Making The Big Move With Family From Canada For 1 Year If Not Longer!

[RealDeal]

We are are a family of 4 with children aged 5 and 7 making the move end of this March! We are very excited and also looking for more info. Few opportunities have came to me so we want to capitalize on them! We will be packing our life up in 2 suit cases each!!! I will be training / personal training at a gym in Phuket so we are looking at areas that will be close but more importantly close to school for kids. We have checked out some of the schools are pretty expensive! Any info on schools? We are looking to be in the area Chalong or Rawai... Nothing is set in stone obviously we are going to want to check schools / area out when we arrive any info would help. Forgot to mention this will be our first time coming to Phuket Thailand so if you have any info to share would be great! Thanks and hope to here back

[Somtamnication]

Huge move for you and your family. Hope the gym is on the up and up. They close around here as much as a frog's ass under water.

[RealDeal]

Yes that won't be a problem at all the gym has been around for few years and only getting bigger. With my reume it wouldn't be hard to find something if worse came to worse! Thanks and any other help you can offer...??.

[steelepulse]

Keep heavy traffic in mind between home, school and work.

[bearpolar]

They are almost no jobs for foreigners here unless you get a job at an international school or hotel.

You seem to be french canadian, if so theres only one french school, if not and you care about your children, all the schools are minimum 12 000b/pm for each kids + enrollment fees.

There's also this school that follow the government curriculum in english, but they cant keep a teacher so...

[RealDeal]

Thanks for the info on the traffic! A job is not what I'm needing I'm set up for that. No we are not French Canadian so French is not on the list actually want our kids to learn Thai . Yes we have been in contact with a few schools witch looked great and yes the prices are from half of what you quoted to even more. We will be taking tours when we settle in.

Trying to figure out if apartment / condo with pools or house with private pool? We are lookin for it to be modern and fully furnished been looking online and prices seem good. We are looking to spend from min 25000bht to 40000bht pretty do able?

[stevenl]

Chalong Circle can be a pain in the morning and afternoons, so chose your school and accommodation on the same side as your place of work.

[grumpyoldman]

I'd say you should be able to find a decent house in the Kathu area at that budget. Central to most things.

[LivinginKata]

Chalong Circle can be a pain in the morning and afternoons, so chose your school and accommodation on the same side as your place of work.

Exactly correct. Traffic on the island is a nightmare, especially now at Chalong Circle with the new underpass being constructed, just started and we expect a 2+ year works. I recommend you plan carefully home/work/school locations to have easy traffic access.

[bearpolar]

your kids will be 10 years behind if you send them to a 6000b per month school. They wont ever be able to get a diploma in Canada as even after high school here they wouldnt be able to pass the test to finish elementary back in Canada.

My #1 thought in Thailand is, if you cant afford the best schools, don't be selfish and stay home. If you ever go broke, don't stay, go back home and get your kids a real education untill you can afford to come back.

Drives me insane when i see parents losing everything and sticking around with their kids in sub-par schools just so they can keep drinking chang at night in the hot weather. You were given the chance to be born in an affluent country with good education and you will be denying your children the same luck that millions of children in African would lose body parts for.

So please, don't even visit the cheap schools.

headstart, PIA, PIS and BIC only for english schools.

[stevenl]

your kids will be 10 years behind if you send them to a 6000b per month school. They wont ever be able to get a diploma in Canada as even after high school here they wouldnt be able to pass the test to finish elementary back in Canada.

My #1 thought in Thailand is, if you cant afford the best schools, don't be selfish and stay home. If you ever go broke, don't stay, go back home and get your kids a real education untill you can afford to come back.

Drives me insane when i see parents losing everything and sticking around with their kids in sub-par schools just so they can keep drinking chang at night in the hot weather. You were given the chance to be born in an affluent country with good education and you will be denying your children the same luck that millions of children in African would lose body parts for.

So please, don't even visit the cheap schools.

headstart, PIA, PIS and BIC only for english schools.

Besides the international schools mentioned here there are some others that are worth considering. And some of the cheap schools' really are not bad.

And this "as even after high school here they wouldnt be able to pass the test to finish elementary back in Canada" together with other information from this poster is way over the top.

[KarenBravo]

Sorry, but on a gym teacher's wages, there's no way to educate your kids, live in a nice family house and have a better life than what you have now.

[RealDeal]

Wow lol thanks for the TIPs.....No financial problems here and LMAO drinking change. Thanks for the help though??

