16 minutes ago, BTB1977 said:

Seems he only wants to be a short drive to Pattaya.  555 . But it is 3 to 4 hours to his family.  I would recommend Hua Hin,( 2 hours) or the sleepy Cha Am. ( 1.5 hours)But most people that start in Cha Am end up moving to Hua Hin. Find a place just out side of both and get that local vibe you are looking for.  There are a <deleted> load of thai markets in both cities. You can be as local as you want to be in both places. Just don't go to all the places you are running away from. But you may think the small village life is a dream and such a heavenly  life style that you can brag about to everyone back home and say look at me , I'm sooooo emerged in thai life. I'm one of them. You can take the farang out of his country,  but you can't take his country out of the farang.  Your going to need some western connections after eating every green plant found along the road mixed with fish sauce,  garlic and hot spicy chilies day after  day. And don't forget the white rice served with every meal. 

Your going to need some western connections after eating every green plant found along the road mixed with fish sauce,  garlic and hot spicy chilies day after  day. And don't forget the white rice served with every meal. 

 

 

Sounds familiar555

I often ask myself. What is she eating. 

59 minutes ago, HappyGoLuckyLife said:

That's a solid set up. I don't expect to have to make too many calls back home. Just want to make sure there are options in case I need to call a bank back in the States, though I don't expect that to be often.

That is precisely what I use it for - a couple of calls per year to either my bank or my accountant or a call to Schwab... personal calls go through Skype usually though I am getting a lot of spam there lately. 

 

Though most of my bank activity can be handled w/email... I have one manager who knows of my situation and requirements and patterns... money transfers made the same route when requested... 

I can only speak for Pattaya's Darkside as I've never lived in the other places mentioned.  Over here, the internet is fine, open/wet markets, small number of expats bars and restaurants if/when you want to go out, there's enough farangs that an ok number of Thais can speak some English but since Covid and the visa changes the number of farangs here have become less and less and we don't get the tourists like the main part of town.  Plus the Darkside is close enough to downtown Pattaya with it's shopping malls, theaters, farang restaurants, nightlife, and beaches.

Maybe do short term rental in the places you mentioned and see which you like best. Good Luck.

West of Bangkok then. Start in Ban Leam and work out from there. Even around Nakom Pathom (spelling)

 

Ratchaburi province if you prefer hills. Even Kancahaburi, but it is the hottest province. 

 

Most places east of Bangkok are more than 2hrs and involve wrestling with traffic.

 

Use Tops and Makro as a guide 

1 hour ago, bbko said:

I can only speak for Pattaya's Darkside as I've never lived in the other places mentioned.  Over here, the internet is fine, open/wet markets, small number of expats bars and restaurants if/when you want to go out, there's enough farangs that an ok number of Thais can speak some English but since Covid and the visa changes the number of farangs here have become less and less and we don't get the tourists like the main part of town.  Plus the Darkside is close enough to downtown Pattaya with it's shopping malls, theaters, farang restaurants, nightlife, and beaches.

Maybe do short term rental in the places you mentioned and see which you like best. Good Luck.

   My Thai partner and I are now on the Darkside and I agree with everything you said, with the addition of good health care available, as well.  Worth a look, I think.  Good luck to the OP and a warm welcome.    

Add IDP International Driving Permit to your “to do” list prior to leaving the states. I got mine from 

AAA and makes getting a Thai DL a lot easier... 

3 hours ago, DJ54 said:

Add IDP International Driving Permit to your “to do” list prior to leaving the states. I got mine from 

AAA and makes getting a Thai DL a lot easier... 

If you have a non imm visa you will need a Thai driving licence after 3 months.

Surely IDP an unnecessary step.Use US Licence lebally on arrival here.

use that to get Thai DL within two weeks or so.applies to all western DL.

15 hours ago, HappyGoLuckyLife said:

You're ticking off all my boxes here. LOL. This list is getting longer.

The Bang Saen and Ang Sila area is very livable. Many restaurants, mostly seafood and Thai. we have been here over 15 years. Shopping is good. I go to Pattaya occasionally for hard to find stuff. I eat very little Thai food but that is ok. I do all the cooking, mostly outside. Have a Weber bbq, a gas grill, and a smoker that stay busy. Suits my wife to a Tee. Downside is that traffic on weekends is horrible. Bangkok must be empty. They are all here to buy seafood and eat at restaurants by the sea. No farang bars and only a few foreigners.

3 hours ago, bang saen guy said:

Bangkok must be empty. They are all here to buy seafood and eat at restaurants by the sea.

Hmmm, then I know when to go into Bangkok. Since we expanded the drive time we're going to order our list by order of our wants.

9 hours ago, BTB1977 said:

Seems he only wants to be a short drive to Pattaya.  555

Nah, there really isn't anything in Pattaya I want or need. Not my type of vibe. If they have powerlifting gyms and video game centers, then maybe. Other than that, I'm good. LOL.

 

10 hours ago, BTB1977 said:

Just don't go to all the places you are running away from.

The only thing I'm running from is the hamster wheel of the 9-5 grind my friend. Both parents died young before seeing the world. (42 & 59 respectively).

9 hours ago, bbko said:

short term rental in the places you mentioned and see which you like best.

