Advice from Long Experienced Expat needed

[madusa]

I hope some expats who have been living or had lived for years in Thailand give me some advice on what I intend to do. I would like to live long term in Thailand probably near Ayuthaya (the old historical town) in the suburb not too far from the city.

I would like to rent a house with 3 rooms. I occupy only one room and I rent the other 2 empty rooms to tourists or friends or expats. Question here is : am I allow to rent out rooms.? I don't intend to marry a Thai lady so no problem with people who share the house with me(I am not gay though nothing against gay). Question here is how much would the house rental costs say a one story or two story wooden house costs? Or a brick house doesn't matter to me.

I am a vegetarian and would like to grow my own vegetables etc., Would growing my own vegetables be a problem for me? Example insects, bugs, wild pigs eating my vegetables all the times.? I am not an experience hand in growing vegetables. Only experience in growing veggie was in the suburb of Paris a friend farm and that for only 3 months but in france it's different there, insects not a lot, no wild pigs and cool nice weather to work. I very much want to grow my own veggie so I don't eat chemical.

Does renting the house in the suburb gives you enough land to grow veggie? This is one important question, because I don't grow a lot , it's just for my own consumption. My estimate (or Guesstimate) about 6 to 8 car parking lot.

I am a non smoker and abstain from alcohol usually.

I choose Ayuthaya because it is near to Bangkok I need to go to Bangkok Japanese bookstore(Kinokuniya) to buy my books and do some reading on Buddhism in the Buddhist University in Bangkok.

Last question is how much would my daily expenses come to monthly (not counting the Bangkok book trip etc.,).

Key words, growing your own veggie (rice is cheap to buy)no smoking expense , no alcohol expense , no bar girl expense. Just foods and room rent  with Wi-fi (do they have them in suburb?) No internet it would be torture, it's a no, no.

Hope some old expat kind soul could work out . It would at least give me an idea . You know you don't want to blindly go into something and later discovered you should have asked some expats. Visa will not be a problem for me I am sure about that.

 

[TheFishman1]

Sounds like you want to have a guesthouse with no license me think you end up in the Monkey House TIT

[worgeordie]

You don't state your age,and what type of visa you intend

to be able to stay long time in Thailand.

You should be able to do everything,except rent rooms out,

well you could but will be illegal ,and there is always someone

who will report you.

regards worgeordie

[klauskunkel]

10 hours ago, madusa said:

I would like to rent a house

Flood zone

10 hours ago, madusa said:

am I allow to rent out rooms?

if your rent contract allows it

[rwill]

as far as growing stuff everything I grow gets assaulted by pests and diseases.  I think the only way to grow organically is to build a structure that has the screens to keep bugs out.  Something like this:  

[1FinickyOne]

I have lived in a small village for 20 years... even there, internet connection is excellent... and I expect similar anywhere in Thailand...

 

Veggies - you can look into a small hydroponic set-up which might help. Fresh veggies are everywhere but finding organic a bit more challenging. Commercial farms spray.

 

Renting rooms can be a real hassle and way too close to the living environment you might want... Other people smoke, drink, play music loud, etc etc.. can work your nerves in many ways... 

 

Never seen a wild pig after many many years here... 

 

Kindle might be your best friend. After living "away" for some many years - the ease of downloading any book I want in seconds is a pleasure beyond belief... and so many classics are free too... it will eliminate the need to go to Bkk... and all the costs, time and congestion involved. 

 

And, with that out of the way, you can move further afield. If you like Ayutthaya, you might find Sukhothai 5x nicer. And cheaper and more pleasant. And not lacking anything but immediate proximity to Bkk and my guess is that you won't miss Bkk if you learn just a little and assimilate - country people are very friendly. 

 

If you want more info on country living feel free to send me a private message... good luck and enjoy.

[Brunolem]

It seems that you are French, from Paris, such as myself.

 

I have been living here for almost 20 years, in different places, and know the country quite well.

