Care Homes in Thailand

[coxyhog]

Meet the elderly Britons swapping the NHS for luxury care homes in Thailand

With social care in the UK on its knees – and the NHS in a similar state – retirement resorts are becoming an attractive alternative.

Peter Mallard, a 75-year old retired hospital manager, and his wife Rita, 81, are among the growing British contingent here at Care Resort Chiang Mai. It’s an oasis of calm: quaint bungalows, lake-side walks, stunning mountain views – and plenty of sunshine.

Since moving over from Eastbourne in February, the Mallards haven’t looked back.

“People have the feeling, certainly as you get older, that you’re going to be stuck in a room in a lounge playing bingo once a week … whereas you just can’t compare [to Thailand],” says Peter.

“Friends thought we were mad,” Rita adds from her bungalow balcony. “But it’s the best move we’ve made.” 

Care Resort Chiang Mai, a retirement facility that offers 24-hour nursing care, including physiotherapy and dementia support, has seen the number of residents climb from 22 at the end of 2020 to 59 today. Over half are now from the UK. 

“2021 it started to pick up. 2022 it started to build. 2023 it’s boomed, particularly with the British,” says owner Peter Brown. “In the month of November 2022, I had more people come in one month than would come in a year.” 

It’s a similar story across Thailand, with more and more elderly Britons arriving to enjoy their retirement years and benefit from the country’s flourishing social care sector.

The number of British residents at Sunshine International, a nationwide chain of retirement resorts, has jumped from zero prior to the pandemic to 27 today, according to co-owner and founder Andrew Stocks.

Caremaker Ville and VivoCare Residence, long-term care facilities, have meanwhile reported an increase in enquiries from the UK, and HH Premium Visa Consulting, which specialises in Thai retirement visas that individuals need to enter care homes, says there has been a rise in British applications since the pandemic. 

With social care services in the UK on their knees, and the NHS in a similar state of dilapidation, it’s no wonder that many Britons are turning their sights abroad. 

The low costs associated with retirement and nursing care in Thailand are a notable pull factor.

Britain’s safety net ‘not very safe’

Age UK puts the weekly price of a care home at £800 and a nursing care at £1,078 a week. In Thailand, £500 more would cover monthly costs with 24-hour care.

“Obviously the price is a huge thing,” says James, a teacher from Cornwall, who is considering moving his father, an Alzheimer’s patient, to Thailand.

“Dad owns a nice home in the UK; a four-bed bungalow that’s got a reasonable value. He doesn’t have a huge amount of savings and we’re in that middle sector that wouldn’t be able to gain any benefits or costs towards any care, or a very limited amount, so if he went into a UK care home then basically the cost of it would eat through the price of the house.

“Dad’s always said he doesn’t want the government to take it in terms of inheritance tax.”

Making the decision slightly easier is the fact that James, who asked to go by a pseudonym to protect his family’s privacy, works in Bangkok and would be able to visit frequently. But the main attraction, he says, is the quality of care available in Thailand.

In the UK, there is no set guidance on the ideal staff-to-resident ratio but, in 2021, British care staff warned of a deficit that was damaging to residents. 

“Social care is experiencing an unprecedented staffing crisis,” said Unison general secretary Christina McAnea, in response to research which revealed that care home residents weren’t getting regular baths or showers, with accidents occurring more frequently and people being left in “wet, dirty beds”.

In many of the facilities in Thailand, one-to-one care is provided. Separately, the UK government has even listed 30 Thai care homes that it believes meet its quality standards.

Brown, who founded Care Resort in 2013 after being disappointed in the care his mother received in the UK, said all of his staff – 70 carers, three nurses and two physios – have at least six months of nursing training and are capable of providing round-the-clock care for residents.

He believes a loss of faith in the NHS since the pandemic is also behind the increasing interest.

NHS waiting times are at a record high and staff shortages are rife. Additionally, the government was heavily criticised for not adequately safeguarding care home residents during the pandemic. 

More than 40 per cent of Covid-19 deaths in March to June of 2020 were among care home residents and several bereaved families are now suing the government.

“People used to be a little bit worried about leaving the safety net of the NHS and British social security but now they don’t see the safety net as being very safe, so they’re much more prepared to leave and people are much more decisive since lockdown,” says Brown. 

This certainly fits with data from the UK’s Office for National Statistics, which shows an increase in long-term emigration from Britain: some 493,000 people left in 2018, rising to 557,000 in 2022. Many will have been among the elderly and those approaching retirement.

