Why So Many Farangs Choose Chiang Mai To Live?

[jdinasia]

I enjoy its cosmopolitan atmosphere, the locals can be Lanna or Central-Thai or hill-tribe, the farangs are from all over the world, and this is also reflected in the wide range of restaurants available here.

There are good hospitals & international/local-schools & supermarkets (God Bless Rimping !) and several good book-exchanges (much better than Patters for this essential feature).

It's a cultured & historic city, colourful and small-town, and a good jumping-off point to explore elsewhere in N.W.Thailand, the one loss is the lack-of-a-beach, which I personally can live without, just make seaside-trips when I feel like it.

Oh, and it's 800 km from the MIL.

Hard to find a place with everything that CNX has AND the great daytrips for motorcycle riders... and yes .. your point about your MIL may be the best reason

[OlafStapleton]

the one loss is the lack-of-a-beach, which I personally can live without, just make seaside-trips when I feel like it.

Oh, and it's 800 km from the MIL.

The beach is call 'Huay Tung Tao', it is nice fresh water beach entry 20bht, swimming good, iced coffee 20bht, cow pat gai 35bht.

I often sit eat,drink, read, swim there.

[theblether]

Cooler Weather,Nicer more Genuine People(Many places down south we are just another farang ie too many of us),cheaper Prices,good countryside,very safe in the city,less rip off low life merchants up here as a rule(ie the Boiler room telephone boys) ETC ETC

NO BEACH in Chiang Mai,so less SCUM come here on Holiday is a massive plus:)

Good looking women (not talking about the Darker skinned ladies of the night either,although im sure many of the dirty old men that are here,live here because there is too much competition in certain other places for said ladies of the night:))

Think this thread could go on a while!!!!

Wow, what a pejorative post. Thaivisa members please take note that according to Chiangmai Foxy that.............

If you like beaches you are more than likely to be scum.............

If you are male and old you are by definition dirty.............

If you are the aforementioned dirty old man then you are also scared of competition................

I think a course in "Self Awareness" should be on someone's shopping list, but no doubt said person sincerely believes they are one of the "Genuine People".

[toenail]

Because of work in the Eastern Seaboard area, my home of 7 years is in Pattaya. To me, Pattaya is the "arm pit" of Thailand. True, it has a great night life to offer, beaches, and a couple shopping complexes but when you live here you quickly see the "cracks" of the place: over priced rental units and real estate; foul aroma from the street sewers; scores of tourist buses speeding and blowing exhaust in ones face; garbage all over the beach and the beach promenade (due to the lack of street cleaners and trash bins); 80% of the Thais working in the city are from other provinces; thus they do not take pride in the city and just think of ripping off "farangs"; there seems to be a big influence from the "mafia",thus some crimes cannot be stopped --it is easier to stop the innocent young Thai or tourist who is driving a motor bike without a helmet than fighting "real crime"; the city mayor is more interested in having monthly festivals than cleaning up the streets and improving the sidewalks for the tourists and Thais to walk on.... Phuket has nicer beaches, but more expensive and (I find) the locals -South Thailand more rude. I just came back from Chang Mai (true, not long enough to see the "cracks", but what makes the place "unique" is the rich heritage it has, the large number of universities, and many of the Thais working there are from the area; thus, there is pride in the city. Yes, I would move to Chaing Mai for retirement but it depends what you are looking for. If you are into beaches, then go to Phuket or Pattaya.

[23423981]

Many Korean nationals send their children to international schools in Chiang Mai

Ah, CM now has Golf Academies....?

Mostly for the academic reasons. Golf is cheap in Chiang Mai but it does not have PGA level instructors yet.

For golf the kids are sent to the USA or Oz.

[Chiangmai Foxy]

Cooler Weather,Nicer more Genuine People(Many places down south we are just another farang ie too many of us),cheaper Prices,good countryside,very safe in the city,less rip off low life merchants up here as a rule(ie the Boiler room telephone boys) ETC ETC

NO BEACH in Chiang Mai,so less SCUM come here on Holiday is a massive plus:)

Good looking women (not talking about the Darker skinned ladies of the night either,although im sure many of the dirty old men that are here,live here because there is too much competition in certain other places for said ladies of the night:))

Think this thread could go on a while!!!!

Wow, what a pejorative post. Thaivisa members please take note that according to Chiangmai Foxy that.............

If you like beaches you are more than likely to be scum.............

