Living in Pattaya: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly?

[NickJ]

I can pretty much live anywhere. I like Jomtien and head to Pattaya in the daytime for restaurants and movies. There seems to be everything here. Gyms, golf, all kinds of clubs....biking...I dont see how one could be bored here. I havent been to a bar or a disco in ages. I find it easy to meet people all over the place.I just start talking, walking my dog helps start a conversation......the more people you know the more bbq's and birthday parties you get invited to. Its easy to avoid the sleazy aspect of the area.

[Anthony5]

It can get crushingly boring here very quickly.

To me it felt like living retired mans life, and I was retired, except around 30. That was around 2003. There are almost no people your age here, especially then. Now with Russians in Pattaya, that has changed little bit, but unless you speak Russian, that makes no difference.

Be prepared to live retired mans life, you will fill your days just like a pensioner. You go to the beach, read a book, listen to iPod. It feels like never ending 2 week vacation. I also did not drink, and did not move here for entertainment that Pattaya offers. I had almost no interest in that, I never been inside of major night club here. I do coffee shops, several times a day.

So after you have gone into this routine of beach, then waiting sun go down, and walk on Beach rd, stop at Starbucks for an hour, see every movie in a theatre, that you normally would never watch. But because you need to fill your day with something, you watch everything in theatres.

Of course you go to Bangkok almost every week for few nights. After some time you know the sois of Siam Sq and Sukhumvit better than locals. Then that becomes not fulfilling at all. But you do it anyways, cos you need to fill your day. Retirement is blessing maybe, if you have worked all your life, and can now take it easy. I have not worked much at all, and after living in Toronto, and Europe where I had friends, many friends, this here is very different. Moving to Pattaya felt like moving to retirement home. But you are 30. Everybody around you is age of your dad, and older. After 6 months I started feeling old. I stopped making eye contact with other foreigners, because nobody does it here. It can get depressing. You can get depressed.

Thais will never see you as their own. First year or so you may think this may just take time. No. The longer you stay here, the more you see how you perceived by locals. People will tell you in web forums, that learning Thai may change that. No. You will remain a foreigner, a stranger at best, a mark at worst.

Then you start flying to Singapore, cos you need to do something. After chaos and not so orderly Thailand, Singapore seems to offer alternative, cos it i such sharp contrast. After 2 trips you give up, cos how mind numbingly boring Singapore is. There is nothing there.

Then you realize you can not live your life that way, your life is set to pause button. You are not being alive. You get used to it tho. We adopt. Only going back home, to Europe did I realize I vegetated theses 2 years that I staid.

The main issue is probably not having no roots here, no childhood friends. You very likely won't be making new friends here. It is very very difficult to meet people here, no matter what age. For one thing, there are no people your age, but that is not really issue for me, I don't see age as a thing. What I find here is that people are not looking to make friends here, it's like we are loners here. Of course with age we are careful who we meet, who we let cose. The older we are, the higher the walls we have built.

It may be important what kind of life you had, before moving here. I was very active in Toronto, had business, many friends. As European, I was a fish in the water in Canada and US. Not so in Thailand.

So after maybe a year, you give up. After being here 2 years straight, I couldn't take it. I now stay every winter, purely for weather, and how cheap it is still here. But I'd lose my mind, if I had to stay here again permanently.

You must have lived in a different Thailand, because I know many foreigners age 30 and younger living permanently in Pattaya, and even more in Bangkok.

But good to see you experienced almost a lifetime in only 2 years.

Edited April 17, 2015 by Anthony5

[ttthailand]

There are many things to do in Pattaya now, golf, water parks, beaches, malls, bars, night clubs, expat clubs, etc .... The problem I find is that some of these activities are now very expensive or just have too many people wanting to do the same.

The ladies in Pattaya many if which work in the sex industry are there for the money and not a real relationship. If you have a proper lady guys will still think she is a bar girl and hit on her as if she was. Not a good place for a relationship.

Crime has got to a point that it is out of control and the police are little help and sometimes part of the problem.

I would suggest perhaps living outside of Pattaya in a secure village or condo and having a car. You can then go into Pattaya sometimes but also travel around to other cities. You open up a hole other world having proper transportation. A motorbike is nice but a car is what you need.

I prefer Bangkok as it has everything and it is much easier to find a real girlfriend who works a real job and is not involved in the sex industry. Bangkok is centrally located and you can be in Pattaya or Cha am area in about 2 hours or heading up north to other major cities.

