Are you thinking of living in Thailand? With around 3.6 million migrants living in Thailand as of 2022, making up 5.2% of the total population, moving to Thailand is becoming increasingly popular among expatriates.
If you too are asking yourself the question, ‘should I move to Thailand?’ perhaps this guide will help you to decide. Here we’ll cover how to find a job, a place to live and explain some of the ins-and-outs of daily life in Thailand as an expat.
What to expect from living in Thailand as an expat
Thailand is a newly-industrialised country with an incredible history. In the commercial centre and capital city Bangkok, workers will find an industrial and service economy that has cemented the city as the one of economic centres of South East Asia.
Bangkok is very modern, and so you can expect good telecommunications systems, high-quality architecture, public transportation networks and a generally metropolitan culture, with plenty of bars, restaurants and leisure facilities. There are over 10 million people living in Bangkok, and the population is growing.
Outside the capital, Thailand’s diverse landscape is less modernised and predominantly agricultural. The mountainous north is littered with temples known as ‘wats’, which are popular with backpackers and tourists, and which reflect the country’s strong association with Buddhism. Along the Malay Peninsula and throughout the Gulf of Thailand in the south, one will find long stretches of tropical beaches and islands, including the popular destination of Koh Samui.
Being close to the equator, Thailand is hot all year round, with a monsoon season lasting most of the summer. For this reason, air conditioning is essential for people living in Thailand.
