Moving To Thailand

[phuketrichard]

phuket is not that much more if u live local level;

I live in Kamala

2 bedroom house with 2 bathrooms an 2 aircon 10,000 ( u can find from 7,000 for an air con room up to 250,000/month on Millionairs mile) figure average wil run u 14-17,000/month for 2 bedroom house

internet 600

electric about 800

ubc 1700

2 people average about 15,000 for food and eating out, WE dont drink in bars an deat out 2 nights or so/week an love japanese food.

so easily under $1500./month

Of course if u eat western food an like bars and nightly company ur expendatures will go way UP ( 2-3,000/night)

Lived in Patong '85-94 an would never move there and try not to even go in, traffic is crazy and gets worse form now till march

Pattaya the traffic is always bad

No wind in Phuket till late may when the winds shift ,now its like glass an dthe only time u will get winds is if there is a storm

Phuket is an island resort,

Pattaya is a city and even Jomtien is very built up ( was there 2 months ago) easier to get around with their Baht bus system but still u would need rent ( 4-5,000 baht/month ) a motorcycle or buy 15-25,000

If u want an peacefull easy laid back life and limted bars and girls phuket

if u want nightlife and a diferent girl each night pattaya

Edited November 27, 2012 by phuketrichard

[LivinginKata]

@phuketrichard

What about insurance costs. I know lots of folks don't think about insurance, but health and comprehensive car insurance are by far our biggest single cost (given that we own our home so don't pay rental costs).

[phuketrichard]

@phuketrichard

What about insurance costs. I know lots of folks don't think about insurance, but health and comprehensive car insurance are by far our biggest single cost (given that we own our home so don't pay rental costs).

Car insurance 12,000/year

i dont have medical, never have, never will

alos add visa/year 1,900 (1,600 for form from us embassy) 1,000/re-entry permit

I alos left out travel expenses as we like to go up to Laos and Cambodia once or so /year. Plus i go back to the states every 18 months or so. That can run 40-80,000/year

as he was asking about short term living 2 month or so, i doubt he needs to figure in car insurance or med insurance or travel expenses.

His 2 month visa will be about $45 and than 1,900 baht more if he extends another month

Edited November 27, 2012 by phuketrichard

[luke69]

Thanks phuketrichard, thats very informative.

[geriatrickid]

Thanks phuketrichard, thats very informative.

Except the medical insurance. If you plan on coming, please take out medical insurance (that includes injuries if on a motorbike or in a vehicle). Until you know your way about, you are more at risk for an accident. There are roads with potholes, sidewalks with tripping points, a diferent attitude to pedestrians, some dangerous areas, etc. The number of people that seem to trip and fall is significant. I've been in the ERs and seen all sorts odd injuries, and these people weren't drunk or behaving like idiots. Sit around junceylon when its been wet and you'll see people slipping and falling on the slick walkway. Even the food can cause some issues for newcomers. I had a bad dose of food poisoning in September. I managed after a 48 hour excruciating period, but one of my Thai friends had to go to hospital because she was dehydrated and suffering a bad fever.

[grumpyoldman]

@phuketrichard

What about insurance costs. I know lots of folks don't think about insurance, but health and comprehensive car insurance are by far our biggest single cost (given that we own our home so don't pay rental costs).

i dont have medical, never have, never will

If you live here full time and don't have medical insurance it's just gambling.

And you are betting that nothing will happen to you, accident or illness.

Excellent friend of GOM's and others on the board here did the same, lost the bet, got a kidney ailment had to be hospitalized, no insurance, almost died.

All the friends got together raised the money and paid for a procedure at Prince of Songkla Hospital, pretty sure he has paid everybody back now.

phuketrichard I hope you have a lot of friends.............otherwise terrible advice telling people not to get some coverage, it's not expensive.

[petercallen]

The OP should buy travel insurance in his home country which includes unlimited medical cover

This is standard in Australian travel insurance but not in insurance policies here

[phuketrichard]

@phuketrichard

What about insurance costs. I know lots of folks don't think about insurance, but health and comprehensive car insurance are by far our biggest single cost (given that we own our home so don't pay rental costs).

i dont have medical, never have, never will

If you live here full time and don't have medical insurance it's just gambling.

And you are betting that nothing will happen to you, accident or illness.

Excellent friend of GOM's and others on the board here did the same, lost the bet, got a kidney ailment had to be hospitalized, no insurance, almost died.

All the friends got together raised the money and paid for a procedure at Prince of Songkla Hospital, pretty sure he has paid everybody back now.

phuketrichard I hope you have a lot of friends.............otherwise terrible advice telling people not to get some coverage, it's not expensive.

I hate insurance; Yes its gambling.... Your paying, ( gambling) good money out of ur pocket and BETTING ur going to die or get sick. Sorry i just don't buy into that. Many don't agree with you on this. 95% of the people i know here have no insurance.

