5 Things I Wish I Knew Before Moving to Bangkok as a U.S. Expat
May 3, 2025 · 4 min read · by Richard
Lessons from Day One
“Bangkok will confuse you, charm you, and change you — usually all in the same day.”
Moving abroad is never a straight line, and Bangkok is no exception. Before I landed here, I binge-watched YouTube vlogs, scrolled Reddit threads, and made checklists in Notion. But the real learning started after I arrived.
If you’re a U.S. expat or remote worker planning to settle in Bangkok, here are 5 things I genuinely wish I’d known before making the leap from visa weirdness to the joys of $2 noodles.
1. Not all visas are equal!
I thought getting a visa would be a one-and-done situation. Spoiler: it’s not. Between Tourist, Education, Non-Immigrant O, Elite, and now the DTV (Digital Nomad Visa), there’s a maze of rules, renewal quirks, and entry stamps to navigate.
In my case, I applied for a Non-O visa in Laos and didn’t prepare for the complexities of it. For reference, I am married to a Thai national. We thought applying for the Non-Immigrant Type-O would be a breeze… it’s really, really not.
We ended up going through a visa consultant, and I am currently waiting for the decision back on this issue. It does make the headache a little better, but be prepared to pay a hefty chunk of change. It typically ranges from 60k THB to upwards of 150k THB.
If you are looking for a visa agent to help make the process smoother, we wholeheartedly recommend Visa Care Thai Visa. You can find them on instagram here 👉 visacare.thaivisa on IG
2. Banking and Money Transfers Take Planning
I assumed opening a Thai bank account would be easy. It wasn’t. Without a work permit or Long term visa, many banks reject applications. Although some branches are more lenient than others. I ended up using Western Union for the first few months, which made things easier when converting USD.
💡 Pro tips:
- Keep USD in a U.S. account to avoid terrible conversion rates from PayPal or credit cards.
- Always have some cash — card acceptance is hit or miss, even in Bangkok malls.
3. You Don’t Need to Speak Thai, But You Should Learn Some
You can get by in English — especially in Bangkok’s more tourist-friendly zones — but it only takes a few Thai words to unlock kindness and smoother daily life.
I started with just a few basics like:
- “Khob khun kub” (Thank You)
- “Sawasdee kub” (Hello/Goodbye)
- “Aloi Mak” (Very delicious)
Apps like Pimsleur and ThaiPod101 helped, but the real learning came from trying and messing up
The more Thai you speak, the more doors open. Literally and figuratively.
4. Everything Is on LINE (and Paperwork Is Still King)
LINE isn’t optional — it’s essential. It’s how you message your landlord, getting a dentist appointment, booking almost any service.
Yet, Thailand is also a land of paper. I’ve signed physical documents for everything from visa paperwork, to document legalization and everything else government related. You’ll get used to scanning and printing everything — or taking screenshots of your passport constantly.
✅ Keep these digital backups handy:
- Passport (main page + visa)
- Entry stamp
- Proof of address
- Emergency contact sheet
Expat cheat sheet and PDFs coming out soon!
5. You Can Eat Amazing Food for $2 — Or $200
I thought eating cheap meant sacrificing quality. Not here. You can walk out of a soi with a bowl of khao man gai for 50 baht and feel full and happy. Or, if you’re celebrating, you can book a rooftop omakase for 5,000 baht.
My daily diet became a mix of:
- GrabFood orders from local stalls
- Quick street meals (pad kra pao, boat noodles)
- Home-cooked riceberry + chicken for macros
Don’t sleep on Bangkok’s food scene. It’s not just about saving money; it’s about flavor, freshness, and discovery.
Final Thoughts
Moving to Bangkok has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, but it didn’t come without surprises. These five lessons were hard-won, but they’ve helped me feel more at home in a place that can sometimes feel like organized chaos.
If you’re making the move: prepare, stay flexible, and let the city teach you.
– Richie