Bangkok With A Family

[tigah]

Hi,

I was just after some general advise, and wondered if anyone else had been in the same situation. I've been offered a job in Bangkok that would seem like a great opportunity. I'm a Brit, my wife is American and we currently live just outside New York. We also have a 1 year old son. Some of the worries we have whilst deciding upon the move over there are is the polution in Bangkok as bad as they say, and would it be bad for such a young child? My wife would be giving up her job, are there social groups she could join, gyms, etc, and what do you do to keep your mind active when you aren't working? I've seen houses to rent for about 40,000 Baht/month in compounds with a swimming pool and tennis court. It says that these places are close to subway stations, but are they really far from the middle of Bangkok? And what is the journey to/from work like?

Anyone else made a simular move over with a young family, any regrets, things you'd have done differently, etc?

Cheers

[Neeranam]

I lived in Bangkok for many years. One of those years was with my wife and baby daughter. I lived right in the centre on Sukhumvit road, one of the worst places in town. I had to get out, and now am. Bangkok is no place for a kid. When I go back to Bkk now , I am amazed at how I could have lived in a shithole like that for a decade.

For 40,000 you can get a nice place on the outskirts, where it is still filthy but not so bad. I would recommend somewhere near a expressway, so you can get into central Bkk easily. Where are you going to be working in Bangkok? Where? If you tell, I could offer some help as where to stay.

NN

[tigah]

I'm going to be working in the Thanapoom Tower

1550 New Petchburi Road

Makkasan, Ratchtevee

Bangkok 10400

I don't know where that is in relation to the rest of Bangkok and what the transport links are round there, if it is close to a subway, etc. How do people manly get to work over there - bus, train, taxi?

[duke69]

Dude

If I had no experience of overseas living (even if you're Brit in CT or NJ) and had to decide for any Asian destination, I would take 1 week off and jump on the first flight to BKK and have a look.

Pollution is a problem, cultural shock is another problem (mainly for expats spouses), food is another problem (I love Thai food).

If you have no colleagues to give you a fair advice, come to BKK and have a look.

In the range of 1000$ per month you can find a nice 1500 sqft apt with all facilities you can imagine to dream (pool, gym, tennis, squash, ....).

But living BKK is not just staying in a "golden cage"!

My advice is that LOS (or BKK same) is a wonderful place and that you will love it.

But this is only my advice, you don't know me and may be we are totally different and what I like, you hate!!

Would you live in Manhattan?? If no, then don't even come here! If Yes, then BKK is a mix between Manhattan and a messy (and funny/wonderful) Caracas.

For sure you have to rent an apt near a skytrain (or subway) station and not too far from your office, since driving or taxing in BKK is a mess.

Don't choose BKK just for money, choose BKK because you like it, otherwise will be a disaster for you and your family.

The first impression on BKK is negative (almost always), then after a week you will love it or hate it. If you fall in love for LOS will be forever, like a bug eating your brain and you won't leave it easily, but if you cannot accept and understand the cons of this city, better to stay in US.

Thailand is a wonderful country, but is messy, polluted, and you have to learn (will take about 6-8 months) a long list of unwritten rules and laws on how to live and solve day by day problem.

[lopburi3]

Having a foreign wife in Bangkok is hard. Having her have to give up her job to move here is harder. It is no joke that Bangkok is noted for ending marriages among the diplomatic community. Even if the husband is home by six the amount and availability of eye candy is likely to make for a very rough period. Some can work it out but for many it is a downhill ride to divorce.

I know it sounds ideal as wife would have no family responsibility if she wanted to have a nanny and maid and such but the free time seems to work on the jealously part of the mind.

Most people drive to work - although many foreigners do not and thus live in areas near work area which will cost the 40k. Those who are Thai live in the suburbs where a 3 bedroom house will cost about 10k unfurnished; but have the expense of car and one or two hours in traffic each day.

As said a trip should be made but let it be long enough to see life outside of the 5 star hotels.

