Hello to the expats community

after 9 years in bangkok, with 2 kids and a thai wife I am pretty sure it's time to move somewhere else.

Bangkok has plenty of things to see and place to visit but air pollution, traffic and crowd are no more supportable.

Please advice me for a new start here in Thailand. I am 45, miss the sea so no country but only a place with sea view but not too remote since i need decent schools for my kids.

Thanks for your time

Andrea

Search for good international schools in Thailand. Choose a sea-view location. Avoid Pattaya.

lol Pattaya, yes of course no Pattaya Samui Phuket and other tourist locations.

I am more interested in less known areas which is why I am asking advice

Edited June 7, 20188 yr by 72BKK

Where is your wife from?

Where does she want to move to?

If you don't want Pattaya, Samui or Phuket (i actually think Phuket is ok), you are probably left with Hua Hin, Rayong, Surat Thani and Songkhla. I think these are the only places that offer "city" and "at the sea"

Edited June 7, 20188 yr by jackdd

6 minutes ago, TerryLH said:

Where is your wife from?

Where does she want to move to?

She is from Roi Et and she is ok for a more quite location with the sea. And no touristic. I guess many other expats may have had my same feeling and moved from Bangkok in search for a better for family and more relaxing area

Edited June 7, 20188 yr by 72BKK

3 minutes ago, jackdd said:

If you don't want Pattaya, Samui or Phuket (i actually think Phuket is ok), you are probably left with Hua Hin, Rayong, Surat Thani and Songkhla. I think these are the only places that offer "city" and "at the sea"

yes i agree with you, Huan Hin, Rayong, Surat Thani (i was told Chumpon is ok) and i'd add Trat. Anyone who lives in these areas and want to advice me is welcome

9 minutes ago, 72BKK said:

yes i agree with you, Huan Hin, Rayong, Surat Thani (i was told Chumpon is ok) and i'd add Trat. Anyone who lives in these areas and want to advice me is welcome

I did never live there, but i've been there, Chumphon doesn't (or didn't 2 years ago) even have a Mc Donalds (but they have three KFC) ?

These are both towns (Chumphon 30k people, Trat 15k), not cities, you will find a hospital and a Big c or Tesco there, but that's all they have

Chumphon does have quite some tourists, many are making an overnight stop there when they are going from Bangkok down to the south

Edited June 7, 20188 yr by jackdd

Rayong.

 

REPS, Garden School and St Andrews.

 

...and when you get bored, you can always slum it in Pattaya which is 40 minutes away.

1 hour ago, chippendale said:

Search for good international schools in Thailand. Choose a sea-view location. Avoid Pattaya.

Two of the best international schools 'by the sea' are Regents and Rugby. They are out in the countryside.

 

They are respectively 10 and 15 km from Pattaya City. They are out in the countryside.

 

There's plenty of affordable family housing that is also 10 km and more from Pattaya City. They are out in the countryside.

 

Both schools have huge enrollments and probably 80% of the homes these students come from are, you guessed it, 10 km or more from Pattaya City. They are out in the countryside.

 

PS. Rugby has scuba diving as one of the kids sports. Pretty cool eh?

 

PPS. Did I mention that they are out in the countryside?

Edited June 7, 20188 yr by NanLaew

Hua Hin, nice clean place with lots of nice people. Far different from Pattaya.

If you are facebook then you can join some of the Hua Hin groups and learn more. There are lots of Hua Hin property groups on FB and you can find rentals from 10,000 a month upwards. Ive seen some nice 2 and 3 bedroom bungalows for 12k to 15k a month.

I also know of an English lady there that runs a fantastic international school, she also runs a charity called Jungle aid if you fancy doing some voluntry work. Herself and all the people working with her in her school and charity are lovely people.

 

http://www.jungleaid.org/

 

On the opening photo the lady on the left with blonde hair is the lady that started and runs a great school

 

( I am a similar age to you at 47yr and I intend to go and live in Hua Hin soon )

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 7, 20188 yr by johnson36

Pattaya is your best choice.

all these places mentioned are for tourists....take a car..drive along all the coastline right to the deep south or east....use local  roads...small roads and see if u can spot a nice place...once u choose a place... rent a weekend house and spend time there with neighbours etc....my favorite would be trat or khanom...or chantaburi...

Lived in Rayong for two years - not such a bad place - rents are cheap, good sea food and multiple school choices. Ban phe close by although beaches are pretty dirty. Good malls and shopping, but never take Minibuses up to Bangkok if you want to live!

Currently in Prachuap City. Decent city, nice beach (ao manao). Not much for rent with a seaview though.

Maybe in Klong Wan which is very close...... Check bahtsold.com there is currently a house for rent right at the beach.

 

If kids education is the main factor and you want international school (a broad category I know) it rules out some of the quieter, attractive coastal locations. Hua Hin might be your best bet. A quieter coastal town with good amenities is Songkla but I am not up to date on schools there.

Great tips really thanks guys!!

?

There is also Ranong. Never lived there and have no idea about schools, but lots of islands to visit. Went there once on my Kawasaki and couldn't find the pier, popped into the main police station and they got a guy on a scooter to guide me to the pier.....would not accept any money. Impressed me. I would be interested to read what farang living there have to say about it.

