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Retiring in Thailand

Retirement in Thailand – My 1st Year in Jomtien, Pattaya. It’s Outstanding Here, I’m Really Loving It!

by Kim 15th April 2020

written by Kim

Retirement may seem to be many people’s biggest dream or possibly their biggest nightmare. As the owner of my own business, I rather ‘slithered’ into retirement, there was no retirement party just the arrival of my first pension. Thailand ticked most of my boxes so a decision was made for Retirement in Thailand. As a perennial entrepreneur I had been looking at starting a business in Thailand, but when I dug deeper into the requirements I started to think – “Why bother with the stress!”

I decided that retirement in Thailand was the course that I would follow. Bad air quality in Bangkok and no need any more to be at the hub of business, I followed a friend’s advice and went to look at Jomtien located on the coast next to Pattaya. The quest for my apartment was well documented and you can see my reports Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 & Part 4.

Retirement in Thailand - My 1st Year in Jomtien, Pattaya. It's Outstanding Here, I'm Really Loving It! 6 — Pool and Condo

Retirement in Thailand - My 1st Year in Jomtien, Pattaya. It's Outstanding Here, I'm Really Loving It! 7 — Pool and Condo

Unbelievably it has now been more than a year since I moved into my new home and location so I would like to reflect on some observations and assist with some discoveries since my arrival. When I was searching for a place to a retire, the Pattaya area appealed to be for several reasons including great infrastructure, cosmopolitan breakdown, on the beach yet still close to Bangkok for eventual work and the airport. Simply put, there are 3 main areas to the Pattaya area; Pattaya itself, Jomtien and nestled between the two is Pratumnak Hill, where I was fortunate to locate.

Retirement in Thailand - My 1st Year in Jomtien, Pattaya. It's Outstanding Here, I'm Really Loving It! 9 — Promenade infont of View Talay

Retirement in Thailand - My 1st Year in Jomtien, Pattaya. It's Outstanding Here, I'm Really Loving It! 10 — Promenade infont of View Talay

Pattaya is an amazing place and generally you will either love it or you hate it! The good parts are the availability of almost every store and excellent shopping malls. There are more bars that you can count and the night-life is wildly diverse. It is not all tank-top wearing, beer belly tourists(and locals) though there are a lot. If this is your crowd you will find a diverse variety of nationalities. A more subdued bunch can also be found but take some research. Over the hill is neighbouring Jomtien featuring an 11 km beach front and pleasant beach. Jomtien is generally favoured by an older retirement segment including many couples.

Whilst their number swell during the Winter months, many have made Jomtien their home. This has had a strong influence on the infrastructure with restaurants catering more to European taste, massage salons not recommending Thai Massage to super-unfit foreigners and music suiting evening sing-alongs. Please don’t get me wrong, its relaxing and quiet most of the time.

Nestled between the two is Pratumnak consisting or six sois (streets) running from Thapphraya Road down towards the beach. Most of these sois are quiet with few restaurants and massage shops offering quiet residential areas. There are many hotels and guesthouses and these are favoured mostly by Russian visitors. Soi 5 is the main street of this community with a good range of simple, yet high quality restaurants and bars offering inexpensive food and drinks. There is some excellent live music but generally it is quiet and residential.

Many people congregate at the beach especially in the evenings where local vendors supply a range of food and the ever dependable 7-11 for cold drinks and snacks. Needless to say, this is where I am located. My street has no through traffic so no noisy motorbikes. The others have through traffic but nothing excessive. As re-iterated in my Blogs of Looking for where to stay, look carefully and find accommodation that suits your requirements and budgets.

Having moved into my new home in View Talay 3, I had to start to orientate myself and many extensive walks introduced me to my new area. I located an excellent supermarket, Foodmart located on Thappraya Road(next to the Bangkok Airport bus station). The range of food is incredible as they cater to Europeans, Brits, Australians, Americans and Russians. Prices are reasonable and quality is good. They are also open 24 hours a day. For slightly more choice try Villa market on 2^nd Road in Pattaya. Nearby I have no less than four 7-11 shops, a mini Tesco, a Mini Big C and many Family Marts. All are open 24/7 thought alcohol sales are only between 11:00-14:00 and from 17:00 – 22:00. Many local markets are available.

I had arrived as low season was setting in, so Jomtien and Pratumnak were getting quieter and I have found 4 places that I would call my locals on Soi 5 in Pratunmnak. Lets hope that they will all have survived the Covid-19 shutdown and I will report on this.

