Moving to Koh Samui

We were just discussing this and agree 65,000 baht is a crazy I don't think we even come close to spending that amount and we stay together. But because we have our own house in my village we make sure our rent in our small Bangkok 1 bedroom condo is very low.

My friends husband is from the UK and lives off the state pension here. His wife works but has only a small salary and they live and eat well

What he did before he retired is put a fixed amount into a Thai account which is the amount men married to a Thai woman need and never touches it. So his income never comes into it

If you are over 50 you can get a retirement visa but you have to put 800,000 into a bank account and then like him leave it and you will live off your pension easily.

As long as that money stays there you will get a new visa year after year no questions asked.

Probably that doesn't help you as 800,000 Baht is a lot of money

Hi Chalanda!

I do have savings but I would need income for 4 1/2 years before getting state pension.

I am very good at English (I write and do proofreading) but I don't have TEFL.  Unless I do a course, and I don't know if I could get a job there.

I may have to wait for a while.

Thanks again for your advice.
Julie

Its not about what you are able to live on its about requirement for a retirement visa.  As mentioned if you are over 50 you can park 800k baht in a Thai bank and easily get your visa extension every year.  This requires no monthly income but there are restrictions on minimum account balance throughout the year.

You can use the monthly income method which happens to be 65K baht each and every month transferred into Thailand.  Proof of pension income required.

The third option is combination of fixed deposit and monthly income that when combined will total minimum of 800k baht for the year.  I recently read that Chonburi  immigration wants to see 400k fixed deposit and minimum 40k transferred in monthly.  Proof  of pension income required.

I strongly suggest you get a full understanding of the visa requirements before you make any plans to make a move.

Thanks.

Yes, I fully intend to investigate further, including the TEFL route.

The guy who thought up the 400,000 Baht, idea stood on some very powerful toes and is now in a slat mine in Russia LOL

oops salt mine 

Does an investment into an existing business get ya the visa ?

As long as it is with my company No Problem!!  Oh and actually having money helps

Yes it can be done by investment but obvious there is risk involved and the stakes are high. Upwards of 5 million Baht. You are an advisory and ATM to the company you invest in with no comeback if they lose your money. Invest in the right company and you can make good money.

Alternatively if you start your own business and employ a certain mount of Thais.. I think 3 or 4 workers to 1 foreigner and you get a visa and a work permit but you should check that out. The company has to be 51% Thai So you can only hold 49% of the shares. My advise is ensure the 51% Thai share is split and no one related to you like a wife holds more than 24%. Like me ( 

Businesses like bars and most restaurants have a very very high failure rate. Property buying and renting is a much better way to go, if you have a large investment. Even if renting is slow your initial investment is safe in the long term. You need to have about 80,000 baht in rent coming in per month as the tax on 1 million is 20% to leave you with 65,000 baht per month income unless you have a spare 800,000 Baht in the bank year after year.

There's also the option of becoming a developer. We only build for others at the moment which is tough going at times but we are working towards buying land building and selling houses for ourselves in the next couple of years. Bangkok may be slowing but the demand for houses in small housing estates in other Thai cities in Issan continues to grow.

Other business you should avoid are  exporting clothes watches the like or any sort of jewelry, So many con men in those games

The one food business that is starting to spread to Issan and the like is Pizza restaurants. I have a friend who works for an American who opened up 6 months ago and they sell 40  to 50 every day. She and her husband are saving to open one in Udon Thani. The owner makes the Pizzas himself so he must have a work permit and Visa

Hi, you said you can park 800k baht in a bank and you can get a visa each year, is that per person,  or for a couple? We are not married you see.

Hi, you said you can park 800k baht in a bank and you can get a visa each year, is that per person,  or for a couple? We are not married you see.

Yes 800,000 in the bank if your single if married 400,000 or the proven equivalent income from a pensions. then that will secure your a visa if you have the correct documentation and over 50 years old.  One word of warning never ever give money up front to any "agency" if you use one that you only pay on receipt of your visa and make sure you have it in your hand before paying.
If you have the money in the bank and the correct documents it an easy operation to go to the immigration office get your own visa.  There are many con artist who will be ready to relieve you of you hard earned money.
Never trust anyone in Thailand with your money, be very wary don't become another of many victims.