Moving to Bangkok from Australia: the guide

Short answer: getting into Bangkok is easy, staying is the part that needs a plan. Sort the right visa before you fly, and the rest of the move is mostly logistics.

The short version

Since 15 September 2026, Australians entering Thailand for tourism without a visa get up to 30 days, down from 60 [1]. That's a holiday, not a move.
To live here you need a proper long-stay visa: work (Non-B plus a work permit), the Destination Thailand Visa for remote workers, retirement, study, or the Long-Term Resident visa [2][3].
Everyone arriving must fill in the free Thailand Digital Arrival Card online in the three days before arrival [4].
Most Aussies start on the Sukhumvit Skytrain line or in Sathorn and Silom, then move once they know the city.
Spend more than 180 days in Thailand in a calendar year and you're a Thai tax resident, with tax on foreign income you bring in [5].

Step one: pick your visa before you pick your condo

The rules changed this year, so ignore older blog posts. Thailand's 60-day visa exemption ended on 15 September 2026. Australia now sits on the 30-day list, and visa-exempt entries over land borders are generally limited to two per calendar year [1]. Smartraveller also warns you may be asked to show accommodation, funds and an onward ticket at the border [4].

So the real question is: what's your reason for being here? The usual paths are below. Our guide to long-stay visas in Thailand for Australians goes into each one properly.

Your situation	Visa to look at	Key point
Hired by a Thai company	Non-Immigrant B, then a work permit	Your employer drives most of the paperwork
Working remotely for an overseas employer or clients	Destination Thailand Visa (DTV)	Five-year multiple-entry visa; at launch it needed proof of 500,000 baht [2]
High earner or remote worker at a big company	Long-Term Resident (LTR)	Ten years in total; strict income and employer tests [3]
Aged 50 plus and retiring	Non-Immigrant retirement visas, or LTR "Wealthy Pensioner"	LTR pensioners need passive income of at least US$80,000 a year, or US$40,000 plus an investment [3]
Studying Thai, Muay Thai or a degree	Education visa or DTV (for soft-power courses)	Check the course provider's visa support

Apply for the visa before you leave. Thailand moved fully to its e-Visa system, and the Royal Thai Embassy in Canberra says paper applications are no longer accepted, with processing usually taking 10 business days and sometimes four to six weeks [6]. If you live in NSW, the Consulate-General in Sydney handles your file instead [6].

Before you leave Australia

A move to Bangkok is lighter than most. You can buy nearly everything here, and furnished condos are the norm. Focus on the paper trail.

Passport. It needs more than six months' validity when you enter [4]. Renew early if you're close.
Visa. Lodge the e-Visa from Australia and keep a printout of the approval.
Documents. Bring originals and certified copies of your degree, police check and marriage or birth certificates if a visa, employer or school may want them. Ask what needs legalising before you go, not after.
Driving. Get an International Driving Permit to carry with your Australian licence. Smartraveller says digital licences may not be accepted, and you need a motorcycle licence to ride a motorbike [4].
Medications. Thailand controls some common medicines. Check before packing, and know that vapes and refills are illegal, even for personal use [4].
Money. Keep your Australian accounts open and tell your bank you're moving. Our guide on keeping your Australian accounts while abroad covers the details.
Pets. The Canberra embassy has a page on bringing pets to Thailand [6]; start early, as the paperwork runs to vets and timelines.

Your first two weeks in Bangkok

Arrival

Complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card online within three days before you land. It's free, so close any website asking for a fee [4]. Make sure an immigration officer stamps your passport at the airport. Smartraveller warns against getting visas, extensions or stamps from visa shops or travel agents in Thailand [4].

Somewhere to land

Book a serviced apartment or hotel for the first two to four weeks. You'll want time to visit condos in person, test the walk to the station in the heat and check how loud the street is at night. Our renting in Bangkok guide covers deposits and contracts.

Phone, bank and getting around

SIM card: Buy one at the airport or a mall with your passport. Thai banking apps and delivery apps all want a local number.
Bank account: Expect banks to ask for your visa and, often, a work permit or a letter from your employer or school. Rules vary by bank and branch.
Transport: The BTS Skytrain charges by distance and uses the Rabbit card. The MRT and SRT lines accept contactless Visa and Mastercard [7]. The Rabbit card doesn't work on the MRT, so you'll juggle both for a while [7].

Registering where you live

Thai immigration needs to know where foreigners are staying, and long-stay visa holders report their address every 90 days. LTR holders swap that for a yearly report [3]. Your landlord or condo office usually handles the first address notification, but confirm it's done. It makes extensions much smoother later.

Where Aussies live

Bangkok is huge, and the traffic is real. Live near your train line, your office or your kids' school, in that order.

Area	Vibe	Best for
Asok, Phrom Phong, Thong Lo, Ekkamai	The expat heartland along Sukhumvit Road, malls, bars, endless condos	First-timers who want everything walkable
Sathorn and Silom	Business district, close to Lumphini Park	Office workers in the CBD
Ari	Leafy, cafe-heavy, more local feel on the northern BTS line	People who want quieter streets
Riverside and Charoen Krung	Old Bangkok, hotels, galleries, river ferries	Those who like character over convenience
Phra Khanong and On Nut	Further down the Sukhumvit line, cheaper rents	Budget-minded and longer stays

The Australian Embassy is at 181 Wireless Road in Lumphini, Pathumwan [4], handy if you live in central Bangkok and need consular help.

Money, tax and health

Tax residency

Thailand's Revenue Department treats anyone in Thailand for more than 180 days in a calendar year as a resident. Residents pay tax on Thai income and on foreign-source income brought into Thailand [5]. If you're earning in Australian dollars and transferring money over, get advice early. You'll also want to sort out your Australian side: see are you still an Australian tax resident once you move?

Health

Bangkok has excellent private hospitals, and they bill like it. Most Aussies take out international health insurance from day one. Medicare doesn't follow you here.

Smartraveller flags a few local health and safety issues worth planning around [4]:

Air pollution can hit hazardous levels, and Bangkok can be particularly bad. Check air quality daily and get an air purifier for the bedroom.
The wet season in central Thailand runs from May to October, with flooding that can come without warning. Ask about flooding before you rent a ground-floor place.
Insect-borne illness is more common in the rainy season. Repellent is a daily habit, not a holiday extra.

The rules that catch newcomers out

Cannabis: Medical use only, with a prescription. Smoking in public can bring fines or arrest [4].
Vapes: Illegal to carry or use, with heavy penalties for selling [4].
Scams: Be wary of friendly tuk-tuk drivers offering cheap tours. Agree on fares before you get in unmetered vehicles [4].
Working: You need a work permit to work for a Thai employer. Don't take "just help out" jobs while on a tourist entry.

How the move usually goes

For most people, it looks something like this:

Months before: Choose your visa path, gather documents, book health insurance.
Weeks before: Lodge your e-Visa, give notice on your Australian lease, decide what to store, sell or ship.
Arrival week: Arrival card, airport stamp, SIM, short-term apartment.
Weeks two to four: View condos, sign a lease, check your address is registered.
Month two: Open a bank account, set up utilities, learn your 90-day reporting date.

Once you're settled, come and say g'day. Join Cooee Thailand, our Facebook group for Australians in Thailand, to ask about schools, condos and where the footy's on.

Moving to Bangkok from Australia: visas, first weeks and where to live