30 minutes ago, trainman34014 said:

And you think Thailand is innocent in any of these area's.  You must be blind !

I was talking about Vietnam, thank you.

17 hours ago, Maxbkkcm said:

What items or things are you paying more than 3 years ago? 

Everything!

but don’t listen to me just read the headline news here today and you may get a better understanding, that is of course if you have an understanding of inflation and taxes to name but two.

 

On 5/6/2025 at 1:42 AM, ChipButty said:

Thailand is pricing itself out of business, especially here in Phuket the cost of accommodation is stupid now, Around the area I live you can see the difference it's going quiet, Ive spoke to a few people recently and they all say the same thing, it's quiet, 

Have you been out recently?  the place is rammed .  mainly russians which is a shame, but it's far from quiet.  

it appears they are aware of the Vietnam tourism threat, however they are doing nothing to improve theirs and make it more appealing.... baht at 32.7 to the USD... Euro 37.15 and the Pound 43.64 that's not good numbers for any of us not to mention the potential tourists they are expecting 

Thailand's tourism officials wary of Vietnam

 

https://www.msn.com/en-xl/lifestyle/other/thailand-s-tourism-officials-wary-of-vietnam/ar-AA1EhUTU?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=LCTS&cvid=7702079de1d54e09a6756ccf649e2b31&ei=51

Smokescreen fake news (maybe) around Casinos. 

 

Thailand on course to smash nearly 40 million tourists which will break records. 

19 hours ago, geisha said:

The Vietnamese food is delicious, and different, many Thais love Vietnamese food.

my Thai wife eats more Viet food these days than Thai. if she's craving for her native cuisine, she makes it at home. her complaint on Thai restaurants is they don't have the authentic flavoring she's accustomed to which I understand since ingredients are not exactly the same as back home. 

19 hours ago, geisha said:

Vietnamese people are generally very nice

 

Not really. They're a bunch of backstabbing shysters. Ask anyone who's been there.

 

Basically it's the Cheap Charlies going to Vietnam who dont' have a clue, but want to save 20 baht.

3 minutes ago, Cameroni said:

 

Not really. They're a bunch of backstabbing shysters. Ask anyone who's been there.

 

Basically it's the Cheap Charlies going to Vietnam who dont' have a clue, but want to save 20 baht.

 

Don't tell me you got shafted by a Viet girl as well as a Filipino.......there's a pattern developing here.

16 minutes ago, Will B Good said:

 

Don't tell me you got shafted by a Viet girl as well as a Filipino.......there's a pattern developing here.

 

Viet girls are among the most beautiful in SE Asia, also among the most materialist, but I harbour no ill will against them.

 

Unlike those cheating 304s in Phil.

 

Nor am I immune to the delights of Vietnamese cuisine, which, it's true, is excellent.

 

However,  Vietnam is a communist cackhole, with a motorcycle infestation that is without equal in the world and simply devoid of all the advantages that Thailand has to offer

 

With the possible exception of Phu Quoc, which I will explore in due course, of course with a Thai or Filipina, not sure yet.

23 hours ago, geisha said:

Vietnamese people are generally very nice

It seems we didn't meet the same people.

 

I met the same people as @Cameroni

On 5/6/2025 at 7:28 AM, UWEB said:

Changing Immigration Rules like other people changing their Underpants and keeping the Thai Baht artificially strong is taking their toll.

Not to mention grab  meals overtaking restaurants, dope shops everywhere and exploding boats and buses 

Personally, I like visiting Vietnam and travel there quite often. But their rate of return visitors is very low, so unless and until they can fix this, they're no real threat to Thailand. 

I was in Hanoi in the early 2000's and felt no need to go back. 

 

Did Saigon several times with friends up until about 2008 but Phnom Penh ruled supreme as the best kept secret in SEA.

 

Ended up working out of Vung Tao offshore in 2010 a few times for PVD. 

 

Can't be bothered dealing with Vietnamese on holiday, too much hard work.

On 5/7/2025 at 10:23 AM, mikebell said:

If you are an 82 year old ex-pat with a re-entry permit and have no internet access in Spain, one might be forced to wait till arrival.  Before, I just played the age card and was taken to the front of the queue.

My cognitive problem is understanding why some contributors on here are so unpleasant.

I'm sorry if I offended you. I just meant in general terms that there's no need to be afraid of TDAC as it is very easy to fill out. 

In your specific case, if they let you board the flight without the TDAC QR code, you can definitely do it in one of the totems at the arrival area before immigration at Survanabhumi airport. I belive there's a Thai crew there to help people who may have some difficulties, specially if you are elderly. Best wishes on your trip to Thailand. 

In Vietnam, I found food was cheaper but not a patch on Thai food, Second, they thieved everything if it was not stuck down and cheating cons were rampant. Buti did quite like the place

6 hours ago, Shocked farang said:

I'm sorry if I offended you. I just meant in general terms that there's no need to be afraid of TDAC as it is very easy to fill out. 

In your specific case, if they let you board the flight without the TDAC QR code, you can definitely do it in one of the totems at the arrival area before immigration at Suvarnabhumi airport. I believe there's a Thai crew there to help people who may have some difficulties, specially if you are elderly. Best wishes on your trip to Thailand. 

