Moving to Thailand from UK

[ID2020]

Dear all, 

I'm 38 years old currently living in London, I am planning on marrying my Thai fiance and was considering selling up and moving to Thailand and taking my mother with me (she wants to come) plus the medical availability in BKK is obviously top notch, she needs a hip replacement so we thought we would get it all done in Thailand seeing as the NHS is useless in the UK and doesn't offer any care to anyone.

My only concern is selling up and buying property in Thailand only to be refused entry at some point in the future or even asked to leave due to whatever reasons, a coup or something else... I know Thailand has quirky rules and that bureaucracy isn't as straight forward as it is in the UK. I'm just concerned I will be risking our security(roof over our head) in some way or am I just being paranoid? I know we cannot own land, I trust my GF to own the land and not dump me down the line!! I'm sure a lot of you had concerns before you made the move?

Does anyone have any advice for us please?

Thank you kindly

[BritManToo]

52 minutes ago, ID2020 said:

Does anyone have any advice for us please?

Stay where you are.

This is not the right time to move.

[ID2020]

Thanks for the advice BritManToo, any particular reason(s) ??

[theoldgit]

I’ll move this thread to a more appropriate forum, this forum is for those seeking advice on moving in the opposite direction. 

[ID2020]

Thank you theoldgit, my apologies, I didn't realise!

[BritManToo]

19 minutes ago, ID2020 said:

Thanks for the advice BritManToo, any particular reason(s) ??

My pal moved here from Australia, his mom sold everything to be with him.

6 months later he was dead, and she was trapped here alone.

Edited October 14, 2020 by BritManToo

[ubonjoe]

18 minutes ago, ID2020 said:

Thanks for the advice BritManToo, any particular reason(s) ??

At this time you would not be allowed to enter the country. It requires a certificate of entry issued by the Thai embassy in London and those are only issued based upon specific categories of visas.

 

 

[darrendsd]

OP it's not a good time to move however when you can do it

 

I moved to Thailand from the UK when I was 34 (49 now) - Yes I have had plenty of ups and downs however moving here was the best thing I ever did and I don't regret it for a second

 

However don't put anything in your girlfriends name 

[mjnaus]

You are paranoid for a very, very good reason. IMO it would be completely insane, given the current circumstances, to burn all your bridges and move to a third world country that has proven again and again, that it has very little (read none, zero) concern for "guests". 

 

I am not saying that you shouldn't move here, period. However, at least wait until the situation goes back to some resemblance of normality and do not, ever, burn your bridges back home. Maintain ties back home and keep your property. In case things go belly-up, at least you have a place to return to. 

[darrendsd]

6 minutes ago, mjnaus said:

to burn all your bridges and move to a third world country that has proven again and again, that it has very little (read none, zero) concern for "guests". 

My visa ran out at the start of May - I'm still here and legally so - and I am not alone

 

Hardly zero concern for guests is it?

[Max69xl]

30 minutes ago, ID2020 said:

Thanks for the advice BritManToo, any particular reason(s) ??

Have you heard about the emergency decree in Thailand  which is still in effect and closed borders? Moving during a pandemic doesn't seem very smart. And the total cost for 3 persons if you were able to get CoE's will be very high. 

[Upnotover]

Re. healthcare there is no doubt "top notch" care available in Thailand but it is also expensive.  I suspect a private operation in the UK would be comparable if the NHS is a non-starter.

[baansgr]

Medical Insurance for your Mother and of course for yourself is a major financial drain, not to mention pre existing conditions are not covered. Do some research on cost and cover.. The NHS is still the envy of the world and can't be bettered albeit at present cancellations etc due to Covid. I've lost count how many expats have had to return to UK due to health issues, and not all are old either. Try keeping your property in UK, not only does it give you an address for banking etc, you or your Mother may find Thailand isn't for you and wish to return. The rental income you receive will afford you a reasonable lifestyle in Thailand. Of course it's all moot until Covid restrictions are over.

[RAZZELL]

To the OP - if he is not a troll or wind-up merchant????

 

1) You are simply not going to gain entry to Thailand at the moment or for the forseeable future. At the earliest I am guessing Feb 2021 - Chinese New Year 

 

2) I would rent your house out for one year to see how you like living in Thailand. At times it is great living here - other times infuriating.

 

3) I would always suggest renting in Thailand and not buy (not even a condo). You can't sell the things! (You trust your gf with her land that you will pay for??? Are you mad?) Where is this land?

 

4) What are you going to do here?

 

5) How many times have you been to Thailand?

 

 

RAZZ

Edited October 14, 2020 by RAZZELL

[OneMoreFarang]

@ID2020 How much time did you spend already in Thailand? Years? You should spend years here before you sell everything back home and/or buy property here.

Are you working? Or do you have enough money for the rest of your life?

If you are working it might not be easy to get a job in Thailand and even more difficult to get a well paid job in Thailand.

