My husband would like us to emigrate to Thailand, but I need some advice.

[ElleVanFranco]

(In advance, I apologise if this is the wrong place to post this!)

My husband and I are both British nationals with British passports. I'm a part-time uni student, and he's just completed his TEFL certification (but doesn't have a degree). I've almost finished my own TEFL certification, which should be done within the next couple of months. He's very much got his heart set on leaving the UK and moving to Thailand for at least a year, although he has brought up buying property, and settling there. There are no other countries he's considered.

I need some advice on this possible move.

Firstly, neither of us have been to Thailand - we're in an odd situation where we can't afford to take a holiday there to 'try it out', but we could afford to emigrate! My husband has heard a lot about the country from his friend who's a Thai national (and who's mother works in a Thai school), and his best friend who has visited the country, and is actually emigrating there next week! On the other hand, I only have my husband's word on the quality of life, and living and working conditions there. He's assured me that we'll love it, and that Thailand far surpasses the UK in almost all aspects.

However, I've discussed this on another forum and have been very much warned away from moving to Thailand. One response was that the quality of life for non-Thai ex-pats is rapidly declining, and that a lot of British and US workers are quickly leaving for other countries.

Secondly, it's been pointed out that neither of us have degrees, and one person assured us that we really need degrees in order to teach English language in Thailand. My husband's Thai friend has previously said this is not the case, and even when we were doing the TEFL class, they said a degree would be helpful but not essential. At the TEFL workshop, they said a degree would only be necessary if we wanted to teach business English, or in certain countries like Japan, or if we wanted to be a normal classroom teacher, teaching subjects outside of English language.

So I could really use some advice on what the living situation and social experience is really like in Thailand for British (or English-speaking) ex-pats. Would we need degrees to teach?

Additionally, as I am a student, from next year I would need to work part-time (although preferably, I'd need to be a full-time student) as my uni work is getting increasingly demanding. How would this affect working in Thailand, and obtaining visas? Are there a minimum number of hours I'd need to work to qualify for a work visa?

Thank you, thank you, thank you, in advance!

[NickJ]

Mistake. Sounds like you got married to early........

[lovelomsak]

I suggest try Vietnam or China. Thailand is just getting worse things are going downhill quickly. The last 15 years have seen great strides for Thailand . Citizens have access to things they had before and have comforts they never had before. But those days are over and very tough times are coming and crime will increase and the dangers will increase dramatically. There will be many desperate people and desperate people do desperate things.

[RT85]

woah woah woah...

sorry..you can't afford to come for a holiday but you can emigrate!?

are you trolling!?

eitherway.. by the sound of your situation.... don't do it!

[nikmar]

It would be a mistake to commit to a move of that magnitude only on hearsay.

[h90]

Thailand is great, but you need an education and a job first....

There are about 100000000 people who have no education and want to teach English....that is tough.....And you can't just travel to Thailand with a tourist Visa and find a job...it would end very likely in a disaster.

[Slip]

If you want to work in the school system you need a degree.

[Stradavarius37]

OP and husband are in no condition to move to Thailand, educationwise, financially, etc. Finish your degrees, get a job, save some money, and for God sake visit before committing. English teachers are a dime a dozen here - we don't need more, especially ones who have no idea what they are getting themselves in to.

[impulse]

Assuming this is a serious question and not a wind up:

When you both get home tonight, sit him down at the kitchen table, and slap the snot out of him for even suggesting it.

It's a bad idea on so many levels, and worse for you than for him. My forecast: move to Thailand and within a year you'll go home alone and broke, wondering what you were thinking and what did you ever see in him.

And he'll be shacking up with a local "friend". He'll be flat broke, too- but he won't care. That's the lure that Thailand has on guys- cheap sex and consequence free bad behavior. What guy wouldn't love it?

Edit: What guy wouldn't love it? When you can answer that question, that's the guy to marry....

[Soutpeel]

Well technically you cant emigrate to Thailand, Legal emigration usually in infers legal residence status of some fashion, in the practical terms regarding Thailand given your circumstances the best you can hope for is being a perpetual tourist

Further no such thing as a work visa

However, I've discussed this on another forum and have been very much warned away from moving to Thailand. One response was that the quality of life for non-Thai ex-pats is rapidly declining, and that a lot of British and US workers are quickly leaving for other countries.

That quote I suspect comes from someone who has come to Thailand and has failed or can no longer afford to live here, have things got more expensive ? sure

Has quality of declined for even rapidly declined ?....not from where I am sitting

[CharlieH]

Sorry but believe this to be a TROLL post.

CLOSED.