Pattaya General Tips

[iamkanga]

Posted over on PA but think is probably better value here!

 

As a relatively new expat August 2016 just thought I would share a couple of tips Ive not come across on my extensive reading on forums. Obviously long termers probably aware of these.

 

1 The lifesaver for me as I don't own a car, Tesco Home Delivery FREE. Phone app and really great web page makes for a seamless experience. For me its about beer my last order 3 cases also bottled water. I generally buy other consumables that dont require me to touch or feel also. A really solid service and easy to use!

 

2 Real milk. Some wont know or care but I am a milk snob and don't like the reconstituted from powder Menji and most others sold. But Big C Foodland and Tesco sell a brand called Chock Chai the real deal and creamier than I drank in Aus, in fact I think their HiLo version is about the same as my full strength from Aus.

 

3 Great $2 style shop. Above tops Supermarket on the DS Khao Noi. Clean bright cheap and huge. Has to be owned by Farang. If you are setting up here definitely worth a trip I just went today and was really impressed with the depth of variety and quality commonly lacking in Thai $2 shops.

 

4. <DELETED>

 

5 Really Big Fresh Produce Markets on Thepprasit heading down to beach LHS near Thepprasit Alley 15 I think. Big concrete open building has a name I cant recall, its usually pretty quite when im there as its lunch time but I think its an early morning thing but really cheap and tonnes of choice. 

 

6 Thepprasit Night Market same side of the road but opposite end past Thepprasit Alley 3 heading away from the beach. Open Friday/Saturday/Sunday. The best Night Market I have ever seen! <deleted> HUUUGGE! Worth it just to see all the young sexy girls! Has a couple of small bars for admiring the view! 

 

7 Golf a Small par 3 Golf Course in Pratumnak  opposite Cabbages and Condoms. Good for a hit play as many holes as you like for less than 500b.

 

 

Anyway hope someone benefits from my motley selection and feel free to add your own and if the forum permits I will add them here giving you credit.

Cheers Kanga

[champers]

Like you, iamkanga, I am recently installed here as a retiree. Every day I find out new things about the place and, though there are some gripes to be had, I have no regrets. 

This forum is great for tips and advice and even the moaners and whingers are good entertainment.

[marino28]

thanks for the information.

 

Can you explaine more better this point?

 

 

3 Great $2 style shop. Above tops Supermarket on the DS Khao Noi. Clean bright cheap and huge. Has to be owned by Farang. If you are setting up here definitely worth a trip I just went today and was really impressed with the depth of variety and quality commonly lacking in Thai $2 shops.

 

 

 

i don't understand where is it.

Thanks again

 

 

 

Edited July 6, 2017 by marino28

[iamkanga]

4 minutes ago, marino28 said:

thanks for the information.

 

Can you explaine more better this point?

 

 

3 Great $2 style shop. Above tops Supermarket on the DS Khao Noi. Clean bright cheap and huge. Has to be owned by Farang. If you are setting up here definitely worth a trip I just went today and was really impressed with the depth of variety and quality commonly lacking in Thai $2 shops.

 

 

i don't understand where is it.

Thanks again

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Tops+Supermarket/@12.9231881,100.9112361,19z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x9e394a10a6fcc26a!8m2!3d12.9230097!4d100.9109031

 

Think that should show you is a small shopping mall.

[KittenKong]

3 hours ago, iamkanga said:

2 Real milk. Some wont know or care but I am a milk snob and don't like the reconstituted from powder Menji and most others sold. But Big C Foodland and Tesco sell a brand called Chock Chai the real deal and creamier than I drank in Aus, in fact I think their HiLo version is about the same as my full strength from Aus.

 

I always buy Meiji milk. It tastes fine to me, unlike the other common brands like Dutch Mill. Never tried the Chock Chai one though I've seen it in many places. I will do so.

[midas]

" 2 Real milk. Some wont know or care but I am a milk snob and don't like the reconstituted from powder Menji and most others sold. "

 

If you are a relatively new expat perhaps you are also  unaware of the defamation laws in Thailand?

 

Quote

 

And one final comment, there are some foolish people in Thailand (westerners, of course), who believe any rumour going around, particularly if it makes a Thai corporation look bad. The rumour that’s been going round for years is that Thai milk is made from milk powder. It’s not.

