Relocate To Thailand

[Thai-Aust]

I plan to relocate to Thailand soon. Any aussies had experience moving your stuff from Aust to Thailand? We have approx 3 bedrooms worth of stuff. which cargo company did you use and what would happen at the customs? Any tax on your used personal belongings?

Any advice from aussies will be much appreciated.

cheers.

Edited April 15, 2012 by Thai-Aust

[Checker]

A standard 3 bedroom will be a 20 foot container. Cheaper if you pack it yourself. I did it in 2008 from Perth to Bangkok and cost me $2,500 without insurance. All I did was hire the container. If your wife is Thai and returning home you should get away with paying any taxes although they will find something to get a few thousand baht from you. We paid 2,000 baht for something that I cannot remember. Don't take stuff you don't really need. If you have a removalist do it you would be now looking at around $8, 000 -$10,000. Costs at the other end will depend on where you are moving to in Thailand.

[kurnell]

A standard 3 bedroom will be a 20 foot container. Cheaper if you pack it yourself. I did it in 2008 from Perth to Bangkok and cost me $2,500 without insurance. All I did was hire the container. If your wife is Thai and returning home you should get away with paying any taxes although they will find something to get a few thousand baht from you. We paid 2,000 baht for something that I cannot remember. Don't take stuff you don't really need. If you have a removalist do it you would be now looking at around $8, 000 -$10,000. Costs at the other end will depend on where you are moving to in Thailand.

What was the freight cost (Freemantle-BKK) at the time?:

[pantah]

Hi We are in the same boat,, relocating in late june and trying to figure out what to bring, what to store and what to get rid of.. We are thinking bring our lounge, bedding, TV.s ( new flat screens )

For the bed we are thinking to we bring a new latex queen mattress ( $2300 AUD ) or by over there?

My shipping costs are cover by the ex pat deal.. i have a couple of motorcycles and thought on bringing one but they look cheap over there..

[Thai-Aust]

My shipping costs are cover by the ex pat deal..

what do you mean 'ex pat deal', where do you get it from?

thanks Cherker, helpful advice.

[necronx99]

Will cost you about 3k for a self pack container.

No tax for a resident on used goods, limit of 1 item per type (i.e only one TV else tax charged)

A moving company will charge about 6k 7k door to door.

To pantah above DO NOT bring a motorbike - duties and taxes and may not meet emission standards.

Edited April 15, 2012 by necronx99

[Thai-Aust]

My shipping costs are cover by the ex pat deal..

what do you mean 'ex pat deal'? where do you get it from?

thanks cherker, helpful advice.

[necronx99]

My shipping costs are cover by the ex pat deal..

what do you mean 'ex pat deal'? where do you get it from?

thanks cherker, helpful advice.

His employer is paying for his relocation.

[Checker]

Just went back and had a look at my diary for 2008. I booked a 20 foot container from AGS World Transport in Fremantle. I had the container at my home for 3 days and packed it myself (with the help of friends). At completion the container was picked up and transported to Fremantle and shipped to Bangkok. Total cost at Australian end was $2,865. After being cleared through customs in Bangkok the container was then transported to my house in Chaeng Wattana. Total cost Thailand end was $635 (19,000 baht). Insurance was going to cost me about $850 which would have covered me for loss of container. As I packed it myself I could not get insurance for damaged goods. I took the risk and did not insure. Everything arrived without a scratch. . . . . . Remember this was in 2008.

Edited April 15, 2012 by Checker

[Thai-Aust]

Thanks guys for the advice.

I think it would be cheaper to not bring everything, only TV and some kitchen appliances. This way I can share with others with the costs.

[pantah]

OK leave the bikes here so i I bring two TV.s I get taxed on the second one.. We will most likely take either a house or apartment, 3 bedroom house..

[pantah]

The relocation company is say this for area to live

. Sukhumvit

. Sathorn or Narathiwas-Ratchanakarin

. Pattanakarn

The above locations are very convenient for lifestyle as there are facilities e.g. shops, restaurants, recreational are like park, banks, hospitals, skytrain and/or subway to accommodate your living. In terms of office location, because Volvo is located towards east of Bangkok, though there are no mass public transport like skytrain or many shops nearby, traveling by car is not difficult since there are highways for you to easily commute on a daily basis. Distance can be over 35 kms by the way.

[BigJohnnyBKK]

Thanks guys for the advice.

I think it would be cheaper to not bring everything, only TV and some kitchen appliances. This way I can share with others with the costs.

Both televisions and appliances are cheap here, and often included in high-end accommodation. If you can take the cash rather than the benefit I'd say do so.

Otherwise the one thing that may be easier for you to find there would be quality furniture. The expensive stuff here is often crap from a longevity POV. However if you like hand-made carpentry that's cheaper to get done here.

PS Don't forget the vegemite or marmite!

[transam]

OK leave the bikes here so i I bring two TV.s I get taxed on the second one.. We will most likely take either a house or apartment, 3 bedroom house..

Televisions are cheap here.

[pantah]

The company will pay 45000 and 60000 THB per month rental, they prefer to rent unfurnished or furnished with white goods

[necronx99]

The company will pay 45000 and 60000 THB per month rental, they prefer to rent unfurnished or furnished with white goods

Depending on your kid situation you can get a nice fully serviced apt for that...

[pantah]

Just the wife and myself,, we have no idea if we want a house or apartment we have a spread out lowset brick home over here in brisbane in the suburbs.. we are not what we call city dwellers but think maybe a spacious apartment might be worth a try to consider when we down size and retire.. I think to survive the wife will need access to shops, movie theatres and what ever else might catch her attention.

