Tejas

I had a look at Costa Rica, but didn't fancy that however after looking at USA (Fl) and Joao Pessoa Nr Recif in the NE of Brazil, I brought properties there.

For $90k you can get some real deals in USA, I paid less than $80 for a brand new 'fully loaded' house on the beach in Joao.

Don't take my word on Costa Rica it is worth having a look.

Good luck

Thanks ThailandTommy and Pattayatony and Lamaicat for productive responses to the questions I posed.

I did not put Costa Rica on the list because I thought it was too expensive now for most expats that have already retired in Thailand.)

By that, I mean the ones who are getting a pension between US$1000 - 1800 per month.

There really are lots of expats who are searching for an alternative to Thailand..........I talk to them daily.

So, now adding Costa Rica to the list, can we talk about:

Costa Rica,

Panama,

Ecuador,

Philippines,

Vietnam,

Cambodia

I would add Uruguay to the list but cant' spell it and it seems expensive--getting to be a place for the rich and famous of S. America.

And I have done Chile.........spectacular scenary but the culture did me in.

Who knows Naam, maybe we will conclude Thailand is still the best place to be.

My position is this: If given a viable (fun, relaxed, inexpensive) alternative to Thailand, lots of expats would leave. I am certain of this.

Now, you may or may not agree...........nevertheless, it would be nice to examine the six alternatives listed above--places/cities to live, cost of living, climate, food, women, security, level of xenophobia, visa/business rules, etc.

Thailand is definitely no longer the retirement paradise for us over 50s.

Many Middle aged and elderly Farangs came here because it was believed their pension incomes would go a lot further and could do much more here than in the West.

They wanted to re kindle they're younger days by finding much younger partners and social, where as in the home countries they would be put out to graze, feeding the ducks over by the pond.

This has really changed, falling victims of scams, especially by the younger partners, ever increasing costs of social and living expenses. Bank rip-offs with decreasing exchange and interest rates.

In the end they find themselves with as little freedom in Thailand than there would be back in the home country, not being able to afford the lifestyles they dreamed about during retirement.

It's called inflation.

Pensions never allow that lifestyles that any one dreams about.

Its called greed and corruption............

Eastbourne

Thanks for all the stupid, spam replies.........now, if any person with a brain would like to answer the questions, please do. Thanks.

Don't be so <deleted> touchy, you asked for alternative destinations and you got them, Eastbourne is a very popular retirement destination.

If you don't want an answer, then don't ask the question. Can I respectfully suggest that you calm down.

OK..........I am calm. I am simply sick and tired of the spam that comes out each time some politically incorrect topic is put online.......here, politically incorrect means anything that assumes Thailand is not great.

Carib..........thanks for the answer..........can you focus on some cities?

Actually, the topic title should be amended but to do so would make it too long. That is why I listed the countries and places that I am hoping people will focus on in the first post.

Yes, there are expat retirement possibilities worldwide. But the ones on the list seem viable for most expats currently living in Thailand.

Some, as you can see, are in Southeast Asia. A few are not.

Personally I am particularly interested in the cities that I listed for Vietnam, Philippines, and Cambodia.

Can we all calm down and start over. Again, this is not about all expat alternatives. It is about the few alternatives listed in the first post.

If you want to talk about all alternatives, please start another post.

Thank you for your positive input.

Eastbourne

but only the western suburbs!

Have you been drinking too much? Yes, we know you love Thailand.

Fine.....we can live with that. And I can assure you nobody interested in this thread cares.

The subject is about retirement alternatives to Thailand that I listed in the first post.

Is it possible to focus on that and stop the horse shit?

Thank you.

Eastbourne

Thanks for all the stupid, spam replies.........now, if any person with a brain would like to answer the questions, please do. Thanks.

Many expats in Thailand are fed up with the "system." Lots of expats have already left. This thread might be useful to those you are currently looking for an alternative to Thailand.

My own research has led me to the following possible alternatives. If you have lived (or visited for an extended period) these places and can talk about them as alternatives to Thailand (the good, bad, ugly) please do so.

