Pattaya has become rather popular as a retirement destination for many westerners. So much so that there is an extensive support network of other expatriates to rely on for help and advice. The information below was provided by the Pattaya Expats Club, which is a good place to start should you be considering retiring in Thailand.
Pattaya Expats Club
The Pattaya Expats Club, was the first of its kind in Thailand, founded in 2001 by an ex-pat named Pete Mills, who is also our current President. The Club has grown very rapidly both locally through our regular weekly meetings and E-Newsletter, and internationally through our website at www.pattayaexpatsclub.com. Our focus is to give advice and information on themes which are important to help foreigners and their families stay safely, legally and happily in the Kingdom of Thailand, and to meet new friends in the community.
We provide advice and information on Thai Law, encouragement to keep visas up to date, and how to safely and legally own a house, car or motorcycle etc. There are talks given by doctors and nutritionists to encourage good health and from insurance specialists to make sure we have adequate protection. We aim to give visitors of all nationalities a better understanding of the Thai culture so they can better integrate into their adopted second home here in Pattaya.
The meetings, which are sometimes attended by 100 or more, speakers give audio-visual presentations, members talk to each other and ask questions and receive answers from experts in their field such as real estate agents, travel agents, bankers and investment consultants, hotel owners associations, hospitals offering ‘check-up’ and good health programmes, school headmasters offering International school places, lawyers on how to make a will or buy property. Fun things too such as a British movie star talking about his film career, the best local beaches and islands to visit off Pattaya bay and the East coast, golf courses, a trip to Malaysia and information on local TV news channels. These were some of the themes, above, covered in just the last one month in Club meetings.
Expatriate Resources
- Pattaya People Weekly
- English language community newspaper. The web site is updated daily with news and general information. You can also watch news or listen to their radio programs through the site.
- Pattaya Mail
- The oldest English language newspaper in Pattaya is published weekly. The web site contains most of the content found in the print version.
- British Expat
- You don't have to be British to use the wealth of resources available on this site. Since the owners are currently based in Pattaya, you're guaranteed a wealth of information about living on the beach.