NomadGuide

CHIANG MAI

Contents
Why Chiang Mai?

The Geography of Chiang Mai

Administrative Divisions of Thailand

The Whereabouts of Chiang Mai
City Layout & Navigation
Climate & Weather Conditions

Dates & Times, Weights & Measures

4
4
8
11

17

World Time Zone & Sunrise/Sunset/Daylight Hours

Thai Units of Weight & Measure
Buddhist Calendar & National Holidays/Observances

Power Supply

17
17
17

20

Mains Supply, Safety Standards & Electrical Compatibility

Plug Types
Electrical Outlets
Local Power Outages & Back-up Energy Sources

Money Matters

20
20
21
21

23

Thai Currency
Currency Exchange
Card Transactions
Thai Banking Services
Bank Branches/Sub-branches & Facilities
ATMs
Opening & Operating a Thai Savings Account
Internet/Mobile Banking Functions & Registration
Security of Online/ATM Banking Transactions
Thai Fixed & Foreign Currency Deposit Accounts
Taxes
VAT
Personal Income Tax

Getting Here
By Air
Current Flight Schedules to Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai Airport & Onward Transportation
By Train
Current Timetable & Ticket Classes/Fares from Bangkok

23
25
28
29
29
30
33
37
38
39
39
39
40

43
43
43
47
49
49

Chiang Mai Railway Station & Onward Transportation

By Bus
Classes & Fares/Booking Channels from Bangkok
Chiang Mai Bus Stations & Onward Transportation

Getting Around

53
54
54
56

60

On Foot
Motorcycle Taxi
Tuk Tuk
Taxi
Songthaew
Minivan
City Bus
Bicycle
Scooter/Motorbike

Health & Safety

Natural Hazards
Street Dogs
Wild Animals & Insect Pests
Earthquakes
Flash Flooding
Environmental Hazards
Seasonal Crop Burning
Exhaust Emissions
Traffic & Roadside Hazards
Staying Safe as a Pedestrian
Staying Safe as a Rider
In the Event of a Road Traffic Accident
Infectious Diseases & Non-communicable Disorders
Routine Vaccinations
Rabies
Japanese Encephalitis
Malaria
Dengue Fever
Travellers Diarrhoea & Food/Water Poisoning
Public Conveniences
Sunburn & Heatstroke
Health Care Services
Pharmacies
Optical Stores & Ophthalmologists
Dentists
Hospitals, Emergency Medical Services & Health Clinics
Crime, Scams & Anti-social Behaviour
Theft

60
60
61
62
63
75
75
78
80

85
85
85
85
89
90
90
90
94
95
96
98
101
103
103
103
104
105
105
107
110
111
113
113
114
115
115
117
117

Serious Crime
Scams
Begging & Prostitution
Noise Pollution
Dual-pricing & Bargaining
Security of Valuables
Passport Protection & Consular Assistance
Financial Precautions & ATM/Card Fraud
Internet Shopping & Card Safety
Dynamic Currency Conversion
Political Conflict

Thai Law

118
119
122
123
124
127
127
129
133
134
135

137

Royal Thai Police

Lse Majest
Customs Regulations
Drugs
Alcohol & Tobacco
Littering
Legal Driving Requirements
Thai Driving Licence Application Procedure

Immigration Matters
Thailands Entry Requirements
Immigration Procedure at a Port of Entry into Thailand
Immigration Procedure at a Port of Exit from Thailand
Thai Entry Permits
Visa Exemption
Visa On Arrival
Visa In Advance
Education & Tourist Visas
ACMECS Single Visa
Border Run
Visa Run
Back-to-back Thai Entry Permits
Chiang Mai Immigration Services
Visa Extension
Re-entry Permit
Residence Certificate
Change of Address Notification
90 Day Notification
Overstaying your Thai Entry Permit
The Legality of Working Online as a Digital Nomad in Chiang Mai
Alien Identification

137
138
139
139
140
141
141
145

157
158
160
163
164
167
170
174
176
195
198
208
231
235
235
242
246
250
253
261
262
264

Thai Culture

266

Buddhism & Thai Social Customs

Traditional Thai Salutation
Acts of Culturally-inappropriate Behaviour
Land of Smiles
Standards of Dress & Personal Hygiene
Dining Etiquette

Language & Communication

266
267
267
268
269
269

270

The Thai Adoption of English as a Second Language

Effective Communication Strategies
Learning Thai
Functional Words & Phrases
Thai Script & Transliteration into English
Study Materials & Resources, Tuition & Language Exchange

Accommodation

270
270
270
271
272
272

274

Housing Options
Types of Rental Property
Condominium
Serviced Apartment
Thai Style Apartment
House/Townhouse & Moo Baan
Fittings, Fixtures, Furnishings & Amenities
Rental Rates & Terms
Electricity, Water & Internet Service Provision Tariffs
Seasonal Availability & Prevailing Housing Market
Pre-booking & Temporary Accommodation
Property Search Preparation
Neighbourhoods of Chiang Mai
Property Hunting Tactics
Property Inspections
Fixed-term Rental Contracts
Moving & Settling in

Routine Essentials
Laundry
Drinking Water
Utility Bills
Food & Drink
Super-/Hypermarkets & Warehouse Clubs
Speciality Stores
Convenience Stores
Day Markets

274
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275
276
277
278
279
281
282
284
284
285
287
288
291
297
298

301
301
304
307
315
315
320
322
324

Night Markets
Food Courts/Food Parks
Restaurants
Food Delivery

Data & Voice Services

325
325
326
328

330

Thai SIM Cards

Acquisition
Registration
Activation
Topping Up
Adding Voice/Data Packages
Getting Connected to the Internet
Home Broadband (Cable, DSL & Fibre-optic)
Mobile Internet (3G/4G)
WiFi
Internet Cafs
Internet Censorship & Security
Internet Gateways

Chiang Mai Digital Nomad Resources

330
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332
333
333
337
339
340
346
349
355
357
358

359

Community Engagement
Work Spaces
Libraries
Co-working Spaces
Coffee Shops

Getting Out
Moving on from Chiang Mai
By Air
Current Flight Schedules from Chiang Mai
By Train
Current Timetable & Ticket Classes/Fares to Bangkok
By Bus
Classes & Fares/Booking Channels to Bangkok & Laos
VAT Refund for Tourists

359
360
360
362
371

374
374
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377
381
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385
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Why Chiang Mai?

Hailed by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) as a cultural and natural
wonderland with ethnic diversity, a multitude of attractions and welcoming
hospitality, Chiang Mai attracted over 17.3 million visitors, tourists and excursionists
in 2014 and has become the second most visited destination in Thailand. At the same
time, the city is home to an estimated 30-40,000 expats and, more pertinently, a
burgeoning number of Digital Nomads. Widely acknowledged as one of the most
liveable cities in the whole of Asia, if not the world, Chiang Mais myriad of virtues
have firmly established it as the prime destination on the planet for Digital Nomads.
Indeed, such is the appeal of living in Chiang Mai that even among locationindependents, extensions of stay and repeat visits to the city are the norm.

LOW LIVING COSTS

While there are presently scant opportunities in Chiang Mai to secure funding for startups, the city is second to very few locations in the world in terms of affordability;
indeed, even within Thailand, your purchasing power in Chiang Mai is, on average, at
least twice that in Bangkok. The low cost and often exceptional value- of big ticket
items (namely, food, rental accommodation and utilities, voice and data services,
transportation and fuel) relative to those in the west allows financially-sensitive
bootstrapping Digital Nomads in particular to leverage a high degree of currency
arbitrage by virtue of being based in Chiang Mai- and, insodoing, minimise their burn
rate and maximise their runway.

