CHIANG MAI · LIVING HANDBOOK
Living handbook
Everyday life, one step at a time.
Practical steps, preparation and official contacts for living in Chiang Mai.
Visas & immigration
Choosing a visa for a longer stay in Thailand
Narrow the options by retirement, family, study, work, DTV or LTR, and separate the initial application from procedures after arrival.
Retirement extensions: conditions, documents and the immigration office
Confirm your visa category and application type before arranging proof of savings or income.
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90-day reporting: online, by post or at the office
Keep reporting separate from an extension of stay, and check the submission route, result and next reporting date.
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TM30: what to ask your landlord and check yourself
Confirm the accommodation report with your landlord: who submits it, when, and how you receive the record.
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Check your re-entry permit before leaving Thailand
Before travelling back to Japan, compare your current status, planned departures, return date and permission expiry.
Before you use this guideBefore visiting Chiang Mai Immigration
Check the official address and the right procedure, then confirm office hours and additional documents before visiting.
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Visa-exempt tourism: how long you may stay
For ordinary Japanese passports, check the change effective 15 September 2026 and the rules before travel.
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TDAC: the digital arrival card before entry
Gather your details before filling it in, then save the QR-code document on your device.
Check work permission before employment or volunteering
Describe the actual work and confirm the necessary status and permission with the host and Department of Employment.
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What to check before volunteering in Thailand
Clarify the host organisation and planned activities, then check immigration status and work permission separately before deciding to join.
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Money & taxes
Opening a Thai bank account: questions for the branch
Explain your residence and intended use, and plan for later updates or a permanent return home.
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Transfers from Japan, currency exchange and ATM fees
Compare fees, exchange rates and the amount that actually arrives.
Thai tax residence and foreign income
Keep days in Thailand, the year income arose and the year it entered Thailand separate.
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Thai taxpayer numbers and income-tax returns
Check your TIN, organize income records, choose the right tax-year forms and keep filing records.
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Vehicle tax and compulsory insurance
Keep annual vehicle tax, compulsory insurance and optional cover separate. Confirm current tax amounts and renewal conditions with the land transport office.
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Build your own cost-of-living budget
Collect rent and utility estimates, and separate monthly spending from initial costs.
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Procedures in Japan
Driving & transport
Getting or converting a driving licence in Chiang Mai
Preparation for converting a Japanese licence. Confirm current documents, appointments and fees with the Department of Land Transport.
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International driving permits in Thailand
For international permits obtained using a Japanese driving licence: check the entry date and validity of both licences. Ask the land transport office about long-term residence or re-entry.
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Buying a car or motorcycle: registration checks
Before agreeing a purchase, check registration and ownership-transfer procedures with the land transport office. The complete requirements for foreign buyers remain unverified.
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Traffic tickets and payment in Thailand
Check the issuing authority, ticket details and payment method. Current fine amounts and drink-driving thresholds remain unverified.
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After a traffic accident in Thailand
Prioritize assistance for injured people and contact with police and your insurer. Preserve records and obtain explanations in a language you understand.
Songthaews, ride-hailing and airport travel
Getting around the city and airport while checking your destination and fare before travelling.
Health & medical care
Finding and visiting a dentist in Chiang Mai
What to check when choosing dental care, arranging interpretation, requesting an estimate and preparing for visits.
Using hospitals in Chiang Mai: appointments, interpreters, payments and insurance
What to check from preparing for a first visit to arranging interpretation, checking insurance and paying the bill.
Pharmacies and medicines in Thailand: buying and bringing medicines from Japan
Preparing for a pharmacy consultation and checking import conditions by active ingredient.
Private health insurance and insurance requirements for visas
Check policy coverage, hospital payments and visa requirements such as O-A separately.
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Animal bites, dengue and vaccination consultations
Seeking care after animal contact, warning signs with fever, mosquito protection and preparing to discuss vaccination.