That's going to be the plan. All have their pros and cons, so we want to stay a little while in each area and figure out what's best for us.

9 hours ago, WhiteBuffaloATM said:

Surely IDP an unnecessary step.Use US Licence lebally on arrival here.

use that to get Thai DL within two weeks or so.applies to all western DL

Unfortunately as I found out for current US drivers license an IDP is required to forgo computer /driving test .. take stop, color, whatever the stick thing is or the option without is take full test computer and driving test.... makes life a little easier..  I have Thai  car and motorcycle as is my

US drivers license..

16 minutes ago, DJ54 said:

10 hours ago, WhiteBuffaloATM said:

Surely IDP an unnecessary step.Use US Licence lebally on arrival here.

use that to get Thai DL within two weeks or so.applies to all western DL

Unfortunately as I found out for current US drivers license an IDP is required to forgo computer /driving test .. take stop, color, whatever the stick thing is or the option without is take full test computer and driving test.... makes life a little easier..  I have Thai  car and motorcycle as is my

US drivers license..

Thats quite strange: Many find (myself included) that a regular driving licence from an English speaking nation (i.e. the Licence is in English) is sufficient to secure a Thai Driving Licence without having to do the full outdoor test and computer test. You would still have to take the indoor tests (Colour Blindness, Peripheral vision (traffic light), Reaction test and Proximity test (two sticks)) and also watch the 45min video. 

 

 

Where were you told they wouldn’t accept  the US licence to forge the computerised multiple choice exam and practical driving test ?

this cant be right. all western DL should be accepted for routine Thai DL. only “ reaction” tests needed.

Check this Directly with DLT Website, print website applicable data and take directly to DLT

Office.  if STILL no joy just use an Agent to get around this BS………

23 hours ago, WhiteBuffaloATM said:

Surely IDP an unnecessary step.Use US Licence lebally on arrival here.

use that to get Thai DL within two weeks or so.applies to all western DL.

Sadly in practice it doesn't work - the US licences are state , to national licences and you'll find that most bureaucracy and police want to see an IDP. You may also find your insurance is invalidated.

UK licences ae in English and are better received.

Thailand didn't sign the 1967 Geneva accord on motoring and although they "play along" - it lives a lot of issues in a legally grey area. It's much easier to get a Thai D/L ASAP.

2 hours ago, WhiteBuffaloATM said:

this cant be right. all western DL should be accepted for routine Thai DL. only “ reaction” tests needed.

Check this Directly with DLT Website, print website applicable data and take directly to DLT

Office.  if STILL no joy just use an Agent to get around this BS………

Thailand requires a licence to have a photo and English language. But they don't seem to like state licences as opposed to national ones. In the end, an IDP is an internationally accepted translation of your home licence and that's what the police and insurance companies require.

 

after 3 months in Thailand, you are required to have a Thai licence.

 

I know many expats are outside this protocol and some sendup having to pay out enormous sums of money as a result.

 

point taken about state licences from republics. but govt. photo id in english. state govt. or national DL should be equally valid. but TIT. so just get the IDP then.to  be legal here.  then use IDP to getThai DL once here.

We both plan to get IDPs as, if anything else, it's another form of identification to have one as in case we need it. All my wife has experience driving all over Thailand, I plan to be the highway guy. Something changes you when you're driving along minding your business when suddenly an ox comes running at your car from out of nowhere on those rural roads. ????

FWIW when I applied for a Thai automobile and motorbike license I didn't need a IDP, my valid state license was good enough. 

1 hour ago, bbko said:

FWIW when I applied for a Thai automobile and motorbike license I didn't need a IDP, my valid state license was good enough. 

Good to know. I mean, the move itself will cost enough. We can eat $40 USD for two IDPs at that point. If anything, I'm thinking better to have it and not need it versus need it and not have it.

40 bucks ! they cost 7 bucks in UK , from post offices.

19 minutes ago, WhiteBuffaloATM said:

40 bucks ! they cost 7 bucks in UK , from post offices.

Yep $20 a piece from AAA

I think quite a few people are unaware that regardless of what the Thai law may say (in translation), how it is interpreted by various offices at various times over the years may vary quite wildly. 

I got my first full D/L on a BOI visa and was accompanied by a high ranking official from my company - basically they just handed it over on seeing my UK licence. I have renewed a couple of times since then (20 years) and each time has been different - the last was in Samui where I was asked to do an eye test and reaction test for another 5 years. - THet was all it took about an hour in total. However if you turned up in shorts and flip-flops you wouldn't be served.

I've always had a car licence and found that quite apart from being legal it has helped tremendously with ID and interactions with police. It also used to help avoiding dual pricing in National Parks - however that has got much more difficult in re=cent years.

I think many expats don't get D/Ls because they fear or know they won't pass the various tests - this unfortunate practice means many are driving round on Thai roads bellowing at other motorists when it is in fact themselves who are to blame. They are a danger to themselves and others.

12 hours ago, HappyGoLuckyLife said:

Yep $20 a piece from AAA

The AAA licenses are hilarious . They look like something your kid would make in a art class (when he’s 5) it’s a bit of cardboard folded in half with a passport photo glued on it ! I kid you not . 

Pattaya Pratumnak