wildwildbill

Hi all

Like many other UK graduates I am loaded up to the eye balls with student dept which I currently pay off (or at least pay the interest) whilst working. I am planning on moving to LOS for about a year next month, so was wondering whether its a good idea to inform them of my plans as I read recently that they can up your interest significantly if you don't. I have lived and working in Thailand twice before and did not inform them and as far as I know had no negative consequences. I will be doing some work, but at this stage I am unsure whether to do some freelance work for a UK company or get a teaching job (either casual work or a full time job with a WP etc). Anyone got some up to date information?

Many thanks

15 hours ago, craigt3365 said:

My friend is selling their 10 year old Honda for about that much.  40k KM.  Beautiful condition.  It's hard to find cars like these as many are advertised in Thai language only sites.  Like this one.  They are just putting a sign in the window and parking it near a busy street here in Pattaya.  Insurance is easy.  Try AA.  Don't know about the transfer issues.

 

 

Ask them to send me a PM

1 hour ago, nanglong218 said:

For 70k I'd give that Saluna a spin around the block. The rubbish I've looked at around here that they ask 300k for is a joke. Tatty condition, never serviced. Anyone in Buriram region got something half decent worth looking at.  

Yup been speaking to him. It looks tidy but the blue book is in someone else's name and he lives in BKK and the car is in CM!

Hi all

Move to Chiang Mai in a few weeks and have a budget of around 120,000 for a car. Nothing too flash (no chance of that eh on this budget) but something safe and practical to get the family from A to B. I am a bit of a DIY mechanic in the UK but a bit clueless to the practicalities of buying and owning in LOS. So my questions are:

Transferring ownership - basically I head to the government office with the seller, blue book and then pay an admin fee to sort? Does the cost vary by vehicle? How swift is the process?

Insurance. How easy is this to sort and what sort of budget should I expect? 

Tax - this is done annually right? Does this vary from vehicle to vehicle

Roadworthy test - how strict is this? What is the cost? When is it done? 

Anything else I may also need to bear in mind? 

Cheers

Going to apply for one of these from London Embassy. Question is do I need to leave every 90 days or just report to local immigration? Also, can you get 12 months or 15 out of one? Cheers

Thanks for all the comments. Sounds like I need to save up 800 Baht and plan for a day out in some government office, with possibly a test or two thrown in. I will probably go with my wife too who also needs a licence and has a UK one too and can aid with translation. 

I was planning on doing my UK bike licence before heading over, however we've decided to head over sooner so no time. I have rode a motor bike mainly around Chiang Mai for over two years but agree it would be nice to actually get some formal training. Experience on the road though is really what makes you safe or not. 

Yeh got a IDP from the Post Office last year when I came on holiday last year. I will try and apply for a cheeky bike and car licence too. TBH my licence has pics of bikes on the back and various codes, so I doubt a Thai official is going to look too closely into whether I am licenced in the UK or not! What is the cost for a two year licence? 

19 hours ago, malt25 said:

I had never ridden or owned a motorbike before coming to Thailand. I gained my license on the second attempt. Didn't get enough questions correct first test. Riding test is a joke. Rode about 200 meters & the official wasn't watching. I'd guess most testing centers are the same.

Yes, once you have your license you can ride whatever you like.

I was 68 when I took the test.

Cheers.

Yes, this will be me. So you failed the theory? Did you have to do it in Thai or something?

Sorry, should have given more detail:

UK citizen

Coming to Thailand for 12-15 months on a non imm 'o' visa

No UK bike licence (car only) but spent a few years on bikes living in Thailand. Want to go legit this time

Is this a straight forward process? Can you ride bikes of any size once you have one? Cheers

On 6/7/2017 at 11:51 AM, Puwa said:

Neighborhoods, schools, houses-- these are all practical matters which you will sort out without too much trouble. Another question is how long you plan to stay.  Coming with a two-year-old, you've got 8-10 years before Chiang Mai schools, even the good international ones, go pale compared to educational opportunities back home.

 

We arrived with a three-year-old, enjoyed an 11-year run, then moved back for education reasons. Honestly, it wouldn't have hurt if we had come back 2 years earlier. Today, our local (free) public high school, an eight-minute walk out the kitchen door, offers better classes and better teachers, is better organized and run, provides laptops, has a proper library, offers clubs and groups galore, and points the way forward, to university and beyond, far more helpfully than any of the CM international schools.  Greater diversity too, in that our local mechanics and firemen send their kids to the same school, alongside doctors, lawyers, teachers, and everyone else. Our son comments how much he prefers it to school in Chiang Mai-- academically, socially, day to day. He actually thanked us for moving back because he likes his new school so much. 

