Hi all ,
I read many forums about visa runs and life in general and this site is excellent ….however I would love to hear if Hau Hin is suitable for family life.We have lived in France for 11 years but now because of my work in Asia ( Oil and Gas ) we have decided to sell up and move to Thailand .Are there any couples with children ( We have three boys 9,15,17 years) Who can share their experiences with us for example:
I would be working overseas with my wife and children staying in Thailand …do the children have to do the visa runs ?
Is it the type of place where you can bring up children long term or are families staying there only mostly with Husbands / Wives working on short term contracts.
Please forgive me if my questions sound naïve but these are things I need to know I would hate to take my family to a place where they would be unhappy especially as from what I have read so far its appears to be ideal for us……
Family Life
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SHADOW
- Specialist
- Posts: 163
- Joined: Tue Jul 06, 2004 1:09 pm
- Location: Head in the clouds feet on the floor
Yes everybody will need a visa, The only problems is if you work for a thai company you will need a work permit, if your company is offshore and you work offshore you may not need one www.thaivisa.com may be a place to post. HH is ok for families but your 17 year old may get a bit bored no work, unless he wants to go to school here then a study visa is require, but again not sure what age this starts.
There's no such thing as a free lunch
As Shadow pointed yes everyone will require a visa.
If you are working offshore Thailand (regardless of who you work for as all international oil companies and service contractors, have to be registered in Thailand to operate) you will require a non immigrant 'B' visa and a work permit. Your family then can all get 'O' visas being dependants of you.
I also work offshore / onshore in the oil and gas industry and in the past had a work permit for PTT in the Gulf of Thailand.
I now work elsewhere in S.E. Asia and return for my field breaks in Hua Hin. For the previous 6 years until 2004, I didn't have a Thai visa as I was rarely back in Thailand for more than 30 days continually and if needed to I would extend it with immigration in either Bangkok or Prachuapkirikan. I now have a 1 year Multi-entry (90 days) non immigrant 'O' visa from Singapore as I am married to a Thai.
For yourself depending on your work schedule you may not need a visa - unless you want to form a company / buy a car etc .. . But your family will require visas.
Non immigrant 'O' visas can be obtained for your family in the UK at least as long as they have a letter of guarantee in case they get into financial difficulties - to pay for re-patriation.
Hua Hin no problem at all for families.
Education might be a problem if wish your children to attend an international school. As far as I am aware ..... only Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket and Chiang Mai have them, I could be wrong.
If you are working offshore Thailand (regardless of who you work for as all international oil companies and service contractors, have to be registered in Thailand to operate) you will require a non immigrant 'B' visa and a work permit. Your family then can all get 'O' visas being dependants of you.
I also work offshore / onshore in the oil and gas industry and in the past had a work permit for PTT in the Gulf of Thailand.
I now work elsewhere in S.E. Asia and return for my field breaks in Hua Hin. For the previous 6 years until 2004, I didn't have a Thai visa as I was rarely back in Thailand for more than 30 days continually and if needed to I would extend it with immigration in either Bangkok or Prachuapkirikan. I now have a 1 year Multi-entry (90 days) non immigrant 'O' visa from Singapore as I am married to a Thai.
For yourself depending on your work schedule you may not need a visa - unless you want to form a company / buy a car etc .. . But your family will require visas.
Non immigrant 'O' visas can be obtained for your family in the UK at least as long as they have a letter of guarantee in case they get into financial difficulties - to pay for re-patriation.
Hua Hin no problem at all for families.
Education might be a problem if wish your children to attend an international school. As far as I am aware ..... only Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket and Chiang Mai have them, I could be wrong.
Thanks Ricardo ,
The company I work for is based in the Uk so not registered in Thailand I am not selfemployed and could probably remain on tourist visa for time being. I have been advised that the children can stay on a student visa which is long term and both parents can the apply for parent visas of 1 year however this can take up to 3 months. I am more concerned now for my eldest son who is now 17 and I think his only option is to enrole in a university ( He is currently at technical college studying electrical engineering)Hua Hin sounds like a great place and we will definately be over in June to weigh things up )
The company I work for is based in the Uk so not registered in Thailand I am not selfemployed and could probably remain on tourist visa for time being. I have been advised that the children can stay on a student visa which is long term and both parents can the apply for parent visas of 1 year however this can take up to 3 months. I am more concerned now for my eldest son who is now 17 and I think his only option is to enrole in a university ( He is currently at technical college studying electrical engineering)Hua Hin sounds like a great place and we will definately be over in June to weigh things up )