Jomtien also has an excellent English multi-lingual ad competent Doctor who offers professional advise without the need to visit a hospital Dr. Olivier speaks French, English, German and Thai. Link

Making friends and acquaintances is relatively easy as most people are relaxed and friendly and gradually one recognises faces in the cafés, bars and restaurants. There are many special interest groups here from Salsa Dancing to Classic Cars and everything in-between

There are two main large Expat Clubs which appear to be quite similar but still remain separate. I joined the Pattaya Expats Club and attended a few meetings. The meetings were not really the social contact that I was looking for, but I could see that many enjoyed their Friday meetings. What I did appreciate was the professional assistance with a representatives from a lawyer, hospital and Insurance expert in attendance. In fact, joining the club (THB.500) enabled me to benefit from their special members rates with Pacific Cross Insurance enabling me to make a substantial saving on my annual Medical Insurance.

Pattaya itself offers make large shopping malls so if the outside temperature is getting to you, the malls do offer a cooler climate, vast choice of food courts, restaurants and cafes in addition to shops, cinemas etc. I do occasionally venture into Pattaya in the evening. My round will normally include Soi 6 off 2^nd Road, Soi 8, the areas around Soi Burkhao and of course walking street. As I write during the lockdown we will have to wait to see who has survived. If you are looking for an exceeding friendly and not push bar to make you local, I do recommend LePub on Soi Diamond, ask for Phil, aka Mr. Egg and he will make you most welcome. LePub

Getting around is relatively easy. On every Soi you will find motor-bike taxis who will take you where you want for reasonable amounts, just be careful around the tourist attractions as some will push their luck and hike the prices. The Song Taew (pick-up taxis) are on all main streets. Stop them, jump on and the press the bell when you want to get out. The cost is just THB.10, per person!

I firstly rented a scooter and once I had restored my confidence, I bought my own bike. So handy and so easy to get around. You do need to wear a helmet at all times and you will need a Thai Driving Licence. Here is a useful link for this

The first year has passed so quickly, I am very comfortable in my Apartment and know many people in my immediate area. The weather has been great, for some reason Pattaya has not had much rain, the very long beach promenade provides with an excellent walk each morning and the numerous cafes, bars, restaurants and food carts provide an ever-changing menu. I love it here, come and join me!

Retirement in Thailand - My 1st Year in Jomtien, Pattaya. It's Outstanding Here, I'm Really Loving It! 12 — Sunsets every evening, I’m loving it here!

Kim Waddoup

Founder

Kim Waddoup enjoyed a lifetime in the tourism business and is an active ‘Silver-Ager” living in Thailand. He writes for his age group with high varied articles covering subjects relevant to retirees living in, or visiting Thailand. Any questions or comments on this post? Please do feel free to contact me through our ‘Contact Form’ or directly kim@meanderingtales.com

15th April 2020 0 comment

Destinations

Coming to Thailand and worried about Covid-19? A real report from someone who lives here!

by Kim 24th February 2020

written by Kim

Coming to Thailand and worried about Covid-19? A real report from someone who lives here!

With the excessive amount of exaggerated news, it does become challenging to conclude whether one is reading or listening to truth or fiction. Whilst Covid-19 virus is worrying and needs to be taken seriously, what is actually happening? Is now the time to just stay at home, batten down and wait for the crisis to pass or is it a time to continue as normal, naturally taking additional precautions.

With the massive number of tourists visiting Thailand from China each year, Thailand was one of the first countries to announce a confirmed case outside of China. It does appear that the growth has been limited, thanks largely to the Chinese authorities who effectively shut down foreign travel for Chinese nationals. As of 21 February, according to the World Health Organisation, Thailand had a total of 35 laboratory confirmed COVID-19 cases with 212 people either being tested for the coronavirus or still being treated for respiratory symptoms. 19 people have made a full recovery and 16 remain in hospital. No deaths have been reported in Thailand. The Government has also announced that it is prepared for worst-case scenarios just in case of an escalation.

Coming to Thailand and worried about Covid-19? A real report from someone who lives here! 19 — Suvarnabhumi airport is quiet

Coming to Thailand and worried about Covid-19? A real report from someone who lives here! 20 — Suvarnabhumi airport is quiet

So what does this mean to the people on the street? Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport is remarkable quiet. Naturally no flights from China and with many flights to other destinations either curtailed or cancelled. Masks are worn by all airport personnel and arriving visitors seem perplexed as to wear them or not. Travel into the city by the convenient Airport Rail Link and you will see about 30% of the people wearing masks and it was interesting to note a small group or school-friends, half with masks and half without. Travel, tourism, shopping, dining and entertainment appears to be continuing as normal with few masks to be seen.

Coming to Thailand and worried about Covid-19? A real report from someone who lives here! 22 — Travelling the BTS

Coming to Thailand and worried about Covid-19? A real report from someone who lives here! 23 — Travelling the BTS

It should be noted that with the cancellation of Thailand’s single largest source of tourism, there are substantially fewer ‘mass’ tourists making it a very pleasant time to travel.

