SvampBob

Yiii-haay-jo!
I say man, slip me some skin brother! Give me five and one below, and do the Mikel Jacsson.
Step over bro, peace!
Welcome to paradise hombre!

SvampBob

sr71

Hua Hin is OK, I would have thought it quite an expensive place to stay though if you want something nice. Many westerners have paid highly inflated prices for land and houses in that area.

I wouldn't particularly say it's any safer than other areas in Thailand. It's fast developing and crime is on the increase. Certainly a place to avoid during high season (if that exists anymore since the credit crisis)

The beach along that coastline is not particularly spectacular and it's quite a boring place really - great for a week or two at one of the resorts but other than that I couldn't live there.

It's also quite inconvenient for visa runs (I think you said 3 months, I thought that was 30 days now and they were clamping down on that). It's minimum 3-4 hours to the nearest international airport and much longer overland to the Malaysian border.

A big question is what do you want to do with your time?

As for Asia being unaffordable, I think so. You can probably buy cheaper coastal property in Australia/NZ these days, especially compared with Phuket, and have a much cleaner, better infrastructure.

katongkaren

But not sure you can just bowl into Aus and NZ without a valid visa.

Tuan Tim

What an excellent thread. I have lived in Malaysia and Thailand in 4 different places and I am unsure where to retire to.
I found Sarawak the friendliest. Yet it is remote.
Every time I think I have the perfect place something dissuades me
e.g.
KL - traffic, race & religion
Penang - boring
Melaka - see above [and hot]
Singa - ahem......watch your backs
Kuching - fabulous but you cant drive up to Thailand
KK -ok
Songkla - not bad but near religion
Pattaya - thought it ticked all the boxes. It does. But some boxes you dont want ticked.
BKK - no beach Chaing Mai - no beach, sneeze a lot.
And so the inspection continues. And I haven't even mentioned RP. Was there for Christmas. Philippinas as pleasant as ever but the infra-structure-the roads, the .....mess.
Sorry this is so brief and sounds intolerant but ..... you know...if you live in Malaysia you have to talk a lot about race and religion.
I am retiring next year so time is running out. Sihanoukwhatsit? May take a look.

katongkaren

Well, I've said it before, nowhere is perfect. There is no Utopia.

I think you've just got to get as many boxes ticked as possible (and everyone will have different things they like and don't like) and, if you're in a position to do it, maybe rent and try out a couple of different places.

SvampBob

If you mean SihanoukVille, Cambodia. I can tell by experience that it is a very much a tourist town and the only thing to do there is the tourist stuff... drink beer, swim in the ocean. If you drive a motorbike, take it very careful and DON'T drive after dawn! There are big holes, stones, cats and even cows sleeping on the road and no streetlight. The trucks never have backlight.
The only longterm expats are some desperado's ho tries to survive there. Its easy to start a business there and if you for some reason don't want to be in ones home country one can start a business there and be away. Anyone can after entering in to Cambodia apply for a one year "Multi entry business visa". Others that I came across was the young French people ho had their income from the French welfare system and smoked Ganja!
This is a place to wist and not for long term retirement living I.M.O!

Regards
SvampBob

castleunited

The pounds has dropped 30 percent to Baht that is a vast amount so its not a good time for the pounds holder.
Asia property value has not gone up much in the pass 2 years and its pretty stable so you can still hold on to it.

Tuan Tim

To buy property in Thailand you have to use money that you import. As the baht has indeed risen to sterling, you are faced with bringing in 100,000 pounds for something that last year would have cost you sterling 80K. Even if the property market drops its prices you will no doubt still use more sterling.
My mole tells me to wait a few months.
Things might then get very, very interesting. My usual 10% please. And leave my pension alone.

shafanm

Mayalasia's ' my second home " programme sounds great for me, cos it offers 10 years resident visa ( renewable ) and heap of other benifits.besides she has good infrastructrue, low crime, most speak english, allowed to buy a car duty free, under the above visa you could even apply for a bank loan for a house /appartment.
the down side is you have to make a deposit of US$ 100.000 with the government for a certain period.

check it out http://www.mm2h.gov.my/

cheers

Tuan Tim

Well Malaysia sounds fab. BUT they ban things. The people are kewl. But the religious and political folks dont really want people to have fun. They bleeped out words from the OSCAR telecast. They banned the movie about the cute pig. They banned George Michael's "Jesus to a child'.
You can still have a beer but that background creates a mood.

shafanm

Tuwan, I think human interest differs from person to person, what I mean is some don't mind forgoing censorship, as long a stability, security and peace,and low cost of living is around, which I think malaysia could offer, Today malaysia is the second most liberal and tolerant muslim country in the world.

Tuan Tim

Shafa, asalam. Apa khabar?
Thank you for your proud support of the Malaysian Government. You are correct that people can choose to live in a country that does not have true democracy and be quite happy. People took vacation in Yugoslavia when it was totalitarian.
I was just giving a view for folks who might be expecting something that reflects the tourist adverts that your government puts on the TV.
2nd most liberal Muslim country? I would love to know the first. Holland?
Ha ha. Liberal and Muslim. Wow. Never seen those words in the same phrase before.
Of course, in comparison to the House of Saud, Malaysia IS liberal. But one person's liberal is another man's hell.
May camel's tread lightly upon your enlightenment.
Jumpah lagi.

shafanm

Tuan, salam /
firstly I am not a malaysian nor a supporter of malaysian Gov. or for that matter residing in malaysia.
my point is not to support malaysia, but its a country where apart from politics rest is beautiful.
further to my knowledge, malaysian is the only muslim country where 10 year long resident visa is granted without considering the religion of the applicant,
Turkey is the most leberal and tolerant amongst the muslim countries, in many areas, if your think hollad , its good for economic migrant.
with regard to your statement one person liberal is another person hell, its absolutely true, I personally know many migrant who settled in canada,USA have returned home because cannot bring up the children without without exposing the kid to the so called liberalism.
may be you dont like malaysia, because it was not your cup of tea, but for many your hell could be heaven and vis verse.

katongkaren

I think you will find that Sterling has dropped against most currencies (unfortunately for Brits and those holding Sterling).

I'm not sure I would agree about Asia property. The Singapore property market has been very volatile and is now going down.

Geelong Gent

I would be interested in what people think about KL - specifically Bangsar area - up the hill.

What building prices are like? for say 110 square home, with pool and mod coms.