Hiya... (Bangkok)

Hi all... I'm brand spanking new here, I'm a long haired expat hailing from Santa Cruz Ca. in the US. I'm a retired media professional just looking to fit in and chill here. I don't speak any Thai at all but I'm working on getting a retirement visa so I can hang out for a year and just relax a little. It'd be great to hookup with some people that can give me advice on the basics. Right now I'm trying to figure where I'm going to park myself for the first year here. I figure it should be somewhere like Phuket with a large expat presence so I blend in a little. I'm open to meeting people if you're interested, I'm not a big party boy, but I'm trying to expand my social footprint. I'm here all alone, so I'm not too picky as long as you speak english and you're honest.) Thanks in advance.