# My situation and several questions.



## Bill29

OK now that I have read several posts in the Thai forum and gained lots of info, I still have a few questions, I know some are repeats but I am asking again anyway. I see there are several posters that provide excellent responses to the age-old question – should I move to Thailand? Here is my story and situation, hope I don’t bore you to tears. 

My current company is offering an attractive voluntary separation package, if they don’t get what they want it will be involuntary and I maybe on that list! I have a chance with another company (one I used to work for) to be based in Bangkok, Thailand. I am still working on some of the salary details but I am shooting for $52,000 USD / year (~156,000 Baht / month). A decent salary cut from what I am making now in the US but well worth it for the quality of life reasons (no more un-paid overtime, on-call, corporate BS, etc…). I am actually traveling to Thailand for vacation next week, May 1st; my trip was planned well before the announcement from my company but I will look at this trip in a different light now. 

I am married to a Thai woman (6 years) and we have a 2-year-old daughter (US Citizen). I am 33 and she is 30 we are in a loving stable relationship and I have traveled to Thailand 30+ times over the last 10 years. I consider myself “well aware” of what Thailand can be all about and I have no intentions of doing anything to destroy my wonderful marriage. My wife and I already own a house in Thailand (she owns it) and it would be easy to move right in on a permanent basis. A little more background – my parents passed away in Nov 2007. After being devastated for quite some time I am over it and have a clear head once again. I have no other family in the US, so it’s me, my Thai wife, and our daughter – that’s it. After the death of my parents I committed to my wife and daughter that I wanted my daughter to have the same things I had while growing up – a loving family and actively involved grandparents. My wife and daughter frequently travel to Thailand and stay for 2 – 3 months at a time. So far they have gone 3 times in the past 16 months. I really feel for my daughter’s sake that living in Thailand would be much more beneficial to her. I would defiantly send her to top-notch schools (still have to research). I know my wife would be happier and I am able to handle day-to-day life in Thailand. 


I also have a host of other questions: 

Looks like the US let’s take a tax exclusion up to $86,700 / year. Is that as good as it sounds? Any taxes in Thailand – I have seen you only pay tax based on what bring into the country. Could I get paid tax free into US bank account and transfer money to Thailand? What about Singapore residence, is that any better for tax purposes? Any other way to avoid taxes? 

What about work permit? How involved is that? Do I really need it? This job would involve heavy travel in and out of Thailand and all throughout Asia. Would going in and out of the airport 2 – 3 times per month raise any flags? 

My wife and I do not have a recognized marriage in Thailand. I would get legally married in Thailand and the would be an easy way for me to get a Thai (I think class O) visa. What about my daughter? What would I need to do for her? Could I stay in Thailand with out a work visa if I had this visa?

School – looks like a good bi-lingual school runs about $4,500 USD / year. Is that right? I would want to start my daughter in a bi-lingual school next year. 

Driver’s license – I already know what I am getting myself into! I have driven several times in Thailand already. Is it easy to get a Thai license? My Thai reading capability is very limited. 

Dogs – I have 2 dogs in good health that have been properly vetted throughout their lives. I know the last thing Thailand needs is another dog but I do not want to get rid of them. They are both fixed. Is it a lot of work to bring dogs to Thailand? 

My Thai speaking is limited but my wife is fluent in English. I am learning to speak Thai with my daughter – what a great learning experience and I have the perfect teacher! Anything that not speaking fluent Thai would keep me from? It has not so far. 

Moving – My plan is to sell / donate everything before I leave the US and start over in Thailand. Not really attached to anything so really no loss. There are a few items that I could store at a friends house here in the states and spend the next few years carting this stuff back in my luggage. The Thai house already has the basics just need a few upgrades. 

I would need to decide for sure by May 21st. I still have lots of research do to both on this site and in general. I am sure I’ll come up with several more questions in the coming days and I’ll add to this as I think of them. 

Now with this scenario what would you do? I have already done the gut check and I am ready to commit to a life in Thailand. Is there anything I should be worried about? 

Thanks for reading and any help would be greatly appreciated.

Regards, 
Bill


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## KhwaamLap

Bill29 said:


> OK now that I have read several posts in the Thai forum and gained lots of info, I still have a few questions, I know some are repeats but I am asking again anyway. I see there are several posters that provide excellent responses to the age-old question – should I move to Thailand? Here is my story and situation, hope I don’t bore you to tears.
> 
> My current company is offering an attractive voluntary separation package, if they don’t get what they want it will be involuntary and I maybe on that list! I have a chance with another company (one I used to work for) to be based in Bangkok, Thailand. I am still working on some of the salary details but I am shooting for $52,000 USD / year (~156,000 Baht / month). A decent salary cut from what I am making now in the US but well worth it for the quality of life reasons (no more un-paid overtime, on-call, corporate BS, etc…). I am actually traveling to Thailand for vacation next week, May 1st; my trip was planned well before the announcement from my company but I will look at this trip in a different light now.
> 
> I am married to a Thai woman (6 years) and we have a 2-year-old daughter (US Citizen). I am 33 and she is 30 we are in a loving stable relationship and I have traveled to Thailand 30+ times over the last 10 years. I consider myself “well aware” of what Thailand can be all about and I have no intentions of doing anything to destroy my wonderful marriage. My wife and I already own a house in Thailand (she owns it) and it would be easy to move right in on a permanent basis. A little more background – my parents passed away in Nov 2007. After being devastated for quite some time I am over it and have a clear head once again. I have no other family in the US, so it’s me, my Thai wife, and our daughter – that’s it. After the death of my parents I committed to my wife and daughter that I wanted my daughter to have the same things I had while growing up – a loving family and actively involved grandparents. My wife and daughter frequently travel to Thailand and stay for 2 – 3 months at a time. So far they have gone 3 times in the past 16 months. I really feel for my daughter’s sake that living in Thailand would be much more beneficial to her. I would defiantly send her to top-notch schools (still have to research). I know my wife would be happier and I am able to handle day-to-day life in Thailand.
> 
> 
> I also have a host of other questions:
> 
> Looks like the US let’s take a tax exclusion up to $86,700 / year. Is that as good as it sounds? Any taxes in Thailand – I have seen you only pay tax based on what bring into the country. Could I get paid tax free into US bank account and transfer money to Thailand? What about Singapore residence, is that any better for tax purposes? Any other way to avoid taxes?
> 
> What about work permit? How involved is that? Do I really need it? This job would involve heavy travel in and out of Thailand and all throughout Asia. Would going in and out of the airport 2 – 3 times per month raise any flags?
> 
> My wife and I do not have a recognized marriage in Thailand. I would get legally married in Thailand and the would be an easy way for me to get a Thai (I think class O) visa. What about my daughter? What would I need to do for her? Could I stay in Thailand with out a work visa if I had this visa?
> 
> School – looks like a good bi-lingual school runs about $4,500 USD / year. Is that right? I would want to start my daughter in a bi-lingual school next year.
> 
> Driver’s license – I already know what I am getting myself into! I have driven several times in Thailand already. Is it easy to get a Thai license? My Thai reading capability is very limited.
> 
> Dogs – I have 2 dogs in good health that have been properly vetted throughout their lives. I know the last thing Thailand needs is another dog but I do not want to get rid of them. They are both fixed. Is it a lot of work to bring dogs to Thailand?
> 
> My Thai speaking is limited but my wife is fluent in English. I am learning to speak Thai with my daughter – what a great learning experience and I have the perfect teacher! Anything that not speaking fluent Thai would keep me from? It has not so far.
> 
> Moving – My plan is to sell / donate everything before I leave the US and start over in Thailand. Not really attached to anything so really no loss. There are a few items that I could store at a friends house here in the states and spend the next few years carting this stuff back in my luggage. The Thai house already has the basics just need a few upgrades.
> 
> I would need to decide for sure by May 21st. I still have lots of research do to both on this site and in general. I am sure I’ll come up with several more questions in the coming days and I’ll add to this as I think of them.
> 
> Now with this scenario what would you do? I have already done the gut check and I am ready to commit to a life in Thailand. Is there anything I should be worried about?
> 
> Thanks for reading and any help would be greatly appreciated.
> 
> Regards,
> Bill


