What's it like to live in Chiang Rai at the moment?

[Bettyboo]

Who lives up that way or has experience of the area?

Could you give a basic rundown, please.

[Edmond]

Don't think he ever lived there, but Loo did a double trip report with 2 of his partners a couple of years ago.

Trip Report: A few days in Chiang Rai.



Never been, meself.


Edit:

Though I do have a GoPro going cheap if yer interested. No box no receipt.

[PAG]

I believe david44 is in that area, though I think quite rural.

[Bettyboo]

^^ thanks, I'll have a look.

I've been there, but just passing through and a little looksee.

Currently interested in what it's like to live. Too rural? Does the internet work? Expensive (relative to, say, Bangkok & Nakhon Nowhere)? Transportation (I suppose I could drive the Honda City up from Nakhon Nowhere if it still works)? Housing? Any good dog play centres, dog washing shops and vets? - Just the important stuff.

[Bettyboo]

I believe david44 is in that area, though I think quite rural.

Thanks, PAG.

Hey, D44, where's the info I require?

[PAG]

Possibly the best sources would be to join on of the Chiang Rai specific Facebook groups. Here's a couple:

Log masuk ke Facebook

Chiang Rai Expat Club

Again, Facebook is a source for property information. Here's an example, which seems a reasonable rent price:

House Chiang Rai

[david44]

I believe david44 is in that area, though I think quite rural.

Correctomundo, my wife feels I lack the refinement and table manners for hi so provincial capital where folks dress for dinner.

MisKit, Dr Andy Wivnail will conform while I try am at the barely acceptable end of feral tinkers and lack Cyrille's mellifluos phraseology.

I have replied on other thread and sent BB a pm

[david44]

In addition to PAGs links there is Chaing Rai Thais a very slow NO nonsense expat forum, with very little traffic, I seldom use as I only usually visit the city a couple of times a year .
Post covid my International foods are easily sourced online and I am replete.

Chiang Rai Ties - Index

The great thing is I can easily go weeks without seeing another western foreigner there are many Hmong Mien who arrived from Laos post Vietnam fight and both KMT and Yunnan Chinese who have always been arriving for centuries in fact the Thais themselves dribbled down not so long back ever Phuket bounders.

One really nice aspect of life climate and people are cooler, suits me may be a little slow for the young but as a retired person ideal.

Our little airport means very few queues, I was the only person a Immigration desk upstairs for those transferring Internationally, similarly at baggage reclaim ICQ from Copehagen via swampy 2m at Swampy transfer Immigration and only 5 of us at bag claim.

May I add I just renewed my visa extension, no queue 37m in and out in a bright clean air con office free wifi refreshments very helpful staff no tea money expected. I believe the C Rai city Office has just relocated to Central Mall

People think its remote but 90m to Don Muang or Swampy used to take me that long from soi 13! Can do day trip to Burma or Laos

[Stumpy]

Chiang Rai is a nice place. Been there many time. It's a Bit more rural than say Chiang Mai but is quite nice. Of course depends on the individual.

[Edmond]

What makes some normal, mediocre Thai cities/towns bearable, such as CR and Kanchanaburi, is that they are somewhat on the traveler's trail, so there will be a few bookshops that have a high-ish turnover of used books, half a dozen restaurants used to offering and cooking Western meals everyday, more Westerners to meet and chat with etc There are a few Thai language school there which is a great way to spend a few afternoons a week to be social, make friends while learning the local lingo.

The general kinda life stuff that will stop you from talking like David44 by your 60s.

[david44]

The general kinda life stuff that will stop you from talking like David44 by your 60s.

Absolutebubly

[malmomike77]

So Betts are you planning on leaving the sainted Korean shores for a life of 9 months in CR and 3 months somewhere else that you can breath?

[reinvented]

im a fairly frequent visitor, and lived there 25 years ago for a couple of months.
personally as im now fiddyish, i think its great.

its cheap, beautiful, varied. great local food (try the akha stuff also), people are nice.
has good hospitals and amenities. smog might be a problem, and youre only 2-3 hours from Chiang mai (with my wife driving anyway).

if i didnt have kids or work, i'd live up there in a heartbeat.

has just enough western amanities for post lockdown bliss

dont like their football team much

[david44]

Back to the OP

After a dip in the pool with my young lady , I strain to squeeze a few fresh limes into a jug with Tabasco and Worcestershire Sauce, as my squeeze bends to reach tomato juice from the cooler.

Click the big screen to HDMI2 for TD TV enjoy Happy Harry, SA' wellness tips, Tax filla's Cy's tremendous bezels of wisdom or the Rugby from France a bit of Galway Girl or The Doors

Then chase a few critters around the grounds, a bike ride amongst friendly locals,

Bloody Mary Where did it all go bong?

[cyrille]

You have a place in Thailand already, don't you boo?

If I were on the lookout for a good spot now it wouldn't be somewhere I can't go outside for three months of the year.

First smoke season I was back for (2021) I was lucky as the rains came early.

