Seeking Chiang Mai Apartment For 6 Months

[Wopanese]

Hi, everyone. We're Jim and Amy from Seattle, Washington. We plan to live in Chiang Mai for six months beginning January 1, but we're starting to put our feelers out for an apartment now. We are looking for a furnishedstudio apartment with a balcony, pool, gym, reliable internet service, and a kitchenwith a stove and fridge, and we'd like to be fairly close to the central area of town. Maid service is not necessary. As to our budget, we don't know what we would expect to pay, so we're reaching out to you folks. Typically what would a unit in a building with these amenities cost? If you or anyone you know lives in such a building in Central Chiang Mai perhaps you can tell us how to get in touch with the management so we can find out if there would be an opening for January 1?

Also, a quick visa question: during our six months in Chiang Mai we also plan to take two trip out of Thailand, maybe Cambodia or Viet Nam or Malaysia even. Which type of visa would you recommend (we are US passport holders)? My wife is a college teacher and has been granted a six month sabbatical where she'll spend some time writing a textbook...and I'll be her cheerleader, ha.

Thanking all of you in advance. Sincerely, Jim and Amy

[sarahsbloke]

If over 50 get multiple entry non-immigrant O visa (lasts for 1 year in 3 month chunks)

If under 50 get double entry Tourist visa (60 days + 30 day extension x2, careful planning required if trips out of country, might need trip to get another double tourist visa)

Sort of place you want to stay, try the Smith Residence at ChiangMai gate

home page

Big room about 10kbht a month.

Suite x2

You don't need much in the way of cooking, very big market area about 200yds away, nobody cooks their own food, just buy a kettle for hot drinks.

Edited September 20, 2010 by sarahsbloke

[Amerifarang]

All of the above posts are valid! Try the Baan Thai Hotel and Resort for a 6 month stay. About two miles from the Taepa gate but quiet and peaceful,lot's of Farang from the States live here on a long term basis. We even allow one guy from Seattle to live here. This place has all the amenities and more,check it out: www.Baanthaihotelandresort.com Good luck!

[jan1van1hooten]

I would avoid the Smith Residence. It is far away from the amenities that make CM a nice place for me. Smith Residence shows a photo of their "swimming pool" in their advertisements. This photo is taken with a wide-angle lens. The pool is the size of postage stamp, like almost all the apartment house pools in CM.

I prefer the Thapae Gate area.

Stay in any one of the hotels or guest houses around Thapae Gate, like Montri or Lanna Thai, for a few days as you look around. There are many little guest houses on the small side streets. It will take awhile to find a serviced apartment. But don't be naive. Keep a close watch on valuables, especially electronic stuff like cell phones that tend to disappear.

I know more about rooms that can be rented than apartments, but if these would interest you, you can pm me and I will dig out my business cards

[greytown]

All of the above posts are valid! Try the Baan Thai Hotel and Resort for a 6 month stay. About two miles from the Taepa gate but quiet and peaceful,lot's of Farang from the States live here on a long term basis. We even allow one guy from Seattle to live here. This place has all the amenities and more,check it out: www.Baanthaihotelandresort.com Good luck!

What would you say is the average age of expats residing there?

[KRS1]

Huay Kaew residence is a good location right next door to Kad suan kaew department store. Check out there website.

You can get a small cheap room with cable and ac for 5000 per month, or you can get the bigger room for 7000 per month.

[elektrified]

Huay Kaew residence is a good location right next door to Kad suan kaew department store. Check out there website.

You can get a small cheap room with cable and ac for 5000 per month, or you can get the bigger room for 7000 per month.

Avoid this place like the plague! Do a search on the forum as there are many threads. Very difficult to get your deposit back under the current management.

[elektrified]

You don't need much in the way of cooking, very big market area about 200yds away, nobody cooks their own food, just buy a kettle for hot drinks.

Nobody cooks their own food? I don't know what kind of people you know but everyone I know does some cooking.

[Thaihog]

Why don't you try Hillside Condo 4, rent is about 10K a month for a furnished studio, approx 500 sq feet.

Hillside is within walking distance of Central shopping mall and Nimmenheim Road which is in the west end of the city. The Nimmenheim area is a very trendy part of town and has loads of coffee shops, galleries and restaurants.

Good luck....

[jdinasia]

Practical note -----

a studio and she is going to be writing a book? At the very least get a 1 bedroom so she can have some space to work and you will still have some space to watch TV or whatever without disturbing her.

