Living in Bangkok

My advice to anyone thinking of moving to Bangkok is pretty simple - go for it! It's a really amazing experience, sometimes frustrating but you'll probably love it.

In answer to the above questions:

Making friends is easy there. Most expats are friendly and looking for people to hang out with, do stuff with. It's a little harder to make Thai friends in the begining but that's the same really anywhere you go. The more Thai things you do - get involved in sports , holidays outside of the expat resorts, drink in bars which aren't Irish or GB themed, the easier it gets.
The only difficult thing I guess about making expat friends is that most people are on a 2-yr contract and leave, but then you end up with a great address-book and a free room in heaps of countries smile

Before moving  - learn something about Thai culture. It's not all beaches and girly bars, you'll settle in so much faster if you appreciate how different the culture is over there. Have a look on Amazon, there are some really useful books, many of them written by foreigners who've lived in Thailand for years.
' Thai Ways' is good, and so is ' Working with the Thais' but try novels too.
Bangkok looks quite western with the shopping malls/ expressways/ restuarants n so on, but it's so so different. In a good way that is!

Learn something about Thai politics before you go, it helps! Try following the Bangkok Pundit blog for a while, very informative.

I actually think there is a big divide in between foreigners and Thais in Bangkok. Expats tend to stay together and for good reasons, they usually are very critical of Thai people. And the Thais think the same, in reverse. So no relations. Went a few times to parties with foreigners with my wife and they just kept criticizing Thai people in front of my wife, thinking her education made her more open minded to criticism towards Thai people. And that she thinks the same as them. Not at all, she is Thai and would not mind them leaving Thailand....

Mmm, alright I've experienced that situation as well, but I wouldn't have said it was so widespread. Of course, we are both relating things to our personal experience here which was probably quite different. I was very involved in the Thai Boxing scene so most of the foreigners I worked with were super-enthusiastic about Thai culture. Yes, we criticised some government decisions but I do that everywhere I live, it's just the way people are. And there a lot of things which were hard to understand but as a guest you have to suck it up to a certain extent.
And again I wouldn't say that all Thai people are critical of all foreigners, but of course they have a completely different outlook on life. I would have said that the feeling is more one of feeling sorry for 'us non-Thais' for being exactly that - non-Thai. Whether you agree with that or not is another matter

I actually agree. Indeed, there are many farangs in Thailand who are very enthusiastic about Thai culture and Thai people but they're usually the bachelor type. Or in a relationship with Thai people. Very seldom farang families.

Enjoy the place and get out and see as much as possible. Its  a great city with so much to see and do.

If you are on business then get a good and honest lawyer, a good accountant. Make solid friends with decent people. Be careful who you take advice from and listen to people who are actively contributing something to the country and are involved in its community.

Use sensible judgement based on experience and opinion. Avoid listening to armchair or bar stool experts (alot in Thailand) who know it all but don't work here and have never done anything here. Talk to people who have proper careers here and have registered companies. People who are are productive and from experience have learnt things that are based on facts.

Visit new places and meet new people. Life here is what you make it. I have loved my time here and met some great people. Also met some idiots, wannbe Thailand experts and wasters too. But you soon learn to discard them after a few sentences

Bangkok is great fun !

Hi all, I'm new to this forum.
I have been planning to move to Thailand for sometimes now.
Have 2 things that bugging me the most:
1. Language
2. Job

How do you guys get used to the language?
And I suppose I couldn't get a job if I don't understand the language.

Hi everyone,

I am planning a trip to bangkok and I was hoping that I could get some advise ona few things.

I am an American and would like to know of a hotel cheap price but decent ( clean) and close to the airport.

Also I have been to Phuket once before and I liked it but I was hoping to get som eadvise on a new paradise closer and less expensive any suggestions

Thanks

David

I stayed approx about 10km from the airport.
There are a number of affordable hotels around the airport. The cheapest I found is 200-300Baht a night. But there is only 2 mode of public transportation around here ie. bus and taxis.
I would not recommend bus if you are not first time here and do not have command of Thai language.

I would definitely suggest that you take the time (and definitely effort) of learning to speak Thai. It's much easier to make friends with Thai people when you can understand a lot of what the other person is saying. Even if you're just a beginner, it's a great conversation starter... "Excuse me, am I saying this right, 'goo rak meung, por jai mai?'"
Living in Bangkok Blog