“All of the stories you hear about the UK now, it’s falling apart at the seams,” says Peter, adding that there’s a strong culture of elderly respect in Thailand, which he believes is missing from Britain. “In the UK, as you get older, you think twice about going out when it’s dark, whereas here, I just feel safe

But the move to Thailand isn’t as simple as getting on a plane. To enter a home like Care Resort Chiang Mai, individuals typically require a retirement visa – which stipulates a monthly income of around £1,500 or savings – as well as health insurance, that comes at a premium in older age, or means of paying out-of-pocket.

These are factors which could dissuade many Britons from relocating. But for James and his father, it’s clear that “the pros far outweigh the cons”.

Jeff, a 75-year old widower from Watford, is another Briton who decided to take a gamble on Thailand. He relocated a month ago to Sunshine Hills in Hua Hin, three hours south of Bangkok. It is one of seven retirement resorts run by Sunshine International that come with various nursing care packages. 

Having trialled a similar facility in the UK, Jeff, who asked to go by his first name only, said back in Britain he only saw his family once a week and that the colder weather limited social activities. 

At Sunshine Hills, a rota of activities, including barbecues and cocktail nights, a free shuttle to town, and the option to have “a bacardi and diet coke” with fellow residents mean he feels less alone. 

Tucking into his lunchtime schnitzel at the on-site restaurant, Jeff smiles and says: “There’s nowhere like this in the world.”

Source

Daily Telegraph 

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/climate-and-people/thailand-new-benidorm-retiring-and-elderly-british-expats/

[Lemondropkid]

Good topic, I know of several retired expats considering similar options down the line.

All of them keen on Hua Hin like Jeff from Watford!!

 

Edited May 15, 2025 by Lemondropkid

[fforest]

Plenty of over the hill bar girls would be happy to give 24 hr care to farangs well into their last inning..

[Pumpuynarak]

21 hours ago, coxyhog said:

Meet the elderly Britons swapping the NHS for luxury care homes in Thailand

With social care in the UK on its knees – and the NHS in a similar state – retirement resorts are becoming an attractive alternative.

Peter Mallard, a 75-year old retired hospital manager, and his wife Rita, 81, are among the growing British contingent here at Care Resort Chiang Mai. It’s an oasis of calm: quaint bungalows, lake-side walks, stunning mountain views – and plenty of sunshine.

Since moving over from Eastbourne in February, the Mallards haven’t looked back.

“People have the feeling, certainly as you get older, that you’re going to be stuck in a room in a lounge playing bingo once a week … whereas you just can’t compare [to Thailand],” says Peter.

“Friends thought we were mad,” Rita adds from her bungalow balcony. “But it’s the best move we’ve made.” 

Care Resort Chiang Mai, a retirement facility that offers 24-hour nursing care, including physiotherapy and dementia support, has seen the number of residents climb from 22 at the end of 2020 to 59 today. Over half are now from the UK. 

“2021 it started to pick up. 2022 it started to build. 2023 it’s boomed, particularly with the British,” says owner Peter Brown. “In the month of November 2022, I had more people come in one month than would come in a year.” 

It’s a similar story across Thailand, with more and more elderly Britons arriving to enjoy their retirement years and benefit from the country’s flourishing social care sector.

The number of British residents at Sunshine International, a nationwide chain of retirement resorts, has jumped from zero prior to the pandemic to 27 today, according to co-owner and founder Andrew Stocks.

Caremaker Ville and VivoCare Residence, long-term care facilities, have meanwhile reported an increase in enquiries from the UK, and HH Premium Visa Consulting, which specialises in Thai retirement visas that individuals need to enter care homes, says there has been a rise in British applications since the pandemic. 

With social care services in the UK on their knees, and the NHS in a similar state of dilapidation, it’s no wonder that many Britons are turning their sights abroad. 

The low costs associated with retirement and nursing care in Thailand are a notable pull factor.

Britain’s safety net ‘not very safe’

Age UK puts the weekly price of a care home at £800 and a nursing care at £1,078 a week. In Thailand, £500 more would cover monthly costs with 24-hour care.

“Obviously the price is a huge thing,” says James, a teacher from Cornwall, who is considering moving his father, an Alzheimer’s patient, to Thailand.

“Dad owns a nice home in the UK; a four-bed bungalow that’s got a reasonable value. He doesn’t have a huge amount of savings and we’re in that middle sector that wouldn’t be able to gain any benefits or costs towards any care, or a very limited amount, so if he went into a UK care home then basically the cost of it would eat through the price of the house.

