Transcript of the above video:

I have been reading a lot of comments and correspondence from folks about some things we have discussed, the possibility of financial requirements going up; certain insurance requirements being applied to Retirement Visas in Thailand, some things of that nature, not least of which folks mentioned the current what can only be described as ongoing lockdown requirements although eased compared to a few months ago, it is still pretty stringent for the most part. 

People have asked me, they have said: "Is Thailand still a good place to retire?" and my response is: "Yes, most assuredly." Now is it everything I want it to be right now? Not particularly, as evidenced in other videos I have made. Yeah I mean all things considered, yes and I see this a lot: "Well I can go to such and such a place and retire with so and so!" Yeah it is possible but it is my understanding, maybe with the exception of the Philippines, there is not really any place in Asia to retire that is and even the Philippines I think, the comparison is not 100%. You can't make a full comparison; they are different in certain ways with respect to some of their immigration but the Philippine Immigration System is outside my bailiwick. I mean here in Asia especially Southeast Asia, Thailand, to the best of my knowledge is about one of the only places that folks can pretty easily get in and get a Retirement Visa and go on about their lives. 

Yeah I do understand there are other places in Europe and South America that try to attract retirees but again Thailand's Retirement Visa requirements compared to a lot of places are really not that strenuous; the threshold is not that all high compared to other jurisdictions. Meanwhile it is my understanding that in other jurisdictions you actually have to pay in and that money is just gone; the same amount of money that you would need to hold for example on balance to maintain for example a Thai Retirement Visa, either O or O-A. Now again I know insurance requirements really kind of nag at folks; and things have changed in the Retirement Visa world but comparatively, I think if you go out there and you go pound for pound, Thailand still is very competitive as a good place for retirees to come to and I am just talking about this in Immigration context. On top of it, I have got to say I can't think of a place more pleasant to my thinking to retire in than Thailand at least under present conditions. I mean obviously I immigrated to Thailand so I have the fervor of the converted. Long story short, yeah I do think it is still a good place to retire for a lot of folks who are looking to enjoy their retirement.