“I’ve wanted to live in Thailand since I was 12 years old,” says Bart Walters.
“My uncle was in the U.S. Air Force stationed at U-Tapao, the American airbase near Rayong. I used to sit for hours with my grandmother’s projector flipping through 35mm slides he’d send home. The pictures painted an exotic fantasy land full of endless summers on deserted beaches with pretty girls.”
Fast forward a couple of decades, and Bart’s childhood vision has become his reality. He has long been established on Pattaya, on Thailand’s Eastern Seaboard (also known as the Chonburi Coast), just southeast of the capital, Bangkok.
What does Bart love about life in Pattaya?
“First, it’s easy. Easy to get here. Easy to stay here. Easy to get around. Easy to meet people. Easy to live whatever lifestyle you choose. I would argue it’s the easiest place for an expat to live in all Southeast Asia.
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“Second, it’s flexible. You can choose the way you live and interact with locals and other expats here. From housing to food and entertainment, it’s all up to you. I’ve met just about every kind of person you could imagine living up and down this coast, and they all have one thing in common—they love freedom and flexibility.
“Third, the whole region is moving onward and upward. I’ve lived in Bangkok. I’ve lived in Phuket. I’ve lived in Chiang Mai. I’ve spent a lot of time on islands like Koh Samui and Koh Phangan. For more than a dozen years, I’ve lived on the Chonburi Coast. The pace of development in this part of the world is rapid, and big things are coming to Pattaya.”
One of those big things is a high-speed train that will connect Bangkok’s two international airports to U-Tapao International Airport just south of Pattaya. This will cut the journey to the capital from two hours to thirty minutes. Another project in the works is the medical city, known as EECmd, being developed in East Pattaya. It will cover 223 acres and include medical facilities, a residential area, and special care for older folks.
Health care in general is excellent in Thailand. That’s why the country is one of the world’s most popular medical tourism destinations. Bart has first-hand experience with Thailand’s health care industry, having received serious medical attention here recently.
He says, “Five years ago, I had a total hip replacement at the Veteran’s Administration’s flagship facility in Orlando, Florida. In December 2022, I had the other hip replaced at Samitivej Hospital in Sriracha, Thailand. I was lucky enough to have both of these surgeries at state-of-the-art medical facilities, so hopefully that makes this a fair apples-to-apples comparison. The cost of this operation in the United States is about $37,320, not including medication. My operation in Thailand cost about $11,630, including everything.
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“The Thai hospital could get me into surgery right away. The U.S. hospital was busy, and I had to wait seven weeks. The hospital stay in the States was one night. The stay in Thailand was three nights. The Thai hospital gave me a choice of which device I wanted to be implanted. The U.S. hospital did not. The Thai hospital gave me a choice of which type of anesthesia I preferred. I never even knew there was a choice at the U.S. facility. The Thai hospital consulted with me on pain management and allowed me to choose which kind of medication I preferred. The U.S. hospital doped me up with heavy opiates.
“Both the U.S. hospital and Samitivej Sriracha Hospital are professional and effective health care service providers that I would use again. But if I’m paying for it, at a 70% discount, I’ll be having my surgeries in the Land of Smiles.”
It’s not just health care that costs less in Thailand. Day-to-day expenses, rent, transportation, entertainment, and just about everything else costs less here, too.
“When I compare the cost of living in a place like Pattaya City with the cost of living in my hometown Orlando, Florida,” says Bart, “I consistently come up with the same number: 50%. It costs me half as much to live in Thailand as back home.”
A better life at a lower cost is a big part of the reason Thailand is so popular among expats. Pattaya has a massive expat community made up of all kinds of people.
“I would argue that this is the most diverse expat community in Southeast Asia,” says Bart. “There’s expats from Asia, Europe, the U.K., the United States, and beyond. There’s also a healthy cycle of snowbirds from Europe and Russia that fly in when the weather turns cold and return when their home countries thaw out. A wide range of ages, cultures, and lifestyles enjoy the sun, the sea, and the scrumptious seafood.”
Thailand is an easy place to establish connections if you wish to. The expat community is well-organized and active.
“Clubs and social organizations are in full swing,” says Bart. “Rotary clubs, book clubs, motorcycle clubs, a Veterans of Foreign Wars Chapter, and enough charitable organizations to fill up any energetic retiree’s schedule.”
Another factor that helps explain Thailand’s massive expat numbers is its reputation for beautiful beaches. In Pattaya, the beaches feature soft sands and shallow waters that extend far from the shore. Walking your dog on the sand, catching the sunset, going for a swim, doing watersports, and more are all popular pastimes. You can even take an exercise class on the beach.
“One sight that always brings a smile to my face is when I’m out for a walk and I catch an early morning or sunset aerobics class in Jomtien or Dongtan Beach. Locals and foreigners alike gather to stretch and lunge and hop and whatever else it is they do. To be honest, it looks like they’re having too much fun to be working out. Maybe they’re enjoying it because it’s free.”
It’s easy to keep fit here, with plentiful gyms, specialized classes like CrossFit, boxing camps, yoga, and plenty of health-focused restaurants. It’s an active place.
“Think of just about any activity that takes place outside, and you’ll find it here from beach volleyball, tennis, and soccer to cricket and equestrian events. They’ve even built skate parks, badminton courts, and futsal courts underneath highway overpasses.”
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The golf courses are world-class and affordable. In Pattaya alone, you have almost 50 courses within an hour-and-a-half’s drive.
But not all of Pattaya’s appeal comes from the outdoors. There are trendy coffee shops, art galleries, and massive beachfront malls with all the usual retailers represented.
“The crown jewel on the beachside is the six-story waterfront shopping mall called Central Festival, complete with a twelve-screen cinema experience and a luxurious Hilton Resort attached. Here in Asia, we like our malls with hotels attached to them.”
The familiarity of brands you recognize plus the strong air conditioning of a mall can be appealing, but in Thailand the traditional way to shop is at an open-air market. It’s a lifestyle option that many expats take up.
“Thailand is renowned for its massive open-air markets that offer everything from pets to panties and household appliances, all at bargain-basement prices. My favorite market is Buakaw Market in South Pattaya. It happens on Tuesdays and Fridays, and you want to get there early because it gets hot and crowded later in the day. You should be prepared for chaos. You should expect to sweat. You should engage in friendly haggling. Most importantly, you should expect to get some great stuff. Most people who have lived in Thailand for some time buy all their clothing here.”
It’s easy enough to set up a new life in Thailand. Bart’s advice is to come on a tourist visa then hire a specialist to help you sort out your legal status.
“Choosing Thailand as your new home or retirement destination is by no means ‘expat lite,’” Bart says.
“For North Americans, you can’t go any farther without starting to come back and you can’t find a place more alien unless you move to Mars. If you decide you’re up for a move outside your comfort zone and want to try the Land of Smiles, you’ll need to target a region to acclimate yourself to.
“Leaning on my 22 years of experience in this wonderful country, I recommend starting on Thailand’s Eastern Seaboard, aka the Chonburi Coast.”
Until next time,
Kathleen Peddicord
Founding Publisher, Overseas Opportunity Letter
P.S. This is an excerpt from my new book “At Home Abroad—Retire Big On Little”, the culmination of 40 years of experience covering this beat and of more than 26 years living overseas.
It is bigger, more in-depth, more comprehensive, and more timely than any other book on retiring overseas available anywhere.
We’re planning to make a limited number of copies available free to a select group of Live And Invest Overseas readers. Watch your in-box for details.
