Next Best Or Most Similar Country To Thailand ?

[penbat]

If for some strange reason you were told that you had to leave Thailand for good, but you were free to live in any other country, what would that country be ?

Your answer could either be, in your opinion, the next best country to Thailand or the country closest in character to Thailand.

[bkkmadness]

Lots of places to go if I left Thailand, if I stayed in Asia then it would have to be somewhere in China, probably Hong Kong, or maybe Japan.

If I decided to get out of Asia totally then somewhere Central America way might do me well, maybe Cuba?

Closet country to Thailand? Hmm, not sure, maybe Malaysia or Vietnam would be the closest to it, I've only spent brief time in the former so can't really comment.

[daleyboy]

It would have to Japan imho

[Steve2UK]

Reading between the lines a bit, I think you may want to look at the following:

http://www.homemalaysia.com/eng/home.php

[Thaiquila]

I would say BRASIL!

Lots of spicy people, love of music and sanuk, world class slums.

But you need muito reas (lots and lots of moolah) to qualify for a retirement type visa there, and I have heard working visas are even harder.

I was only once there and only to Rio (and if you haven't been and can make it, is most definitely worth the trip) and I was surprised to find many people on the plane down from the US were also Thailand regulars.

Tells you something there.

As far as Malaysia, well they have durian and its hot and steamy, but otherwise, not all that similar to Thailand.

Edited June 3, 2005 by Thaiquila

[bkkmadness]

other than that though must be a pretty cheap place? and I heard the women are awesome.

[Boon Mee]

I would say BRASIL!

Lots of spicy people, love of music and sanuk, world class slums.

But you need muito reas (lots and lots of moolah) to qualify for a retirement type visa there, and I have heard working visas are even harder.

Unbelievable! For once I agree with TQ! except for the visa requirements. If you hold a UK passport it's a little easier than a US but in all, easier to deal with the bureaucracy than Thailand

Me and the missus lived in Brazil for over 5 years both in Rio and just south of Macae. Most beautiful country I've ever been to anywhere.

The women are awesome but not as clean in general to Asian. Less inhibited though!

[bkkmadness]

What were the costs like over there compared to Thailand, appartments, food etc.?

[The Gentleman Scamp]

Don't know.

[Siam_superfly]

The Philippines for sure.....great beaches with "surf", great looking girls, but not the charm of Thailand....also bit hard to do a visa run every 30 days.....

[Boon Mee]

What were the costs like over there compared to Thailand, appartments, food etc.?

Rio is comparable to Bangkok lived as a Farang but "up-country" like in Fortaleza, Recife, Aracaju etc it's cheaper.

Food is inexpensive but not as tasty to me but learning Portuguese was a snap compared to Thai.

Travel in the area was terrific as you've got the Amazon, Foz Iguacu which is on the border with Argentina and the largest waterfalls in the world in terms of number of falls - is fantastic.

One thing that's interesting about Rio itself is, as a big city, it's easy to get around. No traffic jams to speak of and the cleanest subway system I've ever ridden. No smog either...and did I mention the girls!

[bkkmadness]

What were the costs like over there compared to Thailand, appartments, food etc.?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Rio is comparable to Bangkok lived as a Farang but "up-country" like in Fortaleza, Recife, Aracaju etc it's cheaper.

Food is inexpensive but not as tasty to me but learning Portuguese was a snap compared to Thai.

Travel in the area was terrific as you've got the Amazon, Foz Iguacu which is on the border with Argentina and the largest waterfalls in the world in terms of number of falls - is fantastic.

One thing that's interesting about Rio itself is, as a big city, it's easy to get around. No traffic jams to speak of and the cleanest subway system I've ever ridden. No smog either...and did I mention the girls!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Is it a safe country for foreigners, like Thailand is for the most part? I've seen City of Gods you know.

Did you travel the Amazon whilst you were there? It's one of my dreams, all those fish.

[Mr Helper]

BRAZIL!!!

Maybe its better, the women are sexier, and 'NO' SIN SOD/DOWRY to pay if you marry one No government red tape when buying a house, yes foreigners can own land, houses, whatever they want in Brazil. Living costs in Brazil are just the same as Thailand.

Edited June 3, 2005 by Mr Helper

[SoCal]

Brazil?

Just heard that they are building a 6' tall wall from the airport to Rio to protect foreigners en route to Mardi Gras from stray bullets.

2nd choice? Vietnam.

