Thailand no. 10 in the list for places to retire

[Bamboo Grove]

Ecuador tops the list again and Malaysia is no. 6.

The full story

http://internationalliving.com/2015/01/ ... tire-2015/

[Spitfire]

Central and South America I would have reservations about.....especially these days as most seem to be quite volatile (or potentially so) in many ways, but there must be some OK places obviously.

Malaysia......hmmmm, can't seem to shake this feeling there is a undercurrent of resentment for non Malaysians and non Muslims there and that would give me a constant nagging at the back of my mind that things could go 'tits-up' fairly quick. Way more so that in a Buddhist country like Thailand and in Malaysia there seems to also be a background thirst for this Islamic law nonesense which seems to slowly push the governments to appease this & that to them (the nutjobs) to keep control. I think, as a westerner, you are way better off in Thailand (despite it's frustrations) than Malaysia. Holiday or medical tourism would be fine in Malaysia but that's it for me.

Philipines is just a non starter for me as it's constantly smashed by natural disasters, crime ridden, has an infrastructure deficit and a disproportionate of the indigenous population wants to leave given the chance......hardly a ringing endorsement imo.

[Homer]

Mexico is on the list yet no mention of drug cartels and the related murders? Or the kidnapping of foreigners for ransom? Or that in some areas the government and the cartels seemed to have declared to be off limits for drug violence, making life easy for tourists and expats? I've read recent reports that if you're a tourist wandering out of the tiny remaining Acapulco tourist district, the locals will tell you to turn back.

Ecuador? Find an expat blog where the author doesn't detail precautions like taking only the cheapest flip phone outside, never a camera, no jeweler, etc. and I'll you show a blogger selling something. I met up with a blogger I've been reading for years when she passed through Hua Hin. Her resume starts with 15 years of leading small groups into countries and parts of countries with little or no tourist infrastructure. She now a permanent wanderer, spending 2-6 months here and there. She's unfailingly optimistic and delighted with her temporary homes, of which she writes often. Except Ecuador. She arrived 6 months ago and the only comments she's made are about food, the markets and her apartment. I'm thinking it must be far worst then she imagined.

Colombia? Towns and cities in the bottom of valleys where the air is so bad it's literally off the scale, and parts of the country that where the cartels are still the de facto government.

What do you expect from a site that makes it's money advertising real estate.

[migrant]

What do you expect from a site that makes it's money advertising real estate.

I used to read the magazine but it is primarily fluff articles on various places around the world highlighting countries that they sell real estate, retirement info, seminars and books on.

[Stargeezer]

As I have heard on the TV show the Big Bang Theory,
I could do worse. Meaning instead of choosing Thailand for my
semi permanent retirement spot, I could chose somewhere even
much worse. Places that come to mind are anywhere in Central America,
most places in South America, and I agree that the Philipines has way too many variables
not to mention all the damage from the storms that the country gets hit with most years.

[Homer]

.... and I agree that the Philipines has way too many variables
not to mention all the damage from the storms that the country gets hit with most years.

The Phils seems designed to attract typhoons, especially the island of Luzon. It's also about 1500km from north to south. Most expats are in the Western Visays (WV), which receives few typhoons. When typhoons do cross, the storm surf hits the Eastern Visays (EV). Storm surf in the WV is so small damage is usually limited to poorly built coastal structures. When the typhoon itself crosses the WV, it's already dumped a metric OMG-load of water on the EV, so flooding is not catastrophic. One does have to build with winds in mind, but they figured that out long ago.

[Dannie Boy]

.... and I agree that the Philipines has way too many variables
not to mention all the damage from the storms that the country gets hit with most years.

The Phils seems designed to attract typhoons, especially the island of Luzon. It's also about 1500km from north to south. Most expats are in the Western Visays (WV), which receives few typhoons. When typhoons do cross, the storm surf hits the Eastern Visays (EV). Storm surf in the WV is so small damage is usually limited to poorly built coastal structures. When the typhoon itself crosses the WV, it's already dumped a metric OMG-load of water on the EV, so flooding is not catastrophic. One does have to build with winds in mind, but they figured that out long ago.

I've been in Manila during typhoon season and I can tell you its not very pleasant, even if most of the buildings have been constructed to resist the high winds, it's still 2-3 times as strong as winds i e experienced in Thailand.

[Allenby]

I used to read the magazine but it is primarily fluff articles on various places around the world highlighting countries that they sell real estate, retirement info, seminars and books on.