HIGH COMFORT LEVELS

Chiang Mai boasts an extensive selection and quality of residential real estate,
everyday necessities, material goods and modern conveniences to suit every taste,
budget and manner of lifestyle. Their relative ease of accessibility permits Digital
Nomads to maximise their time and energies on developing, growing and/or
maintaining their own online enterprises. Although Chiang Mai lacks city-wide mass
transit systems, road infrastructure is modern and generally sound, and theres a wide
range of local transportation options available for getting around.

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City Layout & Navigation

Chiang Mai city is comparatively small, flat, compact and easily navigable with an
extensive network of well maintained roads, frequent signage (typically in English and
Thai) and, for the most part, uncongested and free-flowing traffic. In the very heart of
the municipality is the Old City, whose origins date back to the late 13 th century and
which serves as a useful reference point against which to orientate yourself whilst
navigating the city. Bounded on all sides by a moat (walled in parts), the Old City
doesnt quite form a perfect square shape with the eastern and western sides each
measuring 2km in length while the northern and southern edges are 1.8km long apiece.

On each side of the moat is a one-way ring road; traffic on the inner ring road flows
anticlockwise whereas that on the outer ring road circulates in a clockwise direction.
For vehicles and pedestrians to transfer between inner and outer ring roads (or vice
versa), there are a number of two-way single-lane causeways at regular intervals along
the moat: three on the western side, two on the southern and four on each of the
northern and eastern edges. Additionally, there are five principal gates (pratu) along
the length of the moat: Chiang Mai and Saen Pung Gates in the south, Suan Dok Gate
in the west and Chang Phuak Gate in the north all allow single-file traffic and those on
foot to transfer between inner and outer ring roads while the plaza facing Tha Phae
Gate in the east is entirely pedestrianised. The various points at which vehicles can
cross the moat (in both directions) are marked by the u-turn symbol on the road
surface of the outside lane. Moreover, at each corner of the Old City -inside the
moat- are four fortified bastions (jaeng): Hua Lin Corner in the north west, Si Phum
Corner in the north east, Katam Corner in the south east and Ku Huang Corner in the
south west.

At various points along the outer ring road of the Old City radiate arteries connecting
downtown Chiang Mai with the surrounding municipal area, outlying suburbs and
adjoining districts. The most important of which are Mahidol Road (Highway 1141) in
the south west; Tha Phae Road the citys main thoroughfare and which intersects
with Chang Klan Road (the citys principal centre of commerce) then, after crossing the
Ping River at Nawarat Bridge, becomes Charoen Muang Road (Highway 1006 which
runs directly to Chiang Mai Railway Station)- in the east; Changpuak Road (Highway
107) in the north as well as Huaykaew Road (Highway 1004) in the north west and
Suthep Road in the west (between which lie the popular Nimman area and, further
along, Chiang Mai Universitys main campus). The northern end of Nimmanahaeminda
Page | 8

October

November

December

Temperature and humidity

alike start to decrease
noticeably
throughout
October as the rainy
season transitions into the
dry and cool season. Both
the volume and frequency
of rainfall is around half
that which occurs in
September with the worst
of the wet weather all but
spent by the middle to the
end of October. As the rain
clouds slowly clear, days
become mostly sunny
again (over 7 hours, on
average, each day).

Temperature and humidity

continue to fall steadily
during November and
rainfall is
half
that
experienced
in
the
previous month. Clear,
sunny skies continue to
dominate daylight hours.
Indeed,
November
is
considered by many as
offering
the
most
favourable
weather
conditions of any month in
the year. Its therefore not
without good reason that
the tourist season starts to
gather momentum at this
time of year.

Temperatures
decline
further
throughout
December and while days
are still agreeably warm,
the hours between sunset
and sunrise start to feel
noticeably cooler. With
seldom any rainfall, skies
invariably remain clear and
sunny.

For the current weather conditions in Chiang Mai together with a 7 day forecast, visit the web
site of the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) here.

Page | 14

The bulk of cash machines in Chiang Mai bear the insignia of one or more of the major
global interbank networks, namely Plus (managed by Visa) as well as Maestro and
Cirrus (both operated by MasterCard); hence an ATM, debit, credit or pre-paid foreign
currency card upon which is displayed the Visa logo should be accepted at any ATM
showing the Plus symbol; similarly, a MasterCard can normally be used at any ATM
exhibiting either the Maestro or Cirrus symbols. Cash machines which accept China
UnionPay (CUP) bank cards are equally as widespread throughout the city but less so
ATMs which accept JCB, American Express (AmEx), Discover and Diners Club bank cards.
For those in possession of a non-Thai ATM, debit, credit or pre-paid foreign currency
card whose PIN code is 5 or more digits in length and/or alphanumeric, its
recommended that the PIN be amended to 4 numbers only before arriving in Thailand
since, despite it being less secure, some ATMs here dont accept PIN codes of 5 or
more digits and/or those that contain letters.
To ascertain exactly how much baht would be received for a set amount and
designation of foreign currency at each of the 8 major Thai banks (Bangkok Bank,
Krungsri (Bank of Ayudhya), Government Savings Bank, Kasikorn Bank, Krungthai Bank,
Siam Commercial Bank, Thai Military Bank and Thanachart Bank) as well as at United
Overseas Bank (UOB) and Commerce International Merchant Bankers (CIMB)), visit the
Day-to-Day Data web site here.
Each Thai bank sets a limit on the number of banknotes that its ATMs will dispense per
withdrawal. The standard cap is 20 banknotes for a single ATM transaction thus, with
1000 baht being the highest denomination of Thai banknote, permitting a maximum of
20,000 baht to be withdrawn at any one time; at the time of writing, however, the cash
machines of a few Thai banks (most notably, Krungsri (Bank of Ayudhya) and Thai
Military Bank) dispense up to 30 banknotes per transaction therefore equating to a
maximum withdrawal of 30,000 baht. Second and subsequent cash withdrawals can
then be carried out at the same (or different) ATM in accordance with the remaining
balance on your card, the availability of banknotes in the cash machine and the daily
withdrawal limits imposed by both the card issuer and the ATM provider. Unlike in
some countries, the ATMs of Thai banks will first dispense your cash then prompt for a
receipt before returning your card.
Regrettably, using a Visa or MasterCard debit, credit or foreign currency card issued
outside of Thailand at a cash machine of any Thai bank in Chiang Mai now incurs a
hefty 200 baht ATM fee per withdrawal (with effect from the beginning of November
2015); at the time of writing, the Japanese bank AEON offers the least punitive ATM
Page | 32

Managed by the Airports

of Thailand (AOT) public
company, Chiang Mai
Airport
(here)
is
conveniently
situated
around 3 to 4 km to the
south west of the Old City
with driving time between
the two only 10 to 15
minutes under normal traffic conditions; the one-way access road that leads to the
airport is located off Sanambin (Airport) Road around 250m or so west of the former
main Chiang Mai Immigration office and more or less facing the main entrance to the
Wing 41 Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) base. Comparatively small, straightforward to
navigate and periodic influxes of Chinese tour groups aside- seldom overcrowded, the
single airport building comprises two interconnected passenger terminals over as
many levels (with separate baggage-screened- entrances for domestic and
international departures, 25 airline check-in desks, passport control (immigration
(security) checkpoint), domestic and international baggage claim areas, customs house
and the arrivals hall on the ground floor while both the domestic and international
departure lounges and their respective boarding gates- are located on the upper,
mezzanine floor). The AOT web site for Chiang Mai Airport (here) is a mine of valuable
if, in places, somewhat out-of-date- information and provides, among other things,
real-time flight status (for both arrivals and departures), terminal maps as well as
details of the different facilities and services available within the airport including free
WiFi access (variously provided by AIS, dtac and TrueMove H), restaurants, ATMs and
currency exchange bureaux from a number of Thai banks, a Thailand Post post office,
retail stores (including a small Royal Project shop), Tourist Police kiosk, left luggage
(open between 07:00 and 21:00 daily and costing 200 baht for 24 hours storage), a
couple of information counters, car rental and, outside, vehicle parking (the lot of
which is situated directly in front of the two passenger terminals with capacity for
almost 450 vehicles; free of charge indefinitely for scooters/motorbikes and the first 8
minutes for cars, with tiered rates thereafter up to 200/250 baht per 24 hour period);
there is, additionally, an unofficial Chiang Mai Airport guide (here), its most useful
feature being a photo gallery of the airport interior and surrounding environment.
Those arriving into Chiang Mai Airport on a domestic flight need only disembark their
plane, enter the terminal building, retrieve any luggage from the respective baggage
claim area and clear customs before being in a position to take onward transportation
into the city. On the other hand, those arriving by air from outside of Thailand (after
Page | 47

