Moving South to the Sea

[champers]

Though I am happy in Naklua, I am sure that there are plenty of other places in the area where I could happily stay. That is the beauty of it: the variety of options and Dark Lord is likely to find at least one to meet his requirements. A month in a hotel to check out those options might be the best place to start.

[craigt3365]

9 hours ago, balo said:

I have lived in NaJomtien 1 year and I have lived in Jomtien soi watboon and soi chaiyapruek for 2 years  . Transportation was always a problem , I sold my car,  I got tired of the baht bus . If you want to go shopping , there's always Foodmart but not much to cheer about is it? 

 

Naklua is perfect , I am surprised I didn't look at this location earlier. Wongamat beach is cleaner and fewer people around than Pattaya beach.

No complaints so far.

Bug difference between Jomtien and NaJomtien, which starts about where beach road ends and goes south from there. Public transport is much better with Grab and Uber. But yes, your own wheels are required. I've got too many friends permanently messed, or not with us any more, from riding scooters. Not an option for me. Though I do take it to the nearby beach from time to time, but rarely.

 

I like not having to deal with Pattaya traffic. North Pattaya road is terrible to navigate. And will be a disaster in a few years with that new mall.

 

I rarely go into central Pattaya.

[Mooner]

On 6/1/2017 at 2:13 PM, newnative said:

Moved to Thailand from America in 2010.  We started in Rayong on the beach near Ban Phe.  Didn't last too long--just not enough to do and it was a fairly long drive in to Rayong to the stores like Home Pro.  No movie theater nearby and, actually, not many farangs around, either.  I was usually the only farang in Home Pro or the grocery store when we went shopping.  We ended up moving to Pattaya and it was the right move for us.  Some TV posters view Pattaya negatively and persist in insisting that it only has two things to offer--girls and bars.  However, we have friends like ourselves who live a very nice life here and never go near Walking Street, Soi 6, and the like.  In the seven years we have been here Pattaya has changed quite a bit--lots of nice, new hotels and condos have been built. Great housing choices whether you rent or buy--both in Pattaya itself and the quieter, outer areas.   A lot of ticky-tacky shacky type buildings have been torn down and replaced by nicer buildings.  New malls have opened and older malls, like Central Marina, have been beautifully re-done.  A number of family-type attractions have opened to join the ones already here--Harbor Mall has opened with lots of family entertainments such as an ice skating rink and roller skate rink, rock climbing wall, etc. Two big new waterparks opened--Cartoon Network and Ramayama.  Some nice, new restaurants--like The Chocolate Factory and Sky Gallery--have opened to join the wide variety of restaurants already here.  Two movie theaters playing movies in English are here--as are bowling alleys, lots of golf courses, and good public and private hospitals.   Terminal 21 is being built and it should be another great addition to a city that is changing for the better.  Anyway, maybe worth a look--there's a nice group of expats and retirees living here full and part-time. 

Errr! Im sorry but no movie theater? Laemtong has been there years. Also making a comment on a place that you stayed 7 years ago seems a bit pointless.

Ban Phe is 20km from Rayong but to be honest im not sure why people stay there.

Now Rayong has a Central Festival and all the shops that Pattaya has. Even Ban Phe has a Makro.

Times are a changing!

[newnative]

24 minutes ago, Mooner said:

Errr! Im sorry but no movie theater? Laemtong has been there years. Also making a comment on a place that you stayed 7 years ago seems a bit pointless.

Ban Phe is 20km from Rayong but to be honest im not sure why people stay there.

Now Rayong has a Central Festival and all the shops that Pattaya has. Even Ban Phe has a Makro.

Times are a changing!

Nice Rayong has some new attractions.  However, we were on the beach near Ban Phe and it still isn't where we would want to live as full-time residents--even with a Makro!--and I don't think it was pointless to indicate that living on the beach at Ban Phe wasn't the best choice for us and our lifestyle--with the reasons that I gave.  You, yourself, said you're not sure why people stay at Ban Phe--we simply discovered the same thing.  Someone else, though, might find it wonderful and just the place for them. 

