallow it down!!!!!! There are so many factors ----the main one is if you don't have passive income of at least 2500-3000$ a month Your going to be scraping the barrel. If you want to scrape the barrel, and wander around with health insurance that may or may not cover you with all your pre-existing conditions then go for it!!!! Its always a plus if your like Ryan and you have a Thai lady who can speak english and earn$$$$ but if you dont you will always be wishing you had prepared more.......You will bake in the heat, and lucky if you dont get dengue during the wet season!!!! I had it last year and almost died from it!!!! People live and die here just like anywhere...But if you can get your head screwed on right, youll appreciate the hardships and live,,,,,People here live to live. Then they all die.... Thats fact...... 51 5+ years exp.....Live in Rural Issan.
The wife and I are 67 years old who adore Thailand and the people. Living in the UK is taking its toll on us mentally, everyone has lost hope. Would an income of £2000 a month give us a comfortable life in Thailand? We need to escape urgently.
@@doriandorian. I have a business that employs Thai staff, but for each additional expat you need 4 more Thai staff and I don't need that many Thai staff haha
Due to my acedent I took a major budjet cut. Down to 25k/month, not including visas, insurance amd plane tickets home. Luckly I have everything set up sustainably in Pai. Comfortable, but I can’t leave for 1 year.
Awesome VLOG and will be moving there to Isan soon and does anyone have some online websites I could trust to sign up for some online work for a little work to keep the mind active while on my partners farm? Upwork? Thanks in advance 😊
Only if Thailand has UK agreement. I live in Indonesia and my UK pension is only £256 per month. We do not get any pension increases. 2023 they got a 10% increase, this year they had a 8% increase. Not for us
@@michaelblack2334 Just out of interest, what happens if you move back to the UK or a country with the agreement? Does it revert to the full pension? Or do they just add the 10% increase to the £256?
@@DeanoRav If you move back or stay in one of the countries with the agreement you get the future increases. My pension was the minimum as not enough stamps but it’s not right that we miss out on increases. Every year they send a form to be filled out to prove your residency and to see if you are still alive.
This is a big topic and thankyou Ryan for exploring it .I am 7 years from retirment age in australia (60) I have a thai wife for 13 years now . We live in Australia . My mother who is 84 lives with us .I have a duty to look after my mum a good yorkshire lass. It may me I can never do what my heart wants . If it should happen all my assets will stay in Australia . Navigating and avoiding the Thai tax system is easy. The stupid Australian government will take their tax too . Because I am asset rich. Do not send words of disrespect to me .I worked hard for what I have . But I would never go to Thailand wanting a champange life on a beer budget
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I left the USA in 2012 and moved to Thailand. My thai wife had a small private school only 50 students. I came with only 2 million baht. My goal was to make the school large enough to provide a reasonable income. I purchased adjoining land in her name of course and built 4 additional classrooms and purchased another van for school. I taught at local high school 1 year and used that money to air condition all classrooms. We currently have 200 students from nursery school though Anuban. We how have 4 vans, with a need for more. We now employ 23 people. We aren't rich by no means just live a comfortable life.
Beautiful. This is what'd make 99.9% of people happy (even those saying otherwise, they just don't know it)
I left the UK 20 years ago. I have lived and worked in Thailand, Burma and Laos, and now live for the past 5 years or so in the beautiful town of Luang Prabang, Laos. I teach online and from next year I will also have my UK state pension - that pension is not great but absolutely enough to live a modest life in Laos :)
Not enough for a retirement visa though.....
Luang Prabang sure is beautiful, isn't it? I spent three months there, about five years ago
Be aware that Thailand will tax your UK pension ones you transfer it there
Sounds brilliant. I really want to visit Laos. I'd love to know about online teaching. What is the name of the company I can apply to please? Thanks.
Ok I here a lot of talk about the Thai Tax . I am not worried about it . Its easily avoided
I left the U.K. 3 weeks ago. I’m currently checking out Vietnam for a few months until I turn 50yo. I’ll then get a retirement visa in Thailand.
I’m not in a financial position to retire. But I’m alright for a good few years. I hope to make an income stream from interest, stocks and crypto. No way I’m waiting until I’m 67yo. I’ll make it work. I spent 8 months in Thailand last year, so know what to expect.
All the best with it 🙏🙏
@@thenakedguru Cheers pal 🙏
thats what ive done moved thailand 2 hlf years ago waiting f crpto gold in 55 now no why waiting till 67 bin travlelling around for 30 yrs now
Vietnam doesn't have a retirement visa
I did that 15 year's ago .. had a nightmare with crypto in 2018 though 😂 .. rental income was my saviour ,let's hope crypto fly's high soon ,as well as my Tesla 🎉
Just a dude in a hat sat next to a caravan 😂 love it! you're a top lad mate, no jokes. You've inspired me to move over. I'm on day three in thailand, and I'm trying to choose between holiday mode and living mode its hard, lol. But your videos and life story has helped me. Big respect from a Yorkshire lad to a Lancashire lad ❤
I agree with all of your points. Whether you are rich or not, if you are well-organized, have plans A, B, and C, do as much research, and find confidence, you can live in Thailand or other countries.
Not in North Korea Lol!
Three simple rules for living in Thailand.