Wow a lot of Q's. On 156,000 Baht / month you will have no problems with life in the Land of Smiles with regard to living expenses. This is a very good wage to live on - there are farangs on 20,000 Baht/month, and surviving (just!).

No idea about US taxes, but the usual golden rule is that you would have to pay taxes somewhere (unless you are in a tax free state - like Dubai). There are a few Spetics here, so someone may be able to help with that one.

If you are working for a company in BKK (your old one) then they will sort out the Work Permit - and you will get a Non-Im 'B' visa. If you go on your marriage (and/or your daughter) you will be under a Non-Im 'O', you can still have a WP under this Visa type, and your employer will (should) sort this out for you.

If your daughter is your Thai wife's daughter too, then go along to your local Thai Embassy in the States and get her registered and a Thai passport, then no need for Visas etc.

Why is you marriage not recognised in Thailand? Need more info here to answer this one - but worse case would be going to an Amphur in LoS and registering your marriage. 

You do not need a WP to stay in Thailand, only to work while you stay. If you earn your income from abroad (investments etc) - and do not participate in any work in the Kingdom, then you do not need a WP.

If you intend to live in Thailand forever (or your daughter is to), then Biligual is the best IMHO. Internationals are very expensive, but are also meant for kids that are destined for foreign continuation of study - i.e. American, English or European curiculums etc - Bilinguals usually are Thai curiculum with extra Science/Maths/English classes to lift their ability (like any private school in the west would do). Do a lot of research though, expensive does not always mean good - and cheaper does not always mean poor - in the west we say 'you get what you pay for' in LoS we say 'You get charged what they are able to charge and receive what they offer'.

You can get a yearly international license from home and drive on that. You can also get a Thai driving license, but I believe unless you have residency, then they only last a year anyway, so what's the point? (others correct me here if I am wrong).

Dogs are not a problem really. Use a good agent. If they are heavy, you will probably need to send them cargo (if they are small/light dogs you may get away with excess baggage) - the former incurs import tax, the latter a 100B waver at the airport. Use a Thai agent LoS side as they can oil the process and get good tea money prices for you.

Thai language - teh more you speak/understand/read the more you can interact with Thais. Many get by for decade with half a dozen words or less.

A sto importing. You wife will be able to import ONCE her personal affects tax free (import tax) - duplicates usually get charged for (i.e. 2 TV's - the second gets a tax bill). 

What would I do. Live in the US with the current financial crisis and no job - or come to LoS on a great wage, already paid for house and chance at a reat life. Do I really need to answer this one?


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## Bill29

Wow KhwaamLap Thanks for the great responses. 

My company does not have anybody employed internationally just a Thai agent in Thailand that I would helping out. I will be meeting with him in two weeks and I am sure he could shed more light on the tax stuff. Not sure how the process works or if they would know what to do, I am sure I could steer them in the right direction though. 

I didn't know I could get my US daughter a Thai passport. I'll check into that one. Our marriage is not recognized because it is a marriage in the US, never bothered to do anything in Thailand. But I know the process and its nothing time and money won't solve. 

I would mainly be based in Thailand with travel throughout Asia but would still have the need to service customers in Thailand as well. I could probably work around the work permit for a while if needed. The beauty of this situation is I would have 6 - 8 months to transition to Thailand while doing some work for them in the US, plenty of time to sell my house and get my ducks in a row. 

I'll need an agent for the dogs? Yes they are heavy about 70 lbs each. I would feel terrible knowing they will stay caged up on an airplane for 24 hours but that’s what needs to be done. I would need to pay an import tax on a couple muts that I paid nothing for to start with? They are part of the family too so I'll do whatever it takes. 

Excellent point on the International license. Nothing a trip to AAA in the states won't take care of. Another great part of the job would be 2 -3 expensed trips a year back to the US so I would be able to keep on top of stuff. 

Yes - full intentions to remain in Thailand. My daughter already has a great start on Thai its the English I am worried about. 

I know the choice should be a no brainier. LoS, dream job traveling. Good wage. Enough said.
Between severants pay from my current company and proceeds from my house in addition to my new salary I should be heading over with a nice amount stashed away in the bank.