Edited December 1, 2012 by phuketrichard

[NamKangMan]

@phuketrichard

What about insurance costs. I know lots of folks don't think about insurance, but health and comprehensive car insurance are by far our biggest single cost (given that we own our home so don't pay rental costs).

Car insurance 12,000/year

i dont have medical, never have, never will

alos add visa/year 1,900 (1,600 for form from us embassy) 1,000/re-entry permit

I alos left out travel expenses as we like to go up to Laos and Cambodia once or so /year. Plus i go back to the states every 18 months or so. That can run 40-80,000/year

as he was asking about short term living 2 month or so, i doubt he needs to figure in car insurance or med insurance or travel expenses.

His 2 month visa will be about $45 and than 1,900 baht more if he extends another month

You insure your car, but not your health????

I would have thought that your health would be more important to you than your car.

I also advise the OP to have some travel insurance, if only for the medical coverage, before coming here.

Edited December 1, 2012 by NamKangMan

[phuketrichard]

insure my car cause i am forced to. Plus by insuring my car i am insuring for all the ..... up drivers out there.that don't have a clue what they are doing.

I owned a house here for 10 years and also had no insurance So blast me on that one as well :-)

Hey, Everyone is different, we obviously come from different worlds and live by different rules

[patongphil]

@phuketrichard

What about insurance costs. I know lots of folks don't think about insurance, but health and comprehensive car insurance are by far our biggest single cost (given that we own our home so don't pay rental costs).

i dont have medical, never have, never will

If you live here full time and don't have medical insurance it's just gambling.

And you are betting that nothing will happen to you, accident or illness.

Excellent friend of GOM's and others on the board here did the same, lost the bet, got a kidney ailment had to be hospitalized, no insurance, almost died.

All the friends got together raised the money and paid for a procedure at Prince of Songkla Hospital, pretty sure he has paid everybody back now.

phuketrichard I hope you have a lot of friends.............otherwise terrible advice telling people not to get some coverage, it's not expensive.

I hate insurance; Yes its gambling.... Your paying, ( gambling) good money out of ur pocket and BETTING ur going to die or get sick. Sorry i just don't buy into that. Many don't agree with you on this. 95% of the people i know here have no insurance.

If you knew me then I would be one of the 5%.

I too know of people here who have had to be bailed out of hospital bills by friends.

[NamKangMan]

insure my car cause i am forced to. Plus by insuring my car i am insuring for all the ....up drivers out there.that don't have a clue what they are doing.

I owned a house here for 10 years and also had no insurance So blast me on that one as well :-)

Hey, Everyone is different, we obviously come from different worlds and live by different rules

You know, a lot of those " ....up drivers out there that don't have a clue what they are doing" are Thai doctors and medical staff.

Seriously, as you stated, one danger here is the roads, if you are ever involved in a serious motor vehicle accident, and are hospitalised in the ICU and then the general ward, maybe requiring one or more operations, doesn't receiving the bill for something like this concern you?

Yes, each to their own, I have health insurance.

[grumpyoldman]

5 years ago I actually took health insurance from Thai Visa.

Cost me about 10,000thb for a three month policy, as at the time I was shopping, just wanted some minimal coverage.

Coming down the viewpoint hill from Kata into Rawai, come around a blind bend where a truck had nicely lost some of it's sand, GOM's down, riding the bike horizontally, thinking, well this isn't good..............ground my ankle to the bone along with some other scrapes.

Bill ended being about 12,000, TV stepped up took care of it.

phuketrichard, you are right, you can gamble your way, I;ll gamble mine, but I will always advise people to have health coverage. IMHO -to live here and have no coverage is not smart.

[steelepulse]

>>95% of the people i know here have no insurance

Really? Why would 19 out of every 20 people you know not want to have insurance? It's either because they can't afford it, or have 5 million laying around in case of a major medical problem. Otherwise there is no excuse to put your family's well being at risk over 3,000 baht/mo or less.

>>if you are ever involved in a serious motor vehicle accident, and are hospitalised in the ICU

With no insurance you'll find yourself in a gov't hospital, good luck getting proper care there.

[phuketrichard]

>>95% of the people i know here have no insurance

Really? Why would 19 out of every 20 people you know not want to have insurance? It's either because they can't afford it, or have 5 million laying around in case of a major medical problem. Otherwise there is no excuse to put your family's well being at risk over 3,000 baht/mo or less.

>>if you are ever involved in a serious motor vehicle accident, and are hospitalised in the ICU

With no insurance you'll find yourself in a gov't hospital, good luck getting proper care there.

