Best Place To Live In Thailand

[gisele]

I wouldn't want to live anywhere but here in Nakhon Si thammarat.

Beaches, waterfalls, mountains, great food, wonderful people.

Hardly any tourists, few farangs, 3 shopping malls.

Close enough to Samui when I miss farang food and Samui friends.

It's a very relaxed lifestyle, the only traffic jams occurs near the Carrefour shopping mall.

[lampard10]

Obviously the OP has never heard of Surin.........although they've missed the second largest city in Thailand off as well. Korat.

[lampard10]

featureless and far flung places like Surin, .

You've obviously not been anywhere near Surin. Thailands most rapidly developing city.

[Savage]

featureless and far flung places like Surin, .

You've obviously not been anywhere near Surin. Thailands most rapidly developing city.

I absolutely have been to Surin. It's a nice place but please don't kid yourself into thinking that it fits the "most desirable place in the country to live" mould.

It may be Thailand's fastest developing city as it has to catch up with everywhere else.

[BKK90210]

Hmm......I very don't know where the best place to live in thailand. I’m sure there is something for everyone’s taste, since Thailand has so many wonderful places with amazing arrays of activity in each of the city. I'm planning to move to thailand in 2 more year, I'm still confused by enormous of choices.

One thing I know for sure Issaan and Northern region are out. I'm a more beachy person, plus I don't drink and never been to a bar so I'm looking for a nice and quiet place with lots of local flare and some farangs nearby, but it has to be far away from hassle and bustle of many bar scenes as much as possible. My wife is from BKK, but it’s also out too for me because of the pollution and traffic jams.

We have narrowed down to 2 choices, Hua Hin or Rayong.

I like Hua Hin – but worry about the 3 hrs distance to the BKK airport

She likes Rayong – but worry about how soon the bar scenes from Pattaya will spread there too.

So in conclusion we still don’t know where is the most livable city for us…..will just have to keep looking

Edited April 8, 2006 by BKK90210

[Savage]

Hmm......I very don't know where the best place to live in thailand. I’m sure there is something for everyone’s taste, since Thailand has so many wonderful places with amazing arrays of activity in each of the city. I'm planning to move to thailand in 2 more year, I'm still confused by enormous of choices.

One thing I know for sure Issaan and Northern region are out. I'm a more beachy person, plus I don't drink and never been to a bar so I'm looking for a nice and quiet place with lots of local flare and some farangs nearby, but it has to be far away from hassle and bustle of many bar scenes as much as possible. My wife is from BKK, but it’s also out too for me because of the pollution and traffic jams.

We have narrowed down to 2 choices, Hua Hin or Rayong.

I like Hua Hin – but worry about the 3 hrs distance to the BKK airport

She likes Rayong – but worry about how soon the bar scenes from Pattaya will spread there too.

So in conclusion we still don’t know where is the most livable city for us…..will just have to keep looking

My friend, the bar scene of Pattaya has never and will never spread to Rayong. There has been a local tourism scene there for a long time. Somewhere like Hat Mae Pim (about 15 km's from Amphere Kraeng) has some of the best sea food in Thailand. Approx times from Kraeng are Bangkok 2 hrs, Koh Samet pier 20 mins, Pattaya 1 hour, Chantaburi 1 hour & Koh Chang 2 hrs. Nice central location (for the rest of Thailand) and friendly locals with NO bar scene to boot. If you want farang action then you have loads within an hour from this area. You'll hardly ever see any in Kraeng though, just passing through in minivans and buses. I think your wife is right on the money suggesting Rayong. Chantaburi is very nice as well.

[BKK90210]

My friend, the bar scene of Pattaya has never and will never spread to Rayong.

What make you so absolutely sure that it will NEVER spread to Rayong too?

Yes, she likes Rayong very much because of it's being a center of fruits growing, the foods, and at the same time has many beaches to choose from.

Edited April 8, 2006 by BKK90210

[Gary A]

Rayong is the Detroit of Asia. As far as farang things, Bang Chang has a number of, erm, uhm interesting farang bars. I think I'd prefer to avoid the entire eastern seaboard.

[Savage]

Rayong is the Detroit of Asia. As far as farang things, Bang Chang has a number of, erm, uhm interesting farang bars. I think I'd prefer to avoid the entire eastern seaboard.

If there are any farang beer bars then they are pretty low key. Not sure what on earth you mean about Rayong being the "Detroit of Asia". Of any place in the world I could compare to Rayong then Detroit would be the last. Does Rayong have a lot of car factories or something? Or a particularly high murder rate? Or butt cold winters? Please enlighten me as I have been to both places and they are nothing like each other.

The reason I say the farang bar scene will not take off in a big way is that Rayong has been a popular destination with Thai tourists for a long time without (bar Koh Samet) gaining any real interest from Western tourists. Why would this change?

[sbk]

My friend, the bar scene of Pattaya has never and will never spread to Rayong. There has been a local tourism scene there for a long time.

Thats what people on Koh Phangan thought too . "We just have partying backpackers here, they don't go for the girlie bars" .

Now, post tsunami, we are overrun with them.

