khunPer

Thai buyers would look for flat land next to major roads with access to electricity and water; i.e. think business. For 7 to 8 million baht you might be able to find a few rai with prime location – so only for small business – but it might also take some time to gain a profit, as others might already have same thoughts, and prices might already be (too) high in the EEC. In general in Thailand, it's the land that is worth something for long term speculation, not buildings or constructions on the land, so investing in plain empty land makes sense. Count on potential minimum double up in value over 10 years only, not less, as you then should consider other investments. Long-term stock market gives up at double-up over 10 years; i.e. average of 6-7% combined increase and dividend a year, which is doubled, or almost doubled, within a decade when dividends are reinvested. Stocks can be sold with a click of a mouse, and paid in full within a few bank-days. It might take long time to sell land, however always depending of location and price, location is the prime factor. Invest only in land with Chanute title deed, if Nor Sor 3 title then have the land deed upgraded before completing the deal and settle the payment, apart from a minor deposit. I would not look at condos – or town houses – too many on the market already, and second hand condos, and houses, are less attractive for Asian buyers than new constructions. Farm land might still be a better investment when looking at potential increase – depending of area and price; i.e. location – but long-term speculation about future has always been difficult. Historical gains is no gurantee for future gains, so not much help that farmland har quadropled in price over the last decade. Farm land can often give a rent similar to a high interest long-term fixed deposit, and the land value will be likely only go up, as the World's demand for farmland will increase. Buying domestic land with intention to sell to foreigners, location is "same-same but different", as next to main road might not be interesting at all, but rather a quiet area, and especially with a view; preferable sea-view, if not beachfront. But still access to electricity and water is a must, as well as neighborhood, including distance to convenient shopping, restaurants etc., and distance to major shopping mall, and hospital, and school etc. Affordable land might be more difficult to sell, and to gain a mark-up from, than land aiming on hi-end luxury, which are more independant of currency exchange rates, and general economy. 7-8 million baht might, depending af area, just be enough for a smaller hi-end plot.

Wonder what traumatic ordeal the victims and their families suffered, caused by a 16-year old girl without drivers license causing a accident – she should never have been behind that car's steering wheel. If the compensation, as decided by Court, had been paid, the public interest in the story might have been (a lot) less; and "her family" might not have "suffered a traumatic ordeal". I'm sorry, but I have no sympathy with "the family", my sympathy is with the victims only, based on what has been reported in the news.

"Permanent tourist" option is, as others have wisely mentioned, an "Elite Visa", either 5-year for 500k baht, or best buy with 20-years for 1 million baht. Officially you live from your foreign savings, and do your digital nomad job under the radar. As you have already been so many times to LoS, you know what it's like, so 5-year or 20-year are your best options. If you can't afford that, wait with a move, until you can afford it; i.e. 500k baht is about 15k euro, not a fortrune in Europe. Forget visa-run method, that time is past, and you might face unexpected troubles. Also consider the costs for visa-runs compared to a problem free stay for 100k baht, or the half, a year. Rent short-term accommodation in the beginning, until you are sure of the area you wish to settle in. Perhaps you during your previous visits have been enough around different places, so you already know, then rent something short-term temporary while looking locally for a long-term lease. Sometimes the best offers are not online, but by local knowledge; furthermore, you cannot judge the area well enough online for a long-term agreement. You can easily open a bank account with an "Elite Visa", but some banks might let you open an account with passport, and a letter – from your embassy or a local immigration office – stating a permanent address. You anyway need an address, if intend to drive a vehicle in Thailand, as you must have a Thai Drivers Licens when staying longer then 3 month. Use you Thai bank account only for foreign transfer of private funds to live from, keep all business transactions abroad in an off-shore account; i.e. you live of your foreign savings. It's important that you have some level of money, and a steady income, before you make a move to Los; it's really bad to run out of funds here. Consider also health insurance, and/or a lump sum for emergency situations. The amounts in question are of course a question of life-style, but the government figurs with minimum 40k baht a month, and 440k baht for health – expect government/public hospitals only for that level of funds – are a good minimum guidance. A foreigner can hardly live an acceptable life for less, and you can easily spend (much) more. If are not yet in a secure financial situation like that, wait. I believe numerous others have done the same – i.e. Elite-method – and have a happy, and problem-free, life in LoS...