Please show me where i , at 62, can get med insurance that would cover anything magor for 3,000 baht/month

I only use my motorbike here in kamala an the rest of the time am in my car. U wouldn't catch me dead on any of these roads outside of the area i live in on a motorbike

[petercallen]

insure my car cause i am forced to. Plus by insuring my car i am insuring for all the fuc_ked up drivers out there.that don't have a clue what they are doing.

I owned a house here for 10 years and also had no insurance So blast me on that one as well :-)

Hey, Everyone is different, we obviously come from different worlds and live by different rules

You only have to insure your vehicle if using finance to purchase it

Cash buyers its up to you but i still have comprehensive insurance like a lot of other cash buyers

[grumpyoldman]

>>95% of the people i know here have no insurance

Really? Why would 19 out of every 20 people you know not want to have insurance? It's either because they can't afford it, or have 5 million laying around in case of a major medical problem. Otherwise there is no excuse to put your family's well being at risk over 3,000 baht/mo or less.

>>if you are ever involved in a serious motor vehicle accident, and are hospitalised in the ICU

With no insurance you'll find yourself in a gov't hospital, good luck getting proper care there.

Please show me where i , at 62, can get med insurance that would cover anything magor for 3,000 baht/month

I only use my motorbike here in kamala an the rest of the time am in my car. U wouldn't catch me dead on any of these roads outside of the area i live in on a motorbike

You're right, that mark is a little low.

I think a Bupa policy for you would probably run 65,000 a year so thats close to 5,500thb a month for around 2mil thb in coverage.

And, continue to renew and they will cover you past 70 years of age.

The argument that you only use the bike in Kamala is laughable, that speedway through there is as dangerous as anywhere on the island, and (reason for edit), I see people regularly blowing through the traffic lights.

Edited December 1, 2012 by grumpyoldman

[LivinginKata]

I guess I am one of that 5%. Always had full health insurance here in Thailand. Over 17 years I have less than 10,000 baht back in claims, wife about 80,000 baht back. Yes for sure each year when the premium needs to be paid I grumble and consider whether I should pay again. I don't consider it a gamble, as for sure we all get sick or ill especially as we get older.. And being in a vehicle accident is a near certainty if you stay here long enough.

[LivinginKata]

Please show me where i , at 62, can get med insurance that would cover anything magor for 3,000 baht/month

I only use my motorbike here in kamala an the rest of the time am in my car. U wouldn't catch me dead on any of these roads outside of the area i live in on a motorbike

You're right, that mark is a little low.

I think a Bupa policy for you would probably run 65,000 a year so thats close to 5,500thb a month for around 2mil thb in coverage.

And, continue to renew and they will cover you past 70 years of age.

The argument that you only use the bike in Kamala is laughable, that speedway through there is as dangerous as anywhere on the island, and (reason for edit), I see people regularly blowing through the traffic lights.

Sure BUPA (Thailand) will cover you for life, BUT only if you sign up before the age of 60. I know because my long time health insurance only covered until 65 with no exceptions, so I switched to BUPA before my 60th birthday.

[phuketrichard]

I guess I am one of that 5%. Always had full health insurance here in Thailand. Over 17 years I have less than 10,000 baht back in claims, wife about 80,000 baht back. Yes for sure each year when the premium needs to be paid I grumble and consider whether I should pay again. I don't consider it a gamble, as for sure we all get sick or ill especially as we get older.. And being in a vehicle accident is a near certainty if you stay here long enough.

Hmm how long is long enough? I have been in ONE car accident that caused me no injuries and that's 28 years here.

OK 28 years at an average of say low balling 40,000 baht/year= 1,120,000 baht. I have been in the hospital for a total of 3 days with a kidney stone which cost like 25,00 total.

I prefer to gamble I will NOT get sick rather than pay out

Like i said to each his own

and as far as kamala being unsafe, if ur watching its no problem living here,( yea everyone goes thru those red lights) an many less accidents than anywhere else on the island.

I am not trying to be hard, be an asshol_e or convince anyone not to have insurance, but i just don't like the idea of betting i will get sick or need it.

Just checked Bupa basic opd platinum 1 7,615/month max for in patient is 1,000,000 and 100,000 for accident.

Edited December 1, 2012 by phuketrichard

[LivinginKata]

<snip>

Just checked Bupa basic opd platinum 1 7,615/month max for in patient is 1,000,000 and 100,000 for accident.

Quite honestly the OPD option is just not worth the premium price. I did the maths on that option and it just does not make any financial sense. I have platinum, thought it paid max 2 million - need to check that. Premium price depends on age. For 2 of us (and I am an old dude) is less than you quote. Have to admit that is with the 20% discounts for on time payments and no claims.

[phuketrichard]

http://www.bupa.co.th/en/individuals/health-insurance/get-quote-plan.aspx?t=&iid=1&gids=&a=62&class=1

plat 2 for 2 mil is another 7,000 baht/year