Moving to Thailand

[joe552]

Following on from anonone's recent post about thinking of moving to Thailand - for those still of working age, would you head for Pattaya? Bangkok? Obviously it would depend on your job (not many oil rigs in Pattaya for example). But if your job was available anywhere, which Thai city would you choose? :dontknow:

[bucknaway]

If I had to choose, I would pick Pattaya. About a year ago my job offered me the chance to Transfer to our Thailand office but I turned them down. I think if I lived and worked in Thailand I would get fired from burning the candle at both ends.

[joe552]

without revealing your company or too much about your job, maybe you could say what your field of work is? interesting you felt Pattaya would be too much for you or at least could be too much.

[luvthai-2]

I'd pick Chiang Mai

[bucknaway]

I won't say what I do but I can say that they were opening a new office and were interested in having those of us familiar with Thailand to go there and act as a knowledge base to the New Thai employees of the company.

The reason why I say it would be too much for me is that I would not be able to stop partying and having fun and I fear I would end up having so much fun that my work would suffer and I would end up getting myself terminated.

Bangkok is too crowded and congested for me to be there working and Chiang Mai is too boring for me to think if staying there for an extended time.

[adman5000]

If you asked me a few years ago, I would have said Rayong. But I think the pollution has increased in this area.

I would say either Hua Hin or Chang Mai would be a nice place to work to be close to either the beach or the mountains.

[cdnmatt]

I'd have to say Chiang Mai too.

Bangkok = Too crowded, polluted, takes 60+ mins to get anywhere, etc.

Pattaya = Good for a week holiday, but not somewhere I'd want to live. The "red light district" aspect grows very tiresome after a while, and not a good place to settle for the long-term (for me personally).

Issan (Udon Thani, Korat, Khon Kaen, Nong Khai, etc.) = Boring as fuck. Really, who wants to live in the swamp surrounded by poor people?

Phuket = Ha! Enough said. WAY too touristy, and too much bullshit.

I've been thinking about moving recently. I'd love to have a nice house on the beach somewhere like Krabi, with my own swimming pool, large yard for the dogs, etc. Only problem is the whole flooding and chance of a tsunami thing. I think I'd go with Chiang Mai. Been looking at house rentals there, and there's some great places, which would be perfect for both myself, and the dogs. Plus Chiang Mai is a fairly quiet city, but yet is quite productive in terms of business, university, etc. It has absolutely everything you want / need, plus the foothills (Thais call them mountains) in the backdrop landscape, plus the cool weather, etc. Would be a good place to settle, me thinks.

[RichLB]

I'd go along with your initial choice of Pattaya. Noting really wrong with other places except what has already been said. Even though Pattaya is best known for its night life, there's far more to the city than that. In fact, I find I rarely go to any of the night spots most tourists think comprises the whole of the city. I'm never bored and can't think of any place in the world where the things I enjoy are so close at hand and affordable.

[Khor tose]

I'd pick Chiang Mai

Now there is a man with obvious good taste. :salute:

[Khor tose]

I'd have to say Chiang Mai too.



Come on up and bring the family, you will be made welcome.

Bangkok is the only place Id choose everywhere else is too small not enought sensible Western guys to have a convesation that isnt about who you fucked last night or what bar is good or bad look at all the posts about Patayya that's all people can right about.

[gaymandenmark]

1. Chiang Mai
2. Bangkok

I would not choose Pattaya, but would like to be close to the sea too.

If I win the lottery, maybe one apartment in Chiang Mai, one in Bangkok and a small house in the Ban Phe area. :sign5:

[cdnmatt]

Ohhh, and the other negative about Bangkok is that it's sinking into the ocean, and is expected to be underwater within 20 years or less. Forgot about that.

[joe552]

some interesting responses, thanks guys.

[travelerjim]

If I had to choose, I would pick Pattaya. About a year ago my job offered me the chance to Transfer to our Thailand office but I turned them down. I think if I lived and worked in Thailand I would get fired from burning the candle at both ends.

