# Help with moving to Pattaya area



## Zaikoff (Feb 19, 2015)

Hello to all the lads, I currently live in Ireland, but soon I want to move myself in Thailand, to be more accurate in or around Pattaya. The purpose of my moving is not work, just traveling and exploring the country. If that matters, the period of my stay would be around 3-4 months. I understand that would be the best if I take Tourist visa for 1 year with multiple entries and each couple of months I make visa runs.. 
But my main concern is about the housing, how do you find a monthly long term condos, at the place door to door, or through some webpage, agency or whatever...? 
If that matters I will be with my wife, not by myself, 27yo both. 
Sorry if I asked stupid questions, but I couldn't find the answers I'm aware of the most. 

Thank you!


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## Sawasdeekrap (Dec 28, 2014)

Hello,

Do you want a luxury condo, a villa or just a Thai style appartment. The first two you can start browsing the internet. Many real estate agents in Pattaya also have websites. Google them. 

Once in the country you can visit there offices. Next most big Supermarkets (Big C, Tesco ao) have message boards from which you can pick many privat offers. 

For the last mentioned style of housing you have to go from door to door, there is no other way to get it.

And last but not least, many hotels and guesthouses offer rooms for long term rental. Payable per month.

Good luck
SK


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## Zaikoff (Feb 19, 2015)

Thank you for the answer, I'm not looking for something luxury. Just something simple, we think to stay 2-3 months top, meanwhile to visit the surrounding cities, may be Malaysia or Cambodia, but to know that when we go back to Thailand we will have a room to stay. So may be something not so fancy but practic just to sleep. What about the bank account, is it enough to make an accent if you're only on tourist visa? Or you need something else, cuz I believe it's better to use local debit card instead of you're own. Thanks for the answers


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## Sawasdeekrap (Dec 28, 2014)

Opening a bank account is no problem at all with an O-visa. I did it with a standard tourist visa, but that depends on the bank's branch manager.

If staying for 2-3 months you can enter the country collecting a standard tourist visa at the airport. Then go to immigration and apply for a 3 months O-visa with multiple entry. That saves you a run to the consulate and visa runs.

Regards, SK


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## joseph44 (May 4, 2011)

Coming to Thailand on a tourist-visa is no problem.
I doubt if there are multiple entry visas, but single-, double- or even triple-entry visas are available, although not every embassy/consulate will submit a triple-entry. 
One period of stay on a tourist visa is standard 60 days, but that period can be extended with 30 days at the nearest Immigration-office @THB 1,900 per extension.
In this way, you can stay (single entry) 90 days, (double entry) 180 days or (triple entry) 270 days.
Beware: Every entry into Thailand (after a trip to another country) will activate the following entry, whether you used the old period of 60-90 days or not!!

A bank-account used to be a piece of cake, but some years ago the BoT (Bank of Thailand) restricted the possibilities to open a Thai bank-account, due to fraud and money-laundring.

In Pattaya there are 2 best options: 
Kasikornbank on South-Pattaya Road next to TukCom
Bangkok Bank on 2nd Road opposite Soi 6
Do not go to any bank on Monday Morning for this kind of business.........it's usally very busy and the staff is suffering from an enjoyable weekend. 

A bank-account and an ATM/Debet-card (with online-shopping-possibility) and online banking is usually as far as they go. Mortgages, credit-cards, personal-loans is (merely) impossible for foreigners.

Uhm Zaikoff.........you're living in Ireland but you're from Bulgaria? Do you carry a Bulgarian passport? Bulgarian passport-holders can apply for a visa-on-arrival for 15 days, but need to show funds of THB 20,000 (for you and your wife) AND an outbound air-ticket within 15 days. With a Bulgarian passport you won't get the 30-day-visa-exempt-benefit.
Seems best to me (with either Irish or Bulgarian passport) to obtain a tourist-visa (with as many entries as possible) in Ireland. 
The non-immigrant-O-visa option from Sawasdeekrap isn't really an option:
- marriage visa doesn't work since your wife isn't Thai
- retirement visa doesn't work since you're 27
- business visa is pretty complicated and need some preparation within Thailand before your arrival; in some cases and with the correct documents you may get a one-year multiple-entry business visa, but that possibility is also restricted at some Embassies/Consulates


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## Zaikoff (Feb 19, 2015)

Well, I'm Bulgarian passport holder, that's why instead of visa on arrival I think to apply here in Ireland for Tourist visa. But I don't get just anything, my country is not on visa exemption list, so is that mean that instead of 60 days plus 30 days extension, I will have only 30 days plus 30 days extension? For the record, I took the info from the Thai embassy in Ireland webpage, which unfortunately I cannot post as url...


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## joseph44 (May 4, 2011)

The information on the Irish Thai Embassy is meant for Irish nationals. 
An Irish national gets 30 days visa-exemption upon arrival which can be extended by another 30 days @THB 1,900

Although you are living in Ireland, you're a Bulgarian nationa with a Bulgarian passport and that's what countsl. You'll be able to obtain a tourist-visa in Ireland, as any other person, but traveling to Thailand without a visa, will only give you a 15 day visa-on-arrival (not extendable).


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## Zaikoff (Feb 19, 2015)

I'm aware of this, my question was that in the Thai embassy website in Ireland says that if you apply for tourist visa and you're from country with exceptions you will received continues period of 2 months or 60 days, but the tourist visa for other countries out of this list will receive only 30 days instead of 60. Is that correct, does anyone have a clue? I hope I explain myself better than my first post


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## whiteheat (Jan 4, 2013)

As regards to accommodation, try putting Pattaya into the facebook search. You should see some groups with property in their title, join them and then post your concern there. 
You should be in the low season soon so you should be able to pick up a simple place with Aircon and near the beach for about 8000baht per month. You might get asked for a deposit as well.
Just be aware that Pattaya can get noises, a short trip away is Jomtien which is more residential and offering lots of places to stay. From Jomtien, it's only about 20bht to get into Pattaya on the Baht Busses


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## joseph44 (May 4, 2011)

Zaikoff said:


> I'm aware of this, my question was that in the Thai embassy website in Ireland says that if you apply for tourist visa and you're from country with exceptions you will received continues period of 2 months or 60 days, but the tourist visa for other countries out of this list will receive only 30 days instead of 60. Is that correct, does anyone have a clue? I hope I explain myself better than my first post


You may be right about the Bulgarian passport in Ireland.
The best and safest way to find out is to call the Thai Embassy/Consulate in Ireland.

Address:

Royal Thai Consulate,
Unit 43 Parkwest,
O'Casey Avenue,
Nangor Road,
Dublin 12

Tel: 00353 (0) 1 643 6468


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## joseph44 (May 4, 2011)

Am I missing something?


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