One thing that you’ll notice about Pattaya ladies, during any trip to Thailand’s premier nightlife orientated city, is the ready smiles that will come your way. Thailand is, of course, known the world over as ‘the land of many smiles’ and it really is a name that is well deserved.

Everywhere you go you will be greeted with a smile and it’s infectious, you’ll find yourself smiling all the time and the whole thing really lifts your spirits and makes you feel happier!

Pattaya Ladies and Tourism

As you can imagine, it is the tourism industry that brings the girls to Pattaya. The jobs available here are not really that much better than what can be found elsewhere in Thailand. They range from cleaning work, cashier work, receptionist work, waitressing, bar work and so on.

The typical wage for these jobs is anywhere from 8,000 baht to 12,000 baht per month. Even in Thailand, where the cost of living is extremely low, this is not much money. Most Pattaya ladies that arrive for work come from the poorest area of Thailand, a place called Isaan which is located in the Northeast of the country, and wage rates there are even lower. I know of several Isaan workers that are paid only 200 baht per day!

The dream for many Pattaya ladies is to escape poverty by finding a Western husband that will take care of them and their family. This is one thing that the visitor really needs to be aware of; tales of broken hearts, broken marriages, fortunes lost and so on are very common amongst long-term Pattaya visitors that fell for the charms of an often much younger Thai lady. Not every visitor is looking for love though, in fact most are looking for short-term arrangements. Some are looking for very brief, discreet encounters… you can read more about that on this page which looks at the Pattaya Escort Scene.

Romantic attachment should be avoided at all costs, the cultural barriers that exist between Thailand and your typical Western country are enormous and easily overlooked during a 2-week vacation in the sun. Add to that the obvious difficulties with effective communication, different education levels, different belief systems, and so on and you’ll find that forming a lasting relationship is nigh on impossible and yes…. there are lots of opportunist Pattaya ladies that are only looking for an easy route to prosperity, so be on your guard!

Pattaya Ladies and Food

One of the more comical aspects of the girls’ behaviour is their eating habits; Thai food culture is quite different to anything I’ve found in other parts of the world. You can take a Thai lady to an upmarket restaurant and order some of the most delicious food that you’ve ever tasted and I’ll bet you one thing…. if you are with an Isaan lady she won’t like it! As soon as you depart the restaurant there’s a good chance that she will order some street food to take away the taste of the delicious morsels that she has just eaten in a top restaurant, hehe.

Isaan food tends to be very spicy and one particular spicy offering that is popular with Pattaya girls is called ‘Papaya Salad’. I know, it sounds harmless enough, but don’t be tempted to eat this stuff…. it burns! Another thing you’ll notice is that the girls eat together and they eat frequently; if you like people watching whilst you are having a drink in the bars, you will see some things being eaten that will cause you to rub your eyes in disbelief. I’ve seen chicken claws, insects, fish heads, dried squid and all sorts being served up. If you’re the adventurous type, give it a try and leave me your thoughts in the comments box below?

Hey y’all, I’ll bet you thought I dropped dead from a coronary after the last post about all you can eat moo kata! The truth is I was off celebrating Songkran and despite ignoring all the common expat wisdom I was able to travel some 1000km round trip without incident, drink myself silly for 3 days without incident, and throw water from the back of a pickup truck…you guessed it, without incident (well except for the obvious drenching).

Overall a very good time was had by all, although at just 34 months, Alivia was not quite ready for the water play. She doesn’t appreciate wet clothes AT ALL, so that put a damper on her festivities until we found that she was very happy to sit inside the truck and have water splashed at the windows. And before the comments come, my father in law was driving and no he did not have any drinks prior to driving.

After spending various Songkrans’ in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket and Krabi, I have to say that this was the most laid back and enjoyable of all the Songkrans I’ve experienced. Perhaps it’s because in 4 days of celebrating I saw not 1 other foreigner? I certainly hope that isn’t the case, but I can say that Thais are every bit as enthusiastic about throwing water (especially the younger Thais), yet they are also more respectful of those who don’t want to participate. At least in Mae Sot they were. Arriving back in Bangkok was a bit of a different story.

While anyone in Mae Sot who was told mai na khrap promptly backed off and left me be (during the short times I wasn’t interested in playing), the neighbors around my condo were not as easily swayed. After arriving back in Bangkok I was doing some writing and needed to go out for cigarettes. I headed down to the local corner grocery, thinking Songkran was over and I was safe. I was wrong.