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## Serendipity2

Bill29 said:


> OK now that I have read several posts in the Thai forum and gained lots of info, I still have a few questions, I know some are repeats but I am asking again anyway. I see there are several posters that provide excellent responses to the age-old question – should I move to Thailand? Here is my story and situation, hope I don’t bore you to tears.
> 
> My current company is offering an attractive voluntary separation package, if they don’t get what they want it will be involuntary and I maybe on that list! I have a chance with another company (one I used to work for) to be based in Bangkok, Thailand. I am still working on some of the salary details but I am shooting for $52,000 USD / year (~156,000 Baht / month). A decent salary cut from what I am making now in the US but well worth it for the quality of life reasons (no more un-paid overtime, on-call, corporate BS, etc…). I am actually traveling to Thailand for vacation next week, May 1st; my trip was planned well before the announcement from my company but I will look at this trip in a different light now.
> 
> I am married to a Thai woman (6 years) and we have a 2-year-old daughter (US Citizen). I am 33 and she is 30 we are in a loving stable relationship and I have traveled to Thailand 30+ times over the last 10 years. I consider myself “well aware” of what Thailand can be all about and I have no intentions of doing anything to destroy my wonderful marriage. My wife and I already own a house in Thailand (she owns it) and it would be easy to move right in on a permanent basis. A little more background – my parents passed away in Nov 2007. After being devastated for quite some time I am over it and have a clear head once again. I have no other family in the US, so it’s me, my Thai wife, and our daughter – that’s it. After the death of my parents I committed to my wife and daughter that I wanted my daughter to have the same things I had while growing up – a loving family and actively involved grandparents. My wife and daughter frequently travel to Thailand and stay for 2 – 3 months at a time. So far they have gone 3 times in the past 16 months. I really feel for my daughter’s sake that living in Thailand would be much more beneficial to her. I would defiantly send her to top-notch schools (still have to research). I know my wife would be happier and I am able to handle day-to-day life in Thailand.
> 
> 
> I also have a host of other questions:
> 
> Looks like the US let’s take a tax exclusion up to $86,700 / year. Is that as good as it sounds? Any taxes in Thailand – I have seen you only pay tax based on what bring into the country. Could I get paid tax free into US bank account and transfer money to Thailand? What about Singapore residence, is that any better for tax purposes? Any other way to avoid taxes?
> 
> What about work permit? How involved is that? Do I really need it? This job would involve heavy travel in and out of Thailand and all throughout Asia. Would going in and out of the airport 2 – 3 times per month raise any flags?
> 
> My wife and I do not have a recognized marriage in Thailand. I would get legally married in Thailand and the would be an easy way for me to get a Thai (I think class O) visa. What about my daughter? What would I need to do for her? Could I stay in Thailand with out a work visa if I had this visa?
> 
> School – looks like a good bi-lingual school runs about $4,500 USD / year. Is that right? I would want to start my daughter in a bi-lingual school next year.
> 
> Driver’s license – I already know what I am getting myself into! I have driven several times in Thailand already. Is it easy to get a Thai license? My Thai reading capability is very limited.
> 
> Dogs – I have 2 dogs in good health that have been properly vetted throughout their lives. I know the last thing Thailand needs is another dog but I do not want to get rid of them. They are both fixed. Is it a lot of work to bring dogs to Thailand?
> 
> My Thai speaking is limited but my wife is fluent in English. I am learning to speak Thai with my daughter – what a great learning experience and I have the perfect teacher! Anything that not speaking fluent Thai would keep me from? It has not so far.
> 
> Moving – My plan is to sell / donate everything before I leave the US and start over in Thailand. Not really attached to anything so really no loss. There are a few items that I could store at a friends house here in the states and spend the next few years carting this stuff back in my luggage. The Thai house already has the basics just need a few upgrades.
> 
> I would need to decide for sure by May 21st. I still have lots of research do to both on this site and in general. I am sure I’ll come up with several more questions in the coming days and I’ll add to this as I think of them.
> 
> Now with this scenario what would you do? I have already done the gut check and I am ready to commit to a life in Thailand. Is there anything I should be worried about?
> 
> Thanks for reading and any help would be greatly appreciated.
> 
> Regards,
> Bill



Bill29,

If you work overseas for at least 12 months [I think] your overseas income is tax free with regard to US taxes. Check with the IRS and they can send you a booklet on working overseas. They may have changed the law but I've not heard one way or the other. You can return to the US during that time but I think you're limited to about 30 days or so. So, if I'm right, you will be exempt from US taxes so long as you stay within the rules. Here, I just did a quick "Google" search for you. I would also read other articles to make sure this one is accurate... 

Uncle Sam Give US Expats Some Good News And Then Some Bad News

Uncle Sam Give US Expats Some Good News And Then Some Bad News By Don D. Nelson, C.P.A., Attorney 

Just when it seemed Uncle Sam had forgotten those Americans living abroad, the IRS and Congress have again changed the expat tax laws involving Americans living and working abroad.* The new tax provisions take effect for the 2006 tax year and will benefit many expatriates and* hurt others. 

For many years the* foreign earned income exclusion has been set at a maximum of* $80,000 of earned income for those working and living abroad. That* exclusion has been increased to $82,400 for 2006, and* $85,700* for 2007.* To qualify for that exclusion you must live and work abroad for a full calendar year or work abroad for a 12 month fiscal year period and not return to the US more than 35 days during that 12 month period.

The not so good part of the change involves the tax that will now be imposed on the income (foreign or from the US) that you make in excess of the foreign earned income exclusion.* Under the old law, all taxable income in excess of the exclusion on your expat tax return began to be taxed in the lowest brackets (as if you had no previous income) and then the rate increased as the amount in excess of the exclusion increased. 

Under the new tax law, all income in excess of the exclusion will now be taxed at the same tax bracket as it would have been taxed if the $82,400 exclusion had also been taxed.* Therefore, for 2006 each dollar of income you make over the maximum exclusion amount will be subject to a 28% tax bracket* rate if are single whereas previously it would have only been subject to a 10% tax rate. 


It sounds to me you should be in "hog heaven" with your pay. No taxes and a fair upside before you would be paying taxes!


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## Bill29

Thanks again for the reply. I am trying to research everything I can. Sounds like the first year would be difficult with taxes but then home free after that. Sound like I would need to keep my time in the US to under 35 days, should not be a problem. 

Right now I am looking at health care in Thailand. Since this is a one of a kind thing for my possible future company they would out right pay me to buy health insurance in Thailand, just need to get them a number. I have been looking over NZI, but I still haven't found the premium spelled right out. If I don't find it I'll send an email. Anyother sugesstions? I would also buy the travel insurance that looks like it would cover me in other countries, but I have not read the fine print yet. Would be a nice fit traveling within Asia.

Bill


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## King Silk

First Bob Welcome! Apart from coming here to live I hope that a nice intelligent Guy like you will be an active member of this Forum.
The lads have been more than kind in giving you some good advice, and thats what we are all about.
I often take a sharp intake of breath when asked if "I should come to live in LOS", but in your case it sounds as if you have got it made......
Glad you are bringing you beloved Dogs. Perhaps a vet will give you some tranquilisers to help them cope with the Flight. Poor things they won't understand what is going on.
Also remember they will not have the same immunity to disease that the Soi Dogs here have.
So it's off to the Vets when you get them here for Jabs.
I am sure that your US marriage is recognised all over the World, old bean.
Frequent travel in and out of LOS could be a bit of a problem as I understand that these are limited on an 'O' Non-immigrant Visa. But go to the Thai Website for all the info you will need on that. The rules change a lot these days so we may not be up to speed?
Have you calculated your BHTs according to the latest exchange rates? They are not all that healthy now. This is not the cheap place it used to be to live in you know......([email protected]) Try them.
Do you envisage your wife's Family being a drain on your finances? Mine were, VERY!
Whatever you do, mate, keep control of the till! I know you have a great marriage.
So did I until it all went pear shaped........sorry, but one must be realistic.
SO many Farangs lose EVERYTHING ! You don't want to be one of them do you?
Keep us posted as things progress, and all the very best.


