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What should a couple in their late 50s consider before moving part-time to Thailand?

Jul 26, 2025
5 days ago
Hi All 👋🏾

I’m new to the group and visited Thailand 🇹🇭 in 2022…We Fell I Love ❤️ Since our visit we’ve been determined to revisit and will be returning in May 2026! Can’t wait! My husband says he wants to retire and live in Thailand part time, as we are not settled on the idea of leaving the states because of our kids and grands. We are 59 years young and have been seriously discussing it as a strong possibility.

What are your thoughts as for as age, places to stay, opportunities and how do we get started? We want to start now so that we will be prepared to make our move in the next two years or less…

Thank you 😇
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TLDR : Answer Summary
A couple looking to retire part-time in Thailand by 2026 seeks advice on age-related considerations, housing options, and steps to take for a successful transition. They share their love for Thailand and their hesitance to leave their family in the U.S. The community responds with suggestions on where to live, how to explore Thailand further, and practical advice about visas, health insurance, and adapting to life in Thailand.
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Barry ***************
You'll be divorced in a year 🤣 don't stay in a city Bkk etc you'll go crazy after a month of walking around 🤣 retire somewhere nice and relaxing. People who want to retire in Thailand are usually single men 😝
Bill *********
@Barry **************
Bangkok is a terrific city! Speak for yourself. Over 2 years and I'm loving every day. I'm not going crazy at all. It can be very relaxing depending on how you handle it. Thailand is definitely best enjoyed being single.
Barry ***************
@Bill ********
each to there own. I lived in it for years.

yeah it has parks whatever, but personally would not live in it again.

Small doses does me just fine.

thank you sir!

SINGLE MEN YEP 100%
Bill *********
@Barry **************
It's good that we all find a location that we're happy to be in. And probably even better that it's not all in the same place! 😆 Enjoy
Brown ********
Anytime will be a good move from USA to Thailand. If you can do it now do it now. As a couple you pretty much need to figure out what you both wish to do with your retirement but wouldn't recommend Pattaya. My missus quite rightfully said Pattaya wasn't an option for us due to the temptation that faces men in that city.
Bill *********
@Brown *******
Wow, so sad! You allow the missus to dictate your future? I'd say maybe marriage is optional too.
Legen *******
I planning to retire and move there permanently next year at 29yo , i cant stand ppl in states anymore
Young ********
Money, medical and visa
Robert *********
Immediately ,before 60 buy international.heakth insurance .

Before 60 no health checks ,at 60.it gets way more expensive !!!!

Also BUY nothing for two years !!!!rent is so cheap and you have control as you can leave at at By time ...building a new high rise beside you ,a new karioky bar ,20 barking dogs ,a pig farm etc etc

You value things based on home prices ,but when you sell its Thai prices .

You nothing about Thai rules ,noise ,building quality etc etc .

lIVING is nothing like holidaying !!!!

Best bet ,get a multiple entry tourist visa and go for 9 months .

I love Thailand have spent twenty winters there .

Go slow
John *********
My wife & I retired 3 years ago. We live 6 months per year in Thailand and the US, just like you want to do. Very easy. Well, kinda. We leave the US in mid October and return in mid April. You should think about-do I want to live in the North East (Isan) for seemingly pennies per day. Or, Bangkok for mega city life. Maybe Phuket, Hua-Hin or Pattaya for lots of foreigners nearby, mostly Europeans, Russians and Australians. Phuket is a suburb of Moscow. Hua- Hin and Pattaya are European.

My wife and I lowered our US expenses to near zero. Our daughter and her husband live in our paid off house and pay utilities & property tax.

Get Medicare when eligible. This last 6 months I had several hospital and doctor visits. I paid up front and my United Healthcare Medicare advantage plan reimbursed me. If you live 6 months per year in the US you are eligible for this.

You can message me on Messenger app for additional information if you would like to. I’m happy to help.
Frangipani *******
My advice would be to spend a lot more than 10 days here on your second visit.

It’s a big decision to make - to move to a new country. I feel that you may need to see a lot more of the country and get the feel of how things work around here.

Of course, Thailand 🇹🇭 is indeed wonderful, I love it and I’ve been coming here for 40 years.

