What an incredible video. I am over in Jomtien, and I have been here for 11 days now. I can relate to most of your video. Your facts, truth, and advice is very welcoming. I came here to escape the US for a while. I lost my wife to cancer in February and had to get away. Your videos and experiences have helped me immensely since I arrived.
Been here 15 months so far - Good things for me are cost of living, ( rental of condo , electric & water costs ) scenery ,food , safety ,clothes prices , massages , transport options , healthcare ( dentistry & hospitals) the eye candy all over the place 😅.., friendly , helpful people .. bad - driving , traffic, humidity / heat 😢 ( lack of seasons & ‘cooler days’ 😅, like the uk 🇬🇧) visa issues ( 90 day report & renewal ) language ( tones mainly 😢) translation issues.
I have been living in Thailand (Lat Krabang, Bangsaen, Jomtien, Pattaya most of the time since 2016. For me, the good thing about living in Thailand is that you can be happy with your everyday life if you choose to accept the environment you find yourself in . The bad thing is that if you try to compare your life in Thailand with your life in your homeland this will only make you unhappy because Thailand is a different country. Accept the change.
I have a couple of friends who bounce back and forth between Thailand and the Philippines. I hear the plus is food and nightlife and the minus is the language and immigration primarily.
I've just moved from the UK to Thailand having visited for three months and the heat is a bit of a problem for me. I tend to get up early and go for a swim in the Sea and then plan my day around staying cool ☺ Anyone got any tips to add to my list below ? Carry a bottle of frozen water to keep blood cooler when going out Place frozen bottles of water behind a fan to cool the air when indoors Hang out in shopping centres with air con Stay in the shade as much as possible Cool off in a pool Pop into 7/11s and other shops with air conditioning when going out Put shoes in the freezer before putting on to go out 😆 Only kidding about the shoes but I do find keeping hand towels kept cool in the fridge or freezer to be very good
Rely on fans at home whenever possible. You will acclimate much sooner. Seldom needed more than a few minutes to cool a room other than in April-May period.
Thai’s not an easy language, but it’s great to learn some. You will understand things before you can speak it. It enriches your experience with locals and is also good for your brain! 🎉
Great video and really useful tips. We flight to Pattaya tonight. Love everything out there. Even humidity and smokey season. We reagy to get sweat😂. Thank you for the video. Greetings from the east side of🇷🇺
Keep a plastic container containing a dozen damp face cloths in the fridge. When you come in grab a cold face cloth to wipe your face....helps cool you down instantly
I stayed 30 day in Thailand. I never felt sick or bloated from any food. I felt great. As soon as I returned to the US I realized how bad our food is. After returning home I immediately started to feel poisoned from the food. I’m from California. I try hard to keep a healthy clean diet and always workout. When Daz says “real food, not processed foods” he means it. 🙏🏽🙏🏽
I lived in Abu Dhabi for 11 years. Heat during the day is high and the humidity is low. But at night, with the breeze coming off the shallow Arabian Gulf, the air was so humid that it felt as if you had to push through the air just to move about. A reggae concert on the beach that I attended in Dubai, the heat and humidity forced the cancellation of the England based band. Only the opening band, Third World, from Jamaica was able to perform for the rest of the evening. The humidity at night on the Gulf coast is far worse than high humidity in Thailand (at least in my experience in Pattaya).
Spot on with the Visa comments. I'v been here 17 years and live in a province where the Imm Office has its own set of rules. Now have a weeks holiday in Pattaya and use an agent for my extensions/permission to stay etc.
Great video again Daz, tnx. The most important thing you need to emigrate to Thailand i..m.o. is guts to leave everything behind in your own country. The rest is peanuts. I don't have it unfortunately.
I live up north.live in a 4 bed house,£150,000 but rent apartments and get £600 a month.huge swimming pool,brand new pick up and do a bit of work to keep myself busy.ive just cooked a Sunday pork loin roast that cost about £1.20 a meal.its only expensive in the tourists spots.as for the language there’s plenty of translator apps.
Good discussion, but really good walking scenery as background. It's your video. Thanks for never using video or images from a service and especially no AI images that other UA-camrs are using.
Good vid. Whereas you get a few giggles when hearing some expats talk in Thai language, but not using the correct tone, I give them a ton more respect than I give to the lazy expat who has been in Thailand for years and won't even try to speak (or learn) the Thai language. I've only lived here for 1 year and it's pathetic that expats that have been here 5, 10, 15 years just use the excuse "I'm too old to learn a new language" and have to depend on their thai wife/girlfriend to do all the thai talking for them. I was actually told that by 3 different guys. So again, round of applause to the guys who try, even if they don't get it exactly right. It takes time.
Yeah that’s what I want to do after slaving away for 45 years is learn a new language. How about just relaxing and doing what I want to for the first time in my life.
Im so on the fence between Malaysia & Thailand Everytime I watch your videos, Thailand gets the nod Im not a professional drinker so Pattaya is a bit more of want i need or want. Night life was the younger me, did it dont miss it. As a single gent of 61, US resident, I'm gonna start in Thailand & visit Malaysia & see & feel the cultures of both countries. Plan to use your visa recommendation (Key Visa) upon arrival. Safe travels brother Stay cool, mate Craig
For the heat and humidity I always bring Perspirex and Perspi Guard which are antiperspirants designed for people who are unlucky enough to suffer from Hyperhidrosis. Blocks the pores and only needs to be reapplied every 3 days or so. Applied to the underarms, feet and arse crack sorts out the potentially whiffy sweat sources.
