From what I remember earlier this year, back in January/February the AQI was so bad that people were on here in droves saying that this was it, they were selling up and leaving Chiang Mai, no way was it worth putting up with the annual air pollution and the effect it was having on their health. At the time, even Pattaya had a lousy AQI which is unusual, and I could certainly sympathise with the problem. On many days, from Jomtien Beach you couldn't even see the hills by Bang Saray across the bay. It seems a couple of months of rain and clear weather and decent air, and people have forgotten what's going to happen soon when the locals get out their cigarette lighters and start the annual air pollution festival, lol.

2 hours ago, Lacessit said:

Agree, sticky rice is like quick-setting cement in my digestive system. I stick to noodles and pasta, plus plenty of vegetables and fruit. Rice very occasionally, unsticky.

My Thai GF eats sticky rice with the neighbors, then wonders why she's drinking a local herbal laxative every one or two days to get herself mobile.

Thank you for confirming my suspicions.  If I recall correctly, you are the same person who, several months earlier, suggested eating bamboo as a low-calorie superfood (and a digestive enabler).  Sounds like you have your act together nutritionally. 

 

For inhabitants of Chiang Mai, perhaps the pollution serves as its own laxative.  Whatever it takes, I guess.

 

Happy dumping, everybody!

16 minutes ago, BananaBandit said:

Thank you for confirming my suspicions.  If I recall correctly, you are the same person who, several months earlier, suggested eating bamboo as a low-calorie superfood (and a digestive enabler).  Sounds like you have your act together nutritionally. 

 

For inhabitants of Chiang Mai, perhaps the pollution serves as its own laxative.  Whatever it takes, I guess.

 

Happy dumping, everybody!

Thank you. Other good foods which are natural laxatives are sweet corn and okra. Okra should not be cooked for more than two minutes, it goes slimy and horrible.

Sai ua ( Northern Thai herbal sausage ) works pretty well too.

i did forget to mention one major advantage Chiang Rai has over Chiang Mai. Immigration is a doddle compared to what awaits the foreigner in Chiang Mai.

I love the burring pollution.

I live in the Chiang Mai Province. Overall I like it here, but burning season is hell. Our daughter is 3.5 years old and goes to a private school nearby and that seems decent enough for now. At least she learns to communicate in Thai with other students, learns to play together, etc...

 

I like the mountain area, but I do miss the beaches at times.

 

Anyways ... due to the burning, at some point we'll have to move. And at this moment I'm considering Hua Hin. Probably decent air there, from what I've seen some decent affordable schools teaching English curriculum. If my daughter would pass through a school like that, she has more opportunities I believe, she can consider studying in Europe once she's 18 for example. 

 

But my GF does have a nice 3 rai farm here that she enjoys working on. Our house is pretty ok considering the cost (~40.000 EUR or so). People in our village are friendly. The hilly snake road between Chiang Mai and Chaiprakan is always a joy to drive. Overall it's pretty good. I certainly prefer life here over living in The Netherlands.

16 hours ago, Lacessit said:

I've come to the view Chiang Rai is a better place for me now, have sussed out the good restaurants and food sources. Not that I am knocking Chiang Mai, I lived there for ten years. The bus and car trips to my GF's village got to be too tiresome. The 118 is a clusterf##k around Doi Saket, and through Phrae took an hour longer.

The private hospitals and dental clinics here are adequate, not as big a range.

Food is definitely cheaper in the markets, I pay less for pineapple, potato, carrots etc. Supermarkets are not as good as Rimping in terms of range.

I'll visit Chiang Mai every three to six months to meet friends and do various errands. IMO the condo I am in now is just as good as the one I had in Chiang Mai, and distinctly cooler.

Do you ever get bored there?

18 hours ago, BritManToo said:

I like the weather, the mountains, the lakes, jungle and waterfalls.

I am glad you like living in Lanna - I did for many years among the mountains near Wang Nua between Chiang Mai and Phayao off route 120. Beautiful scenery and always a nice drive to do major shopping in either Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai or Phayao. The southern resorts and beaches were never my "cup of tea".  

5 hours ago, LomSak27 said:

Good point, mainland SEA is a dead zone for three months with pollution levels that make it "unlivable and dangerous". But it has been that way for centuries and until 2 years ago, expats and westerners were basically ignorant of that fact.  

The burning season has been getting longer.

9 hours ago, Jack Hna said:

WHonestly hated the place. When I first came to thailand I found myself walking towards hua lamphong station and realising I could not understand a word that I heard as I walked through the bustle. When I was on CM all I heard were screechy yanks and all the restaurants were co run by westerners and I did not feel like I was in thailand. I enjoyed the hiking and all that stuff but the yank voices were just awful. Truly awful.

5 hours ago, LomSak27 said:

Good point, mainland SEA is a dead zone for three months with pollution levels that make it "unlivable and dangerous". But it has been that way for centuries and until 2 years ago, expats and westerners were basically ignorant of that fact.  

Pattaya never got smoked just a few years ago like it now does every year. It's most definitely gotten worse, thanks to the CP maize chicken feed burns in Myanmar, among others.

5 hours ago, worgeordie said:

I already have my burial plot in Foreign cemetery,so I will die

here and never leave.

How much did that cost ?

5 hours ago, BritManToo said:

My Thai kids both went to government school (23 and 9 now).

