Will I Like Chiangmai?

[lannarebirth]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. It sure looks like I can get by 20k BHT no problems! Oh yeah, do the fair skin Thai girls originate from around here? Where have I heard that before? And are there many ladyboys in CM? Man, can't wait for next year! Cheers.

Just so you you don't suffer under any illusions, 20k bt/mo is cutting it dam_n fine. It can be done, assuming you have very few "startup costs", no emergencies and don't drink or socialize much. Not trying to burst your bubble, as I agree, it's possible, but as I said, it's cutting things close. Good Luck.

[Rasseru]

I wear shorts here all year round, so don't get too excited.

Ulysses G., the man himself, in shorts, all year round? Bound to be someone somewhere who finds that incredibly exciting.

[Ulysses G.]

A lot of lovely ladies with deep voices seem to.

[john1949]

I don't think you will like CM. With your budget?? Try Myanmar or some other underdeveloped country. You will need at least 50.000 to survive here and get a decent living. Which is not too much compared with the rest of the world.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

What visa do you plan to stay on?

Non-Immigrant B-UM, I thought that'd be obvious.

(in either the US or UK meaning of the word. )

Edited August 15, 2008 by WinnieTheKhwai

[Unfaithful]

Great.Now we can have the brigades of "eat somtam and live under the bridge like a troll" battle against "You need 2,000 quid a month to live here."

[curiouspasserby]

I don't think you will like CM. With your budget?? Try Myanmar or some other underdeveloped country. You will need at least 50.000 to survive here and get a decent living. Which is not too much compared with the rest of the world.

50k BHT? That's insane. I am currently living in Singapore on less than that. I've lived in Bangkok on 25k a month before so I don't see how its not possible. Besides, I'm not doing anything fancy as mentioned. Just sitting around and writing.

[elektrified]

I don't think you will like CM. With your budget?? Try Myanmar or some other underdeveloped country. You will need at least 50.000 to survive here and get a decent living. Which is not too much compared with the rest of the world.

50k BHT? That's insane. I am currently living in Singapore on less than that. I've lived in Bangkok on 25k a month before so I don't see how its not possible. Besides, I'm not doing anything fancy as mentioned. Just sitting around and writing.

curiouspasserby, don't listen to john1949. He's pulling your chain. You will be just fine on your budget.

[tilac2]

You shouldn't have a problem finding a female companion.

that's what I thought when I first came here. if you are Thai you'll have no probs, but sadly most of the girls don't like caucasians. People say that Issaan girls are keener on white guys.

[elektrified]

You shouldn't have a problem finding a female companion.

that's what I thought when I first came here. if you are Thai you'll have no probs, but sadly most of the girls don't like caucasians. People say that Issaan girls are keener on white guys.

Huh? Are you sure you are in Chiang Mai?

[papajohn]

Dear OP, Forget Chiang Mai as a place to live. There is nothing in this city that makes sense. The air is bad, the expats are just a bunch of old farts, the locals hate us and the food is bad. The price of everything is out of control. There are no recreational things to do.

This place really sucks. But I love it!! Sawadee Kup.

[basinboy]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. It sure looks like I can get by 20k BHT no problems! Oh yeah, do the fair skin Thai girls originate from around here? Where have I heard that before? And are there many ladyboys in CM? Man, can't wait for next year! Cheers.

Just so you you don't suffer under any illusions, 20k bt/mo is cutting it dam_n fine. It can be done, assuming you have very few "startup costs", no emergencies and don't drink or socialize much. Not trying to burst your bubble, as I agree, it's possible, but as I said, it's cutting things close. Good Luck.

I guess the occasional fair skinned Ladyboy will be out of the question

[dingdongrb]

it actually gets COLD in the winter

Cold??? Compared to what, a blazing furnace?

[curiouspasserby]

You shouldn't have a problem finding a female companion.

that's what I thought when I first came here. if you are Thai you'll have no probs, but sadly most of the girls don't like caucasians. People say that Issaan girls are keener on white guys.

I'm actually Asian of a Chinese decent, from a neighboring country. I gotta learn up Thai language quick then, so I can pass off as a Thai Chinese.

[Mapguy]

Hi all,

Early next year I plan to leave the dreaded corporate world, travel to Thailand and be a writer. I am considering Chiangmai. I don't plan to do much touristy things, just rent a studio / 1 bed room apartment and just live there. I will pay my rent, make Thai friends, live like a local and work on my novel. I like walking but would not want to do too much of that everyday thus I like staying close to the city center everywhere I go, near the action. In different cities that I have lived in, one of my criteria is usually staying near the train station which will allow me to get to places easy. However, I heard that Chiangmai does not have one. Public transportation any good?

I also plan to take Thai lessons, perhaps a group class just to fill up some time and have a better understanding of Thai culture. Other than that, I will visit the ocasional disco or bar as I do enjoy beer. Most of the time I would see myself sitting at a coffee shop with my laptop working on my novel. Sometimes I would take long walks and try to strike up a conversation with a passing stranger. I do like Thai girls and plan to start a relationship with one, especially the really pale white skin ones. I heard they originate from Chiangmai. Is that true? I also find interest in ladyboys, physically and maybe even emotionally. Are there many in Chiangmai?

