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Why I Chose To Retire in Pak Chong, Thailand

Pak Chong is the biggest district (amphoe) of Nakhon Ratchasima (Korat) Province, and is about 250 km North east from Bangkok.

Close to the Khao Yai national park, Pak Chong is in the foothills of a range of mountains separating the Menam Plain from the Khorat Plateau. What this means is that apart from the natural beauty of the area, it is cooler and far more comfortable than the swealtering heat of Bangkok.

There. I have already hit on three reasons why I chose to retire to Pak Chong in Thailand. Let me amplify a little:-

Not Too Far From Bangkok

Although Bangkok has many attractions and can be great fun, it is simply too hot, too busy and too overbearing a place to live. But I don’t like to be ‘out in the sticks’ and far away from western civilisation. By this I mean that as a Westerner I like my western comforts. I could not stand living in the deep country out of touch with city facilities. I like my Tesco Lotus supermarkets, seafood restaurants, department stores and country and western music bars.

A Touch of American Wild West

Pak Chong, though, although away from the bustle of Bangkok is only a 2 hour journey by car. Pak Chong itself is not very westernised. There is only one half-decent hotel, The Landmark Hotel, a couple of bars and a couple of reasonable Thai restaurants. There is no western style restaurant so be prepared to eat Thai food if you visit Pak Chong.

Close to Pak Chong on the Chokchai cattle farm at Nongnamdaeng, though, and adding to it’s charm and reasons to retire there, is the Chokchai Steakhouse. A true American style Steak House serving delicious renowned steaks. This area of the country is true ‘American Cowboy’ country and at Christmas there is a festival in Pak Chong with many American style Country and Western bands, plenty of food and Thai men and women dressed up as cowboys/cowgirls complete with six shooters!

Although Pak Chong does not have any department stores and the nearest Tesco Lotus supermarket used to be about an hour’s drive towards Saraburi, Pak Chong now boasts it’s own Tesco superstore.

Cooler Climate

As I mentioned, because Pak Chong is away from the city-generated heat of Bangkok and being in the foothills of the Khorat Plateau at about 320 m above sea level, it is cooler and much fresher than Bangkok. Unlike Bangkok which is blighted with polluted , murkey and dust-laden skies Pak Chong has clear blue skies and feels far less humid.

Picturesque Hilly Scenery

As you can image, with Pak Chong being the gateway to the country’s largest national park, Khao Yai with it’s breathtaking natural mountaines scenery, the views all around are of unspoilt rolling hills and mountain ranges. I wouldn’t call the countryside around Pak Chong breathtakingly beautiful, that would do a disservice to the truly spectacular parts of Thailand, but it certainly is very pretty and relaxing.

Sizeable Expat Community

Although I said that there was not very much westernised in Pak Chong there are quite a few westerners who live there. Righfully so, Pak Chong is a week end retreat for rich Bangkokians and quite a few residential developments have sprung un in recent years. Westerners are attracted to these developments, propably for the reasons I am giving here, so it will not be difficult for me to build up a circle of western friends.

I should mention that our land, where we intend to build our retirment house, is not on one of these residential developments, but is located between two Thai households alongside the Pakchong Khirirom Resort. The location suits us fine we don’t want to be part of a housing estate and we paid a fraction of the price for the land than we would have to if we bought from one of the developments.

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