Living through Chiang Mai's smoky season: PM2.5
Reading air-quality information and reviewing outdoor plans, indoor conditions and masks.
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When life abroad feels difficult: support in Japanese
Japanese-language chat support and official sources of information for family problems.
Living through the hot and rainy seasons
Thailand's general seasonal pattern and practical preparation for hot weather and outings.
Safety & emergencies
Scams and crime prevention in Chiang Mai
Responding to impersonation calls, social-media payment demands and investment approaches.
Reporting theft or loss in Thailand
Reporting to police and, for a lost Japanese passport, dealing with Japanese consular services and Thai immigration.
Preparing for floods and earthquakes in Chiang Mai
Family contact plans, essential supplies, flood evacuation and protection during earthquakes.
Home & daily life
Renting a home: contract, deposit and TM30
Written checks for viewing, moving in and moving out.
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Property purchases by foreigners: checks before payment
Distinguish land, buildings and condominium units, then verify eligibility before committing.
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Electricity and water accounts and payments
Identify the bill issuer and use official payment and outage-information channels.
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Mobile SIMs and home internet
Check SIM identity registration, home-internet contract terms and questions to ask your provider.
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Post and parcels: sending from Japan and checking customs
Check permitted contents, shipping labels, collection notices and customs questions for parcels from Japan.
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Bringing pets to Thailand and finding veterinary care
Plan pet travel, requirements for returning to Japan and questions for a local animal hospital.
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Thai etiquette: the monarchy, temples and dress
Basic ways to respect other people's beliefs and daily lives, at temples and elsewhere.
Alcohol sale hours and Buddhist holiday restrictions in Thailand
Where to check the 2026 changes to sale hours, prohibited-sale dates and rules affecting individual premises.
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Planning for later life and care in Chiang Mai
How to check a care facility's licence and what to discuss with the person concerned and their family.
Legal advice and finding a lawyer
Separate immediate safety needs, professional advice and the support available from a consulate.
Wills and inheritance for assets in Thailand
Organize assets, ownership and family information, and distinguish Thai procedures from Japanese ones.
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Learning & community
Children’s schools and supplementary Japanese classes
Compare curricula and applications, and check Japanese supplementary schooling and textbooks.
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Learning Thai: choosing a course and checking visa conditions
Compare course formats, fees and trials, and check study arrangements separately from visa conditions.
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Finding Japanese community groups and clubs
Explore association activities, membership conditions and questions to ask before joining.
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Places & culture
Yi Peng, Loy Krathong and sky lanterns: checks before joining
Distinguish floating krathong, city decorations and sky-lantern releases, then check organiser permissions and the programme.
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Preparing for Songkran in Chiang Mai
Choose between water celebrations and temple activities, protect your belongings and plan your journeys for Thai New Year.
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Checking dates and planning for the Chiang Mai Flower Festival
Plan separately for the flower-float parade and park displays, and confirm the year and venue before visiting.
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Visiting Chiang Mai’s temples with care
Prepare suitable clothing and respectful conduct, and plan manageable visits to Old City and mountain temples.
Discover northern Thai food through khao soi
Learn dish names and typical ingredients, then check spice levels and ingredients you cannot eat when ordering.
Preparing to visit Doi Suthep and Doi Inthanon
Distinguish a mountain temple visit from a national park trip, and check walking plans, return transport and access.
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Short trips to Lamphun, Chiang Dao and Pai
Separate town visits from mountain climbs, and choose a manageable destination around travel time and your return journey.
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Bo Sang crafts and the Sunday Market
Plan workshop visits and Sunday shopping separately, and ask how products are made, used and transported home.
Checks before visiting hot springs near Chiang Mai
Learn about San Kamphaeng Hot Springs, then check bathing arrangements, charges and return transport.
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Watch official interviews about long stays in Chiang Mai
Watch interviews with residents and consider what you need to know about housing, transport, living costs and your own plans.
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