My wife and I (both now retired, I am 73) have owned our condo in Thailand for ten years (freehold under conditions set out in Condominium Act). We have not "lived" there... more like lengthy holidays. That said, we're considering applying for the retirement visa which I understand requires 800k baht to be held in Thai bank account.

There is a lot to learn about Thailand, about Thai bureaucracy, and about how business gets done.

My advice?

Start your research early.

Visit often and spend time in different locations.

Pay for reputable advice/agents when you must.

Only commit large sums of money after thorough research and lengthy "in country" experience.

Some cautions:

Yes, Chang Mai has terrible pollution for months every year.

Yes, Thailand has the highest per Capita road fatalities in the world ...almost all of them are pedestrians and motor cyclists.

Yes the Andaman coast has cleaner water for swimming/snorkelling than the Gulf coast.

Yes, the Thai language is difficult to learn. I have not succeeded but Google Translate goes a long way.

Yes we absolutely love our Thai condo (it's in a regional area with few tourists and little English spoken), but we're planning to sell and in hindsight would not have bought in the first place We reckon long term rentals would have better suited our lifestyle.

Yes Thailand is a good retirement destination. The food is superb. But take the time to find THE "Thailand" that best suits you.

All the best