Alternatives To Thailand ?

[Kanine]

Well, I think all this talk and whinning only means one thing.....we still want to stick to this place!!! Anyway, I've been tp PHI, people is nice, food is ok, but like what the others said, it not really safe! If you see people with guns everywhere and the dog will have to smell your 'thinghy' before u enter the hotel....I think there must be a big problem somewhere! And Malaysia...what do you expect! Its an Islamic country...of course 'Mai sanook'.

[terry57]

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.

cricky's mate,

ive spent alot of time in india and travelled the whole country in three seperate trips the last one being 1 year ago.

it does have some beautiful places but its an epic journey to get to a lot of them and the hassle and poverty is overwelming.

nepal is a lot easier than india thats for sure.

ive done some hard core backpacking in my years but to be truthful im always happy to leave india and get back to los.

but if you like it that much and would prefer to live there than thailand i wish you all the luck.

just dont get sick or have an accident outside the big city's.

cheers

[terry57]

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,

you aint missing much donz.

ive been to all the beaches in the south and cant see what people go on about as the thai beaches are much better I.M.O.

one things for sure and that is its a dirty hel_l hole in certain places.

if punters want to live there instead of los they can have it and i say by by punters.

cheers

[Erwin1011]

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

Gotti :

cheap broadband?[/color] Much cheaper

cheap, prepaid gsm mobile (cell phone)? They almost invented it

Intl. ATMs? no issue at all

reliable FedEx, TNT, UPS? collection hubs in all major and even smaller cities and towns

can use regular postal mail securely? as secure as Thailand, but a bit slower

cheap software? They are churning out programmers by the ton

cheap movies on DVD? don't know

Computer hardware as cheap and good as LOS? sometimes even cheaper if you know where to look

Can do home business without a lot of red tape? Never tried but have been told it's very easy

[simon43]

What about Vietnam? I last went there some 15 years ago, so I can hardly talk from recent experience! But a friend is working over there in a professional capacity and says it is much better than LoS (where he lived for 2 years).

As for me, I'm stuck in Thailand. I have a wife and family, so I can't really move. But this constant 'being on the outside and never allowed in' is beginning to bug me.

Simon

[terry57]

What about Vietnam? I last went there some 15 years ago, so I can hardly talk from recent experience! But a friend is working over there in a professional capacity and says it is much better than LoS (where he lived for 2 years).

As for me, I'm stuck in Thailand. I have a wife and family, so I can't really move. But this constant 'being on the outside and never allowed in' is beginning to bug me.

Simon

ive been to vietnam twice now.

the last time 1.5 years ago and travelled the whole country.

i always feel that they are trying to scam the punters and we had some blatant attemps with this issue that really pis--ed us off.

ive travelled extensively and the rip of issue was a pain in the butt.

another consideration when your living in asia is the medical issue. very hard to meet thai standards when looking at this point.

i'll stay in thailand thank you.

as far as being an outsider why do you think vietnam will be any different ?

anywhere in asia you are only a round eye and thats just the way it is as we are outsiders arn't we. ?

[Ulysses G.]

What about Vietnam? I last went there some 15 years ago, so I can hardly talk from recent experience! But a friend is working over there in a professional capacity and says it is much better than LoS (where he lived for 2 years).

I've traveled there a lot and taught English for about a year in Hanoi.

The people are too aggresive and often nasty in a farang sort of way and it is a real pain in the butt to get your ashes hauled because of all the Government interference, however, it is a beautiful place and the local food is dirt cheap and foreign food is much better than in Thailand and much cheaper.

Draft beer is cheaper than bottled water and lots and lots of different kinds, but I much prefer Thailand.

[migrant]

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?

It has it's share, especially in the out of the way places, but California has that too in a lesser extent.

Never found a impassable road

[GuestHouse]

My first post Thailand assignment was in Hanoi - absolutely loved the social life, had a whale of a time outside of work.

In the office - you can keep it.

Contrary to what Terry says, scamming foreigners was not an issue.

The issue was a complete distrust of foreigners and an absolute belief that foreigners are out to rip them off in some capacity or other.

A case in hand.

We were providing PMC services to the Vietnamese client, part of the Contract we were managing was the provision of a telecoms system. Because of the usual Vietnamese inertia in doing anything, the contract at time of equipment delivery was almost 8 years old.

