snamos Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 Im siding fully 100 percent with bang tao boy, Phuket is unmatched in its over all package, and i have been to a lot of places in asia. BTW dont waste your time in vietnam its a shit hole and the people make the tuk tuk drivers, jetski operators, and phuket touts look like angels. For the people who crack the shits with Thai people in Patong...... I used to live in kings cross in Sydney, and guess what? I didnt meet any people of substance there. Patong is Thailands equivalent of Kings Cross, I wouldnt be looking to form any lifelong friendships with the expats or locals in Nana Plaza, Orchid towers, Angeles City, EDSA center, LA Cafe, Gaylung, Duxton Rd, Soi Cowboy, Pat Pong or the whole of Chonburi. To use a BTB analegy, it sounds like you went to the equivalent of the Patong of Vietnam. :) Are you saying all Vietnam is like the places where you went???? You can't have the argument both ways. BTB is saying Patong is different to other places on Phuket, and I agree, BUT, as stated, that does not mean certain "issues" don't exist for certain people, in certain places, on the island. My experiences of Vietnam have been very, very different to yours. I've been there many times. The place is great. I went to Ho Chi Mihn with the Thai GF, also went to Vung Tao to check out the old Australian Base at Nui Tat and Long Tan, I wanted to check out all the war history mainly and not the girly bars, GF agreed the people were horrible, I have travelled with the GF to Cambodia (nice people), Malaysia (again nice people, yes it was an extended visa run in KL) and Australia. Ive travelled on ships to more countries than i can count, The vietnamese people are the worst I have encountered as a whole, close second is japanese which I have been to approximately 40 times, sorry if i sound racist but I didnt like the people as they were unfriendly and downright rude, and they did their best to rob constantly. Your idea of pleasure obviously greatly differs to mine NKM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snamos Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 Aha!!! I just worked out why vietnam is such a great place, i remember it was very cheap! Thats the real reason NKM! I remember seeing a lot of soap-dodging backpackers there and I remember thinking thats why its so popular.... Fess up NKM!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumpyoldman Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 soap-dodging backpackers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leo12345 Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 soap-dodging backpackers :cheesy: :cheesy: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shot Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 I remember seeing a lot of soap-dodging backpackers there and I remember thinking thats why its so popular.... Fess up NKM!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starkey_rich Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 soap-dodging backpackers :cheesy: :cheesy: I know terrible.They are letting ozzies in everywhere now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F1fanatic Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 To use a BTB analegy, it sounds like you went to the equivalent of the Patong of Vietnam. :) Are you saying all Vietnam is like the places where you went???? You can't have the argument both ways. BTB is saying Patong is different to other places on Phuket, and I agree, BUT, as stated, that does not mean certain "issues" don't exist for certain people, in certain places, on the island. My experiences of Vietnam have been very, very different to yours. I've been there many times. The place is great. I went to Ho Chi Mihn with the Thai GF, also went to Vung Tao to check out the old Australian Base at Nui Tat and Long Tan, I wanted to check out all the war history mainly and not the girly bars, GF agreed the people were horrible, I have travelled with the GF to Cambodia (nice people), Malaysia (again nice people, yes it was an extended visa run in KL) and Australia. Ive travelled on ships to more countries than i can count, The vietnamese people are the worst I have encountered as a whole, close second is japanese which I have been to approximately 40 times, sorry if i sound racist but I didnt like the people as they were unfriendly and downright rude, and they did their best to rob constantly. Your idea of pleasure obviously greatly differs to mine NKM I'm with NKM on this. He visited places in Vietnam and enjoyed it, your experience was the opposite. Each to their own. Anyway, visiting a place doesn't give you the first idea about what its like to actually live there... However, I agree with you that the Thais are rarely rude. That doesn't mean that they are not ripping you off with a smile! Phuket has much (still) to recommend it as a place to live. The coastal areas views are (still) beautiful, the laid-back atmosphere, the wonderful weather (if you can adapt to the heat), the supermarkets stocking Western food and clothes etc. etc. On the other hand, the OP has pointed out some of the down-sides. You don't have to live in Patong to be charged more than the locals for many things, tuk tuks obviously need to be avoided etc. etc. The OP has had enough of being ripped off wherever possible and has decided Phuket is no longer the place for him - fair enough. Posters who reply "good riddance" or words to that effect are merely showing that they do not have the sense to identify with some of his comments, and for some obscure reason need to resort to insults . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Croc Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 soap-dodging backpackers :cheesy: :cheesy: I know terrible.They are letting ozzies in everywhere now. From the Urban Dictionary: Soap Dodger A slang term for people from england. During the early to mid 20th century the english were famous for only washing once a year. The english considered bathing to be bad for the health. Hence the expression that they were adept at dodging the soap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starkey_rich Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 soap-dodging backpackers :cheesy: :cheesy: I know terrible.They are letting ozzies in everywhere now. From the Urban Dictionary: Soap Dodger A slang term for people from england. During the early to mid 20th century the english were famous for only washing once a year. The english considered bathing to be bad for the health. Hence the expression that they were adept at dodging the soap. And where did most ozzies come from in the early 20th century Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snamos Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 I'm with NKM on this. He visited places in Vietnam and enjoyed it, your experience was the opposite. Each to their own. Anyway, visiting a place doesn't give you the first idea about what its like to actually live there... However, I agree with you that the Thais are rarely rude. That doesn't mean that they are not ripping you off with a smile! Phuket has much (still) to recommend it as a place to live. The coastal areas views are (still) beautiful, the laid-back atmosphere, the wonderful weather (if you can adapt to the heat), the supermarkets stocking Western food and clothes etc. etc. On the other hand, the OP has pointed out some of the down-sides. You don't have to live in Patong to be charged more than the locals for many things, tuk tuks obviously need to be avoided etc. etc. The OP has had enough of being ripped off wherever possible and has decided Phuket is no longer the place for him - fair enough. Posters who reply "good riddance" or words to that effect are merely showing that they do not have the sense to identify with some of his comments, and for some obscure reason need to resort to insults . Your with NKM on this one, but he assumed i visited the red light areas of Vietnam which I didnt, I assume he likes it because its very cheap, I know about getting ripped off with a smile in Thailand, I havent met many people that say the Vietnamese are nice and friendly people, to me thats a big part of travelling, not buying a 30 cent beer and hanging outside a 7/11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snamos Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 And where did most ozzies come from in the early 20th century Yep the english sent us to paradise and they stayed in that shithole Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BangTaoBoy Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 @ BTB Firstly, if your wife paid for you, then stopped working to have a baby and continued not to work whilst raising that child, reading between the lines, I would say you fronted most of the cash in the relationship. Do I have a problem with it - NO. Is it any of my business - CERTAINLY NOT. You raised the topic, not me. I've been married for over 10 years, and my son is 3. So thats, a 7/3 split. Read my post agian. I said I believe that being a full time mother and house wife, is EQUAL a job to earning the money, therefor the investment is EQUAL. The amount of cash doesn't come in to it. That's how a court of law would see it in the UK anyway. Secondly, Visiting your missus' family in Issan is not what I would call traveling Issan/Thailand extensively. The same with your travels abroad. Visa runs to Malaysia is not counted as traveling SE Asia extensively. I bet your passport shows "Exit Phuket Internation Airport" - "Entry Phuket International Airport" - and very little else. Do I have a problem with that - NO. You really are very poor at this assumption malarky. I have been on extensive road trips around Issarn lasting weeks at a time, and the same goes for the entire south from BKK down. Not all my international trips were visa runs, and some that were, were extended to 2 to 3 week trips. You are trying to undermine my argument about Phuket, in the weakest, most desperate of ways. Thirdly, when I read the OP it was clear he/she were giving THEIR reasons for moving back to the UK. The reasons they mentioned, in own opinion, exist here (here meaning Patong which is on Phuket which is in Thailand) Now, you are saying if you get out of Patong, but stay on Phuket, you may not experience some of the negative reasons listed, which would cause you to move. I agree with that, BUT, you keep talking about YOURSELF. Yes I ws taking about myself, but the OP WASN'T was he. Remember the bit where he told us that 'everybody couldn't possibly be happy anywhere in Thailand' I asked you to explain the logic of statements like that, but you are yet to even understand the difference, let alone explain it. The OP was giving his opinion, and then telling everybody else that is conclusively the way it is, for EVERYBODY. I agree with you that Phuket "ticks all of the boxes." It has a lot of facilities in close proximity that are of reasonable standard, although, does lack some infastructure. Agree with me to the point you can't give me any alternatives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BangTaoBoy Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 My main "dig" at you BTB is you do not accept anyone else for their individuality. We are all different and we all have "different boxes that we want ticked." For some, Phuket USED to tick all the boxes, now, it doesn't. For others, Phuket, in the past, NEVER