Getting Around
On Foot
Though the least time-efficient, navigating Chiang Mai on foot of course costs
absolutely nothing, affords obvious health benefits (subject, that is, to your staying
safe as a pedestrian as described in the Health & Safety chapter) and is indisputably
the most effective way to get acquainted with and to truly explore the city. The
relatively small size and flat, compact nature of the city means walking distances
should be more than manageable for most; by way of illustration, to walk around the
entire outside of the Old City, for example, should take no more than two hours at a
relaxed pace. In the interests of time and/or convenience, however, there are plenty of
alternative means of conveyance for getting around locally.

Motorcycle Taxi
Contrary to popular belief, motorcycle taxis have in fact been represented in
strategically convenient locations throughout Chiang Mai for quite some time though,
admittedly, to nowhere near the extent they exist in Bangkok, for example. For the
most part, however, motorcycle taxi drivers went uncertified with local authorities as a
form of public transport and, being somewhat inconspicuous, were also easily
overlooked. In a bid to legitimise and revitalise their operation as well as further
augment the citys local transportation options, more than 80 drivers in Mueang
Chiang Mai (as well as 96 from the surrounding districts) have with effect from
September 2015- been registered and issued with official high visibility, numbered,
yellow-striped pink vests. Almost 60 of the drivers are stationed at the Provincial
Arcade Bus Station (specifically, next to platform 20 of Terminal 2, just off to the side
of the main entrance of Terminal 3, and between Star Avenue mall and Terminal 3);
the remaining drivers are distributed more or less equally between Chiang Mai Bus
Terminal 1 (here), Wichayanon Road near Nakornping Bridge (here), just in front of
Ton Payom day market (here) as well as at the entrance to City Hall (here). Although
not really a mode of transport suitable for those with oversized or lots of luggage,
passengers are nevertheless issued with a helmet (in accordance with Thai law) and,
being small and manoeuvrable, motorcycle taxis invariably reach places otherwise
inaccessible to larger vehicles and their destination way ahead of anything on three or
four wheels! Fares are distance-dependent such that the further you go, the more
cost-effective the ride; as a guide, by motorcycle taxi from the Arcade Bus Station, it
costs 40 baht to travel about 1km (to CentralFestival shopping mall, for example) but

Page | 60

Fixed route red songthaew can easily be

distinguished from all other red songthaew by
virtue of a broad yellow flash down each side of
the vehicle as well as a sign board denoting the
respective route number both atop the
windscreen and on one side of the vehicle
(pictured).

Those songthaew painted in colours other than red travel between Mueang Chiang
Mai and the surrounding districts along fixed routes. Like with rot daeng though, they
can be flagged down from the roadside or, alternatively, boarded from one or more of
the locations at which theyre stationed; specifically, the songthaew depots on
Atsadathon Road (here), at Chiang Mai Bus Terminal 1 (here), on Kaeo Nawarat Soi 3
(here), on the Lamphun Road next to the Iron Bridge (here), on Wua Lai Road (here),
and along Wichayanon and Praisanee Roads near Kad Luang Warorot/Ton Lam Yai
(here). Each of the yellow, green, white, blue and orange songthaew normally has its
destination displayed in Thai on a board atop the vehicle above the windscreen.

YELLOW SONGTHAEW
Yellow songthaew (rot leang) run
from the terminus along Wichayanon
and Praisanee Roads to the district of
Mae Rim (
) and, separately, to
the district of Doi Saket (
);
from Chiang Mai Bus Terminal 1 to the
district of Chom Thong ( );
from the terminus on Wua Lai Road to the districts of Hang Dong ( ) and San Pa
Tong (
); from the terminus on Atsadathon Road via both Wua Lai and
Wichayanon/Praisanee Roads- to the districts of Hang Dong and San Pa Tong; and from
the terminus on Kaeo Nawarat Soi 3 to the district of Doi Saket. Fares vary from 15 to
40 baht depending on distance and operating hours between 07:00 and 21:00 every
day of the week with departures in accordance with demand (but typically every 5 to
15 minutes).

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Route 1
Promenada Resort Mall (depart)

Mon - Sun
Fri - Sun
11:30 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:30

Amora Tapae Hotel (depart)

11:50 13:20 14:20 15:20 16:20 18:20 19:20 20:20 21:20

22:50

Imperial Mae Ping Hotel (depart)

11:55 13:25 14:25 15:25 16:25 18:25 19:25 20:25 21:25

22:55

Le Meridien Hotel (depart)

11:58 13:30 14:30 15:30 16:30 18:30 19:30 20:30 21:30

22:58

Promenada Resort Mall (arrive)

12:10 13:42 14:42 15:42 17:30 18:55 19:42 20:42

Route 2
Promenada Resort Mall (depart)

Mon - Sun
Fri - Sun
11:30 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00

Shangri-La Hotel (depart)

11:50 13:20 14:20 15:20 16:20 18:20 19:20 20:20 21:20

22:10

Empress Hotel (depart)

11:55 13:25 14:25 15:25 16:25 18:25 19:25 20:25 21:25

22:15

Holiday Inn (depart)

12:00 13:30 14:30 15:30 16:30 18:30 19:30 20:30 21:30

22:20

Promenada Resort Mall (arrive)

12:10 13:40 14:40 15:40 16:40 18:50 19:40 20:40

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Scooter/Motorbike
Arguably the most popular and convenient way of getting around Chiang Mai for the
Digital Nomad (and indeed Thai
people!), riding a scooter/motorbike
allows you the freedom to see the
most of the city -and beyond- in the
shortest possible time (traffic
congestion aside) not to mention just
how much fun it can be! Shops
renting scooters in particular outnumber those offering bicycles for hire and even
taking into account the added fuel costs, represent outstanding value for money.

There are numerous places throughout Chiang Mai (particularly in and around the Old
City) from independent bike shops to some travel agencies and tourist lodgings which
offer hire of scooters/motorcycles for anything from a day or week to a month or more.
Rental prices vary in accordance with the age of the vehicle, the size of the engine
(from 100cc scooters to 650cc sports bikes), transmission (manual shift, semiautomatic (5 gears and no clutch) and fully automatic), the time of year and the hire
term; the older the bike, the smaller the engine, the less automated the transmission,
the further from the tourist season and the longer the rental period, the greater the
concession and the more negotiable the hire cost. Paid up front in cash and generally
non-refundable, prices for 100cc to 125cc scooters range from 50 to 350 baht for daily
hire and 1500 to 3000 baht for monthly hire with even more favourable rates when
taken over a longer term; although freely supplied with a lockable security chain and
usually a basic (99 baht) helmet or two, its definitely worth investing in your own
better quality- gear (particularly a Thai Industrial Standards Institute (TISI)-certified
helmet with full face visor and jaw protection) if taking a scooter/motorbike over a
long-term. Rates, customer service, and the make, styling and condition of vehicles do
differ between hirers so its advisable to first shop around and not to think twice about
bargaining especially during the low season and/or for rentals of a month or longer.
Some hirers additionally offer free delivery and/or pick-up of their
scooters/motorbikes though this may be conditional to a minimum rental term and
only within certain areas of the city. The most commonly available models of scooter
include the Air Blade, Click, Dream, PCX, Scoopy, Spacy and Wave from Honda as well
as the Fino, Mio and Nouvo from Yamaha with the 125cc fully automatic vehicles
offering the best all-round performance when used both within the city and further
afield (though bikes with a smaller engine size are perfectly suitable for just getting
Page | 80

