Pattaya, Why Are You Still Here ?

[OMGImInPattaya]

Your answer then, really does beg the question "Why are you still there?"

That's easy: it's the best of a bad lot.

These four items that I mentioned are the clinchers for me:

"No tax (for those who know how to organise themselves).

Fairly cheap and varied food, even if it isn't wonderful.

Utilities that work most of the time.

Easily obtained retirement visa."

What's this "no tax" business...you mean you never purchase any goods or services in Thailand? The last I heard, there was a 7% tax on just about all goods and services! Also, those that own vehicles pay annual road/registration taxes, and there are taxes if one buys/sells real property.

[WaywardWind]

I agree with the OP's post completely, but the plus's are good climate, lower prices than UK, Buddhist culture, wonderful food, easier/slower pace of life, no dress code, great night-life, to name but a few.

Climate? It's too hot and humid here to be really nice.

There is a reason that they call it the tropics....

[canman]

Your answer then, really does beg the question "Why are you still there?"

That's easy: it's the best of a bad lot.

These four items that I mentioned are the clinchers for me:

"No tax (for those who know how to organise themselves).

Fairly cheap and varied food, even if it isn't wonderful.

Utilities that work most of the time.

Easily obtained retirement visa."

Fair enough

[BlackPuddingBertha]

Climate? It's too hot and humid here to be really nice.

There is a reason that they call it the tropics....

The Philippines is also in the tropics but it is significantly cooler and less humid there. Some other tropical countries also are less hot and humid. And some are hotter and more humid. They are all tropical.

[BlackPuddingBertha]

What's this "no tax" business...you mean you never purchase any goods or services in Thailand? The last I heard, there was a 7% tax on just about all goods and services! Also, those that own vehicles pay annual road/registration taxes, and there are taxes if one buys/sells real property.

I should have written "income tax". Sorry if this wasnt clear.

Of course one cant generally avoid purchase and ownership taxes but I dont think these cost me very much here. Certainly many, many times less than the income tax I save by living here.

[WaywardWind]

Climate? It's too hot and humid here to be really nice.

There is a reason that they call it the tropics....

The Philippines is also in the tropics but it is significantly cooler and less humid there. Some other tropical countries also are less hot and humid. And some are hotter and more humid. They are all tropical.

If you compare the Philippines and Thailand on climatemps.com, you find that they are remarkably similar on nearly all indicators.

http://www.philippines.climatemps.com/

http://www.thailand.climatemps.com/

That said, I am sure there are many variations depending on where in the Philippines one is located - just as it is in Thailand.

[OMGImInPattaya]

Climate? It's too hot and humid here to be really nice.

There is a reason that they call it the tropics....

The Philippines is also in the tropics but it is significantly cooler and less humid there. Some other tropical countries also are less hot and humid. And some are hotter and more humid. They are all tropical.

If you compare the Philippines and Thailand on climatemps.com, you find that they are remarkably similar on nearly all indicators.

http://www.philippines.climatemps.com/

http://www.thailand.climatemps.com/

That said, I am sure there are many variations depending on where in the Philippines one is located - just as it is in Thailand.

I have traveled many times to the Philippines and my impressn is that it may be a bit less humid in general but about ass hot as Thailand. This may be due to it being an island and the humidity may be moderated by being surrounded by water on all sides.

However, all the natural weather and geologic disasters the afflict the Philippines (typhoons, volcanos, earthquakes, mudslides) militates against me wanting to live there.

[paddyjenkins]

i am not based in pattaya, but am looking for a place to stay for a year or two. given the price increases in pattaya i am now deciding between singapore, malaysia and thailand or even further afield. it would have been an obvious choice price wise a decade or so ago but nowadays it isn't obvious pattaya offers any real value.

given i don't think it is cheap enough now compared to its more sophisticated, safer and less racist regional neighbours i really wonder how much longer this price gouging, inflation, crime, cheating and racism can continue without the pattaya bubble bursting. i kkow they've managed to suck out vast new numbers from china, india and russia but once the growth from these areas slows down then what next?

[londoedan]

i am not based in pattaya, but am looking for a place to stay for a year or two. given the price increases in pattaya i am now deciding between singapore, malaysia and thailand or even further afield. it would have been an obvious choice price wise a decade or so ago but nowadays it isn't obvious pattaya offers any real value.

given i don't think it is cheap enough now compared to its more sophisticated, safer and less racist regional neighbours i really wonder how much longer this price gouging, inflation, crime, cheating and racism can continue without the pattaya bubble bursting. i kkow they've managed to suck out vast new numbers from china, india and russia but once the growth from these areas slows down then what next?

