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

[Johnny Mac]

1 minute ago, scubascuba3 said:

waiting for beer o'clock isn't a great long term plan, it seems to be a slow death. Personally doing stuff outside is fun for many, including golf, cycling groups, whatever. One thing that stuck in my mind when I went to PP was the loser alcoholics bar flies that looked ill, dressed terrible and were on the conveyor belt to death, living the dream

 

Tbh I only drink twice, max 3x a week, and that is only a few bottles? As for cycling groups? Dear lord, I suppose it's one way of coming out of the closet. As for golf, who wants to chase after a small white ball in this heat for 4 hours and only end up in the 19th hole after anyway. All you have done is just proved my point that there is nowt to do here.

[scubascuba3]

11 minutes ago, Johnny Mac said:

 

Tbh I only drink twice, max 3x a week, and that is only a few bottles? As for cycling groups? Dear lord, I suppose it's one way of coming out of the closet. As for golf, who wants to chase after a small white ball in this heat for 4 hours and only end up in the 19th hole after anyway. All you have done is just proved my point that there is nowt to do here.

the thing is, if all you are doing is drinking and chasing skirt, you will go stir crazy eventually. Maybe get an employee girlfriend and drag her around all day but that's not great

[Johnny Mac]

13 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

the thing is, if all you are doing is drinking and chasing skirt, you will go stir crazy eventually. Maybe get an employee girlfriend and drag her around all day but that's not great

 

Drag her around where, there's no where to go and it's too hot anyway. But don't know where you get that idea from fella, maybe you didn't read my posts properly. I'm married with kids, I suppose you are too busy with your cycle groups and hiking to start a family lol. Enjoy it.

[mikebike]

56 minutes ago, Johnny Mac said:

...there's no where to go...

15 yrs here are there is sooo much we haven't seen despite our best efforts.

[mikebike]

57 minutes ago, Johnny Mac said:

...it's too hot...

Coming from Canada I can honestly say we have never complained about the heat. Love it.

[mikebike]

59 minutes ago, Johnny Mac said:

I'm married with kids, I suppose you are too busy with your cycle groups and hiking to start a family lol

Our kids are grown. Moved here in our 40s and we do love hiking the local waterfalls, which are numerous, and quite refreshing when we want a different perspective to our beachfront bungalow. 

 

Lovin' life!!

[starky]

On 3/25/2021 at 12:58 PM, KOZMO said:

I was here in Thailand in the good old days. Spent two years at Ubon and one year at Udorn. This was in the 70's.

I was in the US Air Force and loved Thailand, no smog, no problems with rip off's because Thailand was run by the Military

and to keep getting all the American money, they along with the Thai Police made sure we were not bothered. Pattaya was pristine. only one hotel, the Pattaya Palace. the rest were guest houses. The bars were small and super friendly. The water was actually blue in color. The girls were fantastic and many times they would just want you to pay for there breakfast after a long night of fun! Chaing Mai was so beautiful. from the top of Wat doi se tep, all you saw was Chaing Mai university. the rest was all green scenery. The ladies beauty shops turned into girls for sale at night. I loved that Thailand!!! When the first prime minister took office in 75, we had to leave Thailand, he was a communist !!! I was lucky to get to Clark AB, Philippines.

Eventhough i could speak thai, it was great to have all the people speak english.  the ladies were so beautiful. Many of my friends married there housegirls. The maids were very young and beautiful. Many Americans got rid of there Thai wives or American wives to marry these women. The price to live downtown was so cheap and the food was even cheaper. I spent 9 years total in the Philippines. Both my sons were born there also. I did not marry in Thailand but met my wife in America. I could not believe she was Thai. She was 5 ft. 5 in. and had a 36-26-38 body, spoke perfect english and i could not believe she was Thai. she loved the philippines too and we would visit Thailand and slowly see it turn into a <deleted> hole. While the Philippines cleaned up Manila and tore down all the slum areas, Thailand built many hotels but left the slums in Bangkok. you get to see them all around Bangkok. was in Bangkok last year and got caught in the lockdown. No improvement except more pollution and rip offs. I am back in Florida and the only choice if i wanted to stay would be the Philippines.

So Laos or Cambodia?

[starky]

On 3/25/2021 at 12:58 PM, KOZMO said:

I was here in Thailand in the good old days. Spent two years at Ubon and one year at Udorn. This was in the 70's.

