Woke to Sounds

The p(l)andemic shifted everything. Lots of mental diseases now in the wake of what corvid nineteen did to people and society. Flights still too expensive compared to pre-corvid. Ever shifting visa rules and inconsistent application wait times and processes. The kids go for AirBnB or the ultra-low budget setups now, so traditional guesthouses/hotels are becoming irrelevant to that demographic. And weed shops aint enough considering you can smoke your brains out legally in much of the USA and all of Canada now. Most significantly - Thailand has lost that joie de vivre that it had when I first visited many moons ago.

Yes but Thailand opened the gates to Russian tourists, who have done a really good job so far at starting up businesses and contributing to the local economies. More than offsets the cheap Indians. Regarding the Chinese tourists you go to King Power on Rangnam Rd and its packed to the gills, those tourists throwing cash around like confetti. So Thailand wins some, loses some. Cant win em all buddy!!

Comment from the NY Times a few months ago. My edits.

Coffee money to many people buddy. We cant assume the OP is skint. Nonsense. 10 min Grab bike ride at most. Yes there are annoying tourist clusters at the beach but thankfully the beach is huge and one can just sidestep that crap. Cops just doing their job buddy.... those kids probably didnt have their license or theyre wanted on some other charge. To the OP, dont worry about the cops, they do a fine job in VN and never hassle Westerners. Cheers buddy

Harass-Waltz for the win in '24!

Danang Airport will exchange THB for VND. Many hotels along the beachfront (or on the streets behind) will exchange money. Just keep your zeroes straight in your head and you won't overpay. I never encoutered cheats anyhow. If you want 5-star then consider Intercontinental Danang on the peninsula. That said, Danang's beach is huge. You wont have a problem finding a nice room. Sheraton and Hilton have a presence as well as many independents. You could also consider going south to An Bang Beach. Far quieter, its a little village with some really nice smaller hotels. Everything within walking distance. Danang is far and away the cleanest and most picturesque big city in VN. I never did much in Danang except body surf the waves, bike around, go for long beach walks and drink beer and iced coffees, so I can't help on the things-to-do front. Have a good trip.

Are you suggesting that there are no "quality tourists" from India and China? How do we define "quality tourist"? Maybe it should be part of the TV application process...

Cannabis is surely not a harmless drug. Thats just more far leftie lunacy. It's psychologically addictive and can induce psychosis in vulnerable groups - as well as paranoia. How is that helpful? The only reason it's being propped up here and in places like the US and Canada is 1) because of the tax revenue; and 2) to keep the people docile. Use with caution folks!

Staged? Unlike that Canadian moron a few yrs back in Chiang Mai that spray painted one of the old city gates...

Klous Schwabs, the W-E-F, and communist govts have no intention to allow the expansion of the range of EVs. You will keep to your 15 minute cities and 300 km range because the world is melting. Also they can flip a switch and your car shuts down like The Robocop. With ICE cars no such external controls exist and that is why coal is bad, petrol is bad and you will be shamed for driving an ICE.

Weed is not a harmlesss substance. Burns holes in brains and induces psychosis. I dont know why this fellow Anutin is so angry. Recrim it and save the kids! You wanna smoke weed visit Kanada.

Bronson!

Oh really? So youre a digital nomad too then - or did you just go out of curiosity? Fishy...

Honestly why does anyone bother with any of the paperwork to stay in Thailand long term? Last yr it took over a month for the bureauprats to approve my 60 day SETV - plus an extra 10 days b/c they didnt approve of my hotel. Meanwhile if youre Russian or Chinese just come visa free . . . and stay for eternity, no Qs asked. I will never ever again give them 60 bucks for the privilege, let alone spend hundreds if not thousands to stay long term. Far better options in the region w far less hassle and expense. Cambodge and Vietnam come to mind.

Bronson!

This is not going to matter one iota once the WHO - UN - WEF call for a crack down on travel again with another p(l)andemic in the pipeline. Doc Tedros - hardes working man in show biz! Cheers all

Only Western countries.... interesting. Have to keep hollowing them out. Agenda 2030 at play yet again. You will own squat and eat bugs and travel nowhere unless we say so! Remember folks: you cannot reason with a machine. But embrace it all you want in the name of "convenience."

And the "assassination attempt" on Trump was not staged. Okay. Back to your television my friend.

Whatever the case it sounds like the place sucks now, no soul, with or without casinos, compared to the glory of yesteryear. The powers that be are making a fake beach in Kep. Nice. (Not). An airport on Koh Rong would be an environmental disaster. Cambodia has loads of problems, probably the biggest of those are pollution and environmental desecration. TPTB should be taking care of their own country's issues before throwing massive amounts of cash at projects aimed to increase tourism. Look at what's happening in Thailand. Coral reefs absolutely destroyed in so many once pristine spots.

Bronson!

I would go and spend all my bread in VN if they offered a retirement viza. Vn food is just as good - if not better - than Thai food. Plus there are decent baguettes. And the iced coffees. And no carrying coins around either. C'mon Vietnam! A retirement viza!

I don't doubt it. But monkey pox hasn't really gained traction. Maybe they've got something ultra nasty up their sleeves. We're fast approaching 2030 and we all have to own nothing and be going nowhere. Doc Tedros - the hardest working man in show biz!

I understand Sihanoukville was destroyed by the Chinese backed casinos, but wat about Kampot? At least there's some water n mountains nearby. That said - there's an alarming lack of green space in Cambodia in general.

I was approached by a pimped beggar outside a mini mart. Didn't hand over cash; went inside, bought a few baguettes, came back outside, offered said baguettery to the pro/pimped beggar and was immediately refused with a hand gesture of rubbing fingers and thumbs -- i.e. I want money. So I said "Fck you then!" and walked off. The pimps are the ones that if we could reanimate Bronson need to be "re-educated."