[Mooner]

4 hours ago, newnative said:

Nice Rayong has some new attractions.  However, we were on the beach near Ban Phe and it still isn't where we would want to live as full-time residents--even with a Makro!--and I don't think it was pointless to indicate that living on the beach at Ban Phe wasn't the best choice for us and our lifestyle--with the reasons that I gave.  You, yourself, said you're not sure why people stay at Ban Phe--we simply discovered the same thing.  Someone else, though, might find it wonderful and just the place for them. 

The debate was about Rayong not Ban Phe. I only mentioned that it wasn't as far as you made out.

Things change every year and when somebody is asking for advice on a place to stay its pointless handing out 7 yr old advice.

[newnative]

17 minutes ago, Mooner said:

The debate was about Rayong not Ban Phe. I only mentioned that it wasn't as far as you made out.

Things change every year and when somebody is asking for advice on a place to stay its pointless handing out 7 yr old advice.

Umm.  I wasn't debating anything--and certainly not Rayong vs. Pattaya.  In my first post I stated that my partner and I started living in Thailand 7 years ago and we were originally at Rayong on the beach near Ban Phe.  It wasn't to our liking and we moved to Pattaya.  Almost all of the post is about living in Pattaya and the things we like about living here.  I wasn't handing out 7 year old advice about Rayong; actually I wasn't handing out advice at all.  The OP asked for some feedback on moving South and I gave him my take on Pattaya; Rayong was just mentioned in passing.  I did say Pattaya was 'maybe worth a look'--but I don't think that was really twisting someone's arm. 

 

[thaibeachlovers]

On ‎01‎.‎06‎.‎2017 at 8:13 PM, newnative said:

Moved to Thailand from America in 2010.  We started in Rayong on the beach near Ban Phe.  Didn't last too long--just not enough to do and it was a fairly long drive in to Rayong to the stores like Home Pro.  No movie theater nearby and, actually, not many farangs around, either.  I was usually the only farang in Home Pro or the grocery store when we went shopping.  We ended up moving to Pattaya and it was the right move for us.  Some TV posters view Pattaya negatively and persist in insisting that it only has two things to offer--girls and bars.  However, we have friends like ourselves who live a very nice life here and never go near Walking Street, Soi 6, and the like.  In the seven years we have been here Pattaya has changed quite a bit--lots of nice, new hotels and condos have been built. Great housing choices whether you rent or buy--both in Pattaya itself and the quieter, outer areas.   A lot of ticky-tacky shacky type buildings have been torn down and replaced by nicer buildings.  New malls have opened and older malls, like Central Marina, have been beautifully re-done.  A number of family-type attractions have opened to join the ones already here--Harbor Mall has opened with lots of family entertainments such as an ice skating rink and roller skate rink, rock climbing wall, etc. Two big new waterparks opened--Cartoon Network and Ramayama.  Some nice, new restaurants--like The Chocolate Factory and Sky Gallery--have opened to join the wide variety of restaurants already here.  Two movie theaters playing movies in English are here--as are bowling alleys, lots of golf courses, and good public and private hospitals.   Terminal 21 is being built and it should be another great addition to a city that is changing for the better.  Anyway, maybe worth a look--there's a nice group of expats and retirees living here full and part-time. 

I'd agree except for the traffic, and as you mentioned Terminal 21, it's going to get far worse in North Pattaya when that opens.

 

I'd go for Jomptien. While the traffic is probably not much better than Pattaya, it has no big malls being built, so unlikely to get worse. Plus it's a short baht bus ride away, so no need to drive over, and the beach is way better.

[thaibeachlovers]

On ‎03‎.‎06‎.‎2017 at 7:10 AM, bandito said:

Sattahip, safe too as it is the Headquarters of the Thai Royal Navy.

