My thoughts on first becoming an expat in Thailand and a to-do list

[webfact]

 

by Michael Bridge

There is real reason I decided to leave the UK was my accountant at the time said I could save a shed load of tax.

At the time my marriage was collapsing, the kids were all past Uni, and I was spending more time running my business overseas than living in London.

At first my move to Dubai was mainly for work reasons, so my company paid for my visa and everything with a UAE sponsor went smoothly.

However, when the crash happened in 2009, overnight our business imploded and like many expats I had to decide where to go and quickly.

Some might say the obvious choice was to move back to the UK, but I had grown used to the warmer climate and did not fancy living in London’s winter again.

But my first choice was what to do career-wise, as I was not ready to retire.

At the time, I enjoyed playing golf and had been used to writing and had some journalistic skills.

I, therefore, thought of giving up my exhibition organizer career and looked into publishing.

First, I started researching what countries did not have an English language golf magazine.

 

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I looked around and up came Thailand 

With over 250 golf courses, it had a thriving golf vacation industry, several big golf tournaments but no English golf magazines aimed at expats or international golf vacationers.

I had travelled to Thailand several times before, even holidaying in Bangkok and Pattaya back in the early seventies.

However, I did travel out there for a week’s reconnaissance and found the rental rates good and the climate ideal.

Now in my case, I was happy to travel east from Dubai as I enjoyed the different lifestyle than glitzy Dubai.

I remember it took me some time to accept the smells of Bangkok, the constant noise of the traffic, the broken pavements and even having to cope with rats on every corner.

I felt happier in the Centre of town in a high-rise condominium, however, others might have ventured further out to rent a house.

You did have to get used to playing the game, by using an agent to arrange your work permit and visas which were quite expensive.

I managed to find friends through the condominium (the swimming pool was very social) and at golf tournaments and soon settled in.

After a fairly dramatic couple of years with the red shirt demonstrations and bombs and fitting in the streets, I decided to find a quieter base. I chose Pratamnak where I now have lived for the past ten years.

 

To do list: 

 

First research all the main cities and resorts online.

 

Check their climate, as Phuket and say Koh Chang islands have perhaps more varied and wetter climates than say Pattaya.

 

I would recommend going to live in your selected destination at least for 3-4 weeks staying in a condo or villa rather than a hotel. then you get a feel for the place as a resident.

 

Meet a good agency that can handle visas, work permits and driving licences. Pay a bit extra and they will get it all done for you.

 

Finally, go to some of the local expat clubs and golf groups etc;  and talk to the members who will be able to give you all the low down.

 

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[soi3eddie]

Nice little advert. Sadly lacking on anything interesting or useful or journalistic skill. Come on guys, you can do better than this! I was expecting some useful tips on becoming an expat in Thailand and a "to do list" to learn from. Most of us here expect better. Please...

 

 

Edited April 19, 2022 by soi3eddie

[RandiRona]

When is To Do list coming??? 

[timendres]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

I chose Pratamnak where I now have lived for the past ten years 

Do you mean Phra Tamnak?

[whaleboneman]

2 hours ago, RandiRona said:

When is To Do list coming??? 

stay tuned

[brommers]

What is this thread trying to say?. So you did a few things in life, so what?

[Nicholas Paul KNIGHT]

Why do people think that we ( expats ) really want to read what a person did or has done. We are all here for a vast majority of reasons and generally we are happy with our lot our choices. Certainly things could have gone better for some adn some have left for equally in many cases private reasons.

Can ASEAN NOW, please restrict the burblings of some to extinction as this man certainly does not in any way reflect the vast majority of English speaking expats, of that I am certain.  

[Gottfrid]

So, you lost your wife, worked in Dubai and moved to Thailand. Did you start any golf magazine, or just lost it all?

[bkk6060]

You chose Pattaya to live for the golf and ex-pat community?

Always a good reason to tell all those folks back in the UK.

[OneMoreFarang]

#6: Find a nice Thai girl who shows you around. Try to speak Thai with her, watch what she does and how she behaves. And let her show you Thai life.

You will learn a lot, and if you do it right you will also have a lot of fun.

 

[OneMoreFarang]

3 hours ago, soi3eddie said:

Most of us here expect better.

It seems you need to be a little longer member of this club to adjust your expectations...

[OneMoreFarang]

26 minutes ago, Nicholas Paul KNIGHT said:

Why do people think that we ( expats ) really want to read what a person did or has done. We are all here for a vast majority of reasons and generally we are happy with our lot our choices. Certainly things could have gone better for some adn some have left for equally in many cases private reasons.

Can ASEAN NOW, please restrict the burblings of some to extinction as this man certainly does not in any way reflect the vast majority of English speaking expats, of that I am certain.  

I am sure there will be lots of interesting replies.

 

[sungod]

The guy writing this may need to add a journalism course to his bucket list, these 'articles' read more like normal posts from anybody else on the forum to me.

