grumpyoldman

1) There are plenty of minimarkets in Kata/Karon, a Lotus Express and Big One in Kata. In neighboring Chalong we have a Villa Market for all your home food needs. Serviced apartments are available month by month.

2) As you say friendliness of people is subjective. Just your luck really. And you are correct that many 'locals' are in fact from other areas of Thailand.

3) A choice of 3 private hospitals in Phuket Town, about 20 minute drive away. In Kata we only have doctor's offices and a gov medical centre. Easy enough for a foreigner to open a bank account anywhere on Phuket Island, easiest to use would be Siam Commercial or Kasicorn (Thai Farmers). Each have multiple branches in Kata/Karon.

Sorta gilding the lilly there a little bit aren't you LIK

To take your points one by one and add a few of my own:

The op states he likes to cook and therefore, I assume he needs/wants a pretty well stocked kitchen...both raw food [fruits, veggies, meats, dairy, and spices]. I don't think the little mini-marts and 7-11s/Family Marts found in and around Karon/Kata are what he has in mind. And the the Villa Market in "neighboring" Chalong is hardly convenient...it's at least a 20-30 minute drive over a mountain or around the southern-tip of the island (That's an hour return.). This would be especially true if the op didn't have his own car and had to rely on the Phuket tuk-tuk mafia to make these trips. The other option would the the Carrefour [now Big C] in Patong; and again over several mountains from Kata/Karon and you're at the mercy of the tuk-tuks.

Whereas in Jomtien, you're about a 10 minute drive/ride from either the Lotus or the Big C shopping centers at Sukhumvit Road. You are also only a 20 minute or so drive away from Carrefour on Central Road or any of 3-4 full-service supermarkets in Pattaya proper [not local mini-marts - I am leaving out the Food Mart at the foot of Thepraya Road because of it's limited selection but it too would be much better than any mini-mart in Karon\Kata], e.g., Friendship Market, Villa Market Avenue, Central Gourmet Market Central Beach, and Foodland. Of course, all these markets are also accessible by baht-bus at non-extortionate rates. So on this score, Jomtien dumps all over on Karon/Kata.

As for friendliness, as you say, this is very subjective. I will grant you that if you are looking for fewer drunks and sex-tourists [note I said fewer...but not by much] or at least a better class of both, then you may prefer Kata/Karon over Jomtien.

As for medical care, all the hospitals you cite, like the grocery stores, are a long ways away in an emergency and to get to them from Karon/Kata requires trave over narrow mountain and country roads and therefore are subject to delays in an emergency. The only full-service hospitals that I'm aware of on Phuket are either in Phuket Town or the area near the center of the island near the Lotus/Central malls. These are 30-40 minutes drives from the Karon/Kata area. Again, Pattaya with 3 main hospitals all with 20 minutes or so of Jomtien (depending how far down the beach one was to stay) comes out on top IMO. These are Pattaya Memorial, Pattaya International, and Bangkok-Pattaya Hospital.

As for banks and serviced-apartments, both places offer these services so it's a wash. So overall, for the op's needs, Jomtien would likely be the better choice; especially so if this was one's first trip to Thailand.

Sounds to me like FarangBuddha just prefers Pattaya over Phuket or hasn't been in Phuket in a long time.

20-30 minute drive over a mountain road, that's a joke..............

If you like the beach Phuket thwacks Pattaya bigtime, the rest is all here OP, and in Kata you have quite the large local market, don't necessarily have to always give your bahts to the big corporations.

If you are after a hearty "Super Breakfast" a la the old Don's, hit the Breakfast Hut on the way to Nai Harn Beach.

Scottish John and his wife have that one down.

Still not as good as Kallot restaurant.

Yeah, you have tried both I'm assuming?

O.K., I'm going to Kallots for the big breakfast tomorrow, will compare.

You owe KB if it's not as good !!!!

Where is Mr. Callen?

Overall, that does seem like a good project, fairly good location. I'd be a little concerned regarding the fees, and what happens to your title if the whole complex gets sold.

If you are after a hearty "Super Breakfast" a la the old Don's, hit the Breakfast Hut on the way to Nai Harn Beach.

Scottish John and his wife have that one down.

Crazy drivers in the US compared with Thailand? That is a reach. After some areas in Europe, American drivers are perhaps the most considerate and safe in the world, from my experience. Thais don't even come close.

The OP was referring to Houston. Being from Dallas, I think he has a point.

The description certainly fits in certain parts of town. Not so sure about the highways though. In Dallas, it doesn't sound like a description of say Highland Park, or in Houston of Spring Branch. In Austin, we don't have anything like the above description in Westlake.

