Is phitsanulok smokey?

[NeverSure]

Hi, I passed through phitsanulok and really liked it. Can someone please give me a quick rundown on it? I'm curious as to whether it is smokey like the Chiangs, and also if it has a good supply of rentals and if so, whether they are expensive, moderate, or cheaper than some other places.

Also, are there many farangs there?

Thanks!!!!!

[wooloomooloo]

It's not smokey and not the worst place to live. Very few falangs and most that you see are passing through overnight.

Rentals are reasonable but it's an up and coming city.

My wife is from PHS and we holiday twice a year. I like the place. Not a lot to do, but central and people are nice.

[theblether]

I tipped it to be the next big thing last week, excellent bus routes, it's on the rail network, it has a small airport with flights twice a week at least to CM, not sure about flights to BKK. It's close by Sukhothai, and on the edge of the stunning scenery around Phetchanbun. Apparently it has a Makro and Big C too.....what else does a man need?

[wooloomooloo]

it has a small airport with flights twice a week at least to CM, not sure about flights to BKK. It's close by Sukhothai, and on the edge of the stunning scenery around Phetchanbun. Apparently it has a Makro and Big C too.....what else does a man need?

...and the biggest Tesco Lotus in Thailand. No flights to Chiang Mai anymore but three daily flights to Bangkok on Nok Air.

[NeverSure]

I tipped it to be the next big thing last week, excellent bus routes, it's on the rail network, it has a small airport with flights twice a week at least to CM, not sure about flights to BKK. It's close by Sukhothai, and on the edge of the stunning scenery around Phetchanbun. Apparently it has a Makro and Big C too.....what else does a man need?

A choice of rentals. What's that like?

Sounds good so far. Thanks!

[CHRISTIANa9]

Yup nice place. Only thing I don't like is the tuk tuk. Rip-off. They even have taxi and its cheaper than tuk tuk even if you include the B20 calling fees.

Don't recall seeing any condo though.

[fredob43]

Lot's of stores all the usual + the unusual good selection of restaurants. The only bug bare is during the day hoard's of traffic. Night time can be like a ghost town.

[stoneyboy]

Positives.

Immigration Office

Airport

Railway station

Central plaza

Tesco lotus extra

Makro

Big C

Nan river with a small selection of thai bars and food

Fair selection of hotels and the odd resort

Central location with ease of access to main routes

Index living mall

Global house

Thai watsadu

Home pro

Phitsanuvej hospital

International schools and thai universities

Route 12 with many waterfalls,beautiful scenery and national parks

One of thailands most revered Bhudda statues

[NeverSure]

How about finding a rental? Easy or hard?

[stoneyboy]

How about finding a rental? Easy or hard?

There is a substantial amount of construction going on at present in the city itself,these are mainly new style townhouses with a small shop below,there are also many apartment type buildings under construction which look fairly decent but are probably only going to be for sale not rent.

There are a few housing estates dotted around the outskirts of the city,I couldn't tell you any specific place to go but could only advise if you have the time and money to spend say two or three nights in a hotel and take a look around for yourself.

[stoneyboy]

How about finding a rental? Easy or hard?

Incidentally what type of accommodation are you looking to rent ?

[NeverSure]

Probably either a 1 br condo or a house.

[phutoie2]

Its got a big monkey house, you want see all the trucks parked there on visiting days. I had to drive up for a golf day last week, and lets just say red traffic lights were optional.

Sent from my i-mobile IQ 2 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[sukosteve]

they also have a roundabout in the middle of town

sadly nobody is sure what to do to get round it.

but still a very nice town with nice easy going people

[BruceSmith]

Visited Phitsanulok last year. A number of Thai people, men and women would smile, say hallo, ask me if everything was ok and so on. Asked my then girlfriend from pPtchabun what was going on, and she replied that farangs are popular, and the locals wanted more of “us” to visit and live there.

[kelboy]

Lot's of stores all the usual + the unusual good selection of restaurants. The only bug bare is during the day hoard's of traffic. Night time can be like a ghost town.

that my fred, see you in sept.

[Ticketmaster]

Not smokey. There is a group of us Americans and Brits (and occasional Swedes or Norwegians) that meet for lunch at Topland buffet every Wednesday about 11:30 am. There is a group of Germans that meet with each other somewhere. As is typical, the Germans don't seem to mix well with anyone else. Don't know why. But if you are German, you'll have some friends. If you are anyone else, you'll have some friends.

The offerings of "farang food" are pretty weak here, compared to a place like Chiangmai. You can get pizza,but you're not going to find a burrito. Ditto for the grocery stores -- pretty Thai.