Really. I went there for a look and nothing would make me live there. The beach was filthy too and lots of derelict boats on it.

[newnative]

7 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I'd agree except for the traffic, and as you mentioned Terminal 21, it's going to get far worse in North Pattaya when that opens.

 

I'd go for Jomptien. While the traffic is probably not much better than Pattaya, it has no big malls being built, so unlikely to get worse. Plus it's a short baht bus ride away, so no need to drive over, and the beach is way better.

I've lived several places in Jomtien and I agree it's definitely worth considering if one's thinking of moving to the Pattaya area.  We liked the area closest to the beach--lovely ocean breezes, the sound of the waves, and, the baht bus right out your door to take you to Pattaya.  We had a wonderful evening with friends awhile ago at the Sandbar Restaurant--good food, good service, good, live music, lots of couples and families enjoying themselves, and right next to the beach and sea.  A slice of normal Pattaya that gets overlooked in all the ranting over Pattaya's image.  Many other restaurant choices, as well.  Jomtien doesn't need a big mall, in my opinion but it could use a shopping center with a grocery store like Foodland or MaxValue at the southern end--lot of new condos have been built there and more are being built.

[Turkleton]

Don't want to hijack this thread, but I'm also on the way to move from the "Darkside", to a little bit nicer place like NaJomtien.

Any specific  recommendations for that area?

I would prefer a house in a "quieter soi", over a "village/mooban".

(Budget: 10-12K Baht, two bedroom house with a little bit garden)

Thanks in advance.

[thinkingman]

I have a condo at Krisda (third from last high rise heading south on beach side in Ban Amphur).  Although you need a car, those last three condo buildings are quiet and clean. Never regretted the choice there.

 

For houses, would look off the Phoenix road on both left and right.  Have never gone down the side sois across from Krisda.

 

Nearest grocery is Makro.  Going to Central is a pain, but the peace and quiet and views make it all worthwhile.

[bandito]

On ‎6‎/‎5‎/‎2017 at 0:21 AM, thaibeachlovers said:

Really. I went there for a look and nothing would make me live there. The beach was filthy too and lots of derelict boats on it.

 

You sure you were in Sattahip?

I mean Sattahip town?

The Ambassadeur Hotel Jomtien is also in Sattahip which is Sattahip tambon.

The beaches are controlled by the Navy and are absolutely not filthy they're all on Navy land.

[SGD]

I am reading with interest as it is tangential to my own recent thread but I don't think things like airports are a consideration, unless you intend to fly every month. You go out for dinner, to the movies, play golf, go to the spa, take a walk, go shopping, relax in the locality etc. nigh on every day or ever week.

 

I could add issues with power (not so easy to fix), water (you can fix this one), internet (will surely come), availability of western goods (if important), etc. are the key drivers.

[thaibeachlovers]

19 hours ago, bandito said:

 

You sure you were in Sattahip?

I mean Sattahip town?

The Ambassadeur Hotel Jomtien is also in Sattahip which is Sattahip tambon.

The beaches are controlled by the Navy and are absolutely not filthy they're all on Navy land.

OK- I went on the songtheaw to where all the songtheaws stop and leave. There is a temple just ahead and to the right. The street that runs along the waterfront is beside the temple. On the other side of that road there is a small strip of Thai restaurants and just past them going towards the entrance to one of the Navy areas there are some trendy cafes and a boutique hotel.

After the cafes end, there are some fishing boats. On the BEACH there, there are a few derelict boats and old windsurf/ paddle boards on some collapsing racks.

The beach there is filthy.

I don't know what the beach is like in the Navy areas themselves, as I was informed I would not be allowed in- no farangs allowed

Sooooo, the only beach I saw in Sattahip was filthy.