At the end of the soi were the tables and lights, music and dancing, drinking and of course water play. Despite telling everyone mai nam, mai na khrap, ow thamngan tee baan, I was thoroughly drenched not once but several times. Oh well, it was a quick walk back to the condo to change and I also got several glasses of beer and some great fried chicken out of the deal. And of course I know most of these people from daily life so couldn’t protest too much.

How was everyone else’s Songkran? I hope you didn’t hide in your condo for the duration of the celebration. If you live near your family or in laws I hope you made the rounds of visiting the elders on the 15th. Most of all though I hope it was a great experience and all of you were safe and sound for the duration of the holiday.

Oh, and if you haven’t gotten enough of Songkran you could always head to Pattaya this weekend to celebrate some more. I’m just sayin’.

Though Thai food is most well known for its spicy side, such as Som Tam, its streetfood, and perennial favorites such as Pad Thai, these are no longer my favorites. In true American style I have come to love the all you can eat buffet style Moo Kata (literally ‘pork pan’) places. In addition to the fact that they are a great value (129-159 THB for all you can eat), they are also great fun as you get to cook your own food and having a dinner there with a group of friends is a blast.

So, I try to convince Golf to head off to our favorite Moo Kata place as often as possible (which is usually no more than once a month – she doesn’t share my enthusiasm). Fortunately we got to go last weekend and as always I had a great meal for less than 400 THB for all three of us. The moo kata price also includes all the water and soda you care to drink, though beer is extra and if you want whiskey you’ll need to bring your own.

What can you eat at a moo kata place? Well, each place is different, but in all cases it is a huge array of choices from marinated chicken, pork and beef, to organ meats, seafood, grilled fish and prawns, a variety of prepared dishes like karaage chicken, French fries (for the kiddies), and you can even make your own som tam (or have your Thai partner do so). Also included are a selection of fresh vegetables and several varieties of noodles.

Unfortunately the moo kata seems to be on the decline in Bangkok as there are many places that have closed down over the past 5 years or so. I guess offering all you can eat isn’t all that profitable, or perhaps all the new middle class Thais aren’t very fond of this style of eating, choosing instead to spend their new found wealth in more upscale and trendy restaurants. I’m not food snob though and enjoy anything that tastes great and provides a good value.

Our favorite place is on Chareon Krueng (Soi 64 I believe) and we have also had a good time at other places, one on Sukhumvit 71 and the other on Ratchadaphisek near Esplanade. I believe there is also a popular moo kata place in the Pinklao area, though that’s a bit far afield for something I can get much closer to home.

So, if you are looking for something different in Bangkok for dinner why not give moo kata a try? You’ll get a great meal at a great price and have fun as well.

See you at the Moo Kata Bar-b-que!

Disclaimer: This post was written while under the influence of the King of Beasts – known as Leo to some. Though for some reason the depiction is a leopard…oh well.

I am afraid I may have become one of the miserable old expats found trolling internet forums with nothing good to say about their country of residence. You know the ones who are always being told not to let the door hit them in the ass when they leave? Have I become a miserable old Thailand expat?

Well, first of all, let me say that I am not old. Not even close to retirement age. So at worst I am a miserable Thailand expat sans old. But it isn’t the age factor that concerns me nearly as much as the miserable factor if truth be told.

I know I have posted some negative things here lately, but that doesn’t mean I am not still enamored of Thailand. I am. I freely admit that I (mostly) enjoy my life here. Sure there are frustrations, but isn’t that true anywhere? The honest truth is that Thailand is a very good place to live. “Thailand sabai sabai” as my Thai friends always say.
So why all the negativism?

I think it boils down to several factors. First of all, the average person finds it easier to complain about the negatives rather than building up the positives. After all, people love hearing horror stories and troublesome occurrences. And people also love complaining. I don’t care if you live in Brighton, Brisbane, Boston, or Bangkok…chances are many of the people there have a good deal to bitch about. Sometimes just for the sake of bitching.

Another factor is that I have very little contact here with other expats or English speakers. Hence I have no outlet for any of my frustrations. Sure I share them with my wife, but oftentimes I see her face and realize that complaining about her culture and country may not be in my best interests. So I keep many things to myself.

Finally, I suppose I have removed my rose colored glasses (actually they were stolen in a van on the way back from Hua Hin – but that’s fodder for another post). They say that familiarity breeds contempt and what better way to become familiar with a country and culture than to live there? When visiting a country (or even a town) for just 2, 4 or 6 weeks a year it is easy to overlook the negatives. When you spend every day in the place though, you see those negatives more clearly and in some cases you complain simply because you would like to see them rectified.

