Thousands of expats & tourists in Thailand could head to Malaysia soon

[thaibeachlovers]

3 minutes ago, Nickelbeer said:

Get a Sarawak MM2H visa.  The requirements are easy and the visa is good for the whole country, though you'll have to spend about three weeks a year in Sarawak. Certainly not a deal-killer. Sarawak has had their own retirement visa for quite some time.

Somehow the thought of living in Sarawak doesn't fill me with enthusiasm.

Given the choice of living in any country in the world with unlimited money, I'd still choose to live in Thailand. Sanuk just can't be bought.

[JimmyJ]

13 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I was accused of only posting negative stuff, so to be positive about Penang, it had a good public transport  ( bus ) system, and I enjoyed travelling on the ferries to the mainland ( they were still the same as when I used them in the early 1970s, and some might have been in service then ). English was universally spoken.

Sorry, but those are about the only positive things I can remember.

I stayed in a decent sized room in a hotel/lovingly restored shophouse with about 6 rooms in the Unesco World Heritage zone - Betel Nut (Hotel?).

Recommended.

 

The owner is a nice and interesting guy.

 

Was the best thing about my (about 4-5-6 day) Georgetown visit.

Edited February 13, 2022 by JimmyJ

[The Hammer2021]

16 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

You should stop digging the hole while you can still get out of it.

I can only assume you were not visiting Nana gogos before thaksin to actually know the difference.

 

Your understanding is as wrong as your opinion of the destruction of the farang bar scene. I never said there were no bars any more. I was saying that compared to before, they are pants now. More than pants- IMO just rubbish.

I did live in Chiang Mai for a year, but I also lived in Pattaya, and spent many visits in Bkk right next door to Nana, in the excellent Dynasty Inn, and in Uncle Charlies when that place existed. My first Thai girl friend worked in Tilac Gogo on Cowboy.

Perhaps you should accept that you don't actually know anything about me, and not make silly statements about other posters.

You said 'Destruction" You are wrong. I am Pattaya based. I demonstrated you were wrong. Yes I do remember the Nana scene from 1989 onwards. No it is not as good now. In my opinion the current  Junta have been far more destructive than Thaksin.

I reiterate the bar scene is not finished, is not destroyed- you are wrong. Prior to covid it was growing in Pattaya. You don't live here most of what you say is heresay. You are living in the rosy glow of the past as many old men do. Your golden age' was somebody else's 'it's all changed now' view point. The 76 GoGo bars, the hundreds of beer bars, Soi 6, LKM, Soi Buakhao etcetera all of which you seem ignorant of and choose to ignore belie what you assert. The young people now having a great time don't want or need your negative history lessons.

[thaibeachlovers]

1 minute ago, JimmyJ said:

I stayed in a decent sized room in a hotel/lovingly restored shophouse with about 6 rooms in the Unesco World Heritage zone - Betel Nut (Hotel?).

Recommended.

 

The owner is a nice and interesting guy.

 

Was the best thing about my (about 5 or 6 day) Georgetown visit.

There was one reasonably priced guesthouse in Georgetown, but it was so popular that one had to be very lucky to get a room there. Don't remember the name now. I stayed in a refurbished shophouse, which was nicely decorated, but the rooms were tiny.

People living in LOS don't know how lucky they are to be able to get reasonably priced, decent hotel rooms.

[thaibeachlovers]

5 minutes ago, The Hammer2021 said:

You said 'Destruction" You are wrong. I am Pattaya based. I demonstrated you were wrong. Yes I do remember the Nana scene from 1989 onwards. No it is not as good now. In my opinion the current  Junta have been far more destructive than Thaksin.

I reiterate the bar scene is not finished, is not destroyed- you are wrong. Prior to covid it was growing in Pattaya. You don't live here most of what you say is heresay. You are living in the rosy glow of the past as many old men do. Your golden age' was somebody else's 'it's all changed now' view point. The 76 GoGo bars, the hundreds of beer bars, Soi 6, LKM, Soi Buakhao etcetera all of which you seem ignorant of and choose to ignore belie what you assert. The young people now having a great time don't want or need your negative history lessons.

 

Not interested in being lectured to. Bye.

 

 

 

[Nickelbeer]

2 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Somehow the thought of living in Sarawak doesn't fill me with enthusiasm.

Given the choice of living in any country in the world with unlimited money, I'd still choose to live in Thailand. Sanuk just can't be bought.

After researching Malaysia and Sarawak, in particular, I would rank Malaysia very near Thailand, without the insane visa regulations. The federal government there is very likely to revise the latest rules, although they MAY have had that in mind to make Sarawak more attractive as a retirement destination. Sarawak is an OUTSTANDING place to live. Look at the many YouTube videos dealing with this destination.

