Anything new or interesting in Phuket?

[PerkinsCuthbert]

Yes, the Chinese have left.

[LivinginKata]

50 minutes ago, PerkinsCuthbert said:

Yes, the Chinese have left.

 

 

Not quite yet. Still plenty about. But the Indians are coming next.

[Mysterion]

1 hour ago, Tofer said:

Everywhere outside Phuket!!

Lol

 

Broken-hearted/cheated, miserable, broke/cheap charlie, troll alert!

[NamKangMan]

18 hours ago, Mysterion said:

 

I have travelled extensively in Vietnam over the last several years, and I love it.  

 

Vietnam suffers from allot of the same pollution, corruption, and infrastructure problems that all developing countries face.

 

Taxis are indeed nice and cheap in major cities in Vietnam. The colonial buidlings in hcmc and hanoi are very charming. The war history is also very interesting to many. 

 

However IMHO, Thailand offers much better beaches, far greater choice of entertainment, and more famous(and arguably better) ethnic cuisine.

 

Vietnam deaerves to get a bigger piece of the expanding tourist pie in SE Asia, but it could be many years(or never) before they can truly rival Thailand.

 

 

 

 

 

"I have travelled extensively in Vietnam over the last several years" - I have also traveled Vietnam extensively, and now visit every 3 months.  When were you last there?

 

"Vietnam suffers from allot of the same pollution, corruption, and infrastructure problems that all developing countries face." - corruption, yes, at a high level.  On a local level, I am sure some budgets get skimmed, but the job still gets done to a reasonable standard.  here, the budget gets skimmed and the job doesn't get done properly.  Basically, it made to break, in order to ensure there is another budget to skim in the future.  I have spoken to foreign business owners there and none of them pay "'tea money." So, I don't think corruption effects expats a great deal there.

 

In relation to infrastructure, the roads a great, the water flows, and electricity goes down sometimes.  As for pollution, it's mainly general litter, but I haven't seen any beach water that I would not swim in there, which is very different to here.

 

"Taxis are indeed nice and cheap in major cities in Vietnam." - yes. Metered taxis simply do not exist here, which does not lend itself to Phuket calling itself "A World Class Tourist Destination." 

 

"The colonial buidlings in hcmc and hanoi are very charming." - I agree.

 

"However IMHO, Thailand offers much better beaches" - possibly, but what about all the "Thainess" surrounding those beaches?  Is it worth the grief to get to them????

 

"far greater choice of entertainment" - can you give some examples?  Are you talking about "adult entertainment."  If so, no argument from me.  Thailand wins hands down.  Note: Vietnam offers casinos.  Thailand is no where near offering gambling entertainment. 

 

"and more famous(and arguably better) ethnic cuisine." - that's a matter of opinion.  Not every like chili.

[NamKangMan]

18 hours ago, Mysterion said:

If vietnam offered foreign freehold property and a decent medical infrastructure they would be overun with expat retirees very quickly. 

 

"Freehold" ownership doesn't exist in Thailand.  It also doesn't exist in Vietnam either, but a foreigner can "own" property in Vietnam.

 

This is just one random link.

 

https://investintproperty.com/vietnam-property-foreign-ownership/

 

Yes, medical is lacking there.  I met one expat in Vietnam who simply flies to Bangkok for major treatment.  His flight is probably shorter than from Udon Thani to Bangkok. 

[NamKangMan]

18 hours ago, blackhorse said:

Why would you believe tourist numbers supplied by the tourist authority in Vietnam?
Nobody believes TAT

Why one and not the other?

 

I don't believe everything I read on the internet. 

 

Those numbers correspond with my observations.  I have been visa running to Vietnam for a few years now.  I have seen the beaches and restaurants get busier and busier. 

 

One thing that stands out for me is how busy the airports have become, when compared to a few years ago. I believe the HCMC airport is getting a new terminal, with a completely new airport being built outside the city.