If you are male and old you are by definition dirty.............

If you are the aforementioned dirty old man then you are also scared of competition................

I think a course in "Self Awareness" should be on someone's shopping list, but no doubt said person sincerely believes they are one of the "Genuine People".

Self Awareness? Couldnt be happer mate

I am way under 40 years old,i am financially secure,i am married to a dentist,i have been to many of the major european 'brit' beach destinations,and they for a fact attract far more scum than non beach resorts(Brits usually)shamed to say.Chiang mai doesnt get as many B*ll ends as pattaya ie.As for the quotes on the old men!!!! Many have said to me that they come here as too many 'Farang" down saaaath,so less choice of the ladies of he night!!!

Some people here are actually geniune and happy,with no issues,sure we all rant at certain things.Come for a beer with the boys and relax...we have ex paras,teachers,spanish expacts,ex stock exchange cronies,early retirees....etc (no boiler room boys)

Edited July 21, 2011 by Chiangmai Foxy

[Chiangmai Foxy]

Chiang Mai Fc...

Sorry double post

Edited July 21, 2011 by Chiangmai Foxy

[theblether]

Cooler Weather,Nicer more Genuine People(Many places down south we are just another farang ie too many of us),cheaper Prices,good countryside,very safe in the city,less rip off low life merchants up here as a rule(ie the Boiler room telephone boys) ETC ETC

NO BEACH in Chiang Mai,so less SCUM come here on Holiday is a massive plus:)

Good looking women (not talking about the Darker skinned ladies of the night either,although im sure many of the dirty old men that are here,live here because there is too much competition in certain other places for said ladies of the night:))

Think this thread could go on a while!!!!

Wow, what a pejorative post. Thaivisa members please take note that according to Chiangmai Foxy that.............

If you like beaches you are more than likely to be scum.............

If you are male and old you are by definition dirty.............

If you are the aforementioned dirty old man then you are also scared of competition................

I think a course in "Self Awareness" should be on someone's shopping list, but no doubt said person sincerely believes they are one of the "Genuine People".

Self Awareness? Couldnt be happer mate

I am way under 40 years old,i am financially secure,i am married to a dentist,i have been to many of the major european 'brit' beach destinations,and they for a fact attract far more scum than non beach resorts(Brits usually)shamed to say.Chiang mai doesnt get as many B*ll ends as pattaya ie.As for the quotes on the old men!!!! Many have said to me that they come here as too many 'Farang" down saaaath,so less choice of the ladies of he night!!!

Some people here are actually geniune and happy,with no issues,sure we all rant at certain things.Come for a beer with the boys and relax...we have ex paras,teachers,spanish expacts,ex stock exchange cronies,early retirees....etc (no boiler room boys)

I'm delighted that you are content and happy, I am equally content and happy. It doesn't get away from the fact that you chose to answer the OP with pejorative language. In my opinion the forum is best when people stick to facts and stay away from base generalizations. Those worthy gentleman that you have mentioned no doubt are categorized as "Dirty Old Men" by other ladies that don't know them. Your age is irrelevant and I would have been more impressed if your achievement was being the dentist and not being married to him.

To the OP.......why did I choose Chiang Mai? It's old, and it's modern, it's Thailand, with Western facilities, it's a city, in the countryside, it's got plenty of culture, and plenty of night life, the food is amazing, the shopping superb. You can laze by a pool, or trek into the jungle, make an effort and the Thai people will truly welcome you, or if you prefer, you'll find plenty of interesting and accomplished Farangs. The list of things to do is as endless, education classes, fishing, cycling, motorcycling, dancing, drinking, live bands, traditional festivals, and Songkran is probably the best in Thailand. If you fancy a change of scenery head north to the golden triangle in a few hours, or jump on a plane and be in BKK / Hat Yai / KL / Phuket / Singapore etc cheaply and quickly. You can make every day the same......or every day different, it's up to you.

[moe666]

Please donot come to Chiang mai, donot believe any thing these people say. I think the pollution has gotten to them and caused a major brain malfunction. Stay in Bangkok and have a lot of fun there.

[badlee]

I came for the wrong reasons and when I opened my eyes it was 12 years later and he reasons were right!

[steelepulse]

Does the hot season coincide with the burning season, or do they run consecutively? How many months together are the hot and burning season?

[Priceless]

Visit during the fire burning months before making a major commitment to CM. I thinks its a no go for people with existing lung disease issues like asthmatics.

