Mai Or Rai.....and Why? :-)

[webworldly]

Has anyone here lived in both Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai? What's the difference in day to day life like? What did you like best about each? What did you like least about each? What did you miss most about one when you were in the other? If you were going to live in either one for several years....which one would it be....and why?

CHEERS!

D

[Joel Barlow]

CM is for the novice, with little in local language skills.

More bars, prostitutes, activities for tourists.

CR is for the settled, ready to run his (her?) own life, act slightly mature on occasion.

CM is way better for business, making money, being involved (Gymkhanna Club, music jamming, meditation/t'ai chi, what have you).

CR is much better for your health. Locals are not so much on the make (they aren't, off the beaten path, in CM either), one doesn't have to fight trafic so much (difficult now to find parking for a car though) and things are pretty casual. Not as much Farang tomfoolery/obnoxiousness.

CM has better restaurants, movies, wholesale clubs, computer stuff access...

and of course the growingly pitiful, tacky trashy "handicrafts" of Ban Tawaii, Bo Sang and Sankampaeng - which once were pleasantly available at the Night Bazar, long long ago in another state of mind...

[my friend I]

CR has a more relaxed feel, seems cooler & the air seems cleaner. I had to live in CM but choose to live in CR now.

I'm not interested in bars or movie going so I don't miss that. CM has more cultural stuff at the consulates or CM uni.

[meadish_sweetball]

Slower pace, fewer people/tourists, less options, more provincial=CR

Faster pace, more people/tourists, more options, more international=CM

The air quality is probably a bit better in CR just like above poster said, although the air in CM is only really bad during the hot/dry season - March, April and part of May.

[Limbo]

If you are younger than 45 Chiang Mai might offer you more.

If you are older Chiang Rai will perfectly do.

I worked for a while for a famous family in Sankampaeng and had my office in Chiang Mai.

I liked the stimulating atmosphere as my jig also included activities at Chiang Mai University.

But every time I drove into Chiang Rai again I felt like a comfortable coat was draped around my shoulders (it can be rather cold during the winter months).

Chiang Rai is relaxed and offers all kind of possibilities to spend your free time and if you might consider to have too much of it there are all kinds of volunteer work you can engage in.

Welcome to check out!

Limbo

[webworldly]

If you are younger than 45 Chiang Mai might offer you more.

If you are older Chiang Rai will perfectly do.

I worked for a while for a famous family in Sankampaeng and had my office in Chiang Mai.

I liked the stimulating atmosphere as my jig also included activities at Chiang Mai University.

But every time I drove into Chiang Rai again I felt like a comfortable coat was draped around my shoulders (it can be rather cold during the winter months).

Chiang Rai is relaxed and offers all kind of possibilities to spend your free time and if you might consider to have too much of it there are all kinds of volunteer work you can engage in.

Welcome to check out!

Limbo

There is a wonderfully common element in the descriptions of Chiang Rai that folks have offered that makes it sound like a great place to live!

[svenivan]

There is a wonderfully common element in the descriptions of Chiang Rai that folks have offered that makes it sound like a great place to live!

Maybe it is time for us to stop promoting Chiang Rai as the best place in Thailand to stay. We don't want it to be like Chiang Mai, do we?

[erg]

I am probably the youngest expat here (yes Limbo i am younger then 45)

I lived in CM for a while, but for me there is nothing above CR.

The suroundings are prob the most beautifull in the whole of Thailand.

[webworldly]

If I promise to keep the "CR is paradise" secret... ..can anyone help with:

Any rec's for a good gym in Chaing Rai?

Any rec's for a good long term serviced apartment rental?

CHEERS!

D

[soap]

If I promise to keep the "CR is paradise" secret... ..can anyone help with:

Any rec's for a good gym in Chaing Rai?

Any rec's for a good long term serviced apartment rental?

CHEERS!

D

hello webworldly

you can browse /removed/ for a rental in chaingrai,

they are a sponcer of thai visa,

my advice,stay a short time then if you like,stay a long time

_________________________________________________________________

Sorry that I have to edit your post Soap. Lannarealty is not an official sponsor of Thaivisa. The ads above and at the right side are google or yahoo ads which are not related to Thaivisa.

Greetings,

Limbo

Edited July 23, 2006 by Limbo

[mumbojumbo]

Any rec's for a good gym in Chaing Rai?

CHEERS!

D

Search the forum for gym's and spa's=discussed earlier

[webworldly]

What's the situation as far as internet speed, reliability, and cost in and around CR?

CHEERS!

D

(Note: Mumbojumbo....I've been searching like a crazyman for "gym chiang rai", "gym chiangrai", gym cr".....but I don't see much. I'm guessing there's a reason for that....

On the other hand, the lannarealty site is a winner! I think I just spent an hour drooling over homes that I can't afford. )

[tayto]

What's the situation as far as internet speed, reliability, and cost in and around CR?

CHEERS!

D

(Note: Mumbojumbo....I've been searching like a crazyman for "gym chiang rai", "gym chiangrai", gym cr".....but I don't see much. I'm guessing there's a reason for that....

On the other hand, the lannarealty site is a winner! I think I just spent an hour drooling over homes that I can't afford. )

Hi.Can't tell you a lot about gyms, the local sports club has one and a kind of home made one in the stadium. I also think some of the local hotels have some sort of gym.

As for accomodation, I would strongly advice you to stay in a guest house/hotel for a while before commiting yourself to anything.

The internet speed is good, fairly reliable and cost for broadband 256/128,start at about 6oo baht plus tax .