@@irishjonny11it appears that I've been missing out on something all these visits, as I've been fairly content with the hustle and bustle of Pattaya and don't mind spending the odd afternoon in Jomtien, but only stopped in Pratumnak to get a drink when walking back from Jomtien to Pattaya. It was something different to do from time to time.
@@johnnielson4341 Exactly, and if you leave before the 12 months even for a day the report resets for another 12 months, so you can easily skirt the reporting all together, its a great visa for sure.
Tones: One example often used by Thai language teachers is "mai mai mai mai mai" which, depending on the tones in each word, means "new wood doesn't burn, does it?"
It's 50% cheaper..at least.. and you have the weather the food and you can have a 25 year old absolutely gorgeous babe who will show you everything Thailand has to offer.. you can't really go wrong .. for holidays or longterm your pretty much covered for a happy life ❤
To avoid the heat and traffic,,, I'd probably just change my sleep pattern a bit and become a night owl since thats when all the action is anyways. Great info as always, Cheers.
ahh. Just spent 26 days in the Kingdom--most of it in Chiang Mai and a couple of nights in Chiang Rai; started off with 3 nights in Bangkok and two nights upon return. Chiang Mai at this time of year has the worst air quality, apparently, due to agricultural burning. Couldn't even see the mountains. And while I had no chance to visit Pattaya as my wife was in tow (we both had our agendas here--she for her art interests and I for my Thai cuisine interests), we spent a good deal of time apart during the day. Ahem.
I really like seasons. Cooler weather too. Wearing sweaters. Jackets. Love it. The humidity/heat there always would be an issue. For me. But I love Thai food. The women too. Pros and cons to every place. Location.
Humidity makes a big difference, spent time in Iraq in high humidity and 110+F heat, and when i got back to the states, it was 104F with almost no humidity and i was cold. I also grew up on the farm in the Midwest and it would be over 100F and high humidity, but the cornfields would block the wind, so the heat would be stifling with zero air movement. First time in Southeast Asia, i found i didn't notice the heat and humidity there as much if i used cold Tiger beer as a coolant. lol
Hi mate, great informative video as per usual, thank you. Quick question as you say Pattaya is your home now. Why won’t you buy in Pattaya, get somewhere and put your own stamp on it. Is there any blaring reason I’m missing why it’s better to rent?
Twice already I have rented a condo with a great view and twice some builder has bribed officials to build on land which was not supposed to be built on, and twice I have had to move because I lost the view.
@@everythingPattaya Have you seen plans for new Siam Oasis facing the Par 3 just off Soi 4 in Pratamnak, the have slabs on balcony so you cannot get a direct view to the Princesses villa
Exactly when you come from a good climate country like Australia Thailand is just to hot my Thai wife gets very sick from the heat in April May June cost of living is about half what it is in Australia especially accommodation
@@everythingPattaya Dax I found your dentist and he was very good I now know what I have to do to keep my teeth healthy, and the price was good am going to use them am back in London, didn't get to see you, maybe next time
I would add however that rental units at least in Bangkok are very small compared to USA where I live currently. I have a 3500 square foot house in Washington which is 325 square meters and the price of that in Bangkok would be very high. I looked at 80 square meter condo which was priced at 80000 bath so 320 meters would be 320000 bath which is about $8700. Per month. Also In western Europe, USA , Australia and all developed countries you can get fee or very cheap health insurance if you are over 65. For me the primary advantage of Thailand is the company, ancient culture and beautiful scenery in certain parts of the Kingdom. Peace
Two questions. One When looking for a condo to rent via an agency, will they transport you from place to place, or do you provide your own transportation? Secondly , are the required bank accounts checking or savings and do they offer "interest"?
I agree with your examples of bad and good. I HATE Canadian winters. I love Pattaya even the rainy season is perfect. compared to a Blizzard. The CHEAP prices for Condos are a real selling point.
Someone tried to pull the grand palace scam on me but I was able to avoid it because of the warnings on UA-cam. I just followed the crowd of people and found the entrance.
Loving 🇹🇭🙏🏻life i spend i month there and i think the heat its not a problem, you kmow you walk a lot in thailand and its not like i sweat a lot and my t shirt was suddenly all sweat and smelly honestly it did not happened but maybe depends on the human type of body just like you said scandinavians will feel the heat different but i know a fisherman from iceland he always travel to pattaya.🤣
Great video again sir! I laugh at people always saying the 90 day reporting is a hassle. The same people go to coffee shops, malls, restaurants, or bars for an hour or more every day, but oh no, dont make me spend 30 minutes every 90 days at immigration, I dont have time for that! 555 Love the women here, but the nightlife I dont partake in much. After living here for years, you realize all the girls are faking their friendly ways just to get more of your money, the music is too loud, and other farangs can be obnoxious. Of course that is fun if you have the time and extra money for it as well.
One thing I like and also kind of dislike because I feel like I am missing out. I am pretty much used to riding in chaotic places. In Thailand islands, the laws are lenient and I can ride bikes without license etc. No one cares. But in mainland cities like bkk and Pattaya, they are quite strict. On foreigners at least. I do see many foreigners driving bikes though... But they can be caught any time. 😅😅
A question for you gents who live there. Can I get TRICARE or VA medical? I am retired Navy and 100% disabled and young if that matters (51) Great video by the way!
