# Reliable info on moving to Thailand and working



## ChattaGuy

Hello from a newbie.

1st some quick background. I'm a reasonably experienced 49 yr old male traveler. I have a BA in Philosophy/English. I have 10 years experience as a technical trainer teaching Microsoft software and Adobe graphic design certification courses. I've worked for small, independent companies (,50 ppl) as an IT director, web designer (not a developer - can't program), graphic designer and have spent the last 2 years as an editor of a weekly newspaper. So I have a lot of classroom experience and a lot of experience focused on the English language

My 2 young adult sons and I want to move to Thailand to work and live for at least a year, then evaluate a longer stay. I love to teach/train - particularly high school age to adults. We would be moving on a shoestring budget and the cost of a 1-2 thousand dollar TEFL course is out of reach.

I'm having trouble finding reliable information about my odds of finding a job making a living wage. I don't expect to live like a wealthy retiree, we actually prefer a simpler lifestyle that would comfortably pay the bills with some extra to socialize, have a drink, and do a little travel to bordering countries - again, doing this all on a shoestring budget and will be fine with that. We aren't interested in living like kings, but we don't want to starve either...lol

The more I read on the web, the more confusing it gets. There is so much conflicting info about almost everything. Given my circumstances, where can I find the best resources for reliable information and what suggestions do any of you have for me and my sons?


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## cnx_bruce

I'm not clear on exactly what sort of information you are looking for. Clearly no-one can tell you you that YOU have an ?% chance of getting a job here. All I can say is that for most people it is very difficult to find any job other than an English teacher. Well there are casual roles for writing content for blogs, web sites, etc, but at very very low pay rates and (i suspect) generally with no work permit.

Even with English teaching, decent schools in decent locations offering (relatively) decent salaries, will be looking for a degree, an ELT qualification and some experience. Look at a specialised forum like ajarnforum for specifics about teaching work.

Unless you have an income stream from overseas (e.g. rental from a home in the west) then I think you will have problems making your dream a reality.


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## Sateev

Beside the extremely small chance that you or your sons might find adequately paid jobs, you have visa issues, particularly if a TEFL course is out of reach.

Visiting for as long as three months, or possibly extending that vis a double-entry tourist visa is about all you can do. You can keep making visa runs, but it is a death of a thousand cuts, because travel, fees and all the associated hassles really add up.

If you have US$35000 in the bank, you can apply for a retirement visa, which can be stretched to almost two years, but your sons are SOL.

You need to be absolutely clear about WHY you want to move here. If a year-long debauch is even entering your mind, better think twice.

Thailand isn't the place it once was, and the mood has definitely swung anti-foreigner, even in the last five years. It's no longer cheap (unless you know your way around, i.e., speak Thai, and are willing to live simply in a small town or village).

There are unmentionable events looming on the horizon, and Thailand may become a quite unstable place for a while afterward.

Unless you have some very well developed ideas about whet you plan to do here, my advice is to come as a tourist a few times, and keep your potions open.

BTW-after five years here ful time, over 25 years traveling back and forth, a couple of Thai jobs (NOT teaching english), and enough independent income to afford to live here forever, we are heading out, back to the US. None of what I say should be taken as sour grapes. It is just not what is was.

Good luck.


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## stednick

ChattaGuy:

Chattanooga I assume. Lovely town. I like the more laid back style of southern living. I'm from the more frantic northeast US.

Bruce provides an on-target reply concerning teaching opportunities. As an English speaker you can always find work teaching English. It's the "livable" wage question that looms. 

Read between the lines of Sateev's post, heed the warnings contained within. The only thing you can count on is change. 

My personal opinion is don't pursue your plans as you have laid them out. Thailand is an interesting and unique place. A most wonderful tropical paradise to vacation, a reasonable place to retire, and, a fairly tedious and troublesome place to earn a living. 

To be blunt and frank, to live safely and comfortably in Thailand as a foreigner you need money. What happens if you or one of your sons has a serious medical emergency, contracts a disease or is involved in a disabling accident?

Read the post "expatriation" last post by rewolf on 15th August 2012, located on page 16 of this forum (at least on my laptop). Answer the questions posed as food for thought. The key to any venture is research and planning. 

Good luck in your research and be careful in your forward planning.


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## jasonlee2

*This might be useful considering your request for information on Moving to Thailand*

:focus:


Hi,

I wrote an ebook called _*The Ultimate Guide to Living in Thailand*_ that might be helpful for you about virtually all topics. Also, it is available to sell via this link for affiliates in case Expatforum wants to add it. Program is at Thailandebooks dot net

It's a top selling ebook now on Amazon that ranks alongside of LonelyPlanet and Nancy Chandlers maps bur more centered around Moving to Thailand! 

Also if anyone has a Thailand travel website we have an affiliate system through ejunkie in which we pay 50% to publisher partners and conversions are quite good. SIGN UP is also at Thailandebooksdotnet

Lastly, we would also be happy to add a link in our ebook to your anyones site who promotes the guide. Over 30 Thailand travel sites so far share the guide!

Anyway, hope that helps. 


Ron Lee, MBA
Publications / CV
Email: RonLeeEmail at aol dot com
Skype: Ronnyl2288




ChattaGuy said:


> Hello from a newbie.
> 
> 1st some quick background. I'm a reasonably experienced 49 yr old male traveler. I have a BA in Philosophy/English. I have 10 years experience as a technical trainer teaching Microsoft software and Adobe graphic design certification courses. I've worked for small, independent companies (,50 ppl) as an IT director, web designer (not a developer - can't program), graphic designer and have spent the last 2 years as an editor of a weekly newspaper. So I have a lot of classroom experience and a lot of experience focused on the English language
> 
> My 2 young adult sons and I want to move to Thailand to work and live for at least a year, then evaluate a longer stay. I love to teach/train - particularly high school age to adults. We would be moving on a shoestring budget and the cost of a 1-2 thousand dollar TEFL course is out of reach.
> 
> I'm having trouble finding reliable information about my odds of finding a job making a living wage. I don't expect to live like a wealthy retiree, we actually prefer a simpler lifestyle that would comfortably pay the bills with some extra to socialize, have a drink, and do a little travel to bordering countries - again, doing this all on a shoestring budget and will be fine with that. We aren't interested in living like kings, but we don't want to starve either...lol
> 
> The more I read on the web, the more confusing it gets. There is so much conflicting info about almost everything. Given my circumstances, where can I find the best resources for reliable information and what suggestions do any of you have for me and my sons?


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