How do folk on here generally find it living in Khon kaen?

[Pattaya Pat]

I have a young family so after 4 years of living in Pattaya we are looking for somewhere quiter, safer, less crazy and maybe even cheaper. Don't want to end up in some quite village in Nakhon Nowhere so Khon kaen seems to be a happy medium as it's a fairly big city with pretty much everything to suit a farangs needs and has an airport for trips to bkk. Of course I know it won't have as much as Pattaya has but I don't need all singing and dancing where i'm at now in life or I wouldn't be going anywhere. I have already found a good school so that isn't an issue, not cheap but happy with it. I believe you can rent a 3 bed house for around 15k and that near to the lake is a good place to live?. I do own a car. I believe it gets very hot in hot season but maybe 2-3 months of reasonably cool weather too?

I've been to KK I think 3 times before and always had a good feel about the place, I know some say it's better to liv in Udon but I prefer KK.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

PP

[Costas2008]

For a family man, you can't go wrong with KK.

It has everything you need and more.

First, it is a city for families, but also has it's entertainment venues.

I presume you rented a house in the quite new development going left from Tesco Express, near the lake.

You have in walking distance many nice restaurants for all kinds of taste.

The Plaza is 10 minutes driving from you with all the modern shops.

If you fancy a beer, plenty of shops next to the lake admiring the sunsets.

There are 2 big Tescos, Big C, Tops and all the big stores around you.

You can't go wrong.

Best of Luck with your move.

[hansnl]

Khon Kaen.....the place to be and to be seen.

At least that is going around on the internet for the young people.

Costas already told you a lot.

Of course you can put yourself away in one of the new developements on Mithraparp Road (the road from Bangkok to Nog Khai).

But there are better places to rent, cheaper, and nearer the centre.

Depending on the kind of house you want to rent, well town houses vary between 6000 and 10000, bungalows between 8000 and 12000.

The really big houses, depending on the developement are priced between 9000 and 15000.

Anything higher is farang prices.

Need help finding a house, I can do, no charge.

[Pattaya Pat]

For a family man, you can't go wrong with KK.

It has everything you need and more.

First, it is a city for families, but also has it's entertainment venues.

I presume you rented a house in the quite new development going left from Tesco Express, near the lake.

You have in walking distance many nice restaurants for all kinds of taste.

The Plaza is 10 minutes driving from you with all the modern shops.

If you fancy a beer, plenty of shops next to the lake admiring the sunsets.

There are 2 big Tescos, Big C, Tops and all the big stores around you.

You can't go wrong.

Best of Luck with your move.

Hi Costas,

Thanks for your replay and that is exactly what I wanted to hear and reinforces my sentiments. We haven't made the move yet but will be inside 2 months, it has been recommended to live at Pimanchon 2 village near the lake. One thing I didn't mention before is that my wife is from North West Sissaket so she is happy that she will be nearer her family, I think it will take around 3 hours or so to drive there. And yes I do like a beer a couple of times a week and know that there is a good splattering of bars up there. I assume high speed internet is fine in a city like KK.

I'm done with Pattaya, I've enjoyed it here but time to move on.

Cheers.

[Pattaya Pat]

For a family man, you can't go wrong with KK.

It has everything you need and more.

First, it is a city for families, but also has it's entertainment venues.

I presume you rented a house in the quite new development going left from Tesco Express, near the lake.

You have in walking distance many nice restaurants for all kinds of taste.

The Plaza is 10 minutes driving from you with all the modern shops.

If you fancy a beer, plenty of shops next to the lake admiring the sunsets.

There are 2 big Tescos, Big C, Tops and all the big stores around you.

You can't go wrong.

Best of Luck with your move.

What is the name of that new development please?

[Pattaya Pat]

Khon Kaen.....the place to be and to be seen.

At least that is going around on the internet for the young people.

Costas already told you a lot.

Of course you can put yourself away in one of the new developements on Mithraparp Road (the road from Bangkok to Nog Khai).

But there are better places to rent, cheaper, and nearer the centre.

Depending on the kind of house you want to rent, well town houses vary between 6000 and 10000, bungalows between 8000 and 12000.

The really big houses, depending on the developement are priced between 9000 and 15000.

Anything higher is farang prices.

Need help finding a house, I can do, no charge.

Hi,

Thanks for the reply and the offer of help. I may well be in touch but do already have someone on the case for me but will genuinely be in touch if I feel the other guy isn't up to scratch. I'm happy to pay up to 17k a month for a 3 or even a 4 bedder.

[Costas2008]

For a family man, you can't go wrong with KK.

It has everything you need and more.

First, it is a city for families, but also has it's entertainment venues.

