The short answer

The main regular savings solutions for expats in Thailand are international savings plans from life companies — RL360's Regular Savings Plan (from US$280 a month), Hansard's Ascend (from US$300), and Investors Trust's Evolution (from US$100) and S&P 500 plan (from US$200, with a guaranteed floor) — monthly investing on an international platform, and, for those with Thai income, Thai Retirement Mutual Funds. Savings plans offer bonuses, discipline and portability but usually reward staying for the full term; platforms offer flexibility. Choose by goal, timescale, currency and how certain your income is — and get a second opinion before committing. Lawrence offers a free comparison.

The directory: regular savings solutions side by side

The main regular savings options used by expats in Thailand, from each provider's published information and independent reviews.

Sources: our RL360, Hansard and Investors Trust profiles, checked October 2026. Savings plans are available through financial advisers.

Why regular saving works so well

Regular saving has three big advantages, and they work together.

It builds a habit

Money that leaves your account automatically each month is money you never get used to spending. For expats whose income arrives in pounds and is spent in baht, a fixed monthly saving is one of the simplest ways to make sure the future gets paid first.

It smooths out the markets

Investing the same amount every month means you buy more units when prices are low and fewer when they're high — sometimes called pound-cost averaging. You never have to decide when to invest, and a market fall becomes an opportunity rather than a worry.

It lets compounding do the work

Given time, growth starts to earn growth of its own. In the illustration at the top of this page, £500 a month for 20 years at 8% a year after charges grows to about £294,500 — of which you pay in £120,000 and growth provides around £174,500. The longer you save, the more of the final sum comes from growth rather than from you.

Research suggests that investing a lump sum straight away has historically beaten phasing it in about two-thirds of the time. But most people don't have a lump sum — they have an income. For them, regular saving isn't a compromise; it's the natural way to invest.

International savings plans: how they work

An international savings plan is usually a life-assurance policy issued by an international insurer. You choose a monthly amount and, for most plans, a term; your payments are invested in funds you select, and the plan builds up over the years. Plans are portable — they move with you if you change country — and come in several currencies.

Most traditional plans share a similar structure:

• A chosen term — often 10 to 25 years.
• Bonuses that reward saving for the full term, sometimes paid at the start, along the way and at the end.
• An establishment period in the early years, during which set-up costs are spread.
• Charges for leaving early, which reduce towards the end of the term.
• Flexibility to vary payments, take payment holidays or switch funds, within the plan's rules.

Newer designs, such as Hansard's Ascend and Investors Trust's Evolution Plus and Select, offer more flexibility — fewer or no penalties for withdrawals or stopping — usually in exchange for fewer bonuses or a different charging structure. Our guide to international regular savings plans explains the mechanics in detail, and our guide to charges on long-term savings plans shows how to compare costs.

RL360 Regular Savings Plan

RL360's flagship savings plan, from an Isle of Man life company with around 214,000 customers. It starts from US$280 a month (or £200 a month in the GBP version), usually over 10 to 25 years, in seven currencies, with more than 350 funds to choose from. RL360 highlights that there are no initial charges, bid-offer spreads or switching charges.

The plan rewards commitment: a bonus of up to six times your first monthly payment can be added at the start, and a loyalty bonus applies for terms of ten years or more. You can vary payments or take a payment holiday, and switch funds online for free. The first 18 to 24 months are the establishment period, and leaving early means an exit charge on the units bought then.

Best for: committed long-term savers who want a well-known Isle of Man provider and a wide fund choice. See our full RL360 profile.

Hansard Ascend

Hansard's modern savings plan, named Best International Savings Plan at the 2025 International Adviser awards. It starts from US$300 a month, with additional contributions at any time, a 100% allocation rate so every payment is invested, and — according to Hansard — withdrawals without penalty at any time. A loyalty bonus rewards staying invested, and the policy can be viewed online around the clock.

