Feedback On Suan Pailom

[shepsel]

I like the area near the mountain on the north west side of the city, and found Suan Pailom compound of wooden houses.

I walked around the area, and found it nice and quiet, and would like to get some feedback from some of the residents who live there or who have lived there in the past. The houses that are currently available seem more like cottages and are quite rustic inside, and I was wondering how it is to live there year around given that there are three months or so of smog, and there is no air conditioning in the units.

Any positive / negative feedback would be appreciated on this residential compound.

[lannarebirth]

Is that the place otherwise known as "The Farang Farm" ?

[LordDude]

We're going back a while now but there was a time when I was friends with at least 4 people residing at Suan Pailom. What's more because I was travelling around a lot myself and didn't have a permanent base, I spent many a night there over a period of a couple of years. My feelings about the place are that it's fine in the earlier stages of the dry season but once the rains start it's a bit of a nightmare because everything you own gets stupidly damp. I once left a bag under the bed for a few months and later pulled it out to find it covered in mold. I ended up having to throw it away. I also had a pair of walking boots with rubber sealing around the top and after a single rainy season the rubber had all cracked and fallen off. Insects abound also and you have no way of keeping them out. I can remember coming to use my travel iron for the first time in a few months only to find that a whole colony of ants had set up home inside of it. Later, the exact same thing happened with a computer monitor.

The army base nearby plays the national anthem loud as possible at 8am every day, so should you fancy a lie in after a night on the tiles, you'll find yourself struggling.

Aside from all that it can be a really nice, chilled out place to be. You just need to be able to deal with those little annoyances that I mentioned.

Hope that helps

Cheers

[jko]

I have heard good reports about Suan Pailom from people staying there, apart from aforementioned problem of dampness/mould during the rainy season,

It used to suffer from the noise of gunfire from the nearby firing range, but the convention centre has now displaced this.

From the small web site at least, it appears to be quite a unique place. LordDude's advice seems wise therefore - if you can put up with what you might call 'country living' it is fine, as the location is excellent.

Best idea is to go back, talk to some of the residents, if possible ask permission to see inside their houses, check any others that might be vacant, and take it from there. Good luck!

Edited June 16, 2012 by jko