[MrWorldwide]

There are many things to do in Pattaya now, golf, water parks, beaches, malls, bars, night clubs, expat clubs, etc .... The problem I find is that some of these activities are now very expensive or just have too many people wanting to do the same.

The ladies in Pattaya many if which work in the sex industry are there for the money and not a real relationship. If you have a proper lady guys will still think she is a bar girl and hit on her as if she was. Not a good place for a relationship.

Crime has got to a point that it is out of control and the police are little help and sometimes part of the problem.

I would suggest perhaps living outside of Pattaya in a secure village or condo and having a car. You can then go into Pattaya sometimes but also travel around to other cities. You open up a hole other world having proper transportation. A motorbike is nice but a car is what you need.

I prefer Bangkok as it has everything and it is much easier to find a real girlfriend who works a real job and is not involved in the sex industry. Bangkok is centrally located and you can be in Pattaya or Cha am area in about 2 hours or heading up north to other major cities.

Agree with most of what you've said except the last paragraph - BKK is just too crowded and the traffic is off-the-charts horrendous. Given that a large chunk of them will be travelling to Pattaya for Songkran this weekend, we get to experience a couple of days of gridlock here : a timely reminder of what I'm missing out on most days here in Sin City. Even the Skytrain - a wonderful addition to the city - has become increasingly crowded and I dread anything along the lines of a Friday night trip to the shopping madness around Siam BTS station. I fear that BKK will be another Jakarta by 2050, and that's depressing beyond words. Is this the future the elite really want for their countrymen ?

[canarysun]

Hello viewers!

Nobody should get bored living in Thailand.I found Pattaya full of lots of great things to do!and makes a great hub for travelling about too! I dont drink,dont visit bars and have never once watched the television in the last 25 years ( what a waste of life ) Thailand has a great climate for being out and about everyday exploring and being on new adventures.i used to meet people just by "strolling about " if you want to meet people try the beach (wongamat is ideal) Bangkok is also a great place such as the parks and on the trains too! Thailand is a place for the young ( or young minded ..) when you are 60 years plus then you are " out of the game " enjoy it while you are young and just have a laugh..... God bless you all...

F.J x

[FredNL]

What I found out is finding some IQ (> 100) is way harder than in Bangkok.

[thejcb]

...

What are some good hangout spots for socializing? Are these mostly beer bars or is there an "intellectual" or college district? Thanks for the info!

There is a university in Chonburi and you may find the odd Farang who is on your wavelength, but in the main this is just a provincial Thai town with a sex industry based on the ready availability of poorly educated Thais from the Northeast : hardly what your looking for. Central Bangkok sounds a lot closer to what you're after.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_University

However, maybe exactly what YOU'RE looking for.

When one still doesn't understand the difference between "your" and "you're" the obvious inference is that you really are in the correct place for YOUR intellect level.

[bigbearjohn]

and what you do in the USA? get a boring job, buy a house and fill your house with useless gadgets so you can spend all your night at watching TV for hours and yell at your fat lady to bring a beer. or you can

meet people in farang land who ask you where Thailand is. want go out with these idiots? sorry I prefer to be alone in Pattaya and I m very happy where I am. I prefer not to worry about money, pay tax, and look for a dumb job which pay shit in farangland. Pattaya is heaven, you got everything a man can dream of.

if you don't like it, nobody force you to come to Pattaya, you can still stay in your Omaha Nebraska.

Well said. That is my view of USA / Canada life as compared to Thailand (just not Pattaya for me).

Truth of the matter is, no matter where you go, you have to take yourself with you. If you are bored in the USA,

you will be bored in Thailand. Life is only what you make it. Nothing more nothing less. A good friend of mine

spent the last 15 years of his life in Pattaya. On many occasions he told me they were the happiest years of

his life.

My 2 cents.

[MrWorldwide]

...

What are some good hangout spots for socializing? Are these mostly beer bars or is there an "intellectual" or college district? Thanks for the info!

There is a university in Chonburi and you may find the odd Farang who is on your wavelength, but in the main this is just a provincial Thai town with a sex industry based on the ready availability of poorly educated Thais from the Northeast : hardly what your looking for. Central Bangkok sounds a lot closer to what you're after.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_University

However, maybe exactly what YOU'RE looking for.

