Where Would You Choose To Live In Pattaya?

[brokenbone]

16 minutes ago, Dart12 said:

we looked.  that unit is VERY pricey even in these times.  wanting 3000baht per night

can you link it ? i may be able to remember

[Dart12]

10 hours ago, newnative said:

You may have misunderstood me.  The current blockade does not prevent travel to Jomtien from Pattaya, and I doubt any future blockades would.  When we got to the very southern part of Jomtien, past Espana condo,  we encountered a blockade on a small street we were on that prevented us from going any further south into the next municipality and we had to turn around at that point.   

No.  I agree with you.  it doesn't prevent me from going to Jomtien from Central.  But if I LIVED in Jomtien, I believe a blockade would prevent me from then going TO Central.  Yes?

[newnative]

1 hour ago, Dart12 said:

No.  I agree with you.  it doesn't prevent me from going to Jomtien from Central.  But if I LIVED in Jomtien, I believe a blockade would prevent me from then going TO Central.  Yes?

     No, I don't think so.  The current blockade does not and I doubt future blockades, if any, would.  We have been driving back and forth from north Pattaya to south Jomtien.  Wong Amat/Naklua, Cosy Beach, and Pratamnuk are also accessible both ways.  Parts of Pratamnuk Road have been blocked for road repairs, not the blockade.

[Dart12]

@newnative From my understanding is that us as residents within the blockade...we can go wherever and come back.  Those who reside outside of it, cannot come in.  One guy even complaining that he had to drive 40km to go shopping while it's been up.

But I hear they are taking it down May 5th. So it would no longer matter.

I did find a very nice seaside 95 sqm 1 bed in VT6 yesterday.  Except it's about twice what I wanted to spend (65K for month) :(.


Something very similar in Jomtien is only 38k seaside one-2 blocks off the beach.  another similar one in Jomtien that is about 10 blocks off the beach but seaside is only 27k  (but no amenities like pool and gym if they ever open up again).

My biggest concern about Jomtien (as a long term visitor) is being so far from big supermarket and restaurants while having no car.  don't much care for riding a scooter in wet streets/rain.

Any thoughts on that kind of distance from  central area?

[newnative]

44 minutes ago, Dart12 said:

@newnative From my understanding is that us as residents within the blockade...we can go wherever and come back.  Those who reside outside of it, cannot come in.  One guy even complaining that he had to drive 40km to go shopping while it's been up.

But I hear they are taking it down May 5th. So it would no longer matter.

I did find a very nice seaside 95 sqm 1 bed in VT6 yesterday.  Except it's about twice what I wanted to spend (65K for month) :(.


Something very similar in Jomtien is only 38k seaside one-2 blocks off the beach.  another similar one in Jomtien that is about 10 blocks off the beach but seaside is only 27k  (but no amenities like pool and gym if they ever open up again).

My biggest concern about Jomtien (as a long term visitor) is being so far from big supermarket and restaurants while having no car.  don't much care for riding a scooter in wet streets/rain.

Any thoughts on that kind of distance from  central area?

    Hipflat shows a couple VT6 2 bedroom condos in the 40 to 45000 baht price range so you might find something there for less than 65k a month.  If you are thinking of going above your budget  of 30,000 baht a month and want to stay in Central, you might consider Northshore condo, which I feel is nicer than VT6.  Not as big a project with less than 200 units and it has nice pool, air-con gym, snooker, and ping pong.  There is a 72 sqm unit 2 br 2 ba listed on Hipflat for 38,000 baht.  High floor seaview, looking south.  Second bedroom is small but could be used as an office. 

    I would probably choose Centric Sea over VT6, as well.  Both are about the same size--around 1000 units, but Centric has much nicer amenities.   Looks like a number of 57 to 60 sqm 2 bedroom units in the 30k a month range.  VT6 does have an excellent location if you want to pop into Central Festival a lot.  

     My partner and I lived in several areas of Jomtien--at VT3, VT5, VT7, and Lumpini Park Beach.  We liked Jomtien but found we were going into Central often 3 or 4 times a week so we ended up moving out of Jomtien.  If you rent in Jomtien I would suggest something on Beach Road or not too far from it if you want to use the baht buses.  The Jomtien Complex area of Jomtien has a grocery store and, at least pre-virus, lots of restaurants, as well as the  Immigration Office nearby.  Shorter travel  distance to get into Central than condos in the far south area, such as Reflection and Aeras.  

