Pattaya Versus DaNang and the winner is?

[KhunHeineken]

On 8/23/2019 at 2:38 PM, St George said:

 

 

As young Thais use local short rooms..

Yes, but the Vietnamese have the extended family model.  With the Thai's, many move away to the bigger cities for work, and I don't just mean bar girls.  Tourism in the south of the country is one industry that takes the younger Thai's away from their family.  The Vietnamese tend to say close to home, but the culture is changing very fast, and they are becoming more independent and less traditional.

[Destiny1990]

 

HANOI - Unmasking a shady Vietnamese taxi driver has made Alex Hageraats a celebrity. The Amsterdammer, who was on holiday with his family in the Asian country, came in as the average tourist, but left as the guest of honor from the Far East.

The special adventure began when Hageraats took a taxi to the hotel after an outing in the city of Hanoi. His girlfriend Saskia was already on her way back with two of the children, but the Amsterdammer and his two boys soon realized that something was wrong when they were driven back.

"There was something wrong with the meter," he explains. "He vibrated in a strange way. I knew that the ride had to cost about two euros converted, but when we arrived there was twenty euros on the meter, 410,000 dong instead of 41,000 dong. "

He refused to pay that, but the taxi driver was certainly not going to settle for a lower amount. "He threatened us via Google Translate. We read that he wanted to kidnap us, would take my watch if we didn't pay. He had also locked the doors so that we couldn't just get out. The boys were quite shocked, so I just paid. ”

Yet he did not leave it at that. He made sure to take a photo of the license plate  and came in contact with the Vietnam tourism office through the guide they had during their four-week vacation.

We weren't expecting much, but we noticed that after a day trip to a village on stilts we suddenly got a  suite when we got back to our hotel. We soon heard that they had found the "culprit". We were immediately invited by the ministry, where we were received as VIPs. "

 

The authorities were overjoyed that there was finally a tourist complaining about being scammed , even despite the small amount of money in Europe It became an important matter for the Vietnam bureau of tourism.

The Dutch then ended up in a scene that they could never have imagined. The shady taxi driver, Pham Viet Kieu, had to apologize publicly, on national television, to the Dutch and, in addition receiving a fine of just under 400 euros, and he had to return the twenty euros to the Dutch family.

"It was shaking hands with many prominent people, and we were given special mountain tea that normally costs 50 euros per cup." "We couldn't walk past a kiosk without seeing our face in the newspapers ," continues the Amsterdammer. "That was a very strange sensation. I also felt kinda sorry for the taxi driver that he had to undergo this humiliation.

 

He emphasizes that reporting scams abroad can certainly make sense. "We were told that there is never a tourist who reports. Then they can't work on it either. Vietnam is a beautiful country with very friendly people, they are just not waiting for negative publicity. We were very impressed with what was happening, but can now also laugh about it. ”

[drbeach]

On 8/13/2019 at 11:36 AM, jacko45k said:

Such a rule, in Thailand, would not be popular, even with the current regime, very much in control.

Imagine such rules in say The USA!

So? It's already a rule in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar. If they can do it so can Thailand.

[jacko45k]

16 minutes ago, drbeach said:

So? It's already a rule in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar. If they can do it so can Thailand.

There are differences, Thais do not like to restrict their own. Although the distinction is recently fuzzy, all those other countries have different types of Government. Look it up.

[lapd]

On 4/26/2019 at 5:10 PM, marcusarelus said:

If Vietnamese get sick they come to Thailand.  GDP per capita is about 3 times higher in Thailand.  https://countryeconomy.com/countries/compare/vietnam/thailand

Corruption increase 56% Vietnam vs Thailand 14% https://www.transparency.org/news/feature/corruption_in_asia_pacific_what_20000_people_told_us

 

In Thailand 9 die before 1 year.  Vietnam 17.  54 die childbirth out of 1000 in Thailand 20.  https://www.mylifeelsewhere.com/compare/thailand/vietnam

 

 

A lot of those could also be bad reasons to live in Thailand longer term.  Higher GDP means higher cost of living.  Expats usually use the private hospitals or go home if they get sick.  So deaths per year are not necessarily relevant for expats.

[Leaver]

On 9/3/2019 at 6:28 PM, jacko45k said:

There are differences, Thais do not like to restrict their own. Although the distinction is recently fuzzy, all those other countries have different types of Government. Look it up.

Article 44

[Leaver]

On 9/5/2019 at 11:45 AM, lapd said:

Expats usually use the private hospitals or go home if they get sick. 

Expats in Vietnam are similar.  For minor things, like cuts requiring stitches, they use local hospitals.  For more serious issues, they fly to Bangkok for an operation.  For life threatening issues, they return to their home country. 

[davemos]

On 4/28/2019 at 1:48 PM, Chivas said:

So whats the crack on an entry visa say for a 2 week trip  ?? (side trip from Pattaya)

Do you need to apply in advance back in your home country. Do you just turn up at immigration  ??

Thanks

e visa is the way to go .if uk passport dont need anything just get stamped at immigration. careful they're a lot of visa sites that are really agents and.charge accordingly simple  Im in Danang now

[Destiny1990]

1 hour ago, davemos said:

e visa is the way to go .if uk passport dont need anything just get stamped at immigration. careful they're a lot of visa sites that are really agents and.charge accordingly simple  Im in Danang now

So how is your stay there?

[Leaver]

16 hours ago, davemos said:

e visa is the way to go .if uk passport dont need anything just get stamped at immigration. careful they're a lot of visa sites that are really agents and.charge accordingly simple  Im in Danang now

Yes, here's the list of visa exempt countries.  I expect more countries to be added to the list in the near future.