[canopy]

Even though I live in Phetchabun it's worth going the extra kilometers to shop in Phitsanulok. Between their new Tops and Lotus Extra there is a surprising amount of farang specialty foods that can be had. Let me give a few examples. Unsweetened organic soy milk and in nice containers, how nice. And real yogurt instead of being limited to sugary thai style yogurt full of additives with no active enzymes. And in Big C there is even a Mr Sushi spread, something that used to be in Phetchabun but went out of business. In just every way I look, p-lok is one step ahead of Phetchabun and moving forward all the time. For DIY, the p-lok gamut of Global House, Watsadu, Home Pro, Sao Aek, and a few lesser knowns is bliss. It's nice Phetchabun finally added a Watsadu (and a HomePro on the way, yeay), but here again the selection is not quite as good as the same store in p-lok.

However I am a bit skeptical about Phitsanulok being immune from the smokey time of year. It's endemic and if like Phetchabun next door won't be anything near as bad as you see in the far north. But it can get bad enough to give a little burn to the eyes and throat even if visibility isn't severely impaired. I've driven from Phetchbaun to the northen tip of Nan during the worst part of the burning season before I decided where to live and as far as I could tell every province is full of fires with smoke getting progressively worse as you go north. I'd have a look at the government air quality index data if it is a concern. Right now their database is on the fritz or I would post it.

One thing I am curious about is if there are any restaurants with a farang menu in p-lok and directions please. And to start off what is the topland buffet like and is it only on Wednesdays?

[fredob43]

Even though I live in Phetchabun it's worth going the extra kilometers to shop in Phitsanulok. Between their new Tops and Lotus Extra there is a surprising amount of farang specialty foods that can be had. Let me give a few examples. Unsweetened organic soy milk and in nice containers, how nice. And real yogurt instead of being limited to sugary thai style yogurt full of additives with no active enzymes. And in Big C there is even a Mr Sushi spread, something that used to be in Phetchabun but went out of business. In just every way I look, p-lok is one step ahead of Phetchabun and moving forward all the time. For DIY, the p-lok gamut of Global House, Watsadu, Home Pro, Sao Aek, and a few lesser knowns is bliss. It's nice Phetchabun finally added a Watsadu (and a HomePro on the way, yeay), but here again the selection is not quite as good as the same store in p-lok.

However I am a bit skeptical about Phitsanulok being immune from the smokey time of year. It's endemic and if like Phetchabun next door won't be anything near as bad as you see in the far north. But it can get bad enough to give a little burn to the eyes and throat even if visibility isn't severely impaired. I've driven from Phetchbaun to the northen tip of Nan during the worst part of the burning season before I decided where to live and as far as I could tell every province is full of fires with smoke getting progressively worse as you go north. I'd have a look at the government air quality index data if it is a concern. Right now their database is on the fritz or I would post it.

One thing I am curious about is if there are any restaurants with a farang menu in p-lok and directions please. And to start off what is the topland buffet like and is it only on Wednesdays?

I like Phetchabun your right less smoke but it has it's draw back's as it between mountains the winters can get very cold and the summer's Hot 44c is not unusual. But it does have a lot less traffic that can be a real nightmare in Pitso.

[stoneyboy]

Even though I live in Phetchabun it's worth going the extra kilometers to shop in Phitsanulok. Between their new Tops and Lotus Extra there is a surprising amount of farang specialty foods that can be had. Let me give a few examples. Unsweetened organic soy milk and in nice containers, how nice. And real yogurt instead of being limited to sugary thai style yogurt full of additives with no active enzymes. And in Big C there is even a Mr Sushi spread, something that used to be in Phetchabun but went out of business. In just every way I look, p-lok is one step ahead of Phetchabun and moving forward all the time. For DIY, the p-lok gamut of Global House, Watsadu, Home Pro, Sao Aek, and a few lesser knowns is bliss. It's nice Phetchabun finally added a Watsadu (and a HomePro on the way, yeay), but here again the selection is not quite as good as the same store in p-lok.

However I am a bit skeptical about Phitsanulok being immune from the smokey time of year. It's endemic and if like Phetchabun next door won't be anything near as bad as you see in the far north. But it can get bad enough to give a little burn to the eyes and throat even if visibility isn't severely impaired. I've driven from Phetchbaun to the northen tip of Nan during the worst part of the burning season before I decided where to live and as far as I could tell every province is full of fires with smoke getting progressively worse as you go north. I'd have a look at the government air quality index data if it is a concern. Right now their database is on the fritz or I would post it.

One thing I am curious about is if there are any restaurants with a farang menu in p-lok and directions please. And to start off what is the topland buffet like and is it only on Wednesdays?