They are both fully bilingual, and have been happy enough at their schools/University.

and have the future prospects of employment and home ownership

 

My 4 English kids in the UK can only speak English.

They hated their schools, and now as adults cannot afford their own homes and have spotty employment.

 

There's not much on Amazon, that I can't buy on Lazada/Shoppee/AliExpress cheaper.

 

 

I love your positive attitude. It's a welcome relief from the cynical grouchiness one sees from time to time.

I am in CM now.  I have a house I can stay for free near Mae Rim.

It does have its pluses, nature outside the city mostly.  The golf is decent 1000 b now at Summit Green Valley all in.  Played yesterday morning and did not see another person on the course.

Anyway, as a single man 7 to 10 days every few months for a break from Pattaya is good for me.  Otherwise, I find it somewhat boring.  I guess people with families would find it more desirable then most other places.

Overall, it is not terrible by any means except for that smoke.

Having a coffee on the creek going up to Monjam now.

 

 

I also like cycling to my local lake every week, HuayJo near Wat Doi Tairn.

And walking up to the waterfall behind Huay Tung Tao.

There's so many nice places around CM to visit, or just have lunch.

 

3 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

Having a coffee on the creek going up to Monjam now.

Queen Sirirat Botanic Gardens on the way is free entry for the over 60s.

Although there's still a small charge for car and m/c parking.

Looks like you're taking up too much space:

 

????

The great:

Gorgeous mountains (when you can see them)

Delicious vegetables

Access to international tourist market if trying to sell something (pre-covid times)

International airport with loads of direct flights to other Asian cities (also pre-covid times)

Range of hospitals

 

The good:

Judging by accounts immigration here seems to be fairly reasonable

People are fairly easy going and don't give me grief for screwing up small things

Easy to find great places to eat

Northern food with its herby palate is a welcome change to regular Thai food

High elevation = strawberry season

 

The bad:

Far from the coast = limited iffy seafood

Dogs, stupid driving, noise and poor service like everywhere else

That easy going nature I mentioned? People can be way too chill about getting things done

Nightlife sucks

Low English level 

Despite aspirations for some UNESCO status there seems to be 0 aesthetic regulation on ugly garish buildings

Worsening traffic

Lack of culturally dignified events

Public transportation will never be a thing here

 

The ugly:

Smog

 

 

Feels like a 4/10 town. Not terrible but not really anything to make a memorable impression. After a few years I've still got no idea why so many Bangkokians come up here for the weekend. If doing it all over again I'd probably choose Penang. 

42 minutes ago, CorpusChristie said:

How much did that cost ?

I bought it a while ago,I think it was 15,000 Thb,and hope i 

don'.t need it for a while longer ????

regards worgeordie

 

 

 

20 hours ago, jak2002003 said:

Good. I agree.. lovely place. I live in San Sai Chiang Mai. 

 

Many things I love about the place, but I HATE the hot season when the air is so polluted with all the idiots burning everything. 

 

Planned to start to go back to UK to escape the pollution season here after finally having enough of it after 14 years, but with the virus restrictions and problems getting back here looks like we will have to put up with it again. ????

After 20 plus years..... i have just started heading to the coast (thailand)  to get away for a month or two when the AQI  sucks here.    I will not give exact location ..........  sorry     lol

To the OP..

 

Good for you.

23 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

I bought it a while ago,I think it was 15,000 Thb,and hope i 

don'.t need it for a while longer ????

regards worgeordie

 

 

 

Which plot have you got ?

I may go and buy a plot as well and I might get the one next to you 

2 minutes ago, CorpusChristie said:

Which plot have you got ?

I may go and buy a plot as well and I might get the one next to you 

No keep away from me....I don't even know you ???? and you want to lay

next to me..

regards worgeordie

2 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

No keep away from me....I don't even know you ???? and you want to lay

next to me..

regards worgeordie

OK, which number is your plot , just so I know not the get the plot next door 

2 minutes ago, CorpusChristie said:

OK, which number is your plot , just so I know not the get the plot next door 

Off the top of my head I cannot remember,its in the safe,but that's not so

easy to get too, but no worries,i think all plots are in another area of

the cemetery 

regards worgeordie

......and he wonders why people think he’s a weirdo 

2 hours ago, rumak said:

After 20 plus years..... i have just started heading to the coast (thailand)  to get away for a month or two when the AQI  sucks here.    I will not give exact location ..........  sorry     lol

That is out plan this year. We have a condo in the south.. so hope by the pollution season comes in CM we can go down there ..and the virus restrictions may have deminished. 

2 hours ago, Kadilo said:

......and he wonders why people think he’s a weirdo 

in person nobody talks with him.    on forums it takes some people a long time to figure that out .

 

Then again,  maybe they are in the same plot  boat.

 

didn't Beatles have a song.............

             corpus christy
Picks up the rice in the soi number one
Lives in a dream
Waits at the window
Wearing the face that no one can see
Who is it for?   Worgeorgie ?

    all the lonely people............. 

    living to post on tv 

18 hours ago, DrTuner said:

When does the smoking season start?

For BritManToo I think smoking season is everyday. 

20 yrs plus as well. Got everything and no other place would rather live. I will be burned here and put to rest if immigration doesn't kick me out first. Good to travel out and great to come back home.