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One of the biggest decisions an exchange student has to make is the one about the accommodation. At least for me, it was one of the things that I stressed about and would have wanted more information about. Luckily in Bangkok, that is not really an issue. There are many options to choose from with reasonable prices. This is for the future KU exchange students, hope this will help you!
Kasetsart University is located in the area of Chatuchak, which is in the northern part of Bangkok. The main road of the area is called Phahon Yothin Road. The closest BTS-station is Mo Chit, which is located maybe 5 kilometers from the university. The Mo Chit BTS-station is also an interchange station with the MRT-subway line (Chatuchak Park-station). I would recommend living somewhere in the area of Kaset/Ratchayothin as close as possible to the university.Because of the terrible traffic, you don't want to spend hours in the taxi every morning going to school! The local mall/entertainment center of the area is called Major Cineplex Ratchayothin, where we usually go to the movies or a quick dinner.
I would recommend not making a long-term deal immediately, as you may find a better option and you have the possibility to negotiate a better price later. We did a two-month contract at the beginning and then extended it. It might be smart to make some arrangements ahead, but in Thailand it's custom to make deal face-to-face. Don't believe the pictures or information on the building's websites, because unfortunately they do not often live up to them. There might be completely different types of apartments in the same building, so ask to see as many as possible. You should definitely negotiate the price, because it is not uncommon that people pay totally different prices of identical flats here! So ask the people in your building what they are paying and negotiate the price from that. Also, even though you want to settle down ASAP, I would recommend looking at many alternatives as you can then compare them.
The rent is usually paid in cash. In some places also with credit card, which is really good because you save the ATM-fees, which are quite high and usually get a better exchange rate. One thing that you want to remember as you're getting an apartment in Thailand is the air-conditioning. If it's included in the rent, that's great! Because it's quite expensive and you want to use it smartly! Our exchange program has mainly divided into six apartment alternatives. The alternatives are in a random order and the information is from residents.
Than Puying Suite
Than Puying is located within a short 10-minute walking distance from KU. The route is easy to learn and you should learn it by heart, because the taxi drivers don't usually know the way. Most know the way up to Ngamwongwan and from there you can advise them! Nearby you can find Seven Eleven, Tops and some smaller local shops. There are several restaurants nearby. BTS Mo Chit, the Elephant Tower and Major Cineplex are a 60-70 B taxi ride away (or a thirty minute walk, if you want to defy the heat!). The smaller streets leading to Than Puying might seem a little frightening at first during late nights, but my friends felt quite safe. The area is safe and calm with nearly no traffic noise.
The rents are a bit higher, but the residents say that definitely worth it. An average apartment is around 60 square meters with one bedroom and living room, costing around 18000 - 18500 B. The price includes electricity, water and weekly cleaning including the changing of the sheets. The internet will cost you 500B monthly. An average apartment has a refrigerator, a microwave oven, a stove, basic dining equipment, a nice set of furniture, a TV with a few international channels and a deposit box. The bathroom has a separate shower and bathtub and they are very clean. The rooms have large windows and thus lots of light. The rooms are actually very similar to the pictures on the website!
The building has a laundry service, which you pay separately, but a more affordable option is to use the laundromat nearby (20B per use). Than Puying offers room service for drinks. Drinking water is also available for a more affordable price and you can also fill up your own bottles at an automat nearby for nearly nothing. The building has a nice pool area with a relaxing area, which has cable TV. There is also a small gym.
I haven't visited Than Puying myself, but I've heard so much good things about it that I think this would be a great option! My friends say that they have been extremely satisfied living there.
www.thanpuyingsuite.com
Vibhavadi Tower
Vibhavadi Tower is located conveniently near the university and a highly trafficked road, so it's very easy to get a taxi. The taxi drivers usually know Vibhavadi (something that you will learn to appreciate here!), so it's easy to get home! There are also bus stops nearby and KU is only a 10-15 walk away. The lobby in Vibhavadi has a 24h reception, a guard and an ATM. The building is located next to a nice hospital, a dentist, a few cafes and restaurants, a Seven Eleven and a massage center. The nearest shopping malls are about three kilometers away and the grocery store is on the way to KU. There is a laundry service nearby, which costs around 60-100B for two people at a time.
