jimi

I would go with 2 Grand Filanos or one Vespa because the other 2 are more suited for a laid back chopper posture which is not as nimble.

You can put your feet in a lower position on the NMax and PCX but the central hump forces the feet outwards.

The Filano has the gastank under the feet but I think the Vespa's is under the seat which eats up storage and reduces handling.

Filano for the win.

Yeah, Filano seems quite nice. But sad with the drum brake in the back. That's the main thing keeping me from choosing it at the moment. But maybe it can be converted to a disc brake by the Yamaha workshop? Or am I just being silly, wanting disc brakes in the rear on a scooter?

+1 for N-Max despite I haven't tried one but only base my opinion on reports here on TV.

I also have a pcx150 mk1 (2012) and I like it and will keep it in 2016, I think.

OP, it looks like you just can't get what you are looking for but have to compromise, N-Max is the only one with abs and slightly more powerful than pcx150.

Yeah, it really seems that the bike I'm looking for just doesn't exist. I just don't understand why not. Surely people would like a styling slim scooter with extra power and disc brakes, right? I can't be the only one

The ABS is not important for me, but good brakes are.

Yamaha N-Max sounds about right. 80,000 Baht

Yeah, except for the weight. It weighs amlost 1/3 more than my corrent one. I am worried it is too heavy. But of course I cannot know for sure before I test one. Will try it on monday I think.

The only thing that comes to mind when you say semi-powerful with disc brakes, is a Harley. Bit on the big side though.

Try riding like this with a Harley:

lol. Just kidding, I'm not driving like that. But the traffic situation in this video shows in a way what I deal with when I ride. I just ride slower and safer than that guy, but still the same narrow passages between cars (but slow speed, as I said). Can't do that with a big bike

• Overall good quality
  
• The look of the Yamaha Grand Filano Supremo 2015 (the black/red one looks really nice) or similar style (there are some nice Vespas out there too)
  
• Upright sitting position, ie traditional scooter style
  
• Good size for medium sized farang
  
• Good size for traffic jams, ie being able to zig zag and squeeze thrue narrow gaps between stand still cars at slow speed
  
• Light enough so it handles easily even at really low speeds (think walking speed), and moving it by hand (for example when parking in a narrow place)
  
• Light and small enough so that my short thai girlfriend can use it once in a while
  
• Powerful engine (for a scooter, that is), around 150 cc
  
• Automatic gear
  
• Handles good even at higher speeds (for scooter, ie 80-100km/h)
  
• Good disc brakes in both front and back, and preferably no CBS/LBS
  
• Wider tires than the regular scooter tires, and preferably larger diameter wheels, for better traction and stability
  

• ABS brakes
  
• Open foot platform
  
• Large gas tank
  
• Kick start option, if for some reason the electric starter isn't working
  

These keyboard cowboys have options !

1 Be legal with a "proper" visa (+/- extensions of stay ) and work permit

OR

2. Be illegal and run the risk by existing on inappropriate short term visas !

No need for pages of "debate"

: > )

Nonsense.

For many, the best aspect of online working is the ability to make your work fit around your life not the other way round

Having a laptop, tablet or even a smartphone means you're never really out of the office unless you want to be.

Nonsense? Certainly not.

"online working" covers a lot of very different kinds of work. If your work consists in coding sites with very complex architecture by example, there is no way you can work with just a laptop, and there is no way you can concentrate enough during such trip to make this kind of work. From a development point of view, they are lost days, and as "time is money"...

• If one has a good size screen on the laptop, a good mouse and a good external keyboard, it is perfectly feasible to work like that.
• A developer doesn't just type code. Complex projects requires thinking, discussing, drawing up ideas etc. This doesn't require a stationary computer with three screens.
• Most people don't consider the occasional lazy weekend as lost revenue. So why should one consider the occasional 2 day trip that way? Why not treat it like a mini vacation instead?

If your customers are overseas and pay you there I wouldn't worry for a second about my profitable spare time activities. I run my companies by reading emails, chatting, calling, saying yes or no, etc. I wouldn't call that work. Thinking can't be monitored. I use the 50+ option to stay here. That is not available to you. If I was 30 and had no capital to invest, I would get a work permit from my Thai network doing something of value for them that can be done from home. Fairly easy to do, but you need Thai friends. If you work in the IT industry this is a no-brainer.

I do online work, so employment in Thailand or making a company really isn't something I'm looking to do. Unfortunately I'm not rich either to get the elite visa. It's a shame that Thailand, while being the world's biggest "prostitute" to foreign tourists, seems to want to get rid of many foreigners who are there just wanting to live normal lives, learn their language, etc.

Thanks for the replies.

Normal life would be working...visa available, retired....visa available, visit family...visa available, learn language...visa available, holiday...visa available, start a business...visa available.....probably one of the easiest countries for obtaining a visa providing you are legit.

Visa available for working? Not really, for many people. Let's say one works for a company overseas. And that company has no ties to Thailand in any way, but the nature of the work makes it possible for the employee in question to work online from Thailand, and the company doesn't mind. What visa would would give him/her the right to do this legally? What kind of work permit would he/she be eligible for?

I know when focusing on Thai words my mouth feels like it is working out...if you watch Thai speakers enounciating words it looks like a lot of work...where English is effortless....

Hi all,

I'm a new member here, but not new to Chiang Mai, having visited the lovely city almost yearly for the last 12 years. But my visits so far has been more of a vacation visit, and now I feel it is time to try and stay for a bit longer.

