Alternatives To Thailand ?

[Sing_Sling]

The Phils would be ok, simular to Thailand just not as developed.

Way, WAY more dangerous!

As can be seen in front of every McDonalds, 7-11 . . any restaurant or shop; men with guns guarding the place.

The PIs have one of the highest murder rates worldwide and as for the women . . . anyone ever met women who are after walking ATMs more than Thais? Welcome to the Philippines.

Oh, and it is the only country where people are sooooooo proud to be of mixed heritage, always referring to being 1/23476520th Spanish . . . Sad bunch of people in a sad society on great islands.

[tracker]

mmm, how about new zealand? seems easy to get in, I heard.

[johnnyk]

mmm, how about new zealand? seems easy to get in, I heard.

might have to have a bit more in the bank than the equivalent of 800K baht.

very expensive boredom from what i've heard

[Donz]

The Phils would be ok, simular to Thailand just not as developed.

Way, WAY more dangerous!

As can be seen in front of every McDonalds, 7-11 . . any restaurant or shop; men with guns guarding the place.

The PIs have one of the highest murder rates worldwide and as for the women . . . anyone ever met women who are after walking ATMs more than Thais? Welcome to the Philippines.

Oh, and it is the only country where people are sooooooo proud to be of mixed heritage, always referring to being 1/23476520th Spanish . . . Sad bunch of people in a sad society on great islands.

many filo's dont consider themselves as asian, sad but true

[Donz]

mmm, how about new zealand? seems easy to get in, I heard.

My brother lives in NZ, he hates the place, he is always complaining about how cold it is and how miserable the weather is.

Nice place with lots of nice views, but not to live, holiday is good though

[the swagman]

Any good places in India, i hear its cheap, how are the birds?

My mother visited friends in the north of India (Simla) two years ago. She says there is quite a large expatriate community, mainly people who, like my mother, where in India prior to 1947 returning for retirement. But also quite a lot of people who were in other parts of the empire, particularly Rhodesia it seems.

Its certainly cheap and I understand that high up in the mountains there is some fabulous bird life - particularly eagles.

Ha ha ha ha

[migrant]

Spent a lot of time in Central America, Costa Rica, Honduras, Guatemala and I own some land in Belize.

But I fell for a Thai girl here in USA and since Central America mean't old girlfriends, don't think that will work.

Never got to the point of visas, etc, but I love the culture, beaches and rain forest great as is the ladies.

Costa Rica - beautiful beaches, good infrastructure, lovely ladies, affordable and can drink the water

Honduras - spent a lot of time there with a certain chica, very wild westish country lots of guns and gangs. second poorest country in hemisphere, be careful!!

Guatemala - careful, dangerous

Belize - nice country, drug running

All affordable and great ladies

[dgoz]

The Phils would be ok, simular to Thailand just not as developed.

Way, WAY more dangerous!

As can be seen in front of every McDonalds, 7-11 . . any restaurant or shop; men with guns guarding the place.

The PIs have one of the highest murder rates worldwide and as for the women . . . anyone ever met women who are after walking ATMs more than Thais? Welcome to the Philippines.

Oh, and it is the only country where people are sooooooo proud to be of mixed heritage, always referring to being 1/23476520th Spanish . . . Sad bunch of people in a sad society on great islands.

So true.

There are some pitiful farangs living in the PI who would desperately love to get out but can't afford the plane ticket.

Thailand has it's negatives but at the moment it's still way ahead ofthe PI.

[vegas]

Maybe we can ask the Thaivisa administrators to open a new 'whining' section so that the unhappy members can vent.

[younghusband]

Life here in Italy is good. Lots of Brits and Americans retiring here.

Great weather (absolutely whacks the weather in Thailand)

Great culture- probably the greatest on the planet.

Great food

Fantastic looking women (and fantastic looking men, maybe not a good thing if you can't stand the competition)

Cheap land and housing (that you can own)

Free Medical and Social Services for all EU citizens

The list goes on.

Of course its not as cheap as Thailand, but then you get what you pay for.

Agree with everything, except women...the only beautiful italians I've seen were on tv, but in clubs, restaurants, streets and shopping malls...nada

You obviously havent visited Milan recently.

[Beavis and Butthead]

I am giving a lot of thought to the Philippines. Since I am married to a Filippina, visa stays are minimal problem and I am entitled to work simply by registering with the Department of Labor.