[bandito]

7 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

OK- I went on the songtheaw to where all the songtheaws stop and leave. There is a temple just ahead and to the right. The street that runs along the waterfront is beside the temple. On the other side of that road there is a small strip of Thai restaurants and just past them going towards the entrance to one of the Navy areas there are some trendy cafes and a boutique hotel.

After the cafes end, there are some fishing boats. On the BEACH there, there are a few derelict boats and old windsurf/ paddle boards on some collapsing racks.

The beach there is filthy.

I don't know what the beach is like in the Navy areas themselves, as I was informed I would not be allowed in- no farangs allowed

Sooooo, the only beach I saw in Sattahip was filthy.

 

Aah, I know this area and you are right about that.

You were misinformed about not to be allowed on the beaches located on Navy land.

Most are outside of town, bit far, and the most popular is Nang Ram with a sea food restaurant, shower stalls and a clean sea where you- wait for it- can swim.

There are others nearby and at the edge of town.

There is a large lake in a park, practically in town, with a roadway around and used by most people for jogging and exercising and a Navy soldier who sits in a booth and who patrols sometimes around the lake on a bicycle.

TAT should give me a job writing reviews.  

 

[Jai Dee]

3 hours ago, bandito said:

You were misinformed about not to be allowed on the beaches located on Navy land.

 

Off-topic I know, but foreigners are definitely not allowed to visit the Royal Thai Navy beaches at Thung Prong Sattahip.

I was there with my wife last Friday.

I managed to drive through 3 checkpoints (dark window tint on the car) before getting to one of the two beaches (the other road was closed off).

My wife went to the toilet and I started taking a few photos.

An armed Navy guy soon appeared muttering about the "falung" but did not approach me so I ignored him.

When my wife came out of the toilet he spoke to her quite sternly (but politely) and she had to apologise and we took out leave.

Foreigners are not allowed on the base.

 

It was low tide.

 

[KittenKong]

On 06/06/2017 at 11:07 AM, SGD said:

I am reading with interest as it is tangential to my own recent thread but I don't think things like airports are a consideration, unless you intend to fly every month. You go out for dinner, to the movies, play golf, go to the spa, take a walk, go shopping, relax in the locality etc. nigh on every day or ever week.

 

I tend to combine the proximity of BKK airport with Bangkok proper as being advantageous. Whilst I dont usually fly more than once or twice a year (more this year) the trip to the airport is more or less the only one that I make that relies entirely on a schedule and might cost me a lot if I was late.

 

Apart from that I do go to Bangkok a couple of times a month without any fixed schedule and I find that the access to it from Pattaya is very good and quick (on the right days), with plenty of options for routes and choice of vehicle. Far more than from Hua Hin, for example.

[The Dark Lord]

On 03/06/2017 at 4:58 AM, pegman said:

TV at it's best. Good luck to you as you come across as a real gentleman. 

Hi dear Pegman, 

 

Nice compliment and I believe you to be spot on however there are some, most from my past, who may query the wisdom in giving me that label!

 

I am, after all is said and done, The Dark Lord!

 

on a serious note, you guys are just fantastic. Honestly both the current Mrs D Lord ( when she next speaks to me) and I really are bowled over that there are so many caring people on TVF who are willing to give up their time and put the effort in to help an Issan refugee. 

 

As has has been said by one much greater than I, may your God bless you!

 

am desperately trying to respond individually to each and every one  irrespective of if the suggestion hits out buttons or not, if you can give up your time and make the effort, then at the very least so can I. My only defence in the tardiness is the Current Mrs Dark Lord keeps volunteering me for taxi duty, teaching duty ( don't tell immig!)  interminable shopping duty, meeting the new FB friend for coffee duty or whatever is the most recent idea floating through her pretty but occasionally scatty head. 

 

Who said retirement was relaxing?

Edited June 7, 2017 by The Dark Lord
Had to remove shooting and replace with shopping

[The Dark Lord]

On 02/06/2017 at 2:45 PM, The Dark Lord said:

Thanks, very much appreciated your time and effort to reply. 

