# Hua Hin Expats?



## sweenjr56

Did try a search first, but just wondering on any of the obvious benefits of Hua Hin as a retirement location. I like the beach and would like something a little more social than the sticks. Also an Artist so would like to get involved in any local art scene.

Had a wonderful time again in Thailand visiting my wife's family in Prachinburi, going up to Chaing Mai and then down to Hua Hin. It looks more and more like Hua Hin will be our retiremnt resting place. It is close enough yet far away enough from the in-laws (4 hours). It also looks like it has a sizable enough expat population not as crazy as Bangkok but still a sizeable city.

Here is a link to some photos of the trip. I welcome all comments.

http://www.madkatstudios.com/Thailand2011/index.html[Link to own website removed by Moderator - photos can be added to your Expatforum profile]

~John


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## doope

from what i understand, the only drawback is the typhoon reaching your front door over there.

but otherwise seems like a great alternative to chiang mai and pattaya.


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## hhfarang

doope said:


> from what i understand, the only drawback is the typhoon reaching your front door over there.
> 
> but otherwise seems like a great alternative to chiang mai and pattaya.


I've lived in Hua Hin for eight years and there are no typhoons here. They all form in the China sea and would have to cross Viet Nam and Cambodia (which kills them) to reach Hua Hin. Only the extreme south eastern corner (south of Pattaya) and southern Thailand (close to Malaysia have the opportunity to experience typhoons.


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## TomC

I've heard of rare occasional floodings but never of typhoons. Are we talking the same Hua Hin? Here is food for thought, the King has a palace there. That tells you a lot because the King could have palaces anywhere in the country but they chose Hua Hin.


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## Song_Si

Hi

Four hours to the in-laws - sounds like our situation, 200km north of us - close enough for weekend visits, far enough that there won't be unexpected visitors here!

Weather in Hua Hin - this link gives the monthly averages for 30 years - not recent figures but doubt things have changed too much (no global warming debate please!)

30 year Average (1961-1990) - HUA HIN 










This one gives you today's conditions


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## sweenjr56

Wow! Looks like quite a bit of rain in Sept - Oct Guessing that might be a good time of year to come back to the States for a visit. How rainy is the rainy season anyway???


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## sweenjr56

Hi Song_Si,
Thanks for the reply 
I am thinking the same thing close enough to visit but far enough to prevent an unexpected visit  My wife had a convenience store built in her village that the family runs. Seems like they (her siblings, nieces & nephews and parents) will be able to support themselves which had been a worry of mine. We also had a house built in the village but it has been completely over run with them all so any dreams I had of retiring there are out of the question. Really hoping that a couple more years here working and saving will get us enough to retire early. 

where abouts in Thailand are you?
~John



Song_Si said:


> Hi
> 
> Four hours to the in-laws - sounds like our situation, 200km north of us - close enough for weekend visits, far enough that there won't be unexpected visitors here!
> 
> Weather in Hua Hin - this link gives the monthly averages for 30 years - not recent figures but doubt things have changed too much (no global warming debate please!)
> 
> 30 year Average (1961-1990) - HUA HIN
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This one gives you today's conditions


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## Song_Si

^ we're in Chanthaburi, the south-eastern side of the Gulf of Thailand, follow link in my signature file for many a happy-snap of our life here

I like it, but it's not for everyone, it is practically westerner-free (and English-free), just one other native English speaker in our town of 5000, and about six teachers at schools in the city 12km away, they tend to be new grads who come out for a working hol. 

If the man at Immigration is to be believed, there are about 100 westerners in a population of over half a million in the province, half of those are Scandinavians around Soi Dao about 80km north of us, balance mainly Germans some of whom have been here 20yrs plus.

Not the place for expat socialising!


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## hhfarang

sweenjr56 said:


> Wow! Looks like quite a bit of rain in Sept - Oct Guessing that might be a good time of year to come back to the States for a visit. How rainy is the rainy season anyway???


Yes, actually October is typically the wettest month with September running a close second. I've seen years here where those were the only two months with any rain to speak of but this month is shaping up to be the wettest June I've seen with showers (sometimes heavy) almost every day for a couple of weeks.

Hua Hin is one of the driest areas in Thailand and even during the periods of heavy rain, it is typically fast moving fronts or storms that can dump a lot of water fast and then it's sunny again in a couple of hours (sometimes in ten minutes!). We can have some light temporary flooding during particularly heavy storms, but drought conditions (with water shortages in many areas) are more the norm.

As for moving to Hua Hin, I've been living here full time for over eight years and in that time it has changed dramatically. It used to have that small town atmosphere and not much traffic crowding, etc., but after the Tsunami in 2004 a lot of people from Phuket and the surrounding devastated areas came north to live and open businesses here; both Thais and foreigners. It was then discovered as a foreign tourist and living destination and I suspect it has since been the fastest growing town in Thailand. 

Part of that has been good and some not so good. It lost a lot of it's small town charm, has been overbuilt faster than the infrastructure can be developed, has traffic and parking problems and a lot of seedy Thais and foreigners came here to exploit and prey upon the unwary and strip them of their cash. The cost of living has gone up exponentially in those years because of the influx of cash and I suspect it's difficult for the average Thai to get by on their income so the crime rate has risen too, especially crimes like burglary, purse snatching, pick pocketing, etc.. 

On the plus side, when I came there was only the fresh market, one small Thai type of grocery store, and a handful of foreign food restaurants. Now there is a shopping mall with HomePro (hardware and homeware) and Tesco Super Market anchor stores, plus three other large chain type home/hardware stores and three other large super markets and a bigger variety of restaurants than any other town I've seen this size. Pretty much any food you crave, domestic or imported is available here now either to make at home or to eat in a restaurant.

I liked it better before when it was a bit quieter, but I still think it is one of the best places to live in Thailand, especially for families.

Single men may still prefer Pattaya, Phuket, or Bangkok... :eyebrows:


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## sweenjr56

eager said:


> Have read that the beach is full of horse droppings


Not so eager,,, have been there twice now in the past 4 years, there were a few ponys/horses to rent but as I recall there also was someone to scoop up after them. And I would guess Hua Hin has changed dramatically with all the construction going on. Was thinking I may check out a little further South or North of Hua Hin... also happily married to a Thai nurse


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## tjbr52

Check out Jack Altry on Facebook. He has a bar down there. He's a very drawled Scot.


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