Live On 300 Usd A Month?

[ARISTIDE]

Do you use air con regularly?

I think a fair minimum price for food would be closer to 200B per day. Thai people can do cheaper than that because they live in big families or they live with friends or relatives and they cook themselves. If you live alone it's cheaper to buy food in stalls on the street than it is to cook yourself. If you're a farang (and especially and American) your average daily (food) intake will cost more than 120B per day (taking into account bigger people need more food).

I am American, and my household spends B120-150 per day on food - my two kids, the full-time live-in maid and her two daughters.

Supplemented by B1,200-1,500 for stuff like toiletries & cleaning supplies and the ex-wife's family sends up 10kg of rice whenever someone comes to BKK.

We buy from the Klong Toey market, just basic fruit and veg, small daily amounts of eggs/pork/chicken/fish and of course cook at home.

Spending on street food is an occasional luxury, and much less healthy.

[tinfoilhat]

I do know of an american who has a paltry $600 pension and have survived for years here, but he does some illegal work to

make it doable.

I can live very cheap, but IMO life here would be more miserable than at home with less than 30.000 baht/month,

it is the doom of sitting on a bench drinking beer chang alone with noone wanting to touch you with a 10 ft pole

it may be if he could afford chang

[Jingthing]

The OP should be sure he has the funds for a return ticket back to the USA if when his stay in Thailand goes south. (Also potential overstay fines, etc.) Tickets from Thailand to the US are typically more expensive than the other way. In worse case scenario, he probably can (?) get an emergency loan from the embassy but it will mean losing the right to international travel until paid back.

Edited February 19, 2012 by Jingthing

[ericthai]

What does $300 a month get you in the US? Living on the streets and not enough food to eat, facing violence on a daily basis. Better to be in Thailand, at least he'll have a roof over his head, enough food to eat, and be safe from gangs and other crazy homeless who might hurt him.

Perhaps in the US he would have a social welfare net providing health care, family/friends, a culture he understands, people speaking his language....etc. Honestly, $300 barely pays the rent here--and I'm talking very basic accommodations.

I could get him basic accomodations in the village near where I live for less than 1000 baht/month - $32.81/month - or in a larger town nearby with everything within walking distance for twice that amount. Everybody does't have to live in a palace in a big city. I see that his biggest problem would be his permission to stay in Thailand. But if I were in a position like this, I would try to find some way to presevere my dignity before I resigned to life on the streets. It's probably a troll but it brings out some inrresting characteristics of those who respond.

i agree on the place to stay, you can find a place for 1000B but you have to look hard. My wife rented out her old house 2bedroom, aircon fully furnished for only 1500B so a cheap place can be found. Visa he could get a 1 year multi-entry from the USA with only a letter saying he is going to work in Thailand. That said he could supplement his income with English teaching. It can be done, but i would not want to do it and i would not recommended it.. Might be better to go stay in Laos, Cambodia as it's cheaper there. Good luck to you!!!

[Jingthing]

What happens to people who are arrested for teaching without a work permit? Jail?

[blackthorn2005]

On your budget I cannot advise where to to go, most certainly do not consider rip off Phuket!

[Jingthing]

It was a good point that even though the education visa is doable, the eligible schools are generally in higher cost areas, not in the sticks.

[ludditeman]

I know loads of people in cm working for government schools and cm uni without wp or teaching qualifications. They work cheap, which is all the employers care about. Some can barely speak comprehensible english.

posted using galaxy tab

[Jingthing]

I know loads of people in cm working for government schools and cm uni without wp or teaching qualifications. They work cheap, which is all the employers care about. Some can barely speak comprehensible english.

posted using galaxy tab

Yeah but if there is a crackdown, what can happen to such workers? Somehow I doubt their employers would be held culpable. Anyway, it seems clear the OP isn't interested in full time work of any kind here. Edited February 19, 2012 by Jingthing

[Suradit69]

So what visa would he be on at 300 dollars a month?

Retirement extensions out even if he's over 50.

Endless visa run travel too expensive.

ED visa a possibility but doesn't that cost about 600 dollars a year for the school?

Come on, now, you're not doing anyone any favors encouraging someone in this boat.

Yes, that was my first thought. If his only resources amount to a disability payment of $300 a month what visa would he expect to get? He wouldn't qualify for the ones that would allow him in for a long-term stay and anything involving playing about with tourist visas would mean an on-going expense without any assurance he'd not be refused re-entry on visa runs.

Edited February 19, 2012 by Suradit69

[belg]

That will give you a app. 300 bath pr day to live/shelter for, to be honest that will be difficult even on a good day.

Is there a way you can raise it to 1000 $ pr month and you would be much better off.

lol... if he gets 300 $ why would he suddenly get 1000 $ ?

cut off an arm or a legg???

[ALFREDO]

I was also not aware that it was criminal to teach English without TEFL(?). A direct quote would be, "Any native English speaker can get a teaching job in Thailand without to much trouble." The trouble with planning ahead is if your information is bad, your plans are bad .

