Advice on housing location in Bkk?

[Aim415]

Hello everyone, we are a married couple 32 years old with two young babies. We moved to Thailand a year ago and stayed in Chonburi and now we’re relocating to Bangkok. We only know the center of Bangkok, Sukhumvit & Silom areas, which are less for families with kids. We were wondering if anyone can recommend some areas in Bangkok or around it, as far as BKK airport area, that are friendly for young foreigners families with kids - good quality housing, international kindergarten and schools, close to supermarket, and stuff like that?

 

Thanks in advance. 

[OneMoreFarang]

Are you working? And/or do you need the airport often?

Personally one reason why I live in the middle of the city because of short ways to work and short ways to almost anything.

I speak often enough with people who travel more than an hour in the morning to come to work and then more than an hour in the evening to return home. Personally I would find that horrible. So must wasted time.

So IMHO think about where you want to and have travel to and chose wisely. 

[Aim415]

Thank you for your reply! ???? 

We work mainly from home, so what we’re looking for is a nice neighborhood with good proximity to international schools/kindergarten, new and clean housing with good maintenance, a nice place to walk around with the kids in the afternoon and stuff like that. 

[CartagenaWarlock]

35 minutes ago, Aim415 said:

We work mainly from home, so what we’re looking for is a nice neighborhood with good proximity to international schools/kindergarten, new and clean housing with good maintenance, a nice place to walk around with the kids in the afternoon and stuff like that. 

If working remotely, chonburi (Jomtien and Na Jomtien) not a bad place. Plenty of houses with swimming pools for reasonable prices. And most of the stuffs are only  a short drive away in less traffic than bangkok. 

[Pmbkk]

 I own a few condos in Silom/Sathorn so I maybe biased.

 

This is a good place: https://www.bangkokgarden.com/

 

It's above the international school, you also have some of the best Thai schools on the road. Good restaurants, bars, ameneties.

 

Central shopping center is a few mins walk. Tesco/Lotus close by. Dentist/hairdressers.7-11, massage etc across the road.

 

Chatrium 5* hotel next door.

 

I know many, many European families that live on the Soi.

 

As a family environment I think that area is perfect - not too hustle and bustle, but you can get to the center in mins - especially if you have kids - many after school classes etc

 

[RAZZELL]

Near the Airport - Perfect Place 77.

 

Robinsons and Paseo Mall right next door.

 

 

RAZZ

[cdemundo]

1 hour ago, Aim415 said:

Thank you for your reply! ???? 

We work mainly from home, so what we’re looking for is a nice neighborhood with good proximity to international schools/kindergarten, new and clean housing with good maintenance, a nice place to walk around with the kids in the afternoon and stuff like that. 

As far as "a nice place to walk around with the kids in the afternoon" I think you might reconsider the central area as Lumphini Park and the recently upgraded Benjakiti Park are the largest parks in Bangkok that I know of.  

In areas away from the city center there are not a lot of parks. 

 

 I think you will find numerous international schools and kindergartens in this area as well.

Sprouts kindergarten is near Lumphini Park and takes kids to the park often according to their website.

google maps indicates a lot of international schools in the area around these parks: St. Andrews, Learning Home, Garden International, Raintree, RC, BSB British... and more.

 

I am retiring from my day job and in order to avoid the "bored and bitter expat" syndrome I have qualified as a teacher so I have been looking into the schools in BKK for the last few years.

 

I think maybe I should get a job with the Silom Area Chamber of Commerce the way I am promoting the area.

But it is worth considering, and has good access to BTS and MRT.

[Laughing Gravy]

Mooban Samakorn Ramkamheng Road 112, has the lot. Great place for kids and lotas of expats live their, so a decent community. Lots of international schools, easy access to the airport etc etc.

[PeachCH]

Was living for 12 years at Rachadaphisek Road. A lot of shopping and MRT station. 

Ratchadaphisek (or Ratchada, as it's known) is an entertainment, business and residential district that's largely unvisited by most tourists in Bangkok. 

 

[swm59nj]

Since you have two young children and work from home.  I would suggest living near some of the larger parks as some suggested on here.  The parks mentioned are nice to walk around and spend time in. 

[marin]

This could suit your needs but its close to Don Muang airport. Easy access to highways into downtown Bangkok, and there is also the Red Line train now. Have a look.   https://nichada.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwpcOTBhCZARIsAEAYLuXS8X5VwoNEx1I8larKHxsQC1i2BOeoMtO9Z0ecD7xZXfOn_-thEf8aAslEEALw_wcB

[Jotnar]

school seems to be the priority, so google those for bangkok, and go from there.  not familiar myself as no school age kids

 

ballpark idea (not dated), current ?  it's a start:

https://www.international-schools-database.com/in/bangkok/top-schools-in-bangkok

[warrima]

I stay near BTS Onnut and i think the project by Sansiri at T77 is awesome for families. I don't live at it - but take my daughter there regularly. 

 

Its like its own little gated town with the Habito mall and the Chul farm. They have a little petting zoo with goats and sheep, ducks and chickens. At weekends they sell fruits and veg they harvest on the farm and do kids activities. 

 

Bangkok prep secondary is right on the campus - i dont know about kindergarten level though. 

[Hanuman2547]

1 hour ago, marin said:

This could suit your needs but its close to Don Muang airport. Easy access to highways into downtown Bangkok, and there is also the Red Line train now. Have a look.   https://nichada.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwpcOTBhCZARIsAEAYLuXS8X5VwoNEx1I8larKHxsQC1i2BOeoMtO9Z0ecD7xZXfOn_-thEf8aAslEEALw_wcB

Nichada is very nice and close to Don Muang.  Great international school nearby.  The downside is it is far from Suvarnabhumi Airport.

