Retiring in Thailand and your Pension

[ned kelly-old]

The rates listed for the $A are off-shore rates, and do not reflect the reality of living and changing money in Thailand. I am however surprised that there is such a difference as I would have expected a greater correlation.
For interest the $A hit a high of 0.882 against the $US about 2 weeks ago and is currently 0.787, down about 11% which suggests that the on-shore rate for the $US v baht has shown a slight appreciation.
Make no mistake about it, for any Aussie currently converting to baht......they're getting 10% less than they would have early last week, unless they were ill informed enough to convert overseas in which case they would be even worse off.

[Wesley]

you are right I never convert in the USA or London , the rate is usually fairly fixed on the street and altogether here I am loosing about 200 dollars per 1000 converted in contrast to one year ago. Inflation is also up dramatically here and seems as if there is no end to the rate of inflation rising even as the governent floods the market with Grain and really cheap grain a loaf of bread is up sharply with a 20% rate of inflation right now. If this continues I will need to sell off and move out before I loose me arse.

It's amazing how the bullshit flows when it comes to investing, although I guess it shows why so many need good advice.
"Raksiam" is correct...........over time equities out perform all other investment classes, so no matter whether your about to retire, are already retired or are years away from it, if you want to maximise your investment nest egg you need a major portion in equities.
Sure there will be volatility, there always has been and it ain't likely to change! But if you don't have to sell anything you've lost nothing. Even if your paying a pension from these investments it should represent only a small portion and if your lucky may even be largely covered by dividends.
Exchange rates are a lot more problematical, and are certainly important for self funded retirees who live in a different country from their income source. By and large you have to wear these. Economic forecasters have been consistently unreliable when it comes to FX. As for its rate against sterling, the $US, Euro or $A in the future....NO ONE knows. As mentioned in a previous post the $A has lost 10% against the baht in a week!.........Mai Pen Rai.

I don't swear on this board, so I will put **** in place of it.

What do you mean ****, if that is what it is, then all your thread is ****. "Volality", "Good advice" and "exchange rates" etc etc have all been discussed before, so in essence, that is **** also, as your thread opens up with the word ****

There are a few people on this board - at the moment, YOU, who are quite lapse in telling someone they are stupid, lame, thick and and frequently **** and come up with various comments that are not justified.

Why don' t you offer some fresh comments and/or advice that people haven't used before, then it won't be considered as ****, well certainly by myself.

I think you are talking about some kind of British thing I don't understand about. (Pension funds.)

Anyway, the investment principles are the same, stocks versus bonds.
I still contend the modern thinking is that even old people should have a good portion in equities:

You guys who think you should drop all equities at the date of retirement are running on ancient false assumptions. I would fire any advisor who advised that.

http://money.cnn.com/2006/02/16/pf/upde ... ymag_0603/

NEW YORK (MONEY Magazine) - It's an accepted tenet of retirement planning: You need to stay invested in stocks -- keeping, say, 30 percent or more of your investments in equities -- if you want your savings to last the three decades or more you may need it for income once you stop working.

The right balance, according to Ned Notzon, chairman of T. Rowe Price's asset allocation committee, is to start off with 40 to 60 percent of your portfolio in stocks at retirement. Then, as you age, gradually ratchet down your stock holdings until they represent 20 to 30 percent of your assets by the time you're in your eighties.

Balance is the key

[Brad the Impala]

This is only an opinion of mine and I would never suggest anyone take MY advice.

Indeed!

There is NO Asian econmic miracle!

Indeed - I've posted an analysis of China's "economic miracle" statistics by Lester Thurow in the Global Forum - http://www.sawatdee-gay-thailand.com/fo ... tml#118858

You could stump up 1.5 million baht in a fixed deposit and get a 10-year visa for less-than-gay-friendly Malaysia - http://www.mm2h.com/term_conditions.php

Indeed!

What's all that about Brad?

Indeed!

What's all that about Brad?

Brad doesn't think much of your advice :idea:

[lonelywombat]

Give or take a day, mid-rate on kasikorn on shore rate was $A=29.4 baht last week.
This morning mid-rate is 26.28. This is a drop of 10.6%.

Ned can you give a link to Kasikorn where you got that rate

I have not seen as high as that for some time

There is another post above which gives the movements daily since 1 August , which averages much lower.