Koh Samui is relatively un-affected as due to the high costs of airfares to the Island it had avoided the hordes of mass tourism. Pattaya on the other hand has been hit massively. Without mass tourism there are virtually no busses full of tourists blocking the city, the normally congested channel between Pattaya beach and the nearby Koh Larn island is now virtually empty with only the occasional speed boat now making its way on the 7 km journey to the island. In fact, it is a wonderful time to visit the island with a plentiful supply of sun-beds available and an almost empty beach displaying it’s enchanting white sand and clear azure waters.

Coming to Thailand and worried about Covid-19? A real report from someone who lives here! 25 — Koh Larn beach

Coming to Thailand and worried about Covid-19? A real report from someone who lives here! 26 — Koh Larn beach

Nearby Jomtien Beach and Dongtan Beach remain quite busy filled with regular ‘Snow-Birds’, Europeans, Russians and Thai visitors.

If you have a trip planned to Thailand, you will find that you are most welcome and you will be able to enjoy this fabulous country without the hordes of mass tourism. Is it safe? Who can really tell? I would personally still travel but obviously there is the constant fear that the epidemic could escalate. If you are travelling, enjoy and just take a few additional precautions, face masks we have heard are not effective and should only be worn if you have any infection. Just wash your hands more often than normal or use the disinfectant that is readily available on all public transport and public places.

Enjoy Thailand in these interesting times!

Kim Waddoup

Founder

24th February 2020 0 comment

Maybe the best Massage in Pattaya?

by Kim 15th November 2019

written by Kim

UPDATE: Massaging Hands has moved to a new address. Their new location is 312/70 Soi Lenkee (just off Soi Buakhao) Phone 098 662 3047

Maybe the best Massage in Pattaya? 34 — Massaging Hands new location on Soi Lenkee

Whilst there are a vast number of Thai Massage Shops throughout Thailand trying to find a good one is sometimes a challenge. In the provinces the massages and mainly for local Thais and they know what they want, unfortunately in many tourist destinations the quality is often compromised by the demand from tourists with non or minimal experience of Thai massage. Pattaya is a classic tourist destination and there must be at least 4,000 shops around the city, so how to choose. First rule is to get off the main tourist roads and explore some side streets. If the ladies outside are somewhat seductive in their attempts to lure you inside, their intentions may not be to provide with a traditional massage!

Maybe the best Massage in Pattaya? 35 — May and her wonderful team

Maybe the best Massage in Pattaya? 36 — May and her wonderful team

Having recently moved to Pattaya I have been looking for a good and reliable massage shop. I avoid the flashy large salons and prefer the smaller places as the massage is generally more professional and relaxing. Through a personal recommendation I was recommended to Massaging Hands located on Soi Buakhao! Now this is not an area that I would normally to expect good massage but I was in for a pleasant surprise. Massaging Hands is a simply decorated shop with the ladies sitting outside waiting for customers. Despite the simplicity one will note that the place is spotlessly clean and well organised. Massaging Hands has a full License for massage and all the ladies have Diplomas from massage schools. Mai the manager even graduated from Wat Po, the most prestigious Massage School in Thailand.

Maybe the best Massage in Pattaya? 38 — Mai’s certificate

Maybe the best Massage in Pattaya? 39 — Mai’s certificate

Massaging Hands offers Traditional Thai Massage, Oil Massage and Foot Massage with further specialist massages including Neck & Shoulder, Hot Stone & Hot Herb.

The massage that I received from Noy was excellent. I like strong massage and I also like that the therapist stretches my arms and legs. Noy was excellent with enough pressure to tease out the knots in my muscles and tendons without causing any pain. I know that she has passed the stringent tests for massage and felt safe in her hands. After 1 hour of manipulation, a neck massage and a head massage I felt rejuvenated and ready to explore Soi Boukhao!

On another occasion I was suffering from a lot of pain in my shoulder and upper arm and Mai recommended an intensive back, neck and shoulder massage. Starting low in my back she found twisted ligaments, tense muscles and other lumps of tissue that needed her full attention and also challenged her knowledge of anatomy. It has taken 3 sessions to resolve the problem and under Mai’s expert therapy the pain is now minimal and normal movements are now possible.

A massage shop is rather like a barber/hairdresser, once you find a place that you like you will return. You get to know the staff and the therapists that you prefer. You are also assured that each massage will be of a consistent high quality, so I guess that you will know where I will be returning for my massages in the future!