I second that opinion from "migrant".

Plus, if IL recommends someplace, that's a good clue it will be ruined by hoards of new expats pouring in.

I wish Thailand had been number 11, and had not appeared on their list!

- Al

[hhfarang]

Mexico is on the list yet no mention of drug cartels and the related murders? Or the kidnapping of foreigners for ransom? Or that in some areas the government and the cartels seemed to have declared to be off limits for drug violence, making life easy for tourists and expats? I've read recent reports that if you're a tourist wandering out of the tiny remaining Acapulco tourist district, the locals will tell you to turn back.

I don't know about the rest of Mexico any more, but I have two golfing friends who retired in Cabo San Lucas, one after living a couple of years in Hua Hin and they recon it is safe and cheaper to live there, not to mention the convenience of a short flight and you are in the U.S.A. (for Americans). One of the people I mentioned is from Australia btw and has lived all over the world and loves that part of Mexico.

[Name Taken]

So it looks like Thailand is for the Euroweenies and Mexico/Central America is for the Amereekans.

[richard]

^^ Very much so. I have Zimbabwean friends who retired to Mexico and they say the majority of residents in their town are from the US and lifestyle there is a replica of living in the USA.

I did not move to Thailand to seek out Euroweenies and abhor the thought of it becoming anything like the western world. Destroy it's customs and culture and replace it with so called 'civilization' Nah

[Spitfire]

The thing is though......that it's often not "retirement", it's a temporary stay for many due to unforseen circumstances or hubris on the part of the expat plus xenophobia from the system here culling the numbers of people that stay.

For example, at the moment in Thailand, those that hold sway are busy creating a Thailand for the 2% and not for the rest as they are clearing house to essentially turn the political clock backwards. This is not a secret, even many Thai journalists and academics are saying so too.

The problem with places like those on the OP's list is that the ground is constantly moving and the goal posts never stay in the same place for long as some pen-pushing jobsworth is always thinking of some new regulation to implement or justify their existance etc.

Just wait till ASEAN kicks in and the Thais have an ass-collapse about it.....change everything again.

The screw is slowly tightening all the time to the point where it is continually getting more and more difficult for foreigners, of any description, to stay here long term...look no further than the new rules being spouted out on a daily basis.

The 'top-and-tail-of-it' is that if you are not someone rich then you are not welcome here other than your brief 2-3 week holiday wonders.

The elite are busy creating the kind of Thailand THEY want and 85% of the Thais aren't invited and neither are foreigners (obviously).

[richard]

^ So true Spitfire. You hit the nail on the head. In the 14 years I've lived here things have changed. Albeit slowly but the once extremely laid back scene and attitude is fading even in the rural provinces.

When a couple of very major events take place, one being ASEAN implementation and the other being......well you all know what, I suspect things will get a whole lot tighter and of course the farangs will suffer. BUT at the moment it is still way better in many respects than where I came from.

My one way ticket is not booked..................YET

By the time I am ready to leave I'm hopeful I'll have a 'grandad' flat with one of my daughters in either Dubai or Hawaii

[richard]

Just wait till ASEAN kicks in and the Thais have an ass-collapse about it.....change everything again.

Maybe this warrants a separate thread.

Just how do you think this is going to affect Thailand and Thais? What are the parts that are going to be acceptable and not acceptable to the ruling elite? Just how much will 'Joe Soap Thai' know about what is going on?.

If the impact is anything like the UK becoming part of the EEC and the repercussions since doing so, it will be an interesting scenario for us mere lowly farangs to experience

[Spitfire]

Not to say too much as could be "off topic" but I think Thailand doesn't realise it basically means a loss of sovereignty and an influx of qualified workers (engineers etc.) that will want to earn baht (which is the most valuable currency around here). Add to that they (degree holding geo-local foreign workers) will be able to compete with Thais for jobs legally here and I don't see the reciprical exchange of workers going the other way as many Thais have no ambition to work abroad and want to work close to their hometowns or families.....only see problems there.

It will become politically sensitive as Thai graduates will have to compete with professionals from Vietnam and others for jobs here in Los....which will go down like a lead balloon and it'll be the xenophobic BS about foreigners taking jobs from Thais etc....yadda yadda yadda.

It's coming and you won't see the knee-jerk last minute reaction from the Thai government till September - Novemebr but will give ASEAN about a year before the Thais get cold feet as it will become a political hot-potato.