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Services

Tim's Recommended Thailand Services

The things people ask us to point them at.

Visas, insurance, money, property, relocation and the practical services that make a move easier. Every listing states plainly what our relationship is, including when there isn't one.

How we choose partners, and what a commission does and does not buy, is set out in our affiliate disclosure and editorial policy.

Are you a Thailand service provider?

We are actively looking for partners in visas, insurance, property, money transfer, relocation and healthcare. Our readers are people actively planning a move, not casual browsers.

Partner with Tim in Thailand

Category

Visa assistance

Agents and law firms who prepare long-stay applications.

Visa Partner — placeholder

Placeholder listing

A Bangkok-based visa agency that prepares long-stay applications end to end: document checks, translations, bank letters, and accompanying you to immigration where needed.

Best for: People who would rather pay someone than spend three visits getting the paperwork right.

Pros

  • Knows which documents your specific immigration office wants
  • Handles translations and certifications
  • Can usually spot a problem before you have paid for anything

Things to know

  • An agent cannot change the rules or guarantee an outcome
  • Fees vary widely — get the quote in writing before you start
  • Avoid anyone promising a result that skips a requirement

Partner slot open

No agreement is in place, so there is nothing to click.

Placeholder listing. No commercial relationship is in place and no affiliate link is active.

ISSA / ISSA Thailand

Potential partner – not yet active

A prospective partner for visa and relocation support. Listed here as a development record only.

Best for: To be confirmed.

Pros

  • Details to be confirmed once a partnership is agreed

Things to know

  • No agreement is in place. Nothing on this page should be read as a recommendation.

Not yet available

No agreement is in place, so there is nothing to click.

Potential partner – not yet active. No commercial relationship exists.

Category

Health insurance

Brokers who cover over-50s living in Thailand.

Insurance Broker — placeholder

Placeholder listing

An international health insurance broker who compares expat policies for people living in Thailand, including applicants in their sixties and seventies.

Best for: Anyone who wants to compare several insurers without filling in five separate forms.

Pros

  • Compares insurers rather than selling one product
  • Understands the cover levels attached to certain visa routes
  • Can explain exclusions in plain English before you commit

Things to know

  • Declare pre-existing conditions honestly — this is the single biggest cause of refused claims
  • Premiums rise with age, sometimes steeply; ask what renewal looks like at 75
  • Outpatient cover is often the part people wish they had bought

Partner slot open

No agreement is in place, so there is nothing to click.

Placeholder listing. No commercial relationship is in place and no affiliate link is active.

Category

International money transfers

Moving your pension or savings without losing money to spreads.

Money Transfer — placeholder

Placeholder listing

A regulated international transfer service for moving pension income and lump sums to a Thai account at a transparent rate.

Best for: Anyone currently sending money by bank wire and losing money on the exchange rate.

Pros

  • Rates and fees shown before you send
  • Recurring transfers can be scheduled
  • Usually far cheaper than a high-street bank wire

Things to know

  • Some visa routes require funds to arrive coded as foreign transfer — check before you send
  • Keep the transfer receipts; you may need them for immigration or a condo purchase
  • Large first transfers may need extra identity checks

Partner slot open

No agreement is in place, so there is nothing to click.

Placeholder listing. No commercial relationship is in place and no affiliate link is active.

Category

Thai banking information

Help understanding what you need to open an account.

Thai Banking Help — placeholder

Placeholder listing

Guidance on which banks accept which visa types, what documents you need, and how to open an account without three wasted afternoons.

Best for: New arrivals who have been turned away from a branch already.

Pros

  • Branch-level knowledge
  • Saves repeat trips
  • Explains what a bank letter is and when you need one

Things to know

  • Requirements vary between banks and even between branches
  • Nothing can guarantee an account will be opened

Partner slot open

No agreement is in place, so there is nothing to click.

Placeholder listing. No commercial relationship is in place and no affiliate link is active.

Category

Property agents

Local agents for rentals and purchases.

