Calling it a day on Pattaya....

[chrisandsu]

On 3/19/2017 at 7:58 PM, F4UCorsair said:

Don't let the secret out londoedan!!

Bali anytime for me.  I get away  from the Idiots on the south coast, Kuta to Canggu, and just love It..... still, after almost 40 years, 100+ visits, and living there for a year.

Bali is probably the worst place I have ever visited in SE Asia ! I went just after the bombings there and swore I would never go back . The locals were nasty little shits and the Aussie bogans were the worst kind of trash possible . Made Pattaya ummmmm family friendly ?

Edited March 21, 2017 by chrisandsu

[craigt3365]

17 hours ago, harleyclarkey said:

 

Parts of Spain are expensive but by no means all. Move away from the coastal hot spots and you will find great value. Can't speak for Greece but right now they are in meltdown.

 

Why not look outside the box and have a look at Montenegro? Poland? Croatia? Slovenia? Cheap as chips, beautiful cities, scenery, mountains, beaches and sun!

By the way some stunning women.

The weather is what puts me off with some of these places.  Dang cold in the winter! Fantastic the rest of the year. 

[chrisandsu]

12 minutes ago, craigt3365 said:

The weather is what puts me off with some of these places.  Dang cold in the winter! Fantastic the rest of the year. 

Give Tenerife a go . Full

of leather skinned scandanavians in their speedos . Bit like hua hin actually  ....

Edited March 21, 2017 by chrisandsu

[craigt3365]

7 minutes ago, chrisandsu said:

Give Tenerife a go . Full

of leather skinned scandanavians in their speedos . Bit like hua hin actually  ....

I'm in Cyprus in about a month to check it out.  Also Malta, but they've got ridiculous residency requirements.

[chrisandsu]

11 minutes ago, craigt3365 said:

I'm in Cyprus in about a month to check it out.  Also Malta, but they've got ridiculous residency requirements.

I presume you have a British passport ? I would of though that as long as you stay on the Greek side you shouldn't have a problem

? 

[JSixpack]

1 hour ago, craigt3365 said:

The weather is what puts me off with some of these places.  Dang cold in the winter! Fantastic the rest of the year. 

True. I'd be shivering in an overcoat in Poland thinking how in Pattaya I'd just be wearin' a condom. And sure wishin' I could hit a go-go bar that night . . .

 

 

Edited March 21, 2017 by JSixpack

[JSixpack]

On 3/20/2017 at 11:00 AM, Thaidream said:

Actually, the tourists I was referring to are Western tourists who are mostly foul mouthed; drunk and disorderly; exhibiting disgusting and rude behavior to each other and even worse to the local Thais. Then throw in the way they are dressed and their lack of hygiene and you start to understand why the locals are disgusted with the tourist crowd. The bar scene has gotten worse over the years because those that work there have adopted the same attitude as their customers. No respect shown on either side.

 

As I mentioned mass tourism has destroyed Pattaya and it will continue so until the Thai Government is able to drive the sex scene out or to other places. Their goal is to turn the place into a more family oriented destination and a haven for middle to upper class Thais. The bar scene will eventually move out or die a natural death. It exists for the money but when the customers dry up- there will be no reason for its existence.

 

I've enjoyed viewing all those lovely, hot young Russian women this past high season though.

Edited March 21, 2017 by JSixpack

[AlexRich]

39 minutes ago, chrisandsu said:

I presume you have a British passport ? I would of though that as long as you stay on the Greek side you shouldn't have a problem

? 

 

I don't think the occupied North is that difficult to stay in either.

[craigt3365]

10 minutes ago, AlexRich said:

 

I don't think the occupied North is that difficult to stay in either.

I'll be going to both sides!  Can't wait.

[bkk6060]

If one has money issues and is not in interested in sex with many ladies, I get it.  

I have been coming for 7 years and I think Soi 6 has gotten better.  Albeit a higher price, but many cute young girls I think.

In fact, I think Pats is better for me because I have more knowledge of what to say, do, negotiate, where to go.

If someone has decent money and likes variety sex just about everyday, this place is great I think.