Do you think that the cost of living in Sing compares with Pattaya ? I doubt it, accommodation alone in Singapore is scarily-priced. Batam possibly would work. That would be a nice place to live.

And I imagine the growing middle classes in India and China are going to keep Thailand busy for a long, long time. The Chinese in particular, can't get enough of Thailand at the moment - lets hope that will mean a lot more of their restaurants are going to open up here

Edited January 24, 2013 by londoedan

[thaicbr]

i am not based in pattaya, but am looking for a place to stay for a year or two. given the price increases in pattaya i am now deciding between singapore, malaysia and thailand or even further afield. it would have been an obvious choice price wise a decade or so ago but nowadays it isn't obvious pattaya offers any real value.

given i don't think it is cheap enough now compared to its more sophisticated, safer and less racist regional neighbours i really wonder how much longer this price gouging, inflation, crime, cheating and racism can continue without the pattaya bubble bursting. i kkow they've managed to suck out vast new numbers from china, india and russia but once the growth from these areas slows down then what next?

You talk about Pattaya as if its the ONLY place in Thailand... why?

There are many decent places to live in the other 514000 sq Kms that Thailand has to offer

sent from my Q6

Edited January 24, 2013 by thaicbr

[paddyjenkins]

To the last few posters:

I know thailand has many potential places I could stay, but Pattaya is the only one where i wouldn't be bored out of my skull and offers all the utilities and Western style luxuries that I want. I don't like the pollution and traffic chaos in Bangkok and Phuket ets is ever worse than Pattaya in terms of high prices, crime, scams and genera, ripoffs.

Price wise it seems to me that Pattaya is cheap if you just want to rent a single room and drink Beer Chang all day. But I want a decent place to live and to eat decent food and go to decent places and when I look at asking prices for 1-bed apartments and the actual cost of living a half Thai-half Western existence in terms of food then although Pattays is certainly cheaper than Singapore, it isn't cheap enough to rule out comparison.

Singapore offers safety, convenience, there is no discrimination, there is a lot to do and its a great base to travel from. So I dont mind paying a bit more to live there....even 50% or so more. If it was 3 times the cost of living in Pattaya then maybe id say Pattaya was cheap enough, but given the terrible infrastructure/cheating/crime/racism etc, it is now very expensive for what you get.

And by the way, i don't like the throngs of rude and vulgar Russians, the bus loads of Chinese, the Indians who negotiate a group session with the cheapest woman they can find on Beach Road, or the aggressive and rude service in many bars and restaurants where if you show "attitude" you might get beaten to a pulp for the audacity of a white person speaking back to a Thai. I don't like walking on egg shells knowing that I have to tip toe around the psychopathic sensitivities of bar staff, the police if I ever have to interact with one, or taxi drivers.

Don't get me wrong, i still kind of like Pattaya, it is interesting, but there is no doubt that it has a huge number of donwides and I am not prepared to overpay to stay there.

[gmac]

i am not based in pattaya, but am looking for a place to stay for a year or two. given the price increases in pattaya i am now deciding between singapore, malaysia and thailand or even further afield. it would have been an obvious choice price wise a decade or so ago but nowadays it isn't obvious pattaya offers any real value.

given i don't think it is cheap enough now compared to its more sophisticated, safer and less racist regional neighbours i really wonder how much longer this price gouging, inflation, crime, cheating and racism can continue without the pattaya bubble bursting. i kkow they've managed to suck out vast new numbers from china, india and russia but once the growth from these areas slows down then what next?

You talk about Pattaya as if its the ONLY place in Thailand... why?

There are many decent places to live in the other 514000 sq Kms that Thailand has to offer

sent from my Q6

Whereabouts in that other 514000 sq kms would you suggest? I look at my finances fairly frequently as the Baht goes higher and the pound lower and wonder if there might not be somewhere better/cheaper to live, but I do like being near the sea, even if the beaches are crap, and the westernised supermarkets like Friendship and Foodland and Big C Extra who provide me with most of my food. I guess I could swap the sea for some mountains but the food thing has always seemed a problem when visiting other areas.

