Anyone Lived In Patts/chonburi Province For 5+ Years ?

[MrWorldwide]

Say what you will about Pattaya, it's hard to ignore the location : easy drive to Bangkok and no shortage of entertainment when you want it. Interested to hear from anyone who has managed to separate the bulk of their life from the bars - there is a huge chunk of Chonburi province which has nothing to do with Walking St. My ideal location would be somewhere close to a decent supermarket and without too much traffic - vehicular or pedestrian. Have done a couple of 3-month stints in Patts, but that's easy - wondering how it pans out after 5 or so years.

If you loathe Pattaya and surrounds, I get that, but I'm more interested in feedback from folk who can live with a circus on their doorstep without letting the 'carnies' get them down. FWIW, I have found that central BKK tends to grind on me more than Patts over a longer stay - it may well be that I am more 'carny' than I'd like to admit

Thanks,

MrWW

[edandpranee]

I moved to Pattaya in 2006, when I retired, and have never had any regrets about the move. My Thai wife and I bought a house, in a village, in Jomtien that allows me to walk to the beach everyday. Makro for shopping is a 30 min walk or a 5 min drive, Pattaya for nightlife is just 20 min away by car. I used to do the nightlife, now I walk on the beach, not quite the same rush but one of the reasons I chose to move here from the States. Soi Chaiypruck has many coffee shops and restaurants.

Check out Jomtien Beach

[OMGImInPattaya]

I've lived in pattaya for over a decade...also lived in the big mango for 3 years before that so feel qualified to opine on both places. The quality of life in pattaya, at least central pattaya, is fast declining. I don't even live there bit on the Darkside and rarely do the bar thing anymore. However, the advent of mass tourism to pattaya and the growth of the Thai middle class and their pattaya weekend/holiday jaunts is making traffic unbearable.

All the crowds everywhere and the traffic congestion makes it feel more and more like Bangkok. The shopping, restaurants, and proximity to Bangkok are very ice and the selection of faring grocery markets makes it easy to live here...just don't know about the future, however.

[yoslim]

Not 5 years but have been living 2+years in central Pattaya, no way I would want to live outside of the center with the crazy traffic and well at least I can walk home from soi buakhao or walking street if I had a rough night.. I would consider living in a house on the darkside if I had a thai partner or maybe Jomtien if I was retired but Naklua would be out of question

I don't go out much but it's always nice to have the gogo bars, insomnia not far away when I want some company

[Spalpeen]

I've been 6 years in Jomtien. Pattaya is like a great big buffet, you can take the bits you like and leave the rest. And, just like anywhere else in the world, the more money you have the more you're going to enjoy it.

I don't mind new nationalities coming and going but the increase in traffic is a real problem. If that's not dealt with the place will become a gridlocked mini-Bangkok.

[gmac]

Twelve years now in Pattaya living on the darkside with my wife. Bars? What bars? almost forget they exist, can't forget the traffic though as it becomes more and more Bangkok-like. The choice of supermarkets and restaurants would make it hard for me to relocate anywhere else in Thailand, western food is a must for me.

[Phil Conners]

I've lived here for about 10 years, but obviously not downtown, that would have driven me up the wall. In a quiet walled compound (village) on the darkside, about 20 minutes out of town life is good.

Traffic? Only downtown. Once I'm off Sukhumvit and on the motorway it's usually a smooth ride home.

[Jingthing]

What's a bar?

[petercool]

Just over 5 years here and I live and tend to stay on the Darkside and only go into Pattaya when I have to, for the volunteer work I do or to get things from BigC Extra that the Darkside doesn't have. I lived in Bangkok off and on for 40 years and actually prefer it there for decent restaurants, music and even the nightlife. But I am here now and by choosing what I do and where I go find it all OK.

[MrWorldwide]

Thanks for all the excellent feedback guys - even as a tourist, it has become obvious to me that the traffic has gotten worse over the years. Wherever I end up, I will cocoon myself in my apartment for most of the day - videos, music and internet - only venturing out at night bar a brisk morning walk and the odd shopping trip.

[CatCage]

Spent Five years in Jomtien Beach, saw the noise and traffic getting worse, moved out to Ban Ampur five years ago, best thing we did, quite, clean air much less traffic if you stay off the highway weekends and 10 minutes to Makro and Lotus.

[sattahip]

I have lived here for 20 years. Moved out to Ban Amphur by the beach 12 years ago. It is paradise. No noise, no bars and touts but 20 minutes from everything that can be useful in Pattaya

[meatballs]

I live in central Pattaya and hate the traffic and tourist congestion here(I think it gets worse every year). I've considered moving out somewhere in E. Pattaya or S. Jomtien but the location here can't be beat. If I want to visit a bar or Walking Street it's just a couple minutes by foot.

[Naam]

What's a bar?

it's something dark and sweet, wrapped in foil and called "Hershey's".