Maybe the best Massage in Pattaya? 41 — The team at Massaging Hands

Thai and Foot Massage 1 hr. THB.150, Back & Shoulder massage 1 hr THB.200, Oil Massage 1 hr THB.200, Aroma Oil Massage 1 hr.THB.300. Also available: After Sun Massage, Body Stretch Massage, Hot Herbal Massage, Hot Stone Massage and Sport Massage

Highly recommended!

Massaging Hands, 10 Soi Buakhao, Pattaya, 098 662 3047

You may also like to read my general article on Health Massage in Thailand on https://meanderingtales.com/health-massage-thailand/

Kim Waddoup

Founder

15th November 2019 0 comment

Lifestyle

Retiring in Thailand – Searching for a Condo in Jomtien (Part 4)– “How keeping an open mind, having a tenacious agent and being able to understand all the variants, helped me to find my new home in Jomtien.”

by Kim 9th October 2019

written by Kim

Part 4 of my series on hunting for a Condo in Jomtien, the nice area of Pattaya! Now becoming quite proficient at finding my way around and also at being able to make a quick exit when necessary, I was becoming overwhelmed at the vast and increasing choice. However it was getting to the point where a decision had to be made! This is the fourth of a series of posts detailing my search for a Condo in Jomtien continuing to make many viewings and sharing my views and experiences in the hope that they will assist other people in their quest to find a suitable home in the Pattaya area.

“How keeping an open mind, having a tenacious agent and being able to understand all the variants, helped me to find my new home in Jomtien.“

Another alternative was excitedly offered. This was in the vast monolithic tower of Jomtien Plaza Condotel. Superb location right at the start of Jomtien Beach Road, this institution has surely seen a lot over the years and has many stories to tell. It is cavernous but has an institutional feel, initial impressions were not good. The building must be over 30 years old and it’s not growing old gracefully. Whilst renovations are taking place, it has a long way to go. The studio that I viewed was a 52 sq meter studio with a spectacular sea view balcony on the 16^th floor. If renovated it would be magnificent, however with a hotchpotch of furnishings including balcony fittings that look as though they have come from a GoGo Bar! Offered at THB.15,000 it was very overpriced for the poor condition that the building and the apartment were in. This was a quick exit

Retiring in Thailand – Searching for a Condo in Jomtien (Part 4)– "How keeping an open mind, having a tenacious agent and being able to understand all the variants, helped me to find my new home in Jomtien." 48 — The impressive Jomtien Condotel

The day saw me verging towards this the View Talay 3B offer but the industrious Oil and her assistant had yet another offer, next door in View Talay 3A! Maybe love at first sight but I felt that I could live comfortably here. This is a beautifully furnished 48 sq meter studio on the 14^th floor. It has a large balcony with clear views towards the sea with the Heritage Pattaya luxury hotel as a neighbour. This building has a large pool located next to the beach. I will have access to the beach so walks along the promenade to Jomtien will be my order of the day. It does appear to be a very quiet location and I am looking forward to this. The only slight drawback is the lack of transportation. However, it is possible to rent a Motorbike for just THB.2,500 per month. Search over, the owner has accepted my offer and I will be moving in in mid-March.

So what have I learnt from this challenge?

Firstly remain open minded, don’t say no and keep looking!
Find a good agent who is looking after your interests
The more you see the more you will find! Remain focused
There is leeway on the rental price. Always negotiate!
If you are looking for a 1-year rental you will enjoy better prices but you are locked in to a 1-year contract
Rely on your instincts and remember your initial thoughts as you first enter any complex

Once you find a property that you like and you decide that you want to proceed you are expected to make a non-refundable deposit. To lock an apartment, you will have to pay the equivalent of 1 month rent. Before moving in, you will generally be requested to pay an additional month’s rent as a security deposit in addition to the first months rent in advance. So bear in mind that you must hand over the equivalent of 3 month’s rent before you move in! I will write about the handover, how to handle the utilities and Internet etc in an article, once I have moved in!

It is quite a daunting task and one that I took on not only for myself, but also with the view of being able to help others also considering a move to Jomtien. If you need and assistance or advice on looking to rent or buy a Condominium in Jomtien, please don’t hesitate to write to me at kim@meanderingtales.com I would be pleased to assist and also to introduce you to my wonderful and tenacious agent, Oil.

Useful links:-

https://rent-buy-thailand.com/pattaya-property-for-rent/condos-in-jomtien

https://www.thailand-property.com/condos-for-rent/chonburi/pattaya/jomtien

Kim Waddoup

Founder

9th October 2019 0 comment

Lifestyle

Retiring in Thailand – Searching for a Condo in Jomtien (Part 3) – “Be prepared to expected the unexpected and keep an open mind as you will see a lot of alternatives that may deviate from your initial thoughts!”

by Kim 9th October 2019

written by Kim

Part 3 of my series on hunting for a Condo in Jomtien! Now actually in Jomtien and making viewings, this is the third of a series of posts detailing my search for a Condo in Jomtien and now making many viewings and sharing my views and experiences in the hope that they will assist other people in their quest to find a suitable home.

