ggt

Now What? Your life...as you have come to know it...has just changed forever...

Having worked and lived in Vietnam during the 1960s...was a bit apprehensive as an American returning to the place where the US was involved in so much unnecessary human strife, misery, and destruction...

I was not certain how the Communist Regime would accept a former enemy...

Could not have been more surprised when people's faces would just light-up when they found out I was a returning American...they seem to go out of their way to assure me that all had been forgiven...yet not forgotten...the biggest tourist attraction in HCMC (former Siagon) was the Vietnam War Memorial...I attended of course...and after viewing the captured US Military arsenal...and especially the pictures of people who were born deformed from the criminal use of agent orange to defoliate the Vietnamese forests...I could not put my mind around how they could now be so accepting of Americans...

..

ggt,

I lived in Saigon for 7 years. The so-called "communist regime" was and is just another kleptocracy. VNese communism was in large part: "if someone has something you want, you steal it from them."

Property was one of these things. And after stealing the house and/or property you sell it for profit.

Many Southerners do not like Northerners nor the VNese government. The Politburo is entirely composted of Northerners. The traffic cops you see are usually Northerners.

The VC did a lot of the work, only in the end to get shut-out by the Northerners.

As for the "war museum," yes bad things were perpetrated by the US and it should be remembered. And the VNese were killing VNese as well. But don't expect the state run media, education system, or even people to every tell you the truth about it.

Thanks for the input...

My exposure was strictly cursory...every place I have lived for any length of time...tends to expose it's worts over time...

As a tourist I had the advantage of enjoying the culture...without getting embroiled in the day to day politics...

Somewhat like a tourist who views Thailand as an adult Disney World...then lives there for a few years and has an entirely different take on the place...

Creating a culinary delight...is a great way to breakup the daily grind and mute the ever present routine boredom...

Have experience with sending both packages and letters...to and from the US...no problem...

The entire world is embroiled in turmoil due to economic slowdown, unemployment, religious terrorists, and a shortage of goods and services.

I'm not seeing any shortages of anything, anywhere, and certainly not of goods and services.

No problems with shortages of good and services here.... just a shortage of their money.... or at least their credit.... which doesn't allow them to get what they want/need.... face , ego.

Thailand has one of the most robust economies...even as it appears to be declining...on the planet...the government encourages individual entrepreneurs...many of the world's governments have over-regulated businesses and are experiencing a dramatic decline...several countries are busted...can not pay their bills...just a matter of time before more countries experience a Venezuela-like anarchy...

The entire world is embroiled in turmoil due to economic slowdown, unemployment, religious terrorists, and a shortage of goods and services.

I'm not seeing any shortages of anything, anywhere, and certainly not of goods and services.

Thailand...and Asia in general has not experienced a shortage as of yet...other parts of the world...those countries who have mismanaged their income and resources...many are on the brink of debt default...which brings about the shortage alluded to in the original post...Venezuela with it's empty store shelves, lack of jobs and lack of leadership...is the first to experience anarchy...will not be the last..

The increase in violence is not unique to Thailand...check out the activity in South America, Africa, the Middle-East, Europe, and even the US...

The entire world is embroiled in turmoil due to economic slowdown, unemployment, religious terrorists, and a shortage of goods and services.

There are few places in the world...where violence has not increased dramatically over the last few years...

Expect it to get worst...take a look at Venezuela for an example of what is to come...

Hey...no problem...I will give them my medical checkup certificate just as soon as they give me their psychological evaluation and criminal background check...

Way ahead of you R123...left Thailand a couple of years back...best decision I could have made...life is good again...

And yet you post here with alarming regularity

Someone needs to post to balance the "Thailand is the most wonderful place in the world club"...You have a problem with that, Agent Orange?

Way ahead of you R123...left Thailand a couple of years back...best decision I could have made...life is good again...

You would think that after 8 years you would know some of the correct terminology and procedures, (fines/blocked/renew visa), yet you seem totally clueless.

<deleted> give the guy a break ive been here 16 years admittedly for a great proportion of that time on WP so accountants did everything, i just signed photocopies of S***t

NOW quite shamelessly i just get someone/ company to renew my visa or extension of stay each year i pay them i have really no idea what happens but i get my yearly visa along with multiple re entry permits and that's it.

no fuss no paperwork needed ,,, and i suspect i am not alone

You...my friend...have figured out how to make the system work for you...less hassles, less aggravation...keeping your sanity and blood pressure in tact...good job...

You are kidding me right? Have you any idea how many times you have been overcharged? Of course you don't...you are not supposed to notice...

Start counting your change...pay attention to your restaurant bill...and yes, even the supermarket will rip you off...don't worry about your little mistake...

Thailand is a great place to visit...living here is yet another story altogether...

Personally lived in or spent time in several areas of Thailand...could not recommend any of these places as a quality place to live...

Weigh all your options before making the decision to move...do not burn all your bridges back home...you may find home is where you want to live after-all...

Consider taking a few extended vacations to Thailand to help you decide...try Cambodia, PI, and Vietnam as comparisons...

Think about healthcare, security, climate, cleanliness, banking, transportation, language barrier, corruption, scams, hassles at immigration, cost of living and so on...do not just focus on women, booze, and easy access to drugs...

Good Luck!

There are no "Transgender" bathrooms per se...there are men's-toilet, ladies-toilet, and uni-toilets which are designed to accommodate either sex...

There is no need for a "special" toilet to accommodate a person who has identity identification problems...

Go to the toilet of your gender birth...go to the uni-toilet...or go to hell...

Try to get a life that does not require forcing others to acknowledge your presence...

Meanwhile...the good people of the US have gone from sanctuary cities to sanctuary states...just get her a visa to Mexico and walk across the border...

If that is the rudest treatment you have received from a Thai...you have lived a blessed life...enjoy...

They tell me it is cooler...when you are 6' underground...

I am going to turn a blind eye to the many new brothers, cousins, and other men that bring her home from the market...I am going to pretend that I did not notice that she was gone for half a day when it only takes an hour to purchase produce and meats...

I will enjoy the company of her Thai relatives that come to visit and then stay...relatives I had never heard of before...

I will endeavor to be as kind and gentle as possible so as not to draw attention to myself...

I will seek out other older ex-pats and reminisce about the home and family I left behind...

Videos like this...make the Thai Apologists job so much harder...

Many people can relate to the "visa paper shuffle" routine in Thailand...

What? They only charged you 4Xs as much?

Philip...

Go for it...if you do not...you will sit around moping...wondering what might have been...

Do not burn all your bridges back home...you may find living in Thailand to be a bit vexing and decide to return...

Plan to enjoy your stay for however long in LOS...but have an exit plan if needed...

I feel your pain bro...faced with a similar dilemma awhile back...weighed my options and long term pros and cons...

Back in home country now...living a good life with many benefits...I will miss "Thainess" though...It become a daily adventure to see if I could spot the scam/corruption before they got my baht...

Good Luck on whatever you decide...

Must be missing something though if you're still hanging around a Thailand expats forum. ?

Someone has to add some realism into the discussions...warped out of shape by Thai apologists like yourself...

Just a word from experience...learn the money exchanges...or you will likely be taken advantage of...be aware of your surroundings...do not let some suspicious character lead you away from the beaten path to engage in sex, drugs, gambling or drinking...stay safe my friend...

One must admit...it would not be completely out of line with this governments way of doing business...