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## Guest

Some excellent answers so far, just a few thoughts from me. It sounds as if you are in the ideal family situation to avoid all the inheritance issues some of us with family outside Thailand are saddled with!

Driving license - as long as you have the International Driving License, you can apply for a one year Thai license (you need your passport with a non-immigrant visa, photos - forget how many - medical certificate from any local clinic for a couple of hundred baht, and I think you need a letter from Immigration confirming your address in the area). The first license is only valid for one year, but then you can renew for five. The IDL means you don't have to take the written and practical tests, I think - just cough up the fee.

Not sure about the work permit thing - a WP is needed wherever the salary is paid from, in theory. The non-immigrant 'B' has to be applied for by a legal Thai business entity. One caveat - I thought that to employ a foreigner in Thailand, a business has to have a minimum of 4 local (Thai) employees for each foreigner - and you mentioned just one other Thai employed in the country by your company? Could be a problem, if so. 

If you are liable to income tax in Thailand, personal income tax ranged from 5% to the high 30s last time I checked, and given the figures you mention, I doubt you are near the bottom end of that range! No idea how that will compare to the US. 

However I remember Bev over in the French forum talking about the tax situation for US citizens who work abroad, and it was a rather different one to that of Brits such as myself. You'll have to get some expert advice on that score.

Health cover - There are a multitude of international and Thai insurers offering every healthplan under the sun, so hard to know what to advise. The ones I looked at were a lot cheaper than their equivalent in the UK (because medical care is cheaper on the whole I suppose), so it's really down to how much your employer is prepared to pay to cover you and your family for the best care.

I can't see any problems for your daughter - she's got it made if it all pans out. I have three bilingual kids - English/French - as well as a toddler who will spend half her year in France, half in Thailand, and speak English as well - and it's a big advantage when they grow up. Bilingual schooling is even better, and the future is in Asia, so a child growing up with English and Thai spoken naturally, with say Mandarin Chinese as her first foreign language, what more could she want to prepare herself for the future.

Those school costs match some I've seen - although the really top schools are dearer, and the costs go up incrementally as they grow older. 

Even so with the sort of income you are talking about, no ex-wives and children to support, it sounds almost too good to be true! There's often a slip twixt cup and lip though, the only caveat I would make is that it's good to have some decent capital behind you to handle the unforeseens. Maybe selling your US assets will cover that easily, I don't know, but if so, you've definitely got it made!

So best of luck, welcome to the forum, and when you get to Thailand next month drop into an Internet cafe and let us know how it all works out...


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## Bill29

Thanks again for the responses. For sure I will help out once things materialize, I would be fully settled in early 2010 and I would love to provide answers to people in the same situation as me. 

Sounds like I may have some issues with the work permit. With only about 10% of my work being in Thailand maybe I can fly under the radar with an O visa and residency card. Are they cracking down bad? I would work from home, no office nothing that would draw any attention, just a trip or 2 every month out of Thailand. After reading on an ‘O’ visa I am limited to a 90 day stay but could have multiple entries up to 1 year and of course no guarantee on getting another visa after 1 year. Sounds like I need to have my wife by my side every time I go for visa stuff. Do I need to stay out of the country for a certain amount of time before I could return? Of course information directly on the Thai website is not clear. Here is something interesting though:

“Upon entry into the Kingdom, applicant or his or her appointed representatives must apply for a work permit at the Office of Foreign Workers Administration, Department of Employment, Ministry of Labour in which the applicant will be obligated to pay income tax accordingly. If the applicant’s associated company is located in the provinces, the applicant must apply at the Employment Office of that province.”

So I can apply for a work permit after entry? What happens if I get denied? Can I still stay on not work? Wonder if I commute to work from Thailand 1 – 3 times per month if that is considered “working” in Thailand? Maybe this whole thing could be simplified by working under my company’s Thai agent. He has several Thai people working for him and represents may different companies. So an American in the mix will be easy to beat the 4:1 rule. I’ll talk to him about this next week. The goal is for me to expand and grow business throughout Asia and I am choosing to live in Thailand for family reasons. 90% of the business development would take place outside of Thailand. The company already has some Asian accounts but a rep from the US is covering them. I really never even need to admit to anyone that I am “working” in Thailand. Just using it as a base and traveling to my work from there. I need to brush up on the Thai tax rules, I know I’ll never avoid paying taxes, but the US rules allow for an exemption of $85,700 / year as noted above. I have researched that and I will be released from US tax liability after 1 full year on foreign soil. 

I know I’ll have to vet the dogs regularly, should not be too expensive. I thought about the tranquilizers for the flight. Probably the way to go – maybe I’ll save one for my self, I would like to forget about the flights sometimes myself. 

I know I need to go to the Amphur to get the marriage recognized in Thailand, should be easy. I know exchange rates are down but I have taken that into consideration. I need to bank Baht when it gets above 38 and bank USD when it goes below 33. Anywhere in between I can manage. I will not have any expenses in Thailand, as the house is paid for just typical living expenses. I will likely get a car within the first few months too but I should be able to pay cash. I would be coming to Thailand with between $50,000 – $75,000 USD in the bank depending on how much of a beating I take on my US house. That coupled with a good salary, I should not have a care in the world. Family won’t be a drain, I run the finances now and will continue to do so. I need to do one simple thing to keep my marriage intact, respect my wife and keep my hands off the Thai beauties. May not sound easy to do but all I have is my wife and daughter and I don’t want to lose them over something stupid.

Talking with my future boss last night, I could get $250 / month towards healthcare. Do I really need a healthcare plan? I am sure I could cover everything my family needs on $3,000 / year. We are all healthy and just need regular check ups. Maybe another child in the future but my wife said last night having a baby is cheap.

My daughter should be all set. I of course want her to have the best of everything and get the education she needs to have good job and good salary. 

Thanks again for all your help. I’ll make the official decision after I return from Thailand and get an offer set with my new company. 

Regards. Bill.


