My partner and I are moving to Chiang Mai in early January. We want to rent a house preferably a little way out of the city so we have some open space and "greenery". We didn't want to purchase a vehicle or scooter to get around so is it possible to live in Hang Dong or even further out at Mae on Tao San Kampphaeng without your own transport?

I will be away for 6-8 weeks at a time so are these area safe for a woman on her own?

Appreciate any advice.

You will want at least a scooter for local shopping trips and getting around

Certainly you can live there without your own transport. Walk a bit is excellent for your health. Available public transport is inexpensive and widely available. You do not need to buy a scooter.

Safety should not be a problem.

Depending on age and fitness, walking may be ok but the heat makes it uncomfortable except early morning/late afternoon when you can follow the shade of trees and buildings.

Buy a scooter, 2nd hand for ~15,000 Baht, a small investment for ease of mobility. We live in what is possibly the greenest mooban in all of Thailand although it's a good 30mins walk to the Hang Dong road. I prefer to use the scooter for a 5 minute ride to the main road then walk the rest of way to say Makro, BigC or HomePro and avoid driving in heavy traffic and negotiating U-turns etc.

Personal safety is hardly a consideration and some moobans have a high concentration of farangs than others which makes it easy for someone left alone to make friends.

I know women who live alone in Hang Dong moo baans who do just fine without a car, but they do need a scooter or at least a bicycle to be able to get out of the moo baan to the main road to be able to catch the public song thaew into town. Also, remember those song thaews don't run after dark.

The most grocery stores here have home delivery, which is a big help for someone without transportation.

Edited November 29, 201411 yr by NancyL

Yes you can live in Hang Dong without transport but remember Hang Dong covers a huge area,depends what part, and as its been pointed out do you really want to walk and hope you can get public transport.Getting on a songteaw at peak morning times to go into the city is not easy you might find yourselves hanging off the back at best.

A scooter would be a minimum requirement I would suggest. Right now the market is flooded with ,low mileage, models.

Appreciate the advice. Do you need a thai licence to ride a scooter or will an American license be adequate?

Am American Licence will suffice but an International license would be better but it is required I believe after 3 months to obtain a Thai license which a 5 year old could get, just takes a few hours and is very inexpensive.

Appreciate the advice. Do you need a thai licence to ride a scooter or will an American license be adequate?

"American" motorcycle license, yes.

Isn't it odd how US citizens so often consider themselves to be the only Americans? Approximately two thirds of the American people are not in the US, are not US citizens.

Edited November 29, 201411 yr by Dante99

There are "motorcycle taxis" at different places along Chiang Mai - Hang Dong Rd. Part of their business is answering phone calls and going to an address to pick people up and take them to the main road. I think any of them would give you their number.

You could try this if you are against getting two-wheel transportation for yourself, or just to use until getting your own transportation.

There numerous posts in the Chiang Mai forum of ThaiVisa in regard to these motorcycle taxis some time ago. You could try searching for that or maybe someone can post something about it. I see the ones near World Club and across the street quite often.

There are "motorcycle taxis" at different places along Chiang Mai - Hang Dong Rd. Part of their business is answering phone calls and going to an address to pick people up and take them to the main road. I think any of them would give you their number.

You could try this if you are against getting two-wheel transportation for yourself, or just to use until getting your own transportation.

There numerous posts in the Chiang Mai forum of ThaiVisa in regard to these motorcycle taxis some time ago. You could try searching for that or maybe someone can post something about it. I see the ones near World Club and across the street quite often.

I had quite forgotten about that option. There's always one just south of the PTT/Jiffy and before Samoeng Intersection who may service our mooban.

There are "motorcycle taxis" at different places along Chiang Mai - Hang Dong Rd. Part of their business is answering phone calls and going to an address to pick people up and take them to the main road. I think any of them would give you their number.

You could try this if you are against getting two-wheel transportation for yourself, or just to use until getting your own transportation.

