Best advice on this thread is unless you're already familiar with neighborhood and neighbors, and proximity to conveniences, rent first. Seems like every month or so someone comes on this site complaining about neighbors doing something annoying on a routine basis. Unfortunately, options to mitigate nuisance neighbors are limited here. Of course, there's no guaranteeing one might not move in next door after you've rented and then bought, but that's a better risk than buying first and then finding out. Dogs, flooding (within the moo-ban and along ingress/egress routes), break-ins and satisfaction with convenience (restaurants, grocery stores, shopping malls, building supply) and other quality of life places like healthcare are hard to discern without actually living there for a bit. I'd suggest 6 months minimum. Even better if you find a moo-ban you think you like and can find an owner wanting to sell but willing to rent for a few months first. You might have to make the rent a bit more attractive to get them to bite, but it would be well worth it. The absolute worst outcome is to buy and for whatever reason end up with buyer's remorse. If this is a retirement hooch, you're likely to be there an extended period so you'd be better off to invest in the due diligence up front. If you know what area you intend to settle in, perhaps divulging that would help members to this forum provide more specific recommendations. If you haven't decided, then maybe making that clear and asking for recommendations might help.
If you're intent on buying first regardless, then let loose the wife and maw-in-law in the neighborhood to speak with the neighbors before buying. I find most Thais will shoot straight on this. After the generic "How do you like living here?" question, queries on noise, soi dogs, flooding and power outages should be at the top of the list. If there's a nuisance neighbor they'll probably tell you that as well, but probably better to let them tell you that than to ask. You might want to hear the same answers at least twice to put a lot of stock into them anyway. Also, drive around the neighborhood in the morning and evenings, and on a weekend day/night if possible. Many moo-bans will look much different when neighbors are not at work and the otherwise peaceful streets become "hard to negotiate" parking lots.
Zoning in Thailand is a bit like a quilt. Finding industry, animal farms or even mosquito-breeding swamps adjacent to moo-bans is not uncommon. Point here is look outside and around your potential moo-ban to avoid any unpleasant discoveries later.
If you select a managed moo-ban make sure to speak with management about financial status and any planned special assessments for major repairs. What type of broadband is available? Fiberoptic? If not currently, any plans for the near future.
Finally, my experience is most Thais are very reticent to offer big discounts from the asking price. Some discount sure, but for some reason I find most prefer to hold onto a piece of property until they get their price, even if that means it stays empty FOREVER! I guess it's a technique.....
If you haven't yet decided on an area, I live in Eastern Star Golf Resort and Country Club, or new name I guess is Eastern Star Park, in Ban Chang (next to Utapao Airport). Been here 6 years and love it. Lot's of farang here to share fishing stories with (retired military and oil and gas guys), lots of convenience and a half-hour to either Pattaya or Rayong for Big C, Makro, Bangkok Hospital, etc.
Happy hunting and an early welcome to Thailand. r, Kevin