PaulBoing

Thanks for the comments, everyone. Much appreciated. After a few days of research I've realised just how different the market is in Hua Hin. My working rhythm will be mainly working from home, with occasional trips needed into Bangkok. Is the Hua Hin to Bangkok commute feasible and realistic (say twice per week)?

Dear all, I'm overwhelmed with the responses here. Thank you so much for taking the time to respond, and in so much detail, it's genuinely appreciated. Given what's been said here, I think I will gently move away from the lawyers who have been advising me to date. They advertise themselves as specialists in real estate and visa issues for foreigners, by the way. Does anyone have a contact (lawyer?) who they would feel happy to endorse, whom I could sit down with and describe my situation (which is relatively complex) and get some sound advice? My issues are not just related to visas, but also purchasing property, and my wish to structure my salary in a tax efficient way. Or maybe there are knowledgable folk here whom I could share details with privately, with the promise of a nice "drink" later? Thanks, again - genuinely appreciate the time taken to advise me.

Hi all, we are thinking about buying a landed house in Bangkok and hoping to get some advice from people familiar with the property market there. We are looking for something reasonably new, solid build quality, with a nice garden and in a good area. Peace and quiet and privacy are high on our list so we are much more interested in detached houses than townhouses. Ideally we want to keep this around 15m THB and we really do not want to go above 20m if we do not have to. Does anyone here have good knowledge of the housing market in Bangkok who could recommend specific neighbourhoods or estates we should be looking at? Or tips on where not to waste time? We are open to different parts of the city as long as the feel is fairly calm and residential. Any insights on good estates, developers worth looking at or pitfalls to avoid would be hugely appreciated. Thanks!

Hi everyone - first time posting here and hoping to tap into some real-world experience I’ve searched through the forum and picked up quite a bit already, but I’m now a bit confused because I spoke with a Thai lawyer this week whose advice seems to conflict with what I’ve been reading here. So apologies if this has been covered before - I’d really value some clarity from people who’ve actually been through this. In short, I’m planning to move to Thailand. I’ll be working remotely for an overseas company, and they’re happy to pay my salary either into a Thai bank account or a foreign one. Ideally, I’d prefer a Thai account so everything is paid locally and life is a bit simpler. The lawyer told me I basically have two options: 1. Elite visa - quite expensive and includes perks I probably don’t need, but obviously very convenient with a 5-year uninterrupted stay. She was very clear that earning overseas income while living in Thailand would be fine on this visa. 2. Retirement visa — I’m over 50, so eligible, but she said I’d have to leave the country every 180 days and wouldn’t be able to open a Thai bank account. That sounds a bit less convenient, although she again said overseas income would be allowed. However… while browsing this forum I’ve also seen people mention the Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) and the LTR visa, both of which seem - at least from what I can tell - to allow long stays and overseas income. What I can’t quite figure out is whether I’d be able to open and use a Thai bank account on those visas. So I guess my questions are: Are those really my only two options? Is the lawyer’s advice accurate? Which visa are remote workers actually using in practice? Can you open a Thai bank account on these visas without too much trouble? If you were in my position, which route would you take? I’d really appreciate any guidance, corrections, or personal experiences you’re willing to share - especially if you’ve navigated this recently. Thanks in advance Paul