Pattaya makes the top 10 list on Expats best low budget places to move abroad!

[sungod]

14 hours ago, bignok said:

Enough. Place is full of sexpats and bad traffic.

 

Brought to you by the man who uses 'Thailand Redcat' as his travel guide

[sungod]

5 minutes ago, JBChiangRai said:

 

Not been to Wongamat in about 12 years, that's when I moved to Chiang Rai.  Water can look perfectly clean and still be poor quality.  Pattaya used to discharge sewage into the sea (raw sometimes), perhaps that has changed? I can't say.

 

Swim there 3 or 4 times a week, never been ill.

[sandyf]

14 hours ago, newnative said:

    I don't recognize the photos, either--especially the one with all the trees in the sand.  I think Pattaya gets a bad rap regarding how clean the beach is.  I certainly never saw the beach looking like any of the posted photos.  I used to live at Northshore and every morning I could see them out cleaning the beach.  I imagine they are still doing it.

Unusual view of North Pattaya beach on a new years eve.

[alex8912]

On 12/2/2023 at 6:23 PM, bignok said:

Next door to you

Where do you live?

[bignok]

3 minutes ago, alex8912 said:

Where do you live?

Where do you live?

[sandyf]

19 hours ago, Pattaya57 said:

So your expert knowledge of Pattaya is from random TripAdvisor reviews. Hilarious 😂 

 

Btw, I haven't been in Walking Street in over 10 years. One street doesn't make a city

 

Indeed. In 25 years I have seen a great deal of Thailand and from an all round expat perspective Pattaya is about as good as it gets. Obviously everyone has individual preferences so there will be disagreements.

When I first came to live with my wife in Meaung Chonburi in 2008 her family viewed Pattaya as somewhere no self respecting person would be seen dead. After a couple of years the view changed and we regularly visit Pattaya for shopping, buffet breakfast and short stays.

[alex8912]

19 hours ago, bignok said:

Right so those photos are made up? 

Why not shut up and go for a week. You def need some ( long) time off here man. 

[bignok]

2 minutes ago, alex8912 said:

Why not shut up and go for a week. You def need some ( long) time off here man. 

Its fun kicking Pattaya isnt it?

[bignok]

On 12/2/2023 at 10:23 PM, GypsyT said:

Why am I here?

 

 

 

Good exercise

[NextG]

2 hours ago, sandyf said:

Indeed. In 25 years I have seen a great deal of Thailand and from an all round expat perspective Pattaya is about as good as it gets. Obviously everyone has individual preferences so there will be disagreements.

When I first came to live with my wife in Meaung Chonburi in 2008 her family viewed Pattaya as somewhere no self respecting person would be seen dead. After a couple of years the view changed and we regularly visit Pattaya for shopping, buffet breakfast and short stays.

I too cringed at thought of the place, until I actually visited and found a relatively friendly place. Of course things have changed over the years. I used to be at Bali Hai, when it was a nice place. All swaying palm trees with a pleasant atmosphere. No bars. They stopped at Soi 16. 
Now Bali Hai is just horrid. 

Edited December 4, 2023 by NextG

[sandyf]

1 hour ago, NextG said:

I too cringed at thought of the place, until I actually visited and found a relatively friendly place. Of course things have changed over the years. I used to be at Bali Hai, when it was a nice place. All swaying palm trees with a pleasant atmosphere. No bars. They stopped at Soi 16. 
Now Bali Hai is just horrid. 

It was a bit out of the way when they first moved the ferry from the front of Walking Street but not been over that way for some years. When my niece was at uni in China we used to buy Yuan from an exchanger in Walking Street and come through Bali Hai to third road. It turned into a building site and we started going down soi 17 to avoid it.

[NextG]

35 minutes ago, sandyf said:

It was a bit out of the way when they first moved the ferry from the front of Walking Street but not been over that way for some years. When my niece was at uni in China we used to buy Yuan from an exchanger in Walking Street and come through Bali Hai to third road. It turned into a building site and we started going down soi 17 to avoid it.

