Moving to Rayong. Need some advice please.

[gojuken]

Hi. I am moving to Rayong on May 23. Lived all over Thailand for the past 30 years and want to give Rayong a month's trial. As far as I know, there are three places I may want to live in ; Amphoe Mueang, Ban Chang or Ban Phe. Not sure which to choose.

 

I speak fluent Thai so communication is not an issue. 

I teach Martial Arts so definitely need a gym/fitness centre. Need a laugh and a joke and female company too. Food's good everywhere so that's not a problem.

 

Accomodation : comfortable apartment or condo within walking distance of a gym/fitness centre, bars /sleezy hang out joints and female company.

 

I would be really grateful for some advice based upon my requirements set out above.

 

Thanks.

[banchang]

Banchang fits the bill, bars ,good food, still very Thai.


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[steve187]

1 hour ago, banchang said:

Banchang fits the bill, bars ,good food, still very Thai.


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not so sure about the gym, maybe one of the hotels

[LennyW]

A few gyms in Ban Chang now.

Lots of food options.

Lots of Bars.

Girls.

Lots of nice apartments that dont cost too much.

Cant go far wrong in Ban Chang!!

[OJAS]

And, should you be minded to extend your month's trial and in due course need to interract with Immigration on 90-day reporting, etc, you will find Ban Chang to be reasonably handily placed for the local immigration office at Maptaput.

[gojuken]

16 hours ago, banchang said:

Banchang fits the bill, bars ,good food, still very Thai.


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Thanks a lot to banchang, steve187 and Lenny W.

Decision made : banchang it is!

 

Should any of you guys know of a reasonably priced but quiet and comfortable apt/condo, please let me know at your earliest so I can view/book.

Again, thanks for spending your time helping me out.

Hope we meet!

[gojuken]

Thanks a lot OJAS. It's all looking very favorable .

Can't wait to get there! Boring myself to death here in Chiang Mai.

Gym, eating and apartment is my routine. Nightlife here is well worn out 

and has been for a while. 

Still has good points though : inexpensive apartments and food.

Not many places where you can get Pad Bai Grapow Kai Dow for Baht 35

....... and excellent too! Cheers.

[UncleE]

Hey Guys, got any tips on where the best girl action is to be found and what type?   Is there a central area?   I live in Mae Phim and sometimes wanna  head someplace a little more "active", but not Pattaya.   I did hear rumor the pizza delivery girls there are really "friendly and young"  and not on a tight schedule to get back to the shop for the next delivery.  Thx in advance.

[OJAS]

23 hours ago, gojuken said:

Thanks a lot OJAS. It's all looking very favorable .

Can't wait to get there! Boring myself to death here in Chiang Mai.

Gym, eating and apartment is my routine. Nightlife here is well worn out 

and has been for a while. 

Still has good points though : inexpensive apartments and food.

Not many places where you can get Pad Bai Grapow Kai Dow for Baht 35

....... and excellent too! Cheers.

Yep, you can definitely say goodbye to all the horror stories I've read on here about the Chiang Mai Immigration Office! Maptaput are far more civilised and don't, for example, require us retirees to queue up from the small hours for our annual extensions. Whatever few difficulties I have experienced with them over the years have tended to result from their officers' rudimentary grasp of English - but, seeing as you are fluent in Thai, this won't, of course, be an issue for you!

[UncleE]

FYI, I also speak fluent Thai so wouldn't be looking for farang type beer bars, but would take a look, hehe.

[gojuken]

To Uncle E,

 

Your comment taken on board. So, would you say I would be better off 

living elsewhere in Rayong ( other than Ban Chang )?

 

I like the ways Thais socialize : the whisky, sodas and ice complemented with various 'Gap Grem' dishes. Also love Thai music ( and of course Thai girls ).

 

I don't want to mess - up from the beginning and rent in the wrong place.

 

Bacically I'm after a reasonably priced apartment/ condo circa 6,000/month

exclusive of utilities, a good gym/ fitness centre, good places to enjoy a grog and a girl to go home with.

 

Any advice, suggestions, recommendations would be much appreciated.

I'll be there next Tuesday or Wednesday.

 

Thanks.

 

 

[steve73]

Why not spend a week in each... then your last week where you preferred.

Ban Chang has plenty of farang type beer-bars.

Muang has real Thai bars/clubs, although there is an expat teacher scene.

Ban Phe is the tourist stop off point to Koh Samet, with a few expat bars.

3 totally different places IMO, suiting completely different types of person. 

