Friday 24 October 2014

Jomtien Beach Running

  



Jomtien Beach is home to many expats who can often be seen jogging or running along the beach road before the sun rises fully in the morning. They're taking advantage of the cooler temperature and quieter traffic although it's rarely too busy to run if avoiding peak times at weekends or bank holidays. 

We prefer to run on the beach where the sand acts as a shock absorber and the feeling of running barefoot next to the waves is more fun and relaxing. It takes a little getting used to as the going is a little slower and harder than the road surface but the softness of the sand is most definitely better in the long run (pun not intended) for the knee and ankle joints. When the tide is out or the sand is baked hard it can still be a jarring surface so it's important to run in a softer manner when conditions are like this.

By coincidence a Thai runner Khun Taweewat Waicharoen uploaded his road running experience only days apart from our video. It makes a nice visual contrast to the beach experience. There's also our bike ride along the beach sand we filmed for those who want a more distanced perspective of Jomtien Beach road from the shore.

 

Thursday 9 October 2014

Are Thailand Villa Rentals Overhauling Hotel Experiences?



When you live and work in Thailand, it’s interesting to watch the changing demographics year upon year, because things never remain the same. I have had the fortune of watching the villarentals market grow out of all proportions over the past four years. Villa rentals in Thailand have grown from small family-run companies with 20 and 30 rental villas in their stock, to large-scale companies with over 300 privately owned villas at their disposal. The growth in this industry has been extreme.


Tourists Love Rental Villas


A market doesn’t grow at such a rapid rate if the demand is not there, so you better believe the demand is there. Tourists to Thailand have realized they can have a high quality pool villa for their holiday, almost for the same price as booking two or three hotel rooms for family and friends. This means you can share your holiday experience with your travelling companions without the prying eyes of strangers.


For sure, hotels are very convenient, but imagine having your own private swimming pool, garden, kitchen, maids and living areas with flat-screen TVs and satellite channels just for you.


Villa Owners Love Rental Returns


There is only one person who loves holiday rental villas more than tourists… and that’s the villa owner. Over the course of five years, a massive rental return market in Thailand has materialized, with villa owners cashing in big style.


It is now the norm in beachside destinations such as Pattaya and Phuket to buy a villa and place it directly on the short-term rental market with the help of trusted agents such as TVillas in Pattaya. The returns can be staggering, turning over very healthy profits for both agent and villa owner, while the tourist is a very happy person for the obvious reasons. Everyone’s a winner, because this also has a knock-on effect to the Thailand real estate market with people looking for solid investments.


Hotels Vs Villas


Thailand villa rentals will never truly outweigh hotels and resorts, because people enjoy the convenience a hotel brings. However, in a holiday villa rental, you get total privacy and don’t have to share your experience with scores of other people and their families. When holidaymakers realize that Thailand rental villas are reasonably priced, luxurious and have all the facilities and services such as swimming pools, maids, cooks, hire cars and tour guides available, tourists usually opt for the villa rental approach, and once they have, they never go back.


If you are deciding whether to make the big first plunge and book a Thailand holiday villa rental, please visit TVillas, who are one of the most tried and trusted villa rental agencies in Thailand.

Tuesday 7 October 2014

Planes, Trains and Automobiles at Collingbourne Motor Auctions



The smell of petrol and the dispersal of exhaust fumes mingling together with excitement and bargain-hunting is what makes the Car Auctions at Collingbourne Auctioneers in Jomtien a unique and exciting afternoon.
 
Do you remember what it was like visiting the car auctions?
 
 
Second-hand cars in Thailand are so highly priced from private dealers that most people opt to buy a new car on finance. It is routine to see a 20-year-old banger on the marketplace for more than 100,000 THB that you wouldn’t pay 20,000 THB for back in your home country, which is in all honesty, absolute extortion.

 
If you are seeking an affordable second-hand car in Pattaya, the Wednesday Car Auctions at Collingbourne Auctioneers, starting at 4pm, is the only venue of its kind in the city, auctioning off an array of cars, motorbikes, boats and even tuk-tuks.
 
 
At this week’s auction, some of the highlighted cars and trucks up for auction include a Mitsubishi Pajero, a Toyota Granvia, a gleaming white Toyota Camry, an Isuzu Dragon Eye refrigerator van and an L 2000 Kubota tractor.
 