Thanks.

VIETNAM

Da Lat

Nha Trang

CAMBODIA

Siem Reap

Phnom Penh

Sihanoukville

Kampot

PHILIPPINES

Baguio

Puerto Galerna

Angeles City

Iloilo City

Boracay

Davao

Dumaguete

Panglao island

ECUADOR

Quito

Esmeraldas

Manta

PANAMA

*any good places?

URUGUAY

*any good places?

Last time I went back to the UK was july 2007 and I could'nt find a full brekky anywhere for less than a fiver. Mind you it was good bacon.

HL

Around that time 2007 the cafe opposite my flat in Leicester used to offer a 99p breakfast - pretty meagre but even the top of the range steak breakfast was only about about £4 - just off the high street as well.

Yes, Thailand is getting expensive..........it was much less expensive (in real terms) 20 years ago, even 10 years ago.

But people are not getting better quality...........

It is an odd economic plan......and it is something that is planned.

What do the masters of design believe? Raise prices and you will reach developed world status............yeah........right.

And some people wonder why rural people living on next to nothing might be upset with the system at the moment.

The answer, of course, is to open the Thai market to real, global competition........fat chance of that happening.

That would lead to jobs and some stability in the system..........also, innovation.

They deserve all they get! F$%K LoS, I hope it crashes and burns, give Cambodia and Vietnam a chance!

I don't know why the many Thai bashers here aren't lining up to agree with you. They could all open guest houses and restaurants in Cambodia and Vietnam to cater for the swarms of tourists that everyone says will flock over there. The English teachers could join them to teach the locals how to talk to the tourists in the manner expected by them, especially greeting them in English at the 7-11, (except there aren't any). They could all then join a local forum and post diatribes, lies, and rants about the government, safe in the knowledge that, unlike in Thailand, something will actually be done about it (they'll be deported, locked up or just shot on the spot). Of course, the pro Thaksin members will have nothing but praise for Hun Sen and his helpful police force. Please, nothing's stopping anyone from following the money, and maybe the rest of us will get a bit of peace.

They are not "lined up" for two reasons: bored with the Love Thailand or Leave it Crowd and most have already left for better places.......or soon to be better places.

Don't worry, that hole at the bottom of the ship is really not a hole........and water isn't coming in.........and the ship isn't sinking.........etc., etc.

Right now Al Jazeera is running a story......one red shirt leaders said they will stay one day, one week, one month or even one year until they get what they want. I am paraphrasing.

PhilHarries might have an even better suggestion though. Why does it even have to be democracy? As long as whatever system it is works for the people, then that must be a good thing.

Why democracy indeed. Surely we can figure out a better system......democracy is usually more like autocracy worldwide.

On a different note, call me "crazy," but I think this is very similar to an economic war between rural elites and urban elites.

The reds are rural. The yellows are urban. There is big money involved.

In my own country we had a similar struggle between the urban-north and rural-south.......it was called the Civil War.

It was horrific........but it did finally decide which way the country would go in terms of economic development: rural or urban.

Urban won. [That war was not about slavery anymore than the Iraq war was about freedom.......it was an economic struggle between rural and urban elites.]

Sometimes I think Thailand is looking like the USA in 1860.

Some are saying it is about democracy, getting rid of a dictator, etc.

To me it is about who controls the pie: rural or urban elites.

The lakes created by the dams will have larger surface areas than the portion of the river they replace. This will result in increased evaporation and a little less water flowing downstream.

It is my understanding that the lakes will also be used as a source of water for irrigation which if true will also reduce the flow downstream.

That makes sense. Didn't even think evaporation too since that water is not really moving, getting hot and such a large surface area. I am still amazed at how fast water evaporates here considering the humidity. I lived in Southern California where the heat is the same but very limited humidity and things seem to dry there just as fast as here.

Area goes up by the power of 2. volume by the power of 3. This ofsets increased area and means less loss by evaporation. Why elephants have big ears to keep cool!

Evaporation is a factor but a very complicated one.

