Mukdahan or Nakhon Phanom or ...?

[simon43]

I used to live in Bueng Kan for a year, then moved to Myanmar and Laos for work.  I came back to Thailand early this year via Turkey and Mauritius (don't ask!), and now I am in Pattaya waiting on a long-term rental car, which should be ready in the next few days.  Then I plan to relocate back to Isaan, preferably close/by the Mekong river.

 

But where to live?  Bueng Kan was fine, but I'm always up for something new.  Perhaps forum members who live in that part of the world can advise me.  The important requirements are:

 

- I am an anti-social git, very happy with my own company and that of local villagers.  I have no interest in 'farang' socialising.  I prefer singing Morlam in the local village karaokee ????

- I am a scientist and radio amateur.  I need to rent a detached house with a big (1 rai) garden or land for my radio antennas and satellite dish etc.

- I am happy to live in a small village that is within easy car drive of Big C, Lotus shopping malls and Thai/Suki restaurants.

- I try to keep fit and currently jog 5km every morning along the Pattaya beachfront.  I know NP has a riverfront path, but does M have one?

- When I move to Isaan, I would typically get up at 5am, drive a short distance to a jogging track by the river, jog for an hour, then relax in an early morning cafe overlooking the river, before returning home for my science projects/ham radio hobby.  In the evening, off to a village karaokee to relax/flirt with the ladies and to sing (appallingly-badly) Morlam.

 

Suggestions where to live are most welcome!

[warrima]

My Mrs hometown is That Phanom (Or a village near it to be more accurate). I find it quite pleasant and the old town by the river is nice. Between NP and Muk id pick the later. 

[carlyai]

Welcom back simon43. I live about 70 km from Muk and  we used to go there regularly. There is a path alongside the mighty Mekhong for jogging, bike riding etc. I've been away for a year also. There are some nice restaurants along there as well. Fairly quiet place. I'm sure there ar Karaokee places there, aren't there always? During the Cambodian uprising a couple of us drove by bike from Aranyapratet to (forget) along the boarder and stopping about 3pm, we could always find a place for a bottle of Mekong and relax.

Maybe good to check on which place is best for your aerial reception, you don't want to have to put up a cubical quad system. ????

 

 

[SunsetT]

Im sure u already know already, but would you be allowed to set up your equipment and operate in such a border area? I once went to the 'Ordinance Survey' equivalent map office in Bangkok to buy maps of a few areas I stay at. They would not sell me a map of Nakhon Phanom as it is a border area.

Edited May 11, 2022 by SunsetT

[StayinThailand2much]

7 hours ago, simon43 said:

(...) Mauritius (don't ask!) (...)

It didn't work out?

[Mac Mickmanus]

9 minutes ago, StayinThailand2much said:

It didn't work out?

There were only three ladyboys on the entire island and one of those was married 

[The Hammer2021]

Nong Khai area?

Roi et

Phantom Phrai

 

[JimmyJ]

When you feel like it, I'd be interested in your comments on attempted living in Turkey and Mauritius.

[Martyjustice]

Have visited both Muk. and NKP. To me it would be MKP. Just seems cleaner and nicer. The river walk is great. Would at least start there. 

[malathione]

Mukda does have a nice track/path but I prefer the one in Nakhon Phanom. Been living in NKP for the last twelve years or so. Nice town but a lot busier now than it was a few years ago. That said, it is smaller and has a nicer view than Muk. If you can find a place to rent, Tha Uthen, about 35 KM out of Nakhon Phanom is nice, as well.

[simon43]

11 hours ago, SunsetT said:

Im sure u already know already, but would you be allowed to set up your equipment and operate in such a border area? I once went to the 'Ordinance Survey' equivalent map office in Bangkok to buy maps of a few areas I stay at. They would not sell me a map of Nakhon Phanom as it is a border area.

Yes, no problems there.  I hold a Thai radio amateur licence for almost 20 years.  All legit and I previously operated my equipment by the Mekong in Bueng Kan.

 

Slightly off-topic, but to reply to those who asked about What was the problem of Turkey and Mauritius.  I was living in Laos for a couple of years, but moved to the Turkish coast for some warm sun and sand.  This was my own mistake!  I never realised that Turkey is freezing cold in the winter! Everything else was ok (well, if you like women with moustaches), but I have a lung illness (Aspergillosis) and started to get some lung problems from the cold weather.  So I had to move quickly!  Thailand was still very difficult to enter at that time and so after some research, I headed to the island of Mauritius where I easily got a one-year remote-worker visa (I already had a 1-year visa from Turkey, both territories so much easier than Thailand as regards visa requirements).  I had a nice rented house with swimming pool near a beautiful beach in Mauritius, good restaurants, shopping centre etc etc.  I speak French as my 3rd language (Thai is #2), and so everything was fine ...... except there was no 'sanook'!  I have lived for the past 20 years all over Thailand, Laos and Myanmar, and I appreciate the challenges, smells, food and 'lack of logic' of these locations.  Mauritius was, well, just too civilised for me!