I would only have around 200k Baht to my name thus I have to make my money last as long as possible. Monthly budget for rent and expenses would probably be 20-25k Baht. Will under 10k Baht be possible to get a nice studio / 1 bed room near the city center? With internet preffered. My budget looking ok?

So anyways, that should be enough about me. Will I like Chiangmai?

Stick to watching Moulin Rouge! Corporate world? You have 200k baht?! You want to live on US/AUSD 800-850 a month? If you want to sell your body from time to time, you'll do fine! Yes, you can live --- sort of --- on that. But, as I saw somewhere on this thread, you'd be better off in Burma, or maybe Zaire.

[Jingthing]

I don't know about Zaire but a farang bohemian CANNOT live legally in Burma! Cambodia is an option.

[zzdocxx]

Still trying to ascertain when are the times that there is so much smoke in CM, is it during certain parts of the year?

[Ulysses G.]

There is lots of burning being done for slash and burn agriculture around Chiang Mai during March every year.

[zzdocxx]

There is lots of burning being done for slash and burn agriculture around Chiang Mai during March every year.

Hey thanks!

[curiouspasserby]

Man 5 more months till I leave dreaded non liberal Singapore. CM here I come! Good news is, I might have 20-30% more on my budget than I initially planned. Gonna get myself a pimping 1 bed room apartment. Cant wait to be opening the windows wide, let the cool mountain air in while listening to John Lennon and drinking Chang beer.

Edited August 30, 2008 by curiouspasserby

[BigSnake]

Chaing Mai is one laid back City, I have no doubt you will enjoy it. You might enjoy a brief trip to some on Wineries. They reminds me a bit of Napa Valley, Calif. Some great silk shopping prior to you departure should be in order. ENJOY!!

[Jingthing]

Man 5 more months till I leave dreaded non liberal Singapore. CM here I come! Good news is, I might have 20-30% more on my budget than I initially planned. Gonna get myself a pimping 1 bed room apartment. Cant wait to be opening the windows wide, let the cool mountain air in while listening to John Lennon and drinking Chang beer.

And for the smoky season, don't forget your GAS MASK!

[curiouspasserby]

Lol Gas Mask, rather not. Come on, I am sure its not that bad. I am more worried about PAD stuff happening, seems to be in a mess right now. Will there be any demonstration in CM?

[WinnieTheKhwai]

And for the smoky season, don't forget your GAS MASK!

Have you even been to Chiang Mai, once, in any season?

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Lol Gas Mask, rather not. Come on, I am sure its not that bad. I am more worried about PAD stuff happening, seems to be in a mess right now. Will there be any demonstration in CM?

If there is then Chiang Mai is perhaps a more likely location than most to have this result in a big clash.. Chiang Mai as a province is firm Thaksin country, the city however is more typical urban-middle-class.

So while the chance at demonstrations is less than Bangkok or the South, IF there is one it could be more volatile, so best not to go near it. Equally likely (and equally potentially volatile) would be a demonstration *against* PAD. So don't go near that one either.

If demonstrations happen it's usually either at Thapae Gate or the Three Kings Monument, with the airport and railway station being the other potential trouble spots.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Ok, Jingthing has since informed me by PM that he's been here multiple times, and we agreed that if you have a resperatory health condition then the hot & dry season is probably not a good time to be in Chiang Mai, or anywhere else in the North for that matter. Fair enough.

[Ulysses G.]

If you DO NOT have a respiratory health condition, you will probably be very comfortable in Chiang Mai at any time of the year. People who do may want to avoid Chiang Mai during the first month or so of hot season.

[Bill97]

If you DO NOT have a respiratory health condition, you will probably be very comfortable in Chiang Mai at any time of the year. People who do may want to avoid Chiang Mai during the first month or so of hot season.

True, for many the exposure to the air is much less of a problem than the babble of those who cary on about it.

[papajohn]

If you DO NOT have a respiratory health condition, you will probably be very comfortable in Chiang Mai at any time of the year. People who do may want to avoid Chiang Mai during the first month or so of hot season.

True, for many the exposure to the air is much less of a problem than the babble of those who cary on about it.

Babble is the word, unless you carry an oxygen bottle around with you the quality of the air in CM is

as good as any city I have lived, including Honolulu.

It can get hot for about a month, April, then we get cloud cover from the sun for about 5 months, its

called the rainy season, big surprise to me its not rainy all the time. The monsoon rolls in about 4 or 5 in the afternoon and we get a nice cool wind

and it rains for about 1 hour ! You can almost set your watch by it. The cloud cover keeps it very comfortable during the day. Only been here 2 years

so no long time advice. The monsoon clouds are awsome to see as they appoach the city. I have pics if you are interested. Sawadee Kup

[angelal]

I teach at one of the universities here in town, and my students recently told me that if you ask a girl from one of the poorer farming communities what she wants to be when she grows up, chances are good that she'll say, "A foreigner's wife".

You shouldn't have a problem finding a female companion.

that's what I thought when I first came here. if you are Thai you'll have no probs, but sadly most of the girls don't like caucasians. People say that Issaan girls are keener on white guys.