1. Never sell your place back home.
2. Never buy a bar or go into business. Thousands have failed. There is NOTHING special about you.
3. Don't overstay the visa unless you REALLY love that cucumber soup LOL!!
Disagree on point 1, just sold UK house, Bubble going to burst, protect your equity
I wont be selling anything . My Australian assets will fund my thai life
@@stevebomonster okay if you want Iwill talk but these Australian men who think they can live in Thailand on a pension are deluded
@@ian-wu2bb I'm not an Australian, I don't understand where you are going with this, are Australian pensions so low?
@@AG-so4glThe bubble going to burst, don't you mean you have burst your bubble in Thailand, House prices will stay high in the UK for many years to come.
Good luck with your bubble 😁
I have lived all my life without a 'proper job' so have had to live on my wits. I started off in Asia about 30 years ago teaching English in Phnom Phen but graduated from that to importing second-hand digital mobile phones as Mobitel set up and started dislodging the analogue ones. When I met my future wife in Bangkok I moved here and we set up an Ebay biz selling Thai handicrafts. This turned out to be very profitable and allowed us to build a house in her home village and buy some land which at the time was dirt (Sorry) cheap. Now I have a small UK pension which with our farming means we live well. Life is a journey to be lived not endured locked in an office.
Same here. I've done odd jobs and ran random businesses in the United States. I am still young compared to you and have the same mindset. Have a plan and make it happen but go experience life and get out of the rut most people are in. A 9 to 5 to pay off a house over the course of my life isn't that satisfying to me.
I worked for a greedy US corp in London
Now in Thailand
The U.K. is finished
You’re an amazing hardworking good family man with a very smart business sense, to be honest I think most people will not be able to survive on your advice because they don’t have what it takes to, I think advising them to come with a minimum amount of 10k£ would be better. Love your stuff 🙏
Can't wait to get out of the UK
From Canada and my goal is to sit on the beach most days, swim, drink cocktails and travel to other SE Asia destinations.
Very good points Ryan banged the nail on the head, thanks 👍🙏. If I were to give JUST ONE PIECE OF ADVICE to any newcomers, please can I say, do not under any circumstances use Financial Advisors or Pension advisers/ providers here. Do not transfer your investments and private pensions from the highly regulated offshore juristictions ie Isle of Man or Jersey/Channel Is.
I have lived here 18 years with a rental portfolio in the UK, but I moved most of my investments and private pensions in 2011. Terrible terrible decision, lost a lot of money. But nowhere near as bad as many I know. Total losses in the region of £300-400 or 500,000. Be ware!!
Hi Ryan as usual, I love your content. Currently sitting in a Hotel in Manchester airport waiting on my flight. So excited to start my next life's journey in thailand.
Fantastic, all the very best to you 😀
Hi Ryan- it’s almost time for us to do exactly the 3 months stay in Thailand & cannot wait! We will be nomadic to see which area would suit us before shipping some of our belongings there. Thanks for sharing video 😊
This just might be the best & most comprehensive advice I've heard in a single RUclips vlog, for people looking to escape to Thailand. A very, very nice job, by just a guy in a hat. :)
My only caveat would be that 3 months, in any new country, is likely to be too short to make a true "for the rest of my life" decision, esp. for those people who have spent little or no time living outside of their home country. Someone who has previously lived for a few years in a foreign country (perhaps as a US Peace Corps Volunteer or equivalent), or an experienced slow traveller (not a 1-2 week tourist, but someone who spends 6+ months in each country and in multiple countries), might make do with a 3-6 month evaluation period, but a newbie is probably going to need a year, or more, to shed the baggage of living in the West, to pass through the "I'm in a new country!" tourist/honeymoon period & multiple "I love/hate this!" cycles, and finally begin to glimpse what it will truly take to integrate into a totally new culture, for the rest of his/her life. But, this is just my two baht of opinion - take it or leave it - based on my own personal experience.
On this subject, you've nailed it Ryan.
The only thing i would add is, if you move from the UK way before any retirement funding age, remember that whatever pension you'll eventually get will be based 'only' on how many work years contributions you've put in & on top of that your eventual pension is frozen at the monetary value on your retirement draw date. No increases there after.
Cheers - I pay £900 a year into voluntary National insurance - if I continue to pay it another 30 years I will get a state pension 🙏🙏
@@thenakedguru
That's fantastic Ryan & intelligent people like you will have it covered, but very few are savy enough to look into their options, or even be aware they could have options.
@@thenakedguru I think I will be doing that soon too!
@@joemann2178not long Joe 😁
@@thenakedguruThis is a good thing about the UK. They allow you to do that. Unfortunately in Ireland when you live abroad you generally can't contribute to the national insurance so you have to forego the state pension unless you have already made 520 social insurance contributions before leaving
Thanks for bringing some common sense to the conversation
12:55 Good advice Ryan. Many mistakenly equate their holiday for full time Thai life.
Great message. The only tiny bit of advice i have is when you get boots on the ground and you've made the jump from the uk, dont rush anything. Slowly, slowly and stay humble. Plan two steps ahead and build on that plan. Avoid buying that villa and rent until you are more aware of the laws, pitfalls and your own feelings. Lets just call it a period of adjustment. ❤
Good points James 👍🙏
Polling day was Thursday in England & everyone doing so had to take photo I.d with them. Boris Johnson brought this in before Sunak took over.
