Help For The Potential New Resident Of Chiang Rai

[leomoon]

After coming to Chiang Rai for 4 years now for periods of about a month, I am seriously considering making it my home for several years to come.

Impressed with the Thai culture in general, I seek to get very deep into it, and the peace that this town provides feel like a perfect combination.

I'd like to get an advice from you fellow residents on:

1. what are the options as far as renting an apartment or a house? I am not looking for anything fancy or big. In a dream world, I'd be in teakwood. I'd really like to be centrally located.

2. if someone is interested in sharing a house, please let me know

3. I'd like to continue my thai language courses (I finished upto level 2 in Bangkok). Is there a school in Chiang Rai, preferably a very intensive one?

I know a lot of this has been answered in previous posts, but I wouldn't mind an upto date summary from current residents which I'd like to meet this way as well.

Thanks in advance for all the help!

EM

[kandahar]

1. Lots of options on renting. Check the classifieds for Chiang Rai on ThaiVisa for starters and keep checking it. New stuff pops up every day. The search function in the classifieds section lets you look specifically at the CR ads without looking at the ads for the whole country. There are several agents in CR as well and they can be found with a quick search. I believe the name of one of them is Lanna Realty.

2. I would be surprised if you found anyone Farang to share a house with. Seems like a fairly independent, self-sufficient group here. However, finding a Thai to share a place with or a Thai family to live with might be pretty easy and it would go with your idea of being immersed in the culture while contributing to the income of your host.

3. Dunno anything about real schools to improve your language skills but there are plenty of small shops/studios that seem to offer language tutoring. I have also heard of university students teaching Thai language to interested Farang and I understand that it is a requirement of the students in whatever particular course they are involved in. Check with the university programs for more info. Also, ask any students that you meet. Many university students here are looking for someone to help them write papers in English for their school work and they always offer a pretty good sum for the help. Instead of them paying you, you could just trade skills to help each other out. There are literally thousands of students looking for help with English compositions and a lot of them are pretty desperate. Many students have a home in CR but attend universities in other towns so they prefer to do business via e-mail. Maybe a webcam and a chat network will make one or more of those a little more accessible to you, even while you're waiting to make the big move.

Concerning the learning of the language, the locals here are just pretty good people and your true answers probably lies with them. I don't speak any Thai but constantly get invited to parties, meetings, clubs and social gatherings by Thai folks. They always insist that the language thing won't be a problem as most of them speak English and they will make sure I don't feel out of place. That kind of tickles me because I feel out of place with any large group of people, even when the only language spoken is English. But, if you get involved in all that is offered, I would think your Thai would improve rapidly. So, even if you don't find the school you're looking for, an education awaits if you choose to go that route.

There are several motorcycle clubs in CR also. These guys do a LOT for Thailand and they travel to different provinces to accomplish good deeds for under-privileged people. Seek them out and you will find yourself invited to join if you have a motorcycle. If you get hooked up with them, I think you'll find yourself immersed in their world pretty quickly and you'll be immersed in the culture of different provinces as well. From what I can tell, the bulk of the members are well-educated and most are successful businessmen in CR and the surrounding area. They use their own money to improve the lives of others and they will appreciate your help, even if you don't have money to contribute. Another set of hands building a house will further their work. So, you may want to consider buying a larger motorcycle that will comfortably carry you off to some different places now and then. There was a Honda Phantom listed in the Chiang Mai classifieds recently for 66,000 baht, 1,200 kilometers on the odometer (that's new, man) , saddlebags, windshield, crash bars and foot boards, as well as lots of other extra chrome. You can get into the minimum style of road bike pretty cheap if you shop around. Those kinds of deals don't occur often but they do happen and if you're the type to check every day, then you're more likely to be the guy that finds them.

If you're not a biker, there are other types of groups you can get involved with. If you read Thai, check out the main Thai CR forum. That is a pretty hot place for the latest happenings in CR and it lists many more things for sale and rent in the classifieds section than ThaiVisa does. If you don't read Thai, find someone that does and sit down at the computer with them and have a look at that forum. If you can't find that forum, PM me and I'll send you the link.

One way or another, just about everything you're looking for is here and pretty easily found if you go about it the right way.

Teak houses- Unless you're really big on hearing street noises and every single word that is being spoken or shouted in anger or drunkenness by your neighbors, another selection might be a good idea. I love to see a Teak house and I'm really tickled for those that choose to live in them but I much prefer to admire them as a visitor than to call one my home. But, I'm a guy that enjoys a good night's sleep. To each his own.

Edited March 7, 2010 by kandahar