Relocating To Thailand

When you relocate to a new country, your first few weeks will be spent making numerous lifestyle decisions to ensure that settling in and the remainder of your stay are as hassle-free and pleasurable as possible.

Accommodation

Probably the most important of the decisions you will have to make when you arrive in Bangkok is your place of residence. It is worth taking the time to view a number of properties in several locations before rushing headlong into a hasty decision, which you may regret in a couple of months time.

In order to allow yourself a little breathing space whilst viewing long term residential properties, it is often convenient to stay at one of the many serviced apartments until you have found your new home. These apartments usually include utility costs, daily housekeeping, use of all facilities and occasionally laundry services in the monthly rental price.

Longer-term residences are concentrated around three major expatriate areas in Bangkok: Sukhumvit, Ploenchit and Sathorn. Whilst the standard of accommodation is comparable in all three areas, Sukhumvit and Ploenchit offer a greater selection of rental properties, shops and amenities.

In view of the continuing problem of traffic congestion in central Bangkok, particularly during rush hours, it is advisable to choose a property with proximity to a major road, especially if you will be using public transport.

Proximity to an expressway is advisable if you will be travelling in and out of Bangkok on a regular basis. The opening of the BTS "Skytrain" along Sukhumvit and parts of Sathorn in December 1999 has improved transportation around the main residential and business districts considerably and has opened up a number of residential areas outside the established expatriate districts previously considered inconvenient.

Rental accommodation available to long term residents includes both apartments and houses. Whilst houses may be most people?s ideal when choosing accommodation, in central Bangkok a substantially larger budget is required to secure a well-maintained house with swimming pool and garden than would be required for a similar sized apartment with full facilities.

There are several housing compounds, however, in and around Bangkok, which offer the best of both worlds: the use of shared facilities such as a pool and clubhouse and the privacy and space a house affords.

Most apartments require a minimum one-year term in their lease agreements, with two months' rental payable as a security bond and one months' rental payable in advance. As houses are owned by private individuals, the terms and conditions vary from property to property. Important points to consider prior to choosing accommodation are as follows:

 Inclusion, functioning, maintenance and cost of utilities;
 Proximity to any wasteland and future developments;
 Security and fire safety;
 Pool maintenance and pest control;
 General maintenance of the property; in an apartment - is there twenty-four hour maintenance service? and;
 Availability of maid's quarters, (if not in the apartment itself).

Negotiating points when considering the actual lease agreement are usually cost, furnishings, inclusion of appliances and services such as cable and a mutually acceptable diplomatic clause, in the case of the tenant being transferred out of Bangkok during the period of the lease.

At present, the monthly rental for a 3-bedroom apartment in the centre of Bangkok ranges from B40,000 to B100,000 with exclusive apartments or penthouses costing B100,000+. House rentals are substantially higher and a well-maintained, single house with garden and pool is currently B120,000+ per month.

There are numerous sources in Bangkok, which provide information on the residential property market. These include dailies such as The Bangkok Post and The Nation, and fortnightly publications such Guide of Bangkok, as well as a number of international and local real estate agents. Real estate agents are available for home searches, free of charge, every day except Sundays.

Whilst it is possible to walk into properties and make enquiries yourself, most of the real estate agents in Bangkok have a good knowledge of the market, particularly market prices and will be able to save you a great deal of time and, more often than not, ensure you get a better deal. Agents will usually obtain their fee from the landlord of the property. Some of the more reputable agencies include Andrew Park Property Agent, Brooke Hillier Parker, Colliers Jardine, and CB Richard Ellis

Domestic Staff

Most 3-bedroom apartments, houses and some 2-bedroom apartments have maid's quarters within them or located on the premises and most expatriates find employing a daily or live-in maid makes life significantly easier during their time in Bangkok. Despite the demand for live-in maids/nannies, there is a serious lack of qualified and English-speaking maids on the market. Good maids are hard to come by and many of the better maids stay with the same families for a number of years and accompany them to their next posting. If possible, it is advisable to employ a maid who comes with references and a recommendation from other expatriates.

Sources of information for both part-time and live-in maids are the various women's groups, advertisements at the Villa Supermarkets, the British Club and apartment noticeboards and Maid to Order, an agency specialising in sourcing and training maids for expatriate families in Bangkok (www.maidtoorder.net).

The average salary for a live-in maid whose duties include cooking, shopping, managing the home, taking care of children is 4,500 to 8000 baht per month, depending on experience. A daily maid who cleans and does laundry and takes care of children from Monday to Saturday will charge around 3500 to 5000 baht per month. In order to avoid uncomfortable and distressing situations arising further down the line, it is advisable to have a mutually agreed probation period, during which time both parties can discover whether the arrangement is suitable longer term.

Gardeners can be sourced through the expatriate network, your own domestic staff, the landlord or residents of neighbouring properties. Salaries vary greatly depending on frequency of service and whether the gardener resides on the property.

Drivers usually work eight hours a day, six days a week for an average monthly salary of 10,000 baht. Overtime is usually charge at 100 baht an hour and double time for holidays.

Schools

There are numerous international pre-schools and high schools in and around Bangkok, which cater for children from the ages 2 to 18 years. Whilst your choice of school may be based primarily on the curriculum and language in practice, standards vary greatly and it is advisable to consider the following before making a choice:

• Cost per term and registration fee;
• Number of students per class;
• Qualification and turnover of teachers;
• Facilities;
• Transport to and from the school; and
• School hours and term times.

A number of the international schools offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) which is accepted by a number of American, Canadian and European Universities and most Australian, New Zealand and UK universities.
 

From: Rachel McIvor

Source: relocations.co.th