Retire to Chiang Rai compared to Chiang Mai ?

[scorpio1945]

I retired to Thailand (Koh Samui) from Bedfordview, Johannesburg 7 months ago. Bought a house before coming and had many holidays here. I don't know the places you mentioned, but my advice is live there for 6 months to see if you like it and the Thai lifestyle, before committing.

GOOD ADVICE!!!

[louse1953]

There are also villages and small developed areas outside of CM, 10-20km. That way, you can go into the city when you need towny stuff.

My own experience of horizontal entertainment in CM suggests that a wallet is often required.

I like the small and more rustic town feel of CR, although both places are a trifle boring if you like bookshops, big malls, different bars and are used to Bangkok (OK, CM has one or two bookshops with large stocks, plus more Tescos and BigCs)

The best advice is probably to visit both, and spend a bit of time.

The comments about hospitals are very germane. If you are over 60, you probably need to be in easy reach of a cardiac catheter lab and a CT/MRI scanner. Country hospitals don't have those, as far as I know. Medicine is taught at CMU, so there must be a teaching hospital there. I believe that Nursing is taught at CR, but I don't think that there is a major hospital which deals with cardiac angios or neurosurgery there. But, that said, you takes yr chances if you live anywhere in the world which is not "populated".

Eddy

FYI,Surin public hospital has a CT scanner,and pretty good service.

[umbanda]

I commented in this topic before.. I am just adding "evidences"....The picture is from the Chiang Rai Immigration Office on a busy day.....but.....if you also wants to visit Burma and the Chinese Market at the same time, is another one in Mae Sai by the border, 20 minutes away....

[harrry]

I commented in this topic before.. I am just adding "evidences"....The picture is from the Chiang Rai Immigration Office on a busy day.....but.....if you also wants to visit Burma and the Chinese Market at the same time, is another one in Mae Sai by the border, 20 minutes away....

That evidence is a bit sus..

It is a photo of the office taken within a couple of days of its opening. THere has been no publicity up to now of the opening date. Many are still going to MaiSai and I bet the normal monthly crowd will turn up at Central to discover immigration is not there tomorrow. Post a photo in about three months if you want the evidence to be believable.

[chiang mai]

Numbers vary depending on which site you believe but CM usually comes in at 6th or 7th largest city in Thailand. Number two is usually shown as Nonthaburi.

CM isn't even close to being second largest city in Thailand.

Hugely misleading! Nonthaburi is effectively a part of Bangkok whereas Chiang Mai comprises, to all intents and purposes, many of the surrounding districts. The last time I went through this exercise it came out that CM was the third largest city, in normally understood terms, not in wiki terms!.

[sceadugenga]

Count illegals and it will go up even further.

[Pix]

A wonderful and considered post Pomchop. Thank you for sharing

Edited February 1, 2014 by Pix

[siriweith]

chiang mai

the traffic of bangkok without the service of bangkok.

The city is much more beautiful than chiang rai

but the quality of the air is really bad.

The big city are for the people need to work

and not the best for the people desire to retire.

[arunsakda]

Retire, to Chiang Rai.

[stevo52]

Chiang rai much better deal than Chiang mai ( and i gave chiang mai 3 big chances i was very disappointed in Chiang mai )

OK here is the reasons

1) the foreign owners of bars etc their aussies poms -----------hey they should be looking after the newcomer ----------instead they stand their say nothing watch women rip you off ( how attractive does that make a place to live ???

I mean its a pretty sad world when other westerner's are not looking after the other ???--i mean that's the pits then !

2 ) women in chaing mai well in 3 long stays their -----didn't i get overdosed in scam !

3 ) they drive you mad with the tours crap ( who needs it ) and in a nutshell no one is looking after you?? unless they got a open ticket to your wallet )

bearing all that in mind id not live in chiang mai if one of you guys bought me a place free )!!!

iam only in old fashioned principles only ---- look after your cobber no way in the way iam going to pay to live in ''any place where looking after the cobber is not / first / last and always !!!!

Women are crap money foxes ( how rude ) i went to Chiang Rai well you'd reckon id crossed into another country)) got a good bird at once ( as you should be able to do anywhere in Thailand)))) she never asked me for dime ) only wanted to look after me - i rented a place their nobody tried to rip me off & and nobody gave a rats if i was worth $10 in life or 10 million !!! --no)))) there is a great difference - the people ( well for now ) are certainly far less polluted than Chaing mai especially regarding foreign business owners and the woman -(((-oh yes its just so different !--chiang mai -it's dribbling in scam )

Personally i don't give a rats what it cost to live ))) the most important thing for longevity in life is at least your surrounded by people whom have not got a permanent fixture on your wallet -----------chaing Rai was like that ----------but Chiang mai ( they truly can stick it where the sun does not shine )

I found i was very well looked after )))) in Chiang Rai very much so - id buy a place their tomorrow if i was on the move from Aussie !

