Hello from newbie with big plans

[STEVE G]

Welcome aboard!
As has been said above, just come and give it a try whilst keeping your options open. It's easy to find simple and economical rental houses which you can rent on a monthly basis without making any great commitment.
I can understand that some people who came to the town many years ago find it expanding too much but it can still be a great place to be, particularly if you want some kind of community to join in with. I've spent time in a remote village in Thailand and although the peace is nice for a change, for someone like me who has spent my life in and around cities, the novelty soon wears off.

[migrant]

Hi Mike,

Welcome to a fellow Californian. I live in north Orange county.

My wife is from Tha Yang, about 40 minutes from Hua Hin.

As you can see there are different opinions of the town due to it's growth.

After living in So Cal we plan on something outside of Hua Hin that is slower, but still within reach of HH, but we are about 3 years away from a move.

[barrys]

I never here of any body mentioning beach towns like khao kalok?

Hi Mike and welcome to the forum.
You sound like you have a well thought-out plan.
I understand where Frarang is coming from and I personally would not like to live right in Hua Hin, so I don't.
I echo jingjoe's view that there are some very nice quieter places with far less traffic just outside HH.
I live in Pak Nam Pran, no more than 20 minutes away - it has it's own fishing community and a small ex-pat community.
We're very close to the sea/beach and the cost of living is lower than in HH and land/rentals are much cheaper. There are also golf courses not so far away.
I share one of your hobbies, by the way - I have built 3 electrically powered boats and a couple of electric road vehicles here, so if you're ever around this way, feel free to call in.

[Takiap]

Hi Mike and welcome to the forum.


You seem to have much the same sort of attitude as I do. When my wife and I decided to leave the UK and come live over here, that decision was made within about 20 minutes at the most. Crazy I know, but I tend to follow my heart and so fat I've never regretted doing so. Life is full of risks, and as far as I'm concerned, if you let those risks trouble you, you could miss out on a lot of fun. BTW, when we moved over here, I think we had one suitcase belonging to my wife, 1 computer, and I had a small backpack. Good times.


As for Hua-Hin..........It's a lovely place to live, and to be honest, it doesn't feel like a tourist processing plant to me. Yes it's expanded, but anyone in their right mind would surely have expected that. It's going to continue expanding as well.......obviously. Traffic can be a bit crazy on weekends, but a motorbike means you can still get around without too much bother, and besides, if you're actually living here, you probably won't want to be out on the town every single day.


I myself would love to stay further south in one of the quieter areas, or even on a remote island, but the reality is, it's just not a practical option for many of us. I have to think about my kids and their schooling, my wife and her job, etc, etc, etc. As you get on in years, you also need to think about things such as hospitals and etc, and in this respect, Hua-Hin is perfect.

I guess it all depends on what you want. If you want quiet isolation, then Hua-Hin is probably not the place to be, but if you want the convenience of city/town life, then it's fine. Anyway, it appears you have your head screwed on the right way, so just follow your heart and be happy. You only live once.

[sargeant]

Jingjoe what about Pranburi city its farang population and number of forum members has just doubled to 2 TWO
so it is a boom town
with tescos and makro only 2/3 km max away
low rents my bungalow 3000 a mth others 5000 a month
the beaches at paknampran & khoa kalock a mere 10 kms away and dolphin bay a long distance hack of a massive 18KM away

as i say quiet and stately

[stokiesteve]

Hi Mike. Good effort. Just do it and see how it goes. HH has it pros and cons and is constantly changing. There is quieter places slightly north and south. I've lived in Tha Yang and now Phetchaburi, expat community is very small and nightlife non existent though. Can get a bit boring. Would like to move to HH permanently at some point too. Good luck to you with the move.