 

been to Phuket many times and found it to be more and more expensive each time we went there. Also felt our ex soviet friends seemed to be on the rise to the detriment of those originating from further west. Have a number of friends in Phuket but had dismissed it due to cost and the aforementioned ingress.

 

will refloat the concept with the current Mrs D Lord when she gets back from the hairdressers ( how much time do they spend in the hairdressers over a lifetime.....)

 

cheers

Sadly the current Mrs D Lord believes, quite strongly, that Phuket is too far from her "ever loving and cooperative" brood up here in Issan. For me that was a plus but it appears we do not share that opinion.

 

The things we do for a quiet life eh?

[The Dark Lord]

On 02/06/2017 at 3:18 PM, JSixpack said:

Lot of good points about Pattaya have been mentioned but an important one: medical care. Pattaya has 3 international hospitals and a public. Others are not so far away. Though the best care is in Bangkok, I think only Chiang Mai can offer much competition otherwise.

Hi J6pack, 

 

As ever, our most humble but genuine thanks to you for taking the time and effort to assist as well as caring. 

 

As this goes goes on I may need a place close to a ding dong hospital. They say divorce, moving house and something else are the most stressful things you will ever face in life. 

 

I beg  to be allowed to adjust that saying in that one of the factors mentioned is most likely to lead to the other........

 

The grand old duke of York, he had ten thousand.........

 

cheers guys.

 

[The Dark Lord]

On 02/06/2017 at 2:46 PM, NanLaew said:

A few of my peers who managed their finances and romances properly have the best of both worlds where they have the family home up in Isaan and either a condo or a second house down in Pattaya. They spend their time drifting back and forth and their biggest initial decision is which one of their two cars to leave at what home. Since the inter provincial drive is no longer the fun it used to be, they use the flights out of U-Tapao for their 'migrations'.

Hi dear NL my friend, 

 

Many thanks for taking the the time and effort to post, the current Mrs DL and I genuinely appreciate it. 

 

I intend to keep the current Dark Lord Baan up here in the wilderness and leave it, for the purposes of the 90 day report etc, as our primary castle of darkness. In actuality we will spend by far the most time in the new castle of darkness down south and current machinations are tending to focus our "rays of darkness" towards the Rayong area however we have not excluded any other Eastern Seaboard location nor has the HH / ChaAm suggestions been discarded. 

 

Sadly , as I have posted earlier, the current Mrs Dark Lord is not very keen ( understatement) on the Krabi / Phuket suggestions coz she considers it to be too far from the "ever loving, considerate" tribe in Issan. I however consider every additional km between them and us a bonus of virtually incomparable value to my life. After all if they really are as skint as they lay claim to be, the chances of a "visit" diminish tangentially with every km added to the separation. 

 

If ever I get my wish granted ( long story and different thread)  then we too will have to choose between either car to make the rare home visit and with that fantastic new CaoYai overpass nearing completion ( yeah!) the drive may we'll return to a measure of its fun status.  After all NakhonRatchasima international Airport is neither anywhere near to the town or on any transportation net which necessitates the use of the motor vehicle in our case.

 

 

Anyway we are having various levels of fun in this initial stage which I can easily imagine becoming more fun as we start to close options but in the meantime we will be doing as has been suggested several times by the good people of TVF and staying in each option region for a while to get the taste of it.

 

cheers

 

TDL

 

[The Dark Lord]

On 02/06/2017 at 4:10 PM, robertson468 said:

Have you considered Koh Samui?  Nearly everywhere is within a reasonable distance to the beach.  A couple or three Touristy Areas where one can go people watching.  Have Big C, Macro, Tesco Lotus and two Cinemas that frequently have English Language Films.  Plenty of scope to either be "in the midst" of it or within "spitting distance" with lots of nice and not too expensive restaurant and (non-girlie) bars, although there are some of those in Chaweng and Lamai if the fancy takes you. There are also a few clubs one can join such as Rotary, Bridge, Pool League and a few others which memory fails me at the moment.  The locals here are by and large very nice and the whole Island has an unintimidating atmospher.  Please pm me if you would like further information.

