The Female Gaze of Western Retirees in Hua Hin, Thailand

Abstract This article examines the perspectives of Western female retirees in Hua Hin, Thailand, addressing the underrepresented experiences of women in international retirement migration literature. Focusing on everyday life, social relationships, and the challenges of aging abroad, it explores the intersections of gendered migration, intercultural relationships, and female support systems. The central research question investigates how these women experience retired life, with sub-questions concerning the specific challenges faced by single women, their social interactions, and their views on relationships between Western men and Thai women. The literature review highlights the dominance of male-centric perspectives in retirement migration studies, mirroring broader trends in tourism research, and – drawing on Urry’s concept of the tourist gaze – establishes a Western female gaze that addresses this gap. The study adopts an exploratory qualitative design based on semi-structured interviews with nine German-speaking Western female retirees, analysed using the documentary method of interpretation. The findings reveal that participants navigate their identities between a sense of belonging and foreignness, often relying on strong female support networks to manage emotional insecurities and social challenges. Their Western female gaze, shaped by continual comparison with familiar cultural norms, produces an ambivalent sense of connection and alienation in the host society.