ticked all the boxes, now it does. (you mentioned having kids and International Schools - a good example) Re read this thread slowly, and you will see, apart from a huge amount of incorrect assumptions by yourself, that is exactly what I have been saying. You are accusing me of exactly what I've been accusing the OP of the whole thread. The opinions I give are MY opinions, and conclusive proof that not everybody is affected by the problems in the OP. The amount of people that have agreed, proves I'm far from alone. The OP however was giving us conclusive facts about Phuket, that go beyond subjectivness. He told us, NOBODY CAN BE HAPPY, ANYWHERE IN THAILAND' That is what I and many others are proving him wrong on. If you have a problem with that, then I suggest you need to check your own happiness levels. Just accept the OP's "boxes" the way he/she would accept your "boxes." I do. Like I said above, that's exactly what the OP didn't do from his very first post. It's the OP who has shown bias and bitterness, nobody else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenBravo Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 Jeeez, why don't you two get a room........or, continue doing it by PM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shot Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 Jeeez, why don't you two get a room........or, continue doing it by PM. +1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leo12345 Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 And where did most ozzies come from in the early 20th century Yep the english sent us to paradise and they stayed in that shithole Amen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LivinginKata Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 Jeeez, why don't you two get a room........or, continue doing it by PM. +1 +2 P.S. I can see this topic being closed if it's become some sort of grudge match between a few 'select' members. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TigerWan Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 I too feel as if Phuket may not be a wise choice for a long term - and the reason applies to all of Thailand- lack of both planning, and a real will to combat corruption. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NamKangMan Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 I'm with NKM on this. He visited places in Vietnam and enjoyed it, your experience was the opposite. Each to their own. Anyway, visiting a place doesn't give you the first idea about what its like to actually live there... However, I agree with you that the Thais are rarely rude. That doesn't mean that they are not ripping you off with a smile! Phuket has much (still) to recommend it as a place to live. The coastal areas views are (still) beautiful, the laid-back atmosphere, the wonderful weather (if you can adapt to the heat), the supermarkets stocking Western food and clothes etc. etc. On the other hand, the OP has pointed out some of the down-sides. You don't have to live in Patong to be charged more than the locals for many things, tuk tuks obviously need to be avoided etc. etc. The OP has had enough of being ripped off wherever possible and has decided Phuket is no longer the place for him - fair enough. Posters who reply "good riddance" or words to that effect are merely showing that they do not have the sense to identify with some of his comments, and for some obscure reason need to resort to insults . This is pretty much what I have been trying to say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NamKangMan Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 @ BTB "Extended to 2 to 3 week trips" - that's what's called a holiday. :) :) :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NamKangMan Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 Anyway, I have now decided I'm moving. Yep, I'm going to live in Bang Tao. Me and Bang Tao Boy are going to be neighbours. I shall be able to share in the Bang Tao utopia with him. :) I wonder what will happen to Bang Tao when everybody moves there, because it's so good? How will the locals handle riff raff like me moving there? Will it become like the dreaded Patong? Where will BTB move to then? :) :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NamKangMan Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 Aha!!! I just worked out why vietnam is such a great place, i remember it was very cheap! Thats the real reason NKM! I remember seeing a lot of soap-dodging backpackers there and I remember thinking thats why its so popular.... Fess up NKM!! There are a lot of backpackers there, but that's not why I liked, and continue to like, going there and may live there permanently one day. The backpackers you mention are doing the SE Asia "loop." So, the same backpackers hit Thailand as well. I'm not sure why you are putting Vietnam down for that. Vietnam has great beaches, great seafood, nightlife and, yes, it is cheap. I found the locals friendly, curious and eager to practice their english with you. I have no problems with your opinion of the place, I don't know why you have a problem with mine. Once again, somethings that may bother you, might not both me, and vice versa. The discussion on this threat has developed into whether or not the negatives on the OP's list, ACTUALLY EXIST. I am try to say, especially to BTB, that in the eyes of the OP they DO exist and therefore he has decided to move. It is the way the OP sees the place and the OP is entitled to see the world in anyway they want, just as we all are. Like I said, I can own 10 cars and 20 motorbikes and employ 5 drivers 24/7 but, in my opionion, Phuket will still have a public transport problem, even though it doesn't effect