When one still doesn't understand the difference between "your" and "you're" the obvious inference is that you really are in the correct place for YOUR intellect level.

I've also been known to completely ignore punctuation in my posts, so you'd best tack another ten lashes onto my sentence. Infer what you will, but I'm leaving Pattaya in May - I guess I'll just have to scour the globe seeking out people who speak in monosyllables, watch soap operas and read the tabloid media if they feel the need to read anything at all. Give my regards to your colleagues at Mensa.

[SiSePuede419]

I arrived 11 years ago at age 31 and have been in central Pattaya ever since. The positive aspect of arriving at that age is that you get a lot of attention and get propositioned and offered for some things for at no cost that others would have to pay for (use your imagination).

The bad is that Im not a drinker so being in bars every night had and still has little appeal. So what else is there to do? Internet wasnt what it is today so finding activities meant looking the newspaper or joining the 2 English expat clubs for ideas. I did some expat club outings but every single person in the clubs are near the age of my parents. I became friendly with some expats but they were always 20-40 years older than me. Not really a problem but I still wished to meet people closer to my age.

A few years ago, I joined a sports team which finally brought me closer to guys my age but despite my attempts to form closer friendships, once the game was over, we all went our separate ways for a much needed shower and sleep. The ED visa is the way to go although the schools are making the students jump through more and more hoops. Any questions?

What are some good hangout spots for socializing? Are these mostly beer bars or is there an "intellectual" or college district? Thanks for the info!

"Intellectual" district?

You must be new to Thailand. No such thing, even in areas near universities.

LOL.

[dotpoom]

Hello viewers!

Nobody should get bored living in Thailand.I found Pattaya full of lots of great things to do!and makes a great hub for travelling about too! I dont drink,dont visit bars and have never once watched the television in the last 25 years ( what a waste of life ) Thailand has a great climate for being out and about everyday exploring and being on new adventures.i used to meet people just by "strolling about " if you want to meet people try the beach (wongamat is ideal) Bangkok is also a great place such as the parks and on the trains too! Thailand is a place for the young ( or young minded ..) when you are 60 years plus then you are " out of the game " enjoy it while you are young and just have a laugh..... God bless you all...

F.J x

Your last bit about over 60's being "out of the game"....Wow...what a statement... coming from, I presume, a person who has no experience of what it's like being over 60. I have experienced every age up to 66 and I can say hand on heart that I have never had it so good, I am more happy today than I have ever been in my entire life.

My family are reared, I have done my duty and now I'm free to explore everything that "tickles my fancy" and to catch up on all the things I didn't have the time for before (or the money). I no longer care what others think about me (that comes with age) and believe you me, that in itself brings great freedom. I help others whenever I can and find "luck" in life is on my side as a result. As a matter of fact, the older I got the more I learned and experienced about "Karma". Have you ever heard the old saying...."You can't put an old head on young shoulders". What do you think that means?

I have been through the highs and lows of life and have come to understand the difference between happiness and pleasure. One can be lasting under all circumstances, the other is just a fleeting moment.

At the end of the day, true happiness comes from within, where nobody can touch it or take it away from you. If it's your lovely new car that brings you your happiness then that happiness is in the hands of evey punk out there, ie..if the thief in the night decides to take that car he has also taken your happiness away.

I was not born with this information, I had to learn it for myself, I had to learn it over time, despite being told it often by my parents.

So, I would think twice before making a statment like.....anyone over 60 is "out of the game".

Every new day I wake up the game of life starts anew all over again and I have another chance to make today even better than yesterday was....where would you get it........it's just brilliant.

.

Edited April 17, 2015 by dotpoom

[SiSePuede419]

"Amazes me people say there is nothing to do except bars...well, just what did you do in your Fatherland???"

Colorado, USA.

1. Hike up 14,000 foot mountains in the summer. Pattaya? Nope.

2. Class 4 Whitewater rafting. Pattaya? Nope.

3. Enjoy some of the best champagne powder alpine skiing in the world. Pattaya? You must be high.

4. Speaking of getting high, how about some of the best ganja in the world? Including 70% THC hash oil. And hash oil chocolates that will knock you on your ads for hours. All 100% legal. Pattaya? Hahaha. You must be crazy to do drugs in Thailand.

5. Enjoy many choices of excellent microbrewed beer. Pattaya? Nope.

6. Enjoy an endless summer of music festivals at Telluride or Red Rocks. Camp out on site. Pattaya? Camping? Music festivals? What?