I was in the US Air Force and loved Thailand, no smog, no problems with rip off's because Thailand was run by the Military

and to keep getting all the American money, they along with the Thai Police made sure we were not bothered. Pattaya was pristine. only one hotel, the Pattaya Palace. the rest were guest houses. The bars were small and super friendly. The water was actually blue in color. The girls were fantastic and many times they would just want you to pay for there breakfast after a long night of fun! Chaing Mai was so beautiful. from the top of Wat doi se tep, all you saw was Chaing Mai university. the rest was all green scenery. The ladies beauty shops turned into girls for sale at night. I loved that Thailand!!! When the first prime minister took office in 75, we had to leave Thailand, he was a communist !!! I was lucky to get to Clark AB, Philippines.

Eventhough i could speak thai, it was great to have all the people speak english.  the ladies were so beautiful. Many of my friends married there housegirls. The maids were very young and beautiful. Many Americans got rid of there Thai wives or American wives to marry these women. The price to live downtown was so cheap and the food was even cheaper. I spent 9 years total in the Philippines. Both my sons were born there also. I did not marry in Thailand but met my wife in America. I could not believe she was Thai. She was 5 ft. 5 in. and had a 36-26-38 body, spoke perfect english and i could not believe she was Thai. she loved the philippines too and we would visit Thailand and slowly see it turn into a <deleted> hole. While the Philippines cleaned up Manila and tore down all the slum areas, Thailand built many hotels but left the slums in Bangkok. you get to see them all around Bangkok. was in Bangkok last year and got caught in the lockdown. No improvement except more pollution and rip offs. I am back in Florida and the only choice if i wanted to stay would be the Philippines.

So Laos or Cambodia?

[starky]

There is no "another" Thailand mate. There is Thailand 40 years ago and Thailand now. Nothing else will ever be Thailand or resemble it. If your goal, which it seems to be is cheap wine and cheap women then you may find somewhere else. Good luck.

   As others have mentioned Vietnam or the Phillos maybe considerable options but they pale in comparison. I don't know who in their right mind would choose to live in Cambodia or Laos but hey fill your boots.

[BritManToo]

3 hours ago, Johnny Mac said:

No sense of community, neighbours un-friendly, just each to his own.

Don't know if that's true,

The little old ladies around me frequently call by with a plastic bag of something they just cooked or some fruit/veg they picked.

My misses eats most of it, but sometimes I'm brave enough to have a taste.

My misses also drives the ladies (too old, too scared) to hospital or to the supermarket fairly often.

The village green is an eating/meeting place every evening, when I walk past they often wave me over for a glass or beer or a bite of chicken. 

Edited March 27, 2021 by BritManToo

[simon43]

1 hour ago, mikebike said:

Coming from Canada I can honestly say we have never complained about the heat. Love it.

I don't have a problem with the heat either.  Yesterday was 38 degrees and I'm on top of the hill messing about with my massive erection (antenna erection for my radio transmitter I mean...)

 

When I lived in Naypyitaw a few years ago, cycling was difficult in the hot season because the city is in the dry zone ==> 45 degrees.  That was hot work, but still fun to keep fit ????

[BritManToo]

On 3/27/2021 at 7:31 PM, BritManToo said:

Don't know if that's true,

The little old ladies around me frequently call by with a plastic bag of something they just cooked or some fruit/veg they picked.

 

I was out walking around the village for the past hour and while I was out one of the neighbours  dropped off a bag of potatoes for me. about two kilograms, I see some yellow chicken and potato curry, and some baked potato and chilli ..........

 

 

Edited March 28, 2021 by BritManToo

[Leaver]

On 3/27/2021 at 7:16 PM, starky said:

As others have mentioned Vietnam or the Phillos maybe considerable options but they pale in comparison.

 

In what ways do they pale in comparison?  How long have you spent in The Philippines and Vietnam?  

[gearbox]

OP, from your post I think your main issue is that Thailand is not a poor country anymore. Well, it is not going to get any better, so enjoy the rude while you can. The next generations may need to choose between Sub-Saharan Africa or the trailer back home. I bet Vietnam will be way more developed in 10-15 years, and there would be some new visa restrictions imposed.

[Neeranam]

Absolutely never. most, but not all, guys I know that moved from Thailand to there were skint, alcoholic, drug addict, sex addict, or a combination of pre-mentioned. 

[Leaver]

27 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

Absolutely never. most, but not all, guys I know that moved from Thailand to there were skint, alcoholic, drug addict, sex addict, or a combination of pre-mentioned. 

 

And which country made them that way?  ????

[Leaver]

1 hour ago, gearbox said:

I bet Vietnam will be way more developed in 10-15 years, and there would be some new visa restrictions imposed.

 

That would make Vietnam a good option for the next 10 to 15 years then.  Right?   ????

