Question by phoongdan: Questions about moving to Thailand?
I’m considering a move to Bangkok. I’ve travelled to Thailand 7 times over the past 4 years and really like the food, culture, etc. I previously lived and worked in Japan for 2 1/2 years so this would not be my first time living abroad.
I’m planning to get a job teaching English. I have a Master’s degree in Training & Development and prior ESL teaching experience in Japan. I understand the pay for English teachers in Thailand is only about 1K a month.
OK, so here are some of my questions:
1) Would I be able to import my car from the US to Thailand and if so, what are the regulations/fees involving this? How much is auto insurance there? Do I need to be fluent in Thai to get a drivers license? I’ve driven in Thailand before, so the driving part is not an issue, I just wonder what I need to be “legal” there.
2) Can I look for work while on a tourist visa? I have a good idea of rent/food cost, but are there other monthly expenses to consider and what would they be and how much? What about dental and health insurance? Are these available for ex-pats or is it going to be out-of-pocket only?
3) Regarding teaching, are there jobs available specifically for those with Master’s degrees in Education or is the pay about the same for everyone? Also, my hair is about shoulder length and I usually wear a pony tail. Would the THAI people consider this unprofessional for a teacher?
Thanks!
Don’t get too worked-up about the pony tail, it’s only one of the questions. I had the pony tail in Japan as an English teacher and the Japanese are arguably more conservative than Thai. I don’t suspect it will be an issue, so forget I mentioned it. Thanks.
Haha is shoulder-length hair considered “weird” now? I find buzz cuts a bit weird and creepy myself.
Best answer:
Answer by spanky
Bringing a car from USA will likely be a big pain and expense – you have shipping and then duty which is probably high and then insurance will likely be through the roof expensive as the steering wheel is on the wrong side unless you have a postal truck… if you sre doing this to save money, then don’t bother.
I don’t think you violate anything by looking for work on a tourist visa – but check w/Thai visa or some of the other “visa smart” people here. [opinion]
Well, they probably don’t consider the ponytail as cool as you do – they prefer neat, clean-cut looking. I don’t think it will help w/getting a job but it in some cases might not be a deal breaker. [opinion]
good luck and yes, all sorts of insurance is available here.
What do you think? Answer below!
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