16 Pros and Cons of Living in Thailand

Last Updated on March 12, 2021 by Filip Poutintsev

Little larger than California, Thailand lies between its neighbours Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Malaysia on the Indochina peninsula of South East Asia. With over 2,000 miles of shoreline, this tropical nation is noted for fine sand-white beaches and crystalline blue-green waters. Not to mention ancient ruins, stunning Buddhist temples, and world-renowned food.

For a reason, Thailand is one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations. Spectacular scenery, friendly people and tourists are rarely more than a long boat ride away from a fun experience. However, ex-pats have to be prepared for the fact that there are pros and cons of living in Thailand, just like everywhere else in the world. Here are some of the key points to be considered before moving to Thailand.

Pros of Living in Thailand

1. Local Events and Festivals

Every year thousands of visitors come to Thailand to experience the many special activities and ceremonies that the country has to offer and take part in. Expats will definitely not miss out as Loy Krathong and Songkran, two of the most exciting local festivals in Thailand.

2. Multicultural

Thailand has drawn in multiple ex-pats in the last 20 years as a result of the many business opportunities in the tourism industry. For starters, Krabi is full of a range of interesting people of many different cultural backgrounds. This is almost certain that ex-pats will be exposed to many different cultures and meet people from all over the world.

3. Natural Beauty

Thailand is undoubtedly a country full of natural beauty, from postcard-worthy beaches, calcareous cliffs, and bizarre rock formations to lush jungles, green mountains, and secluded waterfalls. There’s an interesting blend of ancient and modern Thai architecture that most people will find. The Kingdom markets are always vibrant and then the beautiful gardens are to be seen.

4. Food

There’s a reason why today, Thai cuisine is one of the world’s most popular options. Most of the dishes are based on the idea that attraction is created by opposite ingredients. You’ll find sweet things like chilli paste, lime and sugar matching coconut milk, or other sweet and salty combinations. The natural ingredients are a favourite, with the menu dominated by herbs and vegetables. As long as you look out for MSG in your food, when you start living here, you can find that it is almost impossible to remain hungry.

5. Housing Variety

A wide variety of accommodation options are available in Thailand. from Thai traditional housing to modern blocks of apartments or villas. If you wish, you can rent an apartment, take advantage of the mainstream housing market, or pay a little extra for staying in an apartment or resort.

Most emigrants want to live somewhere near the city centre to make it easier to conduct errands, but there are some amazing deals to find out if you can find a place outside the usual metro area.

6. Safety

After October 2014, the United States has not released any travel alerts or warnings for Thailand, although some warnings have been released about the country’s political activities. If you’re an American who’s thinking about living in this country, then you’ll want to check the State Department’s website periodically to decide whether there’s any warnings or moments of worldwide warning you need to obey.

7. Travelling is Cheap

Travelling inside Thailand after you start living in the country is unbelievably easy and economical. From Bangkok, you can take an overnight bus to Chang Mai for about $25. When you want to get there quicker than the country’s flights start at $50.

You can also take a train overnight if you prefer to travel on the bus for about the same price. You can also travel abroad without the same costs you ‘d face in the USA or Europe. You can go anywhere in south-east Asia for around a $200 roundtrip flight.

8. Helpful and Friendly People

When you start living in Thailand, you’ll find that everyone tries to be helpful in some way. A lot of smiles and polite talks are waiting for you. When you meet someone who knows what they are talking about when you ask a question, it can be a positive thing.

9. Nightlife

Thailand’s nightlife always seems to be lively due to the number of travellers that pass through the country all year round. If you want to go out and have a nice time living here, then almost every evening offers the chance of having fun. You can also see the city’s new art galleries, go out to see a movie or take a stroll around the local market. There is always something that doesn’t stretch out your budget.

Cons of Living in Thailand

1. Weather

Thailand has a fair amount of days, where the weather feels good. You will also discover that around 50 per cent of your time when you start living here will be stuck in managing hot and humid conditions.

The rainy season can also cause chaos while attempting to get around. Even if you want to escape the idea of the winter season and shovelling snow, you can also wear 70 per cent moisture at 100F temperatures – and those days can last for several weeks at a time without relief.

2. Violence

For immigrants, Thailand is considered a reasonably safe country. The amount of physical assaults or property theft problems isn’t as severe as they are in the developing world, but when you leave your home you will always need to take some precautions.

The nation has a long history of civil instability that can also sometimes flare-up. There were several bombings in August 2016 that happened across the country, killing four people and injuring 37 others.

3. Crime

Myanmar, Laos and Thailand ‘s Golden Triangle is the world’s second-most famous place to grow opium poppies after Afghanistan. Currently, there are over 50 organized crime organizations trying to bring this drug into Thailand, and others including meth.

Party drugs are now starting to be the most common in the Kingdom but hard drugs such as heroin and crack are still available. If you are bringing more drugs you can use in one environment, then Thailand has the ability to give you a life sentence.

4. Quality of Schools

In Thailand, the quality of education ranges from mediocre to godawful, depending on who you ask. If you have babies, just a consideration, but a pretty big consideration if you intend to come with the little ones in tow. You’re looking at class sizes of 40 + students, “exams” passed by all, teachers with nothing in the way of professional expectations and little in the way of credentials that are globally accepted.

5. Dangerous Roads

Thailand is still a developing country, and the roads can get pretty rough as many developing nations. This is hardly somewhere like Indonesia’s Mad Max-style roadways, but the fact is that here education about safe driving is not up to scratch.

6. Prostitution

There are certain cultural issues that you might face when you move to Thailand, with one of the most bizarre for ex-pats being the openly accepted prostitution practice. Young girls are frequently seen swooning into their older men ‘s arms, paying for their service. You would also have friends who, by the hour or by the night, would have no problem hiring someone for their services.

Thailand has a reputation for child trafficking due to the economic inequality that certain areas of the country are experiencing. A few families rely on trading sex through their children just for food to survive.

7. Corruption

Police officers in Thailand get paid a pittance for the daily work they do. It is not uncommon for officials to focus on scraping out vast sums of international money, including ex-pats since they are seen as wealthy. Many people have been told they will be charged with a crime or threatened with a false allegation, and then given the chance to “spend” to be set free on the street to avoid the police office.