flyingsaucersarereal Posted July 18, 2019 Share Posted July 18, 2019 So I am a long time expat I have lived in Pattaya for most of my time in Thailand. Pattaya lately has been getting on my nerves it is not a laid back place anymore. I am getting sick and tired of the constant checkpoints where you have to prove your innocence sometimes twice a day. When you go into immigration in Jomtien it is just packed to the max. Prices have gone up in Pattaya and our expat currency is taking a hit right now. What are some laid back cities where you don't have to deal tons of tourists constant checkpoints and people charging crazy prices but also have some civilization? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Dwyer Posted July 18, 2019 Share Posted July 18, 2019 Bradford ( except for the civilisation part ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmen Posted July 18, 2019 Share Posted July 18, 2019 Dump your car and move to the baht bus route but involves paying more than 3 K RENTTotal nonsense jomtien is fast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikisteel Posted July 18, 2019 Share Posted July 18, 2019 I often wonder if the islands are having such a dramatic change where all this BS is concerned. I love the idea of it I just hate the idea of two seasons so different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inn Between Posted July 18, 2019 Share Posted July 18, 2019 I lived in the Ban Amphur area for many years and loved it. Having Pattaya 15 kms away made all the difference, IMO. Every time I went into the city for shopping, etc., I felt grateful I didn't live right in the mess and could hop on my scooter and head back to my laid-back village, wondering how people could take the place full-time. It's no surprise that after years there, the place has got to you. There are (literally) greener pastures not too far from there, so look south and check out some village life with big bad Pattaya just down the road for the times you really need to use the place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyboy2018 Posted July 18, 2019 Share Posted July 18, 2019 Checkpoints? You must be a driver. But anyway i leave pats for a while every month and travel around Thailand then return. Cobwebs cleared im ready for the fray again. But why drive in Pattaya. Just dont get it. You cant drink.and drive, it make you a police magnet and public transport is as cheap as chips. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mstevens Posted July 18, 2019 Share Posted July 18, 2019 3 hours ago, flyingsaucersarereal said: I am getting sick and tired of the constant checkpoints where you have to prove your innocence sometimes twice a day. When you go into immigration in Jomtien it is just packed to the max. Prices have gone up in Pattaya and our expat currency is taking a hit right now. I don't live in Bangkok any more but for what it's worth, friends who still live there tell me it's exactly the same in Bangkok as you describe things in Pattaya. Police stops on Sukhumvit late at night are a problem and their frequency has increased. The Immigration Department at Chaeng Wattana is horrendously busy and what used to take less than 30 minutes can now take a whole day. Prices in Bangkok at many farang restaurants, supermarkets and bars have gone through the roof etc. I hate to say it but I think it's not just Pattaya....probably most of the places where you have a large number of foreigners in Thailand have become more expensive and are much less laid-back.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puchaiyank Posted July 18, 2019 Share Posted July 18, 2019 Lived in Jomtien for years...found a much more relaxed living in Udon Thani... Some periodic vehicle registration and helmut checkpoints...never been stopped or ID'ed. Easy visa run to border at Nong Khai...less expensive than Patts... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ukrules Posted July 18, 2019 Share Posted July 18, 2019 Hua Hin is the answer... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inThailand Posted July 18, 2019 Share Posted July 18, 2019 1 hour ago, ukrules said: Hua Hin is the answer... If your ready for the death bed or temple oven. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacko45k Posted July 19, 2019 Share Posted July 19, 2019 25 minutes ago, inThailand said: If your ready for the death bed or temple oven. Some people seem happy there, others find it far too small and boring, and sitting waiting for the Scandinavians to return. I think living a little out of town can be more relaxing with Pattaya a twenty minute ride away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitkof Island Posted July 19, 2019 Share Posted July 19, 2019 4 hours ago, mstevens said: I don't live in Bangkok any more but for what it's worth, friends who still live there tell me it's exactly the same in Bangkok as you describe things in Pattaya. Police stops on Sukhumvit late at night are a problem and their frequency has increased. The Immigration Department at Chaeng Wattana is horrendously busy and what used to take less than 30 minutes can now take a whole day. Prices in Bangkok at many farang restaurants, supermarkets and bars have gone through the roof etc. I hate to say it but I think it's not just Pattaya....probably most of the places where you have a large number of foreigners in Thailand have become more expensive and are much less laid-back.... If your addicted to hanging with foreigners you are going to pay for it in numerous ways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denim Posted July 19, 2019 Share Posted July 19, 2019 7 hours ago, Andrew Dwyer said: Bradford ( except for the civilisation part ) No beach. Bognor Regis would suit the OP better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inThailand Posted July 19, 2019 Share Posted July 19, 2019 7 minutes ago, jacko45k said: Some people seem happy there, others find it far too small and boring, and sitting waiting for the Scandinavians to return. I think living a little out of town can be more relaxing with Pattaya a twenty minute ride away. I was joking. Doesn't it really come down to location and who you hang with? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacko45k Posted July 19, 2019 Share Posted July 19, 2019 Just now, inThailand said: I was joking. Doesn't it really come down to location and who you hang with? Grass is greener effect. I always figured living central Pattaya, like Bangkok, would tire quickly. It is just too busy now. So I am 12km out of town, an occasional night out, an odd overnight, keeps my reasoning sound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rookiescot Posted July 19, 2019 Share Posted July 19, 2019 As already said Udon is pretty laid back and has a reasonable bar scene. Nong Khai is REALLY laid back and Udon is only 40 minutes away if you want a rowdy weekend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henryford Posted July 19, 2019 Share Posted July 19, 2019 You must be easily annoyed. The checkpoints are not so bad. I get stopped once or twice a month, takes 30 seconds just to show your licence. I go to immigration 5 times a year. It takes about 15 minutes each time. As for crazy prices they can charge what they like, but i only pay what i feel is reasonable. The only price that does annoy me is for wine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bert bloggs Posted July 19, 2019 Share Posted July 19, 2019 9 hours ago, madmen said: Dump your car and move to the baht bus route but involves paying more than 3 K RENT Total nonsense jomtien is fast. You mean motorbike ,have never been stopped in my car in 13 yrs in Pattaya . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbi1 Posted July 19, 2019 Share Posted July 19, 2019 "I am getting sick and tired of the constant checkpoints where you have to prove your innocence sometimes twice a day" - Get rid of the car and take public transport. Problem solved. Songtaews and motorbike taxis are sufficient to get around Pattaya. "When you go into immigration in Jomtien it is just packed to the max" - Absolute nonsense! Since moving here from BKK the Jomtien Immigration queues are absolutely tiny. In fact, my last extension took only 8 mins to complete from getting the ticket until getting my passport back and walking out the door. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steven100 Posted July 19, 2019 Share Posted July 19, 2019 Broken hill …. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmen Posted July 19, 2019 Share Posted July 19, 2019 I don't live in Bangkok any more but for what it's worth, friends who still live there tell me it's exactly the same in Bangkok as you describe things in Pattaya. Police stops on Sukhumvit late at night are a problem and their frequency has increased. The Immigration Department at Chaeng Wattana is horrendously busy and what used to take less than 30 minutes can now take a whole day. Prices in Bangkok at many farang restaurants, supermarkets and bars have gone through the roof etc. I hate to say it but I think it's not just Pattaya....probably most of the places where you have a large number of foreigners in Thailand have become more expensive and are much less laid-back....I live lower Sukhumvit surrounded by night life and happy hour beers are 100 baht a Pint till 8pm and then the old German beer house starts happy hour from 10 pm till close Terminal 21 stills sells Most dishes average 40 baht in the food court as do. Most malls groceries from Tesco on line is the same price for all of thailand What prices gone through the roof? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NCC1701A Posted July 19, 2019 Share Posted July 19, 2019 there must be a exit somewhere in the great barrier that surrounds Hua Hin. I must keep searching. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scubascuba3 Posted July 19, 2019 Share Posted July 19, 2019 i noticed the other day a new condo block in Bang Saray had a for rent sign up for 5k a month. Nice place to live if you are fed up with Pattaya. If you weren't fed up with Pattaya it may be too quiet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Briggsy Posted July 19, 2019 Share Posted July 19, 2019 Cannot answer the OP until he says @flyingsaucersarereal why he lives in Pattaya and why he goes into town. No point suggesting rural Chonburi if it will make him suicidal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HauptmannUK Posted July 19, 2019 Share Posted July 19, 2019 Can't remember ever being stopped in my car in Pattaya - always get waved through. Bikes DO seem to get stopped a lot though. The place seems fairly quiet to me at the moment - I live in a condo in Pratamnak, a very quiet location but handy for both Pattaya and Jomtien. Life is good. I would agree that prices seem to be rising. Some restaurants are getting very pricey and fruit seems expensive this year. Travel and accommodation is cheap in SE Asia so we make frequent trips around Thailand, and outside, to add variety. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boon Mee Posted July 19, 2019 Share Posted July 19, 2019 13 hours ago, Andrew Dwyer said: Bradford ( except for the civilisation part ) Quite prefer Skegness meself! 555 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pilotman Posted July 19, 2019 Share Posted July 19, 2019 13 hours ago, Andrew Dwyer said: Bradford ( except for the civilisation part ) Retford. But in fairness, it is an incredible dump of a place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pilotman Posted July 19, 2019 Share Posted July 19, 2019 Apart from one police checkpoint on the main drag, which everyone knows about and most avoid, I like Rayong. Hardly any farangs around and the Tesco/Big C combination meets my normal needs for shopping. The fish market is very good. East of the City there are some nice local beaches too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elgenon Posted July 19, 2019 Share Posted July 19, 2019 11 hours ago, mstevens said: I don't live in Bangkok any more but for what it's worth, friends who still live there tell me it's exactly the same in Bangkok as you describe things in Pattaya. Police stops on Sukhumvit late at night are a problem and their frequency has increased. The Immigration Department at Chaeng Wattana is horrendously busy and what used to take less than 30 minutes can now take a whole day. Prices in Bangkok at many farang restaurants, supermarkets and bars have gone through the roof etc. I hate to say it but I think it's not just Pattaya....probably most of the places where you have a large number of foreigners in Thailand have become more expensive and are much less laid-back.... Yes, I often see police stops at Suk Soi 4. Sure there are more places, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NightSky Posted July 19, 2019 Share Posted July 19, 2019 3 hours ago, madmen said: I live lower Sukhumvit surrounded by night life and happy hour beers are 100 baht a Pint till 8pm and then the old German beer house starts happy hour from 10 pm till close Terminal 21 stills sells Most dishes average 40 baht in the food court as do. Most malls groceries from Tesco on line is the same price for all of thailand What prices gone through the roof? Actually terminal 21 mall food is really cheap compared to some other malls now, for instance close to me the food mall was 40 baht a dish but charges have increased recently to about 70-90 baht a dish. My wife even makes a point of us calling in at T21 for a cheap and tasty meal when we pass. It is cheap there, make the most of it while it lasts. Also, I noticed in tesco this week a tray of eggs is now 95ish baht up from 79baht. Other products are creeping higher also and of course if you earn in another currency that exhuberates the price increases. Prices are most definitely increasing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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