Neighborhood/Building Recommendations?

[foxontherun]

I'm an American female, seriously considering relocating to Chiang Mai within the next six months or so. I would stay for at least a year, and probably longer if I can get the visa situation sorted. I'm hoping that you might offer me some recommendations as to where I might want to look for a place to rent. Any advice as to areas or specific buildings would be greatly appreciated. I'm just beginning my research on this, so assume that I know nothing, and you will be pretty close to correct.

I would like a 1-2 bedroom furnished apartment/condo. My first priority is location. I want to be able to walk to things, food shopping (both fresh local items and supermarket stuff) and eateries in particular. I want to be in or near the center of things, not in an outlying area. If I can't reach things on foot, I would at least like to have other forms of transportation conveniently available outside my door. I won't have a car, and am not sure I dare to do the motorbike/scooter thing. As a female living alone, I also want to feel safe.

I am looking for a bit of luxury. The place should be modern, nicely furnished, and offer all of the modern amenities. A decently sized kitchen with Western-style appliances is hugely important to me, as I do a great deal of cooking. I need full-sized appliances, and would like an oven. A half-sized refrigerator or tiny hotplate probably won't cut it for me. I know that dishwashers are very rare, but that would be a huge bonus, as would laundry in the unit. Air conditioning is a must, as is decent Internet access and TV service. A balcony with a nice view would be a plus, as would a nice bathroom with a good hot water supply and a large shower and soaking tub.

I don't need a ton of space; I'd say that 55 sq. meters or so is probably the minimum that would work for me. I also don't particularly care about having access to a pool, or maid service.

I'll spend up to 20,000 baht per month, possibly a bit more if I have to in order to get what I want. Am I being realistic? What can you suggest? Thanks in advance. I hope to meet some of you if this all comes together. Also, I hope I haven't come across as a total yuppie American who wants to move to another country and have it be exactly like home. I actually can't wait to immerse myself in the culture there, but it's gong to be a whole lot of culture shock all at once, so I'd like to at least start out with a living space that doesn't require too drastic an adjustment on my part right off the bat.

[Wopanese]

My wife and I have been living in Nakornping Condos just over a month and enjoy it very much. It is located off Huay Kaew Road on a soi across the street from the Shell station (you can't miss the building as it's seventeen stories). I think if you Google it you'll get a map of where Nakornping Condo is. We found our unit walking around the neighborhood. There is a bulletin board downstairs on the lobby with rental postings. Actually my wife and I just saw a new posting for a beautiful studio apartment that comes with a scooter, believe it or not, for 12K bahts per month. The pictures of the unit look amazing; the decor and furnishings are outstanding. Anyway, there is an outdoor pool on the 5th floor of the building and the management staff is very friendly and helpful, and we've met some very nice residents here, and the best thing about it is that Kad Suan Kaew shopping center is five minutes walk and a songtaew ride into the old city is less than ten minutes and costs only 20 bahts. Check it out when you get here. Hope that helps.

[mystwoodcol]

Check the classifies here and the real estate section heaps of choices posted.

[NancyL]

I was going to suggest Nakorn Ping Condo, too. The building is a bit shabby, but they maintain the pool very nicely. Some units in the building are spectacular, just what you want, while others are a wreck. Unfortunately, there's no central way to find out about all the units for rent. Some are advertised on the bulletin board in the lobby and the office management can show them. Others are "advertised" just thru word-of-mouth.

I'd suggest you book yourself into The Dome Residence for your first week and spend time hanging around Nakorn Ping, just talking to people in the lobby. I know some that found their units that way. I also know some ladies who live long-term at The Dome, but the kitchens may not be up to your standards. Anyway, a week there would give you a chance to try it out and it is an elegant, well-maintained building.

Hillside Condo 4 and the Grand Hillside are also in the area and probably have some units that would fit the bill, too.

Like you, I love to cook, but made do with a Thai-style kitchen on a balcony at Nakorn Ping for our first year. It added new challenges and was really kind of fun to develop or modify my recipes and cooking practices. It's amazing what you can do with a little toaster oven, a hot plate, a suki pot and a rice cooker. Especially the rice cooker -- I make most of our meals as one-pot meals in the rice cooker. Since then we've moved to another location and I do like my new, western-style kitchen better, mainly because it's air conditioned and I can watch TV while I cook. But, that first year in the Thai kitchen taught me much.

