Many People consider to move to Thailand from different countries around the world and that’s due to Many reasons, one of them is that the country is Beautiful and warm throughout the year. In this article we will be discussing about 7 things to know before moving to Thailand that will make your Life easier and more smooth.
Things to Know before Moving to Thailand
Your Long Stay Visa
Before Moving to Thailand, it’s recommended to have a Clear Plan about the Type of visa that you will apply for and what will be the Timeframe that you will need in order to Get all the related Paperwork Done.Â
Many people make the Mistake of Not Preplanning for That and they just decide to Start Planning after Arriving in Thailand under the Tourist Visa or under the Visa Exemption Scheme.Â
Most of the people who Plan after arriving in Thailand, Become unable to Finish the required Paperwork and Visas on time Due to Missing Documents that they Should have Prepared and bring with them from their Home Country to Thailand, or Because of not having Enough time to go through the Process.
Having a Clear Idea about the Visa Type that you will apply for and Whether you will use a Visa Agent or not is a Great Idea to make sure things will be going as Smooth as Possible.Â
Are you planning to Stay for Months or for years
The answer for this Question will help you make many right decisions from the Start and May help you save time and money and reduce the Hassle for later years.Â
For Example, instead of Renting a Condominium, You can Plan to Buy One Instead in case you already know which Place in Thailand you are Going to Settle. You can also apply for a Different Long Term Visa Type which allows you to Stay in Thailand for Up to 10 Years or 20 Years Such as the Thailand LTR Visa or the Thailand Elite Visa.
Are You Planning to Work in Thailand or Not?
You need to Know the Answer for this Question as in case you are Planning to Work in Thailand, Only few Visa types are allowing you to get a Work Permit.Â
These Types of Visas are the Marriage Visa, Business Visa and the LTR Visa. In case you are Holding a Visa Type outside of those, you will not be able to legally work from Thailand.
Where are You going to Stay?
It’s recommended to do a Research before Deciding to move to Thailand in order to have an idea Where you are preferring to Stay. Thailand is a Big Country with Different Landscapes and Different Expats Friendly Cities and Islands.
At least you can have a Clear Idea whether you want to Stay in an Island or a Beach Destination Such as Pattaya, Koh Samui, Hua Hin or Phuket. Or whether you are Planning to Stay in the Capital Bangkok, or move up North to Chiang Mai to be Next to the beautiful Forests and Mountains.Â
After Deciding in which Province you want to move to, you can then Decide which district to Settle at, either by inspecting when arriving to Thailand, or by taking the advice of real Estate agents, or getting the Advice from Other Expats living in the Same city through Expats Facebook Groups.
Buying Your Insurance
The Public Healthcare System in Thailand is Poor Compared to the ones in many western Countries. In order to get a High Quality treatment if needed, you will need to get it from a Private Hospital, and the Charges for treatments are Expensive in the private Sector.
Therefore, it’s recommended to have a Health insurance in Thailand Covering the Treatment Expenses to be Peace of Mind in case you will need any sort of Treatment while you are in the Kingdom.
Bring the Necessary Documents with you, You may Need them
It’s Recommended to bring with you all the necessary documents as you might need them in case later on you want to apply for a Driving license, a Different Type of Visa…
The recommended Documents to bring are:
- Birth certificate
- Driving license
- Proof of income or pay slips
- Bank Statement
- Marriage or divorce certificate if any
- Degree certificate and transcript
- Previous Medical reports
- Tax and Social Security from your Home Country
- Letter of Experience from Previous Work
It’s also recommended to have all of these Documents Translated in English from an Official Translation Office in case they are originally in a Non English Language.
Learn About Thai Language & Thai Culture
Most of the Thai People are not Good English Speaking. Therefore, if you are not able to Speak the Local Thai Language, that may create a lot of Barriers when Dealing with Locals on Daily basis. it’s Recommended to Join a Thai Language Class to know the basics at Least to be able to communicate with the locals on a Daily basis.
In addition to the Language, Learning the Main Values of the Local Culture is one of the Most important things to know before moving to Thailand. By learning about the Culture, you will avoid many misunderstandings and you will learn how people respect each Others, Body Languages Meanings and Others, which will let you be Closer to the Thai Culture and the Thai people.