[JimmyJ]

4 hours ago, simon43 said:

Yes, no problems there.  I hold a Thai radio amateur licence for almost 20 years.  All legit and I previously operated my equipment by the Mekong in Bueng Kan.

 

Slightly off-topic, but to reply to those who asked about What was the problem of Turkey and Mauritius.  I was living in Laos for a couple of years, but moved to the Turkish coast for some warm sun and sand.  This was my own mistake!  I never realised that Turkey is freezing cold in the winter! Everything else was ok (well, if you like women with moustaches), but I have a lung illness (Aspergillosis) and started to get some lung problems from the cold weather.  So I had to move quickly!  Thailand was still very difficult to enter at that time and so after some research, I headed to the island of Mauritius where I easily got a one-year remote-worker visa (I already had a 1-year visa from Turkey, both territories so much easier than Thailand as regards visa requirements).  I had a nice rented house with swimming pool near a beautiful beach in Mauritius, good restaurants, shopping centre etc etc.  I speak French as my 3rd language (Thai is #2), and so everything was fine ...... except there was no 'sanook'!  I have lived for the past 20 years all over Thailand, Laos and Myanmar, and I appreciate the challenges, smells, food and 'lack of logic' of these locations.  Mauritius was, well, just too civilised for me!

How did prices/cost of living compare in those 2 countries?

[RafPinto]

Wait a minute.
Didn't you get your "license" in Turkey and moved there a few months ago.
Now back in Thailand?

Tell us about your "very short" stay in Turkey.

 

You didn't want to come back to Thailand because of your "hobby" because no license if I remember well.

[simon43]

5 minutes ago, RafPinto said:

Wait a minute.
Didn't you get your "license" in Turkey and moved there a few months ago.
Now back in Thailand?

Tell us about your "very short" stay in Turkey.

 

You didn't want to come back to Thailand because of your "hobby" because no license if I remember well.

No ????  I have held a Thai radio amateur licence for 20 years, and have never had any problems with this.  I was living in Laos for a couple of years and had the only Lao radio amateur licence at that time.  That was all OK until the local police boss in Luang Prabang saw all my antennas and decided he didn't want me on his patch!  So I threw my toys out of my pram and moved to Turkey, where ham radio is also allowed.  But I previously visited Turkey in the summer, (when the weather was hot), and it never even occurred to stupid me that it might be freezing cold in the winter (duh!!). So I jumped on a plane to Mauritius, which also has no problems with radio hams.  Apart from the lack of sanook, all was very nice in Mauritius, but I did miss Thailand and my son over here.  So when the entry rules eased up, I came back (dragging all my radio ham gear and antennas with me).

 

Cost of living in Turkey was cheaper than Bangkok, Mauritius about the same as Bangkok.  In any case, the prices didn't shock this poor teacher.  My detached house with garden and private pool in Mauritius cost about 18,000 baht per month.  My private house and 2 rai garden in Turkey was about 6,000 baht per month.

[Mac Mickmanus]

2 minutes ago, simon43 said:

No ????  I have held a Thai radio amateur licence for 20 years, and have never had any problems with this.  I was living in Laos for a couple of years and had the only Lao radio amateur licence at that time.  That was all OK until the local police boss in Luang Prabang saw all my antennas and decided he didn't want me on his patch!  So I threw my toys out of my pram and moved to Turkey, where ham radio is also allowed.  But I previously visited Turkey in the summer, (when the weather was hot), and it never even occurred to stupid me that it might be freezing cold in the winter (duh!!). So I jumped on a plane to Mauritius, which also has no problems with radio hams.  Apart from the lack of sanook, all was very nice in Mauritius, but I did miss Thailand and my son over here.  So when the entry rules eased up, I came back (dragging all my radio ham gear and antennas with me).

 

Cost of living in Turkey was cheaper than Bangkok, Mauritius about the same as Bangkok.  In any case, the prices didn't shock this poor teacher.  My detached house with garden and private pool in Mauritius cost about 18,000 baht per month.  My private house and 2 rai garden in Turkey was about 6,000 baht per month.

Did you ever consider going to live in Madagascar ?

[simon43]

56 minutes ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

Did you ever consider going to live in Madagascar ?