Hi dear Robo468,

 

Thanks for caring enough to give up your time and effort to post what is yet another awesome and superb suggestion. 

 

We both genuinely appreciate the sacrifice made and I for one am very interested in your suggestion. As the current Mrs Dark Lord is not at present feeling sufficient love for her master to contribute to a discourse, I will hold the suggestion in abeyance pending a thawing of relations.

 

Hope to come back to you shortly

 

cheers

 

TDL

[The Dark Lord]

On 02/06/2017 at 5:55 PM, Fulwell53 said:

Not a negative/anti thai post in the thread

Well done chaps...a nice read.

Same from the current but temporarily uncommunicative Mrs Dark Lord and The Dark Lord himself.

 

you guys ( not gender specific) are the cream of TVF ( no offence) and a credit to your selves. 

 

Top people!

 

cheers

 

TDL

[The Dark Lord]

On 02/06/2017 at 7:49 PM, SOUTHERNSTAR said:

OP before we settled we also had a good look.

 

Lets go through the options and my personal views on them.

 

Patts was just too busy for us with too many foreigners you feel as if (at that stage) you were in Russia rather than Thailand. I believe its now more like China. Jontiem is better but you still need to go to Patts for most shopping.

East coast - Rayong/Trat/Koh Chang is great but you are missing one thing, proper health care. You must go to Patts for a good hospital.

Phuket you are very far away from the Isaan family which can be positive but if you have good relationship with them it is a heck of a way to travel for visits. My comments regarding Patts also holds true for Phuket.

Trang is an option but again limited healthcare.

Krabi could be a good option and is has international hospital, but I don't know how good it is. Just the distance to Isaan maybe a problem.

Samui is beautiful but expensive. As soon as you stay on an island everything costs more. For me an island becomes to small too soon.

Surat and Chumphon area is more affordable but we shot it down due to floods/too many rainy days per year.

That leaves us with the Prachuap and Phetchaburi areas. It comes down to Cha-am, HH and Prachuap town. I have lived many years in HH but my vote goes to Prachuap town. Although there is no Bangkok hospital the government hospital is good. It is affordable, it is developing but not too fast and Ao Manoa beach is one of the best beaches in Thailand. One of my greatest grippes against HH and Cha-am is that property prices are too high. If you however need more action and shopping and decide on HH look at the area to the north of HH and south of Cha-am. The area between Soi 88 and 112 is now the hype among foreigners in HH. But this area is flood prone and have bad traffic problems when the Thai's invade town.

 

My advice is always pack your bags and travel too all the places. When you find an area you like stay a while and see if you really like it. When you find your paradise rent a place for a few months. If after the few months you still in love with the place settle down, if not move on. Good luck.

Dear SouthernStar,

 

I remember the first time I saw you whilst serving my time as an officer cadet around the time of the dinosaurs and being in awe then, having crossed the equator for the first time ( no water does not go down the drain in the other direction)  of first the Southern cross then, as you slowly came into the ascent, the Southern Star itself.

 

or have I got it mixed up?

 

Anyway blah blah aside, thanks for sharing. They say sharing is caring and you so obviously care and are willing to contribute your time and effort to help a poor refugee from the cultural wilderness if Issan, find his home.

 

In all honesty we were starting to slowly swing away from the HH/ChaAm area having been seduced, willingly, by the wonderful tales of the Rayong area. 

 

You, my friend have seduced us with your tale of adventure and decision making and I guarantee we will bring our version of darkness to your region for a visit to test the waters  in the not too distant future. 

