The combination route to retiree extensions has been in force for over 20 years during which time many folk have bought property and established roots subsidising indigenous Thai extended families with nary a thought that they could not qualify for their residence. The 800,000 baht is no longer the £12,000 they once saw but has now increased by 65% to £20,000. One is always mindful of exchange fluctuations but the recent Brexit crash has been a blow for many. As I said, they will have to capitalise and return to Blighty. Incidentally, the average pension in the UK is in a range of between £13,500 and £18,600 per annum. The truth of the matter is that for many, retirement in the UK is simply not possible and if divorce strikes in one's 50s then you are probably quite nicely fucked given one's pension will be shared despite living alone.
Illness is again a problem. Insurance policies are no longer viable, hospital costs are prodigious and one's nest egg, already reduced by currency crashes, can be depleted further.