Best Cities With Western Style Infrastucture

[Bigglewigs]

Not sure if this goes in this section but unsure of where else to post it. If wrong I will rely on mods to place in correct spot.

Excluding the most obvious cities like Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket and Chiang Mai, which 5 Thai cities would you consider that have the best western style infrastructure. Include things like malls, shopping centers to include large markets like Big C, Tesco Lotus, FreshMart, movie theaters, ample real estate market and good public transportation etc.

[craigt3365]

Outside bangkok, public transport is pretty dismal. The second biggest city is Khorat. It has everything. Very big city.

[MichaelJohn]

Having lived (near) Korat, I would say that although it has a lot of things it only has 10% (less?) of what Bangkok has and I wouldn't consider it to have a Western lifestyle infrastructure.

[KittenKong]

Is there any large town in Thailand that doesnt have more malls than you can shake a stick at?

[Khun Han]

Ubon ticks most of your boxes nowadays. Public transport is mainly in the form of songtheaws, but that's no differnet to Pattaya, and infinitely better than Phuket Town or Patong.

[toenail]

I visited Khon Kaen a couple years ago. Has an airport, a Tesco, a Big C, Home Pro ...clean city (unlike Pattaya) slower pace, a couple well-known universities to keep the place lively ... nice city that is growing with new industries moving in.

[robertson468]

Try Koh Samui. Has everything you mentioned and the people, in my modest opinion, are very pleasant, with mostly a nice and courteous disposition because we are a relatively smaller island community, which is lacking in the bigger cities.

[swissbie]

Hat Yei, has nearly everything within a small distance, convenient for shopping, not too far from the sea.

[NoshowJones]

Outside bangkok, public transport is pretty dismal. The second biggest city is Khorat. It has everything. Very big city.

I would also say Nakhon Sawan, and Phitsanulok, which has a Western supermarket. Tops I think.

[namatjira]

Actually, Chiangrai has it all....and has it all nicely.......great little city....and very friendly

[tails]

just need to replace 'la vida loca' with 'hotel california'

Edited May 19, 2016 by tails

[jacksam]

Melbourne or Tokyo ...(yes I realize the op was referring to los) ....bkk is limited to very small areas that have bts or MRT. The rest is stuffed. Second best option is to live in smaller city, say like udon thani or wherever and have a car.

[55Jay]

Korat, IMO, is a very Thai city with a light sprinkling of "farang" type offerings. There are knots of foreigners in a few areas, contingent of English teachers, etc. Others are spread throughout the surrounding countryside, some live pretty far out in the boonies.

It has a mall with a Freshmart supermarket, but sadly no Tops or Villa. Terminal 21 and Central Plaza are under construction at the moment, will broaden the selection. It has the normal offerings as well - 2 Makros, 2 big Tescos, Big-C, large outdoor markets around the city, Klang Villa and an IT Mall similar to Tukcom Pattaya.

No operating commercial airport so it's a 2.5-3 hour drive down to BKK. You could drive up to KK or Buriram and fly down I suppose.

It's ok living up here, wouldn't want to stay forever but there are many long-term residents.

[ozyjon]

My vote,, Udon Thani

[jacksam]

My vote,, Udon Thani

Yes one very important requirement (for me at least) is an airport. One hour flight to bkk. Then fly anywhere.

Edited May 20, 2016 by jacksam

[dddave]

Nong Khai, just an hour North of Udon has a lot of amenities. More of a town than a city but with Udon only an hour away, the best of both worlds.

A friend just flew from Udon to DMK; return for B1200...cheaper than the cheapest bus.

[Khun Han]

My vote,, Udon Thani

Yes one very important requirement (for me at least) is an airport. One hour flight to bkk. Then fly anywhere.

This is one of the convenient things about Ubon: the airport is right in the city centre.

[Bigglewigs]

Just a quick thanks to all those that responded to my inquiry. Cheers.

[Ireland32]

Nong Khai, just an hour North of Udon has a lot of amenities. More of a town than a city but with Udon only an hour away, the best of both worlds.

A friend just flew from Udon to DMK; return for B1200...cheaper than the cheapest bus.

I enjoy that area too, but I'm thinking Korat is gonna take off, will make decision when Term.21 comes in

[craigt3365]

Where ever you decide, spend at least a month before you commit. In Udon, do it in April or May. Tough months. Even in Pattaya, I tend to head out.

[anotheruser]

Ayuthaya.

[smokie36]

Hanoi....yes I cheated...beat me with a feather duster.

[smo]

On 7/21/2016 at 0:40 AM, smokie36 said:

Hanoi....yes I cheated...beat me with a feather duster.

 

Why oh why  can someone tell me please  why  people posting replies/comments like this? ? is this sign of senility/dementia setting in? so that I'd know when I start making comments like this it's time for me to check into an assisted-living facility.....

 

For those who haven't been to Hanoi - or VN for that matter - generously speaking it's one tenth the size of HCM City, and the latter had yet to open its first 7-11 the last time I went there in 2013. Good news is that that would happen in the next couple of years, I sincerely hope so, for its own good.

 

[According to the local press TUOI TRE NEWS :

The very first 7‑Eleven store will be inaugurated in Vietnam between April 2017 and April 2018 as the world’s largest convenience retailer handed over the control of the franchising activities to a local entity on Wednesday.]

 

Big C and Tesco/Lotus had already shown up there but with a marked reduction in scale and operation, ie one single branch each. The malls? The Diamond Plaza the premier mall in HCMC, again circa 2013, is a joke compared to the antiquated "The Mall" in my BKK working class neighborhood.

 

This is not a put down, just stating a fact to contrast with the inane comment aforementioned.