 

Once the the plan becomes considerably less fluid than present and we can identify a period of time when we will be in your area, would there be a chance to meet and for us to listen more to your tales of daring do ( and what is there /where/how/why etc) in exchange for some form of refreshment usually served cold and towards the setting of the sun?

 

if so then pls let me know by pm ( if you are shy) or even in open forum where all current posters have shown exemplary local knowledge, high degrees of education, unheard of civility, beyond the call of duty assistance and untold kindness towards not only the Dark ones but each other as well.

 

(Shortened version, once we firm up plans is there any chance to catch up when we do our HH/Chaam tour please?)

 

cheers

 

TDL

[The Dark Lord]

On 02/06/2017 at 11:51 PM, craigt3365 said:

Lots of great info. I'm out of country for a few weeks,  but when back, will be more than happy to drive you around the area south of Pattaya. A bit like you in that I've no interest in the girly bars, nor areas with heavy traffic. That rules out Naklua to Jomtien and Cha Am to Hua Hin.

 

I do like to be near a bigger city for the shopping and entertainment available. Health care also. So far, am pretty happy in NaJomtien. The area from there to Bang  Saray is quite nice. Beaches are just ok. Clean water is an issue. Traffic is quite bad on holiday weekends. Heck, most weekends. But we just try to avoid travel then.

 

We're 10 minutes to Makro, Tesco, Big C, and plenty of hardware stores. There are some great restaurants right on the beach nearby. Plus, a thriving music scene if you are into that. And Pattaya is nearby for whatever interests you! LOL

Hi CraigT my friend, 

 

Fantastic feedback and as ever the current Mrs D Lord and I genuinely appreciate your caring approach, offer to "show us yours" and the time and effort so selflesssly donated to help this aspiring Issan refugee.

 

As we have mentioned to those lovely people to whom we have managed to respond to ( and I promise we will respond to you all ) as our plans start to firm up we will be in touch again such that we can trade off some well deserved refreshments as the sun makes its way ever westwards for your tour of your home town. 

 

I response to to your query concerning musical enjoyment, if I may misquote the Blues Brothers, I like both types, Pink and Floyd!

 

Probably a month or two hence as a relatively minor medical inconvenience precludes long car journeys ( me driving as the Current Mrs D Lord scares the bejezzus out of me and my credit card for repairs when she is behind the wheel)

 

Can we call that a deal?

 

Cheers

 

TDL

Edited June 7, 2017 by The Dark Lord
Elucidation on musical matters

[The Dark Lord]

On 03/06/2017 at 8:30 AM, Keesters said:

Nothing wrong with Pattaya. You just gotta find the right place. Been here 33 years and am <10 scooter minutes from Walking Street (not that i go there), Jomtien Beach, Tesco, Macro, Big C in a quiet cul-de-sac. No traffic, no noise unless birds twittering in the trees disturbs you.

 

I notice that a lot of people say outside of Pattaya and then say how close it is. Why not just be there!

 

 

Dear Keesters, 

 

many thanks for your kind contribution, as always the Current Mrs Dark Lord and the Dark Lord himself thank you most genuinely. You got it right when you said " you just have to find the right place" and for the two Dark Ones  (Mr and Mrs) the outpouring of selfless help and advice from the cream of TVF are helping us massively to do just that. 

 

For sure we we will be doing the Rayong /Jomtien / Patts and Naklua trip and when we do it is our hope that our offer of sunset refreshments and some Dark company will be sufficient to entice the shy ones out into the sunlight such that opinions, advice, experience and (the ever favourite of the Dark lord) stories can be exchanged in a most convivial atmosphere aiding that decision making process even further!

 

Can we count you in on that plan?

 

cheers

 

TDL

[The Dark Lord]

On 03/06/2017 at 8:43 AM, guzzi850m2 said:

Yes nice to have a tread without especially Pattaya being slammed.

 

We are also based in Naklua and likes it very much, our village is quiet and yet very close to down-town.