[Maigo6]

Not sure what on earth you mean about Rayong being the "Detroit of Asia". Of any place in the world I could compare to Rayong then Detroit would be the last. Does Rayong have a lot of car factories or something?

Yes it does, Ford, BMW, GM, and maybe more plus many car component factories. That's why it's known as 'The Detroit of Asia'.

Edited April 8, 2006 by Maigo6

[Savage]

Not sure what on earth you mean about Rayong being the "Detroit of Asia". Of any place in the world I could compare to Rayong then Detroit would be the last. Does Rayong have a lot of car factories or something?

Yes it does, Ford, BMW, GM, and maybe more plus many car component factories. That's why it's known as 'The Detroit of Asia'.

Ok then, fair enough. There is some industry in Rayong of the car component variety which for this reason alone makes it comparable to Detroit. Unlike Detroit however it doesn't have open warfare amongst drug gangs, rampant unemployment, freezing winters or completely featureless derelict sprawl (I realise Detroit has some nice Suburb's).

Rayong has excellent soil for agriculture, beautiful green, rolling scenery and some good beaches as well as some industry. As well as some of the best sea food in Thailand. I for one find it a very agreeable place, one that has managed to create job's for its population without destroying its scenery!!

[LaoPo]

My friend, the bar scene of Pattaya has never and will never spread to Rayong. There has been a local tourism scene there for a long time.

Thats what people on Koh Phangan thought too . "We just have partying backpackers here, they don't go for the girlie bars" .

Now, post tsunami, we are overrun with them.

Hope it stays that way SBK although I'm not a backpacker. But there are people going to spoil KP as well; sorry to say it's even people from my country

found this lately; they're going to build North West....

http://www.sunsethill.nl/sunset/index.php?...ntpage&Itemid=1

LaoPo

[Gary A]

Ok then, fair enough. There is some industry in Rayong of the car component variety which for this reason alone makes it comparable to Detroit. Unlike Detroit however it doesn't have open warfare amongst drug gangs, rampant unemployment, freezing winters or completely featureless derelict sprawl (I realise Detroit has some nice Suburb's).

Rayong has excellent soil for agriculture, beautiful green, rolling scenery and some good beaches as well as some industry. As well as some of the best sea food in Thailand. I for one find it a very agreeable place, one that has managed to create job's for its population without destroying its scenery!!

Some industry ?? Savage, have you ever been to Rayong? I think that they now produce more pickup trucks than anywhere else in the world. Feel free to correct me if I am wrong. Rayong is no longer a sleepy pleasant little sea side village. Not that there is anything wrong with that but there are better places to live.

[lampard10]

And it's all moving up this way at some time.

[Savage]

Ok then, fair enough. There is some industry in Rayong of the car component variety which for this reason alone makes it comparable to Detroit. Unlike Detroit however it doesn't have open warfare amongst drug gangs, rampant unemployment, freezing winters or completely featureless derelict sprawl (I realise Detroit has some nice Suburb's).

Rayong has excellent soil for agriculture, beautiful green, rolling scenery and some good beaches as well as some industry. As well as some of the best sea food in Thailand. I for one find it a very agreeable place, one that has managed to create job's for its population without destroying its scenery!!

Some industry ?? Savage, have you ever been to Rayong? I think that they now produce more pickup trucks than anywhere else in the world. Feel free to correct me if I am wrong. Rayong is no longer a sleepy pleasant little sea side village. Not that there is anything wrong with that but there are better places to live.

I appreciate what you are saying about Rayong city, I am however mostly referring (as mentioned earlier) to places like Hat Mae Pim near Amphere Kraeng where there is plenty in the way of sleepy sea side stuff.

[Patex]

... some industry in Rayong...

Savage, Maptaput/Rayong has a lot of industry, more than someone who would retire there can tolerate.

Behind Rayong, direction Klaeng/Chantaburi/Trat it is nice again .

[Savage]

... some industry in Rayong...

Savage, Maptaput/Rayong has a lot of industry, more than someone who would retire there can tolerate.

Behind Rayong, direction Klaeng/Chantaburi/Trat it is nice again .

This is the direction i'm talking about, heading away from Rayong city from about Ban Phee onwards it is very nice.

[soap]

over the last 18 years i have spent a lot of time in bangkok,pattaya chaingmai,and and not so much down south but when i came to chaingrai i knew this was the place for me the people the weather the cost of living are only a few of the good points about chaingrai.

my wife whose family lives a 1,000 k from here loves chaingrai her family want to give her a share of some family land but she tells them she does not want any,we have been married for 13 years have two great kids and are really happy in chaingrai

[stevehaigh]

I have lived in HH ... it is set for a HUGE boom in a couple of years ... I might invest there with an eye to selling ... but not long term plans for living there

Yes. I would agree. Hua Hin is quickly becoming "discovered" by farangs.

But I think as long as the King makes his home there, I'm hoping we won't be seeing the crime, bars, prostitutes and pollution that have overtaken some other popular farang cities in Thailand. It may grow in population but I'm hoping it will maintain it's charm.

i'm in HH now and i can tell you its totally over run with farang tourists and the beach is dirty and polluted with horse shit and garbage. also, lack of rain is hardly a plus, its a huge draw back as i can see. the landscape here looks like the Nevada desert and everyone buys water from a truck.

