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David_Old_Jersey · 02-07-2012, 03:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by bewitched

Bumrungrad International Hospital | Bangkok Thailand - Medical Procedures/Health Check-ups

+1 on that hospital - admittedly things didn't turn out well with me Missus

, but no complaints about the care. or the prices.

Thaivisa.com (a forum) was a good place for both to get a handle on the Visa stuff and an idea of how things work (or don't!) in Thailand in general.

mausgras · 14-07-2012, 09:06

I actually live in Laos and do my visa run in the opposite direction to most people. But I miss the ocean and I'm in the process of buying a boat in Phukhet as a weekender / liveaboard on my visa runs.

I agree that Thailand is an incredibly diverse country. Just tonight I was in Patong's walking street which is where all the go-go bars and a lot more are. While the girls (and a lot of the boys who look like girls) were dancing and draping themselves provocatively around poles and other objects the street was full of people from countries all over the world. There were young men and women out to get drunk, laid or both as well as family groups with children. There was even a smattering of Moslems with their families and women in full hijabs. I thought to myself this really sums up the Thai, They are basically a conservative society but incredibly tolerant and non judgemental.

Don't think Patong is typical of Phukhet either. The island is as diverse as its culture. There is dense high rise development and just a few kilometres away can be a jungle clad mountain, all mist covered and still full of wildlife. There are some waterfronts where I would be afraid to put my toe into the water and others are pristine wonderlands. There is some areas of high poverty right beside a development of obscene affluence.

There are some nasty types of people and a degree of crime. What else would you expect in a cosmopolitan and pluralist society. But the overriding result is a diverse society where each of the sub-cultures are tolerant and accepting of each other.

So much for the preaching, down to specifics of actually living here. There are marinas that range from the opulent to the ordinary. But costs are all much to same around 500B per foot per month. You can usually negotiate something for long stay liveaboards. Or you can anchor for free and live ashore nearby starting from a few hundred dollars a month to several thousand. You can choose from a bamboo beachfront to a luxury high rise condominium or a jungle retreat. Its all there somewhere.

There are 12 month retirement visas or you can do a visa run every 3 months. Conditions apply.

My suggestion is come for a three or six month stay, take your time looking around, there is no need to rush. You will know what is right for you when you see it.

beiland · 14-07-2012, 09:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

+1

The place has it's pros and cons (like anywhere) and many (most?!) have a love hate relationship with the place! Personally I could never live there permanently as I just found it a bit too frustrating - admitedlly not helped by never learning the lingo! (being tone deaf and British were my handicaps - and being lazy!)....albeit I did become pretty good at reading the locals / situations.

One thing OP will not be short of is advice - lol!, my 2 cents worth is not to make Thailand a final destination from the getgo or even forever (Thailand like everywhere else does change) - have a plan B. and on the practical side:-

1) Learn the basics in Thai, the polite stuff (please and thank-you etc), how to act politely - plus the numbers. definately the numbers! - it's the money

.

2) accept everything at face value

- just don't beleive a word of anything until you actually know, let alone act on anything - especially when it comes to parting with money (and that applies as much to your fellow foreigners as well as the locals). Look and listen a lot and judge people on actions and not simply words.

3) Smile and relax

, your learning curve will involve parting with a few quid and making some mistakes, but that's just how life is with anywhere new - but the degree is in your own control.

FWIW, me has one eye on Malaysia for the future - time will tell how all that goes.

I think I would agree with most of what this gentleman has said. I came back to revisit Thailand in the mid-late 1990's and worked for an old associate based out of Singapore. Then I came back again in 2006 and ended up marring a Thai lady school teacher up north in Khon Kaen.

Quote:

Originally Posted by musgras

I actually live in Laos and do my visa run in the opposite direction to most people. But I miss the ocean and I'm in the process of buying a boat in Phukhet as a weekender / liveaboard on my visa runs.

