Where to start… I am a 60-year old retired “American Expat” (currently) living in Thailand and have been, for the last ten years or so. My long-range plan was to live out a simple laid-back life with my Thai wife, in a small village, without any more Bangkok traffic headaches or the stress associated with big city life.
That was the plan.
As most of you here in Vietnam may have heard… The Thai government has just issued brand new visa regulations and rules, taking effect now and starting for next year's visa applications, for expat “retirement” holders in the Kingdom. I won't bother you with all the smaller details, but the big change that has everyone so pissed off, is that they (Thai Immigration) will now require each of us, to put $25,000.00 USD into a “noninterest-bearing” fixed Thai account each year and not touch it. Our U.S. Embassy in Bangkok used to sign off on this requirement… In the form of an income affidavit. But as of January 1st, 2019, they will no longer do this, because the Thai government is now going to “actually” require them to confirm the amounts listed.
Thanks to all the *** drinking up and then trying to live on their $1000.00-dollar SSI checks and not paying their bills. The rest of us, that have more than enough for our monthly income and health insurance, get screwed in the process. Now… Some of you that have huge retirement cash reserves and huge piles of cash just lying around in your desk drawer, may think $25,000.00 would be a piece of cake to just deposit and forget. Well, in my case, the ex-wife in the states got everything except the bills in my last divorce and I've just dumped (before they changed the rules) about a hundred thousand bucks in a brand-new Thai home for my wife. Like most of us do for when we pass on. Frankly… That much cash today for me, is not a short-term option and for a lot of us in the same boat.
So… Where does that leave me? You got it, having to move on. I'm now out on a 3-country recon-run looking for new places that my wife and I could live in for like half the year. I'm more than able to rent a condo, car, motorbike and find the Big C and don't require that kind of help. My problem is finding out where the safest places and districts are in Da Nang or the surrounding area. What hospital should I go to and what service do they provide? Where to meet people? Basic daily living stuff… but when you only have a week to check things out… Very important and much faster to just talk to someone local.
Anyway… If you guys have any suggestions, I'm all ears. I would be more than willing to buy a beverage or two if anyone wanted to meet up this week.
Thank You in advance for your help and assistance.