Showing posts with label Deadly. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Deadly. Show all posts

Monday, 5 July 2010

Western deadly mistakes you make the transfer to Thailand

Many people come to Thailand on holiday or on business trip and fall in love with the beautiful "Land of Smiles". Thailand has much to offer: beautiful women, good food, excellent climate, beautiful beaches, tropical islands, outdoor activities, a social dynamic and amazing travel opportunities. It is a miracle, come home! Some do not. In this article a brief look at six common mistakes people make when they finally move toThailand.

Deadly Mistake # 1: Wrong seen

After visiting the wrong can be a costly mistake. It is very important to ensure that the correct visa, if you work or want a company in Thailand. Consult your visa before leaving home. If you are in the United Kingdom, I recommend checking Thaiconsul-uk.

They provide excellent support. Of course, the visa rules apply to most other Western countries.

Fatal Error # 2:Inadequate income

Jobs in Thailand are rather limited. The vast majority of available jobs for Westerners are poorly paid jobs as an English teacher. These can vary from 25.000 to 35.000 Baht per month salary. The best paying jobs are quite rare, can be paid from 40.000 to 60.000 per month. The most prestigious private schools teaching jobs can attract about 50,000 baht a month, but these are very hard to find.

If you are a qualified teacher employed by the United Kingdomfor one of the international schools in Thailand, you get sentences such as the United Kingdom of about £ 25,000 - £ 35,000 per year depending on experience. This represents about 200,000 baht a month - that's a lot of money in Thailand. Often the school in question, including room and board, offers similar to private schools in the UK, which means that an agreement is even better, it means that you save a reasonable amount of money for the future.

So, in general, when you go to a local English appropriateTeaching job, you expect about 35,000 baht per month. To get into the proper perspective, the average monthly wage in the UK at the moment of writing amounts to more than 136,000 baht per month. So expect to pay a little 'of a reduction!

In addition, the cost of living in Thailand is much cheaper than the United Kingdom. You can check to 35,000 baht a month to live in Bangkok. Of course, what will be considered by some as a living as other than a meager existence into account. If you want to be outsideWandering Club or a trip through Thailand, or live in an apartment better you need more money to your taste and needs. I personally budget 70 000 baht a month, every stay in Thailand, but then I spend some time to play golf, scuba diving and travel.

The other option, people will in a local company in Thailand to create. Some people are very successful in this. A minority can do a lot of money with hotels glamorous nightclubs,and bars. Of course, this requires a lot of knowledge and capital.

I recommend to start a business on the ground in Thailand, if you have a track record of business success outside of Thailand. I think there are better and safer ways to make money in Thailand, such as running your online business. An online business is generated that has the advantage of passive income to enjoy a lot of free time, Thailand - instead of chained to an office orBusiness all day.

If you are a pensioner you ensure that their incomes have met the legal requirements for the approval of pensioners. This must be reviewed on an annual basis and expect that the relevant evidence to see on your overseas income by the authorities.

Deadly Mistake # 3: No goals

If you switch to Thailand's important to have specific goals in mind what you want to accomplish during your stay. There are many people who, after the transfer,Waste a lot of time and never really in Thailand. Too late they realize that they lost all their savings. It is very important to get an idea of the things you need to reach. This may may be the specific objectives of the trip - certainly a Cliff Diving, visit an interesting area, such as Chiang. Hopping to places like Malaysia and Singapore. It may want commercial or financial goals can be reached.

While you may be targetsHow do I get to marry a woman and a family. It is advisable to learn Thai or any other language. Perhaps you've always wanted to write a book or learn a new skill or to study for a new qualification.

Do not waste your time in Thailand - making it really count for something. Always a clear idea of what you want to achieve during your stay in Thailand - otherwise after a few years you have to move home and wonders why he went to Thailand in the firstinstead.

Fatal Mistake # 4: bad money management

A big problem here is that the people, their currency in the Western baht convert back to their heads tilt. This gives them the impression that you spend less money than they really are. If they all convert it sounds so cheap - it is - if you earn a salary west.

It is also easy prey for other Westerners living in Thailand. If you have arrived only with money in their pockets ready to haveothers try to relieve you of it. All kinds of "not miss" business projects will come their way, and requests to borrow the "money. Loans somehow never repaid. Maintain a very tight handle your money. I recommend to always keep the most money received outside of Thailand. Just to draw what you live on an ATM and pay bills need with your main credit card.

