Earlier in the week the online version of Newsweek released their list of the World’s Best 100 countries and Thailand ranked #58 overall on this list. The ranking was based on data from 2009 and is based on the following five criteria (ranking within criteria shown in parenthesis):

Education (#57) – Determined using combined universal score on TIMSS and/ or PISA tests or by doing a regression of literacy rate (CIA World Factbook) and average years of schooling against the universal score for those countries that don’t administer these tests. The score is meant to measure educational achievement and differentiate between developing countries.

Health (#66) – Based on healthy life expectancy and meant to capture the efficiency of the health care system. It takes into account years that are lived in less than full health due to disease or injury.

Quality of Life (#55) – Measured by five different criteria. Inequality as measured by gender, extreme poverty defined as the percent of the population living on less than $2 a day, standard of living which is determined by private consumption, physical environment determined by homicides per 100,000 population as well as air and water pollution levels and economic security which is measured through the countries unemployment rate.

Economic Dynamism (#39) – Also measured by five different criteria. Productive growth which is the growth in GDP expressed as an incremental US$ growth per person over the past 10 years and extrapolated forward for the next 10 years, diversification which measures the percentage of GDP that comes from services and manufacturing, innovation which measures the amount of capital invested in R&D throughout the manufacturing, university and government as well as the availability of scientists and intellectual property, business vitality which measures the ease of doing business in each country including the time required to start a new business and the number of bankruptcy filings and finally stock market capitalization which measures the equity market capitalization as a percentage of GDP.

Political Environment (#74) – Measured by three different criteria. Freedom house rating which is based on a variety of things and is meant to assess the perceived level of democratic freedom in a country, global peace index’s political participation rating which measures voter turnout and citizens participation in the political process and political risk service’s political stability rating which is a measure of the risk to individuals, businesses and the government due to political decisions and actions.

As you can see this survey and determination is based solely on the conditions for the countries citizens, not tourists and expats. Even so, I think it sheds some light on what life in Thailand is like for those of us visiting or living there permanently, even though we are simply guests.

Even though Thailand ranked #58 overall I found that digging a bit deeper into the numbers painted a slightly different picture. For example, when sorting for just the low income countries (defined as Gross National income per capita under $3946) we find Thailand ranked #4 out of 38 countries. Ukraine, Jordan and Albania are the top three, however you find many Asian countries including China and India ranking lower than Thailand.

When looking at the ASEAN countries Thailand ranks 3rd, only Singapore and Malaysia (both former British colonies) rank higher than Thailand. When including all of East Asia and the Pacific Rim Thailand drops to #7 out of 11, but all of the countries above them are considered to be “developed” nations (Australia, New Zealand, Japan, S. Korea, Singapore and Malaysia). What this indicates to me is that Thailand is likely much closer to developed nation status than many other countries in SE Asia. Of course only time will tell and considering the current political climate in Thailand this could be delayed or derailed for some time, but overall it gives me hope for better conditions for the majority of Thai people in the near future.

While no list like this can be perfect I think it is a fairly good representation of the quality of life around the world. Even more interesting to me will be follow up surveys, assuming Newsweek chooses to repeat this on a yearly basis. I am very curious to see how the rankings change for each country as the world economy changes. After looking at the rankings how do you feel Thailand should stack up against other countries? What about future rankings, do you think Thailand is gaining in each area or do you think they are falling behind?

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As a very popular vacation and retirement destination, Thailand has a pretty large expat population. This is especially true in Bangkok, Chiang Mai and many of the coastal and island locations. You can hardly walk down many streets without seeing a Westerner in many locations. Many of the Westerners you see are simply in Thailand on a holiday, but quite a few are expats, living in Thailand full or part time for many years.

One interesting phenomena I’ve noticed in my many trips to Thailand is that the longer Westerners stay the more acclimated they become to Thai culture. Depending on the adaptability and openness of the person this can actually happen quite fast. In every case though, eventually you start to pick up Thai habits and cultural mannerisms. So, my question is “How do you know you are becoming acclimated to Thai culture”?
Or put another way, “You know you’ve been in Thailand to long when…

…you start to point at things with your lips.”
…you see a rat run out of a restaurant and head inside for dinner anyway.”
…you frequently use the phrase “Up to you” when you want to avoid conflict surrounding a delicate question.”
…you use the phrase “Up to you” when feeling non-committal about a question.”
…you use the phrase “Up to you” when you have no opinion or just can’t be bothered to think about an answer to a given question.”
…your current family car is a motor scooter.”
…you answer the telephone and even though it’s a wrong number you spend the next 5 minutes chatting with the person on the other end.”
…you place your order in a restaurant fully expecting to get something completely different and when you do receive something different you simply eat whatever was served without a word of complaint.”
…you are not bothered in the least if there is a lady cleaning the urinal next to the one you’re using.”
…you now speak in broken English with your friends and family back home.”
…you put ice in your beer without a second thought.”
…you now season every food you eat with nam pla and chilis.”
…you think that a finger shoved up your nose is no big deal, but cover your mouth when using a toothpick.”
…you think it’s perfectly fine to have 4 people, your monthly groceries and 2 chickens all riding on one motor bike at the same time.”
…you can’t remember the last time that you wore proper shoes.”
…you see a power outlet with open wiring, 6 different appliances plugged in and sparks coming out and you think it’s normal.”
…you can remove a rubber band from a plastic bag in 2 seconds without spilling the contents of the bag.”

Obviously the above is but a partial list. I would love to hear your ideas of things that you accept or think are normal in Thailand that would have your head spinning back in your native country. Leave me a comment below with your thoughts.

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One of the big occupations for those expats settling in Thailand is teaching English as a foreign language. In fact, you can see my guide to getting a teaching job in 10 days if you’re interested in that type of thing.
The problem is that over the past few years the pay rate for native English speaking teachers in Thailand has not only stagnated, but in some cases has gotten even worse. Jobs that used to pay 40-45k baht a month are now starting off at a measly 30-35k baht a month. How the heck is the struggling English teacher expected to make ends meet with a salary like that?

Well, some inventive folks have decided it’s no longer worth teaching in Thailand, but they still love the country and the culture and would like to continue living there. The compromise they are making is to teach outside Thailand in Korea, Japan or the Mid East countries where salaries are much higher. They make the big bucks there for 6-12 months and then come back and live in Thailand for another 6-12 months before repeating the process.

Obviously with all this interest in traveling back and forth between Bangkok and cities such as Dubai people are looking for inexpensive ways to fly.

Fortunately there are quite a few carriers that provide cheap flights to Dubai from Bangkok. Jet Airways, Kingfisher Air and Gulf Air are three that I can think of right off the top of my head. I can’t vouch for the first two, but I have flown with Gulf Air several times and each time the cabin crew was very polite, the food was good and overall the flight experience was wonderful.

If you’re interested in undertaking this type of experience I think you’ll find that it gives you the best of both worlds. Dubai international schools are mostly of a very high quality and discipline of the students is quite good making the teachers’ job much easier.

Regarding salaries, you’ll definitely want to look at the private sector rather than Dubai government schools. Pay rates at government schools in Dubai can be a bit on the low side although the highest paying will give you about 48k baht per month. Private schools on the other hand will pay from 85k baht a month and upwards to 170k baht per month. These salaries also include flights to and from Thailand as well as accommodations.

The catch for the private schools is that most require valid teachers’ licenses from the country of the curriculum. So, American schools require a valid U.S. issued teachers license and U.K. based curriculum schools will require PCGE and QTS. Some of the lower tier schools won’t have these requirements, but the pay scale there is so low that you’ll be saying “Why bother” because you can make a similar salary teaching in Thailand.

Teaching in Dubai can be a very good way to keep your self employed at a great salary and still afford yourself plenty of time to spend in Thailand. It’s also a great way to pad your bank account or retirement fund if that’s what you need. Plus it’s a heck of an adventure.

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Thailand is like anywhere else, it can be as cheap or as expensive as you want it to be. If you plan on eating western food, sending your laundry out, having a maid and a nice 2 bedroom condo, a car, and partying then you will easily spend as much in Bangkok as you would anywhere else. If however you can economize a bit and blend in with the culture you can indeed live very cheaply in Bangkok and even more so in the provinces of Thailand.

Golf lived pretty well on just 16,000 baht a month when she was working in Bangkok although I think a farang (foreigner) would need a bit more to be comfortable. Based on my experiences and what I’ve been reading lately I would say that anything over 40,000 baht a month would make you quite comfortable in Bangkok. If you can add a bit to that and reach 60,000 baht a month you’ll be doing very well, especially by Thai standards. Keep in mind the Thai’s won’t make nearly what you do in most cases. Golf is a nurse and made just 16,000 baht a month. Compared to Western standards that is very low indeed. And you should easily more than double that working as an English teacher for as few as 20-25 hours a week.

Here are some guidelines to current living expenses in Bangkok, mostly taken from forums about and for English teachers.

Housing: A studio or one bedroom condo can be had for as little as 8000 baht a month if you are willing to do some searching and live a bit away from the BTS. The closer to the BTS you get the higher the rents become. 15,000-20,000 baht a month will get you a very nice place indeed. If you’re one of the lucky one’s here in Thailand on an expat package then the sky’s the limit. Condo’s around the Silom/Sukhumvit area can go as high as 250,000 baht per month and include fitness centers, pools, daily maid service, on site restaurants and room service and amazing views of Bangkok.

Utilities: Water is a nominal charge and shouldn’t run you more than a couple hundred baht a month and may even be included in the rent. Electricity is a different matter. If you like it cool and plan on running the A/C non-stop then you’ll pay up to 3000 baht a month.

Cable TV is available through UBS and costs 1500 baht a month which includes 25 channels including BBC news, CNN, ESPN, Star sports, several football feeds, the History Channel, Discovery Channel, National Geographic Channel and at least four movie channels, among others.

Broadband internet can be had in the built up areas of Bangkok and will run you a bit over 1000 baht a month. Alternatively you can get dial-up access for 400 baht a month with the pre-paid internet cards or use the internet cafes which typically charge about ½ baht per minute.

Cell Phone: Cell phone rates are pretty darn reasonable and the rechargeable SIM cards in Thailand are a good value. You can easily pick up a used cell phone for a couple thousand baht at MBK (or even less) and the SIM cards can be recharged with a prepaid card from any 7-11. Or if possible you can buy just the SIM card for like 200 baht and you’re on your way. This only works with unlocked phones from AT&T or T-Mobile for U.S. based people.

Food: Food is very reasonable in Bangkok and Thailand, especially if you adopt a Thai diet. If you are really on a budget you can very likely get by on 5000-6000 baht a month for food living in Bangkok and even less in the provinces. Any of the open air restaurants (of which there are thousands) will get you lunch or dinner for less than 50 baht. On the other hand there are restaurants where you can easily spend in excess of 1500 baht for dinner as well. Some of the great deals I like are iced coffee for just 10 baht, fresh pineapple for 10 baht, grilled sausages (I like the spicy ones) 20 baht for two, fried chicken for 15-20 baht a piece and roti with banana for 15-25 baht.

