Jigglypuff

Again lots of helpful replies which have very much helped!! Relieved my coffee addiction can be met! Not a fan of Starbucks or other chain type places or their prices, would much rather support local cafes etc if possible.

Wow thank you for the replies, in particular KhunPer- so much information. Thank you! 

I don’t need to live Western style - I have simple tastes and lifestyle, love Thai food, but occasionally may need a western fix. 

And a cheese cutter... erm can’t say I’ve ever owned one I just use a knife or hands so think i’ll be okay! Haha. 

Seems like healthcare can be taken care of. If I develop a serious condition I can always move back home, I’m more concerned about getting in a car accident or something and not having the funds to get sorted. 

One more query.. What about decent coffee? I am a coffee lover and need my daily cup or three. If I bring a cafetière/French press is it ways enough to get coffee for it? Do cafes have good coffee? 

Thank you soo much!! 

I’m not refusing to do it for those shocked that I may question why an authority needs my entire passport copying. 

I’m just one of those people who like to read the small print before signing their life away. I was merely asking the reason. Now it makes sense thanks to some posters who actually answered my query. 

I know a lot of people are saying Samui is over developed, touristy, etc etc but unfortunately I still need to work. I’m not able to retire to a quiet beach town with nothing going on.

Bangkok doesn’t appeal. I don’t like cities and love beaches. Living near to the sea has always been my dream. Pattaya seems a bit seedy for me, but maybe that just what I’ve heard. 

Ko Samui sounds like a good mix of developed and Tropical Thailand but i am a little worried about feeling “trapped” on an island due to expensive over priced flights.  

Also how often do you get spiders and other large creepy crawlies in your house? May seem a silly question but I’m not a huge fan of sharing my space with giant six or eight legged friends. Well I don’t mind if they stay hidden away. 

2 hours ago, wilcopops said:

1 - nothing really..probably better to huy what you need as and when you realise you need it. Personal electronic stuff...computer phone etc...there is not a great range on the island although most of the main chain stores are here.

 

2 - The place is in general very safe and burglaries are much rarer than in the West. Don't lose all sense of responsibility though.

 

3 - You can rent a nice 1 or 2 b/r house from 8 to 12 thousand baht. So 45 k will allow you to live quite well if you have a reasonably frugal lifestyle and eat local foods.

 

4 - life goes on in the wet, which is patchy from May to October but you lose have of the cool dry season with a really wet November and December. Samui is a lot wetter than much of Thailand and flooding is common as are the concomitant power outages at that time of year.

 

5 - Samui is not really Thailand, the island has a massive resident and semi-resident foreigner population. There are loads of bars clubs and organisations that cater for their needs...... it should be easy to make friends, however superficial.

 

6 - OK there are several large hospitals on the island offering healthcare at various price levels and competency. In fact regardless of how much insurance you have, you are unlikely ever to be fully covered and even the most expensive healthcare can end up as little more than a lottery. Don't be beguiled by flashy furniture, uniforms and machinery....its all face like a lot of Thailand. The occasional patch on a cut or basic antibiotic is very cheap from a local clinic or pharmacy........ but once in the clutches of somewhere like Bangkok Samui, your bank account will hemorrhage like a stuck pig.

 

7 - Samui is in general still more rural than Phuket, which is nowadays little more than a city. Samui is an hour or more from the mainland so it is truly an island life. That said, it is still very developed and quite without planning or infrastructure........ unregulated building has all but obscured the very best beaches. The rubbish tip fiasco has been an island sore point for over 8 years and only now are measures been taken to clear it....lord knows what pollution will be left behind. Roads on Samui are dreadfully engineered and as a result quite dangerous. Phuket has a much more sophisticated network based on European ideas.

The main conurbation on Samui, Chaweng, has gone from island paradise to beach city in 2 decades.

But depending on where you settle there are still some more rural patches.... for the time being.....where groups of foreigners huddle round a bamboo bar by a small beach, hoping no one will find them.

Nathon is the only remnant of a real Thai town on the island. The rest are just centres for holidaymakers.

All the main supermarkets have a presence on the island..... Tescos, Big C and Tops.

 

 

Thank you so much for taking the time to type all this- very helpful.

Healthcare is a worry. Particularly with the bad roads and risk of traffic accidents. 

Yeah the pollution/rubbish thing does concern me. Hmm. 

Do people cycle around the island? I’m a bit concerned about getting a scooter as I have not got experience and don’t have the best balance or co-ordination at the best of times. I guess renting a car would be out of my budget.. 

2 hours ago, ThomasThBKK said:

just take photos with your phone and send it? takes 5 minutes...

Yes I am aware how to send it. I was enquiring as to why they may want it. 

Thanks for your reply. Nope never visited. It’s not practical for me to do that.

I can always leave if I don’t like it. Nothing is permanent. But sometimes you have to take a risk and go for it... 

So I’m moving to Ko samui next month. A few questions.. would greatly appreciate if you can answer any of the following... 

1. What essentials should I bring with me? What is hard to get on the island?  

2. Is it safe? Will my place likely be broken into? 

3. Is a budget of 45,000 a month realistic? I will be living alone. 

4. What is there to do in the rainy season?

5. Is it easy to make friends with other expats in their 20s, 30s?

6. What is the health care like? How much is basic health insurance? 

7. What are the benefits of Ko samui over Phuket for example?

Ah okay. That makes sense I guess. Thanks. 

Really. Now I’m super confused.

I really don’t want to have to scan in like 40 pages if I don’t need to.. 

Hi I have just got a job in thailand. My employer is sorting out visa paperwork for me from their end, a non immigrant one. They want me to scan in every page of my passport including blank ones. Has anybody else had to do this? What do they need blank pages for? I’m so confused!