Moving To Bkk With Family

[luisparis]

Here's a question about how sensible a move you think it would be to move to BKK with a family. I guess several posters here went through this experience.

We might leave a posh Parisian area, with good educational, medical and entertainment facilities as well as our office within walking distance from our place, for BKK, which is a bigger market in our trade, where we will obviously be able to afford education, healthcare and even better housing but wonder if the quality of life there is worth it.

I've already lived several years in BKK and still go there many times a year but never had to deal with family issues there.

Anyone has experience to share?

My wife is pretty happy about the move as she also sees greater opportunities there for us and liked how most of the business owners she met while visiting the country with me where Chao Zhou, like her. She also likes obviously the easiness to enjoy a lot of staff, who are much cheaper than in France - although we can also afford domestic help in Paris as well. She definitely is very keen on getting closer to her family in Shenzhen, with only 3 hours flights and no visa issues separating us. Her English is very poor and her Thai nil though. If we move it’s for her to take care of part of the business, hopefully expanding it on the far eastern side, but it will take some time for her to pick up on language issues and improving her market knowledge. She’s only 24 though, so giving her time is reasonable but in Paris she’s already working full time and efficiently with me.

She also enjoys our easy life in Paris. So do I, especially that we're living fairly well on a quite simple business model. Things will get more complex if we move to BKK, with me flying a tad more than I wished at the beginning at least. If things in BKK are below our expectations going back to Paris in the same conditions won’t be easy because of lodging issues there. It’s a serious headache to find a nice apartment although the office will keep on running so we could just switch back to our former business model. We could also move further east to China, but that’s again something different.

How does life compare in BKK and back home for those who made asimilar move? I tend to consider Bangkok as a huge ugly hot and moist urban sprawl compared to Paris - which is the most visited city in the World for a few good reasons- but there's more to it when living in a city, and in some aspects BKK wins hands down.

Basically it's about leaving an already comfortable situation out of ambition. Pretty sure many well off expats have been through the same process. How do you judge the move I retrospect? And how are you enjoying family life in BKK?

Thanks for all input

Luis

[GuestHouse]

We lived in Thailand with our children for twelve years, our children were not born in Thailand but lived there from the very fist weeks of their lives.

The primary reason we left Thailand was to get a better life, better education and better long term prospects for our children, this measured against a full expat deal in Thailand, so not a case of us not being able to afford the best schools the best medical care of the best accommodation.

Comparing a good neighborhood in Paris with any Neighborhood in Bangkok is meaningless, the issue (to us) in Bangkok is there is no civil life in the sense that we have in European cities (Certainly life here in Rome wipes the floor with life in any Bangkok). I don’t believe the life of Kids, even privileged kids, in Bangkok is something to aspire too (I take it that we are talking about privilege here if we are discussing the best schools/accommodation etc) Transport to school is a huge problem, schools are essential ghettos of privilege and the environment in Bangkok is awful.

You don't mention the basis of your employment, if self employed then I would advise that you take a long hard look at Thailand's business laws. If you are not familiar with how they work you may find the road to establishing yourselves in Thailand difficult. Certainly seek good legal advice on moving your work to Thailand (Sunbelt Asia are the obvious first port of call for that).

Also give some careful thought to what you wife would be doing in Thailand. If she is used to working in her own career and is not working for your company, then she may find it difficult, if not impossible to find work in Bangkok. Again, what ever work she wants to do in Thailand requires a work permit and the correct visa.

[sk1max]

Move to Chiang Mai not the Big Mango, the kids will thank you for it in the future, good luck with your choice.

[luisparis]

"Comparing a good neighborhood in Paris with any Neighborhood in Bangkok is meaningless, the issue (to us) in Bangkok is there is no civil life in the sense that we have in European cities (Certainly life here in Rome wipes the floor with life in any Bangkok). I don't believe the life of Kids, even privileged kids, in Bangkok is something to aspire too (I take it that we are talking about privilege here if we are discussing the best schools/accommodation etc) Transport to school is a huge problem, schools are essential ghettos of privilege and the environment in Bangkok is awful."