Transportation: Transport is also very reasonable in Bangkok. If you can take the BTS to your destination expect to pay anywhere from 10-40 baht for the ride, same goes for the subway. Busses and ferries are a wonderful deal ranging anywhere from 8 baht to 25 baht again depending on the length of your trip. Taxi’s will run you about 120 baht for a trip all the way across town. Shorter trips of 15-30 minutes shouldn’t cost more than 60-70 baht. I haven’t yet gotten up the courage to try riding on the back of a motorcycle, but they are also very cheap….I think Golf told me just 6 or 8 baht.

Entertainment: This is another category that can run very high depending on your tastes. If you’re a party animal and butterfly expect to spend upwards of 10,000 baht a month clubbing. I’ve actually spent that in one night already. On the other hand if you’re moderate and go out just weekends without getting completely looped or availing yourself of the horizontal entertainment you can keep this within reason. Say 2000-4000 baht a month for a moderate party lifestyle. Cigarettes are just 40 baht a pack and a large Singha or Leo beer can be had for 60-80 baht at bars and half that from the supermarket.

I think that pretty much covers it. If you add up my numbers you’ll find that 40,000 baht a month is quite sufficient for a pretty good lifestyle in Bangkok. Anything above that is gravy and will make your life correspondingly more comfortable. Let me know if I skipped anything or missed anything or if you know where to find good bargains on anything within Bangkok. Or if you think I’m out of my mind to suggest that you can live on 40,000 baht/month in Bangkok let me know that too.

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If you’re a Thai citizen then you don’t need to worry about medical insurance in Thailand since it’s provided by the Thai government. However, if you’re an expat in Thailand or thinking of moving to Thailand then medical insurance may be something you’ve thought of, but are unsure where or how to get it.

I know this post may not apply to everyone. Let’s face it, medical costs in Thailand are pretty darn cheap. I’ve been to the emergency room at BNH hospital for less than $75 (including 3 prescriptions). I’ve had a cavity filled at Yanhee Hospital for something like $35. Basic needs are not that big a deal and if you’re young you could easily forgo medical insurance in Thailand without risking too much.

Those working in Thailand on expat packages with international companies won’t need to worry about medical coverage since it will be included as part of their compensation. Even the lowly English teacher in Thailand will often get some basic form of insurance coverage from their employer.

So who is this aimed at? Mostly people like Golf and myself I suppose. Thai-Farang couples, especially those with children, will more than likely want to find some level of decent medical insurance if they are prudent and want to sleep well at night. Let’s face it, after adequate housing and a good Thailand International school for your kids, taking care of their health is probably next on your mind.

I’ve found 4 companies offering health insurance in Thailand (there may be more) for what I consider a reasonable price. Coverage is quite similar between the 4 with some mostly small differences. Below you’ll find an outline of each companies coverage as well as links to the company website and coverage brochure in case you want to take a closer look.

BUPA
The BUPA coverage is the least expensive option of the 4 and provides adequate protection at a reasonable price. You’ll find the standard 1/2/5 million baht coverage limits, coverage for surgical fees and room and board in case of hospitalization, US$1 million in evacuation and repatriation coverage as well as optional maternity and outpatient coverage. Not bad coverage at all and BUPA has been quite popular amongst Thailand expats.
BUPA Coverage Brochure
BUPA Premium Table
BUPA Thailand Website

LMG Pacific Healthcare
The LMG plan is a bit more expensive than the BUPA plan, but has much broader and comprehensive coverage limits. They define two types of plans the “Maxi-Care” plan which has a 5 million baht lifetime benefit and the “Ultra-Care” plan which has a 20 million baht lifetime limit. The LMG plan is also a family plan meaning it covers the entire family of the policy holder, making it ideal for those with children. It covers all the basics and also provides up to 2 million baht of coverage when you’re outside Thailand. Optional benefits also include dental and vision and there are options for discounts as well. 20% discount when you waive the outpatient coverage and various discounts for accepting a deductible on the coverage. In my opinion the LMG plans provides the most bang for your buck if you’re covering a family of 3 or more and is quite likely what Golf and I will be using when we move to Thailand.
LMG Coverage Brochure & Costs
LMG Website

AXA Smartcare Optimum
The AXA Smartcare Option also looked good to me. It provides very comprehensive coverage including a broad range of inpatient and surgery fees as well as covering international travel. Limits for in country coverage are 1.5/2.5/5 million baht lifetime and there is optional outpatient coverage available if you wish. There is a 5% discount when insuring 2-3 people and a 10% discount for 4 or more insured. Aside from the fact that the AXA coverage is a bit more expensive than the LMG coverage I was also concerned with their eligibility requirements which read: “Thai citizens, Permanent resident of Thai, Employment Pass holders or Work Permit holders”. As I very likely won’t fall into any of those categories I can forsee some definite problems with the AXA people if a claim ever comes to pass. So, even though I will most likely not be using AXA as my insurer I still believe the coverage would be valuable to others with different circumstances than my own.
AXA Coverage Brochure & Costs
AXA Thailand Website

APRIL Mobilite Asia Expat
The APRIL Mobilite plan was the most expensive of the 4 plans I looked at, which didn’t immediately disqualify it for me, but there were other concerns I had with the plan. First off, the website explaining the coverage is all in French and that is also the site you are supposed to use when submitting claims. Fine if you read French, but I don’t. The customer service number is also French based and I just figure why take chances with the language barrier when I can get similar coverage from other companies for less cost. I included the brochure here to provide a complete review, but unless you are French or come from a French speaking country I can’t recommend the APRIL Mobilite plan.
APRIL Mobilite Coverage Brochure & Costs
APRIL Mobilite (site in French)

I hope you found the information about medical insurance in Thailand to be helpful. It took me a bit of digging to pull all this information together and I hope that by posting it all here in one place I can save others the trouble of finding it from various places.

Since I’m not in Thailand yet I could dig up more information or there could be changes in plans so I will keep this page updated as much as possible. Currently this is the first version and is correct as of May 18, 2010 to the best of my knowledge.

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OK, so I sat down today and took a serious stab at getting an idea of how much Golf and I will need in cash reserves to make the move to Thailand. Bear in mind that this is strictly cash and is separate from what I would like to see in our retirement accounts prior to making the move

I was a little surprised at the total, but not too surprised. What it’s told me is that I will need to get my ass in gear and start making a LOT more money one way or another. The upside is that if I can increase online earnings enough to meet the savings necessary to have this cash on hand within 2 years (actually something more like 23 months 7 days now) I shouldn’t need to worry about working as a teacher when we make the move to Thailand.

Ok, so I know you’re all impatiently waiting for me to spill the beans…here we go. By my calculations we will need US$90,000 in cash savings to comfortably make the move to Thailand. I know this may seem high to some (many?) of you and it seemed that way to me too, however let’s see where that money will go.
The $90,000 basically breaks down into 3 major categories. US$35,000 for a new car, US$40,000 for startup housing expenses and US$15,000 for cash reserves.

I can hear some of you already thinking that this is WAY more than we will need. That’s right I can hear your thoughts!

The money for the car is more for Golf than anything. I have no intention of driving in Bangkok and think that between the busses, BTS, MRT and taxi’s I can get around just fine. Golf on the other hand feels we need a car. Fair enough and I may even start driving myself if we do have a car. She’s got her heart set on a Mitsubishi Pajero Sport at this point so that’s what I have built into the moving budget. Honestly I’ve got to say it’s a pretty damn nice SUV and I won’t mind owning it and having it available for trips outside Bangkok and during the rainy season.

The US$15,000 cash reserves are easily explained as well. It is basically a 6 month emergency fund (at US$2k per month) with an additional US$3000 thrown in for expenses during our first month in Thailand. I am figuring we will need to rent in a long term serviced apartment type place during our search for more permanent housing which is why the first month budget is a bit higher. To be safe I could probably throw an additional US$5k into this category because I know we will be traveling quite a bit the first month back in Thailand to catch up with family and friends and I also assume at least a short trip to the islands to unwind. I’ll have to think about revisiting this at a later date.

The last category, startup housing expenses, is where I figure we should have the most wiggle room and yet it is also the category where I hesitate to cut corners. I’ve broken the US$40k down slightly in regards to expenses for furniture, electronics, 2 scooters, decorations and all the other things that go into furnishing a house and I know some of my estimations seem pretty high, but I also know my own and Golf’s tastes pretty well. I also know that western style home furnishings will cost pretty much the same as they would in the West (if not more). I’m hesitant to cut corners in this category because these are the items that will surround us every day and we will have to live with our choices for years to come. If I have to spend an extra 6 months in the States to save a bit extra for higher quality furnishings then so be it. It’s an expense that only comes once every what…10 years or so?

I know at least a few of the readers here are living in Thailand and it would be great to hear your experiences when initially setting up house when you moved to Thailand. A general idea of the costs involved and anything I might be missing would go a long way in finalizing my own budget and also helping others who may be considering taking the leap.

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One very common question I get revolves around how one goes about relocating to Thailand. Basically, should I move to Thailand type questions. Naturally there are as many answers to this question as there are people out there dreaming of relocating to a new and exotic locale.

I’m going to try and give some general ideas of things to consider if you’re contemplating a move to Thailand. This should give you a good baseline and allow you to further consider how your own situation applies to a dramatic move like this. The answers are tailored to those thinking of moving permanently or at least semi-permanently (say 5+ years).

All my thoughts are based on the same questions I’ve asked myself before finally deciding to make the move to Thailand.

Cultural Considerations
Some people have asked me about moving to Thailand and after further email discussions with them I’ve found that they’ve never been to Thailand or at best have spent maybe 2-3 weeks there as a tourist. Honestly you need to get a better feel for the country than this. Life in different parts of Thailand can be dramatically different, from the cost considerations to the pace of life to the availability of western goods and western associations.

If you’re planning on making the move I recommend that you spend a minimum of 2-3 months living in Thailand on a normal (not tourist!) type budget. I believe it takes this long for culture shock to start to set in and to get a feel for what your life might be like if you move to Thailand.

I know it can be nearly impossible for some of you to get this amount of time away from work, but consider the consequences if you drop everything, head off to Thailand and after 4-5 months decide that it’s not for you. Yes you’ll likely be able to move back to your homeland, but wouldn’t it be much better to plan a longer trip to get a feel for things before you cut all ties back home?

