The Ada House journal

Move here

Local culture, hidden corners and practical tips — from the people who actually live here.

A warm Lanna-style illustration of a cosy Chiang Mai apartment at dusk, a ceiling fan turning above a desk with a glowing wifi router, an electricity meter and tangled power lines framed in the open window

Move here · July 4, 2026

Setting up utilities in Chiang Mai: electricity, water, internet and bills

Utilities in Chiang Mai are cheap and refreshingly simple — once you know how the billing actually works. Here's what to ask before you sign, what you'll pay, and how to get fibre installed.

A warm Lanna-style illustration of an expat couple reviewing health-insurance documents at a teak desk, with a Chiang Mai private hospital and misty Doi Suthep beyond the window

Move here · July 4, 2026

Health insurance for expats in Thailand: a practical guide

Travel insurance runs out of road once you actually live here. Here's how to think about proper health cover in Thailand — calmly, and without the sales pitch.

A warm Lanna-style illustration of a modern condo tower, a wooden shophouse and a garden house with a red roof side by side beneath Doi Suthep

Move here · July 4, 2026

Condo, townhouse or moo baan: choosing your Chiang Mai home

Chiang Mai offers four very different kinds of home, and each shapes your daily life more than the postcode does. Here's how to choose between them.

A warm Lanna-style illustration of a friendly Chiang Mai evening street scene with rainbow bunting, paper lanterns, welcoming cafés and people of all kinds strolling together.

Move here · June 29, 2026

LGBTQ+ Chiang Mai: A Welcoming, Practical Guide

Thailand is one of the most accepting countries in Asia, and Chiang Mai carries that spirit in its own gentle, friendly way. Here's an honest look at the culture, the scene and what's worth knowing — as a visitor or a future resident.

A warm Lanna-style illustration of a foreign couple signing a marriage register at a Thai district office, jasmine garlands resting on the desk.

Move here · June 29, 2026

Getting Married in Thailand: A Foreigner's Honest Guide

A temple wedding is the romance; a small district office is what makes it legal. Here is the honest, step-by-step picture for foreigners marrying in Thailand.

A warm Lanna-style illustration of a hand-drawn map of Chiang Mai, with the moated Old City, Nimman's cafés, the Ping River and the mountains picked out in soft golden tones.

Move here · June 29, 2026

A Guide to Chiang Mai's Neighbourhoods: Where to Live

Each of Chiang Mai's neighbourhoods keeps its own rhythm. Here's how to find the one that fits the life you actually want to live here — not just visit.

Soft Lanna-style illustration of a tidy wooden desk with neatly stacked papers, a teapot and a small calculator beside a window over Chiang Mai's hills

Move here · June 27, 2026

Taxes for expats and digital nomads in Thailand: a calm overview

Tax talk makes most of us tense up. Here is a calm, careful map of the landscape — not advice, but a place to start before you call a professional.

Lanna-style illustration of a foreign founder at a teak desk with company papers, a work-permit stamp and Doi Suthep beyond the window

Move here · June 27, 2026

Starting a business and getting a work permit in Thailand

Thinking of building something here? Here's the honest shape of work permits, companies and visas in Thailand — before you sign a single document.

Lanna-style illustration of a contented dog resting under a frangipani tree beside a Chiang Mai temple wall, with Doi Suthep in the distance

Move here · June 27, 2026

Pets in Chiang Mai: vets, bringing your dog & daily life

Dogs dozing outside cafes, cats running the guesthouse — Chiang Mai is a soft-hearted city for animals. Here's how pet life really works here.

Lanna-style illustration of a family walking to a leafy Chiang Mai schoolhouse beneath Doi Suthep, with temple rooftops and frangipani trees

Move here · June 27, 2026

International Schools in Chiang Mai: A Calm Guide for Relocating Families

Moving to Chiang Mai with children? Here's a calm, honest look at the schools, the choices and the small practicalities — so you can decide at your own pace.

Lanna-style illustration of the Chiang Mai University campus and Ang Kaew reservoir at sunset, with Doi Suthep rising behind the trees

Move here · June 27, 2026

Chiang Mai University and the student-area vibe

There's a reason Chiang Mai feels so young, creative and caffeinated — a big leafy university at the foot of Doi Suthep. Here's how to enjoy it, student or not.

A warm Lanna-style illustration of a teak home and a modern condominium nestled among Chiang Mai's misty Doi Suthep hills

Move here · June 27, 2026

Can Foreigners Buy Property in Chiang Mai? An Honest Guide

Thinking of putting down roots in Chiang Mai? Before you fall for a view, here is the honest, jargon-free picture of what foreigners really can and cannot buy.