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## Bill29

To add another thought and after reading the Thai tax rules. I would be getting paid in USD to a US bank account and transferring money to a Thai bank account as needed. If I do not have a work permit or registered a business in Thailand how or would I even have to pay Thai taxes? If I do it sounds like I only need to pay on what I bring into Thailand? So if I bring in $25,000 USD / year (875,000 baht) it looks like I would pay a 20% tax to Thailand on this after exemptions for spouse, child, etc…. This is getting confusing and the more I read the less I am understanding. Sorry for getting so in depth with this but like everything else I don’t want to get caught by surprise on anything or worse yet end up paying hefty taxes in Thailand because I did something wrong. I can’t believe there are not many answers to situations like this out there on the web. I have searching fast and furious but with little luck.


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## King Silk

Billy Boy, I couldn't get Health Insurance as I am too old. So I simply opened a Health Account. The bank transfers an amount each month into it. So if I need to pay a quack it's there, and if I don't I still have the money! See?

Just a thought. Why don't you go for a 'married to a Thai lady' type Visa?
Check it out Old Bean.

I went through the 'Selling up everything' procedure. It took forever. Had to give lots of stuff away practically. Garage sales are a good way of course.

Hang in there Buddy.


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## KhwaamLap

Note that America has an agreement with Thailand (Its called Amity) as follows:
Treaty of Amity Benefits PDF Print E-mail
Sunday, 31 December 2006
How to Register for Treaty of Amity Benefits for American Companies?
The Treaty of Amity and Economic Relations between the United States of America and the Kingdom of Thailand - commonly known as the Treaty of Amity - was signed on May 29, 1968. There are two major benefits of the treaty:

* The Treaty allows American companies to maintain a majority shareholding or to wholly own its company, branch office or representative office located in Thailand
* American companies receive national treatment. That is, they may engage in business on the same basis as Thai companies, and are exempt from most of the restrictions on foreign investment imposed by the Alien Business Law of 1972.


Restrictions on American investment still exist. They include:

1. owning land;

2. engaging in the business of inland communications;

3. engaging in inland transportation and communication industries:

4. engaging in fiduciary functions;

5. engaging in banking involving depository functions;

6. engaging in domestic trade in indigenous agricultural products;

7. exploiting land or other natural resources



Some US businesses still choose to form joint ventures with Thai partners and allow them to hold the majority stake because of their familiarity with the Thai economy and local regulations.

To qualify for benefits under the Treaty of Amity, the steps outlined in the table below must be completed. Application for certification of a Treaty company is generally done in conjunction with or after establishment of a company (Contact the Commercial Service for information on registering a Thai Company).

Completion of the entire Treaty certification process typically takes about five weeks. It normally takes less than one week for certification from the U.S. Commercial Service office. The steps required for Commercial Service certification are attached.

It may be advisable to consult with a Thai legal or tax expert to be assured of successful registration.

Contacts :

U.S. Commercial Service

Diethelm Tower A, 3rd Floor, Suite 304

93/1 Wireless Road

Bangkok, 10330, Thailand

Tel : (662) 255-4365

Fax : (662) 255-2915

E-mail : [email protected]s email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it



Department of Commercial Registration

Ministry of Commerce

Maha Rat Road

Bangkok 10200

Tel : (662) 222-9851, 222-9889

Fax : (662) 225-8493

Disclaimer : Although the information in this report has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, we do not guarantee its accuracy and such information may be incomplete or condensed. Please seek professional advice for more specific information.

Treaty of Amity Registration Procedures:


1. File documents

To begin the process, documents listed below must be filed with the U.S. Commercial Service (CS) Diethelm Tower on Wireless Road.

Blank application forms may be obtained from the Department of Registration in the Thai Ministry of Commerce.

Sole Proprietorship:

Documents Required:

Notarized copy of owner�s passport or birth certificate to prove U.S. citizenship. Notarization services can be obtained at the U.S. Embassy�s American Citizen Services.


Partnership, Rep office, Branch office, Joint Venture, or Limited Company:

Documents required:

A. Articles of Incorporation

B. Bylaws of the Company

C. An affidavit of the Manager or Corporate Officer, stating the following:

* Name of the Company, registration number, and date of registration.
* Address of registered office.
* Jurisdiction under which the corporation is registered.
* Name, address, nationality, age and race of each director, number of shares held by each, and identification of the director(s) with the power to bind the company.
* Authorized capital of the Company, number of shares and par value of each and amount of paid up capital.
* Total number of shareholders, their nationalities, and number of shares owned or held by them.


D. Certificate of Good Standing

U.S. subsidiary:

Same as above for both subsidiary and parent company

U.S. company acquiring Thai company

For an applying US company wishing to invest directly in a Thai company so as to obtain a majority of the Thai company�s shares, the applying company must show notarized proof that the majority of owners and directors of both the applying company and the company to be incorporated are (or will be) US citizens either by birth or naturalization.

2. Certification by the Commercial Service

Upon receipt of the preceding required documents the US&FCS office then will certify to the Thai Department of Commercial Registration in the Ministry of Commerce that the applying business organization is an American owned and managed company and is therefore entitled to national treatment under the provisions of the Treaty.

3. Application to Ministry of Commerce

After certification by the CS , original copies of all the above-mentioned required documents, along with a completed application form must be given to the Thai Department of Commercial Registration in the Ministry of Commerce in order to fully register under the Treaty.


----------



## Serendipity2

KhwaamLap said:


> Note that America has an agreement with Thailand (Its called Amity) as follows:
> Treaty of Amity Benefits PDF Print E-mail
> Sunday, 31 December 2006
> How to Register for Treaty of Amity Benefits for American Companies?
> The Treaty of Amity and Economic Relations between the United States of America and the Kingdom of Thailand - commonly known as the Treaty of Amity - was signed on May 29, 1968. There are two major benefits of the treaty:
> 
> * The Treaty allows American companies to maintain a majority shareholding or to wholly own its company, branch office or representative office located in Thailand
> * American companies receive national treatment. That is, they may engage in business on the same basis as Thai companies, and are exempt from most of the restrictions on foreign investment imposed by the Alien Business Law of 1972.
> 
> 
> Restrictions on American investment still exist. They include:
> 
> 1. owning land;
> 
> 2. engaging in the business of inland communications;
> 
> 3. engaging in inland transportation and communication industries:
> 
> 4. engaging in fiduciary functions;
> 
> 5. engaging in banking involving depository functions;
> 
> 6. engaging in domestic trade in indigenous agricultural products;
> 
> 7. exploiting land or other natural resources
> 
> 
> 
> Some US businesses still choose to form joint ventures with Thai partners and allow them to hold the majority stake because of their familiarity with the Thai economy and local regulations.
> 
> To qualify for benefits under the Treaty of Amity, the steps outlined in the table below must be completed. Application for certification of a Treaty company is generally done in conjunction with or after establishment of a company (Contact the Commercial Service for information on registering a Thai Company).
> 
> Completion of the entire Treaty certification process typically takes about five weeks. It normally takes less than one week for certification from the U.S. Commercial Service office. The steps required for Commercial Service certification are attached.
> 
> It may be advisable to consult with a Thai legal or tax expert to be assured of successful registration.
> 
> Contacts :
> 
> U.S. Commercial Service
> 
> Diethelm Tower A, 3rd Floor, Suite 304
> 
> 93/1 Wireless Road
> 
> Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
> 
> Tel : (662) 255-4365
> 
> Fax : (662) 255-2915
> 
> E-mail : [email protected]s email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it
> 
> 
> 
> Department of Commercial Registration
> 
> Ministry of Commerce
> 
> Maha Rat Road
> 
> Bangkok 10200
> 
> Tel : (662) 222-9851, 222-9889
> 
> Fax : (662) 225-8493
> 
> Disclaimer : Although the information in this report has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, we do not guarantee its accuracy and such information may be incomplete or condensed. Please seek professional advice for more specific information.
> 
> Treaty of Amity Registration Procedures:
> 
> 
> 1. File documents
> 
> To begin the process, documents listed below must be filed with the U.S. Commercial Service (CS) Diethelm Tower on Wireless Road.
> 
> Blank application forms may be obtained from the Department of Registration in the Thai Ministry of Commerce.
> 
> Sole Proprietorship:
> 
> Documents Required:
> 
> Notarized copy of owner�s passport or birth certificate to prove U.S. citizenship. Notarization services can be obtained at the U.S. Embassy�s American Citizen Services.
> 
> 
> Partnership, Rep office, Branch office, Joint Venture, or Limited Company:
> 
> Documents required:
> 
> A. Articles of Incorporation
> 
> B. Bylaws of the Company
> 
> C. An affidavit of the Manager or Corporate Officer, stating the following:
> 
> * Name of the Company, registration number, and date of registration.
> * Address of registered office.
> * Jurisdiction under which the corporation is registered.
> * Name, address, nationality, age and race of each director, number of shares held by each, and identification of the director(s) with the power to bind the company.
> * Authorized capital of the Company, number of shares and par value of each and amount of paid up capital.
> * Total number of shareholders, their nationalities, and number of shares owned or held by them.
> 
> 
> D. Certificate of Good Standing
> 
> U.S. subsidiary:
> 
> Same as above for both subsidiary and parent company
> 
> U.S. company acquiring Thai company
> 
> For an applying US company wishing to invest directly in a Thai company so as to obtain a majority of the Thai company�s shares, the applying company must show notarized proof that the majority of owners and directors of both the applying company and the company to be incorporated are (or will be) US citizens either by birth or naturalization.
> 
> 2. Certification by the Commercial Service
> 
> Upon receipt of the preceding required documents the US&FCS office then will certify to the Thai Department of Commercial Registration in the Ministry of Commerce that the applying business organization is an American owned and managed company and is therefore entitled to national treatment under the provisions of the Treaty.
> 
> 3. Application to Ministry of Commerce
> 
> After certification by the CS , original copies of all the above-mentioned required documents, along with a completed application form must be given to the Thai Department of Commercial Registration in the Ministry of Commerce in order to fully register under the Treaty.



Khwaamlap,

Treaty of friendship, eh? Seems as though what the treaty give in the BOLD print they take away in the fine.


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## KhwaamLap

I have heard there is a Sh!t load of extra paperwork too, but the major part is it can be 100% American owned and staffed. A better choice is BOI approval (any nationality), but it has to fit into certain parameters (type of business etc) and it has a fair set up cost.


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## Serendipity2

Bill29 said:


> OK now that I have read several posts in the Thai forum and gained lots of info, I still have a few questions, I know some are repeats but I am asking again anyway. I see there are several posters that provide excellent responses to the age-old question – should I move to Thailand? Here is my story and situation, hope I don’t bore you to tears.
> 
> My current company is offering an attractive voluntary separation package, if they don’t get what they want it will be involuntary and I maybe on that list! I have a chance with another company (one I used to work for) to be based in Bangkok, Thailand. I am still working on some of the salary details but I am shooting for $52,000 USD / year (~156,000 Baht / month). A decent salary cut from what I am making now in the US but well worth it for the quality of life reasons (no more un-paid overtime, on-call, corporate BS, etc…). I am actually traveling to Thailand for vacation next week, May 1st; my trip was planned well before the announcement from my company but I will look at this trip in a different light now.
> 
> I am married to a Thai woman (6 years) and we have a 2-year-old daughter (US Citizen). I am 33 and she is 30 we are in a loving stable relationship and I have traveled to Thailand 30+ times over the last 10 years. I consider myself “well aware” of what Thailand can be all about and I have no intentions of doing anything to destroy my wonderful marriage. My wife and I already own a house in Thailand (she owns it) and it would be easy to move right in on a permanent basis. A little more background – my parents passed away in Nov 2007. After being devastated for quite some time I am over it and have a clear head once again. I have no other family in the US, so it’s me, my Thai wife, and our daughter – that’s it. After the death of my parents I committed to my wife and daughter that I wanted my daughter to have the same things I had while growing up – a loving family and actively involved grandparents. My wife and daughter frequently travel to Thailand and stay for 2 – 3 months at a time. So far they have gone 3 times in the past 16 months. I really feel for my daughter’s sake that living in Thailand would be much more beneficial to her. I would defiantly send her to top-notch schools (still have to research). I know my wife would be happier and I am able to handle day-to-day life in Thailand.
> 
> 
> I also have a host of other questions:
> 
> Looks like the US let’s take a tax exclusion up to $86,700 / year. Is that as good as it sounds? Any taxes in Thailand – I have seen you only pay tax based on what bring into the country. Could I get paid tax free into US bank account and transfer money to Thailand? What about Singapore residence, is that any better for tax purposes? Any other way to avoid taxes?
> 
> What about work permit? How involved is that? Do I really need it? This job would involve heavy travel in and out of Thailand and all throughout Asia. Would going in and out of the airport 2 – 3 times per month raise any flags?
> 
> My wife and I do not have a recognized marriage in Thailand. I would get legally married in Thailand and the would be an easy way for me to get a Thai (I think class O) visa. What about my daughter? What would I need to do for her? Could I stay in Thailand with out a work visa if I had this visa?
> 
> School – looks like a good bi-lingual school runs about $4,500 USD / year. Is that right? I would want to start my daughter in a bi-lingual school next year.
> 
> Driver’s license – I already know what I am getting myself into! I have driven several times in Thailand already. Is it easy to get a Thai license? My Thai reading capability is very limited.
> 
> Dogs – I have 2 dogs in good health that have been properly vetted throughout their lives. I know the last thing Thailand needs is another dog but I do not want to get rid of them. They are both fixed. Is it a lot of work to bring dogs to Thailand?
> 
> My Thai speaking is limited but my wife is fluent in English. I am learning to speak Thai with my daughter – what a great learning experience and I have the perfect teacher! Anything that not speaking fluent Thai would keep me from? It has not so far.
> 
> Moving – My plan is to sell / donate everything before I leave the US and start over in Thailand. Not really attached to anything so really no loss. There are a few items that I could store at a friends house here in the states and spend the next few years carting this stuff back in my luggage. The Thai house already has the basics just need a few upgrades.
> 
> I would need to decide for sure by May 21st. I still have lots of research do to both on this site and in general. I am sure I’ll come up with several more questions in the coming days and I’ll add to this as I think of them.
> 
> Now with this scenario what would you do? I have already done the gut check and I am ready to commit to a life in Thailand. Is there anything I should be worried about?
> 
> Thanks for reading and any help would be greatly appreciated.
> 
> Regards,
> Bill