[Boon Mee]

Brazil?

Just heard that they are building a 6' tall wall from the airport to Rio to protect foreigners en route to Mardi Gras from stray bullets.

2nd choice? Vietnam.

It's called "Carnival" down there and a lot more fun than that sorry excuse in New Orleans!

[SoCal]

Boon,

Sure those who survive the trip to Rio have a dandy time.

[Boon Mee]

Boon,

Sure those who survive the trip to Rio have a dandy time. 

Well, all I can say is I survived living down there for over 5 years without a spot of trouble anywhere. Maybe I was lucky.

Remember not too many years ago there were loads of "kemoys" hijacking tourist busses leaving Don Muang on the way into town. One bus full of Japanese just turned around and went back to the airport and they all hauled-ass back - no money or jewlery left....

[udon]

Reading between the lines a bit, I think you may want to look at the following:

http://www.homemalaysia.com/eng/home.php

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Iteresting website.Why can't the Thai gov't come up with one similar??

Have you lived in .My. Steve? Anyone?

[SoCal]

Hey Boon,

Still have to go with Nam.

Only place I have been in the world where the people don't seem to have any feeling (positive or negative) towards Americans. That is truly amazing if you think about it. I've heard a lot of garbage from a lot of euro whiners, but here is a people who have a real reason to complain, yet would not think of it.

The women are not great party girls, but they are great looking and loving if you find the right one. By and large, the women are spend thrift, and extremely loyal. Night and day from a Thai, and both with there own merits.

Nice undeveloped beaches, few foreigners outside of SGN & HAN.

My own little Shangri-La.

[udon]

Hi SoCal,

got to remember that the majority of the pop is under 40, so no memories of the 65-75 war.

Only know the result

[SoCal]

Know plenty of Vietnamese who fought in the war, and without a doubt, they are awesome people.

Quoting a Saigon taxi driver-

We have been at war with the Chinese for thousands of years. We have been at war with the Europeans for hundreds of years. You (US) were here a very short time.

Says more about them, than us/US.

[SoCal]

Boon & Udon, Just received this-

Vietnam is beginning to displace Thailand as Asia's hottest travel

destination

NHA TRANG, Vietnam (1 June 2005) -- Vietnam is among the countries

and territories recently named to be one of the safest destinations

for travellers by Aon, the world's second-largest insurance broker,

according to BBC.

Claire Boobbyer, a tourism writer for the Footprint Travel Guides,

has expressed her special love for Vietnam, BBC said, adding that

plenty of travelers are returning to Vietnam to soak in the

spectacular scenery and culture.

The country is on its way to being as much of a destination as

neighboring Thailand, BBC said.

But Boobbyer said Vietnam "is really more interesting."

"The environment captivating and the food is divine. I think it's

the best food in the world. The smells, the sounds, the sights -

it's far more interesting than Thailand," she remarked.

Earlier, the Conde Nast Traveller magazine had devoted an entire

edition to Vietnam entitled "Good afternoon Vietnam". Vietnam is "a

land that has unified not only north and south, but an honored past

and a rich future," the paper said.

Miss Boobbyer agrees, saying that the nation has embraced tourism,

and that navigation of the cities and countryside in English isn't

as challenging as one might expect.

"[Vietnam] has a good background in the service industry… There is

a good range of services for tourists, from high-class hotels to

backpacker's hostels," Boobbyer remarked, stressing that she

was "amazed for what you could get on a budget."

There were nearly 300,000 visitors flocking to Vietnam in March

alone, according to figures on the official tourism website.

In the first three months of 2005, there were nearly 900,000

tourists and scuba diving travelers in the country, a more than 20%

increase from 2004, it also said.

[udon]

SoCal.....Thanks for that.

Many Vn veterans from the south here in Aus.

I delight in talking to the old guys here in my local Chinatown as most spent time in ref camps in LoS before coming to Aus in anything that floats.

Many of them hate the Thai Military for robbing them or killing them when they set sail.

The vets are a bunch of "good old guys"

[Steve2UK]

Reading between the lines a bit, I think you may want to look at the following:

http://www.homemalaysia.com/eng/home.php

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Iteresting website.Why can't the Thai gov't come up with one similar??

Have you lived in .My. Steve? Anyone?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Nope. Visited a few parts of it and there are a lot of +'s.

