Is Chiang Rai a good place to live? ... Compared to Chiang Mai?

[GammaGlobulin]

Has anyone here lived in both Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai, for many years?

 

What would it be like to move from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai?

Would there be a culture shock?

 

Would housing prices, rental prices, be far lower in Chiang Rai?

Or, almost the same.

 

What are the advantages to moving from CM to CR, if any?

 

Also, in Chiang Rai, would it be possible to find a small house with hardwood floors, and very clean environment, for less cost than the same thing in Chiang Mai?

 

Would Chiang Rai be quieter? 

 

For example, Lampang is a very quiet city, much quieter than Chiang Mai.

And so, would Chiang Rai be just about the same as Lampang?

 

If one were already living in Chiang Mai, and wished to improve quality of life...

Then, would a move to Chiang Rai be worth considering?

 

For sure, just looking at the photos of the university in Chiang Rai....

The images look quite beautiful with mountains all around.

 

And so, can Chiang Rai offer a much more relaxed and better quality of life?

 

[Hummin]

I like Chiang Khong Chiang Ray, but only visited, and will wisit again this coming fall cold season. 
 

 

Edited June 23, 2022 by Hummin

[GammaGlobulin]

Seems to me, after about 10 years, that CM is gradually and continually losing its luster.

 

Therefore, might this be the moment to make a radical move to CR, if this might improve quality of life?

 

There is plenty of tea up there in Chiang Rai, for example.

 

But, other than tea, then what have you?

 

For sure, the university campus in Chiang Rai seems rather beautiful.

 

Other than this, I am not sure what else might attract one to move to Chiang Rai.

 

I would move to Chiang Rai if I could find a small house like this....

 

 

 

[KhunLA]

I personally wouldn't live above where we are now (1 hr S of Hua Hin), as the air pollution almost half the year is a bit of a turn off.

 

Mae Fah Luang University, if the one you mean, is a lovely campus indeed.  We / daughter, check it out a few years back.

[Lacessit]

I lived in Chiang Mai for ten years, moved to Chiang Rai two years ago.

 

As far as costs go, a condo in CM is 1.5-2 million baht. I bought a very nice 36 sqm condo with communal swimming pool for 1 million. Rents have a similar differential.

 

Getting about on my scooter is easier than in Chiang Mai. Yet to find what Chiang Rai lacks compared to Chiang Mai. Plenty of restaurants with different cuisines if one knows where to go.

 

Chiang Rai is definitely cooler than CM, particularly in the winter months. It's also a much better jumping-off point for sightseeing in the Golden Triangle.

Edited June 24, 2022 by Lacessit

[Lacessit]

18 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

I personally wouldn't live above where we are now (1 hr S of Hua Hin), as the air pollution almost half the year is a bit of a turn off.

 

 

According to my API PM 2.5 meter, the readings never got above 50 this year. As I type, the meter is saying 2.

Early rainy season this year.

[motdaeng]

31 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

According to my API PM 2.5 meter, the readings never got above 50 this year. As I type, the meter is saying 2.

Early rainy season this year.

about chiang rai: this year the air quality was better compared to previous years. 

this manly because of the early and regular rain. who knows, next year it can 

be back to normal, extremely unhealthy air for a few weeks long ...

 

for me personally: the PM2.5 under 10 μg/m3 is good air. All over 25 μg/m3 

the air is bad and can be unhealthy. especially for children, older people and

people with certain health problems ...

 

@ lacessit: my view of the air quality in chiang rai is not so positive as yours, just because

of one better year ... 

[Lacessit]

15 minutes ago, motdaeng said:

about chiang rai: this year the air quality was better compared to previous years. 

this manly because of the early and regular rain. who knows, next year it can 

be back to normal, extremely unhealthy air for a few weeks long ...

 

for me personally: the PM2.5 under 10 μg/m3 is good air. All over 25 μg/m3 

the air is bad and can be unhealthy. especially for children, older people and

people with certain health problems ...

 

@ lacessit: my view of the air quality in chiang rai is not so positive as yours, just because

of one better year ... 

