Probably it makes sense to base in or near to Pattaya for your first move to Thailand- you've got all the conveniences of home basically, and then some. See how it goes- you might settle in well there, or want to move somewhere a bit quieter and less surreal after a while.

Around Pattaya there is a sprawling suburban belt too, a lot of expats live here and it's quite different to central Pattaya.