Now figure this, in the last fifteen years has any area of technology changed more than telecoms? - Not many areas for sure.

So the Contractor was offering the Vietnamese an off the shelf solution that whiped the floor with 8 year old specification. AND the Contractor was cutting the price of the equipment.

It took three solid months of reviews for the Vietnamese to accept the new offer and even then they need their arms twisting to sign a document that they had insisted must include pages of caveats to get them off the hook if the new kit didn't perform to the new spec.

OK

Thats a telecom system, but you get the same sh1t if you offer a Vietnamese a ride in your car.

They are totally distrusting of foreigners and that hampers every bit of international business they do.

Edited October 3, 2006 by GuestHouse

[terry57]

My first post Thailand assignment was in Hanoi - absolutely loved the social life, had a whale of a time outside of work.

In the office - you can keep it.

Contrary to what Terry says, scamming foreigners was not an issue.

The issue was a complete distrust of foreigners and an absolute belief that foreigners are out to rip them off in some capacity or other.

A case in hand.

We were providing PMC services to the Vietnamese client, part of the Contract we were managing was the provision of a telecoms system. Because of the usual Vietnamese inertia in doing anything, the contract at time of equipment delivery was almost 8 years old.

Now figure this, in the last fifteen years has any area of technology changed more than telecoms? - Not many areas for sure.

So the Contractor was offering the Vietnamese an off the shelf solution that whiped the floor with 8 year old specification. AND the Contractor was cutting the price of the equipment.

It took three solid months of reviews for the Vietnamese to accept the new offer and even then they need their arms twisting to sign a document that they had insisted must include pages of caveats to get them off the hook if the new kit didn't perform to the new spec.

OK

Thats a telecom system, but you get the same sh1t if you offer a Vietnamese a ride in your car.

They are totally distrusting of foreigners and that hampers every bit of international business they do.

very interesting observation guesthouse and my experiences and yours are light years apart as usual.

the issue involving scamming tourists is a national past time and i have lots of first hand experience with this issue.

it ranges from hotels, to food and drink, to transport, to any thing they could possibly get a handle on.

not all of course but in many cases its rampant.

much more than any other asian country i have travelled in and thats been most of them.

the only way one could avoid this was to be totally switched on regards all things vietnamese which as a tourist is not so easy as it takes time to sort through this.

we were travelling with two american girls who by the end of the trip where in tears and vowed never to return.

because they where newbies they where getting scammed constantly.

there exact words to me and my lady where : " why are they always trying to rip us off" and i'll never forget that.

quite to the contrary guesthouse scamming tourists is an issue and a large one at that.

[joce]

I've just bought a new build apartment with pool in Turkey for £20,000. It's cheap, but not as cheap as thailand. I'm single and live on about £200 per month. There's lots of rip-offs and scams but generally if your attitude is good and you take your time there are lots of genuine people about. Perhaps the Turks can be a bit over-friendly. There are very few Turkish women for western men to date (unless you want your throat cut) but an abundance of young men who want to take us women out, even if you're 80 and have no teeth and smell of wee.

[GuestHouse]

very interesting observation guesthouse and my experiences and yours are light years apart as usual.

There's very likely a good reason for that Terry.

[terry57]

I've just bought a new build apartment with pool in Turkey for £20,000. It's cheap, but not as cheap as thailand. I'm single and live on about £200 per month. There's lots of rip-offs and scams but generally if your attitude is good and you take your time there are lots of genuine people about. Perhaps the Turks can be a bit over-friendly. There are very few Turkish women for western men to date (unless you want your throat cut) but an abundance of young men who want to take us women out, even if you're 80 and have no teeth and smell of wee.

what about if your over 80, can you still pull a man over there ?

[terry57]

very interesting observation guesthouse and my experiences and yours are light years apart as usual.

There's very likely a good reason for that Terry.

i waiting for your opinion guesthouse ?

[GuestHouse]

[terry57]

wow ,

that was earth shattering stuff was'nt it.

[simon43]

From the above comments, my view of Vietnam is rather out of date. The only problem that I had 15 years ago is when an old women attacked me with a large knife cos she thought I was American.....