Only on Thursday Johnson himself turned up to vote without I.d & was turned away.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Imagine, this was the guy in charge of the whole country 😮
The Muslims using postal votes don't need any id
Yes a complete f....wit of the highest order.
And yet Johnson destroyed Labour at the last general election - literally wiped them out. So what does that tell you about Labour?
The recent financial statements regarding the Thai economy should be a concern to all living here! Thailand is spending more than it is earning! 14% of GDP is being spent on Chinese goods! Uncontrolled borrowing is rampant! The Thai banking system has not done the 'due diligence'! An estimated 92% of Thais are in debt! If the Baht collapses it will not be all good for foreigners!
Higher costs for all goods and services will be automatic! I hope I'm lucky as I have overseas funds? Glad you are making these points! Never rely only on Pensions! * I've been here nearly 40 years! Good luck!
Thanks for this vlog as always Ryan. My advice for anyone thinking of coming to Thailand to live would be to thoroughly do your research from all angles. Make some contacts, save some money, plan an exploratory trip so that you can see for yourself what you might be letting yourself in for. Always take out Health and Life Insurance when you are young and fit enough to do so and make sure that you have sufficient cover for your needs. Don't restrict yourself to a certain area, there are many beautiful places in Thailand. The holiday spots are not always the best. Be imaginative but not foolhardy. Always have an escape plan, even though you may never use it. Be bold, go for your dreams but always keep one foot firmly planted on the ground. Beware of scammers and tricksters. As with any country, Thailand is not exempt from such devious people, but somehow many foreigners seem to forget that. Whether it is the heat, the beer or the sight of a pretty girls thigh, I don't know, but whatever your safety mechanisms are in your home country, don't forget them here. It is always advantageous to learn the language of the country you reside in, although I have to say that as an older man, and despite various attempts, I have been unable to master Thai after 12 years. I believe that younger people have a much better chance so don't let that put you off. Finally, if you do decide to make the move, I am sure that you won't regret it. I can't think of a better place to see out my days than here in the Isaan region of Thailand. God bless 😀❤🙏
Cheers Graeme 🙏
If you are free and have no commitments with family, kids, debt or work, then moving around the world working is an option whilst living the rest of the time in Thailand. You have to have a job that you can find the work where and when you want though. There's a little bit of uncertainty but the freedom to come and go as you please far outweighs any negatives.
🙏🙏🙏
Hi Guru. If a single guy goes and live in Thailand he will probably will not last unless he meets a nice Thai girl that really loves him and support each other. You give great advice for anybody wanting to move to Thailand permanently. Having lived in Thailand for seven years we have seen many expat come and go from broken hearth or ran out of money. Me and my husband had moved to Phuket in 1995 with our two kids that were 2 and 9 years old. We opened a souvenir shop in Kata beach. We sent our older son to international school and when our younger son turned 5, we sent him to a Thai private school. But after 7 years we realized that the education standard at the time was not very good. So we decided to come back to Canada and have a proper education for our children. Next year we will be retiring and planing to come and check out to see if we move back permanently or just go for 6 months at a time. Thailand changed a lot and so did the weather. Thanks for all of your informative videos.
Thanks for sharing your story 🙏🙏
Always interesting and informative and entertaining, great advice
I escaped Australia in 2021 and have not returned apart for one holiday lol I do love your videos. Yours was one of the channels I watched before moving here.
😂😂😂 escaped Australia love it
That’s funny I never enjoy my stays much it’s quite ridiculous here now you are correct
@@singas2854 I went back and felt like an Alien in my own country. So much more calmer and relaxed here.
@@thetravellingsocialworker I’m fifo quite a bit off retirement and have a great Thai woman I’ve only spent 2 weeks in Australia in my time off so far
@@singas2854 Yes well life here is better generally speaking if you have a way to support yourself or have a good Retirment plan
@@thetravellingsocialworker I do enjoy the lifestyle I’m creating
Everything you said is absolutely true of Japan also. Identical, even though the economy is stronger. I'm looking in to making the transition to Thailand, so your channel is proving quite the resource.
Good video Ryan. Some important points you Covered there. It's good to realise your options when moving to Thailand.
I really enjoy thailand when u visit. I cannot tolerate the heat & I miss having English chat with friends. It is beautiful, enjoy the beautiful people great food diverse culture I will stay in canada but do enjoy thailand.
Another very informative video presented in such a sunny and charming way. I can understand how you made a success of your move to Thailand. Sitting here in the appalling freezing cold of the early Nordic spring, I wondered whether it would be inappropriate to ask where or in the grounds of which hotel this video was filmed? Would love to pay it a visit next year.
Your excellent advice pretty much covered it all.
Same for the Philippines. Don't know the working rules in Thailand , but in the Pills first priority is always given to the Filipinos, so getting a job , (other than online or a part owner business with a Filipino) is virtually impossible.
Never thought I was escaping the U.S. when I retired over here a few years ago with my Thai wife. But it’s now turning out to have been a great move given all the nonsense going on there and in Europe. See no reason to ever go back now except for short visits. We spend about $5000 or $6000 US per month here which sounds like a lot but our monthly budget was twice that when we left the U.S. Here we live like royalty and still save half our income!