[Jingthing]

There is nothing wrong with expats seeking nations that are in "sweet spot" at the current time in offering what the expats are looking for in terms of cost of living, acceptable level of development, opportunities, visas, etc. In fact it's very smart. 

 

Let's face it, at this stage, Thailand is a well worn mainstream "name brand" expat option. As with many consumer choices, those often don't add up to the best deals. To channel the Nomad Capitalist, go where you're treated best.

Edited March 28, 2021 by Jingthing

[polpott]

5 hours ago, Neeranam said:

Absolutely never. most, but not all, guys I know that moved from Thailand to there were skint, alcoholic, drug addict, sex addict, or a combination of pre-mentioned. 

I'll pack my bags.

[4737 Carlin]

On 3/25/2021 at 9:29 AM, BritManToo said:

I didn't find PP or SR like that, food was good, many restaurant choices, I was paying between $1-$2 for breakfast in a restaurant, and $5-$10 for an evening meal. I never eat street food so I don't care how good or bad it is.

 

here is the photo of the breakfast menu from a  classy restaurant I used to visit (March 2020) .......

The pancakes, Tuna rolls, and omelette/bacon/beans all good served with a pot of tea (3/4 cups) for an extra $1. 

 

 

 

My pal just moved from PP to Kampot, says it's very nice, restaurants and bars cheap with good quality food, no air pollution, but not many people around.

 

Fair enough. Personally, I didn't move to Asia to eat western food everyday at 300 baht a meal. Cambodia, or specifically Phnom Penh, is ok for a short break where you don't mind paying holiday prices for your food etc. Living there long term, in my experience, is expensive and begins to grind you down. Phnom Penh doesn't even have one public park to exercise and get way from the very dirty, oppressive city and its incessant traffic.

[BritManToo]

Just now, 4737 Carlin said:

Phnom Penh doesn't even have one public park to exercise and get way from the very dirty, oppressive city and its incessant traffic.

The riverside promenade/running track is perfect, I walked along every morning and evening.

 

[Kerryd]

Looking at the political climate (and history), I wouldn't move to either country.

I considered both, a long time ago and rejected them as Thailand was the better option, especially when it came to thinks like healthcare, transportation (airports and roads), education (if you have kids and can afford better schools/universities) and so on. Not to mention political stability. Despite the coups and short lived terms and many recent Prime Ministers, Thailand is still way ahead of Cambodia (and Myanmar) as far as stability is concerned.

And I wouldn't trust a communist (or communist government) for an instant. Nor a dictatorial one like Cambodia has now. There is a lot of instability in the region and once the fuse is lit, it tends to spread like wildfire. (Remember the "Arab Spring" uprisings around the Middle East a few years ago ?) 

The Philippines, such as they are, are probably a safer bet (so long as you stay out the area where the Muslim terrorists are operating). Just pick your location carefully (i.e. no beach front properties on the East or North parts of the islands, where most storms are likely to hit, no low-lying property with poor drainage that will flood every time it rains, etc, etc). You'll still get the monsoons of course but for the most part shouldn't have to worry as much about the storms.

No place is perfect of course and when you read a lot of threads on TV you see a lot of people have issues no matter where they live. It's a matter of what you can live with (or without). What you are willing, or unwilling, to put up with. Nobody here can decide that for you.

I'd considered the Philippines a long time ago as well. What put me off at the time was the "long stay" visa requirement of having to have $50,000 (US) in the bank (but you had the option of "investing" that much in a condo that you could live in). It sounded like buying a condo (not a house) was the only option to keeping a large balance in the bank (indefinitely). I decided to look elsewhere.
(That requirement was what the Embassy told me back in the mid-90s. A lot has probably changed since then.)

Right now, looking around the region, it still looks to me like Thailand is the best option. You have more "conveniences" living in or near the big cities, but things tend to be more expensive. Or you can live in the boonies where things may be cheaper, but you have to a long way to the nearest hospital, shopping mall or movie theatre. 

If, for some reason, I did have to relocate to a new country, I would rather move to the Philippines instead of Cambodia or Laos. (Yes, there are options in Central America as well, which is great if all your worldly possessions can fit into a suitcase. And you can bet that once you get there, you'll find the "grass" is just as dry and dusty as it is here. Then you'll look back at Thailand and wonder why you never noticed how much greener and lusher the grass looked while you where there.)

But again, it boils down to what you are willing to do.

[WineOh]

39 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

The riverside promenade/running track is perfect, I walked along every morning and evening.

 

Nice! ???? 

[brewsterbudgen]

1 hour ago, Kerryd said:

Looking at the political climate (and history), I wouldn't move to either country.

