Living in Thailand is not the same as visiting. It is no longer staying in hotels and enjoying the tourist attractions and entertainment venues on a daily basis.   

Thailand and Pattaya are indeed wonderful places, but often things are done differently here - you cannot assume that the way you do things in your home country is the way it will be done here.

If you are contemplating moving to Thailand, most Expats will tell you that you should give living here a try out before you make any firm decision. Add to this the fact that you will not only be actually “living" in a foreign country, you will also be "living" in a different culture.

In this section, we provide information about banking, health care, and driving in Thailand, which are three areas that most of those new here want to know about.  We also offer some brief comments on other aspects of living in Thailand that may be of interest or value. 

Expat Helping Expats - the motto of the Pattaya City Expats Club (PCEC) since its inception in 2001.

We are here to help in the transition from being a visitor to being an Expat resident.

This page offers information that can help with the transition. But, the PCEC also has an Open Forum during the Sunday meetings, which offers the opportunity to ask specific questions.

If you have questions about living in Thailand not answered here, stop by and feel free to ask your questions during the Open Forum or contact us at info@pcec.club.

BANKING IN THAILAND

Whether you are visiting or living in Thailand, you will need money. For the tourist or visitor, there are numerous currency exchanges in the major tourist areas and there are an abundant number of ATMs available in most  towns and cities.

Click the button below for more information about Currency & Exchange Rates, Bank Accounts, Online Banking, Transferring Funds, Paying Bills, and Thailand Banks & Exchange Rates.

HEALTH CARE IN THAILAND

The health care in Thailand’s major cities is quite good because many have one or more high-quality private international hospitals available.

Health care outside these areas is available in Government hospitals, which can provide good basic care.

Thailand bills itself as a HUB for medical tourism.

Click the button below for more information on health care in Thailand

DRIVING and/or OWNING A VEHICLE

Visitors as well as Expats can own and/or operate a vehicle in Thailand.

Major roads use international road signs, directions in Thai & English, and place names in both Thai script & Roman letters.

However, if you choose to operate a vehicle, you should do so with great care as Thailand has one of the very highest rates of accidents and road deaths of any country.  Therefore, it is wise to understand some things about the driving culture.

Click the button below for more information on health care in Thailand

VEHICLES & DRIVING

This section is not intended to offer legal advice. For legal matters it is best to consult with a Thai lawyer licensed to practice in the Thai courts.

However, we believe that Expats living in Thailand should have some general idea about legal matters that may have an impact.

Click the button below for more information about legal issues that you should be aware of as they could impact on your living in Thailand

LEGAL ISSUES