Thread: Thailand Named #1 Destination in Asia for Global Retirees

BANGKOK (NNT) - Internationalliving.com has ranked Thailand the best destination in Asia and the 11th best in the world in its 2022 global retirement index.


According to the website, the rankings and indices are based on various factors including the cost of living, food, medical cost, visa convenience, weather, things to do, tradition, and culture.


The website said Thailand has always been popular among retirees from around the world because the country does not offer only beaches and other beautiful natural attractions but also convenient places as well as friendly locals.


Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Hua Hin of Prachuap Khirikhan are the top 3 cities among retirees. Foreigners can choose to live for different costs of living starting from 1,000 US dollars or around 33,000 baht per month.


Thailand is also well-known for its affordable and high-quality healthcare which is one of the first things retirees seek for healthy and secure living after retirement, while applying for and obtaining a long-stay visa is also easy and fast.


Meanwhile, this year’s top 10 countries for retirement are Panama, Costa Rica, Mexico, Portugal, Ecuador, Colombia, France, Malta, Spain, and Uruguay.


https://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news/d...20110125832301

cost of living here now isn't that cheap.

healthcare is still cheap and good if you use private.

visa's are they that good now.

In the same website they have another link

Cheapest Places to Live in the World in 2021 - International Living

Originally Posted by Chico

visa's are they that good now.

Umm...what?

^ Yeah that Chiconese spun me a bit

Originally Posted by David48atTD

I've always wondered why the Philippines aren't more popular than Thailand.

...fewer temples...

Originally Posted by tomcat

...fewer temples...

......

Originally Posted by David48atTD

I've always wondered why the Philippines aren't more popular than Thailand.
.

Have you ever heard a Filipino woman speak English?

Originally Posted by beachbound

Have you ever heard a Filipino woman speak English?

I watched the News readers where they really mix it up.

Maybe 30 secs of Average English then 30 secs of Filipino, quite amusing to watch.

I've been to the Philippines twice on Visa runs ... and it seemed about as fluent as the English spoken in Singapore.

That said, I was just in the Tourist digs ... I'm sure the villages/smaller towns are different.

I still believe that Thailand is a descent place to retire. Excluding the Covid crap, one of the key components for me calling it home base is its SEAsia location. You can hop a plane and be in numerous surrounding countries relatively fast. Island resorts are nice and affordable if you have the established contacts. Food is good, rent is relatively inexpensive. Only real negative is the Visa process. It needs a complete over haul.

Surprised to see Mexico in top 10. Most westerners are told to steer clear of Mexico due to the cartel violence towards them.

@stumpy - I agree. Thailand is ideal in its location if you want to travel around SE Asia.

@david48 - in general, people in bigger cities like Manila, Cebu or Davao have higher education and speak English better. As with other countries, people flock to the cities for work.

I bumped this thread because I saw this cost of living vid for Vietnam. It's from Van Vu of "What The Pho" channel. She's Vietnamese and she studied/ worked in the US for a while and returned to Vietnam during covid. She now has 2 successfull YT channels (English & Viet), so kudos to her. The English one has 80k+ subscribers.

Anyway, here's the COL vid for Vietnam. One can also live there for ~1,000 usd/ month.

Originally Posted by katie23

We (in PH) don't get that much foreign/ Western tourists.

You do Katie, its just they are sat in traffic jams.

Originally Posted by Stumpy

You can hop a plane and be in numerous surrounding countries relatively fast.

It is a great hub

Originally Posted by misskit

while applying for and obtaining a long-stay visa is also easy and fast.

You wonder who they survey to do these rankings. Gripes about Visas is probably the number one complaint for people here. Frequently changing rules, lack of conformity across offices, and officers who often make shit up on the spot.

The fact that Thailand is considered number one in Asia says less about how good it is here, and more about how effing terrible it must be elsewhere.


The most annoying thing is that a few sensible adjustments could make it a very good place to retire.

Originally Posted by nidhogg

The most annoying thing is that a few sensible adjustments could make it a very good place to retire.

True, but lets also not lose sight of the fact that there is a distinction between the retirees economic contribution and the retirees themselves, the establishment only cares about the former and harbours barely disguised distain for the latter.

I'm hoping they keep the retirement extensions process as byzantine and time consuming as possible.

Who tf wants to live in 'a good place to retire'?

I hear Fort Lauderdale has lots of early bird specials and shuffleboard tourneys.

Whatever they are.

This guy either totally agreed with you/ or didnt get full value for his pension

Brit, 70, dies in '''happy ending''' massage parlour in Thai party resort Pattaya after panicked masseuse performs CPR

^ Unusual to go before you come.....

^lol. No apologies needed. I've traveled to several countries and agree that Filipino food isn't the best.

Btw by Feb 10, PH will be open to vaccinated foreign tourists, so if you want you can plan to visit your friend in Cebu.

Cheers!

Originally Posted by katie23

^lol. No apologies needed. I've traveled to several countries and agree that Filipino food isn't the best.

Btw by Feb 10, PH will be open to vaccinated foreign tourists, so if you want you can plan to visit your friend in Cebu.

Cheers!

Panama Hat is opening in Manila?
If he had another pair of legs, he’d open in Wellington too.

Originally Posted by katie23

Btw by Feb 10, PH will be open to vaccinated foreign tourists, so if you want you can plan to visit your friend in Cebu.

For some time the Philippines has been advertising itself on the BBC website as a tropical tourist destination. It seemed like the wrong time.

Fantastic place for a February holiday from the UK, for sure.

Originally Posted by katie23

^lol. No apologies needed. I've traveled to several countries and agree that Filipino food isn't the best.

Btw by Feb 10, PH will be open to vaccinated foreign tourists, so if you want you can plan to visit your friend in Cebu.

Cheers!

Ta Katie the issue is not exiting but teh hassle of returning to LOS at present ever changing quarantine rigmarole, insurance and the chance to be whisked off/kidnapped into a dull Hospitel by some scam even if well.
I would also like to visit Palawan once Covid restrictions cease, do you have any suggestions of places to see ?

Originally Posted by david44

Ta Katie the issue is not exiting but teh hassle of returning to LOS at present ever changing quarantine rigmarole, insurance and the chance to be whisked off/kidnapped into a dull Hospitel by some scam even if well.

The hassles of getting into the PI haven't been established yet but I will personally guarantee it will be one giant cluster-fuck of people having no idea what they're doing for the first few weeks, to anything up to a several months. The place is a madhouse at the best of times once any Gov't department becomes involved, let alone opening up after some 2 years of being closed due to Covid.

You'd be gamer than Gulliver to be flying into there till the inevitable problems are sorted out.