Urban living or Rural living, what's your choice?

[villagefarang]

I was watching an interview on television the other night where they were talking about urbanization and mentioned how several years ago, about the time I moved from Bangkok to Chiang Rai, humanity passed that inflection point where more people now live in urban rather than rural environments. My move in the opposite direction somehow struck me as interesting, having grown up amidst the suburban sprawl of my generation, in university towns and after that my adult life having been spent in Bangkok, a heavily populated city even in the seventies.

Even if one excludes the availability of jobs, I can relate to the draw of urban life. It certainly held my attention for quite some time. Something in me changed along the way, however. I am sure age had something to to with it, in addition to getting married at forty-five and transitioning from being single and unencumbered, to being more responsible.

We spent the first ten years of our life together living in the city and traveling much of the year. One of the great things about condo living is the ability to turn the key and leave for long periods of time with little or no worry. Our travels awakened in us, however, a deep almost primal lust for nature, which tainted our view of city living after a while.

As much as I loved city living, it didn’t fill that hole which had gradually developed due to our travels and changing circumstances. I found myself yearning for space, comfort, pets and the things I had possessed in my youth, things condo living did not allow for. So as the rest of the world was moving to the city in ever increasing numbers, we decided to move out. After looking at various options, I closed the book on my thirty years in Bangkok and started a new chapter in my relationship with Thailand by moving to a village 55 km from Chiang Rai.

I sometimes wonder if all these people rushing to the promise of the big city, be it Bangkok or elsewhere, might one day want to leave these cities? If they do, where will they go? Will they be able to leave? Those who can’t make a go of city life may return to the family plot, if it hasn’t already been sold, but one suspects that returning to a rural setting will eventually become less of an option.

The family farm in Thailand is slowly going the way of family farms in the West. Land homesteaded by grandparents is being divided among offspring and sold off to pay debts. One suspects that it may one day be another group, who have done well in life and have the funds to live a comfortable life in a more natural environment, who end up being the ones who can afford to live out of the city.

Many still see country life as remote, deprived, difficult and mind numbing but it isn’t that for everyone. True, things may move at a different pace but with the absence of other distractions you begin to look at the world differently, feel more deeply and see more color and texture in the world around you. In my youth I enjoyed city life and now as I get older I find myself enjoying rural life. I am guessing that as urbanization become more of a necessity for humanity to move forward, there will be more people who will consider country living a luxury they are willing to pay for.

I am not trying to sell one lifestyle over another, just contemplating the changes I see around me and wondering what things will look like in the further. If you live in Thailand, do you live in the city or in the country and why? If you dream of moving to Thailand, are your dreams of city life or village life?

[JLCrab]

OP has developed a deep almost primal lust for nature. I have developed a deep almost primal lust for lust.

[kannot]

Simple got condos in BKK and house in the country, live in both

[CharlieH]

Quiet serenity, peaceful village 20km outside of town. Peaceful but within reach of ammenities etc when needed.

[pigeonjake]

live in a little village on our farm most of what we need is on the farm,

sakaeo 57 cliks away for kentucky,,lol

tescos in wangnamyen,

but being from the countryside in the uk, it was just what i wanted, i asked my wife at the start of things, would she like to do farming and she was over the moon to be near her mama,

and so was i,

great life,, or as the old show in the UK,

the good life,

[geronimo]

I live in a suburb of Bangkok and it has everything for me. Far enough outside the city to be green and yet only 30 minutes away from Sukhumvit. The best of both worlds.

[weegee]

I am not considering moving from this peaceful place where we live.....The silence is golden and yes the pace slows down. I see migrating birds here, that i have only seen in books previous. Besides i think my dogs would be cranky if they had to live in 5 sq mtrs, of concrete.

Another good thing is, I can make a noise in the shed any time of the day, if I wish, and no one is ringing the cops to complain...

That'll do me for the last few years...

[krisb]

I know from living in a condo at one time, I really missed not having grass to walk on and mow. A backyard is the best. Even just getting things from the car is a pain in condo living.

Rural is fine as long as I see a town at least twice a week.

[pgrahmm]

Live where it is quiet, birds singing, neighbors fold up by 9 or 10......20-30 minute easy drive to CM and everything it has to offer.....95% of what we need is around us.....

Some people need the pulse of a big city, sirens, hustle and bustle, the new next favorite trendy place to be, keeping up with the latest fashions or feeling somehow not suitable/equal any longer.....stressing on the stress and feeling it gives meaning to it all......You come from the country and look around any big city you see people old before their time.....

