# U.S. Citizens wanting to move to Thailand



## ashleybrewer83

Hello - I apologize if this questions has been asked and answered multiple times before, I haven't been able to find a clear answer as of yet.

My husband and I are US citizens and want to move to Thailand in June of 2018. I work online and he will hopefully be doing the same.

What's the best way we can go about doing this? Can we apply for 60-day visas as many times as we'd like? I wouldn't want to just use the 30-day exemption because I feel like it would raise flags after a long period of time.

We'd be returning to the U.S. twice a year for about a month each time.

Any insight would be great. Thanks!


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## astabooty

Do the 30 day exemption too many times in a calendar year and you'll get flagged at the airport and possible rejected. 

The 60 day visa can be done an unlimited amount of times (as far as I know). I personally have had no issues. Plus the 60 day can be extended an additional 30 days for 1,900.

----

The following is anecdotal:

In Pattaya a Lebanese man I met (who owns a shop) told me that the right lawyer can file some funky paperwork to get you a work visa without problem. The initial cost I think was a little over $2,000 US and then an additional $500 every subsequent year or something.

Hopefully someone on this board can offer some insight, as that is an easy option compared to leaving the country every 3 months.


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## astabooty

Oh ya, there are also education visas that aren't so costly. They last a year (I believe). And I've been told some schools don't make you attend (because they know it's just a workaround to stay in Thailand).


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## Thai Bigfoot

Refer to my past posts.
I did a three parter outlining the hows, whys, and cautions.


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## holmesstephaniie

If you want to work in Thailand you will first need a B Visa, which you can get if you have a letter of approval from the Thai Ministry of Labour (your prospective employer will need to get this for you) and a letter from your employer.

Once you have this visa you can enter Thailand and apply for your work visa. Many people use this route in order to try and get work on arrival, especially as the length of the visa can effectively be extended by a “visa run” which involves traveling into a bordering country such as Laos and then re-entering Thailand.

However, this route to a working visa is much more difficult and less likely to be successful. Working without a visa can lead to deportation.


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## mikeytmh

hello all, I was wondering if someone could live comfortably in Thailand on $1200 USD a month? I am retired military and was thinking about moving to Thailand. I'm also a scuba instructor and was considering getting a job at a local dive shop to supplement my income. I assume I need to apply for a visa before I leave the states. cost of living? any thoughts/comments?

Mike


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## Thai Bigfoot

I don't think you could do it on $1,200 and have any quality of life. Go to my past posts to see a complete breakdown on things.


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## eastwind

Thai Bigfoot said:


> Refer to my past posts.
> I did a three parter outlining the hows, whys, and cautions.


I looked for these and found #1 & #2, which were very helpful, but couldn't find #3.

Thanks. Perhaps I saw #3 but it wasn't marked #3 so I've already read it anyway?


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## Thai Bigfoot

eastwind said:


> I looked for these and found #1 & #2, which were very helpful, but couldn't find #3.
> 
> Thanks. Perhaps I saw #3 but it wasn't marked #3 so I've already read it anyway?


#3 pertains to the women and romance in Thailand. It's very direct, not really suitable for a public post. 

If you want to see it, message me and I'll send it to you.


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## eastwind

Thai Bigfoot said:


> #3 pertains to the women and romance in Thailand. It's very direct, not really suitable for a public post.
> 
> If you want to see it, message me and I'll send it to you.


Thanks, I'll ask when I'm closer to an actual relocation.


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## modeeper

mikeytmh said:


> hello all, I was wondering if someone could live comfortably in Thailand on $1200 USD a month? I am retired military and was thinking about moving to Thailand. I'm also a scuba instructor and was considering getting a job at a local dive shop to supplement my income. I assume I need to apply for a visa before I leave the states. cost of living? any thoughts/comments?
> 
> Mike


I lived 8 years on half of that. Do you drink smoke and throw $ at dancers? That'd be double.


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## 1happykamper

Thai Bigfoot said:


> I don't think you could do it on $1,200 and have any quality of life. Go to my past posts to see a complete breakdown on things.


Really?? You and I have a different lifestyle then.

