5 Mistakes to Avoid When Retiring to Thailand

Thailand is an enchanting nation with a rich and colourful culture and aside from being one of the top tourist destinations in the world, many westerners retire to this unique country. Most have enjoyed holidays in this amazing land and who could blame them for wishing to spend their golden years in the Land of Smiles?

In order to assist you in your preparation, here are a few mistakes to avoid when retiring to Thailand.

1. No health insurance – You might be on a tight budget and think that health insurance is an optional extra; there is affordable medical insurance for expats in Thailand from a leading global insurer and we recommend taking out a policy that covers you for most things. Hospital treatment can be very expensive in Thailand and the last thing you want is to have to use your savings to pay for a stay in hospital.
2. Letting your visa expire – Thai Immigration do not take kindly to any foreigner who overstays their visa; there is a fine of 500 bt for every day you overstay and if you are apprehended and it is discovered your visa has expired, you will be arrested on the spot and taken to the Immigration Detention Centre (IDC), where you remain until an air ticket can be acquired and you will be deported back to your home country and you might be banned from returning to Thailand.
3. Driving without a licence or insurance – Many tourists rent motorcycles and end up in hospital or worse; you can drive a car (or ride a bike) if you have an International Driving Permit, which you can apply for in your home country, but after 90 days, you need to apply for a Thai driving licence. Third-party insurance is combined with road tax, so you should be aware that if your vehicle’s tax has expired, you have no 3^rd party insurance. Click here for 3 ways to reduce your travel costs.
4. Complain about service on social media – Yes, you read that correct; a foreigner was arrested for leaving a bad review at a guesthouse on Instagram; Thailand has some weird defamation laws, so resist the temptation to leave a negative review on a Thai establishment as it could lead to hot water.
5. Vaping in Thailand – It may surprise you to learn that vaping is actually illegal here in Thailand; that said, you will see street vendors selling vape pens and liquid, which is indeed confusing. Apparently, the reason vaping is illegal is that vape pens do not fall into any product category, therefore, importing them is against the law. If you must vape, do it discreetly and don’t say you haven’t been warned!

Retiring in Thailand demands a lot of research to find out about visas, health insurance and other essentials and we hope this article helps you to plan your golden retirement in the tropical paradise that is Thailand.

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