New in Hat Yai

[onlycw]

Hi All

 

one of us is renting a condo for 15,000 THB. Nice place, but a bit expensive... Is there a website for town houses etc. for rent? 2 BR, 2 BA or bigger. BANPHRU or central Hat Yai (not too far from Central Festival).

...

 

Are language centers hiring? Got any leads? 

 

Is there a watering hole for expats?

 

Cheers!

 

Chris

[wgdanson]

What the hell is this all about?

[lopburi3]

You will not find low rents online - you walk the streets and read the signs and network/talk with locals.  Have no idea of work but English is spoken by most in that area (huge Malay travel destination).  Have no knowledge of expat life but most western foreigners would likely be in Songkhla as that is the gas field base.

[Stocky]

On 11/2/2018 at 8:48 PM, lopburi3 said:

You will not find low rents online - you walk the streets and read the signs and network/talk with locals.  Have no idea of work but English is spoken by most in that area (huge Malay travel destination).  Have no knowledge of expat life but most western foreigners would likely be in Songkhla as that is the gas field base.

Yes, you'll need to trawl all the roads around the areas you like, spotting the 'for rent' signs and noting the phone numbers.

 

There's no real western expat community most of the expats in Hat Yai are Malaysians or Singaporeans. Even over in Songkhla Town, as the oil & gas activities have moved up to NST. In Hat Yai you may find a few teachers or retired oilmen hanging around The Swan, but they're a bit thin on the ground.

[phuketsub]

On 11/4/2018 at 12:56 PM, Stocky said:

Yes, you'll need to trawl all the roads around the areas you like, spotting the 'for rent' signs and noting the phone numbers.

 

There's no real western expat community most of the expats in Hat Yai are Malaysians or Singaporeans. Even over in Songkhla Town, as the oil & gas activities have moved up to NST. In Hat Yai you may find a few teachers or retired oilmen hanging around The Swan, but they're a bit thin on the ground.

Your reply is spot on, as usual. I was in Hat Yai a few days ago and noted quite a few changes...I walked from the Police Station all the way to the underground liquor store, then back to Plaza by a different route...I was blown away by the proliferation of beauty parlors...When I lived in Hat Yai back in '97 - 2000, there were already many...but now it is just amazing. I passed by hundreds of them, mostly empty...

 

I know beauty parlors are a common way for guys with money to set up their mia nois and gigs, but the sheer numbers leads me to think there must be more driving factors than meet the eye...are they fronts for prostitution? I know back in the day some of them offered extra services....

 

Anyway, I'd like to get your take on it, if you have one,

[Stocky]

2 hours ago, phuketsub said:

I was blown away by the proliferation of beauty parlors...

It always seems to be changing, but yes hairdressers, hair stylists, nail bars and beauty salons have always been the chosen option to start the 'girlfriend' in business; though they seldom survive beyond the initial investment. Extra services? I'm not so sure, I think the town's karaoke bars and massage parlours largely have the monopoly on that.

 

But with all the building in Hat Yai over the last few years, there's no end of cheap shop units available for rent, so we won't see any change anytime soon.

 

It's the same with restaurants, I'm amazed how many new little places keep opening, and these are quite fancy joints, not the no-frills plastic chairs and Formica table jobs. Lots of coffee shops, cake shops, ice cream parlours, milk bars, all sorts.

 

Hat Yai's always got a few surprises, after fifteen years here I'm still finding places I didn't know existed.

[phuketsub]

Thanks for the update...I remember exploring the area just southeast of Diana back in the day and that was almost like an ever-changing, week-to-week minefield of sleezy little pubs and bars back then. Right up my alley.

 

Another area I want to re-explore is Dan Nok down in Sadao. I looked it up on Google maps (Street Image) recently and couldn't believe what I saw, though I don't have any justification for going down there any more, at least for immigration purposes.

 

If you or anyone else has been down there I would really a field report.

 

Anyway, thanks again Stocky. I am sending you a PM as well.

 

 

[Stocky]

48 minutes ago, phuketsub said:

Another area I want to re-explore is Dan Nok down in Sadao.

That's the 'wild-wild west' - I've never stopped off, just viewed it on the way through. I sometimes opt to fly from Alor Star or Penang because of better connections for work trips, so have watched it grow over the years. It's matured from a basic knocking shop for horny Malaysians, to a entertainment venue and knocking shop for horny Malaysians.

 

Though not a place you could easily justify visiting to the wife.

[phuketsub]

Thanks for that...I don't think I could justify a visit to Dan Nok even to myself, let alone the wife!

 

I find it strangely ironic that my first 20 years of living here I had to pass through Sadao every three months, but now that I do everything by the books I have to pay 1,000 baht for a re-entry permit just to hit the duty free shop there. Oh well, probably better off in the long run.