[Nickelbeer]

2 hours ago, The Hammer2021 said:

You said 'Destruction" You are wrong. I am Pattaya based. I demonstrated you were wrong. Yes I do remember the Nana scene from 1989 onwards. No it is not as good now. In my opinion the current  Junta have been far more destructive than Thaksin.

I reiterate the bar scene is not finished, is not destroyed- you are wrong. Prior to covid it was growing in Pattaya. You don't live here most of what you say is heresay. You are living in the rosy glow of the past as many old men do. Your golden age' was somebody else's 'it's all changed now' view point. The 76 GoGo bars, the hundreds of beer bars, Soi 6, LKM, Soi Buakhao etcetera all of which you seem ignorant of and choose to ignore belie what you assert. The young people now having a great time don't want or need your negative history lessons.

I have lived in Pattaya for six years now. It is dead as a doornail and getting worse. I can't WAIT to get out of here and head for the Philippines. Thailand is a rotting corpse, stinking up the retirement options.

[JustAnotherHun]

3 minutes ago, Nickelbeer said:

I have lived in Pattaya for six years now. It is dead as a doornail and getting worse. I can't WAIT to get out of here and head for the Philippines. Thailand is a rotting corpse, stinking up the retirement options.

Not very smart to live six years here if it only takes a ticket to get out of this hell ????

[billd766]

4 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

That anyone would consider Thaksin to be less corrupt than subsequent rulers based on some organisation's publication. I presume that it refers to the country as a whole and not just the PM. Don'ty forget that there are a lot more people now than then, so more corruption is probably inevitable. However, Thaksin elevated corruption to a whole new level, never seen before, IMO.

And compared to the current lot, Thaksin was an amateur.

 

Having said that, IMO, Thaksin did more for Thailand and the Thai people in his 5/6 years of freely elected power than the current lot have achieved in nearly 8 years.

 

Having talked to my wife, neighbours and Thai friends, I am of the opinion (theirs as well), If Thaksin were allowed to return, in a free and fair election (hollow laughter) he would win with a massive majority.

 

I don't think that the ultra royalists and yellow shirts understand how much the current governments and their minion puppets are so disliked and in many cases hated.

 

That is one main reason why the HiSos and military are so frightened of him and of anyone with his family name or who has associated with him in the past.

[Nickelbeer]

58 minutes ago, JustAnotherHun said:

Not very smart to live six years here if it only takes a ticket to get out of this hell ????

Wrong....it takes (1) Money (which I don't have) and (2). The cooperation of the country you want to go to.  The Covid restrictions of the Philippines have only recently been lifted.  Once I save the required amount, perhaps I will  achieve the required level of intelligence to satisfy you. The pomposity in your post should earn you a moderator warning, but I won't hold my breath.

[Hummin]

8 minutes ago, billd766 said:

And compared to the current lot, Thaksin was an amateur.

 

Having said that, IMO, Thaksin did more for Thailand and the Thai people in his 5/6 years of freely elected power than the current lot have achieved in nearly 8 years.

 

Having talked to my wife, neighbours and Thai friends, I am of the opinion (theirs as well), If Thaksin were allowed to return, in a free and fair election (hollow laughter) he would win with a massive majority.

 

I don't think that the ultra royalists and yellow shirts understand how much the current governments and their minion puppets are so disliked and in many cases hated.

 

That is one main reason why the HiSos and military are so frightened of him and of anyone with his family name or who has associated with him in the past.

Most Thais looks like this kind off

 

 

 

 

[billd766]

3 hours ago, mokwit said:

He started off promising "a million baht for every village" - that morphed into a million baht for roads for every village so that gravel hauling and asphalt laying politicians get their kickbacks

I live in rural Kamphaeng Phet and yes the villages got a million baht and many of them are still going strong on it.

 

As for gravel hauling and asphalt laying the route 1117 runs from Klong Meelai near  Kamphaeng Phet up into the Mae Wong national park. At the Klong Meelai end the road surface is awful and has been "resurfaced" several times in the past 15 years whilst at the other end near the park it was widened and resurfaced once in the same period. This despite in the harvesting season fully loaded 20 wheel truck and trailers use the road for 12 or more hours a day, and is still in a good condition.

[soi3eddie]

13 minutes ago, billd766 said:

And compared to the current lot, Thaksin was an amateur.

 

Having said that, IMO, Thaksin did more for Thailand and the Thai people in his 5/6 years of freely elected power than the current lot have achieved in nearly 8 years.

 

Having talked to my wife, neighbours and Thai friends, I am of the opinion (theirs as well), If Thaksin were allowed to return, in a free and fair election (hollow laughter) he would win with a massive majority.

