Posted on 03/09/2025 4:33:55 PM PDT by ExpatCanuck
I’m hoping to hear from some fellow freeper thoughts on retiring in Thailand. We’re looking at Chiang Mai as our target destination. We’ve been to Thailand before; 1989, 1992 and most recently in 2014 (so we know what it is like right now - big changes lol). I know there is a lot of info available on YouTube and other sites, but I want to check here with anyone who may have actually made the move and what their suggestions may be.
you’re welcome...
I don’t really care. Do you have any idea what else goes on in Thailand? Never mind - rhetorical question. My point being, I’m 63 years old and based on family genes I’ve got another 25-30 years max and I just want to chill some place without giving a damn about anyone else’s politics or sexual habits or their religion, as long as they all leave me the hell alone.
Thailand?
Glad to see the old-timers who remember the classics.
We are US citizens. I paid my taxes on every dollar I earned. One of my sons served in the US military. The other is still alive and works and pays taxes here. The nice thing about America is that I can live out my last days anywhere else and still be a patriot. You’re about what I thought too, and you can go suck a bag of dicks.
I’ve been there 3 times in 13 months, total of 2 1/2 months. Dental tourism that was wonderful.
Chiang Mai is losing much from USAID departure fyi. I have not been there.
I’ve been to Bangkok, Kraabi, Phuket, Pattaya, Hua Hin and Surat Thani.
I love Thai people, the cuisine, low crime, hard working honest, affordable etc
I struggle with the lack of seasonality and humidity.
Thailand is trying to get more revenue out of foreigners. And as you likely know, restrictions on foreigners buying land.
Good insight. The plan for the burning season is to travel to other places for those months. Other parts of south east Asia are very cheap to go to. Da Nang for around $125 dollars round trip, Sri Lanka for $400-$500 round trip. Or somewhere in Europe for around $800 round trip.
Well, I can attest that the dental is better and cheaper by far than USA.
I found people and society very apolitical in Thailand. Thai people are secure with their traditions and culture. Great place to be “left alone”. I could live there. I just got back on Sunday after a month in Asia.
Whatever helps you sleep. You’re running away from your country.
Word of advice: Travel there for a week or two first. I find that is true of any place you want to live.
Great advice. Fortunately, we’re not stepping into this blindly; I spent a month there in 1988 (too long ago for any meaningful relevance other than to add context for later visits), a week there as newlyweds in 1990, but most recently, I spent two weeks there in November of 2024 with my son but not my wife (big changes there from 1990!!). Our next visit (my wife and I) will be to spend the month of November 2025, for the sole purpose of scoping things out for retirement. In addition to Chiang Mai, we’ll spend some time in the south, and in Da Nang Vietnam to scope out places to spend the ‘burning season’. We will use that time to visit other parts of the world.
Great advise, and I have followed that fellow on YouTube (though we’re certainly not considering Pattaya for our destination). I too found Bangkok too busy for my liking the last time I was there (Nov 2024), though we love food and shopping so it would be an occasional weekend getaway type destination from Chiang Mai Mai.
“I just want to chill some place without giving a damn about anyone else’s politics or sexual habits or their religion, as long as they all leave me the hell alone.”
And how did that work out for Jack Phillips and Anita Bryant?
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