Vietnam is getting a lot of hype now, 40% cheaper than Thailand, easy immigration rules, no problem with border runs or "staying too much", friendly and helpful locals, no fake smiles like in Thailand when they only want your money. Tourists are flocking to Vietnam and can't stop raving about how much they like it. So the question is: why are YOU still in Thailand, and not in Vietnam?

My wife doesn't like the food.

If Vietnam is more welcoming to long stay tourists then I might have to go there. The Thai government treats the foreign population living here like trash.

 

I actually prefer the vietnamese food, I could eat banh mi every day.

Vietnam is hell on earth.

 

Noisy, overpopulated, scams all over.

 

Groomy place, truly a hopeless place.

 

i wonder why people are praising it. Very strange and misleading.

I'm in Cambodia at the moment. No visa issues here at all.

 

Lets not forget what Vietnam did in 2017 to 2018 - relatively recently - they altered the visa rules to make it very hard for foreigners to live there unless married to a local, etc. Many left as they couldn't renew visas.

 

Effectively they kicked everyone out - just before COVID hit - their timing was perfect.

Now they want people back.

They did it once and recently, why should we even consider this place due to its obvious hatred of the foreigner?

There's been no change in government, so what gives? When will they do it again? Next week, next year? Who knows?

 

90 day limit ..who wants to do a border run every 3 months, not to mention the cost...people moan about 90 day reporting ...even can do on line, what they gonna be like there....nah..have to get a decent retirement visa befor anyone takes that commie country seriously 

3 hours ago, JoseThailand said:

Vietnam is getting a lot of hype now, 40% cheaper than Thailand, easy immigration rules, no problem with border runs or "staying too much", friendly and helpful locals, no fake smiles like in Thailand when they only want your money. Tourists are flocking to Vietnam and can't stop raving about how much they like it. So the question is: why are YOU still in Thailand, and not in Vietnam?

Doing online 90 day reporting is bad enough...couldn't cope with all that travelling and expense doing border runs every 90 days

Because retired expats cannot own a car in Vietnam. Next. 

3 hours ago, hovercraft said:

If Vietnam is more welcoming to long stay tourists then I might have to go there. The Thai government treats the foreign population living here like trash.

 

I actually prefer the vietnamese food, I could eat banh mi every day.

Just recently came back from Vietnam, and Banh Mi is one of the things I also miss, along with Pho and other Vietnamese food, and of course the coffee.

16 minutes ago, Nemises said:

Because retired expats cannot own a car in Vietnam. Next. 

But you can.............https://luatminhkhue.vn/en/navigating-vietnam-s-vehicle-ownership-laws-as-a-foreigner.aspx

3 hours ago, Maxbkkcm said:

Vietnam is hell on earth.

 

Noisy, overpopulated, scams all over.

 

Groomy place, truly a hopeless place.

 

i wonder why people are praising it. Very strange and misleading.

I thought you were describing Thailand

Because I am not a tourist......I have a life here, but when I go on holiday I never travel in Thailand always go out of the country

3 hours ago, Maxbkkcm said:

Vietnam is hell on earth.

Noisy, overpopulated, scams all over.

Groomy place, truly a hopeless place.

i wonder why people are praising it. Very strange and misleading.

I've been loads of times, and it's always been great, no problems.

Probably the best sight seeing in the world.

5 hours ago, JoseThailand said:

So the question is: why are YOU still in Thailand, and not in Vietnam?

 

The question is why are YOU still here posting about how great Vietnam is ?

Easy no retirement visa, Vietnam is impossible for expats.

AS i understand it.. For Americans they can not get their government pensions if living in Vietnam. So they can never report living there. If I ever got divorced, i would want to choose Vietnam or possibly return to Philippines. Thailand does not really want foreigners in their country except to empty their bank accounts. 

7 minutes ago, henryford1958 said:

Easy no retirement visa, Vietnam is impossible for expats.

How do the over 100,000 expats stay there then?

11 hours ago, fredwiggy said:

How do the over 100,000 expats stay there then?

 

constant border runs every 90 days i think.

 

what a silly thread topic. most people get hitched up after being in thailand many years. it's not that easy to just move when you're settled somewhere. 

