Canadian thinking of moving to Thailand HELP needed!!!

Welcome on Expat.com Vic,

Thanks for your introduction... Your discussion has been redirected to the Thailand forum for effective networking.

Regards

Visit before you dive.

Hi Vic, I have never been in Thailand but i think it is wonderfull country, its is interesting the thailand massage (not erotic massage) it is more like a terapy for the body and mind.its more interestin what I thought and you could learn in a templo called wat pho or in others. you can also organize trips for touristh ones you know well the country. i think there is some clouth factories with nice dresses makes with natural materials and u could export to others countries. in muy city there are some shoops with cloths from thailand. dont know how to get a visa threre, hope all goes ok for you. whatever happend you will always learn a lot about othres and about you ones you mix with other cultures and countries.

Best wishes

Hi Vic,

you'll love Thailand. I've lived there for 6 years and I miss it. I was just there last month for my mom's funeral. It was a bittersweet trip. I hated it but I loved it at the same time. I just wish that the circumstances were different.

Thailand is one of those places that you'll go to and then when you leave, you'll keep thinking about going back. I think dive into it. If you think you hate it, then leave.

Thailand is a place where you will always find something to do.
It is a simple country but it is beautiful. Everything is cheap and there is a lot of food. My favourite food are the ones from the vendor. I know it sounds disgusting, but they are not. They're really good!! so you have to try them!

I think you will do just fine, just have fun and enjoy yourself and don't be stupid. Know your limits and be respectful.

If you do not speak the language, you can teach English. They will pay you really well and they will love you. You might not want to be a teacher but you might have to start that route to start. Go to any international school.

Make a lot of friends so you can have connections!

The food is cheap. A dollar or two per meal is good enough. Taxi used to be our main transportation, the most it costed us is 5 bucks. The traffic sucks though! and if you don't speak thai, the taxi drivers will drive you round and round so be careful. Try and take the public transportation though if you can.

hi vic,

welcome to thailand in advance. i'm sure u'll love it here. so, if there's anything i can help just let me know.

cheers,

Thank you all for your input. Still getting mixed messages about getting work in Thailand. What are all the other foreigners doing there for work other than teaching?

Have a look at www.jobsdb.co.th and craigslist.co.th For all kinds of jobs. If you want to teach, have a look in Ajarn.com

The other foreigners working here do anything and everything, like for example I am working as an Art Director at a Design & Advertising Agency. But usually the vast majority here are teachers.

Thanks LuisF that website is really good. I am going to start fishing through all the postings and send out my resume.

Hi Vic,

I admire your guts and wanting a change of life.  I am same as you when I first relocate myself to Thailand in 1995.  I came to Thailand without knowing any friends or have any relatives here.

Neither do I have a job too but came over with some savings.  Although I am from a south east asian country, things are much different in Thailand.  1 is their language and lifestyle.

You are most welcome to ask any questions since I am already here for 15 years.

Hi canuck4211
I am glad you have successfully mastered being a normal human, I am still working on that.. I actually joined this forum to respond to your post.I have being reading this forum for a few days now, very nice forum populated by some very nice people, unlike some of the other Thai forums, and then I show your post, and I thought, there goes me a few years ago.
A few years ago , being in a similar situation you find your self in, I decided I needed a change.Why Thailand?? Why not, no particular reason, it could have being any place. I got on a airplane,  went there for a couple of months, and never left. Met a wonderful girl, eventually got married,and have a wonderful life. The only time I look back, is when I wonder why I did not do this sooner.
The only advise I can give you is, Visit first, Very easy to do,get a feel for the place,decide Where in Thailand you want to be. If you find a place you like,rent something for a while, rents are very cheap in Thailand, and after you are there for a little while, and have a feel for the place, you can decide what you want to do for the long term.
Now me and my wife are back in The US to work for a little while, The wife is going back in April, hope to join her there in May, but my heart is always in Thailand.

