5 Reasons You Should NOT Move To Thailand

There are many great reasons to move to Thailand. The people are friendly, the weather is (mostly) great, prices are cheap, and there is a generally relaxed vibe.

But even though Thailand always makes the top 10 “best places to retire” lists, there are some drawbacks to living there. Many Westerners that moved to Thailand do nothing but complain. For some people, it can be a real culture shock.

Thailand is not a Western country, so don’t expect Western way to prevail there. To make a success of living in Thailand you need to adapt to the culture. If you can’t do that you’ll end up just another unhappy expat.

Here are the top 5 gripes I hear:

#1 — Immigration
This can be good or bad depending on your circumstances. There are some annoying aspects though, even if you have all your paperwork in order.

If you’re willing to pay for an Elite visa (starts at around $20,000 for 5 years) or have enough savings for a retirement visa you shouldn’t have many immigration issues. If you’re outside that group you may find that the immigration system can be a bit of a nightmare at times. They have certainly clamped down on loopholes in recent years.

But the number 1 issue that bugs most expats is the 90-day reporting system. If you stay in Thailand for longer than 90 days you need to report your address to immigration. That doesn’t sound too bad though, does it? But get this. You’ll need to report your address EVERY 90 days even if you live at the same address.

Some expats have lived in the same property in Thailand for over 20 years. They still need to report their address every 90 days. Unless the system is scrapped you will have to do this for the rest of your life if you live there. Report it a day late and you’ll be fined 2,000 baht (around $60). I know because it happened to me.

There is an online reporting system that is great if it works, but it often doesn’t. If you live in Bangkok you need to travel to the next province to report your address, as the main immigration office that covers Bangkok is across the border in Nonthaburi.