Is there a big drop in number of foreigners living in Chiang Mai

[bazza73]

Seems to be plenty of falangs around, it depends on the measure being used. My condo appears to have more short-term renters, so perhaps there are less long-term residents and more tourists. Condo rentals have come down. AFAIK, falangs are finding condos and houses very difficult to sell. Busloads of Chinese tourists rolling in, buses with Chinese ideographs all over them. Straws in the wind, maybe.

[impulse]

22 minutes ago, bazza73 said:

Busloads of Chinese tourists rolling in, buses with Chinese ideographs all over them. Straws in the wind, maybe.

 

Wishful thinking.  They're coming with suitcases full of dirty/hot cash to buy up the real estate.  

 

(Not really cash so much, they have informal organizations that front them the cash in whatever country, and they pay the guy's brother back home, plus a little service fee to make it all possible in light of currency export controls)

 

Happening all over the world, and CM is close enough to China, and Thailand is friendly enough with visas to make it doubly attractive.

 

Edit: Not to mention the Chinese look similar enough to Thais to make a fake Thai ID do-able for the moneyed masses.

 

Edited June 5, 2017 by impulse

[NoshowJones]

2 hours ago, Winkburn said:

Wow less expats is surely a good thing. I think demand for good quality established condo's near River are still very sought after. The new dog boxes without any view will always be difficult to sell. Great potential with the future rail and cooler climate will always attract. I think the level of expats has increased maybe tourist numbers are down. 12  month Visa for retirement or marriage easy to obtain.

Iv'e lived between here and Australia for the last 8 fabulous years and don't tell too many people how good it is here as we have enough Farangs

Marriage Visas (you mean extensions) easy to obtain???? Only if you have plenty of patience and time.

TiT. They will never make things easier if they can be made harder.

[sfokevin]

I have seen no evidence that moneyed Chinese are invading Chiang Mai... 

[NoshowJones]

37 minutes ago, bazza73 said:

Seems to be plenty of falangs around, it depends on the measure being used. My condo appears to have more short-term renters, so perhaps there are less long-term residents and more tourists. Condo rentals have come down. AFAIK, falangs are finding condos and houses very difficult to sell. Busloads of Chinese tourists rolling in, buses with Chinese ideographs all over them. Straws in the wind, maybe.

Another member of the "lazy typist" brigade. I know what AFAIK means, but unlike some posters, I can type with more than one finger.

[fatdrunkandstupid]

11 minutes ago, sfokevin said:

I have seen no evidence that moneyed Chinese are invading Chiang Mai... 

Money laundering is seldom an overt activity.

[anto]

43 minutes ago, fatdrunkandstupid said:

Interesting strategy.  Living in a city that you take pride in avoiding.

No ,its just you can get far better accommodation at a cheaper price in the suburbs .Most elderly Farang dont need to be in the center of town ,as their night life is at home or in a neighbours house mostly .

[sfokevin]

2 minutes ago, fatdrunkandstupid said:

Money laundering is seldom an overt activity.

That's not what this thread is about...

[impulse]

21 minutes ago, sfokevin said:

I have seen no evidence that moneyed Chinese are invading Chiang Mai... 

 

How would you know?

 

I lived in China for 10 years and in BKK for 6 years.  And I can't pick out the well traveled Chinese unless I'm close enough to hear them speaking Mandarin or Cantonese.  (And even they may be Thai-Chinese)

 

6 minutes ago, sfokevin said:

That's not what this thread is about...

 

It goes to explaining why there may be a lot more condos being built than can be explained by the number of foreigners around to buy/ live in them.

 

Edited June 5, 2017 by impulse

[JaseTheBass]

25 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

How would you know?

 

I lived in China for 10 years and in BKK for 6 years.  And I can't pick out the well traveled Chinese unless I'm close enough to hear them speaking Mandarin or Cantonese.  (And even they may be Thai-Chinese)

 

 

It goes to explaining why there may be a lot more condos being built than can be explained by the number of foreigners around to buy/ live in them.

 

You must have gone round with your eyes shut. One can spot the Chinese easily in Chiang Mai, especially when they're wobbling around on hired scooters with thin plastic helmets on or standing in the middle of the road looking at their phones.

[pgrahmm]

1 hour ago, fatdrunkandstupid said:

Interesting strategy.  Living in a city that you take pride in avoiding.

Actually - always have lived close enough to a great city to enjoy all the conveniences easily, but far enough away that it's a quieter, more enjoyable, even paced lifestyle....

Probably started being raised in an area 16 miles out from San Francisco.....Just kept doing the same thing.....

Allows you to do more with life....

[sfokevin]

1 hour ago, impulse said:

 

It goes to explaining why there may be a lot more condos being built than can be explained by the number of foreigners around to buy/ live in them.

 

There have always been way more condos built than demand dictates...

If the Chinese were the buyers why are NONE if the condo signs in Chinese...