 

https://vietnamembassy-thailand.org/which-countries-are-exempt-from-vietnam-visa/

[Leaver]

On 10/15/2019 at 9:17 PM, davemos said:

Im in Danang now

I spoke to a friend in Danang last night.  I was told it's pouring rain.  BBC weather confirms there are big storms in the area. 

 

What have you been able to do in such heavy rain?

Edited October 18, 2019 by Leaver

[davemos]

Buy an umbrella! The streets dont seem to flood though and today its beautiful ! Pic from my room!

[BritManToo]

Did DaNang, did Hanoi, back to Saigon in January, already booked a room for $16/night with a rooftop patio.

Flights were a bit expensive now AIrAsia has stopped flying from CNX to SGN, Vietjet was 4,800bht.

But in April. I'll probably go to DaNang again, or maybe get the bus to Hue for some cave swim and treks.

[madmen]

Vietnam? no way, when the boy's come to visit cant drag them away from pattaya. Da nang they are scrambling for flights out after a few days, dead as a dodo..Boring and makes sense posters gushing about Vietnam are actually living in Thailand... hmm I wonder why that is ??

[Leaver]

2 hours ago, madmen said:

makes sense posters gushing about Vietnam are actually living in Thailand... hmm I wonder why that is ??

Probably because not everyone is a sex tourists. 

[Leaver]

2 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Did DaNang, did Hanoi, back to Saigon in January, already booked a room for $16/night with a rooftop patio.

Flights were a bit expensive now AIrAsia has stopped flying from CNX to SGN, Vietjet was 4,800bht.

But in April. I'll probably go to DaNang again, or maybe get the bus to Hue for some cave swim and treks.

I expect Vietnam's tourists destinations to be quite busy the last 2 weeks of March, and the first 2 weeks of April, due to the Formula 1. 

 

Airfares may go up. 

 

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.tickets-for-the-2020-vietnam-grand-prix-on-sale-now.acEhLhk8JWJ2bUehed4w5.html

[Ron jeremy]

2 hours ago, davemos said:

Buy an umbrella! The streets dont seem to flood though and today its beautiful ! Pic from my room!

Proper infrastructure means no flooding 

the Thai’s should learn from them

but then again you can swim in the streets of Pattaya after a storm

a d the water is cleaner than the ocean

????????????????????

[BritManToo]

56 minutes ago, Leaver said:

Probably because not everyone is a sex tourists. 

Plenty of sex available in Vietnam.

[HLover]

Just now, BritManToo said:

Plenty of sex available in Vietnam.

Not for some of the Shrek-like ogres.

[Leaver]

32 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Plenty of sex available in Vietnam.

Yes, I know, but there is no place on the planet for the sex trade like Pattaya.  Nowhere else can compare. 

 

There's a reason why they call it, "The World's Brothel." 

[madmen]

3 hours ago, Leaver said:

Probably because not everyone is a sex tourists. 

That makes no sense so all the sex tourists are in Vietnam? 

[madmen]

3 hours ago, Leaver said:

5 hours ago, madmen said:

makes sense posters gushing about Vietnam are actually living in Thailand... hmm I wonder why that is ??

Probably because not everyone is a sex tourists. 

??

[DaRoadrunner]

3 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Plenty of sex available in Vietnam.

I suspect BritManToo is a hansum man and is referring to getting laid for free. (Or is he just bragging?)

[scubascuba3]

So the conclusion seems to be Da Nang is good for a short trip but too boring for long term living? maybe the equivalent of Jomtien?

I went to Da Nang 10 years ago and I can't remember it that's how bland it must have been

[atyclb]

2 hours ago, Leaver said:

3 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Plenty of sex available in Vietnam.

Yes, I know, but there is no place on the planet for the sex trade like Pattaya.  Nowhere else can compare. 

 

There's a reason why they call it, "The World's Brothel." 

 

me thinks you are confusing that with the expression "thailand, the worlds kitchen"

[atyclb]

28 minutes ago, DaRoadrunner said:

3 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Plenty of sex available in Vietnam.

I suspect BritManToo is a hansum man and is referring to getting laid for free. (Or is he just bragging?)

 

heard rumours about such things (laid for free) but didn't know if they were true

[Destiny1990]

1 hour ago, DaRoadrunner said:

I suspect BritManToo is a hansum man and is referring to getting laid for free. (Or is he just bragging?)

Can you name us one Gogo bar in Thailand where its free for you?

  

Edited October 18, 2019 by Destiny1990

[RoadWarrior371]

5 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Plenty of sex available in Vietnam.

Sex is never the problem in Asia, so no need to answer that question coming from the clenched sphincter squad.  The issue is what to do with the other 23 hours and 55 minutes of the day in Vietnam.  I guess you could watch paint dry, or other past-times.  Cheap Charlies will still wax poetic about Vietnam, versus admitting that they can no longer afford to live in a third world country like Thailand.

[madmen]

1 hour ago, scubascuba3 said:

maybe the equivalent of Jomtien?

Not unless there is the pattaya playground right next to it which makes jomtien desirable 

[fhickson]

4 hours ago, madmen said:

Not unless there is the pattaya playground right next to it which makes jomtien desirable 

after living in jomtein a couple months i could not stand it any longer and moved.

 

all it is most of the stretch is row after row of chairs and people who look, well dirty and unkept, to put it bluntly.

 

the street side is just a bunch of knick knap shops, bars and eating venues, none of which are particularly memorable or exceptional, in fact they are forgettable, but they get the job done.

 

your not going to see many beautiful bodies, healthy bodies and nice tans at this beach.

 

no venice beach vibe here.