Retirement in Thailand

Thailand is by far the most beloved travel destination in Asia with its excellent infrastructure; varied and beautiful landscapes and beaches; tropical beauty and warm climate. The gracious population is dominated by Buddhism. Through all of one’s travel in Asia, Thailand remains most fondly in your memory.

Why Thailand?
Excellent price-performance ratio. The cost of living and quality services compared to western countries is a far better value for dollar.

Agriculture: Incredible diversity, breathtaking mountain scenery, lush jungles and beautiful secret beaches and the exoticism of temples and monasteries. Excellent infrastructure: Several international airports, good road and rail network, excellent medical care clinics with several international hospitals including the new high-tech international hospital, Dibuk Hospital, located in Wichit, Kathu, Phuket which opened in October 2015. Dubik Hospital is run under the auspices of our affiliate international hospital, Bangkok Hospital.

Hospitality: Thais are known and loved for their kindness. Thailand is justly known as the Land of Smiles. The Thai culture and attitude toward the elderly differs significantly from most western countries. In Thailand, the elderly are valued for their greater life experience and are highly regarded and respected. Encounters are always friendly, helpful and courteous.

Cuisine: Thai cuisine is famous for its various flavors and textures. Whether you like hot and spicy or perhaps you do not, however it is prepare, it is always a delight for any palette.

Regions
Thailand occupies a considerable part of the land of Southeast Asia and extends from the Southeast of the furthermost foothills of the Himalayas to the Malay Peninsula. It encloses the Gulf of Thailand, a marginal sea of the South China Sea. Thailand's land mass is reminiscent in shape to that of an elephant's head. The longest distance from north to south is 1770 km. At it widest point from east to west it is slightly more than 800 km. Thailand has a total area of 513'115 km2.

The capital city, Bangkok, has 6.859 million inhabitants (2006). In the Bangkok metropolis, the largest metropolitan region in Thailand, there is a total population of 11.571 million people (2006). The city is the political, economic and cultural center of Thailand with universities, colleges, palaces and over 400 Wats (Buddhist temples and monasteries), and is the most important transportation hub of the country. The National Museum in Bangkok is the largest of its kind in Southeast Asia.

The North region is mountainous, where towers the formidable Doi Inthanon , the highest point of Thailand (2565m). Doi means mountiain, in Thai.

The North East—Isaan—consists of the Khorat Plateau, which is bone-dry in summer and flooded in the rainy season. The north east is the rice bowl of the country. The local population is poorer than the national average. The dialect of Isaan is related to Lao, the language spoken in Laos. To the north and east of the Mae Nam Khong, Isaan forms a border with Laos along the Mekong River.

The Central Region is dominated by the Mae Nam Chao Phraya River where the land is fertile and water supplies flow south to Bangkok and into the Gulf of Thailand.

The East region is dominated by agriculture and is located on the Gulf of Thailand. The beautiful beaches and offshore islands attract many tourists.

The Central Plains and the east coast are the economic heart of the country. Therefore, Thailand is also one of the Southeast Asian tiger economies.

The South region is located on the elongated Malay Peninsula, which separates the Pacific Ocean from the Indian Ocean. The narrowest point between the oceans is only 64 km wide, also known as "thin neck". Mountain landscapes dominate the border with Myanmar and Malaysia where rainforests, sandy beaches and limestone outcrops alternate.

Phuket’s international airport is located 32 km from the main town in the northern part of the island, in Thalang district. The airline routes normally fly to Phuket via Bangkok.

In Bangkok there are 4 airlines that each have several flights per day to Phuket. The flight from Bangkok to Phuket takes about 1 ½ hours.

Currently, the following western destinations offer direct flights to Phuket:

• Frankfurt, Germany
• Melbourne, Australia
• Moscow, Russia
• Perth, Australia
• Saint Petersburg, Russia
• Sydney, Australia
• Yekaterinburg, Russia
• Zürich, Switzerland

However, most international airports in the western hemisphere will connect via one stop-over to Phuket. Stop-overs are usually through the following destinations:

• Abu Dhabi
• Bangkok
• Doha
• Dubai
• Hong Kong
• Seoul
• Singapore

Culture
The Thai culture with its centuries-long tradition has easily adapted to new requirements and demands. The people are influenced by Buddhism, which is virtually the state religion and is a unifying element to most Thais. The blending of religious ideas and philosophies with a worldly viewpoint is understood by Thais. Animals, plants, fountains and stones are believed to be animated with spirits and are revered. Respect for elders, but also the respect for superiors are identifying marks of social protocols. They speak with each other including the Wai. The wai is the Thai greeting (Thai: ไหว้, pronounced [wâːj]) that consists of a slight bow with the palms pressed together in a prayer-like fashion.

Climate
Phuket is typical of a classic tropical climate. Temperatures in Phuket are moderate throughout the year averaging 28°C (82°F) with evening temperatures averaging 24°C (75°F) annually.

The hottest month in Phuket is March with temperatures rising to 33°C (92°F). March to May are the hottest months with an average temperature of 29°C (83°F). The coldest month is January, averaging 27°C (81°F). The most daily sunshine hours is 9 hours in April. The wettest month is September with an average of 400mm (15in) of rain.

The climate in Phuket is decisively influenced by the southwest and the northeast monsoon. From November to April the wind from the northeast brings cooler and drier air from the Asian continent to Phuket. It rarely rains in this season and many days are cloudless.

There is heavy rain between May and October on Phuket. In these months, it can rain heavily with thunderstorms. However, even in the rainy season, pleasant temperatures prevail and oftentimes, the sun still shines through.