We Need Advice From The Seniors Here

[sarathjay]

My wife will be moving to BKK in August to start teaching in an International school on a two year contract. We work and live in Germany and are both EU citizens. I will be joining her in Nov. after retirement in Germany. Our 25 year old daughter also an EU Citizen will be joining us to study in BKK while living with us. I do not intend to work in Thailand. Just the non teaching spouse as it is called.

Please could some of you in this forum advice us what visa we should apply for and what options we should take if we like to travel to the neighboring countries during breaks. For ex. Cambodia, Burma, Malaysia and even to Australia and my home country, Sri Lanka?

Are there certain do's and dont's in applying for Thai visas? We have never been to Thailand before but have experience in traveling worldwide. Thanks in advance for any advice one would have for us.

Our immediate questions are...

Can our daughter come with us on a tourist visa and look for a school once she is in BKK and then apply for a study visa or is it better to fix the school before coming and get the long term visa at the Thai Embassy in Germany?

What exact Visa must the non working spouse apply for if he wants to go in and out of Thailand as he pleases?

Is there a Visa for my wife who is working, with multiple entries?

We are thinking of buying a car in BKK. Is there any Expat here with a vehicle in good condition that he or she does not need from August onwards that we can pay in foreign currency from a German bank to yours to an account in your home country? It could be a station wagon Corolla type and the deal will take place after we arrive around the 30th of July. We could do with a scooter too to start with. What are the formalities in purchasing a vehicle? How long can I drive in Thailand with my German national license and the International one valid for 3 years?

Must I obtain a Thai Driving License?

I see that moving to Thailand is not as easy as I thought!

[asiaexpat]

As to the type of visas you should apply for:

1. Your wife will require a Non-B (business) visa and apply for this at the Royal Thai embassy in Germany using documentation from her employer.

2. Once your wife has her Non-B visa you can apply for a Non-O visa based on being her spouse.

3. Your daughter can apply for a Tourist visa or enter Thailand on a visa exempt stay. The visa exempt is only good for 30 days while the TV is good for 60 days. She can then find a school and arrange a Non-Ed visa (educational visa.)

These visas can be obtained for multiple visits (trips in and out of Thailand.)

Your Germany drivers license and international driver permit will be good for 3 months, then, legally, you need to get a Thai driver license. This is not difficult. Purchasing an automobile can be more difficult than in Germany. Transfer of title requires that you have a residence certificate. Also, used autos (or new) are quit expensive in comparison to most places. i suggest you wait until you are settled before you make that purchase.

[sarathjay]

Thanks so much for the infos.

Yes, you are right....I will wait a little with a car. We will be based in the Chatuchak area and according to your experience would you advice us to use public transport or Taxis? How would you advice a Female to travel alone 5 to 8 km from home to school? Is it possible to get one specific Tuk Tuk to do a pick up and drop off on a long term basis? Are they reliable?

[lopburi3]

Actually Bangkok is really quite safe to travel in. That specific area has both elivated rail and subway service as well as bus, van, and taxi service. Nobody uses tuk tuks if they can avoid as cost will be more than an air-conditioned taxi in most cases and most would not agree to travel more than one or two km's as they are for getting money from tourists - not transporting locals or expats.

[asiaexpat]

As Lopburi3 has said, there are several options for transportation to and from work for your wife as well as your daughter to school. The Skytrain (we call it BTS) is very good transportation in most of Bangkok (and safe.) There are also Songtows (mini pickup trucks with bench seats in the bed area) that locals use and are very cheap. From the Chatuchak area, the BTS would be my recommendation. She can buy a Rabbit Pass for daily use. Driving from that area to any location during the day would be a challenge. Taxis are reasonable, but the BTS is much more economical. Hope this helps.

[USNret]

Thanks so much for the infos.

Yes, you are right....I will wait a little with a car. We will be based in the Chatuchak area and according to your experience would you advice us to use public transport or Taxis? How would you advice a Female to travel alone 5 to 8 km from home to school? Is it possible to get one specific Tuk Tuk to do a pick up and drop off on a long term basis? Are they reliable?

I'm curious as to whether you've already found housing, or is the school providing it? Is the school in Chatuchak or your home? If you are still flexible on housing, there might be no need to travel quite so far to work. It's pretty easy getting around BKK, but morning rush hour can be crazy.