Bangkok vs. Shanghai with a family

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cam2016
Posts: 17
Joined: Mon Feb 01, 2016 12:09 pm

Bangkok vs. Shanghai with a family

Post by cam2016 »

Hello, I am wondering about your thoughts on Bangkok vs. Shanghai for a family with two young children. School issues aside, I'm just wondering about things such as food safety, air quality, family friendliness, etc.

I recently read about the heating line in China and that Shanghai is below it, so it can be very cold indoors in the winter, which doesn't sound great. On the other hand, I don't know how much Bangkok will be like Las Vegas with hawkers trying to pitch adult services as we walk down the street.

General thoughts?
eion_padraig
Posts: 408
Joined: Sat Dec 11, 2010 8:18 pm

Re: Bangkok vs. Shanghai with a family

Post by eion_padraig »

If you live in nice housing, which the good schools will provide or provide a decent housing salary, your apartment in Shanghai will be warm and comfortable. Even restaurants are doing a better job of heating from what they used to do years ago (I mean like 15 years back). But it's humid so the cold feels colder.

On the other hand, do you like sweating? Because Bangkok is hot most of the year. So it may be more problematic getting around with small kids in the heat than them wearing jackets for part of the year.

You hear more about pollution in China in the media, but Bangkok definitely doesn't strike me as having good air quality. I haven't checked out the actual stats. If your family members have asthma then either place could be a challenge.

Both could be good for having young kids though. Both have inexpensive help. It also depends on where in the city you'll be living. For instance, ISB is out in the burbs, which can be a great place to be out of the hustle and bustle of Bangkok. Not great for single people or if you like going out, but wonderful if you want quiet and suburbia like living. The same is true if you're out in Minhang (SAS Puxi, BISS, etc) or in Jin Qiao (Concordia, Dulwich, SAS Pudong, etc).

Some things to think through.

Eion
Artrageous
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Re: Bangkok vs. Shanghai with a family

Post by Artrageous »

I have no idea about living in Bangkok but lived in Shanghai for four years. I loved our apartment heating, it had under floor heating in the lounge and dining room and this heated up the whole apartment so we didn't need any heat in the bedrooms upstairs as the heat rose. It was lovely and cosy. Yes, some apartments don't have great heating, but most landlords are happy to provide heaters etc if no under floor exists. We didn't need electric blankets or anything, it was toasty. I really enjoyed having four seasons.
cam2016
Posts: 17
Joined: Mon Feb 01, 2016 12:09 pm

Re: Bangkok vs. Shanghai with a family

Post by cam2016 »

Thank you both for the information!
PsyGuy
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Location: Northern Europe

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Post by PsyGuy »

Neither of them.

The heat line isnt really an issue for expats and ITs. Either your housing provider will have suitable heating options (which may be in floor oil immersion heating) or they may be space heaters. Even if they dont, the cost of space heaters is minimal.

Parts of BKK will be much worse than LV in so far as adult service peddlers, but there are also very suburban and residential parts of BKK, its really a large location. Shanghai isnt all squeaky clean either, you will find hawkers handing out business cards for adult services and there are a lot of illicit venues, you dont have to look far or very deep to find those types of activities. Girls (touts) dressed in school girl outfits have handed out adult services cards to married men with their wives right there in Shanghai. Its actually safer for the touts as its less suspicious with a couple present.

If adult orientated social activities is an issue for you than Id suggest staying out of Asia or stick to somewhere like Japan. If environmental quality and safety is important to you, than staying away from somewhere like China is probably going to allow you to rest easier.
Overhere
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Joined: Wed Dec 05, 2007 3:29 am

Re: Bangkok vs. Shanghai with a family

Post by Overhere »

Adult entertainment or it's touts are not an issue in Shanghai, I wouldn't even give it a second thought and that's based on my 11 years of living here. As for the heating issue, well it will depend on the apartment you rent so you need to make a wise choice. We have in floor heating, though it's not oil immersion, and we also have air machines which double as Air Conditioners during the hot season.
JDK
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Joined: Sun Jul 19, 2015 8:41 pm
Location: Bangkok, Thailand