[duke69]

As said a trip should be made but let it be long enough to see life outside of the 5 star hotels.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

For this reason I was suggesting him at least 1 week, 2 would be better not for house hunting but to understand how's life in BKK

Regarding wife: this is true, Thai girls are very beautiful, slim, smooth skin, ...... probably the most beautiful girls in the world ...... and your wife (with no job) would have plenty of time to elaborate silly thoughs against you, but it all depends on your wife and how you behave.

Having a 21 years old secretary (as I have) makes somethimes the work day very long, and if you dream of her, before standing up to get a cup of coffee, you must be sure that noboby can spot something like a banana pushing out against your trousers!!! It's not just a joke.

Temptations will be huge, I saw many wifes going back to their home-country giving the hubby a deadlock: "I go tomorrow, If you love me you come with me", and the hubby: "sorry honey, but my contract and my company are not allowing me to move, bloooooody company

[Nordlys]

I'm going to be working in the Thanapoom Tower

1550 New Petchburi Road

Makkasan, Ratchtevee

Bangkok 10400

I don't know where that is in relation to the rest of Bangkok and what the transport links are round there, if it is close to a subway, etc. How do people manly get to work over there - bus, train, taxi?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It's a large building at the southeast corner of Soi Nana (Soi 3) and Petchaburi Rd. intersection.

I think DHL Thailand head office is in there.

Closest BTS station would be Nana.

And the closest subway station Petchaburi.

But I think it takes about 15 - 20 minutes walk from both stations to Thanapoom Tower. You will most likely commute to work by car/taxi.

For this location I would find a condominium in Sukhumvit area.

The first impression on BKK is negative (almost always), then after a week you will love it or hate it. If you fall in love for LOS will be forever, like a bug eating your brain and you won't leave it easily, but if you cannot accept and understand the cons of this city, better to stay in US.

Thailand is a wonderful country, but is messy, polluted, and you have to learn (will take about 6-8 months) a long list of unwritten rules and laws on how to live and solve day by day problem.

Very true.

But I think it can take longer than a week (months, or sometimes years) to find out if you love it or hate it.

Edited May 31, 2005 by Nordlys

[OldAsiaHand]

I lived in Bangkok for many years. One of those years was with my wife and baby daughter. I lived right in the centre on Sukhumvit road, one of the worst places in town. I had to get out, and now am. Bangkok is no place for a kid. When I go back to Bkk now , I am amazed at how I could have lived in a shithole like that for a decade.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Perhaps harshly put, but nevertheless accurate. It is hard to imagine a worse place to live with a foreign wife and a small child. Those who manage to survive here for any length of time almost always are connnected to the culture in some way, generally through a Thai-born spouse, and even then it is bad enough.

Your proposed place of work is in the city and therefore you will have two choices. You can live in a high rise apartment in the city and never venture out of it other than by car in horrible traffic , or you can live in a bleak and plastic housing estate an hour or so away and drive to the city through horrible traffic. There are almost no houses in the city itself that would be acceptable to you, even if you are prepared to pay rents right at the top of the market (which is a level of at least USD5000 per month).

I can promise you two things: your wife will hate every minute of it here and your child will lose out on an important piece of her growing up. Those of us who live here generally do because we have to. Those who tell you otherwise, and rant about how much they love it, are usually those who've already realized they can't survive anywhere else. And God knows there are plenty of those foreigners around. Bangkok draws them like flies.

[duke69]

living in Sukhumvit with a toddler ...... not the best.

It's also true that compounds "US Style" with Houses+garden, security, expats, will cost you much more than 40,000 baht!!

With 40,000 baht = 1000$ you can get a nice 1500 sqft apt in a very nice condo.

Difficult choice

[singa-traz]

I can promise you two things: your wife will hate every minute of it here and your child will lose out on an important piece of her growing up. Those of us who live here generally do because we have to. Those who tell you otherwise, and rant about how much they love it, are usually those who've already realized they can't survive anywhere else. And God knows there are plenty of those foreigners around. Bangkok draws them like flies.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You have heard the worse part of it, but there is always two sides:

1: First, If you negociate this properly with your company, you HAVE a way out of Thailand (unlike those who cannot survive anywhere else :-) )

2: If your family is ready to go out of your confort zone for a while, you will be able to experience and live something different (Holiday in Thailand and Working in Thailand are two different things).