Whilst a majority of the complexes have been built towards the beach, Jomtien is expanding and many Condo Resorts have now been constructed between the Beach Road and Jomtien 2^nd Road, One of these is the Dusit Grand Park. Whilst you may feel that you are in the middle of nowhere this is a pleasant development. It’s a series of low-rise buildings positioned around a large swimming pool feature. There is a nice relaxed ‘resort’ vibe in the development and would suit couples. They do offer a shuttle so maybe not as isolated as it initially feels. I was offered a very well furnished 1-bedroom unit on the 5^th floor. I know that I want high floors but difficult in a low-rise complex! However, there are nets on the windows to keep out unwelcome insects. This 38 sq meter apartment was priced at a reasonable THB.12,000 monthly.(Probably some bargaining available).

Retiring in Thailand – Searching for a Condo in Jomtien (Part 3) – "Be prepared to expected the unexpected and keep an open mind as you will see a lot of alternatives that may deviate from your initial thoughts!" 59 — Low rise, modern property

Next, I did some more exploring towards the south of Jomtien Beach and found the massive Paradise Condos. A functional, older building in a quiet but not isolated location. The advantages with the older buildings are that the units are generally larger with good sized balconies. There is a simple but good-sized pool and this could have been a possibility if I could have viewed some units here. As rentals appear to be handled by one person who was not in town, it was not possible to make any viewings but I would not exclude this property from your list of possibilities. Later, I was offered a 42 sq meter studio n 42^nd floor for THB.11,000 and a 90 sq meter, 1 bedroom on the 28^th floor at THB.16,000. Both look well furnished with great views.

From the sublime to the ridiculous! Located close to the Paradise is the recently completed Cetus Tower, a glistening edifice standing at 49 floors. It is a beautiful property and one of the few where I felt that the management is really taking care and not just turning over to the owners and their AirB&B guests. There is a superb pool in front of the building worthy of any 5-star hotel. Another pool is located on the 5^th floor with a state-of-the-art fitness room and a vast lounge and terrace to capture the sea breezes. The 1-bedroom unit was located on the 33^rd floor featuring panoramic windows with a spectacular view South-West to Na Jomtien. Perfectly furnished with a very clever sliding door if you want to close off the bedroom. Beautiful, fully equipped and priced at THB.25,00 per month. This figure soon came down to 20,000 and I believe that it I had wanted to proceed with this one I could have negotiated to 17,000.

The next was also a recently completed tower, the new Dusit Grand. It is located on Jomtien 2^nd Road and conveniently located to all amenities and not far to the beach. I viewed three 1-bedroom units all with an identical floor plan. The 13^th floor at THB.13,000, South View, 29^th floor at THB.15,000 also South view and on the 33^rd floor with North View, THB.16,000. This last unit had a really spectacular view over Pattaya and to the ocean beyond but subject to a lot of direct sun. It’s a fully equipped apartment but being modern construction is restrictive in size. I was tempted as the unit is comfortable, modern and the view impressive, however the building does not give off a good feeling. People are coming and going and nobody seemed to respect is as their home. Good fitness studio and whilst the pool is nice, it is relatively small for the size of the building and the potential number of residents.

At this stage in my search I had a better understanding of the ‘mechanics’ and whilst tempted by the modern facilities of Cetus and Dusit Grand, I had still not found somewhere comfortable to call my future home! The next day started with a visit to View Talay 3. Another of these Condominium monsters but with a completely different feel. Down a private road shared only with a luxury hotel, the buildings are very close to Cozy Beach. This is actually not in my preferred search area, however, as I mentioned, keeping an open mind is important in this search. So, I let my persevering agent lead me to the Pratamnak Hill and down to this surprisingly quiet area. View Talay 3B is a well-kept building with a sedate and peaceful aura. The studio was located on the 10^th floor, 45 sq meters, large balcony, screen doors and classically furnished. Actually, very nice, comfortable and spacious, but was it too quiet? Enough for day 2, still so much to think about!

9th October 2019 0 comment

Lifestyle

Retiring in Thailand – Searching for a Condo in Jomtien (Part 2) “Hit the Road and start pounding the pavement to search for your Condo in Jomtien”

by Kim 7th October 2019

written by Kim

Part 2 of my series on Searching for a Condo in Jomtien! Having made your decision to move to Jomtien and with initial research in the bag, it is time to get out and start seeing locations and potential Condos. This is the second of a series of posts detailing my search for a Condo in Jomtien in which I am sharing my experiences in the hope that they will assist other people in their quest.

