@Nongnuch *******

It won't apply to me as I intend to have a years lease within a couple of days arriving, and use that. But for others, maybe....

@Jamie *****

You can fly (limited baggage, one carry on, only small planes like air asia fly between the two, we had four large suitcase for a month stay) train, penang to hat yai, large luggage on a train is no fun and border crossing with luggage can be tiring as you have to change trains at the border, hire a driver, which is what I did.

He does it regularly and knows his stuff. He picked me up at my door, drove the three hours 30 mins to hat yai, helped and guided me across the border, dropped me right outside my rental apartment. He charged 600MYR each way. He stopped on the way so I could buy duty free things if I wanted to, I didn't, just took a pee break.

Him chatting to the border people was certainly making things easier... no questions asked, no bags searched. At the border for thailand I simply showed my booking dot com apartment to immigration and they stamped me in.

It was not a mini van full of people, just me and my friend in a 6 seater. Perfect.

We were carrying quite a bit of luggage for two people for a month stay so the train journey would have been horrible.

I found the driver in FB, he is very good, if you need his details let me know. He is 100% legal and very knowledgeable.

@Kirk *********

Thanks for that. The only agent I am using is to rent an apartment, a real estate agent. I have no desire to use a visa agent but I do see the need for them.. I can do this... with a little help

@Blade *******

AI can't do much with my old face!

@Lee ************

I have a friend in Hat Yai who can assist me if I get stuck. He's a native. I made sure to make one friend last time I was there 🙂

I have a non monetized YT channel (that means I'm not looking for clicks to earn money, I don't care.... just for my own pleasure really) If you're interested in my travels I post very boring videos. There is a video of my first month in Hat Yai back in April when I went to see if I would like to live there.

I don't post snazzy videos with music and commentary, more like the boring slide show of the 1960's with your mum and dad. Feel free to have a look, I will be adding to this as I hopefully, and with your help, successfully, move to thailand and rent a condo in the next couple of months.

@Jim *******

I should have a lease within the first few days of arriving so I hope to use that address from the 'get go' for the bank account.

@Jim *******

So many bank fail stories, but they are usually accompanied by lack of paperwork and incorrect visas.....

@Klaudia *********

I hope you find a solution soon. Best of luck to you. The way my border hops worked managed to cross the new year so I didn't raise any alarm bells.

The visa is valid for 90 days once issued. That means you have to enter thailand within those 90days. Bear that in mind when you apply, mine only took around 12 days to be approved. You don't have to bein your home country to apply but you do have to apply from outside thailand to apply online. In my case, I am in Penang with a british passport and it was no problem at all. Good luck to you

@Tracy ****************