Retirement homes or retirement villages do exist in Thailand. It is not in Thai culture to have these sorts of facilities as it is normally the eldest daughter who looks after the parents in their old age.
Retirement Homes
If this is what you are looking for then your options are very limited as a foreigner. There are only 3 in Thailand which caters to foreigners who need assisted living.
The first retirement home is the Thailand Retirement and Long Term Care Communities located in Pattaya. There is not much information about them however they have been known to assist expats in Pattaya who are disabled in their own homes. The best known assisted living home is located in Bangkok and it is the Golden Years Hospital which caters to expats in Bangkok. In Chiang Mai there is also the McKean Rehabilitation Cente which is well known as it has a fully equipped nursing home.
There are however also a number of private secure villages which are aimed mainly at the Thai middle-class however buying land in Thailand is not permitted in Thai law. What you do find is a number of small condo units for sale in Thailand that foreigners normally buy into. You can find many of these in Pattaya where the expats tend to stick together in an area. Thai building developers have cashed in on the trend.
Cost
The costs of these small condo units are mainly bought by British and American expats. This for around 900,000THB or about 11,000 British Pounds. These tend to be small 50 Square meter units with a small balcony all open plan because of the size. Also they also tend to be close to certain facilities such as a private clinic or close to immigration. Thai immigration in Pattaya which is located in Jomtien is surrounded by many of these units. This would make for a retirement spot as the levels of English from locals tends to be higher in these areas. There are also expat clubs which gets you discounts at the hospital and other facilities. See the article on Health care in Thailand if you want to know the overall costs of living in Thailand.
Location
Considering retirement homes? Most of those who retire to these areas tend to get a government pension. Which falls just into the retirement visa requirements and are able to live very well off their government pensions. With excellent weather and a stable government and economy. Thailand makes for a good retirement location if you are on a tight budget. The cost of living is also very low.
There are a number of articles about retiring in Thailand such as how to open a Thai bank account or how to register your drivers license. If you are considering getting married again while retired then see what potential problems you might encounter. The Thai marriage visa has a lower requirement than the retirement visa. So if you are getting married or already married to a Thai then consider all the options available to you.
If you are getting a reasonable pension in the US or Australia or in the UK. Then you don’t need a retirement home unless you need assisted living. Look for other options if you are still able to look after yourself. If you are going to need assisted living in Thailand then speak to a lawyer in Thailand who can assist with the retirement visa process and ensure that you are always legal in Thailand.
