# Help! Help!



## ilovethailand (Aug 2, 2014)

After being employed by a company that I've worked at for the past 15 yrs I just been handed my layoff notice which will happen at the end of August. My wife and I 45 and 47 respectivly, have been to Thailand several times over the past 8 years and have also said this is the place for us to retire. Now with the notification from my company, this is the push that we need to make the move.

Now for the facts: we are not old enough to obtain a retirement visa so, i think our only choice to live long term in Phuket (near Rawai) is for a education visa for both us, which we will use to actually learn the thai language and hope to renew it until we are both eligable to obtain a retirement visa. Do you think this is feasiable? i am an american and my wife is a korean citizen.

for money, we have about $700,000 saved in our 401ks, which we will budget from $1500 - $2000 per month which is well below the total interest we are currently earning on our investments. so i do not think money will be an issue but your expert thoughts will help.

we do own our home and i wonder if it is best to rent it out our just sell it, which will put additional money in the bank. I am on the side to sell it as i dont want to have to worry about house issues i the future. we do plan to sell all our non essential items and bring clothes with us.

any thoughts or suggestios you can provide will be helpful. I am working on finding a thai school now and hope to receive an acceptance letter which will start the ball rolling for us to apply for our ED visa, once we obtain that i will then start packing, tickets sell of the house and we will be on our way...


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## Wayward Wind (Aug 28, 2011)

A couple of points.

By all means, sell the house. Trying to be a landlord from halfway around the world would be a nightmare, even with a management company running interference for you.

Second, I am curious as to why you have limited your options to Phuket. There are plenty of places in Thailand equally as nice as Rawai (we always stayed on the Cape Panwa side when we visited Phuket) that are cheaper and have easier transport options.

Third, your budget may be a bit light. My wife and I are retired in Naklua, live a relatively quiet life, and our budget is $2500 per month, $1,000 of which is rent for a very nice condo on the shore.

Fourth, it is a good idea to come light with clothes only. You can get everything you need here with no worries about shipping, customs clearance, and compatibility of electrical goods.

Holler if you have more questions.


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## ilovethailand (Aug 2, 2014)

Wayward Wind said:


> A couple of points.
> 
> By all means, sell the house. Trying to be a landlord from halfway around the world would be a nightmare, even with a management company running interference for you.
> 
> ...


Thanks Wayward,

i am up for moving to another location from rawai but my main goal is to live as close to the beach as possible whether by renting a house or condo, that i would choose condo on a higher floor for cases of flooding. i am looking for a quiet area where in walking distance are a few drinking bars, shops and massage parlours. are there places you can recommend. as for the budget i am between $1500 through $2000, and would like to budget for $500 for renting. from what i have seen through searching there are some nice places for $500 and below.


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## rubberfarmer (Jul 26, 2014)

WW, same advice I give everybody, don't commit to a move until you try living here first, all is not just fun in the sun.

Your budget is fine for now, but won't be fine in years to come, cost are rising here, will your money and pension keep pace. Tourist areas suck money fast, seen guys come with a big wad, 10 or so years later, they couldn't afford to stay.

Do the numbers, rents increase, food goes up, utilities go up and exchange rates change.
Good luck and step carefully. Jim


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## Wayward Wind (Aug 28, 2011)

ilovethailand said:


> Thanks Wayward,
> 
> i am up for moving to another location from rawai but my main goal is to live as close to the beach as possible whether by renting a house or condo, that i would choose condo on a higher floor for cases of flooding. i am looking for a quiet area where in walking distance are a few drinking bars, shops and massage parlours. are there places you can recommend. as for the budget i am between $1500 through $2000, and would like to budget for $500 for renting. from what i have seen through searching there are some nice places for $500 and below.


For $500, you are probably looking at a studio, particularly if you want close to the shore. That seems to be a good rule of thumb in our building which is right on the shore and those close by. It is a real buyers market for renting a place here, so be sure to shop around wherever you decide to base - many of the ads on the internet are woefully out of date, so take what you see with a caution. 

And we live on the 29th floor, so if it floods this high, I'm building an ark...heh... We have at least 20 restaurants, from local Thai to five star hotel places, 5 convenience stores, within 500 meters of us, and easy baht bus transport to Pattaya when we need to go shopping, etc. We even have a small neighborhood type bar right in the building!

If you do intend to look around Thailand a bit, then Rawai may well become a bit of a bother - more than an hour to the airport, then waiting, then an hour flight to BKK, and going on from there. Maybe something on the north coast of Phuket? Here in Naklua, we grab a taxi and are at BKK in an hour, and in Central Bangkok or Don Mueang in 90 minutes. Pretty painless for hitting the road.


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## joseph44 (May 4, 2011)

It's absolutely difficult to discuss cost of living; circumstances, location, demands, health and numerous other factors are pushing your budget up or bringing it down. 

As another posted........before making the move, come over for 3 months in the low season and act as if you were living here. Rent a condo and do your thing. 
Apart from financial issues you may face boredom.........lots of early retirees are suffering from it.......


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## rdpemm (Aug 12, 2014)

Wayward Wind,

Good information on moving to Thailand. My wife is a Thai who is naturalized American Citizen. She has relatives still in Thailand and we are both wanting to retire there.

She is 68 and I am 65. I would have about $4000 a month retirement to live on but have little reserves in cash, (35K).

We would like to move next year after clearing up all our assets here in the US. We are thinking of living in Prajinpaburi.

Would appreciate your advice on getting started.

Thanks,

Ross


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## joseph44 (May 4, 2011)

rdpemm said:


> Wayward Wind,
> 
> Good information on moving to Thailand. My wife is a Thai who is naturalized American Citizen. She has relatives still in Thailand and we are both wanting to retire there.
> 
> ...


USD 4,000 is absolutely more than enough to live from (visa requirement is approx. USD 2100 per month) and you keep your savings as emergency-fund. 

Your wife is naturalized US-citizen, so that means that she doesn't have a Thai passport? Of course, she could apply for one while in Thailand and that will you give you the choice: stay in Thailand based on marriage with a Thai citizen of based on retirement (the latter is easier to apply and extend)

There are quite a few expats living in the Pracheen-area; I've no experience in that area, just visited once. Not too far from BKK and the bigger city Chachoengsao. 

Be aware that a major part of your monthly income will be spent on health-insurance for both you and your wife. This is one of the most expensive things you have to deal with. Please investigate some of the companies.


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## rdpemm (Aug 12, 2014)

Thanks for response. Of course I am sure that Medicade is not available in Thailand - do you know if TriCare for Life is available?


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## joseph44 (May 4, 2011)

HQ JUSMAGTHAI - TRICARE
http://www.jusmagthai.com/rao_portal/RetireeHealthcareinThailandBrochure.pdf


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