Too  many Khmer  Rouge  memories for me.

2 hours ago, cyril sneer said:

spot on from my experience going there

Gary  Glitter  likes  it.

As some - not many - have said in this thread - Life is what you make it.

Those that say - "It's ...(hot, boring, yada yada yada) have only themselves to blame.

Just got back from a 2 day bike trip. Was it hot - Yes. Was it dusty - Yes.

Was it Fun - for Sure Yes. Great scenery, wash off in the waterfall mid-day, hotel had a pool and aircon. So come 1500 I am all cool again.

Waiting for the clock to say beer o'clock ... reminds me of my days in Pattaya when I first came here. Falangs sitting on the steps of 7-11 at 0800 with a beer, looking like they had just been run over.

Flock, Fight, or Hold the Light

1 hour ago, canthai55 said:

Just got back from a 2 day bike trip. Was it hot - Yes. Was it dusty - Yes.

Was it Fun - for Sure Yes. Great scenery, wash off in the waterfall mid-day, hotel had a pool and aircon. So come 1500 I am all cool again.

Well done you,

I just had a baked potato and chilli with a wine cooler for breakfast at 8:30am.

That was also fun, and hot, but not dusty.

Both countries have nice locations to visit, but dealing with the many fronts on which Thailand is underdeveloped is already challenging enough for me, so living in either Laos or Cambodia would be out of the question, I'm afraid.

3 hours ago, fusion58 said:

Both countries have nice locations to visit, but dealing with the many fronts on which Thailand is underdeveloped is already challenging enough for me, so living in either Laos or Cambodia would be out of the question, I'm afraid.

I live in north Laos.  I think the only challenging aspect that could occur would be if I needed decent medical care - it would maybe need Medivac to Thailand (I'm insured for this of course).  Hence the importance of staying healthy, not riding my motorbike fast or drunk etc.

 

Bu other challenging aspects?  There aren't any for me.  Sure, there's no Century 21 shopping centre, there's no beach.  But having lived by the beach in Phuket for many years, I don't miss the sea. I visit the Kuang Si waterfalls just outside town and swim there.

 

Off topic post has been removed:

 

Would you ever seriously think about moving to Cambodia or Laos?

18 hours ago, fusion58 said:

Both countries have nice locations to visit, but dealing with the many fronts on which Thailand is underdeveloped is already challenging enough for me, so living in either Laos or Cambodia would be out of the question, I'm afraid.

 

Do you have a Plan B just in case you are not able to live in Thailand in the future?  If so, where is it?    

On 3/26/2021 at 12:41 PM, WineOh said:

Did you get the address mate? I’m thinking about taking a trip to cambodia after all this is over ????

He just told you !   At some traffic lights...... pay attention that man. ????

On 3/31/2021 at 8:41 PM, Leaver said:

 

Do you have a Plan B just in case you are not able to live in Thailand in the future?  If so, where is it?    

I think that is always a legitimate concern for all expats in Thailand that don't have permanent residence or Thai citizenship, which is of course the vast majority.

I think the Philippines is very much an up and comer with all the money they are spending on infrastructure right now.  The PI is kind of in that sweet spot Thailand was in 15 years ago, where it's still cheap and yet not full blown 3rd world.  Also, less visa hassles and anti-foreigner sentiment compared to Thailand.

6 minutes ago, shdmn said:

I think the Philippines is very much an up and comer with all the money they are spending on infrastructure right now.  I think the poor infrastructure was a big reason people preferred Thailand over the PI.   Right now the PI is kind of in that sweet spot Thailand was in maybe 15 years ago where it's still quite cheap and the infrastructure was improving quite a bit.  A lot less visa hassles and anti-foreigner sentiment in general compared to Thailand as well.

Well yes and no. 

Of course right now there you can't get a new SRRV visa and those with SRRV visas which are supposed to give permanent residence can't return (OK if you're there and don't leave). But presumably that's mostly about Covid 19 (but there was also a crackdown on younger SRRV holders because so many Chinese and suspected of being spies). 

But as far as how the development is going, I do agree. 

I was there long ago (Manila, Cebu City and Dumaguete) and although I wouldn't want to live in either Manila or Cebu City Dumaguete probably got better since I've been there and I've been watching videos about Bacalod, Iloilo City, and areas in Cavite province outside Manila. As far as housing there appears to be a lot of quite cheap rentals of local style apartments but new build condos seem to be overpriced relative to their locations compared to Thailand. I like condo living because of the security. Also like Thailand, new build condos tend to be very small. But of course people need to do boots on the ground to really know. 

23 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Well yes and no. 

Of course right now there you can't get a new SRRV visa and those with SRRV visas which are supposed to give permanent residence can't return (OK if you're there and don't leave). But presumably that's mostly about Covid 19 (but there was also a crackdown on younger SRRV holders because so many Chinese and suspected of being spies). 

