Where Would You Live In Chiang Mai ?

[changchang]

Where would you live in Chiang Mai if the following were your major considerations ?

Close to public transport (taxis & songthaews) but reasonably quiet and pleasant, not susceptible to flooding, and in the vicinity of adult private students of English at university level and from the general community.

Your comments would be appreciated.

(Ooops - seems I can't edit in the missing "g" in the title ).

[meadish_sweetball]

I would look around Thanon Suthep which starts at the western side of the moat and runs all the way up to Doi Suthep. As you get closer to the university, there are sois on your left hand side with apartment buildings and houses for rent.

[changchang]

Thanks, Meadish Sweetball, and also to the mysterious force that corrected the typo in the title.

[DrFisher]

Taxies are hard to come by unless you phone for one; you’re kind of stuck with red trucks and Tuk Tuk’s. As far as quiet that is also hard to come by when you are in the city, you need to be about 5 km away where you will also find the rent goes down enough to buy your own transportation. Just an example when I first moved here I got a condo and was paying about 12,000 B per month (with utilities) now I have a new 3 bedroom 2 bath home for 5,000 B per month. It takes me about 10-15 min. to get to CMU (where I work) mostly because of traffic. I would highly recommend you look around unless your only here short term.

[changchang]

Dr Fisher - thanks; that confirms the picture I had been forming.

Would you recommend the area near the Uni, too, then ?

P.S. How does one know if an area is prone to flooding or not ?

[DrFisher]

Quite honestly I'm not aware of any really serious flooding right here in the area although I have seen the streets around the mote quite water covered. Most of the villages around Sansai, Sansainoi and Ban Mae Jo don’t get to bad and the water goes away fast. Most new homes (foundations) are built 2 to 3 feet above the ground and are solid so I don’t see nor have I ever seen or heard of any major problems around here in the past 10 years. Some of the older villages are built in the floodplain so I would ask the neighbors before you rent.

[Maejo Man]

I would look around Thanon Suthep which starts at the western side of the moat and runs all the way up to Doi Suthep. As you get closer to the university, there are sois on your left hand side with apartment buildings and houses for rent.

That was the exact area I was going to suggest, however, the OP did say quiet, and that part of Suthep road is right in the flight path for take off's and landings. If you can put up with the overhead noise, it's a great area, and non flood prone

[changchang]

Thanks, Maejo Man. How frequent are the flights ?

Judging from your name, and DrFisher's remarks in the Supermarkets thread, I must be staying in the general vicinity of both of you.

I guess that means it is convenient for DrFisher to reach CM Uni from here but might not be the best area for finding students (though Payap and MaeJo are close) ?

[Austhaied]

Try to avoid anywhere around Mahidol Rd, as it is prone to flooding. There are lots of properties for sale and rent in that area, so beware. As mentioned the area around Suthep and Umong is quiet (besides the aircraft noise) and very leafy.. It is also great for food, markets, etc. Good luck in your search.

[Maejo Man]

Thanks, Maejo Man. How frequent are the flights ?

Judging from your name, and DrFisher's remarks in the Supermarkets thread, I must be staying in the general vicinity of both of you.

I guess that means it is convenient for DrFisher to reach CM Uni from here but might not be the best area for finding students (though Payap and MaeJo are close) ?

Not being smart but it depends on the wind With a prevailing northerly wind you can expect more take off's over the NE area of Chiangmai. Have a look at Google Earth and you will get the idea, or even a good map. I've only had a couple go over today, so it must be a southerly

[The Dan Sai Kid]

Thanks, Maejo Man. How frequent are the flights ?

Judging from your name, and DrFisher's remarks in the Supermarkets thread, I must be staying in the general vicinity of both of you.

I guess that means it is convenient for DrFisher to reach CM Uni from here but might not be the best area for finding students (though Payap and MaeJo are close) ?

I live under the flight path and it's not that bad - CMX is hardly Heathrow!