Bill, I have but one question for you. Since you're from Alabama, do you have a banjo on your knee? 

Serendipity2


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## Bill29

Thanks again for the info. I have only been in Alabama for 4 years. I am originally from the Western New York area, so no banjo here.


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## Serendipity2

Bill29 said:


> Thanks again for the info. I have only been in Alabama for 4 years. I am originally from the Western New York area, so no banjo here.



Bill, 

Oh, Susanna will be SO disappointed! 

New YORK? What's a good New York boy doing in a place like Alabama? Speaking of which, have you ever seen the movie, "My Cousin Vinny"?


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## Bill29

Well I did not jump directly to Alabama from NY. I went to Las Vegas first. All in the name of work. At least my wife has had the opportunity to see a few different sides of the country. 

I had to think if I have ever seen that movie .... I not that I can recall. But I have always been acused of "you have never seen that movie?" Guess I was a movie deprived child, but not because my parents were strict.


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## Serendipity2

Bill29 said:


> Well I did not jump directly to Alabama from NY. I went to Las Vegas first. All in the name of work. At least my wife has had the opportunity to see a few different sides of the country.
> 
> I had to think if I have ever seen that movie .... I not that I can recall. But I have always been acused of "you have never seen that movie?" Guess I was a movie deprived child, but not because my parents were strict.




Bill29,

A great movie and superb performance by Marisa Tomei! See it - you'll be glad you did. Set in Ala f***ing Bama! It is a bit heavy on the 'F' bomb but hilarious.


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## Bill29

Sorry didn't mean to fall off the face of the earth! Been very busy! I am going forward with moving to Bangkok. Took the servants package from my current company and managed to negotiate a better deal with the company I will be working for in Thailand. Still have a lot of things to accomplish and I have been trying to sell everything I own. The longest will be the house - but I knew that. I hope to be there by the end of ‘09 and I am planning on my wife and daughter to head over in mid-September. I still have some concerns and questions but some hardcore Internet research and this board should take care of that. I know someone mentioned before to get my daughter a Thai passport. Wouldn’t she give up her US passport to do that? Any suggestions on schools / kindergarten? We checked out Denla in Bangkae while we where there in May, looked and sounded good – 40,000B / year. 

Has anybody used an agent to bring a dog(s) into the LoS? Believe it or not this is my biggest worry. I know what I need to get them for shots and all that good stuff just don't know about an agent. I plan on shipping them Korean Air cargo from Atlanta and my wife will pick them up in Bangkok. 

Are there any GPS companies in Thailand? Any recommendations? I figure this will be the easiest way to learn my way around?

Any big and tall stores? I am 6'3" and 300 pounds - I know I can get things tailor made just wondering if there are any stores in Bangkok for me.

Again thanks for the help. I promise to stay active and provide advice to others once I begin life in the kingdom. 

Bill


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## Serendipity2

Bill29 said:


> Sorry didn't mean to fall off the face of the earth! Been very busy! I am going forward with moving to Bangkok. Took the servants package from my current company and managed to negotiate a better deal with the company I will be working for in Thailand. Still have a lot of things to accomplish and I have been trying to sell everything I own. The longest will be the house - but I knew that. I hope to be there by the end of ‘09 and I am planning on my wife and daughter to head over in mid-September. I still have some concerns and questions but some hardcore Internet research and this board should take care of that. I know someone mentioned before to get my daughter a Thai passport. Wouldn’t she give up her US passport to do that? Any suggestions on schools / kindergarten? We checked out Denla in Bangkae while we where there in May, looked and sounded good – 40,000B / year.
> 
> Has anybody used an agent to bring a dog(s) into the LoS? Believe it or not this is my biggest worry. I know what I need to get them for shots and all that good stuff just don't know about an agent. I plan on shipping them Korean Air cargo from Atlanta and my wife will pick them up in Bangkok.
> 
> Are there any GPS companies in Thailand? Any recommendations? I figure this will be the easiest way to learn my way around?
> 
> Any big and tall stores? I am 6'3" and 300 pounds - I know I can get things tailor made just wondering if there are any stores in Bangkok for me.
> 
> Again thanks for the help. I promise to stay active and provide advice to others once I begin life in the kingdom.
> 
> Bill



Bill29,

I'm no expert on bringing in a dog to LOS but I'm pretty familiar with clothing. You'll be FAR ahead having clothing tailor made to fit you than trying to find a Big and Tall store. You may find but they will charge you accordingly. There are thousands of shops in Bangkok - near or in every hotel - I'd go to the nicer hotels and get general prices before I settled on one but you'll pay about the same for a first rate shirt tailor made for you than off the rack. Same with pants. And probably better fabric. Competition is fierce - make it work for you. Good luck 

Serendipity2


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## Bill29

Oh I have got some really nice tailor made stuff (and some crap too) from Bangkok. I plan on bringing alot from the US and I will be coming back to the US 2 or so times a year but I will definitly shop around in Thailand too. I won't be hurting for clothes just wondering about big and tall stuff in Thailand.


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## KhwaamLap

The thing with tailors is to make sure they know you are NOT a tourist. If they think you may return then they will do a good job, if the think you arevpassing trade then don't expect the seems to make week three.


