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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So you’ve been to Thailand and fell in love with the culture, the people and the easy lifestyle. You absolutely have to get back and you think you even want to live there. Sounds good to me, I have the same aspirations. The problem is, unless you have a trust fund or some very generous relatives (I have neither) you’ll need a way to make money while you’re in Thailand. Are there ways for a foreigner to make money while living in Thailand? You bet there are! Don’t expect to get rich, but you will have the pleasure of living in the land of smiles and all of the cultural benefits of living in a foreign land. Here are some ways you can go about putting some cash in the bank while you live and enjoy Thailand.

1. Teach English – This is probably the most popular method for native English speakers to make money while living in Thailand (or any other foreign country for that matter). You don’t really need anything to get started except a good command of English and to get your butt to Thailand. While it’s possible to find teaching jobs online it’s not very likely unless you are a licensed teacher already and you are applying to the top tier international schools in Bangkok. For the rest of us it’s best to just get to Thai and start knocking about looking for work. English teachers generally make around 35,000 baht a month and upward, depending on how hard you want to work. One very good resource for prospective English teachers in Bangkok and Thailand is Ajarn.com. They have been around since 1999 and have the best information about teaching in Thailand that I’ve seen. Plus they have links to many of the English schools and a fantastic job board. I could go more in depth about teaching English in Thailand as a job, but they have it all covered already. If you have a university degree you may want to try for a job at one of Thailand’s International Schools. The competition is fierce, but the pay scale is typically much better than the language schools.
2. Translator – Not many people know it, but it is quite possible to find work as a translator for Thai businesses in Bangkok. English is the international language of business and if you don’t mind presenting products then this could be right up your alley. Pay can range anywhere from 2000-6000 baht a day which isn’t too bad if you can find steady work. To get this kind of job does require some networking, but it’s not hard.The best way to get started is by getting yourself out there and networking. Dress sharp, image is very important to Thai’s. White shirt, dark pants and blazer and a tie are necessary for this work. Check the Bangkok Post for business conventions which are typically held at the Queen Sirikrit Convention Center which is on Ratchadaphisek Rd. near the Thailand Stock Market off Rama IV Rd. Once there simply mingle and talk with some of the businesses there. You’ll find that many of them will be happy to hire you on to help promote their products in English.
3. Actor/Model – Another little known job for falangs (foreigners) in Thailand is as actors or models. The pay isn’t great, but if you build a name for yourself you can get fairly consistent work. And I understand it’s a great way to meet the ladies. Again, you can find leads in the Bangkok Post or try putting together a small portfolio of photographs and mailing it to the modeling/acting agencies listed in the yellow pages. If you’re really serious you may want to get an agent as they can be invaluable in securing work and negotiating. Pay can range from 2000 baht a day and up. Not great, but the work is easy and wouldn’t it be glamorous to say you’re a model/actor?
4. Dive Instructor – If you’ve got PADI dive certification and can get or already have dive instructor certification this could be perfect for you. It’s not really up my alley so I’m not sure how easy it would be to get this job, but the Andaman sea has some of the best diving in the world and there are a whole host of dive shops and live aboards that work from the islands of Thailand. I would guess the pay isn’t great, but this isn’t really something you do for the pay, you do it for the passion and the experience.
5. Accountant, engineer, salesman, lawyer or any professional position. You won’t get a job at a Thai company for most professional positions, but if you’ve got experience you may be able to land a position with a multi-national company that has offices in Bangkok. Since you’ll be getting paid in your home countries currency and will very likely have all the benefits of an ex-pat package (retirement, housing, travel, tuition for children, medical insurance, etc) these are the sweetest jobs around. I don’t qualify, but if you do and you want to get yourself to Thailand start looking. Price Waterhouse has a lot of ex-pats in Asia as do large multi-nationals like Siemens, IBM, HP, and any petrol related business. If you really want to be here then that should be enough motivation to conduct a comprehensive search.

Well, there you go. 5 jobs or professions you can start pretty much as soon as you land in Bangkok. Give yourself enough money to last a few weeks to two months to get oriented and just go. Once you get there and start networking you’ll find many open doors and the adventure of a lifetime. It’s really not that hard all you need is the desire to be there. You’ll gain cultural experience and job related experiences that can’t be had anywhere else by working in Thailand and if you eventually choose to go back to your native country you’ll be that much more valuable to employers there thanks to your experience.

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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.

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On this cold and snowy winter day here in the U.S. I thought I would share with you 10 things I miss about Thailand. Typically a few of these things will enter my head at any time, but when the weather is like this they seem to be a constant in my thoughts. This list is by no means comprehensive and I’d love to hear about the things all of you miss from Thailand.

1. Obviously the heat and humidity. Call me crazy, but I love it
2. Being able to get a great cheap meal from a street vendor within minutes no matter where I am
3. Thai women wai’ing. Just something so sexy about them when they do that.
4. The crazy cabs that have that kinda incense smell and the white dots all over the ceilings.
5. The beaches and crystal clear water.
6. Thai smiles. They don’t call it the Land of Smiles for nothing.
7. Outdoor beer bars.
8. Black Canyon coffee and Roti Boy
9. Songkran Festival. I know it’s just once a year, but it is the best holiday celebration I’ve ever experienced anywhere.
10. Bargaining when I buy something.

So, those are 10 things I miss right now from Thailand. What about all of you, what do you miss from Thailand? Or if you’re living in Thailand what do you miss from your home countries? Please don’t tell me snow

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