And last but not least: How long do you know your finance? Years? Or only from a few weeks a year or every couple of months? Just look at the Farang Pub forum and it should give you an idea about what might happen. And beware that everybody thinks "my one is different".

[Mike Teavee]

27 minutes ago, Upnotover said:

Re. healthcare there is no doubt "top notch" care available in Thailand but it is also expensive.  I suspect a private operation in the UK would be comparable if the NHS is a non-starter.

OP: My mate recently had Hip replacement operation at https://www.samitivejhospitals.com/sukhumvit/ & the total cost was around 600,000 THB (approx £15,000) little bit of a wait as he needed to lose weight, my mum had the same done on the NHS a couple of years ago, zero cost but she had to wait around 10 months (obviously wait times are going to be a lot longer now given a lot of non-essential operations have been cancelled during the CV19 Crisis).  

 

I must say, Samitivej hospital was top notch & his recovery room looked more like a hotel room 

[Phillip9]

1 hour ago, ID2020 said:

medical availability in BKK is obviously top notch, she needs a hip replacement so we thought we would get it all done in Thailand

The only thing really top notch about medical care in Thailand is the advertising and sales department.  The quality of care in any western country is much better than Thailand.

 

Also, the cost of a hip replacement in Thailand might surprise you.  The hip implant itself is very expense and will cost more in Thailand than in the UK.   The whole cost of the procedure in Thailand will probably be similar to what you would pay at a private hospital in the UK.

[J Town]

How long have you known this woman? You need to understand we've heard this exact same story many times, most often a post from some guy lamenting the mistakes he had made. If your relationship is truly meant to be then a year or so separation will withstand it. I would recommend NOT sending any money to Thailand other than perhaps a small stipend to support your lady. Don't send money to purchase land or buy a home. Wait until you can oversee all the details. Good luck.

 

 

Edited October 14, 2020 by J Town

[agoodpunt]

hope you can read this you need to before moving to thailand good luck

Foreigners.docx

[ID2020]

I understand the advice not to trust your thai partner etc but I wouldn't marry her if I didn't trust her and if I die, I want her to have my money anyway so im not worried about that!! Her family also have more money than I will ever have so deffo not worried about that ???? 

Also, thank you kindly for all of your advice and information everyone, I am not a troll or having a laugh., I am being serious.

Thanks for the heads up on gaining entry, I am trying to get into Thailand before vaccines become mandatory or basically you cannot travel. I do not want a DNA altering vaccine with nano tech inside it that will be able to track and monitor me 24/7. Bill Gates also said it wil kill around 700.000 which is another reason I would rather avoid taking it. I just can't have it for various reasons, mainly being my freedom and privacy (not that I have anything to hide) I am a kind hearted law abiding man who just wants to make a new life with his very kind and humble new family in Thailand.

I have been to Thailand about 6 times now, staying for a month to two months at a time and am aware of the highs and lows of living in Thailand. I am prepared to sacrifice some of the good things about the UK in exchange for some of the not so good things in Thailand.

Luckily, her land belongs to her family, we will be buying it from her uncle at a nicely discounted rate and will be looking to set up a small business on it in Pratchuap kiri khan. We just want to set up a self sufficient home in the jungle away from large crowds of people, take care of my mum and her family and live humbly etc. 

We want to build our own home on the land but will be renting for the first year more than likely.

Thanks again for all advice, it is greatly appreciated.

 

[ID2020]

I met her in April 2018 and have had 8 month stretches between seeing one another, she has been staying at my place in London for the past 11 months now (due to covid) and we have been in contact all day every day since we met back in April 2018 so coming up 2 and a half years. We love each other dearly and cannot imagine leaving one another. My mum was sick recently and soiled her pyjamas, I caught my gf cleaning them along with the puddle of wee my dog made in my living room, I didn't even ask her, she just cracked on as if it's normal. She is an absolute Angel and her family are very kind and welcoming towards me. Please understand her family members have enough money to take care of themselves and robbing me although possible, is extremely unlikely... again thanks for the advice all!! Hope life in Thailand is going well for you all given the circumstances...

[bwpage3]

1 hour ago, ID2020 said:

I understand the advice not to trust your thai partner etc but I wouldn't marry her if I didn't trust her and if I die, I want her to have my money anyway so im not worried about that!! Her family also have more money than I will ever have so deffo not worried about that ???? 

Also, thank you kindly for all of your advice and information everyone, I am not a troll or having a laugh., I am being serious.

Thanks for the heads up on gaining entry, I am trying to get into Thailand before vaccines become mandatory or basically you cannot travel. I do not want a DNA altering vaccine with nano tech inside it that will be able to track and monitor me 24/7. Bill Gates also said it wil kill around 700.000 which is another reason I would rather avoid taking it. I just can't have it for various reasons, mainly being my freedom and privacy (not that I have anything to hide) I am a kind hearted law abiding man who just wants to make a new life with his very kind and humble new family in Thailand.

I have been to Thailand about 6 times now, staying for a month to two months at a time and am aware of the highs and lows of living in Thailand. I am prepared to sacrifice some of the good things about the UK in exchange for some of the not so good things in Thailand.

