Retiring to Thailand - Selling Everything and Finally Arriving. 

I first went to Chiang Mai in the mid 1990s and lived there a while. It was surrounded by jungle and rice paddies. No freeways. Very few tourists. No burning season. No smog. It was a village full of antique markets and old antique shops, shops selling exquisite handwoven cloth and tapestries, gold and porcelains, jewellery and carved teak etc. The town was full of original teak houses set in large jungly gardens. There weren’t that many hotels - and the Thai government had not yet killed off the local boarding house industry. I went back there last year and was shocked by the destruction of the place. I guess it’s all progress, but it’s a reminder never to return to places you once loved.

There is another youtuber @52weeks52 who is also from Auz and lives in Chiang Mai. He went for the Retirement visa and applied in Australia; there are more requirements than a tourist visa. Then you arrive in Thailand with a retirement visa and can get the bank account without any issues. I believe it also means you don't need to show the 800K THB straight away and only need to do that in the second year on wards of the retirement visa. He did some videos on this so maybe you can look them up?

Chiang Mai is a great place - cheap with cool people - Enjoy your retirement

Nice to find your channel - congrats on your move to Thailand. I also recently arrived about a week ago to start my retirement and reside in BKK. I started to plan my retirement here about 15 years ago when I bought a large 3-bedroom condo w/ a separate kitchen away from the city center near Chatuchak - now there is a BTS station just outside my condo complex - I own the condo outright and don't have a rental payment and could even rent the unit and move to CM or Pattaya if I wish in the future. While living in the city center has its advantages, I find living outside the area is more peaceful with less hustle & bustle. Also, I'm glad I have a sizable residence with room to grow and for storage - as opposed to many retirees moving into a city center unit that cost little but is incredibly small. My cell phone & internet is now set up - WOW 500+ Mpbs vs 85 Mpbs. My immigration visa is underway with submission of my application completed. It is critical to have a routine - I joined a fitness center and will be learning to play the drums (I have an e-drum set and will take lessons) which I hope will help with my physical and mental health, and hopefully with friendships. Looking forward to comparing notes as we each begin this chapter - happy to subscribe today. Cheers.

Congrats on your retirement and your move. Don't apologize for your uploading, it's a process and at least, you got your editing done well. I'll be following along, since I want to move to Thailand as well, although I'm just 41 at this point. Cheers buddy. Chris from the Netherlands.

good luck, Big move and life change . Cheers Chris, GC

All the best. Excellent videos thank you

I’m 6 months to a year behind you. Similar age and coming from Sydney. Will follow your journey. Good luck.

Good luck to you, stay safe and enjoy 😀

Hi - Greg here - enjoying the channel and looking forward to your vlogs. Cheers.

Great stuff mate. Welcome to my home, Chiang Mai, since April 2006. I hope you and your channel will love this city as much as I do and thus have great success. Regarding sim cards, for the last 8 or so years I have bought all my internet sim's from Lazada or Shopee. Great deals available for 6/12 months contracts. I'm also from Sydney, but left Oz in 98.....Die hard Western Suburbs Magpies supporter....lol

Thanks Pete! That was interesting. See you in the next one. 👍

Nice job young man… me and my wife spent November in Chiang Mai and we plan to relocate to Thailand in 2 years so we will be watching intently to ease our learning curve. Currently, we’re in Saipan and looking forward to our next trip over and may spend some time in the south since we’re both divers. I wish you well and maybe cross paths someday! Lee

Good luck with the new lifestyle. I hope it all works out well for you.

me and wife are in the process of selling everything and moving to bangkok. Best of luck. iill follow you

Good Luck Mate Happy days

Subscribed, great sound and visual. Nice camera. Good luck with with channel

Just thought I'd add that with Wise you can also transfer directly from your Australian bank to your Thai bank, no need to go through a Wise account. When sending money select "Debit card" and enter your details. The money comes directly from your bank and is there in seconds.