Passport's in the works and we're literally walking out the door leaving everything behind.
Best of luck 🙏🙏🙏
That is awesome. I’m trying to do that
Funny you see yourself as a guy in a hat that knows nothing, as said before to you over a long time = you are an intelligent charming soul who has a plethora of interests and experiences at the same time putting the massage across in reality rather than the concept of our vivid imagination, being rich or wealthy doesn’t always mean how much money one has , being rich in mind and soul in the end is worth much more.
Issan Thais live together collectively very often on family land so they need less to live on..
IMO, to live in Isaan or anywhere rural Thailand, you will thrive if you don't need Western company to socialise with and speak your language, you don't need Western food and you are adept at learning difficult languages.
All 3 rule me out so my plan has to incorporate always living in Tourist areas.
I live in Pattaya and have seen price rises of 20-40% for *some* of the foods I buy in the last 2.5 years and rents have recovered about the same after Covid pricing. I am easily able to and am happy to pay the increases. My point being, if you plan for the bare minimum and have no buffer, what are you going to do if price shocks hit over time?
Plan for a buffer - my recommendation is 60K+ per month.
Doubt you read all these replies, but please keep posting your experiences and advice, they are very useful to me as something I can measure and relate my experiences to. Ignore the trolls that embarrass themselves on here but lack the intellect to notice.
Escaping Canada is my #1
Canada is just as bad as the UK. Very expensive with low pay.
I'm sorry to hear UK, the homeland of the original Americans is so bad right. Even though America is too expensive it's really nice outside the cities and you can live a good quality of life and not deal with many of hassles we face in Thailand. I'd prefer to live in both countries if I could afford to.
What hassles?
Similar to the western countries, the visa and registration in Thailand tend to screen people by their skills and wealth to live in the country. Otherwise, it may have many problems later on. If you have sufficient skills and get working visa in multinational corporations operated in Thailand, you are considered as an high income earner in this country. To be a language teacher with 30,000 Bahts a month is considered as average salary for local Thai. It is low compared to the western income, however, most local people live on that income. The money is quite tight in the big city like Bangkok; however, if you live in other provinces, such salary is quite high compared to the average salary in the provincial area. The average cost of living in the province is usually 30% lower than that in Bangkok. Finding a job is not difficult, but finding the right job for you is very difficult because there are limited job opportunities that meet the western standards.
Biggest problem with moving to Thailand is not the money, it's the fact it"s never permanent. You will never get citizensip or permanent residency and will always have that worry that your visa will not be renewed.
The UK is fucked that’s y I’m getting out off here in 2 years .
if you think it is bad just come across the pond to the 'good ol' u.s of a....just be careful not to get shot on the streets! Crime is rampant and with everyone owning a gun, it is deadly! The younger generation do not care to work. The service in fast food restaurants is awful. The cost of living is through the roof. Everyone is trying to sue you. Road rage is a constant as everyone seems pissed off all the time. Almost every medium city has two to three shootings every day without fail!! People have a nasty attitude! So political everywhere. You could meet someone for the first time and within a few minutes they try to find out which political party you ascribe to. But the worst overall is the high cost of living! I have some plumbing issues I can't get to, but know I can't afford to call for one! Everything is ridiculous expensive!! Most folk rather sit home and collect from the government than work. Almost 40% of the country is getting some kind of assistance, could be a lot more, but the government keeps it discreet. They care more for migrants coming in than for the citizens of this nation. Millions are homeless but the government immediately tryst to find 4 star hotels for the migrants coming in. They also get a credit card with a huge allowances, twice my disability income after working until age 50. Free medical to have as many babies. Free education and then the President cries out, I don't know why they are coming but if they say the magic word "Asylum" regardless of what country they come from, could be the richest, the government will bend over backwards to accommodate them!
It is no longer a government of the people...just a government of a few selected people who have all the politicians in their pockets.
I despise the country I live in. Even the Supreme Justices were shown to be corrupt looking for ways to enrich themselves! Deplorable nation! I would NEVER encourage anyone to go fight and die for this nation. Never! It has lost it's way!! It is corrupt to the core! Meanwhile the country is going to hell with all the shootings and crime and the rising cost of living fast putting enormous stress on families causing the kind of crime we see all the time! Millions are homeless because one cannot afford to live anywhere anymore! Everyone hates each other and so they don't want resources going to help people. Too many exploiting the government hand outs refusing to work, and that is why the millions of migrants are being allowed in. This is causing tensions in neighborhoods causing a lot of the racial gang violence...I could go on...but I think you get the picture! The only reason most choose to stay is because of family and this is all they know.
Yeah, get the hell out of Dodge as soon as you can.....
I don't understand, you voted for Brexit by a majority, why can't you face the consequences?
Might not have 2yrs left?
dont blame ya! me too.. doing my financial research trip out here now!! good luck!!
@@markholland6657 don't forget to factor in Thailand tax
You can live really cheaply in Thailand but as you say it depends on the lifestyle you want to lead. My wife and I are fine on 20k baht a month but that's with a house in central Thailand paid for, so no rent. I'm too young to retire and have no pension to look forward to in the future but the way the UK economy is going I doubt anybody else will either!
great!