So, my current plan is to visit for 3 months at the end of this year, during which I will do remote work and thai studies, and just get a better feel of how it is to live in this city. But I feel like I am having some problems finding the perfect place for me to stay during these 3 months. My budget is about 10-20K THB per month, where the lower would be ok for a "good enough" place, and the upper number would be for a "wow" place.

I really love the Nimman area, and it is the area I know the most. So this is where I want to live. With that i mean the area in read in the attached picture, more or less.

I think I would prefer the upper/northen parts of this area, since it is a bit further away from the airport, considering they noise from the planes.

I will definately rent both a mountainbike and scooter, but I am a walker at heart, and want to be able to walk to for example Nimman Rd with ease. So for example, I am not interested in a place that requires crossing or traveling on the super highway or other roads that are not suitable for walking. So this rules out for example Green Hill Place and Sky Breeze Condo (at least from what I can tell by using the street view function on google maps).

Regarding the apartment, I don't need anything luxurious, but not budget feeling either. Not to small, but I don't need a multi bedroom suite. Maybe 40+ sq m (~450 sq f). If I have to choose between a fresh-looking, newly renovated 35 sq m studio and a more run-down suite, I would definately go for the smaller but fresher one. What I definately don't want is a house. I am an apartment guy all the way.

It must be furnished, and preferably serviced as well. Ie I would like bed linens and stuff included, and cleaning maybe a few times per month.

A kitchen/kitchenette with hot plates is a must, since I want to cook my own food from time to time (not a budget issue, I just like some dishes that are impossible to find in Chiang Mai as far as I know).

Since I will do computer work in the apartment, and also probably getting private thai lessons there, the apartment should preferably be quite light (ie good lighting, and maybe good size windows). Consider the fact that I might spend up to 8-12 awake hours in there during the course of one day (not every day though)...

It must be a multi story building, and I'm not interested in the ground floor. Bugs and insects are usually more frequent closer to the ground, and I hate those dam_n things. Also the street noise is less of a disturbance higher up. On the 4th+ floor would be optimal, with elevator of course.

Speaking of noise, I would really, really like the place to have at least moderatly sound isolated walls/doors. I don't want to wake up 6am just because my neighbor started his morning ritual by using the bathroom or turning on the TV.

Good speed internet must be included, or available at a reasonable extra charge.

Resonably soft bed. Ie not thai style hardness. This is a rather important issue for me, although if everything else is really nice and the price is good, I just might be OK with getting a mattress topper myself to put on top of the bed. I might be able to borrow one from some people I know, or just buy one and ask them to keep it for me until my next long trip when I can use it again.

A balcony would be nice. Not a deal breaker if there is none, but I would most likely choose an apartment with a balcony over one without one, even if it would mean paying a bit more.

A swiming pool would also be nice, but I would consider that just a bonus. I can just as well head over to the one at the Lotus hotel when I feel like soaking in the sun and having a swim.

And speaking of bonuses, if the apartment in question would have a oven, that would be a bonus as well. But I am well aware of that such a thing is quite rare in Chiang Mai, and I am not really prepared to pay premium for it.

I would very much prefer renting from a company/agancy, compared to renting from a private person. This is because when renting from a company I feel that it is less personal and more business, and it is easier to visit an office and talk there compared to phoning someone on their mobile and they might be at work or in the super market when they answer. Also I would feel much more uneasy with saying no to a private person after he has taken time to show me the place, while I don't feel the same way saying no to a company.

I have already checked out a few places either IRL or on line, and here are my comments on those:

Chiang Mai Lodge

Rather nice location, spacious 48 sq m suite, kichen area with hot plates. Clean and moderatly fresh, but still a bit "budgety" feel to it. Two balconies, but both very very small (right next to each other, but separated by a wall). The bed felt rather hard. Overall I would say it is in the "just OK" region, and definately over priced at 18.500 per month.

The Empire

Good location, really fresh and seems very new. It would basically be like staying at a mid-luxury hotel. But the small and medium size rooms doesn't have cooking options (they actually have smoke detectors that would go off, and I don't feel like using a portable hot plate on the balcony, frying smelly food). If I want cooking options I would have to go for the super delux suite, for 36.000 per month. If I could just have he smallest room, but with cooking options, then this would be great... And throw in a swiming pool in the building, then this would be just perfect...

Baan Thai B

Good location (just across the street from The Empire), reasonable prices (I think it was around 7000), nice swimming pool, cooking is possible. The down side is that it feels a bit sleezy, too simple and a bit run-down. And I read one post in this forum about problems with mosquitos and poor sound isolation.

Green Hill Place and Sky Breeze Condo

As I said before, doesn't seem to be walking friendly.

Hillside 4

Seems really interesting, although I have not seen the inside of any apartment IRL, and I have not had the time to contact Perfect Homes, who seem to be the place to go to for apartments in this building. Several apartments seem to be rented out by private persons, but I rather deal with a company/agent.

P.T. Place

Also seems really interesting, although I have not seen the building nor the inside, and one can not always trust pictures. Will try and get a look tomorrow, incidently the last day for me here in Chiang Mai this trip, before I go back to the cold Sweden...

OK wow, this posting ended up being much longer then I first enticipated. Sorry about that, I didn't mean to write a detailed wish list like that, it just came naturally when I started thinking of what type of place I want. Feel free to come with suggestions, tips and comments even if they don't tick all the boxes in my list.

Regards

/Jimi