Moving to Thailand: the practical guide
The guides
Moving countries is a stack of small, unfamiliar processes with deadlines that interlock: the visa shapes what you can ship duty-free, the shipping date shapes when the pet flies, the lease shapes the bank account. This section covers the practical half of relocating to Thailand; the visa, insurance, legal, education and property questions each have their own guides, linked where they belong in the sequence.
- Start here
The relocation checklist
The whole move in order, from three months out to your first week in Thailand.
- Movers
International movers
The established firms, what a move costs, and the customs rule that decides whether your shipment lands duty-free.
- Shipping
Shipping and customs
Container versus air freight, and Thailand’s used-household-goods rules in detail.
- Pets
Moving with pets
The DLD permit, the vaccine timeline, and how dogs and cats actually clear the airport.
- Money
Cost of living
Real Bangkok budget bands, from rent to the monthly total.
- Banking
Opening a bank account
What it actually takes in 2026, and why the branch matters as much as the bank.
The one-paragraph version of the sequence
Visa first, because everything hangs off it: the duty-free shipping exemption effectively wants a one-year work permit, and the bank account wants a long-stay visa. Then home, because the lease drives the TM30 registration that the bank’s certificate of residence depends on. Shipping and pets run in parallel with their own lead times: the customs window opens one month before you arrive and closes six months after, and the pet permit is applied for 7 to 60 days before the flight. Schools, if you have children, run longest of all: see the education guides.
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FAQ
How much does it cost to move to Thailand?
Industry guides put sea freight for a typical home at USD 3,500–9,500, before flights, deposits and set-up. The checklist carries the full budget shape.
Can I ship my things duty-free?
Only under the Customs Department's conditions. In practice a non-immigrant visa with a one-year work permit is the route that clears reliably, and tourist entries pay duty. The shipping guide covers the rule that catches people out.
Can I bring my dog or cat?
Yes, with a DLD import permit and the vaccine timeline done right, usually without quarantine. See the pets guide.
What does living in Bangkok cost?
Market estimates put a comfortable single budget around 60,000–80,000 THB a month. The cost of living guide breaks it down.