Moving to BKK

[Wake Up]

Hello all

I am 55 male soon to be divorced after 30 years of marriage and moving for a year or more to BKK. I am flying to BKK soon for two weeks and then for a month to look to rent an apartment and find a Thai language school and see if I want to move to BKK from USA. No forever plans just taking it one day at a time.

I have a Non O-A visa, need a furnished apartment 1 bedroom for 500 to 1000 US dollars. I like Sukhumvit from Nana to Thong Lor. I am open to anywhere walking distance to BTS.

I am also looking to learn the Thai language and workout at a Crossfit type gym. I would like to meet new friends to go out with for music and bars and enjoy life outdoors.

I don't need the do not come speech please. I would really appreciate some advice on these areas of need and things that could help my move and adjustment. I am in the USA so my time zone is thirteen hours behind your time zone so I may not respond quickly to your comments.

Many thanks.

[rocketboybkk]

You can get a decent place for 1000 us

You'll have a good time

Do what you want & don't let people dissuade you

Lived in Bkk for 2 yrs 2003-5

Great times

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[berybert]

There is a cross fit gym virtually on the Asoke BTS station. You will find many many places in the higher end of your budget around the Asoke area which will give you the best access to all parts of the city via the BTS and MRT. Personally I prefer a little further out, but only a few stops on the BTS. Thonglor is very trendy and not as busy as Asoke. There will also be plenty of schools in this area.

Plenty of Americans hang out in the bars around this area of Sukhumvit. A lot of them work and very few are special forces.

Good luck.

http://prakard.com/

Scroll down to the Union Jack.

Edited February 11, 2016 by berybert

[Wake Up]

Thank you for your advice and the Crossfit information.

[tonray]

Just be aware of the heat during hot season. Give your body time to adjust to the climate when doing things outdoors.

As far as the rest..no worries with that budget, plenty of great housing in that range.

[Prbkk]

You will find the best value apartments a little distance down the Sois off Sukhumvit. Many of the older buildings, in Thai terms, built 15 ot 20 years ago have more space than the newer ones and are considerably less expensive. In that price range you could easily find something that is renovated and in good condition and still only 5 or 10 minute walk to BTS.

It's a good market to be a renter: many vacant condos and rents are stable and a bit negotiable. Don't rush into one...it's well worth having a good hard look.

[JHolmesJr]

30 yearsssss.....mans got a lotta catching up to do.

[Wake Up]

Thank you all hope to meet some of you soon. I am staying at the Nana hotel for 34 US or 40 US dollars a night including taxes and breakfast. 1400 baht a night. I have never stayed there before so hope it is ok. I will walk around and look for apartments to rent during the day and look for a Thai language school. No car or bike for me just BTS, metro, buses, cabs and planes.

[Wake Up]

Thank you all hope to meet some of you soon. I am staying at the Nana hotel for 34 US or 40 US dollars a night including taxes and breakfast. 1400 baht a night. I have never stayed there before so hope it is ok. I will walk around and look for apartments to rent during the day and look for a Thai language school.

[Ghostmanthai]

If you have free time on your hands google condos for rent in Bangkok. Lots of easy search tools after that. It will allow you to pick price ranges as well as area and such. Good luck with the move.

[strapper1]

You mention, that you like the outdoors, I think maybe somewhere else in Thailand might be a better fit for you!

[tonray]

You mention, that you like the outdoors, I think maybe somewhere else in Thailand might be a better fit for you!

Are you implying that most of the activities around Nana are indoors ? (tongue firmly planted in cheek)

[mike324]

Most popular school seems to be ULS more intensive, and AAA more relax. I believe they can also get a education visa for you. There are many more out there.

Won't repeat what others have said, its a great city to meet new friends, very diverse and lots to do if you are keen on traveling and exploring. One thing to keep in mind is keep your cool! Don't provoke any folks especially at drinking establishments, be patient and walk away if provoked.

[yellowboat]

Have lived in China Town, Ratchada and Bangrak. All were great. easy places to live. Short term Bangkok is good fun and affordable. Long term is is anyone's guess now.

[F4UCorsair]

Hi Wakeup,

Nana Hotel may suit, but if you're not already locked in long term, it may be worth checking the Ibis, Soi 4 (Nana) Sukhumvit, or City Lodge, right on the corner of Soi 9 Sukhumvit, and 10 meters to BTS Nana.

Both are very reasonable.

Edited February 13, 2016 by F4UCorsair

[TEFLKrabi]

There's a good Face-Book page "Bangkok Apartments and Condos for Rent". Message the girl on there for some help. She speaks very good English. Good Luck.

[Phaeton]

Came year a year ago on a very similar plan, divorced after 20-25 years (if you count the five years of dating before marriage). You might want to check out airBnB also. I have been using them for my year here. One good thing about airBnB is you can do, for example, a 1-2 month rental. I am in a beautiful place in Thon Buri (which I don't think Thon Buri is your style, sounds like you want a more expat intense area) for $800US.

I think you may find, like I did, that the hotel idea was a bit tiresome. And that it is better to settle in one spot for at least a month and see what you think.