Guest House,

That's pretty much the way I see it as well. Paris is the most visited city in the world and Rome can't be far behind... and those for very good reasons. Many times I feel it's a nonsense to leave Paris which lifestyle I apreciate very much for BKK - be it for the awesome architecture, fashion, outdoor culture - due to cleaner environment and nicer weather IMO -or for children education related issues which I suspect is would be better in paris as well, although our first child is only expected in october and this nis not first had comparison yet.

Pretty often that's the leading feeling and I just want to get another Bordeaux bottle in the underground cellar, than crouch deeper in the large new Ligne Roset couch... rest the feet on the one of a kind table a friend designed for us... than let it go smoothly. Going to thailand would definetely mean giving up a very nice stylish touch in our lifestyle. I guess this would make sense to italian minds as well...

"You don't mention the basis of your employment, if self employed then I would advise that you take a long hard look at Thailand's business laws. If you are not familiar with how they work you may find the road to establishing yourselves in Thailand difficult. Certainly seek good legal advice on moving your work to Thailand (Sunbelt Asia are the obvious first port of call for that).

Also give some careful thought to what you wife would be doing in Thailand. If she is used to working in her own career and is not working for your company, then she may find it difficult, if not impossible to find work in Bangkok. Again, what ever work she wants to do in Thailand requires a work permit and the correct visa."

Well that's the part that has me/us wishing to go to thailand, I'm in a trade in which BKK is -at the moment- the center of the Universe. whereas whihe staying in Paris we'll most likely keep on living fairly well, moving to BKK would open up much bigger perspectives businesswise while we should be able to sort out the legal issues to set up a company a get the necessary permits..

Besides my wife is from a well off family in Shenzhen, and Guangdong province along HKG are other huge markets for us. The idea is to get closer to that market and push my wife to exploit them -along her family if they care to join, although their own businesses seem better at the moment. She's only 24 so it might take time for her but she belongs to the same minority (chao zhou) of most thai (actually thai chinese) business owners we deal with in Thailand so for her it's a rather nice place to move in. I took her to Chantaburi also and she must have thought that was a Chao Zhou colony.

Yet whereas she's already efficient in our parisian office, she'll need quite some time before getting that good in Thailand as her english is poor and thai non existent, but it wouldn't hurt her much if at all in term of social circle.

Besides our present business model is very simple, and rather easy to run succesfully. Moving to thailand would mean complexifying the network and extra stress - which yet might be better than too much napping...

I'm really confused at the moment, it's likely I'll prepare the field and hire someone in Paris but only decide after the baby comes, see how comfortable we feel then, as if we want to fit a live in nurse and move from a 110 to a 160sqm apartment near the office in Paris it will be a serious headache again, even though we could afford it, whereas in BKK we can get a very large and posh high floor condo with a great view right in the city center in a couple of days and very limited paperwork, perhaps later move on to house with garden if it appears better for our child.

Anyway we could move again out of Thailand after a few years so it's not a life long engagement, but whereas I've been travelling most of my adult life, at 33 it's the first time I live so comfortably so moving again seems to require much more will. Especially that Paris would rate very very high in the list of my most desirable place if money wasn't in the equation at all. Totally agree with you also I'd rather imagine my kid in paris -or for that matter Roma- than in Thailand to spend his teenage years, and probably his earlier years as well...

Luis, french wine and italian suits

[think_too_mut]

IMO - this is a troll.

[chinthee]

IMO - this is a troll.

I second that emotion. This guy is total BS.

[GuestHouse]

Best of luck whatever you decide.

We're in the process of making another move shortly, there is a chance of another assignment in Thailand, or a short spell in the Desert for me and my wife staying here in Rome.

She very much prefers to remain here.

Anyway my very best wishes for the forthcoming birth of your little one.

And remember.... A new baby changes EVERYTHING.