Edited January 24, 2013 by gmac

[londoedan]

To the last few posters:

I know thailand has many potential places I could stay, but Pattaya is the only one where i wouldn't be bored out of my skull and offers all the utilities and Western style luxuries that I want. I don't like the pollution and traffic chaos in Bangkok and Phuket ets is ever worse than Pattaya in terms of high prices, crime, scams and genera, ripoffs.

Price wise it seems to me that Pattaya is cheap if you just want to rent a single room and drink Beer Chang all day. But I want a decent place to live and to eat decent food and go to decent places and when I look at asking prices for 1-bed apartments and the actual cost of living a half Thai-half Western existence in terms of food then although Pattays is certainly cheaper than Singapore, it isn't cheap enough to rule out comparison.

Singapore offers safety, convenience, there is no discrimination, there is a lot to do and its a great base to travel from. So I dont mind paying a bit more to live there....even 50% or so more. If it was 3 times the cost of living in Pattaya then maybe id say Pattaya was cheap enough, but given the terrible infrastructure/cheating/crime/racism etc, it is now very expensive for what you get.

And by the way, i don't like the throngs of rude and vulgar Russians, the bus loads of Chinese, the Indians who negotiate a group session with the cheapest woman they can find on Beach Road, or the aggressive and rude service in many bars and restaurants where if you show "attitude" you might get beaten to a pulp for the audacity of a white person speaking back to a Thai. I don't like walking on egg shells knowing that I have to tip toe around the psychopathic sensitivities of bar staff, the police if I ever have to interact with one, or taxi drivers.

Don't get me wrong, i still kind of like Pattaya, it is interesting, but there is no doubt that it has a huge number of donwides and I am not prepared to overpay to stay there.

Can't agree re the costs of living in Singapore. The last time I worked there was 2 summer's ago and new apartments were approx 1 million S$ for average sized units, rental costs were similarly extortionate and I can only imagine prices have gone up over the intervening period.

I agree with all the plus points you have mentioned re living there, and I would love to be based there, but its certainly out of my reach. I rent a very nice 1 bedroom apartment in C Pattaya for 13K THB a month, a stones throw from the beach, and in SEAsia, I believe that's a bargain.

I also disagree re the psychopathic tendencies of Thai bar staff - for my money the waiting and serving staff in Pattaya are bl00dy great.

[MJCM]

Quote from the OP

<snip>

finally the new visa rules on march 15 will be really bad for farang

<snip>

Which new rules ??

[craigt3365]

i am not based in pattaya, but am looking for a place to stay for a year or two. given the price increases in pattaya i am now deciding between singapore, malaysia and thailand or even further afield. it would have been an obvious choice price wise a decade or so ago but nowadays it isn't obvious pattaya offers any real value.

given i don't think it is cheap enough now compared to its more sophisticated, safer and less racist regional neighbours i really wonder how much longer this price gouging, inflation, crime, cheating and racism can continue without the pattaya bubble bursting. i kkow they've managed to suck out vast new numbers from china, india and russia but once the growth from these areas slows down then what next?

You talk about Pattaya as if its the ONLY place in Thailand... why?

There are many decent places to live in the other 514000 sq Kms that Thailand has to offer

sent from my Q6

Whereabouts in that other 514000 sq kms would you suggest? I look at my finances fairly frequently as the Baht goes higher and the pound lower and wonder if there might not be somewhere better/cheaper to live, but I do like being near the sea, even if the beaches are crap, and the westernised supermarkets like Friendship and Foodland and Big C Extra who provide me with most of my food. I guess I could swap the sea for some mountains but the food thing has always seemed a problem when visiting other areas.

I think you are correct with regards to the food. Lots of stuff you can get here that might be harder in other areas. Except Bangkok of course. I do like the coast down south of here, but a bit more isolated.

Just remember, if you don't like Pattaya proper, there's lots of good places to live outside town. We only go into Pattaya proper on the rare occasion. And then primarily just to Tesco and Makro on Suk for our weekly shopping excursion. Even Foodland is a once a month thing.

[thaicbr]

i am not based in pattaya, but am looking for a place to stay for a year or two. given the price increases in pattaya i am now deciding between singapore, malaysia and thailand or even further afield. it would have been an obvious choice price wise a decade or so ago but nowadays it isn't obvious pattaya offers any real value.

given i don't think it is cheap enough now compared to its more sophisticated, safer and less racist regional neighbours i really wonder how much longer this price gouging, inflation, crime, cheating and racism can continue without the pattaya bubble bursting. i kkow they've managed to suck out vast new numbers from china, india and russia but once the growth from these areas slows down then what next?

