I am looking come come and live in Thailand for a 1 year period and then maybe longer.... I plan to base myself in Bangkok get an apartment and then look for work opportunities. What sort of vias would best suit this and how would I go about arranging it. Thanks in adance for any advise.

Some key things...how old are you ...your nationality ... and do you have money and / or an income ?      Where are you located now ?

Age 29, nationality british, no monthly income but a figure of £8000 readily available (approximately 500,000 baht). Currently in the UK. Have been thailand twice before totaling 3 months.

Visit a small Thai consulate in GB, the consulate in Hull is extremely visa friendly, as we have heard here in the forum and elsewhrere. Ask for a Non-Immigrant "B" with multiple entries, saying that you will travel to Thailand for investment purposes. Then you are ok for 5x90 days, yearly extendable if you get a work permit later.

thanks for the information. One last question. May be a strange question but a bit confused by it but do you need to have a plane ticket booked in advance of applying for visa or can you state the requird start date?

Just a follow up, it was suggested you get a Non Immigrant B visa , multiple entry, my question is what are the requirements for multiple entry visa, and I also second the question of the plane ticket ahead of time?

WITH a visa ....any visa....no outbound ticket is required. It is always necessary to persuade the issuing Consulate that  you are are other than a tourist......so if you front up......look well dressed.....write decent letters ON LETTERHEAD if possible. In this day and age one's creativy,   with some comp knowledge it is somewhat simple.....limited only by your own ability. Good luck

When you say write letters what letters are you refering to? Is it just a case of a covering letter explaining what your intentions are whne In Thailand and what investments you will be looking into.

Basically I am an Oracle / It contractor and I wish to start doing some contract work out in Thailand as the country is 1 million times better than here in the UK!! Would it just be  a case of putting that on nice headed paper and off down the embassy. The reason I ask is because I read in the non immigrant visa that they want letters from employees etc...

Thanks for you help...

Here in one example you could start with as an idea:

Example letter for Non-Immigrant visa "B"

hee bubble,

I will be doing the same within 3 to 4 months.

And I am a Network/System Specialist.

I'm from Holland, 22 Years.

Hi Renevdkooi,

seems like a popular option thailand! Have you managed to sort out your visa yet?

I plan to be out there myself in 4 months. Have you been able to sort out any work or are you planning to find work out there?

If not then a couple of job sites that might prove benificial:

http://www.ismtech.net

http://www.jobsdb.com

OK Thanks for everyone's advise so far. I am still confused about the following :

If requesting a non-immigrant visa for a business visit, a letter from the employer in country of origin and from the business partner in Thailand explaining the purpose of the visit is required. Visa extensions: (a)-(g), and (h) Copy of passport and additional fee.

Since I will be traveling there to find work how can you I get a letter from either employer in country of origin or a letter from a business partner in Thailand?????