I'm starting to think the question is more "Why won't the Thai gov't come up with one similar" - i.e. it looks like they don't want to. Maybe goes with the recent withdrawal of the concession for duty free import of household effects for retirees? Compare that with the proposed introduction of 3-year Non Imm B visas...........

[toddy]

Hey Boon,

Still have to go with Nam.

Only place I have been in the world where the people don't seem to have any feeling (positive or negative) towards Americans. That is truly amazing if you think about it. I've heard a lot of garbage from a lot of euro whiners, but here is a people who have a real reason to complain, yet would not think of it.

The women are not great party girls, but they are great looking and loving if you find the right one. By and large, the women are spend thrift, and extremely loyal. Night and day from a Thai, and both with there own merits.

Nice undeveloped beaches, few foreigners outside of SGN & HAN.

My own little Shangri-La.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

In my experience there is a huge resentment of Americans in Vietnam although they do a good job of not showing you it. Also a huge resentment (and shown) towards Vietnamese who have anything to do with the USA (marriage or emmigration). They are to be applauded for being so polite towards you guys even though they let us 'euro-whiners' know what they really think about the good 'ol boys.

Peace brother and I hope you'll be handing out candy to the North Korean kids the same way you did for the Nihon-jin after Hiroshima. Good 'ol American spirit.

I'm off to kick some ass now bye bye...

[LaoPo]

Thailand: My Second Home is a program introduced by the Thai government to allow people from all over the world to live in Thailand. This program is open to citizens of all countries and has no restrictions on age, race, religion or gender. In fact, you may bring along your spouse, dependents and even one maid.

You will receive from this program a Social Visit Pass and Multiple Entry Visa from the Thai Department of Immigration. Both documents are valid for 5-years and allow you the freedom to enter and leave Thailand whenever you wish.

Sorry guys...just dreaming I fear we have to go next door: Malaysia

LaoPo

[Neeranam]

Thailand: My Second Home is a program introduced by the Thai government to allow people from all over the world to live in Thailand. This program is open to citizens of all countries and has no restrictions on age, race, religion or gender. In fact, you may bring along your spouse, dependents and even one maid.

You will receive from this program a Social Visit Pass and Multiple Entry Visa from the Thai Department of Immigration. Both documents are valid for 5-years and allow you the freedom to enter and leave Thailand whenever you wish. 

Sorry guys...just dreaming  I fear we have to go next door: Malaysia 

Maybe one day, but not in my lifetime.

[toddy]

My second home (Japan) could well become my first for these reasons:

1. Active plans by Koichi to encourage foreign investment.

2. Investment visa requirements not so bad considering you are investing in a place worth investing in (three years management level experience and $100,000 Kabushiki Kaisha investment needed) - This creates a business environment which is not full of moaning incompetant people who realised they invested 5 grand in a lemon. Three years of graduate study can be included in the three years management requirement.

3. The average Jo is usually well educated (at least by UK/USA/Thai standards) and therefore good for a natter over coffee ... and don't worry about expensive Japanese lessons because the government picks up the tab for this if you attend the local ward office lessons.

4. Foreigners can own anything they want no questions asked. (Although Japanese are not keen to let property to us gaijin / farang)

5. Extremely low crime rates due to high detection rates even in Osaka and Tokyo.

6. Kyoto, Nara, Nikko - fantastic old cities.

7. Fukuoka - no. 1 party town in Asia for me.

8. Millions of small independant blues bars - ever seen an MD of a bank sink 12 whiskies then join a band onstage to rip into 'Crossroads', then fall over the drumkit - normal stuff!

9. Beautiful, educated girls that come with their own cash!

10. Japan makes you face everything you know and then makes you not believe in it anymore ... at which point you realise how to make some changes to yourself for the better or you run back to wherever you arrived from.

[Nordlys]

My second home (Japan) could well become my first for these reasons:

1. Active plans by Koichi to encourage foreign investment.

2. Investment visa requirements not so bad considering you are investing in a place worth investing in (three years management level experience and $100,000 Kabushiki Kaisha investment needed) - This creates a business environment which is not full of moaning incompetant people who realised they invested 5 grand in a lemon. Three years of graduate study can be included in the three years management requirement.

4. Foreigners can own anything they want no questions asked. (Although Japanese are not keen to let property to us gaijin / farang)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Can gaijin own land over there?

And no thor thor 3 I suppose? No visa run?

Koichi = Kochi in Shikoku?

[Tornado]

Brazil or Costa Rica