Some people thrive on the differences in Thailand and some begin to be annoyed by even the smallest things. You need to find out which you are BEFORE the move. There are definitely some good character traits to have if you’re planning a move such as this. I would consider these to be an adventurous spirit, adaptability, patience and a certain amount of ingenuity and creativity just to name a few. I’m sure you can come up with more.

Obviously an adventurous spirit will do better in most cases, but if you don’t have the cash to fund an occasional trip outside your home city or town you could easily become quite frustrated living in Thailand. And this brings us to the next subject…

Financial Considerations – Show Me The Money
It’s often been said that Thailand is cheap. While this is true in some respects, in all actuality if you want to enjoy yourself, especially in Bangkok or any of the tourist locations you need money. Maybe not as much money as you would need in America, the U.K. or Australia, but I guarantee that your life will be much easier and enjoyable if you’re not living on a shoestring budget in Thailand.

Unless you’re not planning on staying long (maybe 1-2 years) or if you’re still quite young with limited needs, you’ll want to have a stash of cash before your move. Quite likely the older you are the larger your stash should be as retirement age looms closer. There are no government safety nets in Thailand, especially for you living there as a guest.

The amount of your stash is based on your own discretion, but I would say at a minimum you’ll want enough for a ticket back home as well as 3 months living expenses (6 is better). Moving to another country is no reason to throw caution to the winds, on the contrary, it requires more planning, budgeting and discipline. Once you have your initial funding you’ll need to think about your monthly expenses once you’re set up and living in Thailand.

So, how much is enough for a monthly budget? Obviously this is up to your own personal preferences, family situation and lifestyle. A minimum figure of 30,000 baht is frequently bandied about in popular forums and websites. As a single person you can probably get by with this amount assuming you’re not a drinker. Many Thai’s live on considerably less and seem to be quite happy. Let’s be clear though…you are not Thai and most likely you’re used to a different standard of living. If you want to be able to go out on the weekend, enjoy trips to the islands or even to other SE Asian destinations (and why wouldn’t you?) and occasionally eat western foods you will need more than 30,000 baht a month. And if you have a wife and kids you can probably double that figure at a minimum.

Personally I don’t think I would consider making the move if I couldn’t be sure of at least 45,000 baht a month as you’ll see in my own personal budget when I post it. So, how will you get the money you need to live?

Supporting Yourself – Money Doesn’t Grow on Trees
Obviously for those of you that are older you will have pensions, savings and the like to live on. Those younger than retirement age will need to find some other way to come up with the money they need each month. Thailand doesn’t make it easy and there aren’t a lot of jobs that foreigners can do while living in Thailand.

If you’re working for a company that has offices in Bangkok your best bet is to find some way to get an expat package. I wish that was my situation.

Otherwise you’ll need to find employment in Thailand. Three fields come to mind as being popular ways for foreigners to live and earn while in Thailand. The first is teaching English. This is a viable solution, especially if you have a university degree, are willing to get a TEFL cert and can be entertaining and patient with kids. You should also be a native English speaker and if you’re blond or a woman you have a definite advantage. Keep in mind that you will not get rich teaching English. Salaries start around 35,000 baht a month in Bangkok (less outside the capital) though you should be able to supplement that with private teaching once you get established.

A second way to earn a living is to work in the offshore oil industry. This will actually mean that half your time is spent outside Thailand on the rigs, but I believe you’ll make much better money than you would as an English teacher. This is probably a better alternative for single guys since you’ll be away from home so much. If anyone knows more about this kind of employment in Thailand I would love to hear from you either in the comments below or directly.

The third alternative is to create a portable income through online work. This is ideal for those in computer fields such as programming and graphic design. Some of you might even get lucky enough to find a telecommuting job in your home country that allows you to work from Thailand and get paid in dollars, pounds or euro’s. There are also many sites you can use to find freelance work online, if you plan on going this route I recommend starting now since rates typically start pretty low until you build a client base and a name for yourself. The good thing about creating an income through online work and freelancing is that you are pretty much in control of your income. If you need more money simply take on a few more projects, if you need more time take on less. Here’s a list of 18 freelancing websites to get you started if you’re interested.

Final Thoughts
This was not meant to be a comprehensive guide to living in Thailand, but rather something to get you started thinking about what you’ll need to do to get ready to make the move. Thailand isn’t going anywhere so there’s no need to make a hasty move. I’ve been planning the move for over 3 years now, so you know I’ve put a lot of thought into it already.

I’m not saying that you can’t drop everything and just take off, some have done just that and have been very successful. If I was 24 again I might make the same impulsive move myself. Now that I’m older I am a bit more cautious and want to make sure that my new life gets off to the best start possible. Hopefully this post has given you all some things to think about. Maybe you’re more ready than you thought you were to make the move and maybe I’ve pointed out some things you haven’t thought of. And hopefully you’ve thought of some things that I haven’t mentioned and you can help us all by letting us know in the comments below.

Whatever situation you’re in and whatever you decide is best for you I wish you all the best in your dreams and plans to move to Thailand and start a new chapter of your life.

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Here’s a quick survey for those of you that are in Thailand and own/use the iPhone. I am posting this survey as a favor to my friend Vern over at ThaiPulse as I personally do not use the iPhone (I’m a Blackberry guy).

I’d appreciate it if you took a couple minutes to help Vern out by completing the survey:

Take the Thailand iPhone User Survey Here

Thanks to all of you that take the survey. You can get the results over at ThaiPulse in about 10 days.

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It seems as if many of you are interested in the visa requirements for Thailand, especially in the case of moving to Thailand and living there. There are a variety of visa’s for living and working in Thailand so I thought I would take the time to look into each of them individually. Of course visa laws do change so please be sure to check the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs website for the most up to date visa requirements.

Today we’re going to take a look at the retirement visa for Thailand or what is known as a Non-Immigrant Visa O-A (Long Stay). This type of visa is those who are 50 years old or older, want to stay in Thailand for up to a year (renewals are necessary each year) and have no intention of working.

The actual document can be seen on the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs website – Non-Immigrant Visa “O-A” (Long Stay)

Since you can read the actual document at the link above I’m just going to give an overview of the process followed by some practical advice. The following overview is for getting your Non-Imm O-A visa in your home country before leaving for Thailand.

To be eligible for a Non-Imm Visa type O-A you must be at least 50 years old, have no criminal record (I believe this refers to felony convictions, although I haven’t been able to confirm), not have any of the prohibited diseases (leprosy, tuberculosis, elephantitus, 3rd phase syphilis and drug addiction and not be prohibited from entering the kingdom based on Immigration Act B.E. 2522 (1979) (see bottom of page).

In order to apply for a Non-Imm O-A type visa you will need the following documents:

• Passport valid for at least 18 months
• 3 copies of the completed visa application form.
• 3 passport size photos taken within the past 6 months
• Personal data form
• Either a bank statement showing a deposit of at least 800,000 THB or an income certificate from your embassy certifying an income of 65,000 THB per month or a combination of deposits and income totaling 800,000 THB. If a bank statement is used then an original letter of guarantee from the bank is required.
• Notarized verification from your home country stating you have no criminal record.
• Notarized medical certificate stating you are free from the diseases mentioned above. The certificate must be valid for no more than 3 months.

The application and all required documents get submitted to the Royal Thai Embassy or Royal Thai Consulate General in your home country. The fee is currently 2000 THB for a single entry visa or 5000 THB for a multiple entry visa.

The Non-Imm O-A visa allows you to stay in Thailand for 1 year from the date of your first entry. If you have any thoughts of traveling outside Thailand during that year I recommend you get the multiple entry visa right away and save yourself the hassle of having to get it later. You must also report to Immigration every 90 days while on an O-A type visa although these days the reporting can be done through the mail after the first 90 day reporting. When reporting through the mail you need to submit a report form (Tor Mor 47), a copy of your passport page showing your photo, personal details and the latest arrival stamp, a copy of your previous acknowledgment (you get the first acknowledgment when you report in person after the first 90 days) and a self addressed envelope including postage (so they can return your new acknowledgment). The documents must be sent to the Office of the Immigration Bureau, Soi Suan Plu, South Sathorn Road, Sathorn District, Bangkok 10120, and must be submitted 7 days before the end of every 90-day period. A receipt of acknowledgment will be given and should be used for future correspondence.

And that’s all there is to getting your Non-Imm O-A visa to stay in Thailand. Oh, at the end of the year you simply go to the Immigration Bureau and request an extension.

Now for the practical advice…instead of applying for an O-A visa in your home country get a 90 day Non-Imm O visa and then once you’re in Thailand apply for a one year retirement extension. You can get he details of doing this on my Visa for Retiring in Thailand post. It is a bit more complex, but is also cheaper and gets rid of both the criminal background check and the medical certificate requirement. Either way you end up with a Non-Imm O-A retirement visa, the choice of which way to do it is up to you.

As for me, I will be applying for Non-Imm O Marriage visa which is quite similar, but with less financial requirements. I’ll let you all know more about that in upcoming posts.

Popularity: 3% [?]

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Happy Thanksgiving to All!

I just want to put a short post together today to wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving. I know not everyone celebrates this holiday, but we all have something to be thankful for. For example, I am thankful (every day) that I met and married Golf, I am thankful for all the wonderful people I have been able to connect with through this blog and I am thankful for our pregnancy and the chance to be a father again.

Some quick updates:

• Thanks to everyone that went to answer the survey I sent out. The response has really been much greater than I anticipated (currently there are 48 responses). I will be analyzing the responses over the weekend and will post about them Monday including my response to some of the questions and concerns brought forth. If you haven’t participated yet you can still do so for a couple days. Survey Link – Click Here to take survey
• Thanks too for all of the great emails I have received about the post Preparing for the Move To Thailand. Your support and well wishes are a great inspiration to both Golf and I. We received quite a few emails encouraging us, congratulating us on our bravery and also giving insights and tips about how to make it happen faster. Golf and I are both quite busy and don’t have nearly enough time to talk with each other, but you’ll be happy to know we have sat down for 45 minutes to do a rough budget and will be going into deeper detail later. At this point we have found some easy quick fixes ($105 a month for gym membership gone, $50 a month for fast food gone, $50-100 in cash spending gone) and have some ideas to further reduce our costs. We also need to talk more about retirement planning which may take some time as Thailand doesn’t really have anything like 401(k)’s and Roth IRA’s and Golf is completely in the dark about their benefits for retirement and taxation.
• Golf’s pregnancy is going well and she is now almost 14 months weeks. Thankfully the morning sickness has disappeared and her energy has returned. On the downside she is beginning to show and is starting to complain about being fat

Popularity: 1% [?]

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I’ve been musing on some ideas for new things to do here and have come to an impasse so I thought the best thing to do was ask the community and see what YOU want to get out of Thailand Musings. You could certainly leave specific questions for me in the comments below (I’ve done that before and it was quite successful), but what I would REALLY appreciate is if you could take 2-3 minutes of your time to complete the 5 question survey I’ve put together.