7. Enjoy hanging out in a intellectual college town in Boulder. Pattaya? Intellectuals? What's that?

8. Enjoy modern cuisine in Denver at Root Down--A converted gas station. Artful, high-energy venue for creative American small plates. And at least a dozen other restaurants. Pattaya? LOL.

9. Cross country ski up forest service trails in the winter. Pattaya? The "forest"? Been cut down so long ago they have no idea where it used to be.

10. Probably dozens of other things to do in Colorado that don't exist in Pattaya, but I won't bore the geniuses who think Pattaya has "everything", 555

[how241]

Amazes me people say there is nothing to do except bars...well, just what did you do in your Fatherland???....There is the same here T.V cinemas, sports clubs, sports grounds, go karting, fishing, sailing, horse riding. paragliding etc etc etc...far more activities at affordable prices that what you had back home.

+1...life is what you make it. I love Pattaya.

[pchansmorn]

What Dotpoom said goes Double for me, my wife & I retired here 16 months ago we are both in our 60's, we came from the US, now we don't worry about money, and have no stress. We live in Nonthburi, and use our condo as a hub to travel everywhere else. We can afford to eat out every night if we want. It is safe and friendly where we live. We made the right decision. And we look forward to everyday.

[Naam]

and what you do in the USA? get a boring job, buy a house and fill your house with useless gadgets so you can spend all your night at watching TV for hours and yell at your fat lady to bring a beer. or you can

meet people in farang land who ask you where Thailand is. want go out with these idiots? sorry I prefer to be alone in Pattaya and I m very happy where I am. I prefer not to worry about money, pay tax, and look for a dumb job which pay shit in farangland. Pattaya is heaven, you got everything a man can dream of.

if you don't like it, nobody force you to come to Pattaya, you can still stay in your Omaha Nebraska.

or Duluth, Minnesota

[SGX]

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"It's all in your head" come to mind when reading this response. I am sorry you are suffering so much here. But I know a lot of farang who feel your pain. They go on endlessly about bad sides of Thailand - or rather their own frustatration with it - but keep coming back.

To the OP, your "profile" make me think you may find Chang Mai better than Pattaya. It seems to have more "intellectually and culturally curious" expat community.

It can get crushingly boring here very quickly.

To me it felt like living retired mans life, and I was retired, except around 30. That was around 2003. There are almost no people your age here, especially then. Now with Russians in Pattaya, that has changed little bit, but unless you speak Russian, that makes no difference.

Be prepared to live retired mans life, you will fill your days just like a pensioner. You go to the beach, read a book, listen to iPod. It feels like never ending 2 week vacation. I also did not drink, and did not move here for entertainment that Pattaya offers. I had almost no interest in that, I never been inside of major night club here. I do coffee shops, several times a day.

So after you have gone into this routine of beach, then waiting sun go down, and walk on Beach rd, stop at Starbucks for an hour, see every movie in a theatre, that you normally would never watch. But because you need to fill your day with something, you watch everything in theatres.

Of course you go to Bangkok almost every week for few nights. After some time you know the sois of Siam Sq and Sukhumvit better than locals. Then that becomes not fulfilling at all. But you do it anyways, cos you need to fill your day. Retirement is blessing maybe, if you have worked all your life, and can now take it easy. I have not worked much at all, and after living in Toronto, and Europe where I had friends, many friends, this here is very different. Moving to Pattaya felt like moving to retirement home. But you are 30. Everybody around you is age of your dad, and older. After 6 months I started feeling old. I stopped making eye contact with other foreigners, because nobody does it here. It can get depressing. You can get depressed.

Thais will never see you as their own. First year or so you may think this may just take time. No. The longer you stay here, the more you see how you perceived by locals. People will tell you in web forums, that learning Thai may change that. No. You will remain a foreigner, a stranger at best, a mark at worst.

Then you start flying to Singapore, cos you need to do something. After chaos and not so orderly Thailand, Singapore seems to offer alternative, cos it i such sharp contrast. After 2 trips you give up, cos how mind numbingly boring Singapore is. There is nothing there.

Then you realize you can not live your life that way, your life is set to pause button. You are not being alive. You get used to it tho. We adopt. Only going back home, to Europe did I realize I vegetated theses 2 years that I staid.

