Settling down in Bangkok - which Neighbourhood?

[qpgwmh]

Hello,

My Thai wife (we are in the UK) will be needing to rent a place in Bangkok for about six months early in 2016. She is travelling there in November to find a place, but we're both unsure as to which parts of Bangkok would be suitable.

We're looking for:

- Safety (young woman on her own after dark)

- Not too far from public transport into town (ideally a manageable walk to the nearest BTS/MRT)

- Nothing too downtrodden; both the property and the area need to feel like home and be suitable for children to visit

- Food shops (minimarket/supermarket) and decent street food not too far away

Budget 75k-100k.

Once we have a couple of areas in mind we can begin looking online for available properties (there is even a property finder on here, I see), but any recommendations anybody has from personal experience would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

[Crossy]

Can you clarify your budget, 75-100k (Baht?) per month? or for the whole 6 month period?

[smokie36]

If its 75-100k per month then I recommend something very nice indeed in Thonglor or Phrom Pong....!!

If its more like that for the six months I'd look in Phra Khanong or around Petchaburi MRT....although a rental around Petchaburi for a new place more like 25-30k for a studio you should be able to find somewhere nearby the MRT for 20k if you haggle a bit.

[qpgwmh]

75-100k per month, however we don't need to spend that much if we can meet our criteria more cheaply, so all suggestions are welcomed. Thank you.

[steven100]

Phrakanong, Thong Lor, Phrom Phong ......... these are good choices .... BTS , restaurants , services , bars ..

[smutcakes]

I live in inbetween Phrom Pong and Thonglor as far as I am concerned it meets all your criteria. There are plenty of all those around, the only downside is the traffic, but i avoid that by trying not to drive Mon-Fri, although Saturday is not much better, in fact worse sometimes.

Natural Park on Suk 49 is very popular with families, and with your budget you should get something of decent size.

[HooHaa]

If its 75-100k per month then I recommend something very nice indeed in Thonglor or Phrom Pong....!!

If its more like that for the six months I'd look in Phra Khanong or around Petchaburi MRT....although a rental around Petchaburi for a new place more like 25-30k for a studio you should be able to find somewhere nearby the MRT for 20k if you haggle a bit.

lumpini or sathorn area as well

[smokie36]

If its 75-100k per month then I recommend something very nice indeed in Thonglor or Phrom Pong....!!

If its more like that for the six months I'd look in Phra Khanong or around Petchaburi MRT....although a rental around Petchaburi for a new place more like 25-30k for a studio you should be able to find somewhere nearby the MRT for 20k if you haggle a bit.

lumpini or sathorn area as well

Yes Sathorn is a good area but less so if you need to travel in and out during peak hours by car....otherwise great.

[smokie36]

75-100k per month, however we don't need to spend that much if we can meet our criteria more cheaply, so all suggestions are welcomed. Thank you.

For that kind of money you can choose pretty much anywhere....behind Phrom Phong to Thonglor is great for access to the city, has some of the best restaurants in town and a park just across Sukhumvit.

Not to mention Emquartier and Emporium on your doorstep.....!

[qpgwmh]

This is all so helpful - thank you from us both.

What's the best way to find properties in these areas? The property finder on this site only has a handful across all of Bangkok?

[Thian]

I really like the EMquartier skywalk, now i understand why BKK wants to have more skywalks.

At night you can sit outside, no vendors, nice launchmusic everywhere, burning torches everywhere, no low class people anywhere, good supermarket and foreign shops for clothes, it's all there....much better then Paragon.

[thrilled]

Myself I like Riverside area.If your in the right area BTS and Robinson's mall are near.As far as walking at night alone.I don't

Do that much.The world is getting more dangerous all the time.Maybe she should have A container of pepper spray in her hand.

[JMWPACIFIC]

Hands down, Thong Lor (Sukhumvit Soi 55) would suit all your needs perfectly. Also, Soi 61, which I used to live on, would fit the bill and is more residential and quiet. Ekkamai ( Sukhumvit 63) is another good choice.

Gook luck!

[qpgwmh]

Thanks all, this info is really helpful

[DirtyDan]

Ari. Close to BTS. People love it.

[smokie36]

Ari. Close to BTS. People love it.

Lay out the reasons "people love Ari".... other than that it is cheaper.

I've never understood this one.

