What Pattaya Is Really Like Away From Walking Street

An ordinary week

For most retired residents, the week looks like this: a morning walk on the beach road before it gets hot, coffee, the fresh market or a supermarket run, an afternoon out of the sun, golf or a gym session a couple of times a week, dinner out several nights because it costs so little, and a quiz night or a regular table somewhere on a Friday.

It is not exotic. That is rather the point. The appeal of Pattaya for retirement is that ordinary life is comfortable, cheap and warm, and everything you need is within twenty minutes.

Is it safe?

For a retiree going about ordinary business, Pattaya is generally a safe place to live, and violent crime against residents is not the common experience. The realistic risks are the same ones that affect everyone in Thailand: road accidents, opportunistic theft, and financially motivated scams aimed at newcomers.

• Road safety is by some distance the biggest genuine risk. Take it seriously.
• Do not carry more cash than you need, and use hotel or condo safes.
• Be sceptical of any investment, property deal or relationship that involves urgency and your money.
• Late-night entertainment areas carry the risks that late-night entertainment areas carry anywhere.

The honest downsides

• It is a building site in places, and construction noise moves around.
• Traffic on the main roads is heavy in high season.
• The reputation follows you: some family members will have opinions about where you live.
• The transient side of the population means friendships turn over more than at home.