Alternatives to Thailand

[tamada]

^ How about a 6 and 6 (month) rotation between the two? Slip out of LOS the first week of April, handily missing the heat (and bloody Songkran) and cool your jets in Vietnam. When it starts cooling off in October, come back to Thailand and see what you've been missing. The rain should only have another month or so and before you know it, it's brisk morning temperature time.

[747man]

it's brisk morning temperature time.............Well I Can't wait for that to come.....38c At The Moment in Nong Khai...

[Natas]

Cost of living, cost of items is totally different than better value for my dollar.

Once again, that's your dollar. It's undeniable that some things will be cheaper in Vietnam but without some specifics as to what these vastly cheaper 'items' are, who knows? Your comparison is quite irrelevant without some examples.

It's called tangibles.

For every expat who pulls up stumps and leaves Thailand, I am reasonably sure there will be one coming along to replace him.

If my little part of the world is any example that some still prefer and like Thailand, there are eight of us Expats here that I know from work, who have or will be retiring to Thailand between now and end October this year. Two have recently left, three leave towards the end of May and the last three (including myself) will leave in the next 3-4 months. Nationalities are, Italian, Canadian, American, Irish, New Zealand and Australian. Three are married to Thai ladies and five are not.

Just an example from this "Pimple of a Place", on planet earth

Thailand running out of Retiring Expats, would be like Pattaya running out of Girls from Isaan. Maybe 50 years from now.

pipoz4444

Sorry to disappoint but there is no wave of retired expats coming over in droves.
Even the sons and daughters of the current baby boomer and older ones are not moving here.
In the next 10 years there will be alot of death here. There is no revolving door here up in issan.

[AlexO]

^ How about a 6 and 6 (month) rotation between the two? Slip out of LOS the first week of April, handily missing the heat (and bloody Songkran) and cool your jets in Vietnam. When it starts cooling off in October, come back to Thailand and see what you've been missing. The rain should only have another month or so and before you know it, it's brisk morning temperature time.

Just where in Vietnam are you going to cool your jets in Tam? The southern cities such as HCMC are relatively pleasant in what we call the winter months. About the same as Pattaya on the map. The North Da Nang and upwards are cold miserable and humid to the point of your clothes going mouldy in the wardrobe (closet for the Shermans). Only 2 periods are nice in Vietnam April/ May and October/November.

[RLTrader]

humid to the point of your clothes going mouldy in the wardrobe

Hmm, sounds like Udon

[pipoz4444]

Have been to Vietnam, mostly HCMC, a number of times and its younger man’s game. It’s not a place to retire for the older Expats.

Nightlife is totally different, full of young people looking to socialize with others of their same age, whether they be a younger Expats, Tourists or Viet guys. The Viet girls are not overly interested in the older Expat guys.

Sure there are a lot of bars and a few (I say a few) that mainly entertain for Expats, but the girls in these are pretty scarce, so you will quickly find yourself alone. Even these bars with the girls are only looking for you to buy lots of drinks and the girls are not easy to pull from the bars and even harder to find in the daytime.

Viet girls are a lot more introvert (shy) by nature than the Thai girls and they also don’t drink a lot.

The whole nightlife scene is for much younger people, I would say between 20 to 35 years old. You see a few, but not too many older tourists and or expats out at night.

What you see is lots of young female and male Vietnamese on motorbikes, sitting eating and talking together. Walk buy as an older Expat at night and most Viet girls will hardly give you a look, let alone a wink and a “welcome handsome man”. They have other options if they are pretty, namely Viet guys with money.

Just my take in Vietnam these days

It was different 10 years ago

"A nice place to visit, for a week or two, but to live full time........?Thailand is the better option if you are still yearning for that happy feeling when you hear, "welcome handsome man"

pipoz4444

[glalt]

Every year here, my roots grow firmer and a little deeper. When I do leave this earth. it will be my ashes inside an urn. Thailand's infrastructure is already pretty good and is getting better. Prices are still cheaper than most other countries and I am not taxed to death. All countries have warts, I'll be here until the end in Thailand warts and all.

[pipoz4444]

Every year here, my roots grow firmer and a little deeper. When I do leave this earth. it will be my ashes inside an urn. Thailand's infrastructure is already pretty good and is getting better. Prices are still cheaper than most other countries and I am not taxed to death. All countries have warts, I'll be here until the end in Thailand warts and all.

Good choice glalt.

Havng lived (worked) in about eight countries and travelled to probably another eight over th past 40 years, as an all round option to enjoy your later years of life, I will choose the same.

