Ex-Pat Areas In Chiang Mai?

[trevoromgh]

Hi All,

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

[Beetlejuice]

You won’t find any ex-pats in Chiang Mai that would be willing to befriend you.

The only times when farangs have made the first move and approached me is if they are either a business owner trying to drum up custom, like a restaurant owner for example, or someone wanting money.

There are no clubs or organisations where ex-pats meet except for one or two commercial type places, such as the ex-pats club for example, where you will meet lots of ancient farangs who want to sell you things.

If you spot one out in public, the odds are that he/she will blank you or give an acknowledging grunt.

There are those who may tell you, go here or go there to meet other ex-pats, but you will find these places clicky and difficult to get to know people.

If you are considering moving to Chiang Mai, then you may well find yourself very much isolated, as there are no ex-pat areas here.

Edited February 15, 2012 by Beetlejuice

[msg362]

You won’t find any ex-pats in Chiang Mai that would be willing to befriend you.

The only times when farangs have made the first move and approached me is if they are either a business owner trying to drum up custom, like a restaurant owner for example, or someone wanting money.

There are no clubs or organisations where ex-pats meet except for one or two commercial type places, such as the ex-pats club for example, where you will meet lots of ancient farangs who want to sell you things.

If you spot one out in public, the odds are that he/she will blank you or give an acknowledging grunt.

There are those who may tell you, go here or go there to meet other ex-pats, but you will find these places clicky and difficult to get to know people.

If you are considering moving to Chiang Mai, then you may well find yourself very much isolated, as there are no ex-pat areas here.

This is rubbish really!!

The Chiang Mai Ex pats club meets once a month and is a great place to meet others. They also have a coffee morning once a month. I've found that many ex pats are interesting and helpful. And there are lots of expat areas. I suggest you rent an apartment /condo for a while until you find your fet and have clearer idea about where you might want to settle permanently Of course you'll get the miserable s*ds but CM is a great place to settle. Small enough to get around but big enough to have most things you'll need ( ?? marmite???). If you want to ask anything more and get sensible answers, PM me

Cheers and the best of luck

PS I am married to a Thai lady

Edited February 15, 2012 by msg362

[elektrified]

The ex-pats club is incredibly boring unless you like sitting around with a bunch of elderly retirees while others try and sell you stuff you don't need. Might go over well in some place like Florida.

[paulchiangmai]

What a depressing picture Beetlejuice paints. If you listen to him you will never come. The moobarn I live in is about 14 kilometres from Chiang Mai city centre on a good road and has some thirty or forty expats living in it. Most are friendly if you want to be friendly. If you want to be a loner then that's fine too. Come on over, with the right attitude you will love it.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

This got off to a good start. Like.

Anyway, earlier in a different topic I wrote:

I think it's fair to say that popular areas [with an international crowd] include the old town area within the moat, the area between the moat and the river, along the river / riverside-area and Nimmanhaemin Road / CMU area.

My personal opinion: Dense population of expats doesn't necessarily mean there's more people that you want to be caught dead with. I wouldn't worry too much; almost no matter where in Thailand chances are that the environment will be more welcoming than your wife experienced in Britain. As long as you have a choice of Western-oriented stuff nearby (which is everywhere in Chiang Mai), like restaurants, pubs, supermarkets, cinemas and so on, you'll be just fine.

My suggestion: if you feel concerned about it then don't make it a permanent jump right away. Spend a couple months first, see how you like it. Then go from there. We're all citizens of the world, and life is too short to pin ourselves down to a tiny little area. If you like it, stay. If you don't, move on.

EDIT: One more thought: Where is your wife originally from? Strange as it may seem, Thais also often feel more comfortable around people from the same background. If she's from the North then Chiang Mai is a great place. If from the South or North East (or Central, etc) then this may also be a consideration on where to settle down.

Edited February 15, 2012 by WinnieTheKhwai

[hellodolly]

Winnie gave you great advice. Yes there are ex pats here who for one reason or another see only negative. No big deal you will find them the world over.

I have been going to the expats club for three years now and met many fine people. Yes some of them are business people and have a product to offer but that is not the way it goes most of the time.

The nay sayers forgot to read your post in it you said that you are going to retire and then they say all you will meet is a bunch of old retirees. They have many clubs that go in for different things. Such as Photography, Chess , Computers, Gardening, Dining out and other interests.

In addition their are other organizations here in Chiang Mai for Foreigners. Or if you want you can just complain about life here.

You don't sound like the type who runs around seeing only negative things to me.

Like WTK said give it a few months and see for yourself.

[philliphn]

Pattaya!

[wolf5370]

You won’t find any ex-pats in Chiang Mai that would be willing to befriend you.

The only times when farangs have made the first move and approached me is if they are either a business owner trying to drum up custom, like a restaurant owner for example, or someone wanting money.