The main issue is probably not having no roots here, no childhood friends. You very likely won't be making new friends here. It is very very difficult to meet people here, no matter what age. For one thing, there are no people your age, but that is not really issue for me, I don't see age as a thing. What I find here is that people are not looking to make friends here, it's like we are loners here. Of course with age we are careful who we meet, who we let cose. The older we are, the higher the walls we have built.

It may be important what kind of life you had, before moving here. I was very active in Toronto, had business, many friends. As European, I was a fish in the water in Canada and US. Not so in Thailand.

So after maybe a year, you give up. After being here 2 years straight, I couldn't take it. I now stay every winter, purely for weather, and how cheap it is still here. But I'd lose my mind, if I had to stay here again permanently.

Thank you, yeah I can kind of understand the story here. I guess it's for a certain "type", not saying that type is sex-related, no, but just a sort of loner type, maybe. After reading this thread so far, I don't think I could handle long-term. But I think a 2-3 months, and a lot of side trips to islands, would be okay...

Really interesting points being made here and I identified with them completely.

The steps I took when I arrived at that point was to spend a lot of time time driving around Thailand with my then wife (I don't drink either). I also bought a house and made it my "home". I remember being told when I was younger by a much older man ..."Wherever, or in whatever, you decide to live, make sure that it is a place that you look forward to coming home to at night time".

I really understand how important that is, it doesn't matter if it is as small as a dog box or a mansion...put your own stamp on it and make it a "home" you love being in. That principle has made it possible for me to be happy no matter where I am.

I too thought of going home at times but as a friend once said to me..." you would be an invisable man at home sitting by the fire waiting to die"...ok,..... maybe not a completely accurate picture but I got his point.

I have thought myself now how to live in the present moment (to the best of my ability anyway and getting better with practice) . I try not to wait for life to happen to me, but rather go in search of it....wehen I adopt that attitude....the possibilities are endless and adventureous.

Need to look at your self, work out the type of person you are .. If you find life boring go back do some online study even if its 1 subject a semester. Your probably finding your conflicted unsettled. Its no matter where you are you take the same energy everywhere you go.. Im not a pattaya person never have been although i do enjoy the cinema there with sexy girl plenty of things to do no matter what type you are..

[VIPinthailand]

Pattaya is bad because I can not practice my favourite sport once a week .

Edited April 17, 2015 by VIPinthailand

[dogpatch55]

Hello viewers!

Nobody should get bored living in Thailand.I found Pattaya full of lots of great things to do!and makes a great hub for travelling about too! I dont drink,dont visit bars and have never once watched the television in the last 25 years ( what a waste of life ) Thailand has a great climate for being out and about everyday exploring and being on new adventures.i used to meet people just by "strolling about " if you want to meet people try the beach (wongamat is ideal) Bangkok is also a great place such as the parks and on the trains too! Thailand is a place for the young ( or young minded ..) when you are 60 years plus then you are " out of the game " enjoy it while you are young and just have a laugh..... God bless you all...

F.J x

Yeah so true!! Your so right! Not been to Pattaya yet, must have a look next time! Good to see you are still posting!

[dotpoom]

Pattaya is bad because I can not practice my favourite sport once a week .

You obviously never been to Sattahip open market....guy in the sky there every Thursday and Saturday doing the same thing.........well....ok.......maybe that's a slight exageration.....he's in a sort of a one man chopper, meandering along over the market.

Edited April 17, 2015 by dotpoom

[SGX]

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There are many things to do in Pattaya now, golf, water parks, beaches, malls, bars, night clubs, expat clubs, etc .... The problem I find is that some of these activities are now very expensive or just have too many people wanting to do the same.
The ladies in Pattaya many if which work in the sex industry are there for the money and not a real relationship. If you have a proper lady guys will still think she is a bar girl and hit on her as if she was. Not a good place for a relationship.
Crime has got to a point that it is out of control and the police are little help and sometimes part of the problem.
I would suggest perhaps living outside of Pattaya in a secure village or condo and having a car. You can then go into Pattaya sometimes but also travel around to other cities. You open up a hole other world having proper transportation. A motorbike is nice but a car is what you need.
I prefer Bangkok as it has everything and it is much easier to find a real girlfriend who works a real job and is not involved in the sex industry. Bangkok is centrally located and you can be in Pattaya or Cha am area in about 2 hours or heading up north to other major cities.

