Thread: Where would you go when you hit state pension age?

Gosh, how cutting in a particularly original way.

@simon - what if you live until 90+? Your frozen pension would be worth a lot less by then. Some foreigners can survive on 1,000 usd (even 800) in PH if they live frugally - that's including visa renewal fees. There are places in rural areas which rent for less than $100 but most likely, they would be flats/ apartments (and you don't like them).

I can understand why you'd want to be in South Thailand. You're familiar with the country & language, have friends/ "adopted family" who care for you, etc. I wish you luck in your search for your ideal retirement place! Safe travels.

Around 100k a month for an old, single pervert sounds okay for the south of Thailand.

Originally Posted by katie23

@simon - what if you live until 90+? Your frozen pension would be worth a lot less by then. Some foreigners can survive on 1,000 usd (even 800) in PH if they live frugally - that's including visa renewal fees.

Part of living in Thailand is keeping the annual visa money pretty much locked away. Mine is 400k, but when I turn 50 I will go for retirement extensions and keep 800k. At some point in the future when I am a lot more elderly my official reason for the annual extensions may not be here so better to be safe and have it prepped and running while still younger. It's okay in my situation because that will be Thai cash inheritance to the kid when I shuffle off to Simon's great hotel in the sky. For a person without someone to leave 800k to, and whose state pension doesn't cover the requirement for retirement extensions it's definitely a point that needs considering.

Originally Posted by katie23

I can understand why you'd want to be in South Thailand. You're familiar with the country & language, have friends/ "adopted family" who care for you, etc.

Don't forget 'there is edible food on the menu'.

Originally Posted by Edmond

For a person without someone to leave 800k to...

Not having anyone to leave money to is hardly a problem.

Fair enough.


It might stick in the craw a bit more for someone that can't view it as a future gift to a loved one then. Kinda like an 800k payment to no one when you could be spending it on building a hotel for an ex.

Originally Posted by Edmond

Around 100k a month for an old, single pervert sounds okay for the south of Thailand.

I can't wait. Hope the dollar doesn't go to shit

Originally Posted by Edmond

It might stick in the craw a bit more for someone that can't view it as a future gift to a loved one then. Kinda like an 800k payment to no one when you could be spending it on building a hotel for an ex.

And if one doesn't want to put 400k or 800k baht in a bank, then one can use an agency and they'll sort out the money.

@cyrille - I don't think Simon eats much nowadays. I think he only consumes protein shakes & those probiotic drinks. But yeah, TH and VN food are much more edible than Filipino, Cambodian or Myanmar food.

I also doubt if Simon can get a detached/ free standing house in PH for less than $100. Flats = yes, house = maybe, but one would have to look really hard.

^ Quite common, or common-ish at least, for absent owners just being happy for someone to stay in their empty house and take care of the place.

Just through TD I was offered I think 6 months near CR and full time on Koh Samui (or maybe it was 2 years). Stay there, take care of the place and the garden and just pay the water and leccy bills.


Nice, but probably not the most prudent of retirement plans.

Originally Posted by Edmond

^ ...


Nice, but probably not the most prudent of retirement plans.

Staying at a reduced rent is a temporary 'perk', but the rental price of Thai houses in this area are about the same price (I visited several houses up for rent at 6,000 and 7,000 THB). So I'm not worried that I might have to pay an increased rent in the future when I'm kicked out of this place. The reason for choosing this place to live (for the moment) is simply that it has a very large garden for my radio antennas

Wasn’t the original concern about a frozen pension or have you forgotten that?

Originally Posted by DrWilly

Wasn’t the original concern about a frozen pension or have you forgotten that?

he answered that already

Originally Posted by Simon43

Well, things are moving along fast here. The smoky air pollution has really been getting me down here and I've therefore re-appraised my options. It occurred to me that an increasing pension and standard rent in The Philippines would be about equivalent to a frozen pension and dirt-cheap rent in Thailand. Dirt-cheap means say $100 a month. So if I lived in the clean sea air of southern Thailand (as I previous did on Phangan Island) and paid $100 a month in rent, then my frozen pension would probably see me through to my dying days (remember that I am still in popular demand for online teaching of science, so my actual total income from next June when I start to receive my UK state pension is more like $3,000 or more, quite adequate to save money for a rainy day or two.


Can you find a liveable property in southern Thailand for less than $100 per month. Easy! I had a shortlist of several properties and I know that it's simply a matter of driving around and asking the locals.

Which might be great for 2024…

You can't remember a post from two days ago, so...