IIRC KhunLa was saying the air quality was bad for six months. Fact is, it is bad for 1-2 months, and as far as the OP is concerned there is no real difference between Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai during the smoke season. They're both bad.

I simply crank up my air purifiers for the duration. I did not need to turn them on this year.

I agree this year may be a statistical outlier. OTOH, it may also be the first of events due to climate change.

[pomchop]

CR is a beautiful area with lots and lots of nice houses avail at bargain prices....has plenty of restaurants etc but if you want wild nightlife it is probably not good for you...people super friendly and helpful....i had a house in the rice paddies near the river that was just beautiful with wonderful walking paths/ dirt roads along the river....not many tour groups like CM...more laid back ..if you like having a yard and maybe a garden or tons of flowers plants to putter around with it is great....bad smoke problem about 3 months a year...can get pretty cool in winter months....prob bewtter if you have a thai wife/gf to live with as the pace can be pretty slow all around....which for me was a good thing as i was sorta burned out on bangkok and pattaya frantic pace

[pomchop]

I wrote this about 7 years ago when I was living in Chiang Rai

 

 

 

Good Things About Chiang Rai:

 

walking along chiang rai beach on a cool December morning

watching the rice harvest in mid November from my deck

watching the morning "rush hour" with Thais bundled up on their motorcys like they are going to the artic

watching the afternoon market being set up

buying fruits and veggies at some of the lowest prices on earth from roadside pickup truck markets


watching the gem boat guys sifting through gravel in the mae kok


watching thai kids ride their bikes with their dog following along


watching the young monks doing their morning rounds

riding my motorbike along the mae kok with no traffic in sight

watching the total chaos of Saturday shopping at big C

eating fantastic food at give away prices at many CR restaurants


attending the annual chiang rai flower festival

planting a variety of plants/trees in my yard and being amazed at how fast they grow

watching the neighbors get all excited about killing and cooking a snake


walking around downtown chiang rai on a cool clear December morning


having a cold beer in the garden area of peace bar


taking visitors for a tour of the Red Rose Hotel


watching the light show at the clock tower


watching the hustle and bustle of the night market and the mix of thais and tourists


riding the "refugee bus" from chiang rai to mae sai and seeing what kind of characters show up



buying exotic plants at nurseries that would cost a fortune in the west for a few baht



watching the thai high schools students hanging out and goofing around after classes



having a pretty thai girl give me a big smile for no particular reason



having thai kids practice their limited "i am fine" english out on me



practicing my limited thai with thai kids and having them stare wide eyed at the farang before breaking into giggles



watching the beautiful orange blossoms appear through out chiang rai

hearing massage parlor girls ask "massage sir?" in a sing song voice



sitting on a bench at wat mengrai enjoying the solitude



climbing the steps to the top of wat doi kong khao



wading in the mae kok river on a hot day



getting a cup of water thrown on me by a giggling 6 year old girl during song kran



having the neighbors' dogs bark and growl until they realize it's just the farang coming home



having my laundry picked up, cleaned and delivered back to my home for 75 baht a week



having the water man deliver big jugs of water for 12 baht and refuse a tip



having security guards click their heels and salute me like I am someone important



watching female office workers drink whiskey with their lunch



knowing five of the dancing shrimp's sexy waitresses by name



having my motorbike oil changed for less than the cost of a cup of coffee



watching workers climb and trim my trees with no ladders and only a machete



having workers show up ready to work but without a tool to their name



never having to worry much about the cost of most any repair to anything



paying my electric and internet phone bill at 7/11 with no hassles



getting caught in the pedestrian traffic jam on Saturday night at the walking street market



parking at wang come hotel for 20 baht



visiting an ear doctor and having my total bill be 100 baht



trying to figure out what all goes on at the sperm club, the par club and the womb



buying eggs that haven't been refrigerated and not worrying about it



cooking up big pots of vegetable stew with many vegetables that i don't even recognize



having TOT guys show up to repair my internet and actually get it fixed and no charge



watching Thais collect red tree flowers and turn them into something tasty



watching the ice cream tuk tuks roaming all over chiang rai selling 10 baht ice creams