You're gonna miss the Shitney traffic mate. Sounds like you've done all the right things so far. More videos about your progress thanks. Good luck 🍻 🍻

Thanks Peter, I just found your Channel and I've subscribed. Looks like your all in mate. Good luck and I'll follow your journey with you. Bill 🦘🦘👍

Welcome to Chiang Mai, Thailand 🇹🇭 You'll love it here. 😊

Great video, thanks

good on you for making the move im here in pattaya now for i month holiday but next january im moving to jomtien for 6 months and back in australia for 6 months every year for next few years .then plan to sell my unit and stay in hui hin . the cost of living in australia will make me retire earlier before i just go backwards pete.

That's cool, retiring in Thailang, keep safe thanks for sharing stay con

Good on ya mate, I made the move in September last year. Best decision I have ever made.

I lived in CM for 8 years, played lots of golf. Lots of sports and social groups to join. Make some friends!

Unlike most, you have done research & not rushed into the move.

I’m going to do exactly what you’re doing. be good to follow. Get some tips cheers mate 👌

Hey Peter .. relax and enjoy.. I sued to work in Thailand .. moved back to Australia 2019 with Thai wife… helpful advice yea you can arrange retirement visa prior to leaving does .. just need to prove cash in Oz not in a Thai bank… enjoy your journey .. I’ll helpfully be there in 3 years full time

Good luck 👏👍

I came 3 years ago from Perth..Just subbed to you and I will keep in contact with you...I have a few things to ask...Stay safe my friend....

Good luck with your move and I hope it works out successfully. I an from aus and it is getting so expensive to live here now

Welcome to Thailand

"Enjoy the Fresh Air" ..

Very informative Pete. For us Aussies, and in one of your next videos, can you explain the processes/rules/regulations for accessing your superannuation once you’ve emigrated to Thailand. Cheers

Will also follow your journey,be interesting to find out if those new tax laws affect your money transfers,try and ignore the negative comments,good luck 👍

You can get visa agencies to do that lot easier

Your timing is not great what with burning season. Congrats on retiring hope your Aussie pension transfers too - subscribed liked and will happily follow as I’m looking forward to your new experiences.

do a full video on WISE

Great info, Could you do a budget vid also and are you gonna get a moto. Thanks.

Chiang Mai is a great place to live. I am from Sydney Australia too. I am from the Blue Mountains. I came to Thailand in November 2021 and never returned lol. Lived in Bangkok for a year and then moved to Chiang Mai.

I retired to Chiang Mai. Choked to death for 10 years during the burning season. I LEFT. What a shi8 polluted city.

May want to check out Hatyai for long term stay. Whole year you don't get air quality above PM2.5.

Get the bus to pai and settle there! It will be much nicer

Hi Pete. What would help is if you could put a link to items you talk about, for example the wise app. I believe putting links creates potential sources of income to bloggers through affiliate marketing. Best of luck and hope to see future videos 🙂

Nice video. I just wondered why you just left with small bag. Have you put some stuff in storage back in Oz or have you ditched literally everything?

interesting reading about the burning season - if your semi retired and a part time traveller but want to enjoy CM - could one simply avoid burning season ? is it just a short term event ? and then the air is ok ?

Hope you do well , from sydney as well. You can also get 30 day on arrival at bangkok ,and convert to non O retirement. Through agent. I think jomtien is better than chang mai , you will have bad air polution up there in not goid for lungs..

I like you videos and thanks again. am about two years out from moving there permanently. What would you have down different if you had two years to prepare? Is there a way to ship any household goods there? I have instruments, sound systems, and TVs that are wonderful? what would you do? Kent

I have just discovered your channel and I have already subscribed. Good job. Did you retire to Chiang Mai alone or did you already have friends out there? I am planning to go out there for a few months to see if I would like to retire there and if I do like it, then I would arrange to go out there later permanently. In regards to a bank account, am I allowed to open an account and then leave the country and come back after a few months? how did you manage to keep the account active because I know that if you have an account that has no activity, the bank can freeze the account or does transferring money into the account every few weeks count as a activity?

I wish your audio is better than this. I hear some background noise. Welcome to Thailand. I am planning to do the same in 5 yrs.

