What is the hardest thing about moving to Thailand as an expat?

[Bear0Mack]

I've been here for quite a while now, and I've faced some challenges in living in Thailand as an expat. Particularly considering I don't have a work permit. I want to know what people find the hardest thing to do bureaucratically (not culturally) in Thailand Some difficulties I've encountered include:

1. Buying a motorbike without work permit/long term visa
2. Applying for a driving license
3. Opening a bank account
4. Applying for a credit card
5. Opening a Thai company
6. Thai visas
7. Condo and land ownership
8. Land border crossing into and out of Thailand, especially when driving a vehicle.
9. Applying for insurance
10. Other? I'm sure there are others, and feel free to add on to this list.

A few things I'd love to hear your opinion on are:

• What one have you found to be the hardest, or most frustrating, and why?
• Were you unsuccessful or did you give up on some of these things, and why?
• Would the same tasks be much easier for you to do now that you know how to do them, if you had to do them again?

I wish there was a way to post a poll here. Thanks for your input.

[Gutenberg]

Well, I did not had any problem with any of your points at all. Or I just do not consider them a "problem" just normal life. Using my wife for some of the points is not a problem for me.

[Suradit69]

Some people make everything they want to do into an insurmountable hurdle. None of the things in your list that I ever wanted to do were particularly difficult.

What is the point of yet another thread producing more whining about how life in Thailand is so difficult? It just confirms how many farang are so easily challenged by the simplest tasks.

[BKResort]

If you tell here about your age and visa situation will be easier to give a more precise opinion. Some of your point do not apply.

If you pay cash and do you have a driver license from your country and a valid passport, not problem in buy a car or motorcycle.

If you are younger than 50 years old, and not money, you need to get a job or get married to resolve the other issues.

If you have a lot of money, you will resolve all issues very easy.

[Ulysses G.]

If you have a lot of money, you will resolve all issues very easy.

This is it in a nutshell. Halt the thread.

[SWW]

Getting a credit card in any country when you don't have a job (you said you have no work permit) is going to be difficult ...

As mentioned above, if you have a driving licence from another country, getting one here is super-easy. Buying a car or motorbike is not all that difficult, unless you want to finance it - and then try doing that in any country if you are unemployed.

Remember: "No WP" means "unemployed". Try doing many of the things you mention, if you are unemployed in your home country.

[smoo1954]

Paying for the plane ticket.

[maderaroja]

Hardest things for me:

Everything is made of plastic; cheap plastic.

There are no leather boots.

You can't buy a good hat; I'm from Texas.

Retailers in the U.S. flat refuse to send anything out of that country, regardless of whether I am willing pay for the freight.

There are so many "half-solutions" here in SE Asia.

Not being permitted to contribute in any meaningful way to the community because I don't want to get a WP.

Edited January 6, 2016 by maderaroja

[blazes]

Not "bureaucratic" (but related to taxes and trade practices): not being able to find a goodish bottle of red wine for much less than 1200 baht

and

having to pay an arm and a leg for a decent beer (meaning a beer from any other country than LoS).

[Bear0Mack]

Ok.. I was actually expecting a different kind of a response. I'm asking the question from the view of helping people. I'm not complaining.

I want to know if these are problems for expats, to what extent, and What kind of help would be considered valuable?

I have money to support myself, despite not working. Although I haven't found that it helps to get things done. If you have actually experienced this and are not just assuming, perhaps you could share some information about how you used it, how much, and how it helped address your situation.

[malt25]

1. Buying a motorbike without work permit/long term visa. No problem. Bought a second hand car second day after arrival. Easy.
2. Applying for a driving license. Obtained second day after arriving. Easy.
3. Opening a bank account. Kasikorn account, easy.
4. Applying for a credit card. No idea, have falang credit card accepted everywhere in LOS.
5. Opening a Thai company. No idea.
6. Thai visas. No problem if all documents correct.
7. Condo and land ownership. Only rent. We all know land ownership is prohibited long before we arrive.
8. Land border crossing into and out of Thailand, especially when driving a vehicle. Unsure, haven't tried it yet.
9. Applying for insurance. Easy for motor vehicle & personal accident insurance.

Maybe I've just been lucky, but I doubt it.

Cheers..... Mal.

[Gutenberg]

Hardest things for me:

Everything is made of plastic; cheap plastic.

There are no leather boots.

You can't buy a good hat; I'm from Texas.

Retailers in the U.S. flat refuse to send anything out of that country, regardless of whether I am willing pay for the freight.

There are so many "half-solutions" here in SE Asia.

Not being permitted to contribute in any meaningful way to the community because I don't want to get a WP.

So, you want to order boots made in China from the US.