Long-life milk in cartons in Thailand is made with milk powder. Milk, like Meiji, that you will find in the freezer section of Thai supermarkets is fresh milk just like anywhere else in the world. Don’t let the fools persuade you otherwise.

 

 

http://tastythailand.com/looking-for-the-best-milk-in-thailand-try-meiji-milk/

[iamkanga]

6 minutes ago, midas said:

" 2 Real milk. Some wont know or care but I am a milk snob and don't like the reconstituted from powder Menji and most others sold. "

 

If you are a relatively new expat perhaps you are also  unaware of the defamation laws in Thailand?

 

 

http://tastythailand.com/looking-for-the-best-milk-in-thailand-try-meiji-milk/

Thanks for that from my research previously I came up with the opposite result. I will spend some time on it again and amend accordingly. 

 

But I do notice a taste difference though that doesn't mean it is reconstituted of course.

 

Cheers

 

or I guess you could just do it for me...

 

Edited July 6, 2017 by iamkanga

[marino28]

I don't know which milk is make from powder or not, but I tried all the milk, and my favorite one is chokchai milk as well

[balo]

Meiji milk is real pasteurized milk , the closest to what I'm used to in Europe. Are you sure they don't use powder in Chok Chai ? Most of the coffee bars, including Starbucks only use Meiji.

 

 

[iamkanga]

11 minutes ago, balo said:

Meiji milk is real pasteurized milk , the closest to what I'm used to in Europe. Are you sure they don't use powder in Chok Chai ? Most of the coffee bars, including Starbucks only use Meiji.

 

 

No Im not sure at all now!

[williamgeorgeallen]

my tip would be the rompo market and beer bars. great food and cheap beers in an open aired atmosphere. 

[Peterw42]

Jomtien night market is good, its a tourist market but has lots of good cheaper food and seating, or buy and take across to the beach.

Sky gallery is great to go to now and then, a big daybed and some food and drinks for an afternoon, great view.

All the hidden away army beaches south of pattaya, the russians seem to all know about them but not so many other westeners.

[KittenKong]

Just now, Peterw42 said:

Jomtien night market is good, its a tourist market but has lots of good cheaper food and seating,.....

 

But how could anyone stand the awful noise from the grotesque children's disco?

[Peterw42]

19 minutes ago, KittenKong said:

 

But how could anyone stand the awful noise from the grotesque children's disco?

Yes it can be a bit full on right in front , we usually sit up the other end or over at the beach watching the volleyball.

I actually like it when they are playing some good music, watching the kids dancing, its a little melting pot Russian kids dancing with Thai kids. I wish a few of the pattaya bashers could see it as its all families and kids etc. The new playground opposite must have 100 kids in there most nights.

Edited July 7, 2017 by Peterw42

[little mary sunshine]

2 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

Me too and as a  recent arrival,  why are there so many older western men walking around looking miserable and grumpy.  Even my wife and daughter have noticed  it 

Ignore the miserable and grumpy....they have been that way their

entire lives....age has little to do with their attitude..

 

They will only "Bring You Down".

 

[NoshowJones]

No 1. Not everyone makes beer their first priority, do I detect a drink problem here? But, up to you.

[NoshowJones]

20 hours ago, iamkanga said:

Yes no regrets for sure. But I probably feel more weary about the whingers but I have a low tolerance level for fools! 555

Forums are for all types, so let's enjoy it, happy guys, whingers, drunks. All kinds make this forum the forum it is. That right Steven100?

[NoshowJones]

19 hours ago, KittenKong said:

 

I always buy Meiji milk. It tastes fine to me, unlike the other common brands like Dutch Mill. Never tried the Chock Chai one though I've seen it in many places. I will do so.

I love drinking milk, I cannot tell the difference between Meiji and Dutch Mill, but I will look out for Chock Chai.

[NoshowJones]

2 hours ago, pumpjack said:

 

here is the start of the whingers !!    some moaners really should stay home .

       i love the jomtien night market,          its great to see families enjoy their holiday with the kids,  i love to see the kids dancing and singing , its a real delight and anyone thinks thats a bad thing then they really are a sad bunch of pathetic losers in my view . 

 

         for my few bahts worth...try big c foodcourt in pattaya klang,  many dishes there for 40 baht ,  clean fresh and cheap food  !!!

