Thinking about spending a year in LOS

[simon_125]

I will be in bkk in Dec and I'm thinking about about spending a year out there. I'm just coming to the end of a work contract and want to take a break. I have enough savings for a comfortable year out there and i thought it might be a good idea to do it now while I'm relatively young.
I dont think i could handle teaching english out there for little money but I'm interested in learning thai and for me having a couple of hours of classes a day will give me something to get up for and keep my mind occupied.
I noticed a school offering a 12 month ED visa if you sign up for 180, 50 min lessons which is 29,500 baht. This would save on the 3 monthly visa runs.
www.thaiwalen.com
Just interested to hear how much a hassle people living in los find the visa runs and any thoughts on this schools offer.

[stogie bear]

This seems like a great way to stay in the country nonstop for a year and also learn Thai...

The location is perfect... The Times Square building is very easy to get to.

Even though you won't go on actual visa runs you'll still have to show up at an immigration office every 90 days for a rubber stamp extention, but this surely beats traipsing off to that shit hole Cambodia or even worse; Laos...

The process is NOT easy and straightforward and it does take quite a bit of time, but as I understand it you can start the course while the process is being undertaken so you won't have to come here and hang around for ages...

Make sure you come here with a tourist visa at least and not just a 30 day entry waiver stamp.

If you want a year off life in Bangkok and really do want to learn Thai then this seems like the best option to go with...

You can find a nice little apartment close by for about 8,000 a month and I imagine that the school will have plenty of facilities like internet etc...

Also - Thais have lots of holidays and you won't be studying weekends either... Pattaya is 2 hours away and Bangkok about 30 minutes...

With all the spare time you have you could even take a couple of private English teaching classes to pay the bills!

All in all this is a great option for anyone to choose from...

My guess is that to sustain your stay here and live moderately comfortably you should plan on having a budget of at least 500 pounds ($1,000) a month after your school fees and visa expenses are paid for.

[simon_125]

Thanks for the advice stogie. haven't decided yet if i'll try and do a full year or just 2 or 3 months. Still looking at my options. I was budgeting for about £1,200 per month but that was after talking with ozzie who probably spends more than most..... If i could do it for $500 a month more the better. If I do the 12 months i dont plan to be in holiday mode so i'd like to think $500 was doable.

[simon_125]

oops ment £500. I think $500 would be a struggle.

[jadeite]

Do the ED visa, it's just such a perfect fit. You won't worry a bit as you hear about ever tightening visa rules nor waste days making annoying visa runs. Meanwhile you'll learn the language. If you can get a reasonably priced place to stay, the remainder of your 77K baht budget can give generous amounts to spend on everything else. A 33K baht budget on the other hand is technically possible, but very tight for a westerner.

[stogie bear]

I was budgeting for about £1,200 per month...

Well, of course for 100,000 Baht a month you can have a fantastic life in Thailand. You can shag (almost) every night, eat in Western style restautants all the time and have a nice swanky apartment...

Whether or not all that good living will translate into a better quality of life over the course of a year is debatable.

Budgets have been discussed at length on this forum in the past and nothing's changed really. I live great on about 60,000 baht a month, but I could live equally well (without moving house) for about 40,000 baht. I waste about 20,000 a month going to Pattaya more often than I need to or going into Bangkok more often than I need to. Or by hiring a car when a bus will do or by buying clothes that I don't need...

If you are fussy about your food (and I am) then you'll have higher bills... If you like to drink in farang bars then you really will have problems... a night out can easily cost 2k to 3k a night just on a few drinks assuming you buy a round or a couple of 'lady drinks', etc...

Then again if you only go to farang bars once or twice a week or you don't drink alcohol when you go out then you'll be OK... If you like Thai food then not only can you eat almost for free but the choices are endless and you'll love it here!

Like you mentioned before... You won't be in 'holiday mode' for the whole year so after a few weeks 'honeymoon' your body and mind will regulate itself.

Make use of the people on this forum...

Why buy DVDs when I can lend you 50! Ask for the best food deals in town like those 50 baht chicken kebabs on soi 3... The cheapest Kamagra is 300 Baht for a pack of 4, but many people pay up to 500 Baht, or worse still buy the originals!

You can decorate your home for cheap at Chatuchat market... You can buy new good quality clothes dirt cheap at many many places...

People tend to bleed money when they come here because they don't know where to go for the best deals or they can simply afford to pay the extra and don't care...

[Stewart]

The cheapest Kamagra is 300 Baht for a pack of 4

No it's not......buy a pack of 50 for 3000 Baht!...this is the gel sachets

[stogie bear]

Well, yes, you could save 15 baht on a dosage if you bought a pack of 50 but I'm guessing that most people will probably forego that tempting alternative in favor of a 4 pack!!!

Not me, though.... Me and TTChang recently split the costs of a 50 pack... then again we are a couple of randy old devils!!!

[Stewart]

you could save 15 baht on a dosage if you bought a pack of 50 but I'm guessing that most people will probably forego that tempting alternative in favor of a 4 pack!!!

I'm scottish - I rest my case

[moe666]

I have been reading a bit on Thai Visa lately ( talk about wankers ) but the ed. visa is the best way to go if you are not married to a Thai or unable to retire and donot want to work.

It is also getting harder to keep getting the 60 day tourist visas, Penang was a good spot for these but they have been informing people no more than 2 now. So this option to stay longer than 6 months is vanishing.

[TTChang]

(stogie bear @ Oct. 08 2007,21:28) .. You won't be in 'holiday mode' for the whole year so after a few weeks 'honeymoon' your body and mind will regulate itself.

How does that work then?    

[Snick]

(Stewart @ Oct. 08 2007,23:05)

The cheapest Kamagra is 300 Baht for a pack of 4

No it's not......buy a pack of 50 for 3000 Baht!...this is the gel sachets

Went shopping with friends, Got 50 gels for 2200 Baht in Pattaya this weekend. Don't remember how much the pills cost, but much less then 300

[Socrates999]

They were 180, Snick

[stogie bear]

You see Simon... You are already saving money!

[stogie bear]

(TTChang @ Oct. 09 2007,15:32)

(stogie bear @ Oct. 08 2007,21:28) .. You won't be in 'holiday mode' for the whole year so after a few weeks 'honeymoon' your body and mind will regulate itself.

    How does that work then?    

When in 'Retirement Mode' the same rules don't apply!