Phuket Thailand

geno · #1 14-07-2005, 09:27

hi everybody!

I'll be coming to Phuket to work, and we're to find our own accomodation in Phuket town. Anybody have any idea how much the rental is for a simple 1 or 2 room fully furnished apartment will cost? Is it safe for a lady to live alone?

I'm 27 yrs old, from Singapore.

Thanks!

Cheers!

LivinLOS · #2 14-07-2005, 13:28

Safe enough for a single female and (I assume) as an asian you will probably find it easier to integrate into Phuket town easier than a farang would (though its not tough either way)..

Cheap apartment (of acceptable quality) would be 8 - 10.. Nice probably 15.. Thats high quality bathroom etc..

With transport (motorbike) you have a lot of options in the surrounding area also if town life is not to our tastes..

domifletch · #3 14-07-2005, 20:41

You will find easily a nice appartment for 8.000 bath/month, but a small one. If you want to rent a house, check on www.houseinphuket.com
All depends also on where you want to stay : Patong is rather expensive, as well as Rawai (many expats there). But if you don't want especially to live close to the beach, you will find many houses around Chalong, intresting area as it is a central point to Patong, Phuket Town and Rawai-Nai Harn IMHO.

Where will you work in Phuket ?

geno · #4 14-07-2005, 20:59

I will be working as sales for a resort in the Bang Tao area. The HR said in the email that we'll be living in Phuket Town area, transport will be provided to fetch us to and from work everyday.

The Sales manager said a nice place in the Town is about $3500 baht a month. But as your thread goes, seems more expensive!

Was I smoked by the sales manager?

LivinLOS · #5 15-07-2005, 01:09

3500 of whose $$ If USD no way...

Also the Bang Tao region is easily reachable on a bike from Kamala etc and plenty of nice places to live in the 10 - 12 range there.. I would not consider living here without transport..

charlie5005 · #6 15-07-2005, 07:17

maybe it was s$350 and not b3500. is the manager a thai ? it could just be a lapse.
i would be most happy to get a small apartment for b3500. hehe. cheers.

tedkarma · #7 15-07-2005, 08:05

Start first knowing that what a Thai considers a basic or a very nice house may be quite different from what you might consider acceptable. Many Thais, particularly on Phuket, will live two, three or four people to a one room (studio) apartment.

Thai's often assume people want to live in Phuket Town - you may not wish to. But, employers on this part of the island often provide transport to work - check on it though - sometimes it's the back of a pick up truck, sometimes a songthaew, sometimes an A/C bus with the music on full blast . . .

I live in Cherng Talay - next to Bang Tao - and I would guess you'll need to pay B8-10k for a decent small one-bedroom in this area. I pay fifteen for a very comfortable (but smallish - maybe 1000 sq ft [@90sq meters?]) 2br. (A/C, furnished with everything - including TV, Sat TV, etc).

But . . . things are slow right now - and it is semi-low season anyway - so you might be able to find a good deal. It is very worth taking your time and finding the right place. Uh, in case you don't know - A/C is a must - but being from Singapore - you may not think so!

geno · #8 15-07-2005, 09:00

gosh! there must be something really wrong. my manager, who's an european, mentioned in the interview that it's 3500 baht a month in the phuket town!

wat's he thinking of?

but in the puket-info.com main page, under the "real estate" part, it was mentioned accomodation in the Phuket Town is cheaper than the Patong and other beaches area.....$4500 baht for a 2 storey house! is the info outdated?

i'm confused. anyone out there who can clear the air for me?

LivinLOS · #9 15-07-2005, 13:09

3500 would get you a single room.. Rough bathroom.. No AC.. Etc

No way I would take that as part of a job settlement.. 10 - 15k baht min to be in a quality furnished set up, clean with space, AC, etc

Please stop putting $ and Baht in the same figures it confuses everything (what kind of $ sing / USD / Canadian / Etc)..

urtheman · #10 15-07-2005, 20:43

What you would find for 3500 in Phuket town in not great especially coming from Singapore. I know a girl that lives in a nice studio in Phuket town and pays 4,000. baht but she's Thai and that deal is hard to find and it's a small place that she has decorated quite nice.

Of course over the phone you get told much differant than reality.

Plan on something around 7-10 that's decent. You can find a one bedroom that's ok in Bang Tao for 7-8000

Good Luck !

geno · #11 15-07-2005, 23:00

Thank you all for your help.

now i need to settle another problem. I just found on the Net that the minimal wage for a singaporean to work in thailand is 45,000 baht. But my basic pay is only 10,000 baht. as i'll be doing sales, i'm not sure if the company structured the commission into it to get me over here...there're no other allowances...

anyway, i've sent an email to the HR manager to clarify this. i want this job, but i don't want to feel short-changed...

it never rain, but pours!

but thank you to you guy/girls anyway. you all have been most helpful.

LivinLOS · #12 16-07-2005, 06:53

Simple question.. Is the company providing you with a work Permit and B visa ??? If not its illegal work..

When you say 'basic pay' it sounds like there is commision on top.. While a Thai may be able to live on 10k per month it would be very difficult for someone to get by on that amount..

For the WP etc you dont have to actually take home the 45k per month but you do need to pay taxes on it.. I think its +- 12% so as long as you pay about 5k tax per month the WP can be obtained even if you are not getting the 45k in take home pay..

geno · #13 16-07-2005, 09:44

visa and work permit's provided.

yes, there's commission on top of it. the sales manager said we'll get much more per month, plus the commission.
I'll be doing timeshare with a resort in Bang Thao.

anyway, i'll see how it goes, hope the HR manager will reply me soon.

i've sent a copy of my passport via email over to thailand for them to process a letter for me to do the visa in the thai embassy. it'd been 3 days and i din see any letter email to me.

i wonder if it really takes so long.

LivinLOS · #14 16-07-2005, 12:27

URGH... timeshare... shudder...

Sorry

Jasetheace · #15 05-08-2005, 00:13

Hi there,

I used to live in Phuket town just off Mae Luan rd. There were plenty of apartments going for around 5500 baht/ month plus electricity. I can recommend a couple at this price if it is what you are looking at. My partner and I found it to be ok, basically a neat and tidy room with en suite and fully furnished including air con and cable tv. In saying that it is small but if you are not fussy then it is fine, or at least was for us on an english teaching wage! 3500 baht would get you a shitty little room with fan, not too comfortable.

Cheers, Jase.

geno · #16 05-08-2005, 18:05

oh jase! you're a god send!

which are the ones you recommend? i found some on the net...Khao Rang View Mansion (i emailed but no reply on questions for the $...)

i emailed tai-tan mansion too. they say 5000 baht exclu electricity and water. but their web says it incl (???). is it because they see me not a local so they charge more?

i'm looking at 5000 baht per month...i dun mind the size, as long as it's nice, tidy, safe...

please share your experience with me.