Expats Leaving Pattaya?

[NanLaew]

Bummer!

Well I guess if Moçambique, Cuba and Vietnam don't hack it either, poor ol' basjke is gonna have to bite the pillow and stay here.

Personally, the Vietnamese cuisine and insistence on blowing the truck/car/m'cycle horn at every bloody thing that moves puts me off.

That leaves Moçambique and Cuba and as you pointed out, it shouldn't be too long before FL annexes the 'other big island'.

So Moçambique it is then.

I am not a basher btw, I think Pattaya is just fine, it just needs some more TLC (and less whingers).

PS. Did I mention Puerto Rico?

[basjke]

Bummer!

Well I guess if Moçambique, Cuba and Vietnam don't hack it either, poor ol' basjke is gonna have to bite the pillow and stay here.

Personally, the Vietnamese cuisine and insistence on blowing the truck/car/m'cycle horn at every bloody thing that moves puts me off.

That leaves Moçambique and Cuba and as you pointed out, it shouldn't be too long before FL annexes the 'other big island'.

So Moçambique it is then.

I am not a basher btw, I think Pattaya is just fine, it just needs some more TLC (and less whingers).

PS. Did I mention Puerto Rico?

You guy's seem to be well informed about several country's.Tell me about south africa.I always heard it's a world in one country and been told that it isn't that expensive either.seems however that only a particular part of the country has the good weather all year.Is this an alternative to pattaya?

[boiledegg]

You guy's seem to be well informed about several country's.Tell me about south africa.I always heard it's a world in one country and been told that it isn't that expensive either.seems however that only a particular part of the country has the good weather all year.Is this an alternative to pattaya?

Its tikityboo in SA for immigrants, apart from if youre looking to live in one of the neighbourhoods below.

http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30200-1316845,00.html

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/05/23/africa/23saf.php

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/20/world/af.../20safrica.html

Rainbow nation my ass, the ANC have proved themselves to be supporters of genocide the way theyre supporting Mugabe and his ethnic cleansing of White people.

[bergen]

Bummer!

Well I guess if Moçambique, Cuba and Vietnam don't hack it either, poor ol' basjke is gonna have to bite the pillow and stay here.

Personally, the Vietnamese cuisine and insistence on blowing the truck/car/m'cycle horn at every bloody thing that moves puts me off.

That leaves Moçambique and Cuba and as you pointed out, it shouldn't be too long before FL annexes the 'other big island'.

So Moçambique it is then.

I am not a basher btw, I think Pattaya is just fine, it just needs some more TLC (and less whingers).

PS. Did I mention Puerto Rico?

You guy's seem to be well informed about several country's.Tell me about south africa.I always heard it's a world in one country and been told that it isn't that expensive either.seems however that only a particular part of the country has the good weather all year.Is this an alternative to pattaya?

You like SA - well they don't like immigrants - for more info - try BBC or CNN

[hiro]

Bummer!

Well I guess if Moçambique, Cuba and Vietnam don't hack it either, poor ol' basjke is gonna have to bite the pillow and stay here.

Personally, the Vietnamese cuisine and insistence on blowing the truck/car/m'cycle horn at every bloody thing that moves puts me off.

That leaves Moçambique and Cuba and as you pointed out, it shouldn't be too long before FL annexes the 'other big island'.

So Moçambique it is then.

I am not a basher btw, I think Pattaya is just fine, it just needs some more TLC (and less whingers).

PS. Did I mention Puerto Rico?

You guy's seem to be well informed about several country's.Tell me about south africa.I always heard it's a world in one country and been told that it isn't that expensive either.seems however that only a particular part of the country has the good weather all year.Is this an alternative to pattaya?

You like SA - well they don't like immigrants - for more info - try BBC or CNN

Lived in SA for 15 years - would not go back there if you pay me - sole reason crime, crime crime

[BEENTHEREDONETHAT]

It was hard for me to choose between Thailand and Panama. Thailand won out but just, and I sometimes wonder if Panama would have been better. Like all decisions you have to weigh the pros and cons. Perhaps the most appealing part about Panama is they really want you to retire there and go out of their way to make it easy for you. You can own land there the same as Panamanians, the government is stable, and personl safety seems to be good for the most part. Just some areas best not to go. The weather is much like Thailand's with nothing more severe than occasional tropical storm. The country uses the US dollar (not sure if that is good or bad). The people are friendly and the women are quite beautiful (some not all). They give retirees discounts on everything. It is not difficult to find property with 15 or 20 year tax exemption. Have heard both good and bad about the cost of medical.

