Photo: Ao Phang Nga National Park, Thailand. Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0. Cropped.
Picture your everyday life in Thailand
Bangkok’s food and cultural life, Chiang Mai’s neighborhoods and coastal towns offer different daily rhythms.
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Start with an ordinary week
Compare a Bangkok neighborhood with your preferred smaller base using a weekday grocery trip, clinic location and work call. Price cooling, transport and insurance alongside rent.
The honest tradeoffs
Heat, seasonal air quality, transport and US meeting hours deserve a realistic trial.
- Compare seasonal air, heat and rain conditions for the exact months and location.
- Inspect road and walking routes before assuming a beautiful rental makes car-free living easy.
- A five-year visa validity does not mean five uninterrupted years of residence or a tax exemption.
Heat, seasonal air quality, transport and US meeting hours deserve a realistic trial.
Try the routine before the move
Try a morning market and an evening neighborhood walk in the season you would stay.
Try Thai lessons and a recurring local interest group. Ask women living alone about transport after dark and finding help. Seek recent accounts from Black residents and other people of color beyond holiday testimonials.
Adapted from this country’s lifestyle guide. Scouting suggestions are editorial planning ideas, not a guarantee of safety or suitability.
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