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Thailand goes visa-free for Indians: Reasons why it’s the ultimate destination for you

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<ul class="summary-list"><li>Last year, Ellie Furuya got married at a luxury resort in Phuket, Thailand.</li><li>Furuya says she would do a few things differently if she could go back.</li></ul><p><em>Ellie Furuya, 32, is a Hong Kong-based influencer, the founder of Rii Swim, a swimwear brand, and a mother. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.</em></p><p>After six years of navigating life and love, my now-husband and I finally <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-wealthy-couples-spend-money-wedding-planner-tradition-venue-entertainment-2024-10">tied the knot</a> last year in Phuket.</p><p>I grew up in Hong Kong and was raised in a Japanese family. After graduating from an international high school, I spent time in Tokyo, completed my master's degree in London, and eventually returned home.</p><p>It was back in Hong Kong that I met my now-husband, Jon.</p><p>Deciding that I wanted to marry him was easy, but picking where we wanted to hold our <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/long-engagement-frugal-fiances-pay-for-own-wedding-2024-5">wedding was complicated</a>.</p><p>Jon also comes from a mixed background — he was born and raised in Singapore and grew up in Bangkok, New Delhi, and London — he's half-Thai and half-English.</p><p>With friends and family around the world, there wasn't one obvious place to host the wedding. But eventually, we decided that <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fat-fire-early-retirement-usa-thailand-passive-income-dad-hobbies-2024-4">Phuket</a>, in southern Thailand, was the right spot. Jon has roots there, and we knew our guests would appreciate the beaches and culture. Our son, Kenzo, was seven months old at the time.</p><p>We got married in November at <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/rosewood-kona-village-review-hawaii-resort-big-island-2024-10">Rosewood</a> Phuket, a five-star resort with views of the Andaman Sea. Looking back, I'd still choose Phuket, but there were certain logistics I'd tackle differently.</p><p>If I could <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-unique-ideas-weddings-from-expert-planner">plan our wedding</a> all over again, here are five things I'd change.</p><div type="image" title="Two men, backs turned, holding umbrellas." height="4000" width="6000" msid="115234745" hostid="261" sizebytes="1599612"></div><h2 id="87c83346-d273-47e6-b27c-d2c14fd9bda2">1. Prepare for rain, no matter what</h2><p>We <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/answers-to-wedding-questions-guests-too-scared-to-ask-2021-6">planned our wedding</a> during the dry season, convinced that we'd be safe from rain. But as anyone who's ever experienced tropical weather can attest, you can never be too sure.</p><p>On our wedding day, the skies opened up just as I was about to walk down the aisle, transforming our carefully planned outdoor ceremony into a battle against the elements. While we had a glass rain cover for the reception, the aisle itself was not adequately protected, leading to muddy shoes and a slippery situation for my bridal party.</p><h2 id="8a9dd868-443d-4ee0-9218-bde1191c2b3f">2. Commit fully to local cuisine</h2><p>One of the highlights of any <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/couple-marrying-st-lucia-wedding-wedding-tips-advice-2022-6">destination wedding</a> is the opportunity to showcase local flavors.</p><p>Our guests enjoyed the Thai buffet we offered on the first night, but when it came time for the wedding meal, we veered into Mediterranean cuisine. While the food was presented well, it didn't resonate as strongly with our setting or the experiences we wanted to share. If I could do it again, I would prioritize Thai food throughout the entire weekend.</p><div type="image" title="Baby being pushed down the aisle during wedding reception." height="3770" width="5655" msid="115234750" hostid="261" sizebytes="825114"></div><h2 id="351f05be-e426-4552-9a12-a77acb7574f4">3. Stick to a strict budget</h2><p>As our guest list grew from an initial 50 to 139 attendees, so did our budget. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/couple-winery-wedding-budget-breakdown-venue-flowers-decor-costs-2024-3">Wedding costs</a> can spiral quickly, especially when you're planning a destination event.</p><p>With guests traveling in from overseas, we planned a party on Friday with a dinner buffet. On Saturday, we opted for a four-course Mediterranean dinner with four hours of free flow.</p><p>Once extras, including a Thai noodle cart, flowers, fire-spinning entertainers, and the custom wagon we had built for our son, were added in, it added up to around $500 per guest for the two nights.