I really respect your perspective. However, my view is very different! I'm not in Thailand but in East Africa. The most important is the family, and building connections, as I see it. It is not really about money. If I didn't have, my African family would help. But school fees and basic foodstuff are super important. We have a farm and 7 fields. Two kids go to primary school. I have to go to Europe now and then because of "kids" there too. An important key issue is understanding the culture and interacting with it.
"Don't know shit about shit" - on the contrary, I think you nailed it again, so I'd say "you tell the whole turd, and nothing but the turd"! ;-) Indeed, resourcefulness and grit is hard currency. (Showing up and spontaneously by a bar the next week...is, however, not...)
if your not 50 years old (im 45) what visa do you recommend? I know you can do thai speaking class a year? And heard some have done it up to 3 years. Visa runs?
Regarding the frozen pension scam, I think you can skip over to the Philippines and spend a bit of time over there (I'm not sure for how long) . Your pension will be updated to the current CPI? This is because the Philippines have an agreement with the UK. More research into this loophole would be recommended.
How difficult is to register a company in Thailand? I know you need somebody who is Thai as a partner but moneywise how much do you need to get it going?
50k baht max 👍
The best videos on this topic are in Russian with English subtitles as there are a lot of very serious Russian entrepreneurs out there in Phuket and Pattaya.
@@thenakedguru Please do some videos on setting up a business, and yearly accounting. There is hardly any good videos on this.
You need to Register a Company (Less than 20K Baht), turnover at least 2MB and employ at least 4 Thai staff and pay social security for them.
Your not too old. U can travel no neabouring countries for £20 if you want to look around. It will take you years just to explore Thailand. Great show as usual sir from Maria and Col
I retired at 58 years old after 40 years in NHS as a nurse. I get approx 1,300 sterling a month from my pension and will get state pension at 68 years on top. I also have some savings. Having watched this channel and others I think I'd get by in Thailand, away from tourists.
Would you think Thailand over thinking The Caribbean??
40 years service and 1300 a month, ouch
@@AG-so4gl The UK strikes again! :)
@@victorsooknarine7471Haiti?
About 60 thousand baht, plenty 👍
Very good insights. I've been in SE Asia for a year and have listened to many expats. A common theme amongst those dissatisfied might be classified as, "Failure to assimilate". i.e., unable to adapt to an entirely new culture/climate/economy. So, I'd suggest some thorough introspection prior to crossing the pond, asking yourself tough questions, e.g., "How well have I adjusted to new situations?" I am still amazed with how different the culture is here, including, e.g., the seeming absence of traffic laws! The other thing is to consider carefully what you really like about the country you're in, because some of those positive attributes may not be available in Thailand. I had become accustomed to the fast delivery of virtually anything via Amazon and still miss that here in Thailand, as one example. There are no 'perfect places' that I am aware of. Rather, there are trade offs when relocating and some careful considerations of what will be gained and lost will really pay off.
Haven't you had much luck with Lazada?I find them as good if not better than Amazon
@@roystevenson1375 Lazada? Hadn't heard of them.....but will definitely check it out. Many thanks!👍👍
Like your videos, a lot of good infos as i am also planning to move over in a year.
But i want to at least speak on the point of coming over with an "online work".. that topic is so big and fragile at the moment due to AI... we are month away from ChatGBT 5 and AGI and that will kill a lot of "online work" then with a small look into some more years we have the "Projekt Stargate Datacenter" get finished in 4 years in the US from Microsoft that will kill even more jobs online worldwide. So i would not suggest build a future in thailand with "online work". Other points where good like "renting out property", teaching as a real human will still be looked out for quite some time so yea teaching would be also on my list for ppl to suggest! I would say the biggest sector to go into for the future as an expat in thailand is tourism. Build something in that sector or work there.
Keep up the good work and content!
Northern Ireland here, came back from Thailand last August. I went there for 6 weeks. I went because i met a girl from there. We love each other and talk every day. Dating two years but I am unemployed and it's heart breaking trying to get back and my girl works 7 days a week as an accountant. It's no good if you are like me and live in rural ireland with no job...we both hope something happens and we can live happily ever after.
12 years here and love it :)
Whatever your pension is, it will go further in Thailand in non tourist areas, but you do need to take into account health insurance costs.
Thank you very much teacher, you need more than plan a or b in Thailand, a,b,c,d,e,f and g are a good idea
agree... am on a financial 'research trip' out here in SE Asia now.. for whatever its worth to whoever, CAN live on under £1k a month to live out in Thailand or Vietnam (where I am right now!) but its a basic life... alcohol is the biggest expense in Asia!!... also Highly agree with having a back up lump sum!! it gets a bit stressful when you are living month by month out here, far away from 'Home' and limited support from family etc... Keep your investments back in your home country! do a few months financial research trip if you can... it WILL give you a good idea of your monthly spend.. the first month WILL be the most expensive as you buy little bits n pieces for your new home! ideally £1.5k per month income will give you a comfortable quality of life, best if no debt or minimal expenses back home and at least a yrs income as a back up... ie: around £18-20K or more.... if retiring.. or even that if you are looking to move out to Asia and looking for a new life.... have 1YR worth of income behind ya!! have been living in n out of various places in SE Asia over the last 25yrs and can 100% back up everything you are saying on the financial side of things!!! Have a job or something to do if 'retiring'.. it does get boring after a yr or so... have been 'retired' for over 10yrs and NEED to have something to do!! Good Luck to everyone!!!
dutch guy here, lived in new Zealand for the last 14 years,happily married with my Thai Isaan wife for 15 years, 1 child,14 years old now,moving to Thailand 29/5,permanently ,very low budged but we will make it work!🙏
Come to Cambodia it's cheaper here.
