Deciding on the place that would become your new home in Thailand is an important and personal choice that can vary widely depending on many aspects such as age, the reason for moving, your budget, your monthly income and so on.

Nevertheless, to decide on a final destination, there are some questions that anyone who is planning on living in Thailand should consider before leaving:

• What is the reason for your move? Are you looking to establish Thailand as your base of operations for traveling through Southeast Asia, or are you looking to work in the Land of Smiles?

  Another still is: have you chosen this country as a retirement destination or do you still not have a well-defined plan and in the meantime are enrolling in a school to learn Thai?

• Would you rather live in a city, like Bangkok or Pattaya, or in a smaller place in the countryside like the province of Kanchanaburi? If you’re a fan of the mountains and want to settle in a cool and peaceful place like Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Pai, or would you prefer a life of sun and sea that you can find on the islands?

• What type of climate do you like? Are you a fan of constant heat, or do you prefer mild temperatures that can go down as far as 15 degrees in the winter?

• Are you moving to Thailand alone or with your family? Do you have school-age children?

• How do you plan on supporting yourself during the time you’ll be living in Thailand? Do you have savings or a fixed income, or do you intend to look for work?

An increasing number of people of all ages dream of going to live in a tropical paradise like Thailand. The Kingdom of Siam offers so much in human and landscape terms, as well as completely overturning your life (in a positive way). [Read more…]

Sukhumvit Road

Unlike Ratchathewi and Pathum Wan, the area called “Sukhumvit” (in Thai: สุขุมวิท) can’t be considered an actual neighborhood, but rather an area that includes several districts within it. Among the most well known are:

• Watthana and Khlong Toei which are on the opposite side of the SkyTrain at Nana, Asoke, Phrom Phong, Thonglor, Ekkamai, Phra Khanong, and On Nut;

• Phra Khanong, or the neighborhood where Sukhumvit Road curves and goes into the direction of Pattaya;

• Suan Luang, famous for its sanctuary dedicated to the legend of the ghost of Mae Nak Phra.

[Read more…]

Chinatown in Bangkok is one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city. Founded in 1782 when Chinese merchants were moved off the lands where King Rama I wanted to build his palace, today Chinatown is located within the Samphanthawong District.

The first Chinese merchants had already arrived in Thailand by the 12th century. The Chinese community grew exponentially since the end of the 18th century, when the Thai government encouraged immigration, since they needed lots of people to rebuild the nation’s economy which was destroyed during the wars with surrounding countries.

The integration of Chinese people with the Thais grew toward the end of the 19th century when half of the population of Bangkok had Chinese blood in their veins.

Even though Chinatown is one of the smallest neighborhoods in the city, it’s also one of the most populated: almost 25 inhabitants per square meter. There’s also a high density of buildings in the area, and for this reason buying real estate in Chinatown is expensive, with prices second only to those of the central neighborhood of Pathum Wan.

The first impression you get when visiting this part of Bangkok is that of chaos and frenetic rhythm that revolves around the market, traditional Chinese pharmacies, stores where they buy and sell gold, all mixed with the calm offered by the oases of peace found inside the colorful Taoist temples.

Chinatown is an area that’s different compared to all the others; old and imposing buildings, colorfully bright neon signs, low houses, strong smells and typical restaurants are just a few of the characteristics that make this commercial area even more authentic and alive.

The Chinese community has also “imported” the entrepreneurial spirit: each house in fact has a family-run shop on the first floor, a so-called shop house, where they sell merchandise of all sorts at good prices. The Chinatown neighborhood is divided according to the type of shops; from jewels in gold to shop houses where they repair cars and motorbikes, up to the area that specializes in firearms. [Read more…]

Thai cuisine

With its delicate balance that juggles between sweet, salty, bitter, sour and umami (which in Japanese means “tasty” and is present in foods particularly rich in protein such as meat and cheese) and its beautiful presentation (just think about the plumeria flowers that adorn desserts, or the amazing fruit carvings) Thai cuisine represents a fusion of taste and colors.

Even though Thai cuisine is light and aromatic, its preparation is rather complex, especially due to the balance that each dish requires. An example is papaya salad: a perfect harmony between tart, sweet and spicy flavors, but also the consistency of the ingredients, such as the papaya (soft), the beans (semi-soft) and the roasted nuts (hard).

In the past, traditional Thai cuisine was considered healthy, since it used cooking methods mainly based on boiled, grilled or stewed foods. These days, with Chinese influence, the “less healthy” foods, such as those that are fried have gotten the upper hand.

China hasn’t been the only nation to modify the eating habits of the Thai people; both India and Portugal have played an important role. For example, Thai curry is a modified and adapted version of typical Indian curry, where the clarifying butter is substituted by coconut oil. The spicy pepper, present in the majority of Thai dishes, was imported by Portuguese monks. [Read more…]