Part Two– Hit the Road and start pounding the pavement to search for your Condo in Jomtien

Retiring in Thailand – Searching for a Condo in Jomtien (Part 2) "Hit the Road and start pounding the pavement to search for your Condo in Jomtien" 70 — Jomtien Beach

Retiring in Thailand – Searching for a Condo in Jomtien (Part 2) "Hit the Road and start pounding the pavement to search for your Condo in Jomtien" 71 — Jomtien Beach

You will have to go to Jomtien, stay, familiarise yourself and look at many alternatives. Do not take the chance of booking for a long term rent unless you have visited the area and seen the options. There is a vast, and growing choice but it will take time for you to understand the layout, to look around and find an apartment that suits what you are looking for. It was just a short drive to Jomtien and I started by driving around to gain my orientation and try to see where I would like to live. I looked at buildings from the outside and compared names to a list of possible locations that my research had indicated as possible. I also found the offices of a large and professional looking real estate agency. Whilst it was a holiday their office was open and I went it. Extremely professional staff, great use of technology, a great deal of detail requests and given and a promise to call the next day. That call never materialised! Be prepared for such experiences on your hunt for a suitable property in Jomtien!

My first viewing was at the Supalai Mare building. This was an agent that had contacted me following one of my posts on Facebook. Despite it being a holiday, Oil was waiting to show me around. The Supalai is a newly completed project and the apartment was on the 13^th floor facing to the sea with stunning panoramic views and a refreshing sea breeze. New, bright and well-furnished it was a 1-bedroom unit with a large balcony. The Supalai Mare is located on Tepprasit road which is a commercial area, so there are lots of shops and facilities nearby. Approx 1.5 kms to the beach. The major disappointment was the pool which the developers seem to have added as an afterthought. It was small and not really sufficient for such a large building. Oil listened, appreciated my comments and always stated that she wants her customers to be 100% satisfied. Tomorrow, she said, I will find several alternatives, and she did! (More later!)

Retiring in Thailand – Searching for a Condo in Jomtien (Part 2) "Hit the Road and start pounding the pavement to search for your Condo in Jomtien" 73 — Superlai Mare

Retiring in Thailand – Searching for a Condo in Jomtien (Part 2) "Hit the Road and start pounding the pavement to search for your Condo in Jomtien" 74 — Superlai Mare

When you commence your research, you will often come up with the name “View Talay”. These are vast condo buildings located throughout Jomtien. I believe that there are 8 complexes and whilst the basic design has remained unchanged for more than 25 years, the buildings vary immensely in quality, character and price. They are however almost ‘nests’ of expats with people from all around the world living in these vast developments. My second viewing was to the first of these mammoth apartment buildings, View Talay 1B where I viewed a 32 sq meter studio on the 13^th floor. The building is old but has been solidly built, it is in good repair but is reminiscent of any large city apartment building with people coming and going all day. The studio was adequate, furniture ok, small balcony with a view to Jomtien Beach and, I suppose, excellent value for money at THB.8,000 per month. However not my style.

Retiring in Thailand – Searching for a Condo in Jomtien (Part 2) "Hit the Road and start pounding the pavement to search for your Condo in Jomtien" 75 — View Talay 1

Retiring in Thailand – Searching for a Condo in Jomtien (Part 2) "Hit the Road and start pounding the pavement to search for your Condo in Jomtien" 76 — View Talay 1

Kim Waddoup

Founder

7th October 2019 0 comment

Lifestyle

Retiring in Thailand – Searching for a Condo in Jomtien

by Kim 27th February 2019

written by Kim

My search for a Condo in Jomtien

Once having decided to live in Thailand, the first major challenge is your future location. Having made painstaking research a choice has been made and now it is time to find a place to live! Having made my decision to leave Bangkok and move to Jomtien, I have spent frustrating hours searching for a suitable apartment and appreciate what a time consuming and frustrating mission this can be. Looking for Condo in Jomtien that was suitable to my needs was challenging but, with an open mind, I was able to find a new home that I believe is ideal to my needs. With this post I am sharing my experiences in the hope that they will assist other people in their quest.

I personally do not like Pattaya, however just over the hill is Jomtien and Jomtien beach which offer a very different atmosphere and lifestyle to the flamboyant and noisy streets of Pattaya. I am sure that some will disagree and say that they are happy in Pattaya, but each his his/her/their special requirements. Having settled on an area that suited me, I set out to find a suitable apartment/studio in Jomtien.

