Relocating to thailand

[Guest]

Right here I am tearing my hair out about how much I miss the place.... So many thoughts in my head and wondered if someone could share with me the issues, challenges etc about moving to Thailand for a new life!!!!... How easy is it visa wise?, anyone setup a new business there?, jobs... etc etc... any help that may straighten out this head of mine would be appreciated ! PS - I am serious ! Cheers !!!!

[PigDogg]

Here's a good resource for you bro:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/

http://www.thaivisa.com/

[Guest]

Cheers dude....got plenty of reading ahead of me now !

[Snick]

Its not as easy as it sounds (I've done it)
First thing is what are you going to do for work ?
Second is are you prepared to live here full time, its a nutso place, traffic is horrible and the rainy season is LONG...5 months.
Are you going to try and be legal, "work permit, pay taxes, etc.." or under the radar and get a tourist visa every 30 days.
PM me if you have specific questions and tell me what your skills are

[BAM]

rainy season is LONG...5 months.

Forrest : Hello. My name's Forrest Gump.

Forrest : You want a chocolate?

The nurse shakes her head, a bit apprehensive about this strange man next to her.

Forrest : I could eat about a million and a half of these. My momma always said, "Moving to Thailand is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get."




Remeber Forest Gump?

ANOTHER RAINY DAY - The platoon walks through a rice paddy, waits deep in water. It begins to rain.

Forrest : (voice-over) One day it started raining, and it didn't quit for four months.

EXT. JUNGLE The rain pours down on Forrest and Bubba as they sit in a foxhole.

Forrest : (voice-over) We been through every kind of rain there is. Little bitty stingin' rain...

ANOTHER DAY - The platoon walks through the jungle as rain pours down on them.

Forrest : (voice-over) ... and big ol' fat rain.

ANOTHER DAY - The platoon shelters themself as they walks through the wind and rain.

Forrest : (voice-over) Rain that flew in sideways.

ANOTHER DAY - Forrest and other soldiers walk chest-deep through a river. The rain splatters back up from the river, hitting the soldiers. Forrest holds his hand up to protect his face.

Forrest : (voice-over) And sometimes rain even seemed to come staright up from underneath.

EXT. ENCHAMPMENT - NIGHT The rain pours down on the men of the platoon as they sit in a camp. Bubba sits down next to Forrest.

Forrest : (voice-over) Shoot, it even rained at night.

Bubba leans his back up against Forrest's back.

Bubba : Hey Forrest...

Forrest : Hey Bubba...

Bubba : How would you like to go into the shrimpin' business with me?

[Mai-Kee]

Snick is right. The "what are you gonna do for work" is the crucial question. I've done it a long time ago and it was bloody hard to find a job that pays a "western" - salary. The easiest way of course is if a company sends you over with the full expat-package. Another way, to start up your own thing - but then be prepared to double your planned start-up phase. Everything takes just double time over there and within this time be careful that you are not running out of money! That's the classic mistake!!! Another way is to do the teaching thing. Ask Stogie, he knows everything about it!
.... or if you can hold a cable and fix the lights, be Snicks assistant - paid in free shags!
Anyway, it's always good when you start living your dreams and not just dream your whole life!

Good luck,
MK

[Snick]

.... or if you can hold a cable and fix the lights, be Snicks assistant - paid in free shags!

Hell with that idea.

People pay me money to be my Assistant Fluffer

[BAM]

What would you guys think is a safe amount of cash to have on hand in the bank before anyone moves to Thailand? I was thinking around $50,000 ?

[gunslinger]

There a lot of places which seem cool as fuck if you stay there for 2-3 weeks , but if you have to live there ain't all that, I worked in BKK for 3 months (paid for by my company) and had a good time but I wasn't that pissed off about leaving.
Every now and then you meet guys (usually American or Englsh) who have lived there for years, who know it all. and they look like fuckin shit and spout utter rubbish. Moving there for the sake of just being able to pay to have sex with LB's??? Er well there are so many things wrong with that I don't where to begin
Go there and have a good time,but keep them at arms length for fucks sake.

[Guest]

Well just had another CSA (Child Support Agency) letter through the post demanding a further increase to the already 'over the top' payments i make to my ex so I might have to focus really hard in gettin outta dis place!, fukin western women are shite...... gunna look to book my ticket online to BKK tonite think i will spend 2 weeks in Oct in BKK for my b'dfay and treat myself BIG TIME....

Anyways, thanks for the advice... I know its not gunna be easy and am looking at expat jobs in China and Singapore as well at the moment....well at least its closer to Thai and I get away from all these mad-head western women !

[Mai-Kee]

Well, it depends completely on the living standard you prefer and you are used to. Where do you want to live? Even within BKK are big differences. If you are looking for a 1-2 bedroom apt. of a normal (definitely not luxurious) standard within the silom-phetchaburi-sukhumvit triangle you have to budget at least 35.000 THB. Further outside it's of course cheaer, but it becomes also more and more a Thai-neighbourhood. Which leads to the next question: How good is your Thai? I have a friend who lives more than 30 years in Thailand, made a fortune there and doesn't speak any Thai! Well you can call him a bloody ignorant - at least that's what I always do - but he answers, that he just never needed it: "If they are interested in making business with you, you would be surprised how quick they nderstand you, even if you'd only speak Kisuaheli!"
How long can you live on 50.000 bucks and how much money do you think you'll need for any investment - if you are thinking opening a business down there. My rule always is to have about 150.000 THB cash (min. 130.000) a month. Then you can live the normal western standard, rent a 2-bedroom apartment in a nicer area and don't have to think twice if you go 4 times a week with a girl, pay the entrance to the better clubs and have fun in Pukhet over a weekend. Which means you need, with extras (flights, insurances - don't forget to pay a private health insurance that brings you back home if you get something serious and don't forget to have enough cash on the side if you need a good Thai doctor in case of emergency) about 50.000 USD/year cash.


MK

[gunslinger]

Dont live in Singapore, I tried it and it's shite!

[Guest]

Looks like Singapore could be off the roadmap then !

[Mai-Kee]

Me too, absolutely shit - Stewart would say, but it's just a jump away from LOS! Well, right but still, it's a fake corporate enclave full of Chinese business-nerds!

MK
PS:....although they are a lot better with the closing hours - compared to LOS - nowadays than in 94, when I was there!

[Guest]

shame as i have a business contact in Singapore.....i wonder if he has a Thai contact...mmmmmm...bit of networkin me finks !!!!