 

I don't think that the ultra royalists and yellow shirts understand how much the current governments and their minion puppets are so disliked and in many cases hated.

 

That is one main reason why the HiSos and military are so frightened of him and of anyone with his family name or who has associated with him in the past.

A well considered comment. Many I know (even from the south) would have Thaksin back immediately instead of the current lot. The only thing that Thaksin lacked was total and absolute control such as what's happening now. Maybe the health situation has been a gift to current "leaders". There is a lot of unhappiness across all types of citizen. Life is not good nor easy for far too many Thais. Free and fair elections and a level constitution are needed now. Sadly won't happen.

 

[jts-khorat]

On 2/12/2022 at 3:13 AM, thaibeachlovers said:

I was put off Langkawi when I found out there is no public bus service there, and have to use taxis.

Just like Phuket then ????

[The Hammer2021]

2 hours ago, Nickelbeer said:

I have lived in Pattaya for six years now. It is dead as a doornail and getting worse. I can't WAIT to get out of here and head for the Philippines. Thailand is a rotting corpse, stinking up the retirement options.

You are incorrect. You are mistaken regarding  the last 6 years. Covid has closed Pattaya down since April  2020. Prior to that it was thriving with thousands of tourists visiting weekly Up to 50 tour buses were parked in Pratumnak,  third Rd and other locations. Malls were packed. Walking Street and Soi Buakhao were very busy. The new hi so restaurants were rammed. I suspect you have no money and can't afford to go out. Talk of 'rotten corpse stinking up retirement options' sounds heartfelt but deranged! What is stopping you leaving for the last 6 years? Perhaps you are blaming your personal problems on Thailand. It's not unknown on this forum... lol

Edited February 13, 2022 by The Hammer2021

[JustAnotherHun]

6 minutes ago, The Hammer2021 said:

Covid has closed Pattaya down since April  2020. Prior to that it was thriving with thousands of tourists visiting weekly Ip to 50 tour buses were parked in Pratumnak,  third Rd and other locations. Malls were packed.

So the virus has it's positive sides. I don't miss the tattooed drunk western low lifes and the stinking tour busses full of Chines one-dollar-tourists.

I enjoyed this "high season" more than all the others for the last ten years.

[The Hammer2021]

Just now, JustAnotherHun said:

So the virus has it's positive sides. I don't miss the tattooed drunk western low lifes and the stinking tour busses full of Chines one-dollar-tourists.

I enjoyed this "high season" more than all the others for the last ten years.

The wealth of Pattaya is the issue not the snobbery some over sensitive western visitors.

[The Hammer2021]

3 hours ago, Nickelbeer said:

After researching Malaysia and Sarawak, in particular, I would rank Malaysia very near Thailand, without the insane visa regulations. The federal government there is very likely to revise the latest rules, although they MAY have had that in mind to make Sarawak more attractive as a retirement destination. Sarawak is an OUTSTANDING place to live. Look at the many YouTube videos dealing with this destination.

It's a dump.  Please go there and report back. Lol. Travelling by YouTube might be considered pathetic- do the real thing and express real opinions based on your experiences not recycle second hand opinions from You tube vlogs. Have you been to Thailand  yet?

Edited February 13, 2022 by The Hammer2021

[peter zwart]

I was here after the Taksin period so can not judge him. This government is, and i put it mildly, not the best for the country. But which government is? I live here now for 5 years and the longer you live here the more you see reality. And this reality is not always beautiful. But on the moments that things start to anoy me i think back of my "home" country and see that live here is still pretty good. If i would move to, lets say Vietnam, im sure that i would feel myself in heaven for the first few years. Then the same will happen again. So for me Thailand is a fine place to stay.

[JustAnotherHun]

8 minutes ago, The Hammer2021 said:

The wealth of Pattaya is the issue not the snobbery some over sensitive western visitors.

I doubt those chinese tourbus hords provide much to the wealth of Pattaya. And as being not a visitor but living here, I prefer not to to be blackfaced after a motorbike ride from Naklua to Central Pattaya and being able to sit outside in a restaurant without inhaling the poison of 50 tour busses while dining. But I might be over sensitive ????

Edited February 13, 2022 by JustAnotherHun

[The Hammer2021]

Just now, JustAnotherHun said:

I doubt those chinese tourbus hords provide much to the wealth of Pattaya. And as being not a visitor but living here, I prefere not to to be blackfaced after a motorbike ride from Naklua to Central Pattaya and to have to sit outside in a restaurant without inhaling the poison of 50 tour busses while dining. But I might be over sensitive ????

