Two ways to collect it
You don't lose your pension by moving abroad: living outside Spain doesn't suspend it. You have two paths, and most people pick the first one for convenience:
- Keep collecting it in your Spanish account and transfer the money to Thailand whenever you need it. You keep your usual bank and you control the exchange.
- Request that your pension be paid abroad, directly into your Thai account. Fewer monthly steps, but tied to the exchange rate and whatever conditions each institution applies.
For day to day life, having a Thai bank account helps either way: it's where you live and pay for things.
The proof-of-life certificate
It's the one procedure you genuinely can't forget. The proof-of-life certificate is how you prove to Social Security that you're still alive so you keep getting paid. Living abroad, it's usually filed once a year, through the Spanish consulate in Bangkok or the available channels. If you miss the deadline, your pension can be suspended until you sort it out — an avoidable scare with a reminder on your phone.
The currency exchange: where money leaks out
This is where people lose more than they realize. Transferring euros to baht through your old-school bank can cost you a chunk between fees and an inflated exchange rate. Platforms like Wise or similar ones tend to give a rate much closer to the real one with a small, transparent fee. On a monthly pension, the difference over a year adds up to several hundred euros. It's worth comparing before you automate anything.
What about taxes?
The tax side is settled by the 1997 double taxation treaty: as a general rule, Spanish public pensions keep being taxed in Spain even if you live in Thailand. Private pensions and pension plans follow different rules, and there the result depends on the exact type of pension. The full picture is in the tax guide and, for retirees specifically, in the guide to retiring in Thailand.
The visa that makes it possible
All of this assumes you can live there legally. Once you turn 50, the route is the Non-O retirement visa: it requires 800,000 ฿ (~€21,000) in a Thai bank or 65,000 ฿/month (~€1,700) in income — and the average pension is already close to that threshold. It's all covered in the retirement guide, and the visa quiz confirms whether your case fits.
Frequently asked questions
Can I collect it while living there?
Yes: in your Spanish account and you transfer it, or you request payment abroad. Either way you need to file the proof-of-life certificate, usually once a year.
What's the proof-of-life certificate?
The document that proves you're still alive so you keep getting paid. Living abroad it's filed once a year through the Bangkok consulate or the available channels. If you forget it, your pension can be suspended.
Is tax withheld?
As a general rule, public pensions keep being taxed in Spain under the treaty. Private pensions and plans have different nuances depending on the type.