Dateline: Sept 9

This week on Dateline Nick Lazaredes meets Australians who have moved to Thailand, where they believe their retirement dollars can be stretched further.

Amongst them is 67 year-old Ken Bingham, a former butcher from Melbourne, who was drawn to Thailand after hearing that the cost of living there is up to 80 per cent lower than Australia.

“It’s much cheaper living here – it’s amazing. I can live comfortably on our pension here – and live a good lifestyle where at home it’s pretty hard,” Ken said.

Nick also met 57 year-old Graham, a former builder from the Gold Coast, who had decided that retirement in Australia was simply not possible on his old-age pension.

“I wouldn’t have been able to afford it,” he said. “Not at 52, when I retired, no way I could have retired at 52 on the Gold Coast”.

Graham is now a part of a volunteer group, mostly from Western countries, who work together with the Thai police. The volunteer group is also indicative to how big the city’s population of Western retirees has become.

So with a growing and aging population in Australia, will the move to Asia become an increasing trend?

Tuesday, 9 September at 9.30pm on SBS ONE