The following link will give you an idea about what is available currently and it is far from exhaustive .... (look in accommodations)

http://www.chiangmainews.com/classifieds_job/

I would suggest either the Night bazaar area (but trust me I think the experience of living around there will get old fast!) or the Nimanheyman area (a little more trendy ... near CMU ... etc)

[andvari26]

I just spent 6 months in Chiang Mai, I spent 3 days in the Mercure while I went looking, I ended up in this place - http://www.minicostcm.com/ - it is owned by an ex Australian Federal Police officer, now in the Tourist Police, I looked every 4 to 6 weeks at other options - but I stayed on there, it is the best - cleanest & safest place I spent time in the last year around Thailand - highly recommended, if you still want a bigger apartment - stay a month and look around, I could not find anything close, I recommend you read the reports on Trip Advisor also, all are good, and very cost effective, 1 price includes all charges like Wi-Fi, cable TV, full room service daily and excellent staff and security, electricity - which is where most places make a little - or a lot extra, you will not be disappointed.

[thaitot]

As far as visa, I think they still offer the triple entry 60+60+60

Check with the Thai consulate in your area I beleive that is portland if you are in Seattle

[KRS1]

Huay Kaew residence is a good location right next door to Kad suan kaew department store. Check out there website.

You can get a small cheap room with cable and ac for 5000 per month, or you can get the bigger room for 7000 per month.

Avoid this place like the plague! Do a search on the forum as there are many threads. Very difficult to get your deposit back under the current management.

i didn't have any problem getting my deposit back, if you are a foreigner you get it back the same day, if you are Thai you wait 1 week.

when entering the room , note down the defects of the room , including the bathroom , all furnishings as well as balcony, and take a picture in front of the guy that writes everything down, take a picture of the guy too.

Probably the best thing anyone can do is CLEAN your unit before leaving , as there is a 500 baht clean up fee- you must inform management of your intentions of leaving 1 month in advance.

I read the contract, followed the rules, was polite, gave the employees their pride and was treated fairly - or else kiss your deposit good bye. Problems usually arise from people who expect to be treated like kings, live like pigs, don't have any inclination to read the contract, and expect special treatment.

As far as convenience goes, its a very good location...with more privacy than you would receive in a smaller apartments plagued with hidden cameras, where everyone wants to know your business.

[elektrified]

Huay Kaew residence is a good location right next door to Kad suan kaew department store. Check out there website.

You can get a small cheap room with cable and ac for 5000 per month, or you can get the bigger room for 7000 per month.

Avoid this place like the plague! Do a search on the forum as there are many threads. Very difficult to get your deposit back under the current management.

i didn't have any problem getting my deposit back, if you are a foreigner you get it back the same day, if you are Thai you wait 1 week.

when entering the room , note down the defects of the room , including the bathroom , all furnishings as well as balcony, and take a picture in front of the guy that writes everything down, take a picture of the guy too.

Probably the best thing anyone can do is CLEAN your unit before leaving , as there is a 500 baht clean up fee- you must inform management of your intentions of leaving 1 month in advance.

I read the contract, followed the rules, was polite, gave the employees their pride and was treated fairly - or else kiss your deposit good bye. Problems usually arise from people who expect to be treated like kings, live like pigs, don't have any inclination to read the contract, and expect special treatment.

As far as convenience goes, its a very good location...with more privacy than you would receive in a smaller apartments plagued with hidden cameras, where everyone wants to know your business.

Then you were an exception. Consider yourself lucky. Read the dozens of bad experiences people have had there posted in this forum. I lived there for 8 months when I first came, followed all the rules, and even returned the room in better and cleaner condition than it was when I moved in. I gave 47 days notice that I was moving (written, oral, and via email). On moving day I vacated the room by 9:00 and went to collect my deposit. Guess what? You got it - they claimed that they never received the letter I dropped off (written in Thai and English), they never received my email, and the girl who worked there for ages whom I handed the letter to (and gave oral notice to) had been fired and they knew nothing of the oral or written notice! I even had my g/f go there about a week before moving (because I was in Los Angeles at the time) to remind them I was moving on the 1st of the month. On moving day, the manager (the only one with cash) was nowhere to be found. The girls told us that they had her 'pager number' but it was to be used only in the event of an emergency and this was not an emergency. My g/f called the office about 6 times throughout the course of the day to demand the deposit be returned. Finally at around 17:00 they said we could come pick up the deposit. When we got there the manager refused to give back the entire deposit, keeping about 4,000 THB of the deposit. My g/f and her got into a confrontation and began to shout at each other. It was an uncomfortable situation. I've never been back.

The day before I moved I was downstairs and over-heard a heated argument between management and an older guy with a German accent. He was checking out, and the taxi was out front waiting for him. He kept telling them that he wanted his deposit back and that he had to catch a flight in 2.5 hours. I saw him storm out of there furious and he obviously did not get his deposit back before he left.

