Rent first. Don’t buy anything. Try it out for a year.
Ching Mai is a good place.
Bangkok can be OK depending on who you are.
Just travel there on vacation a few more times.
I had a friend who bought a condo there. Learn about property rights for foreigners. I have heard foreigners owning property outright is very complex and corrupt
Thailand?
Pretty cheap rent there.
your retirement is your decision...
There’s are Coffee and Noodle Girls on youtube street food I watch sometime ,LOL
You are there as a guest and at any time they can decide they do not want you there for any and no reason. Some times they will let you take your belonging with you, some times they won't.
So general tips for living overseas, always have an exit strategy and always have at least one but preferable three local (not ex-pat local) groups that you have made friends with. Religious, hobby and low level law enforcement is the best combo. They will give you a heads up if trouble is on the way.
Learn the language, as much as you can and learn the customs, always be polite and respectful (that is why you learn the customs) and never say, well WE do it some other way.
Hope everything goes well for you.
Well the Khao Soi should be good. Nice little joint over-looking a village 30 miles outside Chang Mai: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVeY00ApNbY
Don’t drink the water.....
Read and fully understand their laws and consequences should you violate any of them. Some are so minuscule you wouldn’t give it a second tho9ught, but better. https://www.thetravellerworldguide.com/2024/04/top-10-weird-laws-in-thailand-that-will-blow-your-mind/
Just personal for me, but you couldn’t pay me to even visit any place in Asia, much less live there.
This should have a happy ending.
I love Thai food. The best meal in Paris that I had was at a Thai restaurant.
I love the food there, but if I was going to stay longer term I would carefully check air quality in different areas.
I just read that thailand has a burning season in feb/march where the air gets much worse
Don’t.
I believe Mark Lewis, who is a regular columnist at Townhall.com, has been living in Thailand for a long time. He could probably provide excellent advice for you.
Interesting.....my GF is also suggesting this.
My advice: Watch out for the FU lizards. Don’t be squeamish about the big black scorpions in your bathroom (just keep a broom in there to smash them). The white ice cream might be coconut (yummy) or it might be durian (you know what it smells like), so check first which one it is.
I love SE Asia, lived and worked there for awhile. Hope you and your wife will enjoy your new home!
There is down side, though: giant flying cockroaches.