18 hours ago, Jingthing said:

In Jomtien/Pattaya the usual story is a move to the sticks in Isaan. May as well shoot me before i did that. I don't recall hearing about older expats moving FROM Jomtien/Pattaya to Bangkok. More often hearing about the opposite direction. But that doesn't mean we always have to follow the typical crowd.

Happy to see that some people are discussing this.

It's weird that I've never thought about this before.

Previously I did think about renting a tiny place there to enjoy Bangkok much more often though never considered a full move.

If you have the money, like you say! Why not try and rent a decent small condo in BKK for the first year and keep you condo in Jomtien. That way you will give yourself the choice to try it out first, sell later or just feel not for you and move back. It´s a lot of advantages regarding both places as well as cons.

In Jomtien you will have the beach, better air, not same much traffic congestions and easier access to expat communities. In Bangkok you will have better shopping, more things and variation to do and a wider variety of food, as well as a better class of food. In the Michelin restaurants in Bangkok, you really get great food. For example, you will have Le Normandie, Mezzaluna and Sorn.

Just try it out first, so you don´t make a mistake and regret it.

11 minutes ago, Gottfrid said:

If you have the money, like you say! Why not try and rent a decent small condo in BKK for the first year and keep you condo in Jomtien. That way you will give yourself the choice to try it out first, sell later or just feel not for you and move back. It´s a lot of advantages regarding both places as well as cons.

In Jomtien you will have the beach, better air, not same much traffic congestions and easier access to expat communities. In Bangkok you will have better shopping, more things and variation to do and a wider variety of food, as well as a better class of food. In the Michelin restaurants in Bangkok, you really get great food. For example, you will have Le Normandie, Mezzaluna and Sorn.

Just try it out first, so you don´t make a mistake and regret it.

Discover more

Thailand tourism packages

travel

Travel

Forum

Discussion board hosting

I was just thinking about that. I'd be concerned about how to manage TM30s and address reports with two homes.

3 hours ago, Woke to Sounds said:

Can you please link to the video about On Nut?

I can.

That video is not the best. Does not sell it well at all.

I really enjoyed living in IDEO Verve On Nut, you could fall out of the front gate and land on the steps to On Nut BTS station + there's a Central Mall/Cinema right next store, opposite there's a large Lotus's supermarket & a large Big C is a 5 minute walk away. Downstairs we had a little food court where you could eat & chillax with a few beers at night + a little area on Soi 50 which had a few different restaurants.

It was the GF's idea to move to Pattaya as she had close family in Rayong so as I like to be near the beach we settled on Wongamat and we love it here.

But I do often think about moving back to Bangkok, would be happy to go back to On Nut (and back to IDEO Verve) or maybe try somewhere like the Ari area.

23 minutes ago, SamSpade said:

I really enjoyed living in IDEO Verve On Nut, you could fall out of the front gate and land on the steps to On Nut BTS station + there's a Central Mall/Cinema right next store, opposite there's a large Lotus's supermarket & a large Big C is a 5 minute walk away. Downstairs we had a little food court where you could eat & chillax with a few beers at night + a little area on Soi 50 which had a few different restaurants.

It was the GF's idea to move to Pattaya as she had close family in Rayong so as I like to be near the beach we settled on Wongamat and we love it here.

But I do often think about moving back to Bangkok, would be happy to go back to On Nut (and back to IDEO Verve) or maybe try somewhere like the Ari area.

Its great to hear from people who've lived in both places.

When I first came to Thailand my short list included Jomtien, Chiang Mai, and Phuket.

For me, it was easy to pick Jomtien out of those three.

I hadn't considered Bangkok and Hua Hin wasn't even on my radar back then.

That location in On Nut sounds great but I expect there is a premium charge for condos very near any BTS station.

I recently heard an interesting opinion that the premium on rent may not be worth it unless you're a BTS commuter, etc.

For example a retired person living in a neighborhood where most everything will be available in their area might only want to use BTS a few times a week.

When I'm a tourist in Bangkok I used mass transit several times a day so a hotel near a station is a big plus. But living in Bangkok is different than being a tourist.

I'm amazed more people don't live in Bang Saphan. Maybe they need action and noise.

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

I was just thinking about that. I'd be concerned about how to manage TM30s and address reports with two homes.

As I see it, that will be a zero issue. As you move for trying to live 1 year in another city, that will be the one you register as your permanent address during that time. Has nothing to do with that you own a condo, cause you don´t live there during the time.

If you go visit your condo in Pattaya a couple of times, doesn´t matter, as they do not require a new TM30 for the same address in you don´t leave the country.