Property Agent — placeholder

Placeholder listing

A local agency covering Pattaya, Jomtien, Pratumnak and Naklua for both long-term rentals and condo purchases.

Best for: People who want to see five suitable places in a day rather than thirty unsuitable ones.

Pros

  • Knows which buildings have good management
  • Can arrange viewings before you arrive
  • Handles the lease paperwork

Things to know

  • Agents are paid by the landlord or seller — their incentives are not identical to yours
  • Always view in person before signing anything
  • Foreign ownership of condos is subject to a building quota — take legal advice on any purchase

Partner slot open

No agreement is in place, so there is nothing to click.

Placeholder listing. No commercial relationship is in place and no affiliate link is active.

Category

Condo rentals

Long-stay rental specialists.

Condo Rentals — placeholder

Placeholder listing

Long-stay rental listings with monthly pricing, aimed at three-month-plus stays.

Best for: Anyone who wants to rent for six months before deciding anything permanent.

Pros

  • Monthly rates rather than nightly
  • Filters for lift, pool, and floor level

Things to know

  • Deposits are commonly two months' rent
  • Check what the electricity rate actually is

Partner slot open

No agreement is in place, so there is nothing to click.

Placeholder listing. No commercial relationship is in place and no affiliate link is active.

Category

Relocation

Door-to-door help with the whole move.

Relocation Service — placeholder

Placeholder listing

Door-to-door relocation support: shipping, arrival, first-week admin and settling in.

Best for: Couples moving a household rather than two suitcases.

Pros

  • One point of contact
  • Handles customs paperwork
  • Arranges arrival accommodation

Things to know

  • Shipping furniture is often more expensive than replacing it locally

Partner slot open

No agreement is in place, so there is nothing to click.

Placeholder listing. No commercial relationship is in place and no affiliate link is active.

Category

Shipping

Getting your belongings there — or deciding not to.

Shipping — placeholder

Placeholder listing

Sea and air freight for personal effects, with customs clearance in Thailand.

Best for: People shipping tools, books, or things that genuinely cannot be replaced.

Pros

  • Shared container options
  • Customs handled at the Thai end

Things to know

  • Sea freight takes weeks
  • Duty can apply to some categories

Partner slot open

No agreement is in place, so there is nothing to click.

Placeholder listing. No commercial relationship is in place and no affiliate link is active.

Category

eSIM / SIM cards

Staying connected from the moment you land.

eSIM Provider — placeholder

Placeholder listing

Data eSIM you can activate before you land, plus guidance on getting a local Thai number later.

Best for: Anyone who wants working data the minute the plane door opens.

Pros

  • Activate before departure
  • No queue at the airport

Things to know

  • You still want a Thai number eventually — banks and hospitals ask for one

Partner slot open

No agreement is in place, so there is nothing to click.

Placeholder listing. No commercial relationship is in place and no affiliate link is active.

Category

Airport transfers

Pre-booked cars from Suvarnabhumi and beyond.

Airport Transfers — placeholder

Placeholder listing

Pre-booked private cars from Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang to Pattaya, Hua Hin and Bangkok.

Best for: Arriving late, with luggage, after a twelve-hour flight.

Pros

  • Fixed price agreed in advance
  • Driver meets you at arrivals

Things to know

  • Confirm the vehicle size if you have more than two large cases

Partner slot open

No agreement is in place, so there is nothing to click.

Placeholder listing. No commercial relationship is in place and no affiliate link is active.

Category

Hotels

Somewhere sensible for your first fortnight.

Hotels — placeholder

Placeholder listing

Sensible mid-range hotels for a research trip or the first fortnight after you arrive.

Best for: Your landing pad while you look at condos.

Pros

  • Free cancellation on most rates
  • Monthly rates at some properties

Things to know

  • Book somewhere central for your first week — you will be doing a lot of admin

Partner slot open

No agreement is in place, so there is nothing to click.