</p><h2 id="bf78c090-c5bb-4af4-b832-20b847bf9150">4. Educate guests about the area</h2><p>Many of our guests were <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-things-to-do-in-thailand-frequent-traveler-multiple-visits-2024-1">visiting Thailand</a> for the first time, and I realized I hadn't provided enough information about the local culture. After the wedding, I found out that most of my guests stayed on the hotel grounds the entire time, and with a bit more guidance, I could have encouraged them to go out exploring.</p><div type="image" title="Taking shots and dancing during wedding reception." height="4000" width="6000" msid="115234748" hostid="261" sizebytes="657308"></div><h2 id="0aa3b7c1-432b-4389-a52a-ed5c29c3401c">5. Create an inclusive experience for guests</h2><p>Reflecting on the event, I realize I could have done more to make the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/things-to-consider-before-you-have-kid-friendly-wedding-2022-2">wedding more kid-friendly</a>. The celebration unintentionally became quite adult-centric, centered on lively parties and plenty of drinks, which may have led guests with small children to leave early.</p><p>While we did offer babysitting services and guests had access to the resort's kids' playhouse, I would have provided more activities tailored for parents and children. Simple additions like custom coloring books and goodie bags could have created a more inclusive atmosphere for everyone.</p>

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<ul class="summary-list"><li>A month after retiring from his 26-year career in law enforcement, Fred Jones moved from Florida to Thailand.</li><li>He now lives in a $540-a-month two-bedroom house in Chiang Mai with his wife and their dog.</li></ul><p>A visit to the doctor in 2007 planted the idea of living overseas in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.youtube.com/@farawayfred802">Fred Jones</a>' head.</p><p>He had picked up a copy of International Living magazine while sitting in the waiting room, and it introduced him to the world of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/retired-millennial-moved-america-philippines-slow-life-debt-free-2024-2">people who retired abroad</a>.</p><p>"I had no idea that people were doing that. I just thought people vacationed, then came back to their 9-to-5s and kept on with their lives," Jones, 56, told Business Insider. "It really opened my eyes to the possibility of living overseas, especially at that time when I was focused on the cost of living."</p><div type="image" title="A man and a woman in a restaurant." height="2160" width="2880" msid="114409039" hostid="261" sizebytes="148694"></div><p>The original plan was to move to Ecuador after he retired, but with the escalating violence in the country, Jones and his wife decided to look elsewhere. That's when he remembered his first trip to Vietnam back in 2018.</p><p>"It was only nine days, but I fell in love with Southeast Asia," he said.</p><p>On August 19, 2023, Jones retired from law enforcement after 26 years of service.</p><p>About a month later, he<strong> </strong>and his wife packed up their lives, sold their house, and left Lake County, Florida, to embark on their next adventure.</p><p>They were moving to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tourist-mistakes-thailand-chiang-mai-guide-list-holiday-2022-8">Chiang Mai,</a> a province in northern Thailand, sight unseen.</p><h2 id="c673279f-70e7-42fd-987f-753ef6f8192e">Moving halfway around the globe</h2><p>Chiang Mai is about 450 miles north of Bangkok. It has long been a popular destination for tourists and expats alike, thanks to its stunning ancient temples, bustling markets, and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cheap-cities-for-digital-nomad-remote-work-move-live-abroad-2023-3">relatively low cost of living</a>.</p><p>Jones says he decided to move there after doing his research and speaking to people he met on expat Facebook groups who had been living in Chiang Mai for years.</p><div type="image" title="The exterior of the house." height="874" width="1165" msid="114409033" hostid="261" sizebytes="163044"></div><p>"If you look hard enough, there's a road map out there for you to follow and adjust accordingly to what you need," he said, adding that being a cop has prepared him "for the unknown."</p><p>One of the main reasons he chose Chiang Mai was because he enjoyed northern Thai cuisine and wanted to live in a place that was quiet but still easily accessible.</p><p>"I wanted to go somewhere where I didn't have all the noise of a city, but I had the conveniences right up the road, too," he said.</p><p>Jones decided to rent instead of buying a house. To him, it didn't make sense to purchase property in a new country without familiarizing himself with the different areas where he could live.