Well, I am smart enough to know that nothing I personally do will change much here in Thailand. It isn’t my country, I’m not Thai, and to the citizens my opinion matters little, other than an entertaining diatribe maybe. I can however share my experiences (both positive and negative) here with you, my loyal readers, and I hope you don’t take the rants too seriously. At the end of the day they mean little and can be easily dismissed (at least by me).

So, don’t think that I’ve changed my outlook on Thailand. Consider instead that it has evolved and has become a more complete picture of another place that I love. At the end of the day, the Kingdom has much to recommend it for those who love freedom, beauty and less personal stress.

With an astounding 2.2 trillion Thai baht lending plan approved and ostensibly moving forward, what might be the course of the Thai baht in the coming months. As all expats receiving funds from overseas are aware, the baht has been exceedingly strong over the past 4 years, some say too strong. Will this strength continue in the face of a lending plan that entails an increase in debt to GDP levels of potential more than 25%, from a current level of 41.7% (2011 data) to over 70% in 2020 when the loans have been fully realized?

Historically, Thailand has maintained an average debt to GDP ratio of 45.5% which is comparable to current levels. The historic high was reached in December 2000 when the debt to GDP ratio stood at 57.8%.

While debt to GDP levels certainly are not the only indicator of currency value, I think the following chart does show a correlation.

First we have a chart of the Thai baht from 1997 through April 2013. The first notable event was the 1997 Asian currency crisis, in large part caused by monetary and banking policies in Thailand. The rise in the USD versus the baht was matched by a rise in debt to GDP levels from 15.19% in 1996 to 40.45% in 1997, a 166.27% increase.

The next thing to note is the depreciation of the Thai baht relative to the U.S. Dollar from 1999 through the beginning of 2001. During this time, debt to GDP levels were above their historical highs from 56.59% in 1999 to 57.52% in 2001.

During 2001, the debt to GDP level began to contract back to historical levels and we can see that the value of the Thai baht also began to increase. In fact, debt to GDP levels continued to fall through 2008, when they were at 37.27%.

I think these numbers show a clear connection between debt to GDP levels and the value of the Thai baht. With the government poised to increase the debt to GDP levels in Thailand dramatically, it follows that a corresponding weakening of the Thai baht will occur.

This is borne out when looking at data from 2008 and 2009 as well. The debt to GDP levels rose from 37.27% in 2008 to 45.22% in 2009. During that time, the value of the Thai baht also depreciated, once again showing the connection between currency values and debt to GDP levels. Since 2009, debt to GDP levels have been slowing contracting and the Thai baht has experienced a corresponding rise in value.

Of course, nothing happens in a vacuum, but there are other factors at work indicating that the baht may soon reverse course.

The SET has risen by over 300% over the past 4 years. Is this sustainable? I think it is not, and history is a good guide to seeing that whenever markets become overextended, they inevitably correct, sometimes rapidly and violently. In the case of the Thai equity markets, a majority of the funds propping up prices are coming from overseas. What happens to the markets when this money repatriates or looks for other currently better opportunities? A good part of the reason for all the capital inflows is the current disparity between interest rates in Thailand and in Western countries. As growth picks up in the U.S. and Europe it is inevitable that interest rates will rise, attracting capital. In addition, with the huge debt burden it is likely that interest rates in Thailand will fall, exacerbating the outflow of capital.

Also consider that when looking at the rise of the baht (or fall of the USD, EUR, and GBP if you will), it corresponds with the implementation of loose monetary policy in the U.S., Great Britain, and the European Union. Once these countries and regions begin tightening, you can be sure that capital inflows will certainly slow, and possibly reverse.

Even if capital does continue to flow into Thailand from outside the country, it is this inflow of capital that is thought to have been one of the major contributors to the Asian currency crises of 1997. Indeed, both Virabongsa Ramangkura, chairman of the Bank of Thailand and Yingluck Shinawatra have come out recently to say that capital inflows are one of the major economic threats to Thailand currently. Has Thailand already come to a point where it will be nearly impossible to extricate themselves without a severe drop in the value in their currency and huge impacts to financial markets?

Naturally only time will tell, but in some respects it appears that Thailand is heading down a road that can only lead to unsustainable debt levels and a decrease in the value of the Thai baht in the medium to long term. I wouldn’t expect any real change in the next 6 months, but from that point forward I think a dramatic shift may begin to occur in both equities and currencies.

Chime in below and let’s hear your thoughts on the future of the Thai baht.

