Should We Move To Thailand?

[melissabain2002]

Hi everyone. I'm new to this forum and after some advice from ex-pats living in Thailand.

My husband and I are Australians, living in Adelaide. We were married on Koh Samui in Dec 2007 and spent a month there on our honeymoon. In Dec 2008 we spent a month in Phuket. Ever since we first arrived on Koh Samui we have wanted to move to Thailand and live on a beautiful tropical island. It's something we have been thinking and talking about for the last year and a half.

We are now planning our next holiday in Koh Samui for Dec this year, and we are seriously thinking (again!) about making the move (we are thinking about arranging to live there for one year first before doing anything permanent like buying a house).

I know there is a difference between being on holiday and actually living in a country but we really feel so happy when we are in Thailand and it is so different from our busy, materialistic, work-driven lives in Australia. The Thai people seem so happy, friendly and relaxed. Obviously the islands are beautiful. We would love to live by the beach and live a more laid-back life style, maybe with part-time work, spending lots of time together, and actually getting to do leisure activities like swimming and yoga etc (things we never have time for here).

Does anyone have any advice? What is it like living on Koh Samui or Phuket? Are VISAs for a year very difficult to obtain? Is it easier if you get a job? Are there frustrations or difficulties living on these islands that I wouldn't know about?

Any advice you have would be very much appreciated!

[neverdie]

Hello Melissa,

Mate you've probably just opened up a can of worms, so brace yourself for all sorts of replies.

Regarding visas, you havent mentioned how old you are, but if your under 50 years old, then you can't just move to Thailand and live (50 is the age where retirement visas come into it & theres also other requirements that retirees must meet ie: income etc).

Your a married couple, so the visas that relate to marrying a thai don't count. Next would be a work related visa, whereas you get a job working for someone & you subsequently obtain a visa and work permit to cover that job. There are certain jobs you can work in & theres ones that are prohibited for non-thais.

Theres a heap of information available on this site, you can use the search field to search for other topics, or you can go through the menu's in the forum looking for specific topics.

As an Australian, you CANNOT own land in Thailand. Foriegners are permitted to buy condos, so the buying a house and kicking back on the beachside, might have to be done from a condo apartment.

I havent really answered any of your questions specifically, others might chose to address one or two of your points directly, most will probably ask you questions about your age etc to see what your options may be.

Holiday in Thailand and living in Thailand are two completely different things, personally I always tell people that are suggesting the same things as you, for them to take an extended holiday here, travel around the place a bit & look very carefully before leaping. Thailand is full of people that have burnt all their bridges back home, quit the secure employment and are now sitting around in bars and the like griping about the way things are here in Thailand. One has to think even more carefully about these types of things during these very uncertain times.

Goodluck

[daveb1]

You will probably get a lot of negative posts from other people on this forum pointing out all the pitfalls and problems of doing what you want to do. My advice ignore them!

We had a similar dream the first time we visited this wonderful country and now 7 years later we are living here and its fantastic. Getting a job and organising work permits etc can be a problematic but its not impossible and living here for a year first is a great idea so go for your dreams and good luck!!

[mssabai]

I have lived and worked on Samui. It is a beautiful island and a great place to live, but I should point out a few things to you.

From your post you are at the very early stages of planning this. You have a lot of research to do on visas etc. The most glaring thing though is that jobs are just not that abundant for foreigners on the island. Unfortunately recent global events have pushed these jobs even tighter. One of the international schools has closed, so teaching jobs are scarcer, and the lack of tourists has resulted in a cut of property and tourism jobs for foreigners. Thailand has now just slipped into full blown recession. It is a tough time for business owners here. Due to work permit costs and visa red tape, foreigners are not the preferred staff here, especially at a time like this.

My advice is come back and enjoy Samui for a holiday a few more times, get to know local ex pats, talk to them about what your skills are and what is available work wise. Suss out what accommodation is available and what your monthly outgoings would be, and work out how much you would need to cover yourself and if there was any job prospects that would do that for you.

I was in Thailand for 6 months before going home and doing my TEFL and moving here permanantly. Don't think that by moving here, your life will mirror your holidays. Even when I lived on Samui I would need to go on holiday sometimes! Yes it's a great place to live, but once you are living and working somewhere, the boring drudgeries of every day life reassert themselves, even if you are on a tropical island (in fact you often have more to contend with - think waist high flooding, power cuts etc etc!).

I don't want to put you off, I have never regretted making the move, but sometimes it's as much of a challenge as a joy to live here. You should do a lot more research and perhaps wait for the economy to recover before thinking about making a move.

