janetplanet

Janet how far are you out of town? If I understand right you are in Krabi. I am about 30 km out of Muang Ranong, we have a small expat comminity here in town. However I try to meet up with them once or twice per week. It took a murder to get me off my bum to realise I should do this (Dale Henry a Canadian). However we have a laugh, the Thai partners get to talk about us, and the expats have a good time. So it might help you to explore the expat scene. It may not be your scene, and I must admit there are some up here I avoid like the plague.

The only nasties we have had in the house the cats have brought in. Some have being very nasty, juvenile King Cobras, however in 5 years here maybe only 3. Never had a centipede in here although I have seen them outside. I must say though that every Thai family I know put babies in the hammock hung from the rafters, so that is something that is a must.

Hi Mosha, I'm not there at the moment but we are outside of Krabi halfway to Surat. Actually, we are exactly on the Krabi-Surat provincial border on the Southern Highway. Where r u exactly?? Muang Ranong, that's pretty far from Krabi no?

Our baby was in the hammock during the day but at night how could she be in a hammock but have a mosquito netting over her? So she ended up being in the 'family bed' which unfortunately was on a mattress on the floor next to a window without screens and that centipede got in the mosquito netting somehow...oh gosh let me forget... . I actually have a bite mark scar on my hand that never went away...those things are nasty!!! It really hurt and my hand was swollen up for 2 days. I could barely hold or nurse her... . Hey, I'd love to find an expat community near to me!

I think get a better job so you can provide a decent standard of living for your family really you can not expect a quality of life with that budget unless you are happy to embrace the local culture 24/7

Well...have been living in rural Thailand for about a year with husband and baby so have been 'embracing' thai culture 24/7 already BUT you are correct. My thai husband has been trying to look around Phuket town for somewhere inexpensive for our little family to live and he's telling me it's difficult. There are 'townhouses' 2 floor, little cement garden in the front for 5K per month but they are quite far from 'Phuket town'. So I would have to take the bus in to work every morning.

Thank goodness I found this Forum. I wonder if I can find a high quality mosquito net in Canada to bring over... . I have to buy a bed, no more sleeping on a mattress on the floor. I have to buy some screens to put on the window near where we sleep. Thank Buddha that nothing happened to my baby...when I look back....there were so many times....better to forget.

Hi

Townhouse in Phuket for around 4.000 i wish you luck, must be a very bad house for that price

Yes, it also puzzles me how any owner could rent a town house for such a low price. The very cheapest buy price I know is 1.9 million, say get 10 year pay back = 16,000 baht/month rental price, with no furniture, kitchen, anything. I wish the OP teh best of luck...

Maybe the person was quoting me the price of an apartment for 4000-6000 near to the north part of Phuket town, near police station. Would this be possible?

Ok, thanks a lot this is a start. Perhaps I can stay there and then look around for something better. Do you have to pay for 3 months up front 24k-33k to get that deal?

I''ve been quoted a monthly price north side of Phuket town, next to police station and Satree Phuket School of 3500-6000. What do you think?

On the website to Baan Suan Place it say 2months rent in deposit + one month rent. You get back the deposit when checking out!

Satree Phuket school is about 3-4 km from Big C. But I think the airport bus pass Satree school. http://www.airportbusphuket.com/index.html

The yellow/green local bus also have a couple of routes in town. http://www.phuket.net/visit-phuket/tips/buses.htm

Have you checked with your eventually employer if they provide Transport. Most big hotels etc, provide transport (bus) for their staff.

This is very helpful, I would prefer a townhouse as there is my husband, child and me. I have a couple of job offers now both in Phuket town.

Hi Jan

I am doing a TEFL course at the moment and we talked briefly about this very subject today. It seems that as long as there are no more than 7 students in one 'school room', then officialdom does not need to become involved and no licenses are required. I would obviously do a bit of clandestine checking up on this to be sure, our trainer though, is usually pretty spot on, as he has been teaching here for 15 years including teaching at his own private school (home).

Good Luck

Chris

PS I don't want to go to the big city either and am job hunting in the Phetchabun area.

Can you ask your trainer how much he thinks is reasonable per hour/per month? I think 300 baht per hour would really limit the number of students where I'm at...that is like the entire daily salary for one of the guys who cut palm.

Ok, thanks a lot this is a start. Perhaps I can stay there and then look around for something better. Do you have to pay for 3 months up front 24k-33k to get that deal?

I''ve been quoted a monthly price north side of Phuket town, next to police station and Satree Phuket School of 3500-6000. What do you think?

Aside from all the other legal complications facing a foreign business owner in Thailand, you will have the additional burden of requirements from the Ministry of Education; I believe one of them is that you must have a Thai director (at least on paper) with an advanced academic degree in education. It is really quite difficult to meet all the requirements, and if you aren't legal fairly soon after starting up, you make yourself prey to local predators once (if) you become successful. Furthermore, from your post, I assume you haven't been in Thailand or been teaching for long? If so, the support of a school in getting used to the job and the culture is quite valuable.