And foreigners can not buy condos with cash - wire transfer only...

 

[Jeffkp]

I live in CM and not sure why this is a concern to people. Not affecting my life. 

[rogeroc]

16 minutes ago, Jeffkp said:

I live in CM and not sure why this is a concern to people. Not affecting my life. 

 Well i have spent a lot of time in CM and i for one am interested to know if what the OP is suggesting is true.

 

It may well affect your life if all your close friends are disappearing from the city and this is what  am experiencing.

[rogeroc]

42 minutes ago, pgrahmm said:

Actually - always have lived close enough to a great city to enjoy all the conveniences easily, but far enough away that it's a quieter, more enjoyable, even paced lifestyle....

Probably started being raised in an area 16 miles out from San Francisco.....Just kept doing the same thing.....

Allows you to do more with life....

But you did indicate that you avoid the City which to me strongly indicates that you feel there is something not right about it, and i would agree with that. I lived most of my life in the suburbs of London, i guess similar situation to you but because of close proximity i could enjoy all of the theatres / attractions in the centre of London. But you avoid the centre of CM now so i fail to see any benefit in living close. 

 

[EricTh]

21 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I wouldn't be surprised if some have given up and gone home. Count me in their number. LOS just ain't the place it used to be and immigration are clearly making it more difficult to live in Thailand. Just read a few of the topics on other sub forums about it if in doubt.

 

NancyL is moving to Malaysia. I wonder who else are considering to do so.

 

[EricTh]

17 hours ago, sfokevin said:

^^^ But the government has already approved funding for the Chiang Mai Monorail!

 

http://www.chiangmaicitylife.com/news/the-chiang-mai-monorail-a-dream-come-true-looks-like-it/

 

I heard that the local red car drivers and other taxi companies have opposed this project because they will lose income. So it won't be approved.

[bazza73]

2 hours ago, impulse said:

 

Wishful thinking.  They're coming with suitcases full of dirty/hot cash to buy up the real estate.  

 

(Not really cash so much, they have informal organizations that front them the cash in whatever country, and they pay the guy's brother back home, plus a little service fee to make it all possible in light of currency export controls)

 

Happening all over the world, and CM is close enough to China, and Thailand is friendly enough with visas to make it doubly attractive.

 

Edit: Not to mention the Chinese look similar enough to Thais to make a fake Thai ID do-able for the moneyed masses.

 

I would have thought with suitcases full of dirty/hot cash they'd be flying in, not coming via bus.

Don't know what it is they are buying, because according to several friends the real estate market in CM is dead.

I could be wrong-it happens.

[pgrahmm]

6 minutes ago, rogeroc said:

But you did indicate that you avoid the City which to me strongly indicates that you feel there is something not right about it, and i would agree with that. I lived most of my life in the suburbs of London, i guess similar situation to you but because of close proximity i could enjoy all of the theatres / attractions in the centre of London. But you avoid the centre of CM now so i fail to see any benefit in living close. 

 

Family of 4.... I know most of the ways in & out.....When there's a reason we/I drive in.....Lived here long enough to have experienced it over and over....If we want to spend time we'll grab a room that allows for easy parking and bopping around.....

We've never done the club/bar scene so there's no real draw unless there's a function or specific place to eat, or showing visitors around......

[impulse]

6 minutes ago, bazza73 said:

I would have thought with suitcases full of dirty/hot cash they'd be flying in, not coming via bus.

Don't know what it is they are buying, because according to several friends the real estate market in CM is dead.

I could be wrong-it happens.

 

You're confusing the mass tourists with the well traveled.  With 1.5 billion people, 5% of the population is enough to match Thailand's population.

 

[impulse]

1 hour ago, sfokevin said:

There have always been way more condos built than demand dictates...

If the Chinese were the buyers why are NONE if the condo signs in Chinese...

And foreigners can not buy condos with cash - wire transfer only...

 

So ya figure they don't have another brother or friend in the USA or UK to wire in some cash?  

 

You're underestimating the nature and extent of Guanxi.

 

They don't need signs in Chinese.  They have a network of real estate brokers to show them everything.  Sometimes mistaken for Uber drivers.

 

It's happening all over the world.  To believe CM is immune is pretty naive.

 

[EricTh]

Just now, bazza73 said:

I would have thought with suitcases full of dirty/hot cash they'd be flying in, not coming via bus.

Don't know what it is they are buying, because according to several friends the real estate market in CM is dead.

I could be wrong-it happens.

 

Tons of Chinese tourists are coming in through the airport. You can see them lining up at airport immigration. Not just from China but other Chinese majority countries like Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore too.

 

What he meant was that there are many Chinese tour buses which will drive them to popular tourist hotspots such as ladyboy shows, tourist markets etc.

 

 

Edited June 5, 2017 by EricTh

[nycjoe]

I am a recent migrant from ChiangMai, I am in Issan with clean air and no traffic. I go and visit chiang mai now. for a few days every couple of months and enjoy it more. Do you miss me? that could be it.Nahhh.

