Region Guide: Chiang Mai

The Lonely Planet guidebook says......?

The “Let’s Go” guidebook says that Chiang Mai is the second largest city or urban area in Thailand, noted for being cooler than Bangkok, and it’s less polluted, less noisy, less chaotic. And CM is noted for nearby day trips to see hill tribes, elephant farms, mountain trekking, the Golden Triangle, etc.testing update thingy..

In general, what are the pickings like for an EFL teacher?

In general, the job openings for an EFL teacher are less numerous and less remunerative than in Bangkok, because we have so many farang here who teach part time or for little money (pensioned folks). And there’s slightly less demand, although CM’s biggest income may be from tourists, so the locals who meet tourists at least have to know English in the hotels and restaurants.  And few new teachers will get paid more than 30,000; perhaps only 25,000 baht per month.  But your housing will be cheaper than Bangkok, and a few other expenses are less, as well.

How far from Bangkok or civilization?

Chiang Mai is completely civilized; it’s just not overcrowded.  You can fly there in about 1.5 hours for 2200 baht, (departures almost hourly on Thai Air), about half that many baht on the overnight air-con sleeper train with private lower berth, about 750 for 2nd class fan coach, or 750 for all-day more or less air/con first class coach.  Buses are about the same as trains, about 11 hours.

Is there any entertainment or do you invite friends round for Scrabble?

At least two big shopping centers have multiscreen cinema for 100 baht, latest releases, some with English voices or subtitles. Tourist industry gives you plenty of things to do. Scrabble is for the classroom, where they call it “crosswords.“

How much to rent a house or basic apartment?

Start with a guesthouse or cheaper hotel; perhaps 1000 baht per week without air con, 1300 with air. Serviced condos (partially furnished, modern, real bathrooms) start near 4000 for fans and a small one bedroom, to around 8000 for lots of a/c, two bedrooms, two baths.

Shopping malls, department stores?

The usual Thai super-centers, one at the NW corner of the old moat (Central Kad Kaew) and another at Airport Plaza, featuring Central or Robinson.  Tesco-Lotus (two locations, near the above shopping centers), Tops, Carrefour, Big C, and a great Chinese-owned supermarket with Euro-American food brands.

Internet cafes? (snail-speed Hotmail default page or fatties playing Ragnarok?)

No more than 30 baht per hour, with air-con and reasonable speed and western toilets near the tourist hotbed called Tha Pae Gate; as cheap as 10 baht and very slow if you shop around in native neighborhoods. Avoid the ones full of boys playing Ragnarok. You’ll always be within a kilometer of a decent shop.

Will you be stared at? and what's the likelihood of a good beating?

No chance. Tourists are a dime a dozen in Chiang Mai. No beatings unless you do something stupid and deserving.

Taxis, buses....or horse and cart?

Countless tuk-tuks and songteows. If the songteow’s going your way on his fixed route, jump aboard for 10 baht. Otherwise, negotiate with the songteow or tuk tuk driver; 50 baht is the absolute limit unless you’re going way out in the boondocks. The drivers aren’t as rapacious here as they are in Bangkok. No motorpsycho pilots here, no tricycle samlors (although you might see them in nearby provincial cities). There’s a new route of air-con Mercedes buses, if it pans out.

Main advantages of living there?

It’s not as hectic as Bangkok, but all the advantages of a big city (who knows the population; perhaps half a million). You can rent all the sex you want, see all the tourist attractions, be cooler than you’d be down south, take lessons in Thai language, massage, cooking, kick-boxing. English will get you by. It’s pretty much like “the real Thailand,“ or close enough for a day trip to see it. Lots of national parks, for example. And real mountains.

And what are the downsides?

It’s Thailand: funny language and alphabet, everybody’s afraid to tell you the unvarnished truth; you have to go to Bangkok twice a year.

Any local attractions?

Too many to list; it’s a tourist trap

Where's the best place to meet other farangs or are they best avoided?

Well, avoid the obnoxious, drunken, overbearing, lying ones; they’re obvious. There are probably twenty places within walking distance of Tha Pae Gate, and you’ll see farang everywhere - mostly tourists, and a fair number of expatriates.