Sounds like traffic is pretty crazy! I've thought about getting a street bike to go to and from training but have heard lots of stories about being on 2 wheels

[KarenBravo]

If you have independent funds, then, send your kids to an International school.

A Thai education is almost as bad as no education.

[sunnyjim5]

OP

Have you given any thought as to what Visas you, your wife and the two children will need to facilitate your remaining in Thailand, legally, for one year?

[grumpyoldman]

Wow lol thanks for the TIPs.....No financial problems here and LMAO drinking change. Thanks for the help though??

Sounds like traffic is pretty crazy! I've thought about getting a street bike to go to and from training but have heard lots of stories about being on 2 wheels

Been doing it 10 years plus. You just have to be very careful, expect the unexpected, don't ride completely blasted, wear your helmet and sure, as far as being in a car here (drives me crazy, no pun intended) much prefer the bike.

[phuketrichard]

There is Montessori school down in Chalong, my daughter went there till she was 7

not sure the fees but at least 15,000/month for each

if ur looking at one of the international schools ( BIS, PIA, QSI, Headstart) ur looking at MIN $8,000/year each

( my daughter went to BIS and QSI)

ur best bet is a bi-lingual school at 50% less which is fine till there 8 or so

Easy to find a decent 2-3 bedroom house for under 35,000/month

ur going to also NEED a car its a long rainy season.

Visa might be a problem;

if the kids are in an accepted school they get a year visa and ONE parent can get a 1 year visa as well but not both of you.

[Shot]

^^Yeah, visa might be tough for the wife. I thought kids under ??? could stay visa free?

Kids 5 and 7, you could always home school for a year.

[RealDeal]

Yes it will be an International school. Like I said we are going to be touring them before. Schooling was the main priority! Obviously you get what you pay for.

Yes visas are all set went down to the Thai embassy here in my city.

Well bike and car it is!

[Shot]

Like GOM said "be very careful" on the bike.

Stay left.

Stay slow.

Stay alive.

[metisdead]

An inflammatory post has been removed:

7) You will respect fellow members and post in a civil manner. No personal attacks, hateful or insulting towards other members, (flaming) Stalking of members on either the forum or via PM will not be allowed.

[sunnyjim5]

Yes it will be an International school. Like I said we are going to be touring them before. Schooling was the main priority! Obviously you get what you pay for.

Yes visas are all set went down to the Thai embassy here in my city.

Well bike and car it is!

Good that you have made contact with the Thai Embassy.in Ottawa.

Which Visa (which allows a 12 month stay) have you applied for ?

[bearpolar]

Like GOM said "be very careful" on the bike.

Stay left.

Stay slow.

Stay alive.

Thats a good advice, except, don't ever go slow if you're passing an obstacle. Either STOP and wait untill it moves or accelerate. Nothing worse than an idiot going 20-40kph in the other lane to avoid an other slow person when cars are coming at 60+. The main problem with bikes is how slow they are when they get in your way at a red light or when they pass those obstacle at the same slow speed they are going. That's when cars make dangerous moves to get in front of them and then people die, usually the biker going too slow and getting in the way.

[Stew41]

We are just about to do the same thing albeit from Melbourne. We have purchased a business in the BIS/RPM area and will be moving mid April.

Our girls are 6 and 8 and getting the schooling sorted has been our number one task. We have met with / toured the following:

Headstart: impressive facilities, seems well staffed, deep curriculum, centrally located,

KIS: central location, quite decent facilities although not at Headstart's level, management very keen to 'do a deal' to get the enrolements

Palm House International (Rawai): tiny (~70 students) and on-site facilities are a bit basic but the obvious benefit is small class sizes. The only choice IMO if you are living in Rawai and want to avoid the commute. This school is the cheapest of the 3.

In terms of costs I won't have a good view on day-to-day until we hit the ground but compared to Australia schooling will be the big negative (say AUD $10-$12k p.a per kid) as will rent as we have no mortgage here in Australia. We are budgeting ~$50k baht per month. The other cost surprise has been second hand cars (much more expensive than Australia) and, unfortunately for me as a cycling tragic, quite high pricing for top end road bikes.

I do think that, on balance, we'll face similar living costs to what we have been used to after factoring in rent and schooling.

cheers

[CHRISTIANa9]

Didn't know personal trainer are that well paid.

[phuketrichard]

We are just about to do the same thing albeit from Melbourne. We have purchased a business in the BIS/RPM area and will be moving mid April.