Situated in a low-lying bowl-shaped valley, traversed by a major river and lacking a

suitably equipped storm drainage system, its little wonder that Chiang Mai is
commonly subject to flash flooding following heavy downpours and which can be
particularly severe during the peak monsoon rains of August and September.
Everywhere in the city is at risk but the areas most prone to localised flooding lie either
side of the Ping River downstream of Nawarat Bridge (such as along Chang Klan,
Charoen Prathet and Chiang Mai-Lamphun Roads). While seasonal rains are often
torrential (albeit usually short-lived), municipality officials and locals alike are normally
quick to respond setting up mobile pumps and laying down sandbags to alleviate the
impact of the excess water. During extreme years though, prolonged periods of
intense rainfall can leave Chiang Mais roads and the lower storeys of buildings
inundated not just for a matter of hours but rather for days on end and, in the process,
cut off isolating some communities. The last incidence of wide-scale flooding in the city
occurred at the end of September 2011 and, in places, lasted the best part of a weekwhen the Ping River rose to more than 4.9m at Nawarat Bridge, roughly 35% higher
than the 3.7m threshold at which the river will burst its banks. Some parts of Chiang
Mai closest to the river were submerged under 60cm or more of water making certain
roads impassable by all but 4 wheel drive vehicles (or, in the case of some resourceful
locals, by boat!), prompting the suspension of bus and train services, causing
disruption to local water and electricity supplies, heightening the threat of waterborne diseases, boosting mosquito numbers as well as ousting
snakes, rats, cockroaches and noxious waste materials from
the underlying sewers. Thailands Royal Irrigation Department
(RID) records the water level of the Ping River at the Nawarat
Bridge (P.1) hydrological survey station (pictured) on an
hourly basis during critical
periods; useful as an early
warning system during
the rainy season, the RID
publicises the readings (colour-coded in red) here
as well as on electronic notice boards (such as that
pictured) in those areas either side of the river
most at risk of flooding.

Environmental Hazards
Local farmers throughout northern Thailand as well as those in neighbouring Laos and
Myanmar continue to practice traditional slash and burn typically between late
Page | 90

Thai Driving Licence

Although vehicle rental agencies in Chiang Mai seldom ask you to present a driving
licence (of any description) as a condition of hiring either a scooter/motorbike or car,
being in possession of an appropriate driving licence is not only a legal requirement for
driving on Thailands public roads in accordance with the Thai Motor Vehicle Act B.E.
2522 (1979)- but is also necessary to validate the insurance policy youre lawfully
obliged to obtain when renting a vehicle. Thailand is, in fact, a signatory of the 1949
Geneva Convention on Road Traffic (itself a United Nations treaty) meaning that it has
ratified a reciprocal agreement with each of the participant countries listed here (save
for Switzerland) such that foreign visitors (specifically those on a Tourist Visa, Visa
Exemption or Visa On Arrival) from any of the said countries are lawfully permitted to
drive on Thailands public roads using a valid driving licence from their home country for
up to one year from their date of arrival in Thailand. In reality, however, a driving
licence from your home country will almost certainly not be accepted as an official
document by either police or motor vehicle insurers in Chiang Mai. Instead, its strongly
recommended you obtain a 1949 International Driving Permit (IDP) issued, for a token
fee, normally by an automobile club or motorists association (such as the AA or RAC in
the UK, the AAA or NRMA in Australia, and the AAA or NAC in the USA) in your home
country- before arriving in Thailand; do note though that an IDP should be in English (or,
if not, a notarised copy thereof translated into either English or Thai), up-to-date, valid
for whichever class(es) of vehicle (scooter/motorbike and/or car) you wish to drive on
Thailands public roads and always carried with the original driving licence from your
home country. While an IDP is normally valid for 12 months from the date it was issued,
many Thai motor vehicle insurance companies stipulate that an IDP is only valid for use
with an existing motor insurance policy for a certain period of time (usually 60 or 90
consecutive days from the date you enter Thailand) after which, to continue to be fully
covered, the holder is required to obtain a Thai driving licence.
In Thailand, the Department of Land Transport (DLT) is responsible for the issuance of
driving licences of which there are ten separate types but only four of potential value to
the Digital Nomad:
Temporary Car licence now valid for two years from the date of issue.
Temporary Motorcycle licence now valid for two years from the date of issue;
covers both motorbikes and scooters, and suitable for all sizes of engine.

Page | 145

Immigration Matters
In respect of living in Thailand, the topic which prompts more questions from
foreigners than any other is that pertaining to Thai immigration laws. Oftentimes
though, raising such matters is entirely defensible since navigating various resources in
pursuit of intelligible, comprehensive, accurate, up-to-date and properly termed
immigration information suited to your own personal circumstances can be nothing
short of a minefield. In fact, an English translation of the Thai Immigration Act B.E.
2522 (1979) is available but carries no judicial effect whatsoever as only the original
Thai version (otherwise inaccessible to those who do not read Thai) conveys the
precise interpretation of the law. In addition to the sheer complexity of the legislation,
amendments are promulgated on a regular enough basis, frequently with little or no
notice, often without any period of grace and seldom disbursed through official
channels; worse, the exact meaning of an amendment is habitually ambiguous and
invariably triggers much (often wild) speculation and second guessing among foreign
residents uncertain of the repercussions and, at times, even produces inconsistencies
in the application of the statutory change by immigration officials in Thailand as well as
their representative bodies overseas. Thus, both before you enter Thailand as well as
during your stay in the country, its absolutely imperative not only to acquaint yourself
with those aspects of Thai immigration legislation that will impact you directly but also
to keep fully appraised of -and responsive to- any amendments. Short of appointing an
English speaking lawyer who specialises in Thai immigration law, the source of most
practical value for disseminations concerning immigration rules and regulations is the
Thai visas, residency and work permits forum of Thaivisa and, for general posts
pertaining exclusively to Chiang Mai, the Chiang Mai forum of Thaivisa and
CityNews of the local editorial Chiang Mai Citylife.

Governed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), Thailands Immigration Bureau

(otherwise known as Tor Mor) is a specific section of the Royal Thai Police (RTP) and
administers the countrys immigration laws and its amendments. Immigration officials
are stationed at designated locations inside Thailand and discharge a variety of duties.
Those at the principal ports of entry/exit (international airports as well as land borders
with neighbouring Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Malaysia) administer
admittance/departure procedures and, for incoming foreign visitors who qualify,
authorise either a Visa On Arrival (VOA) or a Visa Exemption; additionally, just about
every province in Thailand (as well as the special administrative area that is Bangkok)
comprises one or more immigration offices that offer a range of services including -but
Page | 157

Departure and arrival schedules for both the outbound leg from Chiang Mai to Mae Sai as well as
those of the return journey are tabulated below:

Chiang Mai - Mae Sai

Frequency
Monday only
Daily
Saturday only
Daily
Sunday - Friday
Daily
Daily
Monday - Thursday & Saturday
Friday & Sunday only
Friday & Sunday only

Departure Time
05:15
06:00
07:00
08:00
09:30
12:30
14:00
16:15
16:30
17:00

Arrival Time
09:55
11:15
11:40
12:40
14:10
17:10
18:40
21:30
21:10
22:15

Bus Class
VX-Class
A-Class
VX-Class
VX-Class
VX-Class
VX-Class
VX-Class
A-Class
VX-Class
A-Class