“Dad’s always said he doesn’t want the government to take it in terms of inheritance tax.”

Making the decision slightly easier is the fact that James, who asked to go by a pseudonym to protect his family’s privacy, works in Bangkok and would be able to visit frequently. But the main attraction, he says, is the quality of care available in Thailand.

In the UK, there is no set guidance on the ideal staff-to-resident ratio but, in 2021, British care staff warned of a deficit that was damaging to residents. 

“Social care is experiencing an unprecedented staffing crisis,” said Unison general secretary Christina McAnea, in response to research which revealed that care home residents weren’t getting regular baths or showers, with accidents occurring more frequently and people being left in “wet, dirty beds”.

In many of the facilities in Thailand, one-to-one care is provided. Separately, the UK government has even listed 30 Thai care homes that it believes meet its quality standards.

Brown, who founded Care Resort in 2013 after being disappointed in the care his mother received in the UK, said all of his staff – 70 carers, three nurses and two physios – have at least six months of nursing training and are capable of providing round-the-clock care for residents.

He believes a loss of faith in the NHS since the pandemic is also behind the increasing interest.

NHS waiting times are at a record high and staff shortages are rife. Additionally, the government was heavily criticised for not adequately safeguarding care home residents during the pandemic. 

More than 40 per cent of Covid-19 deaths in March to June of 2020 were among care home residents and several bereaved families are now suing the government.

“People used to be a little bit worried about leaving the safety net of the NHS and British social security but now they don’t see the safety net as being very safe, so they’re much more prepared to leave and people are much more decisive since lockdown,” says Brown. 

This certainly fits with data from the UK’s Office for National Statistics, which shows an increase in long-term emigration from Britain: some 493,000 people left in 2018, rising to 557,000 in 2022. Many will have been among the elderly and those approaching retirement.

“All of the stories you hear about the UK now, it’s falling apart at the seams,” says Peter, adding that there’s a strong culture of elderly respect in Thailand, which he believes is missing from Britain. “In the UK, as you get older, you think twice about going out when it’s dark, whereas here, I just feel safe

But the move to Thailand isn’t as simple as getting on a plane. To enter a home like Care Resort Chiang Mai, individuals typically require a retirement visa – which stipulates a monthly income of around £1,500 or savings – as well as health insurance, that comes at a premium in older age, or means of paying out-of-pocket.

These are factors which could dissuade many Britons from relocating. But for James and his father, it’s clear that “the pros far outweigh the cons”.

Jeff, a 75-year old widower from Watford, is another Briton who decided to take a gamble on Thailand. He relocated a month ago to Sunshine Hills in Hua Hin, three hours south of Bangkok. It is one of seven retirement resorts run by Sunshine International that come with various nursing care packages. 

Having trialled a similar facility in the UK, Jeff, who asked to go by his first name only, said back in Britain he only saw his family once a week and that the colder weather limited social activities. 

At Sunshine Hills, a rota of activities, including barbecues and cocktail nights, a free shuttle to town, and the option to have “a bacardi and diet coke” with fellow residents mean he feels less alone. 

Tucking into his lunchtime schnitzel at the on-site restaurant, Jeff smiles and says: “There’s nowhere like this in the world.”

Source

Daily Telegraph 

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/climate-and-people/thailand-new-benidorm-retiring-and-elderly-british-expats/

BINGO Coxy TFP, and is it going to get any better in the UK with the government on the verge of excluding immigrant care workers from taking residency in the UK, beggars belief imo

[Pumpuynarak]

19 hours ago, fforest said:

Plenty of over the hill bar girls would be happy to give 24 hr care to farangs well into their last inning..

My mate in Pattaya did just that about 7 years ago and he's still enjoying his time with her, pays her 20K bht per month and she lives with him full time, she's a real nice 50ish gal.

[Glasseye]

 

When I moved permanently to CM (June, 2023) I intially settled into a very nice condo in Central CM. But I knew in time I would need more space. My landlord (super nice guy and good friend) and his lovely wife (speaks almost perfect English) are great.

As time evolved they offered me a house to rent (small 3 bed, 2 bath place in a quiet, older yet well maintained) located about 20 minutes from Central (yet near shops and everything I need, including various back roads through different villages for biking).

-------------------------------

One day the couple drove me out to the house for viewing. I learned a great deal during that drive......

I knew he was a professor, but I did not know he was involved in many investments throughout the CM area.

As we were driving and small talking I made the comment - "Thailand has great healthcare and service. If I were an investor I would invest in elder care facilities, management and development here"....... Things went silent. Suddenly the couple began to laugh. 

