Paradise Pensioners
With its high cost of living, retirement in Australia doesn't always come quickly or cheaply. Now many OAPs are being drawn to tropical Thailand, where a comfortable retirement won't break the bank.
"You can have a champagne lifestyle on a lemonade budget", says Tom, a retiree in Pattaya, one of the most popular destinations for Western pensioners moving to Thailand. Living costs here are around 80% cheaper than Western countries like Australia. Thailand also offers quality care facilities for the elderly: "here, the respect for the elderly is in-built. You're employing care staff that respect the elderly, that want to do the job", explains Englishman Peter Brown. But alongside the influx of expats, the sleazy hedonism of red-light districts has drawn concern from locals over too many 'sexpats' making Thailand home.
Produced by Dateline, SBS Australia
FULL SYNOPSIS