I turn to this forum as a viable resource for general information. I feel it is here that I can communicate with many expats from various walks of life at different income levels with diversity of philosophy who know Thailand. What I would like to know follows:

 

What is the cheapest place in Thailand one could rent a room or condominium that is within one kilometer of a beach. A beach that has white sand and is "swimmable"?

 

Also a place that is within a 10-15 minute drive from a market or supermarket and also close to restaurants (does not have to serve farang food) and entertainment venues. The entertainment does NOT have to include "bargirl" type of nightlife.

 

I ask about the cheapest place in Thailand. It does not matter how much I have to spend as I only seek what the readership here thinks is the cheapest. Quality of life is subjective, but rent and costs of food and entertainment, I would say is objective.

Check out Prachuab khirikan,very nice and quiet.

 

Take out the beach specification, and you can rent a condo with swimming pool in Chiang Rai close to all amenities for 7000 baht/month. IMO that's pretty cheap.

19 minutes ago, jvs said:

Check out Prachuab khirikan,very nice and quiet.

 

Yeah in 15 years of traveling about that is an excellent choice. 

Going there again once this C19 is out the way for a break.

I fear before long in time it will get ruined like many other places. 

Rayong, 3,000 to 4,500 baht for a 1 bedroom apt. I know of someone who just recently spent 5,000 baht for a 2 bedroom house 50 meters from the beach. Very clear water for the beach. 

10 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

Yeah in 15 years of traveling about that is an excellent choice. 

Going there again once this C19 is out the way for a break.

I fear before long in time it will get ruined like many other places. 

It has been my get away place for a long time already,i agrre ,too many new hotels are being build.The last time i was there it was very very quiet,i was the only guest in the hotel.

It is a great place to use as a base,you can go into the hills,great beaches on your doorstep,good markets,good fishing,not far from the border,the sea is pretty clean,friendly people and no bars,the place goes to sleep at 9 pm.

There’s loads of cheap places near beaches but are not swimmable. So I’d say Prachuab Kirikhan and what about Chumphon area ? Haven’t been there for years but it was a nice area . 

Gotta be Pattaya.  So many apartments within 1 kilometer of beach. Many empty rooms now that a lot of people have returned to provinces. Plenty of food and plenty of markets. Place is very quiet right now ( obviously ) so never been a better time to live there.

 

Not too many white sand beaches in Thailand but Pattayas is acceptable and the water is cleaner than it has been for a long time.

 

Nightlife ..... plenty enough compared to other places , even now during pandemic.

11 minutes ago, Bangyai said:

 

 

Not too many white sand beaches in Thailand......

 

 

I don't know why "Bangyai" said THAT because there are PLENTY of white sand beaches in Thailand .. Must not travel much?

1 hour ago, beachproperty said:

 

 

I don't know why "Bangyai" said THAT because there are PLENTY of white sand beaches in Thailand .. Must not travel much?

 

Only decent white sand beach I've sat on is at Ko Samet.

 

Stayed at Laem Sadet, Chao Lao and Mae Pim several times. Ok beaches but hardly ' white sand '.

 

Cha Am nice ( quiet at South end )

Hua Hin   ok bit poor beach access

Pran Buri ok but not white sand

Prachuab  ok but not much of a beach

Phuket some decent beaches but not as cheap as Pattaya

Ko Samui nice beaches but again not as cheap as Pattaya

Songkla not a white sand beach.

 

These are the beaches I have stayed at over the years bit IMO Philippines has nicer beaches ( but plenty of not nice ones too )

 

Not really a bucket and spade person. Spent a lot more time inland.

1 hour ago, beachproperty said:

 

 

I don't know why "Bangyai" said THAT because there are PLENTY of white sand beaches in Thailand .. Must not travel much?

So where Marco Polo.

2 hours ago, Bangyai said:

Gotta be Pattaya.  So many apartments within 1 kilometer of beach. Many empty rooms now that a lot of people have returned to provinces. Plenty of food and plenty of markets. Place is very quiet right now ( obviously ) so never been a better time to live there.

 

Not too many white sand beaches in Thailand but Pattayas is acceptable and the water is cleaner than it has been for a long time.

 

Nightlife ..... plenty enough compared to other places , even now during pandemic.

