Ok so now you've made the big decision to move to Thailand let's take a look at all the boring bits you are going to have to sort out.

Visas

First things first; get your paperwork in order? Make sure you are aware of the visa situation here in Thailand before you travel. There are many excellent sites to help you with information not least; ThaiVisa.com and the Thai government immigration site.

Your first step is probably to come in on a 90 day tourist visa. This can be extended for 2 more terms of 90 days before you would need to spend at least 270 days out of the Kingdom before returning for the same period again as a tourist. Time out must equal time in and a maximum of 3 consecutive 90 day visas are the rule of thumb here.

Whilst here it is then easy for you to apply for a longer term visa; usually a retirement visa for the over 50's or a family visa for those married to Thais or a non-immigrant B visa and work permit for those working here.

If this all sounds confusing then just contact us and we can help you through the process. It is really quite easy when you have been through it all a few times.

Health

The Thai health system is by and large in pretty good shape and the International hospitals are really some of the best in the world, hence the massive growth in Health Tourism. Compared to western prices you will find it is also excellent value for money.

However, it is a good idea to have a last check up with your regular doctor before leaving home for the last time letting him know your plans and taking his advice on inoculations etc.

If you are being treated for any illness and take regular medication then it is definitely good advice to stock up and bring copies of your prescriptions and medical history with you. Most mediations are easily available here (often over the counter) but they will probably be known under different names. Thailand has a great disregard for copyright laws and generic versions of expensive drugs back home can often be found available across the counter for a fraction of the cost you will be use to paying.

Both opticians and dentists are also of the highest standards with many western practioners also available. Again services and charges are very reasonable.

Acclimitisation

Thailand is hot. Very hot. (Ok we are just warming up here - more revelations to follow!) It is also more humid than most western climates, certainly European. This means that it may take you a little while to acclimatise to the new conditions and the best advice to help you through this process is to drink as much plain water as you can fit in.

A nagging headache often is an early sign of dehydration and if you are ever actually thirsty then it means that you have not been following the earlier advice of drinking water until you burst!

Bottled water is the only drinking water that you should use, the local tap water will vary in quality and rarely if ever be treated to the same standard as back home.

Try to avoid standing in the sun for prolonged periods of time (just watch how good the Thais are at finding shade where you didn't think it existed and learn!) and wear masses of high factor sun cream, especially when swimming and copy the Thais who nearly always wear T-shirts in the sea. (Although apparently not always in the park!)

Beware of air con as it can give you a nasty cough. Make sure the system filters are regularly cleaned and try as warm a temperature setting as you are comfortable with; c. 25-27°.

What To Bring What To Leave - Customs

I suggest a good long hard think about what you want to bring in with you. Thai customs, import duties and taxes can make it very expensive for certain items and in addition prices of most items are low enough here to make buying anew a better option. That would save on shipping costs too.

Cars are a real problem as they are both relatively expensive here and the import duties and taxes are also sky high (not a lot short of 100% of the value as assessed by Thai customs). So as tempting as it may be to consider bringing your car with you rarely does it make sense. Don't forget depending on where you are coming from, the car may also not be well equipped for road use in Thailand. Right hand drive means only those from the UK are still smiling and how many cars there have air con fitted? An absolute 100% necessity here. And again there is also the shipping costs..

Unfortunately, the same restrictive charges can apply to electrical goods and many other items, and as they can be relatively inexpensive to buy new in Thailand, it quite often isn't worth the hassle and cost of bringing a lot of things over with you as I said before.

For more detailed information, refer to: Government Customs Site and another government site here.

Electrical Supply

Electricity is 220 volts with most new sockets able to accommodate both flat and round pins. Older accommodation will probably only have two pin sockets - with the earth pin missing. Even with three pin sockets do not assume that the earth is actually earthed! Electrical installations are definitely nowhere near western standards so always make sure that work is carried out by a competent, qualified electrician and have it double-checked afterwards! Our sister company First Choice Developments would be more than happy to help with any such work.