Highland Park (and University Park) are flyspecks on the map and in reality

The year I lived in Highland Park, they were equipping the cops with Mercedes patrol cars !!!

OP has started a good thread, but then, in America, there are a lot of different places.

I hail from Southern California, and go back there to visit family and friends yearly. I also have lived in Texas, have been to Houston, have a brother in Dallas and am not sure comparing Texas to Thailand is realistic. Absolutely Houston is ghetto, pickled pigs ears anybody?

Southern and Central California are alright., also a big place but the coastal cities outside of the big metropolis (LA and SD) are definitely special.

Do they have their negatives, absolutely but doesn't everywhere? Is it too expensive there? Sure, but do the jobs pay higher? Yes. Education for your kids? Much better there.

One thing I do really like about Thailand over California is tha fact you can say hi to people here in Thailand and they don't think you are a nutjob. You can say hi to a pretty female, and even if she is not interested will say hi back. In California it's an immediate"are you hitting on me you pervert"!

This last year I spent three weeks in the states, after 2.5 like the OP, I was ready to come back, I needed a noodle soup.

Cheers, GOM

Phang Nga and Krabi are not "less visited" but rather very busy tourist destinations in their own right. If you want less visited and more off the beaten track you might consider Trang, or some of the smaller islands off Ranong.

Not sure the boat travel required would suit the OP, wife, baby, nanny in a Fortuner with 8 nights. But maybe....

If you and the wife like diving, get to the Similans via Khao Lak. You can speedboat daytrip it out there and let the nanny take care of your baby for the day back at the hotel. Tons of nice middle ranged hotels in Khao Lak. O.K. there is two nights.

From there a night or two at Khao Sok National Park.

Then head for Koh Lanta, many middle range hotels on Khlong Dao. Big nice beach, can walk into Saladan town for dinner or stay in your trunks and be sandy for drinks & dinner on the beach.

Enjoy!

The problem I think is the people making the food obviously don't have any idea what it's supposed to taste like

I'm pretty sure Robb who is the proprietor of Los Cabos is from San Diego, you know...., next to Mexico, full of Mexicans?

And to go onto say Mexican food here should solely be baked goods and cheese is ludicrous.

This business idea ranks right up there with a beer bar on Bangla, and the restaurant that tee rat wants to open with all your cash that she and her family will run.

OP a somtam cart would be a better idea, lower start up costs too.

May I ask when you last visited the Green Man?

I hope that you have been there more recently and that things are once again good.... I fear not. A group from our company went in there for a drink following a funeral in Mid December and confirmed that nothing has changed in the bar service at least.

I must agree here. I have given The Green Man numerous chances and every time the food is terrible. Once had fish and chips literally swimming in grease.

The last time, had a foccacia bread pizza, thought it smelled a little funny, but was ravenous, scarfed it down. Had 2-3 days Delhi belly.

Never again.

hi

just read your ad.. i am a vegetarian also.. and i find it extremely difficult to eat in Phuket.. i am very strict.. no meat chicken or fish, or even stock or sauces.. so as you can imagine, and you have experienced its difficult.

but i am finding a few small places dotted about..

but i must say, very very happy with the local fruit and veg markets, loads of different stuff to try and eat.. i could live on fruit.. so its paradise for me, in that sense..

all the best,

robert

The Family, at the entrance of the Rawai Tesco Lotus on Viset.

Great Mediterranean food and many vegetarian options.

Good idea Bill but OP's gf will have to have the sell mentality which most people do not have.

Or the "my policeman brother will mess with your business if you do not buy my beauty supplies" mentality

or the salon does do well, and the landlord decides to triple the rent, so that you'll leave and his family can take over the shop.............

Hardly any of them are successful, and guess who ends paying the rent because these girls now have some sort of delusional fantasy of being the big boss and a huge loss of face if they shut down.

I know one woman (nice enough woman if your not her partner) who maintains the idea shes a Patong business woman (tho your not unlikely to find her in Tai pan in the small hours !!) and in the 5 or 6 years I have known her shes has flushed literally millions of baht into front businesses, not small money, but million baht key money on this one, multi million baht money into that one..

Is she about 64 cent. tall, black hair, brown eyes?

I know her !

Bangkok-Phuket Hospital.

Excellent dental clinic, inexpensive.

Hard Rock Cafe Phuket for NYE? No thanks, I'll pass...the tickets for the event are way over-priced (even for HRC standards) and that Filipino band doesn't know the words to half of the songs they attempt to sing. Kudos to them for investing in the light show, though, I do hope it's worth the price! Post a follow-up on here after NYE, please.

