Hua Hin, the ideal retirement haven you’ve maybe never heard of

Hua Hin, the ideal retirement haven you’ve maybe never heard of Posted on January 22, 2013 by Siam Property Hua Hin By Kathleen Peddicord July 24, 2012 for US NEWS -Money Few places in the world meet all the criteria of an ideal retirement haven. Here’s one place that does that most of the world has never heard of: Hua Hin, Thailand. Dollar for dollar, you likely could enjoy a much higher standard of living in Hua Hin than back home, no matter where back home happens to be. Hua Hin offers miles of clean beaches, good year-round weather, and a large foreign community. In Hua Hin, you’re close to the cultural offerings of Bangkok, but removed from the chaos of the capital. And because Hua Hin is a small city, it does not suffer from the population pressures found in Thailand’s larger urban areas. There are nine golf courses in and around Hua Hin with more under construction. Mountains, caves, waterfalls, and abundant wildlife can be enjoyed at the seven national parks within a two-hour drive. A new internationally accredited hospital opened recently, further supporting the city’s top-notch medical care facilities and growing reputation as a medical tourism destination. Medical procedures performed in Thailand cost anywhere from 20 percent to 80 percent less than the same procedures performed in the U.S., while the equipment used and the care received are as good or better than that available in the West. Housing is plentiful, with condominiums and private homes stretched out near and along the beach. Secure and modern gated subdivisions are also numerous, especially around the golf courses and in the hills on the edges of town. Nearly 20 percent of the 84,883 permanent residents of Hua Hin have immigrated from abroad with the specific intention of making a new life here. They are involved in the larger community, attend meetings with the city council, and have a real influence on the future of the city. They’ve brought a lot of their former lives with them, including reading clubs, festivals, cycling clubs, soccer leagues, wine-tasting, and darts tournaments. There is something happening almost every day. New arrivals to Hua Hin appreciate the cleanliness of the area, the widespread use of English, the lack of corruption, and the low-cost, high standard of living, all of which make this a very attractive destination for retirees on a moderate budget. A couple could live a fully-appointed, rich, and interesting life here on a budget of as little as $1,100 per month. In many respects, Hua Hin could be described as the San Miguel de Allende or Boquete of Southeast Asia. Those destinations, in Mexico and Panama respectively, are home to big and growing expat retiree communities. Like them, Hua Hin is home to enough local Thai people to keep things interesting. You’ll know that you’re in a foreign country. But, as with launching a new life in San Miguel or Boquete, moving to Hua Hin does not require total immersion in a new culture. There are enough expats and activities to ease the transition. Perhaps the best part about retirement in Hua Hin is that you are not obliged to give up comforts and conveniences from back home. You’ll be able to live better and enhance your quality of life, because the infrastructure and services to do so are both available and affordable. The abundance of restaurants is impressive and eating out is one activity that almost all expats enjoy on a regular basis. A deliciously relaxing Thai massage is another affordable indulgence, and practitioners are located downtown and along the length of Petchkasem Road. A two-hour traditional massage costs 300 to 600 baht—that’s just $10 to $20. An experienced full-time housekeeper charges around 7,500 baht ($225) per month. Hua Hin has one of the most welcoming climates in Thailand. The average year-round temperature is a balmy 83 degrees Fahrenheit, with average highs of 88 degrees and lows of 77. The town is located in one of the driest parts of Thailand, with an average annual rainfall of just 37 inches. Rents are almost always negotiable, at least to an extent. Your biggest decision here will be whether you want to live on the beach or more inland. The beach is lined with condominiums and apartments, many with direct ocean views. A furnished two-bedroom place with an ocean view rents for $800 to $1,000 per month. However, back from the beach, rents are half as much. Hua Hin, the ideal retirement haven Siam Property, 2013 Kathleen Peddicord is the founder of the Live and Invest Overseas publishing group. With more than 25 years experience covering this beat, Kathleen reports daily on current opportunities for living, retiring, and investing overseas in her free e-letter. Her book, How To Retire Overseas—Everything You Need To Know To Live Well Abroad For Less, was recently released by Penguin Books.

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Plearnwan, Art Deco in Hua Hin

Force of Will Plearnwan is founded on Belief: Belief in doing business for the purpose of giving, not just for profit Belief in achieving happiness from ‘Positive thinking' and from doing good things, and Belief that force of will can make dreams come true Born Different Think differently: Plearnwan was intended to be a center of happiness; to be a place where time has paused in the 'good old days'. When you come to Plearnwan, you will be reminded of the past, and the past will come to life. Do differently: Plearnwan is a ‘Living Museum’. It is not just unique architecture, but a place of lively memories. At Plearnwan, we think back to the place in times past, and imitate that period in the lifestyle of the people, in food, drink, architecture, language, etc. Give differently: Plearnwan Vision is to make business in order to support the local community and local culture; we focus more on quality than quantity. Think differently Plearnwan was intended to be a center of happiness; to be a place where time has paused in the 'good old days'. When you come to Plearnwan, you will be reminded of the past, and the past will come to life. Do differently: Plearnwan is a ‘Living Museum’. It is not just unique architecture, but a place of lively memories. At Plearnwan, we think back to the place in times past, and imitate that period in the lifestyle of the people, in food, drink, architecture, language, etc. Give differently: Plearnwan Vision is to make business in order to support the local community and local culture; we focus more on quality than quantity.