Be sure to take some Thai cooking classes to learn how to use the local ingredients. Also, it helped my cooking to learn how to read and write Thai because many of the stories are about food! If something is mentioned in one of my Thai stories I look it up on the internet, learn about it, and often try it at home.

[uptheos]

If you want somewhere completely Un-Thai and extremely pretentious, try the Nimmanhemin area.

Personally, I think that whole Huey Kaew Road area is the pits and for 20,000 Baht I'd be casting my net a bit further than an area saturated with foreigners. The need to be near a supermarket amazes me, especially in Thailand where fresh fruit are in abundance at cheap prices.

Take your time and look around - you'll find loads with your budget, but don't get sucked into that north west section of Chiang Mai.

[foxontherun]

Fantastically helpful information. Just the sort of things I need to know, and it's great to have some concrete ideas of where to start looking. Thank you so much, and please keep them coming. (NancyL, I'm a Nancy, too. Maybe we can start our own, highly exclusive Expat Nancys Club.)

Wopanese, do you mind me asking what your Internet access situation is at Nakornping Condos, and how it's working out for you?

[foxontherun]

If you want somewhere completely Un-Thai and extremely pretentious, try the Nimmanhemin area.

Personally, I think that whole Huey Kaew Road area is the pits and for 20,000 Baht I'd be casting my net a bit further than an area saturated with foreigners. The need to be near a supermarket amazes me, especially in Thailand where fresh fruit are in abundance at cheap prices.

Take your time and look around - you'll find loads with your budget, but don't get sucked into that north west section of Chiang Mai.

I live in a very upscale (some might say pretentious) neighborhood in my current city, and like it, but I certainly don't want to be somewhere in Chiang Mai that feels completely un-Thai, so I hear you about the Nimmanhaemin area. I may end up shopping there on occasion, but it may not be what I want as a home base.

Maybe I won't need to be near a supermarket. The fresh markets are one of the things to which I'm most looking forward. I guess I just don't yet have a good idea of whether I can subsist on those and smaller local stores alone, or whether a larger market will be useful for certain staples. So much to learn. Thanks for your input.

[amexpat]

Of course you will need access to a supermarket. Thais use them, too. Fresh markets are good for what they have.

An occasional songtaw to Lotus, Makro, Big C, or the malls won't dent your budget if you can pay 20K for accommodations.

[uptheos]

If you want somewhere completely Un-Thai and extremely pretentious, try the Nimmanhemin area.

Personally, I think that whole Huey Kaew Road area is the pits and for 20,000 Baht I'd be casting my net a bit further than an area saturated with foreigners. The need to be near a supermarket amazes me, especially in Thailand where fresh fruit are in abundance at cheap prices.

Take your time and look around - you'll find loads with your budget, but don't get sucked into that north west section of Chiang Mai.

I live in a very upscale (some might say pretentious) neighborhood in my current city, and like it, but I certainly don't want to be somewhere in Chiang Mai that feels completely un-Thai, so I hear you about the Nimmanhaemin area. I may end up shopping there on occasion, but it may not be what I want as a home base.

Maybe I won't need to be near a supermarket. The fresh markets are one of the things to which I'm most looking forward. I guess I just don't yet have a good idea of whether I can subsist on those and smaller local stores alone, or whether a larger market will be useful for certain staples. So much to learn. Thanks for your input.

Yes, you can always access a supermarket, there are so many spread around and they are good for things unobtainable in small shops. I wouldn't use being near a supermarket as a criteria though.....although many TV members use nothing else, are completely dependent on them and are happy to pay 4 times the price for fruit and veg.

[shepsel]

I was going to suggest Nakorn Ping Condo as well. The location is perfect as it is a block or so to Kad Saun Kaew mall which has a Tops Supermarket. The common areas and lobby are the downside of the building, but many individual units are tastefully decorated. Rentals are quite a bit lower in price than in other buildings because of the horrid looking halls and lobby. Electric and water rates are government rates which save a bundle when you run your air in the hot season. At Nakorn ping you choose your internet provider--I have True 6 megabytes for 599 a month and it is fine. You can also choose a TV provider as well. I have the True platinum package and I pay 2500 yearly for the service with my own satellite dish on the roof.

