# moving to Pattaya



## NORMY

If a condo is advertised for say 25,000B a mo, can you dicker with the price? I've got a lot of experience, good/bad to have small cycle for getting around Pattaya? better to lease or buy the bike? Don't want to have loud noise at nite, Jomtien best? or how about just north of Pattaya? I'd like to find a nice gal, no bar girl, can you find someone in Pattaya who's not looking to rip you off or is Chiang Mai a better choice? I'd appreciate any and all advice


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## Guest

I'm sure there are some ok parts of town, but Pattaya has got a pretty bad rep, and the crime rate is much higher than most other areas of Thailand (except for the far south where the stats are distorted by insurgent killings).

Hated the place myself - sprawling tourist resort, some decent places to live on the estates on the outside of town but full of expats, hardly a Thai to be seen in these 'exclusive' areas. Seedy, deserves its sex capital label. If you really are not interested in the bar girl scene, then you would do better to look elsewhere. In Pattaya it's pretty hard to avoid.

It's relatively expensive in Pattaya. You can rent a decent condo for 10,000 baht a month in the centre of Chiang Mai. If you're not worried about deco there are even small places that can be rented for as little as 5,000 baht pm. I had a two bedroomed house with garden for 10,000 baht a month, a 5 minute walk from the centre of town. I could have got the same place on the outskirts of town for half the price. 

You can haggle prices over anything. My experience with trying to negotiate rental prices in CM is that you won't get very far, at best a very small reduction.


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## Guest

Just a thought, I don't know what your circumstances are - have you visited many places in Thailand? I would travel a bit first - you can get some pretty good one off rental rates for minimum stays of a month, and that gives you a lot of time to get a feel for a place and explore the area.

I tried Bangkok and Pattaya - not my thing - never made it down to Phuket, but I'm told it's a lot nicer than Pattaya. Same goes for Chumphon, and the islands of course. Chiang Rai in the north too small and quiet for me, Lampang, places in the East, same problem.

That said after the initial buzz most people end up looking for a bit more of a quiet life within 6 months to a year. 

So Chiang Mai was the best compromise. Cheaper, it's not Bangkok but there's a fair bit going on, relatively safe, good climate.


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## goingglobal

*That's more like it Normy.*



NORMY said:


> If a condo is advertised for say 25,000B a mo, can you dicker with the price? I've got a lot of experience, good/bad to have small cycle for getting around Pattaya? better to lease or buy the bike? Don't want to have loud noise at nite, Jomtien best? or how about just north of Pattaya? I'd like to find a nice gal, no bar girl, can you find someone in Pattaya who's not looking to rip you off or is Chiang Mai a better choice? I'd appreciate any and all advice


You are in the right spot now. I know 2 friends who got their girlfriends right out the bar. Dragged their asses into the Doctor. and away they went. One for 2 years so far and one going on 1 year. But, and this is a big but...they both take their wallets with them to the bathroom. But, so what? Take your wallet.

I have no use for Pattaya, but give it a try. It will only get better elsewhere. I got my lady in Pai, which is a few hours up from Chiang Mai.

Normy, they are everywhere, trust me. Like low hanging fruit.


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## goingglobal

NORMY said:


> If a condo is advertised for say 25,000B a mo, can you dicker with the price? I've got a lot of experience, good/bad to have small cycle for getting around Pattaya? better to lease or buy the bike? Don't want to have loud noise at nite, Jomtien best? or how about just north of Pattaya? I'd like to find a nice gal, no bar girl, can you find someone in Pattaya who's not looking to rip you off or is Chiang Mai a better choice? I'd appreciate any and all advice


Oh, also. If you can get to know a Thai before you settle in permanently, they can sometimes help you get the price down. But not always. Thais are funny people regards to other Thais being tight with Farangs. But it is not impossible. I have some really nice close Thai friends, but it took time.


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## NORMY

I might "rent" a bar girl but no way I'm trusting any of them for a serious relationship. No place to find someone who's interested in you as apposed to your wallet! I'm going to join the local expat club, should be able to get sound advice about the ropes. Thanks again for your input


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## daddiOOO

*where to live?*



frogblogger said:


> Just a thought, I don't know what your circumstances are - have you visited many places in Thailand? I would travel a bit first - you can get some pretty good one off rental rates for minimum stays of a month, and that gives you a lot of time to get a feel for a place and explore the area.
> 
> I tried Bangkok and Pattaya - not my thing - never made it down to Phuket, but I'm told it's a lot nicer than Pattaya. Same goes for Chumphon, and the islands of course. Chiang Rai in the north too small and quiet for me, Lampang, places in the East, same problem.
> 
> That said after the initial buzz most people end up looking for a bit more of a quiet life within 6 months to a year.
> 
> So Chiang Mai was the best compromise. Cheaper, it's not Bangkok but there's a fair bit going on, relatively safe, good climate.


I was just in ChiangMai and Pattya. ChiangMai is cheaper and cooler, but I understand they burn the rice fields in the Dry Season, which could be a problem for people with respiratory illness. I had a problem adjusting to the heat and humidity of Pattya/Jomtien. I am told it takes at least 10 days. I was in Phuket in 1982. It was a quiet beach town then. I am told that development has made it very expensive now. I met bar girls in Pattya who said they left Phuket to find a job in Pattya. and of course, the Andaman sea is subject to tsunamis.


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## KhwaamLap

daddiOOO said:


> I was just in ChiangMai and Pattya. ChiangMai is cheaper and cooler, but I understand they burn the rice fields in the Dry Season, which could be a problem for people with respiratory illness. I had a problem adjusting to the heat and humidity of Pattya/Jomtien. I am told it takes at least 10 days. I was in Phuket in 1982. It was a quiet beach town then. I am told that development has made it very expensive now. I met bar girls in Pattya who said they left Phuket to find a job in Pattya. and of course, the Andaman sea is subject to tsunamis.