Agree with most of what you've said except the last paragraph - BKK is just too crowded and the traffic is off-the-charts horrendous. Given that a large chunk of them will be travelling to Pattaya for Songkran this weekend, we get to experience a couple of days of gridlock here : a timely reminder of what I'm missing out on most days here in Sin City. Even the Skytrain - a wonderful addition to the city - has become increasingly crowded and I dread anything along the lines of a Friday night trip to the shopping madness around Siam BTS station. I fear that BKK will be another Jakarta by 2050, and that's depressing beyond words. Is this the future the elite really want for their countrymen ?

Try living in hong kong and walking during lunch hour , Thats a lot busier than siam bts every day of the week

[Wasa]

Hello viewers!

Nobody should get bored living in Thailand.I found Pattaya full of lots of great things to do!and makes a great hub for travelling about too! I dont drink,dont visit bars and have never once watched the television in the last 25 years ( what a waste of life ) Thailand has a great climate for being out and about everyday exploring and being on new adventures.i used to meet people just by "strolling about " if you want to meet people try the beach (wongamat is ideal) Bangkok is also a great place such as the parks and on the trains too! Thailand is a place for the young ( or young minded ..) when you are 60 years plus then you are " out of the game " enjoy it while you are young and just have a laugh..... God bless you all...

F.J x

Your last bit about over 60's being "out of the game"....Wow...what a statement... coming from, I presume, a person who has no experience of what it's like being over 60. I have experienced every age up to 66 and I can say hand on heart that I have never had it so good, I am more happy today than I have ever been in my entire life.

My family are reared, I have done my duty and now I'm free to explore everything that "tickles my fancy" and to catch up on all the things I didn't have the time for before (or the money). I no longer care what others think about me (that comes with age) and believe you me, that in itself brings great freedom. I help others whenever I can and find "luck" in life is on my side as a result. As a matter of fact, the older I got the more I learned and experienced about "Karma". Have you ever heard the old saying...."You can't put an old head on young shoulders". What do you think that means?

I have been through the highs and lows of life and have come to understand the difference between happiness and pleasure. One can be lasting under all circumstances, the other is just a fleeting moment.

At the end of the day, true happiness comes from within, where nobody can touch it or take it away from you. If it's your lovely new car that brings you your happiness then that happiness is in the hands of evey punk out there, ie..if the thief in the night decides to take that car he has also taken your happiness away.

I was not born with this information, I had to learn it for myself, I had to learn it over time, despite being told it often by my parents.

So, I would think twice before making a statment like.....anyone over 60 is "out of the game".

Every new day I wake up the game of life starts anew all over again and I have another chance to make today even better than yesterday was....where would you get it........it's just brilliant.

.

Thanks dotpoom, for such a beautifully crafted and articulate response. I usually read at least one thread a day on TV, but rarely have the time to post. However, tonight I felt I had to make time to come on and acknowledge your contribution.

I very recently turned 56 and despite being fit and healthy, was feeling a bit down about it, which is unusual for me. That was until I read your post. It hit a nerve and made me sit back, take stock and realize I do have a pretty good lot in life. In fact, realistically I've got nothing of any significance to really complain about and a lot to be thankful for.

The thoughts you expressed can apply equally to both young and old, in all stages of one's life. You only get one life, one fleeting chance, so you have to make it worthwhile in the best possible way you can.

Thanks again!

[dotpoom]

Thank you Wasa for your kind words and for taking the time to put them down for me to read. I am very touched (really mean that) because it means a lot to me that I should be so blessed to have being a force for good in another person's life. That is a privilidge I do not take for granted,

I take time out every day to give thanks for what life has given me....I have developed "An attitude of grattitude"....and with this attitude it is impossible to get a negative result from it......GB.

[Acharn]

The bad is that I’m not a drinker so being in bars every night had and still has little appeal. So what else is there to do?

So what do you do? I spent a few years not drinking in Bangkok and gave up because I got so bored

Really? I don't drink because I'm a recovering alcoholic but I used to hit the bars to play pool. Did that for five or six years until I met a good woman and got remarried. Never got bored, although people who are drinking tend to be pretty boring. That was six or seven years ago, so I don't know if that scene still exists. Don't know what bars in Pattaya have pool tables, if any.

[VBF]

The bad is that I’m not a drinker so being in bars every night had and still has little appeal. So what else is there to do?