As we turned into the area where my house is located we made a slight side detour on a road which is located about a 7 minute walk from my new place. Turns out to be a large physio/rehab facility. My landlord owns it and is the head of an investment team that is building several elder care type facilities (assisted living and nursing care) throughout the area. 

They are now beginning work on a small "assisted living" facility one block from where my house is. 

I don't really relish the idea of living in that type of place. But, I do recognize that at some point in my life I may need assistance of some sort (either recovering from surgery or possibly something more long term).  If so, I think I am in the perfect place and I have ideal connections for being able to get the support I need (which is likely to be top quality and at a mere fraction of what I would pay back in the States). It is so close that I could stay in my house and staff from the place around the corner could come to the house when needed. I would not be surprised if that kind of thinking is built into the planning with the development of this new place. Sort of a Grab delivery for healthcare....

---------------------

You never know how things will unfold as we get into our late 60's, 70's, 90's..... but I feel pretty damn lucky to have found the spot I have. Pure coincidence. I kind of judge it in a karmatic manner.  🙂

 

--------------------------------

 

When in HH I stay at a condo next to Bangkok Hospital. The condo property is huge. Throughout HH there are many nice large condo complexes. The malls are nearby also. Things in HH are compact, it is very easy to get around (Bolt takes ave. 2 minutes to arrive at your feet). I figure that the hospital probably owns several units for patient recovery. Those who are in some kind of long term post surgery recovery can stay there while it's easy access for the aids and any medical needs that may arise.

Old folks paradise, yet with many things younger folks enjoy and like to access. 

Between the two (my home in CM and somewhere in HH) I have some very nice options looking ahead into the next phase of my life. 

Even better though is that one day I just drop like a sack of potatoes while doing a hottie doggie.

[Stillearly]

 

[coxyhog]

On 5/16/2025 at 5:16 AM, Glasseye said:

Even better though is that one day I just drop like a sack of potatoes while doing a hottie doggie.

Go into a home in Pattaya & order a takeaway from Soi 6,that'll aid in your passing....

[Butch]

4 hours ago, coxyhog said:

Go into a home in Pattaya & order a takeaway from Soi 6,that'll aid in your passing....

I'd make it a double header, go out in style.

Care home costs continue to increase and standard of care itself continues to fall. Basically down to the greedy Care home owners squeezing the employees, and increase in minimum wage and demand outstripping supply. Some of the reports and stories coming out of some make for depressing reading.

The idea of getting a first class, one way ticket to Thailand followed by care in a residential facility looks like a bloody good option now, let alone when I get older.

 

[Scottie]

I think I saw a care home in soi 6 a few years ago,just down from the best English Pub.

[coxyhog]

21 hours ago, Butch said:

I'd make it a double header, go out in style.

Care home costs continue to increase and standard of care itself continues to fall. Basically down to the greedy Care home owners squeezing the employees, and increase in minimum wage and demand outstripping supply. Some of the reports and stories coming out of some make for depressing reading.

The idea of getting a first class, one way ticket to Thailand followed by care in a residential facility looks like a bloody good option now, let alone when I get older.

 

My mum's care home charge £1565pw & have 64 rooms.The parent company,B & M Care,have 29 homes.

The founder lives in a mansion not far from us.

[coxyhog]

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/healthcare-and-medical-services-in-thailand

[thegrogmonster]

8 hours ago, coxyhog said:

My mum's care home charge £1565pw & have 64 rooms.The parent company,B & M Care,have 29 homes.

The founder lives in a mansion not far from us.

Surely not a lot of people could afford that.

[Butch]

11 hours ago, thegrogmonster said:

Surely not a lot of people could afford that.

It's means tested and once the money runs out, it's taken over by the local authority. (May be wrong but that's how I understand it).

These days the care system is geared towards live in home care rather than Care homes, unless the person (Although once we get old we're referred to as patients by some of them!!) really struggles and can't look after themselves.

They need a qualified RGN on duty to administer and check Meds, but a majority of the staff are minimum wage workers, just needed a Criminal database check made on them. How these places justify £5K PCM is beyond me, it's pure bloody greed and the fact our Govt , and previous Govts won't cap the cost, is disgusting.

 

[coxyhog]

12 hours ago, thegrogmonster said:

Surely not a lot of people could afford that.

There is a huge transference of wealth going on in the UK.

People like me selling my parents house to fund care.Even if you don't sell then if your parent is on the deeds then they'll come after the money once you do sell.

Not sure what'll happen after our present government destroys the property market.