Let me preface this post by saying that there were things that pissed me off about driving in the U.S. too. Thais don’t have a monopoly on inconsiderate, incompetent or idiot drivers. They do however take it to something of a new level and even with my increasing mai bpen rai relaxed attitude, driving in Thailand is one of the things that is almost certain to make my blood boil. And thanks to the fact that I am enclosed within my own vehicle, with heavily tinted windows, I feel free to vent as much as I wish. And so I do vent a lot.

Somehow that venting has lost its healing powers though and so now I have to vent more publicly. Join me as I enumerate the things that piss me off when driving in Thailand (in no particular order):

• Motocys driving against the flow of traffic.
• Motocys driving too closely to my car.
• Motocys entering the roadway without the rider looking for oncoming traffic.
• Motocys overtaking and passing too quickly, too closely or in blind spots.
• Motocys driving on the sidewalks. Ok, not technically a driving concerns, but it pisses me off none the less.
• Motocys. Period.
• The inability of most Thais to stay within the marked lanes. Drifting from one side to the other, driving on the line or god help me straddling the line are all inexcusable.
• The lack of what hundreds of millions around the world consider to be common road courtesies.
• The inability of the majority of Thais to merge properly. I think this has to do with a lack of spatial awareness which also contributes to #7 above.
• The complete lack of awareness or concern regarding how their actions might affect others on the road.
• Parking in clearly marked non-parking areas.
• Using the shoulder of the road as an additional lane.
• Using the curbside lane as a parking area or in some cases as an extra sidewalk (which would be unnecessary if the actual sidewalk were not clogged with vendors ‘shops’ – subject for another rant).
• Cars (and trucks) that pass in a no passing zone against oncoming traffic and think that a flash of their lights should give them right of way.
• A complete and utter lack of understanding about right of way and when it should be yielded.
• Cars with windows tinted so dark that you can’t see through them. Guess what guys…it can be helpful to other drivers when they can see through your car to oncoming traffic and other cars on the road.
• Busses that move 2 lanes to the right and then 2 lanes back to the left all in the span of 100 meters.
• Bangkok traffic in general.

I’m sure if I were driving I would easily come up with more ideas, but those are the first to jump into my head. I will say that I do most of my driving in Bangkok and while Bangkok driving leaves much to be desired, the drivers in Bangkok are far superior to those even a short distance outside the city such as Samut Prakan, Chonburi, and Nonthaburi. That goes for the cars, but seems to be especially true for motocys who at least seem to have a healthy fear of being hit by a car in Bangkok, and seemingly no thought whatsoever for this life threatening possibility outside the city.

I will also grant Bangkokians an edge when it comes to general manners on the road. Of course with so many cars on the road I still run into many drivers with no clue about driving courtesy, but I also run into quite a few who do seem to understand courtesy on the road and even concepts such as yielding and merging. Outside Bangkok I have yet to find a single driver with a clue about driving courtesy or the basics of yielding and merging.

And what about you kind readers? What have your experiences been when driving in Thailand? With the country ranking #6 in the world in road deaths, I won’t be surprised if much of it has been frustrating, disappointing, anger inducing, or just plain stupidity.

As any Thailand aficionado will tell you, Pattaya is best known for two things; two interrelated things…. Girls and Nightlife! I’ve already written about the joys and dangers of the girls you will meet there in a previous post, so this one looks at the Pattaya Nightlife scene. You can find full details of the nightlife offerings on my website at: Pattaya Nightlife, but here’s a taster to whet your appetite:

Pattaya Nightlife; three distinct areas to choose from

Let’s be clear from the start, the nightlife in Pattaya is on a level that is unrivaled by anything I’ve seen before…. including anything I’ve seen in other countries. The whole city comes alive after dark; it is simply fantastic.

Even during the depths of the low season (August through October) you’ll have a fantastic time after dark if nightlife (especially naughty nightlife) is something you enjoy. The best months, or busiest months, start from November and last through until the end of March.

I think it helps to think of the Pattaya Nightlife scene in terms of three distinct offerings:

Firstly, if you prefer a quieter and more relaxed atmosphere, North Pattaya is the place to go. You get a good range of bars/restaurants there, and it is certainly a good place to go if you want to see a ladyboy show. Both Tiffany’s and Alcazar are located there. Soi 6 is another popular choice and is guaranteed to liven up your night if you want to make the acquaintance of local lady!

