Working next year in Bangkok and need some advice.

[DjChris28]

Hi,

 

I've scored a new job in Bangkok starting February next year. The company is paying for 1 month hotel accommodation after which I will need a place to stay - So probably around Early March. The work is near Chidlom BTS station. I am looking for something that is close to the BTS or MRT. However, I need some advice and guide what someone would do in this scenario because I am a little uncertain about the job that I am accepting and have agreed to "Trial" out the job. But at the same time, It was hard to turn down an offer to go work in Thailand.

 

I did want a 6 month contract because it is easier to commit to given that i'm unsure about the new job, but I was really surprised to find out that 12 month leases are pretty much the norm in Bangkok. I was looking at maybe staying in an airbnb place for a few months while I trial out the job, however I did notice that if you sign a 12 month contract that most places will allow early termination if you forfeit your security deposit which is fine by me. But I didn't want to cause problems or be blacklisted for doing such or stopped at immigration trying to leave the country if I had to break the lease.

 

I can get a monthly price no contract with airbnb for around 45000 baht per month, which is actually a bargain when I still have to pay 30,000 baht per month on a 12 month lease for the same area. I've found nothing trying to look for month to month rentals in the Bangkok CBD (Around nana or asok even). But 30,000 on a lease would save longer term if I committed a few months and had to leave and forfiet my security deposit. Problem with airbnb is that I will have to probably keep changing the place every 2 months to another place. I'm worried that one time of the year could be booked out and i'd be left with no place to stay. With a lease to a place, I am grounded and can stay minimum of the lease term and if the security deposit is all that gets forfieted if I want to leave early, I am also OK with that as well. But I don't want to cause problems leaving the country - etc have immigration stop me from leaving.

 

I'd prefer the peace and mind that if something goes wrong - civil war etc, that I am free to leave the country at any time with some notice and a fee at most. Don't want to feel forced to stay.

[Goingmad]

You can find small apartments in Bangkok for less then 10,000 bt/month.

You can also go on Craigslist Bangkok, and search sub-leased of short term apartments; shared apartments.

No worries about civil wars, here. At least for now.

Good luck.

[ChesneyHawkes]

I wouldn't worry about this right now. Loads of places for you to look at when you arrive. You can literally pick a road you want to live on and wonder around, within a few minutes you will see signs with places to rent, it's that easy. 

 

Breaking leases are not a big deal if you're willing to forfeit your deposit, but obviously it would be preferable to avoid it. Don't expect any trouble from the authorities if you do this.

[mike324]

Get in touch with a real estate agent, many will be able to help you find a 6 month lease, some are willing to get internet and cable under their name also. It would be hard for you to get internet and cable service.

 

Airbnb would be a good choice as well if you would like to try out certain areas for 2-3 months.

[hvdkerkh]

Don't worry too much. It's super easy to find accomodation in Bangkok in any price range. I'd suggest a serviced apartment.

When I first came to Thailand I stayed a while in this place (http://www.baanrim.com/ratchada/index.php?lg=en).

Very cheap and close to the MRT.

 

You might also want to check out http://www.9apartment.com/ and http://www.mrroomfinder.com/

 

Good Luck.

[DjChris28]

On Friday, December 23, 2016 at 0:53 PM, mike324 said:

Get in touch with a real estate agent, many will be able to help you find a 6 month lease, some are willing to get internet and cable under their name also. It would be hard for you to get internet and cable service.

 

Airbnb would be a good choice as well if you would like to try out certain areas for 2-3 months.

 

You say internet is hard to get. If I were on a 6 month lease, couldn't I just get adsl2 and then pay a cancellation fee 6 months in?

 

What about 4g post paid internet? they have a 75gb plan.

[mike324]

2 hours ago, DjChris28 said:

 

You say internet is hard to get. If I were on a 6 month lease, couldn't I just get adsl2 and then pay a cancellation fee 6 months in?

 

What about 4g post paid internet? they have a 75gb plan.

 

Last I remember, TRUE only offer 12 month contracts, with a cancellation fee around 6000. I could be wrong, but there are other internet service providers which you could use. But for TV Cable, really not much choice unless you do online streaming. I am not sure if there are prepaid options now for TRUE in regards to cable.

[DjChris28]

8 minutes ago, mike324 said:

 

Last I remember, TRUE only offer 12 month contracts, with a cancellation fee around 6000. I could be wrong, but there are other internet service providers which you could use. But for TV Cable, really not much choice unless you do online streaming. I am not sure if there are prepaid options now for TRUE in regards to cable.

 6000 small change for expat. I spend that a night in a hotel. Won't need cable tv. I was worried they would stop me unless i signed a 12 month lease. More worried about things which cant be bought if staying shorter than 12 months than termination fees.

 

The way i see it is 3 months on a tourist visa would cost me over 360,000 baht for a hotel for 3 months. 3 months working there on a work visa that assuming didn't work out would cost 90k for accomodation + 60k lease break security deposit gone + 6k internet + 6k internet break fee + water + electricity + an angry landlord. Still cheaper than a holiday that I normally could afford to pay anyway.

 

For me its a moral issue. I know ill probably work for 9 months but because 6 month leases are hardly available, I can't do the right thing by the landlord. Instead im forced to either break a 12 month lease and make a landlord suffer reletting because its still cheaper to do that than airbnb it for 9 months. Looks like around 4 months is the point where airbnb gets more expensive than breaking a lease.

[mike324]

On 12/24/2016 at 3:45 PM, DjChris28 said:

 6000 small change for expat. I spend that a night in a hotel. Won't need cable tv. I was worried they would stop me unless i signed a 12 month lease. More worried about things which cant be bought if staying shorter than 12 months than termination fees.

 

The way i see it is 3 months on a tourist visa would cost me over 360,000 baht for a hotel for 3 months. 3 months working there on a work visa that assuming didn't work out would cost 90k for accomodation + 60k lease break security deposit gone + 6k internet + 6k internet break fee + water + electricity + an angry landlord. Still cheaper than a holiday that I normally could afford to pay anyway.

 

For me its a moral issue. I know ill probably work for 9 months but because 6 month leases are hardly available, I can't do the right thing by the landlord. Instead im forced to either break a 12 month lease and make a landlord suffer reletting because its still cheaper to do that than airbnb it for 9 months. Looks like around 4 months is the point where airbnb gets more expensive than breaking a lease.

 

Or you can go the service apartment route, one bedroom should run around 50-70k and you will get maid service around 2-3 times per week. Don't have to worry about contracts, angry landlords, paying bills etc.