Bucky,

I am surprised...
Surely, the opportunity for you to work for the CIA in Thailand...
would have been a great "undercover" job to enjoy all that the Land of Smiles offers :-)

BTW, I think you made the right decision!

tj

[fedssocr]

I think living and working there would make the party aspects seem less enticing since it is just always there when you want it. At least that would be my situation, I believe. I might do a lot at first to get it out of my system though. :bounce:

Personally I think Bangkok would be the only place that makes sense for me. I am a city boy at heart. A nice highrise on a BTS or MRT line... I would rent though, not buy. Maybe weekend trips to Pattaya once in a while.

But ultimately I think the heat would just be too much for me. It's nice to visit in the cool month(s). But now when it's over 100 degrees every day it would wipe me out.

[anonone]

Interesting question Joe. What a great problem to have...which Thai city to live in. 555

I think Bangkok would have a lot going for it. Being close to BKK and easy access to other Asian cities would be a big plus. Close enough to hit Pattaya for a weekend when the mood strikes. Great medical resources. I am not a big fan of big cities, but Bangkok might be fun for a couple of years.

I need to explore more of Thailand to better know the other options. Damn Pattaya with all its easy tourist charms keeps pulling back there....

[vnman]

I feel much more comfortable with boys in public in Pattaya than I do in Bangkok.

[kjun12]

My response is that I'm moving from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. I just can't take Bangkok anymore. The traffic is unbearable and the people are nicer in the North. As someone said before Pattaya is OK for a weekend but not my cup of tea for too long.

[vnman]

Kjun12, I have been to CM one time and I thought it was really boring. I especially disliked the nightlife. I'm talking about many years ago though.

[Neal]

I have gone to Chaing Mei a few times and really enjoyed things to do and the weather. There were enough bars and boys to keep me happy and that Burmese look I love. give it another go.

I suppose it depends if your looking for the exciting night life of the tourist places or you want to be in the real Thailand most tourists never see.
I love the buzz of places like Pattaya..Bangkok...Koh Samui.....but my favourite place is Isaan...there i actually feel i am abroad and the people there seem more natural.

[kjun12]

Bluechris, Are you speaking of one of the larger cities in Issan or in a small village?

I've been to both the city Udon Thani...but i like Nong bua lamphu..the villages round there

[joe552]

The question was originally about moving to Thailand to work, rather than where we like to visit. But some interesting views, nonetheless.

Yes..i did'nt want to get off original subject...i was just replying to some previous coments on this thred about places they had visited.

[cameroncat]

Bangkok for me. Pattaya to crazy and too much crime with the onslaught of Rude Russians and Arabs. Chiang Mai just too darn quiet (only one shopping mall!). But I agree with fedssocr, I don't think I could take the heat year around.

[iwonderwhy]

I'm preparing to move to Bangkok in about 18 - 24 months. I love the hustle and bustle of the city, the variety of entertainment and shopping venues and easy proximity to the airport. It's also nice to keep places like Pattaya, Hua Hin, Phuket and Chiang Mai for holiday.

But the clincher is the job. I need to work and from what I can see there aren't as many decent paying jobs outside of Bangkok. Actually, there aren't that many decent paying jobs for farang in Bangkok. I think ultimately the best way to make (or lose!) money is to go through all the complexities of opening your own business. Recently, I've also come across of a fair number of consultants (primarily in IT) who are based out of their homes in Bangkok and travel for projects to high paying Asian cities like Hong Kong, Tokyo and Singapore. The travel can take its toll, but these guys seem to make enough in a couple of months of work to live the rest of the year in Bangkok.

[cameroncat]

You have to be careful that your "IT Consultant" Job is not considered depriving a Thai person of a job. That will get you a one way ticket out of Thailand.

I have to admit up until now I've been totally naive as to what was entailed in getting a job / working in Thailand, only this week whilst having one of my many "oh fuck this" moments when I was still stuck in my office in work at 9pm at night surrounded my a mountain of paper I actually ( and for the first time ever) opened google and typed in "jobs in Thailand and did a few various searches and was horrified to see a) the lack of jobs, b) the number of Thai national only required, c) full Thai language written and spoken a must, a BA or higher a BASIC necessity and don't bother applying unless you have one ( I don't ), several years experience in the field required etc and a few other deal breakers which instantly wiped me out of even applying never mind getting and interview or the job. Also almost none of them actually listed a salary, even as a guide so you had no way of knowing the calibre of the job to which you were applying and whether it would do you or not to live on.

