British workers encouraged to retire to Thailand after Brexit

The UK’s divorce from the EU offers pensioner-age Britons a ‘good opportunity’ to up sticks and move to Thailand, a Thai official has claimed.

With the value of the pound faltering against European currencies and ongoing uncertainty about the rights of Britons living within the EU after Brexit, a residency permit for further afield destinations like Thailand could be the answer.

But, before dumping scarves and jumpers and grabbing some sandals and shorts for the next flight to Thailand, it pays to assess the costs and pitfalls involved in getting a residency pass. In three words, it’s not cheap.

What’s more, onerous rules mean your UK state pension could be frozen if you head to Thailand, meaning expats wouldn’t benefit from any payout hikes..

An ‘exclusive’ 20-year residency pass to Thailand offered by Thailand Elite, the government-owned agency in charge of running the various residency schemes, costs £481 a year, on top of a £48,138 one-off fee.

This 20-year package comes with a state-sponsored ‘concierge service’, entitling members VIP access for their dealings with the government’s work permit, immigration and driving license departments.