Our Services
We understand that there are many aspects to complete if you plan to retire in Thailand. That's why with our complete services, we are here to make your move easier, faster and cheaper avoiding any legal issues.
Property Consultancy
One of the most important decisions when living in Thailand is where and how you will live. First thought it appears a simple process pick a location and a property. But in general, it is not as easy in real life, especially in a new country. You must be able to decide what type of property and location is best for you.
At Retirement Living Thailand with our 20 years of living experience in Thailand and network of partners we are able to give recommendations of areas and properties that suits your individual needs and desires.
Retirement Living Thailand is British managed. We understand what you are looking for here in Thailand with regards to quality and making sure your living experience is on par as a minimum with what you are used to at home. We speak Thai, English, Japanese and Chinese, but we always speak the same language with regards to service.
We strive to keep all information on the website as relevant and as up to date as possible plus ensuring all properties have passed our strict due diligence process. Our commitment is to be open and honest and as the world is not a perfect and as circumstances sometimes require a change, we will not hide any issues by early warning of potential problems and always do our best to assist you to make the right choices. This is commitment shapes our reputation.
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Our commitment does not end once you have moved into your new home . As a foreigner every-day life comes with unplanned and unexpected problems. At Retirement Living Thailand in association with our trusted partners we are on hand to help, whether being air conditioner, garden or pool care or renovation work.
Our preferred VISA partner
Visa services
THAILAND LONGSTAY COMPANY
Established in 2001 with the endorsement of the Thai Royal Government to support long stay tourism. As the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is a major shareholder of the company, TLM aim is to provide the best services for retired expatriates who have chosen to live part or full time in Thailand.
Since its formation, TLM has signed agreements with many government organisations such as the Immigration Bureau, Tourist Police, and the Airports of Thailand.
Thailand Longstay Company specialises in 1-year retirement visa and other matters related to the immigration procedure of Thailand ensuring convenient and smooth process on arrival and departure.
Suvarnabhumi Airport is one of the world’s major airports, its size and number of passengers can be overwhelming. As a member you are eligible to be met by TLM airport staff by electric cart at the airplane gate for international arrivals, escorted through fast tracks immigration and custom procedure before embarking to your desired transportation. For departure, TLM staff will assist with check in and take members through fast track security, immigration and to airline lounge or departure gate unless specifically specified.
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Privileges
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1 year RETIREMENT VISA with multiple re-entries and every 90 days residency report to immigration
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Fast Tracks at Suvarnabhumi Airport for both arrival & departure that include electric cart on international arrival
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Getting an Initial Retirement Visa for Thailand
First of all, it’s worth noting that citizens of the UK, U.S Australia and much of Europe do not need a visa in order to visit Thailand. All you need is a valid passport and a return trip scheduled before you enter the country.
If you wish to retire in Thailand, you will need to need to get a retirement visa, also known as a Non-Immigrant Long Stay Visa. It’s possible to do this in Thailand or at a consulate in your home country. The process for getting a retirement visa is relatively simple.
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For this visa, you have to be at least 50 years old and pass a criminal record check. You also need to have a valid passport that doesn’t expire for at least one year. Lastly, you will need to meet certain financial requirements. There are a few ways to satisfy these requirements:
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Have a Thai bank account with at least 800,000 baht (about $24,500)
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Have a monthly income or pension of at least 65,000 baht (about $2,000)
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Have a combination of the previous options, if they bring your total funds to at least 800,000 baht ($24,500)
NOTE: If you go with the first option in the list above, you need to have the money in the Thai account for at least two months prior to your visa application. You have to provide a letter from the bank showing proof of deposits.
A retirement visa is valid for one year, but you will need to report to immigration every 90 days.
The retirement visa also does not allow you to leave and re-enter the country. If you plan to travel, even just to visit home, anytime in your first year of residence, you will need to apply for a re-entry permit. The permit application is relatively simple. Besides the application form, you need to have a picture of yourself and various parts of your passport. Once your retirement visa is nearing expiration, you will need to apply for a visa extension. This application is similar to the initial application with some additional requirements. For example, you will need to provide proof of address, copies of a bank statement and pictures of every page of your passport.
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Other popular alternative
Thailand Elite Residence Program
Another now ever popular option is to obtain privileged entry to Thailand through the Thailand Elite Residence Program, where you can secure the right to live in Thailand for up to 20 years with a residence permit, plus enjoy a selection of additional complimentary luxury services and benefits including travel easily through border control and immigration procedures.
Healthcare & Insurance
Healthcare in Thailand
Healthcare is important to factor into your budget. There is no public health insurance for expatriates in Thailand. You will need to get private insurance. The average cost of healthcare is still lower than in the UK, U.S Australia and much of Europe., but costs can add up if you need regular medications or medical attention. There are a number of excellent local and international medical insurance providers who have plans to cover these costs.
Understanding the Fundamentals
Thailand’s healthcare is generally of a high standard. The country has the unique medical problem of having more specialists than general practitioners, the result being that it’s rather difficult to find a reliable GP to treat minor medical issues so the majority of ex-pats use private hospitals for all health issues. Compared with the US and Western Europe, healthcare is cheap in Thailand. Although foreigners working in Thailand have access to free public care, most expats opt for private treatment, as private facilities offer faster and higher quality .
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Private Healthcare in Thailand
Private care in Thailand is excellent and private hospitals have highly qualified staff as well as sophisticated medical facilities. Although Thai private care is more expensive than public care, it is still comparatively cheaper than the cost of equivalent medical services in the US and Western Europe. This has led to Thailand becoming something of a medical tourist destination.
