What You Need to Know About Moving to Thailand
A land that welcomes you with a smile
Thailand is often known as the ‘Land of Smiles’. Thai people practice great generosity and giving learned through their strong beliefs in Buddhism. This combined with their countryside and picturesque southern islands attracts tourists and expatriates to consider Thailand as their destination. The brilliant temples to vibrant nightlife is popular among backpackers and adventurers.
Why move to Thailand?
Thailand offers natural splendor and a relaxed pace of life for those seeking it in cities like Pattaya, Chiang mai, Hua Hin, etc. Bangkok is the metropolitan city of Thailand, therefore it has tons of opportunities for job seekers with no storage in social activities. It is also known to be an ideal destination for retirees who dream of spending their golden years in luxury at a reasonable cost.
Thailand is also a hub of international culture; you are likely to find people from your country to bond with. There are several expat groups you can join around the country as well, this helps to make new friends and find out about new events to attend on your weekend along with these new friends.
Many expatriates choose to send their children to international schools in Thailand, as they teach in the western curriculum. Others may consider a private bilingual school as these are more budget friendly and includes a western-style teaching with focus on student-centered learning.
There is a wide variety of housing options to choose from, such as apartments, condominiums, resorts. It is best to hire someone to find you a home especially if you don’t speak Thai, as landlords tend spike up the rental amounts for foreigners. So, you may need a Thai speaker to negotiate on your behalf.
Majority of the job opportunities can be found in Bangkok. The industries that are in demand in Thailand are tourism and exports in agriculture, automobile, textile and electronics. Thailand being the second largest economy in Southeast Asia contributes to the high demand for expatriates.
To open a Thai bank account as a foreigner, one must prepare their passport, work permit or certificate of residency, rental agreement or other proof of address, a valid ID and cash to deposit (minimum requirement at some banks is 500 baht). Most expatriates often go for Bangkok Bank, Kashikorn Bank, Krungsri or Citibank, as they have a reputation for being easier to work with and being lenient to foreigners compared to other banks.
In Thailand, before applying for a work visa, applicants must have a non-immigrant visa first. This is a 90-Day visa issued to foreigners who wish to enter Thailand for study, business, investment, retirement, etc. Other documents necessary for work visa are passport, letter of employment, certificate of degree, medical certificate, proof of address in Thailand and 2 inch photos.
The low cost of living in Thailand is what attracts most tourists and expatriates from all over. Although daily expenses like food, utilities and transport may be low cost, expatriates tend expect to spend over 30% of their monthly income on rent alone.
Healthcare in Thailand is generally of good quality including public hospitals. However public hospitals may have long queues are equipments may be outdated, therefore expats opt for private healthcare where staff are educated in Western universities. These private hospitals are still considered to be fairly low priced compared to the cost of medical care in Europe or the US.
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