[NamKangMan]

18 hours ago, Mysterion said:

I understand what you mean.

 

They genrally see less tourists in most parts of vietnam, so they tend to take notice of foreigners, and are sometimes more curious, or wanting to practice English.

 

However, overall i cant say i noticed a significant difference between vn and thailand service standards. Its often hit and miss in both places. 

 

The “rubbish” comment was short and extreme. Good that you expanded.

 

 

I accept that was your experience, but it is not mine when I am there.  In my opinion, hospitality service standards are more professional in Vietnam. 

 

I agree it can be hit and miss, but I am not the only member to post on this thread of the "smiles" and general friendliness there. 

[NamKangMan]

18 hours ago, macahoom said:

Your post has reminded me of a Thai restaurant in Las Vegas.

 

When my Thai girlfriend and I are on holiday outside Thailand, she often gets cravings for Thai food. Almost always it ends in anger and frustration as very few so called Thai restaurants are actually authentic Thai. In fact, often there is not a single Thai person working in the restaurant.

 

That said, we have come across a few authentic Thai restaurants in foreign countries, but they are few and far between.

 

The best one we have found is in Las Vegas; I can't be assed to look up the name. It's huge, famous, packed (a lot of Thai expats) and totally authentic. And it is so authentic that even the service is diabolical, just like your average restaurant in Thailand. Hilarious! Of course, they still expect a minimum 15% tip.

 

And bear in mind, this is in America where service in restaurants is over the top (have a nice day!), 99% of the time.

 

Do they also ask, "Would you like fries with that?"  ????

[NamKangMan]

16 hours ago, hithere said:

Been away for some years, well everything is getting worse (traffic, very expensive compare with "Thailand") same people complain here ???? only the people have business here say: its OK here!!!!  try driving South to North, my God, More people, more houses, more building, road nearly the same  

 

EVERYONE needs access to vehicle on Phuket, or, you will be a victim of the transport mafia here. 

 

That means that inhabitants of Phuket between the ages of around 14 to 65 use the roads here, as there are very few options available to get from point A to point B. 

 

"only the people have business here say: its OK here!!!!" - those who are still left. 

[xylophone]

14 hours ago, LivinginKata said:

 

 

Not quite yet. Still plenty about. But the Indians are coming next.

Yep and I have decided to start a new business to take advantage of that...…….weekly Teepee rentals!

 

Does it stand a chance do you think LiK???? 

[xylophone]

On ‎10‎/‎27‎/‎2018 at 11:51 PM, fanjita said:

You definitely won't be pleased five years on but you already know that.  

If things don't change, then they'll stay as they are! As an old friend of mine used to say.

 

In Patong, since you left, the 990 apartment/condo development in Nanai has become derelict and the investors in the ACE Condo project have lost their money because that development has also become derelict and no one can find out where the money has gone.

 

The mayor's son and his company have been building condos/apartments up in the hills and selling most of them to the Chinese, with whom he has some links back in China.

 

Whilst new building goes on, others remain uninhabited or half finished, so that madness has just continued from way back.

 

The place has become overrun with rude and ignorant Chinese, although one hopes that with various accidents around the place, they will cease coming in great numbers (fingers crossed). The Russians seem to have made a return, and as someone else has mentioned there are more Indians and those of Arabic origins milling around.

 

From the businesses I know, spend appears to be down and although some are looking forward to the upcoming "high season" others haven't made it through after successive poor seasons, with restaurants and small guesthouses, along with beauty parlours and the like, suffering the most.

 

The situation with the state of the roads in Patong remains the same with some being fixed, whilst others are in a poor state of repair (and watch out for the large metal plates, some of which seem to have lifted, welded over drains – – a death trap for the unaware).

 

The occasional outpouring of polluted water into the sea here and to the north and south, still continues, and this doesn't seem likely to improve what with new hotels etc being built, especially to the north of Patong in the likes of Kamala.