I know you always say never buy only rent but unless you can always rent a place for 6K Baht or less for 20 years of living, which I base my calculations on nearly impossible these days. Buying once paying yearly condo fees is financially feasible at least for me. I’m looking at bottom dollar and if I have more in the future I will be more comfortable rather than paying rent and having to move from place to place because it’s not fun moving no matter how many or little possessions you have. The price will add up over the years. This is just my opinion.
As to language, those pocket translators are very handy. And weather, well i live in Las Vegas,Nevada. Dry heat ,yes, but you step outside and burst in flames.
When going for my motorbike licence I asked the staff there for a road rules book...they looked at me like I was stupid, the TGF sat with me while answering questions on pc which is part of your licence test, even the TGF with a car and bike licence was getting the answers wrong, and when I booked and paid for my bike licence learn/test I was told flatly I was guaranteed to pass....that stayed in my head, later I learned NO ONE FLUNKS (weather its at school etc) a test in Thailand...its not the Thai way.
Many of the negatives mentioned here are the same in other countries. Thailand is a wonderful place to visit and to live. The biggest negative not mentioned here are the tourists/ex-pats who smoke in public with no consideration for others. It’s in sharp contrast to America and other western countries where smoking in public is limited or outright banned.
Safety standards and air pollution are among the worst in the world. I wasn't very bothered by it at first, but if you have children then it's a serious issue that seems to be getting worse
one good thing in Australia, with Permanent visa, they last 5 years and you have nothing to do but renew it at the end of 5 years. Unless you change your passport. But lacking other good things like Thailand
i think most of the higher cost of living is due to the worse exchange rate compared to what we where getting 20 years ago , you can still eat for nothing and beers are still the same price i was paying years ago but we are just getting less Bht for our dollar
For me a big plus about Thailand and especially Pattaya is the general feeling of freedom, like we had in the West up until the nineties but is now gone. No woke bullshit in Pattaya, political correctness. It all revolves around sanook in Pattaya. A good example in my country is the red light area in Amsterdam, which used to be a mini Pattaya, a mini freestate. Its all gone now, the extreme left restrict everything, the area is ruined. That for me is a big plus about Pattaya, the freedom, as long as you can effort of course. All western guys i speak in Pattaya agree
I agree with you about the lack of political correctness and Wokism, which is very attractive. I often think that people who enjoyed the Costa del Sol or Brava or the Balearics in the 80s, will enjoy Pattaya & Jomtien today for the same reasons.
The worst part of living in Thailand is air quality - it is horrendous. Another really bad issue is total absence of large parks or recreational areas in large cities: no place to hike or bike.
People who complain about air quality in Pattaya tend to be people who read about the bad air quality in Pattaya. I’ve never even noticed any problem with air quality on any of my trips here.
6:00 90 day reporting is only necessary on short term visas (1 year or less). You can get a Long Term Residency visa which is a 10 year visa and doesn't require 90 day reporting. Nor does it require a re-entry permit if you're travelling. In fact, if you leave the Kingdom once a year for vacation they consider that to be the 1 year reporting.
Agree buying not a good idea, I looked at buying a few years back but instead I bought a rental property back in the uk, I use the rent I receive to pay my rent in Thailand.
Don't agree with everything you said daz I had to buy some wound dressings from 7 11 recently. ..dam expensive. .much more than in the UK. ..also food is cheaper but I read that pesticides are widely used in Thailand with no regulation meaning the food is probably contaminated because of it being used right up to harvest..also I sponsor a soi dog that took up home in a soi pothole bar with food being more expensive than the UK even from bigc
You need to learn Never Buy Imported stuff, only ever buy stuff made in Asia, the wound dressing was obviously imported, and probably so was the dog food, because Thais always feed dogs left over human food.
Another excellent video. I had to subscribe again. I'm fairly sure YT hates one of us. My only input is two things. Asian compared to the West is cheap. If you avoid western foods and women. Most insurers, particularly travel insurance. Will not cover motorbikes. Whether that's hiring or being a taxi passenger. So just get a bht bus or use Grab.
I found the expensive/cheap scale dependent on where you go in Bangkok and Pattaya. The malls like Central Pattaya Mall in Pattaya, are on par or only slightly cheaper than Western prices. This includes the Tops grocery and food court in the basement level as well as the brand clothing stores on the above levels. However, you can very easily find cheap and good places to eat, easily find cheap but good clothing, and very affordable places to stay if you stay away from the brand shops and restaurants, and provided you do a little homework and asking others information.
Stating the obvious, it’s not the cost of living so much as the exchange rates for foreign currencies compared to 20 years ago. 70 plus down to 40 to 45 to the GBP
For me the weather is bad the English language as well is a problem even in the capital Bangkok and the food is not that good as well maybe I wasn’t eating where I supposed but I tried restaurants street food almost everything
How did you solve paper mail problem back in your country? I assume government and financial institutions still send a lot of spam with your private and personal information on your old address? Did you officially change address and they send you all useless papers into Thailand? I don't think that's possible in all cases. Also credit cards etc. This is a huge problem in my planning and I don't know the solution yet.
@@foilcap Will they forward it to Thailand from the US? I think international mail is more expensive. Plus mailbox is not gonna work for IRS as they require real physical address.