Alternately, you could simply teach private lessons in your home by word of mouth without establishing an official 'business.' As long as you have pretty powerful allies (i.e. your family & extended relatives) it probably won't be a problem, though it will still be technically illegal and not recommended, etc., etc.

In rural Thailand, I would be looking at charging a minimum of 300B/hr for teaching English to one student at home (no commute time), adding a bit more per extra student in the same class. You may want to adjust prices for the times more in demand (for example, a bit higher for the time right after regular school, a bit less for early evening).

Good luck.

"S"

I didn't realize it would be so complicated. I have many years of teaching experience in various Asian countries so that isn't my main concern. Rather, I wondered how I could help the students in my husband's town. The townsfolk are constantly coming to me and saying I should teach in the town and not leave and go work in a big city. I guess it would be possible to arrange a job at the local school and then make some extra money teaching private lessons? Or I build a small building next to our home and start a school and hope nobody complains or just pay some officials off?

What do you think?

It has been suggested to me by my husband, his family etc. that I should stop looking for a teaching job and just open up my own small little school in his town. Does anyone have experience with this? How much would be typical price to charge students in rural thailand?

all advice welcome

If he is in Surat then its best he goes there. I am afraid I have no idea where the tax revenue office is in Surat. Where in Surat is he? If he's not in the main city then he might be able to pay at the amphur like my husband does here on Koh Phangan.

I'll get DH to write it out and I'll send it to you via PM, probably easier that way.

Anyway, welcome to the club. The farang women married to Thai men who really hate dealing with bureaucracy club

Yeah, I guess I signed up for 'lifetime membership' for that club.... . I've got a about a million questions I'm struggling to answer in my brain. Where should I start? He would be paying at Amphur Phraesang which is outside of Surat, if you could PM me some details that would be grand.

Chatette, my husband pays his income tax at the amphur, believe the revenue office is inside the amphur building here on koh P

No, <deleted> on the citizenship thing this guy mentioned. I've got docs I can PM you (thanks to Samran!) that explain how to get citizenship, its all in Thai so your husband will have to go through it. Chatette, I am curious where you got your citizenship at? We tried in surat a few years ago but they were clueless, we plan on trying again after the New Year so fingers crossed!

Janet, Sounds like your husband is self-employed if he's doing palm, just curious, is he here on Koh Phangan or somewhere else? He will need to go to the tax office and pay himself if he's not got a regular job with someone else. He will need to get on that now (I know, I know--lighting a fire under a Thai man is not that easy) --he'll need to go to the office and find out exactly what he needs to do to pay personal income tax.

As for the single entry, nope no problem, you will get a one year extension based on marriage to a Thai husband at the Immigration office.

Good news about getting the one year extension! I'm trying to light a fire under my Thai man long distance at the moment. I'm in Canada with baby will be heading back soon. We met in Koh Phangan but his home farm is outside of Surat. We were dividing our time between the two this past year. Could you tell me what the name of the government office is in Thai and what the name of the personal income tax is in Thai too? We are dealing with some real country folk so it is better to know exactly what to say beforehand.

Baan Suan Place appartments are just 20 meters from Big C.

Price for monthly rent when staying 3 months and up range from about 8-11K Baht.

http://www.baansuanplace.com/index.htm

Ok, thanks a lot this is a start. Perhaps I can stay there and then look around for something better. Do you have to pay for 3 months up front 24k-33k to get that deal?

You wont trust yourself but you will trust a MB taxi driver ??

I can understand your inability to get on a bike, I dont agree with it, but then I am covered in pins, broken bones, scars, and other damage so maybe my tolerance for stuff is a bit off.. But fail to understand how allowing a drunk, hopped up on M loy haasip, idiot to perform the same duty makes it any better.

There is a bus service but its not super reliable and only between major towns limited routes.. No one can say if you will be on one of those routes.

I just can't drive a motorbike...there is no discussion on that one... . So bus routes aren't good, so I need to find someone reliable, hopped up on coffee or redbull to drive me...is it possible to find someone? Or what are the chances of finding something not too, too expensive near the Big C-Chao fa west road?

If you plan to work, be sure that your tax is properly paid and keep all the (yellow) receipts that you get from the revenue office. They are really important as they are needed for visa renewal and should you decide to pursue citizenship, which is really easy for women and a great idea if you can have dual as it makes life just a whole lot less complicated.

For my part, I spent about 10 years on a category B visa that didn't involve my husband at all, other than listing his name on the form. Was quite good as I was never considered a dependent and didn't have to rely on him to visit immigration with me when the time came.

The citizenship was done as his spouse (otherwise much more longwinded to get), and my years of income tax statements were submitted as part of that application, too. One thing you want to try really hard to do is to not break the visa now that you have it as the citizenship or permanent residency depends on stay over several years on the same visa, so be sure to get multiple reentries when you get the 12 month O as SBKs advised above. As you have a single entry, you will want to get the 12 month one and reentries asap after arrival should you plan to leave the country within the first three months.