Thank you.  I live in Thailand full time and have done so for 20 years.  How do I cope with your 'if they let you board the flight without the TDAC QR code,' comment?  I'm just going on holiday to Spain and you're suggesting I might not be allowed on the plane back!

On 5/7/2025 at 6:40 PM, Caldera said:

Personally, I like visiting Vietnam and travel there quite often. But their rate of return visitors is very low, so unless and until they can fix this, they're no real threat to Thailand. 

the return rate for LOS is higher due to all the males going back for cheap sex and all the tourists from mainly 3rd world countries for the knock offs. 

I'll add the snow birds from Europe on that list as well. Viet Nam is better off in the long run without the mass, over tourism that has plague Thailand and all with it the pitfalls that come with it. 

34 minutes ago, mikebell said:

Thank you.  I live in Thailand full time and have done so for 20 years.  How do I cope with your 'if they let you board the flight without the TDAC QR code,' comment?  I'm just going on holiday to Spain and you're suggesting I might not be allowed on the plane back!

It depends on the airline, depending on how they interpret the TDAC, I have seen the totems with my own eyes, so I know that anyone who doesn't have the QR code before boarding the flight will be Ok, but the airline might think differently.

I have never known Thailand to respond to competitive threats. Their attitude has always been "take it or leave it...these are our terms."  

5 hours ago, mikebell said:

Thank you.  I live in Thailand full time and have done so for 20 years.  How do I cope with your 'if they let you board the flight without the TDAC QR code,' comment?  I'm just going on holiday to Spain and you're suggesting I might not be allowed on the plane back!

There are several reports here of people who were not let onto the plain without a TDAC

On 5/6/2025 at 10:54 AM, Guderian said:

Poor Vietnam, another 10 or 15 million oiks each year and they'll find their doctors being kicked, their cops being assaulted, biker gangs everywhere, and their streets full of foreign yobs fighting the locals or each other, they don't really mind which.

Goodness me you're likely just talking about 'the wild west' - just Pattaya &  parts of Phuket where actually most Farang dont go especially families, gap year students, over 35s, the better off, discerning seniors. Yes we may have all tried Pattaya in our hard drinking  20s/30s etc but really the rest of Thailand has masses of lovely beaches, scenery or calmer urban places

On 5/6/2025 at 4:46 PM, spidermike007 said:

Right now it is predominantly Malaysian, Indian, Arab, some Chinese, and Russian. One could argue that these are relatively low quality tourists, in terms of the amounts of money that they spend.

 

You forget after 14 yrs of Tory government and the self harm of Brexit which has hit the UK economy very hard...Brits have less money. We became by 2023 the 2nd most unequal country in Europe. Its like Thailand gets more prosperous Scandi , German, Austrian, Australian visitors than poor Brits. 

1 hour ago, Lorry said:

There are several reports here of people who were not let onto the plain without a TDAC

Show me where? 

2 hours ago, Lorry said:

There are several reports here of people who were not let onto the plain without a TDAC

Plane.  you fly in a plane.   A plain is a large area of flat land with few trees.  😂  Love that auto correct spell check.  

1 hour ago, ChipButty said:

Show me where? 

I always thought membership of AN requires the ability to read.

5 hours ago, peter48 said:

and the self harm of Brexit which has hit the UK economy very hard

Funny how Germany, France, Italy etc. are in a worse economic position than the UK. Did they also Brexit? 

On 5/6/2025 at 2:24 PM, hotchilli said:

Thailand has to offer something new.

stop saying you come to much, they want more to and they come out with this crap

On 5/6/2025 at 9:30 AM, josephbloggs said:

Thailand was better in every way: better scenery (although Vietnam does have nice scenery), better infrastructure, better food, more fun, more variety, nicer people.

of course they are going to say that ... they're thai.   You just have to see the comments and emoji reactions to decipher which is considered better.   Seems Vietnam wins hands down.  

 

anyway, forget that ....   

have a great day  !  

14 hours ago, CG1 Blue said:

Funny how Germany, France, Italy etc. are in a worse economic position than the UK. Did they also Brexit? 

They are not in a worst position. UK has more inequality in the regions than most of EU. Our economy has declined most of G7  as measured by exports. Labour is struggling to increase growth but deep damage has been done by Tories 14 yrs to our public sector, our infrastructure, healthcare, transport, universities , technology etc . 9 months ago Tories were sent back to 1830 in MP numbers - its that bad. 

3 hours ago, steven100 said:

of course they are going to say that ... they're thai.   You just have to see the comments and emoji reactions to decipher which is considered better.   Seems Vietnam wins hands down.  

 

anyway, forget that ....   

have a great day  !  

Why do you think that my nephew and his girlfriend who came to visit and spent three weeks in Thailand and two in Vietnam are Thai? Weird assumption. They are both English.

Most of the people voting down are the grumpy old men here who hate Thailand (you are included in that). 

Most people who've been to both and are not blinkered by hatred think Thailand has more going for it. 

But you are entitled to your own opinion. Wonder why you're not living in Vietnam?