[Dart12]

I'm going to check this out immediately.  VT6 guy wanted 3500 night non coronatimes for stays over 15 days.  asking us for 2000/night so 60k during these Virus times.  I'm having a hard time stomaching that even though it was 92 sqm and beautiful and new.

I think 45k is my MAX for a special place.  Wishing I would have grabbed that 11,000 1bd grand avenue place now.  I could have rented a s3cond studio on the beach for my office.  GF said no though.  I wonder why? LOL

@newnative Do you think places on hipflat will rent for 1-2 month times?  they all say one year

[newnative]

40 minutes ago, Dart12 said:

I'm going to check this out immediately.  VT6 guy wanted 3500 night non coronatimes for stays over 15 days.  asking us for 2000/night so 60k during these Virus times.  I'm having a hard time stomaching that even though it was 92 sqm and beautiful and new.

I think 45k is my MAX for a special place.  Wishing I would have grabbed that 11,000 1bd grand avenue place now.  I could have rented a s3cond studio on the beach for my office.  GF said no though.  I wonder why? LOL

@newnative Do you think places on hipflat will rent for 1-2 month times?  they all say one year

   I think some would--especially now.  Doesn't hurt to ask.  When we first came to Pattaya we rented a condo for a couple of months that normally rented yearly--the landlord didn't have a tenant, the condo was sitting empty, and he was happy to get some income. 

[Bangkok Basha]

On 4/30/2020 at 4:22 AM, Pattaya46 said:

The location of VT6 is great, but I personally don't like VT6 too much.

If I remember well, most units are 48 sqm, but this include a big terrasse ~10 sqm that is unusable during the whole afternoon as facing South-West. So more like a 38 sqm unit. Many units have a big white outside curtain to block the strong sun... and cut the view. Also VT6, is built perpendicularly to the beach, so - except for corners units - the sea view is only a part of a side of the bay. A popular place though for mongers who live during the night and sleep during the day. So unsure I would like to live there...

Monthly price could be found from 15 kB (before Covid) if you avoid the agents that have office inside VT6 and (try to) rent 48 sqm at crazy prices 20k, 25k, ... ! (ex: https://www.hipflat.com/projects/view-talay-6-xvkegu). Yearly contract even cheaper, as everywhere.

Problem with VT6 is that the first 6 or more floors on the Central side look directly into the mall's parking garage. Great view. The other side of the building is on the "Sunny" side and will require extensive shading to prevent bright sun streaming into the unit. AC electricity costs very high. 

[newnative]

1 hour ago, Bangkok Basha said:

Problem with VT6 is that the first 6 or more floors on the Central side look directly into the mall's parking garage. Great view. The other side of the building is on the "Sunny" side and will require extensive shading to prevent bright sun streaming into the unit. AC electricity costs very high. 

True.  If you get high enough on the north side and towards the back of the building, you can see some of the ocean and the coast.  But, you still have Hilton blocking a lot of the view and there is noise from the big air handlers at Central Festival. 

[brokenbone]

4 hours ago, Bangkok Basha said:

The other side of the building is on the "Sunny" side and will require extensive shading to prevent bright sun streaming into the unit. AC electricity costs very high. 

...and here i thought large windows bringing in natural light was popular, silly me

[brokenbone]

3 hours ago, newnative said:

True.  If you get high enough on the north side and towards the back of the building, you can see some of the ocean and the coast.  But, you still have Hilton blocking a lot of the view and there is noise from the big air handlers at Central Festival. 

i went there many times and that was not the case,

i saw the entire bay and ws.

that high up everything was silent, i have never seen a condo  i want more,

in fact its the only condo i want

[newnative]

1 minute ago, brokenbone said:

i went there many times and that was not the case,

i saw the entire bay and ws.

that high up everything was silent, i have never seen a condo  i want more,

in fact its the only condo i want

   If you read my post a little more carefully, I was talking about the north side of the building, not the view south to WS.  

