Airalee

Doesn’t surprise me in the least 😄 I don’t want to make waves as the developer was super cool with me and let me stay in an empty unit for free for 4 months while I renovated my place.

The only checkpoint I encountered was on the road between Tak and Mae Sariang. And it was staffed by clowns. Literally.

So far, it doesn’t seem to be an issue. I’ve never even attended a single board meeting since the condo opened 4 years ago. I don’t know how people are passing the facial scanner but there is a shophouse down the street with all the lockboxes for keycards for the individual owners who are renting them out on Airbnb. If I ever get an Airbnb person in the adjoining unit (only one common wall) making too much noise…I have the stereo system from hell with a 12” subwoofer in order to “fight fire with fire” if the concierge can’t handle it before it reaches that level.

I thought that they had a checkpoint driving onto Phuket where vaccination status was checked. I guess that wasn’t the case?

Nothing can be done. The developer is doing the same thing with unsold units.

Have facial scanning at my condo in Bangkok. Doesn’t keep out the Airbnb crowd. Thankfully none of them are on my floor.

The first MRNA jabs didn’t work as intended. This time, they’ll get it right.

Instead of a POTY (poster of the year) award, we need a BOTY (blowhard of the year award. Refined? Not me. I was expelled from one of the “Group of Seven” schools. https://fitzgabrielsschools.com/2024/02/13/group-of-seven/

https://www.bitchute.com/video/TXWXirDdLlhN

Krabi (Hong Island)during lockdown… IMG_6797.mov

It was the same for me. I had the most wonderful time driving the Maehongson loop, a month in Krabi, trips to Huahin etc. All the while people wanting me to be jailed, denied all healthcare…even as you say, to the point of wishing death upon us. (As I mentioned to you in a previous thread about my reason for disowning my woke sister/niece). I wouldn’t doubt that there were many on this forum who would have gladly put a bullet in my head.

Huahin during low season had piles of rubbish everywhere. Can’t even imagine what the other beaches were like. Vietnam works for me. YMMV

Current photos of Da Nang (for those who are interested) Note the cleanliness of the beaches. Low amount of traffic etc etc 540256632874467892.mp4

“Reason to Smile” complete with a snorkel. And the whole time, our dear leaders were laughing at us while having dinner at French Laundry.

If you run the numbers (as a US taxpayer) with a 30k income from dividends/interest and then add 50k in long term capital gains….it’s actually quite a bit more than double taxes. Closer to triple and it only goes up from there.

It’s real. I was affected by it. No need for details as it will just bring in the same cohorts that minimize your own personal experience. I respect that you are one of the few (if not the only) who took the jab but has come forward (on this forum) to share how it has negatively affected you.

OMG….I thought it was a joke too. That article you link to is downright Orwellian when reading the comments by the students. Un-****ing-believable.

I did a little looking into the visa situation. If done through an agency, the DN visa (where one officially needs sponsorship) can be done without said sponsorship. Probably in a way that isn’t much different than how people in Thailand nurse an agent to get around the financial requirements for the “retirement” visa. One Vietnam visa website specifically addresses this in their FAQ section. https://www.getvisavietnam.com/vietnam-business-visa/ Yes, the visa laws can change in a heartbeat although I could see them becoming more open to retirees in the future with an official retiree visa which isn’t currently available…officially. However, Thailands visa laws can also change in a heartbeat as can their worldwide income taxation structure and as they treat capital gains (from non SET listed companies) like income rather than the way the US taxes them (0%….or 15% up to a very high limit), that is a dealbreaker (for me). With regards to their relationship with China, it appears (to me) that Thailand has a similar relationship with China. I see more Chinese tourists in Thailand than I am currently seeing here in Vietnam although I have seen a few of the busses that you mention. It is monsoon season currently so there aren’t that many tourists in general. The honking of horns is definitely an issue here in general but not nearly as bad as Hanoi in the Hoan Kiem area. So far, I haven’t seen any pollution on the beach (My Khe) and much less than I would see in Thailand in general scattered about the city. Let’s see what the future holds. Cheers

Put yourself in their shoes. Way back when, most of us filthy unvaccinated would say things like “up to you…it’s your choice…it’s between you and your doctor”. But the vaxxed would cajole, denigrate and shame all of us unvaxxed. If we, however said our doctor suggested that it might not be good for us we would be told “your doctor is a quack!! Get another doctor!!” culminating in us being told to “get the jab” by quite a few on here (no need to name names) and subsequently shunned by friends and family. I was even invited to have coffee one time by a forum member here…until he found out I was unvaxxed…then I was dropped like a leper. They will hold onto their beliefs until the bitter end because of course, that is better than admitting they were wrong and “having blood on their hands”. And when the time comes for them to “meet their maker”….well… ”There are no atheists in foxholes” And then, it is too late.

