Moving to Thailand is exciting and it can be a dream come true to some people as well. Who doesn’t want to live in a country where the sun always shines, people are nice, and costs are low, right? However, it can be challenging to move to a new place and most especially to a new country. But moving to the Land of Smiles is not that difficult when you prepare accordingly.

If you have made up your mind that you will move to Thailand and stay there for a long time but you don’t have any idea yet about the things you should do, then we are here to help you. Today, we are going to give you some of the important things you need to consider before moving to Thailand. Knowing these things will be able to get you ready in no time.

Your Budget

The first important thing you need to consider before moving to Thailand is to see if you have enough money to go here and live full-time. The amount of money you need depends on where you will be living and what kind of lifestyle you want to live. You also need to know how much life in Thailand costs.

The north part of Thailand is much cheaper compared to the touristy south, however, it is far from the coast. Bangkok, on the other hand, is more expensive compared to the rest of the country but people can earn more here and there is better entertainment here as well.

So, before you decide to live in Thailand, you need to create a budget first. Decide how much you are able to pay for an apartment and for food as well. See how much you can afford and how much you can save. Add everything up and then add twenty percent on top and that will be your monthly budget.

There are also some people who move to Thailand to work and they obviously do not need an existing income because they plan to earn money here. However, having some savings is still important in case of an emergency.

Your Current Property and Possessions

Another important thing you need to consider before you move to Thailand is what to do with your current property and all your possessions. You can choose to sell all your personal possessions and rent out your apartment or home. That way, you can use the rental income and the other income from your possessions to live in Thailand. This is a great option if you think you won’t be coming back.

But when you speak with other expats about what they did, you will get a lot of answers. Some of them sold everything including their house and some chose to put their belongings into storage in case they would want to return someday. It’s actually up to you on what you’d like to do with your things because getting rid of possessions is sometimes impossible for some people. 

Your Flight and Hotel

Assuming that you’ve decided to really move to Thailand and you have enough money on hand, the next thing to do is to book your flight and your hotel. If you’re on a budget and you want to look for cheaper airfare and hotel, it’s a great idea to go to Thailand during the low season. It’s because flights and as well as accommodations are cheaper during that time. If you choose to arrive in Thailand during the main season, prices will be higher and you may feel more like a tourist. 

The Things You Need to Bring

Another important thing you need to consider is the things to bring with you when you move. It is actually better to bring as little as possible such as a few suitcases of your old clothes. It’s because things are much cheaper in Thailand compared to buying them in your home country like the U.S.

It’s advisable to pack only a couple of pairs of jeans or trousers, a few t-shirts and shirts, some underwear, and light shoes. You won’t be needing your winter clothes in Thailand if you’re coming from a cold country. However, it’s better to bring your favorite toiletries because Western brands can be quite expensive in Thailand. You should also bring your electronic equipment like laptop, cell phone, and camera because they are also expensive in Thailand and sometimes difficult to find. Other essential things aside from these are easy to buy there when you arrive.

Your Visa

For people who will be moving to Thailand and live there long-term, there are different visa options available. The whole process can be long or short, depending on what you plan to do in Thailand. Keep in mind that you can always contact the embassy near you for more information. But we can give you some overview about the different visas you can acquire when you move to Thailand.

Tourist Visa

This is the best visa option if you haven’t made up your mind yet whether you want to stay in Thailand long-term. If arriving by air, most people, including those from the United States, can enter Thailand without a visa and will be allowed to stay for 30 days. But if you will be arriving via a land crossing, you can only stay in Thailand for 15 days without a visa. If you plan to stay longer, let’s say 3 to 6 months, you can apply for a tourist visa before you leave your home country. You can check with the consulate in your home country to know about the rules.

When you are granted a 6-month tourist visa, you can get single, double, or triple entry. If you choose a single entry visa, it means that you can only enter Thailand once during that 6-month period. You will be allowed to stay for 60 days each time you enter Thailand. Then you need to leave the country and return to get your next 60 days stay.

Retirement Visa

For people over 50, a retirement visa is one of the easiest to obtain. The only requirements needed for this type of visa are the age of over 50 and should have 800,000 baht or $27,000 in a local bank account or monthly income. Most people who get this visa arrive first on a tourist visa and then convert it to a non-immigrant visa while in Bangkok. When the non-immigrant visa is about to expire, you can apply for a retirement visa.

Marriage Visa

For people who are married to a Thai national, they can get a marriage visa. However, this is a bit more complicated compared to getting a retirement visa. The one benefit of getting this visa is that you only need to show funds of 400,000 baht or the equivalent in monthly income. And like the retirement visa, you will need to report your address to immigration every 90 days and get a re-entry permit if you leave and go back to Thailand.

Work Visa

If you will be moving to Thailand because of a job offer, then the company you will be working in will be able to sort out your work permit and visa. You will need a non-immigrant B visa which will allow you to stay in Thailand as long as your work permit is valid. When your work permit expires, you need to leave Thailand immediately.

Educational Visa

You can also get an educational visa if you want to live in Thailand. You will be able to acquire this visa by attending a Thai language course or other educational courses they offer.

 These are some of the important things you need to consider before moving to Thailand. Knowing these things will help you speed up the process of your migration to Thailand. Being well prepared is the half of success and we hope the information we shared will be able to help you get ready in no time. You can also check out our post about the Things to Do Once You Arrivein Thailand for more tips.