Pattaya should be on any list of places to retire abroad where English is spoken

[newnative]

15 hours ago, Fat is a type of crazy said:

Never been into that sort of thing to date. Which may make Pattaya seem a strange potential choice but I can't think of somewhere else in Thailand that has all the stuff you want nearby. But not as hectic or polluted as Bangkok. 

     '...I can't think of somewhere else in Thailand that has all the stuff you want nearby.'   Read that and thought, that's about as good a summation of why so many of us have chosen Pattaya as you're going to find.  For my spouse and myself, Pattaya checks more of the boxes of 'stuff you want' than any other place in Thailand.   With Bangkok nearby for short visits as an added plus.  We've been here since 2010; it's very easy to avoid the areas we have no interest in, including go-go bars.

[Walker88]

8 hours ago, 1FinickyOne said:

just add a couple of reps or whatever it is you like to do...

 

I learned to love the Thai language and culture... you are missing out and rationalizing... but at least you are fit. 

The sound of a language is particular to one's ear. The sound of Thai is far from a favorite of mine. Yes, my loss, and although I can get by with the basics, I will likely never learn it well. I lived several years in Hong Kong and the sound of Cantonese was another language that did not appeal. Again, my loss.

 

I did learn Arabic, which is probably not high on the list of pleasant sounding languages for many, but I found it lovely and melodic. It is quite complex and carries more subtleties than even Japanese (which I also speak). The US State Dept lists language difficulty as the time it takes to reach university level speaking for a native English speaker. For example...French & Spanish: 3-6 months. German: 9 months. Russian: 1 year. Thai, Burmese: 1.5 years. Japanese: 2 years. Putongua: 3 years. Arabic: 10 years. Perhaps surprisingly, difficulty is not a function of tones or lack thereof. I learned 2 tonal languages, and both were easier than Arabic. (Japanese is pretty easy in terms of basics, as it is so repetitive and has maybe 5 vowel sounds only. To learn the subtleties, however, takes years as well as cultural immersion.)

[proton]

11 hours ago, daveAustin said:

Not many Thai mates then? I would be embarrassed attempting to solely converse in English in a banking situation etc. Each to their own; I guess in a place like Pattaya one doesn't need to make the effort. But travel around the country to the back of beyond and speak a bit of the lingo and the response will likely blow your hair back. Agree with the last bit though. 

Are you claiming to be able to go into a bank and discus complex matters in Thai? well done, it's hard enough for a Thai!

[KhunLA]

1 hour ago, scubascuba3 said:

Pattaya has lots to offer outside the bar areas, not compulsory to go there

Been there a few time (give it a fair shake), not for the bar scene, and still wouldn't return.  Only plus is more western food, hopefully better options, which I can find most anywhere, though usually don't order out anyway, as disappointing.

 

Beach sucks, and I don't go to a beach to take a ferry to a beach (Ko Larn).  Overpriced tourist (trap) sites, that don't interest us. 

 

No reason to go east of Krung Thep.   If so, then Wang Kaew area, and a beach you can actually swim in, if cooperating, without all the negaitives (congestion, tourist) of Patts.  Last thing i want to see while O&A is 1000s of western tourists, or any tourists.

 

I can simply pop up to Hua Hin for that, only 1 hr away.

[Nick Carter icp]

2 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

  Only plus is more western food, hopefully better options, which I can find most anywhere, though usually don't order out anyway, as disappointing.

 

 

 

 

   If you guys need Western food so much, why don't you move to a Western Country ?

[scubascuba3]

9 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Been there a few time (give it a fair shake), not for the bar scene, and still wouldn't return.  Only plus is more western food, hopefully better options, which I can find most anywhere, though usually don't order out anyway, as disappointing.

 

Beach sucks, and I don't go to a beach to take a ferry to a beach (Ko Larn).  Overpriced tourist (trap) sites, that don't interest us. 

 

No reason to go east of Krung Thep.   If so, then Wang Kaew area, and a beach you can actually swim in, if cooperating, without all the negaitives (congestion, tourist) of Patts.  Last thing i want to see while O&A is 1000s of western tourists, or any tourists.

 

I can simply pop up to Hua Hin for that, only 1 hr away.

If you want nice beaches without tourists, Nang Ram beach area is about the best, miles better than the ones you mention

[KhunLA]

3 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

If you want nice beaches without tourists, Nang Ram beach area is about the best, miles better than the ones you mention

Thanks.   Just happen to be in that area 'Wang Kaew' while O&A exploring, years back.  Didn't actually go there for the beach, but did turn out to be a nice day/sunset a the beach.

[1FinickyOne]

8 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Do you live in Nakonowhere? if isolated learning Thai is important

yo. Warped Unhinged guy... 99% of the country is Nakhon Nowhere - - sure better than adult Disneyland for people who prefer the merry go round... 

 

I see you missed me during the shutdown... 

[bignok]

5 hours ago, koolkarl said:

10 horses couldn't drag me to that cesspool.

