This post of yours was shallow with detail for the uninformed. Let's take a deeper dive of each item in your list. "Cheap condos". Yes, you can buy or rent small, inexpensive condos in Pattaya. True also for Bangkok and some other Thailand cities. In Pattaya, you can also buy or rent very expensive, very high-end, large beachfront condos. And, literally, everything in-between the two. Huge choice of condos which can be rented, or bought in foreign quota--which is good, not bad. You seem to present affordable condos as a negative but it's really a big positive, and it's just one segment of the very large housing choice available in Pattaya, at all price points, including affordable. Conclusion--for expats choosing where to live in Thailand, a good selection of housing types to rent or buy is a big plus, as housing is usually a big and important budget item for most of us. I knew it already but Google confirms that Pattaya has the biggest selection, and the widest price range, for diverse housing types in Thailand. Not a negative, a big plus. "Bad traffic". Most areas are not that bad but it can be on certain roads in the popular tourist areas, especially on holidays and weekends. My particular pet peeve is North Pattaya Road, which could easily be improved if the city wanted to. Compared to Bangkok, though, Pattaya's traffic, even in the worst areas, is a breeze. I like to complain about the traffic but every time I go to Bangkok I realize it could be a whole lot worse. I'm being reminded this week of the horrendous Bangkok traffic jams--spouse and I were out and about today in the Bangkok traffic--both city and suburbs. Awful! And, I will try to never complain about Pattaya's much, much easier traffic ever again, but probably will. The good thing is many expats in Pattaya, including us, are living away from the worst traffic spots. Conclusion--it's in the negative column of Pattaya's postives and negatives, but not a deal-breaker for most residents. "Polluted beaches". Actually, the beaches aren't polluted, it's the ocean. The beaches of Pattaya and Jomtien have all been worked on and widened and I know Pattaya beach is being kept clean--I don't go to Jomtien much but last time I went the beach there looked clean, too. We used to live right on Wongamat beach and it was also clean. So, the beaches are mostly clean, and lovely to look at--which is what the vast majority of expats living in Pattaya do. We look at the ocean and the beaches, admiring the views from the balconies of our seaview condos, when we drive by them, or when we occasionally walk the beach promenades. Not being able to swim in the ocean is no big deal for most residents. When my spouse and I want to snorkle, we'll rent a boat and go out to the snorkeling areas by some of the small islands. Conclusion--good beach, sea, and shoreline views to look at; skip the ocean and swim in a pool. Not a negative for most residents--I never give it a thought. "Crime against farangs". I googled this and it seemed to be a tossup as to whether Bangkok, Pattaya, or Phuket had the most crime against farangs, with Pattaya and Phuket above Bangkok when adjusted for population size. All three places attract large numbers of tourists, and that is where most of the farang crime takes place, with tourists. Google says violent crime is rare, with much of the crime of the petty type--scams, thefts, jewelry snatches, etc. Google also stressed that the amount of crime 'varied significantly' depending on the 'specific neighborhood'. That last is the important thing for residents like me. Most of us are not drunk on Walking Street at 2am, and crime is really not an issue at all. Spouse and I have been here 15 years and have never encountered any crime, or felt unsafe. To be fair, that's also true for the entire time we have spent in Thailand, including visiting many different places. Conclusion: Pattaya's crime, much of it petty, is largely focused on tourists, in the tourist areas. Not a negative for most residents. So, looked at in more detail, you're right, 'Sounds wonderful!'.
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