the grass was not necessarily greener in Vietnam.

 

With air pollution levels that sky-high, I'm amazed there's any grass left! 

22 hours ago, chaila said:

Cebu Philippines 21

Cha Am (where I live now) 120. Farnham, Surrey (my old town) 8!

 

What am I doing here?

Edited February 21, 20206 yr by Krataiboy

15 hours ago, Airalee said:

Nome, Alaska  0

 

I better get there quick before the secret gets out. ????

What are the beaches and bargirls like?

21 minutes ago, Krataiboy said:

What are the beaches and bargirls like?

Ice-cold and stoned-faced?

16 hours ago, Airalee said:

Nome, Alaska  0

 

I better get there quick before the secret gets out. ????

Or all the ice melts.

i was in Hanoi for Songkran and the air was so bad that i had flee back to the hotel.  btw it was very difficult to find masks in Hanoi.  

why don't more Thai's protest about the air quality.  maybe they would listen to them instead of us.

I lived all over Thailand, Malasia, Cambodia, Hanoi, northern Vietnam, and if you want to shorten your life by a few years then retire in Thailand and other countries in S.E. Asia. If you don't want to choke to death then pick a country that has clean air. For me, as I got older it got extremely hard to live in Thailand because of the polution. I finally had to pack up and leave. You need to think about your health as you age, Thailand and many parts of S.E. Asia are probably the worst place you could pick for retirement IMHO.

So many expats sell out and retire in S.E. Asia without knowing they will suffer horribly as they age because of the pollution. 

Edited February 21, 20206 yr by garyk

1 hour ago, garyk said:

I lived all over Thailand, Malasia, Cambodia, Hanoi, northern Vietnam, and if you want to shorten your life by a few years then retire in Thailand and other countries in S.E. Asia. If you don't want to choke to death then pick a country that has clean air. For me, as I got older it got extremely hard to live in Thailand because of the polution. I finally had to pack up and leave. You need to think about your health as you age, Thailand and many parts of S.E. Asia are probably the worst place you could pick for retirement IMHO.

So many expats sell out and retire in S.E. Asia without knowing they will suffer horribly as they age because of the pollution. 

The USA is only a little bit better than Thailand:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_life_expectancy

2 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

The USA is only a little bit better than Thailand:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_life_expectancy

Vietnam is worse than Thailand

Absolute trash story. People don’t move to Hanoi from Thailand. They go to HMNC or Da Nang mostly. Da Nang often has clean air.

 

Thailand has lost. It’s moving backwards and getting worse. Deal with it. 
 

Counting down the days until I’m gone. 

4 hours ago, garyk said:

I lived all over Thailand, Malasia, Cambodia, Hanoi, northern Vietnam, and if you want to shorten your life by a few years then retire in Thailand and other countries in S.E. Asia. If you don't want to choke to death then pick a country that has clean air. For me, as I got older it got extremely hard to live in Thailand because of the polution. I finally had to pack up and leave. You need to think about your health as you age, Thailand and many parts of S.E. Asia are probably the worst place you could pick for retirement IMHO.

So many expats sell out and retire in S.E. Asia without knowing they will suffer horribly as they age because of the pollution. 

I leave here in a few months and am leaving Asia. Not interested in the air pollution, noise pollution, xenophobia, and overcrowding anymore.

 

It’s a huge world and there’s no reason anyone should live where they have to wear a mask or add air purifiers to their home for clean air. Immigration is a mess too. No thanks. I’m over it.

3 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

The USA is only a little bit better than Thailand:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_life_expectancy

That is right, you will loose about two years of your life if you live in Thailand compared to the US. The problem with that chart is the quality of life when you age. In Thailand you will choke and live a very bad quality of life. In the US you will not be choking, and the quality of life is so much better. I am now in the Texas and I am looking to move part time to Mexico and Central America. It took about 2 months to get rid of the hacking cough when I left Thailand. I can actually breath again and exercise outdoors. You may not think 2 years is much but the quality of life is what matters to me.

Not to mention the horrible retirement rules in Thailand, what the heck is all that nonsense about. 

