I'll Try Pattaya For 6 Months

[kola]

Hello all, I'll be coming to Pattaya in March for a 6 months trial in march. I'll be living in Jomtien instead of pattaya center.

My only experience with Thailand has been a 3 months vacation in Bangkok 3 years ago, but I didn't leave the city during that time (hardly left my area anyway). It was a very good time, I enjoyed it.

From reading the interesting titles of the three last pages of the pattaya forum here, I get the impression that there are a few bad sides of pattaya compared to bangkok (like the taxi system, the situation in main pattaya city, noise pollution, some problem with scams, etc.)

I think I'll be living in View Talay 1 or 2, I've checked the prices of rentals, it seems for a studio the average would be 10-15k for view talay 1 and 15-20k for view talay 2.

I'm not in for the parties or night life, but I like sea-side cities and a friend is living in Jomtien already.

May not be the best choice for me, but that's all I can do right now, but I'll try to move around more than on my first trip to thailand 3 year ago and will visit other cities to see if Pattaya is really that bad compared to others.

I'll post again threads if I have questions about the life in Pattaya, thank you for the reading I've had here so far, most helpful.

Edited February 7, 2010 by kola

[aitch52]

Hi Kola

hope you enjoy life in Jomtien, I did but as I was working in Bang Saray the commute was a bit much especially as I had to go into Jomtien/Pattaya a couple of times a day too. For interest there are many comfortable apartment blocks in the 5-6K range if you look a but further along the beach road. Ok not quite so convenient for the centre but the songtaew service is frequent and you can always get a motorbike.

[IanForbes]

The beach along Jomptien is marginal, but much better than the one in front of central Pattaya. However, the evening action leaves a bit to be desired. If I want a nice beach experience with some snorkling. I usually go to Koh Larn Island. It has a white sand nice beach with relatively clean water. Koh Larn island has 20 baht ferries that leave every couple of hours. If you don't mind a 2 km walk over the steep hill, you can walk to the best beach. There is a lovely view from the top. Barring that it's another 20 baht ride on the back of a scooter. Or, you can rent a scooter for about 200 baht per day and explore the whole island yourself. I've posted photos and topics about Koh Larn in the past, and a search ahould find them.

[londoedan]

Thats exactly what I plan to do !

I've jacked my job in, will work my notice and plan to arrive in Pattaya during the last week of March. I also plan to give it at least 6 months before either moving on or looking for a new job.

I plan to live in a hotel for a week or 2 and then move into an apartment. I was hoping that I could get a studio / 1 bed for around 10-12 k per month.

I do enjoy the nightlife and at the moment I'm not sure whether to base myself in Pattaya City or Jomtien. Anyone know how long it takes from Jomtien to the Soi 6/7/8 in the city at about 7 pm ?

Best of luck kola - we should meet for a beer and compare notes ?

Londo

[Spoonman]

Dont pay the 6 month Condo rental up front, pay it monthly so that if you choose to move to another area you are free to do so.

[Tanaka]

Kola,

Be sure this time that you leave the Pattaya area some times to go to other parts of Thailand. Not only seaside. It has many beautiful areas but Pattaya/Jomtien are not among these. IMO. Domestic flights are not expensive and/or you can rent a car. A rental can be had in Pattaya for under 25K for a month.

[Musongman]

Kola et al, out of interest, what kind of visa have you obtained for your 6 month "trial"?

I have bought into a place at Jomtien VT7 , and would like to utilise it six months of the year, but I see no useful visa on the Thai Embassy web site in Sydney. I guess a 60 day tourist visa and a 30 day extension in Jomtien, then a trip to Singapore for another 60 day visa and another 30 day extension in Jomtien before returning to Oz.

[londoedan]

Kola et al, out of interest, what kind of visa have you obtained for your 6 month "trial"?

I have bought into a place at Jomtien VT7 , and would like to utilise it six months of the year, but I see no useful visa on the Thai Embassy web site in Sydney. I guess a 60 day tourist visa and a 30 day extension in Jomtien, then a trip to Singapore for another 60 day visa and another 30 day extension in Jomtien before returning to Oz.