You can access the survey here:
Survey Link – Click Here to take survey

It’s very brief and will help me keep Thailand Musings focused on those that it’s meant for…you…the readers.

I’m looking forward to all your responses and want to thank you in advance for your time.

Popularity: 1% [?]

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Below you’ll find a list of International Schools in Thailand, complete as of August 2010. When I say complete I mean schools that are both accredited and have a web presence. For some reason I feel that in this 10th year of the 21st century a web presence is almost mandatory for an educational institution. Plus it makes contacting a researching the schools a bit easier for those of you not currently residing in Thailand.

Before you jump to the table I want to be sure that you know that in Thailand the term “International School” may be a bit misleading. While many of the schools listed have a majority of foreign students (non-Thai), some others may have very few foreign students and call themselves international because they follow an American or British curriculum and teach classes in English.

This is my first go at making a list of International Schools in Thailand and I believe that it is quite complete and provides a good resource both for prospective teachers and for prospective students. I found in my research that many of the lists on the internet are quite old and poorly maintained and I felt that there was a need for a current listing. Many of the lists that I found had dead links and even lists without website links or contact information other than addresses and phone numbers. If you have any corrections, additions or deletions for the list I would be happy to hear from you in the comments below.

Even one of the most informative lists I found, the one at the International Schools Association of Thailand (ISAT) website appeared to have outdated information, some of it as old as 3 years. That being said, the site does have a good list of schools and many of the same ones in my own list. ISAT membership was not a necessary criterion for being included on my list, it just seems that the schools that joined ISAT are among the top International Schools in Thailand. ISAT also includes a brief description of many of the schools (something I plan on adding in the coming months here) which can be helpful in narrowing down a list of potential educators or employers.

I hope that this list is useful for some of you, either in finding a school for your children or as a resource to locate employment as a teacher in Thailand. Consider it a good jumping off place to start your search. As I said, in the future I will give more detailed descriptions of each school (costs, teacher/student ratios, ESL programs, extra-curriculars, etc.) and also plan on including a map to show the location of International Schools within Bangkok (and possibly Chiang Mai).

This list took considerable time and effort to compile so please let me know if it was useful to you by leaving a comment :>)

Here are links to some shorter more focused lists as well:
American Curriculum Schools
British Curriculum Schools
International Baccalaureate Schools
Singapore Curriculum Schools
Pre-K and Kindergarten Only

Save it, print it and share it – Download the List of Thailand International Schools

Bangkok:

Bangkok Advent School
Grade Range: K to 8
Curriculum: American

Address
15/112-113 Soi Vibhavadi 56 (Sri Chan)
Taladbangkhen Laksi Bangkok, Thailand 10210
Telephone: +66 (2) 956-4250 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              +66 (2) 956-4250      end_of_the_skype_highlighting
Fax: +66 (2) 956-4253

Email: info@adventbkk.ac.th
Website: http://www.adventbkk.ac.th/index.html

British Columbia International School
Grade Range: 1 to 12 (no kindergarten)
Curriculum: Canada

Address
608/1 Kalaprapruk Rd.,
Bangwar, Phasichareon, Bangkok, Thailand 10160
Telephone: +66 (2) 802-1188, 802-2550
Fax: +66 (2) 802-1055, 802-2551

Email: bcisb@bcisb.net
Website: http://www.bcisb.net/

Harrow International School
Grade Range: Pre-K to 13
Curriculum: British

Address
185/45 Soi Kosumruamjai 7
Sikan, Don Muang, Bangkok, Thailand 10210
Telephone: +66 (2) 503-7222
Fax: +66 (2) 503-7223

Email: his@harrowschool.ac.th
Website: http://www.harrowschool.ac.th

Keera-Pat International School
Grade Range: Pre-K to 12
Curriculum: American (California)

Address
58 Moo 9 Soi Yooyen
Ramintra 34, Bangkok, Thailand 10220
Telephone: +66 (2) 943-7790
Fax: +66 (2) 943-8180

Email: info@keera-pat.com
Website: http://www.keerapat.ac.th/

Kevalee International School
Grade Range: Pre-K to 12
Curriculum: American

Address
90 Soi Hatairaj 37 Hatairaj Road
Klongsamwa, Bangkok, Thailand 10510
Telephone: +66 (2) 906-6427
Fax: +66 (2) 906-6417

Email: admin@kevalee.ac.th
Website: http://www.kevalee.ac.th

Korean International School of Bangkok
Grade Range: K to 12
Curriculum: Korean and British

Address
29/19 Moo 6, Soi Mitmitri
Koophangnua, Nongjok, Bangkok, Thailand 10530
Telephone: +66 (2) 543-6981, 543-6982
Fax: +66 (2) 543-6980

Email: headofschool@kisbangkok.com
Website: http://www.kisbangkok.co.kr

Learning Home International Kindergarten
Grade Range: Pre-K to K (15 mos to 6 years)
Curriculum: British

Address
150/11 Soi Kengchuan Nanglinchee Rd.
Yannawa, Bangkok, Thailand 10120
Telephone: +66 (2) 678-5551, 678-5552
Fax: +66 (2) 678-5551, 678-5552

Email: learninghome@hotmail.com
Website: http://www.trinitycorp.com/html/learning_home.html

Mulberryhouse International Preschool
Grade Range: Pre-K to K (18 mos to 5 years)
Curriculum: British

Address
7 Soi Tonson Ploenchit Rd.
Lumpini, Pathumwan, Bangkok , Thailand 10330
Telephone: +66 (2) 684-5900
Fax: +66 (2) 684-5901

Email: admin@mulberryhousepreschool.com
Website: http://www.mulberryhousepreschool.com

New Sathorn International School
Grade Range: Pre-K to 12
Curriculum: American and British

Address
289/2, 289/5 Soi Naradhiwas Rajanakharindra 24
Naradhiwas Rajanakarindra Rd, Chongnonsri
Yannawa, Bangkok, Thailand 10120
Telephone: 66 (2) 672-2100, 672-2101
Fax: 66 (2) 672-2102

Email: info@newsathorn.com
Website: http://www.newsathorn.com

Rasami International School
Grade Range: Pre-K to 13
Curriculum: British

Address
48/2 Soi Rajavithi 2 Rajavithi Rd.
Phayathai, Bangkok, Thailand 10400
Telephone: +66 (2) 644-5291, 644-5292
Fax: +66 (2) 640-9527

Email: rasami@rasami.ac.th
Website: http://www.rasami.ac.th

RC International School
Grade Range: Pre-K to 8
Curriculum: British

Address
25/3-4 Ruam Rudee Soi 1 Ploenchit Rd.
Lumpini Phatumwan, Bangkok, Thailand 10330
Telephone: +66 (2) 254-4380
Fax: +66 (2) 650-9747

Email: info@rcinternationalschool.com
Website: http://www.rcinternationalschool.com

Saint John’s International School
Grade Range: Pre-K to Year 13
Curriculum: British (Canadian available to children 15+ years)

Address
Viphavadi Road Soi 22
Ladprao, Bangkok, Thailand 10900
Telephone: +66 (2) 513-8575; 513-8590
Fax: +66 (2) 513-5273

Email: sjiadmin@stjohn.ac.th
Website: http://www.international.stjohn.ac.th

Saint Stephen’s International School Bangkok
Grade Range: Pre-K to Year 13
Curriculum: British

Address
998 Viphavadee Rangsit Rd.,
Ladyao, Chatuchak, Bangkok, Thailand 10900
Telephone: +66 (2) 513-0270
Fax: +66 (2) 930-3307, 513-8271

Email: principal@sis.edu
Website: http://www.sis.edu

Bangkok (Huay Kwang):

KIS International School
Grade Range: Pre-K to 12
Curriculum: International Baccalaureate

Address
999/124 Kesinee Ville
Pracha-Utit Road (near Rama 9)
Huay-Kwang, Bangkok, Thailand 10320
Telephone: +66 (2) 274-3444
Fax: +66 (2) 274-3452

Email: info@kis.ac.th
Website: http://www.kis.ac.th/

Prep International School
Grade Range: Pre-K to K (6 mos to 6 years)
Curriculum: British and Montessori

Address
78 Suthisarn Rd.
Samsaenok, Huay-Kwang, Bangkok, Thailand 10310
Telephone: +66 (2) 274-7426
Fax: +66 (2) 274-8630

Email: info@prep.ac.th
Website: http://www.prep.ac.th

Thai-Japanese Association School
Grade Range: ???
Curriculum: Japan

Address
258 Soi Rongrien Yeepun Rama 9 Rd.
Huaykwang, Bangkok, Thailand 10320
Telephone: +66 (2) 314-7334
Fax: +66 (2) 314-7334

Email: tjas@tjas.ac.th
Website: http://www.tjas.ac.th/

The Regents School Bangkok
Grade Range: Pre-K to 13
Curriculum: British

Address
592 Pracha-Uthit Rd.
Huay Kwang, Bangkok, Thailand 10310
Telephone: +66 (2) 690-3777
Fax: +66 (2) 690-3778

Email: enquiry@regents.ac.th
Website: http://www.bangkok.regents.ac.th

Bangkok (Minburi/Bangkapi):

Bangkok Grace International School
Grade Range: Pre-K to 12
Curriculum: American

Address
79/3-12 Soi 112 Lardphrao Road
Wangthonglang, Bangkok, Thailand 10310
Telephone: +66 (2) 539-4516, 539-4517, 539-4518
Fax:+66 (2)530-6117

Email: grace.ac.th@gmail.com
Website: http://www.grace.ac.th/

Bromsgrove International School
Grade Range: Pre-K to 13
Curriculum: British

Address
55 Mu 9 Suwinthawong Road
Minburi, Bangkok, Thailand 10510
Telephone: +66 (2) 989-4873, +66 (2) 989-4793
Fax: +66 (2) 989-4094

Bromsgrove Early Years School
344 Mu 12 Ramkamhaeng 164 Road
Minburi Bangkok 10510
+66 (2) 540-7122, 540-7122

Email: enquiry@bromsgrove.ac.th
Website: http://www.bromsgrove.ac.th

Lycée Français International de Bangkok
Grade Range: Pre-K to 12
Curriculum: French

Address
498 Ramkhamhaeng 39 (Thep Leela 1)
Kwaeng Wangthonglang, Khet Wangthonglang, Bangkok, Thailand 10310
Telephone: +66 (2) 934-8008
Fax: +66 (2) 934-6670

Email:
Website: http://www.lfib.ac.th/index.php

Niva International School
Grade Range: Pre-K to 12
Curriculum: American

Address
2537 Ladprao Soi 101
Klongchan, Bangkok, Thailand 10240
Telephone: +66 (2) 948 4605
Fax: +66 (2) 948 4211, 948 4822