Mae Sai - Chiang Mai

Frequency
Daily
Daily
Daily
Daily
Daily
Daily
Daily
Friday - Sunday

Departure Time
07:30
08:15
08:30
09:45
14:00
14:30
15:30
16:30

Arrival Time
12:05
12:55
13:45
14:25
19:15
19:10
20:10
21:10

Bus Class
VX-Class
VX-Class
A-Class
VX-Class
A-Class
VX-Class
VX-Class
VX-Class

Page | 203

Thai Visa Application

The Consular Section of the Royal Thai Embassy in Vientiane is located next door to the
Lao-Singapore Business College (LSBC) on Rue Bourichane as marked at grid code
IB212 on the Hobo Maps area map of Vientiane here (with Talat Sao bus station at
grid code IC202). It is here, at the Consular Section, that you should apply for your Thai
visa and not at the chancery of the Royal Thai Embassy on Kaysone Phomvihane
Avenue. The Consular Section is open Monday to Friday except on those week days
which are a Lao or Thai national holiday. Although open between 08:30 and 15:30, the
Consular Section only issues queue numbers for prospective visa applications between
08:30 and 11:30 so provided youre issued a queue number earlier than 11:30, youll
be able to submit your visa application up to midday the same morning (before they
then close for lunch); the period 13:30 to 15:30 is reserved exclusively for collection of
passports. Typically, the Consular Section takes a working day to process a visa
application so if applying, for example, on a Tuesday morning, youll need to collect
your passport on Wednesday afternoon (within the times stated above).
The entrance to the Consular Section is located to the right of the main gate as
depicted below:

Immediately upon entering the consular grounds, there is a small hut on the right-hand
side directly ahead of which is a tree-studded grassed area in front of which is a
covered, fan-cooled outdoor seating area and, forward of that, two counters between
which is a brown door (above which is a clock); counter number 3 (to the left of the
door) is marked for Group Tour Only while the counter to the right of the door is
Page | 224

Chiang Mai Immigration Services

Mueang Chiang Mai encompasses no less than 3 Immigration offices each open
between 08:30 and 16:30 Monday to Friday except on those week days which fall on a
Thai national holiday- although only 2 of which presently offer services as might be
required by the Digital Nomad. Specifically, the issuance of a Visa Extension and a Reentry Permit, the provision of a Residence Certificate as well as the processing of 90
Day and Change of Address Notifications; do note though that applications for a
Change of Visa (such as that from either a Visa Exemption or a Tourist Visa to a NonImmigrant Visa) are no longer administered at any of the Immigration offices in Chiang
Mai. It should also be borne in mind that, exactly as for any type of Thai entry permit,
the granting of a Visa Extension, Re-entry Permit or Residence Certificate is sanctioned
entirely at the discretion of the respective immigration official.

VISA EXTENSION
Although an official designation, the term Visa Extension is actually something of a
misnomer since being granted one doesnt, in any way, prolong the shelf life of the
Thai entry permit to which it applies. Rather, a Visa Extension permits an extension of
stay of an existing period of stay or an existing extension of stay (as applicable) and
thus simply extends the amount of time that youre lawfully permitted to remain in
Thailand; that said, its important to be aware that the duration of an extension of
stay is commensurate with the remaining validity on the holders passport and, as
with a period of stay on a Thai entry permit, the moment you depart Thailand (or,
more accurately, as soon as you clear passport control at the port of exit), the
extension of stay previously granted will be cancelled and any unused days on it
forfeited (unless, for those in possession of a single-entry Visa In Advance, a Re-entry
Permit is obtained in advance of leaving the country). As a reminder, only certain types
of Thai entry permit qualify for a Visa Extension; the 15 day period of stay on a Visa
On Arrival cannot be extended (unless the holder is somehow prevented by means
beyond their control- from departing Thailand by the date their VOA expires); equally,
ordinary passport holders from countries who were admitted into Thailand on a Visa
Exemption by way of a bilateral agreement (irrespective of whether the period of stay
was granted for 14, 30 or 90 days) are not entitled to apply for an extension of stay.
Otherwise, those who were admitted into Thailand under the Tourist Visa Exemption
Scheme (for whichever of a 15 or 30 day period of stay) are eligible to apply once only
for a 30 day Visa Extension whereas those who entered the country on a Tourist Visa
either single- or multiple-entry- are allowed to apply for one 30 day Visa Extension for
each entry (60 day period of stay) on their visa. On the other hand, bearers of a
Page | 235

Outside of a formal business meeting, Thais rarely offer their hand to shake when
meeting someone new. Instead they press their palms together in a prayer-like fashion
and lower their head; this is the wai and serves exquisitely as the traditional Thai
greeting (or farewell). Starting with the hands close to and in front of the chest (the
height for offering a standard wai), the higher the hands in relation to the head, the
lower the head and the longer the position is held, the greater the deference the giver
is demonstrating. In addition to being a mark of respect for those older or of equal or
greater social status, the wai is also customary as a means of expressing gratitude or
by way of an apology. As a foreigner, its not especially common to receive a wai from
a Thai person and, equally, its not expected of you to initiate a wai exchange unless
youre addressing an important figure in the Thai hierarchy. In general, you shouldnt
initiate a wai to a Thai you perceive or know to be subordinate in age (younger) or
status (more junior) to yourself; its also not necessary to wai a person who is
providing you with a paid service of any kind and alternatively a simple nod and smile
of acknowledgement will suffice. Otherwise, should a Thai person greet you with a wai,
it is considered boorish (unless you have the privilege of being a monk or royalty) not
to reciprocate the gesture (and even if youre hands are full at the time!). Thus, its
appropriate not to wai indiscriminately. Definitely the best way to learn is by observing
locals and while it may take a bit of time to perfect both your technique and your
timing, Thais will almost certainly appreciate your trying. Equally, it should be noted
that greeting a Thai with whom youre not intimate by touching, hugging or kissing
them, even with the best of intentions, is deemed improper and will surely make them
feel uncomfortable.
While you may see two Thai friends of the same gender (men and women alike)
holding hands or walking arm in arm down the street, its unusual to witness a
romantically involved Thai couple of any age- acting in this way. In fact, Thais frown
on any public display of affection (even hugging) and it is equally as taboo to make
physical contact (even a hand shake) with a member of the opposite sex with whom
youre not already well acquainted.
Thais regard the feet as symbolically unclean (being in contact with the earth) and the
most inferior part of the body; for this reason, you should never point at anything or
anyone with your feet, or push items around or even hold open or close a door with
them as doing so is deeply insulting. Moreover, dont directly expose or touch the
souls of your feet to another person or object (particularly images of Buddha or the
Thai royal family), or put your feet on a chair or table, raise them over someones head
or step over someone or their personal belongings. In contrast, the head is considered
Page | 267

Language & Communication

Despite Chiang Mais tremendous popularity among foreign visitors, English is not at all
widely spoken or understood outside of formal settings or those areas of the city
which are regularly patronised by tourists. Furthermore, Thais with only a limited grasp
of English will often not speak it for fear of making a linguistic mistake thereby causing
themselves personal embarrassment and, accordingly, a loss of face. Equally,
speaking English with intelligible pronunciation often proves challenging for Thais since
certain consonant and vowel sounds in English do not exist in Thai, intonation patterns
between the two languages are very different as is the weight (stress) and timing
(rhythm) given to a particular syllable in order to convey its proper meaning in the
context of a sentence. Similarly, the imperfect form of English (Tinglish) produced by
Thais -due to interference from their own native language- is a common occurrence;
instances of which are not only noticeable during speech but, more conspicuously,
observed on various signage (that depicted represents the common difficulty for Thais
in differentiating between l and r sounds and between b and
p sounds). The ensuing communication barrier can, on
occasions, hinder even your most fundamental of needs being
met. To maximise your chances of being understood when
communicating in English to a Thai who is anything other than
fluent, its wise to grade your language by speaking in simple terms using single words
rather than entire sentences, using only the present tense of verbs, omitting articles,
plural forms and the word to when using infinitives; for example, rather than the
verbose Please can you tell me where is the train station? or even Where is the
train station?, merely stating train in a raised tone (thus signifying a question) is far
more likely to elicit a favourable response and, unlike in many western countries, you
will not be thought less of for your brevity. Likewise, you should speak slowly (but
naturally), clearly, decisively, avoid using slang, paraphrasing if necessary and being
aware that raising the volume of your voice, getting flustered or exhibiting frustration
will in no way facilitate their comprehension of what youre trying to say. When
querying something, ask one question at a time and await the answer before
prompting another question; avoid questions that include a negative or those which
require just a yes or no answer (since Thais will habitually give a positive reply
regardless of what youre asking) and never proffer what you suspect to be the answer
to your own question.
Although communicating only in English throughout your stay in Chiang Mai will have
no major adverse impact on your life here, learning some of the native language even
Page | 270