3: It is possible to resist the temptations available in Bangkok

4: Not everybody divorce in Thailand

What you need to really look into is "is Your family ready for this experience ?".

[Nordlys]

living in Sukhumvit with a toddler ...... not the best.

It's also true that compounds "US Style" with Houses+garden, security, expats, will cost you much more than 40,000 baht!!

With 40,000 baht = 1000$ you can get a nice 1500 sqft apt in a very nice condo.

Difficult choice

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, but at least OP's wife would find something to keep herself busy with in Bangkok, easier to find other expat farang friends and social groups to mingle with. If they live outside BKK the wife will be stuck in the house unless the company provides a family car/driver. Also easier to take the child to the kindergarten if OP will live here long enough for his baby to reach the age to attend kindergarten.

Also, I would not commute to work by car from city outskirt to this office location. I live in BKK and commute to Ayutthaya and every morning I see in-bound traffic to the city jam packed to as far away as Lad Prao area on Don Muang Tollway. And even from the closest ramp of the expressway which is a few hundred meters from the Thanapoom Tower, the access to building is not good, unless he's willing to hop out of the car and and cross the road to get to the building and let the driver make a big detour and U-turn.

[moebius]

I live in an apartment building south of Silom (Bangkok Gardens) which is full of farang families from all over the globe. Lots of farang women, single and married, lots of children, and what I see is it's really a family oriented setup here. It's a fairly open and international environment which I enjoy. Quiet street with some ammenities across the street and nearby, a 30-50bt cab ride from BTS, scheduled van from building to different locations throughout the day, small 'international' school on the first floor. It's a nice little oasis from 'bad ol' Bangkok. And the support (child care, swimming lessons, activities, family networks) is well done. Nice setup here.

Maybe you can find something else near Nana. But talk about walking the edge back from work: "honey, I'm just going to stop off for a beer" could become a litany! Thai people are very friendly, especially the girls, and you could find yourself spending that 'saved commute' in the company of always smiling faces. Something which can be very attractive when feeling down about your work or homelife.

Quite frankly the pollution here isn't so bad. On hot and humid days standing at roadside you get snuffed and stuffed, but the wind blows and I wouldn't rate it as bad as say Guangzhou or Mexico City. If I were you I'd worry more about the adjustment to the heat and humidity. Realistically, most people don't make a full adjustment in the first 3-8 months unless they like heat.

A lot of it comes down to the strenght of your relationship - honesty, communication, interests in spending time together and how you spend your free time - and, honestly, your moral fibre. Not much different than areas in NY but cheaper, friendlier, and in many ways more alluring.

BK is a great launching point for travelling in and out of Thailand. And probably one of the smoothest transition cities to begin overseas living. It has a wide berth of western ammenities and the beaches are great sanity savers. We spend almost all of our spare time somewhere out and about. Without that we may as well be living anywhere.

The move could change your life. Perhaps for the better, perhaps for the worse. There are no guarantees. I personally think exposing your child to the world at a young age (and yourself as well) is the way to go. Much better than growing up in an eggshell.

And in many cases it does lead to opportunities elsewhere.

Bear in mind living abroad is not the greatest move for homebodies. But dare to live the dream.

If the dream is together, all the better.

ps: If you mind your Baht its a great place to save money.

[duke69]

well said moebius, in BKK you can live in a very nice and confortable way and if you don't excess in alcohol or "night life" you can save as much as 80% of your salary.

IN Europe I was saving ZERO, here I'm saving a lot and this will be the pillow for an early retirement. I want to retire having still many years to enjoy.

You don't have to live in a eggshell either in BKK, if you come here you must accept the pros and cons and live your life, staying 24hr/7days in a condo/compound is not healty ..... in thic case just kiss the head of a kid and you will go in a US jail for 20 years singing "thriller" to your gay jailmates

[Richard Hall]

After all that Bangkok bashing it is got to see that there are also some others such as moebius that got the inside scoop. To judge about BKK you have to know it first in full which just does not mean the early Sukhumvit and Silom area only which I personally consider the worst places to live.

