I need serious info on living in Cambodia or vietnam

[Pattaya46]

1 hour ago, yuyiinthesky said:

// However not so much Phnom Penh, but more Siem Reap and Kampot.

Kampot !?? Seriously I don't think that many of us could live in Kampot! 

It's a tiny city. Very very quiet. Perfect to rest for a weekend, but not longer!

There is just nothing there! You can walk around the whole Kampot in 1 hour.

You can even do it walking in the middle of the street, as traffic is nearly non-existent!

Ok, it's quiet & nice, for walk, boat, mountain bike, photos...

but again just for a short holiday... IMHO... 

 

[Deerculler]

Philippines mate.

[davemos]

On 6/2/2020 at 10:49 AM, PatchinExPat said:

Hey thanks , maybe we can talk further some time in the future. Sounds good.

Cambodia  is the wild west  .good luck 

[davemos]

On 6/3/2020 at 4:50 AM, Pattaya46 said:

Easy visa? Only for 30-days periods for tourists and retirees ! 

Have to renew visa every 30 days 

Thailand give you 1 year for retirement, mariage,...

Check 

[davemos]

Vietnam is great easy to lve and move forward

[Ron jeremy]

I second Vietnam, friendly people, loved it, Cambodia?????? Another pattaya, filthy and full of sex tourists. Third world, live there????? Really???

[RemyDog]

6 hours ago, theonetrueaussie said:

Don't listen to the haters, the thing you need to realize is that most people who have moved on and are much much happier by the way no longer visit these forums. Many people have found that thailand is no longer the place it was 7 years ago...let alone more then that, Why live here when quality of life is constantly going down, Nearly everyone I know here has moved to either vietnam or Philippines and is much more content with the quality of life.

As for which is better you will have to do some travel and stay in places for 2-3 months and then determine which place you like best. Don't be miserable and stay here hoping things get better and return to how it was in the past...it's just not going to happen!

Very wise and considered words. Try before you buy as suggested for 2-3 months in potential locations. A good tool to help in assessing each place is to develop a simple checklist of criteria or factors that are significant to you in your longer term decision making. Across the page or spreadsheet have 3 columns and rate each factor as one of :

A. Must have,

B. Must NOT have

C. Nice to have ( = an added benefit)  .

Do/use that template for each location and then, depending on your mindset (left brain or right brain) you could weight the importance to you of the different factors and come up with a numeric score per location, OR, use your page per location to come to a short list of preferred locations and then follow your heart to pick the winner.   Male logic is very different to female logic.  

[Ron jeremy]

7 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Da Nang beach is really nice, but it's too dull to live there.

1 week holiday is about it.

Photo taken while I was there last year.

Yes, if you have no game and can't pick up woman, stay away, go to cambo,  if you can use the Internet, da nang is probably the best value for gals. Viet gals are by far in a league of their own, .

[BritManToo]

Just now, Ron jeremy said:

Yes, if you have no game and can't pick up woman, stay away, go to cambo,

At 65 years old, no woman I wanted would want me ...... no matter how good my game.

Ask Roosh, master of game, after 40 he got nothing except religion.

[davemos]

8 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

At 65 years old, no woman I wanted would want me ...... no matter how good my game.

Ask Roosh, master of game, after 40 he got nothing except religion.

 

 

57 minutes ago, davemos said:

Cambodia  is the wild west  .good luck 

 

Danang is small and easy to get around Many visa easy bars 24 hours  if you want 

I have condo easy food is good  Cant get out of Thai right now 

[davemos]

I have info if you want 

[rumak]

2 hours ago, Deli said:

1st of all, dump the wife and her family. Get away from them ASAP and don't let them know where you are. Change your phone number, Facebook, etc,  And than, as the others suggested, take your time to travel around, when it will be possible again. I got divorced myself and after that, I was happy again.

good advice.    very few takers

[davemos]

Cambodia gangs of pickpockets  everywhere and girls cheap beers 18 baht  VN is controlled but easy to make a life and cleaner too 

[Scouse123]

If the OP has approximately 100,000 baht a month to live off, he can basically live anywhere in the region, either in Thailand on retirement visa or Cambodia, Philippines etc.

 

Vietnam is great but is changing quite a few rules lately. Laos is nice and easy as well as a gentle way of life if you are older.

 

Siem Reap in Cambodia is OK, but you have no beaches there. I get bored after five or six days maximum. You wouldn't want the beach place of Sihanoukville, too much development and Chinese.

