Analysis Thailand in Trouble: Expats Exit as Vietnam Steals the Show

[sambum]

4 hours ago, save the frogs said:

 

More BS ... it's a bit of paperwork and no big deal.

Compared to what? Doing visa runs every 60 days in Vietnam?

 

 

"A bit of paperwork"? 🙂

 

You obviously have never applied for an extension based on Marriage!

 

My first application required 147 (Maximum Break!) photocopies, and several years later the annual requirement is still well in excess of 100!

 

"A bit of paperwork"? 🤣

[wensiensheng]

1 hour ago, FritsSikkink said:

Put 400K in the bank and you don't have any visa worries. No need to be a millionaire.

Isn’t it 800k in the bank? Unless you have a Thai wife? Plus health insurance?

[malibukid]

8 hours ago, Quentin Zen said:

 

 

this definitely doesn't make a country, and it would be the last place I want to start a career.   Be like The Terminator and go to America.  He became Governor.  

 

Vietnam is good.  Thailand is good.  Japan is good.   Parts of Europe are nice.  Places in America are nice.  We don't all think alike.

 

I would not consider my life a success if I could only retire in the cheapest place.  

strange values, sir

[Ironman1958]

When you continually blame your biggest income base, ie the tourists, for all your woes,

when you should be looking in the mirror,

You'll never get ahead

ever

[save the frogs]

AI does indeed confirm the dual pricing in Thai hospitals. 

But if you ask AI about Vietnam, it's the same. 

 

[malibukid]

5 hours ago, ZigM said:

My wife did not want to retire in Australia. She asked me to retire with her in Thailand. Let's be blunt, I am only here because I love my wife, and because of the still cheaper cost of living. I already lived in paradise in northern Queensland in Australia. Thailand had nothing to offer except for my wife, her nice family and friends and very cheap real-estate. As I'm not into partying, night-life and the usual BS that foreigners get up to, I'm not really interested in the various issues raised. Yes, the visas are a pain but still easier to obtain than if my wife were to try and enter Australia. Yes, I'm losing 20% of the value of my money during conversion because of the weak dollar vs strong baht, however, I still bought a mansion for a pittance and a new car. Also, the land ownership kafuffle is slightly misrepresented. Although I am not allowed to be registered as an owner of land under the land titles act, I have equal rights to land, money etc under the Thai Marriage Act. Since I have a prenuptial agreement, if my wife dies before me, I inherit the whole house and everything else, including land. Although I'd be the legal owner under the marriage/inheritance act, I am unable to transfer the house into my name. The same situation existed in Germany after my father died. I inherited the house under German inheritance law. No contest there. However, for me to be able to sell my house, I had to tjusransfer it into my name first by rocking up personally to the inheritance court in Germany and identifying myself. There is a distinct mismatch in the land titles act and what I am entitled to under the marriage and inheritance acts in Germany and Thailand. Although I finally had my father's house transferred into my name without setting foot in Germany, the land titles act in Thailand forbids me to transfer the land into my name, and if did inherit it, I'd have to sell it. However, I'd be entitled to all profits. Couples who are free from suspicion of fraud should be granted full and equal land title rights in Thailand instead of this blanket paranoia against all and any foreigner. My previous Thai wife in Australia owned properties together with me and had bank loans in Australia before she even became an Australian citizen. Why must Thailand be so backward? That's my main issue.

just got back from America and apart from great Mexican food and a lot of useless S%%% that i don't need Thailand is way laid back.  and yea the cops don't hassle you here.  i am here because of my cat.  America has gotten way to pretentious and arrogant.  stupid ignorant MAGA consciouses prevails.  fast cars and barbecues.  just anger and obesity everywhere and not a lot of smiles

[wwest5829]

“I would not consider my life a success if I could only retire in the cheapest place”. Certainly you are free to define your view of your life as you wish. I would submit that I am quite pleased with the totality on my life. My only large financial mistake was being an educator in Southern oriented US state. But, I am not alone as there are millions of working middle class Americans who are “outsourced” in retirement, out-priced in the US economy (another result of the income/wealth gap. And I have met other western retirees from all over priced out of their home countries due to economics , not necessarily one’ success.

[unblocktheplanet]

14 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

AI does indeed confirm the dual pricing in Thai hospitals. 

But if you ask AI about Vietnam, it's the same. 

 

THB 50 extra. I just can't afford to get sick!

[Isaan sailor]

Perhaps the sinking Dong (and rising USD) will give Bank of Thailand a wake up call.  Tourists, Industry and even expats will choose Vietnam over Thailand.  Sure, the USD is low here due to the uncertain tariff situation.  But it sure looks like party time in Vietnam now.

[save the frogs]

11 hours ago, unblocktheplanet said:

THB 50 extra. I just can't afford to get sick!