Our girls are 6 and 8 and getting the schooling sorted has been our number one task. We have met with / toured the following:

Headstart: impressive facilities, seems well staffed, deep curriculum, centrally located,

KIS: central location, quite decent facilities although not at Headstart's level, management very keen to 'do a deal' to get the enrolements

Palm House International (Rawai): tiny (~70 students) and on-site facilities are a bit basic but the obvious benefit is small class sizes. The only choice IMO if you are living in Rawai and want to avoid the commute. This school is the cheapest of the 3.

In terms of costs I won't have a good view on day-to-day until we hit the ground but compared to Australia schooling will be the big negative (say AUD $10-$12k p.a per kid) as will rent as we have no mortgage here in Australia. We are budgeting ~$50k baht per month. The other cost surprise has been second hand cars (much more expensive than Australia) and, unfortunately for me as a cycling tragic, quite high pricing for top end road bikes.

I do think that, on balance, we'll face similar living costs to what we have been used to after factoring in rent and schooling.

cheers

there is NO WAY your going to live on 50,000/month if ur two kids are in an international school;

BIS, PIA, apx 464,000/year

QSI ( never heard of KIS) apx 280,000

Headstart ( is not as good as the above three in terms of education) year 2-3 ( where ur kids are at ) 282,000/year

rent min 20,000

eating for 4 min 35,000

I paid no rent ( owned my house) only 2 of us an my daughter was at QSI her last 3 years ($11,000/year) 6 years at BIS

i was spending easily 50,000/month all in and i dont go to bars and owned my car an motorcycle

2nd hand car Min 200,000 Baht

motorcycle 25,000-100,000

[Stew41]

We are just about to do the same thing albeit from Melbourne. We have purchased a business in the BIS/RPM area and will be moving mid April.

Our girls are 6 and 8 and getting the schooling sorted has been our number one task. We have met with / toured the following:

Headstart: impressive facilities, seems well staffed, deep curriculum, centrally located,

KIS: central location, quite decent facilities although not at Headstart's level, management very keen to 'do a deal' to get the enrolements

Palm House International (Rawai): tiny (~70 students) and on-site facilities are a bit basic but the obvious benefit is small class sizes. The only choice IMO if you are living in Rawai and want to avoid the commute. This school is the cheapest of the 3.

In terms of costs I won't have a good view on day-to-day until we hit the ground but compared to Australia schooling will be the big negative (say AUD $10-$12k p.a per kid) as will rent as we have no mortgage here in Australia. We are budgeting ~$50k baht per month. The other cost surprise has been second hand cars (much more expensive than Australia) and, unfortunately for me as a cycling tragic, quite high pricing for top end road bikes.

I do think that, on balance, we'll face similar living costs to what we have been used to after factoring in rent and schooling.

cheers

there is NO WAY your going to live on 50,000/month if ur two kids are in an international school;

BIS, PIA, apx 464,000/year

QSI ( never heard of KIS) apx 280,000

Headstart ( is not as good as the above three in terms of education) year 2-3 ( where ur kids are at ) 282,000/year

rent min 20,000

eating for 4 min 35,000

I paid no rent ( owned my house) only 2 of us an my daughter was at QSI her last 3 years ($11,000/year) 6 years at BIS

i was spending easily 50,000/month all in and i dont go to bars and owned my car an motorcycle

2nd hand car Min 200,000 Baht

motorcycle 25,000-100,000

Would have been useful if I added the word 'rent' to the 50k!

[Somtamnication]

I think the OP's tinted glasses need to come off.

Cost of living here is stupidly high.

Traffic is a huge issue now with 3 underpass constructions all along the same route. (For the Australian, working at RPM and sending kids to Rawai is not a good idea. They lost their Montessori accreditation years ago, traffic, etc).

Whatever the salary is for a personal trainer, with your budget of 25k-40k for a house alone, a good 60% of your wage is gone. Unless you personally train the Russian oligargs (sp) on the island.

You came to the right place to seek info. You will not like everything you read. Unless you pack some of that gold old Klondike gold in your bags, you are in for a rude awakening.

[phuketrichard]

even adding rent to the 50 wont cut it, ur school fees for two will be over that

[bearpolar]

even adding rent to the 50 wont cut it, ur school fees for two will be over that

it's gonna be 30k/pm + 4-8k for gas in traffic.

+ Kids used to CAnadian food will not eat cheaply in Thailand.