Housing In Chiang Mai

[Khun Don]

Cheapest property I could find in Chiang mai on the web this morning was a studio for B6000 a month-so probably best to look when you get there.

However, did find some good advice on renting in Thailand in general, well worth a read if only to let you know that some landlords see the 2-3 months deposit on the property as theirs to keep, and the other ways they part you from your money.

http://www.1stopchiangmai.com/living/property/

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/property/hometips2.php

[Betti]

when I listen to my colleagues giving tips to each other on accommodation, first thing they always mention that you need to check if the area is flooded in the rainy season. not just by the river, it's also a nuisance if rainwater is not drained quickly. a colleague moved out of his apartment behind school (on Changklan Road) because power was knocked out every time there was a minor flood after rain and he got fed up.
depending on what you are after, you can get basic but absolutely fine accommodation for under 5000. (I don't mean cold water only and rock-bottom standards, this price should include a tv and a fridge at least, plus some of the bills and security). my problem so far has been finding a place in the old city that has internet and cable tv installed (as opposed to having to go through having it installed, no way!), as well as a small kitchen. once you go out of the city, like up to Mae Rim or Mae Jo, you can rent multi-bedroom homes with a swimming pool for as little as 15,000 a month.

I also suggest booking a good guesthouse or hotel room for a week or two and look around.

[Khun Don]

Funny you should mention floods, Betti, one site offering accomm for rent I visited this morning looking at prices etc, suggested that one good reason for living in Chiang Mai was the absence of floods! I went on to the next site immediately!

[Betti]

well a colleague whose home was flooded three times this year (near the Sheraton hotel) would have a thing or two to say to that. another one was flooded constantly for days in the Hangdong area. they blame that one on the Royal flora and Night safari - lots of land was cleared for these projects. my school was also closed for two days because of floods. several kids didn't come for days because they couldn't make it from Mae Jo or Mae Rim. but I guess we are still much, much better off than mountain communities in the province (and other provinces), and Sukhothai town.
I feel pretty safe on the 4th floor, actually. the old city is never flooded, I'm told.

[Khun Don]

I have been reading about the problems of the Royal flora exhibition-local farmers being asked to forego small cash crop growing because of a possible water shortage bought on by the exhibition, as well as the older problem of land clearance for the zoo and exhibition causing the flooding in the rainy season.
Seems some people in Chiang Mai province just can not win, sadly.