 

The tour buses and the transit mini-buses tend to clog up the roads, and indeed the new "middle road" in Patong is very often solid with stationary traffic from top to bottom at around 5 PM.

 

For the shoppers, there is good news because a new Central is being built alongside Bangla, and quite how that competes with Jungceylon, remains to be seen. Also the old Central in Phuket town has a new extension to it which is full of the same sort of shops as the old one and really offers nothing new, apart from being bigger and with a different dining experience, but plenty to look at and spend money on if one is inclined to.

 

The underpasses nearby have made traffic flow a lot easier and one further south at Chalong is well underway although it has been delayed on several occasions, so steer clear of that area as it can be a nightmare for traffic congestion.

 

In reality, there is nothing really new or interesting about the place, however one has to wonder that if the TAT search for pure numbers, rather than quality continues, then Phuket certainly won't become the "jewel in the Andaman" that it hoped to be.

[LivinginKata]

49 minutes ago, NamKangMan said:

<snip>

That means that inhabitants of Phuket between the ages of around 14 to 65 use the roads here, as there are very few options available to get from point A to point B. 

 

 

Hey .... I am well over 65 and drive every day. Take the various tests every 5 years.

[NamKangMan]

23 minutes ago, LivinginKata said:

 

Hey .... I am well over 65 and drive every day. Take the various tests every 5 years.

 

It should be an annual medical check for anyone over 70 years of age, but once again, what's the point, when you can "pay" for a good medical report, or simply drive unlicensed? 

 

As another member mentioned, what's the point of a fine if the driver / rider either can't pay, or chooses not to pay? 

[LivinginKata]

Oh dear NKM .... no sense of humour at all ...

[Tofer]

On 10/29/2018 at 9:48 PM, Mysterion said:

Lol

 

Broken-hearted/cheated, miserable, broke/cheap charlie, troll alert!

Ooh, touchy touchy.....

 

None of the above.

 

Lived there in 1989-1995, when it was a reasonably clean and pleasant fun place. Now it's quite simply the pits!

 

 

[Mysterion]

46 minutes ago, Tofer said:

Ooh, touchy touchy.....

 

None of the above.

 

Lived there in 1989-1995, when it was a reasonably clean and pleasant fun place. Now it's quite simply the pits!

 

 

Spidey senses suspect that you tick at least one of the aforementioned boxes. But alas, that is your secret to keep.

 

You are living in a “clean” &  “fun” place now? Please do share the name of this place that is not “the pits”.

[Franko666]

On 10/28/2018 at 6:11 PM, Mysterion said:

Why? Where is better?  Please share information rather than just posting lazy troll remarks.

I have nothing else better to do atm so I will give you one huge generalisation - Vietnam!!!

[Franko666]

On 10/29/2018 at 4:58 PM, stuarty said:

I have just returned from my first-ever week long trip to Vietnam. Hoi An via Danang.

I was just astounded by how cheap everything was, and Hoi An is a fairly popular tourist centre.

 

- Cheap and plentiful METERED taxis (I am talking 40 baht for 6 Km), happy to do short distance or any length of trips. Polite drivers.

- Cheap food and drink. Wine about same as HKT but local beer and cocktails even in top hotels about 70 Baht max. Outside, much less, about 30 - 40 baht up.

- Happy hours (2 for 1 drinks everywhere)

- Cheap hotels and sightseeing trips. Hotel standards exceptional in all departments. I stayed in 3 different classes of hotel. All excellent.

- Standards of English from taxi drivers, waiters, hotel staff, people in street/market, shop assistants etc. universally truly excellent. I must say I did not expect that to be the case.

- Beaches like Phuket 25 years ago (at least the smaller ones). Free loungers (not excessive in number) clean sand, and very cheap food and drink with service. Not busy. Toilets and showers at the back of the beach, and taxi stands.

- Everyone I had interface with, incredibly polite and smiling, at all levels.