Krabi 

Mae Phim, between Kraeng and Rayong. Nice beaches.

6 hours ago, chippendale said:

Search for good international schools in Thailand. Choose a sea-view location. Avoid Pattaya.

 

6 hours ago, 72BKK said:

lol Pattaya, yes of course no Pattaya Samui Phuket and other tourist locations.

I am more interested in less known areas which is why I am asking advice

Agree in that you, OP, should start searching for good schools, if you wish to avoid see-areas where other expats are living...?

With 2 Children (what age?)... Education is obviously the key factor & if you are not factoring this in a key you may be doing your children a disservice.

 

I too live in Bangkok and would enjoy living in Chiang Mai or Hua Hin - but the schools are simply not good enough (my Son is 4 and will move to Patana or St Andrew's (71) next year).

Thus, for the sake of my Son's education through to iGCSE in Bangkok, followed by a Sixth Form College (boarding) in the UK and University (UK or US)...(if thats what he wants at the time). 

 

In muy mid 50's I can relax and choose to live outside of Bangkok - in which case, as I'd be a little older Rayong would be nice and relaxing... however, being older it would be nice to live closer to centers of medical excellence.... 

 

To track back again... Are the School choices outside of Bangkok really good enough if we are being honest with ourselves ?????

One of the ways of telling is to look at which universities the school alumni have attended. 

 

 

 

 

Hua Hin

14 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

With 2 Children (what age?)... Education is obviously the key factor & if you are not factoring this in a key you may be doing your children a disservice.

 

I too live in Bangkok and would enjoy living in Chiang Mai or Hua Hin - but the schools are simply not good enough (my Son is 4 and will move to Patana or St Andrew's (71) next year).

Thus, for the sake of my Son's education through to iGCSE in Bangkok, followed by a Sixth Form College (boarding) in the UK and University (UK or US)...(if thats what he wants at the time). 

 

In muy mid 50's I can relax and choose to live outside of Bangkok - in which case, as I'd be a little older Rayong would be nice and relaxing... however, being older it would be nice to live closer to centers of medical excellence.... 

 

To track back again... Are the School choices outside of Bangkok really good enough if we are being honest with ourselves ?????

One of the ways of telling is to look at which universities the school alumni have attended. 

 

 

 

 

Hua Hin has a good International school now - "Hua Hin International School" - founded by the some very experienced individuals that started the St Andrews chain in BKK (including the one you mention) and with strong Patana connections (an ex Patana headmaster, ex head of early years, and ex treasurer) on the board of directors. It's been running for about 3 years now and is growing quickly. They do iGCSE and will launch an IB program once the first year admitted finishes iGCSE (which is in a couple of years time from now).

It's by far the most expensive option in HH at 450 - 550k (cheaper than comparable schools in BKK though) but all teachers are fully qualified Brits on expat packages - you get what you pay for.

Lovely campus on the Black Mountain estate - Certainly worth a look.

http://www.huahinschool.com/

Edited June 7, 20188 yr by rwdrwdrwd

Im surprised you shrugged off Pattaya. As a Father of 3, I can certainly recommend the area for activities. There really is so much to do for families and weekends/holidays will always be a breeze to occupy the kids. School wise you can choose International, Government and English Programme, so schools to fit your budget or curriculum.

The old R&R image still sticks but Pattaya has changed dramatically in the past 10 years. 

As you currently live in BKK, its not too far for visiting friends and you have similar shopping here with Central etc.

Climate is OK without too much heat or rain compared to the seasons of the South or the heat of the West Coast.

I

It could also be considered that Hua Hin and Phuket [but mainly Hua Hin] are much more costly for everything,  then the other places cited.

3 minutes ago, observer90210 said:

It could also be considered that Hua Hin and Phuket [but mainly Hua Hin] are much more costly for everything,  then the other places cited.

Really?? I spend way less in HH all round than I did in BKK. Rent is pretty much half the price. Seems cheaper to me here than it was when i lived in Phuket and Samui also.

Edited June 7, 20188 yr by rwdrwdrwd

6 hours ago, jackdd said:

If you don't want Pattaya, Samui or Phuket (i actually think Phuket is ok), you are probably left with Hua Hin, Rayong, Surat Thani and Songkhla. I think these are the only places that offer "city" and "at the sea"

The beaches on the western side ( e.g. Aonang Beach near Krabi ) are somewhat more inspiring. Haven't seen Hua Hin, Rayong beach is very ordinary.

4 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

The beaches on the western side ( e.g. Aonang Beach near Krabi ) are somewhat more inspiring.

The beaches are definitely better there, but at every other place than Phuket i would get bored after a bit. For example Krabi and Ranong are just small towns.

7 minutes ago, jackdd said:

The beaches are definitely better there, but at every other place than Phuket i would get bored after a bit. For example Krabi and Ranong are just small towns.

I was quite happy to holiday at Aonang Beach for two weeks. Although I'd agree it could get boring after that.

4 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

I was quite happy to holiday at Aonang Beach for two weeks. Although I'd agree it could get boring after that.

Aonang and the surrounds are wonderful but the weather is 6 months rain 6 months dry, and boy does it rain, 9, 10, 11 days at a time without stopping.