[sammieuk1]

Knocking a small ball down a hole would never get me very excited but throwing a sausage up an ally dose each to their own and you don't need an accountant just pay as you go ????

[wwest5829]

1 hour ago, Nicholas Paul KNIGHT said:

Why do people think that we ( expats ) really want to read what a person did or has done. We are all here for a vast majority of reasons and generally we are happy with our lot our choices. Certainly things could have gone better for some adn some have left for equally in many cases private reasons.

Can ASEAN NOW, please restrict the burblings of some to extinction as this man certainly does not in any way reflect the vast majority of English speaking expats, of that I am certain.  

Ah, Sir, you overstep as you do not speak for me as an English speaking Expat in Thailand for over a decade.

[smudger1951]

4 hours ago, soi3eddie said:

Nice little advert. Sadly lacking on anything interesting or useful or journalistic skill. Come on guys, you can do better than this! I was expecting some useful tips on becoming an expat in Thailand and a "to do list" to learn from. Most of us here expect better. Please...

 

 

Agreed, maybe a 'what not to do' list would be more interesting.

[RichardColeman]

Sorry, but I prefer to read about ex-pat pensioners struggling on a small pension here, scrimping and moaning and more entertaining and less blowing own hooter

[Andrew Dwyer]

One can only hope the op doesn’t start a weekly sermon about how well he has done in life and how he is better than the rest of us ……….. we already have one of those !

[John Drake]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

had been used to writing and had some journalistic skills.

555

[edwinchester]

Could have saved some time if you'd just written "use an agent(s) and make friends"

[VocalNeal]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

To do list: 

 

First research all the main cities and resorts online. OK

 

Check their climate, as Phuket and say Koh Chang islands have perhaps more varied and wetter climates than say Pattaya. Mostly the same everywhere except for the North/South thing.

 

 

I would recommend going to live in your selected destination at least for 3-4 weeks staying in a condo or villa rather than a hotel. then you get a feel for the place as a resident. 1 month minimum if your first time long stay hotel is fine

 

Meet a good agency that can handle visas, work permits and driving licences. Pay a bit extra and they will get it all done for you. You won't find this until you make friends

 

Finally, go to some of the local expat clubs and golf groups etc;  and talk to the members who will be able to give you all the low down. Golf maybe OK but avoid any expat themed clubs like the plaque. Especially in resort towns. 

 

[brianthainess]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

After a fairly dramatic couple of years with the red shirt demonstrations and bombs and fitting in the streets,

I think you'll need to employ a proof reader first, before continuing with your journalistic "skills". 

[warrima]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

At the time, I enjoyed playing golf and had been used to writing and had some journalistic skills.

Hate to break it to you Michael but i believe you may be overestimating your journalistic prowess. I'd learn to structure paragraphs so that at list it doesn't read like a series of bullet points. 

[Whale]

About as interesting as those YouTube videos of becoming an expat by some teenager who has been away from home for two months and thinks that qualifies them as the worlds biggest expert.

[swm59nj]

The author forgot to add one thing.

Having to deal with some expats who are miserable and spend their time  personally insulting and condemning others.  

 

[Gottfrid]

2 hours ago, Nicholas Paul KNIGHT said:

Why do people think that we ( expats ) really want to read what a person did or has done. We are all here for a vast majority of reasons and generally we are happy with our lot our choices. Certainly things could have gone better for some adn some have left for equally in many cases private reasons.

Can ASEAN NOW, please restrict the burblings of some to extinction as this man certainly does not in any way reflect the vast majority of English speaking expats, of that I am certain.  

Actually, I have nothing against reading about what some people have done or are doing in their life. Sometimes, it can actually be a good story, with gripping life reflections. However, in this case you are absolutely right. This guy writes that he is used to writing and have some journalistic skills. Also, had the ambition to create a golf magazine for expats in Thailand. I am quite sure that dream went out the window same quick as the first short time went out the door.

To write such nonsense as the OP has been doing here is next to self-inflicting pain. As I hurt when I read it, I can only imagine the pain writing such garbage. There is absolutely no journalistic skills involved here. It is also a story that is totally impossible to make interesting. The best thing to do under such circumstances, is just to refrain from posting and go on with life as it is.

[Gottfrid]

1 minute ago, swm59nj said:

The author forgot to add one thing.

Having to deal with some expats who are miserable and spend their time  personally insulting and condemning others.  

 

I guess that comes with the given information of some journalistic skills. The story has the quality of being written by someone that just found a keyboard.

[fredscats]

The absolute" to do"  on this list is free housing.  Myself an others offered house sitting,fact is small allowance too for maintenance, as most will never sell,and if they do guaranteed another house to sit in for another 10 years or so of free house sitting 

[OneMoreFarang]

1 hour ago, smudger1951 said:

Agreed, maybe a 'what not to do' list would be more interesting.

Like: Don't trust advice that you read on a forum.

[Pmbkk]

Should have gone to Spain - the guy that ran the biggest golf magazine there gave it up, a few years ago - can be found in Hemingways bar in Duquesa marina most afternoons ????