I retired to Pattaya ten years ago after thirty years in Bangkok. At first I thought I’d get bored, but life here is easy. I pay 20 k baht rent, eat well, walk the beach every morning. The nightlife is a bonus, not the reason. What I like most is freedom—nobody cares what I wear or what time I wake up. That kind of peace is priceless.

I split my time between Jomtien and Chiang Mai, and the difference is night and day. Chiang Mai has culture; Pattaya has pulse. I came for the girls like everyone else, but I stayed because the city feels alive 24/7. You can have a quiet morning coffee, then watch the sunset from a rooftop bar. It’s not about sex—it’s about stimulation without stress.

What keeps me here is affordability and companionship. Back in Vancouver, my pension barely covered rent. Here I live like a king on 2 000 CAD a month. I have Thai friends, a girlfriend who actually wants to spend time with me, and medical care that’s better than home. People think Pattaya is sleazy, but they’ve never seen the sunrise from Pratumnak Hill after a night out. It’s beautiful.

The joke is that men come for sex and stay for the weather, the smiles, and the breakfast buffets. I stopped chasing girls after my first year. Now my pleasures are simple: fishing trips, beach walks, live music at night. I feel younger here because life is social again. In the West, older men fade into the background; in Pattaya, we’re visible, even valued.

There’s a spiritual side too. Thailand teaches acceptance. Things happen, people drift, you learn to go with the flow. Pattaya gives men space to rebuild after burnout or heartbreak. Some call it escapism—I call it recovery. Sure, temptation is everywhere, but so is serenity if you look for it. The secret is moderation: a little fun, a little routine, and gratitude every morning when the sea breeze hits.