@@JS-fd5oh My tax return mailing address is set to the virtual mailbox. Sure a virtual box company will forward for a fee. But it does not happen often. If this is about credit cards - your bank can ship them - I think that it will cost about $40.
I never found the immigration requirements an issue and I have never used an agent. I think they are a total waste of money when the paperwork is quite straight forward.
Common misconception is that Thailand is cheap. It is not. Good food - even fruit - is expensive. The quality is much higher than in the West though. Medical care for complex issues is expensive and you will not get insurance when old. So some returned or go to their own countries for treatment.
@@everythingPattaya Nope. And I have Thai friends who are professors, including medical. And, by the way, during Covid there were almost _no_ tourists where we had been living. Sure, I can buy lower quality fruit cheaper.
The food is very cheap but you’re obviously doing it wrong. When you go to a restaurant look around and if all you see are tourists and foreigners then you’re in the wrong restaurant. A dish of fried rice in a touristy restaurant is 350-400 baht. In a restaurant where Thai people eat you can get the exact same dish for 50 baht.
@@SuperheroArmorychannel Darling, I know all this. Cooks at the local food court know me well and prepare what I like as soon as I show up. But good fried fish cost $10 or 300 baht no matter what. Same for fruit. We do live in a non-touristy area. And you can buy a pomelo 3 for a dollar or one for $4 - it all depends on quality. Same for mangos - a top mango for a dish with sticky rice costs a lot.
I do think one good thing should be classified bad - - - - - the abundance of outdoor food l wouldn't go near it, 40 degrees, and humid, on display for days, until sold, not had a bad stomach for over a decade (as for shrimp on the beach?????) 😮
What an incredible video. I am over in Jomtien, and I have been here for 11 days now. I can relate to most of your video. Your facts, truth, and advice is very welcoming. I came here to escape the US for a while. I lost my wife to cancer in February and had to get away. Your videos and experiences have helped me immensely since I arrived.
Sorry for your loss, prayers
@@luisRoma747 thank you
Been here 15 months so far - Good things for me are cost of living, ( rental of condo , electric & water costs ) scenery ,food , safety ,clothes prices , massages , transport options , healthcare ( dentistry & hospitals) the eye candy all over the place 😅.., friendly , helpful people .. bad - driving , traffic, humidity / heat 😢 ( lack of seasons & ‘cooler days’ 😅, like the uk 🇬🇧) visa issues ( 90 day report & renewal ) language ( tones mainly 😢) translation issues.
Humidity/heat, lack of seasons, lack of cooler days - these are strong pluses for me :)
I have been living in Thailand (Lat Krabang, Bangsaen, Jomtien, Pattaya most of the time since 2016. For me, the good thing about living in Thailand is that you can be happy with your everyday life if you choose to accept the environment you find yourself in .
The bad thing is that if you try to compare your life in Thailand with your life in your homeland this will only make you unhappy because Thailand is a different country. Accept the change.
How comparing Thailand with your past life can make you unhappy? It's impossible.
@@JS-fd5oh…True, if you miss your old life, just go back.
I have a couple of friends who bounce back and forth between Thailand and the Philippines. I hear the plus is food and nightlife and the minus is the language and immigration primarily.
Traffic, smog, and insane humidity are the two biggest bummers out here
The best things out here is the price and the vibe, nightlife is epic
I've just moved from the UK to Thailand having visited for three months and the heat is a bit of a problem for me. I tend to get up early and go for a swim in the Sea and then plan my day around staying cool ☺
Anyone got any tips to add to my list below ?
Carry a bottle of frozen water to keep blood cooler when going out
Place frozen bottles of water behind a fan to cool the air when indoors
Hang out in shopping centres with air con
Stay in the shade as much as possible
Cool off in a pool
Pop into 7/11s and other shops with air conditioning when going out
Put shoes in the freezer before putting on to go out 😆
Only kidding about the shoes but I do find keeping hand towels kept cool in the fridge or freezer to be very good
Good idea with the shoes !
I always take a frozen water bottle out a hat , small towel & sunglasses & in the ‘hot’ season avoid out between 12-4 pm
Plan your day hanging around Big C , Central Festival , Terminal 21 . Works for me .
Are you over weight or just wondering - I love the heat
Rely on fans at home whenever possible. You will acclimate much sooner. Seldom needed more than a few minutes to cool a room other than in April-May period.
Thai’s not an easy language, but it’s great to learn some. You will understand things before you can speak it. It enriches your experience with locals and is also good for your brain! 🎉
The police may not care if Thai people don't have a driving license but if a foreigner gets stopped and they don't have one, that is another matter.
All about the easy money .
The police in Thailand is very corrupt!
How much is the fee to let you go?
@@JS-fd5oh 500 /1000 baht slio of the hand..
@@1990-t1j Most holiday makers do not..
Very good video Daz, thanks again for keeping us up on everything going on in Thailand.
Thanks for the videos, very informative with lots of helpful tips! Phil from New York.
To the point and well explained. Great video!
Great video and really useful tips. We flight to Pattaya tonight. Love everything out there. Even humidity and smokey season. We reagy to get sweat😂. Thank you for the video.