 

50 extra for what? covid shot? 

[save the frogs]

11 hours ago, Isaan sailor said:

Perhaps the sinking Dong

 

They have a great name for their currency. I'll give them that much. 

[Chinagmaiguy]

And the VND is tied to the USD, for me its very stable.  I've lost 8% of my retirement in the last few months here. 

[blaze master]

5 hours ago, save the frogs said:

Dual pricing at medical facilities? I seriously doubt it. 

 

There was an actual court ruling about this. 

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1233573-thai-court-rejects-dual-pricing-case-from-expat-in-hua-hin/

[Chinagmaiguy]

14 minutes ago, unblocktheplanet said:

THB 50 extra. I just can't afford to get sick!

For sue, every time its different price.

[Shocked farang]

1 minute ago, Chinagmaiguy said:

For sue, every time its different price.

Same same but different...

[black tabby12345]

Does Vietnam offer any retirement stay permit as in this kingdom and Cambodia?

As far as I have studied, they don't though.

Or they simply issue  tourist visa to foreigners unlimited times(without any unfriendly questions?

[henryford1958]

7 hours ago, Woke to Sounds said:

 

My buddy is there.... it's a visa run every 3 months.

 

You never know when Vietnam Immigration puts the brakes on that.

 

Is that any way to live?

 

At least in TH you get the proper visa and you know where you stand.

 

He is mad. Imagine you retire at 50. You want to do 4 visa runs a year for 30 years !! into your 70/80s.

[IsaanGuy]

Having listened and spoken to old hands who’ve lived here for years they want the old Thailand back, the one they fell in love with.

Many bemoan how Pattaya and Phuket aren’t what they used to be, too many foreigner's one told me.

The reality is you can’t go back in time. Covid caused massive damage and the current political games aren’t helping either. It is what it is, like it or lump it.

Vietnam’s status is growing in SE Asia but hasn’t always demonstrated the same level of tolerance for expats as seen here. The grass isn’t always greener once reality sets in.

[TroubleandGrumpy]

1 hour ago, sambum said:

I had a cataract removed and a replacement lens fitted privately and it cost 75,000 baht (special lens to improve far and mid distance vision). A friend of my Thai wife had a similar procedure done (standard lens) and it  cost her 6,000 baht, so don't tell me there is no double pricing!

Anyone that argues price discrimination is not real or significant, needs their heads read. Or better still, they should read this legal court case outcome.  And that was a Government hospital - Private hospitals charge Expats way more than they charge to Thais. 

https://dancham.or.th/thai-court-rejects-dual-pricing-case-from-expat-in-hua-hin/#:~:text=According to press reports the,not mentioned by the court.

 

[Presnock]

4 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

For me there are a few reasons why I would never consider Vietnam.

 

1. From what I understand the retirement Visa is still an issue in Vietnam it's a fairly simple process here. 

 

2. I find a lot of the people to be a bit like cold wet fish, very similar to the Chinese people on the mainland, not much humor, kind of heavy-hearted, they still have a bit of a chip on their shoulders, and it's never been my favorite country in the region. 

 

3. I don't feel like the culture there is as welcoming for mixed couples as it is here in Thailand. 

 

4. I don't like the government here and I never have, they keep on reaching towards the bottom of the barrel and the policy here is incredibly regressive, but I would not want to live in a country where I'm constantly having to deal with communist officials. 

 

5. I've had some very positive experiences with the healthcare system here in Thailand, and I consider it to be on par or better than it is in the US for a fraction of the cost. Can Vietnam rival that? 

 

The upside there is the food is excellent, access to fine wine at reasonable markup, much higher quality beer, a highly varied topography, with stunning beaches and very clear water, high quality seafood, and stunning women. 

 

I might be an exception as I see so many guys on here complaining about the Thai people, but I really like them. I find them to be quite delightful, light-hearted, humorous and fun to be around. 

 

What am I missing? 

I agree with your comments on Thailand and its people.  I already spent a couple of years in VN, enjoyed some of it but after all it was war!  The beaches are nice, I like the food and I can speak and read (or used to anyway and got paid for it) Vietnamese.  I married a Thai after my American wife passed away from breast cancer, and have a daughter from each of those ladies.  My half Thai daughter doesn't plan on living in Thailand, has taught herself to be fluent in Korean and after college plans to work in Korea and not Thailand.  Her mother of course only wants to live here in Thailand and I still enjoy life with her so I plan to stay until they burn the bones.  As for the political scene, it could never get any worse than that currently in the US with DJT, as it seems to me none of the citizens there are happy anymore based on what I hear from many different areas, and different generations of Americans.  Here, they came out with a long term visa perfect for my situation and I don't have to concern myself with 90-day reports, nor taxes on my civil pension.  I love it here, have travelled throughout, enjoyed that and meeting the different people and did that over time from 1972 until I retired here in 2005.  Good luck to all on whatever is to come.