There numerous posts in the Chiang Mai forum of ThaiVisa in regard to these motorcycle taxis some time ago. You could try searching for that or maybe someone can post something about it. I see the ones near World Club and across the street quite often.

I had quite forgotten about that option. There's always one just south of the PTT/Jiffy and before Samoeng Intersection who may service our mooban.

There's also a couple at the first Banwangtan turn off which leads past the temple.They are located in the bike repair shop 20 metres of Hang Dong Rd. Was 20 baht to Banwangtan a few weeks ago

Appreciate the advice. Do you need a thai licence to ride a scooter or will an American license be adequate?[

"American" motorcycle license, yes.

Isn't it odd how US citizens so often consider themselves to be the only Americans? Approximately two thirds of the American people are not in the US, are not US citizens.

Do you mean that a license from Argentina would not work because it is two thirds as good?

If you find something near a market you could get by without transportation . Moo baan like Rungarroon and othere close by are within walking distance of about anything you need , for the things you cant get there yellow trucks run up and down Hangdong road a quick trip to Big C , Macro , or Tessco is pretty simple ..

Dante,

Not odd at all. It is well accepted and other people in north or south america really don't seem to have a problem with it.. People in these other counties prefer anyway to use their country name/nationality for ID purposes....

I know your intention is to criticize Americans but it is the only country that has the name America in the name of the country...

I have never heard mexicans, americans or canadians refer to themselves as north americans which they are entitled to. I am going to guess ditto that for south american countries.....

It is just the use of how written/speaking language evolved in this one issue...

Lets not try to hijack this thread.in something you really have not given any meaningful thought as to why...

CB.

Dante,

Not odd at all. It is well accepted and other people in north or south america really don't seem to have a problem with it.. People in these other counties prefer anyway to use their country name/nationality for ID purposes....

I know your intention is to criticize Americans but it is the only country that has the name America in the name of the country...

I have never heard mexicans, americans or canadians refer to themselves as north americans which they are entitled to. I am going to guess ditto that for south american countries.....

It is just the use of how written/speaking language evolved in this one issue...

Lets not try to hijack this thread.in something you really have not given any meaningful thought as to why...

CB.

From Wiki

The English-language use of "American" as the demonym for citizens of the United States has caused offense to some from Latin America[96] who may identify themselves with the term "American" and feel that using the term solely for the United States misappropriates it.

Dante,

Not odd at all. It is well accepted and other people in north or south america really don't seem to have a problem with it.. People in these other counties prefer anyway to use their country name/nationality for ID purposes....

I know your intention is to criticize Americans but it is the only country that has the name America in the name of the country...

I have never heard mexicans, americans or canadians refer to themselves as north americans which they are entitled to. I am going to guess ditto that for south american countries.....

It is just the use of how written/speaking language evolved in this one issue...

Lets not try to hijack this thread.in something you really have not given any meaningful thought as to why...

CB.

From Wiki

The English-language use of "American" as the demonym for citizens of the United States has caused offense to some from Latin America[96] who may identify themselves with the term "American" and feel that using the term solely for the United States misappropriates it.

mmm sensitive

Appreciate the advice. Do you need a thai licence to ride a scooter or will an American license be adequate?

If you buy a scooter, you will need a Thai motorbike license unless you have a motorbike rider on your D.L. or International license.

Unless you have ridden a motorbike, buy one and practice in on small streets near where you live. Keep in mind that Thailand has the second highest traffic death rate in the world, after China. My first impression of Thai driving when I arrive 4 years ago was "anarchy," and my wife did all of the driving while I figured out what was going on. There are rules of the road, but they are Thai rules and they do not comport well with rules that are known in the USA, by way of example. If you try and impose your rules, you will be at risk. I don't mean to sound paranoid; I have lived/worked in many third world countries, and maybe my advancing age has something to do with added caution, but driving here takes some work. After driving a car for two years I finally got a motorbike for trips to the store and into town, immigration, etc. It has worked out well.

