Alternative retirement destination to Pattaya or within greater Pattaya ?

[SGD]

Forgive me as I suspect this topic or similar threads have been regular occurrences over the years but my current one month stay in Pattaya and prior to that a few weeks in Bangkok and elsewhere is (deliberately) making me think about the real alternatives to what was for many years a dead certainty destination for retirement, even if not a full 12 months every year.

 

I am not overly concerned about the condo versus house argument as that is a well trodden path. My own feeling is that a condo is easier and you can own it but I like to have my own house and pool and with certainty, I can rent or buy one of those anywhere.

 

However, I am concerned about the quality of life in a wider sense. I assume fast internet, decent hospitals if you have the means to pay etc. so I guess it comes down to the other stuff. But what is this other stuff in reality ?

 

It might also be that the growth of Pattaya, certainly out along the Eastern Seaboard provides options not previous available or considered. Bang Saray was off radar but is it still ? What will the much vaunted casino do for the town and can it become even more reckless ? Will prices escalate so that either yourself or your friends will have to leave, thus diminishing your own enjoyment ?

 

It is easy to trot out the old Hua Hin, Samui, Chiang Mai, etc. options but I've been there and spent time in Isaan and have no desire to be in a town or village with a one trick pony as the only western outlet aside from the bottom of yet another beer. I had long ago considered the South Andaman but what I knew has been destroyed by mass tourism and in many ways, places like Ao Nang have all the negatives of Pattaya without any of the positives.

 

A condo in Bangkok remains an option but I cycle between being in love with the city and (as right now) hating it. I don't think a long term option is the best choice if I am truthful.

 

At present, it would seem to be a house past Sukhumvit or potentially in Pratumnak but I do wonder whether I am missing an option or two which you may have considered and then discounted, hence posting in the Pattaya forum, because if you have decided to stay here, then you must have weighed up the options and made the decision already.

[ronjomtien]

Try Bang Saray area. Bang Ampur sois towards beach, so many rentals.

[KittenKong]

Bangkok. Too much traffic and unpleasant to get around in on a daily basis. Though if you are the sort of person who is happy staying in your condo enjoying a nice view and a swimming pool/fitness centre on the roof and just going out occasionally it could be ideal. I fit in that category and am often tempted, if only to get away from the crassness of Pattaya and its denizens. Close to airport, many good restaurants and well-stocked shops.

 

Chiang Mai. More traffic than I would like. Basically still a small town, so I would miss a bigger choice of restaurants. Much rain and much smoke/smog at certain times of year. Quite cheap. Some nice drives nearby. I would visit it for months but would probably not want to live there all year.

 

Hua Hin. Quiet. Civilised. Nice climate. Fair selection of restaurants/shops. Prices a bit higher than they should be. A long way to BKK airport. I like it though I dont see any real reason at the moment to sell up and move there.

 

Pattaya. I live nearby in Jomtien and I can see lots of green trees and blue sea from my condo. But I would not want to live in Pattaya itself. I do like the large number of restaurants and shops catering to farangs that are on my doorstep or within a few minutes drive. Convenient links to the airport and Bangkok. Easy enough to drive out of the city but you have to go quite a distance to find something nice once you are out.

 

Bang Saray. For me that's basically the same as Jomtien but a bit further out. So all the above comments about Pattaya apply. And to the Pong area near the lake and Huay Yai. Both similar. Would I live in all of those too? Yes, probably.

 

Phuket. Seems to rain every day. Surely the biggest number of scams and rip-offs per km2 anywhere in Thailand. High prices. Much traffic in towns. A long way from anywhere else. Some very pretty places once you get out of the main centres.

 

Everywhere else. Simply too dull and too Thai. I could not stay anywhere else here for more than a few days.

[ThailandLOS]

4 hours ago, SGD said:

At present, it would seem to be a house past Sukhumvit or potentially in Pratumnak but I do wonder whether I am missing an option or two which you may have considered and then discounted,

It might be you don't have to choose - in Siam Paragon BKK last week some of the developers were offering 2 for 1 on with a selection of Pratumnak, Cha Am and Rama IX BKK. I would expect that offer to stand in the foreseeable future.

 

Na Jomtien will likely take off in the next few years - especially the space around Ocean Marina where some very big projects are coming up backed by serious investors.

[GordonP]

Although I have chosen the furthest area of Jomtien, there are a lot of possibilities just a couple of km north or south of Pattaya City itself. Don't dismiss looking east as well (commonly known as the Darkside).

[KittenKong]

2 hours ago, ThailandLOS said:

It might be you don't have to choose - in Siam Paragon BKK last week some of the developers were offering 2 for 1 on with a selection of Pratumnak, Cha Am and Rama IX BKK.

 

How does that work? Buy a unit in one place and get a free one in another?

[ThailandLOS]

30 minutes ago, KittenKong said:

 

How does that work? Buy a unit in one place and get a free one in another?

Basically yes - they seem to be offloading some inventory, mostly 1 BR (which are always the hardest to sell). I wasn't interested and didn't inquire on price but would assume they are trying to get list price or more for those units (as opposed to the minimum price that every developer has in their feasibility study).

 

The developer I recall was www.adh.co.th with office in Ladprao BKK (for the record - I am not affiliated in any way).

 

A number of the other developers were dumping Pattaya/Pratumnak units for known reasons.

