You mentioned a “month long trip to Thailand” but then state renting an apartment “for a period of time as a home base.”

I’m confused as to what your timeline in Thailand is?

You’re not going to find much, if anything for less than 6 months and even those are less common than say a 1yr lease.

I would never rent an apartment in Thailand again, nor would I stay in a hotel that asks for a security deposit. Some landlords and a few hotels in Thailand seem to have a problem returning security deposits.

I’m dealing with a very popular chain right now that confirmed they do/did require a security deposit of 2,000 THB, which they charged me and didn’t return and now their bank is saying they have no record of me paying it.

Say what? How can you confirm you charged someone something and now claim you have no record of it? Oh, because it needs to be returned.

Do yourself and your pocketbook a favor and get an Airbnb or book a hotel that doesn’t require a security deposit, which most don’t.

Thailand is the safest country you’ll probably have visited. Avoid Phuket, or if you go, just Patong Beach. It’s a major tourist trap.

The taxis there are known as the “taxi mafia”, and they overcharge for the shortest of trips, and most all boat tours are overpacked and not that great. If money isn’t an option and you’re still determined to go, rent a private boat. Wasn’t that expensive when I asked but tourism hadn’t really come back yet at that time.