[NativeBob]

International schools? parks? Communities?

Wrong!

Bangkok is uber polluted city, so go to the Air Quality map and start from there. 

I lived decades at Rachada area and can say it was the biggest mistake health wise, although I loved my house and neighbors. I should move to Jomtien as all smart farang did/done. Don't mind a filth of Pattaya but the morning sea breeze is something! While lots of friends are staying at Cha Am/Hua Hin areas.

And Bangkok's floods ....

[Liverpool Lou]

On 5/2/2022 at 11:49 PM, CartagenaWarlock said:

If working remotely, chonburi (Jomtien and Na Jomtien) not a bad place. Plenty of houses with swimming pools for reasonable prices. And most of the stuffs are only  a short drive away in less traffic than bangkok. 

What?   From the OP...

"We moved to Thailand a year ago and stayed in Chonburi and now we’re relocating to Bangkok".

[scorecard]

3 hours ago, swm59nj said:

Since you have two young children and work from home.  I would suggest living near some of the larger parks as some suggested on here.  The parks mentioned are nice to walk around and spend time in. 

 

The OP says 'largely work from home' so why move to bkk which will obviously be more expensive.

 

Maybe kids getting older need more emphahsis on good schools (good discussion point) however in Bkk, and all of Thailand, there's many international schols which are pretty good and many that are a waste of money and don't really provide good education.

 

Same will no doubt apply to the Chonburi / Na Jomtien areas.

 

 

[ThailandRyan]

37 minutes ago, NativeBob said:

International schools? parks? Communities?

Wrong!

Bangkok is uber polluted city, so go to the Air Quality map and start from there. 

I lived decades at Rachada area and can say it was the biggest mistake health wise, although I loved my house and neighbors. I should move to Jomtien as all smart farang did/done. Don't mind a filth of Pattaya but the morning sea breeze is something! While lots of friends are staying at Cha Am/Hua Hin areas.

And Bangkok's floods ....

Bangkok is full of International Schools, great parks including the new extension of Benjakitti Park, and there are great communities here as well.  Having Lived in BKK the only thing you nailed is the poor air quality, but then that comes and goes.  As far as flooding it has been minimal for years and soon is alleviated after the heavy rain passes.  Pattaya, Phuket and many other areas also flood.  The Sathorn Area is a great place to live as it is in close proximity to malls, parks, and schools.

[metisdead]

A grammar police troll post and a reply has been removed.

[Dickp]

I moved to Thailand 31 years ago, had a new Western stlye house build and ready to move into. Family on all sides. Where is it. West of Pattanakarn soi 53 to soi 69 at the East end of town. Many International schools in the local arae. I live in Muang Tong Grandens Proj:2 /4. Close two large fish pounds with alot of place to walk around. There are many K-12th kids in the arae but like most place hard to get to know the neighbors, seem kids are better at that then grown ups. Both shopping and Hospitals very close 10 to 15 mins by car. We rasied  our daughter  here from 2- 12 grade in RIS school, which is really a perschool for college. She went the USA for college and received her Phd. I Love it here and do not another place in BKK that I would love better.

[barefootbangkok]

The area around Bangna has more than 10 well known international schools including a Montessori school on Bangna Trade across from Central Bangna Shopping Center.  There's lots of inexpensive housing in the area and also the huge King's Park close by. 

FYI Most expats like to stick close to the city center but many international schools are located outside the city center primarily because real estate is expensive.  As well getting a house in the city center will cost you up to and possibly over 100k baht whereas a house or large condo can cost one third to half that price.  Downside is that you will need a car.

[AgMech Cowboy]

@Aim415

Perfect Place 2 near (RIS) Ruamrudee International School (or any of the Perfect place housing villages are right up your alley). I would suggest you go visit the school and speak to some of the teachers who can give you a lot of information about finding the better priced/reasonable properties in the area. Don't be put off by the Ramkhamhaeng traffic. They're building the sky train on that road and it's going to be bad, but there are alternative routes.  Go soon to see the teachers because school finishes soon; although, many will still be here for summer school.

 

Personally, I live 17 km East of the Don Mueng airport, which is a bit out of your suggested range, but a great place to raise young children. Tanya Thanee Home on Green, Lamlukka 71.  We're very near Thanya Golf course/Country Club.  Good Luck

[Yellowtail]

Figure out where you want to put the kids in school an go from there. 

 

If you have "babies" you might want to think about moving to an area where they would qualify to attend a great government school, which will be much more cost effective than International school, and they will still receive a great education. 

 

To be clear, you need to pick a GREAT government school, many and are not very good. 

[smutcakes]

On 5/4/2022 at 3:14 PM, barefootbangkok said:

The area around Bangna has more than 10 well known international schools including a Montessori school on Bangna Trade across from Central Bangna Shopping Center.  There's lots of inexpensive housing in the area and also the huge King's Park close by. 

FYI Most expats like to stick close to the city center but many international schools are located outside the city center primarily because real estate is expensive.  As well getting a house in the city center will cost you up to and possibly over 100k baht whereas a house or large condo can cost one third to half that price.  Downside is that you will need a car.

But you also have to get in your car to go anywhere onto and over one of the most dangerous roads in Thailand....sorry, just read your final point.

[realfunster]

On 5/8/2022 at 5:18 PM, Yellowtail said:

Figure out where you want to put the kids in school an go from there. 

 

Seems very good advice to me. I would also start with shortlist of schools and unless one really stood out, then do a wider evaluation of the school environs for ticking other boxes in your wishlist. Trust me when I say any sort of vaguely distant commute in Bangkok will get tiresome and time consuming for you & your kids quickly.