You doubt wrong regarding Chinese visitors.  Contrary to self important farang myths the Chinese spend a fortune here.  This economic fact has been patiently explained before on this forum. If you want peace and quiet don't move to Pattaya and moan about it choose a quieter place instead. Roiet is beautiful, quiet and has an Expat community.

[JustAnotherHun]

4 minutes ago, The Hammer2021 said:

You doubt wrong regarding Chinese visitors.  Contrary to self important farang myths the Chinese spend a fortune here.  This economic fact has been patiently explained before on this forum. If you want peace and quiet don't move to Pattaya and moan about it choose a quieter place instead. Roiet is beautiful, quiet and has an Expat community.

If it was a fact you surely could provide some reliable data about those Chinese, that come to Pattaya with their tour busses.

I'm not interested in an expat community. You should not project your own needs to others ????

Edited February 13, 2022 by JustAnotherHun

[Saanim]

2 hours ago, soi3eddie said:

Many I know (even from the south) would have Thaksin back immediately

i doubt that anybody from the extended Thaksin clan will ever dare to visit the South.

 

Anyway,  it seems that the best view on the life in Thailand is through the thick air from a barstool in a go-go bar, getting a valuable advice and piece of knowledge from the girls sitting (and performing) around.

 

 

 

[TropicalGuy]

On 2/12/2022 at 7:12 PM, soi3eddie said:

I'm calling BS on this. I was here for a full 14 months Feb 20 to Apr 21. After 22 years was the best time in Thailand (and best year of my life). OK there were a lot of pandemic restrictions. Met many new expat friends during this time and they are now lifelong friends. No stupid 2 week millionaires or dysfunctional individuals who fled the country and now complain about entry requirements (I've arrived back in Thailand twice since Nov 21 with no issues). Sure comments from gov ministers created increased xenophobia but most Thais still very welcoming in all areas. Met many new expats since and Thailand is still the best option by far. Safe, friendly, reasonably priced and lovely people. Long term stay and quality of life here still easier than virtually all other countries.

 

Exactly. Safe - Cheap- Warm - Friendly- Open - Women - Beach- Culture.????Lifelong Best Option.

Europe for more sophisticated Sport & Culture when Warm or Winter Skiing…..but too expensive for long stay……????

[TropicalGuy]

20 minutes ago, Saanim said:

i doubt that anybody from the extended Thaksin clan will ever dare to visit the South.

 

Anyway,  it seems that the best view on the life in Thailand is through the thick air from a barstool in a go-go bar, getting a valuable advice and piece of knowledge from the girls sitting (and performing) around.

 

 

 

Er, no it’s not????????

[Destiny1990]

More longterm stayers will relocate to Cambodia because of their easier visa extension deals.

Edited February 13, 2022 by Destiny1990

[TropicalGuy]

On 2/12/2022 at 1:13 AM, LaosLover said:

Def lovely food in Penang. I like the one dish places where some family has been selling chicken and beansprouts for a hundred years -and growing the bean sprouts in the basement.

 

But TripAdvisor is full of reports about surprise bills at sea food restaurants. I had a 100% markup over a crab misunderstanding that was not a misunderstanding. Can't fault the Indian food, but not a baht cheaper than on Soi 11. The med tourism prices are Bumrungrad+.

 

For me, Penang was a good long weekend (and I stayed a week) one and done.

 

Langkawi nearby is a good add on, but again, not nearly as interesting or food-glorious as a Thai island. Mark Weins has a couple good of Langkawi video's that I wish I saw before bothering to go.  

Exactly. Weekend Visa Run only ????????once normality returns????

[The Hammer2021]

2 hours ago, JustAnotherHun said:

If it was a fact you surely could provide some reliable data about those Chinese, that come to Pattaya with their tour busses.

I'm not interested in an expat community. You should not project your own needs to others ????

With the greatest respect this thread was about the economic trajectory of Pattaya and Thailand and its comparative attraction compared to Malaysia. Your personal  opinions of scary western tourists or uncouth Chinese tourists during times of economic boom here in Pattaya are not really relevant. This may come as a shock to you but local gross domestic product and the economic viability of Pattaya and Thailand are not necessarily reflected in your personal prejudices, which I hasten to say are not invalid but are irrelevant.  Please start another thread.

[bbko]

To read a sad lot of old grannies bickering over Thailand tourism is a laugh.  Please keep posting how you know which way the tourist will sway, I need a good laugh.

[DaveE13]

This thread is supposed to be about Thailand compared to Malaysia. But of course as always it gets diverted.  Back on topic. I visited Malaysia quite alot over last 20 years of traveling to Thailand. And I like KL. But when I retire not sure I would want to retire there.  Got about 6 years left so who knows. But if it was now would be Thailand or cambodia.