I presume you rented a house in the quite new development going left from Tesco Express, near the lake.

You have in walking distance many nice restaurants for all kinds of taste.

The Plaza is 10 minutes driving from you with all the modern shops.

If you fancy a beer, plenty of shops next to the lake admiring the sunsets.

There are 2 big Tescos, Big C, Tops and all the big stores around you.

You can't go wrong.

Best of Luck with your move.

What is the name of that new development please?

Hansnl, suggested a new development, that I am not aware of.

But I believe, Pimanchon village is OK, and as said before very short distance from everything.

Sorry, but I don't know of any housing estates.

Also forgot to mention before, that KK has some of the best Hospitals in the region, hope you never need them, but Sri Nakharin, The heart centre, Khon Kaen central hospital are of the best.

When you are here, do PM, me and I will take you to the best steak restaurant, opposite Sri Nakharin that offers, eat as much as you like, beef steak, pork steak, chicken steak and all the trimmings with 169Baht pp.

Going there tomorrow.

Definitely cheaper than Pattaya, with not so much less choice.

[Pattaya Pat]

For a family man, you can't go wrong with KK.

It has everything you need and more.

First, it is a city for families, but also has it's entertainment venues.

I presume you rented a house in the quite new development going left from Tesco Express, near the lake.

You have in walking distance many nice restaurants for all kinds of taste.

The Plaza is 10 minutes driving from you with all the modern shops.

If you fancy a beer, plenty of shops next to the lake admiring the sunsets.

There are 2 big Tescos, Big C, Tops and all the big stores around you.

You can't go wrong.

Best of Luck with your move.

What is the name of that new development please?

Hansnl, suggested a new development, that I am not aware of.

But I believe, Pimanchon village is OK, and as said before very short distance from everything.

Sorry, but I don't know of any housing estates.

Also forgot to mention before, that KK has some of the best Hospitals in the region, hope you never need them, but Sri Nakharin, The heart centre, Khon Kaen central hospital are of the best.

When you are here, do PM, me and I will take you to the best steak restaurant, opposite Sri Nakharin that offers, eat as much as you like, beef steak, pork steak, chicken steak and all the trimmings with 169Baht pp.

Going there tomorrow.

Definitely cheaper than Pattaya, with not so much less choice.

Sounds good, and yes I was aware of the good hospitals, the wife is actually a nurse.

Will be in touch.

[Costas2008]

For a family man, you can't go wrong with KK.

It has everything you need and more.

First, it is a city for families, but also has it's entertainment venues.

I presume you rented a house in the quite new development going left from Tesco Express, near the lake.

You have in walking distance many nice restaurants for all kinds of taste.

The Plaza is 10 minutes driving from you with all the modern shops.

If you fancy a beer, plenty of shops next to the lake admiring the sunsets.

There are 2 big Tescos, Big C, Tops and all the big stores around you.

You can't go wrong.

Best of Luck with your move.

What is the name of that new development please?

Hansnl, suggested a new development, that I am not aware of.

But I believe, Pimanchon village is OK, and as said before very short distance from everything.

Sorry, but I don't know of any housing estates.

Also forgot to mention before, that KK has some of the best Hospitals in the region, hope you never need them, but Sri Nakharin, The heart centre, Khon Kaen central hospital are of the best.

When you are here, do PM, me and I will take you to the best steak restaurant, opposite Sri Nakharin that offers, eat as much as you like, beef steak, pork steak, chicken steak and all the trimmings with 169Baht pp.

Going there tomorrow.

Definitely cheaper than Pattaya, with not so much less choice.

Sounds good, and yes I was aware of the good hospitals, the wife is actually a nurse.

Will be in touch.

Mine too, a nurse for 20 years now.

So we have more in common.

[Travel2003]

When I got here a few years ago, after a decade in BKK, I though I made a big mistake.

The city is developing extremely fast.

Very fast indeed.

[nev]

I live 22ks outside khonkaen but close enough to drive in when need be, and i must add you cannot go wrong moving up here, kk has everything you will need and cheaper to live and a good expat community, as for where to live, by the main lake bueng ken nakon is a great place or ban kok by the other lake has some nice housing estates, good luck and welcome to kk if you come.

[klikster]

"I believe it gets very hot in hot season but maybe 2-3 months of reasonably cool weather too?"

Please allow me to to a minor correction/addition for you -- and a week or so of weather that will freeze your butt off!

[klikster]

Actually, if I were a twenty-something single man fluent in Thai, I would still move to KK and take an apartment/condo in the area south of KKU.

[nev]

Oh yes kik agree 100% there is an abundance of sexy uni girls to keep any young falang busy in KK.

