Farang Populated Condos Or Sois

[mamborobert]

A bit of context. I have been renting in a small soi on the East side of the Ping for the last six months. Now I see plenty of farangs when I am cruising around, or shopping, but as for walking in my neighbourhood,, nope, nil, nada unless they are hopelessly lost. Every now and again this does get to me as I would like to have a bit better people watching opportunities and a general yack with a passer by or exchange pleasantries at a local shop.

My question is this, are there any condo complexes or soi's or areas of CM where you would find a higher proportion of farangs (ie condos at the percentage limit). I am not talking about the talking in tongues mob, or the singlet and Leo 10.00am heart starter crew (my appologies to Veerachai Court et al), just a group of normal everday folk representing a broader cross section of the farang community as far as age, nationalities, socio economic backgrounds etc. Likewise there are some condos that seem to have a lot but they are just the one condo in an island of nothing else.

Again not so much the housing estates more the condos and sois in CM proper (say withing the first ring road). Is there are higher number around the CMU or Canal Roads, or are there upcoming areas such as around Payap?

Do farang now have a multi ethinic ghetto/sanctuary/haven/pod/fantasy island in CM yet? And if so (or not) would you want one, realising that it can never be an exclusively farang area or even a majority (and thats not what I want by any means which is one reason I tend to avoid some "estates"), but is there an area or few sois where there are "more" in the general flow.

Edited July 26, 2011 by mamborobert

[elektrified]

Huh???

[Thaifan2]

You what !!!

[BarnicaleBob]

Maybe there aren't any because most of us have moved to the moobans beyond the ring roads. There are at least 30 farangs in my mooban and we see them walking around all the time.

[jdinasia]

I see the occasional tourist with a map wander down my soi ... that's enough for me When I want farang company I have a friend over or go to a friend's house. If I want random background noise or are bored later in the evening I go out for a beer or 3

[hellodolly]

Well there is the smith residence close to Chiang Mai gate. A little outside the moat but close enough for the morning and evening markets and a mix of farongs.

[Ulysses G.]

I am not talking about the talking in tongues mob, or the singlet and Leo 10.00am heart starter crew (my appologies to Veerachai Court et al

I am sure that the Veerachai Court boys are grateful to be mentioned.

Edited July 26, 2011 by Ulysses G.

[moe666]

Yes there are a few around Smith residence and renting from them. They are a good lot but a few like their booze, but not rowdy. There are quite a few in this area also because of the Chiang mai Gate Hotel.. There is a English guy and his wife have a cafe in the area as well.

[pete66]

Learn some Thai then you can natter with Thais. Failing that, I think you'd find a much higher proportion of farangs in places like UK or Australia.

[garrfeild]

Learn some Thai then you can natter with Thais. Failing that, I think you'd find a much higher proportion of farangs in places like UK or Australia.

absolutely right. whats all that twoddle of socio economic claptrapp??

[mamborobert]

Learn some Thai then you can natter with Thais. Failing that, I think you'd find a much higher proportion of farangs in places like UK or Australia.

I can read Thai fine, and speak passable, and have no issues communicating with the Thais in my neighbourhood, having said that most speak around me speak Mandarin to each other as they are from the old KMT areas. I can say a few pleasantires (hello, thank you etc) in Mandarin and thats about all. Round where I live we see perhaps one lost farang tourist per day but certainly no expats (living as opposed to cruising/shopping or visiting Thai freinds, or myself).

Somehow the conversation drys up if occasionally say I want to talk about the recent Australia verses South Africa (we will not talk at all about the earlier game), any books, even politics, music. Its only occasionally, very occasionally, but I would rather fill this need near where I live rather than seek the opinion of a bar stool companion (Thai or farang) and hence contemmplating a move.

I am not looking for Australia or UK (been teher done that). I am looking for a higher ratio (not a dominant ratio, not excesssively high, not numericaly higher), preferably expats not toursist. and preferably not from the bible or beer belt, so asked the simpel question as I do not know, as I do not live in an area which is frequented by farangs, and never have.......

Edited July 27, 2011 by mamborobert

[mamborobert]

Learn some Thai then you can natter with Thais. Failing that, I think you'd find a much higher proportion of farangs in places like UK or Australia.

absolutely right. whats all that twoddle of socio economic claptrapp??

My English is passable as well, I believe it is "twaddle" and "claptrap", but I could be wrong.

Thank you for coming though.

Edited July 27, 2011 by mamborobert

[garrfeild]

Learn some Thai then you can natter with Thais. Failing that, I think you'd find a much higher proportion of farangs in places like UK or Australia.

absolutely right. whats all that twoddle of socio economic claptrapp??

My English is passable as well, I believe it is "twaddle" and "claptrap", but I could be wrong.

Thank you for coming though.

My pleasure, I live in the mountains, a very small moo ban, so my English suffers from the lack there of. I wonder if there is such a place as you are looking for in Thailand? Even you say away from the bible/bar belt. Which is how most expats feel about either belt!

Dare I say, beggers can't be choosers, we all have to make do with those we find or make friends with. Even if we know that back in our native country we would probably not socialise with them! in a socio economic sense!

But hey, I live in the mountains, what do I know?

good luck in your search.

[NancyL]

I think the OP is asking a valid question. When we first moved here we lived at Nakorn Ping Condo, just off Huey Kaew Rd and I really appreciated the opportunity to talk with other westerners in the nearby restaurants, the lobby, the elevator, the pool area, etc. It was a great way to learn about things like internet providers, bank branches, sewing ladies, shoe repair places, dry cleaners, etc.