Although you may have needs for a completely westernized kitchen, you are being a little unrealistic in a rental. Some units have ovens, but most don't. Almost none will have a dishwasher. I like to prepare my own food as well, and I initially insisted on a western kitchen, but had to compromise. I did buy a large portable oven at Makro for less than 3000 baht and I can bake and broil in it. I purchased a 15 cubic foot refrigerator because the ones that came with the apartment were lilliputian. I figured that if and wen I move there is always a good market for selling used appliances. I installed hot water tanks under the sinks--which can be removed also. I had certain needs--and it is not that expensive in THailand to install certain items.

Once you are here and experience going through a hot season--you will see why people would rather go out to eat rather than cooking. Turning on an electrical element or oven just fights with the air-conditioning.

You could also try Hilside 4 which is a couple of blocks further away from the shopping at the mall, but there are some nice units there.

If you need more info about Nakornping you could message me.

[foxontherun]

Although you may have needs for a completely westernized kitchen, you are being a little unrealistic in a rental. Some units have ovens, but most don't. Almost none will have a dishwasher. I like to prepare my own food as well, and I initially insisted on a western kitchen, but had to compromise. I did buy a large portable oven at Makro for less than 3000 baht and I can bake and broil in it. I purchased a 15 cubic foot refrigerator because the ones that came with the apartment were lilliputian. I figured that if and wen I move there is always a good market for selling used appliances. I installed hot water tanks under the sinks--which can be removed also. I had certain needs--and it is not that expensive in THailand to install certain items.

Thank you for all of the very practical advice. It sounds like you've done a great job of upgrading your place to suit your needs. I know that I'm not going to get everything on my wish list, and can definitely be flexible on a lot of it, but I figured I'd state my preferences and see how close I could come to meeting them. I realize a dishwasher is a near impossibility. It seems that full sized ovens, while by no means ubiquitous, are more attainable. If I can't have one, I'll pick up a portable oven and be fine.

I'm curious about the hot water. Was there no hot water supplied to your sinks, or was it just inadequate? Is it typical to have no or insufficient hot water for the kitchen and/or bathroom sinks?

And wow, lots of votes for Nakornping. I guess that's going to be at the top of my list. I did actually see a listing for a place in Hillside 4 that seems like it would be a good fit for me, and am wondering whether there are any potential issues there of which I should be aware, other than the location being slightly further from shopping. Anyone?

[Wopanese]

The best thing to do is get here, find a temporary inexpensive guesthouse (of which there are many), and just start exploring the different neighborhoods. My wife and I spent nearly a week and went inside every building that we thought looked appealing, and nine times out of ten there was someone available to show us a unit or two. Good luck and hope you find a place you like.

[NancyL]

Our current rental has hot water in the shower and all the sinks. I mentioned this as one of the luxuries of the unit to friends in the U.S. and they were amazed since they take this for granted. I haven't seen one unit here that has "central" hot water. Instead, there are little in-line electric heaters installed just before each point-of-use for water. The cost of the units isn't high -- that's why it makes sense to install them if you plan to remain in a rental for a year or two. Also, the hot water is delivered instantly. The downside is that they are more expensive to operate than the gas-fired hot water heating tanks of a central hot water system

Western-style dishwashing machines are available here and I know two friends who have them. But, they both have homes they outfitted and plan to remain here for a long time. For me, the real convenience of a dishwasher is that you have a place to store dirty dishes and you don't have to look at them while they dry after washing. Now, we just wash the dishes after every meal and put them away in an hour. When I realized we weren't going to have a dishwashing machine when we retired here, I decided it made sense to pay to move our good china, crystal and silver with us. We used them rarely in the U.S., but the china and crystal would have fetched a pittance at a garage sale. I figured if we were going to have to wash dishes by hand, they might as well be good dishes. Now we use our "good stuff" for every meal, rather than just two or three times a year like we did when we had a dishwasher.

About locating near a good Thai market vs. a western-style grocery store: I'm conflicted about this issue. For me, the ideal location for food sourcing would be to live within walking distance of Tanin Market, off Chang Puek Rd, a little bit north of the old city. It's the best market in the region -- well-lighted, clean, excellent selection of fresh and prepared foods, including wonderful baked goods in the morning.. It's close to a Tops Supermarkets, near the Mecure Hotel in case you need something like peanut butter or a can of Campbell's soup. But, when we decided to move from Nakorn Ping, we couldn't find anything near Tanin within our budget (which is less than yours), so instead, we're between Sompet and Warorot Markets, which aren't Tanin, but serve our needs.