4 minutes ago, thesetat said:

AS i understand it.. For Americans they can not get their government pensions if living in Vietnam. So they can never report living there. If I ever got divorced, i would want to choose Vietnam or possibly return to Philippines. Thailand does not really want foreigners in their country except to empty their bank accounts. 

Americans can receive their pensions and SS in Vietnam. As far as I know there's no retirement visa but other options........https://smartasset.com/financial-advisor/retire-in-vietnam

Just now, save the frogs said:

 

constant border runs every 90 days i think.

 

what a silly thread topic. most people get hitched up after being in thailand many years. it's not that easy to just move when you're settled somewhere. 

Yes, I knew this. I was just rebutting his saying it's impossible for expats.

11 minutes ago, thesetat said:

AS i understand it.. For Americans they can not get their government pensions if living in Vietnam. So they can never report living there. If I ever got divorced, i would want to choose Vietnam or possibly return to Philippines. Thailand does not really want foreigners in their country except to empty their bank accounts. 

 

Payments Outside the United States

As a United States citizen, you may receive your Social Security payments outside the United States in this country as long as you are eligible for them.

https://www.ssa.gov/international/payments_outsideUS_page10.html

2 minutes ago, NoDisplayName said:

 

Payments Outside the United States

As a United States citizen, you may receive your Social Security payments outside the United States in this country as long as you are eligible for them.

https://www.ssa.gov/international/payments_outsideUS_page10.html

• Countries with Restrictions:

  The SSA generally cannot send Social Security payments, including SSI, to countries with restrictions, such as Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam. Additionally, payments are not sent to Cuba and North Korea. 

5 minutes ago, thesetat said:

• Countries with Restrictions:

  The SSA generally cannot send Social Security payments, including SSI, to countries with restrictions, such as Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam. Additionally, payments are not sent to Cuba and North Korea. 

 

That appears to be outdated.

I did find Vietnam on the list, "Last Revised: Sep. 10, 2007"

 

As of June 2023, there are the 10 countries where the United States won’t send your Social Security payments:

• Azerbaijan
• Belarus
• Cuba
• Kazakhstan
• Kyrgyzstan
• Moldova
• North Korea
• Tajikistan
• Turkmenistan
• Uzbekistan

No Bangkok, Communist, Weed is illegal, nasty people.

RS 02650.021 Payments to Beneficiaries in Vietnam

 

In May 2015, we received the necessary assurances of free access in Vietnam from the Vietnamese government through the Department of State and began removing SSA’s restrictions.

 

https://secure.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0302650021

5 hours ago, JoseThailand said:

40% cheaper than Thailand

Got figures or a link. 

 

I worked Vung Tau for a few years, didn't think prices were much different. 

 

5 hours ago, hovercraft said:

Thai government treats the foreign population living here like trash

I've been living Thailand over 20 years, never been treated like trash. 

 

6 hours ago, JoseThailand said:

Vietnam is getting a lot of hype now, 40% cheaper than Thailand, easy immigration rules, no problem with border runs or "staying too much", friendly and helpful locals, no fake smiles like in Thailand when they only want your money. Tourists are flocking to Vietnam and can't stop raving about how much they like it. So the question is: why are YOU still in Thailand, and not in Vietnam?

 

Shhhhhhhhh........ don't advertise it too much lest the farangs ruin it.

1 hour ago, fredwiggy said:

How do the over 100,000 expats stay there then?

They are either married to a vietnamese or reduced to 90 day border runs..that's how they do it

I spend a few months a year in Vietnam, typically 1 to 2 week trips (2 weeks in Hanoi/Dalat in April and Hanoi again next week).

 

It's not as easy to stay there long term, I don't speak the language (I do speak Thai).  My kids are in Thailand, my homes are owned and in Thailand, my friends are here.

 

There are multiple reasons I like to go to Vietnam, apart from the fact I like it, significant among them is I pay for the whole trip from the UK and hence incur no tax liability and consequently, it's less money I bring to and spend in Thailand.

 

I used to holiday at the KataThani and SAii in Phuket and JW Marriott in Khao Lak but the prices are now outrageous.

 

I warned Thai Privilege Company I would do this in their survey if they started taxing foreigners on money brought here.