[mindovermatter]

Another vote for Sukhumvit Soi 55. Centre Point or Salil. But with that budget, you can surely find something that would meet or even exceed your requirements for sure.

[YeahSiam]

Another vote for

Thonglor from me

although, if you can

stand the tourist

numbers, Asoke is

even more

convenient and very

reasonably priced.

[rkbauer]

Ari. Close to BTS. People love it.

Lay out the reasons "people love Ari".... other than that it is cheaper.

I've never understood this one.

Less tourists/expats, more of a "laid back" vibe, no touts, no girl bars in the back alleys, no club noise and traffic into the wee hours of the night.

Basically, Ari is better for some because most people choose Thonglor.

Edited October 28, 2015 by rkbauer

[smokie36]

Ari. Close to BTS. People love it.

Lay out the reasons "people love Ari".... other than that it is cheaper.

I've never understood this one.

Less tourists/expats, more of a "laid back" vibe, no touts, no girl bars in the back alleys, no club noise and traffic into the wee hours of the night.

Basically, Ari is better because most people choose Thonglor.

So there is basically nothing there?

Sounds like Pattanakan with a BTS station....except there is a nice burger place there!

[smokie36]

Actually what makes me laugh is the thought that all of Thonglor parties all night and no one gets any sleep...there are no touts there...none of these girly bars being talked about bar the odd Japanese karaoke spot...and the side alleys if they have anything its usually restaurants and small funky bars.

Ari has....umm...nothing really.

[gyrosman]

Newbie

[GF47]

I'm on Soi 59 in Thonglor. It's a nice residential area and about a 7 minute walk to the BTS station. Thonglor/Ekkamai are probably going to be your safest bets. I found my place by sending out requests to random real estate agents.

[NanLaew]

Bottom-end of Sukh. BTS on the doorstep, rip-off taxis, loads of crap eateries, fast-food outlets, broken sidewalks full of tourist tat and shonky cocktail bars, sweaty dog turds, old hookers on the lash with even older farangs and ladyboys fingering unguarded pockets. Manic traffic. Floods when it pisses down too.

Center of the universe IMHO.

[1FinickyOne]

If you are both new to Bangkok - Emporium area to Thong Lor is probably going to be the best choice - easy access to BTS - etc… plenty of restaurants and nice and safe neighborhoods w/good supermarkets…

Silom & Sathorn get wildly backed up with traffic. And since taxis are cheap, if out at night it is a better option to be on Sukhumvit...

[SheungWan]

For the budget specified I would be looking for an apartment overlooking the Chao Phraya River.

[nithisa78]

75-100k per month, however we don't need to spend that much if we can meet our criteria more cheaply, so all suggestions are welcomed. Thank you.

Bangrak or Fashion Island area.

[gandalf12]

75-100k per month, however we don't need to spend that much if we can meet our criteria more cheaply, so all suggestions are welcomed. Thank you.

30 to 40k will get you a very nice place

[gandalf12]

75-100k per month, however we don't need to spend that much if we can meet our criteria more cheaply, so all suggestions are welcomed. Thank you.

Bangrak or Fashion Island area.

BIt close to Minburi that area and Bangkapi is not a great area now either

[dluek]

For that kind of cash I'd look around the Sathorn / Ratchadamri areas... Lots of really nice luxury condo type places on Soi Lang Suan, for example, which is close enough to the BTS but a bit removed so it's clear of the noise and annoyances of lower Sukhumvit. Lumpini Park (IMO Bangkok's best park) is an easy walk away. A lot of embassy staff live around there (American, British, Swiss and other embassies are close by) and that's where you'll find some of the swankiest hotels in Thailand (St. Regis, Four Seasons, etc.).

Otherwise I'd be thinking about a really nice riverside apartment with a view, somewhere off Charoen Krung or maybe on the west side of the river off Charoen Nakhon.

I can see why a lot of people are recommending Thong Lor / Phrom Phong area but it's not my cup of tea... Pretty far from central Bangkok, really far from the historic district and Chinatown, and I just don't think the area is worth the inflated prices that you generally see there for everything from streetside fruit to high-rise condos. The closest park is Benjasiri, which pails in comparison to Lumpini. Plus I get annoyed on Sukhumvit by all of the tuk tuk drivers propositioning "sexy girls" when I'm just walking by minding my own business. You don't get much of that around Sathorn.

Phaya Thai area might also be worth considering, or even Ari / Victory Monument.