Hansard is a London-listed group, based in the Isle of Man, with £1.26 billion under administration and solvency coverage of 170% at June 2026. Most of its business is in US dollars.

Best for: savers who want flexibility and access along the way, especially in dollars. See our full Hansard profile.

Investors Trust Evolution and S&P 500 plan

Investors Trust, the brand of the AM Best A- rated ITA Group, offers three ways to save monthly.

Evolution (contractual)

From US$100, £100 or €100 a month over 5 to 25 years — the lowest entry point in this directory — with around 300 funds, a welcome bonus of up to 105% and loyalty bonuses from year ten. Surrender charges apply if you leave early, and are waived after 15 years.

Evolution Plus and Select

From US$1,000 a month, with no fixed term and no surrender charges once the plan has run for a year — but no bonus units.

The S&P 500 Index plan

From US$200 a month in US dollars, over 10, 15 or 20 years, with growth linked to the US stock market and a guaranteed minimum at maturity of 100%, 140% or 160% of premiums paid. The guarantee is lost if premiums stop for more than 90 days, are reduced or partial withdrawals are taken.

Best for: committed dollar savers, and those who value a guaranteed floor and can keep every payment going. See our full Investors Trust profile.

Where to start

Choose with help, and make sure your monthly payments never miss.

Monthly investing on an international platform

An international investment platform offers a different route: an account in which you can invest monthly into funds, ETFs and sometimes shares, usually with no fixed term and no penalties for stopping. Ardan International, for example — an Isle of Man platform in the same group as RL360 — offers funds, ETFs, equities and model portfolios, cash in up to 11 currencies and a SIPP, through financial advisers.

Platforms suit savers who value flexibility above all — those whose income may vary, who might need access, or who want a low-cost portfolio of index funds. They don't offer the bonuses or guarantees of some savings plans, and the discipline of a fixed term is replaced by your own commitment. Our guide to international investment platforms explains how they compare.

Thai Retirement Mutual Funds

If you earn taxable income in Thailand — a Thai salary or Thai business income — Thai Retirement Mutual Funds (RMFs) are worth knowing about. Contributions can be deducted from your Thai taxable income at up to 30% of assessable income, capped at ฿500,000 a year (within an overall ฿500,000 cap for retirement savings deductions). They're sold by Thai fund managers and banks.

RMFs have holding rules — money is generally expected to stay invested for the long term and until retirement age — and they're in baht, which suits money you'll spend in Thailand. For expats with Thai income and long-term plans to stay, they can sit alongside an international plan, combining a Thai tax saving with international diversification. Our tax residence guide covers Thai allowances and deductions.

Which solution for which goal?

A broad guide to matching solutions to goals.

General guidance only — the right choice depends on your own circumstances.

Saving for school and university fees

For many expat families in Thailand, education is the main reason to save. International school fees in Bangkok can run from around ฿550,000 a year at the budget end to over ฿1 million at the top, and a UK or US university adds far more. Paying those bills from income alone is a heavy load.

A savings plan started early changes the maths. Invest monthly from when a child is young, and growth can pay a large share of the eventual cost. The plan can be timed so money is available as each year's fees fall due, in the currency the school or university charges — and moved into steadier investments as the dates approach.

How to choose: eight questions

1. What's the goal, and when will you need the money?
2. How certain is your income for the whole term?
3. How much flexibility do you need to pause, reduce or withdraw?
4. Which currency will you spend the money in?
5. What's the total yearly cost, including fund charges?
6. What would you get back if you stopped after one, five or ten years?
7. How do the bonuses or guarantees work, and what would lose them?
8. Who will review it with you each year?

Currency and paying from Thailand

Most international savings plans are held in US dollars, pounds or euros. Choose the currency you'll spend the money in: pounds for a UK university or a possible return home, dollars for a US university or as a global reserve, and plan to move money into baht as Thai costs approach. Our guide to currency risk explains how to decide.