Oh - and the restaurants refused to serve us because they thought we were tight-fisted Russians....

Simon

[terry57]

From the above comments, my view of Vietnam is rather out of date. The only problem that I had 15 years ago is when an old women attacked me with a large knife cos she thought I was American.....

Oh - and the restaurants refused to serve us because they thought we were tight-fisted Russians....

Simon

the vietnamese are very hospitable to the americans and if you visit the war museum in hanoi you will wonder why. ?

its a real shocker i must say and i'll leave it at that.

they won the war and there still winning the war as they are experts at extracting your green backs but its a safe destination and tourism has exploded.

in saigon there an area that is becoming the next koh san road, not that it impressed me.

vietnam is as easy to travell now as thailand.

my fist trip was 1993 and it was just opening up then and very hard to travel in.

now its piss easy and very organised, just watch the rip off's.

[joinme2leave]

if it wasn't about the food....i'd choose CHINA (not the big cities though)...

otherwise....i totally agree with ITALY.

[libya 115]

if it wasn't about the food....i'd choose CHINA (not the big cities though)...

otherwise....i totally agree with ITALY.

No way!

Italy is way down at the bottom of my list. It might be O.K. if you are super rich, Roman Catholic, and gesticulate a lot, and don't mind the rudeness, crazy traffic, taxi drivers and Post Office insanity.

But all of Europe is out for me, the climate is great in some countries, but I just want to escape from the western mentality.

For that reason, I would avoid the Philippines as a permanent base. They worship America and even try to speak with an American drawl plus they are hypocritical, religious, shallow and tireless mendicants.

I will stay put in Thailand; and if/when I get very rich, I will flip-flop between, Thailand and Bermuda.

[enuff said]

.

Hey Terry,

Could you be a little more specific about the rip offs? Do you mean overpricing things? Misrepresentation? What?

Just wunnering,

'nuff said

~

[GracelessFawn]

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.

You criticize my country! What do you know about it? Just because you're married to a Filipina doesn't mean that you know everything about my country, nor are you in a position to make an ignorant criticism about things you don't truly know about.

Yes, there was a time when my country could be considered dangerous, but that was ages and ages ago. If we scrutinize the records now, without any prejudice, you might notice that things are way different now, than it was 10 years ago.

I admit, we've had our share of trouble, chaos, dangers and threats, but that is not the situation in my country now-a-days.

Like any other country, there is still violence here and there, but that goes for a lot of other countries as well! After all, there is no such thing is "ultimate peace!"

[backflip]

" the dog will have to smell your 'thinghy' before u enter the hotel."

I think I'll stay elsewhere. Too, we're all adults, and you don't need to refer to it as a "thingy". You should use the correct term "pee pee".

[NEVADA2]

What about Cambodia?What are the money rates + visa,s like....

[terry57]

.

Hey Terry,

Could you be a little more specific about the rip offs? Do you mean overpricing things? Misrepresentation? What?

Just wunnering,

'nuff said

~

check these little classics out mate,

first of all i must say i broke my golden rule of thoroughly doing the home work and it cost me as i thought i could trust these people.

started at the airport, taxi driver took us to a hotel that was almost the same name as the one we picked.

anyway turned out in the end that this was the scam hotel and i must say they where bloody good at it.

ive been around, they got me and i was angry at myself for getting caught.

we are in hanoi and the hotel was ok with a travel agent inside.

we were heading up to sapa on the train and had not booked our tickets. we stayed at this hotel for 5 days got to know the people, they treated us well so i decided i would let them book our tickets.

anyway we payed the money and where ready to go the next day. next day comes and no tickets arrive . off i go to see the manager and he says dont worry as there on there way.

its 12.00 lunch time and we where suppost to be on the train at 6.00pm.

after contacting the manager 2 more times the said tickets rock up at 3.00pm.

i check the tickets and the price is printed on them. the hotel had charged us exactly double the correct price.

paying a comission is a normal part of business but 100 % mark up is a blatant rip off.

off i go to have it out with the manager, got nothing back but give them a lot of grief for there trouble.

moral of that story is buy your own tickets and never trust people 100 %.

turns out that this hotel and a few others specialise in this scam and it starts with the taxi drive from the airport.

we met many backpackers who went down the same way.

it will never happen to me again as i know the deal but people are getting caught every day.

another classic, we bought some barbeque squid of the street in hanoi same as what you get here in thailand and its cheap as chips as its a snack.

sat on the road with the locals and eat the squid without sorting the price as its piss all.

next thing i know there hitting us up for some exorbinate amount.

dropped my guard and bingo trouble again.

moral of the story, always enquire about the price of everything.

one more little beauty. we are at a street stall in sapa eating noodle soup which is pennies.