[smccolley]

I have been on Soi Naklua 12 across from the Sanctuary of Truth since 2006 and I can't imagine being on the dark side or any closer to Pattaya. I have the ocean breezes without the insanity (unless I care to drive 4km). I find it very relaxing and if I do have to go anywhere I am so close I can just take a baht bus if I am too lazy to drive and park.

I feel like this is the best of all worlds, close but not too close, 3KM to Best or Tesco.

[DMC1]

Lived permanently in Central Pattaya for over 11 years & been coming and going to Thailand for 8 years before that. I don't drink much and rarely go out drinking in bars. I find going out once in a while enough as it becomes incredibly boring and old. Pattaya very convenient for me on the whole.

I work for a company in BKK (oil & gas) so this keeps me busy and fairly well paid to have a nice easy life. However, I have found the temperature more unbearable year by year, this year in particular is sooooo hot. I find it heaven to visit UK for some cool weather once in a while.

Most importantly keep yourself busy, healthy & active. Some guys like to spend every spare moment sat in a bar. This is not for me & I can see how they could quickly go down the 'pan'.

Edited May 18, 2013 by DMC1

[moradave]

Try the Markland Condotel. Large (45+ sqm) studio with big balcony right on Beach Road/Soi 1. High rise, 27 floors with cheap baht bus (10 baht) to Walking Street. Super market/mall opening soon attached to the condo. Short walk to Big C on 2nd road. Cheap, start about 14k. Quiet neighborhood out of the bar district. Good restaurants. Safe and secure. Parking. Room service, Great view and breeze. Best value in Pattaya.

Edited May 18, 2013 by moradave

[yoslim]

Try the Markland Condotel. Large (45+ sqm) studio with big balcony right on Beach Road/Soi 1. High rise, 27 floors with cheap baht bus (10 baht) to Walking Street. Super market/mall opening soon attached to the condo. Short walk to Big C on 2nd road. Cheap, start about 14k. Quiet neighborhood out of the bar district. Good restaurants. Safe and secure. Parking. Great view. Best value in Pattaya.

Markland is a nice place but if they didn't replace the elevators I would avoid a high floor unit as it's painfully slow

[moradave]

The Markland has just refurbished there 3 passenger and 1 freight elevators. Good as new, with all new controls. Service much faster now. Glass elevator at front gives you express ride to and from 15th floor.

[poanoi]

I've been living here bit over 11 years, i dont like it here any more,

i only ever leave my house if i have no other choice, like having to stock up food,

or go to gym, that's how fed up i am with traffic jam and corrupt police.

[Traxster]

'Pattaya -5 years'......??

been there ,done that.......and love/loved it !!

[ThomasLoughney]

I have lived on the Darkside, off Soi 15 Nong Pa Lai for 16 years, have a normal house, lawnmower, ladder, two dogs, it could be anywhere in the USA. The village is small 60% Thai/Thai and 40% Falang/Thai. I find that the quiet life good, but 30 min from Pattaya (used to be 12 min) is not bad as I go into town, do my business and come back.

The Darkside used to be dark, no lights on the street back then, but now becoming less necessary to go into town to get small things.

I have the same comments about traffic, and the Rail Road Track Road. Very poorly designed from the start, traffic lights were a disaster and the intersection tie-ups are making it not fun to drive on it. There really needs to be some rethink but it is doubtful the fathers will do much.

The roads in Pattaya are far worse than nearly any other Province. Go up country and you can find that potholes are filled level with the road surface. In Pattaya the hole is made into a bump. Now think about it, if the workers come from upcountry where they fill holes flat, and they make bumps here, the workers are "taught" to fill the holes incorrectly. Look at the recent work on Second Road. When I ask Thai's and they say the work is done poorly to generate more repair work in the future.

Pattaya is getting more expensive that Bangkok in many aspects, I lived in Bangkok for 2 years and don't want to go back, but some things seem overpriced to me. The local handyman used to be 300 baht to come fix something, now they seem to want 1,000 for 1 hours work which is getting close to qualified technicians in the USA. They have a lot of work so if I don't want to pay, they move on to the next customer.

When the Germans came to Pattaya they set up good Restaurants and Beer Bars, The Swedes set up good quality villages and condo projects improving the standards of the Thai projects, The Russians are doing lots of service stuff, tv stations, travel agents, real estate agents, restaurants and the like, mostly good quality and this is showing up in other non Russian areas as well.

There has been little or no positive impact on Pattaya from the Chinese, or Indian tour groups from what I can see. Possibly more restaurants but not sure. Tour groups don't shop local but use resources which is not positive for local merchants.

[luckyluke]

10 years Pattaya, before 2 years Bangkok, miss sometimes the cultural activities available in Bangkok.

The heavy traffic now in Pattaya is a real problem, don't expect it will improve. Lived in the Dark Side before but

stay now here since a few years : http://maxxcentral.com/ ; quite quiet and not that far from the madding crowd, not perfect but

according to me, a very good value, I don't like to live in a huge building.