Second, and my personal favourite, is Central Pattaya. You have got all sorts to choose from here. Along the seafront you’ve got Sois 7 and 8; these are full of beer bars and there is always a lively night to be had there. It’s a really good choice if you like to play pool, smoke sheesha, listen to live music, watch the football on TV or just have a fun time. Set back from the seafront area is Soi Buakhao, Soi LK Metro and Soi Diana. You’ll find the best value Pattaya nightlife options there. Restaurants, drinks, massage and so on are all available at really low prices. Soi LK Metro also has an excellent selection of gogo bars to choose from.

Finally, to the south is the world famous Pattaya Walking Street. This offers the biggest concentration of bars, and especially gogo bars, that you will find anywhere in Thailand. The scale of the nightlife scene there is immense; you’ve got literally hundreds of venues packed into a relatively small area. There is huge variety too; street entertainers, bars, international restaurants and so on are all over the place. Prices are higher here but the setting is worth the extra expense.

All in all, Pattaya Nightlife stands tall against anything I’ve found anywhere else in the world. It might not be the right choice for theatre/opera lovers, but for those of us that prefer ‘fun and laughter’ to ‘pomp and refinery’, it is quite simply heaven on Earth!

With my previous submission being about Pattaya Ladies, I thought I’d better put something together about the ladyboys too… just for completeness!

A Pattaya ladyboy is usually no different in terms of character than a bar-girl. If you are attracted to transsexual ladies you will be able to relax and do your thing in Pattaya like nowhere else in the world. The first thing that stands out about Thailand compared to the rest of the world, or at least the rest of the world that I know of, is the relaxed and accepting nature of Thai people. Something like 1% of the Thai population is openly transsexual and the level of discrimination against such things is way lower than anything that you might expect back home in the West. I hear that schools in Thailand even provide extra changing rooms for those children belonging to the ‘third’ sex!

If you are coming to Thailand to meet a Pattaya ladyboy with the goal of arranging some sort of lasting romantic relationship, my advice is to be very careful. Ladyboys have got something of a bad reputation in Pattaya for being particularly untrustworthy! The local news station in Pattaya seems to report a more than proportionate instance of crime involving a Pattaya ladyboy and a foreign tourist compared to that with foreigners and girls. If you are looking for a lasting relationship, online dating is a better option. You can find my recommended site for this at my website by following the link below.

The life of a ladyboy is not an easy one even in Thailand. The rejection from friends and family that is common in the West is not completely absent in Thailand and you sometimes find that a transsexual expresses her sexuality in Pattaya and other places outside her home village, but reverts back to a male identity when visiting family. I can’t imagine it’s an easy thing to keep secret… especially once a few surgical enhancements have been put in place!

Medical treatment usually starts at an early age, much younger than you would find in the West where a doctor would usually refuse treatment until after puberty. In Thailand, most ladyboys will often have been on hormone replacement injections/pills since the early teens and some start before that. I think that this is one reason why you sometimes see a Pattaya ladyboy looking very similar to a lady. I’ve seen some that virtually indistinguishable from women!

Other obvious medical enhancements such as breast implants are almost universally undergone by ladyboys as soon as they can afford the expense. Other available treatments are hip implants, Adam’s apple reduction, vocal cord tightening, and of course the big one…. vaginoplasty! You may be surprised to read that most ladyboys choose not to have this surgery, you might be extra surprised to find out why that is… you can find out on my website by following the link below!

For full details about ladyboys, what to expect from one, where to meet one, how to approach one etc, see my website section starting at: Pattaya Ladyboy in Thailand

For anyone unfamiliar with the tourist areas of Thailand or, more specifically, the red-light tourist areas of Thailand, here are a few pointers about the lovely girls of Pattaya. The same pointers apply about other adult focused resorts; this is not just for Pattaya goers.

Pattaya Girls and partying all night long

As you might expect, the party never stops in Pattaya. You can wander out at virtually any time and find somewhere that is open for business. If you like to party deep into the night, the gogo bars and discos are open very late. The beer bars also tend to stay open until the last paying customer has departed. If you like to drink and party for breakfast, no problem, there are plenty of bars open in the morning!

Don’t worry about being left to party alone, being alone is never, repeat NEVER, necessary here. The girls that you will meet all over the place will keep you company wherever you go. You will be the one paying for the drinks though… seems fair enough! That’s especially true when you consider that the drink prices are a fraction of the prices that you need to pay in the Western world!

Pattaya Girls and falling in love

This is one area where you need to be very careful! Falling in love is a serious possibility and it usually ends badly! That is the catch, the Pattaya girls are the best company you could hope for during a vacation, but you really should treat the place a bit like fantasy land. It is the best fantasy land you could hope for, but successfully integrating one of the Pattaya girls into every day life back home is a very hard thing to do. The girls will genuinely love to be with you in Pattaya, and they may come to have genuine feelings for you, but a life of bar-work is a little like an addiction for many of the girls, and it makes the possibility of a normal monogamous relationship a very rare thing.