watching Thai ladies grubbing around in streams and lakes catching who knows what kind of critters



having a hill tribe girl in the afternoon market try to line me up with her friend



trying to walk for exercise along the river and having Thais try to give me a ride



watching the Thais build buildings with bamboo scaffolding and not a hard hat in sight



watching young Thais flirting and drinking whiskey at chiang rai beach



having a nice buffet at rim kok hotel for 140 baht



eating a tasty platter of chicken steak, french fries, salad and bread for 69 baht



eating a bowl of 10 baht noodle soup served by a ten year old kid



watching a bicycle tuktuk driver older than Methuselah peddle an even older lady around town



seeing how many Thais can fit on one motorbike



seeing how many Thais can fit into the back of a pickup truck



seeing how many different businesses can be built onto a Honda wave motorbike



pulling into a gas station and having 3 uniformed attendants gas my motorbike and clean my rear view mirrors and not expect a tip



seeing how many different kinds of motorized vehicles Thais can come up with



wandering around in various food markets and being offered free samples of many things i don't recognize



holding my nose to cover the smell of the seafood section at big C



trying to figure out when and where the baht buses at the afternoon market actually go



laughing at some of the prices for imported goods at big C



having a big C employee push my cart to an available cashier for me



getting treated like a VIP just for being a farang and showing up



having a waitress wai and thank me for a 5 baht tip



taking my big C register receipt to the premium counter and winning a can of coke



trying to figure out how they decide who wins what at the big C premium counter



not really caring how they decide who wins what at the big C premium counter



the boat trip down the mae kok from tha ton to chiang rai



standing in line at 7 11 and having a little lady jump the line on me and i don't even care



spending a night at the garden home bungalow in tha ton



sitting at the chiang rai bus station and trying to fathom who is going where and why



watching a new monk induction ceremony with all his family present and oh so proud



watching the sunset from my balcony with an ice cold beer chang



going to the public hospital and having poor Thai people insist that i go to the front of the line



seeing a doctor for less than the parking would cost in the west



chasing chickens out of my yard in Thai assuming they will understand me



having Thais constantly tell me how good my Thai is when i know it's not



stopping for directions and having a group of Thais gather around to see what the farang wants



breakfast at nice kitchen near wat jed yod watching the goings on



getting lost on my motorbike in the middle of nowhere and enjoying it





walking across the mae sai bridge and being back in Thailand with a new visa stamp in less than ten minutes



going to the CR post office and feeling like a local



buying an entire watermelon for 10 baht



having an entire wall at 7/ 11 featuring snacks for 20 baht or less



the first big rainstorm at the end of the cool dry season



watching a yellow Buddha flag flap in the breeze



visiting the 10 baht stores and being amazed at all the items available for 10 baht



watching the aerobics and exercisers at the old airport and wondering who is who



having the mail man show up at my house on a motorbike and wondering how he found me



eating a burger at Barrys at the golf course



watching the beer garden girls at big C strut their stuff



trying to figure out which girls are high school and which ones are college students



enjoying how tight a high school girl can have a white blouse without popping buttons



watching farang backpackers walk around with massive backpacks that defy all logic



being able to sometimes go for days and not hear another person speak English or hassle me



watching the frog giggers appear in the rice paddies at night after the first big rain



seeing a bright blue bird with long yellow feathers in the wild



seeing a nasty looking snake race across the road in front of my motorbike





watching hilltribe people float down the mae kok on hand made bamboo rafts



having to put an extra blanket on my bed because its freezing



being able to see my breath on a few extra cool mornings



flying in and out of CR airport without most of the usual airport hassles and BS

 

[motdaeng]

17 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

IIRC KhunLa was saying the air quality was bad for six months. Fact is, it is bad for 1-2 months, and as far as the OP is concerned there is no real difference between Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai during the smoke season. They're both bad.

I simply crank up my air purifiers for the duration. I did not need to turn them on this year.

I agree this year may be a statistical outlier. OTOH, it may also be the first of events due to climate change.

sorry to gammaglobulin ... you did not ask about the air quality but you asked about  "better quality of life" ... 