Sorry to rain on the parade, but for three months (apr, may, jun) last year being in most places in the North was a pita.

Maybe Petburi or Prachuap way is a better idea.

[Seekingasylum]

CR is perfect in October/November/December, superb scenery, a Mediterranean-like climate with lovely cool evenings, the town is harmless and pleasant where the natives seem contented and law abiding without the usual chickenheaded nonsense, and where there is a steady but modest stream of tourists helping to maintain higher standards. Their local minty sausages are superb.
The downsides are all climate related and render life intolerable - the hot season is truly fucking sweltering and the rainy season is biblically wet with flooding and mudslides, and I think the burning season will fuck up most asthmatics and COPD folk.
I thought of settling up that way once but they aren’t the wingman’s people so it was never going to be a likely billet.

[david44]

the hot season is truly fucking sweltering and the rainy season is biblically wet with flooding and mudslides, and I think the burning season will fuck up most asthmatics and COPD folk.

Having chosen to live here I may be prejudiced

Heat 10 months of the year ideal for me but I am content at 26 degrees and the interior of my home is usually around this level due to careful design and considerable expense , Superblock, double rood, light boxes, roof refection, Angled at 26%. No S facing windows all around shade offering decks,
balconies, etc

Of course a wooden trad home will be an oven anywhere in the Tropics at certain times.
We have ceiling fans and a couple of swing fans mainly for the pets.

I am usually travelling May June when it is certainly hot but cooler than where I lived in K phet and Sukhumvit, with mountain breezes.
We have 2 air con machines for visitors I have not used them this year and looking at electric bill around 1000 a month wife doesn't when I am away.

I am not sufficiently antediluvian enough to comment on Biblical floods but never ever had any in our village unlike Sukhumvit where Kurds, turds ad rats regularly seeking asylum. Perhaps you were amongst low life, up here in the hills we have refreshing breezes , cool ladies and fruity fruits.

Agreed 2 months of haze are bad news but I am not usually around in the burning season which seems to affect all of Se Asia and no action seems likely and with global warming.

I am unqualified to suggest where those with respiratory problems should settle permanently , probably on a Hebridean Island but certainly upwind from hot air, sausage renderers or pig slurry.

Although I have never been I should avoid Wonagamt and similar brothels which seem to invoke

Irritable Vowel Syndrome

I spent much of the past summer in Surrey, Dorset UK and St Germain des Pres in central Paris where the temperature and pollution was worse than home.

[Seekingasylum]

You’re talking bollocks, of course, but then, whatever gets you through the day.

[Mendip]

If I were on the lookout for a good spot now it wouldn't be somewhere I can't go outside for three months of the year.

Maybe Petburi or Prachuap way is a better idea.

Korat's nice! You could come fishing in the evenings.

[Edmond]

Main in Nakhon Nayok, passport renewal assistant in CR?

You ol' dog, Bets.


With a home base that's already somewhat rural here, a secondary place down south is definitely preferable, rather than a second rural base.

[Stumpy]

I am with David 44. A well design/built home will surely improve one's outlook. A few ACs for those wicked hot days or high humid days. The burn season impacts the entire country except maybe far south sadly. But this isn't every day. It has good and bad days depending on the breeze. But it will never change so bitching, pissing and moaning about it is pointless. So you do it right and take trips or adjust how you do things. A nice air purifier and all is good. The other 10 months or so are easy living even with heavy rains at times.

As for having a 2nd residence. I wouldn't want to go to the same location all the time. Much better to stay at various locations, rent or stay and pack up and return home. No headaches, no worries

[david44]

a nice air purifier and all is good

ah yes i forgot that we have a couple unused since spring

if you are a smoker anyway bb hardly makes a difference

[Stumpy]

ah yes i forgot that we have a couple unused since spring

if you are a smoker anyway bb hardly makes a difference

We have a nice one that we use on and off during the burn season. Rest of time sits in corner. Non smoker here. Never smoked a cigarette in my life same as my wife.

[Topper]

I was up that way in April a few years back visiting Crackerjack and I found it idyllic. The wife however needs malls. Everything was extremely cheap, but David and CJ are a bit east of Chiang Rai near Laos. The most beautiful woman I've ever seen was a Hmong working in a restaurant along the Mekong.

[BLD]

CR is perfect in October/November/December, superb scenery, a Mediterranean-like climate with lovely cool evenings, the town is harmless and pleasant where the natives seem contented and law abiding without the usual chickenheaded nonsense, and where there is a steady but modest stream of tourists helping to maintain higher standards. Their local minty sausages are superb.
The downsides are all climate related and render life intolerable - the hot season is truly fucking sweltering and the rainy season is biblically wet with flooding and mudslides, and I think the burning season will fuck up most asthmatics and COPD folk.
I thought of settling up that way once but they aren’t the wingman’s people so it was never going to be a likely billet.

WHAT. No chicken head nonsense. What would you have to complain about? Better stay in wongamat eh