[GuestHouse]

Hang on, maybe you are right.... He's not single, he's not recently divorced, he's not spouting a diatribe about how awful life is in the west and how all western women are overweight man haters... and yet he is still considering coming to Thailand.

However we should at least accept that just because he doesn't fit the usual mold is not proof in itself that he's a Troll.

[chinthee]

Hang on, maybe you are right.... He's not single, he's not recently divorced, he's not spouting a diatribe about how awful life is in the west and how all western women are overweight man haters... and yet he is still considering coming to Thailand.

However we should at least accept that just because he doesn't fit the usual mold is not proof in itself that he's a Troll.

Ok, innocent until proven guilty. Let's proceed.

[luisparis]

Hang on, maybe you are right.... He's not single, he's not recently divorced, he's not spouting a diatribe about how awful life is in the west and how all western women are overweight man haters... and yet he is still considering coming to Thailand.

lol! Must be someone terrible... good luck for your next move!

[luisparis]

Now any other troll that would have relative experience to share ? I'm pretty sure that's an issue for many people coming to thailand on expat contracts and it is definetely sensible for many indian families of our trade who move to set up a branch in Thailand, although I can't really relate to them when they compare BKK with quality of life in Jaipur or Mumbay.

[thaihome]

Not a troll, he has posted his tale on other forums.

GH's comment is great:

"Hang on, maybe you are right.... He's not single, he's not recently divorced, he's not spouting a diatribe about how awful life is in the west and how all western women are overweight man haters... and yet he is still considering coming to Thailand.

However we should at least accept that just because he doesn't fit the usual mold is not proof in itself that he's a Troll"

I think the poster is struggling with a dilemma few on most Thailand forums can identify with. Namely coming to live in Thailand for business reasons, like being sent here on assignment by your employee (in case the OP owns the company and is thinking about sending himself).

I wish him luck. I think you can make the most of living here and have a good, though different, lifestyle. You cannot do that if every minute you are saying to yourself: “this sucks, Paris is so much better.”

TH

[bendix]

Reading between the OP's lines it is obvious he is very very happy in Paris. I dont think he can ignore that because while he might get a bigger apartment, cheap domestic help etc, I get a distinct sense his obvious love for some of the finer things in life might overweigh that.

Just a hunch. I don't know the OP from a bar of soap, but I can't say I'd be rushing to make the move based on what he tells us.

[luisparis]

Thanks for the constructive posts above, very sensible points made.

I just flew back from Asia and we're still working over the issue. As we won't need to move to BKK for eternity but perhaps just the time to get a stronger business position we might go for the move. We're already trying to identify the right relative in China to send to BKK and start studying thai before we follow.

One more good thing about BKK worth considering, the financial prospects are indeed better but our professional scene is also far larger and the work by itself more interesting. Much more happening. Growing and affining one's understanding of one's own trade sure brings its share of satisfaction, whereas comparatively in Paris we soon feel like playing in a -very comfortable- kindergarten.

A personal note about the fine and cultural things... we had our wedding party in France a couple of weeks ago. It was a good occasion for our clan to meet up... my closest friend (the guy who designed our table) met up with my father ( a relatively famous contemporary artist) for the first time since we left high school... they got along so well they've already figured out a common work for an upcoming art exhibition... this is for sure some interesting part of life we'll be totally missing out in Thailand...

Besides, ThaiHome, as I remember you writing about China, have you moved there? I've had a blast the couple of times we went to visit the inlaws in Shenzhen but wonder how it'd feel as an expat?

[luisparis]

Update... we have been expanding our activities in Asia lately and whereas our preference for way of life went to Hong Kong, we are first flying to BKK with wife and baby in a seemingly very cool serviced apartment. Spend a month in BKK and hopefully set up a office than see how we feel there. We did actually find good live in domestic help in Paris to take care of our babyand the chinese community there can arrange about everything with a very very minimal paperwork but Asia is more promising at the moment.

Will report and prolly ask more questions about BKK family life if we chose to settle in BKK.

Cheers

Luis