Most expats prefer private healthcare for myriad reasons: the quality of care and facilities is usually better; a wider selection of hospitals to choose from; shorter waiting times; and more English-speaking staff. As private hospitals often require proof of funds if a patient is not insured, those without international health insurance may face delays in receiving treatment.
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Pharmacies & Medicines
Pharmacies are common in Thailand’s urban centres but are rarer in rural areas. Expats may be surprised to find that some medications that would require a prescription in Western countries are available over the counter in Thai pharmacies, and vice versa. Many Thai pharmacists speak English, and pharmacies are open until late into the night, with some 24-hour pharmacies operating in cities like Bangkok. Many hospitals also have pharmacies attached to them.
Legal services
The legal system in Thailand
For many foreigners who have lived in Thailand for a long time come to realise that the Thai legal system tends to not work the same as their home country. However, the legal system general to follows UK, US , there are exceptions which if unaware may lead to difficulties and confusion.
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Having an excellent legal consultant will give you major benefits living in Thailand. At Retirement Living Thailand we have a panel of multilingual law offices who on an initial free consultation basis can provide necessary legal advice to ensure your living in Thailand is safe and hassle free.
The key points to have a good understanding of the law in Thailand is firstly, the legal system even though like UK/US has some significant difference. Second, in some cases there are exceptions to the general law and finally having a locally qualified legal expert will give benefits for you as a foreigner living in Thailand. Here are some instances which illustrates how the Thai legal system works.
Private criminal
It is important to know that in several situations’ where prosecutors or police officers in Thailand can report an individual if they notice actions that they think is in violation of the law, even if a personal matter. If you believe you would be involved in a litigation dispute with another person, you can consider the option of a criminal charge being filed instead of the civil case to end the dispute easier.
Representation without lawyer
In some cases, the court allows you to representation by yourself without a lawyer. However, it should only be considered if the individual has adequate knowledge of legal matters and a good command of the Thai language or accompanied by a translator. In the main, self-representation seems too risky which may result in losing the benefits that you should get. Therefore, self-representation is strongly unrecommended and much better to have a professional lawyer beside you.
Will & Testament
If you spend most of your time in Thailand, have a property in the country, are married to a Thai national, or spend your retirement here, you need to have a testament covering your assets and property. The Thai legal system also allows you to write a testament to manage for both overseas and in Thailand assets, whether you want to make a testament by yourself or have a legal expert besides.
Having a testament is essential. A will can help reduce any dispute between the family member as it can manage the asset and property you have. A testament will ensure that your property will pass to a person of your choice in the most efficient way after you passed away.
According to the Thai Civil and Commercial Code, a testament in Thailand must be only made in these 5 different ways: writing, holographic, public, and secret document, or word. You might find out, drafting a testament can be difficult, which is another reason why you need legal services to help you out.
Conclusion
It is highly recommended to have a professional lawyer beside you in every activity that involve the legal system.
Retirement Living Thailand we have a panel of multilingual law offices who on an initial free consultation basis can provide necessary legal advice to ensure your living in Thailand is safe and hassle free.
Professional services
You have decided to move to Thailand, the date is quickly approaching, but naturally you’re getting nervous thinking about all the little things you’ll need to take care of once you get here.
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At Retirement Living Thailand we have a dedicated team who in association with our partners can settle you in to a new environment beginning with our complimentary concierge airport pick-up service.
On arrival understandably there are many questions because you’re headed into uncharted territory. Your first month after moving to Thailand will be an exciting time, and there is much to do. Let’s look at what your first 30 days living in Thailand might look like, and how Retirement Living Thailand can make it go as smooth as possible.
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Arriving to Thailand
There’s a good chance that you’ll arrive in Thailand at night. Many of the international flights from Europe and the Americas arrive late in the day. You’re going to be exhausted from traveling and probably experiencing a bit of jet lag. Depending on the arrangement made prior to your arrival in Thailand our concierge service will arrange easy transfer to either your pre-booked hotel, long term accommodation or quarantine hotel (COVID-19 requirements dependant).
First weeks in Thailand
Unless long term accommodation has been arranged prior to your arrival we recommended you initially stay 7 days stay in the hotel allowing sufficient time for Retirement Living Thailand property consultants to accompany you and view a selection of properties for you to choose your long-term accommodation.
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Once a suitable accommodation has been found you will have a permanent address which allowing Retirement Living Thailand professional services team to assist in arranging Internet, Mobile phone service, statutory notification of resident for foreigners at the immigration service plus residency certificate.
Once you have a residency certificate RLT professional services team in conjunction with our partners can begin the process arranging your long-term visa, local bank account, car and motor bike license.
With regards to transport in addition to many local public transport options such as car and motorbike taxi, famous Songthaew ( low bus ), Tuk Tuk and Sky Train in Bangkok some people prefer to independently travel by renting or buying their own car or motorbike.
Even though it is acceptable to use an international driving permit for the first 60 days upon first moving to Thailand, but beyond that you are supposed to be using a Thai driving license. Once you have a local driving license RLT professional services team in conjunction with our partners can with regards to whether you wish to rent or buy a new or used car or motorbike.
Beyond the first month after moving to Thailand
After the first one or two month following you move to Thailand, life is starting to feel comfortable in your new home. By now you should have an apartment or house, your own transportation, a Thai driving license, 1-year visa, and local bank account. The only area that may need to be addressed is making adequate provision for covering the cost of private healthcare. RLT Professional Services in conjunction with our partners are able to recommend a number of excellent local and international medical insurance providers who have plans to cover these costs