# Opertunity of a lifetime or not ???



## crazychick (Apr 17, 2009)

Hi everyone, my partner and i (25 me) (26 him) have been offered what we think is the oppertunity of a lifetime.

We have waiting for us jobs at the same place in koh samui, free accomodation,free meals, free drinks, healthcare included all we have to pay for is elec and water and our wages are ours approx £200 or so a month each.

Now to us that is absolutley fantastic and all my partner would have to do is drive people to and from hotel to airport and id have to clean some chalets.

Now what i would like some advice with is IS THIS REALLY A DREAM COME TRUE???

is there alot of costing in this?? And should we go for it??

1. HOW MUCH ARE VISAS ETC ETC (PERMANENT WORKING ONE)
2. HOW CHEAP IS A WEEKLY SHOP
3. ARE THERE ENGLISH PEOPLE LIVING IN KOH SAMUI

please could you help us out as if we do take this offer we will be going out in december this year.

Also my partner who is 26 suffers from crohns disease and we need to know what health care there is in the koh samui area.


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## Guest (Apr 17, 2009)

Hi, welcome to the forum!

Not sure about a dream come true... but if it's time out and an adventure you want, why not? Koh Samui isn't the cheapest part of Thailand, but if all your food and drink is paid for, and you're not looking to travel about too much, or do much else other than hang around the beach, you can certainly survive on that... just about.

Forget how much the work visa is right now, but the main thing is that it's not that easy to get one - will your employer be able to give you all the right paperwork, has he/she brought employees over from Europe or wherever before on the same basis?

One cost is the flights from the UK, not so cheap of course, depending on when you fly. December is high season... 

A weekly shop? But if you are being fed and watered, what else will you be looking to buy? If you stick to local food for the occasional meal, fruit, veg and rice is really cheap. Water, fruit juice, likewise. But on a budget of 400 quid a month for two, you would still need to be pretty careful... not too much drinking out at the local bars with that kind of money.

Yes, plenty of European expats, Brits and Yanks on Koh Samui...

Go for it, why not! As long as you are not giving up a job that pays a fortune for the opportunity!


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## King Silk (Feb 25, 2009)

Make sure you have a return ticket! Whose paying for your Flight? Try an Arab airline. 
Looked at from UK the Hospitals here are cheap/ BUT when you are here getting low wages they are not!
Regard it as an adventure to be enjoyed and go for it, if it's for real old bean.
Remember you have a lot of advisers here if you need us....


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## KhwaamLap (Feb 29, 2008)

We might add that the job is probably not legal. Its very hard to get work permits for non-specialist jobs. That is, jobs that require specialist skills (IT for example) or natural language (Teaching/Journalism/etc). Also, at £200 (10kB/Month) its a low paid job, also a problem with WP as there are (not set it stone) expected minums for foreign workers - UK workers is, If I can remember, 50kB/month. These are guides rather than law, but are laid out in immigration papers (I posted a link in another thread here, so search for 'minimum wages' or something and you'll get it).

Its the employer that gets the WP, and they are yearly along with your Non-Im type B Visa. Both cost, but I would gess you will not be paying for them anyway. For you Non-Im Type O (Reason seeking employment) can be obtained for just over £100 from Hull Thai Consulate (use Hull not London Embassy) - by post (email them first, but don't mention the job or your BF's ailment).

I would guess shopping would be more expensive on the islands than on the mainland. Koh Samui is a populare tourist destination, which will also add to the price. If you can eat Thai food rather than Farang food, it will be MUCH cheaper. Beer is cheap compared to Blighty, but stay with Thai brands (they're mostly good anyway). Medical is good generally in Thailand, but not always cheap - get medical insurance (and check the policy). I don't know much about your BF's condition, but if he needs drugs regularly, then can he get them on repeat perscriptions in the UK and have someone pick them up and post them out (UPS not postal service - if you actually want them to arrive). Failing that, email a few hospitals/clinics from home and ask about the drug prices (after telling them the condition) - most hospitals have staff that can speak English, especially in tourist areas. Are the drugs available on the internet (only use reputable online stores - a lot of fake tablets out there).

WHile I'm bubble bursting - It is unlikely to be a dream come true on £200/person/month - unless you have some income coming from abroad too. However, it is doable, especially short term (a year or so). You may also get the chance to get a better paying job once you are there. Careful of them doing naughty things like holding your passport - bring photocopies and give them them.


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## Jaxhammers1 (Apr 1, 2009)

frogblogger said:


> Hi, welcome to the forum!
> 
> Not sure about a dream come true... but if it's time out and an adventure you want, why not? Koh Samui isn't the cheapest part of Thailand, but if all your food and drink is paid for, and you're not looking to travel about too much, or do much else other than hang around the beach, you can certainly survive on that... just about.
> 
> ...


You will not get a workpermit for this job for a number of reasons (salary, type of work etc)and thus working illegal. Not a good basis really. You piss of one of the locals for whatever reason and you are in jail the next day.
Just a dream....................


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## King Silk (Feb 25, 2009)

Work Permits? Never met anyone who actually had one!


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