I Would Like To Leave Bangkok

[wasabi]

I have found the pollution in BKK at times to be unbearable. I often have trouble breathing and constantly have a sore throat. I have some reservations about Thailand but overall really like it. My health and the pollution are the key drivers here.

Second issue. My girlfriend is Lao. We would like to get married but unfortunately I recently found out I did not properly divorce my Thai wife over 2 years ago and am trying to get her to come to BKK to register it appropriately. Hopefully this can be taken care of soon but there is no guarantee she will be willing. In lieu of her cooperation I may have to wait a year or more to petition to have our divorce finalized without her.

I would simply return to my home country the USA but I want to be with my girlfriend. I cannot yet marry her or start any visa process to take her with me. I am thus looking for alternatives in Thailand or near Thailand that may be suitable. Wherever I go I need fast internet and clean air. I have been considering Singapore but don't know all the visa laws there. I would also like the ability to telecommute if possible to earn some money. I would like to go somewhere, where I could stay at least a year without too much visa hassle. I am willing to go anywhere in the world that my girlfriend can go too. Her Laotian citizenship makes staying in SEA most likely the best option.

[girlx]

laos?

wasabi have you considered moving to one of the islands? the weather down there would be much better for your health than bangkok. fresh air, sea breeze. some areas of koh samui might be good for you!

[NotNew2You]

Wherever I go I need fast internet and clean air.[/qu]

Unfortunately, these two requirements kinda mutually exclude each other...where there is fast reliable internet connections (cities) the air is usually very polluted; and where the air is clean (countryside or islands) the i-connections are often poor.

Maybe rent an apartment in Bangkok and buy one of those fancy HEPA room size air filters. Have all your groceries, meals, and other goods and services delivered. Problem solved.

[HASSELHOFF]

[toptuan]

All of NE Thailand (Isaan) is basically Lao culture and language. Have you considered it?

P.S. How fast for "fast internet?" A couple of new systems are up and running here in Isaan which might afford you some feasible options.

[YaiJung]

I agree with girlx. The island aren't too bad. Samui or Phuket can be alright if u find the right place to live. Ocean breezes are much nicer than Bangkok smog. Phuket has decent internet these days, don't know about Samui. You are kinda limited to third-world countries since they are just about the only places your gf can go. The Philippines might be worth a look because of the sweet visa deal they have going. You can stay for at least 2 yrs without leaving on any tedious visa runs.

[wasabi]

I would like at least 1 megabyte. I have considered Issan but from what I've been told internet is not reliable there. Hua Hin is on the table too. Does anyone know anything about Singapore long stay options? Yes I have been trying to google this myself too.

Edited August 17, 2008 by wasabi

[poshthai]

Pollution in bk is the reason i dont even visit the throbbing jungle.My eyes become sore within 1 hour of being there and i cough plenty too.For the farangs who live/work there,how the hel_l do you do it without keeling over.Sorry but the place is a cess pit

[simon43]

Nong Khai?

(usually not flooded!). I lived there for a few months and had a fast internet connection, great Lao food, clean air, beautiful river etc.

Simon

[Wandering]

In ChaingMai you can get up to 3MBS

There isn't much smog, but during slash/burn season no one can breathe.

It ges so bad they shut the schools down.

Other than that it's convenient, easy to get around, cheaper than BKK, and mostly fresh air.

[NotNew2You]

Does anyone know anything about Singapore long stay options? quote]

The air is much cleaner in Singapore vs. Bangkok. There is little polluting industry in Singapore itself (or in the immediately adjacent parts of Indo and Malay) but I recall it too suffers annually from months of airborne smoke pollution during the slash & burn summer forest burning season on the neighboring Indonesian islands of Sumatra and Java.

As for long-staying, any Westerner gets an automatic 90-day "social visit" stay for just showing-up at the airport. Don't know how feasible 90-day visa runs are in Singapore vs. Thailand

Edited August 17, 2008 by NotNew2You

[barryofthailand]

In Korat the air is clean, and the internet is reasonable fast. Two meg for 690 a month, three meg for 890 a month.

Barry

[mommysboy]

I have found the pollution in BKK at times to be unbearable. I often have trouble breathing and constantly have a sore throat. I have some reservations about Thailand but overall really like it. My health and the pollution are the key drivers here.

Second issue. My girlfriend is Lao. We would like to get married but unfortunately I recently found out I did not properly divorce my Thai wife over 2 years ago and am trying to get her to come to BKK to register it appropriately. Hopefully this can be taken care of soon but there is no guarantee she will be willing. In lieu of her cooperation I may have to wait a year or more to petition to have our divorce finalized without her.

I would simply return to my home country the USA but I want to be with my girlfriend. I cannot yet marry her or start any visa process to take her with me. I am thus looking for alternatives in Thailand or near Thailand that may be suitable. Wherever I go I need fast internet and clean air. I have been considering Singapore but don't know all the visa laws there. I would also like the ability to telecommute if possible to earn some money. I would like to go somewhere, where I could stay at least a year without too much visa hassle. I am willing to go anywhere in the world that my girlfriend can go too. Her Laotian citizenship makes staying in SEA most likely the best option.

Up until quite recently I had a moderate problem caused by air pollution. In my case it centred around the nose and I have been able to cope to an acceptable level by using medicines, wearing a mask, and being careful where I go. So don't rule out being able to treat it.

But I was considering a move and had worked down to a short list of Pattaya, Hua Hin, or Surat Thani. I had good experience with the internet, but only used it for banking, stock dealing, auctions, etc.