Even without a dam, increased population means increased rice production.

Increased rice production means lots of water in a large area evaporating.

Farmers also create ponds and new "streams" = more evaporation.

Increased heat from global warming means more evaporation.

The main problem......and least for the long term........is the glaciers in China that are melting and are the source of these large rivers.

Global warming = climate change = disaster (economic, social, environmental)

For those of you that have not seen Sonora/Arizona tortillas made. Here is a good video of how they differ from the other flour tortillas made.

The Reason for the birth of the Buritto!

Cheers:

Thanks for that post...........interesting.......never have seen that before........reminded me a bit of watching a person make pizza dough.

I was surprised at how large the end product was......and thin..........and how fast she cooked them.

When I make them they are much smaller and thicker.......I think I would like the version in the movie.

As far as soy sauce with Chinese food, I don't think it is at all inauthentic to use that as a dipping sauce for some common in the US dishes, such as pot stickers (dumplings).

Pot sticker sauce has soy in it already - in its most basic form it can simply contain soy, black vinegar, and sesame oil (although often the sauce may contain garlic, ginger, and chili).

I am not referring to items that require dipping, where soy sauce will do in a pinch... but the habit of putting it on everything from Chow Mien to KungPao chicken to fried rice. Although not quite as common as putting ketchup on pizza here, it's still is fairly common -- at least in the US.

Ketchup on pizza = cat crap on the floor = vomit in the toilet = dead dog on the road= fetid fish with maggots on it =

Yep it was strange. I was there a couple weeks ago It was sweltering in Bangkok and actually cool in Ban Dung, lol. Go figure.

It is probably a response to global warming.

If you talk with elderly people in Thailand, they will tell you that in the past the hot season began in April but now starts in March.

So the hot weather is coming earlier and lasting longer.

We can anticipate much hotter weather as the global warming problem intensifies.

My guess is that this increase in "heat" will negatively impact tourism, food production, water reserves, among other things.

The issue in Thailand is not unemployment. It is underemployment. There is a difference, but the impact upon social development is just as bad.

That is just what I was about to say........glad I saw your post first.

Most people think in terms of unemployment.

The greater issue is underemployment.

This is related to a reduction in quality of life for an entire generation.

It is also related to many other things, such as the mechanization of the economy, globalization of the economy, overpopulation........but that is a different story.

How will young people respond? "Get a rope and string up the people who did this?" "Continue dreaming?" "Blame outsiders?"

This population-youth-unemployment-underemployment situation can get very bad.........just look at the population pyramids for Syria and Pakistan.

China and India have a similar problem..........potentially explosive if those that rule ever allow the youth to see reality.

There are hundreds of smaller and larger streams and rivers withing Thailand...why is the discussion only about the Mekong ?

I found this picture on the net of the main rivers in Thailand.

The Mekong has been discussed already. Obviously extremely important to Thailand.

The source of the other rivers seems to be the highlands of northern Thailand.......maybe parts of Burma/Myanmar.........Lao, etc.

Maybe an expert will tell us about "sources" of the rivers.

The topic title is about the Mekong runs Dry....

The Mekong river has it's origin in China and runs through SIX countries: China, Burma/Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and ends in Vietnam into the mouth of the Mekong Delta.

It's a major problem for ALL countries concerned and it is not of any interest for China to create problems since it's own provinces are suffering from MAJOR droughts...the most severe in 60 years!

Good post.........I would like to add two things:

1) Due to global warming glaciers in China that are the source of the Mekong's water are melting......this will eventually lead to less, not more water. The dams will make little difference. Chinese scientists have long since recognized this.......the same problem exists with the Yellow River.

2) Overpopulation coupled with economic growth is increasing the demand for water in China and Asia in general, but China has tried to do something about overpopulation.

This is what happens when countries act irresponsibly to future generations with respect to energy and population........no doubt water wars are upon us.

Sorry, but I don't quite understand the last post.

