i am a 53 yr old american male ready to retire.........?

i just spent a few weeks in thailand and it looks like a place i would like to spend some time upon retiring..where could i find a nice coastal community to spend time ..somewhere less dramatic than pattaya?

Public Comments

1. The area I like is the Hua Hin/Cha-Am area, it's about a 3 hour drive south of Bangkok and is not at all like Pattaya. There's a lot of development going on down there, nice beaches, good golf courses and the price for condos or villas is more reasonable than Phuket and Koh Samui, for example. Rayong is also being developed as a retirement/vacation area, although it is a bit industrial. Though Pattaya may not be your cup of tea, the South Jomtien area and the Wongamat Beach area which are south and north of Pattaya, are world's apart from Pattaya and there are some beautiful condos in place and being built in those areas. Thailand has a huge coastline on the gulf side as well as the Andaman Sea side, you might want to spend some time driving around and having a look, there's a lot to choose from. Good luck.
2. I would recommend coming over and spenting a month or two looking around. are you interested in a condo. or just to rent an apartment. Condo usually are 4 million baht or higher in costal resort areas. If your interested in information about visa requirements for thailand you can email me. good luck.
3. Before you make a final decision come back several times and live in different places in order to find a place that suits you best.
4. I've lived in Thailand more than eight years and have enjoyed every minute of it. You say you're only interested in spending some time here and are considering a coastal area other than Pattaya. I live in Bangkok for mainly one reason: it was not such a huge cultural jump from living in the US. If you're only going to spend a few months here that would be less of an issue. Bangkok has the flavor of Thailand, but it's clearly the most western and modern city in the country. Pattaya is the second most western city and Phuket is the third (granted it's an island), but I agree with you that Pattaya is someplace I also could not live. I can go to restaurants and shops here in Bangkok that have the things I'm accustomed to eating or buying. If I want, I can go outside Bangkok (I have a car) and immerse myself in the culture completely. I particularly like visiting Isan (northeast Thailand) and it's nothing like the US. It's also been important for me to have American and European friends even though most of my friends are Thai. No matter what you may think, the cultural divide between our cultures cannot and should not be overcome. It takes a very flexible person to fit into another culture such as this one. I live in a condo that's as American, larger (240 square meters or 2,600 square feet) and more luxurious than the house I had in the US. I have UBC Satellite TV and XM satellite radio (plus other Internet radio) that largely (or entirely) carry American entertainment. I live in the center of the city near the Emporium which is very convenient to everything. So, inside my condo, it's America and when I step outdoors, it's Thailand. It makes living here much more enjoyable for me. I don't think it's a good idea to think you can entirely throw your American culture away. The coastal communities mentioned by others here are very beautiful and enjoyable to spend some time. It's the amount of time you're thinking about spending here that makes the difference. I intend to be here for the rest of my life, so my commitment requires the adjustments I've made to live here happily.
5. The Hua Hin/Cha-Am area is very good to live in! Much better than the other areas in Thailand. You could apply for a retirement visa at your age and make Hau Hin your home.
6. Hua Hin, on the other side of the bay is as nice but much quieter than Pattaya. Not the wild nightlife but enough to keep one happy. Beautiful beaches and not near as expensive as Pattaya is fast becomming. Easy to get to Bangkok when necessary and to airport in BKK. That's where I'd look if I wasn't happy in Bangkok and may someday when I've had my fill of the wild life.