If someone asks me if she had her money in investing in a project, I always say, of interest, or that we do notin homes in the UK (which is something I recommend you anyway bound). Soon lose interest.

# 5: No activity to estimate Fatal Error

One of the problems selling your house in order is to fund your move to Thailand, you lose that know an asset to appreciate. Owning a property in Thailand can be done, but not without complications. Even if you can end up owning property in Thailand is unlikely that the value of as much as, say, increase theHomes in the UK - especially in the long term.

With the purchase of a property in Thailand, a number of other possible problems exposed: What if changing the laws on the ownership (again), what happens if the rules to change the visa (again), what if the visa is not renewed happened, what if there any legal complications, what if you sell and go home to have happened happened? Rental property is available everywhere and very good value in Thailand, so Isuggest that most people follow this path.

If you currently have a house in the UK (or Western) I urge you to keep it. Crunch the numbers and see if you leave the property can be made, taking into account the income from rent, taxes, management fees and regular repairs. If the numbers work well. If you would not perhaps be better to delay the move to Thailand, up a bit "more than one loans have paid - enough to bring the number in favor of leaving the property out. There are manyshould have options for possible changes here - but ideally you value an asset of any kind outside of Thailand.

Deadly Mistake # 6: No Escape Plan

You need some kind of escape plan. At least this should be money back for the ticket home. Ideally, keep the money in another account and not touch it. Better yet, give your money away to a parent or a brother and tell them not to give money unless a ticket home - should preferablyactually the ticket for you. Westerners can get into all kinds of hot water in Thailand - for a variety of reasons. You may conflict with the law, they lose their money in a business failure, have broken their heart or robbed blind by a scheming gold digger. It is at this point many people can be desperate and in the drug and other crimes. Do not be eighth in this position - always out and bullet-proof strategy to clear before moving toThailand.

Summary

In this article I saw some of the most common mistakes that Westerners, when they move to Thailand. No one can live a perfect life - but you must make sure that your foundation (mentally, physically and financially felt) is solid before it abroad in Thailand. The same applies to the advice in other Asian countries or in other western countries.

Living in Thailand can be a fantastic experience, with a little planning for the futureYou can avoid all the usual mistakes.

Thursday, 4 March 2010

Six Deadly Mistakes Westerners Make When Relocating to Thailand

Many people visit Thailand on holiday or on a business trip and fall in love with the wonderful "Land of Smiles". Thailand has so much to offer: beautiful women, delicious food, great climate, fantastic beaches, tropical islands, outdoor sports activities, a dynamic social life and amazing travel opportunities. It's a wonder anyone returns home! Some don't. In this article I look briefly at six of the more common mistakes people make when they finally make the move to Thailand.

Deadly Mistake #1: Incorrect visa

Having the incorrect visa can be an expensive mistake. It's particularly important to make sure you have the correct visa if you are intending to work or start up a business in Thailand. Seek proper visa advice before leaving home. If you are in the UK I recommend checking Thaiconsul-uk.

They provide excellent support. Of course the same visa rules apply to most other Western countries.

Deadly Mistake #2: Insufficient income

Job options in Thailand are somewhat limited in supply. The vast majority of jobs available to Westerners are low paid English teaching jobs. These can range in salary from 25,000-35,000 baht per month. The better paying IT jobs, which are quite rare, may pay 40,000-60,000 per month. At more prestigious private schools teaching jobs may attract around 50,000 Baht per month, but these are very hard to come by.

If you are a qualified teacher recruited from UK for one of the International Schools in Thailand, you will get UK type rates of around £25,000 - £35,000 per year, depending on experience. This amounts to about 200,000 Baht per month - that is a LOT of money in Thailand. Often the school concerned also provides accommodation and food, much like private schools in UK, which means it's an even better deal, allowing you to save reasonable amounts of money for the future.

So typically, if you go into a reasonable local English teaching job you might expect around 35,000 Baht per month. To put that into perspective the average monthly salary in the UK at time of writing is equivalent to over 136,000 Baht per month. So expect to take a bit of a pay cut!

On the other hand the cost of living in Thailand is considerably cheaper than the UK. You can live on 35,000 Baht per month in Bangkok. Of course what is considered by some to be living may be considered by others to be a frugal existence. If you want to be out gallivanting in clubs or travelling over Thailand, or live in a better apartment you will need more money according to your tastes and requirements. I personally budget 70,000 Baht per month whenever I stay in Thailand, but then I spend quite a bit of time playing golf, diving and travelling.