Paying from Thailand needs a dependable, low-cost route, because a missed payment can affect bonuses — and, on some plans, guarantees. A multicurrency account such as Wise, or automated regular payments through an FX specialist, can make sure every contribution arrives on time at a good rate. Over twenty years of monthly payments, even a small difference in the exchange rate adds up to a meaningful sum — money that could have been invested for your goal instead.

Three worked examples

James and Ploy: two children, two plans

James, 37, and Ploy, 34, in Bangkok, want to pay for two children's education. Lawrence sets up a savings plan for each child, timed to the fees, in pounds for a possible UK university, with a worldwide fund mix that moves to safer investments as each child approaches 18.

Priya: an uncertain income

Priya, 45, a freelance consultant in Chiang Mai, wants to save for retirement but her income varies. Lawrence compares a fixed-term plan with flexible options and recommends monthly investing on a platform, with the freedom to pause and top up as work allows.

Dave: Thai salary, Thai tax

Dave, 40, works for a Thai company in Rayong. Lawrence suggests a Thai RMF to use his Thai tax deduction, alongside an international savings plan in dollars for diversification — so he saves tax in Thailand and builds wealth globally.

What happens when you start a plan

Starting an international savings plan is straightforward, and a good adviser will walk you through each step:

1. A conversation about your goals — what you're saving for, when you'll need it and what you can comfortably afford each month.
2. A recommendation in writing, explaining which plan, which term, which currency and which funds, and why — with every charge set out.
3. An illustration showing what the plan could be worth at different growth rates, and what you'd get back if you stopped early.
4. The application, with identity checks and proof of address, usually completed online.
5. Setting up payments — a reliable monthly transfer in the plan's currency.
6. Your own online access to the provider, so you can see your plan's value and switch funds.
7. Beneficiaries or a trust, so the plan passes to the right people.
8. A yearly review to check the funds, currency and payments still suit you.

Take your time over the recommendation. A plan you'll pay into for ten or twenty years deserves a few days' thought — and it's perfectly reasonable to ask questions, request a different illustration or get a second opinion before you sign.

Reviewing your plan each year

A savings plan isn't something to set up and forget. Once a year, check that your funds are still diversified and competitive, that your plan's currency still matches where you'll spend the money, that your payments are arriving reliably and that your beneficiaries are up to date. As the goal approaches, move the money step by step into steadier investments — so a late market fall can't derail school fees or the start of retirement. A short yearly review is what turns a good plan into a successful one.

Already saving into a plan?

If you already have a savings plan — perhaps started in Dubai, Hong Kong or Singapore — don't stop it without understanding exactly what you'd gain or lose. Plans that have passed their establishment period, or are close to a loyalty bonus, are often worth more than they look. A free review can show where you stand, whether the funds and currency still suit you and how to make the most of what you have.

The mistakes we see most often

1. Committing to more than you can keep paying.
2. Choosing a term that doesn't match the goal.
3. Not knowing the total cost, including fund charges.
4. Stopping early without checking surrender values and bonuses.
5. Funds chosen once and never reviewed.
6. The wrong currency for where the money will be spent.
7. Missed payments because of an unreliable transfer route.
8. No beneficiaries or trust in place.

Keeping your plan secure

• Use strong, unique passwords for every policy and platform login.
• Turn on two-factor sign-in wherever it's offered.
• Use a private, protected connection on hotel, café and condo Wi-Fi.
• Pay only to the provider, in your name — never to an adviser's account.

How we compiled this directory

This directory draws on our provider profiles of RL360, Hansard and Investors Trust, each built from the provider's own published information, its latest results or ratings and independent reviews; Ardan International's published platform information; ThaiLawOnline's 2026 guide to Thai income tax for RMF deductions; and our guides to regular saving and education planning. The growth illustration assumes £500 a month at 8% a year after charges, compounded monthly. Checked 13 October 2026. Product terms change and availability varies by country; always read the latest literature. This directory is general information, not a recommendation of any product for any individual.