Edited February 21, 20206 yr by garyk

2 minutes ago, garyk said:

That is right, you will loose about two years of your life if you live in Thailand compared to the US. The problem with that chart is the quality of life when you age. In Thailand you will choke and live a very bad quality of life. In the US you will not be choking, and the quality of life is so much better. I am now in the Texas and I am looking to move part time to Mexico and Central America. It took about 2 months to get rid of the hacking cough when I left Thailand. I can actually breath again and exercise outdoors. You may not think 2 years is much but the quality of life is what matters to me.

Yes. Much better for all if you and fellow expats move back and grab those two years.

6 minutes ago, garyk said:

That is right, you will loose about two years of your life if you live in Thailand compared to the US. The problem with that chart is the quality of life when you age. In Thailand you will choke and live a very bad quality of life. In the US you will not be choking, and the quality of life is so much better. I am now in the Texas and I am looking to move part time to Mexico and Central America. It took about 2 months to get rid of the hacking cough when I left Thailand. I can actually breath again and exercise outdoors. You may not think 2 years is much but the quality of life is what matters to me.

Not to mention the horrible retirement rules in Thailand, what the heck is all that nonsense about. 

Where in Texas if you don’t mind me asking?  I visited Austin years ago and liked it quite a bit, but it has become very expensive and the property taxes were astronomical.  I thought about Mexico (isla mujeres) but every time I went to Mexico I would get very sick (gastrointestinal issues).

1 hour ago, garyk said:

That is right, you will loose about two years of your life if you live in Thailand compared to the US. The problem with that chart is the quality of life when you age. In Thailand you will choke and live a very bad quality of life. In the US you will not be choking, and the quality of life is so much better. I am now in the Texas and I am looking to move part time to Mexico and Central America. It took about 2 months to get rid of the hacking cough when I left Thailand. I can actually breath again and exercise outdoors. You may not think 2 years is much but the quality of life is what matters to me.

Not to mention the horrible retirement rules in Thailand, what the heck is all that nonsense about. 

Quality of life is fantastic when it comes to fit young girls. You won't get that in Kansas Dorothy 

Farang are big cry babies on social media 

I have 2 long term older mates, both in their eighties have been here twenty years still going strong in Bangkok , neither a TV member and good for them because according to TV they should be dead 20 years ago 

Edited February 21, 20206 yr by madmen

24 minutes ago, madmen said:

Quality of life is fantastic when it comes to fit young girls. You won't get that in Kansas Dorothy 

Farang are big cry babies on social media 

I have 2 long term older mates, both in their eighties have been here twenty years still going strong in Bangkok , neither a TV member and good for them because according to TV they should be dead 20 years ago 

You can still choke he chicken in the U.S

2 hours ago, madmen said:

Quality of life is fantastic when it comes to fit young girls. You won't get that in Kansas Dorothy 

Farang are big cry babies on social media 

I have 2 long term older mates, both in their eighties have been here twenty years still going strong in Bangkok , neither a TV member and good for them because according to TV they should be dead 20 years ago 

I also read any child born in S.E. Asia will loose 2 years of their life because of the Air quality in S.E. Asia. 

4 hours ago, Traubert said:

Yes. Much better for all if you and fellow expats move back and grab those two years.

Yup, I am out. No regrets what so ever.

 

 

4 hours ago, Airalee said:

Where in Texas if you don’t mind me asking?  I visited Austin years ago and liked it quite a bit, but it has become very expensive and the property taxes were astronomical.  I thought about Mexico (isla mujeres) but every time I went to Mexico I would get very sick (gastrointestinal issues).

I am in Southern Texas. I retired when I was in Austin. Greatest place I have ever lived, but as you say the taxes and housing prices drove me out. I sold out and bought a small home in South Texas, North West San Antonio. 

I just got back from Mexico about a month ago. I didn't have any problems this time. But, I have started really watching what I drink. Only bottled water in restaurant's and no smoothies, anything with water in it. I love the food, and I really have to watch my weight in Mexico.

I was 10 years in Thailand, had a great time. But, the pollution tipped the scales. 

I will happily give up 2 years of my life and enjoy what I have left with the company of cute young girls.