 

By all means, avail yourselves of everything that is enjoyable in Chiang Mai-- food, weather, swimming, mountains, elephants, cheap nannies-- while you can, and be ready to make the right choices for your child whenever that time comes for you. Good luck!

So you moved from CM to the UK with your teenager or the other way round? 

Looking at a move to CM from the UK for a year or so and debating what to bring. Obviously we will look at maximizing baggage allowances, but is it cost effective to send a box or two via some courier/shipping service rather than buy a lot of stuff when we land? I am thinking things like children's toys, bits for the house etc, so perhaps a trunk sized box 30-40KG? Nothing too delicate or high value and would be happy to send a few weeks  before we land. What would be our options? Cheers

10 hours ago, Trujillo said:

Give the kid to the grandparents to keep for you and you can go visit every 2 or 3 months.

Thai style? Ha ha! No the whole idea of the trip is to spend more time together as a family and to get out of the UK rat race for a while. 

18 hours ago, prism said:

 I'd try one that has monthly rates first and see how your child enjoys it. Here's a few: Tonkla (clean campus), Little Stars,  Super Kids,  Kiddy Bear, Genius nursery (cheap), Kiddie Daycare (Expensive but has monthly rates). 

Thanks for these. Probably just looking for my daughter to attend a couple of half days a week. Is this possible or are they expected to attend daily? 

15 hours ago, Zendo said:

sukpraseud pre school

Any link for this? Just had a quick Google and couldn't find it

Yes, remember the air quality isn't great during the burning season. Have they not put a stop to that yet? 

Looking at a return to CM for a year or so with the family, including my two-year-old daughter. I have lived and worked there a couple of times and my wife is local but wondering what we need to consider to make it a great experience for all now we have a little one. Any advice from those in the similar situation would be great. Particularly interested in the following:

Where's a good location to live and what should we look for in a house (probably around 10K budget)

Good value pre-schools

Parks and places to visit

Healthcare 

Thanks Tanoski 

Spoke to Insure and Go and they confirmed its ok to work on a 'backpacker' policy which can cover for the time I am away. Should give me the medical cover required for an emergency and my daughter is covered free too. My wife seems happy enough with the 30B health cover too. 

Got this response back from the UK Embassy:

Dear Sir/Madam,

you need to proved photos copy of married certificate and copy of you wife Thai ID card and Thai Passport 

Kind Regards,

Visa Officer

Royal Thai Embassy

They didn't confirm whether you can post or not but I am guessing you can? If so it sounds very straight forward. 

Yeh I was thinking of ordinary travel insurance just to cover urgent care. Problem is I will be looking for work whilst there, so worried I would invalidate my policy.

We will be in Chiang Mai and my family are registered within the province, but I want them to have the same level of care as me should the worst happen. 

Sounds pretty straight forward. Just to clarify my family live with me currently in the UK, are dual nationals and will be moving over with me at the same time. My daughter was born here also, but got a Thai birth cert and passport from the UK Embassy and I think she is also registered to the grandparents housebook along with my wife. Hope this is still a straight forward process? We want to spend time with family and friends before my daughter gets to school age. 

Hi all

I am looking into having 10-12 months in Thailand and plan to apply for a non-imm 'O' visa from London. Firstly, can you apply from this by post? Their website suggests this but the Hull Consulate said on the phone you can't. What supporting documents would I need to send and is there a minimum amount of savings required? My wife and daughter are Thai nationals. I plan to work when I get there, so I assume it will be OK to still apply for a work permit if offered one by an employer?

Thanks

Hi all

Plan to have 10-12 months in Thailand from around Sept/Oct and want to know what options I have to get health cover for the family and myself. My wife and daughter are dual nationals, so technically I guess can access 30B health care, although really I'd like to get some better cover for them if needed. I am probably going to apply for a non-imm 'O' visa and will look for some work, teaching in language schools like I have done on previous extended stays. Any advice is appreciated.

Cheers 

Hey everyone,

Start a TEFL course on the 15th January, and could do with some work over the next few weeks, to stop me getting too bored!

I have done the whole Chiang Mai toursit thing before, and funds are a little low, so I though a few weeks work would be the best bet.

I know the money will be peanuts, but I will do almost anything! If anyone has any ideas, please reply to this thread, or give me a ring on 0899980163.

Cheers

Will