You could obtain a divorce from your wife in under a year now I think without her express consent, but it might depend on who left who, and whether she has a new partner.

[roygsd]

I have found the pollution in BKK at times to be unbearable. I often have trouble breathing and constantly have a sore throat. I have some reservations about Thailand but overall really like it. My health and the pollution are the key drivers here.

Second issue. My girlfriend is Lao. We would like to get married but unfortunately I recently found out I did not properly divorce my Thai wife over 2 years ago and am trying to get her to come to BKK to register it appropriately. Hopefully this can be taken care of soon but there is no guarantee she will be willing. In lieu of her cooperation I may have to wait a year or more to petition to have our divorce finalized without her.

I would simply return to my home country the USA but I want to be with my girlfriend. I cannot yet marry her or start any visa process to take her with me. I am thus looking for alternatives in Thailand or near Thailand that may be suitable. Wherever I go I need fast internet and clean air. I have been considering Singapore but don't know all the visa laws there. I would also like the ability to telecommute if possible to earn some money. I would like to go somewhere, where I could stay at least a year without too much visa hassle. I am willing to go anywhere in the world that my girlfriend can go too. Her Laotian citizenship makes staying in SEA most likely the best option.

Hi,

Get the wallet out for the ex and the divorce will go smoothly, no money on the table then you will be the loser.

What is your current ladies legal status in LOS? This could be very relevant to what options you may have in the future.

You talk about what you want but are you sure what you want is what the G/F wants? No to be a wet blanket but moving to another country may not be such a good idea to her, and I am sure you will apreciate that if she were not around your plans/requirements would likely be very different.

You appear to have had your fingers burnt once in LOS, so trying to cover all the bases now should make sense to you.

I dont think you would like living in Laos for very long, for your health some coastal regions or islands might help but this may cause problems i.e. lacking the infatructure you may need for your work.

I would avoid the Rayong area as the air quality is quite poor there.

Good Luck in your search

Roy gsd

[lifeisrandom]

i could be wrong but i think owning a condo in singapore is means for a long stay visa

[wasabi]

Any opinion on Rayong?

[Deke]

Why not one of the provinces surrounding Bangkok. Where I stay in Pathumthani, we have access to good ADSL internet connections and the air quality is much better than Bangkok. Like most places in Thailand, dust is a problem though.

An added advantage is the much lower cost of housing and its still easy enough to get to downtown Bangkok when I need to.

[Sabum]

Even the area of Bangkok you live in makes a huge difference, you might want to try moving to a cleaner neighbourhood, certainly not on a main road with constant traffic. Also if you are the kind of falang that insists on walking everywhere... well, I am constantly in a taxi, bts or air con to avoid the streets, pollution doesn't bother me since I'm barely exposed to it.

[wasabi]

Any suggestions for the area with the lowest pollution but still within walking distance to a BTS or MRT station? I live near Sukhumwit probably in one of the worst areas.

Edited August 17, 2008 by wasabi

[b00]

move to a bkk surburb like me, no pollution here, you wouldnt even know you were near bkk. only 30 mins drive on the motorway regardless of the time of day!

Edited August 17, 2008 by b00

[PoorSucker]

Have two Mbps here on samui.

[WilliamIV]

Any opinion on Rayong?

Rayong being on the coast should have better Air ???

What about the island of Koh Samet - just off the Rayong Coast?

It has many Internet Outlets - but no idea of the Speed

Why not try a few days there ...

Bill

[WilliamIV]

Any suggestions for the area with the lowest pollution but still within walking distance to a BTS or MRT station? I live near Sukhumwit probably in one of the worst areas.

You could investigate the Area around Metro

Thailand Cultural Centre station (Soon Wattanatham)

I say this because there are large open spaces of Greenery

in that Area - and some new High Rise apartments.

Bill

[poshthai]

move to a bkk surburb like me, no pollution here, you wouldnt even know you were near bkk. only 30 mins drive on the motorway regardless of the time of day!

is there any bars near you boo or do you have to go downtown.

[MKAsok]

Ko Chang. Spent a few days down there last week. I'd forgotton how absolutely stunning the place is. And not prohibitively far from Bangkok. My favorite island by quite a long way. Large Thai community there, great people. I'm almost tempted myself. Not sure about internet, but I guess there's plenty of satellite and mobile phone options these days?

[toptuan]

I would like at least 1 megabyte. I have considered Issan but from what I've been told internet is not reliable there.

I live in the exact geographic center of Isaan. 2mb stable connection using TOT ADSL. We're not quite as backward up here as Bangkokians would lead you to believe.

Remember, we speak your wife's language and eat her food here. Could you?

Edited August 17, 2008 by toptuan

[zorro1]

Do you need the net for skype? What sort of telecommunication you do? Even staying just a few blocks away from sukhumvit can make a huge difference especially at peak hour

[b00]

move to a bkk surburb like me, no pollution here, you wouldnt even know you were near bkk. only 30 mins drive on the motorway regardless of the time of day!

is there any bars near you boo or do you have to go downtown.

Downtown mate

[b00]

Ko Chang. Spent a few days down there last week. I'd forgotton how absolutely stunning the place is. And not prohibitively far from Bangkok. My favorite island by quite a long way. Large Thai community there, great people. I'm almost tempted myself. Not sure about internet, but I guess there's plenty of satellite and mobile phone options these days?

I should think so koh chang is part of thailand after all isnt it?

[uptou]

As far as easy long term visas goes theres always cambodia.They let anybody in there,& you can stay indefinitely with the biz visa.