------------------------

However, I do have another idea I am contemplating:

What do you folks think about a "Taco Seasoning Mix" (in a sachet packet)??

yeah, I know, those are for gringo tacos, but it seems this style is popular here, and I see import taco mixes in the stores.

I am reasonably certain we can beat their pricing, and perhaps improve on taste as well.

Good idea........you can use taco mix for at least three things: 1) tacos, 2) home made chili with/without beans, and 3) tamale pie.

The popular McCormick brand has two packages, one for tacos and another for chili but (I think) they are almost identical.

If living in Bangkok or Pattaya, etc., it might not be that difficult to find good, imported ground beef (certainly not Thai beef for me) for both chili and tacos, etc.

Since we seem to be discussing the quality of Thai TV and its effects, is anybody else totally p*ssed with the Profitable Group who appear to be I/C on all things football? Their brainwashing repartition ensures that I wouldn't touch them with a bargepole.

In the so-called Land of Smiles you have a culture of violence and poverty and racism (racism within the society itself) and growing xenophobia against outsiders.

There are so many variables at work here and most have already been discussed.

It starts with parents.........then teachers.........the the entire mass media.

It does not help that young Thais go to internet shops and play violent games.

It does not help that young Thais have been brainwashed to believe in myths that will never come true for them--about society, about their future, etc.

I have, for some time now, been concerned about what will happen to Thailand when "reality sinks in" for the new generation of "spoiled know nothings."

And I am not only concerned about Thailand.........I am concerned about the impact on expats.

We are already seeing xenophobia increase--reflected in the immigration policies, and attitudes towards foreigners, especially among the young.

Societies have a way of collapsing or unraveling when bad people make bad decisions over and over again.

In the end, you are left with chaos and total lack of respect for anything...........me, me, me, me, and only ME! (Me generation)

Anybody ever see Mad Max? Give Thailand 50 more years of the same and..........who knows?

As far as I know most Thais smile as its very passive and unconfrontational - Obviously Thais like all peopel can get angry, that's just human nature.

I speak fairly good Thai and unlike Oneman my Thai people don't change their 'performance' because of that. I guess if people like you they'll smile at you. Thais like 'sanook' so if you can break the ice and have a joke, they are very smiley people and if you smile they'll reciprocate.

The title Land of Smiles, is just a promotional slogan nothing more. l

I think it is a bit more than promotional.........it is a culturally-ingrained automatic response.

It is particularly effective when greeting a person or seeing a friend.

If you want to get along in Thailand, I highly advise you to do this even though you may not want to or may even not get the response you expect.

The smile is not always genuine. Never has been in the history of any culture.

Many Asians (not just in Thailand) smile when they feel great discomfort or upset (e.g., seeing a dead body by a bashed up motorcycle after an accident).

That really is not what it seems to many Westerners.........just a culturally-ingrained response.

The Land of Smiles is a slogan...........and it certainly no longer (if it ever did) means that all people here are happy and courteous.

I never had a problem at a dozen KFC's. Or McDonand's, Mister Donut, pizza chains, Burger King, Subways, etc, in Thailand. Never got my order right in 40 years in Texas. S&P was consistently lousy.

Always got my order right 100% of the time in Texas........we sure seem to have lived in different places. I am from the Nation of Texas. Unfortunately surrounded by a rotten place called the USA.

Anyway, staff training, like another posted pointed out, is an issue (e.g., two Subways near Khao San.........one has great service and the other has the worst service I have encountered in Thailand........right by each other).

I think people are hurting economically.........the level of stress has increased dramatically........things have gotten much worse over the past ten years for lots of people.........and xenophobia has increased dramatically in Thailand.

I think a good economic climate fosters good behavior (in general).

When people are under stress, it is hard for them to feel good and treat people properly.

Which brings me to another factor..........this is a new generation........spoiled to the core and filled with false hopes and dreams and bad thoughts about foreigners.

Way too many have been taught, it seems, to avoid any personal blame/responsibility and point fingers at outsiders for everything.

According to the Buddhist teaching monk should not involved in politic .

Sometimes people misused the key words of 'democracy' like they does here in Thailand.