Phillipines has great beaches, but is a more frustrating and more dangerous place to live.

I've lived in the Philippines for 5 years, and now 1 year in Thailand. I live with my Filipino girlfriend.

What can be more frustrating than a solid language and religious barrier. Thais have zero concept of anything that is not Thai. I've never been more frustrated in my life than trying to communicate with these people that just don't like us and have no interest in anything but the money.

Filipinos genuinely like foreigners and are excited to see them and communicate with them. It won't be long before I head back again.

In the Philippines visa runs are only required once a year, and in that time you would have to make 6 visits to an Immigration Office for a 59 day extension costing around P2000. The whole year would end up costing just under 9000 baht. The Immigration Office I used could usually process my extension in 30 minutes or less, so the total time spent for the whole year was around 3 hours.

Well said

[Beavis and Butthead]

Costa Rica is a great spot, had many good times there

[LoveDaBlues]

I heard the road system in Costa Rica was pretty bad. As in existing roads having huge potholes that don't get fixed. True/False?

[mijan24]

Malaysia is not listed yet I am sure they have a very good retirement inducement program

[VanZam]

mmm, how about new zealand? seems easy to get in, I heard.

might have to have a bit more in the bank than the equivalent of 800K baht.

very expensive boredom from what i've heard

I spend almost exactly the same (if not more) in Thailand as I do back home in NZ.. as for the boredom... well you get out what you put in. I wouldn't go to NZ if I was after drink and women.

[Donz]

My brother lives in NZ, he says the weather sucks so bad and its ony a nice place to holiday, he also said it always looks like its gonna rain. but only there for business and hopefully back to sydney soon

[geoffphuket]

My brother lives in NZ, he says the weather sucks so bad and its ony a nice place to holiday, he also said it always looks like its gonna rain. but only there for business and hopefully back to sydney soon

And it doesn't in Thailand ... If it rains much more here I'll start growing fins

[Thaiquila]

I am giving a lot of thought to the Philippines. Since I am married to a Filippina, visa stays are minimal problem and I am entitled to work simply by registering with the Department of Labor.

Phillipines has great beaches, but is a more frustrating and more dangerous place to live.

I've lived in the Philippines for 5 years, and now 1 year in Thailand. I live with my Filipino girlfriend.

What can be more frustrating than a solid language and religious barrier. Thais have zero concept of anything that is not Thai. I've never been more frustrated in my life than trying to communicate with these people that just don't like us and have no interest in anything but the money.

Filipinos genuinely like foreigners and are excited to see them and communicate with them. It won't be long before I head back again.

In the Philippines visa runs are only required once a year, and in that time you would have to make 6 visits to an Immigration Office for a 59 day extension costing around P2000. The whole year would end up costing just under 9000 baht. The Immigration Office I used could usually process my extension in 30 minutes or less, so the total time spent for the whole year was around 3 hours.

Well said

Where exactly do you live in the Philippines? I like Filipino people and they have those incredible beaches. But the instability and crime are a concern and the food doesn't really compare well with Thailand. I consider the Philippines an interesting backup choice for many (including me) if I get bumped out by a future shake em out Thai visa change.

OK, this is crude (please forgive) but if comparing Filipinos and Thais, Thais would be catlike (they are the center of the universe) in relation to farangs, and Filipinos would be doglike (they want to please). Omidod, that sounds offensive. To both, of course, farangs are monkeylike.

Edited October 3, 2006 by Thaiquila

[dgoz]

Malaysia is not listed yet I am sure they have a very good retirement inducement program

Malaysia is very Muslim, which doesn't suit my lifestyle. Drinking is expensive, in KL anyway.

It seems to be slightly wealthier than Thailand.

But, as my gf said when we went there, "Mai sanook."

[Donz]

My brother lives in NZ, he says the weather sucks so bad and its ony a nice place to holiday, he also said it always looks like its gonna rain. but only there for business and hopefully back to sydney soon

And it doesn't in Thailand ... If it rains much more here I'll start growing fins

He coesnt mind rain that much, he hates the comination of cold weather and rain all day long all year long.

[Neeranam]

I'd go to India or Nepal. They have everything that Thailand has and less hassle for some things.