There are no clubs or organisations where ex-pats meet except for one or two commercial type places, such as the ex-pats club for example, where you will meet lots of ancient farangs who want to sell you things.

If you spot one out in public, the odds are that he/she will blank you or give an acknowledging grunt.

There are those who may tell you, go here or go there to meet other ex-pats, but you will find these places clicky and difficult to get to know people.

If you are considering moving to Chiang Mai, then you may well find yourself very much isolated, as there are no ex-pat areas here.

Mmmm - must be something about you - try a different aftershave perhaps?

Some people just have problems meeting people. The quoted post may well be true for the poster, but certainly hasn't been for me. I am stumped actually that some people say this about CM - I have heard it before - but never experienced it myself. I must also say, I have never had a farang come up and try and sell anything to me here. Flower girls, garland ladies, wrist bands, nuts and finger foods, etc every 5 minutes some nights, but always Thais. The CEC is a partly a business networking club, so guess people will come up and give cards and say what they do - it helps create farang to farang business connections as well as personal ones. Thailand is about contacts - everything runs here on contacts - and we are at a distinct disavantage because we are missing the initial connection - not being Thai - so such an entity makes great sense.

I meet new faces all the time - just go to almost any of the expat-like pubs in and around town (there's a list somewhere on here from athread last year - some have changed though) sit down near some other farangs (listen for their English perhaps - though many non native Europeans can chat pretty well in English too) and join in. Its not too hard to see if a conversation is open or personal. Choose somewhere where there are more than just two - as this is more likely to be personal - and there you have it. I get chatting with foreigners here almost every day. Expats often kind of recognise eachother anyway (we're the ones pushing trollies around Big-C and ordering in bad Thai at bars). Grab a seat at the bar in Mad Dogs or The Olde Bell at lunchtime for example and you'll be chatting in no time - in the Old Belle Pietr (spelling?) will chat to you like any good barman and at Mad Dogs the news above the bar on all day always gives way to discussion. Never been in either bar without getting into a conversation - usually with strangers.

To be honest I found expats in Bangkok to be clicky (isn't it cliquey????) but didn't live there long, so probably just bad luck - in CM I have found the complete opposite. I know more people here that I would stop and chat with than I did back at home - mostly due to the fact that I lost touch with school friends, commuted a long way to work and lived in a different area to that which I was brought up in - that was clicky! Honestly, when you get here put up a post, and people will invite you to come meet them and introduce you, at whatever their favourite bar is. No worries.

As to enclaves. There are several I guess, if you want to live in "little Europe/USA". Moo Bahns like Ban Wantan not far from the airport is huge and is home to many farang - or if you live in town, then condo building usually have a selection of us foreign devils too. However, you don't necessarily have to live like that here as CM entertainments are pretty central and as long as you can get to town and back easily (i.e. within about 15km of the moat) then you can meet up each night or day as you want.

There are also many clubs here (as well as the "maligned in the post above" CEC) for everything from Bridge to photography to running and hiking - and much more. There are also pub quizes in a few pubs weekly (Olde Bell for example).

[trevoromgh]

Thanks very much Wolf, Dolly, Winnie and everyone for your replies they were all very interesting and I think I shall certainly be taking up your advice. Will probably come over for 6 months initially and see how I get on, rent a place in one of the areas you recommend and try to adapt and integrate as best I can whilst going for a pint or two with you guys at the Expat Club and the pubs too. Although retired I'd like to contribute or volunteer in whatever way I can to help people so I'm sure the club can give me some suggestions there too. Regards Trevor

[Darkman]

If you want to live in a walled security zone full of Expats, try Palm Springs beside the superhighway on the way to the airport. Or maybe stay in the UK and spend more time at the British Legion. Welcome to Thailand.

Edited February 16, 2012 by Darkman

[DavidOxon]

Loads of friendly people here, hard to avoid them really

A good place to start is where poeple are playing music....

they're usually a friendly bunch...

helps too if you can say 'hello, can I join your table' to strangers!

David

[Semper]

Lots of expats on Loi Kroh.

[expatmakmak]

Lots of expats on Loi Kroh.

I think you will find they are known as Sexpats. 555

[expatmakmak]

Although in part beatle juice was right, there are lots of pricks here, there are also lots of normal friendly expats too. To be accepted into the expat community you will need to prove your commitment, this is normally done by either mixing in a little bit of Thai to the conversation or by simply being asked the question 'how long have you been here?'.

If ,like me, you find the CEC (Chiang Mai Epats Club) a little dry, there is another club that meets once a month to try out new restaurants etc. If your interested, I can PM you the details.

Best of luck

Edited February 16, 2012 by expatmakmak

[bobl]

555... Well this one got off to a good start...

