living

[graham 0]

I have been visiting Pattaya for the last 20 years for a maximum of 4 weeks each time. I am thinking seriously about livng there permenantly. I do know most of the advantages of Pattaya and Thailand.I have a condo in Pattaya.

I have read on some forums that "living here is completely different to a holiday" and "after 4 years most expats go home" etc. Could anyone who has lived in Pattaya for some time let me know of the possible disadvantages?

Thank you

[laffnliv 78]

Too many guys continue to drink as if they are on a short vacation and need to absorb as much booze as possible. Health problems arise.

 

And they chase TGs to the point they spend all their cash. And take a header off of a high rise balcony.

 

If you can make the transition to a laid back and more quiet lifestyle you will do just fine. I have a lady for over 4 years now. Often we stay in a night. Will go visit friends for conversation and snooker once or twice a week. I work out regularly, and we relax on the beach. Life is gooood!

 

Little Roy

[EDP 0]

I have to agree with Laffnliv..

 

I think after a cpl of years there the stress will do you in!! The women long term will drive you bonkers.

 

You will miss home and the way things probably get done back there.

 

Dont let "living the Holiday life" from your limited although long visists

create a smokescreen covering reality.

 

Outstanding Holiday spot but my opinion is and its only my opinion is its a Hoilday spot. Nothing more nothing less.

 

Dont forget They want us to visit there they want us to spend money there and we are welcome to stay for about 4 weeks. And then the BS trips across the border start as your well aware of. You will always be a tourist in the governement's eyes.

And treated as such

[galt67 2]

Before moving to Pattay, you need to ask yourself the following questions:

 

1-Do you have a GUARANTEED income to support your lifestyle? And it will adjust for inflation?

 

2-Have SOMETHING to do OTHER than watch TV, walk along Beach Rd, and hit the bars?

 

If your NOT happy now, moving to Pattaya will have ZERO long term effect.

[York 0]

The main reason why vast majority returns to their farangland is because of MONEY is all gone and change in health for the worst. Thailand is not a welfare country like the West and other industrialized countries. Once farangs have no money, Thais want farangs to get out of their country and all "friends and Tilacs" will disappear.

 

As it was mentioned in Dear Hillary section of Pattayamail 2 weeks ago, Thailand attracts biggest fools and jackasses in the world who are not financially, physically and mentally stable to live in Pattaya(no pun attended).

 

The large expat community is mostly elderly who are ready to kick the bucket at any moment and want to enjoy younger women before the big one comes or forced to go back home or to nursing homes in their farangland. If you noticed, many foreigners die very young in Pattaya at around 60.

Edited May 9, 2006 by York

[wacmedia 277]

Hi,

 

Think you need interests apart from drinking and girls. German man apparently drink a lot and die young in Pattaya, but that could be something to do with national characteristics. Think if you have a balanced attitude to life, the food is good, the weather is hot, and the girls are nice, so it should help to prolong your life and make your departure more pleasant. You need some money anywhere in the World so LOS is no different there.

[c5vette 0]

As it was mentioned in Dear Hillary section of Pattayamail 2 weeks ago, Thailand attracts biggest fools and jackasses in the world who are not financially, physically and mentally stable to live in Pattaya(no pun attended).

 

That's very true.

 

Been living here for 4 years now with wife(Thai) and son, will never move back to Sweden again if I don't have to for some reason.

 

Get married and stay away from the booze and you will be fine here for long time

[Owen` 2]

I don't live in Thailand. I intend to semi live there in the near to intermediate future. I am 51.

 

The above posters probably have it right that most fail to compute their money needs a year or two into the future. A currency exhange hit and some inflation will erase a budget that said "yeah, I can make it if I am just careful -- and wow, hot women as far as the eye can see!!!" Well, if you have to be careful then you have no cushion for a negative event (like a 20% erosion in currency exchange). Such folks will go home quickly and get a job. Again.

 

I'd bet a lot of folks who are "elderly" have to go home at age 65 because they can't get health insurance anymore. Americans get government sponsored Medicare health insurance starting at 65. Probably Brits face this too. About that time private plans would jack up their premiums. Hell, if you were running an insurance company with your own money, would you cover guys 65 yrs old for a few thousand dollars a year of premium who smoke and drink to excess? I damn sure wouldn't. I wouldn't be covering those guys at any price.

 

Anyway, if you smoke and drink to excess, you're probably going to die early. Not for sure. Just probably. If you don't, you'll have to pay for health care somehow and that probably means going home at 65.

 

So the OP said most go home in a few years. Well, if they retired at 59, that's just about right. If they were younger, they didn't understand money and inflation.

 

As for visa run irritations, well, they last until age 50 when you can get a retirement visa.

[torrenova 644]

Be realistic. You will spend more in the first year because of capital purchases and going out more. Then you settle into a lifestyle.

 

Make sure you have insurance. Long term insurance.

 

Don't underestimate how much you will spend. Living on nothing is not a happy existance if you want to be able to do what you want.

 

You have to develop social activities other than hitting the bars.

[lostinspace 0]

All the above posts very good advice,and its helps if you have a permanent drinking hole with friends or mates[permanents]so when you do need someone other than a TG they are there.not evernight though...and stay active,run ,walk ,bike,what ever.

and live longer in paradise

[piero 1]

I live one year in 1999-2000 and you don't have problems if you have a lot of money and good friends.

[c5vette 0]

you don't have problems if you have a lot of money and good friends.

If you have a lot of money you will have plenty "good friends" who will all forget you when the money is finished

[York 0]

One thing bar girls hate about farangs is farang without money.

[Big Chief 0]

Big Chief live Thailand 6 year. But Big Chief no make home in Pattaya. Big Chief make home in Chonburi city. Not far from Pattaya. Is good for Big Chief. Not many spirit world things to tempy Big Chief to do horozontal mombo dance. But Pattaya not far for Big Chief. Big Chief go there 1 day per week when squaw think Big Chief working.

 

Big Chief think that pale face better not to live in Pattaya if want to stay Thailand many moons. Too many squaws and too many place want to help pale face do bad thing.

[flighty 31]

I think Big Chief speak with fork tongue when he tell squaw he working...

I think Big Big Chief do rain dance too much lately...