So what do you do? I spent a few years not drinking in Bangkok and gave up because I got so bored

Really? I don't drink because I'm a recovering alcoholic but I used to hit the bars to play pool. Did that for five or six years until I met a good woman and got remarried. Never got bored, although people who are drinking tend to be pretty boring. That was six or seven years ago, so I don't know if that scene still exists. Don't know what bars in Pattaya have pool tables, if any.

Quite a few bars have pool tables - head for the Soi Bukao /Soi LK Metro area or Soi Lengke and glance into a few doorways. Many of the tables are free for customers - that includes those drinking soft drinks, tea, coffee, whatever. Some of the girls will play (pool, that is ) - just buy a couple of lady drinks and you're off and running. Or even "bet" them a lady drink if they win - most bars will have at least one girl who's a good player!

Edited April 17, 2015 by VBF

[MrWorldwide]

Try living in hong kong and walking during lunch hour , Thats a lot busier than siam bts every day of the week

I live in Pattaya for a reason - no-one's asking about life in HK. You're there for a reason, and I'm guessing its not your ideal retirement destination.

[SGX]

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Try living in hong kong and walking during lunch hour , Thats a lot busier than siam bts every day of the week

I live in Pattaya for a reason - no-one's asking about life in HK. You're there for a reason, and I'm guessing its not your ideal retirement destination.

comparisons no big deal. i live and work between both Bkk chidlom and Hk. i am seriously considering a move to Changmai at the moment ..

[fey]

and what you do in the USA? get a boring job, buy a house and fill your house with useless gadgets so you can spend all your night at watching TV for hours and yell at your fat lady to bring a beer. or you can

meet people in farang land who ask you where Thailand is. want go out with these idiots? sorry I prefer to be alone in Pattaya and I m very happy where I am. I prefer not to worry about money, pay tax, and look for a dumb job which pay shit in farangland. Pattaya is heaven, you got everything a man can dream of.

if you don't like it, nobody force you to come to Pattaya, you can still stay in your Omaha Nebraska.

Well said. That is my view of USA / Canada life as compared to Thailand (just not Pattaya for me).

Truth of the matter is, no matter where you go, you have to take yourself with you. If you are bored in the USA,

you will be bored in Thailand. Life is only what you make it. Nothing more nothing less. A good friend of mine

spent the last 15 years of his life in Pattaya. On many occasions he told me they were the happiest years of

his life.

My 2 cents.

this same old response always comes up.

fact is, environment does have a lot to do with how bored or happy we are. otherwise we would all be staying home.

[ageless1]

Thank you Wasa for your kind words and for taking the time to put them down for me to read. I am very touched (really mean that) because it means a lot to me that I should be so blessed to have being a force for good in another person's life. That is a privilidge I do not take for granted,

I take time out every day to give thanks for what life has given me....I have developed "An attitude of grattitude"....and with this attitude it is impossible to get a negative result from it......GB.

I think most people want to know their life has meaning and matters and they have the ability to influence other's thoughts and actions. Validation for what we say and/or do is a powerful reinforcer to continue. Purpose and meaning in life are not age dependent as you so rightly pointed out. Thanks for that.

[bigbearjohn]

An 82-year-old friend of mine who has lived in Pattaya for 20 years recently wrote to me. I had written to him on many many occasions telling him about my fears, concerns, and worries about retiring to Thailand. This friend has a GREAT attitude and this letter is what he recently shared with me:

"Hey John,

As you are well aware, 20 years ago, I picked up my life and moved to Pattaya, where I knew no one, and everything felt new. With my family on the other side of the world, this was TRULY the first time in my life I had utterly been on my own… I mean really on my own. I felt like I had landed on another planet called "Thailand." Vacationing in Thailand was completely different than living here.

During the initial stages of getting used to my totally foreign and unfamiliar surroundings, I was distracted by the culture shock-value of the whole experience. “What did I get myself into?" was a question I suddenly felt consumed by. "Did I make the right decision?” I'd ask myself constantly. Sure, I knew that my choice would ultimately be rewarding, but I wasn’t prepared for the journey that would come before that point.

Today, I’m incredibly grateful I took that risk because it has taught me so much about life, myself and what I want for my "golden years." So when you decide it's time to embark on your new life in Thailand, here are some of my personal views and suggestions on ways to get started on the right foot:

1. Get involved with something.

Immersing yourself in something out of your box is a great way to tap into a deeper sense of your purpose. So dive into something! The best way to familiarize yourself with a culture is to learn their language. Please believe me, it makes a HUGE difference in your enjoyment of this fabulous country.