There are very quiet and cosy residential areas the so-called towns (Moo Bahn) in town with guards sealing the place 24 hours. Children can play on the street safely, ride their bikes etc. a situation I just can not imagine in terms of Manhattan.

Well my parents (67 and 70 years old ) come twice a year to Bangkok in April and October during the school holidays and well, they just love their second home. Whether someone can adjust and make a great living in BKK is mainly just a matter of personality and particularly if one is dilligent enough to learn the language it is very easy to mix in due to the naturally friendly mentality of Thai people. With the BTS and MRT in operation there is no need to ride a car to work and get constantly stuck in traffic or spend a fortune for proper housing either. Frankly said, it would be just stupid and will result eventually in nothing but developing an unnecessary grudge against the city.

Moebius refers to Soi 24 on Thanon Narathiwat which houses several condo complexes such as Bangkok Garden, Oakwood and Lumpini Riverside. Quiet, safe, affordable and a heaven for kids that you do not find in Western major cities. Well, get on the BTS at Chong Nonsi station (50 baht taxi or 25 baht motorcyle ride) and take it to Bangkok's ###### in Nana area, work and in the evening the same procedure backwards.

On the week-ends take the family to the movies, dream world, safari world or down to the ocean. Great living I think, so what's the fuss.

If the wifey is unsatisfied, well, there is surely plenty she can do such as join communities for westerners (if she gets a kick out of that), social work, church, tennis, golf, shopping, learn the local language or traditional Thai dance, massage and/or cooking, and, and...

BKK has lots to offer and it will surely not be the city's fault if someone can not have a pleasant life here particularly if money is not a big issue. Assuming the household income is in the area of THB 100,000 or even more and there is still whining well, guess than nothing can help it and as Annie or Ms. Landers or whoever would put it "maybe it is time for consultation and professional help". Quite often the sweet and social life in the western world spoils rotten in a way that makes a broken finger nail a major misery but heck with the superior medical services in BKK even this could be fixed.

For all disadvantages the City of Angels brings with it, it surely has also the means to make up for them easily.

Cheers,

Richard

(Bangkokian by choice)

Edited May 31, 2005 by Richard Hall

[OxfordWill]

I will be a future 'resident' and it will also be by choice. The success of your time here will largely depend on the personality of you and your wife. If you both have even the smallest spark of adventure in you then I can assure you that for the beginning at least you shall have more good than bad in terms of experience.

Yes, you might want to keep options open longer down the road, but you will be in a position that many people living here will envy. The pollution is bad but also your child will be much safer wandering around outside with Mum and Dad than pretty much any other City in the world.

Definitely have a small holiday first to see what you think, but dont let the initial reaction to heat/traffic put you off - as many will tell you it takes a little time ot start discovering the more alluring parts to life in Bangkok.

[samran]

I think alot of people here have fogot to mention that one of the bonuses about Bangkok is the affordable child care. After a bit of hunting, you can get a good live in nanny to help make your wifes job easier.

The other thing that people haven't said, is Thailand is a great place to be a child. Kids are revered (adults stand up for the kids on the train in Thailand), and you will find that your life as a parent will be infinetly easier in Bangers. Going out in public with a child is not as much of a hassel in Thailand as service staff will be falling over themselves to help/play with the baby....especially a farang child.

[pedro01]

Shouldn't be a problem - if you sort out the wife & kids.

Check out Nichida Thani in Nonthaburi - it's a huge expat estate, lots of greenery & lots of friends for the wife & child.

For schools - allocate $10-15K per annum per child if you want the best - ISB in Nichida Thani or Bangkok Pattana are the best - don't bother with any others. (Flame away). This will be a fantastic experience for you children.

I have a wife & child here - the best thing about Thailand for me is the weekends - you are in easy access of Rayong, Hua Hin, Koh Chang, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai & Hua Hin - to name my favourites. Beats a wet weekend in Blackpool UK any time.

