Moving To Chiang Mai

[kevbap]

Hello everyone

I am in need of your direction and good advice once again, please. I will be arriving in Chiang Mai early next week and i have never been there before, so i would like a brief run down on where to go and what to do? I don't envisage having too much time off, but would still rather have a few ideas from you guys on where i should go to watch English football and live sports? Best restaurants, Thai food? any things of interest to do in and around the area? ohh and is there a 'Finleys Bar' in Chiang Mai? not sure of the name or spelling but i do recall someone telling me about it.

I will be staying minimum 2 months, so some cheapish accommodation would also be nice, prefer wi-fi if poss?

Thank you guys and thanks again to the Thai visa forum for always being there when needed, i am sure that goes for everyone who uses the website!

Cheers Kevin

ps just a quick add here, i have looked on various websites, and i always find your info much better!

Edited December 17, 2010 by kevbap

[uptheos]

I will answer the English football and live sports bit, others will give you lots of recommendations for other things.

Without question, the best place by a mile to watch live sports in Chiang Mai is the UN Irish Pub.

A typical example is that they are currently the only bar in Chiang Mai showing The Ashes cricket live on a big screen, in fact they are the only pub showing it at all! They have loads of live Premier League games, Rugby, NFL, in fact everything of interest that's going on and as they have three big TV's in three different sections of the pub, you are not limited to watching just one thing or one game, they can show three different things at the same time. The food is good and the prices reasonable or less than other pseudo sports bars in town, who can only offer limited screening of sports.

Edited December 17, 2010 by uptheos

[IanForbes]

There have been many topics exactly the same over the past year or so. A little research should find them. There are lots of options depending on your interests. The list of places to eat is endless.

[kevbap]

There have been many topics exactly the same over the past year or so. A little research should find them. There are lots of options depending on your interests. The list of places to eat is endless.

Thank you so much for the quick response, i would love too spend countless hours trawling the past few years of Thai visa dot com reading info on bars/restaurants and the like that no longer exist! so i am here asking for current info, i have lived on Koh Samui for 5 of the last 7 years and found 50% of businesses have closed down due to the troubles and exchange rates! Thai visa has always given me fantastic info, thats why i keep coming back!

Many thanks Kevin

[kennalder]

Do you want to stay inside the moat? If not how far are you prepared to travel each time you want to go to the likes of the Irish Pub?

I stayed here for about 9 months.

http://www.baansrimongkol.com/en_index.html

It is about 2km from the NE corner of the moat. It is clean as a whistle and very reasonable. When I was there it was around 6k a month. They also rent by the day and that rate was around 500 per day.

The woman (Tim) that manages it is fantastic and extremely honest.

When I had a motorcycle spill she insisted on driving me to the hospital, and stayed there for well over an hour, got my meds and drove me home.

When I decided to leave for larger quarters she found a house for me. I just moved out of that house and she came over the day I moved to translate for me and made sure I got my deposit back. I did not ask her for that help and I don't even know who told her I was moving. I was waiting on some help with one large suitcase, and she said put it in my car, I will take it for you. Outstanding!

[orang37]

... snip ... i would love too spend countless hours trawling the past few years of Thai visa dot com reading info on bars/restaurants and the like that no longer exist! so i am here asking for current

Sawasdee Khrup, Khun Kevin,

Welcome to Chiang Mai !

You'll note when you open a message here: at the top right of the page is a "Search" field: to the right of that is the "magnifying glass icon," and to the right of that is an icon that looks like a "gear."

That "gear icon" will take you to the Advanced Search facility where you can set a date range to examine messages in, limit the search to this forum only, etc.

A few time-limited judicious searches on keywords, and phrases we are sure you can come up with, will surely relieve you of "countless hours trawling," even though we have heard that the great English passion is, indeed, trawling, particularly "pub trawling."

Also, by noting the obvious posters here who often mention pubs, and English sports related themes, and clicking on their avatar, you can go and look at their recent posts on their member pages. MillWallFan, OldPedr, are names you might look for in particular. And you might go out one day to the Gymkhana Club, and hang around the restaurant area, which is infested with English whose bodies are here, but whose minds are still in Birmingham or London.

Hope while you are here you do roam a bit out of the "Rule Brittania Reality Distortion Field" maintained here religiously by its devotees, fueled by Guiness, and see some of the rest of Chiang Mai, which is in Thailand

best, ~o:37;

[sarahsbloke]

Get the taxi to Top North Guest House in MoonMuang Soy 2 (120bht from the airport)

400bht a night and a nice swimming pool, no prior booking needed.

Plenty of sport pubs at the start of the Soy ..........

Then take a few days to find somewhere more long term.

About 5000bht a month for a nice condo, + utils (maybe 1500bht more if you like air-con)

[kevbap]

... snip ... i would love too spend countless hours trawling the past few years of Thai visa dot com reading info on bars/restaurants and the like that no longer exist! so i am here asking for current

Sawasdee Khrup, Khun Kevin,

Welcome to Chiang Mai !

You'll note when you open a message here: at the top right of the page is a "Search" field: to the right of that is the "magnifying glass icon," and to the right of that is an icon that looks like a "gear."

That "gear icon" will take you to the Advanced Search facility where you can set a date range to examine messages in, limit the search to this forum only, etc.

A few time-limited judicious searches on keywords, and phrases we are sure you can come up with, will surely relieve you of "countless hours trawling," even though we have heard that the great English passion is, indeed, trawling, particularly "pub trawling."

Also, by noting the obvious posters here who often mention pubs, and English sports related themes, and clicking on their avatar, you can go and look at their recent posts on their member pages. MillWallFan, OldPedr, are names you might look for in particular. And you might go out one day to the Gymkhana Club, and hang around the restaurant area, which is infested with English whose bodies are here, but whose minds are still in Birmingham or London.

Hope while you are here you do roam a bit out of the "Rule Brittania Reality Distortion Field" maintained here religiously by its devotees, fueled by Guiness, and see some of the rest of Chiang Mai, which is in Thailand

best, ~o:37;

Thank you so much Khun Som Sam sip jet!

I dont really like to be with the 'British' crew when im in Thailand, but i do love my sport and the 7 years i have spent here I will not miss my football and i do like a British commentator when watching it.

I must admit to not spending to much time on my laptop, and i am very grateful of your advice on the 'icon' i will look into that when i get half a chance!

i do like travelling to other parts of Thailand that are not 'infested' with typical Brits! hahaha i just spent 12 months in the very northern part of Laos where i only spoke to 2 brits the whole time i was there!! bliss!

thanks again, Kevin

Edited December 18, 2010 by kevbap