I finally had confirmation from my boss yesterday that 3 week my holiday has been approved so I'm back to Thailand in April. It will be my 3rd trip in the space of 18 months, my first being in October 2009.

I haven't quite decided on my itinerary just yet but will probably head up North to see more of Chiang Mai for starters and try and take in a few beaches before I head to BKK to meet my friend who teaches over here and then get involved in Song Kran.

Hopefully during this trip I'm hoping to make my mind up once and for all whether I want to move out here on a longer basis and find work, I've definitely got the bug for this place in a big way. I don't have much in the way of commitments tying me to life the UK so it feels like the right time make a fresh start in pastures new.

If you are in Chiang Mai, you should definitely take the trip over the mountains to Pai... Great scenery, laid back lifestyle and friendly people....

(except for that policeman who killed the Canadian kid)

=)good for u!enjoy ur stay!

I just hope they're not doing any burning while you are up North. That would ruin your trip to Chiang Mai.

Pai is nice, kind of like a Northern Kaoson Road, but don't stop there, continue on to Mae Hong Son on the border.

My favorite place to visit now is Koh Chang. It is less developed than the other islands, much cheaper to visit, and get around on. White Sand Beach area is good, and there is great diving off the islands to the South, with cheap boat rentals to take you to them.

Jobs in Thailand are hard to come by, unless you are an English teacher, or a very experienced engineer in a trade that there is a shortage in...lolol. It is better to bring a job with you, which takes money.

well when I was over in June the reds were supposedly blockading bridges and burning tires but I didn't see a single fire or red shirt, and this was supposedly reds territory?

I haven't been Koh Chang yet, might possibly be going Koh Samet after Song Kran with my friend.

I think the only avenue open to me is teaching English. I don't have any university degree so will probably need to get TEFL'ed before I can get in. That said my friend has a good contact that could probably get me a work visa without any of the above if I was happy to live and work in Bangers (my preference would be somewhere a bit quieter)

When I mentioned burning in the North, I wasn't refering to demonstrations, I was refering to the practice of burning off the fields getting them ready for the new growing season, and the forest fires that do happen during that time. The smoke gets so thick you can not see down the streets.

Koh Chang is in the same direction as going to Koh Samet, just a few hours more on the bus, then across on the big ferry. You'd probably fit right in with the folks at Lonely Beach, renting a bungaloo on the beach for bt350 a night, then bt150 a 24hour day motorbike rental.....lolol.

You'll have fun though whatever you do, and where ever you visit. SongKran in Chiang Mai rocks. If you want to see the other side of SongKran though, go to Sanam Luang park for the second day, if you are in Bangkok. You will probably be the only foreigner there though, and there isn't allot of water play because it's the second day. On the third day go to Wat Pho. If you spend the first day at Kaosan Road for water play, then the park on the second day, and Wat Pho on the third day, you will actually get a pretty good understanding about what SongKran really is about.....lolol.

It is gonna be real hard for you not to come up with a reason not to move to Thailand permanently.

man...this is a lot to read.

i would say, "don't u go gentle on it" (wherever u at)

I loved Chiang Mai. A great place, good weather, and not so tourist-trappy

I'm half looking at maybe checking out Udon Thani as I haven't visited the North East yet.

@Koolbreez - one of my friends warned me before my first trip that once this place grabs your heart its hard to forget it. As time has passed I realise more what he meant. I would have loved to have been in CM for Song Kran as I saw some of the vids on YouTube and it looked great fun, but I already committed to seeing my friend in Bangers for that period. I'm not a massive fan of BKK, trying to get from A to B without the Skytrain I found frustrating at the best of times. I come to Thailand to de-stress and all that traffic didn't help!

Chiang-mai is great place...fun and relax..full of traditional culture...I would love to be there if I can find the way to move up there.