I am happy and have no desire to leave sit in some boring apartment/place in Los Angeles for $2000 a month and go online to meet girls for $200. No thanks.

[bkk6060]

14 hours ago, balo said:

After moving around a bit I found out it doesn't matter where you live n the world as long as you get what you need to live a good life.  

The reason most people settle down here is the climate and the prices. Because that's important in life,  Prostitution is not important , even if its available anywhere,  OP only seem to be mentioning the seedy parts of town  . 

 

 

 

As shallow as it might seem to some sorry to disagree prosti/pricing is very important to many guys I know here in fact possibly the #1 reason they stay.    

[AlexRich]

30 minutes ago, craigt3365 said:

I'll be going to both sides!  Can't wait.

 

You'll walk into the good weather ... the South is easy to live.  

[harleyclarkey]

12 hours ago, anotheruser said:

 

I lived in Poland for two years. can't recommend it. Warsaw won't be that cheap to rent something that isn't in a communist style flat. We had a very modern two bedroom condo that was somewhat luxurious for around 1,200 Euro a month.

 

Sure you can get cheaper but the cheap flats are pretty gruesome. Poland has surprisingly amazing country side and more UN heritage sites than most people can imagine. I looked into getting a cabin out in the country and they were dirt cheap but the average small Polish village has very very little to offer. 

 

If it is cheap that is your primary criteria of an ideal place to live Thailand is still hard to beat. If the primary concern isn't how to survive on 60,000 Baht a month and how easy it is to obtain a visa there are tons of options and the world is your oyster.

 

Every conversation about places to live seems focused on the lowest end budget possible. That is sort of sad but I guess for some a necessity. I did price comparisons for goods I use and for what I spend in Thailand many places come out favorably. 

 

I just bought something back in the USA but otherwise I would give Playa Del Carmen Mexico a good look. Maybe a tad more than Thailand at it's bottom end of the spectrum but for anybody more to the middle around the same. 

 

Visas are easy enough 6 months a time and you can renew back to back still as far as I know. Chicken by the kilo is twice the price of Thailand but wine is 30% the price of Thailand. I drink more wine than I eat chicken so it balances out. 

 

Pattaya is good for a weekend now and then but partying hard in Pattaya isn't exactly cheap.

 

 

 

I guess in all of these places you must avoid the main tourist spots. 

Poland has some wonderful cities away from Warsaw. 

I have travelled Burma over the past 5 years and here you will find genuine people that will have a genuine smile. I am not sure of property rights but Rangoon/Yangon is currently being transformed. Love this country.

 

My thinking and others replyng, is that as Thailand is an inexpensive place to live then perhaps the OP wanted a similar place to reside?

 

I exited Thailand years ago and now heading to Mauritius with my (fantastic) Mauritian GF of 10 years now and never a day of trouble! Note!!

Thailand, as I oft have said here, was paradise thirty years ago. Now it is a thoroughly awful corrupt country with not an iota of security for any Foreigner. It has become just too unstable for me to be comfortable.

 

The PM recently clearly stated that the property 30 x 3 is not legal and the 30-year lease is all any foreigner will get. Interesting days ahead when they expire.

Perhaps this is the plan all along .... to then transfer cheap property back into Thai hands?

[4737 Carlin]

On 20 March 2017 at 3:01 PM, JSixpack said:

 

True. The Cambodia Paradise myth was created about 20 years ago (I could quote a Pattaya Mail letter) for the purpose of bashing Pattaya. The basher/hater has been so disappointed in Pattaya (runny eggs, white sidewalls haircut, overcharged 10 baht) that it means Cambodia is SO much better and everybody's gonna move there. And that'll show those stupid, wicked Thais! YEAH. Just another bit of nonsense to support the Pattaya Perpetual Death Spiral.

Yes, those paradise myths are usually spun by those who've never actually tried living In Cambodia. As for Pattaya I visit there regularly (going next week) and enjoy the place a lot. I think because its not 'the real Asia' (whatever that is) is why I like it. Phnom Penh is a bit too much real Asia for me so I need to get out of here every couple of months for my own sanity. Those Pattaya stereotypes the OP mentioned (fat, foul-mouthed, Chang vest wearing Brits) are there in abundance but so are many respectful retired or bar-owning expats who don't fit that description.