Greetings from the east side of🇷🇺
Keep a plastic container containing a dozen damp face cloths in the fridge. When you come in grab a cold face cloth to wipe your face....helps cool you down instantly
I stayed 30 day in Thailand. I never felt sick or bloated from any food. I felt great. As soon as I returned to the US I realized how bad our food is. After returning home I immediately started to feel poisoned from the food. I’m from California. I try hard to keep a healthy clean diet and always workout. When Daz says “real food, not processed foods” he means it. 🙏🏽🙏🏽
I lived in Abu Dhabi for 11 years. Heat during the day is high and the humidity is low. But at night, with the breeze coming off the shallow Arabian Gulf, the air was so humid that it felt as if you had to push through the air just to move about. A reggae concert on the beach that I attended in Dubai, the heat and humidity forced the cancellation of the England based band. Only the opening band, Third World, from Jamaica was able to perform for the rest of the evening. The humidity at night on the Gulf coast is far worse than high humidity in Thailand (at least in my experience in Pattaya).
PERSIAN GULF you mean 😊
@kwidid23 Sorry, I did not listen to radio.
Spot on with the Visa comments. I'v been here 17 years and live in a province where the Imm Office has its own set of rules.
Now have a weeks holiday in Pattaya and use an agent for my extensions/permission to stay etc.
The comments section in your videos is a gold mine
The best voice on UA-cam hands down 😂no way you should give up your voice and English dialect to speak Thai 😂
My theory about the visa system is that its designed to employ people . The public service in western countries isnt a lot different .
Great video again Daz, tnx.
The most important thing you need to emigrate to Thailand i..m.o. is guts to leave everything behind in your own country. The rest is peanuts. I don't have it unfortunately.
Live life with no regrets when you reach the finish line in life!
Superb video Daz, great summary, fully agree on all. 👍🎉
Always enjoy your video. Always appreciate it. Hope to meet you in thailand someday
I live up north.live in a 4 bed house,£150,000 but rent apartments and get £600 a month.huge swimming pool,brand new pick up and do a bit of work to keep myself busy.ive just cooked a Sunday pork loin roast that cost about £1.20 a meal.its only expensive in the tourists spots.as for the language there’s plenty of translator apps.
Good discussion, but really good walking scenery as background. It's your video. Thanks for never using video or images from a service and especially no AI images that other UA-camrs are using.
Good vid. Whereas you get a few giggles when hearing some expats talk in Thai language, but not using the correct tone, I give them a ton more respect than I give to the lazy expat who has been in Thailand for years and won't even try to speak (or learn) the Thai language. I've only lived here for 1 year and it's pathetic that expats that have been here 5, 10, 15 years just use the excuse "I'm too old to learn a new language" and have to depend on their thai wife/girlfriend to do all the thai talking for them. I was actually told that by 3 different guys. So again, round of applause to the guys who try, even if they don't get it exactly right. It takes time.
Guilty as charged.
Yeah that’s what I want to do after slaving away for 45 years is learn a new language. How about just relaxing and doing what I want to for the first time in my life.
Agree. Learning their language is sign of respect
Another great video👍. What Visa Agent do you use? What are the fees. Just trying to get ahead of the game for September.
Watch this video
ua-cam.com/video/y1uMqBht5-4/v-deo.html
@@everythingPattaya Thanks
Im so on the fence between Malaysia & Thailand
Everytime I watch your videos, Thailand gets the nod
Im not a professional drinker so Pattaya is a bit more of want i need or want. Night life was the younger me, did it dont miss it.
As a single gent of 61, US resident, I'm gonna start in Thailand & visit Malaysia & see & feel the cultures of both countries.
Plan to use your visa recommendation (Key Visa) upon arrival.
Safe travels brother
Stay cool, mate
Craig
Always interesting to see your videos.
Appreciate your content!
For the heat and humidity I always bring Perspirex and Perspi Guard which are antiperspirants designed for people who are unlucky enough to suffer from Hyperhidrosis. Blocks the pores and only needs to be reapplied every 3 days or so. Applied to the underarms, feet and arse crack sorts out the potentially whiffy sweat sources.
Thanks again for the info ill be there in a week for two months I hope
Love your commentary.
Glad you enjoy it!
thats a lovely walk Daz........do you live up around Pratunmak? is there good rentals up there? tnx.
Yes, Pratumnak is my fave area
@@everythingPattaya tnx Daz.......im like you..jontiem to quiet....patts to busy.....Pratamnuk seems to be the happy medium
@@irishjonny11it appears that I've been missing out on something all these visits, as I've been fairly content with the hustle and bustle of Pattaya and don't mind spending the odd afternoon in Jomtien, but only stopped in Pratumnak to get a drink when walking back from Jomtien to Pattaya. It was something different to do from time to time.
Great video gaz.. keep it coming.. 💯
You cannot get a permanent residency with you retirement visa. You have to do the 90 day report, even if you live 30 years in Thailand.
You can get an LTR which is a 10 year visa with once a year reporting.
@@johnnielson4341 Exactly, and if you leave before the 12 months even for a day the report resets for another 12 months, so you can easily skirt the reporting all together, its a great visa for sure.
Tones: One example often used by Thai language teachers is "mai mai mai mai mai" which, depending on the tones in each word, means "new wood doesn't burn, does it?"
Exactly
It's 50% cheaper..at least.. and you have the weather the food and you can have a 25 year old absolutely gorgeous babe who will show you everything Thailand has to offer.. you can't really go wrong .. for holidays or longterm your pretty much covered for a happy life ❤
To avoid the heat and traffic,,, I'd probably just change my sleep pattern a bit and become a night owl since thats when all the action is anyways.