- Only downside, old town full of coachloads of mainland Chinese down from Danang, all day and night. Just too many of them, but localised in the central old town/night market area. Traffic on street perhaps another drawback. Must be a nightmare in bigger cities.

 

Overall I was genuinely gobsmacked by how easy, cheap and friendly the place was. No longer the poor cousin to Phuket/ Thailand for mass tourism. Thai food has the edge of course as expected, but that's the only area I could honestly say that for. Will take time for other trips to more quieter southern beaches, and Phu Quoc. Can't wait.

 

Phuket will need to pull its socks way up. I am not holding my breath.

 

Been there and yes I agree with that statement. Note Hoi An is tourist central and still cheap, friendly and may I say clean.

[NamKangMan]

21 hours ago, LivinginKata said:

Oh dear NKM .... no sense of humour at all ...

 

Well, it would be funny if it wasn't killing and maiming so many here, not to mention the negative economic effects on the island.

[Tofer]

14 hours ago, Mysterion said:

Spidey senses suspect that you tick at least one of the aforementioned boxes. But alas, that is your secret to keep.

 

You are living in a “clean” &  “fun” place now? Please do share the name of this place that is not “the pits”.

No problem, and don't forget you asked!

 

I live on a 4 rai plot with 80m beachfront, in Koh Lanta. Near finishing a sprawling villa, garage and 2 guest apartments, natural swimming lake and a boat ramp for my yacht. Married to a special Thai lady since 23 years and very happy with my lot. So I think that puts paid to most of the labels you tried to attach to me. 

 

Yes, we have no cinema, or go-go bars, or major shopping malls, but the beaches, the air and the sea are very clean and the island is relatively undeveloped, compared to Phuket and many other tourist islands / beach resort areas. The absent elements I can get with a short trip over to Krabi, Phuket, Trang, Samui, Hat Yai, Bangkok, if or whenever the mood takes me. 

 

Horses for courses I suppose, what you got earlier was MHO, which may not conform to many TV'ers idea of paradise / pits. But I do firmly believe we are all entitled to our opinion on this forum without being subjected to unnecessary insults.

[simon43]

I left Phuket around August 2016 to work again in Myanmar (I was there in 2012/13) - this time in the new city of Naypyitaw.

 

I've enjoyed my time there, primarily because the lack of any sort of 'entertainment' encouraged me to go on a healthy food and fitness regime.  

 

Well, I'm fit and healthy now, and recently resigned from my job with an initial idea to return to live in Thailand, - if not Phuket, then nearby in Phang-Nga.

 

But having thought about the various pros and cons of living in south Thailand or living in Myanmar, (and there are plenty of arguments in favour of/against both countries), I have decided to remain in Myanmar and continue/expand the educational charity work that I started in my spare time.  Next week I hope to move to live in Kawthaung (the visa-run town opposite Ranong). 

 

Few foreigners give Kawthaung more than 10 minutes of their time.  I've visited K. many times and that is actually where my volunteer work began many years ago.

 

How on earth can I compare living in Kawthaung to Phuket?

 

Plus points:

- There are pristine islands and beaches in that region

- There is a small jogging track down at the sea-front (got to keep fit!)

- Myanmar soi dogs run away from foreigners!

- Myanmar people are much friendlier than many Thais (I attribute this to the low number of foreigners in the country - I'm still a curiosity!)

- Living costs can be extremely cheap

 

Negatives:

- Most Myanmar food is full of oil and fatty meat, (no problem for me 'cos I generally eat healthy fresh food nowadays)

- The infrastructure sucks, with frequent power cuts etc (but I also experienced many power cuts when living 5 minutes from Phuket Airport) Mobile internet in Myanmar is fast!

- Lack of a decent medical service.  This is one issue that concerns me.  I already have Medivac insurance to Bangkok etc.  But if one has a serious accident or sudden illness in Kawthaung, then the only route out is in a small boat across to Ranong.  I guess my Medivac will not be used because I'll be dead before any feasible help arrives.

