Expat Family Communities

[zeichen]

Changklan has flooded a few times in the past 15 years once in 2003, 2004 in late August early September those were pretty bad floods and lasted about 5 days.

The last major flood if I remember right was 2010 end of September/October, Changklan was flooded pretty bad but only for about 3 days. Took us a few days to clean up though.

Flooding sucks but with some prevention, planning and patience it isn't too bad. If you are on the second floor of your building, there will be nothing to clean up. Just make sure you have one gallon of water per person for about 5-7 days stored and non perishable food. We also have sanitary bags in case the sewage backs up.

Shangrila has a metal fence that blocked the water from flooding their area, was kind of cool, like a fortress. Newer buildings usually have planned for flooding in their design and have ample drainage and have raised soil levels high enough.

Edited May 30, 2015 by zeichen

[Just1Voice]

Some people need the familiarity of living with expats, others don't. I fall into the "don't" category. I live in a moo ban that has 100 houses, is roughly 18 kilometers from the city, and I'm the only "falang" in the whole place, and I love it. I don't have people dropping by unexpectedly for a cup of coffee and chit chat. You want to visit me, fine, but you call me first because I have to use a remote to open the gate. If I don't want to see you, I tell you I'm getting ready to leave. Simple. Besides, I didn't move to Thailand for the company, I moved here for the peace and quiet I couldn't get back in the States. Yeah, that probably makes me "strange", but, hell, I've been "strange" my whole life, so it's normal for me.

But good luck in your search.

[mjakob007]

That does not sound too bad. 3 + times in 5 years. more important it has not happened in the past 5 years.

do you know if the twin peaks road got flooded too?

[awayego]

"enjoy being in a 'foreign country' (even with the many hassles and negatives) and embrace it - ex-pats just ruin the feeling of being somewhere different and special."

you are in the 1/8 percent of misanthropes I suspect.

Why does it matter if someone is an expat or not. Bad people ruin the feeling no matter what their nationality is. People that avoid expats just because they are expats is the same prejudice but in reverse.

I wouldn't avoid someone for being an expat in the same manner I wouldn't befriend them for the same reason. I choose my friends and companions based on a diverse set of criteria and the NIMBY or the I am the only foreigner mentality doesn't cut it.

Guilty as charged!

However, in mitigation, I did omit to put the word 'most' before ". . ex-pats are generally to be avoided, . ."

Like you, "I wouldn't avoid someone for being an expat in the same manner I wouldn't befriend them for the same reason. I choose my friends and

companions based on a diverse set of criteria . . ."

But ". . the NIMBY or the I am the only foreigner mentality doesn't cut it." ?

No, I really don't think I fall into that category because I AM "in the 1/8 percent of misanthropes" and my misanthropy is at least universal and

totally impartial.

[sappersrest]

Google Chiang Mai flood map it will come up in google images.Though a lot of defences have been built since publication. I remember when we were looking for a place one estate agent was really annoyed we had a copy!

Edited May 31, 2015 by sappersrest

[mascarabertha]

I understand your thinking 100%. seal yourselves up in a walled prison with other foreigners who are also frightened to explore anything new or different.

The cleavers and the Bev can live to left and the Cunninghams to the right

[sappersrest]

I understand your thinking 100%. seal yourselves up in a walled prison with other foreigners who are also frightened to explore anything new or different.

The cleavers and the Bev can live to left and the Cunninghams to the right

That may not always be the case,Someone may be posted out here by their organisation and if you read the original post the guy is coming out here with his wife and six month baby, who both may need the comfort of living with other expats.For a first time posting in that situation I could imagine I would possibly looking for that sort of comfort buffer. There is no one size fits all solution, especially here in Chiang Mai.

[mascarabertha]

I understand your thinking 100%. seal yourselves up in a walled prison with other foreigners who are also frightened to explore anything new or different.

The cleavers and the Bev can live to left and the Cunninghams to the right

That may not always be the case,Someone may be posted out here by their organisation and if you read the original post the guy is coming out here with his wife and six month baby, who both may need the comfort of living with other expats.For a first time posting in that situation I could imagine I would possibly looking for that sort of comfort buffer. There is no one size fits all solution, especially here in Chiang Mai.

what exactly is the comfort of living with other expats? to tell them where they can buy peanut butter. this isn't Albania for God sakes

[zeichen]

"what exactly is the comfort of living with other expats? to tell them where they can buy peanut butter. this isn't Albania for God sakes"

True but Americans that have never left the US tend to be xenophobic and insecure. They probably read something somewhere that made them think we are in beruit witha military dictator.

In Saudi most live in foreigner compounds and perhaps they just thought there were places like that.

CM is modern and accessible but to many tourist they still have this 3rd world perception and or don't want the hassle of dealing with non native English speakers.

[Ulysses G.]

I don't care to live with other foreigners, but I am single. If I had children, I would want them to fit in with other Westerners, so it would be easier to go to University or work overseas some day. Living and going to school with a lot of other Westerners now, might make life easier for them as adults.

Edited May 31, 2015 by Ulysses G.

