thinking of moving to the south (Hat Yai, Satun, Songkhla)

[kekalot]

well, like the title says

I am looking to move down south with my dog and get rid of my motorbike..

I wish to live relatively close to Malaysia for quick, easy and free border runs (I get 30 days at land crossings)

I'd be renting a cheap house/apartment alone with my dog and rarely carry more than 200 baht on me..

don't care about bars, nightlife or malls at all.. a place with a little market to buy foods would be nice.

a lot of thai people gasp when i mention i want to move towards Songkhla/Hat Yai.. I have made a little bit of research on the subject and of course found some relatively negative posts about the places but.. you will get that for any single place you research.

I have heard good things about Satun from someone who was doing the visa/border runs

now, for anyone who has any idea out of all those places.. where would be a good place to go settle for the next months?

don't forget I will not have any transportation anymore.

[PlastikbinLina]

Songkhla town is really a nice place to live, with nice restaurants with foreign or Thai cuisine, good shops great market and lovely beaches. I used to take my wire haired dachshund for walks along the beach front. She loved it. There are bars of course as there is most places in Thailand that cater for all tastes. The farang population is small but very friendly. There's a great Hash group there too. A good place to meet people.

One place to get a good Guinness and fine food or cider is the Buzz Stop, An Irish guy, George owns it and he's a very generous man. He holds a party there every year with free food on St Patrick's day, you buy your drinks, and he also does the same at Xmas time. He pays for a band, magic show etc and all food is free on that day. I lived there for two years before coming to Phuket and in many ways I wished I hadn't.

Hat Yai is actually a suburb of Songkhla and it's very much bigger than Songkhla town. It also has large department stores there and many other interesting shops. so I couldn't imagine you not finding whatever you need there. BTW the immigration office is in Hat Yai now, it used to be in Songkhla.

I don't think you'd be disappointed if you moved there. Take a holiday for a couple of weeks first, it might help you make up your mind.

[Hugh Jarse]

Songkhla town is really a nice place to live, with nice restaurants with foreign or Thai cuisine, good shops great market and lovely beaches. I used to take my wire haired dachshund for walks along the beach front. She loved it. There are bars of course as there is most places in Thailand that cater for all tastes. The farang population is small but very friendly. There's a great Hash group there too. A good place to meet people.

One place to get a good Guinness and fine food or cider is the Buzz Stop, An Irish guy, George owns it and he's a very generous man. He holds a party there every year with free food on St Patrick's day, you buy your drinks, and he also does the same at Xmas time. He pays for a band, magic show etc and all food is free on that day. I lived there for two years before coming to Phuket and in many ways I wished I hadn't.

Hat Yai is actually a suburb of Songkhla and it's very much bigger than Songkhla town. It also has large department stores there and many other interesting shops. so I couldn't imagine you not finding whatever you need there. BTW the immigration office is in Hat Yai now, it used to be in Songkhla.

I don't think you'd be disappointed if you moved there. Take a holiday for a couple of weeks first, it might help you make up your mind.

"Take a holiday (there) first" is very good advice, especially as you dont have transport. Presumably you have a good command of the Thai language (without that it will be miserable for you) and have some occupation. Satun especially is "as dull as heaven on a saturday night" and without some focus to your life it will be challenging. If you know people there it may be possible to get work as a teacher (assuming you are qualified) or rubber tapping. Without your own transport however your options will be limited.

[fasteddie]

Satun is pretty much a dump but Songkhla is cool.

[Macclad]

Songkhla would be a great place to live.Its surrounded by water on three sides,so plenty of places to stroll by the water.

Its mainly all Thai but there are places on Chaiya Rd,near the Singora Hotel,where expats meet up.The Buzz Stop would be an excellent choice,as mentioned previously.

Plenty of nice Thai restaurants,especially seafood.

People are friendly and its inexpensive to get around by saamlaw.

You can use Songkhla in conjunction with Hat Yai,less than 30 kilometres away.Hat Yai is actually Thailands 3rd largest city.Its got the shopping options such as the recently opened Central Festival,with Tops supermarket.If you fancy a bit of nightlife then Hat Yai is quite lively,particularily at weekends.

You can get a shared minivan from Songkhla to Hat Yai which run all day till around 9pm,I think ?.....not too expensive,around 100 baht.

Personally,I would spend a month in each place and see what you think.

