What Are The Upperclass/hi-so Neighbourhoods In Bangkok?

[new2bangkok]

As the title says, i'd like to know which districts in Bangkok belong to the so called hi-so.

What is the most desired neighbourhood to live in? And which one is the most expensive?

I know sukhumvit 24 and i heared someone mention Thong Lo as the Beverly Hills of Bangkok?

[PatinBKk]

Thong Lor Soi 55 about 5.00pm onwards around Starbucks always has a few Porsches and other Marques in the car park while the owners sup their cappucinos and lattes

[soundman]

Post & replies have been deleted for degrading & overly negative comments.

[tpthai2]

As the title says, i'd like to know which districts in Bangkok belong to the so called hi-so.

What is the most desired neighbourhood to live in? And which one is the most expensive?

I know sukhumvit 24 and i heared someone mention Thong Lo as the Beverly Hills of Bangkok?

The Tong Lor area 53/55 has been called the "Beverly Hills" of Bangkok.

It is populated by many of the so called "Hi-So" Thais. Packed with high end

dinning establishments and services and also populated by Japanese executives,

It is actually quite nice if you can afford it.

Edited August 24, 2009 by tpthai2

[lazygourmet]

Dusit and Phayathai, for Bangkok "old money". Some incredible family compounds around the sois Ari.

[Briggsy]

The concept of an exclusively high-class neighbourhood has not yet reached Thailand. The concept requires urban planning and enforcement of regulations. Slums next to shophouses next to factories next to sprawling compounds of very wealthy families are the norm.

Rather the very well-off separate themselves from the proletariat by 3 metre-high walls, live-in security and the air-conditioned safety of the Mercedes.

The nearest one could find would be the more exclusive of the gated moo-bahns springing up around the outskirts of the city.

[barrella]

The concept of an exclusively high-class neighbourhood has not yet reached Thailand. The concept requires urban planning and enforcement of regulations. Slums next to shophouses next to factories next to sprawling compounds of very wealthy families are the norm.

Rather the very well-off separate themselves from the proletariat by 3 metre-high walls, live-in security and the air-conditioned safety of the Mercedes.

The nearest one could find would be the more exclusive of the gated moo-bahns springing up around the outskirts of the city.

I live in Moo-Bharn perfect place. It is not the top of the top but it has a lot of what I would say is High class about it.

The village is a gated community and is fully security controlled, as of next month, all cars entering will have to use a face scanner for the driver along with the car reg plate to enter.

We have swimming pools, gyms, coffee shops, fishing, golf course, driving range all connected or in the village. Several private schools and universities including Bromsgrove are also attached to the village. 2 Roads away from my place there are some pretty high end Thai business people that I have had the chance to talk to including an owner of a chain Mercedes dealerships.

One of the houses in our village is used for the filming of those terrible Thai Soap opera's due to its high so status and the way it looks.

On the end of the main entrance there is a massive selection of Italian restaurants, patisseries and what ever else you do not need. The normal car driving around is a Merc at lowest a Toyota that looks like it has had everything on it changed and up graded. I feel a right low end git with my Fortuna even though it is an exclusive.

The average house is 5 bedrooms up. In the outer end furthest away from the Main gate all most all the houses have pools and stupid huge resin statures on the front. The village is growing and growing with bigger and bigger houses. People buying 4 houses and a time and joining them together. When going to other places that are similar in other areas I have noted houses for sale and a lot of them. In this village I have seen one for sale and it was snapped up almost the same week I saw the sign.

I would like to finally add I have not been around the total village as this place is so big, maybe just the area that we live in is like this and there is a dark and dingy corner but if there is i have not found it.

Edited August 24, 2009 by barrella

[LaoPo]

The concept of an exclusively high-class neighbourhood has not yet reached Thailand. The concept requires urban planning and enforcement of regulations. Slums next to shophouses next to factories next to sprawling compounds of very wealthy families are the norm.

Rather the very well-off separate themselves from the proletariat by 3 metre-high walls, live-in security and the air-conditioned safety of the Mercedes.

The nearest one could find would be the more exclusive of the gated moo-bahns springing up around the outskirts of the city.

I live in Moo-Bharn perfect place. It is not the top of the top but it has a lot of what I would say is High class about it.

The village is a gated community and is fully security controlled, as of next month, all cars entering will have to use a face scanner for the driver along with the car reg plate to enter.

We have swimming pools, gyms, coffee shops, fishing, golf course, driving range all connected or in the village. Several private schools and universities including Bromsgrove are also attached to the village. 2 Roads away from my place there are some pretty high end Thai business people that I have had the chance to talk to including an owner of a chain Mercedes dealerships.

One of the houses in our village is used for the filming of those terrible Thai Soap opera's due to its high so status and the way it looks.

On the end of the main entrance there is a massive selection of Italian restaurants, patisseries and what ever else you do not need. The normal car driving around is a Merc at lowest a Toyota that looks like it has had everything on it changed and up graded. I feel a right low end git with my Fortuna even though it is an exclusive.