But as far as how the development is going, I do agree. 

I was there long ago (Manila, Cebu City and Dumaguete) and although I wouldn't want to live in either Manila or Cebu City Dumaguete probably got better since I've been there and I've been watching videos about Bacalod, Iloilo City, and areas in Cavite province outside Manila. As far as housing there appears to be a lot of quite cheap rentals of local style apartments but new build condos seem to be overpriced relative to their locations compared to Thailand. I like condo living because of the security. Also like Thailand, new build condos tend to be very small. But of course people need to do boots on the ground to really know. 

Brand new modern foreigner friendly condos in Mactan Newtown Cebu are going for quite cheap right now but that may just be temporary.  I think you can rent a one bedroom there for about $400 US a month right now.  I wouldn't have considered it before that new bridge.  It will be a lot easier getting over to Cebu city once that is opened, maybe later on this year.

 

Yeah Mactan outside of Cebu is interesting.

What has kind of shocked me are condo prices for teeny tiny places in very central locations in provincial cities. I don't totally get it but clearly they have a number of rapidly developing up and coming cities there. 

Not laos, but cambodia maybe, siem reap it has a wakepark. id certainly never return to the philipines to live.

 

At least the entire cambodian population doesn't pretend to speak english and thailand is easily accessible,or at least it was. 

28 minutes ago, shdmn said:

I think the Philippines is very much an up and comer with all the money they are spending on infrastructure right now.  The PI is kind of in that sweet spot Thailand was in 15 years ago, where it's still cheap and yet not full blown 3rd world.  Also, less visa hassles and anti-foreigner sentiment compared to Thailand.

I thunk you have to have lived in the philipines to understand what a <deleted>hole it really is. 

 

5 years there for work between stints in thailand. Id go back for a visit, but it genuinely is sub par as a place to live and getting around is a chore.

34 minutes ago, n00dle said:

I thunk you have to have lived in the philipines to understand what a <deleted>hole it really is. 

 

5 years there for work between stints in thailand. Id go back for a visit, but it genuinely is sub par as a place to live and getting around is a chore.

Have you been there lately?  What it was 5 years ago and what is it today is much different in a lot of places.  I can tell you first hand that the internet and 4G coverage/speed is much better now than it was 5 years ago.

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

I think that is always a legitimate concern for all expats in Thailand that don't have permanent residence or Thai citizenship, which is of course the vast majority.

 

So many seem to think that little sticker in their passport gives them "a right" to reside in Thailand.    

 

When you seriously look at it, a retirement visa is really just a 1 year tourist visa.   

1 hour ago, Leaver said:

 

So many seem to think that little sticker in their passport gives them "a right" to reside in Thailand.    

 

When you seriously look at it, a retirement visa is really just a 1 year tourist visa.   

I think most retired expats at least eventually learn that they have no residence security here. That's the deal they offer. Take it or leave it  Other countries that have retirement status schemes often offer at least some or even lifetime residence security. 

Britman, Thailand has gotten itself well expensive. The minimum wage wars saw to that. Are we on the same page?

 

Never been Laos, but would not consider Cam. Great for quick vacation - love SR, temples, Pub St etc, and people in general, but just too grubby and edgy, sorry. Laos seems a lot more laidback... glad you're doing well Simon.

 

ATEOTD, though ever-burgeoning paperwork/requirements seriously suck asssssss, Thailand kicks the whole region to the curb.

1 hour ago, daveAustin said:

Britman, Thailand has gotten itself well expensive. The minimum wage wars saw to that. Are we on the same page?

 

Never been Laos, but would not consider Cam. Great for quick vacation - love SR, temples, Pub St etc, and people in general, but just too grubby and edgy, sorry. Laos seems a lot more laidback... glad you're doing well Simon.

 

ATEOTD, though ever-burgeoning paperwork/requirements seriously suck asssssss, Thailand kicks the whole region to the curb.

Thanks.  One positive aspect of living in Laos is the ease of paperwork.  With no 90 day reports, no TM30, and no annual visa renewal documents required, except for my passport and 2 photos - which provides me with my business visa, work permit and local ID card ==> I'm happy ????  Oh, I forgot to mention that there's no requirement for money in the bank, monthly income proof etc etc to get the visa.

 

I've been living in Luang Prabang for almost 2 years now, (after returning from living in Naypyitaw-Myanmar).  Nowhere is perfect, but LP ticks most of my boxes.

11 hours ago, shdmn said:

Have you been there lately?  What it was 5 years ago and what is it today is much different in a lot of places.  I can tell you first hand that the internet and 4G coverage/speed is much better now than it was 5 years ago.

I left last year, well late 2019, narrowly missing out on being stuck there for covid. That would have ended me.