 
They do burn the paddies (all over Thailand really, just CM is small enough and surrounded - no coast). It is an illegal act to do so, but completely ignored. The authorities keep talking about clamping down on it, but as the farmers are the voters up here it is a pipe dream. This happens between late feb and mid march mostly - wealthier Thais go on holiday during this time. It isn't always that bad, and it affects different people in differently (or not at all). I would suggest that it is still better than sucking in the diesel fumes of Bangkok day in day out, but there you are. The outskirts of CM get it worst, then centre less so (due to the proximity of the fields of course). Personally I'm off home to the UK in March for a couple of weeks, for a visit to the folks, so planning like this can make it a non-issue. 

As to meeting Thai girls, the vast majority I would suggest meet girls in bars or working in hotels, cafes, massage parlours, etc. There are some places in CM where the normal Thais go out for an evening, but it would not be easy to just walk up to a crowd oif Thais and introduce yourself to a young pretty. There are web sites like ThaiLoveLinks where lots of women are looking for romance. From 25 there is an almost 2:1 ratio of girls to boys in this country - due to many reasons - there are also a lot oif widows and divorcees who are looking for a safer bet (and someone to care for them and maybe their kids too). You could pick some, chat with them through the contacts system, and then arrange a meet somewhere public (not a bar! most Thai girls that you are looking for would not go into a bar alone and may feel uncomfortable in one too). Play the fiueld, don't get too heavy (rmember touching is a faux pas here) and see how it goes. Otherwise, just sit in any bar (*or go to Spiceys) and the other sort will come-a-knocking.


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## mike88

hello all you ex pats !..just got back from my 2nd trip to l.o.s,it all went well again much the same as the 1st time,although we did the direct flight option this time with thai airways,so much better and less tireing than the dubai changeover.option with emirates,.i did the g.f.expierience this time with a girl [44 y/o] that i met last time,rather than spending your money on all and sundry stick with one and [invest] your money with 1.still worked out about £50 a day tho !..they must enjoy the ferang highlife..meals out,decent hotel,free drinks and a bit of shoping to boot,.i,m probably gona get a load of flack/feedback to this scribe so any possitive comments/advice would be aprieciated..i decided to get a visitor visa for my lady,as she is a bit older than the usuall thai bar girl and says she,s only been doing bar work for 6 months ???..i,ve done a bit of homework,checked family back ground her bank acount,[about 10000 baht] acomidation [grim non a/con 3 girl sharing one room with one double bed ] had been told that is what its like for them and its true !..i,m well aware of the walking atm man title that we ferang get ,i know a gfe is gona cost me one way or another,but we all hope its going to be different for us !..she is a nice woman who i do find attractive who deserves a better life style,i dont buy into the send money home thing,but will probably have to face up to it sooner than later !..hopefully she can get a visa and see how the real world works,we seem to enjoy the same things and time will tell if she likes/loves me or my wallet !.i know i could be ,and some will say,i am walking into a minefield,but fancy giving it a go as i,m 56 y/o this year and if possible i may try and retire early to thailand eventually,if i stay in uk i know i will end up working untill i am 65 +,[not good]..i,ve got a few investments/assets/house/savings/inheritance etc,which would keep me going for a good while in thailand but not in the uk,i can see why the thai girls like us ferang [money/escape etc] as mine has 2 grown up sons 25+ and a younger daughter 15,and the usual mother/father 70,s,senario..the friend i went out with this time has fallen for a 25 y/o bar girl [all comments greatfully apreciated] as he,s going back out again in mid may to see her again !..he,s 58 y/o![dunno about walking into mine field/hirosima more like]..no fool like an old fool/fools i here you say ? ..anyway 2 more ferang/thai casualties imenent !..fingers x ed...mike88.


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## gino

*Where are you getting your numbers?*



KhwaamLap said:


> From 25 there is an almost 2:1 ratio of girls to boys in this country


According to the CIA website, Thai population figures are as follow:

0-14 years: 20.8% (male 7,009,845/female 6,691,470)
15-64 years: 70.5% (male 22,977,945/female 23,512,538)
65 years and over: 8.7% (male 2,594,387/female 3,119,225) (2009 est.)

source: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/th.html

I can't imagine there are that many ladyboys!


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## gino

*Reply to Mike88*

I recall a movie scene where a bon vivant explained his success with women by saying he treats aristocratic women as if they were hookers and hookers as if they were aristocrats. Can’t remember the title, though. 

I am still in contact with a couple of girls, in one case frequent contact, whom I met in Asia. I’m not about to undertake her support, but I occasionally send her small amounts for gifts or a prepaid telephone card (“load”). Does she use the telephone to call me, using the credit I provided? Not in your life! When she wants to talk, she calls (usually from a friend’s phone, as she never has load) and hangs up. I call her back on my dime and she tells me didn’t call sooner because she didn’t have any load, which is her way of asking me for a few dollars for life’s incidentals. So I send her a couple of dollars and suggest she buy some load and use the change to get herself something nice to wear and to send me a picture of her wearing it, or not. 

Usually we have video calls on Skype. She doesn’t have a computer, so has to pay to go to an Internet café. {I make sure I give her enough to cover the charges.} I enjoy our chats and don’t mind giving her a little support. But I think it’s wise to expect something in return. First, I expect her to keep her word. If she says she’ll call at a certain time, I expect her to do so. (We’re working on this one.) Second, I ask for pictures. I’m not looking for erotic shots, although I don’t send them back if I get them. I want candid shots of what she does, where she goes. You can tell a lot from pictures. Has she gained weight? Is she pregnant? Are some other guy’s pictures displayed on her wall? If nothing else, it gives you something new to talk about.


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