This is a discussion on And if not Phuket where else in Thailand ??? within the Expats forum, part of the PHUKET category; Originally Posted by SirDougless I was going to suggest Nong Khai or Nakhon Phanom but I think I'll quit whilst ...
Originally Posted by SirDougless
I was going to suggest Nong Khai or Nakhon Phanom but I think I'll quit whilst I'm ahead ...
I am still hoping that Sir Doug less, wonderful play on words, and / or others will come forward with impressions why alternative locations appeal to them.
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That's easy. For me, I enjoy coming to Phuket for a holiday, catch up with friends (expat & TGs) etc. Patong's nightlife appeals in small (2-3 weeks) doses, as do beaches such as Surin. But I couldn't live there. It all gets a bit much after about 3 weeks. I get sick of sleeping through the day and partying in the dark.
After meeting the wife I started to travel around Thailand, primarily Isaan because that is where she is from. I enjoyed visiting her family in the village (made easier because they have a substantial abode, even an airconditioned lounge room with armchairs) and visiting surrounding cities - Sakon Nakhon, Nong Khai, Udon Thani.
Nong Khai has become a favourite after several visits and I have a few expat and Thai acquaintances there. I think the Maekhong appeals to me. Not quite the Surin beach seaview but it is always a hive of activity. Real estate is much cheaper than Phuket. I almost bought a two story, 4 bedroom, 3 bathroom house 15 minutes out of the city for AUD35,000. Neung, my wife, can go shopping in the markets, hand over 1 baht and get change. There are bars and western restaurants I can frequent if I desire. Yes, it is much quieter way of life. The Kamala of Isaan.
I still travel to other areas and some like Kanchanaburi also appeal. It is a beautiful area, more livelier than Nong Khai and only a few hours by train or car from BKK. Well worth a visit. In December I intend to look at Nakhon Phanom, also on the Maekhong. Don't know what to expect but if you don't go you'll never know.
Anyway, for the moment I've decided to stay in Sydney for at least the next 3 years. This should allow Neung to obtain a Permanent Residency visa and give our children Australian Citizenship. Both should be assets to her and the family after my demise. Should I survive that time then I'd be happy to live in Thailand, but not in Phuket or Pattaya. But I'll be visiting both!
I was visiting nakhon phanom and surroundings with gf september 2007 and it reminded me of my hometown.. very slow community where there not comes to much poeple..we got there by a small airline pb-air and to that airport there was only 1 arrival-departure of the day and that seemed to be the highlight of the day there.. might been just the month i was there but it was veery slow.. but cheap.. we spend the whole night out in a bbq buffe+ beers ..i think around 11 ppl from the family and it didnt even comes up to 1000bht so i never seen the money so much worth as there. when we took in at a lunch restaurant it ended up to 60bht for 2 ppl.
there was 2 main hotels down the river mekong.. we stayed at both them for some days due we met the family. was cheap as dirt.and worth moore than i could belive.
from prewious trips to phuket- bkk im kind of promised myself to never drive in thailand but when i saw the slow and calm traffic there, im rented myself a car and we got around there. very nice nature and almolst unatural friendly people.. there was still that ol (im poor but happy) thai smile living on there
we was one day going to a waterfall and before that we got into there we go to a place to buy some food.. well the restaurant cooked up food for 8 ppl + kids and i almost fell when she claimed 143bht for the lunch! i handed over 150 and looked at gf if i was suppose to put in another 50 for tip.. but no.. that lady in restaurant insisted to give that 7 bht back in coins!
if stuck around there for a months holiday.. it wouldnt get so expensive i guess.. umm until that family start ask for the sinsod maybee yeee
// Tim
I like the eastern seaboard area where I live. You can get all the services, internet, cinema, half decent shopping (Ban Chang has it's own Lotus opened a couple of months ago). There's some interesting scenery and you're close enough to Pattaya if you fancy a night out.
Having said all that, it's difficult to find beaches as good as those down south unless your gonna head through Rayong and down towards the Cambodian border. Khoa Chang isn't a bad place to visit down that way.
I haven't visited Krabi since 1997, but loved it when I did go there and have often thought of it as a place for retirement........as I said, if you're looking for nice beaches and pristine coastline then it's the southern peninsula..
Last edited by snorter; 28-06-2008 at 15:20.
You could try Nakhorn Ratchasima plenty to do around the city and province, not many expats there, good shopping, hospitals, cinemas, night life is mainly thai with a small mix of expat bars check out KoratFarang.com - Index for more info.
"Follow the sapper" 412 Amphibious Engineer Troop(Volunteer)
The last 4 years I have managed to make phuket for 1-3 months stays. I dont want to pretend I`m an old hand but it has got a lot more intense in every way. I would sort of like a scaled down version of phuket if that were possible - some beach, some bar girls, some amenities, more thai prices, more smile and sanuk.i second the recommendation for Krabi. The countryside, coastline and islands are absolutely stunning. Ao Nang, which is the main resort area, is developing fast but still has a long way to go before catching up with Phuket. Krabi Town is still a sleepy provincial town but now has a Tesco Lotus (including Major Cineplex cinema) and there is Big C about to open any time soon. Best of all its only 2 hours from Phuket
Does that exist? Krabi sounds ok but the bar scene is only 6 bars? And its full of 20 year old sculpted bodied rock climbers and their groupies?