Cha-am on the other hand looks greener, very few farang tourists but a lot of thai day trippers, lower prices and a much more laid back, opens space, less traffic and natural feeling than HH.

[uncertaintimes]

How bout Ko Sichang? A bit of a secret since most tourists do not bother, which is great. I am going to check it out. Bangkok is wearing me out.

Rent Cheaper

Fresh clean beaches

Fresh clean air

still not far from Bangkok if you must get back!

[uncertaintimes]

Hua Hin

I don't live there now but I'd like to

We just came back fromThailand where we spent some time looking all over for a place to retire. We checked out places in the north and south.

We decided on Hua Hin.

Reasons:

1 Weather: it doesn't rain there as much as in other areas of Thailand and it's right on the ocean so we hope it will be a little cooler and breezier

2. Not too many farangs...yet. We didn't like Phuket and Pattaya. Too much like living in the land of farangs.

3. More family oriented. Not a lot of bars and prostitutes plying the streets.

4. Clean and safe. The King lives in Hua Hin so the place seemed relatively safe and very clean. Some cities in Thailand have grown too fast and the services haven't been able to catch up. Not polluted like Pattaya.

4. Quiet. Except on the weekends with a lot of Thais come in for their weekend away from Bangkok

OK great I liked it too, but do not get sick. The best hospital there if you are farang are ripoffs. More than Bankok Par. 9 for sure.

[CTO]

Just near Sawang Dan Din - if it had to be a city I'd go Khon Ken - oddly didn't see that on the list - very livible with food - bars - pubs - good school uni for teh Thai family etc.

[reenatinnakor]

I have lived in HH ... it is set for a HUGE boom in a couple of years ... I might invest there with an eye to selling ... but not long term plans for living there

Yes. I would agree. Hua Hin is quickly becoming "discovered" by farangs.

But I think as long as the King makes his home there, I'm hoping we won't be seeing the crime, bars, prostitutes and pollution that have overtaken some other popular farang cities in Thailand. It may grow in population but I'm hoping it will maintain it's charm.

i'm in HH now and i can tell you its totally over run with farang tourists and the beach is dirty and polluted with horse shit and garbage. also, lack of rain is hardly a plus, its a huge draw back as i can see. the landscape here looks like the Nevada desert and everyone buys water from a truck.

Cha-am on the other hand looks greener, very few farang tourists but a lot of thai day trippers, lower prices and a much more laid back, opens space, less traffic and natural feeling than HH.

LOL

This might be a strange request for help but my thai gf wants us to live in Hua Hin and so the 1st thing I would do is type in google "how many farang in hua hin". Looks like its becoming a farang infested shit hole like Pattaya. Now I have nothing against my own kind or my own self, but you know how it is, why would i want to live in a foreign country with my own people?? Doesnt make sense....I would just stay in Europe or US if i wanted to live with my own kind. The gf doesnt understand this off course.

So any suggestions as to where in Thailand is a nice place to live and settle where there are not too many farang and the kids can grow up and not end up being pregnant at 17? Some people mentioned Sri Racha might fit the bill. Any other less discovered beachy type areas that are nice?

[anon345535]

i live in bkk but if i could live anywhere in thailand i would live in hua hin. why? well it's actually quite clean, not so many divvy bar girls and sex pat alcoholics (subject to change).

[kraxlhuber]

As you have missed the second largest province off the list i will have to vote other....

Nakhon Ratchasima

how about Kalasin?

Dinosours are nearby!Verry quite too.

[Boo]

Khon Kaen is a good choice, ticks most boxes in terms of family life imo. schools, accommodation, value for money, entertainment, eating out & ease of transport to the rest of the kingdom. Real Thai with farang comforts

[kurtgruen]

I like Chiang Dao, (75 KM North of Chiang Mai, for the following reasons...

It has a double highway going out to it from Chiang Mai, so I can easily get into the city within and hour to 1 1/2 hours.

It is located in a beautiful valley, surrounded by mountains and the Ping River running through it

Property values are still reasonable

I find the climate more moderate than most places in Thailand (cool evenings, nights and mornings and less hot than the city or the South)

It has everything I need and want (Highspeed Internet, phone, Satelite TV, reasonably prices accommodations)

The people, for the most part, are friendly and easy to get along with

Chiang Dao has a fair size Expat community, made up of many different Nationalities (German, Japanese, Canadian, English, French, Dutch, Belgian, and a few others)

There is quite a bit of Western Food available there.

It has nice Japanese Gardens at the hot springs now.

It's a great town to start from, when exporing the mountianous North.

You still find crystal clear water in some of the streams here.

There are some commercial, organic farmers up here, selling quality vegetables.

Mostly though, we moved here, because of the weather. Being Canadian, I want to sleep in a cool room and can do so in Chiang Dao, without air condition.

There is another bonus to living in Chiang Dao. You don't hear people whining all day, about the Baht exchange rate, or new visa regulations