</p><div type="image" title="A sofa in the office." height="964" width="1280" msid="114409035" hostid="261" sizebytes="52446"></div><p>"To be honest with you, we'll probably rent for the rest of our lives unless we find a special place that we want to call our home forever," he said.</p><p>Since Jones and his wife <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/private-jet-vacation-japan-toy-poodle-dog-expensive-holiday-2024-6">flew their dog</a> to Thailand, they were looking for a modern house with a yard. They put an ad on Facebook and ended up finding a place to live easily.</p><p>The two-bedroom house is slightly under 1,200 square feet and is located in Doi Saket, about 20 minutes east of Chiang Mai city, the capital of Chiang Mai province. It had everything they needed, including air conditioning and even an oven.</p><p>Their house in Chiang Mai isn't that different from their house back in Florida. Both had two bedrooms, except the couple had a bigger kitchen and a garage back in the US.</p><p>"It was comfortable. It felt like it was well-built, and he said it would take care of any kind of maintenance that was required. He even takes care of the lawn, so that's a bonus," Jones said, referring to their landlord.</p><div type="image" title="The kitchen." height="961" width="1280" msid="114409034" hostid="261" sizebytes="80470"></div><p>Rent is 18,000 Thai baht, or about $540, each month.</p><p>The house sits on an acre of land, and while the couple has neighbors about 25 yards to their left, they "never hear anything," Jones said.</p><p>He said the local market is a five-minute walk away, with bigger grocery stores nearby that stock Western brands as well. Coffee shops are aplenty in their neighborhood, and there's even an Italian restaurant for when their pasta craving hits.</p><h2 id="f01d24d8-9e3b-4284-a75d-d4b3466433c6">Finding their community</h2><p>Despite Jones and his wife not knowing anyone<strong> </strong>in Chiang Mai before their move, they found a community quite easily.</p><p>A large part of it is thanks to their new neighbors — also expats — who showed them around.</p><div type="image" title="The office." height="964" width="1280" msid="114409040" hostid="261" sizebytes="70930"></div><p>Their neighbors also brought them to "Sunday Coffee," a weekly, informal gathering of expats at a local café.</p><p>"There are probably between 12 and 15 expats that meet there every Sunday, from France, New Zealand, America, just so many different countries, and they're all English speakers," Jones said. "I sat there, and I absorbed information from people who have been here for 20, 30 years."</p><p>Jones said some of these people have gone on to become his good friends. They meet up regularly for lunch and go on hikes.</p><p>"I never saw this coming. I thought it would be like me and my wife just doing things together for a very long time," he said.</p><div type="image" title="A bathroom in the house." height="849" width="1280" msid="114409037" hostid="261" sizebytes="53346"></div><p>While the language barrier was a concern, Jones says that he and his wife have managed to get by with help from Google Translate.</p><p>"My wife is learning the language as we speak, and so that's going to really help. But the locals have been very accommodating with us not knowing the language," he said.</p><h2 id="ff4fd391-25fe-4161-a43f-ad9c3b1c1eaa">Life is simpler and cheaper</h2><p id="ff4fd391-25fe-4161-a43f-ad9c3b1c1eaa">Jones and his wife aren't alone in their decision to leave. The <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/inflation-cost-of-living-what-is-middle-class-housing-market-2024-4">cost of living is rising</a>, and more and more Americans are being <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/americans-moving-abroad-cost-of-living-too-expensive-debt-retirement-2024-4">priced out of the US</a>.</p><p id="ff4fd391-25fe-4161-a43f-ad9c3b1c1eaa">Even Florida — where the couple is from — isn't all rainbows and sunshine: While it might be one of the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/taxes/states-with-no-income-tax-map">nine states without an income tax</a>, things like home insurance and even healthcare <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-are-people-moving-florida-home-prices-cost-of-living-2023-12">can make it costly to live there</a>.</p><p id="ff4fd391-25fe-4161-a43f-ad9c3b1c1eaa">In recent years, Chiang Mai has become a popular choice for people around the world looking to relocate.</p><p id="ff4fd391-25fe-4161-a43f-ad9c3b1c1eaa">According to November 2023 <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.bora.dopa.go.th/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/pop_province_6611.pdf">data</a> from the Bureau of Registration Administration of Thailand, there are 161,979 foreigners living in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/millennial-built-luxury-home-thailand-relocation-debt-free-chiang-mai-2024-5">Chiang Mai</a> province.