Retiring in Thailand – Searching for a Condo in Jomtien 78

Retiring in Thailand – Searching for a Condo in Jomtien 79

My first advise is to write down your fundamental requisites. Mine were:- High Floor, Outside/Sea View, Studio or 1 bedroom, large balcony, good swimming pool and budget THB.10,000-15,000. High Floor as the higher you are the fresher the air and the less chance of annoying mosquitos; Outside View as I don’t really want to look towards the pool and hear the kids plus I am living near to the beach and I want to see the sea!; Studios I find in Jomtien are of a good size, whilst a sperate bedroom is nice to have, is it really necessary as it does reduce your floor space?; If you like to swim make sure that the communal pool is a nice size as this will be a big plus in this warm environment; and budget what you can comfortably afford. One word of advice, whilst having set out your pre-requisites, be prepared to keep an open mind. You will be seeing a lot of different properties and locations, you may have to compromise but with the choice available you can find more than you expected.

My search for an apartment in Jomtien started online. There are a number of excellent on-line resources and a vast choice of Real Estate Agents each with their own view on how to promote their properties. On one excellent site(listed below) you can search by location and requirements. After several hours perusing this site I made a list of 21 potential properties that I listed into price categories 10-13,000, 13,000-15,000 and 15-17,000 Whilst this site indicated if a property was rented out, I found to my dismay that almost all the properties were unavailable for a variety of reasons! Frustrating!

I contacted 3 agencies and provided them with my requirements. 2 contacted me immediately and promised to send details. 1 did send some offers but I never heard from the other 2! Frustrated, I looked for Facebook Groups and started posting my requirements. This produced some interesting results with direct contact with owners but still not what I was looking for. I did however make contact with an agent who turned out to be an super efficient angel and thanks to her and her colleagues I found better than I was looking for!

You will have to go to Jomtien and look. Do not take the change of booking for a long term rent unless you have visited the area and seen the options. There is a vast, and growing choice but it will take time for you to look around and find an apartment that suits what you are looking for. So it was just a shirt drive to Jomtien and I started by driving around to gain my orientation and try to see where I would like to live. I looked at building from the outside and compared name to a list of possible locations. I also found the offices of a large and professional looking real estate agency. Whilst it was a holiday their office were open and I went it. Extremely professional staff, great use of technology, a great deal of detail requests and given and a promise to call the next day. That call never materialised! Be prepared for such experiences on your hut for a suitable property in Jomtien!

My first viewing was at the Supalai Mare building. This was an agent that had contacted me following my post on Facebook. Despite it being a holiday, Oil was waiting to show me around. The apartment was on the 13^thfloor facing to the sea. New, bright and well furnished it was a 1 bedroom with a large balcony. The Supalai Mare is located on Tepprasit road which is a commercial area, so lots of shops and facilities nearby. Approx 1.5 kms to the beach. The major disappointment was the pool which the developers seem to have added as an afterthought. It was small and not sufficient for such a large building. Oil appreciated my comments and always stated that she wants her customers to be 100% satisfied. Tomorrow she said, I will find alternatives, and she did!

When you commence your research you will often come up with the name “View Talay”. These are vast condo buildings throughout Jomtien. I believe that there are 8 complexes and whilst the basic design has remained unchanged for more than 25 years, the buildings vary immensely in quality. The are however almost ‘nests’ of expats with people from all around the world living in these vast developments. My second visit was to the first of these mammoth apartment buildings, View Talay 1B where I viewed a 32 sq meter studio on the 13^thfloor. The building is old but has been solidly built, it is in good repair but is reminiscent of any large city apartment building with people coming and going all day. The studio was adequate, furniture ok and I suppose excellent value for money at THB.8,000 per month. However not my style.

Retiring in Thailand – Searching for a Condo in Jomtien 81

Retiring in Thailand – Searching for a Condo in Jomtien 82

Whilst a majority of the complexes have been built towards the beach, Jomtien is expanding and many Condo Resorts have been constructed between the Beach Road and Jomtien 2^ndRoad, One of these is the Dusit Grand Park. Whilst you may feel that you are in the middle of nowhere this is a pleasant development. It’s a series of low rise buildings positioned around a large swimming pool feature. There is a nice relaxed vibe in the development and would suit couples. They do offer a shuttle so maybe not as isolated as it initially feels. I was offered a very well furnished 1 bed on the 5^thfloor. I know that I want high floors but difficult in a low rise complex. However there are nets on the windows to keep out unwelcome insects. This 38 sq meter apartment was prices at THB.12,000 monthly.(Probably some bargaining available).