[sandrabbit]

Why not try a few different places for a month or two?. Try Rayong city itself, some good nightlife there. We live at Hat Mae Rhumpung Beach which is divided between Ban Phe & Taphong and a gym/martial arts centre recently opened down the road but I think it's dedicated to jiu jitsu but the area is possibly too quiet going by your post. Someone posted from Laem Mae Phim, it's beautiful and has wonderful beaches in the area but it's like a graveyard. Wherever you go in Rayong try our beach on a public holiday or weekend as it's a Thai resort area so you get the Bangkok and Chonburi crowds on the weekend plus the tour buses coming from up north for when you're looking for some company. For your 6000 baht a month you wouldn't get a nice condo here, you'd be looking at Thai standard accommodation as there are a lot of people working in Industry in Rayong. For example we have a basement condo for rent in a nice building on the beach but we would be looking for about 8000 minimum for long term rental. I can't say what rents are like elsewhere in Rayong but here it seems just as expensive as Koh Samet.

[gojuken]

Thanks again steve73 and sandrabbit.  I welcome your advice, suggestions etc.

Problem about trying different places is that I only have until June 19 when I fly out to Naha City, Okinawa for an important grading in the system of martial arts that I teach.

 

I've been like an angel in Chiang Mai : gym, lunch, apt, dinner, apt and sleep!

Need to wind up for a couple of weeks and rest up on the last.

Also, I want to rent somewhere for a month. Not keen on moving around from guest house to guest house or hotel to hotel. Never know what kind of person's in the adjoining room. Hate my sleep time interrupted.

 

Hence the I importance of getting it ' right '.

I've seen quite a few apts circa 6,000 that look fine. ' Life Apt. ' being one of them.

Still waiting for a few replies.

 

I was quite set on Ban Chang until UncleE commented. Lol.

 

After Okinawa, should I still be in working order, I'll return to Rayong. 

This trip is for reconnaissance and letting off steam with a R&R period prior to flying out.

 

Any more assistance would be most welcome.

 

Thanks.

 

Ken

[bangkokairportlink]

why so many bars and expats at Ban Chang ?

[gojuken]

To: bangkokairportlink.

 

Maybe the two go together. Haha.

I won't be there until 23/24 May. Never been before.

Lots of EFL teachers there I hear ...... I am also one but

don't need to teach now. When I did, a beer and a bit of female company relieved the pain. Pattaya is not my cup of tea : nether is Bangkok. Cha-am is pleasant 

but a bit small and bland. 

I'm in Chiang Mai as I write and that's gone down the infamous nick over the past 30 years I've been here.

So, I'm heading for Rayong hoping for the best.

[Mooner]

Live in Ko Samet but go to Rayong frequently. There is a road parrallel to the main Sukhumvit which is full of bars, clubs and restaurants.

Cant remember the name but just google Zoods and they are all on that street.

There is a new gym in Laemtong shopping mall and a few condos in that area and its very central so its a good place to start.

There are lots of Farang in Ban Phe. Not sure why. Songtaews go from Rayong to ban phe for 25 baht so if you fancy a weekend beach trip its not far.

[gojuken]

Thanks mooner. Heard about that road too. It's in Amphoe Mueang.

Seems mostly Thai but there are some Farang bars too. 

I'm easy with both. Speak Thai fluently and like their sense of humour. 

Heard about Ban Phe too. Sounds a good place for a few drinks. 

The three defining factors are ;

 

Good and reasonably priced accommodation.

 

Good gym/fitness also reasonably priced.

 

Last but not least ( haha ) .... availability of reasonably attractive girls who 

are willing to go back to the ' Ban ' without hassle or putting in too much effort.

 

Been all over Thailand in the past 30 years of being here.

Lots of strange, wonderful and not so wonderful experiences.

I want to ensure as much as possible a ' wonderful ' Rayong experience.

Hence the research here prior to arrival next week. Lol.

 

 

 

 

[sandrabbit]

Zood is nice & classy and it doesn't matter if the bars are Thai as it's quite friendly but a few years ago a 19 yr old barmaid from Ban Phe was killed in a drive by shooting sitting outside Zood. I enjoyed a xmas party at Rayong Brew in the same street and after there went to the Love Club, girly bar, and really enjoyed the band playing there. There is another club on the Sukhumvit Road just up from Tesco Lotus which I enjoyed as well, I remember watching a football game from the champions league with the owner sat outside in armchairs. If you have never been to Rayong before you have to bear in mind that it's the most industrialised part of Thailand with Map ta Phut being the largest industrial estate in Thailand. If you want another reason to move to this area, Koh Samet is the driest part of Thailand and us in Ban Phe/Taphong get the benefits of this and a lot of Scandinavians have found this out and holiday here during rainy season.

[ericthai]

5 hours ago, bangkokairportlink said:

why so many bars and expats at Ban Chang ?

expats working in Rayong.  Allot of factories and multinational companies in Rayong in the Mat Ta Put industrial area and in Laem Chabang Eastern Seaboard. 

[gojuken]

Thanks sandrabbit. I myself enjoy being in the company of Thais.