Pattaya Girls and Money

Money is, as you would expect, the most important attraction for the girls. What might be less obvious is the fact that different sorts of girls i.e. bar-girls, gogo-girls, disco-girls, street-girls and so on, have very different plans for getting you to part with your cash! For more information on that, click here: Pattaya Girls

One of the many things that I miss about Thailand when I am out of the country is the wide variety of massage options on every street. Pattaya massage is big business in sin city and it is not something that you can easily find in the UK. In fact it is impossible to find anything comparable if you take money into account.

In Pattaya, for as little as a 100 baht, you can get a traditional Thai massage. For 200 baht you can get my favourite… the Thai Oil massage! I defy anyone to have an oil massage in Thailand without relaxing completely…. and that’s if you go for the strictly legitimate version! I’ll admit that many a Pattaya massage is not often strictly legitimate and, if this is what you want, the oil massage in particular is likely to lead to offers of all sorts of happy endings.

Pattaya Massage Parlors

If it’s a low cost professional massage that you want, there are literally hundreds of parlors to choose from in Pattaya. You’ll find that many of them are concentrated around the main tourists areas and you’ll also find that these are the parlors that offer ‘extra’ services as standard. That’s not to say that the upmarket venues don’t offer this; I’ve even been to a high class establishment with my Thai wife accompanying me and heard some funny stuff going on at a nearby massage bed! Generally speaking though, my advice is to steer clear of the naughty areas if you want to find an authentic ‘massage only’ parlor.

There is one parlor in Pattaya, near to a naughty area, that I’ve been told is strictly massage only. It is called Eden Massage and is found on Soi Diana. I’m told the service is good, but I can’t verify that as I’ve never been before myself. I’m going to have to try it out though, I won’t believe that there are no happy endings offered there until I get a good slap across the face for suggesting one! It is located just around the corner from Soi LK Metro, which is a definite naughty area, so I’m guessing that it is not usually faces that are being slapped there… time will tell!

Pattaya Massage Additional Information

For lots more information, including descriptions of my own massage experiences, have a look at this section on my website: ‘Pattaya Massage’. It covers the soapy massage, traditional massage, oil massage, foot massage and some… erm… less authentic offerings.

It’s a cynical world we live in….. I’ve had the misfortune to notice, on more than one occasion, that in at least some quarters of the world at large there is a perception that any Western man involved in a romantic relationship with a Thai lady must be some sort of sexual deviant! When I have ventured outside into polite society, with my Thai lady accompanying me, I must admit that I’ve had one or two disapproving glances from various members of the all knowing, infallible, oh so superior species often referred to as Western women. Shocking isn’t it?

I’ve come to expect a certain amount of disapproval from these ‘ladies’ and in all honesty I’ve come to look forward to it! I’ve developed the most revolting cheesy smirk you could imagine and I love to use it when receiving the disapproving look of Western women. Call me strange, if you like, but it makes me smile inside to know I’m stoking up a raging furnace of disgust from these women and there’s not a thing in the world that they can do about it!

The truth is that, for Western men, the average romantically available Thai lady is a far more attractive prospect than the typical oversized carcass that is available to him back in the West. Those oversized carcasses know it and hence their disapproval when they see you with a younger, slimmer Thai beauty. My cheesy smirk is an acknowledgment of that fact and also a statement to the effect of ‘go boil your head you ugly wretch’!

On the whole, I’d recommend Thai ladies to any man that is interested in finding a loving and feminine partner for life. That’s not to say that any Thai lady will do. A good slice of the disapproval from the Western women is due to the reputation that Thailand has with the oldest of professions. Worse than anything those Western women think is that, if you get involved with a Thai bar-girl, it is highly likely that serious heartache will follow.

Don’t do it, I’ve heard many Thai dating stories about men involved with these working-girls and it invariably ends badly… sometimes very, very badly. It’s not worth the risk, and what’s more, it’s completely unnecessary! There are lots of ways to meet honest, loyal, caring, lovely Thai ladies, but you are very unlikely to do it anywhere near a bar in the red-light areas of Thailand.

