Retire In Thailand

You will smile here, a lot. Thailand is really that friendly.  Fun, cultured, historic and exotic under one, all encompassing, azure blue sky.  The beaches are mythic; what beaches are supposed to be.  Its cities are steeped in the gentle culture of Buddhism while bursting with new, first world architecture and technology.  The countryside is a spectacle of Golden Temples, a place where ancient Banyan tree trunks are wrapped in sacred cloth to honor the modesty of their resident spirits.

Thousands of retirees have moved to Thailand already. The cost of living is low, medical services superb and retirement visas are readily available.

You can live in that dream house, get house help, have a regular massage and go out for dinner often.  You can live a lifestyle most retirees in the West can only dream about.

QUICK FACTS

Population: 67,091,120 (est. 2014)

Capital city: Bangkok

Largest city: Bangkok pop. 8,280,925 (est. 2010)

Political system: Constitutional monarchy

Language: Thai (official) 90.7%, Burmese 1.3%, other 8%. English is a secondary language of the elite.

Main religion:  Buddhist (official) 93.6%, Muslim 4.9%, Christian 1.2%, other 0.2%, none 0.1% 

Time:  UTC+7

BEST TIME TO GO

The weather in Thailand is hot and humid all year round. The climate is tropical, characterised by monsoon seasons that come at different times depending on where you are. Monsoon rains and storms are heavy, but they’re usually confined to afternoons.  In Bangkok, for example, the average temperature in April (the hottest month) is 31°C (87°F). In December, it drops to a ‘cool’ 26°C (79°F).

HOW TO GET THERE FROM CANADA

You can’t fly direct from Canada to Bangkok.  But for around $2500 USD you can connect through Incheon (Seoul) with Korea Airlines or Narita or Haneda (Tokyo) with Air Canada.

HOW TO GET THERE FROM AUSTRALIA

You can fly direct for under $1000 USD with Thai Airways, Emirates, Qantas.  For around $600 USD, you can fly Scoot Airline (Singapore Airline’s discount carrier) direct from Sydney to Bangkok.