# Novice! Just decided on a move to Thailand



## hchsiggers (Sep 5, 2012)

Hello! I'm from Melbourne, Australia, and my husband, two children (aged 5 and 7) have recently decided on an adventure in moving to Thailand for a time. I have no idea where to begin researching! 

Does anyone know where I find the information on visas? At this stage I'm not even sure how long we are eligible to stay!

My husband and I would both love to work, I have heard teaching English is in demand over there, so I would be keen to look into that. My husband has his own window cleaning business here, and we are wondering about him starting one over there?

We also want the kids to go to a good international school over there.

Any advice would be much appreciated! Info on good areas, schools, job agencies would be fantastic. Thankyou!

Hayley


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## Song_Si (Jun 11, 2010)

Suggest you do a lot of reading.

Without meaning to be negative you need to put a lot of thought into this for the financial side.

Some threads here to consider for starters:

Thailand - visits and Tourist Visas

Employment: Restricted occupations for foreigners and also a recent discussion Employment: What are the true facts?

Salary information

Unless you have a secure job and the associated Work Visa you are limited to a Tourist Visa.
You cannot have any employment under the terms of this Visa.
You will note manual labour is on the prohibited occupations list. I'd say the costs of setting up a company - investment money plus minimum levels of full-time Thai-national staff would not be a viable proposition. Think about the wages involved - as per the salary info thread. At current exchange the 300 baht per day for a standard eg factory worker (and many get less) equates to AUD$9.43 per day.


Teaching - are you degree-qualified? I think the no-degree-TEFL-in_Thailand myth practically dead these days

Good international schools - would be well beyond the reach of even two English teachers.
Some info on costs here from Bangkok Times Online (figures are US$)



> *Education Fees in Thailand*
> Q. How much does it cost to send a child to school in Thailand?
> A. Education is free if your child is a Thai national (one Thai parent and born in Thailand). Private and international schools vary wildly on price. But, as a rough guide:
> Nursery school/kindergarden/junior school: 30,000-50,000 Baht per semester ($1,000-$2,000)
> ...


A quick google and the first school I found had fee structures as follows (in baht) to give a simple example:

Enrolment fee (non-refundable) 120,000 plus application fee 3500
Tuition - 130,000-145,000 per term
Bus fees 12,000-32,000 dependent upon area
Lunch fees - 110 baht per day
School trip fees 3,500 - 12,500 per term dependent upon class


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## chicoyoung (Jul 11, 2012)

hchsiggers said:


> Hello! I'm from Melbourne, Australia, and my husband, two children (aged 5 and 7) have recently decided on an adventure in moving to Thailand for a time. I have no idea where to begin researching!
> 
> Does anyone know where I find the information on visas? At this stage I'm not even sure how long we are eligible to stay!
> 
> ...



I am a newbie also.

If you get a chance check out the responses to my post, "Moving to Thailand in 2013" by Chicoyoung. Although all may not pertain to your situation there are a lot of great replies from some experienced expats. Hope this may help!


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## mikecwm (Jun 18, 2008)

Song_Si said:


> Suggest you do a lot of reading.
> 
> Without meaning to be negative you need to put a lot of thought into this for the financial side.
> 
> ...


An excellent reply Song_Si.

Perhaps your reply should become a Sticky Post so the many newbies in love with the thought of moving to 'exciting and cheap' Thailand can be directed there.
Save you having to repeat yourself, and would shed some realism onto aspiring immigrants.


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## JustChris (Jun 4, 2009)

Something that you have to take into consideration when planning on moving to Thailand especially with children is what type of life style you want to live? 

Granted you can eat for 60 Baht a day (about $2.00 US) providing you are eating just for sustenance, you can get a studio apartment for about 2,000 baht a month (about $60.00 US) but it will not be furnished, have air condition, hot water, cooking or laundry facilities. 

School is not free in Thailand, I pay 120,000 baht per semester for my 5 year old and 80,000 baht per semester for my 11 year old. I give my 11 year old an allowance of 500 baht per week to get snacks and school supplies and I give the 5 year old 250 Baht a week. Both of my children are Thai citizens thus they have health insurance but for non-Thai children health care could be expensive. 

We live in a modest house 3 bed room 2 bath room a Thai and a Western kitchen, we own our home but to rent one would cost between 8,000 and 15,000 baht per month depending on the area. Also if you get a house it will most likely be out of the city or you will be paying a lot more. If you live outside the city you need transportation and for a family of 4 a motorcycle does not work you need a car. New cars start at 400,000 bath old/used cars are tricky in Thailand. 

I have lived here for a little over 8 years now full time and I have to tell you if you want to have comfort food from home, if you want to have nice clothing and good shoes, if you want to live a nice life in a nice house in a nice area Thailand is not as cheap as people advertise it is, in fact I personally know of 2 people that went back home because it was cheaper, one to the US and one to Wales.

Also keep in mind you can not do any jobs in Thailand that are considered unskilled (anything that does not require a university degree). 

Read all of posts and pinned topics Song_Si has made and you will get a better idea.


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## cooked (Jan 30, 2011)

You can live much much more cheaply out in the provinces (Buriram for example) than in Bangkok. 
Teaching English: you need a TEFL qualification, which you can get in Thailand, qualifying you for an 'Education visa'. You may earn ฿30 000.- a month if and when you get a job.
No window cleaning!


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