Apartment (Serviced)
A Thai-owned residential building composed of multiple fully furnished rental units (serviced apartments)
offering all the amenities of a hotel for short or long stays and, most importantly, move-in ready.
Numerous usually convenient- locations throughout Chiang Mai including in the Old City.
Standard facilities include round-the-clock security (guards, CCTV and 24 hour reception desk), swimming
pool, fitness centre/gym, parking area, maid service (daily/weekly room cleaning, change of bed linen/towels
and rubbish (garbage) removal), laundry shop, on-site restaurant and, on occasion, a minimart, bakery and/or
coffee shop.
Studio, one- and two-bedroom units as well as the odd penthouse (each with one or more separate
bathrooms) collectively ranging in size from 28 sq m to around 350 sq m (averaging around 36 sq m for a studio
room, 65 sq m for a unit with one bedroom and 95 sq m for a unit with two bedrooms) but providing more
space -in which to lounge, dine or work- than an equivalent hotel room.
Room features, quality and condition of furnishings as well as design style differ both between and within
serviced apartment blocks but tend to be appointed to a high at times, luxurious- standard (at least with a
kitchenette but many with a fitted and fully equipped western kitchen), tastefully and contemporarily
decorated, comfortable and homely.
Monthly rates are distinctly more expensive than the corresponding rental cost of a Thai style apartment and
comparable rooms in many condos but are more economical those of an equivalent hotel room. Specifically,
rates start from around 3500 baht to as much as 150,000 baht per calendar month (averaging around 13,800
baht for a studio room, 26,800 for a unit with one bedroom and 45,500 for a unit with two bedrooms). Note
that some serviced apartments mandate an added surcharge during major holidays and also vary their rates
according to the time of year (being highest during the peak tourist season of October to February).
Although residents dont incur a monthly maintenance fee for building upkeep, security and general repairs,
they are normally liable for separate utility charges at whatever rates are set by the building owner and which,
far more often than not, are higher (sometimes by twice as much) than the prevailing Government rates for
electricity and water. Internet access is limited to the buildings own WiFi network and may be chargeable;
maid service is usually complimentary but, likewise, not in all cases; additionally, some serviced apartments
impose an additional service charge (ordinarily 10%) as well as 7% VAT.
Besides the convenience of offering a turnkey solution, the other major benefit of a serviced apartment is the
flexible stay arrangements with the vast majority accepting guests for just a day, a week, a month, a quarter or
as long as a year and, as with all other property types, the longer the commitment, invariably the more costeffective the rental rate (though those paying the higher day rate are at least entitled to free breakfast and
bear no utility charges). Tenants are directly accountable to the property owner (landlord).
Popular serviced apartment buildings throughout Chiang Mai include, amongst others, Veerachai Court, View
Doi Mansion, Thanasiri Place Apartment, Puri Piman, Huay Kaew Residence, The Dome Residence, The Opium,
Sakorn Residence, Malin Residence, Green Hill Place 1, 2 and 3, Smith Residence (pictured) and Smith Suites,
Viangbua Mansion, The Loft Residence, The Xym, The Grand Wipanan Residence, Central Hill Place and Baan
Thai all of which are pinpointed on the NomadGuides Map of Chiang Mai here.
Page | 278

In preparation for searching for rental accommodation, youll need to determine each
of the following:
Your maximum monthly rental budget as well as ensuring, for when you find a
suitable abode, that you have enough ready cash to pay an upfront holding deposit
(normally equivalent to one months rent, for the purpose of reserving the
accommodation but which is non-refundable and thereafter serves as your first
months rent); a security deposit (usually corresponding to two months rent, and
which is required by the landlord in advance of the tenants occupation of the rental
unit as collateral against any damage, breakages, unpaid bills, cleaning fees or
unauthorised additions or alterations to the property but otherwise returnable in full
at the time of check-out); and, as appropriate, a key/keycard deposit (typically
between 200 and 500 baht per key/keycard, and which is fully refundable upon the
safe return of the key(s)/keycard(s) at the time of check-out).
Your maximum rental period.

Your chosen property type or types (condo, Thai style apartment, serviced apartment
and/or house), degree of furnishing (completely unfurnished, partially furnished or
fully furnished) as well as unit type or types (studio room or accommodation with one
or more bedrooms).

Additionally, compile a personalised wish list (appropriate to the property type(s) in

which youre interested) of fixtures, fittings, features and on-site amenities such as a
balcony, a mountain view, fully fitted and equipped kitchen or kitchenette, 24 hour
security, private garden, swimming pool, fitness centre/gym, sofa, dining table and
chairs, bathtub, king-sized bed, parking space, WiFi or home broadband access in the
rental unit and so on). Your list of requirements can be prioritised simply into those
which you feel are absolutely essential against those you judge as merely nice to have;
with such a wealth of rental properties throughout the whole of Chiang Mai, its
recommended to ensure the particulars of your list are as specific as possible and that
youre disciplined with both your time and your budget in order to streamline the
selection process (though a little flexibility in your wants and needs and your budget is
prudent).

Page | 286

Just as important a criterion as any of the abovementioned factors is the location of

the property as this alone will influence, among other things, your transport needs,
feelings of safety, the selection, pricing and nearness of local facilities for the purposes
of recreation or otherwise (such as a work space, laundry store and/or self-service
coin-operated washing machines, gas station, mall/shopping centre, convenience store,
general purpose store, self-service coin-operated water-vending machines, super/hypermarket, pharmacy, optician, hospital and medical or dental clinics, vehicle rental
agency, bank, ATM, ISP and mobile phone provider shops, day and night markets,
print/copy shops as well as restaurants, transportation hubs and immigration offices),
extent of foreigner presence in the neighbourhood, visual appeal of the immediate
area, potential environmental bothers (such as external noise levels, risk of flooding,
insect infestations) as well as the type, availability and going rate of rental properties.
While there are Thai style apartments, serviced apartments as well as detached houses
and semi-detached/terraced townhouses within the confines of the Old City, the area
is really a haven for tourists. Similarly, the outlying suburbs and surrounding districts
provide plenty of Thai style apartments and moo baan developments in particular;
many of which are to be found along those reaches of Hang Dong/Mae Hong Son and
Canal Roads south of Chiang Mai Airport as well as between the Super Highway, the
Inner Ring Road and the Outer Ring Road but, being further out from central Chiang
Mai, tend to be favoured by western retirees and those with families; moo baan can be
readily identified from any web map (such as Google Maps) by their very characteristic
street layout patterns (as pictured) and indeed theyre often represented on the map
annotated with the word moo or village.