Email: nisniva@yahoo.com
Website: http://www.niva-is.net/news.php

Ramkhamhaeng Advent International School
Grade Range: K to 12
Curriculum: American

Address
1 Soi Ramkhamhaeng 119
Huamark, Bangkapi, Bangkok, Thailand 10240
Telephone: +66 (2) 370-0316, 370-0317
Fax: +66 (2) 370-0793

Email: info@rais.ac.th
Website: http://www.rais.ac.th

Redeemer International School Thailand
Grade Range: 1 to 12 (no kindergarten)
Curriculum: American

Address
42/2 Moo 4 Ramkhamhaeng 164
Minburi, Bangkok, Thailand 10510
Telephone: +66 (2) 916-6257
Fax: +66 (2) 916-6279

Email: info@rism.ac.th
Website: http://www.rist.ac.th

RIS Swiss Section – Deutschsprachige Schule Bangkok
Grade Range: K to 12
Curriculum: Swiss

Address
6/1 Ramkamhaeng 184 Road
Minburi, Bangkok, Thailand 10510
Telephone: 66 (2) 518-0340
Fax: 66 (2) 518-0341

Email: admin@dssb.org
Website: http://www.dssb.org

Ruamrudee International School
Grade Range: Pre-K to 12
Curriculum: American

Address
6 Ramkhamhaeng 184
Minburi, Bangkok, Thailand 10510
Telephone: +66 (2) 518-0320
Fax: +66 (2) 518-0334

Email: info@rism.ac.th
Website: http://www.rism.ac.th

Traill International School
Grade Range: 1B to 13
Curriculum: British

Address
43 Soi 16 Ramkhamhaeng Road
Huamark, Bangkapi, Bangkok, Thailand 10240
Telephone: +66 (2) 718-8779
Fax: +66 (2) 718-8546

Email: admissions@traillschool.ac.th
Website: http://www.traillschool.ac.th

Bangkok (Nonthaburi/Pathumthani):

Global Indian International School
Grade Range: K to 12
Curriculum: CBSE, Cambridge & International Baccalaureate

Address
39/39 Moo 1, Watchinwararam Pathumthani Sainai Rd.,
Bangkayang,, A. Muang Pathumthani, Bangkok, Thailand 12000
Telephone: +66 (2) 977-3739
Fax: +66 (2) 977-4100

Email: admissions@th.globalindianschool.org
Website: http://www.globalindian.org.sg/th

International School Bangkok
Grade Range: Pre-K to 12
Curriculum: American

Address
39/7 Soi Nichada Thani Samakee Road
Pakkret, Nonthaburi, Thailand 11120
Telephone: +66 (2) 963-5800
Fax: +66 (2) 583-5432

Email: register@isb.ac.th
Website: http://www.isb.ac.th

Magic Years International Kindergarten
Grade Range: Pre-K to K (10 mos to 6 years)
Curriculum: International Baccalaureate

Address
59/307-308 Muangthong Thani
Changwattana Road Soi 29
Pakkred, Nonthaburi, Thailand 11120
Telephone: +66 (2) 573 4597, 573 4598
Fax: +66 (2) 981 4232

Email: office@magicyears.ac.th
Website: http://www.magicyears.ac.th

Rose Marie Academy
Grade Range: Pre-K to 12
Curriculum: American

Address
39/6 Soi Nichada Thani
Pakkret, Nonthaburi, Thailand 11120
Telephone: +66 (2) 960-3663
Fax: +66 (2) 960-3664

Email: http://www.rose-marie.ac.th/EmploymentOpportunities
Website: http://www.rose-marie.ac.th/node/1

Siam International School
Grade Range: Pre-K to 12
Curriculum: American

Address
55/5 Moo 1, Klong 3 Rangsit-Nakornnayok Rd.
T.Bungyeetho, A. Thanyaburi, Pathumthani, Thailand 12130
Telephone: +66 (2) 991-6628, 991-6629
Fax: +66 (2) 991-6689

Email: info@siamschool.ac.th
Website: http://www.siamschool.ac.th

Saint Andrews International School Samakee
Grade Range: Pre-K to Year 4 (Plans to add grades 5&6)
Curriculum: British

Address
43 Soi Tiwanond 48 Tiwanond Road
Amphur Muang, Nonthaburi, Thailand 11000
Telephone: +66 (2) 952-4003
Fax: +66 (2) 952-4002

Email: samakee@standrews-schools.com
Website: http://www.standrews-schools.com/

Bangkok (Samut Prakarn):

The American School of Bangkok
Grade Range: Pre-K to 12
Curriculum: American

Address
Bangna Campus
900 Moo 3 Bangna-Trad Km.15
Bangplee, Samutprakarn, Thailand 10540
Tel: +66 (2) 312-5660-2, 312-5799
Fax: +66 (2) 312-5797

Email: info@asb.th.edu
Website: http://www.asb.th.edu/

Concordian International School
Grade Range: Pre-K to 12
Curriculum: International Baccalaureate (IB)

Address
918 Moo 8
Bangkaew, Bangplee , Samutprakarn, Thailand 10540
Telephone: +66 (2) 706-9000
Fax: +66 (2) 706-9001

Email: enquiries@concordian.ac.th
Website: http://www.concordian.ac.th

Nantawan Trilingual School
Grade Range: Pre-K to 7
Curriculum: American

Address
Nantawan Trilingual School
4/5 Moo 5 Soi Wadnamdaeng Srinakarin Rd.
Bangkeaw, Bangplee, Samutprakarn, Thailand 10540
Tel : +66 (2) 753-6436, 753-6839
Fax : +66 (2) 710-2156

Email : tracy@nantawan.ac.th
Website : http://www.nantawan.ac.th

Singapore International School Srinakarin
Grade Range: Pre-K to K (2 years to 6 years)
Curriculum: Singapore

Address
1000 Moo.5 Srinakarin Rd.,
Sumrong-Nua,, Muang, Samutprakarn, Thailand 10270
Telephone: +66 (2) 710-5900, 710-5901
Fax: +66 (2) 710-5700

Email: info@siss.ac.th
Website: http://www.siss.ac.th

Thai_Chinese International School
Grade Range: K to 12
Curriculum: American

Address
101/177 Prasertsin Road
Bangplee Yai, Bangplee, Samut Prakarn, Thailand 10540
Telephone: +66 (2) 751-1201
Fax: +66 (2) 751-1210

Email: registrar@tcis.ac.th
Website: http://www.tcis.ac.th

Thai-Sikh International School
Grade Range: Pre-K to 6
Curriculum: ???

Address
1799 Rim Thang Rod Fai Kao Rd.
Moo 1
Samrong Nua, Samutprakarn, Thailand 10270
Telephone: +66 (2) 393-1559
Fax: +66 (2) 393-1559

Email: tsisbkk@yahoo.com
Website: http://www.thaisikh.com

Bangkok (Sathorn):

Garden International School (Bangkok & Rayong)
Grade Range: Pre-K to 13
Curriculum: British

Bangkok Campus:
2/1 Yen Akart Soi 2, Yen Akart Road,
Bangkok, Thailand 10120
Tel: +66 (2) 249-1880, 240-1307
Fax: +66 (2) 249-1943

Email: marketing@gardenbangkok.com
Website: http://www.gardenrayong.com

International Community School
Grade Range: K to 12
Curriculum: American

Address
1225 The Parkland Road
Khwaeng Bangna, Khet Bangna, Bangkok, Thailand 10260
Telephone: +66 (2) 338-0777
Fax: +66 (2) 338-0778

Email: info@icsbangkok.com
Website: http://www.icsbangkok.com/

International Pioneers School
Grade Range: Pre-K to 13
Curriculum: British

Address
20 Soi Radjruam Charoen, (Soi Charoen Nakorn 14)
Charoen Nakorn Road, Klongsan, Bangkok, Thailand 10600
Telephone: +66 (2) 862-3030, 438-4741
Fax: +66 (2) 862-3029

Email: enquiry@internationalpioneersschool.com
Website: http://www.internationalpioneersschool.com

Saint Andrews International School Sathorn
Grade Range: Pre-K to Year 8
Curriculum: British

Address
9 Sathorn Soi 4 North Sathorn Road
Bangrak, Bangkok, Thailand 10500
Telephone: +66 (2) 632-1995
Fax: +66 (2) 632-1996

Email: sathorn@standrews-schools.com
Website: http://www.standrews-schools.com

Shrewsbury International School
Grade Range: Pre-K to 13
Curriculum: British

Address
1922 Chareon Krung Road
Wat Prayakrai, Bang Kholaem, Bangkok, Thailand 10120
Telephone: +66 (2) 675-1888
Fax: +66 (2) 675-3606

Email: enquiries@shrewsbury.ac.th
Website: http://www.shrewsbury.ac.th

Bangkok (Suan Luang):

Ascot International School
Grade Range: Pre-K to 13
Curriculum: British

Address
Ramkamhaeng Soi 118
Sapansung, Bangkok, Thailand 10240
Telephone: +66 (2) 373-4400
Fax: +66 (2) 373-7800

Email: info@ascot.ac.th
Website: http://www.ascot.ac.th

Bangkok Christian International School
Grade Range: K to 12
Curriculum: American

Address
53 Patanakan Soi 44
Suanluang, Bangkok, Thailand 10250
Telephone: +66 (2) 322-1979
Fax: +66 (2) 322-1978

Email: info@bis.ac.th
Website: http://www.bis.ac.th

Charter International School
Grade Range: Pre-K to 8 (grade 9 starting Aug 2010)
Curriculum: British

Address
6 Chalermprakiat Rama 9 Road
Pravate, Bangkok, Thailand 10250
Telephone: (0) 2726 8283-4
Fax: (0) 2726 8475

Email: charter@charter.ac.th
Website: http://www.charter.ac.th/

Heathfield International School
Grade Range: Pre-K to 13
Curriculum: British

Address
10/22 Moo 4 Sukhabiban 3 (Ramkhamhaeng)
Saphansung, Bangkok, Thailand 10240
Telephone: +66 (2) 372-2679, 372-2680
Fax: +66 (2) 372-2680

Email: contact@heathfield.in.th
Website: http://www.heathfield.in.th

Kincaid International School of Bangkok
Grade Range: Pre-K to 12
Curriculum: ???