[bangmai]

"what exactly is the comfort of living with other expats? to tell them where they can buy peanut butter. this isn't Albania for God sakes"

True but Americans that have never left the US tend to be xenophobic and insecure. They probably read something somewhere that made them think we are in beruit witha military dictator.

In Saudi most live in foreigner compounds and perhaps they just thought there were places like that.

CM is modern and accessible but to many tourist they still have this 3rd world perception and or don't want the hassle of dealing with non native English speakers.

Land-wise, the US is 65 times larger than England. But many Americans do choose to live with other westerners, in western compounds. The foreign service workers are used to it, and are paid accordingly, and ironically a lot of the missionaries do the same thing...actually living better than they would in their home country. The Germans and Brits are just as cliquey...make no mistake about it. Look at that whole strip of Huay Kaew...not very Thai, but one of the most popular areas for expats in the entire province.

Edited May 31, 2015 by bangmai

[STUDMEYER]

Ugh...

"

old(?), bitter(?), men(?) with no families fail at understanding someone outside their peer group in a completely different situation and attempt to crap all over them with unsolicited non-advice.

Thanks for the good advice and the friendly PMs from those who sent them. For me, this topic has run its course and exposed the ugly underside of the oh-so-helpful internet.

Please excuse me

Rgs

SM

Edited May 31, 2015 by STUDMEYER

[elektrified]

My wife and I live in a moo ban in Sansai there are approx 370 houses and approx 30 are occupied by one or more of the spouses being of foreign origin, some with families.

So to answer your question it is a nice mix of foreign and Thai families where we live with great facilities. I would not like to see it turned into a gehto full of foreign familys so yes it is defiantly a well kept secret.Good luck with your quest to find your new home,

Consider yourself lucky because In our moobaan in Sansai, the farang population is a good 35%. Of that 35%, I would say that 85% of them are missionaries. I do have to say that a very high percentage of them fit in very well, have lived here many years, speak fluent Thai, are very nice people, etc.

We did have a problem a couple of years back where a lot of transient farangs where showing up, renting many of the run-down, cheap houses on 2 sois in particular. It looked as though they were forming some type of commune or something, with many young, screaming, blonde haired kids running naked on the sois. One guy who owns about 8 rental properties on those 2 sois solved the problem by raising the rents considerably and driving them out.

Edited May 31, 2015 by elektrified

[BillyBobThai]

Hang Dong, the ONLY place to live in Chiang Mai.

[quidnunc]

Ugh...

"

old(?), bitter(?), men(?) with no families fail at understanding someone outside their peer group in a completely different situation and attempt to crap all over them with unsolicited non-advice.

Thanks for the good advice and the friendly PMs from those who sent them. For me, this topic has run its course and exposed the ugly underside of the oh-so-helpful internet.

Please excuse me

Rgs

SM

I sympathize you with you. You courteously asked a simple question and got hit with trolls making all kinds of assumptions about you. Questions like yours often function more as a Rorschach test in that the responses of people to them shed lots of light on themselves and none at all on the questioner. My particular favorite was the response of one person who classified 87.5% of expats in one unfavorable category or another including one called "mysinthropes.[sic]" While he didn't specifically exclude himself from that category, I would hazard a guess that he doesn't assign himself here. Yet it's clear he belongs to the subspecies known as "troll".

Anyway, you might want to look at Bantawai. It doesn't have the kind of monotonous architectural feel that lots of other Moo Bans do. And good luck in your search.

Edited May 31, 2015 by quidnunc

[quidnunc]

I like you subtly calling me a troll without using my name and quoting me directly.

The reason you don't quote me directly is that you are a cyber stalker and haunt me on ever single thread but don't want to get banned for doing so again. You want to pretend that you actually care about people. Please leave me alone you are a total nutjob not a cyber defender like you think yourself as.

I am not going to bother reporting you, but you really need therapy.

Bizarre. I think the last time I commented on anything you contributed here was months ago. This is your idea of cybertrolling? What are your views on paranoia?

Edited May 31, 2015 by quidnunc

[WinnieTheKhwai]

That does not sound too bad. 3 + times in 5 years. more important it has not happened in the past 5 years.

do you know if the twin peaks road got flooded too?

It's a condominium. The surrounding area can flood, but you'd be fine if that happens. Also it's not super deep flooding typically in most areas including Chang Klan. It's an annoyance more than anything else.

But like others have said, it doesn't happen often (has been a couple years now) and since then a lot more work has been done on managing the river water level. Not saying it can't/wont happen again, but hopefully it will happen less and less.

BTW reading this topic, everyone still sure you'd want to be near expats?

[strabel23]

If you're looking for a nice quiet and very secure neighborhood with beautiful yards and nicely spaced out houses of a modern design then Land and House Park Maejo is what you're looking for. Nantawan moo bahn there are a few houses available for rent. Another plus is besides the club house which has a giant swimming pool, tennis and indoor badminton courts, snooker room, exercise room and there is a separate swimming pool only available for this specific Moo Bahn. There are some expats living here but most keep to themselves. About a 20 min. drive to the moat area. What is your budget?

[Maestro]

Removed a nonsensical post and the reply to it.

[stephannie]

nice quiet and very secure

[Greydog]

A map of the flood that hit Chiang Mai in 2007 - I don't remember the month... august, maybe?