Is This Non Tourist Town Good For Thailand Expats?

[@WalkAboutWayne]

You can watch the whole series here - kzbin.info/aero/PLdc6l1RJwq0CmgyLLEU_8AG8P10K5ZDxt&si=xNxIpTmxJpnqgLxY

[@JeromeWood]

As an ex-pat living in Phrae, after having experienced another incredible evening with fellow Phrae ex-pats this evening, I would like to weigh in on your question, "Is This Non Tourist Town Good For Thailand Expats?". I have lived in Phrae for 7 years. I lived in Chiang Mai for the 4 proceeding years, and in Koh Phangan before that. For me, Phrae has the most to offer for an Expat who wants to live the Thai experience, with the support of a small but vital expat community.

[@WalkAboutWayne]

Great info from someone who lives in Phrae. Thanks Jerome. I had a great time in Phrae.

[@tanyavernon8459]

Great series on Phrae Wayne, I love these little towns you fetch up in off the beaten track, very different to what any other vlogger does and very appreciated. Cheers!

[@WalkAboutWayne]

Thanks Tanya 🙏

[@geotransit4515]

I am Thai, I had been to Phrae years ago for just traveling and also stayed in the same hotel as you did! Btw, I also think that Phrae is one of a perfect town to live as a retiree. And even for the expat! Hope you have a good time in Thailand!

[@WalkAboutWayne]

Hi, great to hear you stayed in the same hotel. I really liked Phrae, it's a great town. Thank you. 🙏

[@johngagne986]

Really enjoyed this Wayne. Safe travel and looking forward to seeing Nan.

[@WalkAboutWayne]

Thanks John 👍

[@antruok4950]

Enjoyed the videos on Phrae mate - certainly worth spending some time - looking forward to Nan 😎👌✔️👋👍🙏

[@WalkAboutWayne]

Cheers Ant, mate.

[@Patatovski]

Another thoroughly enjoying and highly informative blog We all appreciate your honest viewpoint Keep em coming 🙏

[@WalkAboutWayne]

Thank you mate 👍

[@randyirvine5858]

Good to see all these small towns you're touring thru. This isn't derogatory, do you find being a loner (older & still single) in Thailand, as your future?

[@WalkAboutWayne]

Cheers mate! and yes, I do see myself getting older and still single in the future (I'm never truly single in Thailand though 😉) The only part I would say maybe not would be, is Thailand my future? I don't know on that one, I've always fancied eastern Europe aswell.

[@NextUp4E]

I'm about your age and while I'd like the occasional visit to Pattaya or Hua Hin, this seems like my kind of town. Thanks for visiting and putting a spotlight on it.

[@WalkAboutWayne]

Nice one! Yes, Phrae is a different world from Pattaya and Hua Hin. They all got plus and minus points. Phrae is somewhere nice to live a peaceful life. Thanks

[@Mike-du1dc]

Nicky was the best! The year he was World Champ was awesome! Great Video Wayne thanks again for the tour! Love Phrae myself & pass thru often...Don't want to leave? Whats your rush? Stay awhile no prob right? 😉

[@WalkAboutWayne]

Yes mate, it was good to see Nicky win the championship and beating Rossi makes it sweeter. Sad day when he died, and on a bicycle of all things. 😢Can’t stick around in Phrae mate, things to do, people to see. Cheers Mike 👍

[@walternyc]

Very informational. Great job as always. Cheers.

[@WalkAboutWayne]

Thanks

[@RetiredGlobalLife]

Hey Wayne, Joy and I just checking in on your trip to Phrae. Be well!

[@WalkAboutWayne]

Nice one, hope all is well 👍

[@SteveSmith-zz4ih]

It was bugging me where to live if i move over there, Phrae seems very good, 9 hole golf course nearby, No Massage shop though thats a "Bummer", i would have to take off "Burning Season" the smoke is not good for the lungs etc. I will see what your next destination is like. This is a good series Wayne, great content.

[@WalkAboutWayne]

It's a good little town and maybe an option in the future. I think I would need to be a bit older and ready to settle for Phrae. It's well worth keeping in mind though. On to Nan and see what that's like. Cheers mate.

[@ColinC33]

A nice end to a great trip to Phrae. We will actually be there in two weeks but it will be a quick stop to order some teak furniture and maybe a bowel of noodles. I thought I heard you praising Chantaburi but I could not find it on your site. But if you are ever down that way visit the city it very beatiful and not many Western tourists and its close to the sea and Koh Chang .We own a rai there and had originally planned to live there as it ticked all our boxes but maybe in the future who knows.