I like Phetchabun your right less smoke but it has it's draw back's as it between mountains the winters can get very cold and the summer's Hot 44c is not unusual. But it does have a lot less traffic that can be a real nightmare in Pitso.

Phetchabun is like most Thai towns expanding at a fair pace,I just hope the expansion isn't to great,the addition of a Central plaza would just about be the icing on the cake for me.

I mean stone me we are even getting a Tesco in Lom Sak.

As for the temperature I think last year the coldest I saw was 16 degrees early morning with the addition of a track suit top it's very comfortable.

[fredob43]

Even though I live in Phetchabun it's worth going the extra kilometers to shop in Phitsanulok. Between their new Tops and Lotus Extra there is a surprising amount of farang specialty foods that can be had. Let me give a few examples. Unsweetened organic soy milk and in nice containers, how nice. And real yogurt instead of being limited to sugary thai style yogurt full of additives with no active enzymes. And in Big C there is even a Mr Sushi spread, something that used to be in Phetchabun but went out of business. In just every way I look, p-lok is one step ahead of Phetchabun and moving forward all the time. For DIY, the p-lok gamut of Global House, Watsadu, Home Pro, Sao Aek, and a few lesser knowns is bliss. It's nice Phetchabun finally added a Watsadu (and a HomePro on the way, yeay), but here again the selection is not quite as good as the same store in p-lok.

However I am a bit skeptical about Phitsanulok being immune from the smokey time of year. It's endemic and if like Phetchabun next door won't be anything near as bad as you see in the far north. But it can get bad enough to give a little burn to the eyes and throat even if visibility isn't severely impaired. I've driven from Phetchbaun to the northen tip of Nan during the worst part of the burning season before I decided where to live and as far as I could tell every province is full of fires with smoke getting progressively worse as you go north. I'd have a look at the government air quality index data if it is a concern. Right now their database is on the fritz or I would post it.

One thing I am curious about is if there are any restaurants with a farang menu in p-lok and directions please. And to start off what is the topland buffet like and is it only on Wednesdays?

I like Phetchabun your right less smoke but it has it's draw back's as it between mountains the winters can get very cold and the summer's Hot 44c is not unusual. But it does have a lot less traffic that can be a real nightmare in Pitso.

Phetchabun is like most Thai towns expanding at a fair pace,I just hope the expansion isn't to great,the addition of a Central plaza would just about be the icing on the cake for me.

I mean stone me we are even getting a Tesco in Lom Sak.

As for the temperature I think last year the coldest I saw was 16 degrees early morning with the addition of a track suit top it's very comfortable.

16c EEEEEEEEK I live in K.P.Phet and the coldest we had was 22c the G/L wouldn't go out on the M/C said she thought she was in England, what she would have done at 16c Buddha knows. Have a friend who lives in P/Bun and they have a fire outside their house just for the winter. Lom Sak is getting a Tesco what ever next very upmarket. I can remember about 5 years ago when P/Bun had one small S/Market and a few Mar and Par shop's now have Makro BigC +++++ not long now and it'll be like BKK, without the traffic I hope. Edited August 26, 2013 by fredob43

[Ticketmaster]

Even though I live in Phetchabun it's worth going the extra kilometers to shop in Phitsanulok. Between their new Tops and Lotus Extra there is a surprising amount of farang specialty foods that can be had. Let me give a few examples. Unsweetened organic soy milk and in nice containers, how nice. And real yogurt instead of being limited to sugary thai style yogurt full of additives with no active enzymes. And in Big C there is even a Mr Sushi spread, something that used to be in Phetchabun but went out of business. In just every way I look, p-lok is one step ahead of Phetchabun and moving forward all the time. For DIY, the p-lok gamut of Global House, Watsadu, Home Pro, Sao Aek, and a few lesser knowns is bliss. It's nice Phetchabun finally added a Watsadu (and a HomePro on the way, yeay), but here again the selection is not quite as good as the same store in p-lok.

However I am a bit skeptical about Phitsanulok being immune from the smokey time of year. It's endemic and if like Phetchabun next door won't be anything near as bad as you see in the far north. But it can get bad enough to give a little burn to the eyes and throat even if visibility isn't severely impaired. I've driven from Phetchbaun to the northen tip of Nan during the worst part of the burning season before I decided where to live and as far as I could tell every province is full of fires with smoke getting progressively worse as you go north. I'd have a look at the government air quality index data if it is a concern. Right now their database is on the fritz or I would post it.

One thing I am curious about is if there are any restaurants with a farang menu in p-lok and directions please. And to start off what is the topland buffet like and is it only on Wednesdays?

Well, you know what they say: the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. You like to come to Phitsanulok for farang food, and I live here and think I need to go to Chiangmai! The new Tops has a lot, but it's so damned expensive!

