eveningson

Hello All,

Sorry for butting in like this. My wife and I are newly retired in our fifties and have checked out lived in various areas of the world trying to find the right fit. So far not much luck. I am canadian born but a swiss citizen and we have looked in Spain, France, Canada and most recently in Mexico where we thought we had found the perfect place. I am still there and will be me oving directly from here as soon as my retirement visa comes through for thailand.

I have looked at most of the housing set out here on internet and have been struck by a few places that i like, but i just dont know them well enough. Since we will be leasing, probably for a year that seems required, my surface impressions are just not of the quality of someone who has seen and lived the area.

There are so many questions that I have that I have abandoned asking these. so what i want is a good gut impression influenced by your input. this is basically what i am looking for.

I dont want to live in a condo. call it claustrophobia or the smell of cooking in hallways. or maybe the places i lived in my student days.

I would want to find something in these places called moobans. these seem to be developments under a plan of some sorts. I would like this to be as close to the city as possible without losing its quiet singular feeling. I like to walk out for a coffee now and again or something to eat and not have to take a taxi everywhere since i dont drive, but i dont go out enough to hire a full time driver and car. I would like security as well and perhaps a gate. I am willing to pay up to 50 000 baht for this. is it possible to find a place for this price in a good development that is close to the city but not on the airport side.

i know this is asking a bit, but i really would like to know and would sincerely appreciate any comments, even snarky ones, for all answers help reveal what i want to know which is a sense of the ground and attitudes i have to take into account when i begin my search. we will likely be staying at the frangiani apartment hotel for the first bit but then would like to move into a house.

cheers and all and i am really looking forward to your comments.

garry.

hello,

I am new to the forum since i am moving to chiang mai once i get my visa. what is the cheapest flights to bkk return from chiang mai. sorry for such a basic question. i could check the web but are these the best prices......

cheers.

garry.

I presume your are bringing loads of luggage with you so I would suggest you join Bangkok Airways Frequent Flyer Program, do it on-line, and then you are able to carry 30Kg check in and also hand luggage.

Usually the flight is just under 2000 Baht one way, Air Asia do have some cheap promotions but by the time you've added on all the extras, it's probably not worth it.

It's also worth asking the airline you're flying with to Thailand if they will check the luggage straight through to Chiang Mai. They will not do that if your flying with Air Asia but may do if you're using Bangkok Airways.

THANK YOU;

We are moving from Switzerland, well my wife is, but i have to clean up here in mexico and will be leaving from here to chiang mai. not the easiest thing to do considering that i do not wish to stop in the united states. they require a biometric passport and i still have the old passport so this could cause problems. this means that i have to fly to vancouver, my home country, and from there to chiang mai. i might consider starting my travel points collection on a favoured thai airline there if the price is right. not cheap considering that because i am a big guy, i will have to buy a business class ticket. sigh.

hi,

i am brand new to this forum and my wife and i have decided to move to chiang mai. we are currently waiting for our visas to come through. we tried retiring in mexico but the social environment is not too well lately and are leaving after two years here.

we have checked many real estate places but our basic question is never answered since i suspect that the poor folks get all sort of questions that do not result in sales etc. but my needs are very specific and i thought some wonderful person here could help me out.

i dont know chiang mai and this is what i am looking for.

a 3 or 4 bedroom house with security and with a garden that is near, walking distance, etc. the city. we would like to sit outside so constant noise of a loud variety, would be distracting and we do not want to move all the way to mae rim for peace, Furnished of course and perhaps with a housekeeper gardener etc. cable and high speed internet. we are at an age where hospital services are available in case of emergency. we have our own swiss health insurance but if one can get insurance in chiang mai i am sure we would be interested since swiss health insurance is quite expensive i,e, 20000 bahts per month for each of us and it is mandatory and this with a 20000 baht deductible.

we are looking to pay around 50 000 bahts for a house and could pay more for something good. does anyone have an idea of a development that meets these basics. we do not want a condo but might be interested in a town house if it has a garden. we speak english, german french and spanish and eventually hope to learn thai. we are both swiss and in our fifties and retired early so we hope to settle and participate in the community. I hate golf, dont drink and am generally a boring sort. I do read a great deal and wonder if someone knows if kindle works in chiang mai. I love to fish. write. talk. and eat good food. i play bridge and crib. My wife loves animals, painting, and culture. we enjoy supporting good works although we are not religious. I am a big man and need big furniture. i.e. 6 2 and 300 lbs. could i find that there or have it built. same goes for clothes i guess.

I do not know what one says on these forums but i am trying to be direct and forward here and hope that i have not said something wrong.

cheers.

garry.

hello,

I am new to the forum since i am moving to chiang mai once i get my visa. what is the cheapest flights to bkk return from chiang mai. sorry for such a basic question. i could check the web but are these the best prices......

cheers.

garry.

there is a lot of relativity involved i suspect. In my city here in mexico (Morelia) which I am leaving for chiang mai when my visa comes through, cops tend to shoot people randomly and raids are terrible things. we fortunately have the army in town who sort of watches the cops and the federales watch the army so there is a tense balance. We hear of incidents through word of mouth because no newspaper or tv will mention what is happening lest they be killed. I have yet to be directly touched by events here but it chills everyone and there is no longer life here anymore because one never knows who one is speaking to.

I was robbed twice in my life and both times it was in switzerland, once in geneva which seems to be a lot less safe than the streets here since there are no more small gangs of juveniles, or unsanctioned criminal activity and the other time in fribourg. so i cannot speak badly of mexico although i am scared a lot of the time even though i am a big guy with training. one has no chance against a kid with a handgun or a grenade.