 

@ lacessit, i agree with khunla, in chiang rai we have bad air for at least a few months.

see data from gaia station in chiang rai!

[Lacessit]

4 minutes ago, motdaeng said:

sorry to gammaglobulin ... you did not ask about the air quality but you asked about  "better quality of life" ... 

 

@ lacessit, i agree with khunla, in chiang rai we have bad air for at least a few months.

see data from gaia station in chiang rai!

I'm looking at the data you've posted, and seeing a trend. Three more years counting 2022, it becomes convincing.

[GammaGlobulin]

On 6/24/2022 at 8:46 AM, pomchop said:

I wrote this about 7 years ago when I was living in Chiang Rai

 

 

 

Good Things About Chiang Rai:

 

walking along chiang rai beach on a cool December morning

watching the rice harvest in mid November from my deck

watching the morning "rush hour" with Thais bundled up on their motorcys like they are going to the artic

watching the afternoon market being set up

buying fruits and veggies at some of the lowest prices on earth from roadside pickup truck markets


watching the gem boat guys sifting through gravel in the mae kok


watching thai kids ride their bikes with their dog following along


watching the young monks doing their morning rounds

riding my motorbike along the mae kok with no traffic in sight

watching the total chaos of Saturday shopping at big C

eating fantastic food at give away prices at many CR restaurants


attending the annual chiang rai flower festival

planting a variety of plants/trees in my yard and being amazed at how fast they grow

watching the neighbors get all excited about killing and cooking a snake


walking around downtown chiang rai on a cool clear December morning


having a cold beer in the garden area of peace bar


taking visitors for a tour of the Red Rose Hotel


watching the light show at the clock tower


watching the hustle and bustle of the night market and the mix of thais and tourists


riding the "refugee bus" from chiang rai to mae sai and seeing what kind of characters show up



buying exotic plants at nurseries that would cost a fortune in the west for a few baht



watching the thai high schools students hanging out and goofing around after classes



having a pretty thai girl give me a big smile for no particular reason



having thai kids practice their limited "i am fine" english out on me



practicing my limited thai with thai kids and having them stare wide eyed at the farang before breaking into giggles



watching the beautiful orange blossoms appear through out chiang rai

hearing massage parlor girls ask "massage sir?" in a sing song voice



sitting on a bench at wat mengrai enjoying the solitude



climbing the steps to the top of wat doi kong khao



wading in the mae kok river on a hot day



getting a cup of water thrown on me by a giggling 6 year old girl during song kran



having the neighbors' dogs bark and growl until they realize it's just the farang coming home



having my laundry picked up, cleaned and delivered back to my home for 75 baht a week



having the water man deliver big jugs of water for 12 baht and refuse a tip



having security guards click their heels and salute me like I am someone important



watching female office workers drink whiskey with their lunch



knowing five of the dancing shrimp's sexy waitresses by name



having my motorbike oil changed for less than the cost of a cup of coffee



watching workers climb and trim my trees with no ladders and only a machete



having workers show up ready to work but without a tool to their name



never having to worry much about the cost of most any repair to anything



paying my electric and internet phone bill at 7/11 with no hassles



getting caught in the pedestrian traffic jam on Saturday night at the walking street market



parking at wang come hotel for 20 baht



visiting an ear doctor and having my total bill be 100 baht



trying to figure out what all goes on at the sperm club, the par club and the womb



buying eggs that haven't been refrigerated and not worrying about it



cooking up big pots of vegetable stew with many vegetables that i don't even recognize



having TOT guys show up to repair my internet and actually get it fixed and no charge



watching Thais collect red tree flowers and turn them into something tasty



watching the ice cream tuk tuks roaming all over chiang rai selling 10 baht ice creams



watching Thai ladies grubbing around in streams and lakes catching who knows what kind of critters



having a hill tribe girl in the afternoon market try to line me up with her friend



trying to walk for exercise along the river and having Thais try to give me a ride



watching the Thais build buildings with bamboo scaffolding and not a hard hat in sight