[malt25]

1. Buying a motorbike without work permit/long term visa. No problem. Bought a second hand car second day after arrival. Easy.
2. Applying for a driving license. Obtained second day after arriving. Easy.
3. Opening a bank account. Kasikorn account, easy.
4. Applying for a credit card. No idea, have falang credit card accepted everywhere in LOS.
5. Opening a Thai company. No idea.
6. Thai visas. No problem if all documents correct.
7. Condo and land ownership. Only rent. We all know land ownership is prohibited long before we arrive.
8. Land border crossing into and out of Thailand, especially when driving a vehicle. Unsure, haven't tried it yet.
9. Applying for insurance. Easy for motor vehicle & personal accident insurance.

Maybe I've just been lucky, but I doubt it.

Cheers..... Mal.

The above isn't meant to be a flame. Just that I found almost all are quite straight forward if you do a little research of what is required & have all correct documentation. Correct attitude is also a contributing factor when dealing with any official here in LOS. Same goes for all situations.

[ebonykap]

Worrying about what on earth I would do if I ever had to leave this wonderful country.

Any problems I have seem to emanate from nanny Oz.

[dotpoom]

Some people make everything they want to do into an insurmountable hurdle. None of the things in your list that I ever wanted to do were particularly difficult.

What is the point of yet another thread producing more whining about how life in Thailand is so difficult? It just confirms how many farang are so easily challenged by the simplest tasks.

Amen to that Sir...I identify 100 per cent with everything you have said.

[noddy77]

Trying to use a pedestrian crossing without being ran over is number 1 for me. (Daily problem here in Bkk.)

The OP's list was not a problem for me.

[steven100]

What is the hardest thing about moving to Thailand ....

carrying those damn suitcases up the stairs to my room

[mcfish]

Hardest things for me:

Everything is made of plastic; cheap plastic.

There are no leather boots.

You can't buy a good hat; I'm from Texas.

Retailers in the U.S. flat refuse to send anything out of that country, regardless of whether I am willing pay for the freight.

There are so many "half-solutions" here in SE Asia.

Not being permitted to contribute in any meaningful way to the community because I don't want to get a WP.

There are hundreds of mail forwarding companies in the USA. You register their address as your USA address. Google it

Sent from my SC-01D using Tapatalk

[leeneeds]

poor planning makes for a piss poor performance. AND it does not matter where in the world you go !

[leeneeds]

the last one gets me ! " would the same tasks be much easier now to do now that you know how to do them , if you had to do them again"

LOL,

[thhMan]

Super easy question...

The hardest thing is.....

Getting anything done and if it gets done, is it done correctly....

We had to get the sparky back in after he put the power switch in, right beside the hot water system in the shower.... absolutely, no common sense....!!

[keithathome]

Leaving behind those English summers (?) and winters ! NOT

[searcher22]

It's not a work permit that you need, it's a Thai companion! It makes things a whole lot easier. If you don't have a trusted Thai partner, there's a service in town called Chiang Mai Buddy that can help you with all of the aforementioned tasks.

[Time Traveller]

Viagra has ensured many expats in thailand will have a hard thing

[the shearer]

Not being able to buy food items....Dont hab...Dont hab...Dont hab...Dont hab

no matter where you are in Thailand......you have to go to Bangkok to get paperwork done...NO regional offices

[CharlieH]

Hardest thing....."Unlearning" many things you do as second nature, just dont work here, you have to compromise,adjust and accept some things are going to be that way, adapt to your environment.

[smotherb]

Hardest things for me:

Everything is made of plastic; cheap plastic.

There are no leather boots.

You can't buy a good hat; I'm from Texas.

Retailers in the U.S. flat refuse to send anything out of that country, regardless of whether I am willing pay for the freight.

There are so many "half-solutions" here in SE Asia.

Not being permitted to contribute in any meaningful way to the community because I don't want to get a WP.

Funny, I see many things made of porcelain, glass, wood, metal, and leather. I have had fine leather boots and shoes made in Thailand for over 40 years. I don't wear hats, but I have also seen hat makers. Many US retailers will send their products to Thailand; if not, have a friend buy it and send to you--that could include your Stetson. Perhaps it is not the half-solutions you see in SEA, but your half-tries.

[maderaroja]

There are no leather boots.

So, you want to order boots made in China from the US.

I said leather boots. Not all boots are made in China. Chinese boots are made of PU and called leather.

[maderaroja]

Funny, I see many things made of porcelain, glass, wood, metal, and leather. I have had fine leather boots and shoes made in Thailand for over 40 years. I don't wear hats, but I have also seen hat makers. Many US retailers will send their products to Thailand; if not, have a friend buy it and send to you--that could include your Stetson. Perhaps it is not the half-solutions you see in SEA, but your half-tries.

Nice sarcasm. But I notice that you did not provide any references as to where these items are available; boot makers, hatters, etc.

Another hard thing is half-responses that are really criticism without assistance.

[federico]

Bureaucratie is the same everywhere in the world. They need various documents to answer your demand and you must give them. For instance when we asked for long term visa for my thai wife in france, administration asked for many various documents. We provided all they asked for and... no problem.