“Do-it-Yourself Fun!” It may seem ludicrous to others but day to day living for many expats in Pattaya can become fairly mundane, life after all cannot run at hundred miles an hour every day and we can all slip back into routine and predictability. The challenge from this article is not to look at finding something new from the various events in town but to first get into the right paradigm for having fun and excitement. What do I mean by this many of you may wonder? Well a group of friends and I last year held a weight loss competition, and for all the exercise it entailed, it was still fun. For me this is the perfect example of creating your own excitement. If we can get this right, just think how wonderful things become when you start incorporating the huge number of events always on in this town.
Would a surround sound system make things better? Simple things make a big difference.So life as an expat in Pattaya - we are living the dream, aren’t we? The sun may beat down on us all every day, but that’s no fun when you are bored. So keep yourself occupied, have your goals and surround yourself with the right people. I am continually amazed at how many great people exist in this town, all generally share the same goal, everyone wants to be happy. Often however we can forget this and let things slip by. A message to us all – Take stock of where you are and start living a great
life! I don’t know you but I left the UK to escape the humdrums of predictability in search of better, more exciting things to experience.
With that in mind, what could you create or do in order to keep entertained? Set yourself a challenge, what would you like to achieve – Could it be that book you always promised to write or new hobby you always wanted to start?
As it stands now, working here in Pattaya is giving me so much enjoyment, goals and a real sense of achievement. Now when the sun beams into my window every morning, it feels better than before, and that – besides the money – keeps me entertained.
When I originally came to Pattaya it was with a view to doing very little but having fun, however as the days past by the fun became less and less. I reached the conclusion that without goals wherever you may be in the world, fun cannot be sustained! Entertainment often starts with getting your home in check, and no where better to start than with your television. Have you got the right set up and regular content to hand to watch from satellite channels, expat online TV services to movies?
When we consider what we have within arms reach it’s staggering the amount of leisure activities that are at our disposal. I guess it just gets better when we sport mustaches in November for ‘Movember’ or set up our cycle routes with friends.
Purchasing Land to Build your
When looking to purchase land to build a dream home here in Thailand, there are many factors to take into consideration. The first and most important assessment to make is the location of the land. Obviously the more prime the location the higher the price. Pratamnak has become the ‘Beverley Hills’ of Pattaya and most believe this to be the best location in todays market. Land prices have risen around 150% over the last 8 years and this has shown a huge influence in the re-sale value of some of the housing in the area. But most importantly is the shape of the land when considering what parcel to buy also. If you have an idea of the house design you want to construct, when looking at plots, make sure the plot can accommodate the footprint of the property.
If you have a set budget for the land and house, it is recommended that you get an indication of what the house is going to cost to build before you start looking at land to buy. In the past we have seen many cases where people have gone and purchased the land only for them to not fully understand many of the costs that they didn’t consider in the build and so go over budget. Employ an architect and get some footprint plans made. Give these to two or three recommended contractors to obtain a quotation so you have some indication of build cost. Now you are in a position to understand your land budget. This in turn may determine the location that you can afford. Make sure all land plots considered have all local utilities supplied to them or those utilities are very
close to the plots. Government water and electric can cost millions to have installed if they are far from the plot. If you are going to build a large house and you require three phase electric, again make sure that this is in place. Water isn’t such a major issue as you can create your own bore well, but water table levels have to be suitable and if they aren’t then you may end up with a house with no water supply. If there is no electric supply to the plot you could wait months to have a supply connected and the costs can be massive, so check these fees before buying. Also if there is insufficient power supply you may end up having to buy a transformer, again more cost.