14 year girl comes out after we finished the soup and starts demanding 5 times the correct price.

jes--sus mate,

i could go on forever.

dont get me wrong as vietnam is a great destination to travell but you must always be on top of every thing when it comes to prices. off course there not all like that but unfortunately the pattern is there and you need to make sure you dont give them a chance to scam you.

next time i go back it wont happen as i now know what the game is.

go and enjoy vietnam as its a great travel experience.

head to hoi anne as thats a cracker spot.

hope ive helped you friend.

cheers

.

[rikpa]

What about Cambodia?What are the money rates + visa,s like....

Well, Cambodia is super-easy to get into and stay for a long time. A business visa is USD $25 on arrival, good for a year, and no need for a run to Taco Bell every three months. However, like others mentioned, the infrastructure is rot. And no Int'l ATMs, which can be a major hassle. I have heard about the new ATMs, but have not tried them; am not sure if they support Cirrus or other global networks, and not sure if would trust them in any case!

For shoppers, there is also the new Psar Suriya in Phnom Penh, with a lot of modern, and highly-priced stuff, and a pirate's market like Panthip. As an aside, Psar Suriya is Cambodia's very first "Western"-style shopping mall, and, it was funny to watch the countryside folks try to ride Cambodia's only escalator for their first time (they used to have guards to help people on them at first, since no one in the country had ever seen an escalator before!)!

But it is a symbol that Cambodian infrastructure is *slooowly* improving. The infrastructure will, IMO, continue to suck, though it is getting better, in Cambodian time.

But Cambodia has so many other great things to offer that to whine about this would be a sign of ingratitude towards a great place with the warmest, most friendly people I have ever met (most of whom are really not trying to rip you off--the 51% majority, at least--who actually look forward to interaction with Barangs!).

Housing in Cambo is dirt-cheap, as long as you don't care about Western amenities. If you do, expect to pay a lot, since the choices are relatively limited and Khmer landlords are notoriously difficult.

But if you choose Phnom Penh, or Sihanoukville (Siem Reap seems to have been priced out with all the overbuilding lately), then it can be a truly great place, mostly because of the people. It puts the LoS to shame for smiles, even after its horrible trauma.

[NEVADA2]

Thanks for the info rikpa.My tgf soon to be wife is from Phanom Dom Rak.Were thinking of renting around Surin city area,intel we decied were to by or build a house,just looking ahead incase things get worse in thailand,also she speaks khmer,lao,+thai.

thanks a bunch,Nevada2

[terry57]

could some one please tell what is so good about cambodia besides ankor wat. ?

ive travelled through that country and to say that its better than los is beyond me.

maybe i missed something.

cheers

[rikpa]

could some one please tell what is so good about cambodia besides ankor wat. ?

ive travelled through that country and to say that its better than los is beyond me.

maybe i missed something.

cheers

Hi Terry, if you have a big enough smile and and an accommodating enough heart, the answer is obvious, mate Cambo is great for human beings with a good heart!

[rikpa]

Thanks for the info rikpa.My tgf soon to be wife is from Phanom Dom Rak.Were thinking of renting around Surin city area,intel we decied were to by or build a house,just looking ahead incase things get worse in thailand,also she speaks khmer,lao,+thai.

thanks a bunch,Nevada2

Hey Nevada,

Good luck on your marriage! She is Khmer Surin, eh?

Cambodia is a good backup, though Khmer Surin and Buriram can be difficult to understand for a lot of "Khmer sot" folks, thought this would be totally minor; it doesn't take much "Khmer sot" to get along there (as I can attest! ) So no worries. I am sure that you would have a great time in Cambodia. Many of the people are so kind and friendly and worth knowing. I love Cambodia completely because of the people I have met there.