Hi All,

 

I have been back to the States from LOS for 8 years, and am planning my return in 3 years or so. My wife's village is 30 minutes from Trang town, and for sure I am not going to settle down and live in her village year round. It seems like the best strategy would be to live in Trang town. I've hung out there cumulatively for a total of 3 weeks or so, one or 2 days at a time.

 

There's not much Trang news on this Southern Thailand forum, but please let me ask: "Is there any news about Trang from somebody who lives there, has lived there, or anybody that has recently visited it or passed through?" I am thirsty for any Trang town news.

 

I envision enjoying the nice weather, a short drive to the beach occasionally, do some - but not a lot of - work via the Internet, and hopefully be able to have pizza or Mexican food once every week or 2. Opinions?

 

Thanks in advance, Steve

My GF and myself have a house near Huay Yot 25 kms from Trang city and apart from shopping I can see little else for a farang to do there sorry

Thanks a lot for the response, Petermilk. My wife's family enclave is about 10 km west of "downtown" Huay Yot.

Our base is in Pattaya but virtually every three weeks or so go down for a ten day stay,nice peaceful place but no other farangs there and virtually nothing to do i the evenings except for watching TV,we often visit Krabi and Koh Lanta for 3 night stays but I,m not ready (and doubtful ever will be) to make the move permanent......the newly built house,two years,is something for her when my toes curl up as her family live nearby.

The decision to have this house built was entirely mine and the money spent is money I can well afford to walk away from if need be

Good insight here as I am considering this area... apparently the  Tesco and The PSU campus are the main shows in town... The Main hotel close to the train station is another... will check it out soon...

 

However, it is exactly the appeal of the distance from the hustle and bustle of a major metropolitan city that many seek, for the expat, an occasional pizza and beer fix is necessary ok Mac Donalds too.

Petermilk, I did the same. Built a house for my wife in her village that we could stay at when we visited - from Singapore or Phuket - and also put rubber trees on 10 rai of land that are ready to tap this year or next. The house has turned into a bit of a community center and my aim with the rubber trees is to provide her immediate family and cousins with a bit of income. I don't expect anything from any of it, just to help.

 

Rhys, let me know what's up when you visit.

 

Phuket Town was great 10 years ago when I lived there, but from what I understand from a good friend, all that home-town feeling is gone and it's overrun by Chinese tourists, traffic, pollution, etc. Since Trang is so close to Huay Yot, it looks attractive to me and it's off the tourist radar so far.

 

Thanks both of you for the comments. I miss so much waking up in the morning, going out on the balcony with a cup of coffee, and looking out over the jungle hillside. And have that feeling  with a huge smile on my face that I am in Thailand.

Where about in the states...

 

Pha Khum just off the Trang road out of Huay Yot

All I can tell you friend is that they are still exporting grilled pork,,,

 

20 hours ago, Rhys said:

Where about in the states...

 

I am in Kansas outside of Topeka, where I was born and raised. I moved away in my late teens, experiencing the world, so being back here is pretty cool - for awhile.

I just got back from Trang Town.  My family lives in Amphur Palien in the south and I visit yearly.  This time, I spent a week in Trang town before heading to the village.   It is as peaceful as always.  There are some great facebook groups for Trang folk to keep you connected no matter where you are:

 

Trang the City of Happiness at ตรัง

Trangstory.com ทุกเรื่องเมืองตรัง

Trang FC (they're doing quite well this year)

 

There are also a bunch of Amphur Palien specific groups sharing news, etc., so I imagine there are for your specific part of Trang, too.

 

To clarify on an earlier point, there isn't a McDonald's in Trang Town, but there are several KFC locations and Pizza company.  Tesco and Big C are small, but sufficient.  The Robinson's is nice sized.  The center point night market is good for local snacks.  There are several foreigner catering cafes near the train station and clock tower.  All of the big hotels have western menu options on their menus.

 

Beach trips are easy -- several local tour groups offer day trips.  The big ones run out of Trang town, but there are smaller ones directly at beaches/in specific districts.

 

As I consider my eventual move to Trang Town, one thing that I'll miss are English language movies.  My Thai is enough to get around, but I still struggle a bit watching the dubbed movies in Trang.

Oh, and I just saw the comment about Chinese tourists.  Didn't see a one while I was there.  I took a day trip to the islands from Trang town.  Of the 20 people on the trip, 3 were farang tourists, the rest were Thai.   I took two day trips to the islands from Amphur Palien and all of the tourists were Thai.   In and around Trang Town I would see a few farang tourists here or there, never saw a Chinese tourist.    Trang Town is still clean and relatively peaceful.    I first started visiting Trang Town in 1989 and so, since then, things have certainly grown, but not to a degree to be worried or concerned that it is now a town overrun with tourists and tourism mess.