We visit one of these Thai markets at least three times a week for fresh food -- fruit, veggies, nuts, recently-live fish and cooked chicken. I go to a Tops and a Rim Ping supermarket once a month to stock up on beer, soft drinks, cereal, coffee, salad dressing, etc. The Tops in Kad Suan Kaew, near Nakorn Ping is probably the worst Tops in the area, but I see that they're remodeling it. All the Rim Ping and Tops Supermarkets offer free home delivery within a reasonable range for order over 1000 baht. I don't know about Big C and Macro -- never been there since we don't have a vehicle.

[Contractor]

If you want somewhere completely Un-Thai and extremely pretentious, try the Nimmanhemin area.

Personally, I think that whole Huey Kaew Road area is the pits and for 20,000 Baht I'd be casting my net a bit further than an area saturated with foreigners. The need to be near a supermarket amazes me, especially in Thailand where fresh fruit are in abundance at cheap prices.

Take your time and look around - you'll find loads with your budget, but don't get sucked into that north west section of Chiang Mai.

Someone with an axe to grind, methinks.

To the OP, I would say take a short rental first and have a look around the City for yourself. You will then discover the value of the some of the advice you are given on here.

Good luck.

[foxontherun]

NancyL, thank you so much. That's exactly the kind of information that's incredibly useful to me, and won't be found in some generic guide to Chiang Mai.

Contractor, I will definitely scope things out and form my own impressions when I arrive. If I can have a few target areas in mind, though, I'm sure it will make things easier. As someone who ran a very active online forum for years, I saw the full range of usefulness and validity of the advice offered therein, and know to take everything with a grain of salt until I confirm it for myself. I also know that other people's preferences and tastes may not be in line with my own, but I value hearing them all, as it's hugely helpful in forming an overall picture.

[KRS1]

The first thing I would do is get a room at Huay Kaew Residence while you search for a condo.

Something small for 5000 baht while you get situated or something a little bigger for 7000 baht...you can get these for a 1 month contract, but they will be the size of a shoe box.

If you travel down Huay Kaew there is a street right before getting to Nimanheimin, turn left and there are tons of places.

But Huay Kaew is probably the most convenient, the closer to the corner of the moat you can get the more food options you will have. There is a new condo being built around there, great location and should be finished by the time you get here.

[elektrified]

The first thing I would do is get a room at Huay Kaew Residence while you search for a condo.

Avoid the Huay Kaew Residence at all cost. The walls are paper thin and it's close to impossible to recover your deposit. There are much better options.

[Contractor]

NancyL, thank you so much. That's exactly the kind of information that's incredibly useful to me, and won't be found in some generic guide to Chiang Mai.

Contractor, I will definitely scope things out and form my own impressions when I arrive. If I can have a few target areas in mind, though, I'm sure it will make things easier. As someone who ran a very active online forum for years, I saw the full range of usefulness and validity of the advice offered therein, and know to take everything with a grain of salt until I confirm it for myself. I also know that other people's preferences and tastes may not be in line with my own, but I value hearing them all, as it's hugely helpful in forming an overall picture.

<foxontherun>

You have the measure of things and are wise.

Wherever you find a place, I wish you all the best.

Kind regards

[thaitar]

GreenHillPlace.com has lots of things you asked for. No dishwasher. There is a countertop stove, but no oven. We bought an electric BBQ and put it on the balcony. Very good substitute imo.

[KRS1]

The first thing I would do is get a room at Huay Kaew Residence while you search for a condo.

Avoid the Huay Kaew Residence at all cost. The walls are paper thin and it's close to impossible to recover your deposit. There are much better options.

I had no problem getting my deposit back , nor the other four I knew who also stayed there. Follow the rules stipulated, and there's no problems.

[elektrified]

The first thing I would do is get a room at Huay Kaew Residence while you search for a condo.

Avoid the Huay Kaew Residence at all cost. The walls are paper thin and it's close to impossible to recover your deposit. There are much better options.

I had no problem getting my deposit back , nor the other four I knew who also stayed there. Follow the rules stipulated, and there's no problems.

Almost everyone has problems recovering their deposit there. Indeed there are many, many problems there. I'm not going round and round with you on this one but you must own shares in the place to be the only one to run to their defense each and every time.

[KRS1]

The first thing I would do is get a room at Huay Kaew Residence while you search for a condo.