 

I lived in one of the best areas in manila, bgc. I also spent plenty of time in cebu and clarke and camsur and towns like baler and batangas and la union.

 

I had some good times, but in general it was all just wrong. 

 

As for improved internet, I was paying 2000 pesos for 9mb with globe, and after upgrading to a 3000p plan, I was blessed with 12. And the internet wasnt even my complaint. Yountslk about 4g, i certainly never saw speeds of 40 plus down or up on my phone. Lucky to get 3.

 

Being trapped in the highways for hours during any sort of holiday travel, poor, inconsistent selection of goods in the best super markets The impossibility of getting the most menial of service tasks done. And just the general attitude of the whole place is wrong. Sir. 

 

Put lipstick on a pig if you want, the philipines is broken. 

On 3/31/2021 at 8:41 PM, Leaver said:

 

Do you have a Plan B just in case you are not able to live in Thailand in the future?  If so, where is it?    

 No, not really.  It's quite a worry.

Just now, brewsterbudgen said:

 No, not really.  It's quite a worry.

No need to worry, something  always turns up.

6 hours ago, daveAustin said:

Britman, Thailand has gotten itself well expensive. The minimum wage wars saw to that. Are we on the same page?

I don't believe we are.

Thailand has only got cheaper for me, when I first purchased my her house, interest rates were 6.25%, now they're 4.75%. Petrol was 33bht/ltr, now it's 26bht/ltr. The condo I rented in 2010 for 5kbht/month is still 5kbht/month in 2021. My full Moon Dark wine coolers are still 28bht, bread flour is still 32bht/kg. Now I have solar power my electric bill is down to 400bht/month. 

 

I've not seen any significant cost rises in the past 12 years (apart from pork +50% and hookers +300%). Now my daughter has finished university (and I've cut her off from any more cash handouts), I'm quids in.

 

back on topic,

I like Cambodia, my pal pays $250/month for a very nice condo in Kampot, yearly VISA $300 no silly paperwork. But I'd live in Siem Reap or Phnom Penh if I were to be forced to jump the good ship Thailand.

US expat.  I live in Phuket for 18 years.   I liked Cambodia.  Kampot, Battambang are my favorites.  SR too touristy and PP too big.  Kampot is probably where I would end up; on the river estuary and beaches close by.  I now have a Thai wife with a good job and I also have a job here or I would pick up for Cambodia.  I thought the Cambodian girls a bit more shapely than the typical skinny Thai ladies.  Bigger boobs.  My opinion. Very friendly people, food was fine, housing cheap.  Infrastructure not so good.  Buying a car practically out of the question.  20 year old Honda CRV;  US $1000.  Thailand $4000.  Cambodia  $10,000.  Chinese have ruined Sihanoukville and starting on other areas as well.  Stuck in Thailand but but would move if possible.

No

15 hours ago, Jingthing said:

I think most retired expats at least eventually learn that they have no residence security here. That's the deal they offer. Take it or leave it  Other countries that have retirement status schemes often offer at least some or even lifetime residence security. 

 

It amazes me how so many "invest" in Thailand, either financially, or emotionally, or both, yet without a fair and reasonable pathway to Thai residency, the visa can be cancelled or revoked, or they change the goal posts to get the visa, and one is no loner able to reside in Thailand.  

 

A fair system would be something like if someone has maintained extensions to stay for say 7 years, then they should be given the option of gaining residency in Thailand.  At least this would offer them long term security for being able to reside in Thailand.  

 

Currently, you can buy property here, but it's the visa that allows you to reside in it, and visa requirements can change with the stroke of a pen in Bangkok.  

1 hour ago, Leaver said:

 

It amazes me how so many "invest" in Thailand, either financially, or emotionally, or both, yet without a fair and reasonable pathway to Thai residency, the visa can be cancelled or revoked, or they change the goal posts to get the visa, and one is no loner able to reside in Thailand.  

 

A fair system would be something like if someone has maintained extensions to stay for say 7 years, then they should be given the option of gaining residency in Thailand.  At least this would offer them long term security for being able to reside in Thailand.  

 

Currently, you can buy property here, but it's the visa that allows you to reside in it, and visa requirements can change with the stroke of a pen in Bangkok.  

Yeah.

Amazing.

"Invested" here myself objectively aware of the risk but I didn't really understand how residence insecurity was going to FEEL until after it was too late. Speaking only for myself it doesn't feel good.

 

I agree they should offer real residence for very long term continous extenders if for no other reason than compassion and understanding that so many will have nothing to return to.. But I think we know they won't. 

Here in Laos, the normal period to wait before PR is ten years, but they have a reduced time requirement of 3 years for scientists.  Later this year, I'll be on my 3rd annual business visa - so I better start making enquiries in the PR direction to see if it's a real possibility or not.