The beautiful beaches in the south, the Himalaya, beautiful temples/women etc etc. Some places don't have cheap alcohol but have cheap legal opium and ganja. People are friendlier too, and the food is ten times better.

[Thaiquila]

I'd go to India or Nepal. They have everything that Thailand has and less hassle for some things.

The beautiful beaches in the south, the Himalaya, beautiful temples/women etc etc. Some places don't have cheap alcohol but have cheap legal opium and ganja. People are friendlier too, and the food is ten times better.

Interesting idea. Turns out there is no retirement visa for India, but for Americans only, there is such as thing as a TEN year tourist visa:

http://www.retireaway.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=198

[geoffphuket]

On a Similar thread http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?sh...5&hl=brazil

Brazil was suggested...but then I read this

From http://www.allsafetravels.com/LinkDetailsP...1#advicedetails

BRASILIA, Brazil (Reuters) - More than 150 Brazilians were murdered each day last year on average, putting Brazil on a par with some war zones in terms of its homicide rate, the Justice Ministry said on Monday.

Some 55,000 Brazilians died of homicide in 2005 -- a few thousand more civilians than in three years of war in Iraq, according to leading estimates.

Brazil, a continent-sized nation of 185 million people starkly divided into rich and poor, has had notoriously high crime rates for years. Millions of poor live in urban slums and unpoliced rural areas where guns are easy to come by.

Though the murder rate is high, Marcelo Durante, coordinator of the Justice Ministry's report, said homicides have fallen slowly in recent years thanks in part to an initiative to collect guns from the streets.

Citizens have voluntarily turned in thousands of weapons in places like Rio de Janeiro, the famous beachside city whose urban slums have some of the highest crime rates in Brazil.

A referendum in 2005 to ban gun sales failed, in part because some voters had lost faith in police.

"It was the states that collected the most guns that saw crime rates fall most," said Durante, "but we have to remember it's not just about guns."

Other kinds of violent crime in Brazil are far more common than statistics show, Durante said, adding that urban surveys suggest only a quarter of all robberies and 15 percent of all rapes are reported nationwide.

"At least with homicide, we can be a little more confident most of the crimes are getting reported," he said.

Murders also declined in Brazil's largest city of Sao Paulo in recent years, Durante said. Earlier this year, however, a gang known as First Command of the Capital launched a series of attacks on police, banks and buses in which about 200 police, gangsters and innocent civilians were killed.

© Reuters 2006. All Rights Reserved.

[Donz]

I been to india and I think its a hel_l hole.

The place is dirty and wouldnt live there is I had too.

The peopel are much worst then in Thailand IMO Although i didnt go to there beaches so I cant comment on that,

[VanZam]

55,000 murders a year... holy shi.....

Guess that's off the list then.

[Neeranam]

I been to india and I think its a hel_l hole.

The place is dirty and wouldnt live there is I had too.

The peopel are much worst then in Thailand IMO Although i didnt go to there beaches so I cant comment on that,

Did you go outside the big cities? Bangkok is not exactly a friendly clean place!!

[geoffphuket]

55,000 murders a year... holy shi.....

Guess that's off the list then.

Hmmm...Brazil did sound quite interesting didn't it.

[VanZam]

55,000 murders a year... holy shi.....

Guess that's off the list then.

Hmmm...Brazil did sound quite interesting didn't it.

Character building at its finest.. bet they have no problem with visa runs.. 30 days and you only stay longer becasue your passports been stolen

[rexall]

The Phils would be ok, simular to Thailand just not as developed.

Gotti :

cheap broadband?

cheap, prepaid gsm mobile (cell phone)?

Intl. ATMs?

reliable FedEx, TNT, UPS?

can use regular postal mail securely?

cheap software?

cheap movies on DVD?

Computer hardware as cheap and good as LOS?

Can do home business without a lot of red tape?

[Donz]

I been to india and I think its a hel_l hole.

The place is dirty and wouldnt live there is I had too.

The peopel are much worst then in Thailand IMO Although i didnt go to there beaches so I cant comment on that,

Did you go outside the big cities? Bangkok is not exactly a friendly clean place!!

No i didnt, i was there purely for business, I only stayed in the capital city and it was really really bad, I will go back there someday though, and yes people have told me about they have some great places to visit. But im just speaking purely out of my experiences.

The capital is definately a hel_l hole IMO