Hi All, My first post here so please be gentle on a newb.

I am married to a Thai lady and currently living in the UK but am seriously thinking of coming over to retire in Thailand as I've visited many times and love the country and the people. I do however have various concerns not least about becoming isolated as I don't speak the language and not having anyone nearby to speak to in my native tongue so I was wondering if there are some areas in each of the major cities which have denser populations of ex-pats than others i.e. do such places as ex-pat estates or villages exist?

I would have a preference to buy/rent an apartment or condo in such an area at least until I have become more settled and confident in myself so that I can hopefully make friends with other English speaking ex-pats and gain from their advice whilst helping with my own when I can.

My current preferred location is Chiang Mai so if anyone has any suggestions of ex-pat enclaves in that area I'd be grateful to hear from you?

I know this sounds like ghetto mentality but it would probably only be for the first year or two till I have sussed things out properly. Thanks

Trevor

This might get buried in the pub. You might be better off posting it to the Chiang Mai forum.

The general answer to your questions are;

Chiang Mai has a crapload of Farangs.

You won't have any trouble finding them, or areas were they hang out.

There are some moobahns were they are clumped together.

The CM guys will be able to give you details.

Build relationships with the locals. Unless you are the type that likes to go out to the pub a few times a week and watch sport on TV and oogle younger looking working girls, do not waste your time with other expats. It might take you years to find one that isn't batshit crazy and that shares similar interests to you.

Ok, it isn't that bad but I can honestly say that it is difficult to find expats here that 1. don't cheat on their wives. 2. Aren't overly aggressive. 3. Aren't alcoholics/sex addicts. 4. Aren't pathological liars. 5. Aren't standoffish and alienating.

Build your life and do the things that you enjoy and you will find people that you will like. Don't try to find some cookie cutter mold of expat community that you can slip into. Just doesn't exist here. I have been to some gatherings of different expat groups and I was shocked. Some people actually got in fist fights and others in yelling matches because they had differing opinions.

good luck though.

Build relationships with the locals. Unless you are the type that likes to go out to the pub a few times a week and watch sport on TV and oogle younger looking working girls, do not waste your time with other expats. It might take you years to find one that isn't batshit crazy and that shares similar interests to you.

Ok, it isn't that bad but I can honestly say that it is difficult to find expats here that 1. don't cheat on their wives. 2. Aren't overly aggressive. 3. Aren't alcoholics/sex addicts. 4. Aren't pathological liars. 5. Aren't standoffish and alienating.

Build your life and do the things that you enjoy and you will find people that you will like. Don't try to find some cookie cutter mold of expat community that you can slip into. Just doesn't exist here. I have been to some gatherings of different expat groups and I was shocked. Some people actually got in fist fights and others in yelling matches because they had differing opinions.

good luck though.

They are standoffish and alienating because the think all the others are drunken philandering hyper aggressive bullshit artists!

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa app

My advice to you would be to travel around Thailand getting a feel for an individual community first.

Personally I would avoid throwing yourself into an "expat" enclave like the plague as it's quite easy to "get the best of both worlds" as it were.

In my personal experience "expat" communities tend to be nasty, bitchy places, full of people with too much time on their hands which is spent gossiping and in seething resentment at better off members of expat society.

I live in a very Thai area yet it is within easy kicking distance of BKK and all the creature comforts I may desire without having to live in a pit of festering envy, full of basket case English "Teachers" or bitter Retirees without the money to enjoy life here to the full.

Most "expat" enclaves tend to attract people like this so why you would want to live among them is beyond me.

Thanks Necron and everyone for your advice. I shall indeed re-post in the CM forum and see what happens but haven taken onboard your comments here.

Ok, it isn't that bad but I can honestly say that it is difficult to find expats here that 1. don't cheat on their wives. 2. Aren't overly aggressive. 3. Aren't alcoholics/sex addicts. 4. Aren't pathological liars. 5. Aren't standoffish and alienating.

Hmm, didn't know that all the expats in Thailand were men.

The normal expats don't want to be found. They integrate into Thai society (as they should) and are happily enjoying their lives.