Whether you are using an agent to purchase land or searching by yourself, make sure you obtain the services of a reputable lawyer to ensure any land you are considering is suitable for what you are looking to build on it. Firstly the land should hold a Channot title. There are many forms of land titles here in Thailand, and the different titles can determine what the land can be utilized for. Secondly, the lawyer should make sure the person trying to sell is the true owner, so obtain a copy of the seller ID card and make sure the name on the reverse of the land title matches that of the person on the ID card. Make sure the plots considered have sufficient land drainage. You aren’t allowed to have water run-off going on to other peoples land parcels. So
make sure the levels of the land allow for run-off and drainage to flow away from adjoining plots. Land fill can be expensive, and in turn this can also increase the build cost of the house if piling is required. Going back to the locations that you are going to consider, I always try to give the buyer some insight into what the area may hold for future development. In the case of Pratamank, or city living, if there are empty plots close to the parcels you are considering, be aware that condominiums or apartment buildings could be built in the future. This will devalue the price of a property instantly and make it very hard to sell in the future. Try to look for land in areas that are built out already. If you are considering going further from town, for example out towards Huay Yai or Maprachan Lake, where land prices are more attractive, again check utilities and land titles first. There are projects that offer building plots in enclosed developments here in Pattaya. If you need to be on a secure development and still require the luxury of building your own design, we do have options available to you. Obviously you will pay a premium for such parcels but you are assured to have all required utilities, security, well maintained roads and in some cases communal pools etc.... So if you are considering buying land to build a dream home here in Thailand feel free to contact us for a free consultation at
pattaya@paradisecityproperty.com
Key tips for Acting the Fool & Pretending You’re a Newbie in Town f you have lived in Thailand for a few years, or several years like many ex-pats have, the girls can tell very quickly. Most bar girls, for example, will treat a newbie in town much better than a Pattaya veteran. The reason is that most tourists, also known as a “two week millionaires”, will tend to be flash with the cash and don’t mind buying expensive lady drinks. Most ex-pats, on the other hand, will be aiming to get a good deal for their money, especially in low season! (There are a few foreign play boy millionaire ex-pats in town, but they are few and far between.)
Do
answer the 4 questions you will get asked on being introduced to a girl. What your name? Where you from? How old you? How long you stay Thailand? Of course, you don’t need to use your real name etc, but try to remember who you are! If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything! But, that could get you in trouble at a later date…
Do
offer to buy the young wench, now hopefully sat on your lap, a drink. If she says ‘I go dance now’ after a sip or two she is probably waiting for a rich regular client, doesn’t sense your money becoming her money, does not fancy you or has smelt a rat and knows you stay long time already!
Don’t
speak any Thai! When a girl says “sa wat di ka” just reply “hello what’s your name?” and offer to shake hands. She will probably wai, again you haven’t seen this before. You could ask what she said and repeat, of course she will laugh as ‘sa wat di ka’ is said by ladies, ‘sa wat di krub’ for men!
Don’t get distracted by what’s on the TV’s in
It can be fun to play the fool and pretend you’re a newbie in town, play your cards right and you can watch the girls lining up for you all hoping to help empty your aching wallet! It is recommended that you go on a bar crawl in virgin territory where no-one knows you and take a ‘wing Man’ who is showing you around town for the first time. He will introduce you to the girls and basically shows you the ropes! For the charade to work there are a few do’s and don’ts of course.
Do
look around the bar, appear a little taken aback too, after all it’s the first time you’ve been to Thailand and seen such lovely ladies.
Do
be polite when you are introduced to a girl, shake her hand and ask her name. Try a few times pronouncing her name wrong before getting it right, after all you don’t speak any Thai right?
the bar, be it cricket, football, music videos etc. Take a look around and you can easily spot the expats glued to the telly, completely oblivious to the girls dancing on stage provocatively right in front of them! Many ex-pats drink the draft beer in the bars rather than bottled beers. A glass of draft beer in A Go Go can cost as little as 55 Baht as opposed to 120 Baht plus for some bottled beers. So if you really want to look like a tourist drink bottled beer or a short and a mixer. OK, so your young lady is now convinced you’re a Pattaya newbie. Now what? Well you can play the game out, but it’ll cost you a bar fine and a room or signal your wing man it’s time to bail out and he will explain that you have a plane to catch in a few hours, or you are going on a coach trip early tomorrow and must go now. Either way it’s a game that’s fun to play, especially if you want to re-live your early Pattaya experiences, or simply just want to be treated like a ‘two week millionaire’!
WHY TREATING LOW TESTOSTERONE IN MEN IS IMPORTANT The primary hormone that controls the overall health and well-being of men is testosterone. Testosterone has many important functions in men including: increase and maintenance of muscle strength, lean muscle mass, increased energy, libido, mood, and bone health. Another hormone, estrogen, is also important in the overall balance of hormones in men. The levels of estrogen in men are in much smaller quantities than in women, but estrogen plays an equally important role with testosterone for overall hormone balance. When testosterone levels begin to decline, or when estrogen levels begin to increase – thereby altering hormone balance – men don’t feel normal and their health begins to decline.
Just like your cholesterol or blood pressure, there is a numerical range of testosterone levels (also known as T levels) that are considered normal. In a healthy male, the brain and the testicles work together to keep testosterone within this normal range. When levels of testosterone are below normal, the brain signals the testicles to make more. When the levels of testosterone reach a normal level, the brain signals the testicles to make less.