[thaibeachlovers]

On 3/19/2017 at 9:29 PM, champers said:

Soi Buakhow and surrounds always seems pretty busy; have you tried there?

If the OP went to Soi 6 at 5pm it's not surprising it was quiet. Even bar girls have to eat sometime.

 

Re Buakhao- it's a perfect example as to why Pattaya is in the deep doo doo. A sensible city council that cared a damn would have made it the new Walking Street, and banned cars after 6pm. Not long ago they could have easily put a new road through on the beach side of Buakhao, as mostly open ground. That would have allowed Buakhao to be closed to traffic. As it is it's very dangerous due to stupid morons that speed along the 2 way narrow road.

Unfortunately, the council didn't care and it's all falling down now. At least in the past less vehicles, though the roads were just as bad. 

[stephenterry]

On 3/20/2017 at 6:51 PM, JaseTheBass said:

 

Not sure where to start...

The local people vs the modern world, the food, pollution, foreign community.

That'll do for now.

 

Total B/S -  There are modern shopping malls in Chiang Mai, you know, and the fruit and vegetable markets run by locals sell dirt cheap products. As for food, there are hundreds of restaurants catering for just about any cuisine you could want. In March this year there was one or two days of forest burning which caused air pollution, and everywhere in Thailand there are foreigners like yourself living in a condo or Moobahn.

 

Yes, I agree you could find peace in a cave up north - or better still, migrate to Pattaya as it's clearly a fitting place to live.

Edited March 22, 2017 by stephenterry
addition to text.

[Rimmer]

A couple of off topic posts have been removed

[JSixpack]

4 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

If the OP went to Soi 6 at 5pm it's not surprising it was quiet. Even bar girls have to eat sometime.

 

And eat outside the bars from food carts.

 

Quote

Re Buakhao- it's a perfect example as to why Pattaya is in the deep doo doo.

 

This merely means that impecunious old pensioners believe they are in deep doo doo. Pattaya isn't at all but is continuing expansion yet adjusting to changing conditions. Latest big infrastructure project is the tunnel.

 

Quote

A sensible city council that cared a damn would have made it the new Walking Street, and banned cars after 6pm.

 

Absurd idea conceived mainly for the convenience of the great Golden Egg Layers staying in flophouses around Soi Buakhao. No, they rightly aren't a priority in Pattaya development schemes by the sensible city council. Last I heard some more upscale hotels (relatively) are being planned for Buakhao. Just another reason to stay in Pattaya, right? Trouble is, them arrogant hotel clerks!

 

That said, I do think it's high time for a stop light at the intersection of Soi Diana and Buakhao. Perhaps they'll get around to that someday.

 

But you see the OP isn't concerned with infrastructure, traffic, sidewalks, or THE PROMENADE!!! Soi Buakhao wasn't mentioned among his woes as it is yours. His issues are merely that

 

(1) as a hansum man, he now feels an intolerable lack of fawning attention from beautiful women--'cause there aren't any. He actually doesn't care about sex, however, and so even all them old, ugly, fat ladies have probably figured out he's not paying any bar fines.  He also

 

(2) needs to feel part of a crowd to be happy, but he's not finding crowded streets & bars like he used to 25 years ago when Pattaya had about a fourth of the number of bars it does now. Gotta be streets with bars--I mean, Central's been pretty crowded this high season after all. Some, now, find this a blessing, as I do; and of course many a bar is in fact well patronized most of the time. The final issue is

 

(3) that of bigotry as he disdains some of the tourist groups now in Pattaya and is utterly helpless to find any means of avoiding them. His sense of aesthetics and proper manners have been affronted.

 

That's IT; nothing else matters.

 

Hence, OP has no choice but to leave. Seems wise. Bon voyage, OP. Let us know when you've found a place to meet the above requirements. Me, I think I shall be bothered to visit Soi 6 this afternoon.

 

Edited March 22, 2017 by JSixpack

[scubascuba3]

 

I do think it's high time for a stop light at the intersection of Soi Diana and Buakhao.