[toenail]

I have lived in Pattaya for 8 years. I am here because of my job near by. I have rented condos in Naklua and North Pattaya because I can get a seaview and further away from the heart of "tourist ghetto". Living on the "dark side" in a bungalow would have its plusses - you would have a yard and more "house" for your money compared to buying a condo in Pattaya or Jomtien. -But if you are single, I think it would be boring (many of these villages are half empty with farangs coming and going from their home countries). Also if you go into Pattaya for the night life, who wants to drive back at night after having a few beers? I think living in a condo in Pattaya or Jomtien would be ok as long as you did your homework of how noisy it gets at night (any bars next door?) or the type of people who rent apartments in the complex. Since I work, I have to make sure my apartment that I am going to rent is full of owners or long term renters like me. Yes, Pattaya has a lot of traffic, that is why it would be best to live in Pattaya than driving into Pattaya from the countryside. I drive to work but when I need to go somewhere in Pattaya, I prefer to take the baht bus because I find it stress free. I hate driving in Pattaya. Before you buy, I would you rent a condo in an area you like in Pattaya-Jomtien area, then rent a house in a village and see what you prefer.

[raro]

In Thailand 16 years. 3.5 in Bangkok, then about 5.5 in Ban Chang/Rayong and now in Pattaya. Just like Phil living on the "dark side" now for over seven years in a small village. There is a lot of green around here, just did a nice bike ride around lake Mabprachan. Ten minutes into town during the week, one hour on weekends when the Bangkokians are here...

Have been back to Bangkok countless times on business for anything from a daytrip to a full week in a row. As much as I like an occasional stint in Bangkok, living in Pattaya is FAR more convenient than Bangkok. The traffic jams, pollution, price level....all that combined makes me wonder why people actually live in Bangkok.

[seasia]

Not quite 5 years but living happily in naklua, near Wong Amat.

Nice breeze( sometimes), enough about locally to not need to go in to central Pattaya too often, but easy enough by bahtbus when I do want to.

The location suits me.

[Jingthing]

...

There has been little or no positive impact on Pattaya from the Chinese, or Indian tour groups from what I can see. Possibly more restaurants but not sure. Tour groups don't shop local but use resources which is not positive for local merchants.

The Indian restaurant scene is booming. The Chinese restaurant scene is still very limited. The only reason I can figure is that Chinese people are more open to eating Thai food here and or Thai/Chinese food, especially the seafood. With Indians and Chinese you have to remember there are significant native Thai citizens populations of Thai Chinese and Thai Indians.

[Jingthing]

Not quite 5 years but living happily in naklua, near Wong Amat.

Nice breeze( sometimes), enough about locally to not need to go in to central Pattaya too often, but easy enough by bahtbus when I do want to.

The location suits me.

Baht buses: Heavenly Trucks of 10 Baht Bliss from the Goddess!

[brummiebob]

even though the traffic has gotten worse and more Bangkok-like, most of the things you need, hospital, bank, supermarket, cinema is quite concentrated together, unlike Bangkok where you might need something 30-50 Km away, but on the flipside, in Bangkok you are spoilt for choice.

And the choice of authentic western foods at reasonable price, only gripe being that the waitstaff aren't as well trained as in Bangkok, but again we're not charged Bangkok price so no complaint there.

5-6 years ago the availability of English speaking staff in shops in Bangkok is not as good as Pattaya, and if you go to non-tourist shopping mall some shopassistant might freakout a bit, but now most shops in Bangkok seem to have staff with rudimentary English everywhere now so the advantage for Pattaya is not so clear cut

[Beardog]

About 10 years in Thailand. Only 2 & 1/2 years in Pattaya. A year Around Pattaya Klang & a year & 1/2 in the darkside. Darkside was much better till a mosque moved in & had their prayers at 3000 watts of power through loudspeakers at 4-5 am.

We moved to Bang Sare 22 kilos away from Pattaya where it is nice & peaceful.Hardly any cops & they turn out to be friends anyway. I like Pattaya a lot but when Bangkok got flooded BKK took over Pattaya's streets & it is increasingly a royal pain in the ass to get around & have to dodge the 1/2 blind Thai Hiso's that don't have a clue in the world how to drive Pattaya .

I don't go out bar hopping been with the same gal for almost 10 years so don't require external stimulus but it is always out there & 20 minutes away or less on my sports bike. The traffic now is my only dread in Pattaya. Sometimes it reminds me of a small Los Angelos highway later in the day. If you drive anything use all 16 eyes around your head or else you will get hit by a car truck or bike. Same as anywhere in Thailand on this one. If you have wheels you don't have to live in the heart of the city or Jomtien Venture out & see the different areas. And if your contemplating buying a house rent first so you can see if it suits you.