They really ruined it…

They fact that it seemed a bit out of the way, was an effective disincentive. People would go as far as Tony’s and either go on in or turn around. So unless you lived in Siam Bayshore or thereabouts, there was scant reason to go further. Kept it nice, quiet and relatively untouched. 
Soi 16 you mean I think.  There isn’t a Soi 17 on Walking Street. 

[sandyf]

51 minutes ago, NextG said:

They really ruined it…

They fact that it seemed a bit out of the way, was an effective disincentive. People would go as far as Tony’s and either go on in or turn around. So unless you lived in Siam Bayshore or thereabouts, there was scant reason to go further. Kept it nice, quiet and relatively untouched. 
Soi 16 you mean I think.  There isn’t a Soi 17 on Walking Street. 

Your probably right, on reflection a friend of mine had a house on soi 17 and if I remember right that was a bit further inland. Long time ago, when he lived there he had a bar next to the police station on beach road, before the bulldozers made way for Central. Different days.

I once booked into a hotel down near Bali Hai, not sure if it is still there but think it had a French name. They cancelled the booking about a week before I was due to arrive.

[NextG]

15 minutes ago, sandyf said:

Your probably right, on reflection a friend of mine had a house on soi 17 and if I remember right that was a bit further inland. Long time ago, when he lived there he had a bar next to the police station on beach road, before the bulldozers made way for Central. Different days.

I once booked into a hotel down near Bali Hai, not sure if it is still there but think it had a French name. They cancelled the booking about a week before I was due to arrive.

Clair de Lune? (which was the beachfront portion of Windy Inn). There was also La Fontaine, which was a French consulate at some point. 

Edited December 4, 2023 by NextG

[AlexRRR]

Hahaha, low budget and mostly low class...starting @ City Hall...

[NextG]

19 minutes ago, AlexRRR said:

Hahaha, low budget and mostly low class...starting @ City Hall...

Someone @ City Hall hurt your posterior?

[Caldera]

I'd say this is well justified. With Pattaya's large selection of quality accommodation, restaurants, shopping and healthcare - all at affordable prices - it's an excellent place to retire all around.

[newnative]

12 hours ago, bignok said:

Its fun kicking Pattaya isnt it?

     You seem to enjoy it.  But, it makes me wonder why.  You apparently visited Pattaya once, for one day, and supposedly did not like it at all.   You'd think that would be it.  Yet, here you are, posting dozens and dozens of remarks regarding Pattaya--most totally inaccurate, by the way.   You need to be careful.  Very careful.  You're skirting dangerously close to being nominated for membership in the Can't Quit Pattaya Fan Club.  

[newnative]

12 hours ago, sandyf said:

Unusual view of North Pattaya beach on a new years eve.

Note the clean beach.

[bignok]

2 minutes ago, newnative said:

     You seem to enjoy it.  But, it makes me wonder why.  You apparently visited Pattaya once, for one day, and supposedly did not like it at all.   You'd think that would be it.  Yet, here you are, posting dozens and dozens of remarks regarding Pattaya--most totally inaccurate, by the way.   You need to be careful.  Very careful.  You're skirting dangerously close to being nominated for membership in the Can't Quit Pattaya Fan Club.  

Yes I do. 

[AlexRRR]

11 hours ago, Caldera said:

I'd say this is well justified. With Pattaya's large selection of quality accommodation, restaurants, shopping and healthcare - all at affordable prices - it's an excellent place to retire all around.

Obviously you haven't been anywhere else in Thailand to make a silly statement like that....

[AlexRRR]

15 hours ago, NextG said:

Someone @ City Hall hurt your posterior?

Well you could say that, tripped and smashed a $400 smart watch walking on Pattaya footpaths, for a tourist centric destination it has the worst footpaths and roads in the country, and recently the "free" fire works...Thais love Free everything the movement on 2cd road was ridiculous on conclusion, idiot cop at Klang intersection what was he doing? directing traffic when the lights turned red or green....NO frigging idea on traffic management...there well behind the 8 ball in Pattaya mate...

