Eneukman

I would also check out the thai visa site - http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/ They have a lot of people who can give you accurate and expert advice. Alan

All this brings back memories of the 10.00 swill when I started going to pubs in the early 70's. Scotland's licensing laws were draconian in these days, though fortunately they are now much more civilised. From what I can gather, Thaksin is determined to stamp out high levels of under age drinking and teenage drunkenness. All that is required there is for the police to enforce existing laws. Bringing closing time forward an hour to midnight will not help at all - people will just go out an hour earlier. When 11.00 opening was introduced in Scotland, my friends and I didn't drink more because of the extra hour! We just went out an hour later! Whilst I am seldom out much after midnight, I am COMPLETELY in favour of returning to a 2.00 am closing time. The last thing I want to do is to try and get on a baht bus at midnight along with a load of drunken farangs and their tgs! Alan

Always good to get an insight into other people's budgets, particularly if they are from someone actually living in Pattaya. It's a bit under 4 months till I move out and I would hope that most of the figures in my budget are at the high level and that the actual figures will. generally. be a bit lower. Someone had suggested in a different thread running the air conditioning full time working on the principle that in winter (especially when it's bloody freezing as it is in Edinburgh just now ) it is cheaper to have the heating on 24 hours a day. I know from my own bills that that does work. I was, however, sceptical that the same principle would work with air conditioning and what madwizard says seems to confirm my scepticism. My intention would be to only use the air conditioning when I'm actually in the condo, which could still amount to anything up to 15 hours a day zidane, I've booked into the RG for 4 weeks, so that should be long enough for me to have a look at plenty of condos. My non negotiable requirements are seperate bedroom, on or close to the baht bus routes and a decent sized swimming pool. I need to get some alternative forms of exercise . As begs said, I would not be too surprised (though hopefully not for a long time) that the novelty of living in Pattaya full time does wear off and by the time I reach 60 I may well find myself living elsewhere in Thailand. This, of course, assumes that I don't get killed trying to cross 2nd Road, Beach Road or Naklua Road before then! Alan

SunnyValentine, According to a dumb female who works at the Royal Thai Consulate in Glasgow, (She has been doing the job for 18 years so knows better than a bunch of whore mongers ) the ONLY way you can get a retirement visa is to apply for it in the UK. I'm retiring later this year and my intention is to follw the route you suggest. I don't really expect any problems. By the way, I'm applying for my non-Immigrant O visa in Hull rather than Glasgow for obvious reasons Alan

Sounds like the same kind of short sleeve shirts that I have, jambo . I bought a few last year for about 150 baht each. Alan

It wouldn't surprise me if the 2 properties in View Talay are no longer available for rent as I'm pretty certain that they've been advertised for several months. I've seen other condos in the same area in my price range so it's not a major problem -so long as there is a decent sized pool. I'm allowing an initial 7 week period to find somewhere to stay and have booked the RG for 4 weeks so that should be plenty of time to make up my mind. I've still to decide how much of my junk I want to get shipped out but that will really have to wait till I know where I'm going to be staying. I therefore plan to return home for 2 weeks' or so to arrange that before heading back to Thailand for good. Alan

Ken, I'm moving to Thailand shortly as well and my intention is to obtain a non-Immigrant O type visa in the UK first and shortly before it expires to apply for a Retirement Visa in Thailand. This will then allow me to live full time there without the need to leave the country on a regular basis. As an alternative, you can apply for a retirement visa in the US though when you arrive in Thailand, Immigration may only give you a stamp for 90 days. You will then need to get this extended before the 90 day period expires. Bear in mind that once you have the retirement visa that you must obtain a multiple entry permit if you want to leave Thailand for a holiday otherwise your retirement visa will be invalid. Also, whilst a retirement visa allows you to stay in Thailand for a full year, you must report your current address to Immigration every 90 days. I would suggest you ask the same question on the thaivisa site where you will be able to get fuller information from experts in the field. - http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/ Alan

Thanks, Torrenova. East Coast Real Estate have 2 condos in View Talay, both in View Talay 2, for rent so if decide to live there, it will down to the standard of furnishings. There are other properties available for rent in the same general area and I will need to look at these as well. Alan

Torrenova, I am most definitely interested in View Talay - a pool is an essential for me as well - though I am looking for a one-bedroomed condo rather than a studio. I have seen a couple of these for rent at 18,000 baht per month plus utilities through East Coast Real Estate. As a matter of interest, where do you pay the utility bills? Alan

