Living In Nonthaburi

[freitag1]

Hi,

I always lived in downtown Bangkok (first Sukhumvit then Sathorn) and plan to move to a little secured village in Nonthaburi. Here is the village on Google Maps: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&om=1&a...018239&z=16

Has anyone a comment on the difference between living in downtown Bangkok compared to Nonthaburi? What are the pros and cons of living in such a secured village?

Thanks,

Jan

[londonthai]

I would imagine will be several times cheaper than sukhumvit, temperature would be several degree lower, there would be several khlongs a lots of fish in them. Looks like close to the river - the express boats can get you to the town in some 30-40 minutes for a little bath.

[Filer]

Hi,

I always lived in downtown Bangkok (first Sukhumvit then Sathorn) and plan to move to a little secured village in Nonthaburi. Here is the village on Google Maps: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&om=1&a...018239&z=16

Has anyone a comment on the difference between living in downtown Bangkok compared to Nonthaburi? What are the pros and cons of living in such a secured village?

Thanks,

Jan

Not sure whether this will help, but will offer it.

2-3 years ago my wife and I (both expat) looked at a somewhat smaller Sansiri development across the river from you called Sanarmbin Nam Estate (apparently there was an old seaplane base somewhere here in the past), just off Thanon Sanarmbin Nam. About 4.75 km NE of you and about 1.5 km in from the river - look for the fishbone pattern of the new roads lay out.

Although we loved the central areas of Bangkok, including the areas you mention, we wanted somwhere quieter and more relaxed for retirement - and more space for our money.

We decided firmly against Nonthaburi in the end. In our particular case

(1) We didn't like the proximity to the Siam Cement and the Union Carbide plants directly between the estate and the river (not sure what there is on your side).

(2) We were turned off by the big difference in ease of getting around. In Nonthaburi you are very dependent on your car, and if you want to do things downtown it's a long way (although Nonthaburi pier on the east side is the terminus of the Chao Phya Express boat service, but you first have to get to the pier); in downtown Bangkok you have multiple transport options and things are better now.

(3) The estate itself was fine, although small, and the security and safety factor is a definite plus, but after seeing it we felt that it was very much an artificial environment and that we really preferred the busy local village atmosphere that you get in the different local communities scattered throughout central Bangkok.The Bangkok scene can be quite captivating, once you've known it for a number of years. We decided that an estate in Nonthaburi was too big a change.

I suspect that if you're used to living downtown and like it, and your job is there, you may find a commute to and from Nonthaburi (by whatever means of transport) a big difference.

[think_too_mut]

I suspect that if you're used to living downtown and like it, and your job is there, you may find a commute to and from Nonthaburi (by whatever means of transport) a big difference.

One of my Thai colleagues lives there. A young family, they bought a house in a gated village, could be the same as in the pic.

He likes it, except the commute: 2am it is 30 minutes to Chitlom. 7am to 10pm anything between 60 and 90 minutes by car.

[griser]

I have lived in Nonthaburi for about 4 years, its a nice place. No bad cops, no tourists, people still smile here for the most part.

The cost of most things here are cheaper than downtown, I do own a truck and if I want to go downtown I hop in my truck and take it to the Bang Sue subway station about 15 mins away... I recently went to the immigration office in suan plu in about 50 minutes and most of that time was being stuck in downtown traffic.

They have plenty of shopping areas in nonthaburi including some farang food places. Its a typical suburb. you'd move here for the same reasons that you would in your own western suburbs. The gentleman that was talking about a place near siam cement must have been trying for a place VERY close to the subway.... I wouldnt move there either, It isnt in nonthaburi as well

Greg

[Tyke]

Hi,

I always lived in downtown Bangkok (first Sukhumvit then Sathorn) and plan to move to a little secured village in Nonthaburi. Here is the village on Google Maps: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&om=1&a...018239&z=16

Has anyone a comment on the difference between living in downtown Bangkok compared to Nonthaburi? What are the pros and cons of living in such a secured village?

Thanks,

Jan

Hi,

sorry if I am mistaken, but the Google map area on the link looks like Thonburi to me - (due west of Bangkok centre across the river) not Nonthaburi, which is in the north and north-west of Bangkok.

[autonomous_unit]

We are further south and west of there and are definitely still in Nonthaburi... it reaches further south on this side of the river.

I think everyone else has said it. It's a suburb. If you need to be in the city much, you really need to think about the commute. My wife has to just barely get over the river for work, and her commute can be anywhere between 20-90 minutes depending on the day or exact time of departure in the morning, as the bridges get backed up. I don't think I could stand that myself.

I work from my home office, and I find that my attitude has shifted to thinking of the Bangkok city center as a far off place only to be visited with advance planning and a commitment of most of a day... in fact, I don't think I've been over the river in the two months since I last took a taxi home from Suvarnabhumi!

By the way, for my usual 5am and midnight travel times, I find the taxi ride to/from Suvarnabhumi is 40-60 minutes depending on weather. Not as bad as I feared when the airport switch occurred, but not as convenient as Don Muang either...

[quiksilva]

It all depends on where you are in Nonthaburi.

As of April this year I now live close to the Mall Ngamwongwan which is still Nonthaburi and have all the conveniences of living in central Bangkok (Sathorn etc) where I stayed for close to 10 years. There is a Villa supermarket within 5 minutes drive, plenty of driving ranges, golf courses, Tescos, shopping centers galore (the Mall, the Avenue, whilst not Nothaburi its not too far from Ladprao, or Major Ratchoyothin too) and as of this year there is even a Pantip Plaza on Ngamwongwan.

Yes you are more dependant on a car, but so what? If you have one its a great location. You can be in town (Silom) within 30-45 minutes in the weekday mornings and its even quicker at the weekends. I drop my wife at her office during the week on a regular basis and work on Rama IX and it takes me about the same time to get to work and about the same time on the way home. That is using the expressway, which is all of 50 Baht, big deal.

For me this area has got everything going for it, and there are now some seriously nice private estates being built in the area which have sold very well. There will be plenty of money coming to this part of town which can only bode well for its future.

[freitag1]

Thanks a lot guys!

We already paid deposit for a nice house over there. The whole area is absolutely nice and the sports club well equipped and has even a fullsize basketball court which I will love!

I work from home and we have a car anyway that we also have been using a lot while living in downtown bkk. I think from all what you said it was the right decision that we move there. The constant noise in Bangkok, the sirens and the air pollution just made me too tired.