# Help deciding where to live



## Cbroooks (Nov 14, 2013)

Hey, My girlfriend and I are looking for a place to rent in Bangkok and are trying to decide on which area is best. We are both in our early twenties and like to go out. We want to spend between 8000-13000ish on a place that is located close to a BTS station as we don't have a vehicle. We were looking at the On Nut area as that is a place we liked when on a short visit but don't know many other areas. Is this area a good deal and does it have things to do as far as nightlife? Are there better areas for around that price. I am a Bartender and was hoping to find a job that is easily accessible from the BTS. Any suggestions would help and I tried to include as much information as I could. Thank you


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## stednick (Oct 16, 2011)

Cbroooks:

Questions: 

As you and your girlfriend are both in your early twenties; 1) how are you going to get permission to stay in Thailand for an extended period of time?, 2) how are you going to get a “work permit”?

Comments:

You cannot legally work as a bartender, it is a restricted occupation (see the sticky thread: Employment: Restricted occupations for foreigners, located in the green section at the top)

If you did manage to get employment as a bartender it would be illegal, with extremely low pay, and you would be turned into immigration by the Thai working next to you, arrested, incarcerated, fined, deported, and more than likely blacklisted.

It is extremely easy to visit Thailand with a tourist visa or a 15/30 day “permission to stay” visa stamp at the border. It is an entirely different situation getting permission to stay for an extended period of time. This issue is covered in many, many threads in this forum.

Spend considerable time reading through this forum and familiarize yourself with your possible options. Unless you have a specific skill set in high demand, legal employment is not an option (although the low paid position teaching “English as a Second Language” is the exception to the rule).

You need to investigate your options in all of Southeast Asia. Be very thorough and be very critical. Be very careful in your decision making. It is important to be legal and legitimate. Foreign detention centers, jails and prisons are as bad as they are portrayed. 
You have found a very good resource for your investigation in this forum. 

Good luck in your investigation.


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## Cbroooks (Nov 14, 2013)

stednick said:


> Cbroooks:
> 
> Questions:
> 
> ...


First off, Thank you for your reply.

Second, My girlfriend has a 4 year degree and a TESOL certification, and has job offers, so she is not to be worried about.

Third, can you please point out where on that list it says foreigners can not work in hospitality, as I have seen several places (google hospitality jobs for foreigners in bangkok) (this website won't let me post the exact url) and several job websites with availability in that field. 

Fourth, when i visited the Thai Royal Consulate, and I told them i wanted to go seek employment in Thailand they gave me a tourist visa good for 3 consecutive 60 day periods as long as I did a border run between each one. Also there is an option to extend each one while in Bangkok for 30 days. So this would give me quite a bit of time to look for an opening (i.e. almost 6 months) 

If you can answer those questions and then maybe get into the reason I posted this thread (places to live) it would be most helpful

Thanks


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## stednick (Oct 16, 2011)

Cbrooks:

OK, you have a “grip” on your possible employment options. So, words of caution, a business visa and a work permit are required to perform any work in Thailand (even volunteer work requires a work permit). Don’t get caught without the correct up-to-date visa and the required work permit. Read through this forum and/or google Thailand work permits for additional information.

Immigration laws are enforced. Random checkpoints and sweeps of bars, hostels, guest houses, hotels, etc. do occur. Randomly and sometimes frequently, including the occasional crackdown targeting foreigner “overstays”. 

Good luck in your search for legal employment. It will not be an easy task. I honestly do not recall seeing a foreigner working in any of the many Thailand hotels I’ve visited, the Executive Manager and high level chefs being the exception.

As far as recommendations on where to live. Bangkok proper is 1,600 square kilometers (600 square miles). This is a vast amount of area. Everything from squalid inner city slums to luxurious (and expensive) private gated communities. Anything you want can be found and only you and your girlfriend can decide if its up to your standards.

In your case, select your living quarters based on commuting time. Once you know where the two of you will be working, and entertaining, shop around. The Sky train is approximately 40 kilometers (20 miles) long. Proximity to the sky train raises the rental costs, as does being a foreigner. 

Virtually any area along the sky train lines will satisfy your listed criteria.

To save money you will need to evaluate available accommodations. Pay attention to pollution, noise, smell, vermin, etc. Negotiating face-to-face in a polite and respectful manner will pay off. Don’t sign a long term lease until you know you have a reasonable commute to work, services and entertainment.

Good luck.


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