Kaoboi Bebobp

I arrived yesterday from VN and didn't see a single sign for the corridor smoking rooms. In fact, the rooms just vanished. Covered over, I imagine. So smoking inside is banned everywhere. 

4 hours ago, KittenKong said:

I learnt many years ago that in Thailand (and many other countries) you should always check everything carefully. If you dont then you can guarantee that someone will steal from you.

 

I've experienced short-changing or overpricing in large supermarkets, small convenience stores, condo offices, markets, food stalls, restaurants and once bank staff even "forgot" a bundle of 100,000B at the rear of their counter where it was invisible to me but fully visible to them. Luckily in every case I always checked and always got what was mine in the end.

 

Trust no one.

Yes, a good reminder. I do consistently check my change and items on the cashier list in the big supermarkets. There's big opportunity to hide change there as there are many more baht notes/coins in the transaction.

I do get sloppy sometimes and pick up the change without counting it. This topic kind of wakes me up. I will endeavour to get out the phone calculator and figure out the change due. Or have the change amount fixed in my head on the clerk's return. 

I would guess that the Eastern Economic Corridor developments over the next 10 years will add to the pollution volume and its deteriorating effects on the environment. Which could mean Pattaya will have few if any of the advantages of a seaside resort and all of the downsides of industrial activities. A new Chinese outpost? Remember Sihanoukville. RIP. 

Remember the female executive of Korean Air who went into a rage over a serving of nuts? And made the aircraft turn around!!!! There are more examples of recent Korean violent behaviour, according to reports. 

Koreans becoming more prone to rage

Anyone deep in Naklua? Say around the fish market. Has it been smoggy there too? 

49 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

Who will be screwing who here?

Yeah, the Thai businesses are very keen on burgeoning Vietnam as a way to expand. But I don't expect tight-a$$ed Thailand to give much in return. Although there is now a Thai distributor of the northerners' Hanoi beer (such as it is).  

I get the same CL error response for Canadian Craigslist. I know from earlier experience Kijiji posts/replies are also blocked from foreign IPs. 

1 hour ago, wilcopops said:

Pattaya is East or Northeast of the biggest industries in Thailand - in Rayong it is petro-chemicals/plastics and aromatics - at present the Northeasterly winds prevail so any pollution - and there is a lot! - gets wafted over to places like Pattaya and all points in between.

And mix in the substantial pollution from the extremely heavy traffic running day and night. I stand in befuddled amazement on Central Road sometimes and wonder where all the vehicles are going. Where did they come from? What are they doing? Why is there bumper to bumper traffic all day long for such a small city?  

A 900 million baht /$28US million budget will put a lot of military generals and junta friends in first class flight seats and first class hotels over a six-month show. Or should I say shopping expedition. Which is the only reason they're going ahead with the expo project. That should leave enough money for the automatic pineapple peeler and an electric tuktuk.

43 minutes ago, Stargrazer9889 said:

I arrived in Pattaya with a bus loaded mostly with India people, guess no bad image

of Thailand over there. Beaches seem to have a good mix of Russian and some other

Europeans and others as well.

Geezer

Yup, a LOT of Indians at the North Bus Terminal Thursday morning, coming and going. 

Oh my! Did they set up a fire just 3 metres from a gas tank? 

10 minutes ago, leggo said:

I have lived for the last four years in Vietnam albeit Hanoi which is totally different from Saigon - no one calls it Ho chi minh in the south. But i know it well. Visas are easy but long term quite expensive. Food in the south is good, not so much in the north. Weather pretty much like Thailand but much more susceptible to cyclones. People are pretty much the same everywhere but as a farang you will definitely be more hassled in Vietnamese cities than in Thailand. Infrastructure is not nearly so advanced as Thailand nor is healthcare. Rents and food on a par. Plastic and rubbish pollution even worse although Thai's seem more cleanliness conscious . construction absolutely everywhere which brings dirt and noise and a complete disregard for the environment. I know Thailand from 30 years ago and if I had a choice would prefer to live there but horses for courses. Vietnamese is far more difficult to learn than Thai even though they write in Arabic script. Vietnamese coffee is to die for, scooters in Vietnam are a pain in the ass! Who knows, they have both added so much to my experience of Asia it's not an easy choice. On the whole I find Thai people more to my taste and the government in Vietnam might not be to everyone's taste although it doesn't bother me.

