Top Things to Consider When Choosing an Area of Bangkok, Thailand, to Live In

Many people relocate to Bangkok, Thailand and, without thinking about the ramifications, choose an apartment and move in. While that might work in some cities, Bangkok is so huge (currently more than 13 million people live here), if you don't choose the correct area to live in, you'll end up having a lot of problems. Before moving into any area in Bangkok there are specific things you should consider. The following are what most western expats agree are the top things to consider when choosing a Bangkok area to live in.

How Close Is Your Accommodation to Your Job? - The most important thing to consider when choosing a Bangkok area to live in is how close will your new apartment or house be to your job? Bangkok is such an enormous city that, if you're not careful about choosing the correct area, you could end up living on one side of the city and working on the other. With commutes as long as three hours each way, if you choose the wrong area you'll spend most of your life sitting in your car. Ideally, the best thing to do is get a job first and then choose a place to live. That way you can find accommodation that's within a few minutes of your work place, thus saving a lot of time on commuting and a lot of money on transportation costs.

Is Your New Apartment or House Close to the Sky Train or Underground? - The traffic in Bangkok is so bad, you want to be living as close to a sky train or underground station as possible. Before you choose a house or apartment to rent in Bangkok, find out how far the closest sky train or underground station is. Preferably, it's good to be within walking distance of one but, if that's too cost prohibitive, choose accommodation that's less than a 10 minute taxi ride away.

Is There a Supermarket and Shopping Mall Close By? - As the traffic jams in Bangkok are so horrendous, most people try to choose accommodation in an area that has a supermarket and a shopping mall. That way, even on the weekends, you won't spend more than 10-15 minutes in your car or a taxi when getting the weekend shopping or going to the movie theater at the mall.

If You Have Kids, How Close Is The Nearest School? - Again, this is primarily a traffic jam issue but, if you have kids, it's best to choose an area of Bangkok to live in that has several good school choices. Some people do spend an hour each way dropping off and picking up their kids at school but, it's not recommended unless you really don't mind spending a huge portion of your day in the car. Choose accommodation within a 15 minute drive to a good school and your child will thank you.

Is Your Accommodation Near a Freeway? - Being able to easily get onto a Bangkok freeway can save you a lot of travel time every week, so it's preferable to live relatively close to one. You don't want to be slap bang next to one, as then you'll be dealing with even more pollution than normal, but being close enough to get on a freeway within five minutes will make your work week much more pleasurable.

Are There Multiple Ways to Get Into and Out of The Soi? - Many sois (small lanes) in Bangkok only have one point of entry and exit. With traffic being bad (and I know I keep harping on about the traffic but you really have to see it to believe it!), you want to live in an area that has more than one entrance or exit to the street you live in. That way, if traffic on one street is terrible, you may be able to access or exit your soi a different way and skip the traffic completely.

Don't forget, when you rent a house or apartment in Bangkok, you will have to pay for two month's rent up front plus a month's deposit. That means you don't want to sign a year's lease for accommodation and then realize a few week's later you made the wrong choice. You will lose your deposit plus one month's rent, and that can be an expensive mistake. Choose the area you live in in Bangkok carefully, and you'll have fewer anxieties.