Chaing mai that pox infested smelly / smog filled dump) full of damn scam women whom have had more shoes under their beds than were owned by IMELDA MARCOS)) NO THANKS ! --

they never get me their again ! no poms on the street trying sell you tourist scam items the westerners i think are the worst --- all on the scam ---most of them !

chaing rai far more civilised!

[FiftyTwo]

If you think these guys look cool, then CR is for you,

otherwise, CM.

[sceadugenga]

Putting members personal photos on the forum without their permission is definitely not allowed in the rules.

[cheeryble]

CM getting too busy on the roads and too many big franchises it's becoming too uniform and all those funky old shops are disappearing for ultra bland concrete shophouses all like boxes with magnolia paint.

I like the innocent country stares and smiles of Chiangrai.

For myself, i am planning a chalet residence there to start and visit there part time...an upgrade from visiting each month or two.

We have already paid a deposit on a lovely little plot, but renting is very cheap I believe.

Maybe CR-CM25-75 to start who knows later could be the other way round 75-25

If I happen to die there I guess it'll be 100-0 :-)

I think a South African will suit CR better.

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa app

Edited February 24, 2014 by cheeryble

[jaloochapurr]

Write a guide.

What a way of life

[AjarnP]

The question is, is living in the Rai cheaper than the Mai.

My own opinion on this is that there swings and roundabouts in both places. It has to be said though that there appears to be greater scope to spend your Rand in CM than in CR. There are more pubs, restaurants and other places requiring the donning of sack-cloth and ashes post visit.

Sadly though CR is catching up fast. And what we say today may not be true next week/month/year.

If possible, I suggest learning mandarin before you come over. It'll be a great qualification here soon

[anto]

Stevo52 ,you must have spent most of your time in C.M around Loi Kroy road and such areas . .The bar girls there are looking for money ,because most are Hookers ,and thats what Hookers do .There is far more to C.M.than that though.

[AjarnP]

Another great reason to be in Chiang Rai is that we have far better quality earthquakes.

To date ours, here has lasted over twenty-four hours.

As well as this, and especially if you like BBC News you will come to know that Chiang Rai actually doesn't exist so, in effect, you will be living "nowhere"

Great if you need yo be incognito.

[harrry]

Another great reason to be in Chiang Rai is that we have far better quality earthquakes.

To date ours, here has lasted over twenty-four hours.

As well as this, and especially if you like BBC News you will come to know that Chiang Rai actually doesn't exist so, in effect, you will be living "nowhere"

Great if you need yo be incognito.

Forget going to Loy Kroy, Chiangrai comes with an inbuilt big vibrator.

[harrry]

VF is the one to blame for our earthquake. He bought it back from Hawai.

[chris2004]

Having travelled a fair bit around Thailand i don't think the cost of living actually varies that much (with the big exception of houses/condos). Most of the big things we buy gas/petrol, electricity, insurance, internet, UBC, electrical goods are the same where ever you live. Beer and food might vary a little but by only a few baht. The main decision on where to live should be do you like the place.

I've visted Chiang Rai and it was a nice place but far too quiet for me. Maybe some people like that. You can have a quiet life just as easily within a few miles of any of the big cities so why live in the sticks?

[villagefarang]

First of all living someplace with all your toys and amenities is very different from just visiting. From my experience of living 30 years in Bangkok and seven years in Chiangrai I wouldn't want to live someplace in between.

Living in the suburbs of a big city is not the same as living in the countryside. You end up with neither the beauty of the countryside nor the convenience of the city.

Sent from my iPhone.

[Scarpolo]

I liked Chiang Mai a lot.

The restaurants ensure survival for a westerner, and, there is a tiny hippie section across from the main hooker bar strip and night bazaar area where the best organic foods are offered. I dont recall the name of the place but there is a small breakfast lunch shop owned by a family, where the very happy young hippie cooks the food and her brother makes the wheat grass and other juices, which I need to live on.

There was also a music scene there, which I was starting to get excited about

[boomerangutang]

When I did real estate in C.Rai, the following scenario played over and over:

I'd meet a farang with a Thai g.f. or wife. I'd show them nice rural properties. More often than not, he would like what was shown, whereas the Thai woman would stay quiet. Next morning, I'd connect with the farang, and here's how the conversation would go:

"Well, I must admit, some of those properties looked mighty good, but I had a talk with the wife, and we've decided to get something in Chiang Mai."

Translation: The wife most likely came from a rural background, quite possibly Issan rice farming. To her, getting a rural place with trees and views is a step backwards, towards. Now whe's got her sugar daddy, who can go to an ATM any time and pull out 20,000 baht easy as pie. She wants to go to a bigger city, WHERE THERE'S MORE SHOPPING!

Husband follows what the wife wants, 100% of the time. (gotta keep the lil' lady happy, don't we?).

So the husband will put up with gridlocked traffic, smog, no parks, less friendly locals, and all the rest that a big city offers, ....in order to please the wife. Oh, and real estate prices are higher in a bigger city. Values have nothing to do with quality of life, and everything to do with location. In Thailand, the bigger the city, the higher the r.e. values. Same: The bigger the highway your house is on, the higher the valuation. Same for flatland (in a rice growing culture) has higher value than hills.