 

If you want to exchange information in French, you can PM me...easier...

 

The cost of living in Thailand vary a lot from one place to another, so it is difficult to provide information without knowing first where exactly you will stay.

 

For example, renting a house in Ubon will cost you between 3,000 and 5,000 baht on average...in Pattaya or Phuket, it will be at least ten times that amount!

 

Otherwise, I would agree with most of what the members above have said.

 

Renting rooms normally requires a number of formalities, yet many foreigners do it without bothering.

 

It mostly depend if you rent only to people you know, or if you open your house to anyone and advertize for rentals...in the latter case, this could be tricky...

 

Growing fruits and vegetables is easy as long as you regularly keep an eye on your garden and do the necessary maintenance to keep the pests at bay...notably the ants which are especially active, at least in my area.

 

As for the books, Kinokuniya is not that great, especially compared to what's available online, at a cheaper cost and without the hasstle of having to travel to Bangkok.

[cleverman]

Just now, Brunolem said:

It seems that you are French, from Paris, such as myself.

 

I have been living here for almost 20 years, in different places, and know the country quite well.

 

If you want to exchange information in French, you can PM me...easier...

 

The cost of living in Thailand vary a lot from one place to another, so it is difficult to provide information without knowing first where exactly you will stay.

 

For example, renting a house in Ubon will cost you between 3,000 and 5,000 baht on average...in Pattaya or Phuket, it will be at least ten times that amount!

 

Otherwise, I would agree with most of what the members above have said.

 

Renting rooms normally requires a number of formalities, yet many foreigners do it without bothering.

 

It mostly depend if you rent only to people you know, or if you open your house to anyone and advertize for rentals...in the latter case, this could be tricky...

 

Growing fruits and vegetables is easy as long as you regularly keep an eye on your garden and do the necessary maintenance to keep the pests at bay...notably the ants which are especially active, at least in my area.

 

As for the books, Kinokuniya is not that great, especially compared to what's available online, at a cheaper cost and without the hasstle of having to travel to Bangkok.

"At lease 5 to 10 times that amount". Complete and utter rubbish.27 sq m Pattaya, 7/10 K. A month. Phuket, from 10k. I've rented both. This year.

[1130bobs]

Seems you should look into towns further from BKK since you don;t want city life.  Since your idea to sub-rent is shot down, you want a small house with a big garden.  Can get up north (cooler)  for 3-5000 b/month rent.  That avoids all problems & you can take a bus into BKK from anywhere in the country for under $25 usd for air-con VIP.    For your style, with others bringing poultry & produce aboard, probably under $6 per trip.

[watcharacters]

17 minutes ago, cleverman said:

"At lease 5 to 10 times that amount". Complete and utter rubbish.27 sq m Pattaya, 7/10 K. A month. Phuket, from 10k. I've rented both. This year.

 

 

I thought he talked about renting a house..

[CH1961]

32 minutes ago, cleverman said:

"At lease 5 to 10 times that amount". Complete and utter rubbish.27 sq m Pattaya, 7/10 K. A month. Phuket, from 10k. I've rented both. This year.

You rented a shoebox for your holidays ... this thread is about to run a guesthouse/farm ... little bit different ... cleverman ?

[PerkinsCuthbert]

Renting out rooms is possible but impractical - even if you did it illegally and 'under the radar', petty jealousies or grievances could put you in serious bother with the police, not to mention immigration. Suppose, for example, you fell out with one of your tenants, or even the neighbours, over some matter and he/she reported you to the authorities.

Besides, where do you think the demand for your rooms is going to come from? Thailand has a surfeit of cheap rooms, and I think most people, Thais as well as foreigners, would want more privacy and independence than your proposal sounds likely to provide. Then there are all the other hassles of being a landlord - close proximity to someone whose habits you don't know, unreliable rent payments and so on.  