[mssabai]

I ha

[BigSnake]

Hi everyone. I'm new to this forum and after some advice from ex-pats living in Thailand.

My husband and I are Australians, living in Adelaide. We were married on Koh Samui in Dec 2007 and spent a month there on our honeymoon. In Dec 2008 we spent a month in Phuket. Ever since we first arrived on Koh Samui we have wanted to move to Thailand and live on a beautiful tropical island. It's something we have been thinking and talking about for the last year and a half.

We are now planning our next holiday in Koh Samui for Dec this year, and we are seriously thinking (again!) about making the move (we are thinking about arranging to live there for one year first before doing anything permanent like buying a house).

I know there is a difference between being on holiday and actually living in a country but we really feel so happy when we are in Thailand and it is so different from our busy, materialistic, work-driven lives in Australia. The Thai people seem so happy, friendly and relaxed. Obviously the islands are beautiful. We would love to live by the beach and live a more laid-back life style, maybe with part-time work, spending lots of time together, and actually getting to do leisure activities like swimming and yoga etc (things we never have time for here).

Does anyone have any advice? What is it like living on Koh Samui or Phuket? Are VISAs for a year very difficult to obtain? Is it easier if you get a job? Are there frustrations or difficulties living on these islands that I wouldn't know about?

Any advice you have would be very much appreciated!

Thailand is a good place and for the most part a fairly SAFE place to live, however; your plans for Holiday in Koh Samui for Dec is your best bet for first hand information up close and personal. Now by all means my I suggest that you visit other parts of Thailand on your visit, see some real old fashion Thailand, sometime the tourist's attrractions can paint a false picture. Find, if you do not have a trusted Thai Friend or a fellow Aussie mate that live in Thailand and for sure ask many many questions. Hope you enjoy your visit. CHeerS!!

[bojo]

I would suggest that you additionally ask for feedback from fellow Australians as to how they felt about a move to Thailand. I don't know how many frequent TV but I'm pretty sure that their response will be very different from the British for example, of which there are many here on TV.

Having lived on Samui for 9 years I would say that it's a great place for a holiday but you get that 'paradise Alcatraz' feeling after a while and the lack of sophistication can affect some.

Phuket's bigger and faster and definitely more civilised with better infrastructure.

Come and live for yourself (rent for at least a year first)as other members have suggested but don't put all your eggs in one basket, keep some at home.

Regards Bojo

[ThaiBasil]

Having lived on Samui before (now in Chiang Rai) I'd agree with all above posts. I would approach the whole thing the following way: stay a couple of months on Phuket and a couple of months on Samui for research, travel some more through Thailand and enjoy yourselves!

[chiangmaibruce]

Hi. I'm an Australian living in northern Thailand. I would support most of what has been said. The first thing is you both need to spend quite a few hours scrolling through previous discussion threads in Thaivisa looking at responses to threads such as the one you started (and there would be several a week of those in the various sub-forums) plus looking at more specific threads concerning life on Samui, work permits and visas, medical and educations issues etc etc. Tedious I know, but there is a wealth of info there which you can either absorb for free now, or learn the hard (and maybe expensive way) later on.

My first comment is that you can get most of what you are looking for by just moving to a small northern coastal community in Australia, with a hel_l of a lot less hassle. No work permit problems, no language or cultural problems, you can more readily visit friends/family, etc etc. So think about why Thailand. If it's to escape real life, then sorry you can't. Same issues here and more as someone has already stated. Talk to expats living on Samui. Some take to it like a duck to water, but others ... do things like sign 30 year leases on houses and then a couple of years later are desperately trying to find someone to buy the lease, it's too hot, it's too wet, it's too foreign, etc.

Work is VERY difficult to find here - part-time, full-time or any time. Cost of living is cheap but the money still flows out fast enough esp. if you want western comforts, food, entertainment, etc. Going native is fun for a while, but then ... it's not for most people.

[Violet Fonce]

Simple advice…before making the move

You both should have a solid financial plan & backup plan, very strong marriage/commitment to each other, and a lot of street smart commonsense ….to be able to live in those farang ghettos,-----because those places are full of sordid people (both thais & farangs) who will try to tear you both apart….both emotionally and financially.

If you don’t have the solid foundation of the said above, DO-NOT-MAKE-THE MOVE!!!…otherwise you will be writing your own lyrics of heartache , sadness, distress, anguish, despair, despondency, misery, and/or being broke….in a few years or even months to come.

Be very weary of those so called “paradise”, they usually come with hidden prices of the “real” images behind the sun, sea, and beautiful smiles…you will see them soon enough.

