There is a portion of the foreign population who live in town but many of us live far from Chiang Rai proper. Whether you live in Phayao, Chiang Kham, Chiang Khong or Mae Sai there must be things you like about it that others may not see or appreciate. Why not share the good points about where you live in the province.

I will begin by saying that I live in Phayamengrai or more accurately another 12 km down the road from there. That is roughly 55 km east of town. Aside from the fact my wife was born here, there are many things I like about this area.

First off we are not subject to the fast pace of development one finds in many other areas. There seems to be a little less ethnic and religious diversity in the immediate area with most people having settled here from northern or northeastern Thailand.

With open farm land and some rolling hills it is a great area for either road biking or cross-country mountain biking. Except for a few kilometers of rough road near our house I really enjoy the drive to town and have a few route choices so I don’t get bored. Two or three trips to town each week keep me happy with where I live.

I am about two kilometers from a TOT Wi-Net tower so I have a decent internet connection of 13 mb. The water and power supply in our village is good and the house is wired for three phase. The farmland can flood on occasion but the house is safe and the roads have always been passable. The wide-open spaces and distant mountains provide amazing views and photo opportunities. It is very peaceful out here.

When I move to Chiang Rai after 30 years in Bangkok, I wanted a lifestyle far removed from the big city life I had known. It is not for everyone, especially if you are single, but it does work well for me.

I maintained a residence and office in Bangkok for 30 years while working in China, Phuket and Koh Samui. I first came to Chiang Rai 28 years ago and fell in love with the place. I bought my property in Doi Hang 7 km from town 13 years ago but just moved here permanently 3 years ago. I have worked in 30 countries and in 9 provinces in Thailand and have never found a place with better quality off life than I have in my compound here. GOD IS GOOD!

Doi Hang close to Wat Doi Kong Khao....short walk to Chiang Rai beach. 8 Km to downtown.

Wonderful scenic area though there seems to be a lot of new buildings going up these days.

Thanks for the two posts so far from the Doi Hang area. I am still hoping to hear something from Phayao and other outlying areas. It was after all ripstanley’s comment in another thread which gave me the idea for this topic.

Space is another big plus for living where I do. With more than 100 meters between me and the nearest neighbor, I find all my neighbors are lovely. While I seldom see sunrises I do enjoy an uninterrupted view of the sunset almost daily.

Wasn't there an interactive map here for this a few years back?

Or was it the whole of Thailand?

I think there was a map but I am sure it would have been archived by now. I am not that interested in a point on the map, more what it might be that individuals find special about where they live. Driving past a place or an area one might not get the same feel as someone who lives in the area.

It was ripstanley saying he doesn’t post much because he lives in Phayao which got me thinking how little I know about Phayao. This doesn’t have to be a questions only sort of forum. By sharing what we see or experience, it might spark and interest in others or broaden their knowledge.

For example there is a reservoir just 3 km from my house, the Ing River is about the same distance. Twenty kilometers from us is Tat Kwan Waterfall and Phaya Phi Phak Forest Park, both of which are not that well known.