[FritsSikkink]

45 minutes ago, wensiensheng said:

Isn’t it 800k in the bank? Unless you have a Thai wife? Plus health insurance?

He was talking about a Thai wife and children. 

I think health insurance is a wise thing to do, without it you need a lot more money unless you depend on "Go Fund me"

[LennyW]

In Vietnam, is it still against the law for a foreigner to take a Vietnamese woman to his room if they are not married? It used to be that certain hotels would ask a little extra and they would take care of any prying police, but occasionally it was used by some girls as a scam - quick call and police would bust in, extort the Foreigner and divvy up with the girl later. 

[renaissanc]

5 hours ago, save the frogs said:

 

There seems to be a lot of BS in this article.

 

Dual pricing at medical facilities? I seriously doubt it. 

Street markets? No, there's no dual pricing. And things are so dirt cheap in street markets anyway. If you can't afford street food, you ain't gonna survive in Vietnam either. 

 

Yeah. National Parks maybe. And people are flocking to National Parks every day, right? And temples. 

 

 

I assure you that dual pricing in both government and private hospitals is real. On Samui they have 4 levels of prices for Thais and foreigners.

[save the frogs]

11 hours ago, renaissanc said:

I assure you that dual pricing in both government and private hospitals is real. On Samui they have 4 levels of prices for Thais and foreigners.

 

Most of us have more money than Thais though.

A lot of Thais have really low wages. 

I was happy to pay what they charged me for my surgery. I don't want slave labor.

But I might complain if I have a more serious surgery or a chronic health issue. 

 

[ikke1959]

1 hour ago, save the frogs said:

AI does indeed confirm the dual pricing in Thai hospitals. 

But if you ask AI about Vietnam, it's the same. 

 

Indeed and a Dutch citizen went to court because he did not agree with the higher price, but the judge said it was ok because foreigners are richer than the Thai...That is justice in Thailand and is not been seen as discrimination.. But all foreigners feel scammed by this verdict

[Geoff914]

6 hours ago, madone said:

The Philippines will always be a backwater.

Anyone claiming that the Philippines is not an inherently threatening environment has not been there.

Stray even slightly off the beaten path, and things can escalate quickly. 

It is a good few years since I was in the Philippines. Whilst I accept going to the bank and seeing a guard with a pump action shot gun but the bakery has a guard with a pump action shot gun then you know there is some thing very wrong. May be it is better now,

[wensiensheng]

36 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

He was talking about a Thai wife and children. 

I think health insurance is a wise thing to do, without it you need a lot more money unless you depend on "Go Fund me"

Hmm, Thai wife and kids probably costs a lot more than the 400k difference. But of course it depends on each individuals circumstances as to whether it is 800k or 400k.

 

Health insurance is something I have hummed and ha’d at. For many years I just self insured and it worked out ok for me. I have just recently done a policy in Thailand, but it’s only for 5 million in one year and because I am elderly there are a lot of exceptions. I’m not really convinced it’s worth it in the long run because I can afford 5 million baht myself. So I could save myself the premium. But I guess I’ve done it now 🤷‍♂️

[ronnie50]

2 minutes ago, Geoff914 said:

It is a good few years since I was in the Philippines. Whilst I accept going to the bank and seeing a guard with a pump action shot gun but the bakery has a guard with a pump action shot gun then you know there is some thing very wrong. May be it is better now,

So did Shakey's Pizza last time I was in Manila for work. I would never consider retirement in the Philippines - even a holiday is a bit risky.

[Shocked farang]

2 minutes ago, ronnie50 said:

So did Shakey's Pizza last time I was in Manila for work. I would never consider retirement in the Philippines - even a holiday is a bit risky.

I don't feel safe in Manila, but in a Scuba diving trip, I was able to visit many different provinces in different islands. People can be very friendly in the provinces. Even on Luzon island, if you travel up north, places like Vigan, San Fernando La Union, it's a totaly different world from Manila.

[ronnie50]

8 hours ago, Woke to Sounds said:

 

My buddy is there.... it's a visa run every 3 months.

 

You never know when Vietnam Immigration puts the brakes on that.

 

Is that any way to live?

 

At least in TH you get the proper visa and you know where you stand.

Yes and no. Thailand could put the brakes on anything it wants too. It's the uncertainty many members are pointing too - and the Thai habit of hoping to discover two (rich tourists) in the bush instead of rewarding the one (retiree) in the hand. Also, maybe you weren't here, but for years many members on this board who lived here as retirees or just hangers-on did monthly or bi-monthly visa runs to Cambodia (mostly) before Thailand started regularizing retirement visas. And things could still change. The tax thing unresolved bugs many as one example.