Great info as always,
Cheers.
ahh. Just spent 26 days in the Kingdom--most of it in Chiang Mai and a couple of nights in Chiang Rai; started off with 3 nights in Bangkok and two nights upon return. Chiang Mai at this time of year has the worst air quality, apparently, due to agricultural burning. Couldn't even see the mountains. And while I had no chance to visit Pattaya as my wife was in tow (we both had our agendas here--she for her art interests and I for my Thai cuisine interests), we spent a good deal of time apart during the day. Ahem.
Love this vid, thanks mate
I really like seasons. Cooler weather too. Wearing sweaters. Jackets. Love it. The humidity/heat there always would be an issue. For me. But I love Thai food. The women too. Pros and cons to every place. Location.
Humidity makes a big difference, spent time in Iraq in high humidity and 110+F heat, and when i got back to the states, it was 104F with almost no humidity and i was cold. I also grew up on the farm in the Midwest and it would be over 100F and high humidity, but the cornfields would block the wind, so the heat would be stifling with zero air movement. First time in Southeast Asia, i found i didn't notice the heat and humidity there as much if i used cold Tiger beer as a coolant. lol
GREAT VIDEO
the drains on beach road are pongo mongo that took some time to get used to
Can you recommend convenient hotel with access to Cozy Beach? I prefer something very clean and smaller. No need for a big luxury hotel.
Hi mate, great informative video as per usual, thank you. Quick question as you say Pattaya is your home now. Why won’t you buy in Pattaya, get somewhere and put your own stamp on it. Is there any blaring reason I’m missing why it’s better to rent?
Twice already I have rented a condo with a great view and twice some builder has bribed officials to build on land which was not supposed to be built on, and twice I have had to move because I lost the view.
@@everythingPattaya Have you seen plans for new Siam Oasis facing the Par 3 just off Soi 4 in Pratamnak, the have slabs on balcony so you cannot get a direct view to the Princesses villa
@@satoshi_corner Is Par 3 a golf hole or a bar?
@@marklawson8022 Par 3 pitch & putt course
@@satoshi_corner I was equally intrigued by the Princess' villa...
great video Daz........
Exactly when you come from a good climate country like Australia Thailand is just to hot my Thai wife gets very sick from the heat in April May June cost of living is about half what it is in Australia especially accommodation
Dax am in Pattaya can you let me know the dentist name you use from the video I saw I think it was around south Pattaya
Watch the end of this video
ua-cam.com/video/CQoRTHknwNM/v-deo.html
@@everythingPattaya Dax I found your dentist and he was very good I now know what I have to do to keep my teeth healthy, and the price was good am going to use them am back in London, didn't get to see you, maybe next time
I would add however that rental units at least in Bangkok are very small compared to USA where I live currently. I have a 3500 square foot house in Washington which is 325 square meters and the price of that in Bangkok would be very high. I looked at 80 square meter condo which was priced at 80000 bath so 320 meters would be 320000 bath which is about $8700. Per month. Also In western Europe, USA , Australia and all developed countries you can get fee or very cheap health insurance if you are over 65. For me the primary advantage of Thailand is the company, ancient culture and beautiful scenery in certain parts of the Kingdom.
Peace
It’s baht not bath. Unless of course you like to keep clean with 80000 baths
Two questions. One When looking for a condo to rent via an agency, will they transport you from place to place, or do you provide your own transportation? Secondly , are the required bank accounts checking or savings and do they offer "interest"?
Yes, an agent will take you in their car.
No interest on my account.
I agree with what you have said. One bad point is Air Pollution.
Not in Pattaya
@@CheekyMonkey007 Just check weather sites. It will get you eventually. The PM 2.5 will get you eventually.
How do u pick a condo that is cooler so u use less AC? Do u look for one that faces north, south, east, or west?😮
North
Don't get top floor.
Are there regular pubs in pattaya without working girls?
You mean bars, you of course.
I’m planning to go with my friends, can you recommend some good bars? We like bars with a large assortment of beers.
What did you do out in Dubai daz?
I helped to set up a brand new internet company
Green curry is my new favourite Thai food.Its that lovely flavour of aniseed in there. I'd like to know what that ingredient is.
Kaffir lime leaves are an interesting flavor in various Thai dishes …
@@ma3stro681 thanks for your culinary knowledge.
On my way. Fly out on or about May 15 for retirement!
@plbmck798 Congratulations on your retirement! You've made a great decision coming over!
Thank You super channel and info🤘
So nice of you
What happened to your intro music? I really liked it and the channel needs it …
Correct
I agree with your examples of bad and good.
I HATE Canadian winters. I love Pattaya even the rainy season is perfect. compared to a Blizzard.
The CHEAP prices for Condos are a real selling point.
Someone tried to pull the grand palace scam on me but I was able to avoid it because of the warnings on UA-cam. I just followed the crowd of people and found the entrance.
From my personal experience, you can maintain the same lifestyle you had in the US or UK for roughly half the cost in Thailand.