Nah, it seems to work ok, organised chaos. If walking its safer and easier to cross away from the junction.

 

[JaseTheBass]

3 hours ago, stephenterry said:

Total B/S -  There are modern shopping malls in Chiang Mai, you know, and the fruit and vegetable markets run by locals sell dirt cheap products. As for food, there are hundreds of restaurants catering for just about any cuisine you could want. In March this year there was one or two days of forest burning which caused air pollution, and everywhere in Thailand there are foreigners like yourself living in a condo or Moobahn.
 
Yes, I agree you could find peace in a cave up north - or better still, migrate to Pattaya as it's clearly a fitting place to live.

 

Sorry we don't all share the exact same feelings about everything.

I did pop back to Isaan yesterday for a bit of White Monkey Dancing and while they still can't drive for s***t there's a lot less of them being reckless. The cleaner air was lovely and its not full

The food was krap though.

 

Edited March 22, 2017 by Rimmer
slur

[bkk6060]

2 hours ago, JSixpack said:

 

And eat outside the bars from food carts.

 

 

This merely means that impecunious old pensioners believe they are in deep doo doo. Pattaya isn't at all but is continuing expansion yet adjusting to changing conditions. Latest big infrastructure project is the tunnel.

 

 

Absurd idea conceived mainly for the convenience of the great Golden Egg Layers staying in flophouses around Soi Buakhao. No, they rightly aren't a priority in Pattaya development schemes by the sensible city council. Last I heard some more upscale hotels (relatively) are being planned for Buakhao. Just another reason to stay in Pattaya, right? Trouble is, them arrogant hotel clerks!

 

That said, I do think it's high time for a stop light at the intersection of Soi Diana and Buakhao. Perhaps they'll get around to that someday.

 

But you see the OP isn't concerned with infrastructure, traffic, sidewalks, or THE PROMENADE!!! Soi Buakhao wasn't mentioned among his woes as it is yours. His issues are merely that

 

(1) as a hansum man, he now feels an intolerable lack of fawning attention from beautiful women--'cause there aren't any. He actually doesn't care about sex, however, and so even all them old, ugly, fat ladies have probably figured out he's not paying any bar fines.  He also

 

(2) needs to feel part of a crowd to be happy, but he's not finding crowded streets & bars like he used to 25 years ago when Pattaya had about a fourth of the number of bars it does now. Gotta be streets with bars--I mean, Central's been pretty crowded this high season after all. Some, now, find this a blessing, as I do; and of course many a bar is in fact well patronized most of the time. The final issue is

 

(3) that of bigotry as he disdains some of the tourist groups now in Pattaya and is utterly helpless to find any means of avoiding them. His sense of aesthetics and proper manners have been affronted.

 

That's IT; nothing else matters.

 

Hence, OP has no choice but to leave. Seems wise. Bon voyage, OP. Let us know when you've found a place to meet the above requirements. Me, I think I shall be bothered to visit Soi 6 this afternoon.

 

HA.  I just got back from Soi 6.  I like to hit it early no muss no fuss.  

 

Great post by the way but a traffic light on Diana at B?.  No way I could actually see a bigger back up, people running the light, more wrong way drivers to get around things. It is an insane intersection though I am amazed not many more accidents there.

Edited March 22, 2017 by bkk6060

[champers]

Pedestrian underpasses would be the best solution....... in my dreams.

[wpcoe]

1 hour ago, champers said:

Pedestrian underpasses would be the best solution....... in my dreams.

Especially when it rains.  Can you imagine?  

[JSixpack]

4 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Nah, it seems to work ok, organised chaos. If walking its safer and easier to cross away from the junction.

 

 

Spoken by a man who hasn't crossed from Soi Chaiyapoon over to Diana a few thousand times on a motorbike. I can deal w/ the walking. Of course there'll be backup as stop lights mean backup. I'll take it. :)

[JSixpack]

2 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

HA.  I just got back from Soi 6.  I like to hit it early no muss no fuss.  

