rubiavr

We are being transferred to Bkk by an American company with a 2 1/2 year old and a 3 month-old baby.

I am worried about a few things.

My husband asked his future co-workers about rents, and they told him to get a place in 'Nichada Thani', an expat gated community. I was outraged at the rents there, ranging from 90,000 Baht to 500,000 Baht! That is more expensive than downtown San Francisco! What can I get for 70,000 Baht, I am aiming at something with 3 bedrooms?

I also heard that cars are a fortune, 800,000 Baht for an economy car? Is that true?

Lastly, am concerned about my career. I just graduated in Architecture from the University of California Berkeley, how do I keep my career alive in Bkk? Can I get a job in a high profile Architecture office, or volunteer in the field, learn new technologies? And if not, could I attend university, or do a Master's there?

What can we expect our life to be like?

Sorry for so many questions, I have never been to Asia and want to breath it all in once we get there.

Thanks!!!

ex reg

Regarding rents.
Your husband should have a long talk about his T&C with his bosses.

First time overseas and with two young children. Can be done. Not easy though. And you want to work?????????
You have a lot of confidence in your maid who you haven't seen, don't know how to handle and don't know how easy it will be to communicate with.

londonthai

centre of Bangkok is very expensive - but 70k baht is more than enough for a 3 bedroom house. Further from the centre houses go down to 10k baht/month.

but usually it's the company that pays for the accommodation.

yes, cars are more expensive than in the other countries because there are huge taxes - second hand car might be an option. However if you are going to stay for more than a year buy a brand new car.

rodandhayley

I dont see why anyone would want a car in bangkok even taxi drivers get lost
taxi`s are very cheap and loads of other public transport

londonthai

if you have 2 kids and live in suburbs it might be wiser to have your own car. Yes, driving in bangkok is chaotic and difficult - but you can get used to it

John Speed

But it takes years, and Bangkok is the easiest place to get lost in, and then who do you ask in American
roadsigns in Thai so before you get a car learn the routes by taking taxis.

rinoxyribose

Rent varies based on your standards. I've heard Baht 100,000-ish per month for a nice house in the Sukhumvit area. I'm thinking 20,000-30,000 baht for a nice apartment condo would be reasonable. Rent can go down to 3,500 baht per month for a basic clean studio room.

Pick-up trucks are dirt cheap in Thailand (it's priced low because thailand is so argriculture-based). About 4-700,000 baht for a brand new one. A compact car might start around 700,000 -- don't know why. Public transportation is ok good. Living around skytrain/underground is a major plus, otherwise, you'd have to figure the buses out.

Not sure about the architecture scene in bangkok, but don't expect to be paid that much. I have a friend who gets paid 12,000 baht per month (around $350) as her salary right out of college. And it wouldn't be that much higher even with some experience and the ability to speak fluent english.

If I were you I would become a full-time parent and possibly travel and explore Thailand/SE Asia rather than trying to live the middle-class life.

John Speed

if your friend wants an architectural job my son is advertising for assistants in Phuket
PM me if interested

aldo

The only reason people move to Nichidathani is to be next to most expensive private school in the city. But it's way out on the outskirts and a pain in the neck to get anywhere. Since your kids are so small, and don't need schools yet, you should stick to the city centre. Sukhumvit road (between Sois 20-50) are good with lots of shopping and western restaurants handy. But the streets flood in rainy season, and its crowded and polluted.

Rents there are around 40 - 80,000 per month for a 3 bedroom apartment.

Alternately, the area I prefer, is just north of Victory Monument on Pahonyothin Road. The Soi Aree (Pahonyothin Soi 7 I think) is a good area with handy local shopping, new western restaurants, good access to transportation (right on the Skytrain route) and near the expressway.

There is a good pre-school (bilingual) near there and a Thai-British Int'l school near Victory Monument for when the kiddies get a bit bigger (assume your British not American?). This area is upper-middle-class Thai establishment with some farangs like me thrown into the mix..

Cars are indeed expensive - used ones too. The price you were quoted sounds about right. That would buy you a bog-standard Toyota Corolla or Honda Civic.

You may not need a car in the areas above...but you would in that NichidaThani joint (which is a bit spooky anyway - one friend said it reminded her of Stepford Wives)

You' re not entitled to work here just because your husband is. And many professions are barred to foreigners anyway. Not sure about Architecture. (Check the Thaivisa.com site for info on that).

As for universities, there are several that offer English language Master's Degrees. I don't know how good the quality is, but if passing time is your concern, then these should fit the bill - ABAC (Assumption University) and Chualalongkorn are two that come to mind (the latter is the Thai hi-so variety).

You'll certianly be 'breathing it in here', he he..Hang on to your husband! This place has the most beautiful women on earth..you'll see.

Send me a PM if you want to know more about the Pahonyothin area. - Aldo

whitespider

I have lived here for over 5 years now and yes its VERY unusual for the company not to pay the accommodation.

