2 months in Surin

[Bigdata]

Hi All. Starting this December, I plan to stay in Surin for 2 months. I'll leave mid February. I've got an arrangement sorted out at work so I can work remotely 3 months a year (I'm a software engineer). I could do with some advice on finding a place to stay, what I should expect to pay/living costs, and any other advice you've got to offer.

I really need the following things:

- A place without stairs, a proper western toilet, and no tiny Thai doors, because I use a wheelchair

- A good internet connection & mobile phone signal, for communicating with people outside of Thailand

- Somewhere not totally out in the boonies, so I don't get bored

- Air conditioning

- Safety

- A bit of beer

I would like these things:

- A rental car, which I can fit hand controls to (I'll bring them with me and remove them when I go!)

- A separate room to use as an office, or even a small office in town

- More beer

- Language lessons from a competent teacher

I would like these things but they're basically unnecessary:

- A swimming pool

- A good kitchen

I've got a lady friend who will help me out at home but I'd go crazy living with in the village with her family, so I'm not up for that. I can spend 150k THB per month, but I really don't want to spend all that. Nor do I want to show that I'm able to spend that much in case the family find out, and all the buffalo start getting sick. I'm 30 years old and despite being paraplegic, I like to bpai teow, duum beer, and generally have fun just as much as the next 30 year old. I can read, speak and write basic Thai (just enough to get by on my own), but I don't speak any Khymer or Lao/Isaan or anything else whatsoever.

How much should I budget?

Does anybody have any suggestions on where I can stay?

Are short term rents a "thing" in Surin?

Will I find a car rental place that'll be happy for me to stick (temporary) hand controls on a car?

I've spent a fair bit of time in Surin, but never more than 3 weeks in one stretch. Am I likely to get bored?

How safe is Surin for someone like me, and how can I make it safer?

Thanks very much in advance.

[Martyjustice]

Your budget should be good. But never seen cars set up for hand control in Thailand. ADA housing will be fun to find too. Sorry I'm in Ubon.

[DILLIGAD]

Hi Bigdata

Surin is an OK place and I'd guess you have a general idea of how "wheelchair friendly" most places are here in Thailand. There are a fair number of resorts around Surin with ground floor rooms and I feel that would be your best option for getting somewhere short term only. Most do NOT have pools but do have a small restaurant/bar.

You might want to check out the FB page for "Corner Cafe" as they sometimes know about rentals in Surin (It is NOT my business BTW), I just used to live in Surin for around 5 years so know a few places.

Safety? I feel a lot more safe there than many cities in the west. Sure, there are incidents around Speed disco or Tawan Deang rock club but they are few and far between. How can you be safer? No idea. Get an off-duty police escort (joke)

Best of luck.

Edited August 6, 2015 by DILLIGAD

[Issangeorge]

You should be able to rent a car for about ฿15,000 a month, maybe less, perhaps try a place in Bangkok. For another ฿15,000 you could probably get a driver, that could be useful. I would think for two months a resort would be best, maybe even rent two rooms side by side, I'm guessing you could get them for about ฿20,000 a month, perhaps less. If not counting car and housing you budgeted ฿2,000 a day, you would have a very nice time. I would think ฿100,000 a month, would be more than enough, anymore than that and you are either having way too good a time, and not getting any work done, or getting ripped off. I know not counting a car, I could enjoy myself on ฿60,000 a month.

[Cam Khao]

My main concern if I were you, would be mobility.

If you are permanently in a wheel chair, you are not going to be able to move anywhere outside in the street. The sidewalks are atrocious, full of holes, varying heights, or simply just full of things that shouldn't be on a public sidewalk. I am not exaggerating when I say that I doubt that you could go more than a few meters without encountering an obstacle that would be very difficult to get around. This would force you out on to the road very frequently. And that's if you could actually get on to the road, if you are unlucky enough to be in a spot with a 12 inch curb, or a massive metal drain grate, you would be stuck again and have to turn around and go back to a place you could get on to the road.

You would pretty much be forced to use a car to go everywhere, and if you want to go in to a shop/restaurant/bar and there isn't a parking space right outside, you are in trouble.

I wanted to bring my mother over last year for a holiday, but in the end, after careful consideration, we decided to vacation outside of Thailand with her in a place where she had proper wheelchair access and decent sidewalks.

