jackers

Are you here to stay, or is this just a visit?

It takes a while to get a feel for this place, what do you wish to see/do?

I would call it a visit, I have a 60 day visa which I hope to extend, longer term I'm looking for suitable places in Asia to base myself. As well as visiting temples, I'll be doing some drawing. The temples inspire me but the small part I've seen of the city doesn't. I want to get up into the mountains more anyway to do that without renting a motorbike?

To all those jumping on my back and making assumptions that I don't understand thai culture, I'm a typical westerner etc, the thread is entitled my first impressions of Chiang mai. I'm perfectly aware that it takes a longer time to get to know a place. There is a lot that I haven't seen yet, so it's not a final conclusion, its a first impression something that we all have when we go to a place or meet someone for the first time.

If you don't like people jumpimg on your back why didn't you give it a bit more time before making such a provocative post.?

Because I wanted to post my first impressions, if people want to jump on my back they can do, but I find some of the responses a bit over the top to be honest.

I say provocative because most of the people who have responded to your post have made CM their home and really don't like to see outsiders coming in and saying CM does not impress them, its certainly impressed all of us that have moved from the other side of the world to live here, including me.

Maybe better to post back once you have found the Chiang Mai we love, and if you don't well we don't really mind, different strokes for different folks and all that.

I really hope that you do find more things that will make you happy here and hope that the remainder of your visit is a positive experience

For the record, the fisrt time I came here 9 years ago, I didn't like it compared to Bangkok, I thought it was way too slow and at that time I liked to live fast.

Within 2 years I was living here, it gets to you

So even for yourself your first impression was not really a favourable one.

I have a lot of time to explore the place and find out what works for me and what doesn't. It's really a fact finding mission, I wasn't going to come here until later on in the year but I decided to come as I was a short plane ride away I might as well experience it now. A couple of people have said that its the surrounding area rather than the city which is attractive. So longer term that is where I might find myself staying, in those surrounding areas where I can still get easy access into the city.

To all those jumping on my back and making assumptions that I don't understand thai culture, I'm a typical westerner etc, the thread is entitled my first impressions of Chiang mai. I'm perfectly aware that it takes a longer time to get to know a place. There is a lot that I haven't seen yet, so it's not a final conclusion, its a first impression something that we all have when we go to a place or meet someone for the first time.

About renting a motorbike, I'm not confident about riding a bike I have no experience of riding bikes. The city is a lot busier than I expected and I don't want to take the chance.

What did I expect to find here? I guess I expected it to be picturesque and not that busy. Today I've mostly been walking around the moat area getting to know my surroundings, I've visited a few wats and I've been really impressed with those, I've visited some markets, found the fruit a bit more expensive than Philippines or Malaysia but perhaps who would be cheaper in another area. I've seem some quite side streets which look interesting and I will explore in more detail tomorrow. Also tomorrow I'd like to go to a muay thai boxing match.

I met someone today who told me about a town called Pai, he recommended it highly, so that could be a place I could go and have a look at somewhere down the line.

Based on the day I spent here so far, I would say it's nothing special I expected to be bowled over but I'm not. I find it to be rather touristy. I also think it's not particularly polluted. The city is a lot more busier than I expected.

I think I would put Thailand in the modestly priced bracket, the cost of rental apartments seems to be more expensive than Malaysia.

Only two countries issuing double entry visas and lots of reports from people saying they can no longer get a visa in Laos.

Sorry to hear about this, I can't help feeling though that it probably wouldn't be news if he wasn't a foreigner.

I forgot to mention that I investigated choktawee residence & mansion further and found out you have to stay there for four months to qualify for their monthly rate!!!

At K&K House you can find all of that you required for 4000 THB.

I gave them a call today, the rates I was told is 4500 a month for a small room, 5500 for a big room. I've heard a lot of things about this place, so I'll go there tomorrow and give it a shot

Great video but nothing beats being in a place in person.

