Uthai Thani Named One of the World’s 100 Sustainable Tourism Destinations for 2024

[Watawattana]

17 hours ago, oldcpu said:

 

I spent about 6 weeks in Hua Hin (on 3 different visits combined) looking around. In the end I decided against and went for Phuket.  Why?

 

• Phuket has more quality hospitals (albeit Hua Hin has some quality hospitals too ..., just a lessor number)
• Too many local tourists from Bangkok flood Hua Hin on holidays - with massive numbers at times approaching Phuket ill informed tourist area madness
• The main highway that runs through Hua Hin is horrific and makes the entire area unsuitable for me
• Less sea tours / expeditions from Hua Hin than Phuket
• Hua Hin has less international schools compared to Phuket
• Hua Hin is Much MUCH MUCH further from an International Airport such as Phuket has
• In Hua Hin, after viewing over 3 dozen different condos on the massive long  beach , I could not find  one  in decent shape, for a decent price, that I liked ... [ also one only gets a sunrise view over the water - and not a sunset view].
• Not as wide a restaurant selection as Phuket (although Hua Hin does have many)

Don't get me wrong.  I do like Hua Hin.  I think it a great place.  I believe it will be ideal for some.   I have friends who live in that area - so it would be nice to be living in that area close to friends. 

 

Overall Hua Hin is SIGNIFICANTLY less expensive than Phuket also.  The massively less expensive price can be important to many.

 

I urge many to look at Hua Hin. 

 

But Phuket edged out Hua Hin for me.

Thanks for the reply, it’s appreciated. 

[Watawattana]

22 hours ago, Hanaguma said:

If you keep going south from Hua Hin, there are progressively nicer and quieter beaches- Pranburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan City, etc.  Not great if you are into nightlife, but beautiful and relaxing.  Ao Manao Beach just south of Prachuap Khiri Khan is amazing.

Thanks for the reply, it’s appreciated. 

[Expat68]

2 hours ago, JamesPhuket10 said:

 

Yet you comment so you must have a chip on your shoulder about not living here.

 

I do not live in New York or London but I do not make a special out-of-the-blue statement about it. Although I am going to London for a month next week.

 

To the people who do not like Phuket, yes please stay away as we have enough winging ex-pats already (I avoid them like the plague).

 

I laugh sometimes when I am in other areas for a visit, boring villages for example, some ex-pats tell me they do not live in Phuket for whatever reason and then they get on their twenty-year-old Honda Dream bike and ride off, I laugh and think, the real reason is you can not afford to live in here.

I can only speak for myself but I grew up where the nearest house (not village or town) was 3 miles from me. That is probably why I prefer to live in non tourist areas of Thailand 

[Dickp]

Wife bought land back in 1986. I retired in 1991 and we moved right to Bangkok, Had the western style house build, we arrived 2 weeks before we could move in. Since then up date's 2 times one minor 1998 and one big job 2006. Live in the East end of Bangkok in nice housing project, easy to get to the highways and to the main road to downtown, thought have not been there in the last 6 - 8 years. Nothing there that we can not find real close to home. Raised our daughter here 2 -12 grades then off to the US for collages Three. She Has her Phd along with her own business. She and her husband normally come to visits 2 times a year now that we don't travel any more. Our living standard is great and along with the Medical care, that's what keeps us here. For me never been one for going out on the town, only been in one Bar for the last 34 + years.  Sad now thou that all my real friends' have move back home or died.  

[JamesPhuket10]

21 hours ago, Dickp said:

Wife bought land back in 1986. I retired in 1991 and we moved right to Bangkok, Had the western style house build, we arrived 2 weeks before we could move in. Since then up date's 2 times one minor 1998 and one big job 2006. Live in the East end of Bangkok in nice housing project, easy to get to the highways and to the main road to downtown, thought have not been there in the last 6 - 8 years. Nothing there that we can not find real close to home. Raised our daughter here 2 -12 grades then off to the US for collages Three. She Has her Phd along with her own business. She and her husband normally come to visits 2 times a year now that we don't travel any more. Our living standard is great and along with the Medical care, that's what keeps us here. For me never been one for going out on the town, only been in one Bar for the last 34 + years.  Sad now thou that all my real friends' have move back home or died.  

 

It is just another phase of the phases we have to go through.

 

My two sons went to school and university in England, one is now married to a New Zealander, they have a child and he has set up a successful business in NZ, the wife is an architect. 

 

The other son is a biomedical scientist at a hospital in England.

 

I have been living in the house in Phuket for the last two years full time, it was bought/built about twelve years ago, and it is in a quiet area with no girly bars, etc, they are miles away over the mountain. 98% of the people living in this housing complex are Thai and the roads are closed to the public. 

 

I do not have as many friends as I used to have as they move on or die.

 

I will go back to the UK this week though, for a month or more, business class with a bed (EVA Air) is what I use now that I am older, health is worth more than money.