watching young Thais flirting and drinking whiskey at chiang rai beach



having a nice buffet at rim kok hotel for 140 baht



eating a tasty platter of chicken steak, french fries, salad and bread for 69 baht



eating a bowl of 10 baht noodle soup served by a ten year old kid



watching a bicycle tuktuk driver older than Methuselah peddle an even older lady around town



seeing how many Thais can fit on one motorbike



seeing how many Thais can fit into the back of a pickup truck



seeing how many different businesses can be built onto a Honda wave motorbike



pulling into a gas station and having 3 uniformed attendants gas my motorbike and clean my rear view mirrors and not expect a tip



seeing how many different kinds of motorized vehicles Thais can come up with



wandering around in various food markets and being offered free samples of many things i don't recognize



holding my nose to cover the smell of the seafood section at big C



trying to figure out when and where the baht buses at the afternoon market actually go



laughing at some of the prices for imported goods at big C



having a big C employee push my cart to an available cashier for me



getting treated like a VIP just for being a farang and showing up



having a waitress wai and thank me for a 5 baht tip



taking my big C register receipt to the premium counter and winning a can of coke



trying to figure out how they decide who wins what at the big C premium counter



not really caring how they decide who wins what at the big C premium counter



the boat trip down the mae kok from tha ton to chiang rai



standing in line at 7 11 and having a little lady jump the line on me and i don't even care



spending a night at the garden home bungalow in tha ton



sitting at the chiang rai bus station and trying to fathom who is going where and why



watching a new monk induction ceremony with all his family present and oh so proud



watching the sunset from my balcony with an ice cold beer chang



going to the public hospital and having poor Thai people insist that i go to the front of the line



seeing a doctor for less than the parking would cost in the west



chasing chickens out of my yard in Thai assuming they will understand me



having Thais constantly tell me how good my Thai is when i know it's not



stopping for directions and having a group of Thais gather around to see what the farang wants



breakfast at nice kitchen near wat jed yod watching the goings on



getting lost on my motorbike in the middle of nowhere and enjoying it





walking across the mae sai bridge and being back in Thailand with a new visa stamp in less than ten minutes



going to the CR post office and feeling like a local



buying an entire watermelon for 10 baht



having an entire wall at 7/ 11 featuring snacks for 20 baht or less



the first big rainstorm at the end of the cool dry season



watching a yellow Buddha flag flap in the breeze



visiting the 10 baht stores and being amazed at all the items available for 10 baht



watching the aerobics and exercisers at the old airport and wondering who is who



having the mail man show up at my house on a motorbike and wondering how he found me



eating a burger at Barrys at the golf course



watching the beer garden girls at big C strut their stuff



trying to figure out which girls are high school and which ones are college students



enjoying how tight a high school girl can have a white blouse without popping buttons



watching farang backpackers walk around with massive backpacks that defy all logic



being able to sometimes go for days and not hear another person speak English or hassle me



watching the frog giggers appear in the rice paddies at night after the first big rain



seeing a bright blue bird with long yellow feathers in the wild



seeing a nasty looking snake race across the road in front of my motorbike





watching hilltribe people float down the mae kok on hand made bamboo rafts



having to put an extra blanket on my bed because its freezing



being able to see my breath on a few extra cool mornings



flying in and out of CR airport without most of the usual airport hassles and BS

 

Truly, such a thoughtful and invaluable list you have compiled here, which must have required rather a lot of careful consideration, that it sways me, for sure, past the tipping point of staying in CM.  I state this with seriousness and thankfulness to you.

 

This is a list which most of us living where I am living should read.

 

A few things I am not sure about, which are crucial to my future wellbeing if I move to Chiang Rai:

 

a.  I want to find a small (two-bedroom) house, and one with hardwood floors.  

b. If no hardwood, then no way.

c. No roosters within a 250-meter radius of my bedroom.

d.  Indoor kitchen. Outdoor kitchens with mosquitoes are too itchy.

e. 3BB internet

f. Water pressure which is up to international standards...which means about 5.5 kg/cm²

g. Uni within walking distance

h.  Plenty of good uni student food available until 2AM

i.  Friendly neighbors

j. Good and reliable electric power from the grid

k.  No aircraft flying overhead

l.  Not too many more unreasonable requirements.