[@WalkAboutWayne]

Nice one Colin, hope you have a great visit to Phrae. I’ve never been to Chanaburi mate, but maybe one day. It sounds nice 👍 Thanks

[@ViewTalay]

Yes its friendly up north but I also found Hat Yai very friendly and I think you should check it out one day if you do a Southern trip

[@WalkAboutWayne]

Nice, maybe I'll visit Hat Yai one day 👍

[@robbied9313]

I'm retired here in the east coast of the US- and I watch several different Tubers in Thailand- it's nice to dream of being there. Bangkok is kind of busy-but Chaing Mai and other smaller places in the north seem wonderful. And the old hippie in me yearns for a visit to Pai.

[@WalkAboutWayne]

Hello Robbie, thanks for watching. I hope you can get to Thailand one day and head up to Pai 👍

[@Simdoog]

Good vlog Wayne. Looking forward to your visit to Nan (which is pronounced Narn by the way) - take it easy man, take it easy.

[@WalkAboutWayne]

Cheers! Nan sounds just like Narn, so happy days. I'll stick to Nan though. Thank you. Take it easy 👌🏻

[@stevens8785]

It is indeed a lovely little town and like so many others, somewhere that I think ultimate settling in would require obtaining some sort of a grasp of the Thai language. At my age I feel that would be 'all too hard' so whilst loving the thought of visiting these places ultimately I think I would want to be based in a place like Chiang Mai that caters more so for the Westerner. Nice video mate 🤩

[@WalkAboutWayne]

Thanks mate! Yes, somewhere like Phrae would need to well thought out before moving here. It was nice to hear from a couple of guys in the chat, that do live here. It's maybe a little to far out for me now, but never know later in life.

[@davidkelly-cl4mj]

Ahh sad to leave there mate but you can always go back in the future. It's a great little spot but as you mentioned, probably more suited to a older Expat. The fact that there's no condos would probably contribute to the fact there's not many Expats there or any foreign folks at all. Looking forward to seeing the next destination mate stay safe man stay safe

[@WalkAboutWayne]

Thanks David, it's been great in Phrae, I can see myself returning one day. It would be ideal for someone a little older and settled down with a partner.

[@Ulbre]

Whoo Hoo, first viewer

[@WalkAboutWayne]

Nice one!!

[@MsSamadhi01]

Wayne if you like Phrae you will love Nan. We live in Lampang and just got back yesterday from a Nan holiday. I have been there many times and everytime are impressed. Hope you are there for the Saturday night park market.

[@WalkAboutWayne]

Nice one! We shall see how I get on with Nan. Lampang is a great place also 👍

[@JeromeWood]

I have spent a lot of time in Nan, and have friends there, it is wonderful. For me, Phrae has more to offer the expat who wants to experience real northern Thailand. Please come and visit us @suanglangna and we can discuss the pros and cons.

[@Auntpat]

Phrae is quiet, peaceful town with and an interesting historical sites to see.If you want to see the most ethic diversity , I suggest Tak at Mae sot district at the far west of thailand.

[@WalkAboutWayne]

Nice! I'm hoping to visit Tak at some point In the future 👍

[@robertburnett6348]

Forgot...This is what many critics of Thailand don't get. So many individual.towns of all types. And all within a few hours of each other. Used to be that way in the U.S. But same, same it seems now. Except maybe Hwy 395 from Reno, Nv. down to Death Valley. Many 1950s type towns still to see. Thanks.

[@WalkAboutWayne]

I would like to come to the US one day, that is on my list 👍

[@natk426]

yeah, non-tourism towns like Phrae, Lampang, Nan, etc., are 'advanced' places for expat who have spent time in Chiangmai for a year or more. These towns with airport allow you easy access to Bangkok on an hour flight to Bangkok. Rental cost is more cheaper than Chiangmai as well. Easily 30 - 50% cheaper.

[@WalkAboutWayne]

Yes, I would say Phrae would be for someone who has been in Thailand for a while and likes the laid back life. It's a great little town.

[@michaeltakayama8415]

Definitely a nice place to visit & relax, but, likely need solid Thai language skills to live there comfortably, over the long haul. For an older expat, healthcare might be an issue. There are probably clinics and/or a hospital somewhere in town, but the doctors & staff might not be fluent in English - and that can get problematic, when trying to sort out health-related issues. Safe travels, mate! :)

[@WalkAboutWayne]

It's surprising how much English is here, times have changed so much, but I agree you would need to grasp the language in the long run. Good points on the healthcare Michael 👍

[@Battleneter]

To me looks like a place for Expats that want the quiet low hassles life, def on my list to look at.

[@WalkAboutWayne]

Yes, it's a great place for the quiet life older Expats. Well worth a look.

[@michaelgreenwood4014]

Nan is the best in my opinion, you will love it I’m sure. And use the Olympic pool it’s a must and incredibly cheep.