Address
205/73-75 Soi Phasuksanti 3 Pattanakarn 69
Pravej, Bangkok, Thailand 10250
Telephone: +66 (2) 321-7010
Fax: +66 (2) 321-7013

Email: info@kincaidbangkok.com
Website: http://www.kincaidbangkok.com

Pan Asia International School
Grade Range: K to 9
Curriculum: American

Address
100 Moo 3 Chalermprakiat Rama 9 Street
Soi 67 Kwang Dokmai
Pravet, Bangkok, Thailand 10250
Telephone: +66 (2) 726-6273, 726-6274
Fax: +66 (2) 726-6341

Email: info@pais.ac.th
Website: http://www.pais.ac.th

Saint George’s International School
Grade Range: Pre-K to Year 6
Curriculum: British

Address
70/2 Moo 6 Mooban Phasukhathai
Pattanakarn Soi 78, Prawet, Bangkok 10250
Telephone: +66 (2) 722-2571
Fax: +66 (2) 722-2576

Email: info@st-georges-bangkok.com
Website: http://www.st-georges-bangkok.com

Saint Mark’s International School
Grade Range: K to Year 6
Curriculum: Australia

Address
900 New Rama 9 Rd.
Suanluang, Bangkok, Thailand 10250
Telephone: +66 (2) 300-5463
Fax: +66 (2) 300-5465

Email: info@stmarks.ac.th
Website: http://www.stmarks.ac.th

Talents International Preschool
Grade Range: Pre-K to K
Curriculum: Seventh Day Adventist

Address
201/32 Pattanakarn Road Soi 76
Praves, Bangkok, Thailand 10250
Telephone: +66 (2) 722-2420, 322-6300
Fax: +66 (2) 321-6997

Email: director@talents-preschool.com
Website: http://www.talents-preschool.com

Bangkok (Sukhumvit):

The American School of Bangkok
Grade Range: Pre-K to 12
Curriculum: American

Address
Sukhumvit Campus
59-59/1 Sukhumvit 49-3
Wattana, Bangkok, Thailand 10110
Telephone: +66 (2) 620-8600, 258-3931
Fax: +66 (2) 261-0330

Email: info@asb.th.edu
Website: http://www.asb.th.edu/

Anglo Singapore International School
Grade Range: K to 8
Curriculum: Singapore

Address
341 Sukhumvit 31
Klongton, Wattana, Bangkok, Thailand 10110
Telephone: +66 (2) 662-3105, 662-3106
Fax: +66 (2) 662-3107

Email: admin@anglosingapore.ac.th
Website: http://www.anglosingapore.ac.th

Bangkok International Preparatory and Secondary School (Bangkok Prep)
Grade Range: Pre-K to 10 (Grades 11&12 to be added beginning Aug 2010)
Curriculum: British

Address
23 Sukhumvit Soi 53
Wattana, Bangkok, Thailand 10110
Telephone: +66 (2) 260-7890
Fax: +66 (2) 662-5444

Email: hmsec@bkkprep.ac.th
Website: http://www.bkkprep.ac.th

Bangkok Patana School
Grade Range: Pre-K to 13
Curriculum: British

Address
643 Lasalle Road (Sukhumvit 105)
Bangna, Bangkok, Thailand 10260
Telephone: +66 (2) 398-0200
Fax: +66 (2) 399-3179

Email: reception@patana.ac.th
Website: http://www.patana.ac.th

Ekamai International School
Grade Range: K to 12
Curriculum: American

Address
57 Soi Pridi Banomyong 31
Sukhumvit 63, Wattana, Bangkok, Thailand 10110
Telephone: +66 (2) 391-3593
Fax: +66 (2) 381-4622

Email: info@eis.ac.th
Website: http://www.eis.ac.th

Harrow International School – Early Years Centre
Grade Range: Pre-K to K
Curriculum: British

Address
Early Years Centre, Ekamai
17 Ekamai Soi 4 (Pasana 2),
Sukhumvit 63 Road, Wattana, Bangkok 10110

Email: his@harrowschool.ac.th
Website: http://www.harrowschool.ac.th/earlyyears

IPC International Kindergarten
Grade Range: Pre-K to K (18 mos to 6 years)
Curriculum: British

Address
313 Sukhumvit Soi 31
Bangkok, Thailand 10110
Telephone: +66 (2) 258-8105, +66 (1) 318-9006
Fax: +66 (2) 662-2721
Website: http://www.ipcthai.com/

Nursery Branch
58/2 Sukhumvit Soi 31 sub soi 4
Bangkok, Thailand 10110

Email: info@ipcthai.com
Website: http://www.ipcthai123.com

Kiddykare International Kindergarten
Grade Range: Pre-K to K (15 mos to 6 years)
Curriculum: International Early Years Curriculum

Address
59/34 Sukhumvit 26
Klongton, Klongtoey, Bangkok, Thailand 10110
Telephone: +66 (2) 665-6777
Fax: +66 (2) 665-6774

Email: kkare@kiddykare.co.th
Website: http://www.kiddykare.co.th

Kid’s Academy International Pre-School
Grade Range: Pre-K to K
Curriculum: British

Address
52/1-2 Ekamai Soi 2 Sukhumvit 63
Wattana, Bangkok, Thailand 10110
Telephone: +66 (2) 714-3636 or +66 (2) 714-3737
Fax: +66 (2) 174-1212

Email: kids_academy@hotmail.com
Website: http://www.kidsacademy.ac.th

Ladybird International Kindergarten
Grade Range: Pre-K to K (18 mos to 5 years)
Curriculum: American and British

Address
21 Soi Promsri 2 Sukhumvit 49/13
Wattana, Bangkok, Thailand 10110
Telephone: +66 (2) 382-3338, 382-3339
Fax: +66 (2) 712-5499

Email: ladybird@teacher.com
Website: http://www.ladybird.ac.th/

Melodies International Kindergarten
Grade Range: Pre-K to K
Curriculum: Proprietary

Address
55 Soi 38,Sukhumvit Rd
Prakanong, Bangkok, Thailand 10110
Telephone: +66 (2) 712-1680, 712-1681
Fax: +66 (2) 712-1680, 712-1681

Email: melodies@anet.net.th
Website: http://www.melodieskinder.com

Modern International School Bangkok
Grade Range: Pre-K to 10
Curriculum: British

Address
125 – 135 Soi Phobmitr Sukhumvit 39 Rd.
Wattana, Bangkok, Thailand 10110
Telephone: +66 (2) 258-8216, 258-8222
Fax: +66 (2) 258-8219

Email: info@misb.ac.th
Website: http://www.misb.ac.th

Modern Montessori International Preschool
Grade Range: Pre-K
Curriculum: Montessori

Address
14 Soi Sukhumvit 34
Klongton, Klongtoey, Bangkok, Thailand 10110
Telephone: +66 (2) 665-6215, 665-6216
Fax: +66 (2) 665-6217

Email: mmi@mmithailand.com
Website: http://www.mmi-thailand.com

New International School of Thailand
Grade Range: K to 12
Curriculum: International Baccalaureate

Address
36 Sukhumvit 15
Wattana, Bangkok, Thailand 10110
Telephone: +66 (2) 651-2065
Fax: +66 (2) 253-3800

Email: admissions@nist.ac.th
Website: http://www.nist.ac.th

Seeh Phinong International Kindergarten
Grade Range: Pre-K to K (2 years to 6 years)
Curriculum: American Creative Curriculum

Address
95 Soi Thonglor 17 Sukhumvit Rd. Soi 55
Bangkok, Thailand 10110
Telephone: +66 (2) 381-9360, 391-2648
Fax: +66 (2) 391-3654

Email: info@spn.ac.th
Website: http://spn.ac.th

Singapore International School of Bangkok
Grade Range: Pre-K to 12
Curriculum: Singapore

Address
154 Soi Ekamai 14 Sukhumvit 63
Klongton Nua, Wattana, Bangkok, Thailand 10110
Telephone: +66 (2) 714-4097
Fax: +66 (2) 391-6017

Email: info@sisb.ac.th
Website: http://www.sisb.ac.th

Saint Andrews International School Bangkok
Grade Range: Pre-K to 13
Curriculum: British

Address
9 Soi Pridi Banomyong 20
Sukhumvit Soi 71, Prakanong, Bangkok, Thailand 10110
Telephone: +66 (2) 381-2387, 381-2388
Fax: +66 (2) 391-5227

Email: info@standrews.ac.th
Website: http://www.standrews.ac.th

Saint Andrews International School Sukhumvit 107
Grade Range: Pre-K to Year 7
Curriculum: British

Address
7 Sukhumvit 107 Road
Bangna, Bangkok, Thailand 10260
Telephone: +66 (2) 393-3883
Fax: +66 (2) 393-3925

Email: sukhumvit@standrews-schools.com
Website: http://www.standrews-schools.com

The Early Learning Centre
Grade Range: Pre-K to K (18 mos to 6 years)
Curriculum: Reggio Emilia

Address
18 Soi Arkaphat Sukhumvit 49/4
Klongton Nua, Wattana, Bangkok, Thailand 10110
Telephone: +66 (2) 381-2919
Fax: +66 (2) 391-1334

Email: inquiries@elc-bangkok.com
Website: http://www.elc-bangkok.com

The First Steps International Preschool
Grade Range: Pre-K to K (2 years to 6 years)
Curriculum: British

Address
8 Soi 43 (Sangmukda) Sukhumvit Rd.
Klongtoey, Wattana, Bangkok, Thailand 10110
Telephone: +66 (2) 258-7366
Fax: +66 (2) 258-7347

Email: firststep@access.inet.co.th
Website: http://www.thefirststeps.ac.th

Topsy Turvy International School
a.k.a The British School of Bangkok
Grade Range: Pre-K to 6
Curriculum: British

Address
36-36/1 Sukhumvit Soi 4 Soi Nana
Klongtoey, Bangkok, Thailand 10110
Telephone: +66 (2) 656-8224, 656-9961,656-7734
Fax: +66 (2) 656-7736

Email: info@bsbangkok.ac
Website: http://www.topsyturvy.ac.th/

Trinity International School
Grade Range: Pre-K to 12
Curriculum: American

Address
30 Sukhumvit 36 Lane 2
Klongton, Klongtoey, Bangkok, Thailand 10110
Telephone: +66 (2) 661-3993
Fax: +66 (2) 661-3992

Email: contact@trinity.ac.th
Website: http://www.trinity.ac.th/

Wells International School
Grade Range: K to 12
Curriculum: American

Addresses
Phrom Phong Campus (Pre-K & K)
22/1 Sukhumvit 47
Wattana, Bangkok , Thailand 10110
Telephone: +66 (2) 258-7208, 204-1096
Fax: +66 (2) 662-6259
Email: kindergarten@wells-school.com

On Nut Campus
2209 Sukhumvit Road
Prakhanong, Bangkok, Thailand 10260
Telephone: +66 (2) 730-3366
Fax: +66 (2) 760-3118
Email: wells85@wells-school.com

Thong Lor Campus
6 Sukhumvit Soi 51
Klongton-Nua, Wattana, Bangkok, Thailand 10110
Telephone: +66 (2) 662-5980
Fax: +66 (2) 662-5983
Email: wells51@wells-school.com