Edited August 6, 2015 by Cam Khao

[kamalabob2]

Bigdata: The replies have been spot on. I will add that a good number of Shell and PTT fuel stations have proper handicap equipped restrooms. The Surin sidewalks are a challenge for able bodied sober folks, and frankly you will need a helper a good portion of the time to navigate curbs and sidewalks which have terrible and thoughtless poles, cables and failures in the sidewalk surface. Wide grates or missing grates are not an exaggeration. If you rent a room in a resort or apartment you might consider purchasing a VRH stainless grab bar. Easy to install and most any normal landlord would see the virtue of keeping the grab bars installed. Same type they install in handicapped bathrooms at many fuel stations and larger public buildings. Easy to find in Surin at Global House or Thai Watsadu or either Home Mart. I've visited moderate priced resorts that had at least one guest room with grab bars in the bathroom in Buriram. Grab bars of a good quality come with the proper screws and cost 700 baht to 1500 baht each. It would not be foolish to ask in advance the width of the bathroom door of any place you were to consider. 70 cm wide is all too common, when 80 cm wide is certainly also possible for a bathroom door. Surin is "very safe" if you go normal places at normal hours. The most dangerous activity I've done in Surin is crossing a street or driving a car. There might be youtube videos of some Surin resorts and trip advisor might have guest photos which show rooms in a more candid sense than the establishment photos.

[Bigdata]

Thanks for the responses.

Yeah, I'm well aware of "access" in Surin and elsewhere in Thailand. I don't want to contradict anyone, but I've spent a lot of time in Surin already. It's not good, but it's not *that* bad if you've had practice and reasonable wheelchair balancing skills. I've not found anywhere in Surin that's 100% no-go. I've been all over the town alone "on foot". Surin is much better than BKK in that respect, where some places you will just get completely stuck with no hope (as an aside Khampaeng Phet is weirdly good for access). My favourite evening activity in Surin is being dragged up and down the stairs into Speed by the bouncers For someone elderly in a big, heavy wheelchair that has someone pushing them around, yeah, I think they would find it difficult. But wheelchair users come in different flavours and in many cases it's not as awkward as you think. Getting in & out of Speed is the only thing I can think of where I'd be completely stuffed without help.

I'll check out "Corner Cafe".

Edit: I'm actually in Surin again the week after next. I intend to have a look around rental accommodation while I'm there.

Edited August 6, 2015 by Bigdata

[DILLIGAD]

If your around on Saturday 15th. There is a meet-up at "The Office" bar/restaurant for farangs in Surin. There will be plenty of local expats who will be happy to give you advice/recommendations.

You will be made welcome.

P.s. You are not the only one to stumble at the Speed disco steps!!!!

Edited August 6, 2015 by DILLIGAD

[Bigdata]

Saturday 15th is the day I arrive. I'll probably need to pass out after the plane journey =/

Is this a weekly meet up? I'm around for two and a half weeks.

[redandyellow]

Let us know how it works out with the first girlfriend..

It's usually not the last

[Bigdata]

This one is different

[redandyellow]

If your around on Saturday 15th. There is a meet-up at "The Office" bar/restaurant for farangs in Surin. There will be plenty of local expats who will be happy to give you advice/recommendations.

You will be made welcome.

P.s. You are not the only one to stumble at the Speed disco steps!!!!

"You will be made welcome."

Sounds different than all the other places I've been in Thailand

Signed,

The compassionate Thai expat

[DILLIGAD]

Saturday 15th is the day I arrive. I'll probably need to pass out after the plane journey =/

Is this a weekly meet up? I'm around for two and a half weeks.

It's not a regular occurrence, maybe 2 or 3 times per year.

[DILLIGAD]

If your around on Saturday 15th. There is a meet-up at "The Office" bar/restaurant for farangs in Surin. There will be plenty of local expats who will be happy to give you advice/recommendations.

You will be made welcome.

P.s. You are not the only one to stumble at the Speed disco steps!!!!

"You will be made welcome."

Sounds different than all the other places I've been in Thailand

Signed,

The compassionate Thai expat

It's called trying to help others. Maybe you could try it sometime when you've grown up?