The Big Move To Thailand!

[wandang]

Hi everyone,

I am an Australian,33 years old, married to a Thai woman for nearly five years now and have a daughter three years old (born in Thailand). We all live here in Australia. My wife and I find living in Australia a little dull and have concieved an idea for a business of which we feel could be financially successful whilst giving ourselves a lifestyle we would prefer. Over the past five plus years I have travelled to Thailand on numerous occasions and in total spent over one year in Thailand, usually up north in my wifes moo baan. I have never ever saught a life in Thailand on a permanent basis allthough now it is becoming a serious consideration.

Now for the questions!

I don't speak more than a little Thai, and have little knowledge of Bangkok. The business we would like to persue would be either established in Bangkok or Chiang Mai, preferably Bangkok. I do believe I have a little extra benefit by having a wife and daughter of Thai origin, although I am uncertain as to how to use this. I have little interest in who's name is on the business, for ease I am happy to just place it in my wifes name for the sake of simplicity. Question is: Does being a co-owner enable myself to "work" and therefor become eligable for a better type of visa?

The bottom line in sofar as our business concerned would be to take a lease on a property (around 80sq) for up to 10 years, and renovate to sute.

Our living arrangments would be to rent for one to two years. At the absolut maximum we would like to pay no more than 30,000 baht/month.

Our daughter would need schooling and does'nt speak Thai. Obviously I would like to give her the best education I could afford.

What I want to know is how do kids and condo's get along? I would prefer a landed property and am prepared to travel a little extra if needs be to have one. Allowing 30,000 baht/month, what sort of accomodation and where for this sort of money can I expect?

What can I expect to pay for a good schooling and how available is good schooling? BTW how good is the schooling?

With leasing a comercial property how are these deals usually struck. I am experienced with leasing and negotiating here in Australia allthough I do expect differences in Thailand. What would I typicaly pay for a ground floor estalishment of 80sq meters+ ? What is a typical comercial lease period?

Are there many traps?

As I said before, I do have a grounding in Thai life and culture, allthough I don't know much when it comes to living in Thailand, forever I have only wanted to be a tourist and that is the only experience I have. In my favour my wife I think is trustworthy and we have a business plan which is unique.

I would appreciate any comments you can offer.

Wandang...

[Ulysses G.]

I do believe I have a little extra benefit by having a wife and daughter of Thai origin, although I am uncertain as to how to use this. I have little interest in who's name is on the business, for ease I am happy to just place it in my wifes name for the sake of simplicity. Question is: Does being a co-owner enable myself to "work" and therefor become eligable for a better type of visa?

Yes, but it also makes your taxes and such MUCH higher, so that is something to consider.

If you could get a retirement visa, it would probably save you lots of money, but you are way too young.

[Joe Walshe]

Your questions are too numerouse for me to attempt answer all of them. However, I would be interested to know your motivation to move from Aus to Thailand. Your life definetly won't be dull in Bkk.

MY main concern would be for your daughters education. Surely she will get a bettre education In AUs and perhaps once she's finished high school and you've saved a bundle you would be in a better position to move here.

[JonnieB]

MY main concern would be for your daughters education. Surely she will get a bettre education In AUs and perhaps once she's finished high school and you've saved a bundle you would be in a better position to move here.

i would listen to this voice of reason if i were you....if you have a decent job/business in aussie...it would be silly to move to los. also, like mentioned, the ed op for your daughter is much better in oz and future job and earnings way outstrip anything she would likely have in los. in addition, she would have the added psycho issues of being a half-bred in los and that's hard on any kid. live in oz...visit los

[naka]

MY main concern would be for your daughters education. Surely she will get a bettre education In AUs and perhaps once she's finished high school and you've saved a bundle you would be in a better position to move here.

i would listen to this voice of reason if i were you....if you have a decent job/business in aussie...it would be silly to move to los. also, like mentioned, the ed op for your daughter is much better in oz and future job and earnings way outstrip anything she would likely have in los. in addition, she would have the added psycho issues of being a half-bred in los and that's hard on any kid. live in oz...visit los

Sound advice from JonnieB ... Don't screw your or your daughter's future just cos 'you are bored',

billions of less fortunate Asian people would love to swap places with you.

Naka.

Edited October 13, 2007 by naka

[Dakhar]

I was in the OP shoes about the same age etc. I would rather be bored.... than be in Thailand any day. Even if the money was suposedly good in Thailand. I make a good figure, but so what, I don't have the language skills to use it to my lileing.

Changmail may offer a better lifestyle than BKK.

[GuestHouse]

33 years old with a young child to take care of and educate, thereafter your own long term financial future to prepare for.

Option 1. Stick with the well paid and secure job in Oz where you can also rely on first rate education for your daughter and the broad cultural influences that will equip her for her life + secure rigts for all your family (but importantly for yourself).

Option 2. Move to Thailand, where a good education is going to cost an arm and a leg, good healt care is going to cost the other arm and the other leg, where YOU have very few rights and where the amount you need to save per month for your long term future is more than very many expats in Thailand actually earn in a month... oh and you don't actually have a job there yet.

[qualtrough]

If you really feel you have a sound plan, ignore the naysayers and go for it. There are a number of schools in the Bangkok area that provide a decent bilingual education, which in itself is valuable for a number of reasons. A supportive environment at home, a bit of native ability, and a half-way decent school will go a long way. If you have set your sights on your child going to Harvard or Yale you might want to reconsider, but even then it might be possible as many schools nowadays consider a variety of background components in addition to GPA. The idea that you are condemning your child to a lifetime of misery if they don't attend either the finest international school here or a school back home is risible. Ditto to the idea so often propounded by Guesthouse (ad nauseum) that the only path to success and happiness is to toil at a high paying job so that you can feather your nest for a very comfortable retirement, here or elsewhere. As John Lennon said, "Life is what happens when you are busy making other plans." There are trade-offs and compromises in every choice. Big bucks often involves a transient lifestyle, which is not particularly good for children, the need to work long hours, which is not good for family relations, etc. You are the only one who can make the choice that is best for you.

Do your homework, and if it seems like it might fly, go for it. You are still relatively young and if things don't work out after a few years, what have you lost? You will be returning home with a bi-lingual child, you will have had the experience of living and working in a foreign country for a few years, and your wife had an opportunity to be back home. That's not a loss in my book.