@@AminCorea Its not always about cheaper. The difference is barely 10-15% across the board. Not enough to make it viable, Thailand has far far more amenities, choice and better quality services and products on every level.
@@AminCoreaNon of them speak Khmen so why would his Thai wife want to live in Cambodia? Or even his daughter who has dual Nationality. What opportunities does Cambodia offer that would be more rewarding for her when she finishes school?
@@AminCorea Its not always about cheaper, Thailand has far far better and wider choice of everything and better services and quality goods. The difference might be 10-15% in the cost of living but the lifestyle is far far greater. Cambodia is nowhere near as developed or sophisticated an economy.
@@AminCorea Seen as both my previous comments have not been posted. I suggest you do a cost of living comparison on Numero. Thailand is in fact cheaper across the board that Cambodia.
Teaching pay in Thailand has not risen for a long time. It is truly awful and long hours too.
We can't be sure of anything. I was in Thailand for a long time. Now I'm back in Old Blighty. The UK is rapidly going down the tubes. Unfortunately I believe the new Thai government is trying to play catch up with the insanity of western governments. I was a teacher in Thailand. Hopefully not one of the worst. I am very, very sad that I can't find anything hopeful to say 😞
Beware the Thai Banks in event of a currency crises will not guarantee savings in accounts with over B1m. Open several accounts if you can, offset the capital and hopefully remain 'safe'!
yes vlad, i have been here almost 3 years and can see them drip feeding the woke, climate change agenda bit by bit. unfortunately the thais dont see it, they dont care, same as the brits, by that time it will be too late.
Good explaination
I will have paid off my mortgage this year and will rent it out to cover my expenses, plus savings. I have a house in Thailand that I can live in for free. I'm just scared to go into the bar or restaurant business. I can't teach because I'm dyslexia and I'm a builder so need to do something with my time. The last time I lived in Thailand I did get bored, you can only exercise and walk the dog so much. So just a little stuck with how to fill my time
Learn to speak Thai and take up photography .. you won't have a minute
@@stevebomonster we have a double tax treaty..there will be no tax
@@stevebomonster I'm from the UK .. it's easy to find the list of countries with Tax treaties online ..good luck 🙏
Easy enough to live off £100 a week here if you are single.
Double that if you drink and treble that if you are with the wrong lass.
My thoughts for the P.I. if you are not renting.
@stevebomonster house and land in wife's name - but bought decades ago so new build soon. Condo is the way to go for a single man if you are sure. What some are paying for rent in some areas makes me wince a bit.
@stevebomonster Legally No but unlikely to get kicked out after 20+ years of marriage and trust set up in case Mrs dies first, that effectively stalls the entail until I die (it was tricky to set up). What I find equally frustrating are the business ownership laws, for small money, it's virtually a no as well.
I'm 27 years old from the US and I've been in Chiang Mai about 8 months now. Currently on an education visa and have an income online but I'm looking to transition into opening a small business over the next 2 years to help ensure my ability to stay and contribute to the community. Beyond getting fluent in Thai is there any key piece of advice anyone here can offer for me?
Only invest what you’re willing to lose!
Solve a problem for people - that's the definition of what a business is. It's not an income stream - people don't care if you make money or not (only you do). What they care about is that your product or service solves their problem at a price they are willing to pay. So always ask yourself, "What problem am I solving?" and let guide you. If you do that well enough, the money will flow.
Love the rant, personal perspective, and common sense advice...but "the disclaimer"? . Come on Ryan, you do know many things here after 15 years of teaching, traveling, partying, marrying, then settling down in Rural Thailand. I grew up very frugal and think it is why I do not hang with many farangs I have met as so many seem very wasteful with money, yet most times that is a positive for Thais and local businesses. I am still fighting "envy" of those with money to burn at times, yet It comes and goes. So glad to see your view numbers doing well with this topic as "escaping" is something many consider these days . Family comes first as you know. By the way, where are Damo, Otis, and Hugo? 555 guess I have to wait until next Friday! As always Thank You, Peace and Love.
Cheers brother 😁
I’m in no man’s land at moment, planning my move, currently working a good contract in uk. I have a small mortgage but not quite enough profit to live off if I rent it out, once mortgage paid off should be ok. I’m trying to secure some online work which is reliable enough for me to make the leap to Thailand with some passive income from rent. I’m not risk averse but I want to be sensible and ensure everything is as secure as possible. I could sell up, but long term keeping my property is the sensible option. I take heed to all your advice, and agree with your views on uk 🇬🇧, farangs, Thai’s, and Thailand 🇹🇭.
Seems like a good enough plan - good luck. I am a little more aggressive thinking that real estate can be sold and equities purchased that will grow in time so I sold everything in Aust 2 years+ ago and love it.
Unlike a UK Pension, which is fully indexed if you move to Phils but not Thailand (I hear), your rental income will grow over time, protecting you a bit from inflation and hopefully currency swings.