The US is purgatory for older folks I would rather be here thanks.

5 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

I will happily give up 2 years of my life and enjoy what I have left with the company of cute young girls.

The US is purgatory for older folks I would rather be here thanks.

Have fun. I kinda agree with you in a way. Luckily I don't stay here much. My goal is to hit the road and stay gone until I cannot chew my food.. haha 

But, I have a place to light when I get to that point.

Edited February 22, 20206 yr by garyk

Have checked Vietnam recently again...

Way more people, way more chineese tourists and russians, i think maybe the communist brother thing...

But the main negative is the NOISE in Vietnam. Millions of scooters, and they (and the cars and trucks etc?) KLAXON ALL THE TIME !!! Crazy. Even at night with nobody on the road a driver will klaxon there !

That's a no-stay for me, countries where people live like rogue animals barkling with their klaxon like crazy.

And many countries are like that, Philipinnes, Colombia, Etc. Very annoying, and it's a big pollution (sonore).

Thailand is very quiet, that's rare, and appreciated.

20 minutes ago, garyk said:

I am in Southern Texas. I retired when I was in Austin. Greatest place I have ever lived, but as you say the taxes and housing prices drove me out. I sold out and bought a small home in South Texas, North West San Antonio. 

I just got back from Mexico about a month ago. I didn't have any problems this time. But, I have started really watching what I drink. Only bottled water in restaurant's and no smoothies, anything with water in it. I love the food, and I really have to watch my weight in Mexico.

I was 10 years in Thailand, had a great time. But, the pollution tipped the scales. 

I don’t know why I always got sick in Mexico.  I too only drank bottled water (even brushed my teeth with it).  No ice in drinks.  I also avoided all salads and fruit that I didn’t have to peel. But every time, within 24 hours I would have constant black(ish) diarrhea until I returned home.  I finally had to quit going after a half dozen or so trips.  I definitely miss the food.  Mexican food in Thailand doesn’t even come close to what I ate there or could get elsewhere in the US.  I still want to visit again and will take my chances.

22 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

I will happily give up 2 years of my life and enjoy what I have left with the company of cute young girls.

The US is purgatory for older folks I would rather be here thanks.

Danang has clean crisp air and stunning beaches without aggressive stray dogS chasing u. Surely  a man with ur stature could get some sort of youngish company even there.

On 2/20/2020 at 8:32 PM, Isaanbiker said:

The visa situation doesn't seem to be better.

 

   The girls do not seem to be better.

 

    The weather doesn't seem to be better.

 

   In my opinion, those who went to Vietnam, because they were so fed up with all the immigration laws, etc. might not jump in and say that it was a mistake to move to Vietnam after giving up all in Thailand.

 

    Think twice before you make such a decision. I'm in no way interested in going to Vietnam. 

 

  

 

  

 

        

Not even if the girls were better?

47 minutes ago, garyk said:

I also read any child born in S.E. Asia will loose 2 years of their life because of the Air quality in S.E. Asia. 

They will loose more then just 2 years on average if from birth on staying. Some areas the polluted air has the same effect as smoking one pack of sigarettes a day.

The air pollution in HCMC was really bad for me 6yr ago ., my eyes was hurting like a stun of pepper spray . . SMOG all over the place . . . ill not returning any time soon.

9 hours ago, garyk said:

That is right, you will loose about two years of your life if you live in Thailand compared to the US. The problem with that chart is the quality of life when you age. In Thailand you will choke and live a very bad quality of life. In the US you will not be choking, and the quality of life is so much better. I am now in the Texas and I am looking to move part time to Mexico and Central America. It took about 2 months to get rid of the hacking cough when I left Thailand. I can actually breath again and exercise outdoors. You may not think 2 years is much but the quality of life is what matters to me.

Not to mention the horrible retirement rules in Thailand, what the heck is all that nonsense about. 

They want old people to have money as they get stiffed by loads of them not paying their medical bills.

4 hours ago, garyk said:

I also read any child born in S.E. Asia will loose 2 years of their life because of the Air quality in S.E. Asia. 

And in Japan and Hongkong they live 5 years longer than in the USA