 

Once I decide to move to Chiang Rai, I do not want to get there and then feel regret after moving.

For me, having a lot of baggage, moving is not something I take lightly.

 

Again...thank you for your list of great things about Chiang Rai.

This is the best list I have seen.

 

Like you, I do not, nor have I ever, visited a bar in Thailand.

I am not against bar visiting or bar hopping.

I am not against any hedonistic pleasures.

However, ever since I turned celibate, 

And, ever since I left China,

Bars are not for me.

Romantic relationships, one after the other,

Are no longer for me.

 

Nice list.

You deserve some respect for this.

 

[GammaGlobulin]

12 minutes ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

elaborate on chinese females aka my infatuation of them

As far as I know.....CR might be a better place, compared to CM, to re-learn old tricks concerning your question.

[pomchop]

20 minutes ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

(packs bags for CR)....Amazing Thailand Indeed--You should be the Mayor of CR--key to the city!

  Thank you.  I do sometimes miss the simplicity of living around people who mostly live simple lives without a lot of pretentions..

[GammaGlobulin]

Please forgive my repeating myself in stating that I like the long list posted above.

This is an important list which reminds us that there is just too much to do for those fortunate enough to be in Thailand.

 

This list is helpful to those who care about body, soul, and spirit.

 

Honestly speaking, one of the things which provides me great pleasure is seeing the multiplicity of bird species that live in, or visit, Thailand.

Multicolored birds here in Thailand are such a pleasure to watch, and I do not mean the Pattaya variety.

 

Therefore, sorry to repeat, but this list is broad enough and thoughtful enough to help any long-term visitor to Thailand stay engaged with life and remain healthy in body and mind.

 

Very good list which will help those who might find it difficult to overcome inertia and thereby motivate themselves enough to enjoy what is easily available to them in these climes. 

 

just walk out the door....and, there is so much to behold.

 

The long days of Covid are now over, me thinks.

 

Thanks!

 

 

[timendres]

On 6/25/2022 at 11:44 PM, GammaGlobulin said:

Once I decide to move to Chiang Rai, I do not want to get there and then feel regret after moving.

For me, having a lot of baggage, moving is not something I take lightly.

Easy enough to pick a month, rent a place, and spend time there.

This will be the ultimate confirmation.

Especially if you go during the "bad air" months.

[JeffersLos]

Rent a place and a scooter there for 3 months.

 

Split your time between CM and CR for those 3 months as you see fit. 

[mania]

On 6/23/2022 at 3:46 PM, pomchop said:

I wrote this about 7 years ago when I was living in Chiang Rai

Good Things About Chiang Rai:

 

 

Thanks & as others have said a good list !

We have been thinking of either buying a condo in CM or CR as we sold ours in CM back in 2016

 

I have only been to CR a couple times but liked it.

I know you spoke of Public hospitals but that is one thing that is still attractive about CM

 

Not that we are sickly but the fact CM has such great facilities & selection does make it attractive again

 

One other thing is earth quakes. I know & remember the one in 2014 as it ricked out condo in CM too

Chiang Rai is at risk of being hit by a big earthquake as the province sits on the three main fault lines

Also I cannot post link here because it is from BKP but google "Chiang Rai tipped for huge quake"

It does make me wonder as I have lived in fault areas before & know how wild it can get

 

But those two things aside we do want to go look & see which we prefer CM or CR for a foreigner owned condo

 

[DonaldBattles]

On 6/24/2022 at 8:46 AM, pomchop said:

I wrote this about 7 years ago when I was living in Chiang Rai

 

 

 

Good Things About Chiang Rai:

