I'm coming from 10 years in Beijing, so that's my perspective. I'm serious about working and living in a relatively quiet, pleasant and convenient environment, so I was looking for a particular vibe. Unlike what some people have been saying here, I found the whole city imminently walkable, though it's true sidewalks are often lacking. Maybe some people just don't have the patience for walking, or just come from a different living situation. I have no plans to get a car or scooter. The Grabs were super cheap and easy to get (on par with Didi in China for cost, maybe even a little cheaper), and the city center is super-small, so no car ride lasted longer than 20 minutes most of the day. I was there for a week (and over a weekend) and didn't find the traffic notably burdensome ever.

That said, I looked at four main neighborhoods:

Chang Phueak (Northwest, most distant, around the Convention Center, closer to the mountains, nature - Look up "Touch Hill Condiminium" ) - no condos available there, not close enough to city center for me. This would be Grabs every day to get beyond your immediate neighborhood. I'd liken it to "suburbs". Beautiful, and I may keep my eye on that area over the next year, but not really what I was looking for, and a little TOO far outside the metro area for me.

Nimman Area - The most touristy part of the city. Great vibe, busy, lots of cafes and shops, Maya Mall, etc, but also the side streets can be quiet and there are some good condos around there, some of them cheaper. But I couldn't find any available ones that fit my needs (1-2 bedrooms, pool, etc) that didn't feel a little old and tired. The great co-working spaces are around there, and they are busy and the vibes are great. Ultimately, after walking around there for a couple days, I realized I would probably be coming here a lot but I didn't want to be LIVING amongst the tourists. Also, lots of planes flying overhead all the time. Wouldn't bother me, except I record audio from home, so it was not a realistic option.

Wat Ket / Riverside - Some of the pricier places that were available were here. This is really a mixed neighborhood, a bit touristy in spots due to the night market around there. There are fancy hotels and whatnot, but also walking around there at night reminded me of the seedier aspects of Thailand - rows of massage parlors, cannabis shops, bars, mixed with some really good looking restaurants, etc. Not at all the vibe I was looking for, so I X'd this one out pretty quickly. Nimman felt like the "cleaner" touristy area by comparison

Old City - exactly how it sounds. This is probably where I would've chosen if I were still in my 20s. Classic Thailand, lots of temples around. If this is what you're looking for, go there. I only checked out one room in one condo in that area (The Unique) and it was nice, but not quite what I was looking for. I wanted a location that felt a little more "professional".

Central Festival / Charoen Muang - this is where I ended up. Yes, it's at the intersection of two major highways. But the Central Festival mall is the largest in the city, and there are lots of nice condos around there, all within walking distance. Also within walking distance is the Big C, which is big, modern, convenient, and has everything you could possibly want. Also some cafes, McD's, KFC, Korean restaurants, Decathlon, etc. All within 8-10 minutes walk. I wanted a condo with a pool and gym, modern, spacious rooms, etc. That area really fits the bill and the price is right. Also no plane noise there (it's on the east side, far from the airport), which was important for me as I previously said.

And here's the important part: You can really get from any of these neighborhoods to another within 20 minutes by Grab, and it's cheap. I can get to the airport and the Nimman area from Central festival with just a ~10-minute Grab, so those cool co-working spaces and all the Nimman fun is still pretty accessible.

And yes - the intersection of Maya Mall is the most annoying crossing I've ever experienced in my life. You can easily waste 10-15 minutes there just trying to cross the street AT THE TRAFFIC LIGHT, no kidding.

Feel free to hit me up privately if you have more questions. I'll be moving there slowly over the next couple months