 

Great post by the way but a traffic light on Diana at B?.  No way I could actually see a bigger back up, people running the light, more wrong way drivers to get around things. It is an insane intersection though I am amazed not many more accidents there.

 

I probably saw you there. After reading the OP I was shocked--shocked!--to find plenty o' wimmens in the bars, couldn't resist a cold one in The Pussy Bar, next to Horny bar. It's hot as hell out on the streets lately so nobody much wants to be walking around, and quite a few ladies have retreated to the aircon inside--if there is any. So, yes, if you must rely on a crowd to tell you you're enjoying yourself, that'll be an issue.

 

I think the OP never got what life long term in Pattaya means. Having a few fave bars & restos you hit regularly, with friends there; regulars among the girls you enjoy, or a girlfriend/wife; hobbies, activities you enjoy; and--the really hard part for many--learning basic Thai. W/ some Thai, you distinguish yourself from the idiots; a lot of hassles disappear & interacting becomes mostly pleasant; and you learn to appreciate some of the Thai characters around and get some great stories, funny, tragic, or merely kinda interesting, 'cause they'd never happen back home.

 

Edited March 22, 2017 by JSixpack

[JimCrane]

7 hours ago, JSixpack said:

 

I probably saw you there. After reading the OP I was shocked--shocked!--to find plenty o' wimmens in the bars, couldn't resist a cold one in The Pussy Bar, next to Horny bar. It's hot as hell out on the streets lately so nobody much wants to be walking around, and quite a few ladies have retreated to the aircon inside--if there is any. So, yes, if you must rely on a crowd to tell you you're enjoying yourself, that'll be an issue.

 

I think the OP never got what life long term in Pattaya means. Having a few fave bars & restos you hit regularly, with friends there; regulars among the girls you enjoy, or a girlfriend/wife; hobbies, activities you enjoy; and--the really hard part for many--learning basic Thai. W/ some Thai, you distinguish yourself from the idiots; a lot of hassles disappear & interacting becomes mostly pleasant; and you learn to appreciate some of the Thai characters around and get some great stories, funny, tragic, or merely kinda interesting, 'cause they'd never happen back home.

 

If your interested in thai culture or distinguishing yourself from the idiots pattaya is about the last place you'd want to be

[JSixpack]

1 hour ago, JimCrane said:

If your interested in thai culture or distinguishing yourself from the idiots pattaya is about the last place you'd want to be

 

Quite the opposite, as the idiots are so numerous that distinguishing oneself is for you so much easier and for Thais all the more welcome. Pattaya has a large & diverse population of Thais from many parts of the country, and actually they don't know any culture other than Thai no matter how they may act on the surface. So in fact you can learn quite a lot from them, including stuff you'd never find out in some traditional, conservative town, and have some good laughs. 'Course, we're talking about common culture; average Thais know about as much about Thai High Culture as average farangs do about John Milton. I'd say your view is both superficial and stereotypical.

Edited March 22, 2017 by JSixpack

[thaibeachlovers]

19 hours ago, champers said:

Pedestrian underpasses would be the best solution....... in my dreams.

Thou jest. Within a minute of being opened would be full of disabled beggars, young children selling pencils to mongers, litter and the brown stuff, and inhabited by muggers.

Overpasses only thank you.

[Asiantravel]

9 hours ago, JSixpack said:

 

Quite the opposite, as the idiots are so numerous that distinguishing oneself is for you so much easier and for Thais all the more welcome. Pattaya has a large & diverse population of Thais from many parts of the country, and actually they don't know any culture other than Thai no matter how they may act on the surface. So in fact you can learn quite a lot from them, including stuff you'd never find out in some traditional, conservative town, and have some good laughs. 'Course, we're talking about common culture; average Thais know about as much about Thai High Culture as average farangs do about John Milton. I'd say your view is both superficial and stereotypical.

 

  it's as if you seem to think you have a deep understanding of their Psyche . It's what they say about you after you have left that would reveal the most about their culture

 

[champers]

3 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Thou jest. Within a minute of being opened would be full of disabled beggars, young children selling pencils to mongers, litter and the brown stuff, and inhabited by muggers.

Overpasses only thank you.

I doth.