Water Supply

In both Hua Hin and Pattaya the water supply situation has now been stabilised. A decent sized water tank and pump is a sensible precaution and certainly something to look for at house purchase time. During the dry season April-August there have previously been interruptions in supply but with your water tank installed you really should not see any problems.

Most Thai homes only have a cold water supply with additional hot water heaters where needed; showers etc. Some of the newer homes do now have house hot water supplies but don't expect them as a matter of course.

Telephones & Internet

All land-line telephone numbers in Thailand are 9 digits and you need to dial the area code even if calling from the same area. Pattaya is 038, Hua Hin is 032 and Bangkok is 02. Calls, especially local ones, are cheap at 3 baht per call, but do be careful if you're calling internationally from a land-line. There are many cheap international call services and online Skype is unbelievably cheap.

A lot of mobile phone operators run regular international promotional rates and these can be great value. International phone facilities will almost always involve a separate connection and the payment of a sizeable deposit.

You will normally have a choice between renting a line from the Telephone Organisation of Thailand (TOT) or Thailand Telephone and Telegraph (TT&T). There can be a lengthy waiting time for a line and your choice of provider may be influenced by any internet connection you want. Thankfully, often lines are already installed and all that you have to do is transfer them on moving in.

Internet broadband in both Hua Hin and Pattaya is now both plentiful in supply and high speed. Maxnet(TT&T) and TOT offer 1gb and some 2gb connections at around 500-1,000 baht p.c.m.

Banks & Money

The unit of currency in Thailand is the Baht which is made up of 100 Satang. Notes range from 20-1,000 Baht in denomination and coins from 1-10 Baht. Satang are so low in value as to hardly be worth the bother of dealing with.

Opening a Thai bank account is relatively easy these days. Holders of a long-term visa will find it easier than those on a tourist visa but even they will find most banks happy to oblige.

Interest rates that differ for Thais and non-Thais could well be your first introduction to double standards here in Thailand. However recent improvements in the banking services have seen better deposit rates on offer for non-Thais; but better than the zero rates previously in force is probably not going to mean you can retire and live off your interest alone!

Almost all high street banks offer international money transfer facilities, but rates for the privilege can vary enormously. So check at home first if you intend to be remitting a set amount each month to live on, it could be cheaper to arrange from there.

Internet banking is now also very definitely here to stay. Kasikorn Bank (formerly Thai Farmers bank) and Siam Commercial Bank both have very good systems with Kasikorn (also known as K-bank) probably just the better.

Increasingly, many ex-pats simply use their credit or debit cards from their home country banks and withdraw money from the numerous ATM machines that can be found all over Thailand. Most overseas banks will charge a flat fee or commission for their handling costs with some not charging for the service at all (Nationwide in the UK).

NOTE: Thailand has a bad reputation world-wide for credit and debit card fraud. Be careful when using your cards and certainly never let them out of your sight. More and more overseas banks are keeping a closer eye on where transactions are being made and it's quite possible that your card may be blocked if you haven't told your bank about your change in address. Normally a phone call to them will have it reactivated within minutes, but forward planning is advisable to ensure there are no embarrassments with withdrawals or purchases.

Taxes

Unless you are intending to work here, the only tax you are likely to come across is VAT which is a standard 7%. This is due on all goods and services but in reality you will see that Thailand is largely a black economy and often the VAT is forgotten.

Time & Dates

Everything in Thailand is different from back home and time and dates are no exception. The Thai 24 hour clock is organised into 4 sets of six hours (ancient mariners will feel well at home!) and so 3 o'clock could actually be 4 different times of the day. Use the 24 hour clock to avoid most misunderstandings and promise to yourself to learn the Thai clock at the earliest opportunity.

The Thai calendar does have 12 months and they all start and finish the same days as western months. Their years however, are 543 years ahead of the western system so that 2008 is in fact 2551 in Thai.

Thai Land Measurements

Thai land measurements are often shown in the local units: rai, ngarn and talang wah.

The following table explains their approximate metric equivalents:

For our American viewers:

For a few extra tips and words of wisdom have a look at an article from a past newsletter.

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