Why can i not send private messages to people? I have been posting to the forum and my account is still blocked because I am new?

Hi Vic
I am new to this forum also, and I don't know the answer, but I think you are correct, in most forums you must have a number of posts an post replies to use the PM option, I am not sure what it is in this forum. Try answering your own forum a few times to see if it increases your post count and allows you to send a PM.

Welcome to Thailand ..

I wish you every success but would urge a little caution.  Thailand is indeed a great place with some really nice people. However finding LEGAL work here is not easy and teaching English is for teachers not folk who are native English speakers.

Like some other commenter's I suggest a long holiday here first, also visit several different areas, its so diverse.

Read the local blogs, especially those from expatriates like myself who paint a balanced picture of life here.

Good luck anyway.

Be realistic: Thailand is not heaven on earth, as some of the other posters suggested. Neither is it as bad as other forums claim. If you know what to expect, you have a lower chance of being disappointed.
Thailand is a third world country. This means it is dirt cheap. But it also means things are of low standard or don't work at all. This is often frustrating. Be prepared for it!
People also don't speak your language well, and you cannot read and write here. So you'll suffer a lack of intellectual stimulation. Resist the temptation to counter this by staying in a circle of likeminded foreigners, as this will limit your life more than the lack of communication (which can be overcome by learning Thai).
Also, realize that love makes you blind, while the woman most likely only sees you as a wallet on legs. This is unfortunately very common here and many foreigners fall for it.
And, there are many more lovely places on earth than just Thailand. If you are patient, tolerant and open-minded, you'll be able to build your little paradise. But if you expect the sky and won't accept anything less, you'll end up one of the eternal complainers who frequent so many other forums about Thailand and other places.
Good luck from somebody who managed this elsewhere (and currently hates Thailand - PM me if you want to know why)!

There is no perfect country in this world, neither for people or products.  One man's meat is another man's poison.  So its very subjective which country is the best.

Yes, Thailand is backwards in some ways compared to others but then its much better country than others too.

As for the language, if one decide to live in the country then one have the option to learn or totally ignore it.  It all depends on what job you are holding.  There are expats who live and work in Thailand for years yet could not speak Thai.  But there are some who live there for few months but they can speak fluent thai.

Let's put it this way, if you go to Indonesia, do you want to learn Indonesian?  What about if you are in China or Taiwan, do you want to learn Chinese?  Likewise if you are in Japan, do you speak Japanese?

If you have a secretary or staff at work who is fluent in English and you communicate with them, probably you do not need to learn the local languages.  You just stick to expatriates that you can socialize from the Chamber of Commerce, expat social clubs as well as Embassy staff.

Regarding ladies who cheat or look at your wallet.  Lets put it this way, this is common in many countries.  If there is no seller and buyer, there is no trade deal.  If she is selling and you are buying then its like exchange so where is the robbery???

One may pay higher for the price for anything and its up to you on being smart.  If one is cheated once, then one should be smarter.  If one is cheated the second time, then one should knock owns head for not being careful.  If cheated the third time again, then no words can describe.

I am sure all tourists for foreign land will be paying a high price for something.  Be it taxi fare or buying things etc.  Its how street smart are you and being careful.

If one doesn't like the country, then leave as no one will force you as all of us have the freedom of choice.

You can teach English as a foreign language by simply taking a TEFL course, or you can open a business - with strings attached, like employing four Thais for every expat.  To teach English, you need only the TEFL cert, a college degree, and the ability to keep the attention of the young kids.  High school positions are often taken by those with education degrees.  To whomever said that the pay was good, hmmmm, I don't live in the same Thailand he or she lives in.  It pays, more or less, $900 US per month outside of Bangkok, and maybe $1200 or $1400 per month in Bangkok.  The cost of living in Bangkok eats up the difference.  Be sure to get a one year, multiple entry Type B visa before leaving Canada.  To do this you probably would need either to have a business plan - detailed, on paper - or to enroll in a TEFL course and have them fax proof directly to the Thai consulate you are working with.  To get any kind of a job, you must have a type B visa, and you cannot get it once you're in Thailand.