Torrenova, My plan is to stay at the RG for about a month till I find somewhere to stay, probably around the View Talay area, if not in one of their one-bedroom condos. I checked out the area around there last year and am satisfied that I could live there without too many problems. It's on the baht bus route so no problems getting into town when I want to. I certainly won't be looking for a place with 3 bedrooms in Pattaya unless the lottery comes up . I have come up with a budget (posted in the members' area a few months back) of around 80,000 baht per month so I will be doing my best NOT to go out every night after the first few weeks I've had a look at some of the clubs available on one of the ex-pats web-sites and may have a go at bowls. Certainly, the last thing I want to do is to have a circle of friends wholly in the bar trade. - unless they're plying me with free booze! I've done a post on suggestions as to where else to live apart from Pattaya and I'll add my thoughts to your and the other repies to that there later. Thanks for your good wishes and doubtless I'll see you in one of your bars at some point. I might even bar fine one or two of your girls. Alan

I'm not exactly tall - except maybe in LOS Alan

One of my friends is in his mid 70's and is somewhat obese - weighing at 20 stone. He's had 3 heart attacks in the past and takes a whole load of pills to keep his heart working in good order and to keep his blood pressure down. He also has difficulty walking any distance and he usually has to pay extra to get a bigger seat. Alan

Thanks for that Zidane. I'm moving out later this year - though I will initally be living in Pattaya. Once I get a live in gf, I'll be looking for somewhere less expensive to stay and also where family and/or friends can come out for a visit and not need to stay in hotels. Alan

Can't think why that should be. Oh Flower of Scotland, when will we see your like again? That fought and died for your wee bit hill and glen And stood against him, proud Edward's army And sent him homeward tae think again. Alan

View Talay is one of the places I'm thinking of staying at when I retire to Pattaya in June. As it will be my home, having a seperate bedroom will be essential as will having a direct dial telephone so I can access the internet whenever I want to. Price is within the range of what I want to pay. Alan

I would be happy with 1,600 baht though there are others here who will go up to departures and try and get a taxi cheaper. As Russel says, it will help if you know your way around Pattaya - not that hard really. Get the name and address of your hotel in Thai and show it to your driver along with a map showing the location of the hotel. Bear in mind though that, as I discovered 2 visits ago, some taxi drivers are incapable of reading even the simplest of maps. He then wanted more than 100 baht tip . No way! Alan

I started a post in the Members' section on monthly budgets a few weeks ago. For those who didn't see it, here's a link - http://www.pattayatalk.com/forums/index.ph...12437&hl=budget Alan

I'm coming out to live in Pattaya later this year and reckon that my monthly expenditure will be in the region of 80,000 baht. I could live on less of course. Alan

cowboy, what size of place is hawk renting in udon for 5,000 baht per month? Alan

Click on My Controls and below Personal Profile you will see an option - Edit Signature (it may just say signature if you've nothing set up). Click on that and enter whatever text you want. Alan

Hibby, As Rex has said, don't change your dates - just take it easy during the day and relax by and in the pool. Rememeber though that Songkran in Pattaya runs from around the 13th to 19th April. Alan

During the day, I wear shorts and a t-shirt but at night I wear long trousers and a short sleeved shirt. I bought a few shirts last November for about 150 baht each. A couple of tailors said that they could make shirts for me within 2 or 3 hours. I declined their offer but doubtless worth while for you guys who need larger sizes. Alan

I've got to disagree with you, kit. Like many others here, I like the RG. Yes, the road is very busy but so is virtually any road in Pattaya. However, up to you where you stay. The Home Laundry across the road is very good and inexpensive. They are also honest. I somehow managed to leave some money in my trouser pocket when I put them in to be washed and the money was returned to me when I picked the washing up the next day. I gave her a tip for her honesty. Alan

Humidity will be sky high in April. I've been in LOS once in April and in Bangkok just stepping off the sky train (at night) or walking out of the hotel (at 7.00 in the morning) had my glasses steaming up INSTANTLY!!!! I usually had to go back to my hotel to change my shirt half way through the night because it was saturated I was sweating so much. Good point about bringing your own fan - must buy a couple for myself for when I go out later in the year. Anyone know where you can buy these battery operated fans in Pattaya? Alan

The Omni Tower looks promising as I'll need to spend a fewdays in Bangkok later in the year though the cost of a studio seems to have increased to not far short of 2,000 baht a night. However, as it'll be the low season when I'll be there might be able to do some negotiating. It seems to be close to the British Embassy? Alan