Website: http://www.wells-school.com

Chiang Mai:

American Pacific International School
Grade Range: Pre-K to 12
Curriculum: American

Address
158/1 Hangdong-Samoeng Road
Moo 3, Banpong, Hangdong, Chiangmai, Thailand 50230
Telephone: +66 (0) 53 365-303, +66 (0) 53 365-305
Fax: +66 (0) 53 365-304

American Pacific International School (Kindergarten)
178/9 World Club Land
Hangdong Road, Chiangmai, Thailand 50230
Tel: 053-131232

Email: admissions@apis.ac.th
Website: http://www.apis.ac.th/

Chiang Mai International School
Grade Range: K to 12
Curriculum: American

Address
P.O. Box 38 13 Chetupon Road
Chiang Mai, Thailand 50000
Telephone: +66 (53) 242-027, 306152
Fax: +66 (53) 242-455

Email: info@cmis.ac.th
Website: http://www.cmis.ac.th/

Christian German School Chiang Mai
Grade Range: K to 12
Curriculum: German (Thüringia)

Address
83/1 Moo 8, Buak Krok Nua
T. Tha Wang Tan, A. Sarapee, Chiangmai, Thailand 50140
Telephone: +66 (53) 816-624
Fax: +66 (53) 816-270

Email: office@cdscm.org
Website: http://www.cdscm.org

Grace International School
Grade Range: K to 12
Curriculum: American (Christian Bible focused)

Address
178/832 M. 7 Chiang Mai-Hod Road KM 10
A. Hang Dong, Chiang Mai, Thailand 50230
Telephone: +66 (53) 131-175
Fax: +66 (53) 131-179

Email: recruit@gisthailand.org
Website: http://www.gisthailand.org

Lanna International School
Grade Range: K to 12
Curriculum: American & British

Address
300 Grandview Moo 1, Chiang Mai-Hang Dong Road
A. Muang , Chiang Mai, Thailand 50100
Telephone: +66 (53) 806-230
Fax: +66 (53) 271-159

Email: lannaist@loxinfo.co.th
Website: http://www.lannaist.ac.th

Nakorn Payap International School
Grade Range: K to 12
Curriculum: American

Address
240 Moo 6 T. San Phi Sua
A. Muang, Chiang Mai, Thailand 50300
Telephone: +66 (53) 110-680
Fax: +66 (53) 110-687

Email: info@nis.ac.th
Website: http://www.nis.ac.th/

Prem Tinsulanonda International School
Grade Range: Pre-K to 12
Curriculum: International Baccalaureate

Address
PO Box I
Mae Rim, Chiang Mai, Thailand 50180
Telephone: +66 (53) 301-500
Fax: +66 (53) 301-507

Email: enquiry@premcenter.org
Website: http://www.premcenter.org

Chiang Rai:

Anuban Muangchiangrai School of English Curriculum (A.M.E.C.)
Grade Range: ???
Curriculum: ???

Address
Moo 2 Ban San Sai Noi Paholyothin Road
T.San Sai A.Muang Chiangrai, Thailand 57000
Tel. +66 (53) 774-373

Email: school.amec@gmail.com
Website: http://www.amecschool.in.th/in/index1.htm

Chonburi (Pattaya):

International School Eastern Seaboard
Grade Range: Pre-K to 12
Curriculum: American

Address
P.O. Box 6
Banglamung, Chonburi, Thailand 20150
Telephone: +66 (38) 345-556
Fax: +66 (38) 345-156

Email: ise@loxinfo.co.th
Website: http://www.ise.ac.th

International School of Pattaya
Grade Range: K to Year 13
Curriculum: British

Address
383 Moo 6, Sukhumvit Road
Pattaya City, Chonburi, Thailand 20150
Telephone : +66 (38) 726-457
Fax : +66 (38) 726-459

Email: ISP@loxinfo.co.th
Website(s): http://www.isp.th.edu/ and http://www.isppataya.com/index.htm

Thai-Japanese Association School Sriracha
Grade Range:
Curriculum: Japan

Address
312/10 Moo5,
Surasak, Sriracha, Chonburi, Thailand 20110
Telephone: +66 (38) 339-973
Fax: +66 (38) 339-978

Email: sriracha@tjas.ac.th
Website: http://www.tjas.ac.th/sriracha

The Regents School Pattaya
Grade Range: Pre-K to 13
Curriculum: British

Address
33/3 Moo 1
Pong, Banglamung, Chonburi, Thailand 20150
Telephone: +66 (38) 418 777
Fax: +66 (38) 418 448

Email: enquiry@regents.ac.th
Website: http://www.pattaya.regents.ac.th

Koh Samui:

Bluewater International School
Grade Range: K to Year 13
Curriculum: British

Address
141/21 Moo 6
Bophu, Koh Samui, Surat Thani, Thailand 84320

School secretary
Telephone: +66 (77) 484-548
Email: secretary@bluewatersamui.com

Headmaster
Telephone: +66 (77) 245-559
Email: headmaster@bluewatersamui.com

Website: http://bluewatersamui.com/index.html

Samui Centre of Learning
Grade Range: Pre-K to 10
Curriculum: British

Address
206/36 Moo 4, Maret,
Koh Samui, Surat Thani, 84310
Tel: (+66) 077-418-789
Fax: (+66) 077-458-576

Email: emma@samuicentreoflearning.com
Website: http://www.samuicentreoflearning.com

Nakorn Pratham:

Meta International School
Grade Range: ???
Curriculum: ???

Address
Baan Suantarn : 66 moo 1
Petkasem Road, Tapraya, Nakornchaisri, Nakornprathom, Thailand 73120
Telephone: +66 (34) 339-310
Fax: +66 (34) 339-309

Email: mail@metaschool.ac.th
Website: http://www.metaschool.ac.th

Nakorn Ratchasima:

Saint Stephen’s International School Khao Yai
Grade Range: Year 1 to Year 13
Curriculum: British

Address
49/1-3 Moo 4 Thanarat Road
Tambol Nongnamdaeng
Amphur Pak-Chong, Nakorn Ratchasima, Thailand 30130
Telephone: +66 (4) 432-8334, +66 (2) 513-0270
Fax: +66 (4) 436-5019 or +66 (2) 930-3307

Email: School_Office_KY@sis.edu
Website: http://www.sis.edu

Phuket:

British International School Phuket
Grade Range: Pre-K to 13
Curriculum: British

Address
59 Moo 2 Thepkasattri Road
Koh Kaew, Muang, Phuket, Thailand 83000
Telephone: Phuket +66 (76) 238-711; Bangkok Marketing Office +66 (2) 636-8991
Fax: Phuket +66 (76) 238-750; Bangkok +66 (2) 636-8992

Email: info@bcis.ac.th
Website: http://www.bcis.ac.th/

QSI International School of Phuket
Grade Range: Pre-K to 12
Curriculum: ???

Address
Box 432 A. Muang
Phuket, Thailand 83000
Telephone: +66 (76) 354-077
Fax: +66 (76) 354-077

E-mail: phuket@qsi.org
Website: http://www.qsi.org/pkt_home/pkt_home.htm

Rayong:

Garden International School (Bangkok & Rayong)
Grade Range: Pre-K to 13
Curriculum: British

Rayong Address
188/24 Moo 4 Pala-Ban Chang Rd
Amphur Ban Chang, Rayong, Thailand 21130
Telephone: +66 (38) 880-360
Fax: +66 (38) 630-735

Email: marketing@gardenrayong.com
Website: http://www.gardenrayong.com

Saint Andrews International School Rayong
Grade Range: Pre-K to 13
Curriculum: British

Address
23 Moo 7
Banchang-Makham Rd (route 3376)
Rayong , Thailand 21330
Telephone: +66 (38) 893-716
Fax: +66 (38) 893-720

Email: rayong@standrews-schools.com
Website: http://www.standrews-schools.com

Saraburi:

Adventist International Mission School
Grade Range: Pre-K to 9
Curriculum: American

Address
195 Moo 3 (P.O.Box 10)
Muaklek, Saraburi 18180 Thailand
Telephone: +66 (0) 36-720-675
Fax: +66 (0) 36-720-675

Email: info@aims.ac.th
Website: http://www.aims.ac.th

Saint John Mary International School
Grade Range: Pre-K to 12
Curriculum: American

Address
131 Moo 1 Phaholyotin Road
Nongyao, Muang Saraburi, Thailand 18000
Telephone: +66 (36) 218-600
Fax: +66 (36) 225-445

Email: info@sjmis.ac.th
Website: http://www.sjmis.ac.th/

Popularity: 6% [?]

Continue Reading

This is a short list of Nursery schools and Kindergartens within Thailand that are considered “International”. There are many more Kindergartens and Preschools in Thailand (especially Bangkok) that call themselves International, however this is a shorter list of those that have good websites and good reviews throughout the internet from parents whose children have attended the schools. I feel confident that these are among the top nursery and Kindergartens in Thailand.

To get more information about International Kindergartens in Thailand you may want to consult the website of BAMBI (Bangkok Mothers and Babies International). This non-profit Bangkok based volunteer organization provides information, support and companionship for pregnant women and mothers of small children for the past 25 years. I’ve seen on other sites that the BAMBI site seems a bit incomplete, but I thought the site looked good and appears to be updated frequently. If you’re going to be in Bangkok with babies or small children I think they could be a valuable resource.