[timendres]

52 minutes ago, PerkinsCuthbert said:

Renting out rooms is possible but impractical - even if you did it illegally and 'under the radar', petty jealousies or grievances could put you in serious bother with the police, not to mention immigration. Suppose, for example, you fell out with one of your tenants, or even the neighbours, over some matter and he/she reported you to the authorities.

Besides, where do you think the demand for your rooms is going to come from? Thailand has a surfeit of cheap rooms, and I think most people, Thais as well as foreigners, would want more privacy and independence than your proposal sounds likely to provide. Then there are all the other hassles of being a landlord - close proximity to someone whose habits you don't know, unreliable rent payments and so on.  

This is all very true. You are better off to stay alone, and hope some day you can find a good roommate to share the expenses with. But even roommates can make life miserable. Since the cost of rent for a house outside BKK and other major cities is cheap, I would look to find a smaller, cheaper house and forego the renting or roommate altogether. Smaller also means lower utilities, especially electric if you require A/C. During my time here, the electric bill has dwarfed every other expense.

 

As for growing your own vegetables. That sounds like a fantasy to me. Better to find a local farmer who will grow to your specifications. Not easily found, but possible. I think it will be cheaper and easier in the long run. Certainly, grow some herbs in your kitchen window. But otherwise, I think you will find growing significant quantities to be a challenge. Doable, but a challenge.

[MikeN]

1 hour ago, cleverman said:

"At lease 5 to 10 times that amount". Complete and utter rubbish.27 sq m Pattaya, 7/10 K. A month. Phuket, from 10k. I've rented both. This year.

Hum....he did say a HOUSE, not a 27 sq. m. shoebox.

 As for the OP, I doubt you could be self sufficient from  a small town garden, you would have to be in the outer semi rural areas to get a big enough garden. An aquaponic or hydroponic system is more intensive but would require a bit of an investment to get started.

 With regard to the rooms, that’s potentially opening a can of worms....

will your lease allow sub letting ? You will in effect be operating an unlicensed guesthouse. Will these guests be compatible with your lifestyle ? As the housemaster/guesthouse operator are you going to report their arrival to immigration as required by law ?

[NaamGin]

Before making long-term plans about living in Ayutthaya, spend a month or two in the area to make sure this is what you want to do. Get the lay of the land, prices, amenities, etc., then make your decision. As far are renting out rooms in a rented house, it smells of disaster on many fronts, from the legality to the quality of tenants you might attract. If you can't afford 3k - 5k a month for a small house without subsidizing your income with renters, you should rethink your strategy. Best to test the waters before jumping in with both feet. 

[natway09]

Get up there & have a crack.

Most of my enjoyable experiences in Thailand have been in doing things that others said "I was mad" 

to try. Give it a go. Good Luck

[madusa]

5 hours ago, TheFishman1 said:

Sounds like you want to have a guesthouse with no license me think you end up in the Monkey House TIT

Hey TheFishman did you read I wrote I rent out the 2 rooms, now how much money can I make from the 2  rooms? And what price a room will command in suburb of Ayuthaya the farang tourists or japanese tourists aren't stupid you know. They will pay you peanuts , yes that 's what they do all the time when they stay in guest house I am just doing them a favor and at the same time cut cost of my house rental.

[madusa]

5 hours ago, worgeordie said:

You don't state your age,and what type of visa you intend

to be able to stay long time in Thailand.

You should be able to do everything,except rent rooms out,

well you could but will be illegal ,and there is always someone

who will report you.

regards worgeordie

I am not applying for retirement visa. I will get my visitor visa for a year I can't disclose how I can get it. My age is late 50s almost 60. Why can't I rent rooms out? I just want to cut the cost of the house rental not making money anyway not possible to make money in small town there is no demand for room like in Bangkok or Pattaya . You said "and there is always someone who will report you", well I guess it's true they will sneak up on me and check to see if I make money. They just love to do things like that don't they?