The average house is 5 bedrooms up. In the outer end furthest away from the Main gate all most all the houses have pools and stupid huge resin statures on the front. The village is growing and growing with bigger and bigger houses. People buying 4 houses and a time and joining them together. When going to other places that are similar in other areas I have noted houses for sale and a lot of them. In this village I have seen one for sale and it was snapped up almost the same week I saw the sign.

I would like to finally add I have not been around the total village as this place is so big, maybe just the area that we live in is like this and there is a dark and dingy corner but if there is i have not found it.

Can you post a link from Google maps or earth where it is ?

Thanks

LaoPo

[barrella]

Can you post a link from Google maps or earth where it is ?

Your wish is my command.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source...=14&iwloc=A

[CarlBkk]

The major players quite often live in "villages" such as the Grand Crystal where prices start at 30 Million and go on up to 180. Astonishing place and nice shopping area right next to it.

[Travel2003]

The concept of an exclusively high-class neighbourhood has not yet reached Thailand. The concept requires urban planning and enforcement of regulations. Slums next to shophouses next to factories next to sprawling compounds of very wealthy families are the norm.

Rather the very well-off separate themselves from the proletariat by 3 metre-high walls, live-in security and the air-conditioned safety of the Mercedes.

The nearest one could find would be the more exclusive of the gated moo-bahns springing up around the outskirts of the city.

You beat me to it.

Exactly as you explained it.

Especially the one about the walls.

The walls are not for security/protection, but to keep the poor out of sight.

[DP25]

One of the interesting things about Thailand is how mixed many areas are with regard to housing. You can have a 50 story building with multi million dollar penthouses and a block or two away the service staff can be living 4 people in a 3000 baht per month room.

[tonititan]

Yeah, Perfect Place is nice, but it's WAY out of downtown! Minburi is at least an hour drive from Thong Lo/Ekamai area during evening traffic.

And, while there are security gates, I question how "secure" the neighborhood actually is. I have lots of friends living there, and there were several break-ins last year....some while families were asleep in their beds!

[LaReina]

The PErfect Place is so far from being up-scale let alone Hi So...

THere is a very tight neigbourhood where Srinakarin meets the new express way going towards Samut Prakan. Never saw a foreign face there. When you visit a person, they need to give you a card, to give to the guards to show whoose house you visited (and the owners stamp the card).

Then the big expat place on Bagna Highway. They will not let you in until after they have called the owner of the house you are visiting, and they have vouched you in. That is where you see the huge waste of space houses, with the real snooty expats.

[LaoPo]

Can you post a link from Google maps or earth where it is ?

Your wish is my command.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source...=14&iwloc=A

Thanks a lot; amazing...there's even a German school in that area....

LaoPo

[thaihome]

The PErfect Place is so far from being up-scale let alone Hi So...

THere is a very tight neigbourhood where Srinakarin meets the new express way going towards Samut Prakan. Never saw a foreign face there. When you visit a person, they need to give you a card, to give to the guards to show whoose house you visited (and the owners stamp the card).

Are you talking about Panya Village? Some farangs live there, but they do tend to be the really well placed ones.

Surprised no one has mentioned Nichada Thani out in Nonthaburi. Though mostly expats, there are number of well off Thais that live there as well.

TH

[Sarpedon]

The PErfect Place is so far from being up-scale let alone Hi So...

THere is a very tight neigbourhood where Srinakarin meets the new express way going towards Samut Prakan. Never saw a foreign face there. When you visit a person, they need to give you a card, to give to the guards to show whoose house you visited (and the owners stamp the card).

Are you talking about Panya Village? Some farangs live there, but they do tend to be the really well placed ones.

Surprised no one has mentioned Nichada Thani out in Nonthaburi. Though mostly expats, there are number of well off Thais that live there as well.

TH

Thats where ISB is as well. Nichida Thani is very nice. They have a Clark Hatch fitness club there, a Starbucks and also a Bumrungrad clinic. Its a bit out of the way but Central Chaeng Wattana is close by.

[thaihome]

[... Its a bit out of the way ...

Everyone I know that lives out there does so because the kids go to ISB. Can't think of any other reason to do so.

TH

[Old Man River]

Really, when it comes to so called upper class, you have to differentiate between new money and old money which is not different from any other place. In Bangkok, new money is in most of the places already mentioned here (Nichada is certainly one). Old money is normally in family compounds that are closer to CBD since years ago what is now downtown was the suburbs then. Since the river kind of defines the way Bangkok has grown, old "hi so" money is often found out to Thong Lo between Sukhumvit and Rama 4.

[trajan]

my vote for a good residential neighborhood (outside of those isolated gated communities--which are not really neighborhoods, but isolated compound pockets) is SOI LANGSUAN....in my opinion SOI LANGSUAN its better than SOI THONGLOR...