I have 2 UK passports so am planning on leaving once a month and then alternating them upon arrival. I was planning on spending a night or 2 in some of the regional capitals (with airports), particularly Indonesia. At present I'm torn between retirement in Thailand or Indonesia; hopefully after 6-8 months I will have firmed-up my opinion on Thailand.

Londo

[lannaman]

I'd recommend the Andaman Coast, excluding Phuket. Beautiful scenery and a quitier life. In my opinion Chonburi is no match!

[glegolo]

Hello Kola!!

I think in my opinion that you are making the right decision. Me to prefer Jomtien above Pattaya. And in case you need to go to Pattaya, you can always take a 20 baht tuc tuc, tghey go all the time very frequent... It takes just about 10 minutes (not rushhour of course).

if you like NICE girls, Jomtien is the place, but of course you can find nice ones also in Pattaya if you are lucky.... Good on you Kola.

Glegolo

Edited February 8, 2010 by glegolo

[Gary74]

http://www.pattayapeople.com/default.asp?F...ArticleStatus=1

http://www.pattayasecrets.com

Try Pattaya forum within THAIVISA first and use above for more important information.

[Ayutthaya69]

I'd recommend you Hua Hin beautiful beach clear watter and verry clean night life its ok .and not far from Bangkok 2 hours drive good luck

[Baxer]

Hello Kola!!

I think in my opinion that you are making the right decision. Me to prefer Jomtien above Pattaya. And in case you need to go to Pattaya, you can always take a 20 baht tuc tuc, tghey go all the time very frequent... It takes just about 10 minutes (not rushhour of course).

if you like NICE girls, Jomtien is the place, but of course you can find nice ones also in Pattaya if you are lucky.... Good on you Kola.

Glegolo

The Pattaya/Jomtien "Tuc-tuc" or is mostly called bahtbus, and the fare from Jomtien to Pattaya is 10 Baht.

[MAJIC]

Kola et al, out of interest, what kind of visa have you obtained for your 6 month "trial"?

I have bought into a place at Jomtien VT7 , and would like to utilise it six months of the year, but I see no useful visa on the Thai Embassy web site in Sydney. I guess a 60 day tourist visa and a 30 day extension in Jomtien, then a trip to Singapore for another 60 day visa and another 30 day extension in Jomtien before returning to Oz.

I have 2 UK passports so am planning on leaving once a month and then alternating them upon arrival. I was planning on spending a night or 2 in some of the regional capitals (with airports), particularly Indonesia. At present I'm torn between retirement in Thailand or Indonesia; hopefully after 6-8 months I will have firmed-up my opinion on Thailand.

Londo

Heres hoping you have good time.

Out of curiosity how did you manage to get 2 UK Passports.....??????????????

[MAJIC]

Kola et al, out of interest, what kind of visa have you obtained for your 6 month "trial"?

I have bought into a place at Jomtien VT7 , and would like to utilise it six months of the year, but I see no useful visa on the Thai Embassy web site in Sydney. I guess a 60 day tourist visa and a 30 day extension in Jomtien, then a trip to Singapore for another 60 day visa and another 30 day extension in Jomtien before returning to Oz.

I have 2 UK passports so am planning on leaving once a month and then alternating them upon arrival. I was planning on spending a night or 2 in some of the regional capitals (with airports), particularly Indonesia. At present I'm torn between retirement in Thailand or Indonesia; hopefully after 6-8 months I will have firmed-up my opinion on Thailand.

Londo

Heres hoping you have good time.

Out of curiosity how did you manage to get 2 UK Passports.....??????????????

[NearestTheTee]

Kola et al, out of interest, what kind of visa have you obtained for your 6 month "trial"?

I have bought into a place at Jomtien VT7 , and would like to utilise it six months of the year, but I see no useful visa on the Thai Embassy web site in Sydney. I guess a 60 day tourist visa and a 30 day extension in Jomtien, then a trip to Singapore for another 60 day visa and another 30 day extension in Jomtien before returning to Oz.