You talk about Pattaya as if its the ONLY place in Thailand... why?

There are many decent places to live in the other 514000 sq Kms that Thailand has to offer

sent from my Q6

Whereabouts in that other 514000 sq kms would you suggest? I look at my finances fairly frequently as the Baht goes higher and the pound lower and wonder if there might not be somewhere better/cheaper to live, but I do like being near the sea, even if the beaches are crap, and the westernised supermarkets like Friendship and Foodland and Big C Extra who provide me with most of my food. I guess I could swap the sea for some mountains but the food thing has always seemed a problem when visiting other areas.

Each and everybody is different. You know what you like. Have a search. Do some visiting. Me I dont particularly like the sea or big cities so Nakhon Pathom is good for me. But I work in the daytime so not much chance to get bored.

Have fun looking

sent from my ..................#

[canman]

To the last few posters:

I know thailand has many potential places I could stay, but Pattaya is the only one where i wouldn't be bored out of my skull and offers all the utilities and Western style luxuries that I want. I don't like the pollution and traffic chaos in Bangkok and Phuket ets is ever worse than Pattaya in terms of high prices, crime, scams and genera, ripoffs.

Price wise it seems to me that Pattaya is cheap if you just want to rent a single room and drink Beer Chang all day. But I want a decent place to live and to eat decent food and go to decent places and when I look at asking prices for 1-bed apartments and the actual cost of living a half Thai-half Western existence in terms of food then although Pattays is certainly cheaper than Singapore, it isn't cheap enough to rule out comparison.

Singapore offers safety, convenience, there is no discrimination, there is a lot to do and its a great base to travel from. So I dont mind paying a bit more to live there....even 50% or so more. If it was 3 times the cost of living in Pattaya then maybe id say Pattaya was cheap enough, but given the terrible infrastructure/cheating/crime/racism etc, it is now very expensive for what you get.

And by the way, i don't like the throngs of rude and vulgar Russians, the bus loads of Chinese, the Indians who negotiate a group session with the cheapest woman they can find on Beach Road, or the aggressive and rude service in many bars and restaurants where if you show "attitude" you might get beaten to a pulp for the audacity of a white person speaking back to a Thai. I don't like walking on egg shells knowing that I have to tip toe around the psychopathic sensitivities of bar staff, the police if I ever have to interact with one, or taxi drivers.

Don't get me wrong, i still kind of like Pattaya, it is interesting, but there is no doubt that it has a huge number of donwides and I am not prepared to overpay to stay there.

I reckon Singapore versus Pattaya at 3x cost is close to the mark. Currently living in Singapore after 4 years in Pattaya and I would say for our family of 4 it is easily 3 times as expensive.

[paddyjenkins]

To the last few posters:

I know thailand has many potential places I could stay, but Pattaya is the only one where i wouldn't be bored out of my skull and offers all the utilities and Western style luxuries that I want. I don't like the pollution and traffic chaos in Bangkok and Phuket ets is ever worse than Pattaya in terms of high prices, crime, scams and genera, ripoffs.

Price wise it seems to me that Pattaya is cheap if you just want to rent a single room and drink Beer Chang all day. But I want a decent place to live and to eat decent food and go to decent places and when I look at asking prices for 1-bed apartments and the actual cost of living a half Thai-half Western existence in terms of food then although Pattays is certainly cheaper than Singapore, it isn't cheap enough to rule out comparison.

Singapore offers safety, convenience, there is no discrimination, there is a lot to do and its a great base to travel from. So I dont mind paying a bit more to live there....even 50% or so more. If it was 3 times the cost of living in Pattaya then maybe id say Pattaya was cheap enough, but given the terrible infrastructure/cheating/crime/racism etc, it is now very expensive for what you get.

And by the way, i don't like the throngs of rude and vulgar Russians, the bus loads of Chinese, the Indians who negotiate a group session with the cheapest woman they can find on Beach Road, or the aggressive and rude service in many bars and restaurants where if you show "attitude" you might get beaten to a pulp for the audacity of a white person speaking back to a Thai. I don't like walking on egg shells knowing that I have to tip toe around the psychopathic sensitivities of bar staff, the police if I ever have to interact with one, or taxi drivers.

Don't get me wrong, i still kind of like Pattaya, it is interesting, but there is no doubt that it has a huge number of donwides and I am not prepared to overpay to stay there.