Proceed with CAUTIONS

Chokdee and welcome to my country

Edited June 29, 2009 by Violet Fonce

[WaiWai]

My first comment is that you can get most of what you are looking for by just moving to a small northern coastal community in Australia, with a hel_l of a lot less hassle.

That was my first thought, exactly.

Are you still relatively young? What is your financial situation? Do you have established careers?

Thailand is not the place to establish or build a career, other than in a limited number of professions. It's -- of course -- not a great time to try to open a business, especially in a foreign country, and, some would say, it's especially difficult in Thailand.

Note that it is extremely difficult to get a work permit for part time work.

Take a year or so off to travel and spend time here, sure. Maybe two. Beyond that, you may start to significantly lose contact with Australian workplaces/business scene & their expectations and dynamics -- happens more & more quickly these days. Some people take the view that response to your resume will suffer from a few years in Asia (I don't think all Australian employers have that mindset, by any means, but some may.)

You should know that in recent times, people who had retired to Thailand thinking they had more than adequately ensured financial security have had to return home. Many others are delaying retirement at this point.

Edited June 30, 2009 by WaiWai

[cathyy]

Some really good advice posted in this thread.

I'd like to reinforce the message that another poster already mentioned, that living in Thailand is not the same as vacationing in Thailand.

I recommend investigating the current political situation here in great detail before you decide you settle here. Be aware that you cannot own land.

I also want to ask you to do some serious introspection on your need for English-speaking female companionship. I am not a very social person, so it's not such an issue for me. It is a major issue, though, for most female expats who don't live in Bangkok.

Next, I want you to examine the state of your marriage, being ruthlessly honest with yourself. Thailand is famous for destroying strong marriages. Weak marriages don't have a chance. Western men seem to be highly vulnerable to ending up in an intensely emotional affair when all they thought they were getting into was a sexual encounter. Read this forum, the stories from the women whose husbands have abandoned them, the stories from the men who are leaving their wives for their Thai soulmate, and the stories from the men whose Thai soulmate has taken them for every penny and then thrown them out.

My husband and I have been happy here for over three years now. We are returning to the US soon, but not due to a dislike for living here.

[Goinghomesoon]

I think the others have said it well. Just think of all the Brits and New Zealanders that spend 12 months backpacking around Oz and then migrate permanently to the Gold Coast thinking they've found nirvana. A year or two later many are disillusioned and bitter and head back to their original home countries. Living somewhere is nothing like moving there permanently.

On money, for example's sake let's assume that as a couple you spend AUD80 a day while on holidays - 1,000 baht a day for hotel and 1,000 baht a day for two Thai meals and a pub dinner with drinks and a bit of shopping thrown in. If you intend to live and eat in a touristy area then that's 60,000 baht a month for rent and food without even taking into account transport, phone/electric/gas/drinking water/toiletries, medical insurance, airfares, clothing, visa fees.... And if you have children add a sizable chunk of money for school fees.

I don't mean to sound negative. I love living here, have a great job and will be very sad to leave when my contract finishes. But living here isn't as cheap or easy as people often assume. I'd suggest you research well and don't be afraid to change your minds.

Edited July 1, 2009 by Goinghomesoon

[MJP]

Yes if you have shed loads of money.

Not cheap here, especially in the popular areas.

(Personally and I'll get the usual kicking for this, come here on hols, extended ones, but don't 'move' here)

[rays]

All the posts here offer good advice. Koh Samui is great for a holiday but its hot, too hot, and expensive. It might be a good idea to examine what you expect Thialand to give you. I came here 3 years ago and live in Chiang Mai and i am very happy and have no intentions whatsoever of moving back to the UK. I was veyr clear when i came of what i wanted from Thailand and because what i wanted was small that was then easily staisfied. My mantra of being here was freedom. freedomn from the rat race of london, freedom from unpleasnt people , freedom from work. However, it does sound i more left London than came to Thailand....but then whatever Thailand could give me directly was gratefully received, i did not expect much!! I live a quiet life with my wife and lovely 10 month old son. When i came at 49 years old i effectively retired, but the economic crisis has forced me back to work, it took me a month to find a job, how long woudl that take in London?? And i am not teaching english (which i find veyr boring) but Chemistry, which is much more fulfilling...and guess what I am grateful, it only took me a month, i didn't have to leave Chiang mai amd the job is much better than teaching english...wow this is a good place to live...then the benefits, the add ons if you like, very pleasant neighbours. In Brixton I used to hear gun fire once a year and people never smiled, the people here in general have good manners, the kids at school back home are abusive here they wai me and call me Mr Teacher, and smile (well some of the time). I get respect here as a teacher which is absent back home. The food is great, the weather not too hot....and its a Buddhist country, and i find it interesting being here. My wife has got inot making these wonderous fruit shakes with all this fantastic Thai fruits, different colours wonderful flavours, I never go this in the UK and one of my friends did either. What ever good things Thailand gives me is an add on........i feel free here and when the interest rates recover i can retire again, but then again i might not, the job i have is veyr hard but you know what it is so much more fullfiling than making some rich man richer back in London........