</p><p id="ff4fd391-25fe-4161-a43f-ad9c3b1c1eaa">Several people that BI previously spoke to shared that the area's laid-back lifestyle and low costs were factors in their decision to move there. Johnny Ward, a travel blogger, previously told BI that he managed to build his dream <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/millennial-built-luxury-home-thailand-relocation-debt-free-chiang-mai-2024-5">"James Bond" villa</a> in Chiang Mai for about $600,000. Australian retiree John Walker rents a studio apartment for less than $200 a month in rent. He told BI that he's able to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/boomer-moved-thailand-cheaper-retirement-lives-off-pension-travels-world-2024-8">save about 40% of his income</a> while living there.</p><p id="ff4fd391-25fe-4161-a43f-ad9c3b1c1eaa">Likewise, life has become a lot simpler for Jones and his wife now that they're in Chiang Mai.</p><p>Jones says that his monthly budget is $2,100, although his expenditure typically comes up to around $1,800. This includes health insurance for him and his wife, as well as miscellaneous travel expenses like a vacation to a nearby town.</p><p>"I would say that my wife and I are probably living on a third of what we would be spending in the United States right now," Jones said.</p><div type="image" title="The exterior of the house." height="879" width="1172" msid="114409043" hostid="261" sizebytes="165704"></div><h2 id="4c53bd60-736f-49e0-b088-9eeef1611138">Feeling safer has lowered stress levels</h2><p>Cost of living aside, Jones says his mental health has greatly improved since he started living in Chiang Mai.</p><p>"I never realized how hypervigilant I was all the time, even off-duty, until I moved here. It's just like all the stress, having your head on the swivel, all of that stuff just disappeared," he said.</p><p>Being in law enforcement back in Florida meant that he had seen a lot of trauma while on the job. Some of these incidents stayed with him long after he clocked out of his shifts.</p><p>"On the weekends, if my wife and I were going to a movie or somewhere, we would pass by places that I could look at and say, 'That homicide happened over there' or 'That rape happened over there,'" he said. "You relive those things in your head over and over again when you live in the same place where you've seen all this stuff."</p><p>Living in Chiang Mai has given him "a new beginning where none of that occupies my mind anymore," he said.</p><p>Thanks to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.osac.gov/Country/Thailand/Content/Detail/Report/33ef53fa-45cf-409c-8398-1c49361d4481">low crime rates</a> and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.siam-legal.com/thailand-law/are-guns-legal-in-thailand/">strict gun control laws</a>, Jones also feels safer in Chiang Mai than in the US. In fact, ever since he arrived in Asia, he's been able to sit with his back to the door — something he never used to do.</p><p>"That's what I mean by it being life-changing," he said.</p><h2 id="18c3800e-a3c2-4b15-abd5-8c038340c512">Living life on his own terms</h2><p>Perhaps the best part about being retired in Chiang Mai is that he has the freedom to do whatever he wants with his time.</p><div type="image" title="A man and his dog in the car." height="2160" width="2880" msid="114409045" hostid="261" sizebytes="277692"></div><p>Now that he's no longer bogged down by work, he gets to indulge in his hobbies and spend time with his loved ones. He said he recently picked up pickleball and at least two days a week, he and his wife will hop on a motorbike to explore the surrounding countryside.</p><p>Not only does he have the time to read, but he also finished writing a book, which he self-published earlier this year.</p><p>"Statistically, a lot of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/news/behind-the-headlines/heart-attack-monday#:~:text=They%20also%20saw%20higher%20than,our%20sleep%20and%20wake%20cycles.">heart attacks happen on Sunday night or Monday morning</a> because that's when you're getting ready to transition into whatever the case may be. But I look forward to Mondays now. I look forward to planning my week out," Jones said. </p><p>"It feels like things have slowed down for me, and it really feels good."</p><p><em>Have you recently relocated to a new country and found your dream home? If you've got a story to share, get in touch with me at </em><a target="_blank" href="mailto:agoh@businessinsider.com"><em>agoh@businessinsider.com</em></a><em>.</em></p>

A retired Florida cop moved to Thailand with his wife and dog. He says his new life is cheaper, safer, and less stressful.