Can't agree re the costs of living in Singapore. The last time I worked there was 2 summer's ago and new apartments were approx 1 million S$ for average sized units, rental costs were similarly extortionate and I can only imagine prices have gone up over the intervening period.

I agree with all the plus points you have mentioned re living there, and I would love to be based there, but its certainly out of my reach. I rent a very nice 1 bedroom apartment in C Pattaya for 13K THB a month, a stones throw from the beach, and in SEAsia, I believe that's a bargain.

I also disagree re the psychopathic tendencies of Thai bar staff - for my money the waiting and serving staff in Pattaya are bl00dy great.

If i could find a decent place for 13k then id be fine, im just judging by the real estate website which seem to be asking for more like 20k-30k for 1-bed's. but maybe its better to just avoid the real estate offices and go direct then.

[thaicbr]

To the last few posters:

I know thailand has many potential places I could stay, but Pattaya is the only one where i wouldn't be bored out of my skull and offers all the utilities and Western style luxuries that I want. I don't like the pollution and traffic chaos in Bangkok and Phuket ets is ever worse than Pattaya in terms of high prices, crime, scams and genera, ripoffs.

Price wise it seems to me that Pattaya is cheap if you just want to rent a single room and drink Beer Chang all day. But I want a decent place to live and to eat decent food and go to decent places and when I look at asking prices for 1-bed apartments and the actual cost of living a half Thai-half Western existence in terms of food then although Pattays is certainly cheaper than Singapore, it isn't cheap enough to rule out comparison.

Singapore offers safety, convenience, there is no discrimination, there is a lot to do and its a great base to travel from. So I dont mind paying a bit more to live there....even 50% or so more. If it was 3 times the cost of living in Pattaya then maybe id say Pattaya was cheap enough, but given the terrible infrastructure/cheating/crime/racism etc, it is now very expensive for what you get.

And by the way, i don't like the throngs of rude and vulgar Russians, the bus loads of Chinese, the Indians who negotiate a group session with the cheapest woman they can find on Beach Road, or the aggressive and rude service in many bars and restaurants where if you show "attitude" you might get beaten to a pulp for the audacity of a white person speaking back to a Thai. I don't like walking on egg shells knowing that I have to tip toe around the psychopathic sensitivities of bar staff, the police if I ever have to interact with one, or taxi drivers.

Don't get me wrong, i still kind of like Pattaya, it is interesting, but there is no doubt that it has a huge number of donwides and I am not prepared to overpay to stay there.

Can't agree re the costs of living in Singapore. The last time I worked there was 2 summer's ago and new apartments were approx 1 million S$ for average sized units, rental costs were similarly extortionate and I can only imagine prices have gone up over the intervening period.

I agree with all the plus points you have mentioned re living there, and I would love to be based there, but its certainly out of my reach. I rent a very nice 1 bedroom apartment in C Pattaya for 13K THB a month, a stones throw from the beach, and in SEAsia, I believe that's a bargain.

I also disagree re the psychopathic tendencies of Thai bar staff - for my money the waiting and serving staff in Pattaya are bl00dy great.

If i could find a decent place for 13k then id be fine, im just judging by the real estate website which seem to be asking for more like 20k-30k for 1-bed's. but maybe its better to just avoid the real estate offices and go direct then.

Bingo!!!!!!!!

sent from my Q6

[uptheos]

Considering it is an entire city given over to whoring and famous for such the world over, I'm surprised only one person is there because of the sex!

[screwit]

With one month salary in my country I can live 1 year.

So my question is : why not!? Why should i spent my money there when I can live 12 time longer here and not too worry.

All these idiots who work their butt in their home country and will finish with nothing after paying tax.... They are dumb or what?

North Korea will nuke USA soon, Iran will nuke Europe.... another good reason to stay in Los.

[somtampet]

I have only lived here for 18 months. I am from the Northern Hemisphere which is suffering at the moment from snow. My main reason for staying here is the sun.

I looked at other places before moving here. It's cheaper than HK and Singapore - both of which I can fly to at a moments notice very cheaply.

Most people I speak to know enough English to sell me what I want. Ok there are some things which are much more expensive than the UK - bed linen for example. Generally though, prices are comparable. Eating out is much cheaper than home and utilities are cheap.

My Thai language skills are progressing and I understand more and more as time goes on.