[Pattaya Pat]

I live 22ks outside khonkaen but close enough to drive in when need be, and i must add you cannot go wrong moving up here, kk has everything you will need and cheaper to live and a good expat community, as for where to live, by the main lake bueng ken nakon is a great place or ban kok by the other lake has some nice housing estates, good luck and welcome to kk if you come.

Hey Nev, it sounds like you are right out in the sicks there with the buffalo's.

I'm looking forward to this move, maybe catch up for a pint at some point.

[nev]

I live 22ks outside khonkaen but close enough to drive in when need be, and i must add you cannot go wrong moving up here, kk has everything you will need and cheaper to live and a good expat community, as for where to live, by the main lake bueng ken nakon is a great place or ban kok by the other lake has some nice housing estates, good luck and welcome to kk if you come.

Hey Nev, it sounds like you are right out in the sicks there with the buffalo's.

I'm looking forward to this move, maybe catch up for a pint at some point.

Not really in the sticks we are very close to the main bkk to kk highway and live on 5rai in the village, catch up for a pint indeed just pm me when you are here. cheers nev.

[SantiSuk]

Surprised you haven't included questions about the cable packages Pat, given your prior probs with True or CTH (can't remember which, but your rants were entertaining )

Will you be changing yer avatar to Konkaenkevin?

[SantiSuk]

Duplicate deleted

Edited June 20, 2014 by SantiSuk

[Pattaya Pat]

Surprised you haven't included questions about the cable packages Pat, given your prior probs with True or CTH (can't remember which, but your rants were entertaining )

Will you be changing yer avatar to Konkaenkevin?

I have a pal living in KK, he says no probs with CTH so that will do me.

He obviously will be a big help for me but I started this thread to get a second opinion on KK, he says he really likes it there but good to hear the views of others too.

I will actually be ditching this avatar and getting a new one. Out with the old etc

[klikster]

Oh yes kik agree 100% there is an abundance of sexy uni girls to keep any young falang busy in KK.

As well as unmarried nurses working at Sri Nakarin Hospital.

As a famous actor once said, "Too soon old, too late smart."

[Thai at Heart]

Lived there for 17 years. Its a busy place these days and isn't really much better for it.

Got a big house in the centre for sale if you want. Lol. Expat numbers have risen and there are some good guys around.

[firefox999uk]

Hi Pat

I lived in Pattaya for nearly 3 years; I now live in Mahasarakham the next

Province to Khon Kean, but take regular trips to KK for immigration, Shopping, etc.

The first thing you will notice is how lovely and clean the place is compared to

Pattaya, and there is no Pattaya smell either.

Your quote:- I'm done with Pattaya, I've enjoyed it here but time to move on.

Wise decision my man. Good Luck.

Have a Nice Day.

[Pattaya Pat]

Hi Pat

I lived in Pattaya for nearly 3 years; I now live in Mahasarakham the next

Province to Khon Kean, but take regular trips to KK for immigration, Shopping, etc.

The first thing you will notice is how lovely and clean the place is compared to

Pattaya, and there is no Pattaya smell either.

Your quote:- I'm done with Pattaya, I've enjoyed it here but time to move on.

Wise decision my man. Good Luck.

Have a Nice Day.

Cheers Foxy, looking forward to it.

[edwarda909]

All I knowI was there for a couple of days in March and found it unbearably hoy

[SwimmingPoolsThailand]

A farang customer of ours has his 3-bedroom bungalow for sale in a quiet, somewhat older mooban, very close to the city centre. The house was completely refurbished 2 years ago by our sister construction company with a hi-tech kitchen annexe added, and a 3x9 pool built by us. The only downside is the poor availability of good and/or reasonably priced service and supplies for swimming pools pools in Khon Kaen (we are located nearer Udon). Beware of people charging up to Baht 750.00 for a 25 Kg bag of pool salt and Baht 900.00 for a 5Kg bucket of pH Minus.

Overall, KK is a nice city, good shopping (although arguably better in Udon Thani which now boasts the country's largest Central mall and better selections and restaurants for Western gourmets), good schools, and a city centre grid-system that makes getting around it by car very easy. Bus terminals and railway station in or very near the city centre. Airport not as busy as Udon Thani airport (about 1 hour away). 6- or 4-lane lane highways (or under development) to all neighbouring provinces. KK now also has some metered taxis.

Excellent hospitals - some of the best in the country due to the high reputation of the faculty of medicine at the uni.

Easy reach of Nong Khai for border runs, or just to visit Vientiane.

Lacking in a truly performing local farang forum, but there is always ThaiVisa and UdonMap.