What about 11?

[bignok]

3 hours ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

 

   If you guys need Western food so much, why don't you move to a Western Country ?

They want cheap women

[1FinickyOne]

4 hours ago, Walker88 said:

The sound of a language is particular to one's ear. The sound of Thai is far from a favorite of mine. Yes, my loss, and although I can get by with the basics, I will likely never learn it well. I lived several years in Hong Kong and the sound of Cantonese was another language that did not appeal. Again, my loss.

 

I did learn Arabic, which is probably not high on the list of pleasant sounding languages for many, but I found it lovely and melodic. It is quite complex and carries more subtleties than even Japanese (which I also speak). The US State Dept lists language difficulty as the time it takes to reach university level speaking for a native English speaker. For example...French & Spanish: 3-6 months. German: 9 months. Russian: 1 year. Thai, Burmese: 1.5 years. Japanese: 2 years. Putongua: 3 years. Arabic: 10 years. Perhaps surprisingly, difficulty is not a function of tones or lack thereof. I learned 2 tonal languages, and both were easier than Arabic. (Japanese is pretty easy in terms of basics, as it is so repetitive and has maybe 5 vowel sounds only. To learn the subtleties, however, takes years as well as cultural immersion.)

Yes and it is the cultural immersion that is the fun part, for me. The sound of the language is not as important - being able to converse with the most unique and lovely Thai people is the goal. I learned through conversing as a child might. I have no idea what tone anything is and it doesn't seem to matter as because of the tones, the words sound different. And being able to speak in sentences helps a lot as there is context if I do mispronounce a word. 

[bignok]

3 minutes ago, 1FinickyOne said:

Yes and it is the cultural immersion that is the fun part, for me. The sound of the language is not as important - being able to converse with the most unique and lovely Thai people is the goal. I learned through conversing as a child might. I have no idea what tone anything is and it doesn't seem to matter as because of the tones, the words sound different. And being able to speak in sentences helps a lot as there is context if I do mispronounce a word. 

It's fun to joke with locals. I avoid farangs. Just look at them. Enough to not want to talk to them.

[brewsterbudgen]

3 hours ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

 

   If you guys need Western food so much, why don't you move to a Western Country ?

 

Thailand has better beaches, weather, available girls/guys and a very relaxed atmosphere.  Western countries are what most people are escaping! 

The OP is spot on.  Not needing the local language is a huge bonus about living in Pattaya (or Bangkok for that matter). And there are plenty of western food options anyway!

[Trippy]

Doesn't Pattaya already have enough expats? We don't need to be on any list that will bring in more of them.

 

To all you guys that hate Pattaya, tell your friends to stay away, it's the worst place on earth. 

[bignok]

5 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Pattaya has lots to offer outside the bar areas, not compulsory to go there

Like what?

[scubascuba3]

54 minutes ago, bignok said:

It's fun to joke with locals. I avoid farangs. Just look at them. Enough to not want to talk to them.

Usually people who hangout with Thais rather than farang are a bit weird you know don't get on with farang so find Thais, same with the dog and cat people

[bignok]

2 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Usually people who hangout with Thais rather than farang are a bit weird you know don't get on with farang so find Thais, same with the dog and cat people

Yeah Pattaya sexpats are normal 555

[bignok]

37 minutes ago, Lemsta69 said:

 

You talk like a little baby so no wonder that you prefer the company of "the locals". What do you joke with them about?  How much you get paid in Australia even though it's a worthless place and how little they get paid and how awesome it is to exploit their childish culture?

 

Or do you keep it simple and just say "me fallung, you Thai goo goo gaa gaa 55555"?

Maybe you should grow up. Can't believe you wrote that crap.

[scubascuba3]

48 minutes ago, bignok said:

Like what?

it's been listed before many times, a place that has many sports available, even has a polo club, even has a boules interest, probably handy for those after they stop playing golf at the 40 courses and for you many massage shops for specials

[bignok]

2 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

it's been listed before many times, a place that has many sports available, even has a polo club, even has a boules interest, probably handy for those after they stop playing golf at the 40 courses and for you many massage shops for specials

Golf courses in every major city as well as massage.

[Walker88]

1 hour ago, bignok said:

It's fun to joke with locals. I avoid farangs. Just look at them. Enough to not want to talk to them.

In your current iteration you've been here 8 months and have 11,600 posts.

 

Methinks you're not really spending a lot of time communicating with the locals.

[GypsyT]

"it's been listed before many times, a place that has many sports available, even has a polo club"

 

Pattaya really has near "everything". I just saw this; "https://www.pattayaoneloftrace.com/en

I also saw this; https://www.rugbyschool.ac.th/about-us/welcome/

 

Big, big money investments! And there's more.

Not that I have any interest or skill to participate but I just liked to see CLEAN spots of Pattaya and Thailand, walk the grounds and get a little hope to 24/7 littering. NO damn dogs neither!