[PlastikbinLina]

I forgot to mention Kekalot, that Songhla has the very best zoo I have ever visited, even better the Melbourne zoo in Australia. You could spend a whole day thre and not see everythin.

[recom273]

Don't sell your bike, post it ..

I'm in HY, I work in Songkhla. Although long distance travel (HY>SKK, HY>Border) is quite cheap and convenient, local transport is not. When we first moved here we got the impression that we were being ripped off left-right n center by tuk-tuks and motorbikes. We found a lovely cheap, modern house out on edge of town, the farthest point from the bus station, which we are still in 4 years later. If we fancied a nice meal in town we had to plead / argue with the tuk-tuks to drop us back, always too far .. always an extra 200B. Songthaews seems to stop at 7.00 - 8.00 PM, and the journeys so long.

There are lots of Malay and Singaporean tourists here, tuk-tuks will prefer to sit outside a hotel hoping to pick up some tourists for a "massage" / shopping tour rather than offering an honest service.

Maybe you want to get away theres quite a lot to do, you can ride the back roads up to Pattalung and Nakhon, across and around the marshes, see the lotus bloom at day break, visit deserted beaches ( not too pretty ). All impossible without transport.

We moved from Bangkok, where the food was way cheaper, more varied and better quality.

I forget sometimes, Songkhla is quite a prosperous province, with quite a transient working population. Short-term accommodation can be a bit of the over-used, under-cared, and not cheap. The westerners who survive, are here for the long haul, searching out places and setting up home. Co-workers who just turn-up, find life difficult and boring, and usually dont tend to last long.

You understand, its a great place to live for border-hops and visits to the Malay consulates. I enjoy that im in the 3rd biggest city but i have cows wandering the wasteland outside my house. I can see why people suggest Songkhla, I find it a little more convenient and cheaper to live in HY and commute the 30 mins to Songkhla everyday.

If I were you, keep the bike, live outside of town, where you will find lots of one room basic workers houses, "Hong Taew", ride into the markets to get your food and enjoy the peace and quiet of the country.

[impulse]

Keep your scooter. You'll want it in Songkhla.

I love Songkhla. I'd move there from BKK in a minute if my company would let me. I speak virtually no Thai, and have no problems getting around and enjoying the amenities.

That said, like a lot of the guys giving input, I have a work permit and a job in the oil field.

I'd be reluctant to recommend anyone create a life plan around perpetual visa runs, especially in an area with an insurgency that has a border crossing component. Your eazy peazy visa runs could become problematic at best and impossible at worst, on the whim of a politician, or with the explosion of the next scooter bomb. I wouldn't worry about personal safety as much as permission to stay.

I'm not saying it will happen, but I think that's another question you may want to ask of the long stay tourists in the area. I can't say that I have met one. All the western foreigners I've met are oil field workers, retirees and guys with Thai families.

Like others have suggested, take a few weeks or months to suss it out before setting your heart on it.

[recom273]

To reply with some info that has been brought up in the previous post.

Never heard of any border disruption due to insurgent activity, but there could always be a possibility. Floods, yes, and just because you cant leave your apartment, doesnt mean that you are exempt from the daily overstay fee.

Should you be worried about doing multiple back-to-back visa exemption .. hmmm, you should be aware that they are aware of you, its not like your invisible here.

Should you loose any sleep ? hmmm, probably not, the immigration guys are not stupid in noticing and questioning you, they are also aware their hands are tied in a floured system, doesnt mean they cant take you for an interview, or ask you to show 20,000B cash ( which has happened to me ).

I might also add, im 100% legal now in my O status and able to travel into Malaysia for a change of scene. I find the immigration at Sungai Kolok and Padang Besar really helpful, efficient and competent in their jobs. I avoid Sadao, i found the petty corruption irritating, like the 'fillipina tax' and 50B (no receipt) OT surcharge and queues of Malaysian tourists.

[terryp]

HY full of ignorant Chinese and prices are getting higher ...the Southern Thais can come across as quite abrasive and idiots at driving anything with an engine

I guess if you want a very quiet life .............but it would kill me it is just boring ......a massive new Central shopping mall has just opened in HY with all the Bangkok style mall fast food etc if any one is looking for that

[dao16]

Yeah, if you moved to HatYai, you could just put the bike on the train. You need all the ownership papers, but it isn't very difficult or expensive.

