Would you consider Vietnam

[BritManToo]

8 hours ago, Jingthing said:

The idea of entering into a sham marriage for a visa sounds nutty.

I did that for my first Thai 1 year extension.

Although the only thing missing from the marriage was 'love'.

[malibukid]

better food and thanks to the French outstanding bakeries. 

best Pizza i have had in Asia and very classy restaurants.

people are much friendlier  and want to practice English with you and a 

curiosity about the outside world.

Classical music concerts, art galleries and exhibitions.

people are living in the 21st. century.

stunning smart woman 

Edited April 6, 2021 by malibukid

[Fairynuff]

On 4/5/2021 at 2:54 AM, shdmn said:

1_Relatively inexpensive

3_ Cheap beer

What’s number 2?

[Fairynuff]

31 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Although the only thing missing from the marriage was 'love'.

That’s not unique in Thailand 

[Fairynuff]

In normal times I visit Vietnam at least twice a year. It’s changing and growing rapidly and becoming ever more sophisticated. Hotel rates are generally considerably cheaper than Thailand. A $20 hotel in most of Vietnam would give you a much better standard than Thailand and some of the 5* hotels are phenomenal and also can be cheaper. Unfortunately I find the food much less appealing than Thai food and have found it difficult to get good local food, but that’s a personal thing.

The cost of sex and beer are never an issue wherever I travel to or live because I don’t buy either of them. Some imported foods are cheaper than Thailand and generally my trips to Vietnam are not costly. My impression is that cost of living would be much less. I’ve never bought or rented property there so can’t make a comparison. Mobile internet packages are a fraction of Thai prices and I’ve always found service to be excellent.

The thing is for me, as much as I enjoy visiting, I’m very clear that I don’t want to live there.

[polpott]

On 4/4/2021 at 8:54 PM, shdmn said:

5_Still basically a communist country in many ways.

And that's a problem because?

[Katipo]

I have friends living in Vietnam who love it. They are a a married western couple in their late thirties with well paying jobs, and they find it much more enjoyable than Thailand. Generally things are cheaper, including imported goods. While the cities can be quite chaotic, things are generally of a higher quality. Travelling within the country is as good as Thailand too. At least this is what they say.

For sexpats and beer bellied day drinkers it's not such an attractive proposition, as there isn't a historical industry built up around that type of person.

[polpott]

10 hours ago, Leaver said:

The older generation little to no English.  

 

The younger generation can hold a conversation past, "Where you come from?  One drink for me?"

The first priority when settling in any country is to learn the language. Vietnamese tends to be easier to learn than Thai as it uses the same alphabet as us, making it easier to read.

 

 

Edited April 6, 2021 by polpott

[biggles45]

'. Plus there is no rule of law ' 

 

I got a good laugh out if this! Thailands rule if law is dependant on: your ethnic origins, how many influential people you know, how much money you have and how much of it you are willing to spread around. 

 

As for 'changing the rules' Thailand recently did this for the 'money in the bank' rule. This forced many retirees into the arms of the agent leaches and their corrupt IO friends. I cant believe that any retiree living there would praise their visa system! 

Edited April 6, 2021 by biggles45
Typo

[Fat is a type of crazy]

1 hour ago, polpott said:

And that's a problem because?

I am not sure if you mean the problem with communism or how it works in Vietnam.

Communism  in it's true state has failed and is  just another way of controlling people and limiting freedoms.  It tends to be associated with one party states.  Show me a successful communist state where the people benefit equally as they should. 

 

Ideally I like a  system of democracy where people are rewarded for effort, i.e capitalism, tempered  by a fair  tax system, and unions and government rules, to help balance power. 

 

Possibly Vietnam is communist in name only as it seems to be mainly free enterprise, though it appears without free elections, but I don't know a lot about the politics there to be fair. Googled but lost interest.

 

 

[kingstonkid]

Vietnam definitely seems like a back up plan for here.  But I think I will stay here for now and enjoy life.

 

[polpott]

Just now, Fat is a type of crazy said:

I am not sure if you mean the problem with communism or how it works in Vietnam.

Communism  in it's true state has failed and is  just another way of controlling people and limiting freedoms.  It tends to be associated with one party states.  Show me a successful communist state where the people benefit equally as they should. 

 

Ideally I like a  system of democracy where people are rewarded for effort, i.e capitalism, tempered  by a fair  tax system, and unions and government rules, to help balance power. 

 

Possibly Vietnam is communist in name only as it seems to be mainly free enterprise, though it appears without free elections, but I don't know a lot about the politics there to be fair. Googled but lost interest.

