Hua Hin

[f0xxee]

Hi THaime,

Wow, this is going to be a very subjective analysis that will cause no end of bleating and arguments from both sides of the Gulf (of Thailand.)

OK the following are my opinions only:

Hua Hin is smaller, less developed and generally less congested than Pattaya.
The roads are better for those of us who ride motorbikes or pushbikes, as its easy to get out of town to rural areas quickly and there are more interesting rides to be had locally.

The red light district is small and unobtrusive and not "in your face" as it is in Pattaya. Sex and Sin is secondary on the menu to most of the expat community in HH. Many are golfers, tennis players, kite-boarders and outdoorsy folk. HH is far less geared toward sex and sin. So bring your own sin.

Whether this is a plus or a negative: I think the median age of falangs in HH is far older. More old established Thai/Falang couples.

Golf: 7 courses within 20k of HH.

Weather: HH is one of the driest provinces in Thailand, and the wind is offshore in the wet season, onshore in the dry season.. so a little cooler.

The King and Queen live there (or did) and so the roads and cleanliness are always tip top.

Very few young Russian/Aussie/Pommie Lager Louts vomiting/arguing/fighting/pissing and making a annoyance of themselves.

Pattaya is closer to the airport, but on a good day HH is only 2.5 hours. (If I am driving... at 140kph)

A lot of nice clean beaches in and around Hua Hin, not a 5m wide band of dirty sand with 10,000 umbrellas on it. (Not that HH beach its self doesn't get congested and dirty in the high season, it does. But there are many good alternatives near by.)

Its still possible to find the charm of a fishing village in HH and areas around it such as Kao Takiab, Kao Tao, Pak Nam Pran, Kao Lok, and Sam Roi Yot.
It has Sam Roi Yot national park.

Most of the toxic scum tourists go to Phuket or Pattaya.

Downside: for mongers not many ladyboys.
Upside for those in relationships: not so many temptations

I am sure there are more reasons. Its clean. Cheapish. Its not Pattaya!!!! need I say more?

Let the arguments commence!

[pacman]

I have never been to Hua Hin. I am not familiar with the local landmarks, golf courses, etc. However, as for the rest of the post above, it concurs exactly with my own opinion about the two places.

And after experiencing the wrath of certain bar girls during my last extended stay in Pattaya, the further away I lived from them, the better. OK to visit but the old adage about familiarity breeding contempt was never so true.

And those LBs, they are shocking for wanting to make trouble for you if they have been spurned. Stories being told about me by some of the troublemakers I knew had no relation to anything that actually happened. There were a few who were threatening me with my life when I had never even spoken to them. And they really didn't care if they were responsible for my death, they were just full of hate & anger.

Hua Hin sounded like a much nicer place though no doubt there would be a fresh set of problems if you spent all your time in the bars.

[Torurot]

Sounds like a nice place to LIVE rather than just visit. Lack of fighting pissed up louts pointing at you and your date a major plus!!

[f0xxee]

Its a nice place to live Torurot.
I have been there over 3 years now and really don't want to live anywhere else.

[TEXASMAC]

As I study more if I have 10-14 days to monger, Pattaya is the place. If a person wishes to live, and sustain a life HH might be the place. I know me, if I have to much from the local Ladies and to much . I will never survive. The more I study the more HH looks like a place for an OLD, but new monger to relax.

[TEXASMAC]

Back at the end of January at the Jell-o wresting event at bar Annconda. Besides the fact that there was no Jell-O. I was talking to a BM, sorry I was a little distracted at the time and dont remember BM name. He told me about a way that I could close out my 401k early and not pay the 25% tax. The ex took enough for no I dont need the USA Tax Man to me.

[Thaime]

Thanks for the reply FOxxee!  HH sounds really good to me.  Firstly, I am an avid golfer who likes to play 2 or 3 rounds a week and hit the driving range 3 times a week.  I do like the Golf Club in Pattaya on Soi LK Metro, everyone there seems like nice folks and the food is pretty good.  

As for Pattaya itself, I am getting tired of the ladyboy bars with the drama from the girls, the watered down drinks, and the overall seediness of the place.  I would love to live far enough away from Pattaya where I could visit once a month for a couple of days and the ladies have no idea that I actually live in Thailand.  The thought of HH having a smaller red light district appeals to me.  I love to monger. but as I get older, I also enjoy living a normal live away from all that.  I just want to live a quite life with a lot of golf and have the option to monger when i have the urge.  