The other option that people go for is setting up a local business in Thailand. Some people make a moderate success of this. A minority can make a lot of money with glitzy nightclubs, hotels and bars. Of course this requires a lot of knowledge and capital.

I don't particularly recommend starting a business locally in Thailand unless you have a track record of business success outside of Thailand. I think there are better and safer ways to make money in Thailand, such as running your own online business. An online business that generates passive income has the added advantage that you have a lot of free time to enjoy Thailand - rather than being chained to an office or business all day long.

If you are a retiree you need to make sure your income meets the legal requirements for the retiree visa. This needs to be checked by the authorities on an annual basis and they will expect to see satisfactory evidence of your overseas income.

Deadly Mistake #3: No objectives

If you make the move to Thailand it's important to have specific goals in mind of what you'd like to achieve during your stay. There are many people who, after relocating, waste a lot of time and never really achieve anything in Thailand. Too late they realise they've squandered their life savings. It's very important to have some idea of the things you'd like to achieve. These could be specific travel objectives - diving in a certain reef, visiting an interesting area such as Chiang Mai. Hopping to places like Malaysia and Singapore. There could be business or financial objectives you want to achieve.

You may have personal objectives such as finding a wife, getting married and starting a family. You may want to learn Thai or another language. Perhaps you always wanted to write a book or learn a new skill or study for a new qualification.

Don't waste your time in Thailand - make it really count for something. Always have a clear idea of what you'd like to achieve during your stay in Thailand - otherwise after a couple of years you will be moving back home and wondering why you ever went to Thailand in the first place.

Deadly Mistake #4: Mismanage money

A big problem here is that people tend to convert Baht back into their Western currency in their heads. This gives them the impression that they are spending less money than they really are. When you do the conversion everything sounds so cheap - it is - if you are earning a Western salary.

It's also easy to fall prey to other Westerners living in Thailand. If you are freshly arrived with money in your pocket be prepared to have others try to relieve you of it. All kinds of "can't lose" business ventures will come your way, as well as requests to "borrow" money. Loans somehow never get repaid. Keep a very tight hold of your money. I always recommend keeping the bulk of your money out of Thailand. Simply draw what you need to live via an ATM and pay your main bills with your credit card.

If someone asks me if I'm interested in investing money in some project of theirs I always just tell them I don't have any, or it's tied up in property in the UK (which is something I recommend you do anyway). They soon lose interest.

Deadly Mistake #5: No appreciating assets

One of the problems with selling your house to fund your move to Thailand is that you are losing an appreciating asset. Owning a freehold property in Thailand can be done but it is not without its complications. Even if you do manage to end up owning a property in Thailand it is unlikely to increase in value as much as, say, a property in the UK - especially over the long term.

By purchasing a property in Thailand you are also exposing yourself to a number of other potential problems: what happens if the laws on property ownership change (again), what happens if the visa rules change (again), what happens if your visa is not renewed, what happens if there are legal complications, what happens if you want to sell up and move back home? Rental property is very widely available and good value in Thailand, so I suggest most people go that route.

If you currently own a house in the UK (or West) I strongly urge you to keep it. Crunch the numbers and see if it's possible to let the property out, taking into account rental income, tax, management fee and periodic repairs. If the numbers work that's fine. If not you might be better off delaying your move to Thailand until you've paid off a bit more of your mortgage - enough to bring the numbers in favour of letting the property out. There are many options on variations possible here - but ideally you should have an appreciating asset of some kind outside of Thailand.

Deadly Mistake #6: No escape plan

You need some kind of escape plan. The very least this should be is backup money for a ticket home. Ideally keep this money in a different account and don't touch it. Better still, give your escape funds to a parent or sibling and tell them not to give you the money unless it's for a ticket home - preferably they should actually buy the ticket for you. Westerners can get themselves into all kinds of hot water in Thailand - for a wide range of reasons. They might fall foul of the law, lose their money in a failed business, have their heart broken or be robbed blind by a scheming gold-digger. It's at this point many people can get desperate and get themselves involved in drugs and other crimes. Don't get into that position - always make sure you have a clear and bullet-proof exit strategy before moving to Thailand.

Summary

In this article I've looked at some of the most common things than westerners get wrong when moving to Thailand. No one can live a perfect life - but you need to make sure your foundation (mentally, physically and financially) is solid before attempting to relocate overseas to Thailand. The same advice goes for other countries in Asia or even to other countries in the West.

Living in Thailand can be a fantastic experience, with a bit of planning ahead you can avoid all the most common errors.