On another note, I find it hard to believe that HatYai is the 3rd largest city in Thailand. It seemed like a nice medium sized town when we were there. I liked it and we had a good time. It did have an English language book store and other stuff around. The security around transport centers is obviously different to other places in Thailand, but outside of that, didn't feel much danger. Take a trip down there and spend a few days.

[umbanda]

My experience, after more than 3 years in Thailand.

I live in Chiang Rai. After living in Chiang Mai and Lampang, Chiang Rai is in my opinion the best mountain city, and the best weather in the country. Rents for a nice house or townhouse from 6000thb/month. Nice and small expat community and foreign tourism. Close to Chiang Mai, Phayao, Nan, Phrae, and Lampang and just 1/2 hour from the Burma border, and 2 hours from the Laos border, with easy immigration offices.

Beaches?...After visiting Pattaya, Rayon, Songkhla, Hua Hin and Cha Am, my choice will be Cha Am. Rents for a nice house or townhouse very close to the beach from 6000thb/month. Very close to BK and Hua HIn but a lot cheaper and safer. Rayon is nice too, close to the islands.

Visited Songkla this year. Boring city, no public transportation, deserted but not nice beaches, and....official double pricing for everything, for Thai and Farangs....Hat Yai?.. just a shopping stop for Malaysians. Too many Muslims...may be the reason for double pricing and other shopping and communication inconveniences. Another Thailand and without smiles. Nobody speaks English in the area. Nothing good to remember from that trip.

Edited January 15, 2014 by umbanda

[fxe1200]

Yeah, if you moved to HatYai, you could just put the bike on the train. You need all the ownership papers, but it isn't very difficult or expensive.

On another note, I find it hard to believe that HatYai is the 3rd largest city in Thailand. It seemed like a nice medium sized town when we were there. I liked it and we had a good time. It did have an English language book store and other stuff around. The security around transport centers is obviously different to other places in Thailand, but outside of that, didn't feel much danger. Take a trip down there and spend a few days.

The cheapest transportation of the bike is by train: cost 1.600 THB. Avoid other offers. In the outskirts of HDY you can find a reasonable place to stay. Perfect downtown fitness, sauna, pool for a a mere of 1200THB/month, including towels and drinking water (Lee Garden 12th floor). Fresh beer, which has not being sitting in the sun for a month or two, can be obtained at Muang Thai near Makro or the all new Central festival shopping mall. Great and reasonable food in the restaurants in Khohong ( http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g297921-d4371324-Reviews-The_Fish_Kitchen-Hat_Yai_Songkhla_Province.html). Besides, the Southerners are very friendly, open minded, and always smiling!!!

I live here since 11 years and I do not want to move.

Good Luck

[Stocky]

Hat Yai's a good place to live, this will be my eleventh year here and I don't want to move either.

There's a huge variety of food on offer down south, Hat Yai is probably one of the most culturally varied cities in Thailand and certainly one of the most tolerant. Yes southerners are brusque, talk fast and lack some of the softness of places like Chiang Mai but at least things move along at a reasonable pace. I seem to manage fine with English and broken Thai, sometimes a little Bahasa helps as well.

The city has grown significantly over the last couple of years with new housing projects all over the place so there's plenty of accommodation for rent.

Because of the troubles to the south there's probably a greater police and military presence on the streets of Hat Yai than you'll see anywhere else, certainly there have been bombings but the odds of it being you are considerable less than your chances of being killed on Thailand's roads - by far the greatest danger in this country.

Easy connections either through Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore or vis road through Alor Star or Panang mean the Yellows/Reds can't stop me getting to work which is a big bonus.

If you want to live in a medium size city with good food, plenty of shops, a small but vibrant nightlife and good transport connections Hat Yai's not a bad place to be. If you want the excitement of Bangkok, Pantong or Pattaya, the quality beaches of the west coast or the mountains of the north, Hat Yai's not for you.

[BigSkip]

Sounds so safe...................since the " inlaws" want out asap.................

[Frank33]

Very recently, there have been 4 bomb blasts at the two border crossings accessible from Songkhla, in which 1 person was killed and many more injured. In both Sadao (Dan Nawk) and Padang Besar (the two immigration check points) the police stations were attacked. The other bombs exploded next to McDonalds and in a lane next to a hotel frequented by tourists, damaging the hotel very extensively and injuring.many people. Following the attacks, the Sadao (Dan Nawk) border crossing became largely devoid of visitors, people being afraid to come.

