Moving family to Asia
Moving family to Asia
Have not been in Asia for 14 years. Planning to come back with family to live. Wife 2 small children (will be 2 and 4) and a teenager of 15 years old.
For me I think I was always happiest in Asia where I spent most my time in Thailand but also alot of time in Cambodia. The plan is to move to Thailand initially but am open to other places. For what I experienced before Thailand seems the most suitable.
So many questions but to start with I would like to get the opinions from the only forum I belong to about which location you guys think is the best for someone moving to Asia. Ideally would have sea, sand, nice vibe and good schooling for the young children. The teenager may well finish his studies here in Europe then go to university in Asia of he chooses.
How is life in Asia as a family? Obviously life is what you make it hence my reason to move to paradise but is it a happy place for families. What are the best aspects to living in Asia?
For me I think I was always happiest in Asia where I spent most my time in Thailand but also alot of time in Cambodia. The plan is to move to Thailand initially but am open to other places. For what I experienced before Thailand seems the most suitable.
So many questions but to start with I would like to get the opinions from the only forum I belong to about which location you guys think is the best for someone moving to Asia. Ideally would have sea, sand, nice vibe and good schooling for the young children. The teenager may well finish his studies here in Europe then go to university in Asia of he chooses.
How is life in Asia as a family? Obviously life is what you make it hence my reason to move to paradise but is it a happy place for families. What are the best aspects to living in Asia?
- Starving Pelican
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How much money do you have? "Good schooling" ain't cheap in Asia, and you may not find a well-paying job.
- Lucky Lucan
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I don't believe there is any place which fits those conditions. The only good schools are in the capital and that's a long way from the sea. Sihanoukville has sandy beaches but it's a horrific construction site. Kampot isn't really by the sea but it's close. There are okay schools for young kids but for high school I don't think so.Guest wrote: ↑Mon Jan 25, 2021 8:07 pmIdeally would have sea, sand, nice vibe and good schooling for the young children.
He'd be far better off getting a degree in Europe. The quality of education is much higher and the degree will be recognized. There are good universities in Singapore but you are talking big bucks for a foreign student and I'm not sure it would be much fun.The teenager may well finish his studies here in Europe then go to university in Asia if he chooses.
Romantic Cambodia is dead and gone. It's with McKinley in the grave.
Money is not a problem at the moment. I see that children start school at 6 years so for starters will just be looking for a nursery.Starving Pelican wrote: ↑Mon Jan 25, 2021 8:18 pmHow much money do you have? "Good schooling" ain't cheap in Asia, and you may not find a well-paying job.
OK thank you for the quick replies. So small children have a couple of years before they will need to start primary school so looking for Nursery for starters or looking for a nanny perhaps.Lucky Lucan wrote: ↑Mon Jan 25, 2021 8:38 pmI don't believe there is any place which fits those conditions. The only good schools are in the capital and that's a long way from the sea. Sihanoukville has sandy beaches but it's a horrific construction site. Kampot isn't really by the sea but it's close. There are okay schools for young kids but for high school I don't think so.Guest wrote: ↑Mon Jan 25, 2021 8:07 pmIdeally would have sea, sand, nice vibe and good schooling for the young children.
He'd be far better off getting a degree in Europe. The quality of education is much higher and the degree will be recognized. There are good universities in Singapore but you are talking big bucks for a foreign student and I'm not sure it would be much fun.The teenager may well finish his studies here in Europe then go to university in Asia if he chooses.
How are things on the more developed islands such as Koh Samui or Phuket? Schooling ok there?
As for the teenager is a bit up in the air if he will be going to University, doesn't seem that interested in studying and as for this covid year I would say has put a big dent also, online classes are seemingly easy to dodge. I think that age group has been most affected in my opinion, same for my niece, at the teenage years not being able to see your friends is messed up, I would give him the option of studying wherever he wants/gets accepted to. But he may well just wanna live with us in Asia, is my stepson and he lives with us most of the time but does sometimes bail on us to live with his father and grandmother so he can choose to stay in Europe if he prefers and just to fly out to us in between studies.
To start with we are just gonna go for a holiday, if they all like it we will plan to move out there. Visa wise unless there is a better option I would be needing to pay for the 20-year visas for us all, not sure if kids need them as well, assume they do.
For the initial holiday which we split between 2 different locations by the water any suggestions here also.
- Lucky Lucan
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What is a 20-year visa?Guest wrote: ↑Mon Jan 25, 2021 9:00 pmVisa wise unless there is a better option I would be needing to pay for the 20-year visas for us all, not sure if kids need them as well, assume they do.
Romantic Cambodia is dead and gone. It's with McKinley in the grave.
