how many of them actually like BKK?

[shackleton]

Yes I enjoy living in Bangkok a vibrate city

Only let down is the motor bikes and traffic but a small price to pay staying here 

Over the holiday breaks a great place to be 

[GypsyT]

I'm surprised poor air quality doesn't bother you who live in Bangkok and Chiang Mai.

Pattaya is 6th. Not much better except the beach is fresh.

 

"Lampang in Northern Thailand had the worst air pollution of the major cities. Tourist destinations Chiang Mai and Bangkok ranked third and fourth most polluted. Chiang Mai averaged air pollution levels 2.3 times greater than the recommended limit, while Bangkok averaged levels 2 times greater than the limit."

 

[Drumbuie]

2 hours ago, SiSePuede419 said:

And impossible to do at noon one of the hottest times of the day because the sun is directly overhead and there is no shade.

 

Gee thanks for the sage advice. 😋

Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun. Everyone else generally takes a lunch break..

[richard_smith237]

2 minutes ago, Drumbuie said:

Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun. Everyone else generally takes a lunch break..

 

OK Rudyard, but the heat of the  'midday sun' in Thailand is from about 10am through to 3pm...  and its often impossible to avoid, combined with high humidity means walking anywhere is outright uncomfortable, especially if we wish to look presentable at our destination. 

 

Those discussing air pollution - Bangkok gets a terrible rep because at times the Air Quality index is extremely poor, at other times the AQI in Bangkok is better than Cities & Towns through the nation, at times the AQI in Bangkok is better than many 'developed nation' capital cities. 

 

So back to the question... 'do many of them [Thai's] actually like Bangkok' ??....  I imagine thats an answer very few of us can answer becase of the demographics within which we mix. 

 

I cannot answer that question because pretty much all of the Thai's I know are from Bangkok, thats where all their family and friends are and that influences the decision. 

 

I live in Bangkok because that's where I have always lived, anywhere else would be too boring, but as I get older I'm liking the idea of Phuket, but the Schools are better in Bangkok, so thats where we are, Wife's friends are all in Bangkok, so thats where we are. My friends are all in Bangkok, so thats where we are - without those factors I'd probably want to live in the South of Phuket, but I'd need to spend more time there in 'peak season' to fully consider that. 

 

Traffic in Bangkok is terrible, but its terrible everywhere now, so going back to the earlier comment - Walk for 15 mins and sweat or take a 1 hour taxi just isn't true.... (or it isn't true for all but the most extreme situations)... 

Traffic in Bangkok obviously is very poor if you are comparing to a village or town in the countryside, but that is not a fair comparison, as that very town in the countryside will not have the quality and choice on offer than Bangkok does (as we see from the many 'where can I get threads'... 

 

 

There was an answer earlier that made sense...

Young will gravitate more to a city area, where as the olds will gravitate towards peace and quiet. 

One is boring, but olds don't mind that and are more comfortable in their own space and on their own, at the same time less comfortable in noise and crowds... So I imagine that influences much of the opinion on this subject as my guess is the majority of posters commenting are older and retired....   When retired, I wouldn't want to live in any major city in the world...  

 

 

 

[Jaggg88]

6 hours ago, Presnock said:

with the trains/metro going just about everywhere, why drive?  I moved to CM to get out of traffic 10 years ago, then daughter began college in BKK and wife and I wanted to be closer to her if there were any immediate problems so we kept our house in CM and rent a house in BKK.  Now with the trains etc, there is no reason to drive at all in BKK and now be able to go anywhere in a very comparatively shorter time.  But, I still like CM better but recognize all the available conveniences now in BKK.

That's pretty much true of most Capital cities. When I worked in London I would book a hotel on the outskirts with a car park and near the underground. I would travel to client's offices on the bus or train and never use my car. I love Bangkok but my wife doesn't so we live in her home city Nakhonsawan.

[sidjameson]

1 hour ago, GypsyT said:

I'm surprised poor air quality doesn't bother you who live in Bangkok and Chiang Mai.

Pattaya is 6th. Not much better except the beach is fresh.

 

"Lampang in Northern Thailand had the worst air pollution of the major cities. Tourist destinations Chiang Mai and Bangkok ranked third and fourth most polluted. Chiang Mai averaged air pollution levels 2.3 times greater than the recommended limit, while Bangkok averaged levels 2 times greater than the limit."

 

Nice data. Where did you find it? And where's the best places, air quality wise?

[JimTripper]

The main people that I felt were happy there were the chinese-thai in the chinatown area where the shopkeeping was done for generations, or a way of life, rather then just work. In fact, that's the area I would like to live in if I ever went back.

 

They have their own little insulated world in a strange way that I think protects them from the usual hassles and irritations most people would experience in bangkok. They are good at associating with only people in that circle.

 

Everyone else kind of seemed stuck there just for economic or employment reasons. There were a handful of retired expats that lived there long term, but they did not really seem happy to me. It felt like there were just there for lack of reason or drive to go anywhere else.

 

At least that's what I felt when I lived there, without bluntly asking people if they were happy 🤣.

Edited December 21, 2023 by JimTripper

[KhunLA]

11 minutes ago, sidjameson said:

Nice data. Where did you find it? And where's the best places, air quality wise?

I use this site for a ball park idea of air quality, or used to.  Been paying attention so long, I can guess close to what the AQI/PM2.5 is by how clear the headlands at the bay are from the house, or the hills to Myanmar in the opposite direction.