Also in Songkhla town itself bombs have exploded outside two 7-11 shops a while ago. The separatists want to make a point also in the vicinity of the actual area of conflict.

In Songkhla, there are a few farang oil workers, but apart from them hardly anyone understands any English. For any decent shopping facilities, one has to commute to Hat Yai, one hour away on the bus. It’s a nice destination for a weekend, but staying there long term would be extremely boring.

[thai4me]

Try Betong. It is a small town at the border from Malaysia. The immigration is just outside of the town, maybe a few kms.

[Interman]

Very recently, there have been 4 bomb blasts at the two border crossings accessible from Songkhla, in which 1 person was killed and many more injured. In both Sadao (Dan Nawk) and Padang Besar (the two immigration check points) the police stations were attacked. The other bombs exploded next to McDonalds and in a lane next to a hotel frequented by tourists, damaging the hotel very extensively and injuring.many people. Following the attacks, the Sadao (Dan Nawk) border crossing became largely devoid of visitors, people being afraid to come.

Also in Songkhla town itself bombs have exploded outside two 7-11 shops a while ago. The separatists want to make a point also in the vicinity of the actual area of conflict.

In Songkhla, there are a few farang oil workers, but apart from them hardly anyone understands any English. For any decent shopping facilities, one has to commute to Hat Yai, one hour away on the bus. It’s a nice destination for a weekend, but staying there long term would be extremely boring.

Very true,... and theres more bomb sightings and even bombings never reported to the media and public. I know this as my wife's cousin works for emergency services for the government in hatyai.

besides that, traffic is becoming rediculous with all the people moving from the three trouble provinces (daily bombings) and with no apparent plans on how to expand/ ratify routes. I left there a year ago and never looked back.

[smotherb]

I would advise you to stay away from the Hat Yai/Songkhla area.There are too many falangs here now.

[mikebell]

Hat Yai AKA Rat Yai. Spent 7 miserable days there. The place was full of cockroaches and rats - sometimes sitting under tables in restaurants. The place fills up with Malays at weekend looking for cheap sex. Songkla is nicer.

[kekalot]

My experience, after more than 3 years in Thailand.

I live in Chiang Rai. After living in Chiang Mai and Lampang, Chiang Rai is in my opinion the best mountain city, and the best weather in the country. Rents for a nice house or townhouse from 6000thb/month. Nice and small expat community and foreign tourism. Close to Chiang Mai, Phayao, Nan, Phrae, and Lampang and just 1/2 hour from the Burma border, and 2 hours from the Laos border, with easy immigration offices.

Beaches?...After visiting Pattaya, Rayon, Songkhla, Hua Hin and Cha Am, my choice will be Cha Am. Rents for a nice house or townhouse very close to the beach from 6000thb/month. Very close to BK and Hua HIn but a lot cheaper and safer.

yeah, i have been living in Cha-am for almost six months now.. definitely a nice peaceful little place and cheap. i rent for 2700b near the wednesday market..

i had been renting for 6000 near the beach but to be honest, even tho i am a canadian and we have at most 2-3 months access to beaches (assuming the weather is hot enough), i grew bored of the beach after about three or four month.. its still nice but i don't go there as much as i used to

now, in regards to my OP, things have changed quite a bit.. at first, i was supposed to be waiting here until my friend came over in late April for a months vacation and leave with her in May.. not anymore.

she cannot afford it apparently and instead of staying here another 3 months alone, i decided to leave juast before March instead.

i was supposed to arrive in Canada in May.. so i dont quite have the clothes for arriving in February -25C weather..

plans are to save up a bunch and come back in late September.

regarding the bike, if i was to keep it i would have just driven it there..

