The Expat Life

Welcome to the essential reading resources page for Thailand expats.

I'm guessing you fall into one of two categories:

A. You have already moved to Thailand, or you are currently making plans to settle in Thailand as an expat in the near future.

B. You consider yourself an expat (part-time) already because you come and go 2-3 times a year, for a few months at a time.

Whether you fall into category A or B, I have devised this page as a rapid-access resource to informational posts that I think will be of great benefit to you, either right now or in the not too distant future.

I've been living in Thailand for 13 years. I'm married to a Thai woman, one of my best friends is Thai, and my daughter and son are half-Thai. So as you can imagine, I know a thing or two about living and making the best of life here.

I'm here to make things as smooth as I can for you in every aspect of living in Thailand, so without further ado let's get started.

NOTE: It's a good idea to bookmark this page in your web browser (click “bookmarks” > “bookmark this page”, if you're using Google Chrome), so that you quickly find this page in the future.

Living in Thailand: Resource Guides for Expats

[New]: The Ultimate Retirement Guide (a quick reference on everything you should consider)

Visa:

1. The Big Thai Visa Post (Know which visa you need)
2. Retirement Visa Guide (Stay long-term in your golden years)
3. The Elite Visa (Is it worth it?)
4. Marriage Visa Guide (Stay long term once you're married)
5. How to Get an Education Visa (A good way to stay long term)
6. A Guide to the O-X Long-Stay Visa (Stay for 10 years!)
7. Fastest Visa Run (It doesn't get much easier than this)
8. How to Extend Your Non ‘O' Visa By 60 Days (Turn a 3-month stay into 5)
9. The 90-Day Reporting Guide (All long-stay visa holders have to do this)
10. Re-Entry Permit Guide (You might need this to keep your visa active)

Work:

1. Top Jobs for Expats (Discover every option available)
2. TEFL Course Guide (Best courses and top tips)
3. Beginner's Teaching Guide (The most comprehensive guide ever made)
4. Doing Business Vs Working in Thailand (Know the differences)
5. How to Volunteer in Thailand (A guide to non-paid work placement)
6. TTL Expat Job Board (#1 expat job board in Thailand)

Dating & Marriage:

1. How to Get Married in Thailand (Step-by-Step one-day guide)
2. A 14-Step Guide to a Traditional Thai Wedding (All you need to know in 5 minutes)
3. 7 Best Thai Dating Tips (Thank me later)
4. Best Dating Sites in Thailand (Impartial comparison of the 6 best sites)
5. Should You Give Money to Your Girlfriend? (Something that's bound to come up)
6. Sin Sod – The Thai Marriage Dowry (A contentious issue)
7. How to Get a Visa for Your Thai Partner (Based on UK visas but helpful for all)

Financial:

1. Send Money to Thailand & Avoid Nasty Bank Fees (Save over $50 each time)
2. How to Get a Thai Bank Account (You'll need one of these)
3. The Cost of Living in Thailand (a Baht-by-Baht breakdown on current Costs)
4. How to Get Reliable Expat Life Insurance (Essential if you have a wife/kids)
5. Paying Tax in Thailand (Know the law)
6. Inheritance Tax: Who Gets Your Cash (important for retirees)
7. How to Make a Will in Thailand (Make it easy on your loved ones)
8. State Pension Guide for UK Nationals (Make sure you get it in full!)
9. The Buying Property Guide (Read this before you part with cash)
10. The Buying Land Guide (How much to pay, taxes, documents, etc)
11. How to Start a Business (Do it the legal way)

Lifestyle:

1. Where's the Best Area to Live in Bangkok? (find out where suits your lifestyle)
2. How to Protect Your Online Privacy (Learn the law & how to stay safe)
3. How to Get a Thai Driving License (Practical & Theory)
4. Got Kids? Here's the Best International Schools (in no particular order)
5. 35 Best Co-Working Spaces in Bangkok (Catch up your blogging & emails)
6. How to Avoid Being a Victim of Crime (10 Top Tips)

Culture:

1. 12 Things You Didn't Know About Thai Culture (The everyday & the strange)
2. 100 Interesting Facts About Thailand (Become a quiz whiz)
3. Learn How to Wai, Who to Wai, When to Wai! (You'll thank me for this)
4. How to Dress in Thailand (Cultural etiquette)
5. Tipping Etiquette: When to Tip, Why & How Much (Save yourself money)
6. Find Out What's Behind a Thai Smile (All 13 of Them!)
7. Origins of the Thai (Where do Thai people really come from?)

Learn Thai:

Click here to check out my Thai School with plenty of lessons to get you started.

All lessons have full phonetic translation and Thai script. Many of the lessons feature an easy-to-follow video with a Thai teacher.

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I hope you find this resources page useful. To find other more posts on the site, simply look out for the “related post content” at the end of each post. Alternatively, use the search bar at the top of each page.

See you in the future.

Peter – TheThailandlife.com Founder