If you look up organizations or groups that you feel strongly about, chances are you will start to meet people that share those same passions. Expat groups are great, but try to choose expat friends who are active. Maybe take a “learning to speak Thai” course. Take a Thai cooking class. (I did and even my Thai friends love my Gang Karee Gai!) If the idea of learning how to meditate interests you, what better place than Thailand to learn how to meditate? Study art. Take a course in the art of authentic Thai massage. I took one at Wat Pho in Bangkok and I am always being asked by friends for a quick shoulder rub. It sure is an ice breaker, let me tell you! Write poetry. Learn how to play guitar. Take up sketching or painting. If you’re not too out of shape, take a kickboxing class and if you are out of shape, sign up at a gym and hire a Thai gym instructor to kick your butt into shape! Invite a group of friends to take an evening dinner cruise down the Chao Praya River in Bangkok at night. The river and lights are spectacularly beautiful at night in Bangkok.

Whatever it is, finding a sense of "newness" in your life on a regular basis will empower you, and give you a sense of focus and passion.

2. Push yourself out of your comfort zone

A huge part of personal growth actually involves finding a supportive community. Especially if you're in the place of wanting to start from scratch, you may be feeling the desire to make new friends, which undoubtedly can be challenging and even sometimes awkward at first. If you are shy, take baby steps.

As a person who thrives off my best friends’ support, this was one of the most frustrating parts of my move. But you can take steps to be intentional about your social life. Say yes to everything you are invited to, even if it’s out of your comfort zone. Yes, you may feel overly-friendly at first. But who cares? In the end, they could become one of your best friends. Hang out at that beach. Become an avid people watcher. Strike up casual conversations with passers-by. Go to malls and observe people. Go online and meet Thai and expat friends on dating sites. Some sites encourage friendship finding. Not everything has to be about sex.

3. Consistently plan something you can look forward to.

It's important that you do things to let yourself know you care about yourself. Plan a special trip to see something new and interesting in Thailand that you have never seen before. I KNOW you will be surprised at what’s out there in Thailand that you NEVER KNEW even existed. EXPAND YOUR HORIZONS. The Bangkok Post often has sections revealing unusual places to see and explore in Thailand. You're only limited by your imagination (and budget, of course!). At least you have the internet. When I first came here, everything was only by word of mouth. Also, you can take short trips to neighboring countries. EXPLORE!! If you are a "stay at home" stick-in-the-mud kind of person, you WILL be miserable here (or anywhere for that matter.) Please remember: life is only what you make it. Nothing more, nothing less. It's a short ride. Have some fun!!!

4. Appreciate the silence.

When I moved to Thailand, it was the first time in my life I was forced to be alone for an extended period of time. I’ve learned that how you handle silence says the most about who you are as a person. Sitting in silence completely alone gives your mind a chance to unwind, and you can hear yourself think so clearly. Self-inquiry almost always involves "being with yourself" in some way, which can be extremely overwhelming. Find things that make the process easier, whether it be a new hobby like painting or playing music. Be patient with yourself. Write a journal. Treat yourself like you would a friend, and appreciate the quiet time you have with yourself. Create a fun, positive small circle of friends to do things with. Plan special dinner parties. Invite new friends over. Have a “Movie” night. Visit Thai universities. See if they offer anything for farangs.

Make some THAI friends. They can show you things in Thailand off the beaten track.

5. Nurture yourself.

Things aren’t always going to go according to plan in any transition. Be patient, kind and compassionate — because it will take time for everything to pan out. But in that awkward transition period, don’t be too hard on yourself and enjoy it! Skype with friends and family back home. Use this experience as a time to be selfish and focus on yourself. What do you want to learn? What habits do you want to shed? Do you have new goals? Are there areas of your life you want to improve? Realize your life is yours, and no one else's. This may feel like it puts the pressure on, but it also is a realization that gives you so much freedom. That kind of self-love and attention will help you become the best version of yourself. Onward!

Carpe diem, my friend,"

Edited April 19, 2015 by Rimmer
Please do not post in weird fonts

[Rimmer]

A post in weird fonts has been edited and a flame replying to it has been removed