moving permanently to Thailand

[avander]

Thank you all for the education on visa will be a great help. it has posed another question though, with bringing personal/household items into the country what is the best way from Australia. what freight company and any paperwork needed. cheers

Your freight company should look after the paperwork and advise you.

My wife and I used Conroys removal out of Sydney who provided a door to door service including packing and in my wifes name. The price started reasonably ok with a 20' container at around $6500AU but ended up around $8000AU with insurance. Would have been more but we knocked a lot off the list. If I had the chance again I would probably not even bother with insurance. Service at both ends was pretty good and we only had a couple of small breakages, one of which the transport company at this end got repaired for us very reasonably.

I was worried customs may want some duty but on advice from the company at this end we paid $100 and everything was cleared through. All in all pretty good and 6 weeks door to door, Sydney to Pattaya. To be on the safe side I took copies of all invoices of items relatively new to prove they weren't purchased in the last 12 months and subject to duty.

+1

I also used Conroys, but my price of A$6500 included insurance costs. The clearance agent arranged by Conroy in Thailand, Asian Tigers, were great and the customer service rep spoke good English with zero additional charges

The costs have risen since you moved here Simple1. Originally, I was expecting around $6K too but it certainly didn't end up that way. Also in relation to that and your comments regarding Asian Tigers, on Conroys advice, we didn't use them at this end due to their higher cost; it would apparently have been a lot more! They are very good as you say but we also didn't have problems with the alternative Conroys suggested.

Marty: Cast a very critical eye over what you intend to bring and sell off as much as you possibly can in Oz. I am sorry I bought so much with me.

Sorry Dazza, my last comment above was for you. Dunno where the hell I got Marty from. Hehe.

[avander]

Dazza,

I'm a "lists person" (my IT background) so for our move I put together an Excel checklist covering pretty much all the items we had to get done before and during the move.

it worked out pretty well and I am sure it would be useful to others contemplating such a move so if you are interested PM me and I can email you a copy.

You will have to tailor it for yourself but it will provide an excellent start.

cheers

A

[dazza101]

Cheers

@Avander: A bit off topic but last time (lived here before) I shipped a container was 12/2011, surprised to see shipping costs have risen so much.

@Dazza101: Best wishes for you and your family new life in Thailand. As you have experienced this forum can provide some good advice/suggestions.

[Muhendis]

Thank you all for the education on visa will be a great help. it has posed another question though, with bringing personal/household items into the country what is the best way from Australia. what freight company and any paperwork needed. cheers

I have used this company a few times at the Thailand port of entry. They specialise in shifting people's effects into Thailand and will take care of everything including unpacking for you. If you contact them, they will be able to fix the entire move for you.

http://www.united-relo.com/ .

[dazza101]

yes i agree and thank all for the info.

@Avander: A bit off topic but last time (lived here before) I shipped a container was 12/2011, surprised to see shipping costs have risen so much.

@Dazza101: Best wishes for you and your family new life in Thailand. As you have experienced this forum can provide some good advice/suggestions.

[Muhendis]

Please get a MULTIPLE ENTRY visa instead of single entry. There are no dis-advantages except for the higher visa fee. I would trade the higher visa fee for the flexibility of the multiple entry visa any day. You can still get an extension in thailand if needed.Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

A multiple entry visa requires leaving every 90 days. I see that as major disadvantage verses getting an extension of stay.

Important point about multiple entry visa is that after your extension has been granted you are expected to notify your local immigration office prior to traveling outside Thailand.

Ubonjoe may have more info. on this.

[ubonjoe]

Please get a MULTIPLE ENTRY visa instead of single entry. There are no dis-advantages except for the higher visa fee. I would trade the higher visa fee for the flexibility of the multiple entry visa any day. You can still get an extension in thailand if needed.Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

A multiple entry visa requires leaving every 90 days. I see that as major disadvantage verses getting an extension of stay.

Important point about multiple entry visa is that after your extension has been granted you are expected to notify your local immigration office prior to traveling outside Thailand.

Ubonjoe may have more info. on this.

With extension of stay you obtain re-entry permit if you want to travel.

[4evermaat]

150 aud/usd and especially gbp could be several drinks at the bar or even 1 months rent here in los depending on where you stay. But....

The 1 yr extension can always be initiated anytime while visa is valid. But what if you wanted to visit a border country? As you juggle the extension paperwork requirements vs traveling flexibility. The last thing you want to think about is "I should have just gotten the multiple entry the first time."

Knew a younger couple who did something similar (single entry, but had option for multiple), but they didnt do it because they were told it was "so easy" to just extend in country; so he figured he'd save the $130 or so.

After the fact, he saw the wisdom in having the multiple entry. He was a little different as it was his first time in LoS and was planning a long stay of a 1-3 years vs a more permanent relocation. He spent way more than $150 + time getting the required docs/funds together to do 1yr extension. Not fun.

I do not recommend to anyone intending a long stay without prior experience with the 1yr extension process or the proper connections to get only single entry non-imm, IF they have the option for the multiple like OP does.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Sceptict11]

150 aud/usd and especially gbp could be several drinks at the bar or even 1 months rent here in los depending on where you stay. But.... The 1 yr extension can always be initiated anytime while visa is valid. But what if you wanted to visit a border country? As you juggle the extension paperwork requirements vs traveling flexibility. The last thing you want to think about is "I should have just gotten the multiple entry the first time." Knew a younger couple who did something similar (single entry, but had option for multiple), but they didnt do it because they were told it was "so easy" to just extend in country; so he figured he'd save the $130 or so. After the fact, he saw the wisdom in having the multiple entry. He was a little different as it was his first time in LoS and was planning a long stay of a 1-3 years vs a more permanent relocation. He spent way more than $150 + time getting the required docs/funds together to do 1yr extension. Not fun. I do not recommend to anyone intending a long stay without prior experience with the 1yr extension process or the proper connections to get only single entry non-imm, IF they have the option for the multiple like OP does. Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Despite your gloomy and uninformed view a "extension of stay" is easily obtained and a re-entry permit provides all the "flexibility" one could wish for if visiting other countries is desired.

An extension of stay costs 1900 bht plus the cost of a few photocopies and a passport photograph. A re-entry permit costs 1000bht for a single re-entry.

[ubonjoe]

He also forgot to factor in the cost of leaving every 90 days that can cost at least 2000 baht for a border run.

[dazza101]

i will be staying 45 minutes out of Nakhon Rachtasima so not really close to any border.

He also forgot to factor in the cost of leaving every 90 days that can cost at least 2000 baht for a border run.