 

[Loaded]

23 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I wouldn't be surprised if some have given up and gone home. Count me in their number. LOS just ain't the place it used to be and immigration are clearly making it more difficult to live in Thailand. Just read a few of the topics on other sub forums about it if in doubt.

Been reading the same post since the birth of ThaiVisa.

 

 

[Sparkles]

Assist Thai Visa have just opened a new office in the new Star Ave complex on Hang Dong Rd near the  turn off to Night Safari.

 

Doubt they would open another branch if they were not confident on more expats settling here.

 

I repeat that many Australians are looking for pastures new and Thailand is in their sights but they need good infrastructure, hospitals, shopping ,schools CM ticks all the boxes there.I cant speak for other countries.

 

Immigration while its pain sometimes you dont have too many hurdles to get a year stay.Try geting a visa to Australia,if you are not a citizen , you won't complain again

[AlfonsV]

5 minutes ago, Sparkles said:

Immigration while its pain sometimes you dont have too many hurdles to get a year stay.Try geting a visa to Australia,if you are not a citizen , you won't complain again

Completely agree. Or as a Thai in Schengen states !

[WinnieTheKhwai]

22 hours ago, pgrahmm said:

 

The same with businesses aimed at farangs.....They are getting much more plentiful in outlying areas....And farangs walking about - not in tourist areas & not around a shopping destination....

CM city has gotten less & less user friendly over the past few years....

 

Was going to agree word for word about being more spread out but then .. wait.. what?  Less user friendly?  Do you know remember the days when a phone call to Bangkok was 10 Baht a minute, and getting a phone line in the first place could mean multiple years waiting?  Or getting Western groceries: better be able to find it at Kasem Store.  English language movies were difficult.. Western food nowhere near today's quality. (Same with just about anything else: coffee (LOL), baked goods (hope you like S&P), etc, etc.

 

It was TERRIBLE!   (But we was happy.. :) )

 

19 hours ago, worgeordie said:

Condominiums,are sprouting up like mushrooms,far exceeding demand , I think,

unless they are building them,in the hope that Bangkok will sink faster than anticipated ,

and that the population will have to move to the higher ground of Chiang  Mai.

 

If the number of Farangs posting on ThaiVisa is anything to go by ,then I would say 

there are a lot less Farangs here.

 

Well, "Internet Forums" are a little 10-years-ago as a thing. Thaivisa is relatively blessed as the membership is of an age that doesn't like changing, so it's just a matter of waiting until everyone dies off. :)

 

[pgrahmm]

17 minutes ago, WinnieTheKhwai said:

 

Was going to agree word for word about being more spread out but then .. wait.. what?  Less user friendly?  Do you know remember the days when a phone call to Bangkok was 10 Baht a minute, and getting a phone line in the first place could mean multiple years waiting?  Or getting Western groceries: better be able to find it at Kasem Store.  English language movies were difficult.. Western food nowhere near today's quality. (Same with just about anything else: coffee (LOL), baked goods (hope you like S&P), etc, etc.

 

It was TERRIBLE!   (But we was happy.. :) )

 

 

Well, "Internet Forums" are a little 10-years-ago as a thing. Thaivisa is relatively blessed as the membership is of an age that doesn't like changing, so it's just a matter of waiting until everyone dies off. :)

 

Good stuff......

 

And...... Being married - I'm not allowed to be as "user friendly"

anymore either .....

[rogeroc]

8 hours ago, Sparkles said:

Assist Thai Visa have just opened a new office in the new Star Ave complex on Hang Dong Rd near the  turn off to Night Safari.

 

Doubt they would open another branch if they were not confident on more expats settling here.

 

I repeat that many Australians are looking for pastures new and Thailand is in their sights but they need good infrastructure, hospitals, shopping ,schools CM ticks all the boxes there.I cant speak for other countries.

 

Immigration while its pain sometimes you dont have too many hurdles to get a year stay.Try geting a visa to Australia,if you are not a citizen , you won't complain again

 

That simply is not the point i could not care less about getting a Visa to Oz if i am looking to live in SE Asia. .But if P'pinnes / Cambodia/ Vietnam etc  is less bearocratic / less stupid / less hostile / not a military dictatorship then that will have an influence. I can get Visa extensions in P'pinnes by walking into a travel agent every 2 months, handing over my passport and give a signature.

[pgrahmm]

4 hours ago, rogeroc said:

 

That simply is not the point i could not care less about getting a Visa to Oz if i am looking to live in SE Asia. .But if P'pinnes / Cambodia/ Vietnam etc  is less bearocratic / less stupid / less hostile / not a military dictatorship then that will have an influence. I can get Visa extensions in P'pinnes by walking into a travel agent every 2 months, handing over my passport and give a signature.

No safety in the Phil's......Dirty, dirty place filled with desperate people....