The language barrier is actually more of a thing when it comes to business signage. Everything is written in Vietnamese. People working in the fancier hotels (3 star and up) speak pretty good English…perhaps better than what you would see in Thailand at comparable hotels. On the lower end ($10 hotels which are everywhere and comparable to a ฿600-800 hotel in Thailand) they speak next to no English but they all have their translation apps on their phones at the ready and I have seen that the translation works better for Vietnamese than it does for Thai. I have used it with the pharmacists also and have no problem communicating. In general, people seem to speak less English than in Thailand. The customer service is also much better even though most of the people are only making $200-300/month. No standoffish attitudes but not a ton of fake smiles either. Tipping is less of a thing here too but still appreciated and the “thank you so much” seems genuine. I even had a grab driver side-hug me after getting a 40k Dong (50 baht) tip. I’m extremely happy being here and if Thailand actually enacts the income tax on all income and not just what is remitted, the trip pays for itself multiple times over primarily due to how Thailand views capital gains as income vs how the US taxes long term capital gains. From my perspective, Vietnam will eat Thailands lunch for both the budget traveler and the “wealthy” travelers that they (Thailand) are now trying to court.

I haven’t been to Hanoi in 7 or 8 years but when I was there, I did look at apartments for rent and they were substantially less expensive than what I was paying in Chiangmai at the time. I would suspect that Hanoi and HCMC would be more expensive than Da Nang as they are the two major metropolitan areas. How much, I can’t say. The vibe in Hanoi is much different than here in Da Nang (which considers themselves to be “south”) and when I was in Hanoi, the woman who I had befriended spoke very negatively of the south and I suspect that there is lingering resentment from the old days. People are much more laid back and friendly in Da Nang. I’ve never been to any other cities so I can’t speak for them.

Officially, I believe that the 90 day tourist visas can only be extended for 1 month before having to leave the country but I have been told that they can unofficially be extended for 3 months. My brother, who has lived in Vietnam for the better part of 15 years told me that the agents can get things handled so that one doesn’t have to leave the country. This was in Phu Quoc so things may be different there. Probably best to visit different agencies in whatever city you are in to see what the options are. I cannot say for certain but I suspect that the rules are flexible much like the people who pay an agent to handle their “retirement” visas in Thailand when they don’t meet the financial requirements. The real estate agent who found an apartment for me said she could handle things and get a 90 day extension but I’m unaware of whatever the process is on her end. I didn’t ask how much it would cost.

Understandable although I for one applaud them. In some ways they have “beaten the system” and most likely won’t have to deal with the onerous income taxes in Thailand. I would however encourage them to check out Vietnam, as here in Da Nang, I’m seeing that the cost of living is 30-50% cheaper than Thailand and none of the constant immigration hoops to jump through. Agents handle the visas for a fraction of the cost too and they appear to be easily renewable every 90 days. Sure, there isn’t as much choice but general basics for day to day stuff is much less expensive. ฿8-20 for a Bahn Mi sandwich ฿20 for a coffee ฿18 for a 330ml beer in the minimarts ฿25 for cigarettes ฿80 for a haircut ฿13/kg at the laundry shops (฿18 if you want pick up and delivery) Fast food (McDonald’s) and wood fired pizza 30% cheaper Cheaper rent (about 30% from what I have seen and more for higher end places) Cheaper healthcare in the international hospital Cooler weather (currently 71 F) Cleaner air (compared to what I experienced 10 years ago) No fat women (for those who are in Thailand for that sort of thing) Next to no police presence (unless they are all plain clothes and I don’t see them) Better footpaths/sidewalks (but more motorbikes parked on them) MUCH cleaner beaches