Countries with double taxation agreement with Thailand will normally tax retirement pensions if it's paid by a government, or there have been tax-deductions during the pay-in period for private savings.

You must be at TV addict too, since you are here...

So you found out how we check if our girlfriends have a secret life...

Up at 8am and straight to the PC to check Thaivisa, but do find time for coffee and a bit of bread while checking the news section at until lunch time – however, sometimes I skip lunch if there's a lot of Thaivisa-news to read, which also keep my BMI reasonable – during afternoon I post in the Thaivisa forum, but might take a short nap after dinner if nothing important comes up, but I check all forums of interest before bed time about 1am, so I can be up fresh at 8am for a new day's duties. That's about all of the daily routines when being both Thaivisa forum-member, and retired in Thailand... Luckily I'm not that addicted – yet... – so in the more serious part of life, the routines depend a bit of week-days; however Thaivisa E-mail newsletter gives me an excellent selection of important national news, and if some posters have inputs for expat life in Thailand, or something I perhaps could help with an answer. I've always been a B-human – i.e. prefers to be awake late, and therefore normally will sleep longer in the mornings – so I'm not up at 8am checking any forums. And when I finally get out of bed, and shower, I do a little program of stretching exercises before some small house jobs, and coffee and cheese; I brought an espresso machine from home so I can enjoy fresh coffee instead of instant coffee, which I had the first number of years, until I got a house build, and unpacked my 20-feet container from home, including the coffee machine... Often I do check the news, first International, then Thaivisa newsletter, and often I then check the stock market. I might also have E-mails to reply, or stuff to write for my home country. I normally skip lunch – only eat a small light breakfast and dinner – and will often be out shopping before it's too late afternoon, due to rush hour traffic. Having a house in Thailand it's amazing how many small things that need to be taken care of, or upgraded, and too often left for one self to do, as it's difficult to find a craftsman for tiny jobs, at least where I live. In afternoon at school days I pick-up my daughter from school, and then check the European stock market; not that I'm very active, but to keep me updated with my long-term portfolio that sometimes need little care at the right time; it's my main source of income, so kind of necessary duty (at least let me believe so)... At sunset I will walk the dogs, even I never bought any, they seem to come free – a next door neighbors dog that refuse to go home; a beach dog that came up to the house as hungry looking puppy, got a bite, and never left; a male dog from to a resort down the beach, but he seem to stick to the two female dogs now glued to the house – and if the dogs don't want a walk, then I walk alone; however rarely happens, but none of us wish to walk in heavy rain, or during a monsoon storm. A couple of kilometers walk in sand is good healthy excise. In fall and winter I love the feeling of walking barefoot in 27° water, thinking about my freezing friends at home in utterly cold Scandinavia... I enjoy a well prepared dinner, and I can also enjoy a (small) glass of wine – or two – or a wine cooler, or an apple cider. We are three in the house, but sometimes the girls skip dinner – their BMI – but that don't stop me from making a gourmet dish for me only, and dine at a set table on the beach terrasse, making me enjoy my expat-life like a never ending vacation. Sunday is fixed movie day – like my childhoods Sunday 4 pm afternoon movies – which apart from entertainment is also part of my daughter's education, as any film based on some level of real facts would be a first priority selection, and also talking about it. Occasionally there is no movie of interest, so we skip a trip to cinema – might find something else to do – and other weeks there might be two movies, so we extend with a weekday evening. Tuesday is normally my "spa evening" with a selected masseuse coming and giving me two hours coconut oil massage, and foot massage. I will have some Gregorian monks canting as relaxing ambience, however recorded on a CD. Thursday evening is "walking street market" in the local china town that I live in, and even it's almost the same every week, I enjoy my walk there, saying hallo to people I know, and return wai to people I might not remember – they might know my girlfriend, and know that I'm her boyfriend – but they kindly wai me, and some even say »Sawadee khun Per«. Some street artists normally performs – a farang singing old rock-songs; a couple of Thai musicians playing guitars and drums; sometimes a school-kid orchestra, or some traditional Thai dance; a magician show – and stopping and looking a bit is part of the "same-same but different" Thursday experience. Thursday dinner will be from the overwhelming market selection. Any local activities might be attended, which could be an evening/night market in a temple; or a ceremony in a temple with children attending monkshood; or a temple-ceremony where donations are given – with an amazing amount of money trees, so understandable many an Isaan lady believes in that money grows on trees... – or my daughter playing a football match; or... It's all also a part of mingling with locals, saying "sawadee" to anybody known, and not being a too strange farang. At least twice, but preferable three nights a week I'll head out in the vibrant nightlife for some dance – you might call it tech-dance – but I enjoy new dance-music, and not the least being a very active dancer for a couple of hours; if nothing else, it's good exercise, and the girls in the discos are still young and beautiful... It's said by science that dance and music keeps one's brain fresh in older age; however, I'm not old yet so it's just a preventive act... Whenever I find time for it, I like to snap photos, and I often write small stories, and share them with my home country friends – I even wrote a book when living here in LoS, and is about to write one more – so whatever spare time I have, I always have something to do. The biggest problem when "retiring" in LoS is time; I cannot understand how I in the past ever found free time to work... –but of course, I was not retired then, nor member of Thaivisa forum...

