Learn more about living in Thailand
Thailand continues to be one of the most popular destinations for tourists and retirees in Southeast Asia. Whether you are living in the steamy, urban capital of Bangkok, the northern Lanna city of Chiang Mai, or near one of the many spectacular beaches that have made the country famous, Thailand has much to offer everyone.
Although some may find the year-round tropical weather too hot and humid for their liking, others welcome it with open arms after escaping from the snow and cold of more northern climates. With a low cost of living, high quality healthcare at an affordable price, and a wide variety of available real estate to choose from, it is easy to be tempted by the Land of Smiles. Find out more here.
Thailand
Our first trip to Thailand was back in 1995. We visited Raleigh Beach, Krabi and Koh Samui to hang out on the beach and do some Scuba diving. Then it was on to explore Bangkok and its wealth of temples and buddhas. Because we had such fond memories of our time there, we decided that we were overdue for a return trip.
We started with a housesit that we had booked in Chiang Mai, Thailand; it was a comfortable villa with a huge garden, a pool and three indoor cats who became our best buddies during our three weeks there. We took advantage of the multitude of Songthaews (a red painted truck which is a cross between a bus and a taxi) that run back and forth everywhere, and were able to explore all the nearby temples. We also tried some new dishes, of which Northern Thailand’s coconut curry noodle soup, Khao Soi Gai became our new firm favorite.
We also did one of our favorite things, and took a local cooking class. Our class started with exploring one of the local markets, where Benny (our teacher for the day) gathered some ingredients she needed and pointed out some of the local specialities, one of which was the spicy northern Thai sausage. It was so good; we bought some for ourselves, as we had a kitchen to cook it up in.
The class itself was held at Benny’s family home, where we were warmly greeted by the family, and dug in to create ten different dishes. Benny herself was hilarious and she sure knew her stuff, after making curry pastes, soups, curries, sticky rice and fried morning glory. We tucked in and had quite the feast, finished off of course with the highly popular desert, mango sticky rice. It was amazing!
After wrapping up our sit we headed to Chiang Rai, to explore some of its famous temples. Then we caught the ‘slow boat’ which arrived two days later in Luang Prabang Loas where we continued our Asian adventures.
We found Thailand to be the easiest place to find housesitting opportunities on the platforms. Probably because of the large expat population there.
Visa requirements for short-term stays
Tourist Visas
The Visa-Exempt Stamp or Tourist Visa Waiver: Canadian and US passport holders can visit Thailand without a visa—just make sure you have at least six months remaining on your passport validity and a ticket for your departure from Thailand. In such cases, a Visa-Exempt Stamp or Tourist Visa Waiver is issued. (This is often called a 30-day Tourist Visa, Visa on Arrival, or Tourist Visa, though these are inaccurate descriptions.)
The Visa-Exempt Stamp or Tourist Visa Waiver allows for 30 days in Thailand. You can extend your stay by a maximum of 30 days at most immigration offices. To do this, you will need a completed application form, passport, photos, and a fee of about $60 is required.
If you’d like to stay longer, a Single-Entry Tourist Visa is valid for 90 days from the date of issue. It allows an initial 60-day stay and begins on the day you enter Thailand. You have to enter before the “ENTER BEFORE DATE” or the visa expires. If you exit the country, the visa expires unless you get a re-entry permit.