Anonymous commented : Well, my parents settled in their hometown since they have relatives there. Many of people who knew them were gone and some still around beside their nieces and nephews. Most of their brothers and sisters are still around with their extended families. Family circle is their main reason. Where is your hometown? Do you have close relatives around in your hometown? I think the number one rule is not to show-off about your living in USA or how rich you are from your hardworks in USA. They would not understand it and thinking that you have money to spread around. If they notice your Thai-lish, you can simple tell them that you have been working with companies with farang employees for most of your career. There are bus terminals in every cities in Thailand this is how majority of Thais traveling around Thailand and to their hometowns. About the nice and cool weather, any countryside and rural areas will have nice weather and traditional Thai life styles. I was up in Korat and Roi Et early this year to visit my and wife's parents; the weather is so nice and cool around 60'F to 70"F degrees. I was walking around in my short, and other natives were wearing sweaters. It was around the harvesting period, so we went out to help them harvesting rice. Thailand is not a large country like USA, and it does not take long to go from one place to the next place. If you do not want to live close to foreigners, than you need to stay away from Pattaya and those tourist areas. Bangkok and metroplexes are out of your question since the air is not very clean and weather is not very nice. There is hot spring in Ranong. Big and small waterfalls are all over Thailand. As for national parks, there are everywhere in Thailand too. As for fruits and foods, these things are available and prices are depending on the distribution. Big supermarkets are now available in large to medium size cities. If you love the sea the most, I would think that you might like to live in Phetchaburi; it is not far from Bangkok. I have a cousin who owned a house close to Kang Kra Jai/Chan National Park, but you probably wanting to live on the eastside of Muang Phet since it is close to the sea and with fishing fleet harbor. It is about two hours or so on private vehicle from Bangkok. My family has our compound in the countryside north of Bangkok since I have to conduct some of my businesses in Bangkok. Now, there are highway loop around Bangkok so it is much quicker to bypass Bangkok to go to other cities and to the beaches. If you are planning to live alone, than a townhouse or condomenium would seem to be a choice; you would still have small garden in townhouse or pot garden in condo.

Anonymous commented : If you want to have weather similar to Tampa, you will have to find a place in the southern provinces. But Phetchaburi seemed to have the best of Central and of the far Southern Regions, which is not to far from Bangkok. Isaan is not for you since it would be too dry and too hot for you in the summer. In Phetchaburi, you will have both the ocean and the mountain; it is a province between the cross road between the south and the central regions with lot of seasonal fruits. I am sure that there are both hot and cold springs in Thailand somewheres. You can check with TAT. Mountains tend to provide cold spring. If you are digging well for underground spring near a mountain, you will find spring water. Isaan has salty underground water due to its pre-historical past. Ranong happened to be at the fault-line that cause the recent Tsunami; thus, there are hot springs in Ranong province. Oh, Muang Phet also has an old summer royal palace and is not far from the old resort towns of Cha-Am and Hua-Hin either. You would not have to install a/c at all if you live outside of Bangkok. Multiple ceiling fans would take care of the circulation. If you build a Thai style house with raised floor, the ceiling fan will facilitate circulation. The new synthetic material mosquito net is available in Thailand now for windows and doors; so you would not have to worry too much about bugs.

Anonymous commented : Tampa is not my ideal place. I live there because of my husband workplace. The weather in summer (hot & humid) is so close to TL.. The temperature would be in the middle 90 F for five months. From June - November we face the hurricane season. The best months are Dec.- Mar. where it has sunny -dry-cool days. During winter, Florida draws drove of thousands of folks from up north states NY, Michigan, MASS etc . They go back to their home state just before spring arrives. Phetchaburi got my vote on the varieties of fruits. Is this the place that is well known for "kanom-mor-gang" ( egg & coconut milk baked custard) ? If "yes" then it would be double blessing for me it I call Phetchaburi my home. What I intend to do when I go to TL for my retirement. I'll going places where you kindly mentioned in this post. Top on the list are Phetchaburi, Ranong, Korat and Roi-Et ( even though you said the weather is too dry or too hot). I'll give it a try. I'll grade according to my likeness. At the end, which town got the most points would surly become my retirement Shangri-La . Khun Rooster, All not gone without saying my gratitude and appreciation

Anonymous commented : Rad, you can consider Phuket as an international city with international schools and univerisities. The provinces surrounding Phuket are also very exceptional. I think Phuket will be a nicer place after the reconstruction. Thai government will start to enforce and regulate new city plannings and codes. There are both private and public hospitals on Phuket and the surrounding provinces. Krabi has sizeable retirement communities. If you like sea foods and the sea, I would recommend any provinces south of Bangkok Metroplex starting from Phetchaburi to Songkhla.