I then read a few expat Thai job message boards and they all basically confirmed the above and listed the jobs you could do without a degree etc which from memory was an english teacher if you managed to get perhaps a fake degree and one or to other genuine qualifications ( which my apparent dodgy use of english, sentences and paragraphs I think perhaps not otherwise you'd have generations of Thai kids writing essays with no full stops and no paragraphs for the next 40 years ! lol :-)

They then also stated that you could be a time share salesman ( whoppee !! ) or ( and I quote) as a LAST RESORT you could open a beer bar - that last post was followed on the posting side of the board with a mountain of derisory posts mocking that idea as being "low brow" and only for the stupid farang that know no better and those that who want to lose all their savings to the Thai "system" within 2 years until the next sucker wheels into town to replace him and start the cycle all over again - ha ha little do they know without giving it much though that had been my plan A short of buying a go go bar which I'm guessing that unless you know what you're doing and have a large bank balance before you start is simply a faster way of the "system" extracting your cash :-(((( - neal I'm not talking about you here as it seems you tick both boxes in that a) you do seem to know what you're doing and b) you are of course as we all know a multi billionaire aside from your bar activities and that's simply something you're doing for "fun" to while away the hours :-)

So it looks like I may get stuck in to my mountain of paper work after all for another month or six as it appears that for me anyway for now is the only game in town :-( PLEASE someone correct me if I'm wrong and missing a trick here as depending on the day I would up sticks tomorrow if I could somedays of late !! ( if only the bank would let me - but they don't seem to be too keen with me buggering off to Thailand while still owing them quite a large amount of money.....damn, where is the trust these days eh !!! lol :-)

[joe552]

NIrish Guy, maybe if you spent less time on this board and more time working, you wouldn't have to stay till 9pm? Just a suggestion (but, we'd all miss you so much). :occasion9:

NIrish Guy, maybe if you spent less time on this board and more time working


God you sound EXACTLY like my office manager when you said that !! lol

And I'll have you know some days my two minute quick glance or post at the board in the middle of a busy afternoon is one of the few things that keep me sane thus allowing me not to have a "complete" nervous breakdown and so actually get ON with some work, so, one could argue that popping in an out of the board is actually therapeutic and actually enhances my productivity !!! so there !!! lol :-) At least that's what I tell my manager anyway :-) I just have to be careful to always remember to scroll down instantly when I open the board so that "Satawdee Gay Board" can't be seen on my screen - not because of the gay part as that's a non issue with me as I'm 100% "out but because anyone that walks in to my office can instantly see that I'm slouching off !!! lol Neal - take note can you change that text to Annual Cashflow Projection sheet or something and then I'll not have to worry ! lol

[vnman]

:sign5:

[Dboy]

Recently, I've also come across of a fair number of consultants (primarily in IT) who are based out of their homes in Bangkok and travel for projects to high paying Asian cities like Hong Kong, Tokyo and Singapore. The travel can take its toll, but these guys seem to make enough in a couple of months of work to live the rest of the year in Bangkok.

Yes, this. Base in Thailand, work in places like Singapore and HK. These jobs are mostly SAP, information security, computer networking (Cisco), database (Oracle, MySQL). I used to do this.

Answering the original question, would likely pick Pattaya for the unique combination of things for which it is popular.

Dboy

[artic55]

I think Pattaya is a good place for me, fairly close to the big city and a well connected International airport (I work as a consultant in the Aviation Industry world wide.) Plenty of sun and beach fun and of course the boys.

[joe552]

I work as a consultant in the Aviation Industry world wide.

Surely I'm not the only one who thought "trolley dolly"? only joshing ya, artic55 :occasion9:

[artic55]

Irish humor, I like it :laughing3: :laughing3: Structural design engineer if that tells you anything.

[joe552]

it doesn't really, artic55, but that's my problem. glad you can take a joke. :occasion9:

[Sooty]

Irish humor, I like it :laughing3: :laughing3: Structural design engineer if that tells you anything.You engineer the optimal layout on the food tray for the trolley dollies?