I'm a water person too so I need to be by the water for portions of the year. I was lloking into a 'cottage by the water' theme myself. I have considered a nuymber of options to included a floating Thai boat house and others since I am involved in boat design. I'll post a few links later
Brian

Be interesting to see what you come up with??

beiland · 14-07-2012, 15:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by beiland

I'm a water person too so I need to be by the water for portions of the year. I was lloking into a 'cottage by the water' theme myself. I have considered a number of options to include a floating Thai boat house and others since I am involved in boat design. I'll post a few links later
Brian

Here's a couple
Retirement Houseboat or Floating Home - Boat Design Forums

Bali or Thai style houseboat - YachtForums.Com

SkiprJohn · 26-07-2012, 22:17

Aloha and welcome aboard!
In all my visits to countries other than the U. S. Thailand is up there in the top 10. Isn't that where they have Tiger beer?
kind regards,

jomac1 · 26-07-2012, 22:29

well at the moment just laying in telaga marina just had all paperwork etc done on boat thats in langkawi the beer is even cheaper here no tax or duty just bought the boat starting the rest of my life from here and its starting out really good shall have a couple of tigers for you at s/down take care

Moufflon · 12-08-2012, 01:35

Hi, I live in Thailand, my boat is a Freewind Trader 43, I will tell you my experiences over the last 4 years. I came here to build and sell hovercraft…didn’t work out.
My boat “Moufflon” was in the UK on the hard, it is a 40’ caravel wood boat, I tried to sell in the UK over 2 years and never got any serious interest.
I found a car transporter vessels line that has a number of ships plying between Asia and Europe, when mounted onto a dolly trailer the AIR height must be less than 16’9” to get inside the loading door, we made it by 2”.
Moufflon was built in 1980 and had been on the hard for over 10 years,

I picked her up in Singapore took her to a local boat yard, (Most harbour boats are still made of wood and there is a LOT of real craftsmen here, because of her age we had the boat re-caulked, and a full re-build of her engine, we wanted to do a lot more but, didn’t because if we stayed too long, the boat would be “Imported” into Singapore, this tax could be claimed back when exported. A decision we were to regret later, when we lost the mast, but that’s another story.
A month later, we, sailed for Thailand, up the west coast, stopping off in Penang Malaysia, to get personal visa from Thai Embassy, there is a street of Visa agents and prices are competitive, just check with a few and you will get a feel for how long you can stay and for what cost, this must be supported by lots of “Original” paperwork including Bank Statements. as I had already been in Thailand for 2 years I got a 12-month retirement Visa for myself. You, can just get a tourist Visa finish you journey,

On arrival in Phuket, anchored up in Chalong bay, there is a “one stop” Immigration. At the end of Chalong pier, Customs and Port Authority, quite painless and sailing a Visa for 6 months.
I had arranged a berth in AoPo Grand Marin Tb 19,000 a month. Hauled out and started a LOT of repairs, but, the SUN beat us and had to put her back in the water before we had to re-caulk her again.

Its been 2 years now, We have 2 renewal’s of boat visa for repairs, Thai tradesmen, just got a replacement mast, as of yet No cruising, am I worried No, Thailand is very nice if you respect the local way’s, I have been and worked in over 30 countries world wide, I am retired and on a fixed income, I just manage.

Anything in particular just ask, If I don’t know the answer I will try to find out for you.

bouncingyellow · 12-08-2012, 03:19

Great thread, I am 37 and have plans on sailing on my "Jarkan 10.5" to Thailand to retire , Australia is very expensive and health care is not very efficient , something that will be needed in those older years. But I am thinking by the time I retire at 55 Thailand might have changed also , so I am thinking Vietnam being 20 years behind Thailand might be a good option also worth considering is Burma they have just opened their borders , decisions decisions, I am sure if I started learning Burmese (Myanmar) , I might be fluent by the time I move there.

Lonesome sailor · 09-08-2014, 23:59

I heard you can import a yacht duty free into Thailand if you are getting a Retirement Visa? Any ideas please.

Moufflon · 10-08-2014, 00:47

With an Agent is the best way. Using Lee Marine as dealer. Vat 7% and about 2 or 3 percent more and the boat was registered and insured.
a great source of infomation here is:

Q ; Importing A Boat To Phuket And What Charges To Expect - Phuket Forum - Thailand Forum

RGS///Peter