New Here

[liketobe]

Greetings-I'm new to the group, 57, male, single, and retired.

I've already transitioned to living as an expat, spent 10 months last year in the philippines(Cebu). From reading the most resent 45 pages of the Pattaya section things sound almost the same as the RP, except religion, food, and from the pictures I've seen more choice of decent condos. In Cebu you have two buildings two chose from only, plenty of places to live but not of the modern condo type.

Are cock fights a national pass time in Pattaya? I mean if there is a house next to your condo is there ten crowing rosters next door?

Do condo residents have respect for there neighbors when it comes to noise levels from TV and music?

What is the air con situation in most condos, central air, unit in wall or window, or split type unit?

I've read about piled up garbage that is some times burnt, but when you look out side about 7:00AM is there smoke coming up every where? Are food venders cooking with charcoal every where or do they use gas?

Do you usually get a little breeze in the after noon or is it dead calm all the time?

When you are driving or walking in the rush hour traffic just about dark do the head lights look like every one is going around in fog?

For those living the condo life style, is it better to reside on the top or at the bottom close to the pool? Thanks-Liketobe

[Kerryd]

Are cock fights a national pass time in Pattaya? I mean if there is a house next to your condo is there ten crowing rosters next door?

I haven't heard a rooster crowing in ages (months and months). I hardly ever hear of cock-fights around here. Maybe in the rural areas.

Do condo residents have respect for there neighbors when it comes to noise levels from TV and music?

Same same every where. Some people are better than others.

What is the air con situation in most condos, central air, unit in wall or window, or split type unit?

Split types for the most part.

I've read about piled up garbage that is some times burnt, but when you look out side about 7:00AM is there smoke coming up every where? Are food venders cooking with charcoal every where or do they use gas?

Don't see garbage getting burnt, just piling up in places. Some food vendors use charcoal, some use gas. The only time I notice it is when one passes close by.

Do you usually get a little breeze in the after noon or is it dead calm all the time?

Breeze and wind varies. No set time. Being sea-side, there are not too many periods of "dead-calm".

When you are driving or walking in the rush hour traffic just about dark do the head lights look like every one is going around in fog?

No. The drivers and walkers may be in a fog (as in drunk), but the actual conditions are pretty good, except when it rains. Smog isn't a big problem here.

For those living the condo life style, is it better to reside on the top or at the bottom close to the pool? Thanks-Liketobe

I recommend the 7th floor or below. Why ? Most modern fire-fighting equipment (ladder trucks for example) can't extend higher than the 7th floor of hi-rise buildings (so I've heard).

Check the fire-escapes in the buildings you are looking at (are the doors blocked/locked ?). What kind of fire detection/suppression/fighting equipment is present ?

Personally, I wouldn't want to live in a condo. Too little control over what goes on around you. But to each their own !

[suiging]

Be wary of " cheap" condos. As stated potential fire a huge problem in the upper floors and what looks good now will only look good in five years time in a properly managed block. In the real world this equates to a reasonable level of annual fees, which does not add up to a cheap condo. Cowboy developers throw cheap blocks up, do not care about management after the thing is completed, and have no sinking fund if things go wrong. Some good, well run blocks in Patters, but not as many as there should be.

[Totster]

Personally, I wouldn't want to live in a condo. Too little control over what goes on around you. But to each their own !

Not forgetting the urge to fly...

totster

[liketobe]

Personally, I wouldn't want to live in a condo. Too little control over what goes on around you. But to each their own !

Not forgetting the urge to fly...

totster

Thanks Kerryd and suiging. Don't want to jump on any fales conclutions, but with the info you provided seams like I would do just fine there. Having the previouse experiance in Cebu it would be easyer for me to except things as they are in Pattaya. OH this is so much nicer .

Why did I have to wast a year to learn? Wisdom comes with experiance young man!