 

It is just another stage we go through, but look at it positively, if you are not going through such stages it means you are already dead. 😄

[JamesPhuket10]

On 10/26/2024 at 2:36 PM, Expat68 said:

I can only speak for myself but I grew up where the nearest house (not village or town) was 3 miles from me. That is probably why I prefer to live in non tourist areas of Thailand 

 

I choose to live in this area in Phuket as it is like living in a small village away from the rest of the world, the roads are all private, most of the residents are Thai, and there is a small private park for the kids of the residents to play in, plus as the roads are private there is almost no traffic so the kids can play in the streets as well.

 

There are two manned barriers with CCTV so when I go away for a month or two the house is nice and secure.

 

But outside there are banks, shops, pharmacists, etc close to hand. A massive Makro is a seven-minute drive away as is a massive Lotus and an even bigger Central Shopping precinct is a ten-minute drive away, best of both worlds. 

 

When friends are over on holiday I go out with them now and then to places like Patong, as I feel like I am going on day trip holidays as it is like being in another country, it is good fun in short periods.

 

Then I drive over the mountain and life is back to normal, it is like those areas only exist in holiday land. 

 

[Bundooman]

On 2/9/2024 at 5:51 PM, Ralf001 said:

The exodus from Pattaya similar. 5 friend's have gone home in a coffin since December.

That's a hell of a way to go home.

Hope they had seperate boxes....

[JimTripper]

On 10/26/2024 at 10:43 AM, Whip said:

I am retired and live in a marvellous "bubble" that is not Phuket

What really matters is high income, not location. I could be happy most anywhere as long as I had a high income relative to the location. I would not really care if it was Pattaya, Phuket or some other country for that matter.

 

With money, you enjoy the venues you want and associate with the people you want.

 

51 minutes ago, Bundooman said:

That's a hell of a way to go home.

Hope they had seperate boxes....

I follow cases all the time on Youtube of expats getting sick in Pattaya and other parts of Thailand, several died. It's really sad and lonely. I always wondered whether I would end up like that. As I get older I can see it as a possibility.

When I first checked out Pattaya as a living location I remember looking up at a tall lonely condo building overlooking the beach and thought "Am I going to pass away there?"  😅 I can be dark at times. Most other guys were probably thinking about getting a beer.

Edited 19 hours ago by JimTripper

[newnative]

39 minutes ago, JimTripper said:

What really matters is high income, not location. I could be happy most anywhere as long as I had a high income relative to the location. I would not really care if it was Pattaya, Phuket or some other country for that matter.

 

With money, you enjoy the venues you want and associate with the people you want.

 

I follow cases all the time on Youtube of expats getting sick in Pattaya and other parts of Thailand, several died. It's really sad and lonely. I always wondered whether I would end up like that. As I get older I can see it as a possibility.

When I first checked out Pattaya as a living location I remember looking up at a tall lonely condo building overlooking the beach and thought "Am I going to pass away there?"  😅 I can be dark at times. Most other guys were probably thinking about getting a beer.

      People get sick and die everywhere--and, it can be just as sad and lonely for them in other places than Pattaya.  Whether someone dies alone or surrounded by family and friends is usually more a case of how they have led their life than the place they may find themself at the end.  

      There are lots of worse ways to pass away than in a 'condo building overlooking the beach'.   In fact, that sounds pretty darn good to me--I love a beach and ocean view.  And, it sounds even better having visited some nursing homes in the US while scouting for one with my sisters for our Mother.  Even the nice ones I found depressing.  I'd much rather be here, in my own home, enjoying the nice weather, and with help available at a reasonable cost if I need it at some point.  

[harryviking]

On 2/9/2024 at 11:14 AM, Olmate said:

Lifes not a 'beach' apparently! 

Lol! Funny----

[renaissanc]

On 2/9/2024 at 5:14 PM, xylophone said:

Sadly, a good friend of mine who has lived here most of the time for years has now decided to call it quits and has moved back to the UK. I am in contact with him and he says although the weather is disgusting, he is glad to be free of the traffic, Russians, invading Chinese and poor roads here in Patong/Phuket – – he owned a Triumph Bonneville and loved riding it around, but not safe to do that now, so sold it and he has gone.

 

Another friend is considering going back to Canada because he is fed up/bored with Patong and has been financially shafted by one Thai girlfriend, thereby losing his business, and his latest Thai girlfriend has decided to dump him! Not a happy chappy, so I expect him to leave very shortly.

 

As I have posted previously, this is not the place I remember it to be, but I'm tied here by friends and a daughter, so I will have to put on a happy face and carry on!

 

 

I lived on Phuket from about 1988 to 1996. The island was such a wonderful place back then. The roads were so quiet. I drove around on a Honda 90. I've watched videos of the island now. It could be Spain now.

[johnc925]

On 2/9/2024 at 4:52 PM, Galong said:

Six of my very good friends have had enough of Phuket and all six are leaving because of traffic. Another friend and his family of four just bought a house a relocated here from the UK. After just a few months, they are already looking for ways to leave. 

How many of you have lost friends due to the 'progress' going on in Phuket?

We chose to move up north after living in Phuket for a very long time. PhangNga is a bit remote, but close enough to things needed.