Best cities for retirement in Thailand

A couple of years back I visited Chiang Mai. I really liked it. I am a nature lover and there seems to tons of things to do. The temperature is a little cooler as compared to the rest of Thailand. Seems like there is a big expat community there also. Learning a new language is about the only obstacle I see.

There is no best city for retirement.

We all looking for different things like.
Mountains, Beach, Farm, Big city, small city, live among Thai, Live among other foreigner and so on.

I hear a lot of good about Chiang Mai before my first holiday here, Manly from a friend a know for +20 years at that time that live there.
But i dislike that city, So i short my plan holiday in Chiang Mai.

After i move to Thailand i am happy about i choose Not to move there.
Special because of the pollution, I visit my firend 2 time after i move here, The last time was bad pollution, We only stay to next day.

I hear many say Pattaya before my holiday here, And that where my holiday  startet, but i dislike that city inside my first day.

I all was dram of a big City, But after i move here at live in Bangkok & Nonthaburi for the first 5 years, I have no plan to return to citys that large again.

Now we live in Bang Saen, Around 48.000 population(I think it is) and a lot more in the weekends when many people come to relax here, That fit me more.
We live among Thai on a little Soi, Not that many other foreigner around.

Kindly.

I moved to Thailand in 2002 , did the Pattaya thing for a few years then settled down,Married and we had a Daughter who is 7 now.
We moved to Bang Saray 19 Km from pattaya.
Bang Saray is still a small fishing village but getting bigger slowly.
Good Infrastructure, $1,400 Aud per month to live here includes everything.
Crime rate you never hear it.
Could not be happier to live in  Bang Saray

I have lived here in Tailand now for 6 years as a pensioner, 5 years in Pattaya and now 1 year in Nakhon Ratchasima (Korat) and enjoy very well here.  Everything is available here as 3 large shopping centers (Terminal 21, Central Plaza and The Mall).  Bars and restaurants.  Markets and the best thing is that everything is much cheaper than eg.  Bangkok or any other tourist cities.  It suits a pensioner well.  Here you can rent a villa for 5,000 baht per month!

Like another post said spends what you looking for. I live just outside Nakhon Phantom and have a house on Koh Lanta in Krabi. Nakhon Phantom gives you the real Thai life only area grant up here. Beautiful  Mekong River plenty of Thai restaurants and some bars. Cheap to live here. Koh Lanta to me is one of the few Islands that still feels raw they way Thai was 20 years ago beautiful beaches and plenty of restaurants Thai and foreign. Great beach bars.

Hi everyone !

The question is not anymore the place in Thailand, but Thailand.
Today is the 87th anniversary of Siam Revolution that changed the country from an absolute monarchy into a constitutional monarchy, as in UK for example.

Unfortunately, except for a few years, Thailand is since the revolution a military dictatorship.
5 years ago, a new military gang took the power by a (the 25th !) putsch, chasing the elected Prime Minister, who had to flee in exile as the previous one.

Thailand had fake Prime Minister elections in April, and surprise... the dictator has elected himself !

Since the same 5 years, the level of corruption rose a lot, and economy lowered. At 34 baht per Euro and 31 baht per Usd, life is now really expensive for expats.
No need to say that life cost is still more unbearable for Thai people, the dictator having lowered the yet tiny minimum wages 5 year ago.

Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Pattaya level of pollution beat records, ans the sea in the golf is extremely dirty in Pattaya side, and in Hua Hin as well.

For your skin, for you lungs, for your brain -if you're a little bit a democrat- and for your wallet, Thailand in no more a place to stay.

I could suggest you to visit Laos, Cambodia that are changing in a better way, and Vietnam, a very interesting and attractive country.
Philippines, even with an insane but elected president, could also be an pleasant alternative to Thailand.

The best City is Bangkok, but you need a second place a weekend or a holiday resort. Important you
need enough money savings or pension for the monthly expenses, such as rent, food, traveling, restaurants, meeting friends, do some activities, health insurance, pocket money for the wife, I guess
around 5-7000 US$ a month is OK.

Why live in any metropolis they are allover-priced and poluted. Retiring in Thailand is live in tranqil and peacefulness. I found this well away from the hussle and bussle of the cities and beach resorts. I now live in a village near Hod about 1 1/2 south of Chiang Mai. Owning my own home, growing a few vegitables buying at the local markets my Thai wife and I live and save on a modest 25000 baht a month.

Hi,
There is no best town.
I stay somewhere in the field between Pattaya and Rayong. Half hour from each.
My area has only farmland around, cooler than cities and slightly better air.
Both Cities also ok to stay in, better around,  where in Rayong is less Tourist but more Expats  and Pensioners and better beaches. There is a bigger Industrial area near by where a lot expats work. Smaller towns along the coast between both main cities are also ok. I.e. Ban Chan, Sattahip etc.
Pattaya offer more shops/markets with western food. You need a car normally , so bigger shopping is independant from your place.
Entertainment can find also in both, more in Pattaya. For me not important because I go seldom, only if friends come to visit Thailand.
Before you choose where to live in TH you must first check that you can live in TH.
Clarify that you can get the visa. The easiest is the retired visa. Actual you need to hold 800.000THB in a bank account and look for a good western health insurance. You should have min. 1000Euro better more / month.
Everythink below that will you not make happy.
Don't believe if other tell you , they need less.
They eat only rice , very less meat and beer.
Regards, Michael

I am living in Hua Hin since 2011 and I can highly recommend it as place for your retirement.