 

[BurgerGung]

On 11/5/2018 at 3:31 PM, phuketsub said:

Your reply is spot on, as usual. I was in Hat Yai a few days ago and noted quite a few changes...I walked from the Police Station all the way to the underground liquor store, then back to Plaza by a different route...I was blown away by the proliferation of beauty parlors...When I lived in Hat Yai back in '97 - 2000, there were already many...but now it is just amazing. I passed by hundreds of them, mostly empty...

 

I know beauty parlors are a common way for guys with money to set up their mia nois and gigs, but the sheer numbers leads me to think there must be more driving factors than meet the eye...are they fronts for prostitution? I know back in the day some of them offered extra services....

 

Anyway, I'd like to get your take on it, if you have one,

Well, the majority of younger ladies seem to be veiled. Doesn't this signal hands off to all non Muslim guys?

[Stocky]

18 hours ago, BurgerGung said:

the majority of younger ladies seem to be veiled

Not at all, about 20% of Hat Yai's population is Muslim, so certainly you'll see women wearing a hijab, but it's very far for 'the majority'.

 

Exactly which part of Hat Yai did you visit?

[BurgerGung]

On 11/6/2018 at 10:11 AM, phuketsub said:

Thanks for the update...I remember exploring the area just southeast of Diana back in the day and that was almost like an ever-changing, week-to-week minefield of sleezy little pubs and bars back then. Right up my alley.

 

Another area I want to re-explore is Dan Nok down in Sadao. I looked it up on Google maps (Street Image) recently and couldn't believe what I saw, though I don't have any justification for going down there any more, at least for immigration purposes.

 

If you or anyone else has been down there I would really a field report.

 

Anyway, thanks again Stocky. I am sending you a PM as well.

 

 

Well, I just returned from a VISA run. Thousands of Malays are pouring into Thailand for the weekend. Heard many men are on "shagging holidays".

 

My van was 30 minutes late, so I was wondering about and ghastly ladyboys left the shadows and rattled down their services ???? It's 5 am, go home! 

 

Saw many hotels, some quite big & fancy.  And lots of Malaysian license plates. Doubt that Sadao will appeal to you these days. 

 

GEORGETOWN would be worth a short trip, IMHO. When were you there the last time?

[phuketsub]

Thanks for the field report...sorry your van was late!

[recom273]

If anyone doesn’t already know there is a Facebook group (actually there are a few) but the buy and sell seems a popular place to post any questions (regarding accommodation) it’s not just expats, but Thai members.

 

There are lots of places in Hat Yai to eat and drink, not just the “yawn” swan. There is a little community of younger guys who know all about the rooftop bars and other places away from the strip.

[Stocky]

27 minutes ago, recom273 said:

There is a little community of younger guys who know all about the rooftop bars and other places away from the strip.

Well do tell, that's the point of the forum!!

[Stocky]

31 minutes ago, recom273 said:

There are lots of places in Hat Yai to eat and drink, not just the “yawn” swan.

You can add to the recommendations on this thread.

 

 

[recom273]

37 minutes ago, Stocky said:

Well do tell, that's the point of the forum!!

Lol .. I’m far from young these days!! I don’t teach any more, but I remember the staff room talk from the younger guys, telling me of the latest little spots, I have passed on info only to find that it’s closed down already. 

 

HY has so many little spots, 808 cafe is always busy on a weekend night with bikers, the spot on the roof is on top of a condo towards the university, not too sure if it’s still open.

[Stocky]

50 minutes ago, recom273 said:

the spot on the roof is on top of a condo towards the university, not too sure if it’s still open.

Possibly the Good Evening, yes it's closed already. There's another called "The Roof Top" which is on Supasarnrangsan road near the Chue Chang Chinese temple, but I've not tried it yet.

 

But the OP was asking about western expat meeting places, I'm not a great one for seeking out expat company, but the venerable 'Swan' is about the only place I do note expats on a regular basis. Few in number, but then there aren't many anyway.

[recom273]

Possibly the Good Evening, yes it's closed already. There's another called "The Roof Top" which is on Supasarnrangsan road near the Chue Chang Chinese temple, but I've not tried it yet.
 
But the OP was asking about western expat meeting places, I'm not a great one for seeking out expat company, but the venerable 'Swan' is about the only place I do note expats on a regular basis. Few in number, but then there aren't many anyway.

Yup, indeed, the swan is the place .. Yeah, I think it’s on top of the condo called ‘the rise’

I was more suggesting the OP check the Facebook group “buy/sell/trade/ Hat Yai” .. Prolly find employment there too.


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