Well, I got an idea I will get my thai friend (20 years friendship) to rent the house and I will rent from him a room and the 2 other rooms rental I will collect and bank into his account . I will of course pay him the actual house rental if no one rent those 2 rooms so he doesn't loose out on the rental. Problem solved I think.

 

[allane]

If you charge so much that you have very few guests, observers might think that they are friends. If you charge so little that your rooms are full most of the time, your operation is more likely to be noticed.

[HerbalEd]

You seem naive re. the amount of time and labor it takes to grow enough veggies for most of your food -- especially in the bug-infested tropics.

 

Have you even been to Thailand before? If not, slow down and stop planning so far into the future. Come to Thailand initially as a tourist and then determine if you actually want to be an expat living full time in Thailand. 

[ELVIS123456]

Search posts on TV - there are many covering each of your questions and they all have been answered already.

 

Visa - get that sorted before you do anything.

 

Dont buy until you get old and decide to settle someone forever - always rent as that allows you to move easily (many reasons - all in the posts).

 

Search, Research and Read.

 

[Lacessit]

As soon as your landlord finds out you are sub-letting rooms, he/she will throw you out and take the rent money for themselves. That's assuming you don't fall foul of the law first.

You would need to go to Ayutthaya and look at what the real estate agents have on offer. It would be a big help if you can read Thai.

[Brunolem]

5 hours ago, cleverman said:

"At lease 5 to 10 times that amount". Complete and utter rubbish.27 sq m Pattaya, 7/10 K. A month. Phuket, from 10k. I've rented both. This year.

Please read carefully before posting a comment!

 

The OP and I are talking about a HOUSE...not a miserable 27 sqm room!

[Brunolem]

1 hour ago, madusa said:

I am not applying for retirement visa. I will get my visitor visa for a year I can't disclose how I can get it. My age is late 50s almost 60. Why can't I rent rooms out? I just want to cut the cost of the house rental not making money anyway not possible to make money in small town there is no demand for room like in Bangkok or Pattaya . You said "and there is always someone who will report you", well I guess it's true they will sneak up on me and check to see if I make money. They just love to do things like that don't they?

Well, I got an idea I will get my thai friend (20 years friendship) to rent the house and I will rent from him a room and the 2 other rooms rental I will collect and bank into his account . I will of course pay him the actual house rental if no one rent those 2 rooms so he doesn't loose out on the rental. Problem solved I think.

 

As far as I know, there is no such thing as a "1 year visitor visa".

Be careful and make sure that you apply yourself for the visa at the Thai embassy.

[khunPer]

18 hours ago, madusa said:

Hope some old expat kind soul could work out . It would at least give me an idea . You know you don't want to blindly go into something and later discovered you should have asked some expats. Visa will not be a problem for me I am sure about that.

Madusa, I would forget the idea of renting out a couple of rooms, as I might be considered Work or otherwise illegal. Furthermore you'll need to report the renters to the local Immigration Office, to be within the Law. You'll also need to employ some Thai staff for room cleaning and service, or employ a house keeper. My advise would be to just rent something for yourself only. In Ayutthaya area it should be possible to find a house for a reasonable price, especially if not in the center of the city; which however might make you need of some kind of transportation. I'm not that familiar with the area, so I don't know actual price level, but around 10,000 baht a month (excluding electric and water) for a long term rent is often possible.

 

Concerning growing your own vegetables, you might need a permission, or acceptance, from the house owner.

 

Living a simple life-style one can stay in Thailand for very small money – relative to the West – a few hundred baht a day in average might cover your basic needs. Also bear in mind that vegetables and fruits are relative cheap in Thailand, if you chose local products – however certified ecological products might be slightly up-priced – mentioned in case the alternative of growing your own veggies might not be fully available.