I've always lived far enough out to have the peace and quiet....but close enough to participate in any "sophistication" I desire.....

Rural for me.....

[NoshowJones]

Quiet serenity, peaceful village 20km outside of town. Peaceful but within reach of ammenities etc when needed.

Yes, I'm quite similar Charlie, a peaceful village 15 Ks from a town and 50 Ks from a big city Nakhon Sawan.

[3SoiDogNight]

Here in Thailand, I much prefer to live downtown Bangkok. I'm a city boy here in Thailand.

Back in the United States, I now prefer to live in the rural areas - particularly the forest up in northern Minnesota along the shores of Lake Superior.

I have lived in big cities (Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco) most of my life. After living in Bangkok, American big cities are just boring, overpriced and unnecessarily rude people.

I really like the outdoors, especially the winter months when there is tons of snow, frozen lakes to go ice fishing, as well as skiing an ride snowmobiles.

I do not like the rural countryside of Thailand because I am terrified of snakes and I hate mosquitoes an all the other tropical bugs that come along with it.

Put me in a high-rise in Bangkok and I'm happy.

The nightlife and city vibe beats anything the US or Europe has to offer.

[Sena Dave]

I was brought up in East London, I enjoy staying in cities for a few days at a time now , but prefer being out in the sticks for most of the time

[ggt]

Whenever I consider moving to rural Thailand...I drive a few km out of town...realize what a bad idea it was...and hurry back to my luxury 2 story house in a gated community with all the amenities...I do not like seeing piles of trash...a dozen dogs lounging around a house without indoor plumbing and children running around needing a bath and clothing...no thank you...

[pigeonjake]

Whenever I consider moving to rural Thailand...I drive a few km out of town...realize what a bad idea it was...and hurry back to my luxury 2 story house in a gated community with all the amenities...I do not like seeing piles of trash...a dozen dogs lounging around a house without indoor plumbing and children running around needing a bath and clothing...no thank you...

we have 2 bathrooms,,,

and guess what,, we have flushing toilets,,,,, who would of thought 2014 and we have flushing toilets in rural thailand,

our daughters are clean most of the time,

we have running water from our plumbing,,

and only dogs i see are my own,,

and when i build our bungalow we even did it with double block work with a gap to keep the heat of the sun out,, hows that,,????

[pigeonjake]

sorry forgot to mention the trash or lack of it,,,

but i do have plenty of pig <deleted>,, if you want some,lol

[AnotherOneAmerican]

12Km from the center of CM surrounded by rice paddy and mountains.

I get both.

[weegee]

@ggt It depends what you think Rural is.

When my Rural House is Finished, I will have the same amenities as I had when I lived Urban, but a lot quieter and more peaceful and in a bigger house

Spot on!!!...and when you add a pool, it's like living in a private resort 7 days a week....You can invite friends and enjoy their company, instead of worrying about them falling out of the ninth floor apartment.....Or being bashed on the way home.....just saying. Village farang, what you have there is what a great many would like, but just wont go do it...right?

[motoguzzibob]

This is an excellent post and makes a pleasant change from some of the aggressive tones of other posts/ forums. I'm from the UK and retired last year, so have started wintering in Thailand. I have driven and stayed over most of Thailand - except the turbulent South over a period of years. I adore the countryside in the North and the bays/ beaches South of Hua Hin (not the main islands).

However, and, maybe this is an age thing (66), I am wary of living in a quiet place for several reasons. I am single and enjoy the company of others on a regular basis. My Thai is basic (I'm working on it!) and so for a decent chat I need ex-pats and probably always will do. We all know some ex-pats that are unpleasant and so a choice to find folks I'm comfortable with is top of my list. After that are a good choice of convenient facilities (shopping, medical, movies, restaurants, bars and so on) A point made already about insects and other creatures - actually I have no fear of snakes (I find them attractive and fascinating creatures - to be treated with respect, of course). However, mosquitoes seem to go for me big time, even when I follow all the rules. This is a problem, because whenever out in the sticks I get attacked far more frequently than in a large town/ city and spend all day trying not to scratch! But on a serious level, there is measurably far more potential of getting malaria or dengue than in densely populated areas, even more so it seems, near borders it seems.

I love the idea of living in a quiet place and in some ways envy you folks that make the move. I was brought up in the countryside, but it's not a realistic choice for me in Thailand.

Good luck whatever you do and, of course, each to their own. It's nice to be part of a civilised discussion!

[JLCrab]

My salt water pool 30 meters along the straight edge just like you'll have in your back yard?