For accomodation - I'd be looking at 80,000 - 100,000 Baht per month for a nice furnished house, US/European style with a garden & pool.

If your company can bear all this - you will have a great time. You will need a car - but mostly for the wife. You can get a driver for 4-5,000 Baht a month if she's nervous about driving.

If your company wants to do it on the cheap - you will be bloody miserable, mostly because your wife will be asking you what the h3ll you moved them for !

Pedro

[paulfr]

My advice is to not worry about the particular problems that you mentioned. Pollution and traffic are not too much different than in NYC. I learned to drive in NYC and it is pretty much the same aggressive and congested situation in both places.

Really the fundamental questions are ...

Can you live in a big city ? Apparently yes if you work in NYC. If not then you need to ponder whether an apt/condo (or serviced apt as they are called here) is acceptable to you and your spouse. Or the alternative commute like from CT to NYC on the train or by car.

Money is a huge factor. With enough income you can solve and insulate yourself from many issues. I just bought a car and the AC'd comfort is a nice change from the hot/humid walking of streets. Cars are a bit more expensive here but in the long run the yr to yr cost is about the same as in US/UK. Just an larger initial investment at first.

If your income is even a mid US salary of 6K$/mo that would be 240KBaht/month and you can live like a king here with driver, two maids helping out with the 1 yr old, etc, rental of a nice large house or palacial condo anywhere including the center of town.

As for temptation with the gorgeous available ladies threatening your marriage, just do your work and stay out of the Suk nightlife scene and you'll be ok. Bangkok has lots of movies and restaurants as in any city. Cable TV is excellent ..you can even see Leno once a week.

And as mentioned, a clause in your contract for a graceful exit back to NY if you want after 3 or 6 or 9 months would be a good insurance policy for you. I would press hard for this with the employer.

My advice is come. I have been here for a year and it has been one of the best years of my life. As they say, disappointment is much better than the regret of a lost opportunity or letting fear stand in the way of anything in your life's journey.

Edited May 31, 2005 by paulfr

[OxfordWill]

Well said Paulfr, nice post.

[grahamb]

Well said Paulfr, nice post.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree. When I read the replies on the first page, I was going to jump in to give the other side but most of the things have been said already.

To add a few things... Yes, there are groups for mothers with kids. One that I'm aware of is Bambi (British mothers and babies group but welcomes other nationalities - my wife's not British). My wife has been a member there for a few months since before our baby was born.

Before the baby was born, she also did part-time voluntary work and met many farang women that way. Admittedly, that may not be practical if you have a 1yr old kid but it is something to be aware of in the future if you're staying a while. Many of the women there had small children (I think the kids are in school or left with the nanny).

I'd definitely agree about getting a car and driver. We're paying quite a bit more than Pedro's 4-5k per month but it's definitely worth it. I get a relaxed ride to/from work and my wife & kid are driven around in a car that I know is safe by a driver that I know is safe. OK, so other drivers can still crash into them but that's a risk anywhere! My wife refuses to drive in Bangkok but she's still happy with the mobility she has.

On the apartment front, you don't have to live in the Sukhumvit area. We're in an extremely large apartment in very nice grounds which is off Paholyothin Road. It would probably take 45-60 mins to get to your office in rush hour (mine takes 35 mins and it's North of where you would be). We're close to the Tollway (for my wife to get to Sukhumvit to shops and friends...), it has plenty of space for walking the baby around the grounds, etc. If/when you're looking for apartments, try to find an agent who doesn't just drag you around Sukhumvit. I'd send you the details of the agent we used but her email address is not working now so she may have left that company

One caveat: We're both serial expats - I'm from the UK but left there 10+ years and 4 countries ago. My wife has been living overseas for 15+ years. However, as you are already in a 'mixed marriage' your wife is open to other nationalities Has she lived overseas before? What does she think about this?

If you need more specifics about any of this, send me a PM.