I guess I was misinformed. I was told by a guy who goes there regularly to visit a fiance that it isn't a problem just to show up with a passport and no visa at the airport. Anyway, I'm on the road for the day.

Why did you not make a Tourist Visa before you travel? 60 days and can be extended for 60 Dollar for 30 days.

Anyway the Thai Immigration is usualy not the problem, the Check In Counter in your country can deny the boarding without a ticket out of Thailand, coming without a Visa.

But as far as I saw, travelling from Singapore or Kuala Lumpur by Air to Bangkok was no problem for me without return ticket or onward ticket last year on short trips, borderrun-flights.

Teaching job -

in the countryside, maybe Isaan-Northeast Thailand, a school is often happy to have a Native speaker they can present as a teacher for English in the Village or small town. Salary, 20.000+ Baht possible.

Also without TEFL course, certificate,

I was reading in a German Forum, so even a Not Native speaker, got a English teacher job and the Local Authorities helped him with the Visa extensions. I do not know details for that and how they did it.

All without work permit of course, possible when the Local Authorities are involved and give a helping hand.

Money -

I know a guy, Dutch in Isaan who lives with 10.000 Baht a month, but housing he has already, he has an older Pick Up and makes small money, driving children to and from a school. Authorities not care.

I know another guy, German who has rented,

-long time, years, a house for 500 Baht a month and lives on small budget! Udon Thani province, countryside.

I can give you his e.mail and mine, but, I do not know if he want give you advise.

If you send me PM and your e.mail ad. I can deliver it to the German guy who worked as a teacher in Isaan

and should know a lot how to do.

I do not know his e.mail ad. but can contact him threw the Forum he wrote in.

So, it is possible, with small money, but you have to keep a low profile and you have to live in the countryside and eat mostly Thai style.

As others mentioned, Cambodia would be an alternative, a year Business Visa, about 330 Dollar, no Visa or Border runs.

Life and living is cheaper there than in Thailand. Even in Sihanoukville the main beach resort you get rooms for 65 Dollar a month.

But that is not in everybodys style of course.

Edited February 19, 2012 by ALFREDO

[Jingthing]

Isaan Thai style might be a real challenge for most Americans! Think insects, rat curry, yum yum.

[thailandshasse]

It, s really impossible, if you don,t want to starving 3 days of week.

Spend at least 20 000 THB per months, for living, and I have own house and a Thai wife, but still these oney goes every months.

Further you need maybe medical treatments, who are expensive here.

I USA you can live cheap in a old caravan, but this are not allowed here in Thaland, if yo don,t have any friend who own land, you can park on.

If you have an friend who let you build a cheap Thai cottage, you can live cheap, long way outside turst area,s.

You must find a way to get better income, before take this step, for sure.

Than the Thai govenment don,t give you aO visa, as your income are to low, and this means you need to run outside Thailan avery months to renev your visa.

Think twice, my friend.

[gaucho]

the average westerner could not do it u could trap the rats in your fleabag apt . that would be an unfortunate option ...no way 300 us a month ...and please no cheap charlies ...i can do its ...cheers

[bkkmick]

I guess it depends on how long it takes you to find your nurse to take home to look after you?

[Jingthing]

I guess it depends on how long it takes you to find your nurse to take home to look after you?

Realistically, what Thai lady would marry such a poor guy? Well, OK, maybe for a green card but surely the "quality" pickings would be slim, yes?

[farang000999]

It is possible. Take yourself to some really rural area of Thailand. Find a woman. Tell her you have $300 a month and she needs to give you food, water, shelter and perhaps something else. ur big problem is VISA...

also, seriously 300 is not enough just forget it.

Edited February 19, 2012 by farang000999

[flying]

Realistically, what Thai lady would marry such a poor guy? Well, OK, maybe for a green card but surely the "quality" pickings would be slim, yes?

Poor guys do not qualify for sponsoring US green cards.

Folks would be surprised what green cards really cost.

In money, time & qualifications

Edited February 19, 2012 by flying

[johntou]

All this cobblers about having to have a return ticket to get a visa on entry is just that...cobblers ! If you arrive on a one way ticket you will still get a 30 day tourist visa and they won't even ask to see any tickets whatsoever. I know this to be true because I did it several times when I used to come here some years back. If you want to extend you can go to immigration and get longer for 1,900 Baht. After that it's up to you what you want to do and you can buy a ticket to leave the country in any direction you want to. You can then return on a single ticket and start the process all over again. Too many people hand out bum information when they've never actually done things for themselves.

There was a guy in front of me at the airline check-in desk a couple of years ago who had booked a one-way ticket to Thailand online. The woman at the desk told him he couldn't board due to his one-way ticket. He tried to quibble, but was told that he couldn't board, and to go from the desk. While I was waiting for my details to be processed, he came back, and tried again to debate the issue. The woman told him, 'This conversation finish, please go', not in a friendly fashion. A true story to throw in to the mix.

