Living in Pattaya, Thailand: Pros and Cons

I moved to Thailand 4 months ago but never wrote a single word about it. Firstly, I never had a chance to sit down and write anything because I was too excited about exploring local life, traditions, bars and diners. Secondly, I wasn’t sure that a couple of weeks of living in a foreign country are enough to make legitimate conclusions. However, now I feel that I finally have something to say. Here are some pluses and minuses of living in Thailand, in my case in the city of Pattaya.

Pros:
1) Never-ending summer
That’s the first thing that crosses the mind but I just can’t skip it because the fact that you can go out without being afraid of cold never stops exciting me.
2) Easy walking
Indeed, the city is so tiny that you can easily walk the round of Pattaya on foot and it won’t take you a long time.
3) Food
It’s cheap, fresh, and delicious. Plus, it’s healthy and unusual. However, I feel a bit homesick after my 4 months stay and really miss habitual food. I cooked scrambled eggs this morning because I’m sick of having fried rice for breakfast.
4) Weekends are weekends
In Pattaya, you won’t sit on your couch and watch TV all day long. There are so many things to do and places to visit that this stupid idea just won’t ever cross your mind.
5) Delicious beer
Regular beer costs about $1 here. You can pay $2-3 for a bottle of a really good beer.
6) Cheap housing
You can rent a luxurious apartment in condominium or a good house at $800/month or pay $300 for a nice one bedroom apartment.
7) Friendly people
Thai people call us “Farangs” and they truly enjoy our company. Yes, some of these people are hookers and want to suck your wallet dry, but most of them are just friendly by nature. That’s just the way they are.
8) International community
It’s amazing how a tiny city hosts people from all over the world. You can meet Americans, Aussies, Germans, Canadians, Russians… living in Thailand, you feel that you travel across the globe.

Cons:
1) It’s a village
In spite of all those malls, bars, clubs, and restaurants, it’s still a tiny village to me. If you are looking for a big city life, you’d better consider Bangkok.
2) Transportation
People drive like psychos here, and while Thai people (that I believe come out of their mothers’ vaginas sitting on the motorbikes) manage to avoid accidents, Farangs aren’t doing a good job on the road. Check this article, particularly the last paragraph. It’s pretty much all you need to know about getting around Pattaya.
3) Internet connection
Internet in Pattaya is awful. Every time I turn on my laptop I feel like I’m back in 1990s. People say there is a good Internet provider here but it sounds like Santa Claus stories to me. I don’t believe in it.
4) Tourists
Don’t get me wrong, tourists in Thailand don’t differ from tourists in any other place on Earth, but their behavior starts bothering you when you consider yourself to be “local”. It seems to me that they look like a herd of sheep, thoughtless and stupid. Seriously, some guys really need to read this
5) Hair issues
My hair never looked uglier than they look here in Thailand. Moisture makes them curly (I’m doing my best to strengthen them and use different beauty techniques like regular straightening )
and lamination but they end up curly and ugly by the end of the day. Plus, it’s superchallenging to find a good hair stylist here, let alone good hair dyes.
6) Walking Street
I’m okay with people having fun and living their lives the way they like it, but sometimes my eyes hurt because of the sodomy I see in the street. Besides, it’s a dangerous place to be. Check this out, there are some good tips. However, there’s an easy way to avoid it: just stay away from Walking Street.
7) Bugs and lizards
I know that it’s not really a minus but a natural thing, but these creatures freak me out. Plus, there are bed bugs in cheap hotels, so if you were unlucky to stay in one, make sure you don’t share your bed with them: Tips to protect yourself from bed bugs while traveling
Hopefully, my post will be useful for those who are thinking about visiting this city either for vacations or for a longer period of time. I will keep posting my thoughts and ideas about this place, so feel free to suggest the topics in the comments and I would be glad to review them.

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