Ask about the fees in YOUR bank.

Book a guesthouse for the first 2-3 nights, get there, chose the surroundings where you would like to live, check real estate agents around. The safest, the easiest.

A "gite" is guesthouse. Renting rooms to tourists is a businesses. You would need a work visa.

Depends on your home country...

If you are travelling on a valid US passeport, you don't need a visa. When you arrive at the airport and pass immigration, you will receive a free stamp that will allow you to stay in Thailand for 30 days (make sure you have 1. at least 600 USD in cash 2. A accomodation booking for the first days 3. An exit air-ticket for date shorter than 30 days. If you want to stay more than 30 days, you go to immigration office in Thailand and buy an extension of stay of 30 more days, for 1'900 Baths (at 60 USD). The details are on Google...

Paying 80 $ to save 15 minutes... Really?

@Brian *******

I do the same, but in Switzerland : I have my Swiss account and I have a Thai account. Transfers from Switzerland cost about 2$. No fee in Thai bank. Exchange rate normal, official inter-bank exchange rate. Ask your US bank and Thai bank how it works. Make sure you can still keep your US bank despite having your permanent address in Thailand. The bank might not accept. Switzerland accepts only under certain conditions (long time client, reliable, etc.).

@Ryan ******

Explain better, then maybe people can really help...

You start from scratch, like you do when you move to Thailand : find a place to rent, etc.

@Rich ****

True. I hope he booked the flights on one ittinerary only...