Rainy season from May - November, yes, but overall far less oppressively humid than seaboard locations. Cooler and very nice from November to February but still generally hotter than it ever gets in the UK. Some days may be a bit cool for bathing in your pool, but that wouldn't put the Brits off

For more details about the house, send us a PM.

[videomaster]

The first thing you will notice is how lovely and clean the place is

Must be a joke.....

[hobobo]

As part of my "initiation" to Issan, I did a tour and spent four or five days in most Issan cities, and definitely liked KK the best. When time comes to leave Patts, it will be to Khon Kaen, for sure. Good choice, and good luck Pattaya Pat!

[sanuk711]

Hi Pat

I made the same journey you are about to make--about 7 years ago, after 6 years of the Pattaya Madness...... if you just go a little further north then KK to Udon Thani, I think you will like the town better, it is a very farang Friendly town --I do not mean to say that K.K. isn't, its just that Udon has a long history with Farangs, a lot of young Americans etc here in the 60s & 70s they married young Thai girls went back to the USA after the Viet conflict, & now a lot of them are returning for their retirement days. Because its quite near to the border there are other advantages (Lao Girls just being one of them)-- A lot of water front land just north, as it meets with the Mekong, & several other advantages that now I have sat down to write --I cant even think of... .......although K.K is slightly larger (population wise) the facilities in UT far exceed the ones in KK...IMO....(hope I don't upset anyone with that) K.K has one main shopping city mall--Udon has has 4. UT has 4 cinema complexes 24 cinema's (as well as a multi plex,) water parks, the Airport is the gateway to Lao, so you do get a lot of tourist coming through -- I like that, some may not. but it does mean that flights in & out of there to all over Thailand exceed anywhere else in the region ( over 20 flights a day to BKK & return alone with 5 airlines ) South You are just over an hour away from KK which has some great hospital, Udon has all the main Hospitals (the BKK / Pattaya group..etc) but KK probably has some of the best Hospitals in Thailand, because that's where some of the main teaching is. North-Your 45 minutes away from the border & the old town of Nong Kai, (old in that it has a lot of history & character)

Well that seems like a real good write up on UT---I should forward it to TOT--- but you can PM me if you are coming up, I'll show you around--I think we both originally come from the same little village on the Thames , although I left it half a century ago for a wander round & only got back for visits.

Edited June 21, 2014 by sanuk711

[SwimmingPoolsThailand]

If our company hadn't settled where it is 15 years ago (we have an extensive compound with a brand new showroom and large demo pool opening shortly) we would have probably chosen KK as the location for our head office. That said, we are still within a very reasonable drive from KK for anyone seriously considering having a pool built, and of course for your regular pool supplies, we deliver to your door in about 48 hours. We are also opening a small shop in Udon soon because as sanuk711 says, and as we mentioned above, the shopping and facilities for farangs are somewhat better there.

Edited June 21, 2014 by SwimmingPoolsThailand

[Pattaya Pat]

Hi Pat

I made the same journey you are about to make--about 7 years ago, after 6 years of the Pattaya Madness...... if you just go a little further north then KK to Udon Thani, I think you will like the town better, it is a very farang Friendly town --I do not mean to say that K.K. isn't, its just that Udon has a long history with Farangs, a lot of young Americans etc here in the 60s & 70s they married young Thai girls went back to the USA after the Viet conflict, & now a lot of them are returning for their retirement days. Because its quite near to the border there are other advantages (Lao Girls just being one of them)-- A lot of water front land just north, as it meets with the Mekong, & several other advantages that now I have sat down to write --I cant even think of... .......although K.K is slightly larger (population wise) the facilities in UT far exceed the ones in KK...IMO....(hope I don't upset anyone with that) K.K has one main shopping city mall--Udon has has 4. UT has 4 cinema complexes 24 cinema's (as well as a multi plex,) water parks, the Airport is the gateway to Lao, so you do get a lot of tourist coming through -- I like that, some may not. but it does mean that flights in & out of there to all over Thailand exceed anywhere else in the region ( over 20 flights a day to BKK & return alone with 5 airlines ) South You are just over an hour away from KK which has some great hospital, Udon has all the main Hospitals (the BKK / Pattaya group..etc) but KK probably has some of the best Hospitals in Thailand, because that's where some of the main teaching is. North-Your 45 minutes away from the border & the old town of Nong Kai, (old in that it has a lot of history & character)

Well that seems like a real good write up on UT---I should forward it to TOT--- but you can PM me if you are coming up, I'll show you around--I think we both originally come from the same little village on the Thames , although I left it half a century ago for a wander round & only got back for visits.

Hi Sanuk,

Thanks for your post. I have been UT on several occassions and it is fine, but I (we) want to live in KK, not UT. Cheers.