I have 2 UK passports so am planning on leaving once a month and then alternating them upon arrival. I was planning on spending a night or 2 in some of the regional capitals (with airports), particularly Indonesia. At present I'm torn between retirement in Thailand or Indonesia; hopefully after 6-8 months I will have firmed-up my opinion on Thailand.

Londo

Heres hoping you have good time.

Out of curiosity how did you manage to get 2 UK Passports.....??????????????

Majic,

I got a second UK passport because i travel a lot and sometimes whilst one passport is with a foreign embassy awaiting a visa i need the second passport to travel somewhere else. When i applied for my second passport i just needed a letter from my employer stating the above. Very easy

[londoedan]

Kola et al, out of interest, what kind of visa have you obtained for your 6 month "trial"?

I have bought into a place at Jomtien VT7 , and would like to utilise it six months of the year, but I see no useful visa on the Thai Embassy web site in Sydney. I guess a 60 day tourist visa and a 30 day extension in Jomtien, then a trip to Singapore for another 60 day visa and another 30 day extension in Jomtien before returning to Oz.

I have 2 UK passports so am planning on leaving once a month and then alternating them upon arrival. I was planning on spending a night or 2 in some of the regional capitals (with airports), particularly Indonesia. At present I'm torn between retirement in Thailand or Indonesia; hopefully after 6-8 months I will have firmed-up my opinion on Thailand.

Londo

Heres hoping you have good time.

Out of curiosity how did you manage to get 2 UK Passports.....??????????????

Majic,

I got a second UK passport because i travel a lot and sometimes whilst one passport is with a foreign embassy awaiting a visa i need the second passport to travel somewhere else. When i applied for my second passport i just needed a letter from my employer stating the above. Very easy

Exactly. It does come in very handy at times. I think they are also issued if you are working or visiting Israel and any of the Arabian Middle Eastern countires. I got mine whilst waiting to go to Saudi.

Londo

[kola]

Thank you all for your welcome and advices/recommendations, they are appreciated.

@Musongman: when I say a 6 months trial it's because I have a double entry tourist visa which I'll both extend for one month after the 60 days.

After that, I may try again a double entry visa or if I get the red stamp I've read about on this forum, then I'll go the education visa route, since I'm not a native english speaker I'm entitled to get a one year education visa to learn/improve my english, so perhaps I'll do that initially before having to learn the thai language.

At least that's what I loosely planned it, but things can change as it happens, perhaps I'll see immediatly a benefit in learning thai language for everyday life, maybe I'll be too lazy for that and will take english instead. And honestly my very strong french accent would need to be corrected, for better communication in english.

One thing in Pattaya I'd be curious to know (I haven't yet searched the forums for that) is a club/bar/restaurant with live jazz music, because when I was in BKK I hapenned to meet by random a talented thai jazz guitarist and I was following him in places where he was playing / had gigs, like every saturdays at this restaurant, every friday at this bar, etc.

So I didn't look further for a live jazz venue in BKK, but this time in Pattaya I'd like to find one, because when it's well played, I find it very enjoyable.

Edited February 15, 2010 by kola

[Bedrockguesthouse]

Well if your not happy then try Ban Phe or the surrounding cities. Ban Phe is the mainland fishing village that supports the ferries to Koh Samet Island. We find more and more people moving to Ban Phe from Pattaya or Jomtien for a more relaxed lifestyle. Anyway i hope you enjoy Jomtien

[torrenova]

Your prices are on the high side. VT1 8-12k and VT2 10-15k. Some will ask more and some are worth more or less depending upon how it is kitted out. I'd pick VT2 and there the smallest studios are 37sqm and the largest are 46sqm. Obvious price differences between the two. Higher floors more highly prized. I lived on the top floor of VT2 for a few years and would do so again.

What I would say is that having your own vehicle and by that I mean a car or a truck, makes life so much better that it is incomparable to life without one. I would move my budget around substantially if I had to in order to afford a vehicle. If you intend to keep it for some great number of years, say 10 years, then running costs fall down substantially due to low depreciation charges. You can have total all inclusive motoring including fuel and insurance for 100k per annum.