What's it like living in Songkla?

[Rocketsurgeon]

Bangkok getting really old. Wife has a good friend in Songkla. She says her development business booming, property is hot, economy good. Things are stable.

Not much in ways of condos, townhomes seem a bit dear. Not a lot of waterfront that at least can be enjoyed. Not very impressed with main beach at all. Relatively short distances to Andaman islands.

Trang? Sleepy, dull? Expensive land, not many coastal plots.

Satun? Same as above. Friendly people.

Back to Songkla. I've found the city center ok place, a bit dull but hey, its the provs. Hat Yai is small but has whatever Songkla may not.

Thanks

[Stocky]

Hat Yai is small

Everything outside Bangkok is small, but relative to everything outside Bangkok Hat Yai is big, its currently the third largest city outside the Bangkok Metropolitan area behind Korat and Chiang Mai.

[phuketsub]

I certainly can't blame you for wanting to get out of Bangkok, but think you need to be more specific about your reasons for moving and what you are looking for in an alternative.

If you want to do business, you obviously have to go where the action is.

If you like beaches, the ones on the Andaman side are naturally much nicer and better maintained.

If access to beaches really matters, your really need to decide Andaman Coast or Gulf Coast, although the best situation is to switch back and forth to avoid the annual shift between Southwest and Southeast monsoon shift -- if you can afford it.

If you are really looking for nice beaches with access to city and/or expat life, you might consider Phang Nga or somewhere in the north of Phuket...or maybe someplace like Ao Nang in Krabi

[recom273]

Stocky has to agree - the infrastructure of the province, especially in HY have really kicked up a notch or five in the past 3 years. HY is on a bit of a boom, I'm not too sure about Songkhla, a little sleepy and expensive for us.

I couldn't stand living in Krabi or Trang .. But we enjoy a life on par ( not quite ) with BKK, and at the end of the day, it's 250b to the airport and 750b for a plane ticket if I miss the conveniences of the capital.

If you want to enjoy Krabi, it can be accessed in 3 hours.

[asdecas]

Songkhla is slightly more boring than Hua Hin.

[recycler]

Hat Yai is small

Everything outside Bangkok is small, but relative to everything outside Bangkok Hat Yai is big, its currently the third largest city outside the Bangkok Metropolitan area behind Korat and Chiang Mai.

That may be based on old data. I'm regularly visiting HatYai and Songkhla and are sure that Pattaya is way bigger than HatYai and would even estimate Rayong to be bigger.

Problem is that Thailand has no idea how many people live in a city based on official numbers as most people that live and work outside their hometown stay registered at their parents house.

[recycler]

Songkhla is focussed on oil & gas, it's the Aberdeen of Thailand and there are quite a few foreigners living and working Songkhla or staying there a few days before going off shore.

In recent years prices of land have soared, but I would expect the boom to cool down a bit due to the current and long term low prices of oil.

I like the places on the beach, many nice restaurants there day and night.

[Stocky]

Pattaya is slightly larger than Songkhla according to the numbers in Wikipedia, but there are several versions out there. As you say determining population is difficult as people are often registered in their home town. Hat Yai has increased significantly in size over the last ten years, there is a house building boom going on. Many of the new arrivals are families leaving the three southern provinces to find work and a more peaceful life. If you look at Hat Yai on Google Earth it sprawls over an area some 6km in circumference, it isn't just the area around Lee Gardens.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_in_Thailand

Edited August 24, 2015 by Stocky

[williet98248]

On one of my many road trips in the south I have spent some time in Songhkla. I liked it, scenic, not too big but big enough, on the water, clean and not so many tourists. Off shore islands and deserted beaches at Chao Mai. Don't know about the housing but surely houses for rent. I never saw another farang while there. Trang I don't like. Have been through there several times, found it boring, confusing and not much to recommend it. Hat Yai is a pit. I live in Phuket but I feel like Krabi Town is is a good place to live. (Not Ao Nang) On the water, an airport, big stores, a bit touristy but not like Phuket or Pattaya. (Un?)Fortunately my wife owns a moderately good sized farm near Khon Khean and that is where we will end up. On a working farm in the sticks. At least there is a Makro not too far away where I can buy my salmon and a decent steak once in a while.

[swissbie]

We've bought some land and a house in Songkhla province. Very quiet and breezy, affordable prices because of the rubber misery. It's not far to the beach and not far to Hat Yai. Songkhla muang has not too much to offer, but still has the city noise. Lots of students though. The beach gets nicer if you go farer south (but not too far, otherwise you have to wear clothes for swimming).

[Stocky]

Hat Yai is a pit.

That's rather harsh, having lived in for Hat Yai 11 years now we're quite fond of the place.

[weegee]

Songkhla is slightly more boring than Hua Hin.

And a lot less decent food, than Hua Hin....Used to be good years ago, but now it's a shithole....

[Doc46]

What do you want? Songkhla & Hat Yai are fine, It depends what you expect and how fussy you are.

[phuketsub]

We have to be careful not to be comparing geographic apples and oranges here.

Songkhla can mean: 1) the province which has 20+ districts: 2) Muang (provincial capital) district or 3) Songkhla Municipality proper.

As for criticisms of Haad Yai being a 'shithole', I don't agree. It has a lot to offer, but there is a learning curve. There aren't brigades of mafia-tuk-tuk drivers and aggressive, retarded touts trying to rip people off on every corner. ..The people are very nice, in general.

That said, the traffic has gotten a lot worse since I last lived there ...

[swissbie]

Hat Yai is only a shithole when it's flooded. I would not want to live in the city, but living nearby it's quiet convenient and enjoyable for shopping and entertainment.

[Rocketsurgeon]

Thanks for replies.