About a month ago, I made a trip from cha-am through a few of the Isaan provinces.. went from here to Buriram and stayed there for a few days before heading to Maha Sarakham and Roi Et.. then went to Sakon Nakhon and on my way back decided to head towards Chiang Rai.. SN to Chiang Rai with only stops for gas and snacks.. stayed in Chiang Rai three days and drove straight to Cha-Am same deal.. gas and food.

total trip was just about 4000kms in 13 days and done one a Honda Wave 125i

i kinda liked Chiang Rai to be honest but it was so cold when i went there (mid december).. maybe that was the coldest time possible? my friend was always wearing a jacket and sleeping with a big comforter.. i did too

from all the feedback, maybe a bit outskirts Songkhla towards Hat Yai would be a good choice.. i am planning on keeping the bike after thinking about it.. i don't want to deal with red plates for two months and registrations again.

but i mean who knows.. now i will have 7 months to think about all this stuff.. and i dread returning to cold Canada after being in hot weather since August

one friend i have was suggesting i looked at Phayao.. i have been through there and it was quite scenic but i cant quite recall anything else.. driving semi tired through everything at 80+ does that to me

Sent from my GT-S7562 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[ESCAPIS]

Kekalot old boy,

I honestly hope I would have half of your energy when I reach 80.

I admire you and thank you for making me realise that: activities do not have to stop with retirement.

Go for it. I will one day.

[kekalot]

lol, no. i meant at 80+ km/h.

i am 31, but you can lookup Charles Eugster who is bodybuilding at now age 95 and has a better body than most youngings.. and he started after 90 i think.

Sent from my GT-S7562 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[jackr]

^^

It's an easy ride from Cha-am area, 800kms, same road all the way. You also have the option of posting the bike, easy peasy, about 1,500 baht for the Wave.

Everywhere changes, but Songkhla really has changed and not just the last 15 years or so but the last few, though a long-term resident probably wouldn't admit it as there's no perspective.

As mentioned, a huge number of folks form the three troubled provinces have moved in and it is tougher, and more expensive, to find digs. People tend to frown there now more so than the brusque Southerners are known to and you will also notice it is fairly grubby (esp' compared with northern destinations)--from the floors of 7-11s and markets to the roads and buildings not being maintained properly. There is no excuse for this as the area is relatively rich. The people seem to care a bit less. It is also one of the most expensive places for day to day living outside of the main touristy areas and Bangkok, and not forgetting it is always freakin' hot!

Having said that, Songkhla is still a 'cool' town and has a different atmosphere to most Thai destinations, what with no through-road, the water all around and the quirkiness of its oily expat populace.

On Hat Yai, it is a featureless town and really only good for a shopping visit, hospitals, the bars on Thamnoonvithi or for cheaper rooms.

Btw, have you considered nipping down to Penang and picking yourself up a back-to-back Tourist Visa?

[thai4me]

Try Betong. It is a small town at the border from Malaysia. The immigration is just outside of the town, maybe a few kms.

...and in the heart of insurgent country...

Insurgency will happen more to the east along the coast. That is the Golok - Kota Baru crossing.

Betong is smack in the center. Pengkalan Hulu on the Malaysian side. It is one of the least congested crossings. It is also the southern most part of Thailand.

Edited January 23, 2014 by thai4me

[recom273]

According to a national newspaper, there were 320 bombings last year in the Southern provinces .. only 69 of them were in Yala province tho' and 27 of them were in Yala town, even tho' Betong is in the province, there were no bombings in Betong district.

Even living in Hat Yai, we are subjected to (pointless half hearted) vehicle searches when entering supermarkets and airport and the odd tailback due to a roadblock, When driving through the smaller towns in Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat you will see military patrols everywhere, scooters are forbidden to park their bikes with the seats down for fear of bombs.

Although I never really worry, It's not a real comforting scenario when you get past the first roadblock on the 43 going towards Chana, but living out that way .. no thanks.

[Stocky]

A farang in Yala, even in Betong, could be a tempting target.

[impulse]

A farang in Yala, even in Betong, could be a tempting target.

More farangs killed in Bangkok, Phuket and Pattaya every month than by Southern insurgents in the past few years.

May be traffic accidents, balcony mishaps, and crime, as opposed to bombs and bullets. But dead is dead.

And I suspect that if a foreigner in the south were to stay away from the drug trade, smuggling, corruption and human trafficking, they'd probably not get a second thought.

[Stocky]

Sure and I'm comfortable enough in Hat Yai, but IMHO a farang living in the southern states of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat is putting themselves in harms way.

[Seastallion]

I'll be moving to Hat Yai in March or April. Just a question OP (and others) why would you drive to the border when 1. You get half as many days extension, and 2. Tiger Air has awesome specials all the time, as little as $SIN36 return HDY_SIN? Occasionally even $1.