On 7/5/2017 at 3:01 PM, Joosesis said:

Oh, and I just saw the comment about Chinese tourists.  Didn't see a one while I was there.  I took a day trip to the islands from Trang town.  Of the 20 people on the trip, 3 were farang tourists, the rest were Thai.   I took two day trips to the islands from Amphur Palien and all of the tourists were Thai.   In and around Trang Town I would see a few farang tourists here or there, never saw a Chinese tourist.    Trang Town is still clean and relatively peaceful.    I first started visiting Trang Town in 1989 and so, since then, things have certainly grown, but not to a degree to be worried or concerned that it is now a town overrun with tourists and tourism mess.

Wow, Joosesis, thanks a lot for the report and comments.

 

(

BTW, I did find some favorable reviews from a tourist about 4 years ago here:

http://www.lashworldtour.com/2013/06/trang-thailand.html

http://www.lashworldtour.com/2013/07/guide-tropical-islands-trang-province-thailand.html

)

 

I think I've found my destination in Trang town. The only thing left is to dream, scheme, and plot to get back :-)  The first step would be to go over with wife and kids for a week or 2 of vacation next summer...

 

On 7/4/2017 at 10:13 PM, ItsPhuketTownNotCity said:

Petermilk, I did the same. Built a house for my wife in her village that we could stay at when we visited - from Singapore or Phuket - and also put rubber trees on 10 rai of land that are ready to tap this year or next. The house has turned into a bit of a community center and my aim with the rubber trees is to provide her immediate family and cousins with a bit of income. I don't expect anything from any of it, just to help.

 

Rhys, let me know what's up when you visit.

 

Phuket Town was great 10 years ago when I lived there, but from what I understand from a good friend, all that home-town feeling is gone and it's overrun by Chinese tourists, traffic, pollution, etc. Since Trang is so close to Huay Yot, it looks attractive to me and it's off the tourist radar so far.

 

Thanks both of you for the comments. I miss so much waking up in the morning, going out on the balcony with a cup of coffee, and looking out over the jungle hillside. And have that feeling  with a huge smile on my face that I am in Thailand.

 

A nice visit.....a find....by the train station there is a white glass window restaurant that serves... the best EGGS BENEDICTS.. They do the sauce and the eggs proud and add a little salmon... and the weekend treat for sure..

 

 

The restaurant at the Thummrin Thanna Hotel is good but expensive... the cheeseburger and pad thai cost the same..... pang!

 

 

Going back in a few weeks, keep you posted...

 

 

On 7/13/2017 at 3:34 AM, Rhys said:

 

A nice visit.....a find....by the train station there is a white glass window restaurant that serves... the best EGGS BENEDICTS.. They do the sauce and the eggs proud and add a little salmon... and the weekend treat for sure..

 

 

The restaurant at the Thummrin Thanna Hotel is good but expensive... the cheeseburger and pad thai cost the same..... pang!

 

 

Going back in a few weeks, keep you posted...

 

 

Thanks a lot for the report, Rhys! It made my day.

A new one for you... Guava... American Mexican and Thai food establishment... a bit expensive but worth it.  In  the Amphur Muang Trang...

On 8/4/2017 at 4:30 PM, Rhys said:

A new one for you... Guava... American Mexican and Thai food establishment... a bit expensive but worth it.  In  the Amphur Muang Trang...

Thanks a lot, Rhys... A Mexican restaurant in Trang is a nice surprise.

I lived in Trang a bit over a decade ago (time flies) - just for a bit over a year - so have little to add about what is happening  there now

I have very fond memories - there are waterfalls and hills inland, islands that are easy to get to off the coast - the people were friendly - a mix of thai, chinese and southness.

Its not that far to Hat Yai, Satun, Krabi and Phuket.

 

I guess the kids I taught are the pillars of society now (or not). We lived in a small gated soi out past the Tesco/ Makro near the airport - many a day after work I would take the Honda Wave for a spin out thru the rubber plantations to the hills or down the coast to Kantang , Had Chao Mai or Pak Meng.- thru the villages, past the gaol and airport. 

The missus worked at Sinocha coffee shop near the railway station - but its probably gone now.

I would be very happy if I was planning  an imminent return there. 

(Maybe one day I will be)

 

Sin Ocha is still there!

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Actually, the big department stores are there and four on the same road.... Home Pro, Makro, Tesco Big c....Robinson Mall is on the other side of town...

 

Another find.. excellent pizza.. Moma Mia... by a pisan.. no doubt..