 

walking along chiang rai beach on a cool December morning

watching the rice harvest in mid November from my deck

watching the morning "rush hour" with Thais bundled up on their motorcys like they are going to the artic

watching the afternoon market being set up

buying fruits and veggies at some of the lowest prices on earth from roadside pickup truck markets


watching the gem boat guys sifting through gravel in the mae kok


watching thai kids ride their bikes with their dog following along


watching the young monks doing their morning rounds

riding my motorbike along the mae kok with no traffic in sight

watching the total chaos of Saturday shopping at big C

eating fantastic food at give away prices at many CR restaurants


attending the annual chiang rai flower festival

planting a variety of plants/trees in my yard and being amazed at how fast they grow

watching the neighbors get all excited about killing and cooking a snake


walking around downtown chiang rai on a cool clear December morning


having a cold beer in the garden area of peace bar


taking visitors for a tour of the Red Rose Hotel


watching the light show at the clock tower


watching the hustle and bustle of the night market and the mix of thais and tourists


riding the "refugee bus" from chiang rai to mae sai and seeing what kind of characters show up



buying exotic plants at nurseries that would cost a fortune in the west for a few baht



watching the thai high schools students hanging out and goofing around after classes



having a pretty thai girl give me a big smile for no particular reason



having thai kids practice their limited "i am fine" english out on me



practicing my limited thai with thai kids and having them stare wide eyed at the farang before breaking into giggles



watching the beautiful orange blossoms appear through out chiang rai

hearing massage parlor girls ask "massage sir?" in a sing song voice



sitting on a bench at wat mengrai enjoying the solitude



climbing the steps to the top of wat doi kong khao



wading in the mae kok river on a hot day



getting a cup of water thrown on me by a giggling 6 year old girl during song kran



having the neighbors' dogs bark and growl until they realize it's just the farang coming home



having my laundry picked up, cleaned and delivered back to my home for 75 baht a week



having the water man deliver big jugs of water for 12 baht and refuse a tip



having security guards click their heels and salute me like I am someone important



watching female office workers drink whiskey with their lunch



knowing five of the dancing shrimp's sexy waitresses by name



having my motorbike oil changed for less than the cost of a cup of coffee



watching workers climb and trim my trees with no ladders and only a machete



having workers show up ready to work but without a tool to their name



never having to worry much about the cost of most any repair to anything



paying my electric and internet phone bill at 7/11 with no hassles



getting caught in the pedestrian traffic jam on Saturday night at the walking street market



parking at wang come hotel for 20 baht



visiting an ear doctor and having my total bill be 100 baht



trying to figure out what all goes on at the sperm club, the par club and the womb



buying eggs that haven't been refrigerated and not worrying about it



cooking up big pots of vegetable stew with many vegetables that i don't even recognize



having TOT guys show up to repair my internet and actually get it fixed and no charge



watching Thais collect red tree flowers and turn them into something tasty



watching the ice cream tuk tuks roaming all over chiang rai selling 10 baht ice creams



watching Thai ladies grubbing around in streams and lakes catching who knows what kind of critters



having a hill tribe girl in the afternoon market try to line me up with her friend



trying to walk for exercise along the river and having Thais try to give me a ride



watching the Thais build buildings with bamboo scaffolding and not a hard hat in sight



watching young Thais flirting and drinking whiskey at chiang rai beach



having a nice buffet at rim kok hotel for 140 baht



eating a tasty platter of chicken steak, french fries, salad and bread for 69 baht



eating a bowl of 10 baht noodle soup served by a ten year old kid



watching a bicycle tuktuk driver older than Methuselah peddle an even older lady around town



seeing how many Thais can fit on one motorbike



seeing how many Thais can fit into the back of a pickup truck



seeing how many different businesses can be built onto a Honda wave motorbike



pulling into a gas station and having 3 uniformed attendants gas my motorbike and clean my rear view mirrors and not expect a tip



seeing how many different kinds of motorized vehicles Thais can come up with



wandering around in various food markets and being offered free samples of many things i don't recognize



holding my nose to cover the smell of the seafood section at big C



trying to figure out when and where the baht buses at the afternoon market actually go



laughing at some of the prices for imported goods at big C



having a big C employee push my cart to an available cashier for me



getting treated like a VIP just for being a farang and showing up



having a waitress wai and thank me for a 5 baht tip



taking my big C register receipt to the premium counter and winning a can of coke



