Expats in Thailand considering moving to Latin America prompted by Thai visa changes

[Odysseus123 12,345]

38 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Where specifically in Mexico?

I've been to many places in Mexico but the only three places I am considering there now I haven't been to as yet.

Hi Jingthing..

 

Both are in the Bahia de los Angeles region.

 

They were professional men (nuclear physics and classical music) but are long retired and live very comfortably with their housemaids in a semi-desert setting..

 

You and I both know that what suits one person may not necessarily suit another..but my friend's photos of the beaches and the sunset are sure hard to beat.

 

PS..my friend was a young companion of Aron Copeland and met Thomas Mann..he is now 96 years old..

Edited March 4, 2019 by Odysseus123

[Nyezhov 15,280]

28 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I've spoken Spanish for a while, visited Spain every year from age 6 onwards, and often listen to Bachata and Reggaeton.

Culturally I have a lot in common with Spanish speaking people.

Angry, violent, machismoistas?

[RotBenz8888 12,809]

5 minutes ago, KneeDeep said:

 

Where on earth did you stay in Rio?

Before my first visit, we too imagined it would be rife with crime. But we went everywhere, even places we weren't supposed to go, by accident wandering into the 'wrong' favela.

Perhaps we are just lucky. Been there at least four times now.

I stayed in Copacabana. Many foreign friends i met there had also been robbed. It was 15 years ago so perhaps things has changed since then, although i doubt it. 

[Kwasaki 8,993]

3 hours ago, EricTh said:

Thailand is no longer cheap, if you are from America, latin America would  be more sensible to live bcos it's nearer.

 

What is the cost of living there compared to Thailand?

So it's less than 15,000 baht a month.

Edited March 4, 2019 by Kwasaki

[Jingthing 64,493]

16 minutes ago, RotBenz8888 said:

I stayed in Copacabana. Many foreign friends i met there had also been robbed. It was 15 years ago so perhaps things has changed since then, although i doubt it. 

I still think it's high crime. In any case, what does it matter if you can't qualify for their visa anyway? 

[KneeDeep 1,213]

1 minute ago, RotBenz8888 said:

I stayed in Copacabana. Many foreign friends i met there had also been robbed. It was 15 years ago so perhaps things has changed since then, although i doubt it. 

 

 

Makes sense. I guess if you go to the most touristy area, you are more of a target.

We instead, decided to accommodate ourselves outside of the well known touristy areas and instead plumped for Gloria.

 

From our apartment we had a direct view of Pão de Açúcar, could walk across to the airport to fly to Iguazu Falls or to the excellent but sadly now defunct Porcão Rio. 

Also we lived next to the not unpleasant Flamengo Park;

 

 

So one is much more in touch with local life.

Copacabana is sterile by comparison. We cycled there a few times using the https://bikeitau.com.br scheme.

Maybe we just didn't look like the types they wanted to bother.

[Jingthing 64,493]

7 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

So it's less than 15,000 baht a month.

Generally it would be more than that unless you go very local in some countries. There are multiple layers here. Financial qualifications for visas and/or residency vs. actual cost of living at a level that would be acceptable to you. A Latin American nation may have a requirement of only 800 USD monthly income but that doesn't mean you could really acceptably live on that in their capital city.

 

Compare that to Thailand where for many people that situation is reversed. 65K monthly income? Americans on social security usually don't have nearly that much income. Yes to comfortably live in Thailand especially if you own a condo, can cost much much less than 65K monthly. 

Edited March 4, 2019 by Jingthing

[KneeDeep 1,213]

8 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

I still think it's high crime. In any case, what does it matter if you can't qualify for their visa anyway? 

 

I asked him. That's why it matters.

In addition, why would you assume that he cannot qualify for the visa?

 

The requirements for a retirement visa are less than Thailand's, at currently, 50,672 baht per month

Edited March 4, 2019 by KneeDeep

[Orton Rd 13,957]

3 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Not much sex available there for old men ....... which is why we chose the third world.

Can't imagine anyone except for Americans considering SA.

I would be after decent toilets these days rather than sex

[Jingthing 64,493]

7 minutes ago, Orton Rd said:

I would be after decent toilets these days rather than sex

Funny that you mention toilets. In a number of Latin American countries the plumbing isn't great and you can't flush your t.p. So you put it in a trash can by the toilet. Not to mention no bum guns. Peru for example is notorious for shower electrocutions from the hot water systems for showers in less modern units. Toilets matter. I'm not saying things are going to be perfect or even as good as living in Thailand for people moving to Latin America … obviously spending more money can sometimes be helpful. 

Again, I don't mean to either oversell or undersell the option of living in some Latin American nations vs. Thailand.

But some of us will be leaving Thailand (or not coming at all in view of recent changes) and some Latin American nations are indeed possible alternatives. 

Edited March 4, 2019 by Jingthing

[KiChakayan 2,816]

3 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Not much sex available there for old men ....... which is why we chose the third world.

Can't imagine anyone except for Americans considering SA.

Found plenty P...y in Chili, Bolivia and Peru.  But it is true, the girls looking for a sugar daddy rarely get bedded first night.

Before meeting my wife, my dream was to settle somewhere on the road from Santiago to Valparaiso amongst the vineyards. My 5 years spent achieving fluency in Spanish went down the drain..

[spidermike007 30,973]

I have friends who spend alot of time in Colombia, and they love it. The latin culture blows away Thailand, on nearly every level. Spanish is so much easier to learn, and when you do learn it, the locals try so much harder to understand what you are trying to say, have a far better ear than Thais do, for someone not native who tries to speak their language, and are infinitely more creative in their ability to understand and extrapolate your meaning. 

 

The women in Colombia are also amazing, if that is of interest. It is more expensive than here, but not by much. And generally, Latin women are far, far, far more passionate than Thai women. 

 

So, Prayuth and the biggest joke, are you listening? Do you ever listen to anybody? Ever? We have alternatives! 

[grollies 3,620]

3 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

So, Prayuth and the biggest joke, are you listening? Do you ever listen to anybody? Ever? We have alternatives! 

Er, no, probably not.

[RotBenz8888 12,809]

17 minutes ago, KneeDeep said:

 

 

Makes sense. I guess if you go to the most touristy area, you are more of a target.

We instead, decided to accommodate ourselves outside of the well known touristy areas and instead plumped for Gloria.

 

From our apartment we had a direct view of Pão de Açúcar, could walk across to the airport to fly to Iguazu Falls or to the excellent but sadly now defunct Porcão Rio. 

Also we lived next to the not unpleasant Flamengo Park;

 

 

So one is much more in touch with local life.

Copacabana is sterile by comparison. We cycled there a few times using the https://bikeitau.com.br scheme.

Maybe we just didn't look like the types they wanted to bother.

 

You're right, tourist areas are always worse, just like here in Thailand. And i traveled solo, it's obviously safer to stay in a group.

 

Btw, nice pictures!

 

 

 

[Jingthing 64,493]

7 minutes ago, RotBenz8888 said:

 

You're right, tourist areas are always worse, just like here in Thailand. And i traveled solo, it's obviously safer to stay in a group.

 

Btw, nice pictures!

 

 

 

Well, in Rio I got mugged in daylight on a very non-touristy street downtown that I accidentally walked into. I stayed in Copa and didn't have a problem even late at night. Go figure.