 

I went to see a 48 sq. m seaview apartment with spacious balcony  in Pattaya. 4000 baht per month.  This price even before COVID-19 struck.A few hundred metres to the beach.

110 sq. m offered @10,000 recently. 

12 minutes ago, Eindhoven said:

 

I went to see a 48 sq. m seaview apartment with spacious balcony  in Pattaya. 4000 baht per month.  This price even before COVID-19 struck.A few hundred metres to the beach.

110 sq. m offered @10,000 recently. 

 

A few pics for the cynical

 

 

That's what you get for 4k.

 

 

I see lots of folks sleeping on the beach and the like in Pattaya City....would imagine it is cheap as chips as half the price? 

 

 

11 hours ago, Bangyai said:

Gotta be Pattaya.  So many apartments within 1 kilometer of beach. Many empty rooms now that a lot of people have returned to provinces. Plenty of food and plenty of markets. Place is very quiet right now ( obviously ) so never been a better time to live there.

 

Not too many white sand beaches in Thailand but Pattayas is acceptable and the water is cleaner than it has been for a long time.

 

Nightlife ..... plenty enough compared to other places , even now during pandemic.

Good Lord....Pattaya City beaches clean?  Might as well just dip your head in the toilet....same, same, but different...????????????

11 hours ago, Bangyai said:

Gotta be Pattaya.  So many apartments within 1 kilometer of beach. Many empty rooms now that a lot of people have returned to provinces. Plenty of food and plenty of markets. Place is very quiet right now ( obviously ) so never been a better time to live there.

 

Not too many white sand beaches in Thailand but Pattayas is acceptable and the water is cleaner than it has been for a long time.

 

Nightlife ..... plenty enough compared to other places , even now during pandemic.

With respect, the water is not acceptable.  Yes, it's better now, but still....sewage gets dumped into the sea, trash is everywhere, etc.

 

We just spent the day on Bang Saray beach.  Probably the best in the area.  We decided not to go in as it was absolutely filled with trash.  Disgusting. 

 

The further south you go, the better it gets.  South of Hua hin or south of Rayong. 

 

To get really nice beaches, you need to get over to the West coast.  Khao Lak is nice and there are many nice beaches on Phuket.

 

On the east coast, best bet is the islands.  Samui, Koh Phangnan, Tao.  Khanom beach is OK.

 

Or the many islands in the Krabi area.  Khao Yao Yai, Phi Phi, Lanta, and small ones south of that.  These are some of the best beaches in Thailand.  Very small islands with crystal clear water.  Lipe is great now with no crowds.  Not so good before. 

 

Most of these islands now are very quiet.  If not deserted.  For a bit of "action", Kamala would be a good choice.  Maybe Lamai beach on Samui (ok beach).  Koh Phangnan is dead as is Chewang (which is a nice beach).

 

Tough times now, but prices are SUPER low and owners are very willing to negotiate prices.

 

I've driven from Pattaya south to the Cambo border many times, just exploring the beaches along the way.  And have done south to Khanom/Phuket/Krabi many times also.  Exploring almost every beach along the way.  Actually, leaving in a few days to do this again for about a month.  Heading to Koh Lanta.  Checking this beach out for a week or so:

 

https://goo.gl/maps/z5MnhdD2ptbUe1WB8

 

A bit old, but some great info here on beaches...

 

http://tezza-thailandbeachesandislands.blogspot.com/

 

 

9 hours ago, Eindhoven said:

 

A few pics for the cynical

 

 

That's what you get for 4k.

 

 

Cosy beach condos are cheap as they are out of the way with the dogs. Not a problem if someone doesn't drink and has transport

8 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Cosy beach condos are cheap as they are out of the way with the dogs. Not a problem if someone doesn't drink and has transport

Good point.  And the scooter taxis there are ruthless.  No easy way to get from the beach up the to main road to catch the baht bus.

 

Sadly, beach dogs have become a really bad problem now everywhere.

