Thailand offers expats the best opportunities for love, according to a bank survey that rated the country the world’s third-best place to relocate.

More than 3,000 people living abroad in more than 50 countries responded to the Expat Explorer survey by HSBC, which found that relocating to another country really is a route to a better quality of life.

Of all 50 countries covered in the survey, Thailand led the field for finding friends and lovers. Almost half of expats in Thailand reported that they had found love.

For expats on a tighter budget, though, the news was even better. Contrary to popular belief, expats are not seen by the locals just as walking credit cards.

Expats earning less than $60,000 are most likely to find love, according to HSBC’s research. Those aged over 55 also had a better chance of meeting a life partner, said Alan Smith, head of international wealth management at the bank.

The survey also placed Thailand as No.1 for the ease of finding somewhere to live. For healthcare Thailand took second place among all destinations.

Overall, Thailand was placed third as the best expat location, behind Canada and Australia. Its ranking was not helped by the difficulty of picking up the language – in which Thailand came 26^th.

Read the story in the Bangkok Post