[Kwasaki]

All this cobblers about having to have a return ticket to get a visa on entry is just that...cobblers ! If you arrive on a one way ticket you will still get a 30 day tourist visa and they won't even ask to see any tickets whatsoever. I know this to be true because I did it several times when I used to come here some years back. If you want to extend you can go to immigration and get longer for 1,900 Baht. After that it's up to you what you want to do and you can buy a ticket to leave the country in any direction you want to. You can then return on a single ticket and start the process all over again. Too many people hand out bum information when they've never actually done things for themselves.

There was a guy in front of me at the airline check-in desk a couple of years ago who had booked a one-way ticket to Thailand online. The woman at the desk told him he couldn't board due to his one-way ticket. He tried to quibble, but was told that he couldn't board, and to go from the desk. While I was waiting for my details to be processed, he came back, and tried again to debate the issue. The woman told him, 'This conversation finish, please go', not in a friendly fashion. A true story to throw in to the mix.

In the UK one way ticket LHR to BKK if you have a credit card no problem don't know about US though.

[Jingthing]

Realistically, what Thai lady would marry such a poor guy? Well, OK, maybe for a green card but surely the "quality" pickings would be slim, yes?

Poor guys do not qualify for sponsoring US green cards.

Folks would be surprised what green cards really cost.

In money, time & qualifications

OK, thanks for that. Being a second class U.S. citizen, I wouldn't know the details of such things.

[SlyAnimal]

$300US is around 10k Baht

Can live on that no problems in Isaan (So long as you can eat Thai food and don't need air con)

Visas wise, you'd get around 6 months from a multiple entry tourist visa if you extend it twice, you could probably (not 100% sure but they'd probably give you one) just get a second multiple entry tourist visa after that to push you out to a full year. Although you'd need to budget around 1000THB a month(maybe a little more) for visa costs (if you want to spread the costs over the 12 months)

You wouldn't have any problems with a 1 way ticket so long as you have a tourist visa for Thailand

Cost of your ticket back to the states after your 1 year in Thailand would blow your $300US budget quite considerably though lol

[bendix]

I find it extraordinary that people are giving this guy advice that he can do it. He simply can't. It's out of the question.

Irrespective of whether it is possible to live on that sort of money - and of course it is in the stick, eating local food, speaking Thai, travelling as the locals do etc,and relying on the community / family for help when things go wrong - what you are all ignoring is the obvious fact that this guy is so ill-equipped for life here that he hasn't even bothered to look into visas, issues around one-way tickets etc etc. If he doesn't have the nous to think those issues through do you really think he's going to be able to navigate his way around the daily issues which we all face, most of us with numerous multiples of income that he is going to have at his disposal.

It's absolutely ridiculous.

I'm intrigued that ludditeman is encouraging him to do it, and to suggest that it is the apologists who are naysaying him. I wonder what his motivations are? A cynic might be tempted to suggest that he likes the idea of encouraging people who are obviously going to struggle here on the basis it might make him happier to know there is someone more miserable here under him.

But not me. Oh no. I'm not a cynic.

[Jingthing]

I rarely agree with bendix but in this case I mostly do. However, I also feel IF this adult person is going to go ahead with it anyway, ignoring the consensus of advice here not to, we might as well help him increase his odds. (From zero to one percent?)

[bendix]

I rarely agree with bendix but in this case I mostly do. However, I also feel IF this adult person is going to go ahead with it anyway, ignoring the consensus of advice here not to, we might as well help him increase his odds. (From zero to one percent?)

Why help him? He's an adult. He's going into this with his eyes wide open and coming from a place where he has options in life and has had advantages that tens of millions of Thais could only dream of.

Help? Not a chance. There are numerous better candidates for my help.

[Jingthing]

I rarely agree with bendix but in this case I mostly do. However, I also feel IF this adult person is going to go ahead with it anyway, ignoring the consensus of advice here not to, we might as well help him increase his odds. (From zero to one percent?)

Why help him? He's an adult. He's going into this with his eyes wide open and coming from a place where he has options in life and has had advantages that tens of millions of Thais could only dream of.

Help? Not a chance. There are numerous better candidates for my help.

Because I'm a shameless bleeding heart liberal. Like I said, we don't usually agree.

[ludditeman]

You could always look in villages.

There are plenty of farm women who are single (age 45+), just getting the produce they produce on their farms.

Many of them would be happy to share an income of 9,000bht a month, provide bed, board and companionship.

[Roj]

You would have a very frugal existence. Go to Laos instead, but the whisky will kill you.

[cdnvic]

I find it extraordinary that people are giving this guy advice that he can do it. He simply can't. It's out of the question

That's fine as it's not a legit topic. It is however interesting to see what people could come up with. The OP is not in the US, but we played him for a while, and will now close his topic.