Re: Bangkok vs. Shanghai with a family

Post by JDK »

If you're outside the city center in Bangkok, the "adult services" aren't a problem at all, and there are definitely plenty of child-friendly activities in and outside the city. What I have noticed this past month is much worse smog than in previous years. Since I've lived here the air quality has been relatively good, so I'm hoping this isn't the start of a trend.
PsyGuy
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Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

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Post by PsyGuy »

@JDK

If your inside the CBD, it could be a problem. My point is that Shanghai isnt squeaky clean and purely innocent, adult services are there.
cobaltred41
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Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2015 6:19 pm

Re: Bangkok vs. Shanghai with a family

Post by cobaltred41 »

I currently live in Kuala Lumper, Malaysia and have visited Bangkok Twice. Once in the late spring and once in late summer. The temperature was about the same. The first visit, I took 9 students for the World Scholar's Cup around the end of June. We stayed at the 93 hotel in the Pratunam area. Every day we walk to Center World, many times the rounds did not get over untell well after 10 PM. We encountered absolutely no problems with the locals or with prostitutes. On our day off, we walked all over the garment district and again no problems.
My second trip was in the middle of August, my daughter and I stayed at the Amaze Hotel in Sukhumvit area. We traveled all over central Bangkok and again the Pratunam area. No Problem with the locals or with Prostitutes. No one was handing out pamphlets. I enjoyed Bangkok, the people are warm and friendly and most of the time willing to help. I have seriously looked at teaching in Thailand. While there, I did not experience any pollution, unlike KL. The rivers were clean and free of debris, unlike KL, the streets were clean and free from rubbish, unlike KL. Not many Thia's speak English so if you choose to teach there you will need to learn some language. KL is easier in this respect. Try to look up expat blogs about an area, they will tell you like it is. Thailand is cheap to live in. Bangkok is a central location for making short trips to other Asian countries. Make sure you are making more than the 30,000Baht so often offered. 60,000 and above is a good salary.
Good Luck with your choice.
PsyGuy
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Post by PsyGuy »

@cobaltred41

The bottom of IEs third tier in LOS is around Baht60K/mth, its not a "good" salary offer. The only think good about it is that its double than the average Baht30K/mth an ET would have.
nikkor
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Joined: Thu Nov 18, 2010 11:59 pm

Re: Bangkok vs. Shanghai with a family

Post by nikkor »

I've been to Shanghai and Bangkok more times than I can count.

I think they are both great postings for families with two children. However, Bangkok would be my preference.

Food safety - there is a better selection of food and it is generally more fresh in Bangkok. Both have tons of truly excellent restaurants, but restaurant food in Bangkok is generally better quality and cheaper. Food in the grocery store in Bangkok is also much cheaper, and its easier and more healthy to eat like a local,there.

Air quality - China had made great strides in improving air quality, and I find the current air pollution levels in shanghai to be OK. I also keep an AQI reader in my house, and whenever it goes above 50 I turn on my air filters. Air in Bangkok is generally cleaner, but it can also be polluted sometimes.

Family friendliness - while they are both good for families, I think Bangkok is more family friendly. Cleaners, cooks, and child care providers are cheaper and generally do a better job in Thailand. Finding a good cook in shanghai can be very difficult and expensive. This just isn't the case in thailand.

Traveling with a family - traveling with a family to and from each city is also easier in Bangkok. Flights are slightly more plentiful and much lower cost in Bangkok. Teachers living in Bangkok can travel all throughout South east Asia fairly easily and cheaply. This just isn't the case living in China. Shanghai's airports do offer a ton of flights but they are generally more expensive, and it's slightly harder to reach destinations that are generally considered family-friendly and attractive.

Apartment life - teachers at tier 1 schools have wonderful housing in shanghai. Apartments are kept cool in the summer and warm in the winter with central heating. Families at my school are generally given apartments that are three bedrooms, two baths, and over 2500 sq/ft. For kids, It can be hard to find places to play outside. If your kids are younger, they would probably love to live in an apartment complex with a pool. Most apartment complexes in Thailand have great pools, and this can be a great way to get your kids out of the house on a Saturday morning or after school.
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