I also go to fancy golf courses and have a lunch (often very reasonable price too!) and enjoy the beauty of well cared grounds. I'm not a member or play but they don't care.

 

After moving to Lake Mabprachan I rarely go to Pattaya to get farang food at special shops.

Plus stay a night when leaving and returning by BKK bus.

But I feel good it IS there if I want to go and see my old walking grounds. I could live there too but a walk around Lake Mabprachan has all I need.

 

[NextG]

2 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Usually people who hangout with Thais rather than farang are a bit weird you know don't get on with farang so find Thais, same with the dog and cat people

What about the people with dogs and an actual girlfriend? You know… the type for which you don’t have to pay. 
They obviously aren’t that weird if they can get on with others to the extent of being able to cohabit with someone. 

Why they are alone and in a place that they chose specifically for the easy availability of women who will give you their time as long as you pay them. 
In most people’s eyes, they might be the weird one. 
To be honest, I would avoid most of the people I see around too, as I imagine that I don’t have much in common with them. That’s borne out by the behaviour seen on here quite often. 

Edited November 28, 2023 by NextG

[scubascuba3]

12 minutes ago, NextG said:

What about the people with dogs and an actual girlfriend? You know… the type for which you don’t have to pay. 
They obviously aren’t that weird if they can get on with others to the extent of being able to cohabit with someone. 

Why they are alone and in a place that they chose specifically for the easy availability of women who will give you their time as long as you pay them. 
In most people’s eyes, they might be the weird one. 
To be honest, I would avoid most of the people I see around too, as I imagine that I don’t have much in common with them. That’s borne out by the behaviour seen on here quite often. 

It's good you finally got a girlfriend but she will expect money one way or another eventually, buying a house, car, motorbike, marriage. 

 

but i agree that there are plenty of people around that need avoiding, i do it all the time, but there's also a lot of people i don't avoid.

 

It's just something I've observed and I'm good at it, those people who spend more time with Thais than farang are a bit strange as are those that like cats and dogs more than people

[NextG]

I haven’t ever been without a girlfriend and certainly I haven’t ever been expected to give them money. That’s just weird 😊

And AGAIN your mind can only imagine that it’s some basic Thai woman, (who wants you to buy her those things), which seems to be your default. First and only possibility that enters your mind. 

“Dog and cat people” is what you wrote initially.  Now you have changed that to “people who like cats and dogs more than people”. Not quite the same is it? That’s called ‘moving the goalposts’. 
 

Think about the nonsense you do write. 
I love animals/nature(so a cat/dog person etc), but would I want to be alone without human contact? Of course not. 
 

Someone who states they prefer animals is probably someone who feels ‘let down’ by people. So I can understand that some people can instead form a close bond with their pets etc. That’s normal.

How is that different from you ending up in Pattaya alone? Not everyone is lucky in love. 

Now if you were referring to say someone who has a unwieldy amount of pets or who spend too much time with them, to the detriment of their own health, that of course is something else. 


Look at the parallel with perhaps your situation… The dog/cat people who you describe may have failed in their relationships. Have you failed at relationships? Is that why you moved to Pattaya. Pattaya may be your comfort, equally to someone who surrounds themselves with animals. 

 

Even ‘normal’ families will love their animals more than strangers. 
 

Other than my neighbours and the people whom I have met incidentally along the way, I have no inclination to spend time with any foreigners nor Thais for that matter. 
I already did a lot of that and now I enjoy a more peaceful life. 
Someone who has a different lifestyle might look ‘weird’ to me. That’s what is meant by having a different perspective. You assume yours is the norm. It’s just your norm

[1FinickyOne]

16 hours ago, bignok said:

It's fun to joke with locals. I avoid farangs. Just look at them. Enough to not want to talk to them.

They also have a serious side too which can be comforting, if they want to be that person for you... but mostly they figured out that whining is not the best way to go through life. 

[1FinickyOne]

On 11/28/2023 at 2:31 AM, Jingthing said:

I explored Thai culture when I first moved here.

I don’t like it.

I don't like American culture either.

Not able to speak the language, how much of exploring the culture can you do? How long did you try? 

What did it entail? Did you have a good teacher or none at all? Teacher, not in a formal sense, someone capable of explaining the differences. 

 

I was very lucky to have a couple of people in my life who had a good grasp of the language and culture and who were able to 

explain things that I would not otherwise have known. I was charmed and fascinated. 

[GypsyT]

"I explored Thai culture when I first moved here.

I don’t like it.

I don't like American culture either."

 

I'm same...

After while unhappy what's going on in every country I try to make home.

Is it me? Most likely but can't/will change myself. I was born like this and "freedom to fail" and always (so far) bounce back keeps me going.

 

One of my friends, very smart one, said; " Keep going like you've done last 50+ yrs. Keep moving around and searching! Nothing wrong with you - we people are different and that's your life style."

 

That helped and I guess I'll add a few more legal residences and languages to my current 4.