I just feel that for such a big life decision, and you’ve only been here once, it would be better to explore more of the Kingdom. Living here, may be very different from your experience as tourists.

I hope this helps 😃
Todd *********
@Frangipani ******
yes, living here is way better than being a tourist here
Mark *********
I have been staying in Korat and the Nakhon Ratchasima District this year and find it a pleasant place to be. It’s about 3.5 hrs ENE of Bangkok.
Jim *******
@Mark ********
Korat and Nakhon Ratcahsima is the same place, just called differently, sometimes.
Mark *********
@Jim ******
Right, but I stayed outside of Korat city for a month in a village, so I was trying to make the distinction. I should have said Korat and surrounding areas, maybe.
Basim *******
If your income more than 80k$ try LTR Retirement 10 years family visa
Charon ******************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Basim ******
thank you 😊
Chris ******
Just made the move 3 weeks ago staying in Bangkok do it while you can tomorrow is not promised
Ann-Louise ********
@Chris *****
absolutely 💯
Charon ******************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Chris *****
For sure! Thank you and Enjoy your new life & home!🫶🏾
Ann-Louise ********
If you don’t put yourselves first , no one will put you!

We have moved to Thailand , loving it , we are in (just)60’s!

Not looking back !

We live more healthy here , love the culture and people, and feel safe.

Glad we made our decision, now , as no one knows how long life is! You only live once, and I don’t want to be, one of those people, who lives with ‘wish I’d done this, and what if’ ! Children in their early 20’s living in SA and NZ, living their lives, so they are happy we are doing the same!

Go for it! 🙏🥂🇹🇭
Charon ******************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Ann-Louise *******
Love this for you all…Thanks for the inspiration! 🫶🏾
David **********
@Charon *****************
Ann is 100 percent correct. As your children (and even grandchildren) get older, you will realize they have their own lives. It's not selfish to do what's best for you. We left the states almost 4 years ago and don't regret it for 1 second. We go back to visit every so often (every 12-18 months, but it's so expensive 😔). Check out as many different places in Thailand and then make the move!
Ann-Louise ********
@David *********
🙏 thank you.

My children also say …Mom, spend your money, when alive, as you earned it, and do what you want in Life….as if you don’t spend it we will, when you die!

Cheeky monies, but they are right! 😉🤔😂🤣
Mary ********
Firstly, figure out what sort of life you want as each area has different things to offer. If having a big western culture community around you is important - places like Hua Hin, Pattaya etc - for us, we wanted a quieter lifestyle away from the girlie bars and party places so we opted to move about an hour south of Hua Hin to Prachuap Khiri Khan in a little beach cottage just north of the bay in the fishing village and we love it here - the draw back is if we want to shop for western foods, clothing etc we have to go to Hua Hin not a big deal for us, others, maybe it would be - it wouldn't suit everyone but to us it is heavenly. My advice is to travel around, see the different places and figure out what is and isn't to your liking. We stayed in hua hin the first three months and got our retirement visa sorted and the plan was to drive around until we found our ideal spot - luck would have it, it was the first place we stopped at after Hua Hin lol
Robin *******
@Mary *******
where you live sounds lovely
Mary ********
@Robin ******
it is, we absolutely love it here.
Colin **********
"Where to stay". You need to say what you like best here, beaches, remote beauty, busy city life, for example.
Gerg **********
My wife and I started out renting a condo in Bangkok, and while we were living there we traveled around to other areas of the country to find where we might want to move next. I think that was a great strategy for us. We’re moving to Krabi next week. We had traveled to Chiang Mai, Phuket, Jomtien, Udon Thani, Hua Hin, and Koh Samui. We settled on Krabi for the limestone cliffs, air quality, proximity to islands, beaches and sea. Good luck in your move!
Charon ******************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Gerg *********
Thank you and wishing you a successful move. Enjoy your new city and home. 😇
Vicky *****************
@Charon *****************
people will come on here and say you can’t own land in Thailand but message me and we can chat about those details if you’re interested
Vicky *****************
@Charon *****************
I’m building a house in Chumphon which is the province just north of Surathani. I help fundraise and write grants for an orphanage there. Send me a pm if you want to visit and check out that area. There is room to build other houses on the land. Building my house cost about 20,000, maybe a little more since I decided on solar.
Rene ********
@Gerg *********
lol, all tourist traps
Gerg **********
@Rene *******
We’re not living in the tourist area. We’re more on the outskirts where few foreigners are. But the other places have their own appeal. You don’t have to live in a rice village, you know. They’re “tourist traps” because they’re beautiful and great places to visit. Not sure what your motive was to make your comment, but it feels like you’re trying to paint those places in a poor light and not sure why.
Edward **************
Check up north. Chiang Rai.