Used to live here in Pattaya/Jomtien, CITY 1 RESIDENCE.  Clean, new, furnished, swimming pool, balcony, many washing machines, security, quiet,  10 min. walk to beach.  Just a few pool/lady bars on the walk farther away right near Rompho Market / KISS Restaurant on walk to beach.  Food Mart & Outlet Mall / Lotus Supermarket all near too.  They will give you monthly rates just ask.  I paid 4500-5500 but had even bigger higher floors up.  Website has a video on the "contact" page:  https://city1residence.com/      

 

17 hours ago, jvs said:

Check out Prachuab khirikan,very nice and quiet.

 

 

16 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

Yeah in 15 years of traveling about that is an excellent choice. 

Going there again once this C19 is out the way for a break.

I fear before long in time it will get ruined like many other places. 

Totally agreed, prices in general are good for monthly rental, places to eat, markets etc are reasonable too... 

beaches are good quality and flea markets, bars etc all close to hand.

Local transport is good with baht buses if you want real cheap transport.

2 hours ago, Jeffr2 said:

Good point.  And the scooter taxis there are ruthless.  No easy way to get from the beach up the to main road to catch the baht bus.

 

Sadly, beach dogs have become a really bad problem now everywhere.

     Maybe not everywhere.  Beach dogs don't seem to be a problem on Pattaya Beach--at least not in the northern part.  Can't vouch for the southern area.  Took a walk yesterday morning starting at The Bay Shopping Center and walked up to Dusit, around to Terminal 21 and then down Second Road and then cut down one of the sois back to Beach Road.  Didn't see a single dog--and I was looking for them because someone had posted about packs of dogs scaring them and I wondered what they were talking about.  

     It was a bit disconcerting to not see any dogs--sort of like not seeing a 7-11 or Family Mart in sight.  Perhaps they were all over at Runway 88 watching the 747 being assembled.   I'm sure there are dogs around here somewhere but not in numbers to be a problem.  I do remember there were lots of dogs in south Jomtien Beach when I used to live down there.  For the OP,  Pattaya Beach is being kept very clean and has been since it was widened.  

Hat Mae RAM Phung,Rayong

Thanks for you time and good information

 

Bang Tao, Surin & Layan beach’s in Phuket are lovely, lots of very reasonable accommodation right now due to no tourists nice 1 bed condo within 1 k to beach and next to great shopping with many bars/restaurants for any kind of food you want was 14k-15k now 8k or even lower, getting cheaper as reality of no tourists coming for a long long time????

you will get a lot of BS replies by people who know nothing or asked their wife (similar) when the only reply is Pattaya.

But if you like to keep thinking, enjoy !

 

 

1 hour ago, hotchilli said:

 

Totally agreed, prices in general are good for monthly rental, places to eat, markets etc are reasonable too... 

beaches are good quality and flea markets, bars etc all close to hand.

Local transport is good with baht buses if you want real cheap transport.

I have never seen a baht bus in Prachuab,never seen a bar either we must be talking about a different place.

1 hour ago, Uroller said:

Bang Tao, Surin & Layan beach’s in Phuket are lovely, lots of very reasonable accommodation right now due to no tourists nice 1 bed condo within 1 k to beach and next to great shopping with many bars/restaurants for any kind of food you want was 14k-15k now 8k or even lower, getting cheaper as reality of no tourists coming for a long long time????

I hope to be there soon to check it out!  Was also going to explore Kamala.

2 minutes ago, jvs said:

I have never seen a baht bus in Prachuab,never seen a bar either we must be talking about a different place.

Don't know about baht buses as I drove there and used my own car for getting about, the road that runs parallel to the beach road has a few bars on it, we used to frequent a small one owned by a German I think, there were a couple of others, not many I grant you but they are there if you look for them, also some very nice restaurants. ????

2 minutes ago, Golden Triangle said:

Don't know about baht buses as I drove there and used my own car for getting about, the road that runs parallel to the beach road has a few bars on it, we used to frequent a small one owned by a German I think, there were a couple of others, not many I grant you but they are there if you look for them, also some very nice restaurants. ????

Yes i know about the German place,it is not a bar but a guesthouse and they do sell some food

and you can buy beer there,i have walked by many times but the stench of cigarette smoke keeps me away.

5 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Cosy beach condos are cheap as they are out of the way with the dogs. Not a problem if someone doesn't drink and has transport

 

 

??

Erm...nice. But why are you quoting my post with that info? Mine has no connection with Cosy Beach.