Complete List of International Schools in Thailand
American Curriculum Schools
British Curriculum Schools
International Baccalaureate Schools
Singapore Curriculum Schools

Save it, print it and share it – Download the List of Thailand International Schools

Bangkok:

Learning Home International Kindergarten
Grade Range: Pre-K to K (15 mos to 6 years)
Curriculum: British

Address
150/11 Soi Kengchuan Nanglinchee Rd.
Yannawa, Bangkok, Thailand 10120
Telephone: +66 (2) 678-5551, 678-5552
Fax: +66 (2) 678-5551, 678-5552

Email: learninghome@hotmail.com
Website: http://www.trinitycorp.com/html/learning_home.html

Mulberryhouse International Preschool
Grade Range: Pre-K to K (18 mos to 5 years)
Curriculum: British

Address
7 Soi Tonson Ploenchit Rd.
Lumpini, Pathumwan, Bangkok , Thailand 10330
Telephone: +66 (2) 684-5900
Fax: +66 (2) 684-5901

Email: admin@mulberryhousepreschool.com
Website: http://www.mulberryhousepreschool.com

Bangkok (Huay Kwang):

Prep International School
Grade Range: Pre-K to K (6 mos to 6 years)
Curriculum: British and Montessori

Address
78 Suthisarn Rd.
Samsaenok, Huay-Kwang, Bangkok, Thailand 10310
Telephone: +66 (2) 274-7426
Fax: +66 (2) 274-8630

Email: info@prep.ac.th
Website: http://www.prep.ac.th

Bangkok (Nonthaburi/Pathumthani):

Magic Years International Kindergarten
Grade Range: Pre-K to K (10 mos to 6 years)
Curriculum: International Baccalaureate

Address
59/307-308 Muangthong Thani
Changwattana Road Soi 29
Pakkred, Nonthaburi, Thailand 11120
Telephone: +66 (2) 573 4597, 573 4598
Fax: +66 (2) 981 4232

Email: office@magicyears.ac.th
Website: http://www.magicyears.ac.th

Singapore International School Srinakarin
Grade Range: Pre-K to K (2 years to 6 years)
Curriculum: Singapore

Address
1000 Moo.5 Srinakarin Rd.,
Sumrong-Nua,, Muang, Samutprakarn, Thailand 10270
Telephone: +66 (2) 710-5900, 710-5901
Fax: +66 (2) 710-5700

Email: info@siss.ac.th
Website: http://www.siss.ac.th

Bangkok (Suan Luang):

Talents International Preschool
Grade Range: Pre-K to K
Curriculum: Seventh Day Adventist

Address
201/32 Pattanakarn Road Soi 76
Praves, Bangkok, Thailand 10250
Telephone: +66 (2) 722-2420, 322-6300
Fax: +66 (2) 321-6997

Email: director@talents-preschool.com
Website: http://www.talents-preschool.com

Bangkok (Sukhumvit):

Harrow International School – Early Years Centre
Grade Range: Pre-K to K
Curriculum: British

Address
Early Years Centre, Ekamai
17 Ekamai Soi 4 (Pasana 2),
Sukhumvit 63 Road, Wattana, Bangkok 10110

Email: his@harrowschool.ac.th
Website: http://www.harrowschool.ac.th/earlyyears

IPC International Kindergarten
Grade Range: Pre-K to K (18 mos to 6 years)
Curriculum: British

Address
313 Sukhumvit Soi 31
Bangkok, Thailand 10110
Telephone: +66 (2) 258-8105, +66 (1) 318-9006
Fax: +66 (2) 662-2721
Website: http://www.ipcthai.com/

Nursery Branch
58/2 Sukhumvit Soi 31 sub soi 4
Bangkok, Thailand 10110

Email: info@ipcthai.com
Website: http://www.ipcthai123.com

Kiddykare International Kindergarten
Grade Range: Pre-K to K (15 mos to 6 years)
Curriculum: International Early Years Curriculum

Address
59/34 Sukhumvit 26
Klongton, Klongtoey, Bangkok, Thailand 10110
Telephone: +66 (2) 665-6777
Fax: +66 (2) 665-6774

Email: kkare@kiddykare.co.th
Website: http://www.kiddykare.co.th

Kid’s Academy International Pre-School
Grade Range: Pre-K to K
Curriculum: British

Address
52/1-2 Ekamai Soi 2 Sukhumvit 63
Wattana, Bangkok, Thailand 10110
Telephone: +66 (2) 714-3636 or +66 (2) 714-3737
Fax: +66 (2) 174-1212

Email: kids_academy@hotmail.com
Website: http://www.kidsacademy.ac.th

Ladybird International Kindergarten
Grade Range: Pre-K to K (18 mos to 5 years)
Curriculum: American and British

Address
21 Soi Promsri 2 Sukhumvit 49/13
Wattana, Bangkok, Thailand 10110
Telephone: +66 (2) 382-3338, 382-3339
Fax: +66 (2) 712-5499

Email: ladybird@teacher.com
Website: http://www.ladybird.ac.th/

Melodies International Kindergarten
Grade Range: Pre-K to K
Curriculum: Proprietary

Address
55 Soi 38,Sukhumvit Rd
Prakanong, Bangkok, Thailand 10110
Telephone: +66 (2) 712-1680, 712-1681
Fax: +66 (2) 712-1680, 712-1681

Email: melodies@anet.net.th
Website: http://www.melodieskinder.com

Modern Montessori International Preschool
Grade Range: Pre-K
Curriculum: Montessori

Address
14 Soi Sukhumvit 34
Klongton, Klongtoey, Bangkok, Thailand 10110
Telephone: +66 (2) 665-6215, 665-6216
Fax: +66 (2) 665-6217

Email: mmi@mmithailand.com
Website: http://www.mmi-thailand.com

Seeh Phinong International Kindergarten
Grade Range: Pre-K to K (2 years to 6 years)
Curriculum: American Creative Curriculum

Address
95 Soi Thonglor 17 Sukhumvit Rd. Soi 55
Bangkok, Thailand 10110
Telephone: +66 (2) 381-9360, 391-2648
Fax: +66 (2) 391-3654

Email: info@spn.ac.th
Website: http://spn.ac.th

The Early Learning Centre
Grade Range: Pre-K to K (18 mos to 6 years)
Curriculum: Reggio Emilia

Address
18 Soi Arkaphat Sukhumvit 49/4
Klongton Nua, Wattana, Bangkok, Thailand 10110
Telephone: +66 (2) 381-2919
Fax: +66 (2) 391-1334

Email: inquiries@elc-bangkok.com
Website: http://www.elc-bangkok.com

The First Steps International Preschool
Grade Range: Pre-K to K (2 years to 6 years)
Curriculum: British

Address
8 Soi 43 (Sangmukda) Sukhumvit Rd.
Klongtoey, Wattana, Bangkok, Thailand 10110
Telephone: +66 (2) 258-7366
Fax: +66 (2) 258-7347

Email: firststep@access.inet.co.th
Website: http://www.thefirststeps.ac.th

Wells International School
Grade Range: Pre-K to K
Curriculum: American

Address
Phrom Phong Campus (Pre-K & K)
22/1 Sukhumvit 47
Wattana, Bangkok , Thailand 10110
Telephone: +66 (2) 258-7208, 204-1096
Fax: +66 (2) 662-6259

Email: kindergarten@wells-school.com
Website: http://www.wells-school.com

Chiang Mai:

American Pacific International School (Kindergarten)
Grade Range: Pre-K to K
Curriculum: American

Address
178/9 World Club Land
Hangdong Road, Chiangmai, Thailand 50230
Tel: 053-131232

Email: admissions@apis.ac.th
Website: http://www.apis.ac.th/

Popularity: 3% [?]

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You can find several guides and websites online claiming that it’s possible to be living in Thailand on just $20 a day. Is this really possible or are these just the dreams of deluded individuals? Can you live in Thailand on $600 (currently 20,000 baht) a month? Or has the past few years inflation made Thailand too expensive for such a frugal lifestyle?

I suppose anything is possible and if you live in northeast Thailand or some remote area of the north or deep south of Thailand then it’s quite possible you can do this. It depends too on what type of lifestyle you expect to have. On $600 a month I can’t imagine there will be much cash available for travel or entertainment. And there is no way I can imagine living in Bangkok on that paltry amount, although I have read accounts of those who know someone that is doing just that.

I’m honestly not completely sure if it’s possible or not, but I am hoping to get a discussion going here to find out what others think, especially those that currently are living in Thailand. Let’s make this clear once and for all.

So, with that in mind if you have experience currently living in Thailand we would all be greatly appreciative if you could chime in below in the comments. Let us know what YOU think about the possibilities of living in Thailand on just 20,000 baht per month.

If possible, please include the town or province in Thailand where you live, current rental rates for apartments/condos, food costs (both Thai and Western would be great), prices for services such as electric, cable and internet, entertainment costs and anything else you think is relevant.

Personally I don’t think I could live in Thailand on anything less than 50,000 baht a month and I feel I would be depriving myself of opportunities at that. I’m really hoping to get some good comments though so we all know what the current cost of living is like in various parts of Thailand and whether or not it’s possible to get by on just $20 a day in Thailand.

Popularity: 7% [?]

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I received the following story in my email a few days ago. I loved it and hope you all feel the same. If you’d like to read more by this author you can take a look at his blog “Because There’s Air Conditioning In Internet Cafes” which is a diary of his travels in India and to a lesser degree Thailand.

Spare a thought for the drunk tourists.

I was shocked when my wife was rushed into hospital on Koh Samui recently.
Shocked by the state-of-the-art ambulance. Shocked to find four medics
inside it. Shocked that all this was for Delhi belly.

The hospital was equally luxurious. We’d come from a beach-hut where a rat
lived in the toilet and ate our soap. So clean bedding excited us, AC made
us tremble and the five-course meal – I nearly fainted. At least I was in
the right place. I struggled to fathom this luxury; it’s hard to
concentrate with six nurses arranging your wife. I was forced to stand on
the balcony. I watched the nurses leave. And come back. Leave. And come
back. Like waves crashing onto the shore, leaving behind some medical or
housekeeping jetsam.

The epiphany.
Going for assessment we felt like adventurers in some futuristic
space-station. Dials flashed, machines brooded, staff ignored us with quiet
efficiency. Just how had this amazing place come about? It was no surprise
that Westerners filled each bed: busted heads, broken limbs, twisted
ankles. Sorry sights, self inflicted. That’s when it hit me. A beautiful
thing was happening.

The drunks of the world had made this amazing facility.

Drunk topless yobs crashing motorbikes. Girls in bikinis falling off
tables. Hairy louts with bad tattoos waking in agony, without the faintest
clue where they were the night before. It was these people that had made
this amazing facility. The drinking classes. That much maligned part of
society. Armed only with a complete lack of self awareness, a favourable
exchange rate and a travel insurance policy. They made all of it. It
seemed the ne’er-do-wells had done well.

Trickledown effect.
And all unsung, unlike your sanctimonious colleague getting you to fund
skydives, or celebrities fundraising for starving photo-opportunities.
Drunks: quiet heroes, funding amazing hospitals. Hospitals now the
government is now using to drive growth using health tourism. And the
trickledown effect? For your average backpacker, the trickledown effect
involves bodily fluid and legs. But there’s more than that. In Koh Tao,
every third or fourth shop is a doctor’s surgery. And every surgery’s
window promotes the same best selling services:

Wound dressings
Pregnancy tests
Blood checks.

A succinct summary of the backpacker experience – get drunk, fall over, have
sex, fall over again – but also of just how much medical training and
infrastructure now exists, benefiting average Thais. Drunks have achieved
what the G20 couldn’t, what politicians discuss only because Bob Geldof is
glowering.

Is this the answer to world development? Take a poor country. Export some
drunks. Wait. Wait. Bingo! You’ve got world-class medical facilities,
we’ve exported our idiots, everyone’s a winner!

Maybe not. Getting obnoxiously drunk all the time is not cool. But, next
time you happen to be walking down the road on some Thai island and have to
step over a comatose girl in a bikini, while tonight’s conquest vomits down
his shirt, don’t tut. They’re helping make the world a better place. And
they don’t even know it.

Popularity: 6% [?]

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