By far the most favoured areas in the city for Digital Nomads are in the west, north
west and north of the Old City; specifically, along Huaykaew and Suthep Roads and
throughout the intervening Nimman area, along the middle reaches of Canal Road
(either side of Phucome Junction) as well as in and around the more traditionally Thai
Page | 287

Whenever paying an electricity/water bill over-the-counter, the process is consistently

the same and simply involves presenting your invoice at the outlets payment/service
counter whereupon the attending member of staff will scan the bar code on your bill
then state the sum owing (the total amount of the utility invoice plus the appropriate
service charge); after making payment, the original bill will be returned to you stapled
to which will be a receipt and, if having paid in cash, any change. It should be
reiterated that remittance of a PEA or PWA bill over-the-counter at any of the
approved payment channels can officially only be processed from the date the invoice
was issued up to and including the due date shown on the bill; within this time window,
however, such bills can in fact be paid at any of the participating outlets not just in
Chiang Mai but in the whole of Thailand with payment effected either by yourself or by
a friend/partner/relative on your behalf. If though, for whatever reason, you fail to
settle your PEA/PWA bill at any of the designated payment channels by its due date,
payment will thereafter only be accepted in person at one of the Provincial Electricity
Authority/Provincial Waterworks Authority offices/shops in Chiang Mai.

A PEA electricity bill can be paid at any Provincial Electricity Authority office or PEA
Shop (either on or before its due date or thereafter out of necessity), is free of any
service charge and there are, indeed, five branches located throughout Mueang Chiang
Mai (all of which are pinpointed on the NomadGuides Map of Chiang Mai here);
although at the main PEA branch office in Nong Hoi subdistrict, the hours reserved for
bill payments are limited (08:30 to 15:30 Monday to Friday and except on those week
days which fall on a Thai national holiday) and waiting times to pay can be lengthy
(especially immediately before and after a Thai national holiday or weekend), the PEA
Shop at each of Central Airport Plaza and CentralFestival shopping malls in particular
offer extended service hours every day of the week and sees
infinitely fewer customers. Paying your PWA water bill at a
Provincial Waterworks Authority office (either on or before
its due date or thereafter out of necessity) is likewise devoid
of any surcharge but with only a single branch in Mueang
Chiang Mai (located here) and with restrictive hours for bill
payments (08:30 to 15:30 Monday to Friday and except on
those week days which fall on a Thai national holiday), the
branch can get exceptionally busy (particularly either side of
a Thai national holiday or weekend). As an alternative to
visiting either a Provincial Electricity Authority office/shop or
the sole Provincial Waterworks Authority office, Chiang Mai
City Hall houses a permanent bill payment office (pictured)
Page | 315

SPECIALITY STORES
In addition to the said super-/hypermarkets and cash and carry warehouses, there are
a good number of speciality stores worthy of note. Established in 1969, the family-run
Kasem Store has long been a perennial favourite among Thais and expats alike offering
an old-fashioned grocery store experience and boasting a veritable treasure trove of
nothing but imported foreign foodstuffs (and that which isnt in evidence in the shop
can sometimes be ordered) as well as a multitude of fresh produce (especially bakery
items); open between 08:00 and 20:00 Monday to Saturday, the two stores are
marked on the NomadGuides Map of Chiang Mai here. Likewise launched in 1969,
Thailands Royal Project was inaugurated initially as a means to provide Thai hill-tribe
villages -previously dependent upon slash and burn subsistence cultivation and opium
production- an alternative source of income in the form of chemical-free cash crops;
nowadays, all such produce is delivered to Chiang Mai from where their Doi Khambranded retail outlets stock an extensive assortment of high quality and very
reasonably priced seasonal fresh herbs (including exotics like rosemary, lemon thyme
and mint), vegetables (including hard-to-find varieties such as leeks, carrots and
zucchini/courgette) and fruit (including unusual varieties like avocado and cranberries)
available fresh, tinned, dehydrated, frozen and as juice and jams as well as honey,
highland brown rice, coffee and epicurean meats, for example, rabbit, boar and trout;
their principal store (though there are, in fact, several throughout the city including at
Chiang Mai Airport) is open daily from 08:00 to 18:00 and located here. Northern Farm
is likewise popular with both locals and foreign residents for its supreme quality and
moderately priced fresh meats (locally sourced chicken, pork and duck along with
imported salmon, beef, lamb and, at Christmas time, turkey) as well as frozen
fish/shellfish, butter, cheese, spices and fine wine; open from 08:00 to 18:00 Monday
to Saturday and 08:00 to 17:00 on Sundays (but closed on Thai national holidays), its
only store is located here. Billed as a health food store, Baan Suan Pak stocks a decent
and reasonably priced selection of fresh organic and chemical-free fruit, vegetables
and herbs as well as spices, oils, honey, tahini, tempeh, kefir, kombucha, kimchi and
such like; open between 09:00 and 17:00 Monday to Saturday, its recently re-located
store can be found here. Although more than 70% of its stock comprises imported
foodstuffs, Yok Intertrade is in fact better known for its baked goods as well as its
bakery-making appliances and culinary ingredients; open 08:00 until 19:00 at least six
days a week, both of its stores are pinpointed on the NomadGuides Map of Chiang
Mai here or, alternately, order online for home delivery. With a store right next to Ton
Payom 2 Market along with a presence at Nakhonchai Air (NCA) bus terminal, at
Chiang Mai Airport (specifically in the international arrivals hall on the 2nd floor), at Kad
Luang Warorot and, open from 07:00 to 20:00 daily, their head office branch located
here, Vanusnun produces its own range of fresh and dried foods including preserved
Page | 320

Data & Voice Services

Thai SIM Cards

ACQUISITION OF A THAI SIM CARD

You can of course use a foreign SIM card in Thailand to make/receive voice calls,
send/receive SMS (text), EMS (enhanced text) and MMS (multimedia) messages as well
as, the specification of your mobile device permitting, connect to the internet via
3G/4G but youll incur often exorbitant- international roaming charges as a result.
Easily the cost-effective option is to acquire a Thai SIM card upon your arrival in
Thailand- for such purposes and indeed having a Thai mobile (cell) phone number is
mandatory for performing particular transactions if you hold a Thai bank account.

Thai mobile phone numbers start with 06x, 08x or 09x followed by a 7 digit subscriber
number and, within Thailand, can be dialled directly from another Thai SIM card or
from a Thai landline number (the area codes for Chiang Mai landlines specifically are
052 or, more commonly, 053). Otherwise, the Thai mobile phone number will need to
be prefixed with +66 (Thailands country calling code) then whichever of 6x, 8x or 9x
(the Thai mobile phone code minus the leading 0) followed by the 7 digit subscriber
number; additionally, a country-specific International Direct Dial (IDD) code will need
to be added ahead of the Thailand country calling code. Thus, for example, to contact a
Thai mobile phone number from the UK, the caller would need to dial 00 66 then the
Thai mobile phone number without the leading 0; to lookup the international access
code of any given country as a prerequisite to making an outgoing phone call to
Thailand (in addition to dialling instructions for making an outgoing call from Thailand
to any other country in the world), click here. Thai SIM cards can be used anywhere in
Thailand without bearing domestic roaming charges but, if duly enabled, will incur
international roaming charges if used outside of Thailand (except in parts of the border
towns of Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia and Myanmar which immediately adjoin Thailand).

In fact, Thais are heavy mobile phone users with the growth rate of subscribers, sale of
smartphones and accompanying consumption of 3G/4G mobile internet data
(especially in relation to social media sites) skyrocketing over the last couple of years in
particular. Accordingly, smartphones (including the very latest models) are readily
available and genuine makes competitively priced with the principal Thai mobile phone
networks (AIS, dtac and TrueMove H (TMH)) offering an extensive selection of data
Page | 330

HOME BROADBAND
As in the west, fixed line broadband internet access in Thailand (including throughout
Chiang Mai) is delivered predominantly through DSL (over a conventional telephone
line and most often ADSL) but also Cable (DOCSIS) -to the least extent- and,
increasingly, the faster and more reliable Fibre-optic (variously expressed as Fibre-ToThe-x (FTTX), Fibre-To-The-Premises (FTTP), Fibre-To-The-Home (FTTH) or Fibre-ToThe-Building (FTTB)). Based on actual crowdsourced speed test readings, the now
discontinued Ookla NetIndex (http://www.netindex.com/download/4,122791/ChiangMai/) revealed that Chiang Mai had an average fixed line broadband download speed
of 14.6Mbps/upload speed of 2.6Mbps (at April 2015) thus appreciably faster than
other popular Digital Nomad hotspots in South East Asia such as Ubud (in Bali) and
Davao (in the Philippines) but comparable to the likes of Ho Chi Minh City (in Vietnam).