Online Thai dating is a good option if you are not actually in Thailand or near to a Thai community. There are dangers with online dating of course, there’s many a gold-digger online posing as a suitable girlfriend. With a little practise, and an understanding of Thai culture, you will be able to spot the gold-diggers easily enough. Understanding these ladies is the important part. They come from such a different culture that appreciating how they are likely to think and feel in any given situation is not obvious. Your own instincts will not be enough, you’ll need more than that….

That’s where my eBook comes in; I’ve written it specifically about this problem. You can get more information and read the first few pages on my website at: Dating Thai Ladies

It’s a book that will give you all the information you need to get started, and it’s one that could seriously change your entire life if you decide to go ahead and find a Thai love interest. I won’t tell you that being in a Thai relationship is one big bed of roses though; like anything in life that’s worth having it comes with sacrifices. It’s up to you to decide whether those sacrifices are worth it or not. In my eBook, I set out what those sacrifices are and what relationship challenges you will face with a respectable Thai lady. Give it a look…. and then start working on a revolting cheesy grin of your own!

Pattaya Beaches

I know right away that as soon as I mention ‘Pattaya’ and ‘Beaches’ in the same sentence that it is going to immediately conjure up some negative thoughts amongst a fair proportion of Thailand’s beach lovers, so let me start by pointing out that I am not claiming that Pattaya is home to the best beaches in Thailand… far from it.

Compared to Southern Thailand, in places like Phuket and Krabi, Pattaya cannot compete in terms of the quality of available beaches. What I do think is that Pattaya has got a bit of an unfair reputation for having a dirty, unpleasant beach that even an oil slick wouldn’t go near!

In recent years there have been several clean up operations along major sections of the coastline around Pattaya and I think that it has had a positive impact. Even more important than this, many of the people leave Pattaya thinking that its beach is no good are really meaning that they didn’t find the main beach along Pattaya Bay to be very appealing. I can understand their sentiment, the main beach isn’t very good, but there are lots of nearby beaches that are very good.

Nearby Beaches

First up there is Jomtien Beach about 3 kilometres to the south; think Pattaya but cleaner! Many of Pattaya’s long term foreign residents choose to live in Jomtien and I can understand why. The whole area is a lot more family orientated and less hectic. Jomtien has a more relaxed feel to it and the beach there is pleasant enough.

Second there is Naklua beach about 2 kilometres to the North. Naklua has a lovely beach with a very nice atmosphere to it. There is no main road running along it (as you get with Pattaya Bay and Jomtien Beach), which means that it is quieter and even cleaner. There is a nice restaurant at one end, massage tents along it, beach volleyball and a number of good hotels that back right onto the beach.

Third, between Naklua and Pattaya Bay, there is a really nice secluded beach called Wong Amat Beach. This one is my top recommendation for a place to do some sunbathing. It’s also a good option if you just want to get out for a wander. There is a path that leads from the northern tip of Pattaya Bay right along the coastline up to Naklua and there are lots of good scenic spots for a few photographs. There are also some small bars/restaurants along the way where you can stop for refreshments.

Offshore Pattaya Beaches

If you want the best Pattaya beaches of all, Koh Larn is the place to go. I can’t recommend this place enough; I had a really nice day out on Koh Larn. You can get there in about 20 minutes if you go by speedboat, but I think that the ferries are a better option. A return ticket costs 60 baht! The ferry takes about 40 minutes but you can stay all day and catch whichever return trip you want (the last one departs at about 6pm). Another option is to book into a hotel on the island and stay over night.

When you get to Koh Larn the first thing you should do as soon as you get off the ferry is hire a scooter. They can be had for the day at a cost of 200 baht and it giver you the ability to go off and do some exploring. You won’t need a license, you don’t need a crash helmet, insurance or anything else to get the scooter. It is treated a bit like you’re hiring a bicycle… you just pay up and off you go!

There are some lovely beaches on Koh Larn depending on what you like. If it’s a nice secluded beach that you want with not many other people around, head down to Nual Beach on the southern tip of the island. If you prefer a bit more activity have a look at Ta Waen Beach, it has lovely white powdery sands and a beautiful blue sea. You have a range of restaurants and shops to choose from too.

I know Pattaya is never going to appeal to everyone but I really do think that it is becoming a mainstream option these days. Even the Hilton Hotel group has invested there…. and they are not known for investing in run-down areas! If you’ve been before but left with a bad impression, my advice is to give it another chance, it might surprise you how much it has changed in the last few years.

For lots more information, click Pattaya Beaches.

The clip below occurred when the guy being mauled stole a cell phone from a foreigner (tourist?) on the BTS platform at Victory Monument. Looks like the words of Foreign Minister Surapong Towichukchaikul are being taken seriously. “Please take care of foreigners. If anything happens to them, please step in to help,” Surapong said. These guys most certainly did just that.