There's no simple answer to your question Trevor. It depends entirely on YOUR personality. If you're unused to "expat life" you're in for a few surprises.

I would strongly suggest you rent a modest apartment somewhere for a few months before you decide where to live. The stalag 17 mooban gated communities may or may not be for you. Personally I detest them - houses crammed into Wisteria Lane style estates some of which you'd need a feeler gauge to measure the distance to your neighbours. Or at the other end of the scale sprawling, ostentatious monstrosities at hideous prices.

As for meeting people, there's PLENTY of places where you will meet people and unless you're desperately shy or withdrawn, it won't be hard to strike up a conversation. You'll be enticed into joining various expat groups - clubs such as expat club, hhh, etc where you may or may not find people you can relate to. In my last long term stay (Africa) I found these clubs to be terribly cliquey but I can't comment on the Chiang Mai ones (yet).

One thing's for sure - if you're up for it you're in for a bit of an adventure...

[CMX]

The suggestion that the ex-pat club has many 'associated' organizations is a worthy one. There are 14, called OGA's. If you look up our town's expat club, they are listed.

Incidentally, many of the 'expat' members are also married to Thai wives.

I've moved to three 'foreign' countries in nine years of retirement so far. I find that being aggressively friendly (in an agreeable manner, as best I can) is wise early on. It is somewhat unnatural, but waiting for others to invite the first contact can delay becoming comfortable in a new place.

[CMHomeboy78]

You will be one more in a virtual tsunami of farangs who have flooded the cities and even spread to some rural areas of Thailand.

How you will be received depends to a large extent on how you act.

If you consider yourself a guest and respect traditional manners you will be made welcome by most Thais.

If you come weighed down with a lot of social, political, or religious baggage you will sooner or later find yourself at home in the expat community.

There's a place for everybody in the Land of Smiles.

[OldGringo]

You will be one more in a virtual tsunami of farangs who have flooded the cities and even spread to some rural areas of Thailand.

How you will be received depends to a large extent on how you act.

If you consider yourself a guest and respect traditional manners you will be made welcome by most Thais.

If you come weighed down with a lot of social, political, or religious baggage you will sooner or later find yourself at home in the expat community.

There's a place for everybody in the Land of Smiles.

"There's a place for everybody in the Land of Smiles".

True enough Homeboy. But you forgot to tell this dude that some of those places only measure about 4X8 feet.

[bristolgeoff]

everywhere you go.you will see a expat in chiang mai.so you will have no problem meeting them

[trevoromgh]

Thanks for the additional comments. Keep them coming

[Ricardo]

One good place to meet other farangs, is one of the 4 (?) branches of Rimping-supermarket, which is the best place to find imported-foods (at a price). The most-central branch is on the East-side of the river, not far from 'The Duke's' (popular American-restaurant) and the old girder-bridge.

The OP should check-out Rimping, on his next visit, to see what comfort-foods are available (and at what price), I would suggest.

Other branches are at Mee Chok Plaza (on the road North to Mae-Jo & Phrao), near Central Airport Plaza, and Kad Farang (on the Hang Dong road).

TOPS supermarket, part-owned by the UK's Waitrose-chain, is also quite good, IMO.

Oh, and Welcome to Chiang Mai !

[LarryBird]

What sort of things do you enjoy? Do you play golf, chess, tennis, music?? Having something in common is a good way to meet people.

Farang in thailand are for the most part a strange bunch.. They're here usually for one reason or another. It's self selection bias.. We aren't a cross section of western culture. So, for that reason, it can be tough to meet people.. For some reason, even myself at times, I cringe at the sight of another farang, and I know other people have the same feeling.

Those things you mention, feeling isolated, etc.. I've had that feeling myself a lot. I've lived here for almost six years, i like to go out and meet people. I have met one person that I would call a legitimate friend, as someone I would be friends with if I was back in my own country. I've certainly met a lot of nice people, etc.. But, not that many that I really click with. That's just my experience.

[weary]

I doubt Rim Ping is the best place to strike up a conversation. Very few people seem to have conversations there. The pubs and special interests clubs would probably be your best bets in the beginning.

[uptheos]

One good place to meet other farangs, is one of the 4 (?) branches of Rimping-supermarket, which is the best place to find imported-foods (at a price). The most-central branch is on the East-side of the river, not far from 'The Duke's' (popular American-restaurant) and the old girder-bridge.

The OP should check-out Rimping, on his next visit, to see what comfort-foods are available (and at what price), I would suggest.

Other branches are at Mee Chok Plaza (on the road North to Mae-Jo & Phrao), near Central Airport Plaza, and Kad Farang (on the Hang Dong road).

TOPS supermarket, part-owned by the UK's Waitrose-chain, is also quite good, IMO.

Oh, and Welcome to Chiang Mai !