I like Thailand, but there are problems.  Within the last two weeks three New Zealand girls got food poisoning at a food center five minutes from my Chiang Mai apartment with one dying and one having open heart surgery, and a bus with thirty teachers plunged off a mountain killing 14.  Also during this time, no less than three friends had motorcycle accidents.  On the other hand, over the weekend I went to a violin concert, had great Italian pizza with a drinkable table wine, and the next day found a place with terrific Indian curry, all for a total of $20 US.  To summarize, it's a great place if you're careful.

Hi Jimpike,

Its very true about being careful.  This applies to any countries you are in.

Personally, I avoid raw food as Thailand is a tropical climate thus bacteria can grow very fast.  There are people selling sushi at the road side for 5 baht a piece.  You have so many different food expose to the weather and dust from the roads. 

1 of the famous food is som tam.  If you notice carefully, the vendor does not wash the bowl that they pound the food.  So its there until the close the business.  Even the locals Thais know that sometimes, they eat Som Tam, they had stomachache.

1 can enjoy the life in Thailand depending on your choice and being cautious.  Likewise for other countries too.

Thanks for all the tips and info. I obviously have to take a lot of things into consideration. One thing is that I am not scared of change. I am open to it. So that makes it very easy for me to make my decision. I am not coming there because its cheap, or the woman love foreigners, I am coming with an open mind open heart and whatever happens...happens.

Canuck, I'm also moving to Bangkok in August and I would recommend that you visit first. In order to have made my decision to live here, I had spent a couple of weeks travelling from North to South and knew what I was getting into.

Bangkok has a lot of traffic and is a concrete city. Obviously you can find some 'greener' areas, but on the whole it is not. I've been to Chiang Mai and that's pretty serene and outdoorsy, but my job beckons me to the Big City. The islands in the South are to die for, but most jobs are selling Diving and tourist fun, if you know what I mean.

I hope you exercise caution before jumping straight in. You may find that you get offered a job on your tour here or have a really good idea what and where you want to be.

CG

Hi CG,

Welcome to Bangkok and good that you had traveled around to see the differences.  Basically, many people lived in the city because of their work especially most expats.

But there are some expats who live outside the city in quite and nature places.  Then get up earlier to go to work.

Everything depends on the person.

Have fun in Bangkok

You say you sit on a desk every day and don't like life in Canada. I live in Thailand since 5 years. I think that if you really want to change your life, then avoid reproducing the same life you have in Canada. Most foreigners here come thinking it's a land of smiles and freedom. Thailand is a nationalist country, having bad relationships with its foreign neighbors. Thailand is also a land of human traffic, rampant developpment and constant unrespect of human rights. You want exemples? Well, check what's really happening in the deep south, at the cambodian border, in Isan, in natural environment areas, in Bangkok with yellow and red shirts, etc... This country is now in a very bad situation. Internal troubles make politicians point at external problems like Cambodia to make Thais forget that their politicians are racist nationalist scums mostly influenced by Chinese families cause after all it's all about money. Please note that, most foreigners coming here stay with easy thai wives and live in artificial "paradises" (I would call that concrete hells)like Phuket, Pattaya, Bangkok, etc.. Development here is very vicious, all forms of corruption are used to take advantage of poor people, and that especially for Cambodian an Burmese workers. Also, natural sites are suffering more than a lot... See what's happening with coral reefs, costal areas, national park lands, etc...
It's up to you what kind of life you're looking for, but if your goal is to live like in Canada but on a "friendly and smily" country, drinking beers with fat europeans and americans spending the whole time criticizing Thailand but spilling it's blood through prostitution and perversion of south east asian culture, then you should better stay where you are!