The apartments in Vibhavadi Tower are on the 20-25th floors, so the views are nice. The apartments are very spacious and they all have air-conditioning, bathrooms and balconies. Some apartments also have living rooms, kitchens and storage rooms. All rooms come with microwave ovens, refrigerators, flat-screen TVs and large electric kettles. There are no real cooking possibilities in Vibhavadi either, but a cooking plate is available if asked. Vibhavadi has a nice gym, a swimming pool, instructed exercise classes, a table tennis table and saunas. The swimming pool is mainly for exercise purposes thus decent swimwear is required. Same requirements apply to the gym.
The prices at the moment are 22 000 B/month with one bedroom (beds for two) and 26 000 - 32 000 B/month with two bedrooms (beds for four). The prices include water, electricity, free use of the gym, cleaning, changing of the sheets and drinking & cooking water. Depending on the contract, wireless internet is also included. The conditions of the apartments vary a lot: some are recently renovated and some are not. So be very precise, ask to see many alternatives and check the condition of the room first. The manager of Vibhavadi is quite hard to contact, but he/she speaks very good English. Vibhavadi might be a more expensive choice, but it also includes a lot of expenditures. You can really test your negotiation skills, as there is no clear policy about the prices and contents of the agreements. If you are interested in Vibhavadi, it might pay off to negotiate something by e-mail, see the alternatives when you arrive and then negotiate the final deal. You don't have to make a long-term contract here, just for the time that you need and extend it. You can leave your belongings in a storage for a while, e.g. for a longer holiday. It is possible to pay the rent by credit card, which will save you from paying the extra ATM-fees.
Vibhavadi is an excellent choice, because it includes a lot of things and you get a little luxury.Also the gym is very nice. However I also heard a few very disappointed views, who had a room that didn't live up to the pictures or the price at all. So be very careful with choosing the room!
www.vibhavaditower.com
Sawasdee Place
I'm currently sharing an apartment in Sawasdee Place with my boyfriend. Sawasdee Place is very affordable, but very basic. The nice thing about Sawasdee is the fact that a lot of our friends live here too, so it's convenient to share taxis and always have someone around. Also, the pool area is great - we had almost a private pool for the whole time, because there were no other people using it! The reason why we chose Sawasdee Place is the fact that it was so affordable that we could easily leave it for the holidays and not having to worry about paying high rents. After all, we mainly just change our clothes and sleep in our flat - when you're an exchange student you don't really spend time at your apartment. Sawasdee is located close to KU, a 10-minute walk from Major Ratchayothin and a 50 B taxi ride to the BTS. Sawasdee is located at the end of a small road, so the area is very calm and safe.
There are different sized apartments, at least one smaller one around 30 square meters and a larger with two bedrooms and a large living room. The rent for the smaller one is about 10 500 B including the internet, excluding water (approximately 80 B) and electricity (app. 700 B), cleaning (200 B) and a TV. The rent is paid in cash every month. There is basically a three months rents deposit when you arrive, so be prepared for that! There is a laundry service, a small restaurant, a mini market and a guard always on duty. The staff of Sawasdee is kind, but their lack of English skills might be a little frustrating at times. The apartments are furnished, but in a very basic way. The apartments have refrigerators, but otherwise they don't have cooking possibilities.