I *retired full time here* only eat Thai food *BIG savings on groceries and meals out and cooked at home*. We have a small car, motorbike, rent a beautiful 1 bedroom furnished HOUSE 200 m from the beach. We eat out for about 3 or 5 times a week. What I would consider a relaxing lifestyle, in a quiet beach area with my wife. We both have good 4g service, eat well, exercise well and we have a good Thai/farang social mix. IE..NOT frugal living at all. Just sensible.

I spend on average 1400 
USD a month. NOT including any trips, holidays, car repair etc etc.


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## Thai Bigfoot

*$1,400?*



1happykamper said:


> Really?? You and I have a different lifestyle then.
> 
> I *retired full time here* only eat Thai food *BIG savings on groceries and meals out and cooked at home*. We have a small car, motorbike, rent a beautiful 1 bedroom furnished HOUSE 200 m from the beach. We eat out for about 3 or 5 times a week. What I would consider a relaxing lifestyle, in a quiet beach area with my wife. We both have good 4g service, eat well, exercise well and we have a good Thai/farang social mix. IE..NOT frugal living at all. Just sensible.
> 
> I spend on average 1400
> USD a month. NOT including any trips, holidays, car repair etc etc.


Really? $1400 = approximately β46,000 less the 3% banks charge to withdraw U.S. bank fund from a Thai ATM = β44,500

Rent - β10,000 – 12,000 
Electric – β1,000-1,500 
Groceries – β7,000-12,000 
Vehicles – Fuel, maintenance, insurance β1,000
Internet /Telephone β1,000-1,500 
Dining out – Thai stands – 1,000 (2 people, 4x per week)
Dining out – Western food β 1,400 (2 people 3x per week)Indulge!
Health Insurance. Varies greatly based on the individual, but, can easily be β7,500-10,000 per person.
Good TV channels – Satellite - β1,300
Not counting Visa fees, clothing, medicines, savings account deposits, and all the other little expenses that add up, The low is β33,500. The conservative high is β41,700 for one health insurance. Eats up that $1,400 pretty fast.

Obviously, you could get by on $1400, but, there's never be a cushion.


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## 1happykamper

Thai Bigfoot said:


> Really? $1400 = approximately β46,000 less the 3% banks charge to withdraw U.S. bank fund from a Thai ATM = β44,500
> 
> Rent - β10,000 – 12,000
> Electric – β1,000-1,500
> Groceries – β7,000-12,000
> Vehicles – Fuel, maintenance, insurance β1,000
> Internet /Telephone β1,000-1,500
> Dining out – Thai stands – 1,000 (2 people, 4x per week)
> Dining out – Western food β 1,400 (2 people 3x per week)Indulge!
> Health Insurance. Varies greatly based on the individual, but, can easily be β7,500-10,000 per person.
> Good TV channels – Satellite - β1,300
> Not counting Visa fees, clothing, medicines, savings account deposits, and all the other little expenses that add up, The low is β33,500. The conservative high is β41,700 for one health insurance. Eats up that $1,400 pretty fast.
> 
> Obviously, you could get by on $1400, but, there's never be a cushion.


Well to start with our home is about 3 years old construction wise. Nice fur.. Amazingly! 200 m from a beautiful clean beach in khanom NST.. and our rent is 9.000 baht.. Including electricity.. Sat. TV.. Internet.. Gas.. Yes.. We use aircon in the bedroom most nights.. But it's included in the rent. Visa fees. I forget.. I only renew every year my O~A Visa. I could go on. We all have different lifestyles and impressions of what is "inexpensive". 

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk


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## dancebert

Thai Bigfoot said:


> Really? $1400 = approximately β46,000 less the 3% banks charge to withdraw U.S. bank fund from a Thai ATM = β44,500
> 
> Rent - β10,000 – 12,000
> Electric – β1,000-1,500
> Groceries – β7,000-12,000
> ...


His cost of living is for Nakhon Si Thammarat. What location are your estimates based on? I could post mine, but Hua Hin isn't the first choice (or 2nd, 3rd, 4th.......) to live if you have to do it on $1400.


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## Thai Bigfoot

dancebert said:


> His cost of living is for Nakhon Si Thammarat. What location are your estimates based on? I could post mine, but Hua Hin isn't the first choice (or 2nd, 3rd, 4th.......) to live if you have to do it on $1400.


Phuket. And, my numbers were low since my eating out figures were for a week, not a month.


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