Chiang Mai is great. Beautiful part of Thailand. Lots of expats out that direction working on businesses that will benefit from expanded highways/trade routes with China.
been to chiang mai about 10 years ago, as well as other parts of thailand. I enjoyed it, but that was as a tourist. Granted, I did not go out much in chiang mai because i wasnt "feeling" well and was stuck on a toilet for most of the time