Maybe she does not fall into the category of "quality tourist."

I tried TR also, it was OK. But I was really impressed with Mike's. There were 4 of us, all lovers of Mex food. And we were all fairly impressed. Definitely worth a try. Let us know what you think also!

It would be nice if you and others would post here:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Mexican-Rest...ev-t338021.html

This thread is for reviews and pics of Mexican restaurants in all of Thailand (makes it easier for it all to be in one place).

Thanks.

Hi Tejas,

Yes, not likely FDA issues with any salsa, as they are mostly all low pH items.

The Salsa Taqueria currently being considered would be tomatillo-based, but would also employ dried red chiles (such as arboles). It would be green, but not quite a green as the one in your pic -- there would be some red flakes from the chiles and it would be rather piquant. Would this suffice or do you think a Salsa Tomatillo, with green everything, would do better?

I have something on the drawing board for a habanero salsa... it would be orange-ish. Not sure it would be anywhere similar to T&S's, but my original concept is that it would be painfully piquant. This could change, of course, if I get more serious about it and do some more market research.

Although we do wish to provide customers with more variety, a certain amount of sales of "new flavors" will cannibalize sales of the existing products in that category. This is why I think, from a business standpoint, we need to release something different first, such as an enchilada sauce, or if we can finagle it, chile con carne, frijoles, etc.

I can see we both are online at the same time..........good news about the FDA issue.

The green salsa just needs to taste really good. The precise color, I think, is not that big of an issue (same for the orange/yellow salsa).

Jorge's orange salsa is not that hot, and that makes me think it might only have a small amount of habanero in it........just not sure.......but it is good.

On your next trip to Bangkok you really should try Tacos and Salsa. I think those three salsas are likely standard fare in Mexico. In Texas, we normally only see the picante hot sauce and the salsa fresca.

Personally, and others can chime in, I have not seen the orange salsa or the green one on the shelves of any store in Thailand. I don't see anybody really emphasizing Mexican products.

I was in Paragon recently.......that large/fancy food store inside it.........and could not find much......did see frijoles in a can (grossly expensive) and chips (again grossly expensive).

But that is what happens when you import stuff.......make them locally and the price can be reduced (I think).

Enchilada sauce: just am not sure how large a market demand there is for that.

Frijoles and chili con carne: people will be lined up to buy it. But then there is the FDA issue.

I can also see frozen chile con carne in a plastic bag.......but that is another issue.

In the picture, the red is picante, I think.

The green is probably tomatillo/jalapeno based.

The orange........well, who knows? My guess is carrot based but if that is the case you sure don't taste it.........I really like the orange one......very special recipe.

Actually I haven't been to T&S as of yet, so I cant comment on their taste.

Per your pic:

The red one looks like a typical pico de gallo salsa (aka salsa casera, salsa fresca, etc)

The orange... I'll have to take your word for it. Looks interesting, though.

The Green... yes, perhaps tomatillo, however I dont see many seeds which are typical of a tomatillo-based salsa... so I might postulate they could be using green tomatoes. As you know, its very difficult to find tomatillos in Thailand. I have never seen them on sale anywhere. However, my first sprouts have come up from the seeds I brought back from the US. Let's see how it goes...

Nic pic, by the way.

...and thanks for your other comments, Tejas.

Yes.........not sure why I said the "red" is picante......when I know it is not. In fact, picante seems to be missing at Mexican restaurants in Thailand.

The red is the pico de gallo/salsa fresca.

The green? Not sure.

The orange? Maybe it is a blend of carrot, pineapple, habanero, and some other yellow-orange peppers.

I am sure if you Google "orange colored Mexican hot sauce", you will find it in the bottles.

Here is another pic of what you can do with it:

All three are versitile......can use on tacos, tamales, burritos, fajitas, nachos, or just with chips.

If you added the "green" and "orange" to your product line along with your already stellar picante (red), I would certainly purchase them (I think a lot of others would too).

All can be processed and put in bottles.........probably no new FDA issue.

Good luck.