 

I can't say that I miss Phuket.  It was great fun 15 years ago for me (well, not so much marriage fun..).  But living and travelling in Myanmar, with all its hardships etc has been an enjoyable challenge for me, and I'm not ready to stop just yet and put my feet up ????

-

[Mysterion]

24 minutes ago, Tofer said:

No problem, and don't forget you asked!

 

I live on a 4 rai plot with 80m beachfront, in Koh Lanta. Near finishing a sprawling villa, garage and 2 guest apartments, natural swimming lake and a boat ramp for my yacht. Married to a special Thai lady since 23 years and very happy with my lot. So I think that puts paid to most of the labels you tried to attach to me. 

 

Yes, we have no cinema, or go-go bars, or major shopping malls, but the beaches, the air and the sea are very clean and the island is relatively undeveloped, compared to Phuket and many other tourist islands / beach resort areas. The absent elements I can get with a short trip over to Krabi, Phuket, Trang, Samui, Hat Yai, Bangkok, if or whenever the mood takes me. 

 

Horses for courses I suppose, what you got earlier was MHO, which may not conform to many TV'ers idea of paradise / pits. But I do firmly believe we are all entitled to our opinion on this forum without being subjected to unnecessary insults.

Thanks for expanding on your original trollish short remark.

 

We can all appreciate why some people would prefer to re-locate to much cheaper and  isolated/quieter countryside locations as they get older. 

 

Surely you could also agree that, for many people, there are many attractive things about phuket as well? Afterall, phuket must be offering some things of value to have become the top beach holiday destination in Asia.

 

Phuket and Koh Lanta are like apples and oranges. Some prefer apples and others prefer oranges, and there are significant tradeoffs between the two locations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Mysterion]

5 hours ago, Franko666 said:

I have nothing else better to do atm so I will give you one huge generalisation - Vietnam!!!

Vietnam is great also. I dont agree its better than Thailand,  but it is different and also very attractive,

 

As stated earlier, if Vietnam offered some form of foreign freehold property like thailand does,  and international quality medical care like thailand does,  Vietnam would probably be overrun with expat retirees. 

[NamKangMan]

37 minutes ago, Mysterion said:

Vietnam is great also. I dont agree its better than Thailand,  but it is different and also very attractive,

 

As stated earlier, if Vietnam offered some form of foreign freehold property like thailand does,  and international quality medical care like thailand does,  Vietnam would probably be overrun with expat retirees. 

 

Did you read my earlier post?  Thailand does not offer "foreign freehold" in the manner that "freehold" is commonly known in western countries.

 

Vietnam now offers a similar form of property ownership that Thailand does, actually, with 50 years "ownership" not 30 years. 

 

It's only a matter of time before international hospitals start popping up in Vietnam, along side more international schools.  As mentioned, I know an expat in Vietnam that flies to Bangkok for major treatment. 

 

Vietnam already offers a more user friendly long term visa system than Thailand does. 

 

Phuket / Thailand continues to remain in first gear, with their usual scams and BS, while neighboring countries are in overdrive, catering for their tourists and expats, with their locals benefiting along the way.

 

The writing is on the wall.  The day WILL come where Vietnam offers everything Thailand offers, plus more, but without all of the "Thainess" aka BS, that Thailand gives foreigners. 

 

 

[Mysterion]

48 minutes ago, NamKangMan said:

 

Did you read my earlier post?  Thailand does not offer "foreign freehold" in the manner that "freehold" is commonly known in western countries.

 

Vietnam now offers a similar form of property ownership that Thailand does, actually, with 50 years "ownership" not 30 years. 

 

It's only a matter of time before international hospitals start popping up in Vietnam, along side more international schools.  As mentioned, I know an expat in Vietnam that flies to Bangkok for major treatment. 

 

Vietnam already offers a more user friendly long term visa system than Thailand does. 

