THAILAND RETIREMENT questions you FORGOT to ASK

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Before you retire in Thailand, there are a few questions you should ask that have nothing to do with money.
Just think about it… a big reason why you are planning on moving to Thailand, is not just money, but also a good and happy life.

You want to meet friends. You want to eat good food and you want to just have a Sabai Sabai lifestyle (that means comfortable).

#1 Are you in good health?
Thailand is famous for having a really good and affordable health care system.
What is your health like?
Can you walk around well?
Do you have any chronic illnesses?
Depending on your health you should choose where you want to live, beaches, mountains or in the cities.
Beaches for swimming and a relaxing mood.
Mountains for the quiet and fresh air.
Or the cities for being closer to more health care facilities.
Think it through carefully before you decide where you want to spend most of your time.

#2 Are you comfortable being alone?
This might be a strange question.
But we mentioned it because moving to Thailand, means in the beginning, you might be alone a lot.
It’s going to take some time for you to find and make new friends.
Some of the first friends you find might not be good for you.
You will be stuck in your apartment or condo for some time.
But over time you will start to make friends.
You will start to go out more.
You will be less lonely over time.
Check out our video on how to make friends in Thailand!

#3 Are you ok not seeing your family or friends for a long time?
This is similar to the last question.
But a bit more intense.
You have to get used to the idea of seeing your friends and family back home maybe once every few years!
Try to setup video calls with them a few times a month.
Invite some of them to come visit you.
It’s an amazing feeling when friends and family come to visit you and you can show them around Thailand.
And of course, you can fly back home to visit when needed.
Be sure to get a re-entry permit at the airport when you leave Thailand so you don’t lose your retirement visa.

#4 Do you have any hobbies or interests?
This one is pretty important.
You can be tempted to be at the bars every night.
Or be caught up watching netflix every day.
Or just be focussed on watching the news and politics back home.
Dont. Just don't.
Get back to some of the hobbies and interests you had before.
Writing.
Photography.
Mentoring.
Exercise and Fitness.
Start a YouTube channel.
Journaling.
Do an online business.
Join local groups.
Teach friends some English.
Just don’t focus on life back home. You have a new life here, it’s time to do something different.

#5 Will you learn a little bit of the Thai Language?
This one is super important guys.
It will just open up your life to meeting more people in Thailand.
Just think about it, if you don’t learn any of the language, you are just stuck with the same few people who interact with all the foreigners.
If you’re dating in Thailand, it means you will be interacting with the same few men and women that are meeting people like you.
You need to be able to say the names of places correctly.
How to tell a taxi to turn left or right or stop.
And how to say numbers and prices in the market.
All of that can be learned in 10 hours with any online Thai teacher.
Contact us and we can recommend some people for you to learn from.

#6 Do you have a support system in Thailand?
What’s going to happen to you if you get sick at night?
How will you find the services that you need?
What if you need something important translated quickly?
What if you need the police or legal help?
This is one of the very reasons we always recommend you make more Thai friends.
If you don’t have friends in Thailand, then you can always contact us.
Baan Smile will be setting up a special support system for Expats in Thailand very soon, so stay tuned!

#7 Are you aware of the hot and rainy seasons in Thailand?
Yes, Thailand does not have snow.
But we have monsoons.
We have floods.
We have roasting hot weather.
And we have torrential rains that can flood sometimes.
But from 6 months of the year October to April is really beautiful weather.
This means you need to pick where you are living very well.
Try to pick a building where your windows will be facing north or south, or where another building will block the sun for at least a part of the day.

#10 Do you have a plan B just in case you change your mind about retiring in Thailand?
A pretty decent number of retirees end up leaving Thailand.
That number is somewhere between 15% and 40%.
And people have many reasons to do so.
It could be family or job obligations back home.
Some could have run out of money.
Others might want to try other countries.
And finally, some people might have just lost the taste for Thailand.
If you might fit into one of these cases, then be sure to keep some savings so you can fly back home, or move to another country.