Where To Stay With Good Internet, 6 Month+ Visit

[Adagio]

I have few needs but one of my needs is very important and will I expect limit my choices. I have an internet based job (2 hours/day) which I plan to continue doing in the country (I have checked with the consulate and this is fine) so I need a reasonably priced high speed internet connection wherever I end up. The nature of the job is quite 'adult' so internet in the room/apartment would be necessary. I could not do the job in an internet cafe.

I will be arriving in Phuket in just over two weeks. Phuket is not the ideal place for me, too touristy and too expensive. I will only be using it as a base to find somewhere more suitable.

I would prefer somewhere quiet and pretty. I will want to do a fair amount of diving. I will have friends coming to visit so I suppose nowhere too remote. Hotels or apartments. under 500Bht/night long term.

Any recommendations (particularly with a web site I could check out) would be gratefully received. Places to avoid (no/slow internet) also appreciated. I have no fixed ideas of which regions/islands. Internet research is proving quite difficult.

I have enjoyed visits in the past to Koh Tao and Koh Samet. though the interent conections there were, if I remember satelite based and so both slow and expesive. Are all islands likely to be like this?

Thanks.

Edited November 2, 2005 by Adagio

[Adagio]

I neglected to mention I will have my laptop with me, I am not expecting a computer to be provided.

[Prasert]

What would you consider a fast internet connection?

Many internet shops are advertising with high-speed-very-very-fast internet. And that is usually a nominal 256k adsl connection used by all computers in such a shop.

Thai-Fi provides wireless internet in several Bangkok areas (but no diving around there).

www.edgethailand.com provides equipment for GPRS connections. Connection speed is usually somewhere around 45kbps, it depends heavily on the number of concurrent GPRS connections.

As far as I know, no other options are available for short-stay-tourists.

During what period do you plan to stay in Thailand?

[Adagio]

I will be Thailand for at least 6 months from 20th November. Possibly considerably longer.

I would consider 256k the absolute minimum speed I could work at. GPRS would therefor not be suitable. You mention internet shops, the nature of my work requires confidentiality so an internet cafe would not be suitable. I am looking more for internet in a hotel room/bungalow or appartment.

What I'm really looking for is more general advice, what sort of speeds am I likely to get on various regions/islands around the country.

I was not considering BKK. A big reason for staying in Thailand is to save money and avoid big city life (I currently live in London). I also want to do lots of diving and am expecting to recieve visits from friends who will be expectingmore of a beach/island location.

Edited November 3, 2005 by Adagio

[Adagio]

Please excuse my repeating this post, for some reason I am unable to edit the previous one

I will be Thailand for at least 6 months from 20th November. Possibly considerably longer.

I would consider 256k the absolute minimum speed I could work at. GPRS would therefor not be suitable. You mention internet shops, the nature of my work requires confidentiality so an internet cafe would not be appropriate. I am looking more for internet in a hotel room/bungalow or appartment.

What I'm really looking for is more general advice, what sort of speeds am I likely to get on various regions/islands around the country. though if anyone knows of a nice quiet complex somwhere on a sandy beach with fast internet on site for under 15,000 baht/month please let me know I have only been able to find this on Phuket so far and even then only two options, both in built up areas.

I was not considering BKK. A big reason for staying in Thailand is to save money and avoid big city life (I currently live in London). I also want to do lots of diving and am planning to recieve visits from friends who will be expecting more of a beach/island location.

[girlx]

i answered on another post of yours- i do the same and have ADSL (512/256 though those speeds are not always reliable) installed in my rental house in koh phangan. this island is lovely- much less developed than the others and though there are tons of greedy people here the village life is friendly overall. if you live in the right place here you can rent a house for 5000-15000b/mo. and pay to get a phone line/ADSL installed (about 7000b total). samui is set up for expats pretty well also from what i have heard, though it's much more expensive. koh chang is great as well, but harder to find a rental house. most places in any of these areas will rent to you month to month or for a fixed amount of months if you pay some of it in advance. you can PM me if you need more specific advice.

Edited November 5, 2005 by girlx