I would say that I've been pleased with our apartment, but I'm sure that there are better options. It was fun and we never had any problems. We loved the private pool! Remember to negotiate the price with the staff! Sawasdee is a very affordable option with lots of friends. The downside is that it's very basic and not in that good condition.
http://www.tarad.com/sawasdeeplace/
Mai Nam Villa
I've been told that Mai Nam Villa is an excellent choice, if you prefer a calmer environment in this hectic city! Mai Nam Villa is located on Ngam Wong Wan Road, app. 1,5 km from KU. The apartments come in different sizes and prices, also depending on the length of the contract. The apartment that my friend is living at is quite small (around 25 square meters) which is suitable for one, but maybe a little crowded for two. The apartment is very clean and in good condition. The rent for this particular apartment with a pool view and a six month contract is 6500 B after the Asia Exchange discount. Excluding the internet 4M 300 B/month, water 50 B/month, electricity around 300-500 B/month, water 50B, cleaning service 120 B/a time or 400 B/4 times in a month. Changing of sheets two times per month 300 B. The biggest downside of Mai Nam Villa is the distances: taxi rides to Mo Chit BTS 80 B, Major Cineplex 50-60 B and KU 50-60 B.
Mai Nam Villa has a small pool. They offer you a possibility to do your own laundry (30 B/machine) and a common area with a microwave oven, toaster and an electric kettle. Mai Nam Villa doesn't have safety box, but the apartments have a closet with a lock on it. The area is safe and peaceful, there is a guard at the building at all times and the building requires a key card to enter. Mai Nam Villa is close to The Mall, which is a shopping mall with a water park. Also, there are ATM's, Seven Elevens, mini Big C, Tesco Lotus in the area.
A nice quiet location and really nice apartments, but requires a taxi ride to nearly everywhere. The residents seem to be really happy with Mai Nam Villa. Great price-quality-ratio!
www.mainamvilla.com
Chang Tower
Chang Tower is a literally an elephant shaped building, as Chang means elephant in Thai. The building is located next to Major Rachayothin on Phahon Yothin, so the location is great. From these alternatives Chang Tower is closest to the BTS and MRT. Chang Tower is a great option for bigger groups who want to share an apartment. We have a group of five people in our exchange group, who are sharing an apartment. The rent for this apartment is a little under a 1000 €, including the internet (not very reliable), excluding water and electricity. Chang Tower has a large pool, saunas, a table tennis table and a moderate gym. The building itself has maybe past its prime time, but the apartments are quite neat and nicely decorated. There is a laundry service available, but it is quite expensive in comparison to others in the area.
I'd say that Chang Tower is a great option for bigger groups! The location is really nice.
http://www.architectfad.com/elephant-building.html
Prim Place
Prim Place is located on Phahon Yothin Road 26, which is in between Major Cineplex and the MRT Phahon Yothin. Major Cineplex is very close to Prim Place: only a 500 m walk away. Nearby the MRT is also a shopping mall called Central, which is currently under renovation. KU is 2,5 kilometers from Prim Place, which is a 50 B taxi ride. If you want to get there quicker and cheaper, try a motorbike taxi especially during rush hours. The location of Prim Place is familiar to taxi drivers.
The building has a selection of 30 and 60 square meter apartments. The larger apartments don't have separate rooms: it's basically one bedroom and a small kitchen. The building was constructed in 2009 so the apartments are in extremely good condition. The staff speaks very good English and they are willing to help you out - even in booking a minivan! The rent in a smaller apartment is 9500 B. With a more unpleasant view - a concrete wall - would be 500 B less. The price excludes electricity and water, which totals it up to around 11500 B monthly. The price includes a moderately fast, but not always reliable wireless internet. Prim Place doesn't have a swimming pool, which also limits socializing with the other residents. I've heard that some residents have occasionally visited swimming pools at the Chang Tower (C-entrance, 7th floor!).
My friends living at Prim Place seemed to very satisfied! I believe this is a very nice option with a great location and apartments in great condition. The only downside is not having your own pool!
http://www.9apartment.com/vip-en/?Apartment_ID=08102224926932
I've also heard about exchange students living in Bann Chaliang Apartment, Twin Town Mansion and Supalai. If you have any questions, I'll be happy to answer them.
- comments
Rent Condo Bangkok Check out the House And Condo website for loads more options
Rent Condo Bangkok Check out the website www.bangkokhouseandcondo.com for loads more options
Y Hi there...nice to read all these infos!!! Still looking for a place to stay around the campus...