Everyplace has good and bad depending on the person.  How one adjust to the environment, food, people etc

Visit first. You will get a 30 days on airport arrival. Visiting a place and living there are two different things. Take your time, Thailand runs slowly. Most jobs easily available are teaching jobs.
Many require a 4 year degree, plus a TESOL, teaching certificate.
If you are caught working in Thailand with out a work permit, you will be arrested, detained, and deported, never to return. I spent time here 35  years ago visiting, came back last year visiting, then made the decision to live here full time. Started with an Ed. visa gets you six months or a year here, then if you get work that visa will be changed to Non B good for a year, If you marry you can get marriage visa, renewed yearly, need to show 400,000 Bhat in a bank account or monthly deposits coming in to equal 40,000 bhat. If you are 50 you can get a retirement visa. I have been thru 3 visa types in one year, married and divorced here within 2 months, never applied for a marriage visa. If I can be of more help,  [email protected]

Failed to mention I am Canadian from Toronto originally.

I didnt read anything about thailand and I didnt know much about it before I moved here two years and a half ago from England -were I lived for 8 years -

It was really my first time that I was out of Europe. And I came here because I saw an opportunity and a scape from the crisis that was overheating in Europe.

I jumped and I landed here, it hasn't all been a path of roses to be honest, but I do recommend to anyone to do it. I do love this country including the flora and fauna, but despite the lack of common sense that some organizations in this country haven't managed to develop yet. And that sometimes is very frustrating. However it does contra rests with all the very good and excellent   times that you can have here - and i speak from my own experience so far -.

I live in Thailand and have been living here for 5 years almost now. I would never go back and live in Sweden. It was not easy in the beginning, but now experiencing this countries flora and fauna, ... its just great. In Sweden I was working for a real estate company, and now I have my own company [Moderated: No free ad] that I started up about 8 months ago together with my thai partner.

Good Luck Vic

Hello!

Thailand is an amazing, fascinating, and worthwhile destination. I spent two years there and it was one of the best experiences of my life.  I went there after spending six years in Japan, and I just can't stay away.  I return once every two years. 

I can relate to how you are feeling.  It is not fun being stuck in an office, stuck in a daily routine, not being challenged, or not experiencing what the world has to offer.  Setting your sights on life overseas is a great solution and you may never return to Canada. The overseas life will change you forever!

If you are looking for a job, EFL is a great way to get started.  I recommend getting TEFL certified before you leave.  There are a ton of jobs at ajarn.com, with most being in Bangkok.  Now, pay close attention.  It is vital that you be flexible, open-minded, and go with the flow in Thailand.  If you do not, it could spell disaster.  The customs, lifestyle, and attitudes are very different, so you must be patient. 

When you do arrive in the Land of Smiles, make sure you stay near the BTS Skytrain.  It will make life much easier in the beginning. Make sure you pick up Lonely Planet Thailand, or Lonely Planet Bangkok as well.  These will really come in handy. 

If you are looking for more travel advice, job leads, or ESL information, go to TEFL FLYER, Ajarn, or Stickman's Guide to Bangkok.

I'm moving in June from Calgary.  I was in BKK in December to check out Thailand and liked what I saw.  Granted there are pros and cons about any place.

I plan on holidaying for 3 months in BKK, Pattaya, Phuket, Krabi, Chiang Mai and then decide where I want to live.   Pattaya is at the top of my list given that it's close to beaches and the big city of BKK and airport.

I intend on studying Thai and Kickboxing.  I also play Badminton.

Workwise I'm lucky that I can coast for a while before I need to make money.  I day trade and find Thailand has the best time zone. 

Good luck on your move!

Hello my friend. I am really thinking seriously about moving to Thailand. I am also going to Thailand for 3 months, possibly leaving this Dec 15th. I will first stay again at the Ibis hotel in Pattaya for 1 month, back to Bangkok at the same hotel and the final month again in Pattaya. I met a lovely woman in Pattaya and we e-mailed each other and she gave me her phone number and told me to call her anytime and also offered to be my tour guide free as a gift from her. I would give her something in return cause she is working very hard to save money as she wants to get her masters degree . What a good looking and warm hearted woman ! Where would a person have to start from in order to move out of Canada. Would I have to start with the Thai consul first and then go from there. I am now retired since last Sept. My name is Gary and my e-mail address is [email protected]. I live in Edmonton. Thank you for your info.