Whether you are seeking a moped, big bike or even quads, the motorbike auction has some great deals, such as the spine-tingling Ducati 996 Sps, a Yamaha Dragster, a 250CC quad racer, and lots of standard Yamaha and Honda mopeds.
 
Don’t feel lonely and left out in the cold if you are a boat lover, as there will be a kayak, a Crownline 192 speedboat mercruiser 5.0 v 8, a SeaRay 175 sport mercruiser 3.0L TKS and a Fishing boat with yamaha 15 hp engine and acc, all available to big against.
 
If that doesn’t get your juices flowing, then nothing ever will. The beauty of an auction is the uncertainty of it all. You never know what bargain you are going to find, and you never will if you stay at home. So why not try something different this Wednesday afternoonfrom 4pm, and who knows, you might find something you have always wanted, for a price that is affordable.

Monday 6 October 2014

Collingbourne Auctioneers - From the Darkside of the Moon to Apple Macs




Someone once said that “life is like a box of chocolates,” because the variety is endless and you never know what you’re going to get next. Variety sure is the spice of life, and it’s the eclectic nature of the world and reality as we know it that makes being alive such a gift.

The reason we are waxing lyrical about choice is because we visited Collingbourne Auctioneers on Chaiyapruk Road 2 in Jomtien over the weekend, which not only excited our mortal souls, but also introduced us to a brave new world of buying and selling, the likes of which we didn't think existed in Pattaya.

When it came to finding a bargain in Pattaya and Jomtien, I had resigned myself to the fact that the second-hand market on Thepprasit Road was my only choice. Making our way into the auction house was akin to first opening Aladdin’s cave. From arts & crafts such as sculptures, water and oil paintings on canvas, to classic vinyl music albums, Apple computers and even car and motorbikes, Collingbourne Auctioneers is a veritable paradise for collectors, art dealers, and those looking for a bargain.

The only problem when visiting Collingbourne Auctioneers is that it’s impossible to come away empty handed, even if you only came to have a look around… it has that sort of effect on you. But in all honesty, who can turn down a bargain?

We were amazed to see pristine Apple Macs sharing the same space with Taylor Made drivers, all manners of jewellery, classic vinyl albums and even motor vehicles such as bikes, cars and even tuk-tuks. It would be easier to detail what they don’t have. Although perusing the lots, diggin' in the crates so to speak, is an exciting element of exploring any auction house, nothing can compare with bidding for a bargain. Everyone remembers their first time, do you?

The main auctions are on Wednesdays from 4pm and every Saturday from 11am. The Saturday auction is where you will find the most eclectic range of goods on offer. Wednesdays is for car and motorbikes.

Whether you are looking for a bargain, buying or selling, or you are seeking something a little different in Pattaya and Jomtien, get down to Collingbourne Auctioneers and bask in the hustle and bustle that only an auction house can create.

Wednesday 1 October 2014

Collingbourne Auctioneers - Jomtien - Pattaya





If you've never been to Collingbourne Auctioneers on Chaiyapruek Road 2 near Jomtien Beach, Pattaya you're missing out on one of the weekly highlights of the Thailand bargain hunter's calendar. 

The two major auctions are held every Wednesday at 4 PM and every Saturday at 11.00 AM 

Wednesday's auction is for cars and motorbikes so it's more practical then the weekend, because that's almost like a social event. 

There's a lot of fun to be had with unexpected and highly desirable goods falling under the hammer at the Saturday auction where a range of items from antiques to apple phones and apple computers are to be had.

Every Saturday a container of returned goods from a well known high street retailer in the UK is put under the hammer at the 11 AM auction.

The rules and regulations, not to mention VAT stipulations for returned goods in the UK make it cost prohibitive to repackage these brand new and pristine condition items and put them back on the shelf.

This is to our advantage for people in Chonburi as we get to bid on a wide range of retail goods from Disney Toys to Hair Clippers, Black & Decker Power Tools and Beauty equipment plus so much more.

They often go for unbeatable prices that are the lowest on the planet.

Check out John Collingbourne's video interview above on Good Morning Pattaya and see why people love to buy and sell at Collingbourne Auctioneers.