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if you don’t mind fielding some Philippines-specific questions, send me an email at:
admin AT aventhusiast DOT com

Thanks

Right off the bat, foreigners can’t own land in the Philippines either. I have _no_ idea why that is so important to so many people, but it’s an issue in mnay countries. I like it here because most things are relatively cheap, some things insanely cheap (cold bottle of beer at the corner store 100 meters away, 30 cents US), the people are friendly, English is an official language. For those not married to a local the Philippines gov now has a very attractive lifetime stay visa program.

The notion things may chnage a lot in 10 years is a good one to keep in mind, 10 years ago in both these countries things were a _lot_ different for foreigners and likely they will be in 10 more years as well.

I am a retiree with a pension, but I have a number of expat friends who came here before retirement and earn a good living online, so why wait 14 years? I might, at some time, move elsewhere but back to the US? Very unlikely … too many other places to try out … I love the expat lifestyle

They have a program setup by government called Malaysia my second home, i don’t know details but you can check it yourself:
http://www.mm2h.gov.my/

Anywhere in that section of the world is such a great spot, not just for the locale, but for close proximity to other great Asian locations to visit. I will definitely add Thailand to my short list, along with Bali and the Philippines. Singapore would be a nice place to visit, but it appears that the cost of living is high, and by the time I’ll be looking to go expat, I’ll be a pensioner. Nevertheless, from a few expats I’ve spoken with, it sounds like the money I’ll net from selling my house and vehicles in the USA will get me set up well, and depending on the location I pick, I’ve been told that I can live anywhere from comfortably to like a king.

Thanks for straightening me out on Thailand, I’ll definitely be doing some deeper digging on it.

If you want to buy Land, there are options other than marrying a local – a “perpetual” lease valid for 90 years with a clause which guarantees that in the event that the law changes your Leasehold automatically becomes freehold.

There are many expats here in Krabi who have no problems at all, I’ve been here 10 years already, my friend Tom from the US has been here 8 and has at the age of 43 now retired on the profits of the few plots of land he has sold around his house. I’m not bitter at all.

But that’s all the legal stuff, you’ll get bureaucracy wherever you retire in the world – there’s no escape from that – but at least if you’re living somewhere as amazing as this it seems insignificant.

Have a look at some pics if you like..

http://www.aqua-vision.net/Photo_Gallery/A%20Taste%20Of%20Krabi/Taste_of_Krabi_index.html

http://www.aqua-vision.net/Photo_Gallery/Krabi%20Places/Krabi_places_index.html

The problem with Thailand is that non-citizens can’t own property, and becoming a citizen is hard to impossible. Bali would be my choice for that corner of the world, and Thailand would be an easy weekend getaway spot. Correct me if I have bad information.