You just treat it as a permanent move for 1 year to try out. If you like and stay, you just leave it until sold condo and maybe by a new permanent one in Bangkok which will be the time you change. Or if you move back and it was not for you, then you just re-register your old condo address again. Nothing much more, and nothing to worry about. :-)

12 minutes ago, Gottfrid said:

As I see it, that will be a zero issue. As you move for trying to live 1 year in another city, that will be the one you register as your permanent address during that time. Has nothing to do with that you own a condo, cause you don´t live there during the time.

If you go visit your condo in Pattaya a couple of times, doesn´t matter, as they do not require a new TM30 for the same address in you don´t leave the country.

You just treat it as a permanent move for 1 year to try out. If you like and stay, you just leave it until sold condo and maybe by a new permanent one in Bangkok which will be the time you change. Or if you move back and it was not for you, then you just re-register your old condo address again. Nothing much more, and nothing to worry about. :-)

13 minutes ago, Gottfrid said:

As I see it, that will be a zero issue. As you move for trying to live 1 year in another city, that will be the one you register as your permanent address during that time. Has nothing to do with that you own a condo, cause you don´t live there during the time.

If you go visit your condo in Pattaya a couple of times, doesn´t matter, as they do not require a new TM30 for the same address in you don´t leave the country.

You just treat it as a permanent move for 1 year to try out. If you like and stay, you just leave it until sold condo and maybe by a new permanent one in Bangkok which will be the time you change. Or if you move back and it was not for you, then you just re-register your old condo address again. Nothing much more, and nothing to worry about. :-)

Practically speaking it can take years to sell a "used" condo in Jomtien anyway unless you're willing to give it away.

To add I would never buy again in Thailand.

It's kind of crazy to buy real estate in any country if your permission to stay in that country is under constant review with no path for inrease in status (which is the case with Thailand's retirement extension system).

Edited Sunday at 06:17 AM1 day by Jingthing

21 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

My whole life I've lived a close distance to the coastline.

I couldn't do Bangkok long time

i havnt, but i did in thailand, and ive been to bkk plenty enough to say its gonna have to be living at the sea, that smoothes out temperature differences both over the year and over night

23 hours ago, Jingthing said:

The Bangkok mass transit options during non-rush times seem better.

There is a non-rush hour time? 8-9pm trying to get back home to Phrakhanong is like Tokyo metro without the push and shove guys.

23 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

There is a non-rush hour time? 8-9pm trying to get back home to Phrakhanong is like Tokyo metro without the push and shove guys.

23 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

There is a non-rush hour time? 8-9pm trying to get back home to Phrakhanong is like Tokyo metro without the push and shove guys.

Well that's not good!

12 hours ago, JackGats said:

What about air pollution in Bangkok? Wouldn't that take a heavy toll on one's health over the years?

May increase risk of stroke and possibly even dementia.

Depending how bad it is, I guess.

No way to know for sure.

You take your chances.

22 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

My whole life I've lived a close distance to the coastline.

I couldn't do Bangkok long time

Agree,growing up all I ever got was a week at Blackpool every summer.Swore when I was older I’d retire to the seaside .

Jomtien is not perfect (saw a dead body on the beach last Monday) but it will do for me.

9 minutes ago, Keeenok Powell said:

Jomtien is not perfect (saw a dead body on the beach last Monday)

As you do 😂

22 hours ago, Ebumbu said:

Bangkok's air pollution, when averaged over a year, is worse than Chiang Mai's. I can afford a nicer and larger place in Pattaya, or near Pattaya. Cost of living is less. They have four top-tier hospitals and BKK is just 2+ hours away.

I have been following the pollution statistics around Thailand, and BKK have improved by the years, and will continue to improve.

Particulate matter pollution across Bangkok has markedly improved this year, with the number of days in which PM2.5 levels exceeded safe limits down by more than 60% year-on-year this month.

Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt attributed the improvement to coordinated efforts to curb open burning in surrounding provinces.

Please credit and share this article with others using this link: https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/3183904/air-quality-improving-year-on-year-chadchart-says. View our policies at http://goo.gl/9HgTd and http://goo.gl/ou6Ip. © Bangkok Post PCL. All rights reserved.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/3183904/air-quality-improving-year-on-year-chadchart-says

8 minutes ago, Hummin said:

I have been following the pollution statistics around Thailand, and BKK have improved by the years, and will continue to improve.

AI agrees with you, except there is still a few months a year where it's hazardous.

And this has been confirmed by Youtubers living there this past winter.

3 months a year of really bad air is still highly annoying.

And multiply that by 20 years and your health might take a serious hit.

As cheap as hotel rooms are, I'd choose Bangkok for the amenities (especially the health care), and head to the beach(es) and to the river and the mountains for a getaway.

Tough to get to my favorite weekend getaway in Kanchanaburi from Pattaya. Or Hua Hin. Or Pilok. Or Songkhla... From BKK, they're eezy peezy. And then it's a $25 hotel room for a few days.