 

Phuket / Thailand continues to remain in first gear, with their usual scams and BS, while neighboring countries are in overdrive, catering for their tourists and expats, with their locals benefiting along the way.

 

The writing is on the wall.  The day WILL come where Vietnam offers everything Thailand offers, plus more, but without all of the "Thainess" aka BS, that Thailand gives foreigners. 

 

 

Please stop spreading misinformation/falsehoods about real estate ownership laws.

 

Vietnam only offers leasehold. Thailand offers foreign freehold condominiums. That is a huge advantage for thailand.

 

It will be a long long time before vietnam offers the same quality/quantity of healthcare and international schools as thailand does.

 

Vietnam has as many problems as thailand when it comes to corruption and mis-mismanagement.

 

I have done allot of business in vietnam in the recent past, and my vietnamese contacts have told me about the problems with police extortion of vietnamese businesses and the communist government issues they face. 

 

Perhaps the most telling difference between thailand and vietnam is that the vast majority of my vietnamese contacts would prefer to leave/emmigrate from vietnam if they could, but the vast majority of my thai contacts prefer to live in thailand even if they had a chance to live overseas. Go figure!

 

[NamKangMan]

5 hours ago, Mysterion said:

Please stop spreading misinformation/falsehoods about real estate ownership laws.

 

Vietnam only offers leasehold. Thailand offers foreign freehold condominiums. That is a huge advantage for thailand.

 

It will be a long long time before vietnam offers the same quality/quantity of healthcare and international schools as thailand does.

 

Vietnam has as many problems as thailand when it comes to corruption and mis-mismanagement.

 

I have done allot of business in vietnam in the recent past, and my vietnamese contacts have told me about the problems with police extortion of vietnamese businesses and the communist government issues they face. 

 

Perhaps the most telling difference between thailand and vietnam is that the vast majority of my vietnamese contacts would prefer to leave/emmigrate from vietnam if they could, but the vast majority of my thai contacts prefer to live in thailand even if they had a chance to live overseas. Go figure!

 

 

It is YOu who is spreading "misinformation." 

 

YOU use the word "freehold" to describe foreign property ownership here.  It is a word that is misleading, particularly to westerners.  A foreigner CAN NOT own land here in the "freehold" sense of the word used to describe western property ownership.  That condo doesn't float in mid air.  It sits on 51% Thai owned land, the same as every other foreign owned property.

 

Would you care to comment on the "proxy" Thai owners that many here use to "own" land????

 

I can post link after link after link, but YOU would do best to educate yourself.

 

Here's a foreign couple that were one of the first to buy, straight after the new laws were introduced.  They are both foreigners, not even a Vietnamese "wife" involved in the ownership.  It's a random Google search link.  There are so many, should you wish to research the Vietnam law, and learn from the experience of others, and see for yourself.

 

https://www.domain.com.au/news/australian-couple-first-to-buy-property-under-vietnams-new-laws-20150704-gi4tva/

 

Not sure what business you done in Thailand, and I don't really care.  The expats in business that I have met there, mainly in the hospitality industry, have told me they pay no "tea money" and have no dealings with the police or any other official, past some basic paperwork.  I met one expat, who used to live in Thailand, with a business, albeit, it was a bar, who said he wish he discovered Vietnam earlier.  

 

In relation to Thai's or Vietnamese willing / seeking to immigrate to western countries, what a strange comparison to make.  Just how many Thai bar girls are living abroad, supported by a foreigner?  Hundreds of thousands of Thai women are working in a bar tonight hoping the same will happen to them.  Are they not Thai????  Don't they count in the stats????

 

What about all the Thai's working abroad doing jobs that westerners refuse to do in western countries????  Who wouldn't want to do the same job, but in a country that pays a lot more???? 

 

You sound like you have a business or property here.  Every link I post backs up my comments.  If you disagree, please post a link showing I am wrong and I will gladly issue a TV Forum apology for any "misinformation." 