At around the age of 30, testosterone production begins to slow down at a rate of about 1% to 3% per year. Interestingly, testosterone also naturally drops after a man gets married (or begins to live with a partner) and after having kids. A lower level of testosterone reduces not only his sex drive, but also his drive to succeed. Little by little, he begins to feel less like taking on the world. His strength begins to diminish, and his stamina declines. It is the time in a man’s life typically associated with the term, “mid-life crisis.” When a man is found to have low testosterone blood levels, he is diagnosed with the medical condition known as Hypogonadism. Some of the symptoms seen with low testosterone levels include: weight gain (especially around the abdomen), difficulty gaining and retaining lean muscle mass, depressed mood and outlook on life, and a drop in sex drive. Further, a decrease in testosterone levels has been associated with a range of significant degenerative diseases, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, arthritis, osteoporosis and hypertension.
Unlike before, it just isn’t aging that causes men to experience low testosterone. Today’s lifestyles and increased unhealthy habits are affecting and accelerating testosterone declines. For example, lack of sleep, or having interrupted sleep (i.e. sleep apnea); can lower your testosterone levels. Men who get less sleep for even just 2 weeks can see their testosterone levels decrease by up to 15 percent. Convenience foods (i.e. “fast foods”) and an overall unhealthy diet can also affect a man’s testosterone level. A diet rich in carbohydrates can cause spikes in insulin, which then has a negative impact on both testosterone and growth
hormone levels. Because of these lifestyle factors, men as young as college age are now experiencing low testosterone. The doctors at Maximum Performance Wellness Center will analyze your medical history and give you a medical evaluation to assess your current state of health. During your visit, our doctor will discuss any symptoms you’ve been experiencing, their impact on your quality of life, and your reasons for considering Testosterone Replacement Therapy. Our doctors will take into account your age and your symptoms in order to determine if you have low testosterone. Physical changes, loss of sex drive, and depression are just as important as your actual testosterone level in making a diagnosis of low testosterone. You can then decide together the best approach to take in getting your hormones back to normal levels, and getting you feeling more like the man you once were. There’s really no reason to deal with the detrimental effects of aging when there’s a safe and effective medical solution. Balancing and replenishing your testosterone levels not only counters symptoms like decreased libido, muscle loss, and fatigue, but protects you from the risks of serious diseases like heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and prostate cancer. We have now entered an age where renewed energy, optimal health, and a greater sense of well-being have never been easier to attain.
How the Chinese May Impact on Golfing & Real Estate in Pattaya or a couple of years analysts have been predicting the increasing growth of middle classes in India and China will positively impact on tourism in Thailand, and this all appears to be coming true.
scape, such as Hilton and Holiday Inns gracing these shores. It would have been unfathomable even going ten years back to consider the largest water park in Asia being built here in Pattaya, but that is now indeed the case.
15 years ago some 500,000 Chinese tourists visited Thailand, but also this is set to change with Chinese tourist figures already some 40% up on year previous. With trends anticipating the Chinese becoming the biggest tourist group for Thailand, surpassing even the Russians.
How may this impact on Expats Golfing?
It comes at the right time for the country as tourist figures from America and Europe continue to decline due to the financial positions these locations find themselves in. Chances are if you are reading this article you fall into this increasingly marginal group, and be aware, this looks to get smaller and smaller. A trip to the beaches of Phuket will really bring home how quickly this revolution has happened and with the Chinese also fans of golf, Pattaya could very well be set to boom from this new tourist group. The Chinese travel in organized groups, much in the same ways the Russians do, but legacy has shown us that this soon splinters with growing confidence from travelers to go it alone. Group travelling tends to control where tourists spend goes, but it will still bring much needed revenue into the country. It is fascinating how quickly things to do change, and right in front of us. Pattaya was once the haven reserved for retirees from Europe and America, that certainly is not the driving force these days and that means a changing land-
For arguments sake, 144 golfers per golf resort is the capacity they can handle on a daily basis and there are in the region of 20 golf courses within 50km of Pattaya. So the golfing capacity for Pattaya each day is 2,880 players per day. Not a massive amount when you consider one night club in Pattaya can hold double that. There are over 1 billion people living in China so to capture even a fraction of their tourist would flood not only Pattaya but very likely the golf courses as well. We could very well find in the coming years it hard pushed to get the so-called best tee off times, and may well be squeezed on some of the better courses. I could be wrong. The spin off could mean we see more golf courses opening and this would only further enforce Pattaya as one of the golfing destinations of the world. Maybe I am wrong, certainly if we look at the Russian tourists who are here in great numbers, they don’t play golf and so have no impact on golf courses. But, the Chinese do like golf... ...Real Estate Impact? Of course, as the Chinese start to become more and more familiar with Pattaya many will take the next step of investing here and that should have positive implications to the property market. With condominiums available at a low entry point it could be the perfect holiday home where they could leave their golf clubs too!