Now we live in the Veerachai Court neighborhood and are surrounded with farangs (and I use that term in the worst possible way), but none of them are people I'd care to engage in casual conversation and by the looks of them, I doubt they can recommend a good tailor or barber.

[garrfeild]

Learn some Thai then you can natter with Thais. Failing that, I think you'd find a much higher proportion of farangs in places like UK or Australia.

absolutely right. whats all that twoddle of socio economic claptrapp??

My English is passable as well, I believe it is "twaddle" and "claptrap", but I could be wrong.

Thank you for coming though.

Please check your own spelling before criticising others spelling!

[mamborobert]

Learn some Thai then you can natter with Thais. Failing that, I think you'd find a much higher proportion of farangs in places like UK or Australia.

absolutely right. whats all that twoddle of socio economic claptrapp??

My English is passable as well, I believe it is "twaddle" and "claptrap", but I could be wrong.

Thank you for coming though.

Please check your own spelling before criticising others spelling!

Thanx. Shudnt "others" be pussessive "other's"

Bonus points for not using z in criticising though

There is a difference between poor typing and poor spelling

I stand erected

Edited July 27, 2011 by mamborobert

[garrfeild]

del

Edited July 27, 2011 by garrfeild

[elektrified]

You are thinking of moving so you can be around more farangs? Like the other poster said, maybe Europe or North America would fit the bill. I wish there were less farangs where I live, but then again I don't associate with 90% of them anyway.

[uptoyoumyfriend]

you might want to check riverside condo next to holiday inn -it could be just what you're looking for

[matador11021965]

hi,

i want to rent at nakorping on huey kuay can anybody inform me of the rent prices and can it be done for about 6000 bt or so

[NancyL]

hi,

i want to rent at nakorping on huey kuay can anybody inform me of the rent prices and can it be done for about 6000 bt or so

I seriously doubt you're going to get into a studio at NakornPing for less than 7-8000 baht per month unless it's an absolute dive. Maybe some of the rooms on the 17th floor. For reasons known only to the builders, the elevator goes just to the 16th floor, so the residents of the 17th floor (the top floor) have to get off at the end of line and walk up a couple flights of steps. Plus, the rooms on the 17th floor are hotter than hell because they're so close to the roof. That's why they might rent for 6000 baht/month.

Stop by the place and inquire at the office, look at the bulletin board in the lobby and talk to some residents coming in and out of the elevator.

I know one couple who got a really nice two bedroom corner unit for about 6,000 baht/month but only because they talked with the owner as he was exiting the elevator on his way to a new job assignment in the middle east. He knew he was going to be gone for several years and had planned to leave the unit unoccupied. The couple convinced him they would "look after" it for him, and he threw out a number of 6000 baht/month, not really knowing what the rental prices were in the building. It turned out to be a win/win situation. The tenants fought the termites, moped up the window leaks and emailed him of bigger problems. And the owner, who has since been transferred to somewhere else, has a condo unit that still in good repair and habitable when he's finally able to return to Chiang Mai.

But, you don't learn about opportunities like that just by asking at the condo office.

[el jefe]

The reason the elevator only goes to 16 at the Nakornping Condo is that the building was zoned for 17 floors and the top of the elevator shaft is the 17th floor. If the elevator went to the 17th floor the elevator shaft would need to go one floor higher on the roof and that would exceed the zoning regulations.

That said, I lived on the 17th floor there for five months before I moved into a house nearby. It's one ordinary flight of stairs to the elevator. We were perfectly happy to walk up and down one flight of stairs a couple of times a day and it meant that we never had to deal with a full elevator when leaving. It was a 2 BR corner unit with a south and west exposure but not the unit mentioned above. Theoretically that should be hottest exposure. We ran the a/c in the living room whenever we were home and a bedroom a/c every night. I don't remember ever getting an electric bill of over 1800 baht.

But to answer the question in Post #20, the only way you can get an apartment in the Nakornping for 6000 baht is to sign a long term lease for an studio on a low floor with a "city view." Maybe even unfurnished. Anything else would probably be considered a good deal. If you can get it, take it.

Edited July 27, 2011 by el jefe

[wolf5370]

Thre's always a group of people that jump on poster that ask questions like this - some people can not seem to understand that "chattign to Thais" is not necessarily the draw for every expat here - some come with work, some come for the culture and some for the weather (and many for the girls and lifestyle). Personally most of the Thais in my area are not much on conversation above and beyond asking where you have been and how hot/wet/cold it is (was a little better during the Red Shirt riots last year and when the propoganda radio and TV stations where at full pelt) - even with eachother it seems. My personal Thai friends I can chat with, but I do not see them that often (like I would a neighbour) - so I like to be able to pop over to happy Pizza for a chat with some farangs (known or unknown) or on the odd occasion venture into town for a beer and a yabber. I have a few local farangs and we always stop and chat and say "Hi" - there are not many Thais local that I do the same withj (other than a "aroon sawat / sawatdee", wave, nod, smile or "erm. bai sewen").

I think the poster who said we all move to moo bahns was closest - unlike BKK or Pattaya perhaps, seems to me most farangs live in a house rather than a condo up here in CM. Moo Bahns like Ban Wan Tan are heavy with farangs (especially area 5) - I live on a Thai Moo Bahn (tiny - not much more than a road that loops back on itsself overlooking a small riverlet), and yet there is a Spanish family, an American and a lot of Thais too of course. Farangs up here that like to mix with other farangs day to day (at least in passing) tend to be in the city and spend much of there time in the bar areas or out in the moo bahn - the ones that really want to be native (and stay as far away from being reminded that they are not Thai) go to dem dehr hills or the stix (erm. not the river between life ad death - the sticks, boonies).