My priorities did change when I had a heart attack in a Bangkok hotel a few months back. It sucks getting old...

Edited Sunday at 08:15 AM1 day by impulse

27 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

AI agrees with you, except there is still a few months a year where it's hazardous.

And this has been confirmed by Youtubers living there this past winter.

3 months a year of really bad air is still highly annoying.

And multiply that by 20 years and your health might take a serious hit.

Pattaya vs Bangkok is not so much different really.

13 minutes ago, Hummin said:

Pattaya vs Bangkok is not so much different really.

City& Local Guides

Much more going on in Bangkok.

There's probably a Dungeon & Dragons meetup if you're into that in Bkk.

1 hour ago, Keeenok Powell said:

Swore when I was older I’d retire to the seaside .

The seaside is pleasant to have, but gets boring. It's not enough. It's too relaxing. We need yin and yang.

I really wish they would improve the pollution in Bangkok.

Maybe Lisbon is one of the best places to retire, because it's coastal but a city.

But also expensive.

This guy makes the argument why it's better to retire in a city. I think he's in London. Haven't watched the video in a while .... maybe an expensive city, but comparable to Bangkok in terms of things to do. He seems very active.

Edited Sunday at 09:06 AM1 day by save the frogs

2 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Practically speaking it can take years to sell a "used" condo in Jomtien anyway unless you're willing to give it away.

To add I would never buy again in Thailand.

Thaicultural experiences

It's kind of crazy to buy real estate in any country if your permission to stay in that country is under constant review with no path for inrease in status (which is the case with Thailand's retirement extension system).

Agree 100%. If I had made the choice to live alone in Thailand, I would only be renting. Maybe, if found a very cheap condo in good condition could consider buying, but then it has to be under 1M baht, and they don´t exist in popular and tourist places.

Now the situation is different. I have a Thai wife and two daughters, and of course we have a house. That is built with knowledge that I can´t take it with me. In reality it´s not even mine, right? 😂 However, I did that for me as long as I am here or live, but of course also for wife and daughters to have it set for the future. Not that I plan to die soon as I am only 56, but planning for the future when you are still in good condition is never a bad thing. So far, all has been perfect, and there are no signs of anyone being unhappy. It´s just to maintain that situation and hope it will last. :-)

Nah, we will never be more than tourists, tax residents and objects for the scrutiny of every single immigration officer. 😂 However, also that has been working extremely well. I guess I am one of the lucky ones.

I hope you try, as that´s the only way to know where you really like to live. I have been living in both Pattaya and Bangkok. I have a condo in Pattaya (also bought after marriage and children) as we quite often like to go there for a couple of days up to a week. That´s about as much as I can stand. 😂 I like the life in the sticks, where I can walk around minding our own business inside a fenced rather large area with a pool and everything else that we need. However, if we keep going on visits about 60 days/year and compare to 4 people in a bungalow or hotel, the condo will probably be half paid in 10 years. 🤣

Bangkok Pat just put out a new video.

Too many foreigners on On Nut ... overhyped.

Edited Sunday at 09:45 AM1 day by save the frogs

34 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

Bangkok Pat just put out a new video.

Too many foreigners on On Nut ... overhyped.

That popped up on my feed too.

Haven't watched it yet but it's just his opinion.

Regardless the topic here is about moving SOMEWHERE in Bangkok.

Not necessarily On Nut.

2 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

That popped up on my feed too.

Haven't watched it yet but it's just his opinion.

Regardless the topic here is about moving SOMEWHERE in Bangkok.

Not necessarily On Nut.

Are you unhappy in Jomtien?

3 hours ago, save the frogs said:

May increase risk of stroke and possibly even dementia.

Depending how bad it is, I guess.

No way to know for sure.

You take your chances.

I've got lots of mates in BKK. The alcohol will get you long before any pollution.

24 minutes ago, Rockyroad said:

Are you unhappy in Jomtien?

Definitely in a rut.

The idea of living in Bangkok is easy access to all the cultural offerings available there, etc.

1 minute ago, Jingthing said:

Definitely in a rut.

The idea of living in Bangkok is easy access to all the cultural offerings available there, etc.

I enjoy bangkok for a few days but living there would be tough. The nights are good but days just traffic, heat and pollution. It is not really a walking city unlike chiang mai.

2 hours ago, save the frogs said:

Much more going on in Bangkok.

There's probably a Dungeon & Dragons meetup if you're into that in Bkk.

The worst pollution periods are a good time to travel. Take a break from home and enjoy other places. Contrast matters.

On 7/11/2026 at 4:23 PM, Rockyroad said:

Bolt is dirt cheap in CM. Half price of Bangkok. But Bangkok has more restaurants by far. Lots more malls.

What is in the many many Malls in Bangkok which you cannot get in CM, Pattaya, or other big cities?