Living in Pattaya. The stigma.

[Arthur Daley]

^ Motorbikes are the way to go. If needing a car, the trick is to stay in Phuket Town and drive to the various beaches for daytrips.

Post-covid I can't imagine any tourist location roads will be as busy as they used to be for several years to come.

Ironically, the last time I visited Pattaya I stayed in the dark side just to see what it was like. I remember the traffic being so bad getting from there to the beach, I actually didn't bother trying to get there again after the first attempt.

[Arthur Daley]

The biggest problem with Pattaya (in addition to its lack of greenery and pleasant surrounding countryside) is that it doesn't have anything authentic about it. Nowhere feels like a normal pleasant local conurbation. It's all about tourists and retirees and the Thais that serve them.

[sabang]

What bullshit?- why am I not able to edit my post, just wasted 10 minutes of my time. Sorry, Arfur, not bothered doing it again. Nothing to do with the beaches though.

[Arthur Daley]

Pattaya has no variety to it, and like with Chiang Mai, I'd be bored shitless and stir crazy after living there for a month.

Conversely, on Phuket:
- If you want somewhere that feels like Pattaya, go to Patong. They're very similar (although the latter has a much nicer beach and cleaner air, but no cheap baht buses)
- If you want somewhere that feels like the dark side, go to Rawai
- If you want somewhere that feels like Koh Chang, go go Nai Harn or several other areas, or the mountain top Big Buddha
- If you want somewhere that feels like Georgetown Penang, go to Phuket Town
- If you want somewhere that feels like Satun or Langkawi, go to one of the Muslim fishing villages

[Arthur Daley]

Oh, and Chalong if you want somewhere that feels like Chiang Mai.

[sabang]

Authentic is a term I would attach to neither Pattaya or Phuket. Or Benidorm, Cancun, the Gold Coast etc. They are tourist places, and of course attract retirees too. Granted, at least Phuket has Old town, but as explained I never made it there. I do like that colonial architecture- it's just a bit weird that I found it much easier to get to and appreciate in Penang than Phuket.

There are some very nice places around Patts actually Arthur, but you need a car, and a bit of local knowledge. And as for things to do, jeez spoilt for choice. Where else would a golfer wish to be?

But I digress. My reasons for preferring Pattaya are a bit more ethereal.

I prefer the atmosphere in Pattaya. The slightly raffish, come what may edge to the place. Phuket seems to be more defined by 3/4 star package tourism.
I much prefer the people in Pattaya, by which I mean the locals. I just plain do. I genuinely like Thai people, but Phuket stretched my patience.
I also found Phuket a bit of a ripoff, compared to Patts. The transport mafia absolutely sucks (which is why I hire a car when there).

At the end of the day, I prefer Pattaya as a place to just plain 'Be', on a day to day basis. A place to live. The sleaze doesn't bother me one iota. Few resident expats bother with GoGo's much anyway, that's for tourists. But heck, you can be whatever you wanna be in Patts- that's your business,

If I were to live in Phuket, it would definitely be the Rawaii/ Chalong area.

[Arthur Daley]

Authentic is a term I would attach to neither Pattaya or Phuket. Or Benidorm, Cancun, the Gold Coast etc. They are tourist places

So many who don't know Phuket well say this. Phuket is a province the size of Singapore, and most of it is mountains and small villages. Lots of similar types are saying Phuket is currently "closed" or a "ghost island" because of covid when they're quite wrong and only know about the west coast resort areas.

Patong didn't exist 50 years ago, yet Phuket Town and the fishing villages were thriving communities and totally untouristy. A massive tourist industry might have grown around them and become the predominant economic driver, and in doing so caused the local population to increase five-fold, but that doesn't erase what Phuket was and still is if you know where to look.

I found it much easier to get to and appreciate in Penang than Phuket.

Phuket City's roads are quite good, but they lack the British design of Georgetown.

I prefer the atmosphere in Pattaya. The slightly raffish, come what may edge to the place. Phuket seems to be more defined by 3/4 star package tourism.

There are 3/4/5 star hotels, hostels, and everything in between, including the sort of lush tree lined villa resorts you'll struggle to find in Pattaya.

I much prefer the people in Pattaya, by which I mean the locals. I just plain do. I genuinely like Thai people, but Phuket stretched my patience.

Sounds like you didn't leave the tourist resorts.

I also found Phuket a bit of a ripoff, compared to Patts. The transport mafia absolutely sucks (which is why I hire a car when there).

Go where the locals go and it costs the same as Bangkok. The transport mafia is the worst thing about Phuket tourism and should have been exterminated long ago. Hopefully covid has decimated it and something better will replace it.

If I were to live in Phuket, it would definitely be the Rawaii/ Chalong area.

I'd Choose Phuket City, as it feels like Georgetown and is a "normal" place rather than a tourist resort. Kathu is nice modern alternative, as long as you don't mind no sea views. Smack bang in the middle of everything else so easy to get to the beaches and Phuket City.

[sabang]

Given the traffic I experienced, if I lived in Phuket town I'd hardly ever leave the place! Didn't bother much with central Pattaya either- my stomping ground was mainly the Lake/ Soi Siam area, Heck, I'm no expert on Phuket- these are just my impressions, purely subjective. I have been there quite a few times over the years, staying in everything from a penthouse at The Boathouse (nice!) to a fairly grotty bolthole in a Patong alley. Would have been nice to know a few expats down there actually, to show me some off the beaten track type places- which is what I prefer.

Go where the locals go and it costs the same as Bangkok.

Did I fail to mention- bangers is a ripoff!

[Arthur Daley]

Would have been nice to know a few expats down there actually, to show me some off the beaten track type places- which is what I prefer.

Facebook groups.

Did I fail to mention- bangers is a ripoff!

Bangkok and Phuket have Thailand's highest GDP per capita (although Phuket will have fallen way behind in 2020) hence they're the most expensive. I know Bangkok very well and I know how to live cheaply there if required. So, yeah, Pattaya is cheap, in that you may pay 40 baht for a basic Thai meal and 50 baht in Bangkok & Phuket, but so what? They're both ridiculously cheap by Western standsrds.

[Arthur Daley]

This website is a goldmine https://www.phuket101.net/patong-sun...ew-restaurant/

^ Find a view like that in Shattaya.

[sabang]

I prefer Shattaya, you prefer Pooket (lets call the whole thing off). Really, if you got a problem with that arfur, it really only betrays a lack of confidence in your own lifestyle decisions.

[Arthur Daley]

If you've got a problem with debating the topic, it really only betrays your lack of understanding of what a debate is. ;(

[sabang]

I am not debating, just stating a fact. I prefer Pattaya. Sorry for any discomfiture that might cause you.

[Arthur Daley]

Lol. Everyone is welcome to their preference. Why would it cause discomfort? The point of debate and discussion is to say why, not necessarily to change the minds of others or to score points but simply for the pleasure of exchanging opinions. Completely optional of course.....

[sabang]

But I already did Arthur. I can't add much too it.