[Bangkok Basha]

38 minutes ago, brokenbone said:

...and here i thought large windows bringing in natural light was popular, silly me

Natural light is one thing. 40 degree intense sunlight is another thing entirely. In VT5, temps on the South side of the building are as much as 5 degrees hotter than on the North side in mid-afternoon. 

[brokenbone]

2 hours ago, Bangkok Basha said:

Natural light is one thing. 40 degree intense sunlight is another thing entirely. In VT5, temps on the South side of the building are as much as 5 degrees hotter than on the North side in mid-afternoon. 

thats our sun we love, either we have it or we dont,

earth simply dont warp space enough for light to make curves and hit from both sides

[Dart12]

I chose the VT6 18th floor Seaview 1 bed 92 sqm condo that was just remodeled. (really cheat on the sqm counting the balcony).

was really hard choice between it and a 150 sqm seaview place in Jomtien that had the entire wall as openable door/windows looking at the view.

That and the fact the living areaspace was probably bigger than than the whole VT6 condo.   AND it was 2/3 the cost.  Although, the apt was getting dated in age and wear.

At the end of the day though, we chose the convenience of being in central and now at least having the options of sitting down in restaurants again.  Over there, would have only had a choice of like 3-4 restaurants to walk to.

And yeah...negotiated almost all properties to over 50% off... Everytime we said "maybe" they would throw a lower offer out lol.  Good time to be a renter.

[Bangkok Basha]

Finally making the move to Pattaya and will be living in Jomtien (VT5). I am mystified by the Baht bus (sangtaews) routes and the numbering system. Is there by chance a map? (I can hear the guffaws from here). Or simply a list of their numbers and general routes? Thanks in advance. 

[BigStar]

50 minutes ago, Bangkok Basha said:

Finally making the move to Pattaya and will be living in Jomtien (VT5). I am mystified by the Baht bus (sangtaews) routes and the numbering system. Is there by chance a map? (I can hear the guffaws from here). Or simply a list of their numbers and general routes? Thanks in advance. 

The numbers are for reporting bad drivers for driving dangerously, cheating, or bashing you.

 

Someone will be along shortly to explain the routes, some busier than others. Drivers mostly follow the routes unless, you know, something comes up. Then you may take a detour or be asked to get off. ????

 

A real ace will explain the hand signals to check whether a driver goes straight thru to wherever or is going to turn and which way. Do it right and the wrong buses will ignore you. Mostly.

 

Have exact change (this can be an art), walk back after handing it over, and avoid talking to the driver so that he can't claim you've chartered the bus and charge accordingly.

 

Edited June 18, 2020 by BigStar

[jacko45k]

15 hours ago, Bangkok Basha said:

I am mystified by the Baht bus (sangtaews) routes and the numbering system. Is there by chance a map?

There is a bit of one some where, but the way these guys deviate on a whim, may make it a disadvantage. Really, they stop infront on the entrance on Thrappaya and will take you into Pattaya and head down second Rd. Most turn off to the left at North Rd to do the circle back down Beach Rd. You want to  go to Nuklua, a small number will go straight on, but I can't figure it bar asking the driver. Seems easier just to ding the bell and change bus. If you want to go back, on the corner 2nd/Tai in front of the school is where they have a queuing system... not sure if you can board ahead of that with any surety these days.

You will pick it up with a few mis-steps. A scooter might be worthwhile for daytime no drinking getting about.

Being the only person on the bus and talking to the driver are the things to beware of, as he may determine he is in taxi mode!

Edited June 18, 2020 by jacko45k

[jwdub]

16 hours ago, Bangkok Basha said:

Finally making the move to Pattaya and will be living in Jomtien (VT5). I am mystified by the Baht bus (sangtaews) routes and the numbering system. Is there by chance a map? (I can hear the guffaws from here). Or simply a list of their numbers and general routes? Thanks in advance. 

This maybe of some help.

http://www.pattayacityexpatsclub.com/expats/docs/pattaya blue baht bus routes.pdf

[Bangkok Basha]

On 6/19/2020 at 7:15 AM, jwdub said:

This maybe of some help.

http://www.pattayacityexpatsclub.com/expats/docs/pattaya blue baht bus routes.pdf

Many thanks. Got this now.