I looked for plain yogurt at the new Super Lotus and they didn't have it. I found something that said "plain" on the label,but sugar was in the ingredients. I admit, though, I only went in there shortly after they opened and at that time discovered that, despite its giant size, they didn't have anything I could find at the old Lotus, only more of it. Perhaps I need to have another look. I find more frang food at Makro, which I prefer (including one km blocks of a very respectable cheddar cheese imported from Wisconsin). I also wanted live culture yogurt,but have never found it anywhere. Now I make my own. Kefir, too.

I do not live in the city; I live about 45 km to the south and we don't get much if any smoke here. That said, I don't hit the Phitsanulok restaurants much so am not the one to ask about restaurants with a farang menu. I can say, however, there is an Italian restaurant that is quite nice. I very much enjoy their food. It's on a small street and I do not really know how to give directions, but next time I'm in town, I could get you the GPS coordinates. PM me with your e-mail address if you want them.

I believe Topland has a lunch buffet every day. It's not at all bad as buffets go in the up country. The farangs meet every Wednesday and you are invited. Just show up between 11:30 and 12 and the waitress will direct you to the farang table. It's on the second floor.

We are damned lucky, though,with all the new DIY stores. Two years ago, we only had HomePro and Saoake, which is right across the street from HomePro. I can highly, highly recommend Saoake. It just looks like another very big Thai shop, but the owner and her daughter speak English and their service is outstanding. They deliver to me way out in the boonies at no extra charge. They deliver all over, including Petchabun. I have never found their prices beat by Thai Watsadu or Global House, unless they are running some kind of promotion. I am building a house and Saoake has been really good to me. HomePro is pretty much the highest priced store of the bunch.

[canopy]

Yes I notice too Sao Aek generally has the best prices, but their selection is limited compared to the other big stores. Their prices are so low on building materials I would think you could build a house 15% cheaper in Phitsanulok than from the cheapest places in Phetchabun which would be a sizable bundle.

As far as real yogurt my experience is Tops sometimes has it, but it's hit or miss as they don't stock much of it. The brand they carry is the same as I have seen in Villa in Bangkok though can't recall the name right now--Lolas? But hey, I skip that altogether because Lotus Extra trumps them with Farmers Union yogurt imported from the US with usually a plentiful stock and in up to 1KG containers in either plain or greek style. I usually have 10lbs of it in my fridge. Lotus Extra also has a unique selection beers from Belgium, England, Germany, and the US though quite expensive. But if you have a craving for a Bud, they have it. Of course Chiang Mai stores should have more farang offerings and I wouldn't expect otherwise. And Bangkok and Pattaya probably the most. But let me tell it wasn't that long ago I needed to go to Bangkok for certain groceries, but now I can get everything I need in Phitsanulok and don't compromise too much and it's getting better all the time.

[NeverSure]

I sincerely thank all of you for the good information. With an apparent lack of a significant choice of rentals, I'll probably look elsewhere.

It is a nice town, no doubt.

[Hedghog]

You have to do the leg work,to find anything in Phitsanulok.

You find it, it doesn't come to you.

Sent from my GT-P7500 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[stoneyboy]

You have to do the leg work,to find anything in Phitsanulok.

You find it, it doesn't come to you.

Sent from my GT-P7500 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Yes I thought the OP bailed out post haste in fairness.

There is lots of accommodation to be had if you put in a little time and effort,it all boils down to how serious he/she is regarding living there.

[NeverSure]

Thanks!

[Ticketmaster]

I, too, thought the OP bailed awfully quickly on the basis of few rentals. I don't know where that idea came from. There are plenty of rentals in Phitsanulok and some of them are quite nice. And compared to places like BKK and CM, rent is dirt cheap. Renting is a good way to thoroughly check out a place before making a long term commitment.

[NeverSure]

I, too, thought the OP bailed awfully quickly on the basis of few rentals. I don't know where that idea came from. There are plenty of rentals in Phitsanulok and some of them are quite nice. And compared to places like BKK and CM, rent is dirt cheap. Renting is a good way to thoroughly check out a place before making a long term commitment.

Thanks!

[bigyin]

Hi All. Just moved to Phitsanulok about 4 weeks ago with family and was interested in the reference to wednesday lunch at Topland. I am originally from Scotland and came to Thailand about 4 years ago via time in England. Can I just turn up one wednesday as I know i am going to miss some farang chat? Also I am planning to play at the local golf course Dongpukurd on maybe monday and thursday each week. Does anybody on the forum play there? I am a crap golfer but I enjoy a nice walk and a bit of exercise and a chat.