I'd agree with the many people who said to come and have a look. If you like it, go back and negotiate so that you can get the perks you need to have a good life. If your company sees this as a good opportunity as well, they'll be willing to pay.

Good luck!

[ProfessorFart]

Theres a lot of negativity here about Bangkok but I guess that its only fair to paint a 'worse case scenario'

To try and nutshell things, Bangkok is pretty much what you make it. Like cities the world over there are bad areas and good areas which have been well covered so I'll try and give you some advice from my own experiences on the personal side of things.

The key is to get your wife involved in your life as much as possible even if she is an independent adventourous type. Sharing experiences is a vital part of the settling in process.

From my own experiences the little things like meeting your wife for lunch every day, and heading straight home after work and having plenty of quality time together is a real help.

There is often a real conflict between trying to find your own feet and to get to know your environment and your colleagues (as more often than not this involves several beers in the evening) and trying to build a stable home environment.

If this conflict arises then simply bring your wife along and make her feel as involved in your life as possible. Let her meet your colleagues so when the time arises where you want to talk about work related issues at home she can put faces to names and maybe understand what you are talking about. As someone has said above, child care is cheap in Thailand so doing things without the baby is no real logistical nightmare.

Problems only really arise when the wife (or in some cases husband) beging to feel isolated. Get your partner involved from the very start and then you will have plenty of shared experiences to build on together at the same pace.

Another good tip. Try to have a party (or better still, several) with all of your colleagues and their spouses as soon as you can. This not only shows that you are not a recluse but also will give your wife an opportunity to meet not only other expat wifes but the Thai wives of your colleagues and with luck she will quickly get her own circle of friends.

As someone said above try and encourage your wife to get involved in something to occupy her time whilst you work but, and this is a big BUT, don't make her feel as though you are pushing her into anything as this will end up in resentment. Let her do this in her own time. When she finds something to occupy her time be sure to show interest and try to get involved in her life as well. Sharing every aspect of your individual acclimatisations will only make things easier.

Those early months will be difficult and a lot of compromise and sacrifice is needed yet in the long run once you have all found your feet you will then be able to reap the full benefits which Thailand has to offer.

[tigah]

Thanks for all the responses, there are both positives and negatives - which I expected. My wife has lived overseas before, when she was 13 her family moved to Hong Kong and she lived there up until she came back to the states for university. Whilst there are differences between Bangkok and Hong Kong, the differences aren't as great as the differences between New York and Bangkok so she'll know a little bit about what to expect.

I've been to Thailand 5 or 6 times before, love the place, the people, and the food. Working somewhere is different to being on holiday there though, so I'm sure that there will be some differences.

I liked the sound of that Bangkok Gardens complex - quiet, swimming pool, etc. The baby loves swimming so if my wife was taking him down to the pool a lot I'm sure she'd meet other people that way. Agree about getting her involved as much as possible too.

I'm coming to Bangkok this weekend, but only for a few days next week so I'll have a look around and get a better feel for it then.

[grahamb]

After writing my response I noticed today's Dilbert.

Remember and put on that British accent when you're negotiating!

[samui3]

We have lived in Bangkok for a total of 6 years, two 3 year expat assignments. We are now living just outside NYC.My husband works in NYC now. I am the expat wife and I have to say that we all loved our time in Thailand. We lived there with our 3 children and they loved it, the schools,made friends( both Thai and Farang)that they still keep in touch. We try to travel back each year to see friends and relax in our home away from home.We lived in both the Bangkok- Sukhumvit area and also the area by ISB.Both have there pros and cons...depends on what you are looking for.You will encounter many of the problems that others have told you about on here. If you keep an open mind and think of yourselves as guests in the country, most problems you will be able to overcome.We found most of the Thai people wonderful and you can make some wonderful friends.

Your wife will have to keep busy and there are many areas where she can get involved (volunteering,teaching). I will be more than willing to speak with her..just PM me and we can set something up.

Good luck on your decision...we wouldnt trade the experience we had for anything.

Jeanne

[Belfastboy]

anyone know a web address for the bangkok gardens.?...wouldn't mind checking it out myself....

