Arriving in April

Hello Virginia,

Welcome to Expat.com

Why did you choose Phuket for your retirement? Any particular reason?

Have a nice day,

Hasnaa
Expat.com Team

Hi Hasnaa

We chose Phuket for the first 6 months as we have enrolled in a Thai Language course in Patong. We know the area & have found a unit there which is close to everything, so we can walk to the course, shops & beach.
In October we will be back in Australia for 1 month to finalise Tax & sort some other bits & pieces & then return to Thailand.
During the 6 months in Phuket we (hopefully) will decide where to next!
e may be gypsies within Thailand for a while. It will be nice to wander a bit as the mood takes us!
Cheers
Virginia

I want to retire too. Sadly I have to work, unless someone wants to take over my removal business so that I can sit under a palm tree and sip VB and charders?

It's cheaper to live in Thailand than you think!
PS: Your picture REALLY looks like 007!
Cheers
Virginia

I am still working in Thailand..but want to retire. Yes Bond and myself have something in common, Omega watch!

Love it!
Not long now until we arrive. Do you ever go to Phuket?

I went there for work in 2011. I moved a chap with 2 containers back to South Africa

hi guys, I have retired here(Surat Thani) but stay away from the tourist areas(Phuket, Pattaya etc)  due to the local "mafias" there that run everything and the fact they are geared towards drinking/partying/sex. If you want to really enjoy Thailand you need to stay out of these tourist areas as they are a bit risky to say the least and travel through the countryside as there are some wonderful things to see and do. Everyone goes to Phuket/Pattaya/ Koh Samui etc as these are the most known tourist areas but they are well and truly below the standards they were many years ago due to the local graft and corruption. You need to go to areas where this attitude hasnt spread, Trang is a brilliant coastal area, not touristy at all with many things to see, the mountain area behind Surat Thani is beautiful, wonderful caves, waterfalls etc and the largest dam in Thailand. The coastal areas both sides of Thailand heading towards Bangkok on the Andaman sea side and the gulf side are great as well with many great towns to stay in on the way. Most of the resort areas are over stated, try seeing the real Thailand, it is much better and a lot more interesting.

Sounds really nice in Surat Thani! We are committed to Phuket from April to October, but after that would love to try somewhere else. What is the best way to get to where you are? Also, how can we find out about renting accommodation?

We are from Cairns but know Ballina well. Like you, we doubt that we would ever return permanently to Australia.

Cheers

Virginia & David

We should catch up some time

hi Virginia ,,just read you are retiring in Phuket ,, which is a place i am planning to retire as well,, but why should you enroll in classes instead of getting a retirement visa to settle down?

Hi Ghasam

You can do it either way. All the Immigration Offices are different. What we found is that we could et  Student Visa (for a year, multiple entry) arranged through the Language School in Phuket. This however, cannot be converted to a  Retirement Visa. For this we need a 3 month Tourist Visa (obtained in Australia) which is converted to a Retirement Visa on return to Phuket!
This is very complex & you do not have to do it if you don't need tp. Luckily this fits in with our arrangements, but you can attend Language School without having to do all this.
Please also remember as I said earlier, that all Offices will have different rules. It depends on where you are!

Cheers

Virginia

Well, if it is a VISA where you leave Thailand every 90 days, you can change it around 30 days before you have to leave the country to a 90 days Non O base on Retirement, and at the end of that 90 days, change it to a 1 year extension of stay base on Retirement.

NOT all Immigration office can / will do that change, and tell you to go out of the country to get new Visa.
But it can be done at Bangkok Immigration office.

If both fail, one can take a trip to other country close to Thailand and get a 90 days Non O base on Retirement, and at the end of that change it to 1 year extension of stay base on Retirement.
NO need to return to once home country for that.

Remember when talking to Immigration office, it is important to ask about "extension of stay" and NOT Visa, as it is NOT the same thing, and many say it wrong.

If you want to know more, call center is  1111 and use the English help, they pretty good to help out.

Kindly.