Moving To Thailand To Study

[dogen]

Hello friends.

My name is Dogen. I am an American living in Japan on the JET Program (I teach English at a couple middle schools in Kyushu). I am aspiring to become a published novelist in Japanese. I'm currently working diligently on several different novels that I hope to publish in the next few years. However, as it is extremely time consuming writing quality work in a foreign language, I've come to realize I will most likely not be published before my work VISA runs out (August 2012). Thus, I am considering moving to Thailand after I finish JET. Below, I will explain how and why. Any sort of advice or comments are appreciated.

In order to become published in the least amount of time, I need to spend more uninterrupted time writing and studying various pieces of Japanese literature. I currently devote all of my free time to study (usually 2 hours after work everyday, and 6-7 hours on weekends). However, progress is slow, and an extended period of time I could devote to study would be ideal. I can't go back home, and Japan is much too expensive. Thus, Thailand.

Details:

I will be turning 25 just as I finish my job in Japan (August 2012).

I am an American citizen.

I am fluent in English and Japanese.

I would like to Stay in Thailand for 6-12 months to study.

Because the nature of my stay would be study, I'm not particularly interested in sight seeing, scuba-diving, or bar-hopping. Thailand actually piques my interest most because I believe it would be easy to isolate myself. A typical day might look something like this:

Wake up, breakfast

Study

Work out

Go to a coffee shop and study/write, lunch

Go home

Study, dinner

Sleep

I am quite alright with eating the same thing everyday as long as it's cheap and healthy--I imagine the only thing I would be spending money on would be life necessities and erasers. My only needs are a view of the ocean, a sturdy desk, and a peaceful, clean apartment. Size isn't much of an issue--I would gladly trade cockroaches for claustrophobia.

Budget: $7,500 -- $10,000

Questions:

1. Visa: I've read that it's not terribly difficult to obtain a tourist visa for up to two months--is it difficult to extend it afterwards? Is there a set number of times one can extend before being kicked out?

2. Money: Is this feasible?

---

That's about it. I've always been fascinated by the Thai sunsets--I would like to spend sometime soaking up the ultraviolet while devoting myself to study. I appreciate your comments.

Edited May 9, 2011 by dogen

[Semper]

Budget: $7,500 -- $10,000

Would this be per month or per year?

[dogen]

Budget: $7,500 -- $10,000

Would this be per month or per year?

Thank you for the reply. This would be my total budget for 6-12 months.

[ricklev]

Delete

Edited May 9, 2011 by ricklev

[Kimera]

Less study and more reseach into Thailand I think, I always thought Japan was expensive the dollars just dont add up, with what you want here in Thailand

[mallyrd]

Budget: $7,500 -- $10,000

Would this be per month or per year?

Thank you for the reply. This would be my total budget for 6-12 months.

If you live on a shoestring you might just get by for 6 months on $10,000, for a year, forget it.

[Semper]

Budget: $7,500 -- $10,000

Would this be per month or per year?

Thank you for the reply. This would be my total budget for 6-12 months.

If you live on a shoestring you might just get by for 6 months on $10,000, for a year, forget it.

If you read the OP.

Wake up, breakfast

Study

Work out

Go to a coffee shop and study/write, lunch

Go home

Study, dinner

Sleep

This is absolutely doable.

[MiG16]

But it, ie chiang mai, will not have ocean view. Maybe try Trang in south Thailand?

I don't know what rent is like but your easy bet would be to start in the city initially. Your room won't have a view of the ocean but you can use it as a base to find something more to your taste that won't cost over the top money?

My guess is in the city u should be able to find something in vicinity of 5000 to 8000 per month. That's roughly 180 to 290$ a month

Food can be really cheap. So if u have room price under control you will manage on your budget.

[MiG16]

Maybe add another 100$ per month for utilities such as water and electricity and phone?

[happyrobert]

I know a bungalow on an island where you can stay for 5000 baht per month--during the rainy season. That's until November...

Food about 200 baht per day, includes 1 beer!

PM if you are interested.

[Semper]

I know a bungalow on an island where you can stay for 5000 baht per month--during the rainy season. That's until November...

Food about 200 baht per day, includes 1 beer!

PM if you are interested.

Expensive.

[Millard]

I know a bungalow on an island where you can stay for 5000 baht per month--during the rainy season. That's until November...

Food about 200 baht per day, includes 1 beer!

PM if you are interested.

Expensive.

True. One meal, freshly cooked and delicious from a street vendor is only 30-35 baht.

[dogen]

Thanks for the replies thus far. From what I've learned here and doing a bit more research in other places, it seems I could get a fairly nice place (1 room, including utilities), for around 10,000 ($330) Baht a month. Multiply this by the number of months I plan to be here and we end up with roughly $4,000 dollars. I figure around $7 a day for food, bringing the total to

$6,500 for 12 months.

Because I probably won't be staying for a full 12 months, and because I believe these number to be a bit high (although realistic because there is bound to be unforeseen costs popping up everywhere), it seems this could be feasible. Thoughts?

My main concern is the VISA. Does anyone have experience with this?

[anotheruser]

You are only counting room and food. you won't use toothpaste or laundry or anything else? I admire that you can write Japanese well enough to try to write a novel. I was the top of my class in written Japanese studies and know kanji better than some, my speaking sucks however. The numbers you cite are not at all high and you won't be able to pull off 12 months on that kind of cash unless you are willing to put up with terrible conditions.

OT are you ethnically Japanese that was raised raised in America? I would love to read a sample of your work.

[happyrobert]

I know a bungalow on an island where you can stay for 5000 baht per month--during the rainy season. That's until November...

Food about 200 baht per day, includes 1 beer!

PM if you are interested.

Expensive.