[GypsyT]

So, Pattaya is fine but who do you want to be your neighbors?

https://www.easemytrip.com/blog/countries-with-the-friendliest-people

 

I'd agree 1 & 2 on the list. They are mellow, fun loving and straight talking. No BS artists.

 

Aussies a bit crazy which I like. When in LA I used to sell "Performance meters" to racers.

One Qantas 747 pilot bought one, mounted on plane's dash and made YouTUbe video how it works at take off!

He almost got fired.... the clip was a great success until they asked to remove it -:)

 

 

[newnative]

8 minutes ago, AlexRRR said:

Obviously you haven't been anywhere else in Thailand to make a silly statement like that....

     I think yours is the 'silly statement'.  Many of us living in Pattaya have been to plenty of other places in Thailand and we still choose Pattaya as the place that checks the most of our 'wants list' in a retirement destination.  My Thai spouse and I could live anywhere in Thailand--and we have a Bangkok getaway condo--but Pattaya just suits us best.

[AlexRRR]

20 minutes ago, newnative said:

     I think yours is the 'silly statement'.  Many of us living in Pattaya have been to plenty of other places in Thailand and we still choose Pattaya as the place that checks the most of our 'wants list' in a retirement destination.  My Thai spouse and I could live anywhere in Thailand--and we have a Bangkok getaway condo--but Pattaya just suits us best.

Then you need glasses fella, I live in Pattaya too, and I have my reasons, it would be the least visual appealing place in the country, throw in city hall or hole would be the worst council, have free fire works but dont have any traffic management plans to disperce traffic, tear up roads and leave footpaths looking like Gaza after an Israeli bombing raid...ride my bike and pot holes all over the place......

[newnative]

14 minutes ago, AlexRRR said:

Then you need glasses fella, I live in Pattaya too, and I have my reasons, it would be the least visual appealing place in the country, throw in city hall or hole would be the worst council, have free fire works but dont have any traffic management plans to disperce traffic, tear up roads and leave footpaths looking like Gaza after an Israeli bombing raid...ride my bike and pot holes all over the place......

     Yes, I saw your earlier complaints regarding the sidewalks and the traffic jam after the fireworks.  Neither would be very high on my list of wants in a place to live in retirement.  I've walked sidewalks in many places in Thailand, some better, some worse than Pattaya.  Most probably about the same.   I've learned to look where I am walking--whether I am in Bangkok, Pattaya, or anywhere else.  

      Traffic jam after a huge event drawing thousands of people?  What a surprise.   In normal times, I find the traffic no worse than other areas I have visited.  It takes my spouse and me about 15 to 30 minutes to get to most of the places we want to go to in Pattaya from our home on the Darkside.  We can live with that.  Compared to Bangkok, it's a breeze.

      Yes, City Hall is, as you say, a 'hole'.  But, I can't remember the last time I had to go there so, again, not something that would be high on my retirement list--which is the subject of the thread. 

      In choosing a place to live, you do need to weigh the good with the bad.  No place is going to be perfect.  For us, the good far outweighs the bad in regard to what Pattaya has to offer vs. other places so it's an easy choice for us to live here.   I do find myself curious as to why you are living in Pattaya if, as you say, there are so many other better places to live in Thailand.  By the way, try the nice bike path around Mabprachan Lake sometime if you like to bike.

[AlexRRR]

23 hours ago, newnative said:

     Yes, I saw your earlier complaints regarding the sidewalks and the traffic jam after the fireworks.  Neither would be very high on my list of wants in a place to live in retirement.  I've walked sidewalks in many places in Thailand, some better, some worse than Pattaya.  Most probably about the same.   I've learned to look where I am walking--whether I am in Bangkok, Pattaya, or anywhere else.  

      Traffic jam after a huge event drawing thousands of people?  What a surprise.   In normal times, I find the traffic no worse than other areas I have visited.  It takes my spouse and me about 15 to 30 minutes to get to most of the places we want to go to in Pattaya from our home on the Darkside.  We can live with that.  Compared to Bangkok, it's a breeze.

