Family Life - Bangkok Vs Phuket ?

[ArranP]

Hello,

I am British, single father of 2 children (half thai/british) aged 5 and 2.

Currently we live in Phuket, my children goto British International School, every 3rd weekend they travel by plane with their nanny to Nakhon Sawan and spend the weekend with their mother/thai family. I would like them go every weekend and get more time with their mother/thai family, however due to cost, and the 7 hour trip each way, it means they take the friday and monday off school.

I am contemplating moving to Bangkok, sending them to Bangkok Patana School and living in a compound near the school. The trip to Nakhon Sawan from Bangkok is only 2.5 hours by car, it means they can get time with the mother/thai family every weekend. My concern is that Bangkok may not be as nice a place as Phuket for them to grow up.

So I am faced with trading i) time with the mother/thai family with ii) their school/home life. Maybe Bangkok is not such a bad place to bring up children ? I don't know.

All comments welcome, thank you in helping me make my decision.

Thank you.

Regards

Arran.

PS (I work from home to location is not an issue from my work perspective)

Edited May 30, 2013 by ArranP

[Jasun]

I have lived in both Bangkok and Phuket, and if I was to go back to either it would be Bangkok - especially with kids. BIS is a great school, but they won't be any worse off in somewhere like Patana. For activities outside of school, there's more diversity in the capital, everything from music and drama to martial arts. It'll also be easier to build a support network around you in Bangkok (check out the BKK kids group on Facebook), and having the ex's family nearby will be a big help. Pulling the kids out of school 2 days every few weeks can't be a good thing.

[ArranP]

I have lived in both Bangkok and Phuket, and if I was to go back to either it would be Bangkok - especially with kids. BIS is a great school, but they won't be any worse off in somewhere like Patana. For activities outside of school, there's more diversity in the capital, everything from music and drama to martial arts. It'll also be easier to build a support network around you in Bangkok (check out the BKK kids group on Facebook), and having the ex's family nearby will be a big help. Pulling the kids out of school 2 days every few weeks can't be a good thing.

Thank you Jasun.