Definitely Malaysia ticks a lot of boxes, cheap housing, cheap food ( just had a great feed which as filled me up for only 40p) cheap travel, visas no problem, good transport system. Having said all that I've only been here two days and I'm going to thailand tomorrow. I'm planning to spend a longer time here later in the year, The race biased politics is a problem, but then politics is mostly crap everywhere.

Philippines I would consider having spent a long time there but Malaysia seems to top philippines in most departments.

I went to the visa office today, the woman didn't ask to see a onward ticket, infact she barely looked at the form, I collect at 2.30 tomorrow. Oh and there is no fee.

I just had a look at the thai embassy website.

Holiday/ Vacation purpose

1. Visa application form duly filled out.

2. Applicant’s passport valid not less than 6 months. Copy of passport.

3. (4 x 6 cm.) 3 Photograph(s) of the applicant, taken within the past 6 months.

4. Original letter indicating reason and duration of visit.

v Letter from the company certified by authorized director and affixed by the seal of the company, form 49 of the company (For applicant holding employment, professional and dependent pass) or

v Letter from the school/college/university certified by authorized school director and affixed by the seal of the school/college/university. (For applicant holding student pass) or

v Letter from the spouse and copy of marriage certificate and spouse’ identity card certified the true copy. (For applicant who married to a local).

5. Original and copy of return flight ticket to Thailand.

NOTE

**Company’s documents shall be certified by authorized director with the seal of the company**

**Upon application time make sure you do not have any valid Thai visa on your passport**

CONSULAR OFFICERS RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REQUEST ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS FROM VISA APPLICANTS AS DEEMED NECESSARY

Visa Fee

Single Entry: RM 110

Consular Hours

Visa Application: 09.30 -11.30am

Visa Collection 14.30-16.00pm (on the next working day)

Open on Monday to Friday. Close on Saturday, Sunday and Public holidays

For further enquiry, please contact: 603-2143 2127, 2413 2107 and 2143 2125

Remarks:

*Applicant must apply in person* and must have all required documents ready for submission. Only properly completed application forms will be accepted.

I thought the visa was free and what's all this about a letter?

have you looked at huaw kaew palace they also throw in a breakfast it's about 5500 baht for one month.

No, it's out of my price range. I must come across as a terrible cheapskate but I am just trying to budget effectively as that gives me more options with my travel plans.

We had to stay in CM for some medical and we ended up at Bossatel across from the railway. I think it was about 3500 but it did have internet, tv, it also has a pool and a.c. You might check there.

Sounds good, I'll put it on my shortlist.

have you looked at huaw kaew palace they also throw in a breakfast it's about 5500 baht for one month.

No, it's out of my price range. I must come across as a terrible cheapskate but I am just trying to budget effectively as that gives me more options with my travel plans.

"I don't need AC, or hot water or fridge..."

No offense intended, but have you been to Chiang Mai in March or April??

No never, this will be my first time in Chiang Mai and Thailand but if I can survive Delhi in august without AC, or hot water or fridge and several months in summer in philippines without AC and hot water, I'm confident I can handle it in Chiang mai.

Between late March-May, CM can be worse than all of them my friend. It can be stifling with the temp alone, but throw in high humidity together with a huge amount of pollution, and you wouldn't want to just have a window. Most places should come with a/c as standard anyway, so simply don't turn the thing on when you don't want to. Those without will typically be in a tatty area with folk you don't want to be mixing with.

The heat I can handle but humidity I don't like, never the less I still think a electric fan should be adequate. The stories I'm hearing about the pollution really bother me because it sounds even worse than London. I hope I'm making the right decision to go there.

Hauey Kaew Residence was on my shortlist but searching through these forums I see they've had some bad reviews, which put me off.k&k House looks very good, good location and even offer free transportation from the airport. That gets my vote at the moment.

I am flying to KL on the 8th of march from Philippines and then flying into Thailand on the 11th. I have a return ticket back to London from Philippines dated June 1st.