What are your comments? Do you think this was the right thing to do? Are you surprised that this happened? How often do you think these types of things happen in Bangkok or other areas of Thailand?

I just want to take a moment to wish all my readers a very Merry Christmas! Whether you are Thailand based or living elsewhere in the world I hope this holiday season brings you peace, joy and many blessings!

Living in Thailand you see all kinds of foreigners on the streets, in restaurants and pretty much everywhere you go. Once you start talking to them, you find that many are simply in Thailand on a holiday, but in some cases you will meet expats who are living here full time, and sometimes for quite a long time.

It is interesting to note that not everyone expatriates for the same reasons. I’ve come to the conclusion that there are at least 7 different types of expats, and the classification depends on what type of person they are. Interestingly, not all of these types of expats are suited for life in Thailand, though they might flourish in Eastern Europe or South America.

Whether you are already an expatriate, or you are considering life in a country far away from your birth country, chances are your personality fits one of these 7 expat types.

The Pioneer Expat – This is the wild west kinda expat who is interested in finding new opportunities and striking it rich in a place considered exotic and interesting. This type of expat was common in Thailand 20-30 years ago, but with the development in most of Thailand they have moved on to other locations such as Myanmar, Cambodia, Africa and Central America. The Pioneer expat cares nothing about basic infrastructure or comfort and is quite happy to set up shop in a completely native and potentially dangerous area. They will learn the local language easily, especially if that’s what is necessary to score big.

The International Expat – These expatriates are often the ones who are holding down the 6 figure jobs and are only in the country because it advances their careers and makes them a boat load of money in the process. They are similar to the Pioneer Expat, but without the lack of concern for safety and comfort. These expats love the adventure of being over seas, but also crave some comforts and stability in their new home. Many of them have families and will eventually head back to whence they came, though some fall in love with their new surroundings and so long as their need for safety and basic infrastructure (hospitals, schools, etc) are met they may become permanent fixtures in their new home.

The Hermit Expat – This is the expat who is simply looking to get away from it all because nobody in this world truly “gets it”. In many cases this expat may be looking to execute some type of personal or social agenda whether that be saving the rain forest or simply setting up a self sustaining community or homestead. The farther away from civilization and organized government and social institutions these expats can get, the better they feel.

The Nomad Expat – This is the world traveler who rarely puts down roots anywhere. They may fly into Thailand for a few days, weeks or even months, but soon enough they are off to another exotic and exciting destination. The backpacker exemplifies this type of expat perfectly, though these days you can find Nomad Expats who travel in style as well. The number of passport stamps and frequent flyer miles are badges of success for this type of expat and they think nothing of jumping on a flight to Ecuador at a moments’ notice.

The Expeditionary Expat – This type of expat sees themselves in the historical perspective of the Colonial conquerors and explorers of England, France and Spain. They love to travel to exotic destinations, but they want their creature comforts as well…and if there are cheap servants available so much the better. They are happy to explore Macchu Piccu so long as they can return to a five star hotel afterwards. Exploring India is heaven to them, as long as there are servants, guides and high tea available. In short, they want the adventure of expat life with all the comforts of home thrown in.

The Hedonist Expat- This expat has typically been successful in life and all they want to do now is to enjoy the fruits of their labors through the bastions of wine, women and song. They are happiest when exploring places that afford them all the opportunities of pleasure that they may be denied in their home countries, whether that is from legal or moral restrictions. Typically they will have their favorite destinations (Thailand seems to be one), but they are always willing to check out someplace new to see what kinds of pleasure it might afford.

The Retiree Expat – Finished with a fulfilling career, this type of expat is looking to fill their days with something more than golfing and lounging by the beach or pool. They want to reinvigorate their life with a new direction, a new chapter if you will and are willing to leave behind all their familiar haunts and friend to do just that. They are also looking to surround themselves with people who have a similar mindset as chances are all of their old acquaintances really don’t understand the new direction of their lives. In many cases, they are also looking for a way to turn back the clock and find a place that reminds them of the home of their youth or early adulthood.

And there you have it, the 7 types of expats. In truth, no one is exclusively one single type. Most expats have elements of 2 or 3 different expat types, but in general most of us fall predominantly into one category. Your happiness in your expat home will likely be influenced by what type of expat you are and what you are looking for in the expat experience.

Think about these expat types and let me know in the comments below what type of expat you think you might be. Also, let me know if I’ve left out any potential expat type.