Go to Rimping to meet other foreigners........what just hang around near the Branston Pickle or Miracle Whip? Or push around a jar of Peanut butter and a loaf of bread for a few hours?

[LarryBird]

One good place to meet other farangs, is one of the 4 (?) branches of Rimping-supermarket, which is the best place to find imported-foods (at a price). The most-central branch is on the East-side of the river, not far from 'The Duke's' (popular American-restaurant) and the old girder-bridge.

The OP should check-out Rimping, on his next visit, to see what comfort-foods are available (and at what price), I would suggest.

Other branches are at Mee Chok Plaza (on the road North to Mae-Jo & Phrao), near Central Airport Plaza, and Kad Farang (on the Hang Dong road).

TOPS supermarket, part-owned by the UK's Waitrose-chain, is also quite good, IMO.

Oh, and Welcome to Chiang Mai !

Go to Rimping to meet other foreigners........what just hang around near the Branston Pickle or Miracle Whip? Or push around a jar of Peanut butter and a loaf of bread for a few hours?

Almost as funny as being the authority on thailand despite the fact it looks like you spend all day in front of a computer posting on thaivisa!!

[AnnaBanana]

Overpopulated, foul polluted air, prone to devistating floods,.

The main entertainment street exposed as "dirty, seedy, and squalid" on a recent thread.

Are you planning to come here to improve things or are you going to lower yourself to our level?

What's it going to be then, eh?

Make up your mind before you come.

[uptheos]

One good place to meet other farangs, is one of the 4 (?) branches of Rimping-supermarket, which is the best place to find imported-foods (at a price). The most-central branch is on the East-side of the river, not far from 'The Duke's' (popular American-restaurant) and the old girder-bridge.

The OP should check-out Rimping, on his next visit, to see what comfort-foods are available (and at what price), I would suggest.

Other branches are at Mee Chok Plaza (on the road North to Mae-Jo & Phrao), near Central Airport Plaza, and Kad Farang (on the Hang Dong road).

TOPS supermarket, part-owned by the UK's Waitrose-chain, is also quite good, IMO.

Oh, and Welcome to Chiang Mai !

Go to Rimping to meet other foreigners........what just hang around near the Branston Pickle or Miracle Whip? Or push around a jar of Peanut butter and a loaf of bread for a few hours?

Almost as funny as being the authority on thailand despite the fact it looks like you spend all day in front of a computer posting on thaivisa!!

Don't be a prick all your life, look what time I made my first post.

When I'm doing work on the computer, I have TV running in the background and flip over now and then. Maybe you're one of the Rimping 'strollers' so it hit a nerve?

[Ricardo]

One good place to meet other farangs, is one of the 4 (?) branches of Rimping-supermarket, which is the best place to find imported-foods (at a price). The most-central branch is on the East-side of the river, not far from 'The Duke's' (popular American-restaurant) and the old girder-bridge.

The OP should check-out Rimping, on his next visit, to see what comfort-foods are available (and at what price), I would suggest.

Other branches are at Mee Chok Plaza (on the road North to Mae-Jo & Phrao), near Central Airport Plaza, and Kad Farang (on the Hang Dong road).

TOPS supermarket, part-owned by the UK's Waitrose-chain, is also quite good, IMO.

Oh, and Welcome to Chiang Mai !

Go to Rimping to meet other foreigners........what just hang around near the Branston Pickle or Miracle Whip? Or push around a jar of Peanut butter and a loaf of bread for a few hours?

'The Suspect was Lurking with Intent, near the Miracle-Whip, m'lud', given the alleged-popularity of spanking amongst certain Brits, seems just a little naughty or suggestive, nudge nudge !

OP will be glad to see, the UK sense-of-humour is alive-and-well in Changers !

[Semper]

One good place to meet other farangs, is one of the 4 (?) branches of Rimping-supermarket, which is the best place to find imported-foods (at a price). The most-central branch is on the East-side of the river, not far from 'The Duke's' (popular American-restaurant) and the old girder-bridge.

The OP should check-out Rimping, on his next visit, to see what comfort-foods are available (and at what price), I would suggest.

Other branches are at Mee Chok Plaza (on the road North to Mae-Jo & Phrao), near Central Airport Plaza, and Kad Farang (on the Hang Dong road).

TOPS supermarket, part-owned by the UK's Waitrose-chain, is also quite good, IMO.

Oh, and Welcome to Chiang Mai !

Go to Rimping to meet other foreigners........what just hang around near the Branston Pickle or Miracle Whip? Or push around a jar of Peanut butter and a loaf of bread for a few hours?

Almost as funny as being the authority on thailand despite the fact it looks like you spend all day in front of a computer posting on thaivisa!!

Not much else to do in CM unless you're into bar/temple hopping. Maybe you have some ideas, please share them with us.

Edited February 17, 2012 by Semper