Hopefully this will be good enough to get a TV.

If you apply early enough for a TV , you will have time enough to get an onward ticket if they require to see one.

It is a gamble every time if they will ask for a ticket onward or not ask.

Your Ticket from the PI on June 1 is interesting, but what plans or arrangements do you have to travel out of Thailand.

You could always purchase a open ticket or specific date out of Thailand to the PI (if that is your routiing etc) if you don't already have some type of onward ticket.

I was going to apply on the 9th and I'm hoping that I will get my visa the next day. I have a vague plan to get out of thailand at the moment, I want to either travel overland to Singapore or fly there, then fly to Philippines the next day.

Unless you live half way up the mountain, you will need aircon. Also likely that at that budget, fresh air ventilation will be minimal and noise maximal. Have a look up Suthep Road where the students are.

Looks like I will just have to wait until I arrive in Chiang Mai before I can really make any clear decision about where I'm going to live. Research only takes you so far.

Buddy looks good on paper, not at all convinced about the reliability of the internet connection though, at that kind of price.

Wi-Fi solutions are often sketchy, beware of worms and viruses and do not assume that the people who manage the router actually know what they are doing, nor that the other clients using the Wi-Fi have adequate virus protection.

So what kind of price would guarantee me a good internet connection?

Buddy looks good on paper.

Advertisement is 2008.

Prices will be more now..

I was thinking that, in fact many of the advertisements from that site come from years back, but the site claims that they always update. I think I'll send buddy place an email to confirm their prices.

Think location also, some of those places are in the middle of nowhere. You will need your own transportation.

I've got no idea where some of those places are but I am prepared to walk an hour or so to get to where I want to go.

"I don't need AC, or hot water or fridge..."

No offense intended, but have you been to Chiang Mai in March or April??

No never, this will be my first time in Chiang Mai and Thailand but if I can survive Delhi in august without AC, or hot water or fridge and several months in summer in philippines without AC and hot water, I'm confident I can handle it in Chiang mai.

Having a good internet connection is the most important thing to me, I've been using a internet cafe for the last couple of months and I don't like that much.

Hi all, I'm going to be in chiang mai next week and I am looking for some cheap accommodation.

My requirements:

1. reliable internet connection
2. TV (a option to add cable would be a plus)
3. A desk for my pc
4. Fan
5. A window
6. Not to much noise

One room/studio is fine, I'm ideally looking to pay between 2000-3000B a month (I could stretch to 3500). I don't need AC, or hot water or fridge I've checked the classifieds on this forums, the search didn't turn up much but there were a few results that looked promising.

I also looked at the following sites

http://chiangmai.thaiapartments.net/index.php?os=0&lan=en

http://en.cm-teepak.com/index.php

Buddy place looks good

http://en.cm-teepak.com/overview.php?baseID=AM100048

Choktawee residence & mansion - Serviced apartment also seems good

http://chiangmai.thaiapartments.net/index.php?os=apartment&apartmentid=102&lan=en&fromos=2&ord=1&search_monthlyrent=0-2500

Any other recommendations?

I am flying to KL on the 8th of march from Philippines and then flying into Thailand on the 11th. I have a return ticket back to London from Philippines dated June 1st.

Hopefully this will be good enough to get a TV.

hi,

most probably you will not need a onward ticket. the last years i had applied in KL for TV more than a few times and i never had to show anything (just passport, pictures, application). 3 weeks ago I was in kota bharu for a TV and they gave me a problem. i managed to get one because i had a very recent thai-hospital bill and i said, that i must go back for treatment and checkup immediately and i dont know how long i have to stay. so, they gave me at the end a TV. but i would never go again to kota bharu for a TV.

Thanks for that, I will also report back once I've finished applying for my TV.

I am flying to KL on the 8th of march from Philippines and then flying into Thailand on the 11th. I have a return ticket back to London from Philippines dated June 1st.

Hopefully this will be good enough to get a TV.