Meeting and Greeting

[roderick17 0]

Greetings

 

Like many others on this board I am finalizing plans to retire and move to Pattaya in the not too distant future. Most of this pre planning effort is pretty straight forward - I have developed a budget, worked out how much money I will need each month, even how often I’d like to get away from LOS and travel back to Aus. Other parts of the retirement plan are a bit more difficult to structure.

 

One aspect of living permanently in LOS, that I would welcome receiving your help with, is how would a newbie in town go about meeting other like minded souls and rapidly establish a circle of new friends and acquaintances ? .Although I’ve visited Pattaya many times, I’ve never really lived there or met any long-term residents of the place ‘By comparison, I know bar-fining bar girls is a relatively easy endeavor, pay your money and away you go. .

 

But for retirees – and anyone else – who has made a new life in Pattaya, how did you go about making this transition from newbie in town to building a social life to compliment the many wild nights spent in town .

 

Jamesjava script:emoticon('')

[upena 2]

Besides FLB you can try here

 

Pattaya Expat's Club

[torrenova 644]

In your budget, don't underestimate your needs, both in the short and long term.

 

Don't buy somewhere unless you know Pattaya and the surrounds well. Even then rent for a few months.

 

You can't live as a tourist, even with finances, it will kill you. Get out and about and meet some of the locals and develop some interests.

 

Pattaya Expats Club, Pattaya Sports Club and the like are a good start.

[OnMyWay 0]

Terrenova has good points...you can't live like a tourist. Drinking and going to bars every night will kill you quickly.

 

Remember to rest a lot, relax, see movies, lots of water, etc. There are two expats clubs that meet on Saturday and on Sunday. It's very easy to make a cirlcle of friends in Pattaya. Most people that live there moved as a single person. So, find someone that like-minded and strike up conversations. Make contacts everywhere you go and keep in touch.

 

It's important to select the right friends. If you hang out with guys that don't pay girls that are clearly working or treat staff at places like shit, you will soon be drawing a shit social circle around you. As for girls, I managed to make contact with more than enough that happily wanted to go to MK and have dinner and see a movie with me. I couldn't hang with "high paced/high maintenance" girls that like to go to Tony's or Lucifer's disco each and every night.

 

Also, if you get a girl that you have a friendship with and she starts to exhibit signs of Yabba don't walk away...RUN!

 

Good luck and keep us posted!

Edited November 27, 2005 by OnMyWay

[irishman 0]

Like the others mentioned, the city has two Expat clubs for English speakers. (and a couple for speakers of other languages also) The one that meets at Henry J Beans Resaurant every Sunday at 9:30 for breakfast is probably my favorite. At least that's where I hooked up with some guys. Henry J Beans is just at the start of Beach road where the road comes down from the dolphin roundabout. As soon as you hit the beach, it's on your left. It's website is:

http://www.pattayacityexpatsclub.com

 

The other one meets on Saturdays at 11:00 for lunch at the Grand Sole Hotel which is on Second road between Pattaya central and Soi 6. They are starting to become the favorite because they have a good lunch for 65 baht when you are a member. Their web blog is found at:

http://pattayaexpatsclub.blogspot.com/

 

Cheers

[OnMyWay 0]

Irishman also had hopes of meeting even more expats when he joined the "Premature Ejaculators Club". But his hopes diminished when he arrived and nobody was there: Appears he came too early!!!

Edited November 27, 2005 by OnMyWay

[Eneukman 1]

As others have said, there are a number of clubs you can join.

 

I've only joined the Pattaya Ex-Pats club (the Saturday one) so far and after only 6 meetings I won a dinner for 2 at Globetrotters Restaurant (Soi 7) worth up to 1,200 baht. That's my life membership (600 baht) paid for Now to decide who to invite for a free meal.

 

I will join the Pattaya City Ex-Pats Club (the Sunday one) soon as well as the Pattaya Sports Club though I'll leave the latter until I finish my langugae lesson course.

 

Whatever you do when you come over here, it's essential to get an interest AWAY from the bars.

 

If you're planning on staying here long term, I would recommend trying to learn at least some of the language.

 

Alan

[Rhoel 2]

Best advice I know s to plan what you are going to do here - have a hobby, paint, play golf, do charity owrk or wahtever. If you don't, you may sadly fall into the trap others have done, of drinking all day because there seems nothing else to do ... check the Pattaya City News site and there are far too many dead falangs who have literally drunk themselves to death.

 

Consider too booking in for a few months of daily Thai lessons - it will be beneficial with the bonus of meeting others living here.

 

There is lots to do. I have just past my first year of living here fulltime and havent regreted the move - life has been anything but dull: In fact, my life here is now much more rewarding than the one I had back in Blighty.

 

I hope I can manage the 2nd, 3rd etc anniveraries and still say I am enjoying it this much.

 

Rhoel

[wacmedia 277]

Hi

 

Lots of good advice. I am not an expat ,but I find the Pattaya Mail seem to give a good list of meeting and activities every week. Drink is a danger with money and time on your hands. A friend of mine told me the Germans drop like flies from drinking, so you need plenty of interests and get into expat mode.

[MrMango 672]

I am planning to live in Pattaya in January - My Tilac speaks almost no English, so I would like to take Thai lessons. Does anybody know what they cost,a nd where?

 

Bill

[prairieoyster 0]

Billrussell

 

Try this link DD;s language school I have not used it personnaly but friends have and they have nothing but good things to say.

 

oyster

[Dungheap 243]

Get out and about and meet some of the locals and develop some interests.

 

Pattaya Expats Club, Pattaya Sports Club and the like are a good start.

Don't tell me you've taken some of your own advice mate and finally picked up a golf club?