If Thailand was any closer to Europe or the US, it would have been ruined a long time ago :)
Loving 🇹🇭🙏🏻life i spend i month there and i think the heat its not a problem, you kmow you walk a lot in thailand and its not like i sweat a lot and my t shirt was suddenly all sweat and smelly honestly it did not happened but maybe depends on the human type of body just like you said scandinavians will feel the heat different but i know a fisherman from iceland he always travel to pattaya.🤣
Great video again sir! I laugh at people always saying the 90 day reporting is a hassle. The same people go to coffee shops, malls, restaurants, or bars for an hour or more every day, but oh no, dont make me spend 30 minutes every 90 days at immigration, I dont have time for that! 555 Love the women here, but the nightlife I dont partake in much. After living here for years, you realize all the girls are faking their friendly ways just to get more of your money, the music is too loud, and other farangs can be obnoxious. Of course that is fun if you have the time and extra money for it as well.
All True LOL
One major down side the bar girls empty my bank account every night.😂😂
One thing I like and also kind of dislike because I feel like I am missing out.
I am pretty much used to riding in chaotic places.
In Thailand islands, the laws are lenient and I can ride bikes without license etc. No one cares. But in mainland cities like bkk and Pattaya, they are quite strict. On foreigners at least.
I do see many foreigners driving bikes though... But they can be caught any time. 😅😅
A question for you gents who live there. Can I get TRICARE or VA medical? I am retired Navy and 100% disabled and young if that matters (51) Great video by the way!
Sorry, no idea, I'm English
The heat and humidity is what turns me off the most. I’d take an Aussie climate any day over Thailand
Me to mate the weather and beaches in Australia are way better but the woman in Australia are not even close
@@philliproberts7294 absolutely no doubt about that.
I know you always say never buy only rent but unless you can always rent a place for 6K Baht or less for 20 years of living, which I base my calculations on nearly impossible these days. Buying once paying yearly condo fees is financially feasible at least for me. I’m looking at bottom dollar and if I have more in the future I will be more comfortable rather than paying rent and having to move from place to place because it’s not fun moving no matter how many or little possessions you have. The price will add up over the years. This is just my opinion.
Coming in August and applying for retirement visa
As to language, those pocket translators are very handy. And weather, well i live in Las Vegas,Nevada. Dry heat ,yes, but you step outside and burst in flames.
When going for my motorbike licence I asked the staff there for a road rules book...they looked at me like I was stupid, the TGF sat with me while answering questions on pc which is part of your licence test, even the TGF with a car and bike licence was getting the answers wrong, and when I booked and paid for my bike licence learn/test I was told flatly I was guaranteed to pass....that stayed in my head, later I learned NO ONE FLUNKS (weather its at school etc) a test in Thailand...its not the Thai way.
Many of the negatives mentioned here are the same in other countries. Thailand is a wonderful place to visit and to live. The biggest negative not mentioned here are the tourists/ex-pats who smoke in public with no consideration for others. It’s in sharp contrast to America and other western countries where smoking in public is limited or outright banned.
Safety standards and air pollution are among the worst in the world. I wasn't very bothered by it at first, but if you have children then it's a serious issue that seems to be getting worse
This so called air pollution is a mystery to me.
@@Steven-t9s "Ignorance is bliss".
one good thing in Australia, with Permanent visa, they last 5 years and you have nothing to do but renew it at the end of 5 years. Unless you change your passport. But lacking other good things like Thailand
i think most of the higher cost of living is due to the worse exchange rate compared to what we where getting 20 years ago , you can still eat for nothing and beers are still the same price i was paying years ago but we are just getting less Bht for our dollar
Very good ..
Good highly outweighs the bad. Nothing on the bad list would deter me from moving there lol. The visa situation does sound annoying though
For me a big plus about Thailand and especially Pattaya is the general feeling of freedom, like we had in the West up until the nineties but is now gone. No woke bullshit in Pattaya, political correctness. It all revolves around sanook in Pattaya. A good example in my country is the red light area in Amsterdam, which used to be a mini Pattaya, a mini freestate. Its all gone now, the extreme left restrict everything, the area is ruined. That for me is a big plus about Pattaya, the freedom, as long as you can effort of course. All western guys i speak in Pattaya agree
Well said and so true ,keep the right.of the law and behave and respect Thai culture and we shall all be fine..
I agree with you about the lack of political correctness and Wokism, which is very attractive. I often think that people who enjoyed the Costa del Sol or Brava or the Balearics in the 80s, will enjoy Pattaya & Jomtien today for the same reasons.
You don't even have to participate. Just having the choice is good enough most days. Your choice, not someone else's.
@@kennethmcgurn3830 Well said and true very true.
The worst part of living in Thailand is air quality - it is horrendous. Another really bad issue is total absence of large parks or recreational areas in large cities: no place to hike or bike.
You must be talking about Bangkok, because none of what you wrote applies to Pattaya
Yes, air quality in big cities which are inland, the smaller coastal towns are much cleaner
People who complain about air quality in Pattaya tend to be people who read about the bad air quality in Pattaya. I’ve never even noticed any problem with air quality on any of my trips here.
6:00 90 day reporting is only necessary on short term visas (1 year or less). You can get a Long Term Residency visa which is a 10 year visa and doesn't require 90 day reporting. Nor does it require a re-entry permit if you're travelling. In fact, if you leave the Kingdom once a year for vacation they consider that to be the 1 year reporting.
How much is Long Term Residency?
Question why would you not buy a condo.
Thailand is too unpredictable, they could open a noisy venue right next door, or they could build a hi rise next door and kill your view.
Why would you buy a condo you will never get your money back too many empty ones and cheaper to rent andccan move when your lease is up
Bit you have been here 11 years.on jomtiem beech sea views
Agree buying not a good idea, I looked at buying a few years back but instead I bought a rental property back in the uk, I use the rent I receive to pay my rent in Thailand.