My life here is pretty normal, I have a company, visa and work permit - this all helps ensure I remain busy every day.

I am not married, I do not sponsor anyone with money every month. I am careful with cash and if I have a price given to me and an alarm bell goes off, I walk away and buy whatever it is cheaper up the road.

I don't get involved in any nonsense and if a situation lacks common sense or is "Thai'd up", I walk away.

Things like garbage and cables or drains and street dogs don't really get me down. I hear farang often saying, "You have to laugh or cry". Since coming here, I laugh every day. The best move I ever made!!

I have Thai and Farang friends and I tend to try to offer information to my (mostly British) pals when they come out here and forget to collect their brains at the arrivals gate. They fall in love, they buy stuff they don't need, they get ripped off, they give policemen money when their stopped etc. etc. For me Pattaya is all good!!

eXCELLANT POST,

I am celebrating 9 years of living in Pattaya today and will having some amazing thai food,cooked to perfection,a couple of large san miguel liteand still have change out of 800 baht for 3 of us,cant get much better.I still enjoy my 2 nights a week out,love my gf of 8 years and my life is much better than the uk.

[Naam]

Your answer then, really does beg the question "Why are you still there?"

That's easy: it's the best of a bad lot.

These four items that I mentioned are the clinchers for me:

"No tax (for those who know how to organise themselves).

Fairly cheap and varied food, even if it isn't wonderful.

Utilities that work most of the time.

Easily obtained retirement visa."

What's this "no tax" business...you mean you never purchase any goods or services in Thailand? The last I heard, there was a 7% tax on just about all goods and services! Also, those that own vehicles pay annual road/registration taxes, and there are taxes if one buys/sells real property.

do ladyboys charge VAT on top of their services?

[uptheos]

do ladyboys charge VAT on top of their services?

Depends whether you have them over a barrel.

[OMGImInPattaya]

Your answer then, really does beg the question "Why are you still there?"

That's easy: it's the best of a bad lot.

These four items that I mentioned are the clinchers for me:

"No tax (for those who know how to organise themselves).

Fairly cheap and varied food, even if it isn't wonderful.

Utilities that work most of the time.

Easily obtained retirement visa."

What's this "no tax" business...you mean you never purchase any goods or services in Thailand? The last I heard, there was a 7% tax on just about all goods and services! Also, those that own vehicles pay annual road/registration taxes, and there are taxes if one buys/sells real property.

do ladyboys charge VAT on top of their services?

Prices quoted are generally net

[BlackPuddingBertha]

If you compare the Philippines and Thailand on climatemps.com, you find that they are remarkably similar on nearly all indicators.

That said, I am sure there are many variations depending on where in the Philippines one is located - just as it is in Thailand.

I have lived extensively in both Manila and Pattaya. I have also travelled directly between them many times. Both are at sea level and on the coast. At the same times of year in Manila I never needed to use aircon but here I do need it. Even just walking around on 2nd Road here can make me sweat which I never do in the RP. Friends and family that I used to do the same trips with also noticed exactly the same problem. It just feels more humid/hotter here.

YMMV

[talahtnut]

Get back to UK..Covered in lovely snow..Gas, fuel, electric, food prices have increased nicely..everyone looks pleasantly gloomy..Then your boiler packs up...You'll love it.

[Lancelot]

Yes there are still big pluses and if you've been here for a long time, it really can be hard to go back!

I was back home for a year and I didn't have any trouble fitting in. I returned to help care for a sick parent and that part of the US is a place I would not settle in long term but, again, not so bad.

I like that night life in Pattaya- even if I don't go out, I know its there if I decide to partake.

But I never intended to remain in Pattaya/Thailand forever. For the folks that love Thailand, good on you, you are the lucky ones. For the folks who feel they can't go back, umm a bit sad....

[Jingthing]

Yes there are still big pluses and if you've been here for a long time, it really can be hard to go back!

I was back home for a year and I didn't have any trouble fitting in. I returned to help care for a sick parent and that part of the US is a place I would not settle in long term but, again, not so bad.

I like that night life in Pattaya- even if I don't go out, I know its there if I decide to partake.

But I never intended to remain in Pattaya/Thailand forever. For the folks that love Thailand, good on you, you are the lucky ones. For the folks who feel they can't go back, umm a bit sad....

I said hard, not can't. I feel spoiled here. Wouldn't voluntarily give it up.

[jaapfries]

The Sailing is GREAT ! ! !