Luckily, her land belongs to her family, we will be buying it from her uncle at a nicely discounted rate and will be looking to set up a small business on it in Pratchuap kiri khan. We just want to set up a self sufficient home in the jungle away from large crowds of people, take care of my mum and her family and live humbly etc. 

We want to build our own home on the land but will be renting for the first year more than likely.

Thanks again for all advice, it is greatly appreciated.

 

If your plan is to set up a small business, you have already failed.

 

Do your research. Understand the costs.

[darrendsd]

4 hours ago, ID2020 said:

I understand the advice not to trust your thai partner etc but I wouldn't marry her if I didn't trust her

You're not the first and you won't be the last to say that

 

Unless you can afford to lose the money don't put anything in your GF name - if you can afford it then do it

 

It is friendly advice by the way

[ID2020]

Hi darrendsd, I am grateful and thankful for all advice and understand why everyone says what you say, but what about all the genuine people out there? There has been plenty of people who have made the move and it has worked out for them, in the case that my GF is genuine and that her family are too, whats the worst that could happen??

[Mike Teavee]

9 hours ago, ID2020 said:

I am trying to get into Thailand before vaccines become mandatory or basically you cannot travel. I do not want a DNA altering vaccine with nano tech inside it that will be able to track and monitor me 24/7. Bill Gates also said it wil kill around 700.000 which is another reason I would rather avoid taking it. I just can't have it for various reasons, mainly being my freedom and privacy (not that I have anything to hide)

I wouldn't bet against the Thai Government making CV19 vaccination compulsory at Visa Extension time so if even if you did manage to get into Thailand (for which your options currently are Marry your Thai GF or get a Thailand Elite card for a minimum of 500,000 THB, approx £12,500) you may find that you still need to have it.

 

 

  

[bartender100]

OP I think you are overreacting to the vaccine, can you imagine every country in the world hiding a secret deal to put all those nasty things in a shot, no of course not, it will be scrutinized to the highest level by scientists with no agenda

 

I am getting on a bit and never had a flu shot, but the Oxford vaccine when it comes out I will be first in line if it means i can get back to Thailand, you are worried about being traced? Then you should throw away your smartphone, it does everything you are scared of and more

 

Other than that I think you have your head screwed on and should have no problems, but at 38yoi had no desire to hide away in the jungle, life is too short, big great world out there with to much to do in it

 

Good luck

[jacko45k]

6 hours ago, ID2020 said:

Hi darrendsd, I am grateful and thankful for all advice and understand why everyone says what you say, but what about all the genuine people out there? There has been plenty of people who have made the move and it has worked out for them, in the case that my GF is genuine and that her family are too, whats the worst that could happen??

Very few relationships start out with the intention of breaking up.... but it does happen and you should consider it might happen to you and employ some self preservation. You also said you have visited Thailand only 6 times, for a month or two. I had more visits as a tourist in 3-4 years and did not feel I had some knowledge until I had lived here continuously for some years.

I like the area you say you will live PKK.

 

I fear you may be a bit love-struck and wearing rose tinted glasses. 

 

Still, nice to have a dream. 

[Jimbo53]

Better getting your fiance to move to the UK,forget about using all your money to go to Thailand,there is a very high chance you could be easily  parted from it all,even though it all seems rosy now,i would err on the side of caution,especially in these hard times financially for most of the Thai people.

Regarding your mothers Hip Op,why not just take her out for that,and then she can go back to the UK.

With the state of affairs with no foreign tourists,your mother would find it very boring and lonely,listening to Thai's talking all the time,and watching out for Soi dogs biting her A**,also the cost of European food,if she cant eat the local swill.

Beware...because there is no NHS equivalent,plus there is a groundswell of discontent starting in Bangkok regarding the Government and the Monarchy,you may well be jumping into the fire,

 

[RAZZELL]

11 hours ago, ID2020 said:

I met her in April 2018 and have had 8 month stretches between seeing one another, she has been staying at my place in London for the past 11 months now (due to covid) and we have been in contact all day every day since we met back in April 2018 so coming up 2 and a half years. We love each other dearly and cannot imagine leaving one another. My mum was sick recently and soiled her pyjamas, I caught my gf cleaning them along with the puddle of wee my dog made in my living room, I didn't even ask her, she just cracked on as if it's normal. She is an absolute Angel and her family are very kind and welcoming towards me. Please understand her family members have enough money to take care of themselves and robbing me although possible, is extremely unlikely... again thanks for the advice all!! Hope life in Thailand is going well for you all given the circumstances...

 

How's she managed to stay 11 months on a 6 month visit visa or are the UK Govt doing an amnesty now as well? ????

 

 

RAZZ

[treetops]

15 hours ago, ID2020 said:

. . . . and will be looking to set up a small business on it in Pratchuap kiri khan.

Don't rely on any business to keep you going.  If it's successful the Thais will just copy it and undercut you.