[ThailandLOS]

I find it fascinating and reassuring to be living in the middle of a mega city (BKK) where I can go out 3 am at night if I wish to do so - and visit an ATM, go for a walk or drop by 7/11 without having to look over my shoulder for potential muggers (unlike the places you mention).  Not that I can't handle myself - but I would rather avoid it. Two hours later I can be on a beach.

 

As to "widely organized societies" - the Thai society is extremely organized, just not by the government. Here everything is about (real) personal relations - and if you build and nurture those not much can go wrong.

 

 

[Rimmer]

An off topic post and reply has been removed, topic is about:

Alternative retirement destination to Pattaya or within greater Pattaya ?

[Keesters]

Pratumnak would be a good choice. On the right side of the highway for a quick trip to the beach. The tunnels will hold up traffic for many months/years to come. Don't believe the 5 minute to foodland real estate myth.

 

 

[sattahip]

I have a house in Ban Amphur in a seaside estate. It is a great place to live, only 15 minutes to shopping, a few more to downtown and all its facilities.

My house blog gives a good wrap up of the area

<http://beachhousethai.blogspot.com>

 

 

[Pattaya46]

23 minutes ago, sattahip said:

// only 15 minutes to shopping, a few more to downtown and all its facilities. //

Only 15 minutes ??

I am used to have a 7/11 or FamilyMart open 24/24 just in front of my place and I couldn't do without one now.

Sure you have to chose between a quiet place and one with all services 3minutes walk from your place. Not everyone will choose the same.

[thaibeachlovers]

If I were going to live in the Pattaya area I'd go for Jomptien. Roads just too inadequate north of Sukhumvit.

Of course traffic will be bad in Jomptien too- where in any Thai city isn't it bad? However, the beach is way better than Pattaya, and has everything Pattaya has except Walking St. and malls.

[sandyf]

Have a look at Bang Saen. Big enough and small enough with good government hospital.

Large beach area and fair number of events held there.  Easy access and convenient for Bangkok and the airport.

 

[fastandfurious47]

Hey, this my first post nice to meet.

Good question and many peoples wonder about this.  Trying to find a good place.

I would never live in Jomtien as I did for one year with my boyfriend.  We hated so much.

It might be good for the weekend Bangkok wanting to rest and quiet.  But if you are full time it is much boring.

If you want to have a life good, you have to get on that baht bus with the smokers and drinkers. I did it too many times not good.

Most who live in Jomtien seem to want cheaper charlie, which it probably is. But add up the bus and transport costs and time to do anything worth good and it not saving any monies.

The malls, grocery, shopping, movies, lady shopping, best food, all good, and more you cannot get in Jomtien but travel to Central.  

I now live in Central for 4 months and it is so much better. I can walk all places and have a good life no headache.

thank you

 

Edited June 13, 2017 by fastandfurious47

[KittenKong]

5 hours ago, fastandfurious47 said:

Most who live in Jomtien seem to want cheaper charlie, which it probably is. But add up the bus and transport costs and time to do anything worth good and it not saving any monies.

The malls, grocery, shopping, movies, lady shopping, best food, all good, and more you cannot get in Jomtien but travel to Central.  

 

I live in Jomtien but perhaps unlike the average cheap Charlie I have a car. When I want to go shopping I drive up to Sukumvit where I have the choice of a BigC, a big Tesco and the biggest Makro in town all within a few hundred yards of each other. And the traffic to get there is usually very light. So I find that very suitable.

 

As for restaurants, I do indeed sometimes go to Pattaya to eat but there is a pretty good selection of all types and styles of restaurant in Jomtien also, so I dont feel any sense of culinary isolation here.

 

As for bars, movies and "lady shopping" (not too sure that I want to know what that is), I dont feel the need for any of it.

 

Above all I can look out from my high-rise condo and see quite a nice view of sea, mountains and trees with relatively few buildings spoiling it. This is invaluable as far as I'm concerned. And one more nice thing about being in Jomtien is that Sukumvit and points south are very quickly accessible by car if I feel the need to leave town. Hopefully when the new tunnel or the motorway extension are open then getting to the airport and Bangkok and points north will also be that much easier.

[pegman]

10 hours ago, fastandfurious47 said:

Hey, this my first post nice to meet.

Good question and many peoples wonder about this.  Trying to find a good place.

I would never live in Jomtien as I did for one year with my boyfriend.  We hated so much.

It might be good for the weekend Bangkok wanting to rest and quiet.  But if you are full time it is much boring.

If you want to have a life good, you have to get on that baht bus with the smokers and drinkers. I did it too many times not good.

Most who live in Jomtien seem to want cheaper charlie, which it probably is. But add up the bus and transport costs and time to do anything worth good and it not saving any monies.

The malls, grocery, shopping, movies, lady shopping, best food, all good, and more you cannot get in Jomtien but travel to Central.  

I now live in Central for 4 months and it is so much better. I can walk all places and have a good life no headache.

thank you

 

That's nonsense. It is not cheaper to live in Jomtien. Most of the Farang living in Jomtien are retired. They can afford to pay for the less traffic  and noise. Otherwise they would be in the Soi Buakhao area. 

[NanLaew]

You haven't lived until you've loved in Loei.

[balo]

Dont forget the Naklua area north of Pattaya. Wongamat beach nearby and all the good restaurants and shops are within walking distance. And Central and Big C Marina only 5 min bikeride away