Try going into buildings you are interested in and asking at the front desk if any apartments are for rent. They should then refer you to the agent active in that building. We rented 2 years ago & the agents we met with just showed us apartments, no fees at all. The agent got a commission - from the owner - on the one we rented.

I had to pay customs duties on my irreplaceable belongings that we couldn’t part with, family heirlooms, etc. I don’t know if a work visa exempts you from import duties, but I believe that to obtain a work visa you need a job that will provide the visa. I don’t think an agent can just get you a work visa. You need the job, & your employer arranges the visa.

I thought when you renew the visa for the next year, they void the old visa in your passport?

@Marty ********

Well, the university approached him about a new contract, so his current visa status will be part of his decision on whether to accept. Thanks for your input!

Thank you all! He'll see if the university can arrange for the new visa to start when the OA ends, it will be easier.

If you have high quality furniture or family heirlooms it's worth shipping. We shipped our furniture & some belongings because we have some good quality pieces & antiques that we couldn't afford to replace - we'd end up buying junk from Ikea. And some were family heirlooms, so irreplaceable. So the shipping costs were less than buying new items of that caliber. If you have only average furniture, can just buy new in Thailand. But if you have fine pieces, it's worth bringing. And yes, most apartments here are furnished. But if you're moving over permanently, you can rent a storage space until you work out details of your longterm home. (That's what we did. Storage is way cheaper here than in U.S.)

@Steve *********

We're over 50, bought, happy living rent-free. The right decision for us, maybe not for everyone.

Come to Thailand first, rent or stay in a hotel if it's for short visit, look around, figure out which area suits you, then buy. There are tons of apartments for sale, no need to lock something in before you can see it in person. And whether it makes sense to buy vs. rent depends on your needs. We bought a condo in Bangkok to live in for retirement. Compared to the US it's quite affordable, & we have very little monthly outlay for living expenses. We don't need to rent it out when we're not here, & are not overly concerned if it doesn't go up in value a lot over the years. You may have a different situation.

Thanks for this information!

Hi all. Just a heads up on timing - Bangkok Bank said a full-year statement will take up to 3 business days. They can print out 6 months on the spot, but not the full year. FYI to allow time for that. (I’m still early, my current stamp is good until end of January. But please keep it in mind anyone running short on time!)