me. I haven't got any kids on the island, BTB does. If all of the International Schools shut down on Phuket, just because I haven't got kids, I wouldn't say, "There's no problem on Phuket with education at International Schools." I would say, "Yes, Phuket has a problem with educating expat kids. There is no International School here." I would see this a negative, even though I don't have kids here, or as BTB says, "a ticked, or unticked, box." Would I have to move because of it, no, I don't have kids. Would BTB have to move because of it, maybe. He would certainly have to evaluate it, in the same way we should all be evaluating our happiness here from time to time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TigerWan Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 Viet Nam has good bread, Something sorely lacking in Phuket And fresh spring rolls, I miss those Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katabeachbum Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 Vietnam, hmm If Phuket has double pricing, Vietnam has tripple pricing for foreigners Has anyone considered all the bad things we know and hear about in Phuket is due to several english language newsources are available here? and not in the surrounding countries good bread? find excellent bread in Makro, BigC extra (carrefour), Flin stone, Been living here full time for almost a decade, still out of trouble. Still pay 70 baht for a beer in Bangla road one or two nights a week. Still go home to Kata in a 400 baht tuk-tuk when I am drunk. and out of Patong, there is another Phuket to be found. Dont need to be in Disneyland every night Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TigerWan Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 good bread? find excellent bread in Makro, BigC extra (carrefour), Flin stone, Not my idea of a decent bread, so much preservative in it , it's white 2 weeks on. There may be some private bakeries, but near me the one makes it too expensive and the other really has an OK bread. No where have I found a nice real french loaf.. I've been looking around to move I guess it's comfortable here, but will it last? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snamos Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 Anyway, I have now decided I'm moving. Yep, I'm going to live in Bang Tao. Me and Bang Tao Boy are going to be neighbours. I shall be able to share in the Bang Tao utopia with him. :) I wonder what will happen to Bang Tao when everybody moves there, because it's so good? How will the locals handle riff raff like me moving there? Will it become like the dreaded Patong? Where will BTB move to then? :) :) Another one that needs to be told....sarcasm is the lowest form of wit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snamos Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 good bread? find excellent bread in Makro, BigC extra (carrefour), Flin stone, Not my idea of a decent bread, so much preservative in it , it's white 2 weeks on. There may be some private bakeries, but near me the one makes it too expensive and the other really has an OK bread. No where have I found a nice real french loaf.. I've been looking around to move I guess it's comfortable here, but will it last? yeah the bread in Phuket sucks, (might be another reason that pmgthailand left) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimi007 Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 Anyway, I have now decided I'm moving. Yep, I'm going to live in Bang Tao. Me and Bang Tao Boy are going to be neighbours. I shall be able to share in the Bang Tao utopia with him. :) I wonder what will happen to Bang Tao when everybody moves there, because it's so good? How will the locals handle riff raff like me moving there? Will it become like the dreaded Patong? Where will BTB move to then? :) :) Another one that needs to be told....sarcasm is the lowest form of wit "But the highest form of intelligence." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BangTaoBoy Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 Jeeez, why don't you two get a room........or, continue doing it by PM. +1 +2 P.S. I can see this topic being closed if it's become some sort of grudge match between a few 'select' members. Why on earth would you threaten to close this thread down? I think NKM talks a lot of bolony, and he feels the same about me I'm sure, but I'll give him credit where it's due, he follows the debate post by post, addressing things mentioned and answering questions asked. Neither of us have been aggresive, and neither of us have wandered off topic. So the only reason you would close it down is because it doesn't interest you ? Look at the front page. No threads except this one over two pages long. No one has much to say around here do they. Why would anyone open a thread, that they're not interested in, just to add an inteligent comment like '+1' or '+2'. If you think it's boring, don't <deleted> open it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NamKangMan Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 Anyway, I have now decided I'm moving. Yep, I'm going to live in Bang Tao. Me and Bang Tao Boy are going to be neighbours. I shall be able to share in the Bang Tao utopia with him. :) I wonder what will happen to Bang Tao when everybody moves there, because it's so good? How will the locals handle riff raff like me moving there? Will it become like the dreaded Patong? Where will BTB move to then? :) :) Another one that needs to be told....sarcasm is the lowest form of wit And the one who tells the sarcastic poster that, has the weakest of replies. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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