A friend got a bank card here and asked where he could use it - they said anywhere - but meant anywhere in Thailand - he went out of the country and was nearly thrown in Immigration prison because he had no money. Please be careful with your advice.

a one way ticket from OZ to Thailand usually costs you around the same if not a bit more for a return ..... same as flying Perth to Brisbane its more to fly one way , Have a Look

Checking into Chiang Mai hotel in the old part of the city got robbed in hotel room while sleeping found out all rooms has the same key's 🗝️

I liked Chiang Mai a lot. During burning season you can always go down south for a few months holiday or elsewhere in SE Asia. Did you factor in that you will be paying tax on foreign income brought into Thailand?

I just arrived in Chaing Mai from London. I am confused as to why people rave about it ! I love temples and food is good 😊 I just joined gym - I am 60 and retired. But what else is there to do ? I was surprised how bad pollution is ! I expected North Thailand to be cleaner. Any ideas or clubs that I can join ? Regards John

What was the main reason you chose Chiang Mai? I know they have a horrible burn season so just wondering.

Can i ask is this going to be a permanent move?

Great apartment and I think a good price for what you get. I'm 55 this year. Lived in Australia just over 22 years, mostly in Perth. Looking at doing the same as you but waiting for another 5 years. Nice to see someone doing the same. Looking forward to following your journey 🙏

CM not my fave, tho have lots of mates up there.. Prefer down south for me.

Greetings from America, awesome, i love thailand too, gonna follow your new life and adventure there. your new RU-vid friend here # 470 +👆🔔 thanks for adding me to your circle of support.

Did you cash in your super ,or you waiting till your 60......im stephen from qld and 54,will be doing the same in 2026...not sure where my base will be yet...could just move around until i settle somewhere....SE asia looking good !

Why didn't you apply for your retirement visa in Sydney?

As a retired American living in Thailand for the last four years and traveling to Thailand for two months every year for 20 years I can tell you that you have a lot to learn. I went to your starting videos of when you arrived in Thailand and you stated that you went to vacation here for four years before you moved here to retire. That does not make you an expert on Thailand by any stretch of the imagination. There are many things to learn about living in Thailand. I really hope that you don't drag people down a rat hole with your inexperience.

Do yourself a favour and do your own visa. Don’t pay an agent.

Do you have kids? Did you travel alone to settle in Thailand

Good job.. Australia is too expensive to live in.

imagine trading fresh air for the worlds ashtray

When you finally arrive in Thailand for your retirement . What the hell do you do all day besides swirling warm cheap Charlie Chang beer all day considering the language barrier and the strict visa requirements like reporting every 90 days and showing you have 800,000 baht in the bank that you can never use .

Dont use a agent, you can easily do it yourself,

Enjoy the smoke

Chiang Mai is the best choice i hope they will not build buildings like Bangkok i have been there multiple of times and still missing Chiang Mai

Advise mate. Your intro is to long

Too many tourists and pollution with 2.5 PM dust

You​ have to pay rent to landlord who is your dad. That won't happen in Thai culture.😅

You have made your first mistake in choosing CM. We all make mistakes in our Thailand journey, but it's all about dealing with them quickly and adjusting your course.

Another divorced man?

Just curious why put such upfront effort, energy and costs into 1 year visa, educational visa etc,?? Why not use the 30 day free visa, plus 30 day extension gives you 60 day's to see, feel, smell the different areas of Thailand, then exit, do likewise in neighbouring countries, that way then you know where it feels best for you, not forcing Chang Mai, as a city, nor Thailand as a country to hang your hat. Your not gonna know, if ur not going to put ur boots on the ground in other cities and neighbouring countries Just my 2 cents

Hope you brought your dust mask!😆The air is the worst in the world at times!

Few corrections here ... You said, worked hard and saved hard!! Hard work, don't pay, it never has, it never will ... Perhaps working smart, not hard is the correct way Save hard, will never get you you over the hump, ever, as inflation will leave you in the dust, simple as that .. If continuous hard savings isn't swiftly turned into good wise investment's like low cost index funds, and over time, let the market work for you, not you working for your money

Welcome to CM.. a really great city ... I hope you enjoy your time exploring your new home. For cash exchange.. there are 2x at the iron bridge on the city side and VK near Zoe in yellow.. good rates for cash.