 

 

The people seem a lot happier in Vietnam than they do in Thailand.

[Jeffr2]

4 minutes ago, polpott said:

The people seem a lot happier in Vietnam than they do in Thailand.

I think you need to differentiate between the North and the South.  I find them vastly different depending on their region.  In the North, they are too much like the Chinese.  Not as friendly.

[Raphael Hythlodaeus]

20 hours ago, simon43 said:

The last time that I visit Vietnam was in about 1984.  One old local grannie tried to attack me with a knife because she thought I was from the USA (Vietnam war memories).  

 

Many other locals gave me dirty looks because they thought that I was Russian (Russian 'cooperation' memories!).

 

I guess things have improved a bit by now ????

Yes, similar to my own Vietnam experience around the same time. I remember some children throwing stones at me in Hanoi because they thought I was Russian. I have no idea about current attitudes or visa issues.

[Brierley]

There's still a strong anti-Chinese sentiment in Vietnam, it's part of their history that hasn't faded yet.

[Bogbrush]

15 hours ago, Leaver said:

 

3 month multiple entry tourist visa extended 3 times within country.  You have to leave after 1 year, but can come straight back in, no "back to back" visa BS. 

 

I'll visit friends in Thailand and start my 1 year again. 

 

They offer a Temporary Resident Card for 2 years or 3 years, but given I plan on visiting Thailand within a 12 month period, maybe more than once a year, no point.

 

Many expats are on a 5 year multiple entry marriage visa for around $50USD, no other hoops.  You don't even need a Vietnam bank account.   

 

I think you’ll find that, wef 1st July last year, the visa is now 30 days with no extension.

[Hanuman2547]

15 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Depends where you are,

In Hanoi they're anti-American, in Saigon they're pro-American

It's still a deeply divided country.

Not so sure about that.  I have an American friend that lived and worked in Hanoi for three years about 10 years ago and never reported any "anti-American" sentiment.  He still works in Vietnam but is not based there anymore.  

 

As for me, Vietnam is a possibility for a "Plan B" if things were to fail in Thailand.  Not sure where I would want to live.  Saigon, Dalat, Da Nang, Hue, & Hanoi all seem like possibilities.  I wouldn't be working there so not sure how that would affect me in getting a long term type of visa.   

[Brierley]

25 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Depends where you are,

In Hanoi they're anti-American, in Saigon they're pro-American

It's still a deeply divided country.

The North Vietnamese (supported by China) murdered a lot of South Vietnamese (supported by USA).

Yes indeed. But subsequently China invaded North Vietnam, in response to Vietnamese action against the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. That incursion, or border war as it was known, lasted for over ten years and resulted in strong anti-Chinese sentiment which still exists today. Initially, Thailand was the Chinese trade beneficiary from that fallout, the relationships only began to change very recently.

[WineOh]

Vietnam is great for a holiday.

 

Living there, not so much.

Edited April 6, 2021 by WineOh

[Jingthing]

I haven't been to VN in a really long time  so my impressions about anti Americanism are dated. As I visited Hanoi and Halong Bay I was obviously sensitive to that issue. The only overt thing I experienced was a tour guide that singled me out for unwelcome special attention. She wanted me to explain to her why there were so few Americans visiting back then. I don’t even remember how I responded other than a well I'm here.

 

At one point on an impoverished island I noticed a lot of people without limbs. In seeing that I was thinking why aren't they murdering me?

 

That said I'm under the impression now that the population is quite young and is very much welcoming to Americans. Yes I do think the feelings about China are more deeply ingrained in Vietnamese people.

[simon43]

Although my experiences in Vietnam are extremely dated, young people had no anti-American feelings.  The anti-Russian feelings at that time were explained to me that the Russian advisors were considered to be an unfriendly bunch and tight with their money (I have to say that I never found Russians unfriendly, especially after some hard liquor!).

[khunPer]

Thanks for sharing your pros and cons list, they would make me think twice.

[CharlieH]

Reported post and variety of others and responses to them removed.

[Jeffr2]

40 minutes ago, khunPer said:

Thanks for sharing your pros and cons list, they would make me think twice.

If you're interested, head over for a month and check things out.  I did, and felt it wasn't for me.  I like Thailand better.  But I spent a fair amount of time there checking things out first.  Had a great time, just don't want to live there permanently.