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## KhwaamLap

Oh and...I just shipped my cat and dog from the UK. I used a shipping agent (shop around I saved over £2000 from my first quote!), it worked out easier in the end - the dog had to go cargo because of his size/weight - some airlines will allow you to take them as excess baggase, but watch out for the weight/size allowance - they will also be treated as luggage then too and if you do not fly direct, they may sit on a baking runway somewhere between flights - unattended. I also used an agent which I book via my shipping company - they grteasethe right palms and both critters arrived (in the petrol station behind the cargo terminal in BKK!) on time - you can wait for over 6 hours and get ripped off drastically by customs if you don't use an agent.

I also just bought a new sat nav. The one I got was a MIO Digi Walker GPS - from Lotus Tesco for about 7k Baht. Reason I choise it was because I could set it up in English and it still allows you to select a Thai keyboard for typing in addresses - the first 6 letters in the Thai Alphabet are often transliterated as K (thopugh the first Gor Gai is more of a G), and there are loads of vowels, so trying to get the correct Anglocised spelling of a Thai street name to match that that the GPS has stored is a hope in hell - it took me 10 minutes to get another GPS to find my street because of this! It also covers the whole of SouthEast Asia.


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## Bill29

Thanks for the response. I'll check on the GPS at Tesco when I arrive in Thaialnd. Is it like a US GPS where you can enter a business name as well or anly street names / addresses? 

Each dog in a crate will be about 100 pounds so its cargo for them! The Korean Air (sky team) cargo rep called today and left a message. I'll follow up with them tomorrow for a price and hopefully they will reccommend an agent to use in BKK. I have sent several emails to agents but no replies yet. The plan in my mind anyway is to fly the dogs from Atlanta to Seoul then to BKK. The Seoul lay over is about an hour and the weather isn't terribly hot in Seoul not to mention they will arrive at about 4:00PM so the heat of the day should be over. I will be in Bangkok the first week of September so I can work on an agent if I don't have one by then. I definitly want an agent - to help with the tea money and all. My Thai wife will be picking them up so maybe that will make things a little smoother too. All she is worried about is not knowing where to go at the airport but it sounds straight forward - just go to the cargo terminal. Shipping agent? Did you book them directly through an airline or are there companies out there that will take care of everything from start to finish?


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## KhwaamLap

Bill29 said:


> Thanks for the response. I'll check on the GPS at Tesco when I arrive in Thaialnd. Is it like a US GPS where you can enter a business name as well or anly street names / addresses?
> 
> Each dog in a crate will be about 100 pounds so its cargo for them! The Korean Air (sky team) cargo rep called today and left a message. I'll follow up with them tomorrow for a price and hopefully they will reccommend an agent to use in BKK. I have sent several emails to agents but no replies yet. The plan in my mind anyway is to fly the dogs from Atlanta to Seoul then to BKK. The Seoul lay over is about an hour and the weather isn't terribly hot in Seoul not to mention they will arrive at about 4:00PM so the heat of the day should be over. I will be in Bangkok the first week of September so I can work on an agent if I don't have one by then. I definitly want an agent - to help with the tea money and all. My Thai wife will be picking them up so maybe that will make things a little smoother too. All she is worried about is not knowing where to go at the airport but it sounds straight forward - just go to the cargo terminal. Shipping agent? Did you book them directly through an airline or are there companies out there that will take care of everything from start to finish?


I used a UK based shipping company and they had an agent they use if required - I used him and he was very good. He needed my wife's ID card (a photocopy or fax is all) and some other paperwork - he also sorted out the import permits Thai-side. His name is Krit and he speaks/reads/writes perfect English - contavt details:

Krit Wongsaengarunsri
Hong Kong Transpack
59/44, Soi 26, Sukhumvit Road
Bangkok 10110
Tel: 081-315 3350, 02-258 6827 [email protected]

He told me all I needed and gave me a quote up front - it was accurate too - I arranged to collect at the petrol station around the back mof the cargo terminal (with mobile contact) - the even helped load the animal in our car.

Good luck.


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## Bill29

Great thanks for the info. I have been struggling with this. I will send him an email soon. I am also suffering from sticker shock of shipping. So far Korean Air won't take them becuase of the weight, Northwest quoted $3,500 + fees. Thai Airways has come in the best at $2,140 with all fees included. But I need to drive 30 hours across the contry to get them to LAX - the good part of that is it's non stop so 17 hours of flying and its over and they love the car. Northwest travel time would have been about 34 hours! At these prices I am calling every airline I can. United, JAL, ANA, EVA, etc... but I don't have much hope on finding it any cheaper.


----------



## KhwaamLap

My animals flew with KLM I beleve - shipping company sorted it out. Cost for 2 animals (a dog at 70Kg and a cat at 7Kg - not fat its a Maine ****, small mountain lion basically) was about 130,000 Baht in cluding nearly a month of bording, rabbies jabs (all others up to date), required vet check 3 days before travel, permit, import taxes, commision for shiping company and Thai agent, crates (one hand made for the dog - cat one is a heavy duty plastic cat carrier), pick up from my home to bording at shipping place, flights (for Animals), Thai side vet check and other paperwork.Not cheap, but I would really consider using a pet shipping company if you are going to have to use cargo - its worth it just for the saved aggrivation and peace of mind,. Imagine getting to Thai customs and being returned home due to a technicality on the paperwork etc (though Agent would hopefully 'smoothe' this out -assuming it gets as far as the cargo area).


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## Bill29

I contacted the above agent, seems like he will do all the work for about $750 USD with my wife picking them up 90 -120 minutes after landing. Thai Air is still the winner at $2,140, United wanted $4,200 + fees and EVA is too complicated. So the grand total is ($2,890)101,000 Baht for 2 - 36Kg dogs to get to Thailand - not including the expense of the 3 day cross country trip. Much more than anticipated,this will hurt my wallet! I could fly business class from LAX to BKK on EVA for that! Oh well its all part of it I guess. I'll be asking my company if they will help out on this at all. I can see them covering my cross country driving but not much after that.


----------



## flemmie

"Driving license - as long as you have the International Driving License, you can apply for a one year Thai license (you need your passport with a non-immigrant visa, photos - forget how many - medical certificate from any local clinic for a couple of hundred baht, and I think you need a letter from Immigration confirming your address in the area). The first license is only valid for one year, but then you can renew for five. The IDL means you don't have to take the written and practical tests, I think - just cough up the fee."

By the way, I just got my Thai licence with my normal driving licence which is not International. Just got the normal one translated into English and went to do the medical and reaction/eye test and got the licence in 1 1/2 hours.

Hope this helps

:clap2:


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## Bill29

Thanks for the info. Sounds like this is the way to go. I already have my international license.


----------