 

You shall consider two important things: Visa and health insurance. Over 50 years old your best option is probably a Non-Immigrant "O" visa, and annual extensions of stay based on retirement. That will require a matured bank deposit of 800k baht, or a proven monthly income of 65k baht, or a combination of income and deposit. Staying in Thailand without health insurance is possible, if you have a good health history, and have a fair amount in easy available cash, which by the health expert is mentioned as in the vicinity of 1 million baht (and up) if using government hospitals, and quite a bit more if private hospitals shall be the choice. Up to 60-65 years you should be able to apply for a health insurance, which could cost you anything from circa 15k baht a year – with almost no coverage, and public hospitals as only solution, and some expenses paid cash on top – and up to 45k to 90k baht a year for an Okay coverage. It's always advisable to have some amount of easy access cash available in case of unforeseen expenses and emergency; the amount is relative as it depends of what one can afford.

 

If you're not familiar with Ayutthaya, do yourself the favor of trying to stay there in a rented tourist room for a shorter time and investigate the area, before making any decisions. Locally it's also easy to check the various areas and possibilities, and find a nice house for rent; sometime the best offers are a sign outside a house, or word of mouth. And also check some other potential Thai destinations, before you decide to settle in Ayutthaya.

 

18 hours ago, madusa said:

Last question is how much would my daily expenses come to monthly (not counting the Bangkok book trip etc.,).

Apart from eventually deposit for extension of stay, and your trips to Bangkok, and expenses for books, and other activities; I could for a low level budget – which it sounds like you're searching advice for – think of...

 

• 200 baht/day for basic daily needs (food etc.); i.e. 6,000 baht/month
• 350 baht/day for accommodation; i.e. 10,000 baht/month
• 100 baht/day for various expenses, including electric and water; i.e. 3,000 baht/month
• 100 baht/day for minimal health insurance and/or set-aside deposit in a "rainy day" account for unforeseen or emergency; i.e. 3,000 bah/month combined (minimum amount)
• 50 baht/day for clothes and other needs; i.e. 1,500 baht/month

800 baht/day, or 23,500 bah/month, as minimum.

 

If you consider renting, or buying, a vehicle that will come on top; i.e. renting a small motorbike would be in level of 100 to 150 bath/day long term agreement, plus gasoline; or instead consider to use a bicycle like the tourists visiting the historical park.

 

Wish you good luck with your plans...?

[madusa]

2 hours ago, khunPer said:

Madusa, I would forget the idea of renting out a couple of rooms, as I might be considered Work or otherwise illegal. Furthermore you'll need to report the renters to the local Immigration Office, to be within the Law. You'll also need to employ some Thai staff for room cleaning and service, or employ a house keeper. My advise would be to just rent something for yourself only. In Ayutthaya area it should be possible to find a house for a reasonable price, especially if not in the center of the city; which however might make you need of some kind of transportation. I'm not that familiar with the area, so I don't know actual price level, but around 10,000 baht a month (excluding electric and water) for a long term rent is often possible.

 

Concerning growing your own vegetables, you might need a permission, or acceptance, from the house owner.

 

Living a simple life-style one can stay in Thailand for very small money – relative to the West – a few hundred baht a day in average might cover your basic needs. Also bear in mind that vegetables and fruits are relative cheap in Thailand, if you chose local products – however certified ecological products might be slightly up-priced – mentioned in case the alternative of growing your own veggies might not be fully available.

 

You shall consider two important things: Visa and health insurance. Over 50 years old your best option is probably a Non-Immigrant "O" visa, and annual extensions of stay based on retirement. That will require a matured bank deposit of 800k baht, or a proven monthly income of 65k baht, or a combination of income and deposit. Staying in Thailand without health insurance is possible, if you have a good health history, and have a fair amount in easy available cash, which by the health expert is mentioned as in the vicinity of 1 million baht (and up) if using government hospitals, and quite a bit more if private hospitals shall be the choice. Up to 60-65 years you should be able to apply for a health insurance, which could cost you anything from circa 15k baht a year – with almost no coverage, and public hospitals as only solution, and some expenses paid cash on top – and up to 45k to 90k baht a year for an Okay coverage. It's always advisable to have some amount of easy access cash available in case of unforeseen expenses and emergency; the amount is relative as it depends of what one can afford.