If we ever left Thailand (highly unlikely) that is where we would go. The cost of living is higher and so is the average income. They are very agressive drivers (in Panama City) and you see lots of dented body parts on cars. Don't recall many motorcycles. Taxis were very cheap, you could get almost anywhere in the city for $2.00. That was 2 years ago before the latest gas prices. The food was unremarkable. The language is Spanish with a fair bit of english spoken. The shopping centers are real Gems. You can get almost anything you want in Panama City.

Gee, after writing all that I might just go myself. And if LOS ever goes pearshaped on us that is where we are off to.

[Naam]

You like SA - well they don't like immigrants - for more info - try BBC or CNN

or try this:

Retiring in South Africa is an increasingly popular option for overseas nationals who wish to immigrate to South Africa on a permanent or seasonal basis. The South African retirement visa may be issued as a temporary or permanent visa and requires candidates to have a lifelong pension fund or income in order to support themselves whilst in South Africa.

Visit the Global Visas online assessment area now to begin your application for a South African retirement visa. Our assessment forms take just minutes to complete and a specialist South African immigration consultant will contact you directly.

South African Retirement Visa – Temporary or Permanent?

The South African Retirement visa may be issued as either a temporary visa or a permanent immigration service. Applicants are free to choose which option they prefer and temporary retirement visa holders will not be placed under any obligation to transfer to a permanent visa, though a permanent retirement visa application must be submitted from within South Africa. The key benefit of a permanent visa over the temporary route is that it grants its holder permanent residency in South Africa, and therefore many of the same rights and privileges enjoyed by South African citizens. Although a permanent retirement visa does not offer all the rights afforded to citizens, most notably the right to vote, it is essential for those who wish to pursue a grant of South African citizenship at a later date.

The ‘temporary’ retirement visa can be somewhat misleading as the initial grant is for four years, and the visa may be extended by additional grants of four years indefinitely so long as the criteria continue to be met. A successful application for a temporary South African retirement visa enables the candidate to choose whether to live in South Africa permanently or to remain on a seasonal basis.

South Africa Retirement Visas - Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements of this South Africa immigration service are financial and although applicants may work in South Africa If they wish, they do not need to have a job offer in place as is the case with a work permit or business visa. It may be assumed that in general, the financial criteria of the investment visa will attract candidates who do not need to support themselves by working in South Africa, however, should they choose to do so they may be permitted to work subject to approval. Where candidates apply for the permanent retirement visa, they will be awarded a grant of permanent residency in South Africa and will therefore be able to seek and undertake employment as they see fit.

Candidates must be able to fulfil one of the following criteria.

An applicant must have a pension, or another source of retirement income worth a minimum of 20,000 Rand per month. Where applicants are applying with their spouse or partner, it should be noted that this figure applies to each individual.

Alternatively, candidates may apply where they have a net worth which equates to an income of 20,000 Rand or more per month. Once again this figure applies to each individual submitting a retirement visa application.

[suiging]

On the approach to the 1997 handover of HK to China, a number of guys I worked with retired to SA.

Of that bunch, not one is left. Crime and the political situation to blame in every case, the not so public, but blatantly there, support and admiration for mad Robert often cited.

[JSixpack]

A few years ago I met a Scotsman who lived in Durban, SA. He raved about it and considered it heaven and much preferred it to Thailand. However I think he was on an expat salary there.

[Shotime]

will lead to a new type of holiday, people will spend the time in thailand, to avoid the winter period, just on the energy prices.

I thought this was another Pattaya-shithole thing, but it seems serious. I come to Thailand to avoid the winter, and the energy prices have nothing to do with it. At home, I had asked my boss for a raise. I told him that I know I don't have a car, but look at the price of gas. Thailand is OK, but I get full much quicker than before. Hawaii is the most perfect place I have found in the world.

[Kerryd]

It was hard for me to choose between Thailand and Panama. Thailand won out but just, and I sometimes wonder if Panama would have been better. Like all decisions you have to weigh the pros and cons. Perhaps the most appealing part about Panama is they really want you to retire there and go out of their way to make it easy for you. You can own land there the same as Panamanians, the government is stable, and personl safety seems to be good for the most part. Just some areas best not to go. The weather is much like Thailand's with nothing more severe than occasional tropical storm. The country uses the US dollar (not sure if that is good or bad). The people are friendly and the women are quite beautiful (some not all). They give retirees discounts on everything. It is not difficult to find property with 15 or 20 year tax exemption. Have heard both good and bad about the cost of medical.

