Thailand Starter Kit is a collection of free guides for people looking to move to Thailand to live and work there. It covers the less glamorous topics every expat and long-term visitor has to figure out, including health insurance, renting an apartment, opening a bank account, hiring a lawyer and other challenges of expat life in Thailand. If you’re looking for something specific, you can use the search box on the right hand side (bottom of the page if you’re viewing it on mobile).
Where to Start
The best place to start is this detailed overview of my cost of living in Bangkok. It shows what I spend money (as well as exactly how much) while living and working here. From there you can then check out what you’ll need for living here, discover how to get the best deals and figure out the most convenient solutions. The article cross-links to a lot of other sections on the website, making it easier to dive deeper into how to figure life out in Thailand and what it’ll end up costing.
Highlights
I cover the essentials of life in Bangkok, but there are some areas that I feel particular confident in giving advice. I’m a health-conscious guy (how to stay fit in Bangkok), who likes to optimize life (where to order groceries on the internet) and enjoys running a tech company out of Bangkok (how to hire the right people in Thailand and how to handle cross-cultural management challenges). If you are still trying to figure out what you could be doing when you move to Bangkok, you might also want to check out this guide to finding a job in Thailand.
Popular Posts
- Thai Health Insurance: Here’s What You Need to Know as an Expat
- An Expat’s Guide to Finding Work in Thailand
- An In-Depth Guide to Renting an Apartment in Bangkok
- An In-Depth Guide to Fitness in Bangkok: Activities, Locations, and Prices
- Cost of Living in Bangkok: How I Spend ฿74,031.83 Every Month
Latest Articles
Moneytis Review: Compare Fees & Speed of Money Transfers - Let’s face it, there are going to be times when you need to send money either to or from Thailand. As an expat, this can be hard if you don’t know where to get the best exchange rates, the quickest transfer times, or the cheapest transfer fees. A handful of years ago we were at the mercy of Western Union or Bangkok Bank. 
Renting a Car in Thailand: What You Need to Know - Renting a car is a great way to explore the Kingdom of Thailand. If you are not in Bangkok, public transportation options are quite limited outside downtown areas. Fortunately, there are several car rental companies, both local and international, that have branches across the country covering various locations as well as the airports.
A Step-By-Step Guide to All Thailand Visas: From Application to Approval - Foreigners visit Thailand for different reasons. Certain visits require a Thai Visa, while some don’t. If you intend to stay long-term, this in-depth guide contains a comprehensive guideline, a list of useful resources, and up-to-date procedures for Thai Visa application services. You can visit the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand website for general visa information.
How to Get a Thai Driving License: Documents, Test and Renewal - Expats planning to drive a car in Thailand should apply for a Thai driving license. This is the only way to ensure that you can drive legally in the country and are fully covered by a car insurance policy. It can also serve as an ID card issued by the government. In addition, a Thai driving license can be done in a single day, costs a few hundred baht, and is valid in 10 ASEAN countries.
A Pragmatic Guide to Money and Relationships in Thailand - Figuring out your life together with a partner is not always an easy path, especially if you come from very different cultural backgrounds. One of the more tricky topics often tends to be the finances - if only for the real or imagined taboos that exist in different societies where you might hail from.Podcast: Brewed in Bangkok
If you’re wondering what life is like for the people who actually live in Bangkok, you should check out our podcast ‘Brewed in Bangkok‘. It’s a great way to discover the stories that lie hidden throughout Thailand’s capital. Here are the latest episodes of the Brewed in Bangkok podcast:
- BiB021: From 364lbs Gamer to Dating Coach with Sky Robert Penderis
- BiB020: Spilling the Beans With Suranand Vejjajiva
- BiB019: Sukhumvit Noir With Jake Needham
If you would like to listen to all Brewed in Bangkok podcasts, click here to find them out.
Contact Me
If you have a question that’s not answered on the website, please feel free to contact me and I’ll do my best to help you out. Keep in mind that I have a day time job managing a company, so replies might sometimes be a bit delayed.