Thais do not maintain properties. And maintenance workers are incompetent.
Don't agree with everything you said daz I had to buy some wound dressings from 7 11 recently. ..dam expensive. .much more than in the UK. ..also food is cheaper but I read that pesticides are widely used in Thailand with no regulation meaning the food is probably contaminated because of it being used right up to harvest..also I sponsor a soi dog that took up home in a soi pothole bar with food being more expensive than the UK even from bigc
You need to learn Never Buy Imported stuff, only ever buy stuff made in Asia, the wound dressing was obviously imported, and probably so was the dog food, because Thais always feed dogs left over human food.
Not everywhere in Thailand is humid.
Another excellent video. I had to subscribe again. I'm fairly sure YT hates one of us. My only input is two things. Asian compared to the West is cheap. If you avoid western foods and women. Most insurers, particularly travel insurance. Will not cover motorbikes. Whether that's hiring or being a taxi passenger. So just get a bht bus or use Grab.
Yes women are expensive in Thailand now.
It is mainly the heat that prevents me from living there.
Not cheap, it is affordable and less expensive compared to the West. Food is plentiful and very fresh.
Nope, it is cheap.
If you eat in fancy western food restaurants, ok.
If you avoid those, and eat in middle class restaurants and stick to Thai food, then it's Very Cheap
Much cheaper in Cambodia and Vietnam
I found the expensive/cheap scale dependent on where you go in Bangkok and Pattaya. The malls like Central Pattaya Mall in Pattaya, are on par or only slightly cheaper than Western prices. This includes the Tops grocery and food court in the basement level as well as the brand clothing stores on the above levels. However, you can very easily find cheap and good places to eat, easily find cheap but good clothing, and very affordable places to stay if you stay away from the brand shops and restaurants, and provided you do a little homework and asking others information.
Stating the obvious, it’s not the cost of living so much as the exchange rates for foreign currencies compared to 20 years ago. 70 plus down to 40 to 45 to the GBP
For me the weather is bad the English language as well is a problem even in the capital Bangkok and the food is not that good as well maybe I wasn’t eating where I supposed but I tried restaurants street food almost everything
How did you solve paper mail problem back in your country? I assume government and financial institutions still send a lot of spam with your private and personal information on your old address? Did you officially change address and they send you all useless papers into Thailand? I don't think that's possible in all cases. Also credit cards etc. This is a huge problem in my planning and I don't know the solution yet.
The solution is use a friend or relatives address
Get a virtual mailbox as your home country address. They will scan your mail and forward whatever you want to forward. A basic one cost $9 a month.
@@foilcap Will they forward it to Thailand from the US? I think international mail is more expensive. Plus mailbox is not gonna work for IRS as they require real physical address.
@@CheekyMonkey007 Yeah... Trust some people with your private information, like SSN, tax returns etc...
@@JS-fd5oh My tax return mailing address is set to the virtual mailbox. Sure a virtual box company will forward for a fee. But it does not happen often. If this is about credit cards - your bank can ship them - I think that it will cost about $40.
FYI...I may have been unsubscribed by ??? You talked about this previously and I was a victim then. Thanks and cheers from Canada
By YT because they don't like Pattaya channels
I never found the immigration requirements an issue and I have never used an agent. I think they are a total waste of money when the paperwork is quite straight forward.
Riding a motorbike in Pattaya is ok I think, just drive really slowly so you can always know what's going on around you.
Riding a motorbike is probably the most dangerous thing you can do in Thailand.
Rents the same as 20 years ago and more choice and better.
Common misconception is that Thailand is cheap. It is not. Good food - even fruit - is expensive. The quality is much higher than in the West though. Medical care for complex issues is expensive and you will not get insurance when old. So some returned or go to their own countries for treatment.
You are obviously buying in tourist trap places.
@@everythingPattaya Nope. And I have Thai friends who are professors, including medical. And, by the way, during Covid there were almost _no_ tourists where we had been living. Sure, I can buy lower quality fruit cheaper.
The food is very cheap but you’re obviously doing it wrong. When you go to a restaurant look around and if all you see are tourists and foreigners then you’re in the wrong restaurant. A dish of fried rice in a touristy restaurant is 350-400 baht. In a restaurant where Thai people eat you can get the exact same dish for 50 baht.
@@SuperheroArmorychannel Darling, I know all this. Cooks at the local food court know me well and prepare what I like as soon as I show up. But good fried fish cost $10 or 300 baht no matter what. Same for fruit. We do live in a non-touristy area. And you can buy a pomelo 3 for a dollar or one for $4 - it all depends on quality. Same for mangos - a top mango for a dish with sticky rice costs a lot.
Daz, it took you a long time to mention the nightlife. Lol
I get acclimatised easy by cost 28 degrees is cold in Thailand 15 degrees is warm enough in England. Save money for beer.😁😄🍻🍻🍻🍻🍻
Spot on Daz I agree..
I do think one good thing should be classified bad - - - - - the abundance of outdoor food l wouldn't go near it, 40 degrees, and humid, on display for days, until sold, not had a bad stomach for over a decade (as for shrimp on the beach?????) 😮
Not at local markets in non-touristy places. Have been eating that food for years and not a single problem.
Agreed, if you behave yourself you will have no problems