I am not far away from starting my last phase on this planet and it will be in Thailand

pipoz4444

[glalt]

Every year here, my roots grow firmer and a little deeper. When I do leave this earth. it will be my ashes inside an urn. Thailand's infrastructure is already pretty good and is getting better. Prices are still cheaper than most other countries and I am not taxed to death. All countries have warts, I'll be here until the end in Thailand warts and all.

Good choice glalt.

Havng lived (worked) in about eight countries and travelled to probably another eight over th past 40 years, as an all round option to enjoy your later years of life, I will choose the same.

I am not far away from starting my last phase on this planet and it will be in Thailand

pipoz4444

I was born and raised in Ohio. I despised cold weather. The only place I ever want to see ice again is in my glass. When I was financially able to retire, it wasn't an easy choice. The top three were Thailand, the PI's and Cambodia. I chose Thailand because the infrastructure was by far the best of the three.

Actually I think New Zealand is the most beautiful country on earth. Unfortunately it wasn't an easy place to get permanent residence. Crime in South American countries bothered me and I don't trust communist countries.

[RLTrader]

Have been to Vietnam, mostly HCMC, a number of times and its younger man’s game. It’s not a place to retire for the older Expats.

Nightlife is totally different, full of young people looking to socialize with others of their same age, whether they be a younger Expats, Tourists or Viet guys. The Viet girls are not overly interested in the older Expat guys.

Sure there are a lot of bars and a few (I say a few) that mainly entertain for Expats, but the girls in these are pretty scarce, so you will quickly find yourself alone. Even these bars with the girls are only looking for you to buy lots of drinks and the girls are not easy to pull from the bars and even harder to find in the daytime.

Viet girls are a lot more introvert (shy) by nature than the Thai girls and they also don’t drink a lot.

The whole nightlife scene is for much younger people, I would say between 20 to 35 years old. You see a few, but not too many older tourists and or expats out at night.

What you see is lots of young female and male Vietnamese on motorbikes, sitting eating and talking together. Walk buy as an older Expat at night and most Viet girls will hardly give you a look, let alone a wink and a “welcome handsome man”. They have other options if they are pretty, namely Viet guys with money.

Just my take in Vietnam these days

It was different 10 years ago

"A nice place to visit, for a week or two, but to live full time........?Thailand is the better option if you are still yearning for that happy feeling when you hear, "welcome handsome man"

pipoz4444

says a little too much, one would think, about you.

[pipoz4444]

Have been to Vietnam, mostly HCMC, a number of times and its younger man’s game. It’s not a place to retire for the older Expats.

Nightlife is totally different, full of young people looking to socialize with others of their same age, whether they be a younger Expats, Tourists or Viet guys. The Viet girls are not overly interested in the older Expat guys.

Sure there are a lot of bars and a few (I say a few) that mainly entertain for Expats, but the girls in these are pretty scarce, so you will quickly find yourself alone. Even these bars with the girls are only looking for you to buy lots of drinks and the girls are not easy to pull from the bars and even harder to find in the daytime.

Viet girls are a lot more introvert (shy) by nature than the Thai girls and they also don’t drink a lot.

The whole nightlife scene is for much younger people, I would say between 20 to 35 years old. You see a few, but not too many older tourists and or expats out at night.

What you see is lots of young female and male Vietnamese on motorbikes, sitting eating and talking together. Walk buy as an older Expat at night and most Viet girls will hardly give you a look, let alone a wink and a “welcome handsome man”. They have other options if they are pretty, namely Viet guys with money.

Just my take in Vietnam these days

It was different 10 years ago

"A nice place to visit, for a week or two, but to live full time........?Thailand is the better option if you are still yearning for that happy feeling when you hear, "welcome handsome man"

pipoz4444

says a little too much, one would think, about you.
[/quote]

No it doesn't say enough

pipoz4444

[glalt]

I'm an old man but I still get a kick of the girls saying hello handsome man.

[pipoz4444]

I'm an old man but I still get a kick of the girls saying hello handsome man.

Agree

If you dont get a kick out of life when a Thai girl says that, then you are most likely dead below the waste/belt and need a lot more than those blue pills

pipoz4444

[yartims]

that only leaves brazil or colombia or peru ..you can tell if its right by how many women have smartfones .the less smartfones the better for farlangs ..too many smartfones means theyre too well off now

[parrot]

I'm guessing change is going to come quickly in Vietnam.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/30/tech ... Technology

[GT93]

Good post pipoz4444. Interesting comments.