My name is Rick and I retired from the New Orleans, La. (USA) area in 2011 and moved to our retirement home outside of Chiang Mai. I had been coming back and forth for the previous 11 years or so. After 3 years we temporarily relocated back to the USA (Los Angeles) for three years. Have now been back for almost 2 years.
The weather...no sweat (well maybe a little in the summer)
Driving.....now that's a topic all unto itself. It defies rational explanation (even after coming from New Orleans and Los Angeles). It's not so much the traffic....it's the drivers (right lane is for faster vehicles, but so many drivers do not know that).....turn signal indicates that one is "planning on changing lanes"..here is means WATCH OUT! they've already begun their lane change, even though there is barely one car distance between you and the car ahead. Motorbikes/cycles are exempt from all traffic signals/signs. Well, I could go on and on....but most probably all readers are already aware of the hazards of driving here.
Not quite new to Thailand, but new to expat.com
Get a dashcam fitted to your vehicle and proceed with caution. Dashcam will be useful for when you have an accident , not if you have an accident. Always helps to show the police and insurance company who was in the wrong.
Accidents are not a forgone conclusion. Instead of trying to prove who was in the wrong, just don't get in an accident in the first place. 
So are you still living in 2countries? Because that is what we are doing, I can't seem to settle down completely in Thailand. I just can't make the adjustment, like so many others have been able to do. Would like to talk to you more, send me a private message with you personal E- Mail. If you would like to talk.Patrick
The link below has the best description of how Thai's drive you will find. If you drive taking into consideration all that you read and use defensive driving you might survive the the roads another day. I have been driving in Thailand for 15 years without an incident, knock on wood.
If you are a person that suffers from road rage you need to change because it will not help the situation.
http://www.chiangmailocator.com/wiki-tr … dents-p169
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