I think I'm with GOM on the whole NYE thing...day at the beach and drinks around the neighborhood.

Once heard a Filipino band in Phuket doing Dylan's "Knocking on Heaven's Door".

The line that goes "Lord take this badge off of me" they had as "Lord take this bad job off of me". I died laughing, LOVED IT !

hi

thanks for the advice.. we just thought with all that does go on in Thailand in general.. Naturism would be accepted..

oh well.. Cap D'Agde for the holidays again..

Thanks

Brian and Brenda

I'm not getting on your case here, each to their own and all that. But does that mean you wouldn't ever holiday some where that you couldn't get naked on the beach? Seems a bit obsessive to me.

Why not give Phuket a go and get naked on the beach another time?

BTB, maybe it's best anyway, looks to me the sun is not as strong in Cap D'Agde.

Can you imagine a sizzled willy? OUCH !!!!!

Hi Brian and Brenda,

best not to do that here in Phuket, a lady was attacked and killed on Mai Khao a couple years ago after topless-thonged sunbathing with her female friend.

Head over to Pattaya, there is an island off there where the Russians have established a birthday suit zone.

Considering all the hot Russian chicks around I may head over there myself.

But I fear embarrassment if a super hot young naked Russian gal cruises by; is there a punchline out there for "what to do when you sport wood on a nudist beach"?

"How much wood can a woodchuck chuck"?

Well, at this point GOM has no real plan.

Looks like I may just get drunk all day on the beach, might not even make it to midnight, who knows.

As I live in the south, Patong a bit of a headache.

So, TV member, what are you going to do?

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY !!!

were is freebirds i've never seen it before is it Rawai or nai Harn????

Nai Harn at the three way junction, just past Icon pub as you are heading toward the beach.

Scubabuddha- if you are still looking here, can you ask your pal at Rick and Rolls if they will show the elimination game between the Rams and Seachickens Monday morning? It should be on Truevisions, would be great to bag a coffee and some breakfast and watch that. The other sports pubs I know won't be open that early (8:15AM). Thanks ! GOM

Phuket is now jealous of Chiang Rai !!!

All you Chiang Rai people get over there to enjoy, Don typically puts out excellent festive season foods.

Don-belated Merry Christmas to you and Happy New Year, from your friends in Phuket. Cheers !

Curious,

a Chilean, issued a Swedish passport in August of 2010.

Any Swedes on the forum here (?), is it easy to get a Swedish passport if you are not from Sweden?

As you know mate, some people are prepared to sell there property and make a good profit.

Then they listen to a estate agent and make the property so expensive they have little chance of selling it in the current market.

I have talked to different agents and they do not seem to know how to value a property properly

Thus the difference in the market here and in the western world.

In the west, logic says price it so it will sell. Not here.

And since you have been looking for quite some time now, it seems that none of the sellers agree with your fair price.

But I give up Peter, you're not listening to what anybody is saying, only to what is in your own mind.

i agree steve he knows all..... he does not want to listen only talk..

I think this is just a favorite conversation piece of the OP's.

This seems to me just like an open conversation as if we were sitting at the bar making b.s. about the RE market here.

Does Mr. Callen have his views pretty solidified on this topic? No argument there. Is anyone in the thread going to change his views? Probably not, so if the conversation is frustrating for you, best to grab a beer and head to another group of mates ;-)

Completely different than in the west.

I guess the main thing is that there are few mortgages and no buying chains.

Because of this, there isn't so much pressure to lower prices for quick sales.

OP, also, you throw in the whole "face" scenario here and it's faaarrrr from doing business in the west.

Example- my brother owns a house in a silimilar neighborhood as mine in the U.S., he sells it for for 4 millionthb. My similar house, due to needing cash I sell for 3.5. In the west I don't "lose face" in my family, hell that concept doesn't even exist, we all do we we have to do, my brother probably needs to buy all the beers at the next family BBQ, but thats about it.

Here if Somchai gets 14 millionthb for his house, you can be dam_n sure that his related neighbor down the street is not going to get a satang less. That makes the equation very different.

Hi Simon,

I also cannot provide you with the info you need, but do have a suggestion.

When I am in Ao Nang for work, I use the high speed internet shop that is on the beach road, well, not right on but their blue sign is and it's next door to O'Malleys.

Why don't you ask the proprietor there who he is using? Typically i never have drops there and the speed is good.

Best of luck, GOM