Otherwise your plan sounds very good. I haven't taken the Thai language class, and I should. One thing I am considering after a year here in Bangkok is moving to some smaller city. A thread was started here on TV, "after your years of being here what would you differently if you were starting over" and many of the ideas were good. But the one I heard over and over was leave the farang area sooner.

[chicowoodduck]

Try and find a monthly spot in the road near the BTS....the Bangkok heat, traffic and pollution will slowly kill your desire to call the Big Mango home is just a few short months....trust me.....?

[mascarabertha]

before you settle in to bkk, spend 2 weeks in Chiang mai. I live in both and it's fun for me to come to bangkok when I want but I always like returning to Chiang mai

[Guest]

About your age, about the same story ...

5+ Years in Bangkok ...

Honestly .. the best years of my life.

Just Do It.

[impulse]

About your age, about the same story ...

5+ Years in Bangkok ...

Honestly .. the best years of my life.

Just Do It.

After the shock subsides, the 5 years after the divorce are usually the best years in any guy's life. Bangkok, Boulder or Boston- doesn't matter...

[tonray]

About your age, about the same story ...

5+ Years in Bangkok ...

Honestly .. the best years of my life.

Just Do It.

After the shock subsides, the 5 years after the divorce are usually the best years in any guy's life. Bangkok, Boulder or Boston- doesn't matter...

Perhaps it's what you do with your life after that 5 is over determines whether you find happiness or not. I have seen many friends go wild for 5 years, have a great time and then get trapped in a vicious cycle of keeping the high going. Without question, have fun, let your hair down, but think about what's next too.

[impulse]

After the shock subsides, the 5 years after the divorce are usually the best years in any guy's life. Bangkok, Boulder or Boston- doesn't matter...

Perhaps it's what you do with your life after that 5 is over determines whether you find happiness or not. I have seen many friends go wild for 5 years, have a great time and then get trapped in a vicious cycle of keeping the high going. Without question, have fun, let your hair down, but think about what's next too.

Good point. What I found is that, unlike in my youth, a middle age guy with a decent job who treats women okay is a pretty hot commodity. Instead of chasing them, I just had to stand still... And I've never been what you'd call a gift to women in the looks department.

My point being that divorce sucks, but it can be the beginning of a great phase of life. The geographicals don't really matter as much as I thought they would.

[Baerboxer]

After the shock subsides, the 5 years after the divorce are usually the best years in any guy's life. Bangkok, Boulder or Boston- doesn't matter...

Perhaps it's what you do with your life after that 5 is over determines whether you find happiness or not. I have seen many friends go wild for 5 years, have a great time and then get trapped in a vicious cycle of keeping the high going. Without question, have fun, let your hair down, but think about what's next too.

Good point. What I found is that, unlike in my youth, a middle age guy with a decent job who treats women okay is a pretty hot commodity. Instead of chasing them, I just had to stand still... And I've never been what you'd call a gift to women in the looks department.

My point being that divorce sucks, but it can be the beginning of a great phase of life. The geographicals don't really matter as much as I thought they would.

I agree Impulse. A friend told me that would happen. I thought he was crazy at first. Then suddenly I noticed I was getting hit on by all sorts of ladies - business contacts, divorcees met at social events, even some younger bar maids and ladies in night clubs. Some real gorgeous ones too, much hotter than in my single pre-marriage days.

To the OP - find a good base. Not sure Nana Hotel will suit but if not plenty more down the length of Sukhumvit and other areas to chose from. Keep near BTS or MRT and you'll always be mobile.

Chiang Mai seems to have a lot of retired guys - single, confirmed bachelor and couples. I know some people who love it there. Hua Hin may also appeal; or more rural parts or the Islands. Take your time and check things out. Be careful, as you probably know, all the glistens in Thailand isn't gold. And that goes for expats you might meet to.

Stay safe and enjoy your adventure.

[stephenterry]

Good advice to suck it and see for a couple of months before entering into a longer term contract. Same applies to women who you will meet. It's like being in a candy shop in the sukhumvit area. Bkk is huge city, with a vibrant community. English is widely spoken and IMO no need to learn more than basic Thai.

[SLW]

Given the basic requirements your looking for, you probably have many options in the Nana BTS area.

The $500-1000 (17,000-34,000 Baht) range is available in that area. There are some smaller apartments down in Soi 8 that should fit your requirements that I've seen. I lived in Saranjai Mansion on Soi 6 for about 18 months. Soi 6 is a one way street that exits onto Sukhumvit but can be accessed off of Soi 4 (Nana); turn left by the Seafood restaurant. The first time I had a 2BR/2BA furnished for 36K/mo, and the second time a large 1BR/1BA for 15K. The units are condos that are rented out and the quality varies by owner. You can go speak with Mr. Somwang Veerapong (he's on FB) on the second floor office in the back building; the stairs are in front of a huge wall of mailboxes. I like it because it has a pool and is close to everything. I also needed hi-speed internet for work and many other places just had spotty wifi. I had True Internet put in a 18MB cable line for about 1000 Baht/Mo.