One comment about teaching online (which is what I do from Laos, so a similar lifestyle to Thailand). If you teach 'bog-standard' English, then pay rates are quite low (and getting lower all the time), because of the sheer quantity of English-speaking people who claim to be teachers! (Some are very good teachers, others are average and some are dubious).
If you want to receive a higher rate of pay as an online teacher, then you really need to find a niche that is in demand, but where the supply of teachers is low. In my case, I teach all kinds of science because I was a scientist back in the UK. There is a big demand for this subject, so pay rates are about 1,000 baht per hour. But you really need to be qualified and know about science to teach it well!
I would suggest that those who can teach primary grade Maths will be in demand. Food for thought...
Living costs . In the last week 2 guys from Udon quoted 22k and 48k.Guy from Pattaya wouldve been the cheapest but for 17000b on entertainment.😂.
Remember in Issan thais earn 15k a month on average. Bangkok of course double everything.
Horses for courses.
l've been living out of the UK for over 23 years and have been spending most of that time teaching in China. lf you like teaching and can build enough dedication and self confidence it is a good move. There's even ChatGPT now which makes lesson planning even easier. l enjoyed my visits to Thailand, although apart from sightseeing, l don't think living and working in Bangkok is entirely ideal. Regards the UK, enough said. lt was going downhill when l left. l won't mention the illegal mass migration and the use of expensive hotels which is another story. l like the hat by the way.
What you should of mentioned is that if you come from the UK to retire in Thailand you state pension is frozen. I've been here for almost 7year and missed out on 5 pension increases.🙄
I think in the Philippines they have a reciprocal agreements for social security so you get pension rises.
If you live in one of the following countries and receive a UK State Pension, you will usually get an increase in your pension every year:
EEA countries and Switzerland
Barbados
Bermuda
Bosnia-Herzegovina
Gibraltar
Guernsey
the Isle of Man
Israel
Jamaica
Jersey
Kosovo
Mauritius
Montenegro
North Macedonia
the Philippines
Serbia
Turkey
USA
Well spoken!! Soon, soon, soon!
The new requirements to bring your spouse to the UK is crazy now!! Especially somebody who has lived outside the UK for so long. When returning the salary doesn't even meet the minimum requirement of 29K per annum..
Hi mate, great videos! what do you think about Thailand's new tax law from January? Now, all money transferred from the UK to Thailand could be taxed up to 35%. Of cause for people who are there for 180+ days per year. It sounds like it could really add to the tax burden in Thailand, not to mention all the extra hassle with tax registrations and returns, right?
I am interested to escape. The biggest concern is if the western world collaps how will that affect pensions and funds, crashing banks?
That appears to be the plan
FIAT is dead, long live Crypto
You missed one which is Fly in Fly out which is another good option. Working on the rigs or mining. One month on and one off is a good option.
Yes very good option
WEF doesnt like this comment
I am 57 now. My retirement will start in 10 years. We are planning to move to Thailand, latest in 10 years. If possible earlier.
Best of luck with it my friend - cheers for being part of the channels so long 👍🙏
Hello do you think it's safe for western women to move to Thailand alone? I am visiting Phuket in June just for a taster and a look around. I hate the UK now, I hate everything about it. I am 50 and I want OUT next year. This year I am just putting feelers out
Yea but in my opinion it’s the tourists that are most dangerous 🙏
@@thenakedguru I would expect them to be a problem, esp with people visiting from all corners of the globe. I'm visiting with family in June and if I form an attachment, perhaps I would try 2 or 3 months over the winter.
Half the reason men leave the west is to get away from western women, lol. But good luck
Ryan, how did you end up getting into Hospitality overseas? This is an option that I'm trying to get more information on since I do not think I'd be doing any favors teaching English. Maybe there are opportunities in the fitness industry since from what I can see that it's growing there.
Any advice on the best way to teach English? Online or in a school….
Hi all. Maria and Col Pattaya Thailand
Allmost 50 😊😊😊 live here now 8 years and come here 22 years now.
Live close to Bangkok . If you not do much crazy things you can live relax in Thailand. But if go crazy you can spend a lot of money for sure 😂😂😂😂.
Bingo
You cannot simply move here and ESCAPE your life. You must have: #1 the funds #2 an open accepting mindset #3 a plan/objectives to fill your days (which often requires sufficient funds)
ESCAPE is often a mindset or a change of career/life direction back at home
Just look at the state of the UK. I am truly disgusted with it. We are selling up and leaving this country and can't wait!
I sold up few weeks ago, protect that equity
I will be escaping the USA and moving to Hua Hin, Thailand in less than 5 years. Once settled then travel to Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, and Malaysia to experience all the great things I have seen by RUclipsrs like yourself. I am sad that the country I live in caters to crime and political turmoil. People have changed to...always angry and opinionated and you dare not disagree. I will always love the USA and family and friends but it's just not getting better. Having 1/2 Million+ in the bank and SS coming in so many years everyday you can live free and travel and eat like a king on all the great food SE Asia has to offer.