Best of luck

public transportation in Chiang Mai is not good. Suggest you get a car or at least a motorbike to get around. Taxis are very expensive, ie least 2-3 times the price of Bangkok taxis.

bicycle.

Dante,

Not odd at all. It is well accepted and other people in north or south america really don't seem to have a problem with it.. People in these other counties prefer anyway to use their country name/nationality for ID purposes....

I know your intention is to criticize Americans but it is the only country that has the name America in the name of the country...

I have never heard mexicans, americans or canadians refer to themselves as north americans which they are entitled to. I am going to guess ditto that for south american countries.....

It is just the use of how written/speaking language evolved in this one issue...

Lets not try to hijack this thread.in something you really have not given any meaningful thought as to why...

CB.

From Wiki

The English-language use of "American" as the demonym for citizens of the United States has caused offense to some from Latin America[96] who may identify themselves with the term "American" and feel that using the term solely for the United States misappropriates it.

For me, I do that here in Thailand because I get a blank/questioning stare when I say the United States. So I got in the habit to say "America" because people here at least kind of understand approximately where it is. I, recently, learned the word for the US so I just have to try and remember the word the next time it comes it!

Oh, and I agree with the need for some kind of transport if one is living in Hang Dong. We lived just North of the turn to Night Safari from canal and we used our car quite a bit. Now that we live in town, we use our car maybe 3 or 4 times a month.

Edited December 2, 201411 yr by just_Elaine

The thing is I am Australian and I wrote on behalf of my "American" partner. When I introduce her I do so as an American. I work with folks from the States and when I refer to them I say I work with Americans. So to my mind United States are Americans, Mexico is Mexico, Canada is Canadians and Peru is Peruvians and so on.

The thing is I am Australian and I wrote on behalf of my "American" partner. When I introduce her I do so as an American. I work with folks from the States and when I refer to them I say I work with Americans. So to my mind United States are Americans, Mexico is Mexico, Canada is Canadians and Peru is Peruvians and so on.

Precisely my way of thinking and what I also do.

public transportation in Chiang Mai is not good. Suggest you get a car or at least a motorbike to get around. Taxis are very expensive, ie least 2-3 times the price of Bangkok taxis.

The public transportation is quite good in Chiang Mai. Yes the Taxi is more expensive than Bangkok but in Bangkok the taxi is more expensive than Bali. Hardly a deal breaker for a place you want to live in. Maybe some one with the knowledge of what area the songthaew covers and the price to get a red one or a tuck tuck there would cost. The later two I imagine would be costly.

Not familiar with The public transport in Hang Dong but from the replies on this thread they are not to good. I know it is cheap to get into Chiang Mai and back again in a songthaew but not sure what area it covers there. I believe they are building a new Rimping shopping center there. Perhaps some of the places will be in walking distance for it.

Edit

I am a North American. I have legal status in the United States and Canada.

Edited December 2, 201411 yr by northernjohn

Appreciate the advice. Do you need a thai licence to ride a scooter or will an American license be adequate?

"American" motorcycle license, yes.

Isn't it odd how US citizens so often consider themselves to be the only Americans? Approximately two thirds of the American people are not in the US, are not US citizens.

Odd? We think of ourselves and call ourselves Americans because it's our name; we are from the United States of America. Would you prefer we called ourselves Statesians?

Too, too silly.

I'm sure some of these old fellas on TV have to much time on their hands. The OP is politely asking for advice on somewhere he plans to move to and he's jumped on by a nutcase trying to start an argument about the use of the word 'American'. Some people really need to get out more.....

Appreciate the advice. Do you need a thai licence to ride a scooter or will an American license be adequate?

"American" motorcycle license, yes.

Isn't it odd how US citizens so often consider themselves to be the only Americans? Approximately two thirds of the American people are not in the US, are not US citizens.

Most U.S. Americans wear Canadian distinguishing labels when travelling anyway. So why not emblazon a scooter with the Maple Leaf too for ease and safety of travel here too.

I've got too much time on my hands. I think I'll have a look at Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_(word)

Statesians? No I prefer Usas!