[KRS1]

You do realize they deduct your last months electricity and water bill from the deposit right, also the in room internet fee of 'i think 600 baht if you were using it? + 500 baht clean up fee upon leaving.

My last bill was for about 2200 baht for the smaller 5000 baht room, if you say they kept around 4000 baht of your deposit money , you must have had one of the larger suite rooms with a seperate bedroom at around 7000 baht. Considering that the area is probably twice the size of the shoebox i was living in - their last months deductions sounds correct.

So without any proof of your intentions of moving out (since the old employee didn't mark it in the book, and was fired for improper duties) they still gave you your deposit back.

as far as the German goes, how do we know his whole story.

[crudski]

I stayed in the Golden Residence for 6 months this year,not in the town centre though not far away but no swimming pool or gym.Apartments have front living room,back bedroom with small balcony and toilet,shower room.Front room has settee and 2 chairs,table,fan and a/c,32" flat screen tv,fridge and desktop pc on long work surface also pc chair.Bedroom has fan and a/c,32" flat screen tv,wardrobe,dressing table and chair and kingsize comfortable bed.Pc has good connection and tv has local cable channel wetv.Front rooms have no window except for the corner rooms(12 on the 3 stories).Prices go cheaper as you go higher as no lift but its only 3 stories.

1st floor 8400baht pm + 100b water+7b per unit electricity.

2nd 7900b

3rd 7400b

Deposit was 10,000baht which i got back no problem,didn't have to sign any contract,manager and staff very pleasant,motor cycle and car parking spaces all off the road,quiet,and newish place,had no complaints and will be staying there again,here's the link.

http://www.goldenresidencechiangmai.com/roomrate.html

[elektrified]

You do realize they deduct your last months electricity and water bill from the deposit right, also the in room internet fee of 'i think 600 baht if you were using it? + 500 baht clean up fee upon leaving.

My last bill was for about 2200 baht for the smaller 5000 baht room, if you say they kept around 4000 baht of your deposit money , you must have had one of the larger suite rooms with a seperate bedroom at around 7000 baht. Considering that the area is probably twice the size of the shoebox i was living in - their last months deductions sounds correct.

So without any proof of your intentions of moving out (since the old employee didn't mark it in the book, and was fired for improper duties) they still gave you your deposit back.

as far as the German goes, how do we know his whole story.

Look I'm not going to get into a back and forth with you. Sounds like you have an interest in the place with your strong defense. The problems and misdeeds there are well-documented on this forum. I was a landlord for many years myself. I understand all that you are saying. I paid the utilities, the Internet, etc. I was ripped off - flat out, like many others. I properly gave notice on 4 separate occasions.

"...as far as the German goes, how do we know his whole story." Because he posted it here on TV! (Like many others).

[KRS1]

It's not a strong defense its common sense, something you've obviously forgotten to take into consideration upon your move out.

you got deducted for your last months utilities and clean up fee and you are complaining - do you expect them to give you free electricity , water, and internet for free?

you were not ripped off, you were refunded the proper amount - without any in office notice of moving out at that, since the prior employee did a bad job of recording it...they took your word for it and they gave you back your deposit minus deductions for last months utilities.

This place has even made special arrangements to refund deposits immediately to foreign occupants, opposed to Thais who must wait 7 days.

so whats the problem?

dozens of complaints? you must be living in your own little world, maybe a couple, but definately not everyone who's stayed there. Considering that this is the biggest apartment community in Chiang Mai there are naturally going to be a higher ratio of check out misunderstandings by ignorant people or people who simply cannot remember.

4 notices? it only took me 1 - the right one

[elektrified]

You have no idea what you are talking about. Mind your own business. You are the one who is ignorant. You must have shares in the place.

I just did a search and there at least a dozen complaints from people who lost their deposit there.

Edited September 27, 2010 by elektrified

[KRS1]

i wish i had shares in that place, its huge !

i just did a search too and most of the negative comments are actually from you..lol

here's a post i find you might enjoy : elektrified loves huay kaew residence about half way down.

huay kaew isnt the best, bu it is extremely conveniently located, there is food next door and a supermarket, and internet shops in the surrounding area, as well being in the halfway mark between nimanheimin and tha pae back packer areas.

[Wopanese]

Just wanted to finally say thank you for all the helpful suggestions in securing a place to live for six months in Chiang Mai. My wife and I are now living in Nakornping Condos just off Huay Kaew Road and we enjoy it very much. We have a comfortable and spacious unit with a full kitchen complete with oven (not that we'll be using it) and a spectacular view of Doi Suthep and we couldn't be happier. Again, thanks to everyone on Thai Visa Forum who contributed their thoughts and suggestions.