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<ul class="summary-list"><li>Apple faces backlash over an ad that critics say portrays Thailand negatively.</li><li>The 10-minute comic short shows business partners rushing around the country.</li></ul><p>Apple is facing backlash over a recent ad set in Thailand, which critics say portrays the country as backward and shabby.</p><p>The 10-minute video, uploaded to YouTube in mid-July, is part of a series of comedy shorts called "The Underdogs," and showcases Apple features and products through the adventures of four hapless business partners.</p><p>In the latest episode, "The Underdogs: OOO (Out Of Office)," the characters head to Thailand to source a packaging company at the behest of a demanding and egotistical client back in the US, played by "Superbad" actor Christopher <span>Mintz-Plasse.</span></p><p>To adapt to his constantly changing requests, they dash around the country on aging trains, buses, and tuk-tuks, trying to find a key supplier. They encounter obliging locals, and a very dingy hotel — with all their problems ultimately smoothed over on the fly by Apple features.</p><p>In 2020, "The Underdogs" managed to snag a Directors' Guild of America nomination for achievement in directing commercials — but the latest episode has bombed on social media, and comments on YouTube have been turned off.</p><p>Numerous complaints from Thai-focused accounts have appeared on TikTok and X, racking up hundreds of thousands of views.</p><p>"The video portrays something that looks like Thailand in the 1960s," said TikToker <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@weetalkthailand/video/7396368205633080594?q=apple%20ad%20thailand&amp;t=1722501216967">That Thai Auntie</a>.</p><p>Many commentators noted how shabby a lot of the architecture and interiors looked despite much of the ad being set in Bangkok, a highly modernized city.</p><div type="image" title="A still from Apple's July 2024 advert The Underdogs: OOO (Out Of Office), showing a busy Bangkok street in sepia tones." height="542" width="1000" msid="112197846" hostid="261" sizebytes="63170"></div><p>Others remarked on the footage's sepia-toned color grading, which <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.media-diversity.org/yellow-filter-a-cinematic-technique-or-pushing-stereotypes/">media critics have said is often used to convey a less-affluent environment.</a></p><p><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/Rattapoom_K/status/1816749244906373626">One X user joked</a> that Thailand has become a "yellow filter" country, saying, "I like how Apple put a third-world filter on contemporary Bangkok in their ads. It's very classy."</p><p>Several social media users <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@numjourney/video/7396639624904412423">posted images of modern Thailand</a> in order to contrast with the run-down surroundings featured in much of the ad.</p><div type="image" title="A still from Apple's July 2024 advert The Underdogs: OOO (Out Of Office), showing a worried-looking woman in the foreground of a shabby hotel room." height="547" width="1000" msid="112197622" hostid="261" sizebytes="30848"></div><p>One TikTok user, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@shoaib_live_pro/video/7396574015260871944">in a post that has had almost 70,000 views</a>, contrasted it disapprovingly with a brightly-colored 2023 Google Pixel ad, which includes both modern and rustic aspects of Thai life.</p><p>It's "100% stereotyping," <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@singhsocial/video/7397766562792459538">said TikTok user Rohit Singh</a>, who said he has lived in the country for over a year.</p><p>He filmed his response — which was seen more than 18,000 times — in an airport, making the point that the interior was far more modern than that shown in the Apple ad.</p><div type="image" title="A still from Apple's July 2024 advert The Underdogs: OOO (Out Of Office) showing the four main characters rushing through a crowded and slightly dingy airport." height="539" width="1000" msid="112197841" hostid="261" sizebytes="42844"></div><p>The portrayal particularly stings for East Asians, he said, given the amount of manufacturing labor these countries provide for tech companies.</p><p>Indeed, last year, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Supply-Chain/Apple-in-talks-with-suppliers-to-make-MacBooks-in-Thailand">Nikkei Asia reported</a> that Apple was looking to expand its manufacturing base beyond China, with a view to making its Macbooks in Thailand.</p><p>Thailand's Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has defended the advert, saying it could still benefit the country's "soft power," <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.bangkokpost.com/life/tech/2839626/apples-out-of-office-advertisement-faces-backlash-in-thailand">the Bangkok Post reported</a>.</p><p>It's the second time this year that Apple has faced criticism of its advertising. The latest "Underdogs" ad comes only weeks after <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/apples-bad-ad-not-original-lg-electronics-15-years-ago-2024-5">the company pulled</a> a badly-received iPad ad.</p><p>That ad depicted a hydraulic press crushing musical instruments and other creative tools. </p><p>It was <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ipad-ad-crush-apple-backlash-overreaction-explanation-2024-5">meant to convey</a> how many features are crammed into an iPad but <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-ipad-pro-ad-crush-tim-cook-ratioed-2024-5">reminded many onlookers</a> of the potential threat that technology, particularly AI, poses to creative careers.</p><p>In that case, Apple's head of marketing and communications, Tor Myhren, said the company "missed the mark."</p><p>Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.</p>

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