No ????  The reason that I chose Mauritius was the ease of obtaining a renewable annual visa, the fact that the UK state pension increases in line with UK-resident pensioners, cost of living cheaper than Reunion Island nearby (EU country), nice weather, ham radio all OK etc etc.  But........ it was just a little too 'conventional' and boring for me ????

[SunsetT]

9 hours ago, simon43 said:

I have lived for the past 20 years all over Thailand, Laos and Myanmar, and I appreciate the challenges, smells, food and 'lack of logic'

How about the increasingly poor air quality in the NE near the Mekong, with the annual stubble burning exacerbated by increasing traffic, and around Nakhon Phanom, the similar increase (with awful Laos exhaust emissions) and  development and expansion of Thakek opposite?

Edited May 12, 2022 by SunsetT

[simon43]

1 hour ago, SunsetT said:

How about the increasingly poor air quality in the NE near the Mekong, with the annual stubble burning exacerbated by increasing traffic, and around Nakhon Phanom, the similar increase (with awful Laos exhaust emissions) and  development and expansion of Thakek opposite?

Yes, the air quality is sh*te at certain times of the year, just as it is in Bueng Kan and Luang Prabang where I previously lived.  However, the air quality doesn't actually affect my lung illness - cold weather is the issue for my lungs, and luckily Isaan is OK all year round (Luang Prabang further north was just about warm enough for me in the cold season).  Mukdahan is probably my intended destination (well, a small village outside of that town).

[carlyai]

11 hours ago, simon43 said:

Yes, the air quality is sh*te at certain times of the year, just as it is in Bueng Kan and Luang Prabang where I previously lived.  However, the air quality doesn't actually affect my lung illness - cold weather is the issue for my lungs, and luckily Isaan is OK all year round (Luang Prabang further north was just about warm enough for me in the cold season).  Mukdahan is probably my intended destination (well, a small village outside of that town).

I have family in a small village outside Muk. Son's wife's family. When you come, let me know if you want, and could go and visit them. See if there is anything you like.

[SunsetT]

20 hours ago, simon43 said:

the air quality doesn't actually affect my lung illness

Very pleased to hear that.

 

Chok Dee! Hope u find somewhere nice that suits your needs.

[Caldera]

On 5/11/2022 at 1:18 PM, simon43 said:

I have no interest in 'farang' socialising.  I prefer singing Morlam in the local village karaokee

That's a real shame, you sound like a fun guy to hang out with. Anyway I've followed your moves with interest, and I'm curious where you'll decide to live next. Personally, I like both Mukdahan and Nakhon Phanom, but living in Isaan just isn't for me. 

[Sparktrader]

You sound like an awesome guy. Let us know how it goes.

[PPMMUU]

Nakhon Phanom welcome.

Best Mekhong walk view in my opinion.

[kimamey]

I've only driven through those places once some years ago so I can't help. I am going to Mukdahan this weekend with my wife to see her friend. I hope you find what you're looking for.

 

I notice you seem to want to inflict your anti social behaviour on Thais rather than farangs. I wouldn't have thought you were that anti social if you're joining in that much with Thais and you're on here quite a lot where we are mostly farangs. If you really want to be anti social you're going to need a lot more practice. ????

 

Good luck with your move and becoming really anti social

 

 

Edited May 27, 2022 by kimamey

[swissie]

On 5/27/2022 at 6:50 AM, kimamey said:

I've only driven through those places once some years ago so I can't help. I am going to Mukdahan this weekend with my wife to see her friend. I hope you find what you're looking for.

 

I notice you seem to want to inflict your anti social behaviour on Thais rather than farangs. I wouldn't have thought you were that anti social if you're joining in that much with Thais and you're on here quite a lot where we are mostly farangs. If you really want to be anti social you're going to need a lot more practice. ????

 

Good luck with your move and becoming really anti social

 

 

Simon is not "anti-social". He has just realised (over the years), that without certain social boundaries, the locals will find a way to turn him into a "milk cow". The demise of many a Farang. It seems, that Simon has successfully navigated around some "amourous-booby-traps", plentyfully around in SE/Asia.

I claim: Simon is not anti-social, but he may well be a bit smarter than the rest of us. 

[swissie]

I can only admire the geographical flexibility of Simon.
There is a lesson to be learned. There was a time when "Alternatives to Thailand" were the rage. This has vaned greatly in the meantime. Too few "success-stories" from Farangs having left Thailand for greener pastures. I guess.

Except for possibly easier "immigration rules", the grass wasn't as green as expected, no matter where they went.

The moral of the story: For "viral" elderly Farangs, Thailand is still the place where the grass is geenest. So, before packing your bags, heading for Ecuador or Zimbabwe, think twice!

Welcome back Simon, your home is somewhere in SE/Asia. Glad you  realised that Thailand is (and remains) first choice.