True. One meal, freshly cooked and delicious from a street vendor is only 30-35 baht.

It's AN ISLAND, guys. With a bungalow - new - one minute from the sunset.

Only two restaurants and I'm talking three meals with beverages. There aren't any street vendors! There's barely any streets!

He said he wants to write...

Edited May 10, 2011 by happyrobert

[Metapod]

You could do it if you live on a strict budget. No partying or eating western food.

If you run into any unexpected problems your budget will be stuffed. You need to keep that in mind. You will most defiantly need insurance. Can't afford to pay for a hospital stay if you get food poisoning or in an accident.

There are so many things you are not budgeting for too. Little things like buying soap. Not expensive but they add up over a period of 12months.

Can it be done? Yes it can. My advice would be to plan an EDUCATED budget and then take double that amount. If that means you need to stay less than 12months that is something you will just need to consider.

Do you really need an ocean view? It would obviously be a lot more managable if you picked a location away from an island or beach as it will be a lot cheaper. Everything is more expensive on the islands.

You will need to sacrifice some comforts if you want to do 12months. I have plenty of thai friends and they have apartments in Central Bangkok and only pay 3,500baht a month. They do not have A/C or Hot Water. My condo costs 8,000baht but has a pool, A/C, WIFI, and Hot water. For 12months on that type of budget you will have to leave behind some comforts you haven't even considered.

Wish you good luck with it. Maybe good idea to have an open return flight booked in case shit hits the fan and you end up with no money. Always have a plan B.

[klikster]

You might well get some work teaching Japanese .. or private english lessons to Japanese. Probably pays considerably easier than "normal" english teaching. I know that you want to write, but an hour or so each day might pay your entire stay. Or maybe a corporate gig, just doing one day weekend sessions with managers. Maybe the eastern gulf area?

[dogen]

You are only counting room and food. you won't use toothpaste or laundry or anything else? I admire that you can write Japanese well enough to try to write a novel. I was the top of my class in written Japanese studies and know kanji better than some, my speaking sucks however. The numbers you cite are not at all high and you won't be able to pull off 12 months on that kind of cash unless you are willing to put up with terrible conditions.

OT are you ethnically Japanese that was raised raised in America? I would love to read a sample of your work.

I am American of Irish and Ukrainian descent--no Japanese blood. I would be more than happy to send you my virgin work:

(email removed - mig16)

I also have a website where I blog in Japanese, among other things.

(website removed - mig16)

---

Thanks for the helpful advice everyone. Based on what has been mentioned above, I believe that tuning the trip down from 12 months to the lower end 6-8 months would be much more realistic to cover unforeseen costs.

Does anyone know about the visa extensions? Thanks again in advance!

[Metapod]

Tourist Visa for 60days which is expendable for 30days for 1900baht or something.

You can then leave the country and return for another 60 + 30 days extension.

This gives you a maximum of 6months on the tourist visa. You might be able to get a second tourist visa afterwords or do border runs. 15 days by land and 30 by air.

You will need to factor these costs in. Paying for visa, traveling to border, paying for visa to visiitng country, etc.

[dogen]

Thank you very much! I appreciate the information.

[MiG16]

I have removed email and website from your post dogen. Please communicate via pm as we cannot have such info posted here.

Cheers

By the way - you can however have your website on your profile page. (not in your signature though)

[IanForbes]

$10,000 a year is doable, but only with a very tigh, and strict budget... and very little money for "entertainment. I rent a room in a Thai hotel for $135 a month and eat on about $5 a day. But, I eat simple Thai food 90% of the time. That comes to under $4000 per year. The remaining $6000 would be used for transportation, laundry, incidentals and a tiny bit of entertainment... such as one beer a night bought at the 7-11. One or two nights in a bar could blow your budget for the year.

[honkytonklagoon]

Go to Cambo instead :jap:

[cdnmatt]

With $10,000 for a year, you're looking at about 25,000/month. Considering the lifestyle you desire, that's MORE than doable. You'll be making about 4 times the average Thai, so you should be fine.

You can rent rooms as cheap as 1200/month, or if you wanted something a little nicer, 3000/month. Add a one-time fee of say 15,000 baht for some furniture, and you're all set. Coffee at a typical road stall is 15 baht, and there's great meals all over the place for 30 baht. For some reason, that seems to be the standard throughout Thailand for stall food -- 30 baht!

[NancyL]

I think his biggest unanticipated expense is going to be in maintaining a legal visa, long-term. That's assuming, of course, that he doesn't fall victim to any of the other temptations within Thailand.

[JeffreyMcCollum]

I live in the Chiang Mai. NO ocean, but nice rivers and lakes. I have a very nice Apartment in a middle class neighborhood, with A/C, flushing toilet and hot water. Mountain View. 2700 Bt ($90) but I know some smaller but nice and safe for less. Meals easily for $5 a day usually less, and I do eat in my room too. I could do $2 a day but why ? It is easier to have a motorbike, and you can rent for under $100 a montth or buy for a few hundred then sell again at the end. I work here and make just under 20,000 Bt a month $665 and that covers 3 of us, me, my soon to be wife and her 10 year old daughter. We go to a movie once a week, and some night ride around or go to a park. I could live like a king on $1000 a month up here, getting a massage every weeks and eating more falong food, And some months I have extra from side jobs and others not. I did live before in a working class Condo in Pattaya about 5 minutes from the beach, rent there for something decent (A/C, TV, Cable, flushing toilets, hot water, and safe) is about 10,000 Bt but it is a tourist area and everything is double down there. $1000 a month hardly cut it down there for me alone.

There are many ways around the visa issue. easiest is the ED visa and go to a class, any class 4 hours a week. Or a multy tourist visa

Good luck, it can work and you can stay if you want