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Groeten uit Thailand!!!

Voor de highspeedtrein in Thailand.....

Rail passengers in Thailand can stillexperience unique journeys before the high-speed train system is launched Hundreds of passengers quietly hang around Bangkok's Hua Lamphong station. Some have waited for so long that they decide to sit on the floor because all the benches are occupied. Maids take a break and enjoy chatting in a quiet corner, out of their supervisor's sight. The free train to Hua Hin leaves Bangkok at 9.20am every day. On the way, food vendors sell various items such as grilled beef and sticky rice, noodles and desserts. I recheck the timetable displayed on the gigantic LCD monitors. Train number 261, from Bangkok to Hua Hin in Prachuap Khiri Khan will depart in five minutes. However, it is not on the platform yet. More and more passengers gather on the empty space. It finally arrives, two minutes before the scheduled departure time. As soon as the train approaches, passengers do not wait until it completely stops, but clamber on board and occupy all the seats within a couple of minutes. This is a free train; a welfare offered by the government so people can enjoy free transport along certain routes and at certain times. The free service is available for those in third class only. The car is old and dirty. Some seats are torn, the electric fans on the ceiling no longer work and the sun shades are heavily stained. But I do not have many choices. I spot an empty seat, opposite the toilet, which is why nobody wants to take it. Though the seat smells, it is better than standing all the way to Hua Hin. Riding a train in Thailand is a unique experience. Passengers may find themselves travelling back in time on old-fashioned locomotives and cars, mostly along the single-track railway system. Old locos and the 1m-wide gauge do not allow the train to go fast, normally at less than 80kph. It is surprising that it is quite easy to find something to eat on the train. Seconds before it departs, vendors come on board, walking up and down the aisles, offering the likes of grilled beef with sticky rice, soft drinks, meat balls and fruits. Moreover, at major stations, you can expect more vendors getting on board with new offerings such as egg noodles at Nakhon Pathom, and local sweets at Phetchaburi station. Eating then taking a nap is likely the best way to kill time during the journey, which most passengers love to do. As my seat is close to the toilet, I can hardly fall asleep due to its strong odour. Indeed, the smell should not be this bad because the toilet does not have a sewage tank. Sewage is released directly onto the tracks. That is the reason why it is forbidden to use the toilet when the train stops at a station. Regardless, nobody seems to care about this regulation. Smoking in the car is also forbidden, but smokers manage to enjoy a cigarette on the gangway between bogies, which is a metre away from the other passengers in the car. Who knows, such a laid-back atmosphere may be difficult to find in the next five years when the country's high-speed train system begins operation. Thailand's high-speed train project is about to kick off soon, on five routes from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, Nong Khai, Ubon Ratchathani, Rayong and Sungai Kolok in Narathiwat. The project will be developed in two phases on long routes. In the first phase, the service will be available to Phitsanulok, Nakhon Ratchasima and Hua Hin. According to the plan, high-speed trains will run at 250kph. Though it will not run as fast as those trains that can be found overseas, which travel at 300kph or more, it will be an interesting choice for travellers, particularly on long routes. From Bangkok to Padang Besar, the journey will only take five hours compared to the current 20 hours. The journey time from the capital to Chiang Mai will be cut down to 3 hour and 45 minutes. I imagine Chiang Mai people hopping on the morning train to downtown Bangkok and enjoying lunch before shopping or attending an important meeting, then making their way home in the evening. Holiday-makers from Bangkok can be in Hua Hin within an hour to enjoy the beach, then head home after dinner. A station porter rings the bell. The passenger announcement wakes me up, loudly informing everyone on board that the train has arrived in Hua Hin, after 4 hours and 30 minutes. A new group of passengers rush in to occupy the seats and the vendors follow in their wake

Het Koningslied

Afgelopen week was een rare week,Het Koningslied was een feit. Na 30 april hebben we namelijk een KONING. In ons tweede thuisland zijn we gewend aan een KONING. Hoog gewaardeerd door het gehele volk. Klokslag 08.00 en 18.00 is in elke openbaar gebouw het Volkslied te horen, of je nu op de matkt in ChiangMai of het grote Railwaystation Hualampong in Bangkok staat, het Thaise volk staat fier rechtop tot de laatste noten van het volkslied zijn verdwenen en het leven gaat weer door.Wij hebben nu een KONINGSLIED en wat een ophef over niet mooi, te sloom etc. Laten we trots zijn dat we na 30 april een koning hebben.