Suburbs VS Central Bangkok

[observer90210]

If you are fleeing the madness of downtown NYC then definately avoid Bangkok on the whole,  for the winter break,

 

If you like a place with non stop energy all around, are not turned off with the bustling of a lovely overpolluted metropolis, need to have everything at hand with public transport, entertainement, good food for every budget, great gals in the skyview bars, entertaining  malls for XS to XXXL wallets, the well maitained soapys, definately downtown Bangkok will be a dream.  But who am I as I do not stay all year round so it can be a different ball game from one person to another, with considerations between a snowbird stay, a 179 day stay and to settle down full time and start a full time job filling out the TM forms. 

[Denim]

I was young and single and lived in the city getting on 20 years. Back then Lad Prao was the suburbs and it was a new road surrounded by fields.

 

Got married and went to live in the burbs at Bang Bua Tong Nonthaburi for another 10 years.

 

Then as another poster says, the city caught up. Westgate got built and the electric rail came. The canals went from green to black, traffic jams got bigger,crime increased.

 

Finally we moved to the provinces , built a home and resumed a quiet peaceful life together.

 

Where you are going to be happy living depends on your age and relationships. 

 

A young single guy would find where I live hell,and visa versa.

[lou norman]

I have been living in the Sukhumvit CBD since 1987. I started on Soi 39, then moved to Soi 8, followed by Soi 4, back to Soi 8, then Soi 1 and finally Soi 23. I love the lack of residential zoning laws. (The only one I have ever heard of was a restriction on massage parlors within 200 meters of a primary school).

I am well within walking distance of half a dozen supermarkets, BTS, MRT. There are motorbikes on every corner. I can't remember the last time I used a taxi. I can find any kind, style, and price of food. There are more pot stores than 7/11's. There are dozens of foot, body, and other massage parlors.

The Central group, the Villa group, and now the Emporium group are building a small city across the road. Everything is air-conditioned. I wear a mask between the buildings. I guess my lungs are as good as my Chiang Mai friends.

 

[kingstonkid]

I have lived in Rangsit for 13 years and love it.  

Much like when I worked in Toronto, I lived in the burbs it is all about cost and speed of life.

 

 

The one thing I heard was people complaining about renting 1 1-bedroom apt for 10k  I was am livin in  3BDRM GARDEN HOME and until we bought it was only paying 7k a month.

 

The cost of food is abut the same and now with the BTS it is even easier to get in and out of BKK and not deal with the big city or its pollution.

 

[Chris Daley]

Breadline poverty for me.  Wherever there's work I move.  Moved about 6 times so far.  No time to look around.  Absolute misery.

[Celsius]

 

 

Yesterday, out of the blue I asked my wife to drive me to Ngamwongwan Mall for lunch and a cup of Tim Hortons. Yes, we have Tim's here in Ekkamai (at the PARQ), but I wanted to visit the "old" place where I first rented a condo when backpacking 20 years ago with my Frenchie gf. One reason I wanted to go was to visit the old Pantip Plaza which I remember it being a one giant flea market. I wasn't expecting much because nowadays everything has been renovated and it looks so ugly and sterile, especially in the "the center" of Bangkok. Personally I find living in Ekkamai extremely boring and unappealing. 

 

Anyhoo, while the Mall Number 1 (Ngamwongwan) was renovated top to bottom, I was pleasantly surprised that Pantip Plaza remained almost the same, still with the giant flea market on top.... including that specific Thai flea market smell that is slowly disappearing from the buildings. I literally started crying from joy. Why do we long for things gone by? Wife spent a whole 300b buying some clothes and I went through some vintage electronics. Unfortunately we arrived a bit late as sellers were already leaving.

 

I would love to move to Nonthaburi.... far from BTS. Flooding over there is a bit of an issue tho

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 29, 2023 by Celsius

[fusion58]

Lived in Bang Khae for a minute when I first moved to LOS, but it was too far off the beaten path for me. Moved to Central BKK and never looked back.

[Hanuman2547]

I have lived in the Dusit area, Sukhumvit Soi 10, Kasetsart University area, and Samut Prakan but just a few metres from Bangkok.  I have actually liked all the places that I have lived for different reasons.  They all had their pluses and minuses.  Overall, I now prefer the suburbs to the CBD.  

[midasthailand]

Lived 3 years in Sathorn 96-98, Returned to Thailand in 07 and lived here since. Was in On Nut for a year than moved to Bangna, love it out here! rent 10k nice apartment with great pool and grounds, heaps of food places and a market next door 3 nights a week. 5 711's, 3 japanese restaurants, 1, 24 hour bar and several normal bars within 800 M

[impulse]

My job drove me to live in the Asoke area, and I loved it.  I didn't think I would, but now I'm a convert.  With no commute I'd probably move a little further out to reduce rent costs, but I'd stay near the BTS or MRT.

 

Between Sukhumvit, Silom, Chinatown and the BTS and MRT, everything I needed without even firing up the old Mitsubishi pickup truck.  Except when I wanted to get away for weekends.  Even then, if I wasn't hauling a kayak or 2 and a couple of bicycles, I'd take public transport for weekend trips as well.

 

When I moved back to the USA (Covid refugee), I sorely missed the walking community and even the feel of "community" I got in the middle of Bangkok.   Now debating where I want to retire to, and BKK would be hands down my choice if it wasn't for the 60 hour round trip to visit family who are starting to have normal age related health thingies.  And health care expenses.  Hard to walk away from Medicare with my pre-existing conditions.

 

Edited October 30, 2023 by impulse