[jingjoe]

Jingjoe what about Pranburi city its farang population and number of forum members has just doubled to 2 TWO
so it is a boom town
with tescos and makro only 2/3 km max away
low rents my bungalow 3000 a mth others 5000 a month
the beaches at paknampran & khoa kalock a mere 10 kms away and dolphin bay a long distance hack of a massive 18KM away

as i say quiet and stately

i'm happy to be part of the incrowd

[richard]

Jingjoe what about Pranburi city its farang population and number of forum members has just doubled to 2 TWO
so it is a boom town
with tescos and makro only 2/3 km max away
low rents my bungalow 3000 a mth others 5000 a month
the beaches at paknampran & khoa kalock a mere 10 kms away and dolphin bay a long distance hack of a massive 18KM away

as i say quiet and stately

Hey Sarge

I know of at least 3 farang couples, and all forum members living there. You are not king of the Pranburi castle yet. Get your facts right

[MrPlum]

Even being 15 minutes away can be a disincentive to going into town. After a year living in isolation, people generally crave companionship. You are snookered if you have bought or built and cannot sell easily.

[sargeant]

Happy xmas to you too richard but they do NOT live in Pranburi city pranburi market maybe in fact i am sure but NOT PRANBURI CITY

get your facts straight and stay stum to save you looking silly you do not live here and have absolutely no idea what the difference is between city and market it is a very very local thai distinction
I have lived here for 18 months and have seen lots of farangs but none living IN Pranburi city

JingJoe i will PM my phone number later but am about to go out into the northern hemisphere for 6 or 7 days
but i am glad to know there are sensible people like us (and our numbers are growing) that have got out of the HH hubbubb bustle and stress
but still have all the conveniences close to hand (they filled up the vintage chedder in tesco yesterday )

[richard]

Happy xmas to you too richard but they do NOT live in Pranburi city pranburi market maybe in fact i am sure but NOT PRANBURI CITY

get your facts straight and stay stum to save you looking silly you do not live here and have absolutely no idea what the difference is between city and market it is a very very local thai distinction
I have lived here for 18 months and have seen lots of farangs but none living IN Pranburi city

JingJoe i will PM my phone number later but am about to go out into the northern hemisphere for 6 or 7 days
but i am glad to know there are sensible people like us (and our numbers are growing) that have got out of the HH hubbubb bustle and stress
but still have all the conveniences close to hand (they filled up the vintage chedder in tesco yesterday )

I to your superior knowledge. Apologies. I've only been meeting with friends in Pranburi for 10 years or so. I guess after 18 months you know everyone and everything about Pranburi. Sarge, you seem to be the font of all knowledge in Thailand. Marriages, integration, Hua Hin and now Pranburi. We all salute you

I do not feel at all silly as I have friends who live there and if you meet them (Jim, Brian and Robin) please give them my regards

Sarge, please take heed. You are becoming known as a bit of a clumsy joke who delights in putting his foot in it frequently. I do defend you by insisting you are not a biased, self opinionated know it all but people just smile and shake their head

Anyway enjoy your Pranburi Christmas and try to stop being grumpy

[sargeant]

I will reiterate again they do NOT live in PRANBURI CITY
it consists of no more than 150 dwellings including the railway station
and i will Guarantee you have NOT been meeting anyone in Pranburi city by the railway station EVER
now do yourself a favour and stop making yourself look a prat
have a nice xmas i am sure people will buy you a beer or two

as for a Pranburi xmas sorry to again prove you wrong i will be having a Petchabun xmas birthday and new year

[caller]

I suspect the O/P will choose to pass on Pranburi (City)........

[richard]

Sarge

[sargeant]

He may well IF he comes and looks around he may well choose the quiet option

If he chooses to listen to a fool like richard and doesnt even have a look he wont be missed this end

By the way the word CITY is for the thais around here quite a big thing, althougth to call a piddly little village a city just because it has a railway station well it makes me larf

and i am well happy here i dont have to suffer petchakasem road hardly ever

by the 2nd way the second farang has moved into the house directly across the road from my house same landlord over the moon to be out of Hua Hin
i wonder why he would choose to come and live so close to me if i am so bad richard

had a look around your place how many have left