Mark1969

I don't ever see the high flyers who are here for golf.

Yes, they are. Privacy in Southeast Asia is a luxury few can afford. Having to interact at all, check in, report or provide information when you are not interested in doing that equals watching. Others call it pestering or monitoring. Whatever name you put to it, it makes you feel less free. It's a type of control over people. In the movie 1984 they called it "big brother".

Except the part about being watched all the time.

Not realistic.

I think I would rather just have it start at a certain time, rather then have the gaps. Even if it means less time served. I can never remember the hours with the gaps when I'm at the store and need to keep checking the signs or make sure it's exactly the right time when I'm there. If it's just 5pm then I remember to buy the night before after 5.

Anyhow, I would be interested in knowing where the Op purchases at and if he is happy there. I hear the Hyde Park Condo buildings are nice, but just from the online reviews. Seems like they may have less riff raff residents and more upscale.

If you worked all your life you probably would not be there. That's usually where people end up who did not develop a career and/or have some personality or family issue that prevented them from managing their money. Or just bad luck... I lived there a month in an AirBB when I first came to Pattaya. It was actually not that bad if you get a renovated room and just live in your room and walk into town. I did not hang around that "village" area near the enterance or use the pool. The people there seemed down and out, not my type. Some of them seemed mentally ill or something, or more then the usual skint. For example, one guy with a long beard would sit in the same chair every day in the same position and just stare with a beer, not talking or giving any facial expression when I passed, stuff like that. I said hello once and he did not respond. I did do some walking tours of the buildings and the grated doors and dark hallways were off putting. I remember being worried about a fire with all the padlocked grills and thinking people would get stuck in there in the smoke and dark during a fire. One guy, my neighbor, would cook on a small hibachi grill on his patio. He always had his shirt offf, hunched over the grill, which felt kind of sad, but maybe he just enjoyed cooking. He also had hookers over often and I would see him coming to the elevator to meet or dismiss them. Several wore helmets or scarfs to cover their face on the way in and out. The rooms are built as to have no cross air flow so many people leave their doors open. Thus the locked grills where air can pass through. The open doors give it a more prison like feeling because you can imagine people looking out at you as you walk the hallway, just like a prison. Anyway, the guy was French and I hope he turned out Ok. This was st least 5 years ago, before Covid.

You mean they don't eat weiners at every meal?

Let me lend you a hand.

Have you tried just steamed white rice? It's much healthier because there is no cooking oil.

People wrote those things for a reason. Why do you need to find a reason why their comments are not true?

It's gay guys. There are more then you might think in Asia. In fact, it's very common. It's just not obvious unless you have been here awhile. I had something similar happen at Lumphini Park in Bangkok. I was sitting at a marble monument near the lake trees, nobody else around, Some Thai guy came up on me, sat close and said "I like gay", that sort of thing. When I told him I was not interested he would not leave or go away, maybe took it as interest, or an interested decline. I got up and left the area. I don't care about being approached much, but something about him refusing to move on after I indicated disinterest really irritated me and I felt like hitting him. I still remember that stupid smile he had.

It is a prison, but many refer to it as God's waiting room...

Do what everyone else does, drive in circles...You will find something great eventually...

I don't. I prefer walking everywhere and hate a/c and being driven around. I won't take a taxi unless it's absolutely necessary.

Ok. I don't eat as much as German's do. I'm also not a big meat eater. I also wear deodorant and long pants to meals so I hope you did that as well. Also, no chang t-shirts or sandals at meals.

Obviously, you can easily afford an ample breakfast. However, when the cost is too much by local standards you are being taken advantage of. That's not proper.

I think the Op wants to walk around and be part of the city more and not just drive in from a remote housing estate. They seem to like Central Bangkok, but don't like Central Pattaya.

Do you realize that 250 baht is about 5.5 pounds or $7.50 dollars? Did it come with a drink?

Well, all one can hope for is to do things the right way and hope for the best.

It sounds like you are running out of options in Thailand. Should not your post be where you can't wait to go next, not places to avoid?

Ok, but so what? Isn't that how it should work?

Your problem is probably that you can't afford to live the way you want in a better location. Same problem I'm having. There are houses in Central Bangkok and what you want you just can't afford it. You either compromise on location like I'm having to do (live on the outskirts of a less then desirable area) or you reduce your lifestyle in the more desirable location. The less desirable area invariably has less desirable people in it, but if you are not a very sociable person anyway it can work out Ok.

I have another thread going where everyone says the Indian problem is nothing. Thanks for your input. 🤷🏻‍♂️

You could get that stuff in many other locations though. It's not specific to Pattaya. I don't believe in coincidence. I think the sex capital aspect has something to do with why you chose Pattaya. It feels like you are making up every reason imaginable why it's NOT the nightlife. Even that lake trail, which is mentioned every time...Other places have lake trails. At least it's not temples though. That would sound corny.