So do what poploe advise, come for a year travel around and may be have low expectations of what Thailand can do for you...in that way you are more than likely to be satisfied....

[rays]

...........yeah I know spelling mistakes abound........but its my day off and i am very tired...so to preempt the replies........and obvious jibes............I am very very very sorry!!!!!

[ThaiBasil]

...........yeah I know spelling mistakes abound........but its my day off and i am very tired...so to preempt the replies........and obvious jibes............I am very very very sorry!!!!!

you are forgiven ................... this time ...... hahahaha .... when giving good advice, who cares about the spelling, as long as people get the message right??

[Absingjul]

Koh Samui is great for a holiday but its hot, too hot

I was in Adelaide earlier this year for the Tour Down Under and it was over 40C every day. One day was 45C.

[neverdie]

Some really good advice posted in this thread.

I'd like to reinforce the message that another poster already mentioned, that living in Thailand is not the same as vacationing in Thailand.

I recommend investigating the current political situation here in great detail before you decide you settle here. Be aware that you cannot own land.

I also want to ask you to do some serious introspection on your need for English-speaking female companionship. I am not a very social person, so it's not such an issue for me. It is a major issue, though, for most female expats who don't live in Bangkok.

Next, I want you to examine the state of your marriage, being ruthlessly honest with yourself. Thailand is famous for destroying strong marriages. Weak marriages don't have a chance. Western men seem to be highly vulnerable to ending up in an intensely emotional affair when all they thought they were getting into was a sexual encounter. Read this forum, the stories from the women whose husbands have abandoned them, the stories from the men who are leaving their wives for their Thai soulmate, and the stories from the men whose Thai soulmate has taken them for every penny and then thrown them out.

My husband and I have been happy here for over three years now. We are returning to the US soon, but not due to a dislike for living here.

Very good point cathyy.

OP, If your husband is a sexyman, he will have the ladies literally throwing themselves at him. If your husband is an ugly baastard, the ladies here will tell him he's sexy and throw themselves at him.

If you want to see an example of this, just look how the ladies here at thai visa, SBK, EEK and the like throw themselves at me ....NOW look at my avatar

Goodluck.

[ozzieovaseas]

Some really good advice posted in this thread.

I'd like to reinforce the message that another poster already mentioned, that living in Thailand is not the same as vacationing in Thailand.

I recommend investigating the current political situation here in great detail before you decide you settle here. Be aware that you cannot own land.

I also want to ask you to do some serious introspection on your need for English-speaking female companionship. I am not a very social person, so it's not such an issue for me. It is a major issue, though, for most female expats who don't live in Bangkok.

Next, I want you to examine the state of your marriage, being ruthlessly honest with yourself. Thailand is famous for destroying strong marriages. Weak marriages don't have a chance. Western men seem to be highly vulnerable to ending up in an intensely emotional affair when all they thought they were getting into was a sexual encounter. Read this forum, the stories from the women whose husbands have abandoned them, the stories from the men who are leaving their wives for their Thai soulmate, and the stories from the men whose Thai soulmate has taken them for every penny and then thrown them out.

My husband and I have been happy here for over three years now. We are returning to the US soon, but not due to a dislike for living here.

Very good point cathyy.

OP, If your husband is a sexyman, he will have the ladies literally throwing themselves at him. If your husband is an ugly baastard, the ladies here will tell him he's sexy and throw themselves at him.

If you want to see an example of this, just look how the ladies here at thai visa, SBK, EEK and the like throw themselves at me ....NOW look at my avatar

Goodluck.

But may i add if your husband is silly enough to fall for it he isnt worth keeping anyway!!...sorry

And dam_n you neverdie!..I was in ignorant bliss having my hansumness being reinforced daily....now i have to face the horrible facts that i am indeed starting to resemble your avatar more and more every day

[neverdie]

^ sorry ozzzie. Its all good, you only have to start worrying when they stop calling you "sexy man" ......that would really be sayin something

[Datsun240Z]

Yes if you have shed loads of money.

(Personally and I'll get the usual kicking for this, come here on hols, extended ones, but don't 'move' here)

The most clear and effective answer ever