When coming to an agreement with a new culture, do not forget this, if you move with children, they also need to become aware of the local customs. Children are creatures of habit and can feel completely overwhelmed by their new environment. Be sensitive to their feelings and help them to not only make new friends, but also stay in touch with the old as well.
Working, starting a business & work permit
If you arrived with a pre-arranged job offer, your company will help you to obtain your B1 visa as a work permit. Most jobs for foreigners tend to be in the tourism industry, and many people base their own businesses. Your lawyer will be able to notify you of the introduction of your own company, including costs and legality. Generally speaking, to find a new company that can have one work permit, will cost you around 50-60,000 baht to establish, and then 20,000 for an initial work permit. Commissions are raised for companies that require more than one foreign work permit.
If you have small capital, it may be best to come for more than at least six months, experience the island, and do a full study before throwing your hard-earned savings into the business. Many people were burned this way, thinking they “know all what the island needs”, based on several holiday visits. Talk to other locals and rinse, and find out if it was done before. Find out about any hidden installation costs and do proper market research.
Health Care: Health insurance, dentists, opticians, pharmacies
Now, while you can come to Samui with travel insurance, it is usually for a limited period, so you will need to consider international medical assistance that will close you outside the country where your passport was issued. There are numerous companies that offer this, known BUPA, and there are various packages available. Samui has many private hospitals of international standard, as well as the government hospital in Nathon. They are well-equipped and staffed to deal with illness as well as trauma, and some are even known for their plastic surgeons if you feel the need for upgrading to go with your new life on Samui.
Samui Tourist Police fast-dial phone number: 1155
Lawyers, accountants, and banking
There are several good legal and accounting departments on the island, and most offer both services from one office. Often, a Western lawyer or accountant is teamed with local, meaning that you get the best of both, with a partner understanding local rules, and another being sensitive to issues a westerner will have. It will be best to work on a personal recommendation when finding your lawyer and accountant, while this is the person who will help you with much of the red tape should be bequeathed to Samui – from visas to the start of the company and the request for work is allowed.
To open a bank account, you will need to show that you are on a long-stay visa, or B1 or non-immigrant O (dependent, resignation, or education). Bank commissions are very low compared to other countries, and generally speaking, at least one employee will speak good English. Except as in the branches, there are ATMs throughout the island. Pulling cash from a foreign card makes a fee of 220 baht, so sooner you can use a local account, the best. The removal from your own local bank is free, and from another ATM, usually around 10 baht.
Where to live on Koh Samui
So you’ve been to Samui many times, maybe you like Chaweng buzz or prefer the clarity of Taling Ngam. But you have to ask yourself this question, “is what I want when on holiday, the same thing that I want from my house?” Almost like Chaweng during the night in the city, will you want to stay among the uproar? So beautiful and quiet, as far as Taling Ngam, you want to move 45 minutes to school and back every day? These are things that one needs to take into account. A retired person has as many choices as possible that someone who wants to run the business or with the movement of school children, then quick access to business areas and schools should be considered.
You will find that most of the exclusive life in areas are close to, but not in the main tourist stretch. Living on Samui, where tourism is the largest industry, most of the foreigners are involved in tourism business anyway, so this is not the case of what is close to the touristy spots, but rather close to work. Also, they with children will need to be close to the school that their children visit, and of course, daily grocery-type chores, shopping needs that need to be considered as well.
At Samui, the largest working ex-community communities are in the regions of Rak Udara, Playa Lema, Choeng on Monday, Bophut, Me Nam, and outer areas of Chaweng. Retirees often choose less developed, and sometimes cheaper areas as Lipa Minds, Postal chimes, Lema Set and Taling Ngam. Wherever you choose, it may be desirable to rent property in the area before making a purchase, to make sure that the area is right for the needs of you and your family.
Renting or buying a house or apartment
It is advisable to first rent the house for at least six months to find out whether you are happy with your chosen area before committing to purchase the property. This will also give you the opportunity to explore the island and discover other areas that may be better as long-term opportunities and create the atmosphere that you are looking for a lot. Often, when people buy directly after arrival, they are unaware of the prices associated with the market.
There are some restrictions on foreigners buying land in Thailand, and your lawyer will be able to notify you regarding this. Condominiums can be owned directly, but the land can not, and the company that buys the property will need to have a Thai partner.
Properties of the rent range from 10,000 baht per month for a small bungalow, suitable only for a single or a couple. An average three-bedroom house on the outskirts fully equipped will cost between 30,000 and 60,000 baht per month, excluding public utilities, and of course, the luxurious properties will rise from there.
Daily shopping
Samui is no longer a small island in a sense of development, and several chains of supermarkets are represented there. You will find several Tesco branches by Lotus and well as numerous Tesco Expresses, Big C supermarket and Summit. The Makro warehouse supplies restaurants and resorts with their new and dry goods, but the public is also welcome to the store there.
Supermarkets carry a wide selection of imported goods and there are several specialty stores supplying imported wines, cheese, meat, and other goods. Of course, if you strongly want to shop like a local one, then test new markets also where the fruit, vegetables enter a new daily.
Should you learn to speak Thai? If so where?
With Samui being a tourist hotspot, you can get away without studying Thai, while most locals have some level of English. But if you really want to feel as if you belong, learning at least the basic Thai is desirable, and will impress your new Thai friends – as well as those at home! Learning a new language presents a difficulty enough at the best of times and Thai is so different from English and European languages that originate from Latin, this for Farang, (the Westerner) of recognizing Thai can seem a little overwhelming.