There's a lot of info here: http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/en/base.php

As for the discrimination by the immigration official, sounds like you just had bad luck striking one of the few bad ones. I've only ever struck a couple of dodgy officials on the paper round and one of them overstepped the mark, got pinned and then demoted and the other, who I'm sure was drunk or hungover, was sidestepped by his peers who spotted what was going on.

I need more clarification ladies. #1. My 'O' visa is marked as S (single entry) is this ok or should I have got something else? When I get an 'extension' around the 3 month mark, what am i asking for?

#2. I was told by some guy I met on a visa run once who was married to a Thai woman that the only way a falang could get and maintain Thai citizenship was if they didn't leave Thailand for more than 2 weeks every year. This sounded outrageous...is it true?

I can't ride or won't ride a motorbike, I'm petrified after a major accident a 2 years ago...there is no chance I will do it. My husband takes me around or i can buy a car. But, if I live further away from the Big C are there buses to get me to work in the morning? My friend's are there somewhere paying 4,000Baht a month for a townhouse...

Contact your friends a rental of 4000 Baht in that area is very cheap, maybe they can advise you

What is the transportation system like? Are there buses? Is it possible to hire a motorbike taxidriver who takes you to work every morning?

Great. Yes, our daughter has 2 passports. The Thai Embassy in Canada simply asked for my passport and a photocopy of our marriage certificate. It was done in less than 24hours...very pleasant experience I might add.

Now, i have to get hubby to pay that income tax. I wonder how much it is if his income is really a pittance made from palm oil or is it based on the number of rai he owns?

I can't ride or won't ride a motorbike, I'm petrified after a major accident a 2 years ago...there is no chance I will do it. My husband takes me around or i can buy a car. But, if I live further away from the Big C are there buses to get me to work in the morning? My friend's are there somewhere paying 4,000Baht a month for a townhouse...

Sbk, I got my 'O' Visa yesterday from the embassy. It is a blue sticky visa marked 'O' visa, under that S for single entry, and it is written no dependent accompanying children even though I marked our daughter on the application. Did I do ok??

thanks.

How much would a townhouse (have husband and child) be somewhere near the Big C Phuket town? I have a job offer near there and want to find decent, safe, pleasant accomodation. If there is nothing near there how would i get to work everyday? I can't ride a motorbike. Can ride a bike.

My husband makes a sweet dish with black beans and coconut milk warmed up. It's not my favorite but probably good for you.

He will have to pay income tax from now on if you want to get the one year extension based on marriage to a thai husband. It is not a huge yearly amount and will make your life far more convenient, as well as being considerably cheaper than three monthly visa runs to the border.

What document do you show that says he's paying tax?

I've heard of this regulation before, but have never been asked to prove that my husband is paying tax. In fact, we just extended my visa last week and didn't have to show anything other than tabien ban, marriage papers, kids' birth certificates , hubby's work license and our IDs, pictures and a map to our house. Last year was awful - we had interviews and lots of questions, even though we've been married for 5 years. But this year we both had to sign a document for the first time that said that if the status of our relationship changes, we are required to report it and my extension is immediately cancelled.

Maybe the requirements depend on the mood of the person enforcing them???

What is 'hubby's work license'?This is sounding vague like usual...oh lord...are there rules and laws about this or not?

How can my 75 year old mother visit me in Thailand? My Thai family doesn't own 1 chair. Everyone sleeps on the floor. They sit on the bamboo porch all day. I could buy a bed. I could buy a chair. Does anyone have any experience with this?

Bina,

Shalom. I appreciate your words more than you probably can know. It is very hard to know what to do in life sometimes. I have had a lot of joy and stress in the last year and half. I have had the blessed birth of our daughter at the same time as the distance from my family to support me. I have had the beautiful gift of my Thai family at the same time wishing my own mother was there next to me. I have had financial worries being married into a Thai family that is very poor and not having too much money myself recently. I came home from the hospital after giving birth in a public hospital in X city-Thailand and being barely able to crouch down on the cement floor, nursed my first born while swatting the mosquitos away...it wasn't easy but how could I complain? This is the existance of most people on this earth. People in my country are so worried that they can't afford to buy their kids a nice Halloween costume etc. etc. My entire in-law family was sleeping in one big room. I had to turn on the light in the middle of the night when she was crying and wake up 5 people...it wasn't easy. But I am an adventurer and only people on this Forum can understand, not too many others out there have any idea what im talking about.

Here is our little angel. No one can pinpoint what she looks more like Thai or Falang she is simply perfect!

I'm curious which seeds from home will grow in Thailand? I am a beginner horticulturalist and am interested in growing some of my fav. flowers from home in Thailand. Is this an exercise in futility?