Welcome to Chiang Rai.

[chang35baht]

What's the situation as far as internet speed, reliability, and cost in and around CR?

CHEERS!

D

(Note: Mumbojumbo....I've been searching like a crazyman for "gym chiang rai", "gym chiangrai", gym cr".....but I don't see much. I'm guessing there's a reason for that....

On the other hand, the lannarealty site is a winner! I think I just spent an hour drooling over homes that I can't afford. )

Webwordly you can,t afford these houses because they are for sale on that site. If you deal face to face with owners then you will get a much more realistic valuation on a property that you are interested in. IMHO

[mumbojumbo]

What's the situation as far as internet speed, reliability, and cost in and around CR?

CHEERS!

(Note: Mumbojumbo....I've been searching like a crazyman for "gym chiang rai", "gym chiangrai", gym cr".....but I don't see much. I'm guessing there's a reason for that....

The thread i referred to was on page 2 called Sauna/Steam w/ map. Search engine only serches topic titles is think.

[lannarebirth]

There is a wonderfully common element in the descriptions of Chiang Rai that folks have offered that makes it sound like a great place to live!

Maybe it is time for us to stop promoting Chiang Rai as the best place in Thailand to stay. We don't want it to be like Chiang Mai, do we?

I expect in 10 years time Chiamg rai will rival or surpass Chiang Mai's poulation. As Chiang Mai inevitably upscales itself, I believe a lot of the backpacker element will choose to base out of the Chiang Rai area. I do agree there are some beautiful areas nearby up there, but the sprawl which is already evident, will IMO only get worse, as the free trade zone and China tourism takes off.

[niteowl]

Just wondering: why do you assume it's an either/or proposition?

There are many small villages around CM that offer that same "small town appeal" as CR - Lumphun, San Patong, Saraphi, Hang Dong, etc., etc. - and, at the same time, you're no more than a 30 minute drive from a decent loaf of bread, or hot dog pickle relish, or Bisto instant gravy, if you're willing to brave the traffic. CM also has books and magazines in English, clubs (chess club, flying club, et al) with English-speaking members, restaurants with farang chefs, for (almost!) every cuisine and taste, and on and on. CM is a great place. I just wouldn't want to live there.

CR has a very nice night bazaar. Plan on going there every night. Precious little else to do in CR.

[soap]

Just wondering: why do you assume it's an either/or proposition?

a 30 minute drive from a decent loaf of bread, or hot dog pickle relish, or Bisto instant gravy, if

were can you buy bisto gravy in chaingmai please

[tayto]

Just wondering: why do you assume it's an either/or proposition?

a 30 minute drive from a decent loaf of bread, or hot dog pickle relish, or Bisto instant gravy, if

were can you buy bisto gravy in chaingmai please

Don't know about Chiang Mai, but Northern Farm, Chiang Rai has a gravy mix.

Not sure if it's Bisto.

I bring Bisto from Ireland every year when I go home.

[niteowl]

You can buy Bisto gravy mix at the Rim Ping market in Chiang Mai. They have a great selection of farang food.

[Limbo]

One of the disciplines of the intensive sportsprogram Erg and I embarked upon is swimming.

Last Tuesday we went to the Sportsclub, to find out (to our great embarassement) that a group of children already had taken possession of the pool. CHILDREN!

Every right-thinking person knows what that means, so I will not go into detail.

I wouldn't know what to do in Chiang Mai, but here we just said to each other 'ok. then we take another pool', as we like to have the pool for ourselves.

And so we did (the 20 meter in the moban at the road to Ban Panjamorn).

That's Chiang Rai!

Limbo

[Rinrada]

You can buy Bisto gravy mix at the Rim Ping market in Chiang Mai. They have a great selection of farang food.

Have you found any of these yet.....

http://www.oxo.co.uk/

A good stock has long been considered an essential base for an array of culinary delights, such as risottos, casseroles, soups and gravies.

But with the pressures of everyday modern life, the laborious job of boiling up chicken bones or vegetables is not a task that particularly inspires any of us to get into the kitchen.

Real Stock by Oxo is set to change all that.

Real Stock by Oxo is a ready-to-use stock and is the closest thing you can get to making your own stock at home.

The Real Stock by Oxo range contains no artificial colours or preservatives, is 99% fat free and available in Chicken and Vegetable varieties.

As Real Stock by Oxo is made in the same way as you would make stock at home, this product is a convenient way of cooking with a stock without having to sacrifice taste and quality.

Real Stock by Oxo enables you to introduce all those dishes to your repertoire that you have previously thought too time consuming or complicated. Real Stock by Oxo comes in an easy open carton which can be stored in the cupboard ready for use any time.

At last you can get creative and impress your friends, without having to spend all your day tied to the hob!..............................aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa......aaaaaaaa....

[AjarnP]

What's the situation as far as internet speed, reliability, and cost in and around CR?

CHEERS!

(Note: Mumbojumbo....I've been searching like a crazyman for "gym chiang rai", "gym chiangrai", gym cr".....but I don't see much. I'm guessing there's a reason for that....

The thread i referred to was on page 2 called Sauna/Steam w/ map. Search engine only serches topic titles is think.

There's a pretty good gym with personal trainers upstairs in the Spa behind Wat Sri Gert. Give them a try.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Welcome to the forum AjarnP!

In the topic about gyms in Chiang Rai Mumbojumbo shows the location of the gym where AjarnP talks about on a Google Earth map.

See: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=75044

Limbo

Edited September 1, 2006 by Limbo