Moving from Bangkok to Pattaya

[cms22]

Hello everyone and sorry for repeating an old chestnut (but I can't seem to find something specific despite a good search on TV).

Anyway, me and my family (wife and two small kids, aged 2 and 8) are seriously thinking about moving to Pattaya.

My wife and I have lived in Bangkok for more than 10 years, and TBH we want a change of scenery, change of environment.

So, thinking of renting (15-20k) or buying (+3m) a house in Pattaya, but just not sure where. Obviously we don't want to be near the bars, but we don't want to be out in the sticks too. And we need to be near a good school (was thinking of the Burapha Phatthanasart School).

So, does anyone have any suggestions about where, in terms of villages and areas, might be a decent fit?

Would really appreciate any suggestions.

Thank you!

C

Edited August 4, 2016 by cms22
Clarified headline

[williamgeorgeallen]

hi,

i have been living in pattaya with my 2 young kids up until recently. my eldest was going to this school in jomtien

http://www.phoenix.ac.th/

i would reccomend it very highly.

i was living on jomtien which is very good. the other option is to live out near matchupan lake if you want something more rural. you will get something better for your money out there but it is a bit of a hassle getting in and out from town.

i would strongly recommend you stay in a good gated housing development. it is a great buyers market and i would do a rent to own in any house to live there for 6 months before i would buy. where ever you end up make sure you have access to a swimming pool. i would not take my kids swimming on pattaya or jomtien beaches any more.

[bkk6060]

Why are you choosing Pattaya?  I am single and love it but the guys I know with families complain.  They don't like the schools, traffic, tourists, etc.  Also, If you want to live away from these things, why not choose another place like Khon Kean for example?

[guzzi850m2]

I don't complain as a family man with a kid. Good schools to choose from, good shopping, good selection of restaurants and so on.

 

Traffic is a pain, very much so, especially in the weekends.

 

Yes rent for min 6 month before making any decisions of buying, buyers/renter market big time.

 

You don't get anything in my village for the suggested rent/price tag, we live on the inside of Sukhumvit road, so 10 min scooter ride to north end beach road, land prices are crazy here now.

[KittenKong]

You would be insane to buy anything until you know the area and have lived in it for a year or so. So I would rent in the first instance.

 

The whole of Jomtien is within reach of that school, and you should find that houses there are fairly close to the beach and shops and restaurants yet fairly far from bars. Obviously you will pay a little extra for being close to the beach, but there are many housing estates around to choose from. If you want to save money then look on the "dark" side of Sukumvit where many people who dont care about beach proximity live.

[craigt3365]

I've got a friend who teaches there if you'd like to speak with him.  Great guy.  And from what I've heard, it's a good school.

 

If you are serious about that school, there are a bunch of options nearby.  I might be tempted to live across the rail road tracks.  No matter where you live, traffic can be bad.  Especially with the big construction job going on right now.

 

Your best bet is to come here and drive around a bit and explore.  I found a great rental a few years ago using an agent.  More expensive than if I did it on my own, but they showed me places I would have never found by just driving around.  Some villages are a bit hidden!

[SattaheapSea]

how about Sattaheap?  the district is close to pattaya where you can send your kids to international school in Ban Chang or pattaya. it is very handy spot which is between Rayong ang Pattaya. You can shop in south Pattaya by car within 20-25 mins to reach it and to give your lung toxic free. Most of a new house on 332 road is around the budget you mentioned.   

 

Khon Kean,KK is a bit hard for me to live. I see many people from KK live around Chonburi,Pattaya and Rayong

Edited August 5, 2016 by SattaheapSea

[dddave]

I would say find the best schools first, then a residence reasonably nearby.  I know of some families whose kids spend more than an hour in a van each way, each day.  Not good.

[NanLaew]

My boy has been going to BEST (Burapha) for almost 2 years, thinks it's great and he's doing reasonably well. At first it seems like a crap location but being (just) on the east side of Sukhumvit, it's quite easily accessible from anywhere on the "dark side" as long as your main thoroughfare isn't Khaonoi. We live up near the Crocodile Farm and it's easily a 15-20 minute commute morning and evening despite the tunnel, manic motorbikes, salengs and buses. Quicker if you have a motorbike. That means the OP can take his pick of villages on the dark side and there's plenty to chose from.

[thaibeachlovers]

You should go there with a m'bike and stay in an hotel for a month. Drive around every day and check out the different areas.

What one person likes may be what another hates.

The traffic puts me off moving back there.

I would consider Jomptien with children. Better beach than Pattaya.

[NanLaew]

Kids aren't like Brazilian Carioca's and want to spend every day on a beach, be it Jomtien, Pattaya or Wong Amat. Apart from the earlier recommended Phoenix, Jomtien living means commutes to decent schools via the Theprassit and Sukhumvit gridlock. The dark side is the best side and when you want a beach fix, you can take the back way to Ban Saray or Sattahip's nice, quiet Navy beaches.

[guzzi850m2]

Where is OP? Looks like he left us, hmm.

[cms22]

The op is here!! We've moved to Pattaya and enjoying it. Staying in khao noi. You chaps who complain about the traffic in Pattaya - have you ever lived in ladprao payonyotin road? You may think the traffic is bad here but it is waaaay less than bkk.


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[thaibeachlovers]

5 minutes ago, cms22 said:

The op is here!! We've moved to Pattaya and enjoying it. Staying in khao noi. You chaps who complain about the traffic in Pattaya - have you ever lived in ladprao payonyotin road? You may think the traffic is bad here but it is waaaay less than bkk.


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Bad traffic is bad traffic. However, it can be slightly less bad than somewhere else, but that doesn't make it good traffic.

LOS has insane traffic.

The price of oil is eventually going to go up and then we will hear the screaming.