I imagine the bar girls in Farang  bars in Ban Chang expect lady drinks.

Had enough of that! Problem is though ' no drink, no company '.

A downer to say the least.

 

Still in limbo right now but I'm vearing slightly towards Amphoe Mueang. 

[Mooner]

1 hour ago, gojuken said:

Thanks sandrabbit. I myself enjoy being in the company of Thais.

I imagine the bar girls in Farang  bars in Ban Chang expect lady drinks.

Had enough of that! Problem is though ' no drink, no company '.

A downer to say the least.

 

Still in limbo right now but I'm vearing slightly towards Amphoe Mueang. 

Sandrabbit knows the drill. Ive been to those places are they are all fun.

Loveclub can be a drainer if you start talking to the girls;)

Being able to speak Thai you dont really need much more info here.

Get yourself down that street and start talking to Thais and they will point you in the right direction.

[gojuken]

Thanks mooner. It's Amphoe Mueang and THAT Street for me! Haha.

Any recommendations re : nearby accommodation?

Small apartment/studio is fine with a/c, fridge, TV with good English channels

( spend most afternoons in ) and of course free wifi in the room.

Quietness is a priority after 11 pm. 

Walking  distance to a gym /fitness  centre would be a bonus.

 

Thanks.

[sandrabbit]

5 hours ago, gojuken said:

Thanks mooner. It's Amphoe Mueang and THAT Street for me! Haha.

Any recommendations re : nearby accommodation?

Small apartment/studio is fine with a/c, fridge, TV with good English channels

( spend most afternoons in ) and of course free wifi in the room.

Quietness is a priority after 11 pm. 

Walking  distance to a gym /fitness  centre would be a bonus.

 

Thanks.

There seem to be a lot of new build condos/apartments in the area but they're not really high rise and there's places around the Bangkok Rayong hospital which is on the same road but further west from the nightlife. I had one night in intensive care there and was being chatted up by 6 nurses as they stripped me off but I had to decline their advances as I'm spoken for. One thing to consider is that a member of the royal family has taken up a years post at the magistrates court near there so the traffic has to wait twice a day for the entourage to pass.

 

Found a couple of websites, just googled condos apts in Rayong city

 

http://www.renthub.in.th/en/apartment/rayong

 

https://www.thailand-property.com/condos-for-rent/rayong

 

http://www.thaiproperty.net/Condo-for-rent-Rayong

 

[gojuken]

Thanks sandrabbit. I've come up with two what look like good options.

P. Place Serviced Apartments

and

Iyala Apartments.

 

Don't know if you are familiar with them but they're in close proximity to

places you mentioned in ' thee road '.

 

Sent enquiries off and just hope they reply in the affirmative. 

 

Head's spinning right now. Need a break from searching.

 

Thanks for all your help so far.

[misterphil]

The best thing in Ban Chang Rayong is Sukhumvit Road back to Pattaya.

 

Lasted a year there and was very disappointed. 

 

There is a good gym in a village that you can pay monthly. Forget the name now but if you go up the Ban Chang strip road where all the bars are from Sukhumvit and via right at the top of that road. Follow the road along and the village is on the left. 

 

The Ban Chang strip is like a soft version of Soi 6 Pattaya. 

 

Chang Country Village

SAP Sombun Village

 

http://banchanglife.com/ban-chang-strip/

 

 

[gojuken]

Hi misterphil,

 

Thanks for the info. I have heard that the girls in Ban Chang bars 

are not so attractive. 

What would you say about that?

[Jessi]

50 minutes ago, gojuken said:

Hi misterphil,

 

Thanks for the info. I have heard that the girls in Ban Chang bars 

are not so attractive. 

What would you say about that?

They are rejects from soi 6 in Pattaya. 

[gojuken]

Thanks Jessi. Even the existing Soi 6 'service girls ' aren't anything special.

Only walked the gauntlet there a couple of years ago. Nothing that took my interest. Have never ventured inside any of the premises on that Soi.

Not my thing anyway. I'm more of a Thai karaoke guy with the Hong Thong, soda and ice complimented with a few ' Gap Grem ' dishes and a Thai chick enjoying the whole experience at the table with me. 

Wherever that is in Rayong, I'll be there!

[Jessi]

1 hour ago, gojuken said:

Thanks Jessi. Even the existing Soi 6 'service girls ' aren't anything special.

Only walked the gauntlet there a couple of years ago. Nothing that took my interest. Have never ventured inside any of the premises on that Soi.

Not my thing anyway. I'm more of a Thai karaoke guy with the Hong Thong, soda and ice complimented with a few ' Gap Grem ' dishes and a Thai chick enjoying the whole experience at the table with me. 

Wherever that is in Rayong, I'll be there!

They were  rejected  10 years ago and they are still in the bars in Ban Chang. Please take a look for yourself. It could be a new experience for you.