I've been living in Vung Tau for most of two years, plus some Mekong Delta time in 2011-2012. I pretty much agree with all of your statements. And I particularly like your balanced summation: "they have both added so much to my experience of Asia it's not an easy choice." 

I'm not going to rate Thailand over Vietnam or Vietnam over Thailand. They're rich in cultures and well, they each do stuff different. I've benefited from exposure to both. 

However, I am considering moving back to Thailand, as a base, with occasional one-month stays in VN. Lots of things I don't like in Thailand but I do like the access to a greater variety of food, local, foreigner-made and imported. I prefer the accommodations in Thailand. And, if I must, declare that Thai girls are overall prettier and more down to earth. Just about everyone I know here who has been to Thailand agrees with this. Yet, the Viet girls are better educated, friendly, outgoing and often have better English. But  . . . fill in your own preferences. 

It must be the many years spent in Thailand but every time I arrive at Bangkok airport, I feel at home.  

9 hours ago, kkerry said:

If I see one more poster writing about queues at BTS ticket machines I'm gunna go postal !!!

 

Just buy a Rabbit card. The sooner they wipe out cash payments for the BTS & MRT the better. Don't use the BTS often? Doesn't matter. The stored value on your card is valid for two(?) years and can be used in McDonalds, various coffee shops etc. etc. Unless you're some first time tourist, there is no reason to be lining up for tokens, ever.

Yes, this! I have friends in BKK who have lived there longer than me and they still don't have a stored value card. [Smacks head.] I have to wait for them as they queue up and wait and queue up again. Exasperating. I have the cards for the MRT and BTS. When I need to top up, I do it at non-busy times or stations.

Really handy at the Sukhumvit MRT, where the tickets lines are long and fraught with buyers inserting all manner of baht coins. I zip by them and straight downstairs. There's no excuse not to have BTS/MRT fare cards.

Just to kick some more kindling into the camp fire. I don't even live in Bangkok any more. When I was visiting for a couple of nights at a time, I've had to wait for another train at Phrom Pong outbound several times, around 9:30-1030 at night, Phra Khanong in-bound in the early morning and Thong Lor in-bound around 7 pm. That's on once or twice a month visits.

From other threads, there are guys who go out early and get onboard the BTS outbound, say at Phra Khanong, so they can get to a less crowded station and squeeze into a car in-bound to go to work.

I liked the BTS (amd MRT) a few years ago. But now, with all the new stations pushing more people into town, you have to be choosy as to your travel time, if you're not tied to the work clock.

A KFC here in southeastern Vietnam ran out of chicken. Yeah, you read that right, chicken! They closed the store for good! 

Then again, western things have gone out of stock for months in Thailand, when I lived there. Same same here. 

24 minutes ago, tutsiwarrior said:

 

do you know if the visa info on the VN gov't website for online visa applications is usually up to date and reflects any recent changes as they happen?

 

 

I haven't had a "normal" tourist visa or short-term visa in a few years. So I have never used the official MoFA site, which is fairly new. But I think it would be totally up to date.

My references above reflect my experiences with third-party providers, those who enter and leave by the backdoor. They are the best sources of 3-month, 6-month and 1-year business visas all with multi-entry, the only good options for long-term stays. Those visa types change as to availability and fees based on the latest internal decisions.

There's also the 2-year Temporary Residence Card, which has been very expensive the last few months. Hopefully the latter will be cheaper in the new year. Currently about $1000US!

About 3 years ago, I was never able to get anything more than a 3-month single entry visa at the VN embassy in Bangkok. So I went the third-party route, first with a 3-month biz visa, and extended it to 12 months in-country. I now have a 6-month, also extended in-country.

Who knows what the third-party providers will have in the new year?