- Lucky Lucan
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Okay, I misread your first post and thought you were asking about Cambodia. I don't know about Thailand. There are members here who live there and should be able to answer your query.
Romantic Cambodia is dead and gone. It's with McKinley in the grave.
For good and affordable education, stay in Europe. Asia life is much more relaxed, though that comes at a price. There are reasons why Western countries (way of operations) tend to be more both economically and socially successful compared to many Asian environments, and that is not the skin color.
Maybe define what you consider "good schooling", for yourself, your spouse and maybe the teenager to. Europe is high on the scale of "thinking independent", whereas the Asian education is far more rote learning and follow the ancienity/hierarchy. Very few (International) schools in Asia do strive for the "Thinking independent" goal. Build from there.
Oh, and money wise: Think of some EUR 50K - 100K per year on top end education, per child, for many years.
Maybe define what you consider "good schooling", for yourself, your spouse and maybe the teenager to. Europe is high on the scale of "thinking independent", whereas the Asian education is far more rote learning and follow the ancienity/hierarchy. Very few (International) schools in Asia do strive for the "Thinking independent" goal. Build from there.
Oh, and money wise: Think of some EUR 50K - 100K per year on top end education, per child, for many years.
- retronuevo
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A troll post if there ever was one.
Conspiracy theory...the new rock n' roll.
Penang would fit the bill better than any Thai or especially Cambodian city.
- Phuket2006
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Phuket has excellent international schools and Bilingual schools but they are not cheap, as well as health care and accommodations from $600/month up to..... also many pre schools for young kids, my Khmer gf works at one here, Theres a Montessori school as well ( where my daughter went) i raised my daughter here thru hs and than she went to then states for University.Lucky Lucan wrote: ↑Mon Jan 25, 2021 8:38 pmI don't believe there is any place which fits those conditions. The only good schools are in the capital and that's a long way from the sea. Sihanoukville has sandy beaches but it's a horrific construction site. Kampot isn't really by the sea but it's close. There are okay schools for young kids but for high school I don't think so.Guest wrote: ↑Mon Jan 25, 2021 8:07 pmIdeally would have sea, sand, nice vibe and good schooling for the young children.
He'd be far better off getting a degree in Europe. The quality of education is much higher and the degree will be recognized. There are good universities in Singapore but you are talking big bucks for a foreign student and I'm not sure it would be much fun.The teenager may well finish his studies here in Europe then go to university in Asia if he chooses.
LOL , made me laugh, u obviously have never out a kid thru school hereThink of some EUR 50K - 100K per year on top end education, per child, for many years.
Costs for up to a 2-5 year old in a western preschool around $300-500/month, a Burmese English speaking live in Nanny would run ya $5-600/month
primary at an international school, apx 12-22,000/year, secondary $15,000-26,000/year, (even in Bangkok, top school secondary is less than $40,000)
Bilingual schools 25% less
Life here can be good, (kids sometimes complain there not enough to do thou) and its a nice laid back area to raise ur family with just about all the conveniences of a western city BUT ur in Asia still.
If your teenager is in hs in Europe, leave him there for university.
Think about your visas, are you over 50, have a good job or tons of $$ in the bank
IF ur kids are in recognized schools, for each kid u can get a non o visa an extension ( 1,900 baht/year) so will save ya a ton of money over an Elite visa
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Thank you very much for your reply. Very good information on what we can expect school wise. Is kinda what I expected price-wise. Is a bit expensive but that's life.
I think Phuket is most likely where we will move to. Ticks all the boxes: very developed, Asia, good schools, reasonably priced, by the water. Also very accessible with many direct flights. Looking forward to getting there whenever possible, most likely will be October for a holiday around Thailand. Then if the wife agrees all systems go. For her, she is mainly wanting to move to Asia for the year-round hot weather, sea, and also Buddism aspect.
Visa-wise I am under 50 so am thinking the elite 5 years Visa is the best option. As far as I can tell children under 15 don't need one if parents have one.
Any recommendations on which areas are nicest (family-wise). A friend of mine was staying in Nai Harn a couple of years ago and highly recommended the area.
I think Phuket is most likely where we will move to. Ticks all the boxes: very developed, Asia, good schools, reasonably priced, by the water. Also very accessible with many direct flights. Looking forward to getting there whenever possible, most likely will be October for a holiday around Thailand. Then if the wife agrees all systems go. For her, she is mainly wanting to move to Asia for the year-round hot weather, sea, and also Buddism aspect.
Visa-wise I am under 50 so am thinking the elite 5 years Visa is the best option. As far as I can tell children under 15 don't need one if parents have one.
Any recommendations on which areas are nicest (family-wise). A friend of mine was staying in Nai Harn a couple of years ago and highly recommended the area.
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