getting around wi young family

Hi,

Better buy car and sell it when you plan to leave Thailand. If not you can rent a car which take around 22-25k (THB) per month. So I recommend u to buy small car take cost around 600k (THB) but you can sell at 450-500k (THB) which cheaper than rental.

I have a good car for sale 250k

We'll live here 1,5 year with four children (12y,10y,2y and 9months).

We came 3 months ago and had a dream of not having a car... but public transportation isn't easy (or safe). So we bought one and haven't regretted one second. There is so much to see outside the city - mountains, national parks etc.

Go buy a car. It's expensive. But worth the money.

Thanks frisenfeldt!

interesting.  you may be right!  Was really hoping to NOT have to do this....

Oh!  What about car seats?  You use one fr your 9 month old, right?  Did you purchase it there?  Or did u travel w it?

We bought one here. In Robinson in Central Airport Plaza. Sometimes you can find them second-hand... there are always someone leaving or arriving.

I'm a Thai, but not a Chiangmai native. For my very first times, I paid a lot for public transport.
As soon as you ask for the fare from the driver, you will get double price. So what I do later on is just getting in the bus. Do not ask where to go, sit along until the end of the route or you can get off on the way by ringing the bell (on the roof of the red bus, which is actually a pick-up truck with roof). Get off then pay only 20 baht. For the place where I live, I take the white bus (also the same kind of pick-up, just different color) to Gaad Luang (the main market or Warorot market) paying 15 baht. At Gaad Luang there're different kinds of colored buses; red, yellow for example. Usually I will get on the red bus from here to the old city, Nimman, Chiang Mai University etc. However, I think most expats got their own vehicles. Scooters are quite convenient here too, but you need to be more careful. Red traffic lights they dont stop (sometimes).

Ha ha!  Duly Noted, thank you. Especially you take on red lights.