Income is not taxed by Thai immigration. Depending from where you originate, your home country likely has a double-taxation agreement with Thailand. If you are taxed of your pension in your home country, you are not also taxable in Thailand, when having such an agreement. You should check that. If not taxed abroad, foreign income is only taxable in Thailand, if taken into the country, the same year as it is earned; the following year it's considered as tax-free savings. You are allowed to have you savings transferred in regular monthly amounts to fulfill the financial demands for an extension of stay. Having income taxed in Thailand might in some cases be cheaper, than paying tax in one's home country. Some countries may tax some of your income with Thai rates, when you are tax-resident in Thailand; for example dividend withholding taxation could be refunded to match Thai rate.

Or one of the many beaches on Koh Samui...

Age 50 is when others apply for a retirement visa – sorry to say it, but I would, like other posters have mentioned, believe that IT-geeks in demand are younger. I would presume your best odds for staying in Thailand would be as so-called "digital nomad" and doing some on-line business for a company, or companies, abroad, and keep low profile about your work, officially being "retired". You might have a chance in a smaller foreign owned business – not a branch of a multi national company – but for that, you probably need to be here already to apply. However, it's some years ago I last saw some foreigner posting for people with IT-knowledge.

So Thailand is running short of plastic bottles... However, great idea, thumbs up...

Thailand's Central Bank raised the interest rate by 0.25 point to 1.75% back in December, and from that time the baht became more expensive; perhaps reducing it to 1.50% again might help, or back to earlier record low 1.25%...

That is actually very good questions that OP ask: »Can i ask how many of you say in your 70’s living in Thailand are not hooked up with a partner and are happy living alone ? Do you need someone in your life as you get older ?« Especially the second, about who is looking after you, when you pass the age of 70? Sometimes life might be easier, when living alone – perhaps especially for a man – but in a foreign country it might be different, far from family, and without the social security, and network, you normally have in your home country. Living together with someone is an act of balance, even just living as friends. Close to my house lives an elder man – seems older than me, so perhaps in his later 70ies or even 80ies – he lives alone with two dogs. I see him every day, we're walking dogs on the beach about same time in the early evening. Perhaps it's an ideal life, being independent, and still having friends, the dogs. If I walk by his house in the evenings, the door would be open and loud TV-sound can be heard, so that might be his major evening recreation. I'm a few month from 70, so almost in the age group for answering OP. I've never been married – kind of freedom when not being tied up – but I've lived with a couple of long-time girlfriends; also one in Thailand, the same for 15-years now. And I've also lived alone for several years in my home country, so I know that feeling too. Kind of balance to live together with someone, but have worked well; however still make me think about how it would be to live alone in Thailand, and how would I manage when I get old alone in a foreign country... Luckily there is an age gap between my partner and me, so I don't feel as old, as I am. And also, from the beginning I said "don't try to change me" – remember what Marlene Dietrich said: »Most women set out to try to change a man, and when they have changed him they do not like him« – that might be what makes it work... –and of course, also letting me have privacy in my study together with Thaivisa forum...

MeToo...