Gary,
      You might look into the Non-Immigrant "O" Visa for purposes of retirement.  Info and and more at www.thaivisa.com

Gary

Take a deep breath or several before you return. Thailand may well be known as the Land of Smiles but it is also the land were well meaning blokes like you end up broke or worse.

If you are serious do a lot of research between now and when you intend to return. Life can be good here with the right person(just like back home)but it is not paradise and there are many pitfalls awaiting the unprepared.

You will need a visa if you fancy staying for three months so your local Thai Consulate is the place to start.

Good luck

Gary

The Don has given you some good advice. After coming and going from SEA for more than 40 years, I have seen many an expat come unstuck emotionally and financially when getting involved with women.

Thailand, on the surface, is the land of smiles but those smiles can fade pretty quick. Plenty of traps for the unwary.

Thank you for your blog. I'm planning to retire after I go for another 3 months

Women are the same everywhere. 

Do the things you love and your love will come to you.

No need for commitment, marriage, or financial assistance.  Your true love won't need, ask, or accept any of it.

hi there, my family are moving to Phuket in the next 3 months. I have been told that I must come in on a tourist visa (We from Cape Town South Africa) , and when there, the kids school will organise the kids and my appropriate visas?????? My husbands work is organising his visa. AND is it true that to be able to teach english (to kids) I will not only need a TEFL course, but a previous degree aswel? I have a marketing 3 year Diploma, is this sufficient along with the tefl qualification? AND must I organise that from SA before we leave, or can I do it there (do the course there etc) Im just sussing out my options.
And what is the medical insurance / aid story there. I definately want medical aid. Is hospital plan sufficient, or does one need FULL cover. Apparently the doctors there sre not expensive (thus maby just hospital cover is enough, and then pay cash for doctors).
BIG MOVE ...... ALOT of NERVES.....BUT VERRRRRRRRY EXCITING xxxxxx

Most teaching institutions now require you to have a teaching degree.
Best you get full family medical cover. This is not too expensive in Thailand. Just Google 'medical insurance Thailand' 
If you find something suitable check out what hospitals they use and if you are required to pay then get reimbursed or if the hospital sends the bill direct to the insurance provider.


Not sure on the visa side of things but be aware that a tourist visa is only valid for 30 days. You may be able to extend it so I suggest you look online for information on this.

Stumpy
"Not sure on the visa side of things but be aware that a tourist visa is only valid for 30 days. You may be able to extend it so I suggest you look online for information on this."

A tourist visa is valid for 60 days(more if you extend or get multi entry), coming in visa exempt entry by air is 30 days.

Shelleygreen

Depending on your husbands visa status you can arrive on a tourist visa and then extend at Thai Immigration as dependents of him- would have expected his future employers to fill you in on this.

However you CANNOT work on a tourist visa and I am unsure about working if you are a dependent.

Teaching for you: Qualifications Degree + TEFL. BUT some folk teach with little or no qualifications. Be careful what you agree to do because if you are caught doing anything illegal it will affect your husbands status too.

Your husband will be covered by Thai healthcare assuming hes paying tax here-basic but adequte, you and the kids are going to need something else(unless husbands company have health insurance for family). Don't believe all you read private hospitals in Thailand, they can be expensive. A visit to the doctors on the other hand for a minor ailment not so maybe 300 Baht.

Hope you don't mind me saying but you guys seem rather naive regarding some quite important stuff. While folks here will try to help you we are in the main just expats with our own experiences.

I personally would be putting a lot of these questions of my husbands future employers.

Good luck by the way, Thailand is a great place to live for the wary and well prepared