Thailand has become a popular retirement destination for Westerners. Many Westerners come to Thailand to enjoy a tropical lifestyle, a low cost of living, and a laid-back culture. If you are thinking of making this jump, here is what you need to know.
Expat Life in Thailand
Much of city life in Thailand is very comparable to city life for westerners. The cities offer terrific public transportation including trains and buses. Car services and taxis are easy to find. Markets, restaurants, and nightlife are plentiful.
Most westerners will revel in the abundant and spectacular cultural festivals. Visiting a floating market is an experience that simply can’t be had in the western world. If you stay in Chiang Mai, you can even take a jungle elephant trek on a day off.
The country also boasts 3,000 km of coastline. Beach and boating activities are popular weekend recreation.
City life is as safe here as in any western city, but you’ll want to keep a guide with you if you venture into the countryside in a non-tourist area.
Education
If you’re moving your family to Thailand, you’ll most likely opt for a private school. To qualify for a free public education, a child must have at least one Thai parent. Private schools range from preschool through upper secondary.
Moving abroad is a grand adventure and Thailand is a popular destination for expats for good reason. Whether you are looking for an adventure in a foreign land, or you’re just looking to stretch your family’s budget by living in a place with a lower cost of living, Thailand is a terrific option.
Working in Thailand
Like in most countries, you’ll need a visa to be able to legally work in Thailand as a foreigner. Strict laws require that most companies keep a certain percentage of Thai workers for every foreign worker.
English-speaking, non-Thai people tend to work in the tourism or teaching fields. A person with a college degree and TEFL certification will have a very high chance of quickly landing a job teaching in Thailand. Most English-teaching schools prefer that their teachers do not speak Thai since they do not want Thai spoken in class at all. Not knowing the language is no barrier to a good teaching job.
Working outside the tourism or teaching industry involves several obstacles. For one, companies are responsible for paying for visas and work permits. Usually, these documents also require the assistance of costly attorneys.
Another law requires that foreigners be paid a higher minimum-wage than Thais. Laws like these make hiring a foreign worker undesirable for Thai companies. Perseverance is the name of the game if you are looking for a job with a Thai company.
Property in Thailand
Most expats live in the big cities, particularly Bangkok in the central and Chiang Mai in the north. Bangkok has a tropical climate, while Chiang Mai is more temperate. The cities offer a quality-of-life that westerners are accustomed to and are considered to be the best places in Thailand to live as an expat.
Expats from North America and Europe can invest in Thai property, but it’s a complicated process because buying property in Thailand is difficult for non-Thai people. Legally, most properties cannot be sold to foreigners. Most expats simply just rent.
Many people considering a move to Thailand want to learn more about how foreigners can legally buy property. Most foreigners choose to purchase a condo in a building where at least 51 percent of the residents are Thai. This is the most common and legal way for a foreigner to purchase property in Thailand.
Purchasing a whole building is more difficult, but investment in Thailand for foreigners can be done. Some foreigners choose to form a limited company. In this arrangement, the property buyer and a Thai citizen purchase the property together with the Thai citizen owning at least 51 percent of the property. Then, they arrange a lease agreement. With this process, the foreign buyer is invested in the property, rather than just being a renter.
Investing in a property for foreigners can also include a 30-year lease. This is common when one spouse is Thai and the other is a foreigner. Generally, the Thai citizen purchases the property and then arranges a lease agreement with the foreign spouse.
The average workweek in Thailand is about 42 hours, with most people working eight-hour days. 13 public paid holidays are observed in Thailand.
Life here will have all the comforts of home in a very different culture and environment than most westerners have experienced before. Living, working, and raising a family in Thailand is becoming a dream for many westerners and a way to escape the high-strung rat race they may be in at home.
