Who Lives in Your Apartment Block ?

[Jun]

First things first, if I'm renting an apartment or even buying it one day, I don't significantly care who lives in the block, as long as they behave & don't make excessive noise.

I presume every Thai apartment block will have at least 50% of apartments Thai owned, or whatever the rules require.
After that, I think I would prefer a few elderly farang neighbours.
Not because of any form of discrimination, but because I perceive they would be less likely to keep me awake with wild parties at 3:00 am.

I have this perception that some of the newer blocks might have a more diverse range of tenants.
Some of whom might be younger and therefore more likely to have wild late night parties.

Have I got this all wrong ?

I'm fairly clueless on this, having spent most of my life living in a detached house.
When I've rented hotel rooms or apartments in Thailand, it's generally been OK for noise. No doubt helped by spending much of my time in Pattaya in an end of corridor 5th floor apartment, facing away from the road.

There was one incident when I was living abroad in a company apartment for a year & was woken up by some dreadful din in the building. Eventually, I went to investigate and it was a few Vietnamese employees of the same company doing Karaoke. Two floors below. They were very apologetic.
I don't think the soundproofing was very good there.

[Rocket]

My condo is in Unixx near the overpass of second road and Pratumnak road. I’m not sure what the mix is. Maybe the majority make up Russians.

I have very little noise when I’m in my unit. It’s on the very end with only a unit against my bedroom wall side. Occasionally I’ll hear someone wearing high heels walking above me. It helps being 31 floors up.

I made sure when I bought it off plan that nothing could be built next to me. This can be a problem in Thailand as a building can pop up anywhere. View Taley 6 had nice views on the north side until central festival was built. And a huge controversy when jomtien complex building was blocked by view Taley 7.

Arcadia beach condo was not noisy at all when I stayed there. However when I stayed at yensabai condo I was awoken early in the morning with two women speaking at insanely loud levels. Definitely middle eastern, maybe Qatar or from that area. I moved from yensabai condo because someone complained about the sharp tiles in the pool so they closed it down. Turned out to be a good thing as I found Arcadia beach condo which has five pools.

[Harald]

If you choose one of the condos which do not allow daily ( weekly) rents , it will be typically a quiet place with no crowds in elevators , swimming pools etc.

[Dodger]

Jun...you raise a very important considering factor when buying or renting long-tern over here.

I had the very same concern back when I retired - so after finding the location and building I liked I actually rented a hotel within walking distance to see for myself what the building was like during the evening hours. I walked the floors - spoke with several co-owners, one being an American which was very helpful.

After learning that the tenants in the building were quiet and respectful to each other I signed on the dotted line.

Of course there are never any guarantee's for the future - but finding a building where the tenants collectively agree that "Quiet" is a priority goes a long way to mitigating that risk. Choosing a place like Bang Saray versus "Crazy Town" was the biggest benefit for me personally, as most of the tenants are silver-hairs. Just the way I like it.

I would never have considered a building where Indians or Arabs were roosting. Thais and farang only! Sorry if I sound like I'm stereotyping - but that's just the way it is.

Also, you will find that over half of the tenants in most buildings in PTY only use their places for holiday which also helps keep the noise down.

Good luck.

[christianpfc]

I have lived in three places in Bangkok (Lak Si, Sathorn two different places), mostly Thai with a few Farang. Noise was never a problem (no other problems either; the worst I can think of was low water pressure on a higher floor).

But when I was looking for a room for 3 months in Taipei, areas/landlords used to foreigners, I quickly found out that walls are thin. In one place, the person who guided me around told me most other tenants are Spanish or Latin American and they have their dinner from 22, and subsequent socializing going on well beyond midnight, that was all I needed to know to run away from that place (I need a calm place so I can sleep 23).

Things to look out for are rather daylight and temperature. I would avoid a room facing south. I would avoid a room under the roof (can heat up). I once had a bungalow in Pai that had concrete walls that heated up during day. Coming back in the evening, there was this radiation heat from the wall that was only bearable with aircon. On the other hand, the hotel I stay in in Phnom Penh is in a side alley mostly in shade, and has a shared balcony that provides more shade, I rarely have to use aircon there.

[gerefan]

I don’t think have to worry too much about parties. The younger crowd tend not to live in the sort of condo you will be looking at. They tend to stay in cheap rooms rather than condos.

The worst noise I have had to deal with is loud TVs. Only this week I have complained to the person next door about their music volume. And I have had the same problems in the past.

If you’re thinking of buying a Condo you may have heard the expression “don’t buy anywhere without having lived in it first”! You will then see any potential problems.

Whilst that is usually impossible at home it maybe possible in Pattaya. If you have rented somewhere and liked it, ask if it’s for sale. A renter may well be interested!

[aussie]

After living and renting condos in Jomtien for ten years, I will keep clear of the new buildings with their paper thin walls and daily/weekly rentals. I now always rent a one bedroom with a separate living room and the bedroom must the on corner end of the building or next to a stairway. I have had noise problems with neighbours or other tenants at Unixx, View Talay 2A and Chateau Dale.

My last one bedroom was at View Talay 2A and the bed room was next to a stairway and I had no problems for two years before it was sold. My two previous rented condos at View Talay 2A were nightmares with loud televisions late into the night from one neighbour and teenagers on their holiday breaks having drug parties next door with security reluctant to intervene because " their parents are rich". That was my answer from the security guard who has since moved on. If they were my type of guy I might have been happy to be invited next door to watch the proceedings I have friends who have lived at View Talay 2A and Chateau Dale for years who have had no problems so I was unfortunate to get inconsiderate neighbours.

I have now moved to one of the View Talay Residences near Rompho market at Jomtien with my bedroom at the end of the building, there is some road noise which does not bother me, but no problems with neighbours and with nine foot ceilings there is no noise from above.

[Jun]

After living and renting condos in Jomtien for ten years, I will keep clear of the new buildings with their paper thin walls and daily/weekly rentals. I now always rent a one bedroom with a separate living room and the bedroom must the on corner end of the building or next to a stairway.

It's nice to hear from someone who has tried several places.
Are you living in Jomtien, or doing long stays ?
How did you reach a conclusion on the merits of renting v buying ?

I'm always a little wary of being next to the stairs. However, of course most people will use the lift, so I expect you're correct to prefer such a location.

[aussie]

Are you living in Jomtien, or doing long stays ?
How did you reach a conclusion on the merits of renting v buying ?

I have been visiting Thailand since 2007 and living here the last ten years in Jomtien.

Renting a condo is better for me because it gives me the freedom to move if there are any ongoing issues with neighbours or there are other problems in the building like frequent nearby room renovations. Our personal situations can change with regard to health, partners, the need to return to our homelands long term etc. There is a large new condo building going up across the road from me in the near future so if the noise gets too much I have no problem moving to another location. Renting is a more flexible situation for me while I have been living in Thailand.

[Jun]

Renting a condo is better for me because it gives me the freedom to move if there are any ongoing issues with neighbours or there are other problems in the building like frequent nearby room renovations.

I suppose you also avoid getting stuck owning an apartment in a block that gets no maintenance.
Whilst having a brief look for rental units, I was surprised at the low selling princes of some. Until I saw pictures of the exterior, when the total neglect was obvious.