Next I did some more exploring towards the south of Jomtien Beach and found the massive Paradise Condos. A functional, older building in a quite but not isolated location. The advantage with the older buildings are that the units are generally large with good sized balconies. There is a simple but good sized pool and this could have been a possibility if I could view some units here. However as rentals appear to be handled by one person who was not in town. I was offered a 42 sq meter studio n 42^ndfloor for THB.11,000 and a 90 sq meter, 1 bedroom on the 28^thfloor at THB.16,000. Both look well furnished.

From the sublime to the ridiculous! Located close to the Paradise is the recently completed Cetus Tower, a glistening edifice standing at 49 floors. It is a beautiful property and one of the few where I felt that the management is really taking care and not just turning over to the owners and their AirB&B guests. There is a superb pool in front of the building worthy of any 5-star hotel. Another pool is located on the 5^thfloor with a superb fitness room and a vast lounge and terrace to capture the sea breezes. The 1 bedroom was located on the 33^rdfloor featuring panorama windows with a view to Na Jomtien. Perfectly furnished with a very clever sliding door if you want to close off the bedroom. Beautiful, fully equipped and priced at THB.25,00 per month. This figure soon came down to 20,000 and I believe that it I had wanted to proceed with this one I could have negotiated to 17,000.

The next was also a recently completed tower, the new Dusit Grand. It is located on Jomtien 2^ndRoad and conveniently located to all amenities and the beach. I viewed 3 1-bedroom units all with the same floor plan. The 13^thfloor at THB.13,000, south view, 29^thfloor THB.15,000 also South view and on the 33^rdfloor with North View, THB.16,000. This is really a spectacular view over Pattaya and to the ocean beyond but subject to a lot of direct sun. It’s a fully equipped apartment but being modern construction is restrictive in size. I was tempted but the building does not give off a good feeling. People are coming and going and nobody seemed to respect is as their home. Good fitness studio and whilst the pool is nice, it is small for the size of the building and the potential number of residents.

Retiring in Thailand – Searching for a Condo in Jomtien 85

Retiring in Thailand – Searching for a Condo in Jomtien 86

At this stage in my search I had a better understanding of the ‘mechanics’ and whilst tempted by the modern facilities of Cetus and Dusit Grand, I had still not found my future home! The next day started with a visit to View Talay 3. Another of these Condominium monsters but with a completely different feel. Down a private road shared only with a luxury hotel, the buildings are very close to Cozy Beach. This is actually not in my preferred search area, however keeping an open mind, I let my persevering agent lead me to the Pratamnak Hill and down to this surprisingly quiet area. View Talay 8B is a well-kept building with a sedate and peaceful aura. The studio was located on the 10^thfloor, 45 sq meters, large balcony, screen doors and classically furnished. Actually very nice, comfortable but was it too quiet? Enough for day 2, still so much to think about!

One more alternative was offered. This was in the vast monolithic tower of Jomtien Plaza Condotel. Superb location at the start of Jomtien Beach Road, this institution has surely many stories to tell. It is cavernous but has an institutional feel, initial impressions were not good. The building must be over 30 years old and if not growing old gracefully. Whilst renovations are taking place, it has a long way to go. The studio that I viewed was a 52 sq meter studio with a spectacular sea view on the 16^thfloor. If renovated it would be magnificent, however with a hotchpotch of furnishings. Offered at THB.15,000 it was overpriced for the poor condition.

The next day saw me verging towards this latest offer but the industrious Oil and her assistant had another offer, next door in View Talay 3. Maybe love at first sight but I felt that I could live comfortably here. This is a beautifully furnished 48 sq meter studio on the 14^thfloor. It has a large balcony with views towards the sea with the Heritage Pattaya luxury hotel with a neighbour. This building has a large pool located next t the beach. I will have access to the beach so walks along the beach to Jomtien will be my order of the day. It does appear to be a very quiet location and I am looking forward to this. The only slight drawback is the lack of transportation. However it is possible to rent a Motorbike for just THB.2,500 per month. I will be moving in in mid March.

So what have I learnt from this challenge?

Firstly remain open minded, don’t say no and keep looking!
Find a good agent who is looking after yourinterests
The more you see the more you will find! Remain focused
There is leeway on the rental price. Always negotiate
If you are looking for a 1-year rental you will enjoy better prices but you are locked in to a 1 year contract
Rely on your instincts as you first enter any complex

It is quite a daunting task and one that I took on not only for myself, but also with the view of being able to help others also considering a move to Jomtien. If you need and assistance or advice on looking to rent of buy a Condominium in Jomtien, please don’t hesitate to write. kim@meanderingtales.comI would be pleased to assist and to introduce you to my tenacious agent, Oil.

Useful links:-

https://rent-buy-thailand.com/pattaya-property-for-rent/condos-in-jomtien

https://www.thailand-property.com/condos-for-rent/chonburi/pattaya/jomtien

27th February 2019 0 comment