I spent about 12 months looking around Thailand and ended up moving to Koh Samui. Several reasons, clean air, not too much of a hussle & bussle yet still has plenty of ammenities including lots of hospitals, an International airport, good supermarkets, nice beaches, like most of Thailand good local markets where food is quite cheap. Rents are a little more expensive here but nothing like Bangkok. Also Samui being coastal has a nice climate and doesn't seem to get the high temperatures like Bangkok, east and north, the north has smoke issues from burning off in March/April so that rules it out for me but apart from that not a bad place to live.

The east coast of Phuket is still an attractive option and on the fringes of busy with very good shopping & ammenities, clean air etc. Krabi not too bad but it gets very hot and doesn't yet have the ammenities of Phuket and Samui. The coast just south of Hua Hin is also very nice with a really good climate but no ammenities.

Hope this helps

Paul

The best town is the one you love most obviously, or where you have friends and relatives.
The criteria you need to strongly consider is the proximity to a good and reputable hospital (Bangkok Hospital, Samitivej Hospital,...), as well a good supermarket not too far where you could find some home country products.
One thing is to visit, the other to stay permanently, you will miss sometime your country and it is good to get some of the food you eat at your home Country.

Gday Kev, 
I'm a Melbourne boy and only just starting my retirement here so I'd love to get any recommendations you might have.
Cheers Steve.

Peter Josef Paul wrote:

The best City is Bangkok, but you need a second place a weekend or a holiday resort. Important you
need enough money savings or pension for the monthly expenses, such as rent, food, traveling, restaurants, meeting friends, do some activities, health insurance, pocket money for the wife, I guess
around 5-7000 US$ a month is OK.

If you need 5-7000 US$ per month it is cheaper to live in the US.

best place to retire---
we all like different things---but dont believe all the 'anti' stuff that you hear about pattaya..
i think its very important for retirees to keep busy and active...
sure, some of the country towns are cheaper,quieter, better air etc etc, but it must get terribly boring--thats the best way to an early death....

i live at cosy beach, between pattaya and jomtien, have fantastic sea views and breeze,high level condo=no need to use aircond, healthier and cheaper..away from sexy and noisy bars, but i can go there cheaply in 6mins...
pattaya has a huge choice of bars, nightclubs and restaurants, gyms, golf clubs..bars with good english music, expat clubs etc etc.
for me, its  an exciting place to be..
sure, its more expensive than 10 yrs ago, but still a lot less expensive,safer and more relaxed than melbourne, sydney, auckland etc...
but  NEVER  move to thailand and cut all ties with home country..
never give all your money away to thai ladies...
keep active and healthy

danzb:

My wife and I retired to Chiang Mai 2 months back.  While we're still in the "honeymoon" phase of the move, we're enjoying every day.  Waking up each morning and seeing those beautiful mountains with tops shrouded in clouds never gets old.  Currently, we're working through the bureaucratic red tape with visa, residency certificate, driver licenses, etc.  I would suggest if you plan to drive a motor scooter here, first ensure your home country drivers license is coded for both automobiles and for motorcycles.  This will make getting a Thai Motor Scooter License sooooo much easier.

Very good advise, totally agree. I plan to move to Thailand next year.

[i]but  NEVER  move to thailand and cut all ties with home country..
never give all your money away to thai ladies...
keep active and healthy[/i]

I enjoyed reading all these posts as I will be moving to Thailand to start my retirement in June 2020.  I have been traveling to Thailand for 20 years and been to most places in the country, as many have said it is really a personalized decision on what you like and dont like.  I plan on moving to Pattaya at first but the key to me is try some places and see if it is a fit.  I will give Pattaya a try and see how I like it, and if that doesnt fit me after a year, other places in Thailand, Cambodia or Laos might be other good options.  That is the joy of being an ex pat, is the freedom to do whatever I like and find my location for my life, no rush.

with this kind of money u can live in places much better than Thailand, no offence

how about Hua Hin itself?

i will come this winter and check it out, thx

good to know,thx

Depends on your interests. If you love the beach, down south is the perfect choice. Chiang Mai, Hua Hin a nd Pai if you want a laidback vibe yet exciting places are still very much accessible. Perhaps, BKK is a good base.

hua hin is nice, its a big expat area..
no good for me though.. the bars are very boring compared to pattaya..
im sure that there probably are many nicer places in the world ,to retire than pattaya..

but for me---after many many years of overwork, stress and broken marriage, i just love the sexy nightlife..sure, its not as cheap as it used to be , but its still good fun and no aggro like western countries...
for me--i dont drink a lot, generous with ladies, but dont buy them houses etc, so everything is under control..
im not desperate for marriage--thats also where many expats go wrong...
living near to Bangkok is also great for very cheap travel to many other asian countries..

I live in the south of Thailand , 25 minutes from Hat Yai, not many expats, but despite the bad rap the region gets, and you won,t find it on many retirement forums, great place to live.After i spent 1 yr in Chiang Mai , I found this place has less pollution, less rip off,s, people are farang friendly, as there are not many of us .