Transcript of the above video: 

As the title of this video suggests, we are asking the question, can I retire immediately in Thailand? Let's jump in here. 

I thought of making this video after reading a recent article on VegOut Mag that's vegoutmag.com, under the heading, 7 countries where US$150K in savings (so $150,000 in savings) means you can retire immediately. So that's about 4.5 million baht to provide some context for Thailand. Quoting further, under subsection 1. Thailand: retire-friendly visa and Chiang Mai math that works. Quoting directly: "Thailand's Retirement Visas are among the most straightforward. For the Non-immigrant O (Long Stay) you'll typically show 800,000 Thai Baht in a Thai bank or a monthly income of 65,000 THB, plus health insurance." Well that's not actually true. As I have discussed in other videos, the OA Retirement Visa requires health insurance; the standard O Retirement Visa does not require health insurance.

Now as discussed in other videos, getting into the standard O Visa is becoming more cumbersome and onerous these days compared to times past. Also, getting a bank account opened in Thailand is becoming something of an onerous endeavour. We are assisting a number of clients with such matters but it's important to point out that while articles like this do point out the actual requirements, there is quite a bit of legwork associated with meeting those requirements. 

That said, quoting further: "That financial requirement sits comfortably inside a $150,000 nest egg and covers the Visa's big hurdle. On the cost side, Chiang Mai remains a favourite for its slow pace and cafe culture."  Again they are looking at it from the standpoint of Chiang Mai. We are based down here in Bangkok. I think the same analysis can be applied with regard to retiring in most places in Thailand. 

Again I have said this before and I will say it again, Thailand's Retirement Visas remain one of the most reasonably priced options for foreigners looking for a really good retirement, a really good jurisdiction to go to that they can trust the infrastructure, they can trust the cost of living is going to stay reasonable, and just have a nice life, have a nice retirement. I think that continues to be the case. 

Now again that said, there may be some new hurdles now associated with getting into Retirement Visa status including bank account setup etc. For those who find themselves overwhelmed, it may not be a terrible idea to contact a legal professional, gain some insight and guidance into how best to proceed.