And me with my gut and wrong side of 40?
Is there a mini phuket out there? Any suggestions?
Cheap Charlie = Financially Astute.
a fool and his money are soon parted
maybe you will enjoy Hua Hin
beach is not as nice but good enough and the atmosphere is super relaxed
plenty of beer bars and i saw plenty of cute bg's last month when i was there
the disco in the hilton is fun and there are a couple thai discos as well
closest I've found is Jomtien Beach just south of pattaya....beach is not too far off Patong Beach quality (the further out you go the better the beach quality gets.....never gets to the standard of the more secluded Phuket beaches but some good spots on that coast just the same)......and it has a nice laid back feel and a decent bar scene all of its own....if that too slow for you pattaya with its infamous nightlife is a 10bht/20 minute bhtbus ride away
....but of course I was verey verey draaank!!!
Cheers lads
Food for thought.
Cheap Charlie = Financially Astute.
a fool and his money are soon parted
Seem to be describing K***la to me, with the added benefit of Patong still being just down the road for a few nights out??
P.S - please note I have starred out any offending words for the more delicate amongst us.
If I havn't done it already, then i'm gunna do it today.
LOL get over it, Bernie
ผมรักสาวไทย
Bangkok for me, stayed a while before and apart from not having a beach I enjoyed it there, thank you.
"Tiger Daft!"
If you want to think outside of the box then look at some of the bordering countries with cheap flights to Phuket and BKK. In one in particular its' 1 hr flight and you are in the action in Phuket and you get a 10 year retirement visa with a tiny bond, can own 2 properties freehold, import you car tax free and pay no income tax. Oh yeah the medical system is good, standard of living is better than LOS, good expat community with expat females too ( you gotta admit that the lack of expat females in LOS does detract from the place a little if you are going to live there full time). The real estate is good, prices are better than LOS and the international schools are far superior to those in LOS. English is widely spoken and there is a major international airport that is one of the major hubs for the region.
I always thought of that as one of the added benefits.....
how is Khao Lak ?, since the Tsunami I haven't heard much....but it's suppose
to be a nice spot...not far from here, Pkt.....BB
Always make sure the fornicating your getting , is worth , the fornicating your getting !!!
Is that a country that starts with M and ends with A ? 10 year retirement
Cant say it bothered me especially...
But yeah the MMSH program really rolls out the red carpet compared to here !!
A closed mouth gathers no feet !!
I've a feeling I may give Vietnam another go at some point as well. I enjoyed it over there.
Still lots of holidaying SWF's here if that's what floats your boat!
Last edited by Denver; 06-07-2008 at 07:30.
What is MMSH program ???
Malaysia My Second Home..
In very broad strokes I think its.. Bring 50k USD into Malaysia, you get a 10 year renewable visa, you can own 2 homes outright (and use the initial 50k to purchase ??), you can import one car tax free, they have a one stop immigration system to help you do all these things.
Basically they make it super super easy to go and live there, they make it clear they want you to do so.. Whereas Thailand basically puts hurdles in front of you each step of the way and makes it seem they clearly dont want you.
I hear Brazil offer another system where 50k USD means you get long stay, property ownership, and in a few years full citizenship. I have a contact who lived in S America before who has a high opinion of the northern Atlantic coast there. Must say never done any central or S American traveling but it is definitely on my radar.
A closed mouth gathers no feet !!
yep Malaysia is good. As LOS says in broad terms you need to put down 75K but after 1 year you can use 50K of that for real estate. The rest stays in bond earning interest for the duration of the visa. Multi-entry renewable 10 year visa for both you and your spouse as well as all children under 18 years.
I paid the higher amount and got it because I am under 50 years of age. I only did it to be able to buy a couple of properties at this stage but later down the track when I retire it will become my base in SEA as I can shift the boat to Langkawi and cruise from there as well as.
Be warned though there is hardly any mongering there and it is going to turn into a very secular Muslim state over the coming years and become even more hardline. There is no way that you should live there and carry on like you do in LOS. But that suits me down to the ground as I dont like to sh*t in the nest I live in and I dont go hard 365 days a year anyway. I would rather have short sharp bursts of depravity and then go back to a routine existence. Sounds weird I know but it works for me.
As for the white female company thing it is not for fornication, god forbid. It is just for the conversation and intellectual companionship and the other things that middle aged women as friends can provide. There are some decent women out there in the world guys who are worth spending time with.
To have an alternative is always good. Malaysia sounds like it. An affordable option.
Is there any possiblity to take my GF legallywith me?
Donīt want to marry again.
Try Vientiane.
Mai chai bpen falang, phom bpen kluay.
that is interesting, Rufus123. Less developed country charme, yet close to the Friendship bridge. Can you elaborate a bit further with some concrete details ?
Very very valid, particularly when you want to live with a sexy young unveiled woman in sin, I guess.
Bearing the number of girls who answer the question 'where u come fam' with Korat its obviousy a target rich environment as well 55555555555555555
Some people are always right- even when they're wrong.
Where's the best place in Thailand to be left alone by the ladies!
Anyone saying Soi Croc vill be shot ya!
Soi Paradise?Where's the best place in Thailand to be left alone by the ladies!
Anyone saying Soi Croc vill be shot ya!
You alzo vill be shot!
Didn't mention the place you didn't want mentioned?You alzo vill be shot!Please don't shoot.
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