Avoid the Huay Kaew Residence at all cost. The walls are paper thin and it's close to impossible to recover your deposit. There are much better options.

I had no problem getting my deposit back , nor the other four I knew who also stayed there. Follow the rules stipulated, and there's no problems.

Almost everyone has problems recovering their deposit there. Indeed there are many, many problems there. I'm not going round and round with you on this one but you must own shares in the place to be the only one to run to their defense each and every time.

yes, they pay me 1,000,000 baht everytime i post something about huay kaew apartments?

wake up.

Edited February 8, 2011 by KRS1

[nikster]

Punna @ Nimmanhemin. I've been told they now rent for a reasonable 20k +

The thing about condos in CM is if you want to rent a very nice one - western standard, new building - it's not super cheap. But you said you want a bit of luxury and I don't think the Nimmanhemin area can be beat for food / convenience of access and Punna is pretty new and modern. They're also building a new one next door - the Unique - but not finished yet. There's some night clubs around this area behind nimman, I've heard they're loud at night but also that Punna has very good sound insulation. So no sleeping with open windows. But keeping the windows open anywhere in CM would be a challenge if you're a light sleeper. The city is very nice but it's _not_ quiet any time of the day.

The alternative would be to find a nice apartment inside the moat - the problem is there's very few, and no new buildings. I once found one for 30k that was OK - high end when they built it but showed its age already, both furniture and the building itself. Kind of overpriced for the offering, really. I think it was a 2 bedroom, fully furnished in a style that can be described as "luxury 10 years ago".

If you want to stay in a very nice place short term around Nimman I can recommend the very nice Kantary Hills apartments - it's rather pricey but they have monthly rates I think around 40k and the place is spotless, modern, great facilities, etc. We stayed there for a while when our baby was born. Amazing.

@ Huay Kaew Residence - this is the basic "cheap room" that students use in CM - it's 4,000 baht a month and you get what you pay for - a tiny room with a very basic bed and a table. It works. But it's not "nice" in any way - better to stay in a Hotel in the beginning IMO. Or a guest house in the city, there's quite a few nice ones inside the moat. Huay Kaew road is also not in the city, and rather inconvenient to get to / from on foot. It's right next to the shopping mall but you walk around 10 minutes next to a dusty big road to get to the inner city. I have rented this place before - we thought it would be a cheap alternative to renting a hotel every weekend on trips to CM but it turned out to be too much work to clean it up all the time, and the room was tiny.

Another recommendation I have is the santhitan area - a friend of mine lives there in a very nice apartment, brand new building, for 12k. It's maybe a bit more advanced there as it's all Thai and not many tourist services.

Note that this is true anywhere in Asia, and also CM: Whether or not a place is nice mostly depends on how new the building is. Buildings don't last very long here, and they are not well maintained, after 10 years it's usually not worth living there anymore. The newer the better. True for Hotels and apartments and houses....

As for areas - as mentioned, I like Nimmanhemin - it's the hip area in CM where all the students go, and increasinly also tourists, and has tons of cafes and restaurants in all the little sois between nimmanhemin and sirimangkalajarn. I am there every day.

I also like inside the moat, anywhere, it's all bustling with restaurants, shops, cafes, etc. More touristy than Nimman but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Maybe slightly less high end too. You won't find Thais there - they're at Nimman, or in the shopping malls.

Good luck!

[foxontherun]

Nikster, thank you. All very good things to know, and lots of new places to check out. Fantastic. I'm not looking for dirt cheap accommodations when I first arrive. I'll pay a bit more for a decent and centrally located hotel or guest house while I look for a permanent residence. I think that any area that's all Thai is probably out, at least at first. Until I settle in and pick up a bit of the language, get more comfortable with how to get around, and so on, I should probably be in an area that's somewhat more geared toward tourists/expats. I don't want to lose all of the local flavor, though, and feel like I'm surrounded entirely by people from elsewhere. Also, I think that a newer building will be much better for me. I do have issues with mold sensitivity, and a newer building would probably be less likely to have a lurking mold problem.

I think I've decided to raise my rental budget a bit, to a maximum of 25K baht. It seems like that will give me many more options. Also, would anyone care to give me a rough estimate of what I can expect the water and electricity bills to be per month? We're talking about one person living in a smallish condo, and assume that I will be making liberal use of the water and air conditioning. I know that the rates can vary greatly from place to place, but I'm just looking for a ballpark figure or range, because I really have no idea.