 

Actually not a local AQI station here, or consistently online.   But between Sam Roi Yot and Chumphon, gives me a ball park idea if wanting.   Have my own meter, so can know what it is at the house.  Site is good for when planning O&A, as came in handy recently when heading over to East coast of the Gulf, Trat area.

 

Windy is pretty good also, for all things.

[Presnock]

39 minutes ago, sidjameson said:

Nice data. Where did you find it? And where's the best places, air quality wise?

accuweather and any city, thailand will give you the weather and air quality

also airquality and area? or from lazada or shoppee can buy very cheaply a 2.5micron meter, very small and can even carry it in your pocket and can measure anytime.

[alex8912]

8 hours ago, SiSePuede419 said:

It's "lose" some weight, not "loose" some weight.

 

Sorry, but I don't think I will be taking health advice from someone who isn't educated.

 

There's no correlation between sweating a lot WHEN IT'S HOT OUTSIDE and obesity (I'm not obese, either)...

 

67% of Americans are overweight or obese but only 3% sweat a lot WHEN IT'S HOT OUTSIDE.

 

It's genetic. 

 

And it's HOT OUTSIDE IN BANGKOK A LOT. 😂

 

How common is hyperhidrosis?

Hyperhidrosis is common. Research suggests that an estimated 3% of adults in the United States between ages 20 and 60 have hyperhidrosis.

👋

This isn't the USA Mr " loosely " educated.  However I was educated in Boston. If it's genetic then it has nothing to do with your negative comment on Bangkok then does it?  FYI fat people sweat more outside. Just look around. 

[JimTripper]

13 hours ago, jesimps said:

"Main negative, it's not dog friendly."

For me, that's the only positive!

Simp.
A man & his dog.
If he has another leg up I don't want to see it.

Edited December 21, 2023 by JimTripper

[Paris333]

Bangkok is the core and the heart of Thai society.Therefore those who blame Bangkok and Bangkokians indirectly blame Thai society they live in......As a tourist and as an employee of a western company for years what I have noticed is that those who don't like living in Bangkok are from the countryside......You don't like Bangkok because you pay rent and your own house is in the village........Ιn fact I adore Bangkok and genuine Bangkokians because they have their own culture in their daily life.It is a situation we also find in Western capitals where people from the countryside come to the Capital of each State for work and for the "easy life" 

[zyphodb]

19 hours ago, SiSePuede419 said:

And impossible to do at noon one of the hottest times of the day because the sun is directly overhead and there is no shade.

 

Gee thanks for the sage advice. 😋

 

All together now.

 

 Mad dogs and Englishmen, go out in th midday sun...

 

 

 

 

[SiSePuede419]

Living in Bangkok (and most cities in Europe that have pathetic postage stamp size parks) makes you old quick. 😋

 

[rickudon]

My Thai Nephew and his girlfriend just moved to Bangkok - to work. He has civil engineering qualifications but here in Udon good jobs hard to find (mainly was helping his father kill chickens). Other family members have worked in Bangkok, they all came back after a while, our village has a lot of family members in it.

 

Personally, I hate Bangkok. Humid, always smells of diesel, little greenery; the taxi drivers are mainly obnoxious. I only go when i have to. Only time i lived in a large city was Birmingham UK, and then i lived in a suburb on a small hill with a garden. Small cities are fine, easy to get around and you do not get lost. Any city i cannot comfortably walk across in a day is too big. 

 

I live just outside Udon, can get to nearly everywhere in town i need in 15 minutes, air quality mainly good, I have trees, ponds and nature on my doorstep.

[MarcelV]

I live more than a thousand clicks outside of Bangkok and prefer to not go there. Sometimes it's necessary obv.

[JoseThailand]

On 12/21/2023 at 9:08 AM, Presnock said:

Now with the trains etc, there is no reason to drive at all in BKK and now be able to go anywhere in a very comparatively shorter time. 

 

Anyway even if you use trains, you have to walk a lot. It's nowhere near as convenient as driving a scooter in a small city with no traffic.

[SAFETY FIRST]

21 hours ago, SiSePuede419 said:

Living in Bangkok (and most cities in Europe that have pathetic postage stamp size parks

Probably got something to do with the price of land in Bangkok. 

 

The average land price in Bangkok is ฿ 26.01 million ($702,373), while the average price per square meter is ฿ 82,450 ($2,226). Over the last 12 months, the land price in Bangkok has seen an annual growth of 48%. The median rent price of land in Bangkok is ฿ 50,850 ($1,373).

 

[Sluglord]

Nothing wrong with Bangkok. People not accustomed to large metro areas may have issues. Admittedly, probably best you are actively doing something like working.

 

People overlook some nice advantages while always moaning. Ironically, one of worst things about BKK is all the farang that live on Sukhumvit. If you're stuck on Sukhumvit you're still an annoying tourist. It's the leper colony cum tourist ghetto for long stay hipsters and fake teachers.

[Sluglord]

On 12/25/2023 at 1:45 AM, JoseThailand said:

 

Anyway even if you use trains, you have to walk a lot. It's nowhere near as convenient as driving a scooter in a small city with no traffic.

 

But then again where are you driving it? From nowhere to nowhere. Well done. +2 on the sub 150cc kiddie bike as well.

 

Living the dream

[Sluglord]

On 12/24/2023 at 11:03 AM, SiSePuede419 said:

Living in Bangkok (and most cities in Europe that have pathetic postage stamp size parks) makes you old quick. 😋

 

That's what long holidays are for Champ. This is where we are for two weeks outside BKK in December and three weeks around Songkran. You?