Yes, and for the same reason they should avoid all of the Northern and Central regions (including Bangkok) and most of the Eastern region, since they all have higher pollution levels than Chiang Mai.

Seaside resort areas like Phuket and Surat Thani are probably the only Thai areas to go if you have pre-existing respiratory health problems.

/ Priceless

[cheynewalk]

People choose chiang mai because of the "3 P's" rule. Piss, pussy and property are cheap here.

[Berkshire]

Cooler Weather,Nicer more Genuine People(Many places down south we are just another farang ie too many of us),cheaper Prices,good countryside,very safe in the city,less rip off low life merchants up here as a rule(ie the Boiler room telephone boys) ETC ETC

NO BEACH in Chiang Mai,so less SCUM come here on Holiday is a massive plus:)

Good looking women (not talking about the Darker skinned ladies of the night either,although im sure many of the dirty old men that are here,live here because there is too much competition in certain other places for said ladies of the night:))

Think this thread could go on a while!!!!

Good points. Pretty crude (i.e., the more sensitive types may take offense), but generally spot on.

[Berkshire]

Because of work in the Eastern Seaboard area, my home of 7 years is in Pattaya. To me, Pattaya is the "arm pit" of Thailand. True, it has a great night life to offer, beaches, and a couple shopping complexes but when you live here you quickly see the "cracks" of the place: over priced rental units and real estate; foul aroma from the street sewers; scores of tourist buses speeding and blowing exhaust in ones face; garbage all over the beach and the beach promenade (due to the lack of street cleaners and trash bins); 80% of the Thais working in the city are from other provinces; thus they do not take pride in the city and just think of ripping off "farangs"; there seems to be a big influence from the "mafia",thus some crimes cannot be stopped --it is easier to stop the innocent young Thai or tourist who is driving a motor bike without a helmet than fighting "real crime"; the city mayor is more interested in having monthly festivals than cleaning up the streets and improving the sidewalks for the tourists and Thais to walk on.... Phuket has nicer beaches, but more expensive and (I find) the locals -South Thailand more rude. I just came back from Chang Mai (true, not long enough to see the "cracks", but what makes the place "unique" is the rich heritage it has, the large number of universities, and many of the Thais working there are from the area; thus, there is pride in the city. Yes, I would move to Chaing Mai for retirement but it depends what you are looking for. If you are into beaches, then go to Phuket or Pattaya.

I think you touched on the biggest reason Chiang Mai wins out--the Thais in Chiang Mai. There are many more "normal" Thais in CM than in the farang-heavy areas of Pattaya, Phuket, even BKK. We have a lot of farangs in CM for sure, but farangs are not nearly the dominant demographic here. Thank God. I'm actually fearful that if more and more farangs were to settle in CM, more and more of the unsavory, opportunistic Thais that you mentioned would find their way out here as well. But for now, I think these type of Thais would feel much more at home in Pattaya. Let's keep it that way.

[kalbo123]

Another reason to live in Chiang mai is that the suicide rate amongst foreigners is much lower then in Pattaya!

[Berkshire]

Visit during the fire burning months before making a major commitment to CM. I thinks its a no go for people with existing lung disease issues like asthmatics.

When does the burning season start? How long does it last? Why does Chiang Mai population accept to have their quality of life diminished every year by something that could simply be prohibited?

Renoir

If it can be "simply" stopped, it would have already been. By the way, you're part of the "Chiang Mai population," aren't you? Why do you accept it? Therein lies your answer.

[nikster]

Chiang Mai is a nice city in Thailand. Bangkok too big and too much traffic. CM is a good size, not too small, not too big, lots going on here, I think many Thais are moving here too actually...

My only gripe is the summer pollution in March/April but that's the same all over northern and eastern Thailand, only the south is spared. There is no solution in sight; we just plan our vacations away from here during that time.

This year wasn't bad at all, actually, but it was an unusual year weather-wise. The years past, walking in Chiang Mai during March April was about the same as smoking 2 packs of cigarettes a day. Or worse, as no filter.

What other choices are there really? Places in the south are either way out in the boonies or tourist destinations. Other cities in the east/north are small with very few "city amenities".

And Pattaya is a world all on its own. Although - if the ocean there was clean I'd actually consider it.