I'm currently working on building up my 401K substantially in the next few years and also working on some internet marketing stuff to help supplement my income.  I'm middle 50s now and if I work until I am 66, I will have a really good retirement income combining 401k with Social Security.  I really don't want to work that long and was wondering if I could have a comfortable life in HH on $3000.00 US a month?  I would really like to retire in about 3 years but I am now making 6 figures and it would be hard to leave that much money on the table.  I guess I will have decide whats more important to me.

[f0xxee]

Hi Thaime,

You just pretty much hit the nail on the head regarding my reasons for living in HH. While I tend to be more the serial monogamist, when I have been single and sometimes mongering I am the same: I like to dip my snout in the sex-trough, then retire from it for a while. I find living and mongering with the constant seediness of Pattaya gives me the yips after a while, making me wonder what sort of person I am.

Again, this is ME chaps, so those of you who live in Patts full time and monger full time best of British to you: its only how I feel about it.

Hua Hin is a Golfers paradise: cheaper green fees and less crowded courses. I live at Kao Tao 13k south of Hua Hin and if I am within 5k of three courses. (I don't play golf by the way. Not until they allow me to bring a 4WD V8 Monster golf cart with me)

I bought a house here (note I said house, I lease the land) for about 200,000 USD. Its beautiful, well built and secure. You can buy one for half that price. Or a condo for the same in town (Hua Hin) or Kao Takiab.
A condo means you can own it in your name without the need for a dodgy company where your partners are the gardener, maid, and bloke who washes your car. Sooner or later (MY OPINION ONLY) these convenience companies might come unravelled. As such I have my land on a 30 year lease with a guaranteed 2nd 30 year option. If the land holders want to take the land back at the end of 30 years they have to buy my house and any improvements at current value. As I will be 88 years old when the first 30 years expires I am not overly concerned. While not a perfect solution, I feel it gives me more security that being 20% owner of a company with unknown thai partners, at t a time when the Thai Authorities are looking closely at such companies due to the fact they feel so much of the rice fields of Thailand are now controlled buy such means by non-Thais. Or something along those lines.

Can you live on 3000 dollars a month? Ah yes. Well enough. Even if you were to rent rather than own, a substantial and comfortable house with a pool not far from HH can be yours at 20,000 baht a month at the moment. Even given the comparatively love dollar/baht exchange that would leave you 70,000 baht a month for transport, food, services.

Just for reference my monthly averages costs:

Electricity: 2500 baht per month (I have a swimming pool and usually run 1-2 Air cons at night)
Internet: 800 B per month
True Visions Platinum: 2500 B per month
Gasoline: hehehehe. 10,000 baht per month (4 motorbikes and a car. Costs me more than sex.)

So your 30000 dollars is worth around 95,000 baht at the moment. Take out the cost of survival and you should still see around 60,000 baht left over for golf and .... activities.

One word of advice: FACTOR IN HEALTH INSURANCE!!!!! Come off a motorbike or just reach your dotage and get sick and you are looking at big money (20-30 thousand B/day) for hospital. Don't skimp in this, its a lot of peace of mind. I use BUPA.

[TEXASMAC]

Good information. I thought I could survive and enjoy on 30,000 Bhat. Maybe I need to Re-think and Re-plan.

[f0xxee]

Hi Tex,

Not unless you want to move to Udon and sit out side the 7/11 at night drinking Archa out of a brown paper bag....

[f0xxee]

(f0xxee @ Jun. 18 2012,12:59) Hi Tex,

Not unless you want to move to Udon and sit out side the 7/11 at night drinking Archa out of a brown paper bag....


Cheers,

JF

Hi Tex,

Not unless you want to move to Udon and sit out side the 7/11 at night drinking Archa out of a brown paper bag....

For starters you need to show an income of 80,000 per month for a retirees visa, or 800,000 in the bank. you can live ok on 60,000 a month... but its not really living... not in my opinion.

Cheers,

JF

[TEXASMAC]

800,000 in the bank wont be a problem. I just cant see waiting till I am in my late 50's. My biggest concern is I will get there and get somewhat bored after a while and like crazy, and like crazy and die in the streets. Its not that I believe in Love and Family but I want to go on my terms. I will need something to do.

[TEXASMAC]

Besides and .

[laputanegra]

I love Hua Hin I miss the place.

[rxpharm]

Tan, good to see you active on the forum again! Also good news for those who are her fans - her photo thread is back! See here (for trusted members only): Taniesha Black in LOS