Does Did sound good. One of those places that doesn't often appear on people's "radar" when talking about places to go. Although, what I'm reading now is making me think twice (I've spent the last 3 hours researching the subject, and it isn't looking good).

"major cocaine transshipment point and primary money-laundering center for narcotics revenue; money-laundering activity is especially heavy in the Colon Free Zone; offshore financial center; negligible signs of coca cultivation; monitoring of financial transactions is improving; official corruption remains a major problem"

"Countries with ten worst murder rates, 2003

Country - (murders/100,000)

Columbia 84

El Salvador 50

Puerto Rico 42

Brazil 32

Albania 28

Venezuela 25

Russian Federation 18

Ecuador 16

Mexico 15

Panama 14

US rate for 2003 was 5.7"

"Panama City (Population: 813,097) recorded 248 murders in 2006, 70% of the nation’s total (354). Murder (per capita) rate: 0.305006 per 1000. Simplifying: One murder per 3,300 persons!" (or about 30 per 100,000 population, just over twice what the national average was 3 years earlier)

"John Boorman, Director of the film The Tailor of Panama, declared:

But what I found there is what's in the film. Which is: Panama City is a money-laundering, drug-running place with all these banks that's totally corrupt. And their canal is this vital gateway. It's a very steamy mix. Also, it's the brothel capital of Central America.”

Wow ! It does sound like Pattaya !

While looking up the stats, I thing I noticed was a couple of places that said the statistics for Latin America are not to be trusted, and if anything, the "official" numbers should be tripled.

As for the Real Estate side of the question, apparently that 15 or 20 year tax exemption isn't the whole story, and from what little I read, it sounds like one of those things where they hold a shiny new coin in front of your face with one hand, while reaching around to steal your wallet with the other.

Personnally, I think I'd do a whole lot more research before making any plans to go there in the near future.

(I could go on and on, but it really, why would I ?)

[BerndK]

I wish I had another option.

It seems like I don't have another option...I like Thailand...call it whatever you want.

I have to admit that nothing is perfect and Thailand is far from being perfect....but the Girls are somewhat close to perfect looking.

It's a lot easier to go about your day when you see beautiful girls.....I usually don't see guys ..no matter where I go. I talk to them but I don't look at them...if you know what I mean.

Right now I live in America, and America probably looks good on TV but man the girls are ...hard to call them girls/women...are fat and I mean fat...no really fat. They bitch, they are proud to be bitches. The mediocre looking ones believe they are some kind of Super Star reborn incarnation...and the "hot" ones are just really samartt.

So you guys keep bitching about Thailand and Pattaya.

Maybe the Government of Thailand isn't as stupid as you think....just maybe, they know about the commodities they have.

[stacker10]

I'm an expat been here 5years. Just sold my business and returning home next month. Fed up with the corruption, bad staff, idiot low class tourists that seem to be coming here more and more. Always being classed as lower than the Thai's. Thailand for the Thai's mentality, standing for the K when I want to watch a film. Living in a third world country who thinks its a first world country.

Yes I am pissed off as you can tell and getting out while I remain sane!!

Can't agree more with you.I am here for 14 years and one should think it had improved over the years.Nothing is more against the truth as that.It get's worse by the day especially the last few years.The crime has risen to unacceptable highs,quality of life has gone way down,xenephobia is clearly visible and the people get more greedy by the day.They realy do one step forwards and then 3 steps back.But,as Gary A wrote,I am sure I can't get used in the western world again.I am looking for years already to leave but there isn't a clear alternative.Cambodia and laos too primitive.Malaysia is better but I prefer not to live between the muslims.If someone knows a country with a similar climate,reasonable quality of life and affordable feel free to inform me.

As for you saying that it is here living in a third world country that thinks it's a first world country I will always remember the words a US navy told me in my early days here.

You can't blame people for being stupid because they didn't have education.People who are stupid but who think they are the smartest are dangerous people.

Hi

after 7byears I had it but for me is more the visa bullshit.Try Phillipines Im there now,great people,realy frindly not fake smiles and the visas are great 16month with no visa trips thank god.Warm people and great islands