[necronx99]

Just the wife and myself,, we have no idea if we want a house or apartment we have a spread out lowset brick home over here in brisbane in the suburbs.. we are not what we call city dwellers but think maybe a spacious apartment might be worth a try to consider when we down size and retire.. I think to survive the wife will need access to shops, movie theatres and what ever else might catch her attention.

Obv up to you, but I would look at deferring your move allowance and just coming over with suitcases and move into a fully or partially serviced apartment.

[pantah]

You cant defer the allowance.. its take it or leave it.. same for rental allowance.. use it or lose it.. if the place you want is less you dont get the difference.. i am not sure if I am being greedy but I also want internet and either cable or satelite TV.

If we leave stuff here we have to sell or store it.. storage can be expensive... they will move furniture (60 cubic meters),

[lumply]

I was in this situation in 2008 when a company move (from the Middle East) 'threatened' a BKK expat housing package of B100K p.a. I viewed many properties in the mid suk area but on the point of signing my UK company ratted on the deal (downturn etc. so disappointed as I was, I did understand the company's point of view.....eventually). The point is that at even 60K I could have picked up a very suitable 2 bed close to the BTS, or a little further away 3 bed fully kitted out at the time.

Apart from having the comfort of your own stuff around you, backed up by at least a 5 year safety clause in your contract (probably wishful thinking these days), shipping all and sundry out with you is a non starter unless it's a full blown immigration jobby. The wife would disagree of course but look at the practicalities and the end game, the latter too few people do consider until they're booted out of the job or for some other reason it comes to an end, and left with a full house load which can be a real headache.

Views based on 24 years expat existence and three 'moves' I wish you all the best, however you wish to play it.

[lumply]

Numbers above meant to be per month, sorry for typo

[farang000999]

It was funny when the US customs officer asked me how I managed to accumulate 28 large boxes of clothing, 25 of which belonged to my wife.

[pantah]

Thanks.. its a challenge to decide, the concept is 2 yr expat to begin with.. if all parties agree it can be extended.. if not pack all the stuff up and come back to Oz.. I am stuck with the idea if I sell all the stuff here then when if we come back its buy furniture. If I take it, we can replace it over there as we feel the need.. I really am hung up on storing it here as thats money down the drain.. but in saying that I have a couple of motorcycles i need to deal with. But your right, I need to confirm what the worst outcome could be..

[BigJohnnyBKK]

The company will pay 45000 and 60000 THB per month rental, they prefer to rent unfurnished or furnished with white goods

You can rent three or four townhouses for that, so look for one of those really lovely walled compound homes with trees shading the yard and gardens in the back sois, usually come with servants as part of the deal, might even get one with a pool. . .

Or rent a huge huge plain house and sublet rooms 8-)

Seriously, I know several farang families who live quite nicely on less than that.

Edited April 15, 2012 by BigJohnnyBKK

[ObsessiveAddict]

Three bedrooms worth of stuff? My advise is to sell all of your items that you don't REALLY need.

If I were to move to Thailand, which I plan to do in the future, I would bring my laptop and a small napsack.

[necronx99]

Three bedrooms worth of stuff? My advise is to sell all of your items that you don't REALLY need.

If I were to move to Thailand, which I plan to do in the future, I would bring my laptop and a small napsack.

But you live with your parents and don't actually have any 'stuff' do you?

[sketcher]

Three bedrooms worth of stuff? My advise is to sell all of your items that you don't REALLY need.

If I were to move to Thailand, which I plan to do in the future, I would bring my laptop and a small napsack.

But you live with your parents and don't actually have any 'stuff' do you?

And also were planning to sleep in the back of some seedy girly bar, I think the OP has slightly higher expectations.

[farang000999]

The company will pay 45000 and 60000 THB per month rental, they prefer to rent unfurnished or furnished with white goods

You can rent three or four townhouses for that, so look for one of those really lovely walled compound homes with trees shading the yard and gardens in the back sois, usually come with servants as part of the deal, might even get one with a pool. . .

Or rent a huge huge plain house and sublet rooms 8-)

Seriously, I know several farang families who live quite nicely on less than that.

not in bangkok, lol. take a look at prakard.com 45k is a 60m2 condo in some areas/buildings.

[BigJohnnyBKK]

not in bangkok, lol. take a look at prakard.com 45k is a 60m2 condo in some areas/buildings.

Pay attention - I'm not talking about these IMO overpriced luxury condos, but houses. My five-story shophouse - within ten minutes of the BTS and five from the river ferry stop - rents for B12,000, and every one of my neighbors says I'm overpaying. In the small sub-soi's one sees many large walled plots with multiple houses set in beautiful yards and gardens. To the extent they come on the rental market, I imagine they would deliver much more value for money (to me anyway) than a condo. It is quite possible that one of these, perhaps one needing a bit of work, not necessarily costing much, would be available in this price range. The rental usually also includes the servants, so perhaps it would be worth going a bit over, being a bit out of pocket, since the OP would have to usually pay (overpay) out of his net salary anyway.

Of course, he may prefer to live in a condo - just pointing out additional options to consider since he has such a generous allowance to work with.

[ObsessiveAddict]

Three bedrooms worth of stuff? My advise is to sell all of your items that you don't REALLY need.

If I were to move to Thailand, which I plan to do in the future, I would bring my laptop and a small napsack.

But you live with your parents and don't actually have any 'stuff' do you?

And also were planning to sleep in the back of some seedy girly bar, I think the OP has slightly higher expectations.

cool story bros. what 'stuff' am I really missing out on? guarenteed you are bringing a lot of junk you don't need.