 

My garden is just enough that I can go hunting for insects to macro photographing, squirrels nesting up in one of the tress, snakes sometimes, yes wildlife quite impressive in our garden but so far; no tigers or elephants, he-he. 

 

The restaurant scene here is truly awesome, you can have everything here, from top steak restaurants to modest Thai ones and all in between.

 

At late as yesterday evening we went to a small Thai restaurant on Naklua road, the bill for the 3 of us was 320 baht and the food was very good.  

Dear (Moto?) Guzzi850,

 

Thanks not only for your caring and selfless approach to our quandary but also for sharing a bit of your life. Sounds fantastic right up to the point where you mentioned snakes!

 

i know we live in a country where snakes abound and where the little buggers will either squeeze you to death, bite you with a very nasty venom or just scare the cr** out if you but out of all living creatures that walk, slither, crawl swim or undulate on this wonderful planet on which we live,apart from sharks, nothing is more likely to give me that final heart attack that, from the doctors advice through the years based on my less than restrained lifestyle is just around the corner, than the sight of a sodding snake making itself comfortable "chez moi"

 

Being of an age where my handsomeness still counts and if you squint in very poor light you can appreciate why I remain a " handsome man" the final boom of the old ticker is something I would prefer to avoid if at all possible.

 

were you joking? ( I can on occasions be a bit slow or thick but I got the elephant and tiger joke but was the snake thing a joke or not?)If it was a genuine comment then what can be done to dissuade said slithering nightmare from coming near the house? Electric fencing? A deep water moat? 

 

Apart from a possible visit from "Hissing Sid" lifestyle sounds almost idyllic and thanks for sharing. 

 

When we do firm up the trip trip plans will more than likely be in your "manor" so maybe if ok with you, the offer of sunset refreshments could ebpntice a brief but exhaustive information download face to face? 

 

Cheers

 

TDL

[The Dark Lord]

On 03/06/2017 at 10:59 AM, Peterw42 said:

Yes I agree, we often go out as a big group, couples, singles etc and have a great time at local Jomtien bars. Some great live music etc.

There is a great bar/live music scene, nothing to do with walking st etc.

Dear PeterW and J6pack,

 

Sounds a blast and for sure we would love to earn access to such a lifestyle. We hope that the offer of a refreshment or two as the sun meanders towards the western horizon would count as a temporary membership to join one of those cracking evenings. 

 

The Current Mrs Dark Lord and I are neither shrinking violets nor ( I hope) obnoxious loud clowns and neither of us have had a night out like the ones you describe since we were in London so many years ago. I appreciate it is a tad forward and brass necked to make such a request but how better to learn than to experience? 

 

Cheers

 

TDL

[The Dark Lord]

On 04/06/2017 at 0:30 PM, balo said:

 

No I'm closer to Naklua rd, so for me it's 5 minutes to Wongamat and 2 minutes to Naklua rd, (Boncafe area)   which makes it easy to travel with the baht bus or just take a bike down to the city centre.  

Dear Baloo, Newnative, pegman, CraigT, Lou62

 

Cracking exchange between you all. No fighting but strong defence of each position. Perfect discussion and yet again demonstrates that there are some real quality chaps ( and chapesses) on TVF. 

 

Ones mans meat meat is another's poison so it is clear that each of you love your choices for home but acknowledge that others may differ. That kind of positive exchange helps us as well and both the Currently uncommunicative Mrs Dark Lord and I both appreciate the honest exchange as well the information you have given out in that exchange. 

 

Top guys, seriously !

 

cheers

 

TDL

[The Dark Lord]

On 04/06/2017 at 1:38 PM, champers said:

Though I am happy in Naklua, I am sure that there are plenty of other places in the area where I could happily stay. That is the beauty of it: the variety of options and Dark Lord is likely to find at least one to meet his requirements. A month in a hotel to check out those options might be the best place to start.

Dear Champers,

 

A Month!