Edited July 22, 2011 by nikster

[JennyThompson]

I have spent significant time in Pattaya. It can be completely mad or completely boring, not much in between. If you move further away from the tourist area then suddenly absolutely nothing is going on anymore. And downtown you get the bar scene. I knew that before going but I needed to see it.

The same applies to the islands; anywhere near tourist sites the whole name of the game becomes extracting money from tourists, and then the tourists themselves who also often have a very negative and exploitative attitude. You get two groups of people trying to exploit each other; good luck trying to live a normal life in the middle of that.

I'm hoping Chiang Mai will make for a more balanced experience.

[uptheos]

I suppose on balance, it's one of the nicer places to be, at a cheap price.

[Ashoka]

Cooler Weather,Nicer more Genuine People(Many places down south we are just another farang ie too many of us),cheaper Prices,good countryside,very safe in the city,less rip off low life merchants up here as a rule(ie the Boiler room telephone boys) ETC ETC

NO BEACH in Chiang Mai,so less SCUM come here on Holiday is a massive plus:)

Good looking women (not talking about the Darker skinned ladies of the night either,although im sure many of the dirty old men that are here,live here because there is too much competition in certain other places for said ladies of the night:))

Think this thread could go on a while!!!!

Did you leave your country to get away from the darker skinned people? There are Jews, Africans and Asians in Chiang Mai too if you would like me to tell you where they are so you can avoid them too.

[somtampet]

Cooler Weather,Nicer more Genuine People(Many places down south we are just another farang ie too many of us),cheaper Prices,good countryside,very safe in the city,less rip off low life merchants up here as a rule(ie the Boiler room telephone boys) ETC ETC

NO BEACH in Chiang Mai,so less SCUM come here on Holiday is a massive plus:)

Good looking women (not talking about the Darker skinned ladies of the night either,although im sure many of the dirty old men that are here,live here because there is too much competition in certain other places for said ladies of the night:))

Think this thread could go on a while!!!!

Didnt know beaches attract scum ?????

Anyway

competition <deleted> u on about

anyway

I like Chiangmai but the pollution seems to be bad there.I like Pattaya but seems to be too many expats that look down on people,if one doesnt monger and doesnt go to go-go bars and one who doesnt give their money away on ladydrinks and tips to hookers.Bar owners seem to be a very strange breed in Pattaya too,knocking any bar thats got competitive priced drink and possibly one area thats got a price cartel too.I would rather live in Iraq than suffer Bangkok for a host of reasons,but Udon seems a nice relaxed place.

Overall Pattaya is still perfect for me in many ways,including getting into the countryside in 30 mins and also decent beaches in 20 mins drive,and only 1.5 hours from Airport rather than a third plane flight

[somtampet]

Cooler Weather,Nicer more Genuine People(Many places down south we are just another farang ie too many of us),cheaper Prices,good countryside,very safe in the city,less rip off low life merchants up here as a rule(ie the Boiler room telephone boys) ETC ETC

NO BEACH in Chiang Mai,so less SCUM come here on Holiday is a massive plus:)

Good looking women (not talking about the Darker skinned ladies of the night either,although im sure many of the dirty old men that are here,live here because there is too much competition in certain other places for said ladies of the night:))

Think this thread could go on a while!!!!

Did you leave your country to get away from the darker skinned people? There are Jews, Africans and Asians in Chiang Mai too if you would like me to tell you where they are so you can avoid them too.

Nice genuine people he said,then he talks about lowlife,scum,a racist tone even ????

[uptheos]

Good looking women (not talking about the Darker skinned ladies of the night either,although im sure many of the dirty old men that are here,live here because there is too much competition in certain other places for said ladies of the night)

Too much competition??........with money in your pocket, there's no competition anywhere in Thailand.

Edited July 23, 2011 by uptheos

[bdw]

the lighter skinned birds are the attraction for me

no beaches is a bummer though & no fresh seafood either

[chiangmaicharlies]

Because of Sunee's delicious fish & chips

[philliphn]

I used to prefer Pattaya. However, I have found that Pattaya is now crowded with hordes of Russians. In my experience. The Russians are very rude and hostile to Westerners. The Russians are also incredibly arrogant. Russians behave in a way that demonstrates that they have no respect for non Russians. They also tend to be very heavy consumers of alcohol. This brings the worst out in them. If you have stayed in a hotel in which the floor you are on has Russians. You will find that they return in the evening very drunk. They disturb every one with whooping, and yelling. They seem to think that is normal acceptable behavior. They truely have no respect or consideration for other people.