Placeholder listing. No commercial relationship is in place and no affiliate link is active.

Category

Travel insurance

Cover for research trips before you move.

Travel Insurance — placeholder

Placeholder listing

Cover for research trips, before you switch to a long-stay health policy.

Best for: Two-week and one-month scouting visits.

Pros

  • Covers medical emergencies abroad
  • Cheap for short trips

Things to know

  • Travel insurance is not a substitute for expat health cover once you live there
  • Declare pre-existing conditions

Partner slot open

No agreement is in place, so there is nothing to click.

Placeholder listing. No commercial relationship is in place and no affiliate link is active.

Category

Accounting / tax

Cross-border tax questions answered properly.

Cross-border Tax Adviser — placeholder

Placeholder listing

Advisers who handle UK, US and Thai tax questions for people living abroad, including residency and remittance questions.

Best for: Anyone spending long enough in Thailand to become tax resident.

Pros

  • Understands both sides of the double-tax picture
  • Can file where needed

Things to know

  • Tax residency rules have changed in recent years — get current advice, not forum advice
  • US citizens have filing obligations regardless of where they live

Partner slot open

No agreement is in place, so there is nothing to click.

Placeholder listing. No commercial relationship is in place and no affiliate link is active.

Category

Translation

Certified translations for official paperwork.

Translation Service — placeholder

Placeholder listing

Certified translation and legalisation of documents for immigration and marriage paperwork.

Best for: Marriage route applicants and anyone needing certified UK documents in Thai.

Pros

  • Certified for official use
  • Handles the legalisation step

Things to know

  • Allow more time than you think for legalisation

Partner slot open

No agreement is in place, so there is nothing to click.

Placeholder listing. No commercial relationship is in place and no affiliate link is active.

Category

Driving licence assistance

Converting or obtaining a Thai licence.

Driving Licence Help — placeholder

Placeholder listing

Assistance converting a home licence to a Thai one, including the paperwork and test booking.

Best for: Anyone planning to drive more than occasionally.

Pros

  • Saves several trips to the transport office
  • Explains the medical certificate step

Things to know

  • An international permit is a short-term answer only
  • Check your insurance is valid on whichever licence you hold

Partner slot open

No agreement is in place, so there is nothing to click.

Placeholder listing. No commercial relationship is in place and no affiliate link is active.

Category

Golf

Memberships, green fees and society play.

Golf Bookings — placeholder

Placeholder listing

Tee times and society play around Pattaya, Hua Hin and Bangkok.

Best for: The very large number of retirees who move partly for the golf.

Pros

  • Discounted green fees
  • Transport included on some packages

Things to know

  • Caddie fees and tips are separate
  • Book early in high season

Partner slot open

No agreement is in place, so there is nothing to click.

Placeholder listing. No commercial relationship is in place and no affiliate link is active.

Category

Tours

Seeing the country properly once you're settled.

Tours — placeholder

Placeholder listing

Day trips and longer tours once you are settled and want to see the rest of the country.

Best for: Visiting family, and your first year of exploring.

Pros

  • Small-group options
  • English-speaking guides

Things to know

  • Check the walking distance on temple tours

Partner slot open

No agreement is in place, so there is nothing to click.

Placeholder listing. No commercial relationship is in place and no affiliate link is active.

Category

Car hire

Short and long-term rental.

Car Hire — placeholder

Placeholder listing

Short and long-term car rental, including monthly rates that often beat buying.

Best for: Phuket and Hua Hin residents, and anyone trying a car before buying one.

Pros

  • Monthly rates available
  • Maintenance is the rental company's problem

Things to know

  • Check the insurance excess
  • Confirm whether a Thai licence is required

Partner slot open

No agreement is in place, so there is nothing to click.

Placeholder listing. No commercial relationship is in place and no affiliate link is active.

Everything in one place

The How to Retire in Thailand Playbook covers visas, money, healthcare, housing and everyday life across 45 chapters, with ten downloadable checklists and planners.

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