 

Why not Cebu in the Philippines where US citizens are still popular and no language worries? Easy to stay as well as a US citizen.

 

With 100K a month, you have loads of options and should not be talking about considering jumping off tall buildings unless your name is Clark Kent.

[BritManToo]

7 hours ago, davemos said:

Cambodia gangs of pickpockets

Plenty if videos of Viet pickpocket gangs around.

Keep your hand on your wallet in crowds.

[5633572526]

On 6/3/2020 at 4:50 AM, Pattaya46 said:

Easy visa? Only for 30-days periods for tourists and retirees ! 

Have to renew visa every 30 days 

Thailand give you 1 year for retirement, mariage,...

USA citizens get easy 1 year visa on the internet without any immigration interaction except of course at the airport. It’s my favorite holiday place so I get a visa every year.

[Oztruckie]

19 hours ago, EricTh said:

@PatchinExPat

 

So what made you change your mind since you said you met a Thai lady of good moral? 

Think the OP used one word to describe his situation "ungrateful"

[Burma Bill]

On 6/3/2020 at 4:50 AM, Pattaya46 said:

Easy visa? Only for 30-days periods for tourists and retirees ! 

Have to renew visa every 30 days 

Thailand give you 1 year for retirement, mariage,...

Please note, if you are over 50, Cambodia will issue you with a 6 month (165 US$) or one year (US 300) retirement visa with no complications and once issued, NO FURTHER REPORTING until its renewal through an appointed agent. You do not deal with Immigration direct as all visas are issued from Phnom Penh. 

[Burma Bill]

Some "posters" seem to have missed the point. As I see it, this gentleman wants to LEAVE Thailand and is seeking advice for a relaxed and uncomplicated life in retirement in Cambodia or Vietnam. Heavens forbid, why keep telling him to move south to Pattaya and Phuket etc. He will still be lumbered with bureaucratic paperwork, Big Brother reporting and complicated financial requirements such as the "800,000 baht in the bank" stupidity.  He is a pensioner, like myself, who appears not to want this financial burden restricting his lifestyle and spending power. This is one of the reasons I "escaped" Amazing Trusted Thailand after nearly 20 years - good riddance LOS!!!

[tlandtday]

19 hours ago, Pattaya46 said:

No doubt that beaches & nature are better near Phuket, but there are countless of complains from Phuket expats on this forum about how bad (and pricey) the is transport system, how bad and difficult is Phuket Immigration, etc. So unsure it's the best place to retire... 

Simply get a motorbike.  Eat where the locals eat avoid the tourist trap restaurants.  Problem solved.

[tlandtday]

3 minutes ago, Burma Bill said:

Some "posters" seem to have missed the point. As I see it, this gentleman wants to LEAVE Thailand and is seeking advice for a relaxed and uncomplicated life in retirement in Cambodia or Vietnam. Heavens forbid, why keep telling him to move south to Pattaya and Phuket etc. He will still be lumbered with bureaucratic paperwork, Big Brother reporting and complicated financial requirements such as the "800,000 baht in the bank" stupidity.  He is a pensioner, like myself, who appears not to want this financial burden restricting his lifestyle and spending power. This is one of the reasons I t"escaped" Amazing Trusted Thailand after nearly 20 years - good riddance LOS!!!

True however many simply pay an agent and presto problem solved and first class treatment.  

[CNXexpat]

On 6/2/2020 at 9:28 AM, PatchinExPat said:

Thailand makes it harder and harder to live here

What has changed during the last years? Nothing. The same stupid paper work once a year, the same 400k at the bank account, the same annoying 90 days report. And it´s much easier than in Vietnam since they have new rules. 

[Burma Bill]

5 minutes ago, CNXexpat said:

What has changed during the last years? Nothing. The same stupid paper work once a year, the same 400k at the bank account, the same annoying 90 days report. And it´s much easier than in Vietnam since they have new rules. 

Yes there are changes - 400k for some (married) with mandatory medical insurance, but for unmarried retirees now 800,000 baht (was 400,000 baht many years ago).

[CNXexpat]

40 minutes ago, Burma Bill said:

Yes there are changes - 400k for some (married) with mandatory medical insurance, but for unmarried retirees now 800,000 baht (was 400,000 baht many years ago).

Nobody asked me 2 months ago for an insurance. And he is married, so the change for unmarried people doesn´t effect him. 