[@WalkAboutWayne]

Nice one Michael! No plans for swimming, but you never know. 👍

[@JeromeWood]

Phrae is the best in my opinion

[@_Alfa.Bravo_]

... adress please. If you mean "The Pool By Mix Academy" looks like permanently closed

[@jackoneil3933]

Nice place, I love the vibe. A very wealthy friend said to me when he hit 60': "I used to run after women, now that I'm no longer young and foolish, I run from them". Phrae seems like it could be a place to stop running and it would be easy enough to spend time there and find out.

[@WalkAboutWayne]

Sounds like your friend was very wise also. Phrae would be perfect for changing ways or getting away from the delights that Thailand offers.

[@jackoneil3933]

@@WalkAboutWayne Indeed he was, I recently went to his Funeral, he was a good friend, mentor and inspiration. Someone else I know who retired to Thailand eventually moved to Vietnam, largely to escape the layers of"delights" but he refereed to them as layers of something else. For many retirees layers in Pattaya delights might be the the reason, but Phrae might be the real delight.

[@drewberry5084]

I agree Wayne it's not for new expats. It is not for everyone, I found everyone friendly and was surprised how many locals spoke English.

[@WalkAboutWayne]

Thanks Drew, I was surprised by the English also.

[@davemassingham2096]

Awesome little town that so peaceful

[@WalkAboutWayne]

Loved it mate 👍

[@nigel4776]

Does Phrae have a train station?

[@WalkAboutWayne]

No, the nearest is about 27km away.

[@chrisrussell6781]

If you want a quiet life and not worried about other farangs a big yes from me.

[@WalkAboutWayne]

Yes, it would be a great option for a older retired expat. Good little town.

[@gideonrubina5188]

👏

[@WalkAboutWayne]

👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻

[@HairyPixels]

Anywhere up north is better than Chiang Mai these days. I drove in to the city from Mae Jo the other night with my wife for a Thanksgiving meal at some hotel and it took us over 45 minutes due to the levels of traffic and constant red lights (990 baht/person, not good and overpriced, very disappointed). It's just become a big congested polluted tourist trap. There's nice pockets scattered about but accessing them is not worth the hassle. The only reason to live there is if you know nothing about Thailand except something you saw on KZbin and can't the language. For everyone else literally anywhere else is a higher quality of life, if you're over 40 at least.

[@WalkAboutWayne]

I agree that Chiang Mai is rammed with traffic sometimes, it is a problem and I don't like living inside the city so much anymore. I don't agree with the last part though buddy. I would say down south is where you would go if you didn't know much about Thailand. Chiang Mai is known for one of the best ratios of quality of life, that's why people love it. I agree, it does get on my tits sometimes in the city though. I wouldn't go OTT though, just drive 10 minutes and its amazing .

[@HairyPixels]

@@WalkAboutWayne I gave up going in to the city from Mae Jo, you might as well live in Prae in you live in Mae Jo. Since I moved to Samoeng I don't go into the city any less than when I lived with my wife in Mae Jo. Really regret not making the moving earlier and being more opened minded.

[@WalkAboutWayne]

@@HairyPixels Nice one mate, yeah no need to be in the city every day. That's what I'm thinking going forward. Different situations for different people hough buddy. Samoeng would be great to, if I was married . My situation is different though. I don't want to be to far from a city, just out a little.

[@HairyPixels]

@@WalkAboutWayne I wouldn't recommend Samoeng for 99% of people because it's too isolating and has basically nothing to do, shops close at 7 etc.... Smaller cities like Nan and Mae Hong Son are more suitable and more appealing. Looking forward to seeing your Nan videos.

[@robertburnett6348]

"It is running cold". What rhe girls have been telling me the last few years.

[@WalkAboutWayne]

🤣🤣🤣

[@GodvoiceNassary]

The people is say there is not work of hotel in thailand it is true

[@WalkAboutWayne]

Do you mean finding work in a hotel?

[@GodvoiceNassary]

@WalkAboutWayne yes

[@bobwelo]

[@WalkAboutWayne]

👌🏻👌🏻

[@Food_n_gloomz]

They're finding more pythons in the flooding southern Thailand mate

[@WalkAboutWayne]

Yes, I would have thought that. That's what happened in Chiang Mai. Crazy to thing what's about after the floods. It looks bad down south, I just been watching the news.

[@keithhowell4138]

I’d be looking for a small sticker that says ER ,then it would go to the right of the 69 sticker

[@WalkAboutWayne]

🤣🤣

[@jb_buri]

No Tesco's in Thailand. They sold up and left......

[@WalkAboutWayne]

Yep, I think I’ll always call Lotus’s , Tesco 🤣

[@MrMarkus00]

Stay man

[@WalkAboutWayne]

Time to go mate.