We have seen in the news recently that the Thai Retirement Visa is becoming increasingly difficult to obtain. Indeed, this is certainly true as you can no longer use the pension income letter that was issued from the British Embassy in Bangkok. There are now only 2 routes to meet the financial requirements, keep THB800,000 in a Thai bank account, or you can show 12 months monthly income from overseas. However, if you can satisfy the financial requirements for a Non-Immigrant O-A Visa, then Pattaya is a fantastic place to retire.
What does it have to offer?
Let’s face it, if you are considering retiring in another country there have to be some serious advantages for taking such a step. Well firstly, Thailand has a great climate throughout the years as opposed to the cold and wet days that we are more familiar with back in the UK. On top of this, Pattaya has a well-established expat community with many Brits living in the city.
There are plenty of things to do in Pattaya; if you are a keen golfer there are dozens of championship standard golf course that are all very reasonably priced along with numerous golf societies where you could meet new friends. There are various other clubs that you could also join as well as enjoying the Pattaya bar scene. This doesn’t necessarily have to be the Pattaya agogo bars or lady bars as there are plenty of British style pubs and sports bars around.
Food & Restaurants
One of the biggest concerns for many people, when they come to Thailand, is Thai food. Yes, it certainly is spicy – certainly compared to English food but the locals know that they can make it less spicy to suit western taste buds. However, if the idea of Thai food is just too much, then don’t worry; the city is filled with western restaurants! Also, many of the supermarkets such as Villa Market, Best, Foodland, and Friendship stock extensive ranges of imported foods so you can cook your favorite dishes for yourself.
Cost of Living
The cost of living in Thailand has certainly increased in recent years especially with the strength of the Thai Baht. However, accommodation, local food and beers and many forms of entertainment are still considerably cheaper than the UK. If you require assistance at home, Thai girls are happy to provide maid services for very reasonable prices.
Healthcare
As we get older, healthcare is something that becomes very important to us. So long as you have quality health insurance in Thailand, this shouldn’t be a concern. Here in Pattaya, we have three excellent international hospitals in Bangkok Pattaya Hospital, Pattaya International Hospital and Pattaya Memorial Hospital. Bangkok Pattaya, in particular, has all the latest equipment and highly trained medical professionals. High levels of English are spoken.
We can help!
We can help you with obtaining a Thai Retirement Visa or any other type of visa for Thailand. If you would like more information, you can call us on +66 (0)80 102 2328, +66 (0) 38 420 313 or +44 (0) 20 8133 8059, email us on: info@thaivisaexpress.com or alternatively contact us via our website.