I am considering a temporary move to Thailand in October and would stay there for 1 or 2 years. I lived in Japan in 2005 & 2006, so not my first living abroad experience. I am interested in the Khon Kaen region and I wonder how easily I can survive on about $10,000 American per year. If I needed to I could likely find work as an ESL teacher, as I did this in Japan. However, I'm hoping I can get by on the $10,000 a year and income from private English lessons. Any thoughts from someone that has done or is doing this?? "eastglam" thanks for the visa links - that's helpful. I do have a college degree & I taught ESL in Japan, so I don't think finding work would be too difficult if I decided to go that route for extra income or to sponsor my visa. Yes, I had considered that on a tourist visa, I will need to leave the country every 30 or 60 days to renew the tourist visa. Kind of a pain in the ass - no doubt! Luckily Khon Kaen is not too far from Laos, so I could shoot on over there for a day. Aww...the simple mind of "nowhereman" ..(see term "visa run")
Thailand - 7 Answers
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1 :
You can live very well on $10k a year in Thailand...Unlike Japan, Thailand is a poor country. You can rent an apartment for about $100 a month.
2 :
It's a beautiful country but the air (vehicle) pollution is terrible.
3 :
i think it is a wonderful idea i think i might go there as well. I always travel the world but have never been there so i think i'll try it and u should to. Email me back! anyone email me for that matter! kisses and hugs from, Jenny
4 :
Hi, Khon Kaen should be able to suit your requirement. It is not expensive to rent a place and they are also in need of English teachers there. The cost of living is quite low compared to most parts of Thailand too. You should be ok with your budget.
5 :
There are of course other things you may wish to consider. If you do not have at least a first degree the chances are that the jobs on offer will be low paid and long hours, essentially you will be working as an illegal alien. You can probably get a tourist visa for 90 days in your own country and then renew every month for a further 30 or even 90 days, by going to a Thai consulate in another country. However the visa rules have changed and to live and work here long term, you will need to have an offer of a job paying a minimum mandatory monthly salary, and a work permit. Not as easy as it used to be. Look at the sites below for visa regs and good luck.
6 :
unless your over 50, married to a Thai, have a job with a work permit, or a business how do you plan to stay here 1 or 2 years? Better check out the visa requirements on line from the Thai embassy in your country. Basic on your last comments I guess you really don't understand that you can only stay here for 90 days no matter how you do it on a tourist visa then you can't enter the country again for another 6 months.
7 :
Since the September 2006 military coup in Thailand, the government now enforces strictly, several rules that limit foreign nationals from taking up jobs in that country- unless the employer can prove that your specific skill is not available locally. Hence, Thai work permits for foreign nationals are not so easy to procure nowadays, unless you find a local company or institution that is willing to offer you one. Suggest you first negotiate with such a company/ institute before moving to Thailand for a year or two. Also, despite the stronger trading of Thai Baht to major world currencies, salaries offered in Thailand, especially to foreigners, are not as attractive as you might expect. $10,000, at the current exchange rate, should fetch you THB 320,000, which is NOT a large amount in Thailand...considering that an electrical engineer draws appx THB 60,000/month or a journalist THB 45,000/month and western expatriates pay about THB 10,000/month for a live-in house maid. Further, Khon Kaen, which is in north-eastern Thailand, is not as developed as Bangkok or the neighboring Chonburi province (where Pattaya) is located and hence, your chances of finding an employer to issue you a work permit as a ESL teacher might be lower than you expect. Thai visit (tourist) visas issued by Royal Thai embassies/ consulates around the world usually permit a stay of between 30 to 90 days in the kingdom, depending upon your citizenship. At the end of this period, most foreign nationals desirous of extending their stay, perform what is called the "visa run." This means, traveling to neighboring Cambodia or Laos by coach and re-entering Thailand the same day. The border check-posts of Thailand usually issue a visa good for another 30 days stay. However, this system is extremely risky and illegal, though several travel companies in Thailand offer such visa runs for as low as THB 2,500 per person, inclusive of the the coach ride to the border, a brunch or lunch or high tea at the destination and return by coach. Risky, because several foreign nationals get stranded on the wrong side of the border due to glitches such as passport validity, number of entries permitted into Thailand for a long stay etc. And working on visit/ tourist visas is illegal and carries a jail term plus deportation. Suggest you first contact a Thai employer and arrange your work permit before travel. Once you land and search for a job- you'll have lost your power to bargain for a good salary. Alternatively, foreign nationals can open a business in Thailand. There are many companies in Thailand (some with websites) that offer the service for a fee. Once you have a business license, the Thai embassies can offer you a business/work visa and if you get lucky...you could just open your own ESL institute.
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