You could get a nicer condo unit if you move out on the BTS line but you'd probably find yourself taking a taxi home late since the BTS closes at 12am, A friend lived in the IDEO BlueCove condo very near the Udomsuk BTS stop; 2BR/1BA for 20K/month. He had True Internet installed also.

As someone mentioned, there is a CF box, on the roof, on the corner of Asoke; you can see it from the Asoke BTS platform.

As far as a Thai language school is concerned, I have but one recommendation: Unity Thai Language School. It's on the 18th FL of the Times Square Bldg off of Soi 12. I chose this school because I originally went to Union Language School (ULS) 22 years ago and received a very comprehensive understanding of Thai, both written and spoken, during the 10 months I studied there. When I returned a few years ago, I saw that some of the senior staff had left and started their own school, so I returned to school for a few refresher modules. The owner and some of the senior teachers remembered me from 2 decades ago. The courses run 1 month, 5 days a week and 4 hours a day. (P.S. - I am in no way affiliated with this school in any way; I'm just a satisfied student)

I know a lot of expats that speak little to no Thai and say that it's not necessary to learn. I've found that I'm much more effective when I just speak Thai with people.

Best of luck with your adventure

[Phaeton]

The first time I had a 2BR/2BA furnished for 36K/mo

Yeah regarding airBnB, or rentals in general, maybe I've been out of the rental market for a long time, or maybe it's something particular to bkk, but I was surprised that furnished rentals are common. And often the furniture is not bad. The place I'm in, seems like the whole condo, everyone got the same starter furniture (maybe owners had opt in at purchase?). So if you look online at airBnB at different units, you will see the same, not bad, furniture in each. And these rentals often will include a lot of the basics for everyday life, just like a hotel, so bedding and towels, hot water heater for tea, normal size frig, dishes and silverware (!).

[Inquisitorial]

If you have not checked them out there are some good fully furnished condos available on Trip Advisor - holiday rentals. I find Trip Advisor has fairly good search engine and many condos available in your price range - you probably get cheaper for monthly rental commitment and most include internet and electric.

Don't commit to long term rental until you are sure of the area you want to be in.

Try on monthly basis first.

Though you will find that many of the condos in BKK want 12 month lease.

Beware of the electricity charge - I have read that many owners inflate the what you pay. Make sure you are aware of what the charge will be, electric is fairly expensive but when its inflated it can add a big cost to your budget.

[berybert]

Given the basic requirements your looking for, you probably have many options in the Nana BTS area.

The $500-1000 (17,000-34,000 Baht) range is available in that area. There are some smaller apartments down in Soi 8 that should fit your requirements that I've seen. I lived in Saranjai Mansion on Soi 6 for about 18 months. Soi 6 is a one way street that exits onto Sukhumvit but can be accessed off of Soi 4 (Nana); turn left by the Seafood restaurant. The first time I had a 2BR/2BA furnished for 36K/mo, and the second time a large 1BR/1BA for 15K. The units are condos that are rented out and the quality varies by owner. You can go speak with Mr. Somwang Veerapong (he's on FB) on the second floor office in the back building; the stairs are in front of a huge wall of mailboxes. I like it because it has a pool and is close to everything. I also needed hi-speed internet for work and many other places just had spotty wifi. I had True Internet put in a 18MB cable line for about 1000 Baht/Mo.

You could get a nicer condo unit if you move out on the BTS line but you'd probably find yourself taking a taxi home late since the BTS closes at 12am, A friend lived in the IDEO BlueCove condo very near the Udomsuk BTS stop; 2BR/1BA for 20K/month. He had True Internet installed also.

As someone mentioned, there is a CF box, on the roof, on the corner of Asoke; you can see it from the Asoke BTS platform.

As far as a Thai language school is concerned, I have but one recommendation: Unity Thai Language School. It's on the 18th FL of the Times Square Bldg off of Soi 12. I chose this school because I originally went to Union Language School (ULS) 22 years ago and received a very comprehensive understanding of Thai, both written and spoken, during the 10 months I studied there. When I returned a few years ago, I saw that some of the senior staff had left and started their own school, so I returned to school for a few refresher modules. The owner and some of the senior teachers remembered me from 2 decades ago. The courses run 1 month, 5 days a week and 4 hours a day. (P.S. - I am in no way affiliated with this school in any way; I'm just a satisfied student)

I know a lot of expats that speak little to no Thai and say that it's not necessary to learn. I've found that I'm much more effective when I just speak Thai with people.

Best of luck with your adventure

I disagree with you regarding moving further out from the central areas. As someone living in Bangkok you are very unlikely to be partying every night. Most people will find a local close to home and get to know the people there and use that as their base. They will also spend 2 or 3 nights in doors each week once the holiday experience wears off.

Most expats will live a similar life in Bangkok as they would do in their home countries once they have settled down. But no doubt enjoy life more.

Edited February 14, 2016 by berybert

[JohnOFphon]

I'm moving out of my condo near Phra Kanong bts on the 31st of May. 14,000 per month. 55 sqm one bedroom with a kitchen. Fully furnished. Older condo, but clean, safe and quiet.

I'll even sell you my 2 year old PCX 150 for a good price. Just saying. I'm moving to Las Vegas.