The Ada House journal

Move here

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

Lanna-style illustration of a scooter on a winding northern road beside an official document stamped with a seal, green mountains behind

Move here · June 25, 2026

Getting a Thai driving licence in Chiang Mai

The rental shop handed you the keys without asking for a licence. That doesn't mean you're covered. Here's how to do it properly.

Lanna-style illustration of a Thai bank passbook and a debit card on a teak table, with gold temple motifs and a Chiang Mai mountain backdrop

Move here · June 25, 2026

Opening a Thai bank account in Chiang Mai as a long-stayer

A Thai bank account makes life smoother once you settle in — but it's got harder to open. Here's what actually works, and the alternatives if it doesn't.

Lanna-style illustration evoking a serene retirement in Chiang Mai — an older couple relaxing in a garden with temple and mountains

Move here · June 25, 2026

Retiring in Chiang Mai: the appeal and how it works

For decades, Chiang Mai has quietly become one of the world's favourite places to retire. Here's why — and how the practical side actually works.

Lanna-style illustration of a Chiang Mai condo balcony with a view of Doi Suthep at dusk

Move here · June 25, 2026

How to rent an apartment or condo in Chiang Mai

Renting long-term in Chiang Mai is cheap and easy — but the contract has a few quirks worth knowing before you hand over a deposit. Here's the honest version.

Lanna-style illustration of a parked scooter with a Thai registration green book, a market and mountains behind

Move here · June 25, 2026

Buying & owning a scooter in Chiang Mai: is it worth it?

If you're here for the long haul, doing the maths on buying instead of renting often makes sense. Here's how owning a scooter in Chiang Mai actually works.

Lanna-style illustration of immigration paperwork done calmly — a passport, an inked stamp and a queue ticket on a teak desk

Move here · June 25, 2026

The 90-day report (TM47) in Chiang Mai, without the dread

If you're settling into Chiang Mai on a long-stay visa, the 90-day report becomes a quiet part of your calendar. Here's how to do it calmly.

Lanna-style illustration of a remote worker at a teak desk beneath a Thai visa stamp and Doi Suthep skyline

Move here · June 25, 2026

The DTV visa: a remote worker's guide to staying in Chiang Mai

Five years, no more border bounces every two months. The DTV changed long-stay life in Chiang Mai — here's what it actually does.

Lanna-style illustration of people sharing tea and conversation around a low teak table in a Chiang Mai garden

Move here · June 24, 2026

How to make friends in Chiang Mai: a guide for newcomers

Landing somewhere new and not knowing a soul is the universal nomad fear. Here's how Chiang Mai turns strangers into your crew — faster than you'd think.

Lanna-style illustration of laptops, coffee cups and a fingerprint door lock arranged around a teak coworking desk

Move here · June 24, 2026

Coworking spaces in Chiang Mai: where nomads get work done

Chiang Mai didn't become a nomad capital by accident. Here's where to actually plug in, get focused, and meet your people.

Lanna-style illustration of a digital nomad working on a laptop in a leafy Chiang Mai café with plants, Thai coffee and Doi Suthep mountain behind

Move here · June 23, 2026

Why Chiang Mai is the digital nomad capital

Cheap, connected, friendly and now visa-friendly: Chiang Mai has topped digital-nomad lists for over a decade. Here's the honest case for why — and the catches.

Lanna-style illustration of a Chiang Mai market stall where a customer pays by phone QR, a smiling vendor and baskets of produce under warm lantern light

Move here · June 22, 2026

Money & banking in Chiang Mai: cash, cards & ATMs

Cash is still king, ATMs charge a sting, and QR is everywhere — but not always for visitors. Here's how to handle money in Chiang Mai without overpaying.

Lanna-style illustration of a leafy Nimman lane in Chiang Mai with a cafe, a scooter and Doi Suthep mountain in the distance

Move here · June 18, 2026

Settling in for a month: SIM, laundry, coworking & gym

The first day of a long stay is mostly admin. Get these four things sorted and the whole month opens up. Here's our settling-in checklist.