[tigah]

I found a website for Bangkok Gardens

http://www.bangkokgarden.com/index.html

Looks nice enough, how far out is it again?

Cheers

[Khun Larry]

Hi,

I was just after some general advise, and wondered if anyone else had been in the same situation. I've been offered a job in Bangkok that would seem like a great opportunity. I'm a Brit, my wife is American and we currently live just outside New York. We also have a 1 year old son. Some of the worries we have whilst deciding upon the move over there are is the polution in Bangkok as bad as they say, and would it be bad for such a young child? My wife would be giving up her job, are there social groups she could join, gyms, etc, and what do you do to keep your mind active when you aren't working? I've seen houses to rent for about 40,000 Baht/month in compounds with a swimming pool and tennis court. It says that these places are close to subway stations, but are they really far from the middle of Bangkok? And what is the journey to/from work like?

Anyone else made a simular move over with a young family, any regrets, things you'd have done differently, etc?

Cheers

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I will confine my comments to pollution and food as others have already informed you BKK is a shithole. Dividing time 50 - 50 in NY and BKK I am often sick while in Thailand. The first 2 - 3 weeks are OK then it seems I am constantly fighting a chest / respiratory illness. Many of my associates experience the same. We believe the BKK pollution is the cause, but who knows. Antibiotics do not help. A second issue is some stomach problems again starting after 2 - 3 weeks. The food, although tasty, is in many cases semi-sanitary. Like eating chips and munchies Vs real food. By the 2nd month I am cooking all my meals at home. Both of these symptoms completely go away once back in NY for 2 - 3 weeks.

If someone were taking their family to BKK (I would not even consider it) from NY I think a 50% premium would be warranted. If you are going single, that is another matter.

Best of luck.

PS You will never have weather in Thailand like we are enjoying now in NYC

[duke69]

In every country there are pros and cons.

It's up to you to use properly all these info, anyway the fact that ur wife has experience in HK is a very good thing.

Just last tip: I found very useful to buy on amazon 1-2 books on cultural shock in Thailand/Bangkok.

Most of the info on those books were very obvius, but in any case was a nice recap of all the things to be done or not to be done.

a few $ ...... which indeed I charged to the company

[Catbert]

I found a website for Bangkok Gardens

http://www.bangkokgarden.com/index.html

Looks nice enough, how far out is it again?

Cheers

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It's about 3 km south of Sathorn Road. Not within walking distance of BTS but I guess that's the price to pay for not being in "bad ol" Bangkok. Bangkok Garden has a good mix of locals and foreigners, which is ideal if like us, you prefer not to socialise entirely with expats. There's a mall, Central Rama 3, within 5 mins walk and Tesco Lotus within 10 mins walk.

We're staying there so if you feel like a looksee when you're in town, PM me and the boyfriend and I would be happy to take you in for a tour.

I might also add that if your company is giving you a good budget for housing, take a look at Oakwook on the same road. It's a more plush development with driving range and spa in addition to the usual condo facilities. Rantal for a 2 bedroom apartment is about b80,000 (last time i asked) whereas Bangkok Garden is going for around b40,000.

I've been here about 3 years and the boyfriend joined me here last year. We both find Bangkok exctremely liveable compared with many other cities in the region.

Hope you have a good time here.

[terry74]

Hi,

I was just after some general advise, and wondered if anyone else had been in the same situation. I've been offered a job in Bangkok that would seem like a great opportunity. I'm a Brit, my wife is American and we currently live just outside New York. We also have a 1 year old son. Some of the worries we have whilst deciding upon the move over there are is the polution in Bangkok as bad as they say, and would it be bad for such a young child? My wife would be giving up her job, are there social groups she could join, gyms, etc, and what do you do to keep your mind active when you aren't working? I've seen houses to rent for about 40,000 Baht/month in compounds with a swimming pool and tennis court. It says that these places are close to subway stations, but are they really far from the middle of Bangkok? And what is the journey to/from work like?

Anyone else made a simular move over with a young family, any regrets, things you'd have done differently, etc?

Cheers

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