Moving to Thailand? Get your plan.
Answer six quick questions and I'll put together a month-by-month plan for your move to Pattaya: the right visa, where to live, what it'll cost and what to sort out first. Then, if you like, I'll check it for you personally.
By Shane Ruddle20 years in Pattaya · 7 businesses hereWhere are you moving from?
How to move to Thailand, in the order I'd do it
- Pick the visa that fits what you'll do here in a few years, not just now.
- Work out a realistic monthly budget, and the savings your visa needs.
- Get health insurance before you need it.
- Choose an area, then rent there below your budget. Don't buy yet.
- In week one, get a Thai SIM. In month one, open a bank account and get a Thai driving licence.
- Check advice for yourself, and get out of holiday mode.
Moving to Thailand: short answers
How do I move to Thailand from the UK?
Pick the visa that fits what you'll do here (a retirement visa if you're 50 or over, the DTV if you work online, a Non-B and work permit for a job or business). Get health insurance, rent before you buy, then open a bank account and get a Thai driving licence in your first month.
How much money do I need to move to Thailand?
Two figures matter. For the visa: ฿800,000 in a Thai bank (or ฿65,000 a month) for retirement, or about ฿500,000 in savings for the DTV. To live: in Pattaya I'd tell a friend about ฿35,000 to ฿75,000 a month per adult to live comfortably, going out once a week.
MoreShould I rent or buy when I move to Thailand?
Rent first, even if you've visited plenty of times. Choose somewhere below your budget, make sure you really enjoy living here, then scale up or buy.
MoreWhat should I sort out first when I arrive?
A Thai SIM in week one, then somewhere to rent. Once your visa is set up, open a bank account, then get a Thai driving licence. You don't need to register with a hospital, but know where they are.
MoreCan I retire to Thailand?
Yes, if you're 50 or over and can show ฿800,000 in a Thai bank, ฿65,000 a month income, or a combination of the two. You extend it every year at immigration, which costs ฿1,900.
MoreWhat's the biggest mistake people make moving to Thailand?
Taking the wrong advice: someone in a bar who has lived here longer than you isn't necessarily right. The other is ending up on a visa that doesn't suit what you might want to do in a few years.
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