Thanks again for all of the info, and all of the well wishes. You folks are amazingly helpful, and I'm more than a little bit terrified.

[nikster]

Hey - Punna is easy for 25k - definitely check it out!

There's a few other new condo developments in CM, but I don't know anything about those. Maybe somebody else can recommend them. A friend lived at Punna and he was pleased. He had a 2 bedroom for 20k I think.

Water costs very little.

Electric varies greatly though - when you rent, make sure to check the electric rate. The local rate is about 3 Baht but all condos add a bit to that. Some charge 4 baht (Kantary Hills for long term, for example). Others charge 7 baht or more. That's a bit of a trick IMO - they'll rent you a place with air con for cheap, but then charge 7 baht per unit (KWH) for Electricity so you end up paying a lot more in the end. One thing to watch out for.

We were in the Kantary Hills 2 bedroom apartment and made good use of 4 air con units, paid about 5000 baht / month at a rate of 4 Baht / unit. Depends on the time of the year though - now, in winter, it's hardly necessary.

[0zz1]

Punna Condo Nimman Soi 6 should do the thing... some freshly renovated units at Hillside 2 & 3 might also work. Then I guess some of the service apartments like Kantary Hills or Empire Nimman might do the thing for you. Try looking at Nimman area anyway... it would be the easy start.

[brommers]

Punna Condo Nimman Soi 6 should do the thing... some freshly renovated units at Hillside 2 & 3 might also work. Then I guess some of the service apartments like Kantary Hills or Empire Nimman might do the thing for you. Try looking at Nimman area anyway... it would be the easy start.

I agree that Nimman is an area with character & lots of shops and restaurants. But for some months it is terribly congested with visitors & the traffic is a real pain. I like Punna but like many a condo in the area it is close to Prasertland where there are regular outdoor food fairs etc, so you have loud music & fireworks until midnight to contend with. I have a townhouse 4 kms away and over the festive season could hear the music even though the television was on in our lounge.

The best thing is to look at the Real Estate websites, but bear in mind some of the 'bargains' are simply there to get you to contact them, and then they try to sell you what is really on their books. I had this experience any times & often found that I was not able to get something comparable to what I was first attracted by.

CM does not have a CBD in the US/European city sense of the word. I would agree with all those who have suggested that the OP rents a room in a place like The Dome for a few weeks whilst having a good look around the city. There is nothing better than wandering the streets to get a feel for what you enjoy. And don't forget that you can often find a house that is less expensive than a condo.

CM is a good place to live, so good luck with your search.

[nikster]

Good point Brommers, Prasertland is a bit of an issue at Nimman, but I would think only for those outdoors festival (which are VERY(!!) loud). I went to one a month or so ago, nice food, and Thai dancing (should be a plus), very nice costumes.... so nice I went towards the stage to get a better look up close, but I had to leave after 5 Minutes because it was just insanely loud near the stage. Next time I'll bring earplugs.

Other times it's the Prasertland bars/clubs, but my friend living at Punna told me there's enough sound insulation that he can't hear it at all at night.

Clearly renting a room for a while while looking is a good idea, just make it a nice place so you can enjoy hunting around.

[ChiangMaiFun]

skybreeze condo? probably the most popular condo in Chiang Mai (49% farang owned)

www.skybreezecondo.com

[Jawnie]

This is all incredibly helpful to me, also. I've been in Bangkok for three months and don't like it but want to stay in Thailand. Bangkok is too hot and busy for me so everyone says to check out Chiang Mai. Good news to me as I visited CM about six years ago but without eyes toward moving there. I'll be trekking the CM this week and have noted many of the places and thoughts mentioned here.

One bit of advise I'd like to add to is that I live in an area of Bangkok that is very "Thai." This has everything to do with the fact that I don't have the same budget as Ms. foxontherun. In any case, there's nothing particularly wrong with it being very Thai but it means services that westerners are accustomed to are more difficult to find. That includes real language problems at the closest mall just trying to find a bookstore, photocopier, batteries, etc. The choice of restaurants in my current area is limited - it's basically street food or KFC/Micky Ds. That may work for a two-week vacation, but not as a resident. I must travel 30 minutes on public transportation to visit somewhere with a variety of foods, eg, Siam Paragon food court.

Edited February 14, 2011 by Jawnie