In sum: Though a middle aged farang man might want rural property, with lawns and trees, with some hills around, and away from busy streets, and low cost. He's going to adapt to flat land, with neighbors within meters, few big trees, gridlock, smog, added noise, minimal views, .....because Thai wife wants to be where there are more shopping venues.

[Scarpolo]

When I did real estate in C.Rai, the following scenario played over and over:

I'd meet a farang with a Thai g.f. or wife. I'd show them nice rural properties. More often than not, he would like what was shown, whereas the Thai woman would stay quiet. Next morning, I'd connect with the farang, and here's how the conversation would go:

"Well, I must admit, some of those properties looked mighty good, but I had a talk with the wife, and we've decided to get something in Chiang Mai."

Translation: The wife most likely came from a rural background, quite possibly Issan rice farming. To her, getting a rural place with trees and views is a step backwards, towards. Now whe's got her sugar daddy, who can go to an ATM any time and pull out 20,000 baht easy as pie. She wants to go to a bigger city, WHERE THERE'S MORE SHOPPING!

Husband follows what the wife wants, 100% of the time. (gotta keep the lil' lady happy, don't we?).

So the husband will put up with gridlocked traffic, smog, no parks, less friendly locals, and all the rest that a big city offers, ....in order to please the wife. Oh, and real estate prices are higher in a bigger city. Values have nothing to do with quality of life, and everything to do with location. In Thailand, the bigger the city, the higher the r.e. values. Same: The bigger the highway your house is on, the higher the valuation. Same for flatland (in a rice growing culture) has higher value than hills.

In sum: Though a middle aged farang man might want rural property, with lawns and trees, with some hills around, and away from busy streets, and low cost. He's going to adapt to flat land, with neighbors within meters, few big trees, gridlock, smog, added noise, minimal views, .....because Thai wife wants to be where there are more shopping venues.

no longer doing real estate on chiang rai?

[Rimmer]

Off topic post removed

[harrry]

A few years ago I escaped the rat's race of Chiangmai and ended up in Chiangrai.

[villagefarang]

freedom.jpg

A few years ago I escaped the rat's race of Chiangmai and ended up in Chiangrai.

Looks more like an elephant race than a rat race to me, and it looks like they really miss you.

[ajarnsiam]

Hi Alan,

I’ve lived in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, and really there is no significant difference re prices – you can live expensively or cheaply in both.

But Chiang Mai gives you so much more choice in just about every area of farang-oriented services, including accommodation, medical services and entertainment.

Your point that CR may have a more Thai-culture feel is interesting: certainly Chiang Mai has a much larger number of farang tourists and resident ex-pats, both in absolute terms and pro-rata, and sometimes in CM it’s hard to feel you’re in Thailand at all.

If you’re single, or in a partnership with a farang (and assuming neither of you speaks Thai), then CM would possible be the best bet, certainly it offers more convenience, but as others have said, the only way to know is to check it out for yourself.

I don’t know how much time you’ve spent in Thailand, but outside of the main tourist towns/areas, there is a very significant language barrier if you don’t speak Thai (or don’t have a partner who does). Why not check out the Philippines too J

[AjarnP]

Not sure about the Phil's recommendation.

I have travelled and worked in almost all SEAsian countries and one thing which can most certainly t be said for Thailand, with some coastal exceptions, is that I have always felt totally safe here. Even on deserted streets on the dead of night, I gave never experienced that feeling that someone, is hiding in the next shop doorway, behind a tree or a parked car.

In Manila, for some reason, I was always uncomfortable. In hindsight, probably undeservedly, but uncomfortable enough to resist going out during the dark hours unless absolutely necessary

As this contributor offered, there is very little to separate the cities. Rent a cheap apartment and a motorcycle and try each one for a few months. Just days won't give you the insight you need to be able to plant roots.

[ajarnsiam]

Not sure about the Phil's recommendation.

I have travelled and worked in almost all SEAsian countries and one thing which can most certainly t be said for Thailand, with some coastal exceptions, is that I have always felt totally safe here. Even on deserted streets on the dead of night, I gave never experienced that feeling that someone, is hiding in the next shop doorway, behind a tree or a parked car.

In Manila, for some reason, I was always uncomfortable. In hindsight, probably undeservedly, but uncomfortable enough to resist going out during the dark hours unless absolutely necessary

As this contributor offered, there is very little to separate the cities. Rent a cheap apartment and a motorcycle and try each one for a few months. Just days won't give you the insight you need to be able to plant roots.

I agree, Phils wasn't intended as a recommendation, but merely as an option to consider for people who may prefer or need an English speaking environment, though I would say that Manila is not representative of Phils. Also, given the enduring effects of the earthquake here, and the political instability I am certain thay many expats have revised their risk assessment recently.