If you are thinking of moving to Thailand, then this country has benefits galore. Of course, not everything will be to your liking. But in this article, we will try to give you a taste of what the country has to offer, particularly if you are a European, North American or Australian/NZ Expat, thinking of making Thailand your base

Pros for an Expat

COVID -19 Free

With the COVID raging in most countries, Thailand is one of the few countries to have eradicated the virus. At the time of this article in 2020, there was no current local transmission of COVID-19. There are some social distancing measures but by and large people can go about their lives normally. Bars, Clubs, Schools, Restaurants are all open. A complete difference to almost all of Europe and North America.

Weather

If you are used to the Canadian arctic chill, or the Northern European cold bluster, then you will have no complaints when the sunshine of Thailand envelopes you, the all year round. Thailand has a rainy season for around 6 months of the year, but even then, there’s a big difference between the biting cold rain of a North American winter and the warm droplets that fall in Thailand. And the rain is still pleasantly warm in Thailand.

Word Renowned Cuisine

Thai food is popular the world over, and of course there’s nothing like sampling Thai cuisine in its native land. The streets are abuzz with delicious Thai fried snacks and for the health conscious there is a cut fresh fruit vendor on every corner. Bangkok has a sampling of every country’s food and there is something for every palette, even if you just stick to McDonalds or Burger King. Whether you are on a budget or you frequent swanky Five Star Hotels there are plenty of choices at every level

Cost of living

Thailand’s cost of living is one of the lowest cost popular Expat destinations. Expats can live on less that USD$1000 a month. Certainly. a comfortable lifestyle can be had for USD $2000 per month.

World Class Medical Facilities

Thailand has globally renowned hospitals and specialist clinics and prices are much lower than comparable institutions in Europe, the UK and America. Many people can use their Expat Medical Insurance and gain access to the great facilities here

Cons for an Expat

Weather

Although Thailand’s weather is great for some, the all year-round heat can make walking around a sweaty experience. But nothing a tea shirt under a shirt couldn’t handle. You can easily make sure you are well turned out for your business meeting.

Political Situation

There has been varying degrees of political turmoil in the last twenty years in Thailand. The Thai Democracy has a General in charge and there are various movements that are trying to achieve political change. However, for an expat focussed on business or leisure, the political issues rarely effect daily life.

Poor road Safety

One area where Thailand consistently performs poorly is road accidents. Although Thailand has traffic legislation often as tough as Europe or North America, the enforcement is lax. The accident rate is one of the highest in the world. In 2016, 32.7 out of every 100,000 Thais died on the nation’s roads, compared to the road fatality rate in the United State of 12.4 (WHO stats). Just remember when you cross the road here, you need to keep an eye on the traffic as well as the lights. Certainly, ensure you have Expat Health Insurance just in case you are unlucky.

All in all, though Thailand remains one of the most attractive places for expats. The issues that do exist are small compared to the benefits of climate, Great Tourist Locations. Cost of living and friendliness of the Thai people