[Pappap]

13 hours ago, Leaver said:

 

No.  I actually haven't stayed one full year in Vietnam, but I have done multiple trips within a 12 month period.  I seem to remember entering on a business visa a while ago, stayed a couple of weeks and came back to Thailand.  I then entered on the same visa not long before it expired, gave my passport to an agent not long after arriving, and got another 3 months.  This was easier and cheaper than using an agent in Pattaya, and used one less page of my passport, and got me 3 entries.  

 

I have friends who have moved from Thailand to Vietnam, and through them I have met other expats there. They are all living there on a mixture of different visas that best suit their situations, but my friends are not married, don't own a business, have not invested, and don't work, and they have been living there with no grief. 

 

I am not claiming to know the exact details, but what I have learnt from those living there, including ex Thailand guys, is Vietnam is not the "immigration police state" that Thailand is. 

 

There's no bank account and seasoned money needed, no over 50's years of age rule, no back to back tourist visa rule, no re-entry permit rubbish,  no photocopies of photocopies BS, no photos of you and your missus in the bedroom, no hand drawn maps of where you live, no TM30 but you are registered, but the responsibility is on the owner not yourself, no A convert to B convert to Z visa BS etc etc etc etc. 

 

There are simply retired expats living in Vietnam, some of which I know for a fact used to live in Thailand, now laughing at those in Thailand putting up with Thaiand's BS visa laws.

 

    

 

[Pappap]

Lived in Danang for a year, fed up with the constant rules and regs for staying in Thailand (14 years) rent is more expensive, getting a licence harder and city life not me but great if you do. People seem far more genuinely friendly than Thai's, police/immigration far more pleasant! Visa was no problem, as some say may change, fly in and out every 3 months, lovely coffee cafe culture, internet fine, cost of living about the same. When this is all over will have another look but Siem Reap looks interesting, seems Thailand only option until Asia opens up a bit more, but that's far better than most places!!!

[Leaver]

10 hours ago, polpott said:

The first priority when settling in any country is to learn the language. Vietnamese tends to be easier to learn than Thai as it uses the same alphabet as us, making it easier to read.

 

 

 

I actually find it easier to speak Thai, but forget about reading it.

 

With Vietnamese, it's easier to read, but difficult to speak. 

 

Having the same alphabet certainly makes it easier to read signs once you are used to the words you are looking for.

 

Edited April 6, 2021 by Leaver

[Leaver]

7 hours ago, Bogbrush said:

 

I think you’ll find that, wef 1st July last year, the visa is now 30 days with no extension.

 

That may have been a covid restriction.

 

The online agents are still offering 3 month visas, not that the Vietnam government is issuing any visas at the moment.  

 

https://www.myvietnamvisa.com

 

 

[BangkokAlan]

I was living and working in Vietnam for 9 months prior to covid shutdown on flights and then returned to Bangkok's i have a condo here.

 

Whilst in Vietnam i was on a business visa issued via my client there.

 

I had a number of friends many married to Vietnamese so their visa was easy and they had been there some years, others had also lived there on repeat tourist visas which they extended and they usually had to leave every 90 days or so.

 

Prior to covid there were a lot of concerns among the people living there on the tourist visas as Vietnam said that they would only issue 30 day visas not allow extensions up to 90 days. Meaning  they would have to leave every 30 days so it can only be assumed that Vietnam is also about to tighten its control on allowable periods of time you can spend in the country on repeat tourist visas.

 

Vietnam is still growing during covid in most provinces as they are less reliant on tourists or retirees only Danang, Hoi An, Hue and Nha Trang seem to be heavily affected as these are the bulk tourist areas for Chinese, Korean, Russian and western tourists mass tourists the rest of the country is doing fine.

 

I found that living there was much cheaper than Thailand on a day to day basis but its not apple for apple as their standard of accommodation is not as good as Thailand and when you rent somewhere they have many add ons such as paying the common fee of the building which in Thailand is the owners responsibility, they can also ask for 3-6 months deposit on apartments. I was living in Nha Trang maybe other locations vary.

 

English language is spoken well in tourist areas but poorly elsewhere and the Vietnamese food is delicious and the western food quite good and cheaper in restaurants than Thailand this is mainly due to the cost off wages vastly lower than Thailand.

 

Overall have lived and worked in both places but find Thailand is much more advanced in health, living accommodation and infrastructure. But Vietnam is growing quickly and will catchup over the next few years.

 

 

 

 

[BritManToo]

40 minutes ago, Leaver said:

I actually find it easier to speak Thai, but forget about reading it.

With Vietnamese, it's easier to read, but difficult to speak. 

Having the same alphabet certainly makes it easier to read signs once you are used to the words you are looking for.

 

Odd that, because I have no problem reading Thai.

I guess everyone is different.