Beautiful area and people
Charon ******************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Edward *************
Thank you for your feedback. 😇
Mike *******
Gary *************
@Edward *************
Chiang Rai is the best, I agree
Phil ******
@Charon *****************
I think ask this question next year as there's alot of change here and we are about to go to War.
Ann-Louise ********
@Phil *****
have worldwide tv channels, nothing mentioned whatsoever on there!

My daughter due to visit me, travel agent sent her words of advice do no go to Dângrêk Mountain area. That was it!
Phil ******
@Ann-L*****
yeh family and friends in Australia said nothing on TV too. The King weighed in yesterday in a speech. He wants all Cambodia's weapons destroyed.. its pretty serious. We have friends up in the provinces. couple of videos from Buriram, in the War zone. This video shows a camp for people displaced by the war. There's 3 around buriram and each holds 10,000 people. The other 5 provinces have the same. This one is 5 minutes by car or 15 minutes walking from Fangs mums house. Its the 2nd largest soccer stadium (Chang Arena) in Thailand and has the f1 racing track. Its huge and I've been there when the football and motor are on. Fantastic venue
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And this one
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Bradford ******
@Phil *****
Do you even remotely understand for the past 100's of years, Thai Kings have NEVER been involved in politics or what goes on with the Thai government? What are you, a newby?
Phil ******
@Bradford *****
sure but he sent this message to the military yesterday
Bradford ******
@Phil *****
Sorry Phil you are not showing an official message. This did not come from the Monarchy. When ever the Monarchy makes an official decision, it is posted in the Daily Gazette and this is not.
Phil ******
@Bradford *****
rubbish mate a friend of mine simply posted on her website.

Hes the website of the Royal family. Some stupid idiot posted Kings don't get involved in the military but he is the head of state, similar to the UK. in all the coups that happenned here the King directed the military.
@https://www.facebook.*********************
Charon ******************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Phil *****
I certainly hope not.
Bradford ******
@Phil *****
Scare Monger.
Phil ******
@Bradford *****
King of Thailand's message yesterday
Bradford ******
@Phil *****
Pretty sure HRM does not post on FB.
Phil ******
@Bradford *****
he has a fb page
Phil ******
@Bradford *****
rubbish. Approx 100 Cambodian soldiers killed today in fierce fighting
Bradford ******
@Phil *****
Thai Gov't said airport is open, business as usual. Stay in your bunker Phil!
Ann-Louise ********
@Phil *****
it’s not a war! It’s a border issue!

Cambodian officials have reported another 12 people killed as a result of the ongoing border dispute with Thailand
Phil ******
@Ann-Louise *******
here's 1 report today

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Phil ******
@Ann-Louise *******
its progressing to War. Do you live here?
Ann-Louise ********
@Phil *****
Yes, as if that’s any of your business!
Ann-Louise ********
@Gregg ******
ooops better correct that ! 🤔😉😂🤣Flip ! That took 3 attempts, as spell check having a laugh with me!

Thank you 🙏
Todd *********
Go now or you never will. Finding excuses it easy. Making real life changes is hard
Charon ******************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Todd ********
totally agree. We planning and my husband will be retiring soon. We will be visiting for 10 days in May 2026 and hope to get more information.
Todd *********
@Charon *****************
honestly, you will love it all. It's an absolutely incredible place to live and the kids and grands will LOVE coming to visit. You will open up a whole new world for them too
Charon ******************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Todd ********
Thank you for the encouraging words! Can’t wait😇
Ann-Louise ********
@Todd ********
totally agree 🙏
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