I considered both, a long time ago and rejected them as Thailand was the better option, especially when it came to thinks like healthcare, transportation (airports and roads), education (if you have kids and can afford better schools/universities) and so on. Not to mention political stability. Despite the coups and short lived terms and many recent Prime Ministers, Thailand is still way ahead of Cambodia (and Myanmar) as far as stability is concerned.

And I wouldn't trust a communist (or communist government) for an instant. Nor a dictatorial one like Cambodia has now. There is a lot of instability in the region and once the fuse is lit, it tends to spread like wildfire. (Remember the "Arab Spring" uprisings around the Middle East a few years ago ?) 

The Philippines, such as they are, are probably a safer bet (so long as you stay out the area where the Muslim terrorists are operating). Just pick your location carefully (i.e. no beach front properties on the East or North parts of the islands, where most storms are likely to hit, no low-lying property with poor drainage that will flood every time it rains, etc, etc). You'll still get the monsoons of course but for the most part shouldn't have to worry as much about the storms.

No place is perfect of course and when you read a lot of threads on TV you see a lot of people have issues no matter where they live. It's a matter of what you can live with (or without). What you are willing, or unwilling, to put up with. Nobody here can decide that for you.

I'd considered the Philippines a long time ago as well. What put me off at the time was the "long stay" visa requirement of having to have $50,000 (US) in the bank (but you had the option of "investing" that much in a condo that you could live in). It sounded like buying a condo (not a house) was the only option to keeping a large balance in the bank (indefinitely). I decided to look elsewhere.
(That requirement was what the Embassy told me back in the mid-90s. A lot has probably changed since then.)

Right now, looking around the region, it still looks to me like Thailand is the best option. You have more "conveniences" living in or near the big cities, but things tend to be more expensive. Or you can live in the boonies where things may be cheaper, but you have to a long way to the nearest hospital, shopping mall or movie theatre. 

If, for some reason, I did have to relocate to a new country, I would rather move to the Philippines instead of Cambodia or Laos. (Yes, there are options in Central America as well, which is great if all your worldly possessions can fit into a suitcase. And you can bet that once you get there, you'll find the "grass" is just as dry and dusty as it is here. Then you'll look back at Thailand and wonder why you never noticed how much greener and lusher the grass looked while you where there.)

But again, it boils down to what you are willing to do.

Great post.  I don't think there really is a comparable alternative to Thailand in this part of the world, for all its many faults.

[BritManToo]

1 hour ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

Hey..what happened to the chinese cuties! ????  I did note helmets on the two on the mbike :)....still scanning for the 7-11!...no vendors setting up to block the walkway?

I've not encountered any Chinese in PP or SR, but they're all over Vietnam.

Beggars and vendors trying to set up on the PP promenade are quickly moved on.

[polpott]

10 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I've not encountered any Chinese in PP or SR

I visited early February last year. Groups of young Chinese men were everywhere in the Riverside area. My impression was there were more Chinese than Barangs out at night.

[vandeventer]

On 3/26/2021 at 12:24 PM, The Hammer2021 said:

The Thermae remained good until it relocated and its hours changed....It was still great in 93 but sometime after,  like all nightlife in Bangkok it declined especially in the 90s when the sinister dance drug scene  opened up. However, for Koreans, Javanese and Chinese Thermae is still a paradise albeit one that closes at 1am not 7am.

Yes the Thermae was great in the 60's as well. I remember the girls were your escort 24/7 for 100 baht a day in those days. And in those days life was more simple. Going to the zoo or the monkey temples was such a nice day.

[JimmyJ]

I've been interested in both countries but have been to neither.

 

Will still visit them but have ruled out living there due to my desire for quality medical care.

 

Sheryl has posted about living in Cambodia and the poor (and dangerous) medical care there.

Anyone seriously considering moving to Cambodia should do a search for her posts on that topic.

 

 

I am not interested in living in Capital cities and I have never read reports of health care in Laos but I'm assuming it's poor.

 

 

Edited March 29, 2021 by JimmyJ

[simon43]

26 minutes ago, JimmyJ said:

... I have never read reports of health care in Laos but I'm assuming it's poor.

 

Your assumption is entirely correct!

[cyril sneer]

On 3/27/2021 at 8:58 AM, Johnny Mac said:

Cambodia -No chance. It's an absolute cesspit, just filthy. It's also full of the lowest dregs of Western society one can imagine. I went to PP a few years ago, the main area where the 'expats' drink was like a zombie movie. You just knew you were rubbing shoulders with paedos, crooks and god knows what other form of sub-human scum.

spot on from my experience going there