[drbeach]

23 hours ago, leggo said:

as an ex surfer at 75 who has seen a few beaches in my time Da Nang has a long bit pretty dull and dirty beach and i wouldn't put it n the top 100! however Vietnam where i have lived for the last five years is def cheaper than Thailand , the people are lovely and there's a lot of choices where to live and the visa situation is much easier  than Thailand ( where isnt ?)

 

That may change though. The Vietnam government has so far tolerated long stays on tourist visas but according to news that pre-dates corona, they intend to limit tourist visas to 1 month in the future and there is no retirement visa option. Therefore, don't make the mistake of assuming Vietnam is easy visa-wise as that could change at a moment's notice. I would always have a backup plan.

 

As for the rest of your comment, I definitely agree. Vietnam is nice and cheaper than Thailand; always has been even on my first visit back in 2003.

[drbeach]

1 hour ago, Burma Bill said:

Some "posters" seem to have missed the point. As I see it, this gentleman wants to LEAVE Thailand and is seeking advice for a relaxed and uncomplicated life in retirement in Cambodia or Vietnam. Heavens forbid, why keep telling him to move south to Pattaya and Phuket etc. He will still be lumbered with bureaucratic paperwork, Big Brother reporting and complicated financial requirements such as the "800,000 baht in the bank" stupidity.  He is a pensioner, like myself, who appears not to want this financial burden restricting his lifestyle and spending power. This is one of the reasons I "escaped" Amazing Trusted Thailand after nearly 20 years - good riddance LOS!!!

Big brother reporting has now been extended to Cambodia. The new reporting requirement (not really new, but newly enforced I should add) is in the form of an app similar to TM30 and is now a requirement to get visas extended. Conveniently rolled out now, although it has been talked about for over a year.

[steven100]

loose the blood sucking wifey and head off to Malaysia, I have been there many times and always enjoy going back. I've been to Vietnam, Philippines and Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar.

Cambodia is fine, it's just like a step down from Thailand. I find Malaysia a good choice, the food is extensive, there are expat communities in Bukit Butang, many Americans, British & Australians. The area also has loads of top restaurants.

Lots of greenery with nice parks and gardens and generally KL looks reasonably clean within the inner city.

Good hospitals and travel around Malaysia is easy. Beaches, Forests, National parks and plenty to see and do. KL nightlife is fine, and shopping is good with plenty of international food brands available.

[Pattaya46]

5 hours ago, 5633572526 said:

[Vietnam] USA citizens get easy 1 year visa on the internet without any immigration interaction except of course at the airport. It’s my favorite holiday place so I get a visa every year.

I thing that you missed the changes who are coming in July 1st. 

 

What you say is how it used to work until now, but from next month you will only get an authorisation of stay (residence term) for 30 days when you arrive in Vietnam, whatever tourist visa you have (1, 3 or 12 months). For longer stays you will have to renew this authorisation at immigration.

 

See by exemple section Residence Term on this page

 

Edited June 6, 2020 by Pattaya46

[Burma Bill]

46 minutes ago, drbeach said:

Big brother reporting has now been extended to Cambodia. The new reporting requirement (not really new, but newly enforced I should add) is in the form of an app similar to TM30 and is now a requirement to get visas extended. Conveniently rolled out now, although it has been talked about for over a year.

Yes indeed, registration on the new FPCS is required for visa extension but unlike a Big Brother TM30 one does not have to report to Immigration when travelling inter-provincially as in Thailand or every 90-days if a resident. I am registered on FPCS (done by my landlord as mandated) and that is it until I renew my retirement visa, then that is it for another year.  Note, officially all foreigners, including tourists, must be registered on the app with the onus on the landlord, hotel, hostel, guest house etc. after you show/check in with your passport. I am sure it is going to be "flexible".

[scoupeo]

23 hours ago, Scouse123 said:

If the OP has approximately 100,000 baht a month to live off, he can basically live anywhere in the region, either in Thailand on retirement visa or Cambodia, Philippines etc.

 

Vietnam is great but is changing quite a few rules lately. Laos is nice and easy as well as a gentle way of life if you are older.

 

Siem Reap in Cambodia is OK, but you have no beaches there. I get bored after five or six days maximum. You wouldn't want the beach place of Sihanoukville, too much development and Chinese.

 

Why not Cebu in the Philippines where US citizens are still popular and no language worries? Easy to stay as well as a US citizen.

 

With 100K a month, you have loads of options and should not be talking about considering jumping off tall buildings unless your name is Clark Kent.

 

 

how to live in Laos please ? what kind of visa ? I cannot find any information.