[thaihome]

Really, when it comes to so called upper class, you have to differentiate between new money and old money which is not different from any other place. In Bangkok, new money is in most of the places already mentioned here (Nichada is certainly one). Old money is normally in family compounds that are closer to CBD since years ago what is now downtown was the suburbs then. Since the river kind of defines the way Bangkok has grown, old "hi so" money is often found out to Thong Lo between Sukhumvit and Rama 4.

I think you will find just as many or even more old money family compounds in the Sathorn/Silom area. Particularly in the area from Rama IV to Narathiwat.

TH

[Old Man River]

Really, when it comes to so called upper class, you have to differentiate between new money and old money which is not different from any other place. In Bangkok, new money is in most of the places already mentioned here (Nichada is certainly one). Old money is normally in family compounds that are closer to CBD since years ago what is now downtown was the suburbs then. Since the river kind of defines the way Bangkok has grown, old "hi so" money is often found out to Thong Lo between Sukhumvit and Rama 4.

I think you will find just as many or even more old money family compounds in the Sathorn/Silom area. Particularly in the area from Rama IV to Narathiwat.

TH

Yeh, I would go with that as well. Also, in retrospect, I would move my boundaries out past Thong Lo, although not much further out. There really are some huge compounds in parts of Bangkok most people never see (including me for most of them).

[rgs2001uk]

Really, when it comes to so called upper class, you have to differentiate between new money and old money which is not different from any other place. In Bangkok, new money is in most of the places already mentioned here (Nichada is certainly one). Old money is normally in family compounds that are closer to CBD since years ago what is now downtown was the suburbs then. Since the river kind of defines the way Bangkok has grown, old "hi so" money is often found out to Thong Lo between Sukhumvit and Rama 4.

I think you will find just as many or even more old money family compounds in the Sathorn/Silom area. Particularly in the area from Rama IV to Narathiwat.

TH

Yeh, I would go with that as well. Also, in retrospect, I would move my boundaries out past Thong Lo, although not much further out. There really are some huge compounds in parts of Bangkok most people never see (including me for most of them).

Surprised no one has mentioned some of the gated communities on the west side of the city across the river.

Some of the houses are proof that having money doesnt equate to having taste, pseudo greco roman style monstrosities.

[MrHammer]

Doesn't matter where you live in Bangkok you will still have to deal with the traffic and polution. The only thing that matters is getting away from the farang hotspots so you wont have to deal with the rif-faf and the thais they attract.

[tb86]

[... Its a bit out of the way ...

Everyone I know that lives out there does so because the kids go to ISB. Can't think of any other reason to do so.

TH

There are at least 4 other communities in the area garden city lagoon, the canals, one i cant name its all in thai, the lakes neighborhood by harolod <sp> school, not exactly in the direct area but, alot of the well off thai families have moved to the suburbs over the last few years. New neighborhoods amenities ect... There are quite a few politicians/former pms living in the area

[samran]

The PErfect Place is so far from being up-scale let alone Hi So...

THere is a very tight neigbourhood where Srinakarin meets the new express way going towards Samut Prakan. Never saw a foreign face there. When you visit a person, they need to give you a card, to give to the guards to show whoose house you visited (and the owners stamp the card).

Are you talking about Panya Village? Some farangs live there, but they do tend to be the really well placed ones.

Surprised no one has mentioned Nichada Thani out in Nonthaburi. Though mostly expats, there are number of well off Thais that live there as well.

TH

I wouldn't call Nichada Thani anything other than an expat compound..?

As for Panya Village...there is a Moo Baan Panya near Pattanakarn Rd in BKK. Closest thing i've really seen to an exclusive neighbourhood. My cousins inlaws live there. Bely nice as they say in Thai.

[Old Man River]

The PErfect Place is so far from being up-scale let alone Hi So...

THere is a very tight neigbourhood where Srinakarin meets the new express way going towards Samut Prakan. Never saw a foreign face there. When you visit a person, they need to give you a card, to give to the guards to show whoose house you visited (and the owners stamp the card).

Are you talking about Panya Village? Some farangs live there, but they do tend to be the really well placed ones.

Surprised no one has mentioned Nichada Thani out in Nonthaburi. Though mostly expats, there are number of well off Thais that live there as well.

TH

I wouldn't call Nichada Thani anything other than an expat compound..?

As for Panya Village...there is a Moo Baan Panya near Pattanakarn Rd in BKK. Closest thing i've really seen to an exclusive neighbourhood. My cousins inlaws live there. Bely nice as they say in Thai.

While a bit off topic, are there any large family compounds in Moo Baan Panya? Over the years I have been there many times and while I know of some very wealthy Thai's living there, I can't recall ever seeing any large family compounds like I have seen in other parts of Bangkok.

On Nichada, there are a number of Thai's living there, although it is considered the American compound due to its proximity to ISB. Nichada is a great place to take the kids for trick or treating on Oct. 31st. Last year (and perhaps before), a Thai architect had put in a haunted house that the kid's loved.

[Scott]

Chi Cha estates on Rama II road has some pretty wealthy people and some big homes--again a lot of the houses have domes and a few too many statues in the front. It's new money type area, but pretty wealthy.