      Yes, City Hall is, as you say, a 'hole'.  But, I can't remember the last time I had to go there so, again, not something that would be high on my retirement list--which is the subject of the thread. 

      In choosing a place to live, you do need to weigh the good with the bad.  No place is going to be perfect.  For us, the good far outweighs the bad in regard to what Pattaya has to offer vs. other places so it's an easy choice for us to live here.   I do find myself curious as to why you are living in Pattaya if, as you say, there are so many other better places to live in Thailand.  By the way, try the nice bike path around Mabprachan Lake sometime if you like to bike.

ahhhh...why Pattaya.....well I was thinking of Hua Hin, but 4 hrs from BKK and airport and I do travel, the criteria was near the sea easy reach to BKK and airports, and I do go to BKK half a dozen times a year at least.

 

I live Pratumnak 10 min walk to south Pattaya, it gets busy here, I got the word out about being open to sell my condo, if it happens will move south about 30 to 45 min....

[NextG]

On 12/5/2023 at 8:57 AM, AlexRRR said:

Well you could say that, tripped and smashed a $400 smart watch walking on Pattaya footpaths, for a tourist centric destination it has the worst footpaths and roads in the country, and recently the "free" fire works...Thais love Free everything the movement on 2cd road was ridiculous on conclusion, idiot cop at Klang intersection what was he doing? directing traffic when the lights turned red or green....NO frigging idea on traffic management...there well behind the 8 ball in Pattaya mate...

If you are that angry in Thailand, you are on a slippery slope, downhill all the way. 
It’s you, not Pattaya. Nowhere is perfect. Go somewhere else and you would find something else that angers you. 
Don’t waste your life being angry. Enjoy your moments… even when sitting in traffic. Life is the journey…

[newnative]

32 minutes ago, AlexRRR said:

ahhhh...why Pattaya.....well I was thinking of Hua Hin, but 4 hrs from BKK and airport and I do travel, the criteria was near the sea easy reach to BKK and airports, and I do go to BKK half a dozen times a year at least.

 

I live Pratumnak 10 min walk to south Pattaya, it gets busy here, I got the word out about being open to sell my condo, if it happens will move south about 30 to 45 min....

     Yes, one of the reasons we like Pattaya is its easy drive to Bangkok and the airport vs. Hua Hin--we have a Bangkok condo and visit about once a month, and we like to travel using the airport.  We started in Pratumnak in 2010 but found there were other areas of Pattaya that we liked better and were more convenient for us--another one of the nice thngs about Pattaya is its variety of different neighborhoods to choose from.  

[BigStar]

On 12/5/2023 at 9:33 AM, AlexRRR said:

it would be the least visual appealing place in the country

 

Great views. I went to the coffee shop up there close to the Pattaya sign last weekend. Nice! Like riding along the beaches on my motorbike and down the coast, Koh Larn in the distance. Russian hotties on the beach these days are improving the view a lot, too.

 

On 12/5/2023 at 9:33 AM, AlexRRR said:

throw in city hall or hole would be the worst council

 

Loved joking around w/ the ladies at City Hall when I went to get my yellow book. Gave one my phone number, still waiting. Enjoyed meeting the mayor, very personable. And the tax office was great. After seeing my yellow book, the officer told me I didn't owe tax on my condo and to ignore future notices! Yeah, great people.

 

The Great Seal of Pattaya City

 

On 12/5/2023 at 9:33 AM, AlexRRR said:

have free fire works but dont have any traffic management plans to disperce traffic

 

Love the view of the fireworks around the bay from a high balcony. Kick back w/ a bourbon and good stogie. Ah! Have the sense to let others worry about traffic.

 

On 12/5/2023 at 9:33 AM, AlexRRR said:

tear up roads and leave footpaths looking like Gaza after an Israeli bombing raid...ride my bike and pot holes all over the place......

 

Gives the place a certain dystopian panache. You'll need to look where you're going. No, Pattaya isn't the UK, though potholes are quite common there. Go just out of town for some great rides. Couple of cycling clubs around; they know.

 

 

 

2 hours ago, AlexRRR said:

well I was thinking of Hua Hin