[simon43]

Rural living, in the rubber trees, yet only 3 minutes drive from an international airport, beach and all shops.

Perfect for me

[Bernard Flint]

Never been interested to live rural style, albeit i am not a big city boy,so Bangkok is off my visit list. Pattaya suits me,very flat, good transport, plenty of restaurants to choose from, have the night life or not, easy for both, less pollution than big city life,etc etc

[Bernard Flint]

This is an excellent post and makes a pleasant change from some of the aggressive tones of other posts/ forums. I'm from the UK and retired last year, so have started wintering in Thailand. I have driven and stayed over most of Thailand - except the turbulent South over a period of years. I adore the countryside in the North and the bays/ beaches South of Hua Hin (not the main islands).

However, and, maybe this is an age thing (66), I am wary of living in a quiet place for several reasons. I am single and enjoy the company of others on a regular basis. My Thai is basic (I'm working on it!) and so for a decent chat I need ex-pats and probably always will do. We all know some ex-pats that are unpleasant and so a choice to find folks I'm comfortable with is top of my list. After that are a good choice of convenient facilities (shopping, medical, movies, restaurants, bars and so on) A point made already about insects and other creatures - actually I have no fear of snakes (I find them attractive and fascinating creatures - to be treated with respect, of course). However, mosquitoes seem to go for me big time, even when I follow all the rules. This is a problem, because whenever out in the sticks I get attacked far more frequently than in a large town/ city and spend all day trying not to scratch! But on a serious level, there is measurably far more potential of getting malaria or dengue than in densely populated areas, even more so it seems, near borders it seems.

I love the idea of living in a quiet place and in some ways envy you folks that make the move. I was brought up in the countryside, but it's not a realistic choice for me in Thailand.

Good luck whatever you do and, of course, each to their own. It's nice to be part of a civilised discussion!

Excellant first post, welcome to TV, and happy retirement

[motoguzzibob]

Where do you live Simon? Can you walk to the facilities - if so - sounds good to me!

[Mosha]

Quiet serenity, peaceful village 20km outside of town. Peaceful but within reach of ammenities etc when needed.

I'm with Charlie on this. 30 km from Ranong and 16k from the nearest 7/11 and the nearest expat. Never been a city boy.

[motoguzzibob]

Bernard - I spent part of last winter in Pattaya (And part in Indonesia). It's a bit scruffy - certainly has all the facilities I mentioned - doesn't seem like ideal living to me - having said that, I've got another 3 months there soon! I will continue to spend the rest of winter searching. I would like a list of places to look at/ check out

[Mosha]

Rural living, in the rubber trees, yet only 3 minutes drive from an international airport, beach and all shops.

Perfect for me

100_8380-800x600.jpg

Hope the trees are under short final Simon

[Crossy]

I live in a suburb of Bangkok and it has everything for me. Far enough outside the city to be green and yet only 30 minutes away from Sukhumvit. The best of both worlds.

We're a bit further out, but still only an hour from Suk, I drive in to town every day for work, at 6AM it's a 40 gentle minute drive, a bit frenetic on the way home mind

[weegee]

I know from living in a condo at one time, I really missed not having grass to walk on and mow. A backyard is the best. Even just getting things from the car is a pain in condo living.

Rural is fine as long as I see a town at least twice a week.

Couldnt agree more with getting things from the car up a walkup 3rd floor Appartment....no thanks !

Most elderly people will tell you they want to live somewhere where there is no steps to climb....but they dont have a choice.

Life in the rural area, you can have a pee behind any tree....try that in the city, when you have a urine problem (old Age, never pass a toilet in a shopping centre)

[henry15]

I live in an 85 m2 condo in the suburbs of Kotomo. I have a great view, a swimmingpool en tenniscourt at the 4th floor. My appartment is the only who is occupied, so very quite. Great security, all possible shopping amenities in the neighbourhood, Tesco, Villa Market, big C, big C Extra, Foodland, Central, more than 250 restaurants, from very basic till realy High End. Near the big roads to go North, South, East or west And only 30 minutes from Silom.

I find no snakes or other strange animals in my kitchen or bathroom, evem mosquitos don't know my adress 555.

And all of thar for only 13 495 Baht a month, including security, maintenance and wate. Why should I move to some banook village.

[motoguzzibob]

Excuse my ignorance, but is Kotomo a suburb of Bangkok and is correctly spelt as when I tried to google it, I had no luck apart from a garden centre in Ayuthaya and loads of Japanese things!