 

If you're not familiar with Ayutthaya, do yourself the favor of trying to stay there in a rented tourist room for a shorter time and investigate the area, before making any decisions. Locally it's also easy to check the various areas and possibilities, and find a nice house for rent; sometime the best offers are a sign outside a house, or word of mouth. And also check some other potential Thai destinations, before you decide to settle in Ayutthaya.

 

Apart from eventually deposit for extension of stay, and your trips to Bangkok, and expenses for books, and other activities; I could for a low level budget – which it sounds like you're searching advice for – think of...

 

• 200 baht/day for basic daily needs (food etc.); i.e. 6,000 baht/month
• 350 baht/day for accommodation; i.e. 10,000 baht/month
• 100 baht/day for various expenses, including electric and water; i.e. 3,000 baht/month
• 100 baht/day for minimal health insurance and/or set-aside deposit in a "rainy day" account for unforeseen or emergency; i.e. 3,000 bah/month combined (minimum amount)
• 50 baht/day for clothes and other needs; i.e. 1,500 baht/month

800 baht/day, or 23,500 bah/month, as minimum.

 

If you consider renting, or buying, a vehicle that will come on top; i.e. renting a small motorbike would be in level of 100 to 150 bath/day long term agreement, plus gasoline; or instead consider to use a bicycle like the tourists visiting the historical park.

 

Wish you good luck with your plans...?

Much obliged for your reply to my questions very kind of you. You mentioned things that I haven't taken into account and that really makes me think hard.

I guess I just stay home and pay another short 3 weeks visit to Bangkok or Chiang Mai. Just too much hassle. I must say "Thailand a Paradise that never was".

[scorecard]

9 hours ago, PerkinsCuthbert said:

Renting out rooms is possible but impractical - even if you did it illegally and 'under the radar', petty jealousies or grievances could put you in serious bother with the police, not to mention immigration. Suppose, for example, you fell out with one of your tenants, or even the neighbours, over some matter and he/she reported you to the authorities.

Besides, where do you think the demand for your rooms is going to come from? Thailand has a surfeit of cheap rooms, and I think most people, Thais as well as foreigners, would want more privacy and independence than your proposal sounds likely to provide. Then there are all the other hassles of being a landlord - close proximity to someone whose habits you don't know, unreliable rent payments and so on.  

 

And maybe as landlord you have to quickly report the coming and going of renters to local the immigration office. 

 

 

[ivor bigun]

I have had business here, lived here been married over 20 years ,we have a son etc,i think i know Thailand fairly well,i think you are living the dream ,oh sorry living IN a dream. I know i sound harsh but as a newbie coming here it can be a harsh land. But all the best.

Sent from my SM-A720F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[NCC1701A]

all owners / business that rent rooms/houses must report the names and passport numbers of all their guests to immigration every time someone checks in or leases. every hotel does this. are you going to do that?

 

in the real strict letter of the law, the owner of the house you are leasing is responsible for reporting your guests info to immigration.

 

 the first time immigration asks one of your guests who has been detained for some visa issue "where have you been living?" you are toast.  

 

Thailand is not a free country. as a Alien you must report EVERY TIME you change your location even for one night. 

 

best to find a long term room mate or two or three.

 

or find a nice Thai woman who grew up on a farm and listen to everything she says about growing food and then add your organic requirements. 

 

look in the farming forum here.

 

there are still threads on this forum debating the legality of a Expat watering their own lawn. 

[cleverman]

11 hours ago, CH1961 said:

You rented a shoebox for your holidays ... this thread is about to run a guesthouse/farm ... little bit different ... cleverman ?

He said the cost of renting renting a house, I replied what the cost can be, Renting a house. You have apprehension problems.