70,000 baht a month will EASILY get you 5 beds with pool and maid throw in but out in the suburbs. You can find them at that price at the outer echelons of the BTS (skytrain) system.

Like any major city land prices are at a premium in the centre and rents vary accordingly. You can BUY a 4 bed house with pool in the suburbs for 4m baht (about £60,000) but a 1 bed appartment in central Sukhumvit COULD set you back as much as 11m baht.

Only the VERY wealthy tend to live in the downtown areas so don't have too high an expectation of living there. You have to accept that you will probably join "middle Thailand" in the outer areas.

In the main rentals are (pund for pound) cheap in Thailand - for example I live about 80 km from Bangkok centre and get a 5 bed with private pool for 25,000 baht a month.

A (new) economy car will set you back around 650,000 baht - thats about £9,000. New car prices are very similar to the UK (can't comment on the USA) but they don't have the very bottom end here like they have in Europe. FEW ex-pats drive in Bangkok (taxis are VERY cheap) - its just not necessary really. ALL cars here are far higher spec' than you will find in the UK and USA, so much so that there is a thriving export market exploited by ex-pats.

If you DO insist on driving, get a 4 door pick-up. They are FAR cheaper here then you will be used to and FAR hgher spec'. They are also a lot safer than economy cars given the nature of driving here.

2nd hand cars hold value very well so you could sell on at the end of 2.5 years with little problem. If the car new is 800,000 new you would get around 650,000 for a 2 year old one, so it would ony cost you around 150,000 (£2,300) for your time here. Fuel and insurance are cheap. Note, you insure the "vehicle" here not the drivers.

There are MANY foreign students in the Universities here, some are VERY good and some are poor. They vare treated very much like an "extension to school" in Thailand (nothing like the "student experience" in Europe and the USA) which has one of the highest rates of Uni' attendance in the world. For example all postgrads have to wear a uniform but Im not sure about older masters students. SOME of the Universities here are VERY good and Thailand excels in the Architecture field so I am sure you can find one - you will PAY accordingly though.

It is possible that you could get a work permit, though unlikely. They are very tough on this and because Thailand has a glut of Architects you would find it difficult. Even if you did get a job you would only get "Thai wages" which would be very low compared to what you are used to - maybe 45,000 baht a month max' if you are lucky enogh to get work permit. The "average" salary for an Architect here would be aorund 65,000 a month - but that goes a LONG way here (in a dual income) if you are not desperate to live in the downtown areas.

I hope that isn't all too much "doom and gloom" - Thailand is a FANTASTIC place to live - you just have to remember that Bangkok is a thriving MODERN city and not the "cheap third world city" many believe to to be.

LordDenning

The cars are expensive here for sure and in particular in comparison to the US

A reasonable house (3 bedrooms) with nice garden would cost around 40,000 to 60,000 depending on where it is but none of them would be in the city center. You would be in an apartment for that need and 70,000 is fine to find a nice one but not the best ones.

Upatham

Let's just put the record straight :
The language you refer to is called ENGLISH and not american .
Most intelligent looking Thais in BKK can speak reasonable ENGLISH.
ALL Thai roadsigns are in Thai AND Roman script (with the exception of the signs in a few very remote villages.)

The cheapest car that can be purchased brand new is a Suzuki Caribean. A kind of smallish SUV/pickup. Some people call it the Japanese Jeep. 1,300cc engine, four-wheel-drive, virtually indestructible, very flink and nifty for BKK traffic.
Price : 385,000 baht. Value after five years: 250,000 baht
Disadvantages: Useless for a family of four. Gas guzzler (30 mpg / 10 litres:100 km). Needs new springs, shocks, wheel bearings, universal joints after 100,000 km

Upatham has driven over 200,000 km in his own car in Thailand since 2003.
Were you ever IN Thailand?

John Speed

Try Bangkok for roadsigns in only Thai, and not all on the road we take to Bangkok from the south, over 800 miles with buses nose to tail in the outside lane
They do not move over.
Never drive a susuki "jeep" most useless and unsafe car ever made.

Upatham

Opinions are fine, but it would help others if informative postings were slightly more objective.

Never had any problems concerning any of your three statements Wellington. Do you actually drive a car?

You must have deliberately scoured the back alleys of Bangkok to find a significant road sign in Thai only

Busses are not nose-to-tail on the southern route - unless you deliberately choose new year or Songkran to travel.

Of course the busses don't move over. Why should they? Overtaking on the inside is allowed in Australia too. In Germany it would get you a six month ban. When in Rome...

Have you actually ever driven a Susuki 'jeep' ?

John Speed

If you had read my previous post you could provide yourself with the answer to your question "do I drive"
So why waste time writing drivel without checking .
and yes,I have driven a Susuki misnomered "Jeep"
A Jeep can get up hills and go round corners!