trying to figure out how they decide who wins what at the big C premium counter



not really caring how they decide who wins what at the big C premium counter



the boat trip down the mae kok from tha ton to chiang rai



standing in line at 7 11 and having a little lady jump the line on me and i don't even care



spending a night at the garden home bungalow in tha ton



sitting at the chiang rai bus station and trying to fathom who is going where and why



watching a new monk induction ceremony with all his family present and oh so proud



watching the sunset from my balcony with an ice cold beer chang



going to the public hospital and having poor Thai people insist that i go to the front of the line



seeing a doctor for less than the parking would cost in the west



chasing chickens out of my yard in Thai assuming they will understand me



having Thais constantly tell me how good my Thai is when i know it's not



stopping for directions and having a group of Thais gather around to see what the farang wants



breakfast at nice kitchen near wat jed yod watching the goings on



getting lost on my motorbike in the middle of nowhere and enjoying it





walking across the mae sai bridge and being back in Thailand with a new visa stamp in less than ten minutes



going to the CR post office and feeling like a local



buying an entire watermelon for 10 baht



having an entire wall at 7/ 11 featuring snacks for 20 baht or less



the first big rainstorm at the end of the cool dry season



watching a yellow Buddha flag flap in the breeze



visiting the 10 baht stores and being amazed at all the items available for 10 baht



watching the aerobics and exercisers at the old airport and wondering who is who



having the mail man show up at my house on a motorbike and wondering how he found me



eating a burger at Barrys at the golf course



watching the beer garden girls at big C strut their stuff



trying to figure out which girls are high school and which ones are college students



enjoying how tight a high school girl can have a white blouse without popping buttons



watching farang backpackers walk around with massive backpacks that defy all logic



being able to sometimes go for days and not hear another person speak English or hassle me



watching the frog giggers appear in the rice paddies at night after the first big rain



seeing a bright blue bird with long yellow feathers in the wild



seeing a nasty looking snake race across the road in front of my motorbike





watching hilltribe people float down the mae kok on hand made bamboo rafts



having to put an extra blanket on my bed because its freezing



being able to see my breath on a few extra cool mornings



flying in and out of CR airport without most of the usual airport hassles and BS

 

I have been living in Chiang Rai for 12 years at Doi Hang. I moved here from Phuket. I find living quality here very nice. The neighbours are kind and helpful. I have 5 Rai gated with two big fish ponds. Except for church and shopping I stay at home most of the time. The hot springs are nice. For the past two years I have not seen any air pollution. The language is difficult as it is a mixture of Esaan and Northern Thai. I studied central Thai for one year in Bangkok. People are kind enough to switch from the local dialect to Central Thai for me.

[Iamfalang]

Sorry, neither.

 

The pollution is really so bad that it will really affect an old person's lungs.   That's like 25%+ of the year.   CM traffic.......OK if young.   It's added to the pollution.   Heat in the city, pollution, noise, traffic.......it's not a retirement paradise.   not even close.  but it has so many things to do, sad.   

 

CR really doesn't have much.   there are also a lot of strange problems (yaba) living that close to that the Burma border.  CR really has lots of different people there, which is great.   Many different dialects.   Probably better food in CR.  

 

Nan, IMO of course, is the only possible Northern Option for an extended stay.    I'm talking years.  Retirement.   Not the city, which makes it a harder option.   The city isn't anything special and the mountains aren't that close.  You gotta head north.   

 

CM during August, Sept, Oct, Nov, and Dec.....of course!!!  That's only 5 months I can recommend.  

 

If you don't mind health issues, CM is 100x better now.  Maybe in 20-years, CR.   I've never met a Thai person who chose ANY other city up north besides CM.  

 

 

[freedomnow]

just move to suburbs of CM that are not saturated with foreigners.

You keep the amenity of CM that CR does not have and can get off the beaten path here fast.

 

Look along ping river going south...easy and fast back into the city might find a house like that on stilts next to river = covered one direction for near noise.