You can consider Thailand as one of the best places in the world for retirement. The Cost Of Living is low and you can easily survive even on a low pension. Much better than in any other civilized country in the world.
In Thailand you can enjoy your retirement at places, where other people come for their holiday, like Pattaya, Koh Samui, Phuket, Krabi or some places in the North, in case you don’t like the heat in the south.
All of this holiday places and tourist centers have gathered up to make a home for retirees. You can buy anything you like, if it comes to food, furniture or any electronic entertainment equipment.
You will never feel bored, because there is always other people with the same interest and from the same country as yours.
Only if you have to live on a very low budget, you might consider to live somewhere in the deepest province, like the Isaan, because the cost of living there is much cheaper than the tourist places.
Lifestyle there might be a little less entertaining but even there, you will have company from some foreigners, living there with their Thai wife or girl friend and enjoying farming or the simple country life.
Retirement Visa
Visa for retirees: If you are over 50 years of age and have any sort of pension or other income, you can apply for a Non Immigrant Visa, Class “O”, good for 1 Year with multiple entries, at any Thai Embassy or Consulate abroad. This Visa is good for 1 Year but requires border runs in Thailand every 90 days, since the stamp you get from the immigration officer on entering Thailand is only good for 90 days. So make a border run and get a new stamp every 90 days until the Visa runs out after 1 year.
If your are over 50 years and your pension is over 60,000,- Baht however, you can apply for the 1 Year Extension for your Non Immigrant Visa at any Immigration Office in Thailand. Alternatively, if your pension is less than 60,0000, you might have a time fixed deposit of at least 800,000,- Baht on a Thai Bank account and you will also get the 1 year extension. After this one year, you can go ahead and extend again but you will have to fulfill the same requirements.
Please note, that even with the 1 year extension, you will have to report to the nearest Immigration Office every 90 days. If you want to leave Thailand when you already have your 1 year extension, make sure to obtain a Re Entry Visa before leaving, otherwise your 1 year extension extension is void on reentering Thailand.
Living in Thailand for retirees: Some investors have set up hundreds of homes for foreign retirees as apartments, condos and what ever. However, because of this special setup, these sort of accommodation can be a little expensive, you might want to consider to look for your own little house for rent. Please refer to the page about “Finding a House in Thailand“.