[Mysterion]

7 hours ago, NamKangMan said:

 

It is YOu who is spreading "misinformation." 

 

YOU use the word "freehold" to describe foreign property ownership here.  It is a word that is misleading, particularly to westerners.  A foreigner CAN NOT own land here in the "freehold" sense of the word used to describe western property ownership.  That condo doesn't float in mid air.  It sits on 51% Thai owned land, the same as every other foreign owned property.

 

Would you care to comment on the "proxy" Thai owners that many here use to "own" land????

 

I can post link after link after link, but YOU would do best to educate yourself.

 

Here's a foreign couple that were one of the first to buy, straight after the new laws were introduced.  They are both foreigners, not even a Vietnamese "wife" involved in the ownership.  It's a random Google search link.  There are so many, should you wish to research the Vietnam law, and learn from the experience of others, and see for yourself.

 

https://www.domain.com.au/news/australian-couple-first-to-buy-property-under-vietnams-new-laws-20150704-gi4tva/

 

Not sure what business you done in Thailand, and I don't really care.  The expats in business that I have met there, mainly in the hospitality industry, have told me they pay no "tea money" and have no dealings with the police or any other official, past some basic paperwork.  I met one expat, who used to live in Thailand, with a business, albeit, it was a bar, who said he wish he discovered Vietnam earlier.  

 

In relation to Thai's or Vietnamese willing / seeking to immigrate to western countries, what a strange comparison to make.  Just how many Thai bar girls are living abroad, supported by a foreigner?  Hundreds of thousands of Thai women are working in a bar tonight hoping the same will happen to them.  Are they not Thai????  Don't they count in the stats????

 

What about all the Thai's working abroad doing jobs that westerners refuse to do in western countries????  Who wouldn't want to do the same job, but in a country that pays a lot more???? 

 

You sound like you have a business or property here.  Every link I post backs up my comments.  If you disagree, please post a link showing I am wrong and I will gladly issue a TV Forum apology for any "misinformation." 

OMG...You continue with youR silly falsehoods.

 

Who said thailand houses can be bought as foreign freehold? Of course they cannot.

 

To repeat...Condos can be bought foreign freehold in thailand. Foreigners owning a foreign freehold condo own their proportionate share(up to 49% of the units) of the condos underlying land and have voting rights. It is essentially the same as the western world. Get it??

 

Vietnam only sells 50 year leases, and there are a number of restrictions on usage. Google it and see for yourself. Understand???

 

Thailand maintains a huge advantage in regards to foreign freehold condo status. That is a fact, and thats probably the biggest reason there are relatively few foreigners living in vietnam.

 

I did business with Vietnamese business owners. During business dealings they revealed the true state of affairs for the vietnamese business owners. Nobody knows the Vietnam challenges better than them.

 

Actually, there are relatively very few thais living overseas compared to other asian nationalities who have emmigrated around the world in vast numbers. Ever wonder why its so hard to get authentic thai food cooked by thais outside Thailand?

 

Unlike myself, you seem to be an expert on the wants and needs of bar girls. So i cant argue with your bar girl theories. 

[Tofer]

17 hours ago, Mysterion said:

Thanks for expanding on your original trollish short remark.

 

We can all appreciate why some people would prefer to re-locate to much cheaper and  isolated/quieter countryside locations as they get older. 

 

Surely you could also agree that, for many people, there are many attractive things about phuket as well? Afterall, phuket must be offering some things of value to have become the top beach holiday destination in Asia.

 

Phuket and Koh Lanta are like apples and oranges. Some prefer apples and others prefer oranges, and there are significant tradeoffs between the two locations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Attractions maybe, but "attractive" is pushing the image a bit too far IMHO. You can hardly see the island for the overdevelopment there, and there's nothing attractive about high rise condos and wall to wall hotels.

