Although the destination often makes Americans dream of a sunny vacation, a comfortable retirement, or a change of scenery, you should know some important things about how to travel to Thailand from USA for expatriation or vacation.
A poorly prepared departure can very quickly come to spoil your stay, whatever its duration.
Budget and Cost of Living: What You Must Know Before Planning a Trip to Thailand
The question of the budget is essential, and there are some truths you must know before traveling to Thailand.
The climate and the landscapes are not the only advantages that fuel the positive reputation of the destination, also known by tourists and expatriates for its affordable cost of living, generally 2 to 3 times lower than in the USA.
But this point must be considered before moving to Thailand because it depends significantly on the living conditions you adopt.
Eating out regularly and living in a more spacious apartment than in the USA is quite possible for an expatriate.
On the other hand, any additional comfort (domestic services, imported products, or Western foodstuffs) will immediately increase the bill and will not be possible with a budget of 1500 or 2000 dollars per month.
In this budget, you must also consider the cost of planning a trip to Thailand and the USA each year.
Retired people should know before moving to Thailand that they will not have the right to work there and that they will have to be able to justify a regular income (about 1,600 dollars per month) or a bank deposit of about 20,000 dollars which will be immobilized several months on the account and will not be able to be used for daily life.
Health Insurance: Essential for Any Departure to Thailand
Another important point you should know is that it is necessary to add the cost of health insurance to your global budget before traveling to Thailand.
USA and Thailand have no social security agreement, and health insurance does not cover the health expenses of expatriates or travelers who are sick or injured.
Even if the quality of care is good, and the prices accessible in the public health establishments of the country, the overcrowding of these structures pushes most of the foreigners to be treated in the private sector, where the tariffs of care are not regulated and much more expensive.
It is not uncommon in Thailand to have to be evacuated to another locality or even repatriated to be properly taken care of. The bill then explodes. The repatriation insurance for Thailand is then saving.
To face all these situations without assuming considerable sums of money, the best thing to do is subscribe to international health insurance before departure.
There are many offers on the market, and online comparisons make it easy to choose. It is possible to subscribe to insurance at the 1st dollar.
What you should know before traveling to Thailand is that the subscription to such insurance is even compulsory to obtain certain visas for people over 50 years old.
Such a cover allows you to benefit from the following:
- An excellent coverage
- Essential guarantees (routine care, hospitalization, repatriation)
- Easy-to-reach English-speaking assistance.
For expatriates, it has the advantage of working everywhere in the world, even during stays in the USA.
Helpful Advice Before Going to Thailand to Work
Among the essential things you should know before moving to Thailand, there is also the fact that working in Thailand is not easy because the local job market is relatively closed to foreigners.
It is essential to obtain one of the visas intended for expatriates wishing to work in the country and whose conditions of delivery change regularly, as well as a work permit, which not all companies are authorized to ask for.
Among the valuable advices to remember before leaving for Thailand to work, there is the one not to leave unexpectedly, hoping to find a job quickly on the spot but to privilege the departure with an already confirmed offer.
In this case, the company generally helps the expatriate in his steps. Also, note that an expat in Thailand has specific needs in terms of the insurance.
The Language and Local Integration
Finally, you should know before moving to Thailand that integration on the spot is not necessarily easy at first and cannot be done without effort.
If the question is not crucial for a simple tourist stay, it is, on the other hand, for an expatriation, because to deprive yourself of this integration into the local population is at the same time a brake too many daily activities, but also an impoverishment of the experience.
These efforts require learning the language, even at a low level. While English may be sufficient for professional purposes, it is not enough to create real ties with the locals.
It is also necessary to be interested in Thai culture, which is rich but very different from Western culture. This interest will allow richer exchanges but will also be appreciated by the locals.
To learn more, please consult the following pages:
