Hi from Australia

[Archie]

Thank you for this wonderful meeting place. So full of useful info. We are a family of four moving to Hua Hin in July. Two kids 17and 21 and two dogs.

I am a secondary teacher- do you honestly think I will find work of some sort? People tell me there are too many teachers there already and I won't find any work. Too young to retire.

Will the dogs be safe? People also tell me they will be stolen

Any info greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[hhfarang]

Sorry, we already have our limit of kids, dogs, and teachers....welcome.

[MajorBloodnok]

G'day cobber,

actually I'm a Jerry imposter pretending to be an Australian.

I am baffled why anyone would prefer Thailand to downunder.
Can't be the climate?

I would have preferred to emigrate to Australia, but the cost of living
is too high. (And there are too many snakes & spiders!)

My Filipino wife & I settled here in July 2012. Perhaps we could
meet some time.

Give my love to your wife, kids and dogs!

Warm regards,

MB aka 'Mike the Fritz'

[Archie]

Thanks MB

We have lived in Oz all our ,lives and want a change of lifestyle. The cost of living here is outrageous. My most recent electricity bill was $800 for the last quarter! Phone and Internet is also a killer. Food is very expensive and eating out for dinner for 4 always costs us at least $80. I'm just tired of being screwed over by the government.

Killer fauna is easy to cope with!!

Would love to catch up sometime

Thanks again

Archie

[PeteC]

Archie, to give anyone on here the opportunity to help you intelligently you need to give some more info. Here's some initial questions. Not all by any means, but a start.

1) Have you visited before and if so, do you have a rental house arranged for when you arrive. With 2 dogs I think you'll need a house, not condo or apartment?

2) What kind of visa do you and your wife have in hand? Is your wife Thai and if so, Do your kids have dual citizenship....Thai/Australian?

3) Your kids are 21 and 17. That means if not Thai, the 21 is an adult and needs his own visa arrangements. The 17 when 18 the same.

4) Frankly speaking, how much cash do you have to be able to live here without employment? It could be a very long time before you find a teaching position of the value you need to support your family.

When you answer some or all of the above you'll get more replies giving further advice and experiences. Good luck to you. Pete

[Archie]

Thanks for your reply Pete.

I was hesitant to post a whole host of questions before I had time to read through the forum in case they had been asked and answered already.

We have visited many times previously and will definitely need a house. Any advice on renting, especially the better areas ( if there is such a thing) would be appreciated.

We are both Australian, so will apply for a tourist visa, unless I am able to secure a job beforehand.

Financially we don't need to work for some time, but of course we need to work for our sanity. We cant sit on the beach all day.

Thanks

[Dannie Boy]

Re the visa, are you under or over 50?

[Archie]

47 and 52

[dtaai-maai]

I was hesitant to post a whole host of questions before I had time to read through the forum in case they had been asked and answered already.

Good man!

Getting a teaching job will be relatively easy if you are a qualified teacher already, but getting a job you want in the place you want (HH presumably!) might be a little more tricky. There are several teachers' forums you can look at for job ads. Google will help you.

Don't worry about the dogs. It's not unknown for a particularly good breed to be stolen, but I suspect there are more cases of burglary than of dog-napping!

If you're going for a tourist visa for everyone, try to get a triple entry visa at first - that will give you getting for 9 months grace if you arrive soon after the visa is issued (60 days + 30-day extension from HH Immigration x 3).

EDIT: Are you able to bring the dogs here if you're coming on a tourist visa?

[Archie]

Thanks dm- good and sensible advice.
I will check on the dogs/visa situation

And sorry to unintentionally mislead- that should be Good Girl!

[angelicaB]

I feel bad for you. I don't want you to loose hope but in reality, there is a great competition in that field. If you really can't find a new job, you can be a private tutor. That way, you can still earn and have a job.

[Archie]

Angelico B- you don't need to feel bad for me. I have years of experience and I have never had trouble finding work so I'm sure I will be fine.

[trish120]

Hi there, was reading your posts today and we are also moving to Hua Hin at the end of July or early August and would love to meet with people that live there and would gladly receive any suggestions that you may be able to throw our way on what to do and what not to do.

We are also looking for some suitable accommodation just south of Hua Hin. Any advice would be great welcomed.

Love to know how you are traveling with your plans also.

Keep in contact.

Regards,

Trish

[Takiap]

47 and 52

I might be wrong, but one of you should be able to obtain a retirement visa providing you meet the financial requirements. In that case, the rest of your family can "piggyback" on that visa.

As far as renting a place is concerned, my advice would be to avoid any long term contracts at first, while you scout around for a good deal. There are plenty of people renting homes here and paying far more than they actually need to.

I also wouldn't worry too much about your dogs being stolen. As DM has mentioned, there have been cases where dogs have been stolen, but it very rarely happens. If you want to be on the safe side, just get word out that neither of your dogs are capable of breeding.


Good luck with your move.

[Big Boy]

I might be wrong, but one of you should be able to obtain a retirement visa providing you meet the financial requirements. In that case, the rest of your family can "piggyback" on that visa.

I don't think that would apply to the children. Maybe somebody could clarify.