 

Every time I cross the bridge between Lanta Yai and Noi I marvel at the unspoilt views of Lanta Noi, not a single man made impression on the vista whatsoever.

 

Check out the type of tourists, I wouldn't say it's a "top beach holiday destination", just busy.... 

 

I would be very interested to know what you perceive as being "things of value" in your opinion? Kindly enlighten us.

[xylophone]

And addressing the thread heading (again):- "Anything new or interesting in Phuket"...………….The Russians are back in Patong and in bigger numbers than I have seen for years.

 

And it looks likely to continue as a business owner here, who has friends who own "budget" type small hotels has said that all four of their hotels are fully booked now and for months ahead with Russians. Not only that they are out in force as I witnessed last night, but not many drinks on their tables...…….getting their fill on cheap vodka from the stores, before they head out perhaps?????

[NamKangMan]

7 hours ago, Mysterion said:

OMG...You continue with youR silly falsehoods.

 

Who said thailand houses can be bought as foreign freehold? Of course they cannot.

 

To repeat...Condos can be bought foreign freehold in thailand. ondo own their proportionate share(up to 49% of the units) of the condos underlying land and have voting rights. It is essentially the same as the western world. Get it?? Foreigners owning a foreign freehold c

 

Vietnam only sells 50 year leases, and there are a number of restrictions on usage. it and see for yGoogleourself. Understand???

 

Thailand maintains a huge advantage in regards to foreign freehold condo status. That is a fact, and thats probably the biggest reason there are relatively few foreigners living in vietnam.

 

I did business with Vietnamese business owners. During business dealings they revealed the true state of affairs for the vietnamese business owners. Nobody knows the Vietnam challenges better than them.

 

Actually, there are relatively very few thais living overseas compared to other asian nationalities who have emmigrated around the world in vast numbers. Ever wonder why its so hard to get authentic thai food cooked by thais outside Thailand?

 

Unlike myself, you seem to be an expert on the wants and needs of bar girls. So i cant argue with your bar girl theories. 

 

Oh dear.  You have obviously exposed yourself and refuse to accept the facts.

 

"Who said thailand houses can be bought as foreign freehold? Of course they cannot." - "Condos can be bought foreign freehold in thailand." - these are your words, not mine.

 

The condo sits on land that can not be owned by a foreigner in the same way a house does.  Now, is that correct?  It's a yes or no answer.

 

"Foreigners owning a foreign freehold condo own their proportionate share(up to 49% of the units)" - since when is 49% "freehold?"

 

"It is essentially the same as the western world." - rubbish.  A Thai can go to my home country and buy a house 100% in their name.  A foreigner can not come to Thailand and do the same.  "Get it?" 

 

Below is the wiki definition of "freehold." 

 

See this line:  "ownership of it must be of an indeterminate duration."  What is the maximum a foreigner can use land in Thailand????  Remember, the x 30 x 30 does not exist in law here.  At least Vietnam is offering 50 years.  I have provided links to show this.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freehold_(law)

 

"Actually, there are relatively very few thais living overseas compared to other asian nationalities" - so, you go from comparing the number of Vietnamese living abroad to the number of Thai's living abroad, to now it's the amount of "Asians" living abroad.  In any case, link please.

 

I love this line: "condo own their proportionate share(up to 49% of the units) of the condos underlying land and have voting rights." - and the developer, or his Thai company, owns the other 51% of land the condo sit on.  That's a majority share.  Good luck out voting them.  ????

 

"Google it and see for yourself." - no. YOU Google it and see for yourself.

 

"Unlike myself, you seem to be an expert on the wants and needs of bar girls." - your personal attack is wasted on me.  The Vietnam War saw many South Vietnamese refugees to America and Australia, because they worked with these two countries during the war.  Also as a result of the war, Thailand's tourism industry really kicked off, particularly its sex tourism, through American soldiers.  However, Vietnamese have stopped seeking refugee status, whilst Thai sex workers still seek a foreign "sponsor."