Here is the second of the whingers (but honest, I am not always a whinger, I just say it as I see it) these food courts turn me off, I just

refuse to queue twice for the one thing. Just go up, get what you want, and pay your money. What could be simpler?

[captnhoy]

I recently discovered a brand of milk called Magnolia. They call their whole milk "full fat" which seems kind of amusing. It is probably the best milk I have ever had.  Stocked at Makro in my town in S. Thailand.

[balo]

3 hours ago, Pilotman said:

why are there so many older western men walking around looking miserable and grumpy.  Even my wife and daughter have noticed  it 

 

They try to blend in , haven't you noticed that many local Thais also looks miserable and grumpy  ?  

[Rimmer]

Multiple off topic posts have been removed, topic is about:

 

Pattaya General Tips

 

[nasanews]

On 7/6/2017 at 2:53 PM, iamkanga said:

2 Real milk. Some wont know or care but I am a milk snob and don't like the reconstituted from powder Menji and most others sold. But Big C Foodland and Tesco sell a brand called Chock Chai the real deal and creamier than I drank in Aus, in fact I think their HiLo version is about the same as my full strength from Aus.

You are a big boy now, milk is not good for adults I guess.

[KittenKong]

2 hours ago, captnhoy said:

I recently discovered a brand of milk called Magnolia. They call their whole milk "full fat" which seems kind of amusing. It is probably the best milk I have ever had.

 

I tried that once but I didnt like it as much as Meiji.

[thaitero]

Taste of Magnolia and Chokchai are nearest to my homeland (finland) so they are my favorites too..

[gk10002000]

You new expats are making it tough for me to focus on work here.  I was planning on 2 more years before I punch out, despite reaching all my financial goals.  I figured it was still a good idea to dosh up the accounts and income investments just to be safe in case I need more in retirement than expected.

[NanLaew]

8 hours ago, captnhoy said:

I recently discovered a brand of milk called Magnolia. They call their whole milk "full fat" which seems kind of amusing. It is probably the best milk I have ever had.  Stocked at Makro in my town in S. Thailand.

Magnolia is also my favorite; their 'full fat' equates taste wise with Borden's 2% fat in the US. I was a Chock Chai buyer for years but had a couple of bad bottles last year and switched. But if they are out of Magnolia, I will buy (small bottles of) Chok Chai. I found there's a bit of sweetness in Meiji and Dutch Mill which may be a local, regional preference but not mine. OK for tea and coffee and cooking though.

 

There's also a fairly new brand called "mMilk" with a simple white label with black spots. Seen it in Tops (Central Food) and Big C. Has a slightly creamier or richer taste than Magnolia. Make sure you get the 100% full milk and not their lactose-free variety which has similar labeling and took me ages to get through!

Edited July 7, 2017 by NanLaew

[KittenKong]

9 hours ago, possum1931 said:

I love drinking milk, I cannot tell the difference between Meiji and Dutch Mill, but I will look out for Chock Chai.

 

I never drink milk. I do put it in tea and in cooking. Also on cornflakes and muesli. I always buy the non-skimmed full-fat sort as I hate skimmed milk.

 

The only milk I like in tea here is Meiji. In cooking or on cereals I doubt I could really tell the difference (assuming all were full-fat). I could certainly tell the difference between skimmed and non-skimmed milk though.

[pomchop]

Surprisingly, when consumers are presented with whole, 2%, 1%, and skim milk in blind taste tests, few can taste the difference between those types of milk. In previous campaigns, more than a quarter of consumers confused whole and skim milk and more than a third mistook whole and 1% milk. In Kentucky, over 5,000 individuals tried the Blind taste test and 80% of them chose 1% milk as their favorite milk!

 

Try a BLIND taste test and u might be surprised at your  inability to tell skim from low fat or even whole milk.....

[IAMHERE]

17 hours ago, possum1931 said:

Here is the second of the whingers (but honest, I am not always a whinger, I just say it as I see it) these food courts turn me off, I just

refuse to queue twice for the one thing. Just go up, get what you want, and pay your money. What could be simpler?

I like the idea that the cooks/servers haven't been handling the money as I know where some of it has been to get so dirty. Nice clean tickets for the vender.