While there is widespread coverage overall of fixed line broadband throughout

Mueang Chiang Mai, service availability, download/upload speeds (ranging from
10Mbps/512Kbps to 1Gbps/200Mbps), method of delivery (DSL, Cable or Fibre-Optic)
and choice of Internet Service Provider (ISP) will all governed by the geographic area
and property type in which you live. Although not especially common, some privatelyowned rental properties in Chiang Mai do come already outfitted with home
broadband with the cost sometimes included as part of the monthly rental amount. As
a rule, those living in a rented apartment (serviced or otherwise), are not allowed to
setup their own home broadband connection; in contrast, those renting a house or
condo will normally be permitted to arrange their own installation of home broadband
subject to their residing in an area of coverage (service area) and, as invariably
mandated in a lease/service agreement, having first obtained permission from the
landlord; do note, though, that at some condos in the city, youll be limited to
subscribing to a particular ISP (such as the one which provides the telephone lines to
the building for those condos which supply home broadband via ADSL).

When ordering fixed line home broadband as a foreigner, its customary for the ISP to
stipulate a minimum commitment; presently, with the exception of a single provider
who does not enforce a minimum contractual period, all mandate a term of either 6
months or, more typically, 12 months for new subscribers (though it is possible, on
occasion and at the discretion of ISP staff, to negotiate the duration down to 3
months). Installation charges are normally waived (though payable in full should the
contract be terminated prematurely) but new subscribers do need to source a
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 Connecting to one of the several thousand free WiFi Access Points (APs) such as in a
shopping mall, government facility, hospital, post office,
university, Chiang Mai Airport as well as in and around popular
tourist and expat hangouts like Tha Phae Gate,
Nimmanahaeminda Road, Warorot Market and the
Saturday/Sunday Walking Streets - Thailands Ministry of
Information and Communication Technology (MICT) has joined
with a number of Thai ISPs/mobile operators (AIS, dtac, TOT and
TrueMove H) to provide such ICT Free WiFi access to the
general public, the details of which are summarised below:

'ICT free WiFi

by AIS'

'ICT free
WiFi by
dtac'

'ICT free
WiFi by
TOT'

'ICT free WiFi

by TRUE'

Pre-registration Available

Yes

No

No

No

Registration at Connection

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

10 Mbps/1
Mbps

3 Mbps/1
Mbps

2
Mbps/512
Kbps

2 Mbps/512
Kbps

Wireless Network Name (SSID)

Maximum Download/Upload Speeds

Daily/Monthly Time Limit(s)

10 hours per
month

2 hours
per day

2 hours
per day

30 minutes
per day & 15
hours per
month

WiFi Username/Password Validity

Account valid
from
registration
date to end of
same month

3 months

6 months

3 months

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 Thailand Creative and Design Centre (TCDC) a Thai government-administered

educational facility devoted to the promotion and development of creativity among
entrepreneurs, designers and students, the ultra modern and immaculately kept TCDC
located here and open from 10:30 to 18:00 Tuesday to Sunday (except on Thai
national holidays)- comprises the CMYK Caf (hot and cold drinks 50 to 85 baht, fresh
sandwiches 90 to 105 baht,
salads 85 to 105 baht, soups 69
baht, specials 70 to 120 baht
and desserts 85 baht), an event
space (which hosts 2 or 3
often with free admissionrelated exhibitions, workshops,
symposia or lectures per month)
and a meeting room (suitable
for up to 15 persons and
costing 500 baht for the day)
on the ground floor; on floor 2 is an impressive Resource Centre in which is a library
(pictured) housing numerous design publications, periodicals and multimedia
resources (many in English), 7 desks each with 10 seats (offering a number of free-touse PC (Lenovo) and Apple Mac desktop and laptop computers), a handful of beanbags
as well as a reading room (accommodating up to 10 persons), a Material ConneXioncum-meeting room (for up to 6 persons) space, a small cinema theatre (media room)
with sofa for viewing DVDs from their on-site collection and, from early 2016, secure
locker facilities; although the TCDC Resource Centre is accessible only to paid members
(of which there are three tiers of membership), it is possible to obtain upon
presentation of your passport at the Info Guru counter- a free One Day Pass (limited
to one per person) on your first visit and thereafter a Tourist Pass (offering the same
benefits as their Premium membership and which, therefore, can also be used at
TCDC in Bangkok) which is valid for 10 consecutive days, costs just 200 baht each and,
whatsmore, theres no limit to the number of Tourist Passes that can be obtained
consecutively; free WiFi (with maximum download/upload speeds of 16Mbps/5Mbps)
is
available
throughout
but
reproduction
services
are
chargeable
(printing/photocopying: 2 baht for A4 black and white; 10/15 baht for A4 colour),
scanning: 8/12 baht and CD-writing: 12 baht). While the TCDC Resource Centre is
available to be used by Thais and foreigners alike (and employs English-speaking staff),
its patronised by very few westerners not least on account of it being so little-known.

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By Bus
The same bus companies that operate from Bangkoks various bus terminals
(Chatuchak (Mo Chit), Nakhonchai Air, Vibhavadi and others) direct to Chiang Mais
Arcade Bus Station (terminals 2 and 3) as well as to the nearby Nakhonchai Air Bus
Terminal also make the return journey with corresponding ticket classes (VIP, 1st, 2nd
and 3rd), duration (9 to 12 hours), standard one-way fares (from 389 baht for 2nd class,
from 500 baht for 1st class and from 628 baht for VIP class), conditions of carriage and
booking channels (online ticketing consolidators, the bus operator directly (from their
counter(s) at the respective bus terminal(s) or courtesy of their call centre) as well as
local travel agents). Collectively, departures from Chiang Mai to Bangkok by bus occur
at least hourly between 06:30 and 23:05 every day of the week.
Aside from the nations capital, the many bus companies based at one or both of the
terminals of the Arcade bus station in Chiang Mai additionally serve an array of towns
and cities elsewhere in Northern Thailand (such as Lampang, Mae Sot, Chiang Rai, Mae
Sai, Pai, Mae Hong Son and Chiang Khong), the Central provinces (such as Sukhothai
and Phitsanulok), the Northeastern -Isaan- region (such as Udon Thani, Nong Khai,
Khon Kaen, Mukdahan, Nakhon Ratchasima (Korat) and Ubon Ratchathani) as well as
Hua Hin and even as far south as Phuket (via Surat Thani).

Besides local and national destinations, terminal 2 of Chiang Mais Arcade Bus Station
(near platform 20) houses the main booking office for The Transport Co. which runs a
thrice weekly direct bus service to 'Ban Naluang Bus Station in Luang Prabang, Laos via
stops at Chiang Rai, the 4th Friendship (Bokeo) Bridge straddling the Mekong River- at
the Chiang Khong (Thailand)/Huay Xai (Laos) border crossing and, in Laos, Luang
Namtha and Oudomxay (Udomxai); with departures from Chiang Mai (and returns
from Luang Prabang) at 09:00 Monday, Wednesday and Sunday, a one-way (1st class)
ticket for the
single-decker, airconditioned, WCequipped
ThaiLao international
bus
(pictured)
costs 1200 baht
and can only be purchased on the morning of departure -preferably between 06:00
and 08:00 but certainly no later than 08:30- with the entire trip normally taking from
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