The problem with Thailand is visas
I had the 2 months one then 1 extension then I did 1 more visa plus extension then got rejected in Kuala Lumpur
The elite visas crazy expensive
Im living in the uk but im broke so cant go so have to stay i never saved but im good but goid luck to you
I could teach computer science and electronics but if there are universities in the city it will be easier. Is there any interest of high level teaching in Thailand?
its so important to spend some time in the place you want to retire in and it needs to be a few months then you will see what its really about i'v met loads that go on a short holiday and then jump only to find they don't like a lot of things about the place then they moan like bad about living there
Where is your English accent from? When I was learning English I could hardly understand the UK teacher, he was almost swallowing half of every word. But you don’t do that - I can understand every single word perfectly even though you are not speaking slow. Is this your natural speaking voice, or are you doing something special just for the video to ensure you are understood? BTW, the tone of your voice is beautiful, reminds me of Rod Stewart a bit. :-)
I have adapted my spelling over the years in Thailand so Thais, and other non English people can understand me - this was also important for teaching English which was my initial job 👍
Has anyone said that you sometimes sound like Tyson Fury 😂
im loving this series of information for new expats thinking about coming here....Of course America sucks, England sucks etc......If your poor and have no skills you will be more poor and have less skills here unless you speak the language....Also, its worth noting when you get here and get settled, maybe you buy and can build even a small house, your going to have problems like people trying to steal your families rice, or who knows!!!! Dogs biting your inlaws and having to take them to hospital for shots, clothing your kids or your wife's kids for school, navigating the increasing heat year to year!!!! Lets not even talk about your aging heath needs!!!!! even last night im sure a large spider crawled down my throat and who knows what would would have happened had'nt i had the ability to swallow it down!!!!!! There are so many factors ----the main one is if you don't have passive income of at least 2500-3000$ a month Your going to be scraping the barrel. If you want to scrape the barrel, and wander around with health insurance that may or may not cover you with all your pre-existing conditions then go for it!!!! Its always a plus if your like Ryan and you have a Thai lady who can speak english and earn$$$$ but if you dont you will always be wishing you had prepared more.......You will bake in the heat, and lucky if you dont get dengue during the wet season!!!! I had it last year and almost died from it!!!! People live and die here just like anywhere...But if you can get your head screwed on right, youll appreciate the hardships and live,,,,,People here live to live. Then they all die.... Thats fact......
51 5+ years exp.....Live in Rural Issan.
The wife and I are 67 years old who adore Thailand and the people. Living in the UK is taking its toll on us mentally, everyone has lost hope. Would an income of £2000 a month give us a comfortable life in Thailand? We need to escape urgently.
That's about 90K THB - very comfortable but not outlandishly so, especially considering you'll need to pay for your own health insurance.
Very Very good video...Have you ever thought of creating a business Where us Expats could come and work !?!?
It’s too difficult as for every expat I need 4 Thai staff, unless they are on marriage visas which would require 2 Thai staff 👍
@@thenakedguru So it's best to start business and employ Thai Staff....✌🏾❓
@@thenakedguru Employ 2 x Thais to apply for each Marriage Visa haha
@@doriandorian. I have a business that employs Thai staff, but for each additional expat you need 4 more Thai staff and I don't need that many Thai staff haha
Has the heat calmed down at all ?
Worse 😫
@@thenakedguru oh no lol
Due to my acedent I took a major budjet cut. Down to 25k/month, not including visas, insurance amd plane tickets home. Luckly I have everything set up sustainably in Pai. Comfortable, but I can’t leave for 1 year.
Have you recovered yet?
@@thenakedguru almost finished. One more surgery in a month or so
@@kregeckert8351 Great brother
i left uk many years a go travelling 55 now lived ere 2 n half years now invested in crypto gold live now dont be there slave .
Awesome VLOG and will be moving there to Isan soon and does anyone have some online websites I could trust to sign up for some online work for a little work to keep the mind active while on my partners farm? Upwork? Thanks in advance 😊
Yes, Upwork, Fiverr. Maybe Airtasker? TopTal.
Lol, on my way to Buriram tomorrow. Where you based mate? Na Pho , anywhere near?
958 quid a month UK pension is going to go a lot further in Thailand than in the UK, I'm sure of that :)
Only if Thailand has UK agreement. I live in Indonesia and my UK pension is only £256 per month. We do not get any pension increases. 2023 they got a 10% increase, this year they had a 8% increase. Not for us
@@michaelblack2334 Just out of interest, what happens if you move back to the UK or a country with the agreement? Does it revert to the full pension? Or do they just add the 10% increase to the £256?
@@DeanoRav If you move back or stay in one of the countries with the agreement you get the future increases. My pension was the minimum as not enough stamps but it’s not right that we miss out on increases.
Every year they send a form to be filled out to prove your residency and to see if you are still alive.
This is a big topic and thankyou Ryan for exploring it .I am 7 years from retirment age in australia (60) I have a thai wife for 13 years now . We live in Australia . My mother who is 84 lives with us .I have a duty to look after my mum a good yorkshire lass. It may me I can never do what my heart wants . If it should happen all my assets will stay in Australia . Navigating and avoiding the Thai tax system is easy. The stupid Australian government will take their tax too . Because I am asset rich. Do not send words of disrespect to me .I worked hard for what I have . But I would never go to Thailand wanting a champange life on a beer budget
I would never retire anywhere completley cause no country offers the full package
Malaysia revamped long term visa again, slighly improved