The next best place to live

[The Gentleman Scamp]

With Thailand becoming more and more greedy and losing its appeal with its never ending clampdowns and restrictions, how in your seperate opinions, would you rate the following ten countries?

Start with the most appealing in terms of lifestyle, culture, living, etc.. and reshuffle the list to match your own opinion. Which is most likely to be Thailand's sucessor and why?

Actually I can't be bothered to re-shuffle - I typed the country names as they came to mind.

Personally I don't think places like HK and S'pore could be sucessors to Thailand as they are places within their own right but they have appeal to those who like the city life. Laos and Cambodia have no live in appeal to me though Cambodia is on the up so I have heard.

The Phillipines I have not seen enough to judge, I guess it is developing but at a very slow rate. Vietnam, I often forget about but that wouldn't be a bad second best to LOS. Never been to KL or Indonesia.
China is developing the fastest and Beijing is a good place to live, but they all talk funny don't they, the Chinese.

THAILAND
HONG KONG
VIETNAM
PHILLIPINES
CAMBODIA
SINGAPORE
INDONESIA
LAOS
CHINA
KL

[flash]

Theres no place like home.............

Ireland is named 'best country'

Dubliners have reason to be cheerful, the survey finds
Ireland is the best place to live in the world, according to a "quality of life" assessment by Economist magazine.
The country's combination of increasing wealth and traditional values gives it the conditions most likely to make its people happy, the survey found.

Ireland was followed by Switzerland, Norway and Luxembourg. All but one of the top 10 were European countries.

The USA languished in 13th, while Britain was 29th - the lowest of the pre-expansion EU nations.


'TOP TEN COUNTRIES'
1 Ireland
2 Switzerland
3 Norway
4 Luxembourg
5 Sweden
6 Australia
7 Iceland
8 Italy
9 Denmark
10 Spain

The survey was prepared for the Economist's "World in 2005" publication, with the remit: "Where will be the best place to live in 2005?"

Researchers took into account not just income, but other factors considered important to people's satisfaction and well-being.

They included health, freedom, unemployment, family life, climate, political stability and security, gender equality and family and community life.

The Economist said: "Ireland wins because it successfully combines the most desirable elements of the new, such as low unemployment and political liberties, with the preservation of certain cosy elements of the old, such as stable family and community life."

[sabang]

I still rate Thailand as one of the best places to live, but I am an 'Asiaophile'. I reckon my next choice after here would be Malaysia. It will be interesting to see how Cambodia develops.

The West just has too much government and bureaucracy for me.

[Jet Gorgon]

I thought Bali would be good, but political instabilty and two-month visa runs ding that. Malaysia, the men harrass me even when I wear a burka. Vietnam has good wine, baguettes and marmalade, but... Costa Rica is overrun like southern Spain. Why can't they just fix Thailand?

[stroller]

Personally I don't think places like HK and S'pore could be sucessors to Thailand as they are places within their own right...

What's this mean???
And KL? Do you mean Kuala Lumpur? Isn't that in Malaysia?

The place your future wife comes from is spelled "Philippines". This and Cambodia seem to be the easiest for visas and most risky crime-wise.

I don't want to stay in places with Western pace of life and price-levels, ie HK and Singapore.

Vietnam and Laos both appeal, but I trust 'communist' governments even less than the other Asians.

Indonesia is an option, but I haven't been outside of Bali yet.

[Marmite the Dog]

Glad to see all the money countries like the UK and Germany pumped into Ireland has done well. Too expensive for me though.

Thailand or Cambodia for me. Cambodia (Phnom Penh) is a bit too much fun though. It can easily lead one astray, much more so than Thailand I reckon.

[peterpan]

'TOP TEN COUNTRIES'
1 Ireland
2 Switzerland
3 Norway
4 Luxembourg
5 Sweden
6 Australia
7 Iceland
8 Italy
9 Denmark
10 Spain

climate,

This was obviously of very low rated factor in the first five.
Who the fvck would rate a Cold, wet, expensive country over Spain, Australia, USA ?

[flash]

^Have you ever been to Ireland?

[kingwilly]

^ yep, nice place to visit...

[flash]

Sorry Kingwilly I was asking peterpan, just wanted to know if his opinion was based on anything

[kingwilly]

sorry flash just my 2cents worth!

well, 5 words post worth!

[Wayne Kerr]

1. Vietnam
2. Cambodia
3. China

[William]

what country is KL?

...and if I could get "in", I'd prolly live in Aus. But as the b'stards won't take me, LoS will do

[Begbie]

Singapore is expensive and boring, ok for a days shopping. The Phillipines used to be great but they took a slide due to endemic crime, a lot of kidnapping. I hope they're on the way back up.

[peterpan]

^Have you ever been to Ireland?

Sure, when I lived in the Uk I did some engineering consultancy work for Ron Holland (Kiwi yacht designer) and sailed out of Kinsale with him quite frequently. Many years ago now tho'

[sabang]

1. Vietnam
2. Cambodia
3. China

I've only heard that Vietnam is on the up, maybe I should go there again and revise my opinion.
But when I checked out Saigon about ten years ago, whilst several good things to say about the place, my overall thought was you'd need a gun at my back to get me to live there. The reason? The Vietnamese are a sneaky bunch- Chinese cunning combined with a system totally biased against outsiders. In those days, it seemed one big rip off trap for the westerner. Maybe it's changed for the better since.

[slimboyfat]

Singapore is expensive and boring

well i guess it depends what you are after, but i have been here for over 12 years and can't remember being bored yet.

i have to agree with you to a certain extent on the expensive part, but then again that depends what you are after. I havent spent more than $5 for a meal in the last week. If you want to live like a westerner then its expensive but if you dont mind eating at hawker centres then its still much cheaper than the UK.

Its certainly not a place for anyone who wants to retire or lead an easy life though.

[Boon Mee]

Brazil is the next best place to live behind Thailand - IMHO
Combination of weather, female companionship.
It doesn't get much better!

[slimboyfat]

yeah Brazil is awesome. every shade of woman is available too.

[DrAndy]

Brazil is the next best place to live behind Thailand - IMHO
Combination of weather, female companionship.
It doesn't get much better!

agreed on that

BRASIL is wunnerful

[Blake7]

At the end of the day European countries are probably best.
I have a house in Switzerland - nice place I agree but very dull. Would not want to live there all year round. likewise UK will always be my home and in many ways that cant be beat either. Of course, I would not want to live there full time either. I lived in China for 5 years full time - interesting but would not do it again or wish it it on anyone ese. Anyway, here is my list:

Greece
England
Hong Kong
Thailand
Japan
Switzerland
Spain
France
Holland
Brazil

[Rigger]

If I had to move from Thailand I would move to Oman. Nice place mostly good people, Clean, Very low crime, Motorcycles are cheap, Good fishing and beaches, You can own land
I was just offered a job here where I would have to live here full time. Spoke to the wive about it and shes not very keen on the idea

[Blake7]

If I had to move from Thailand I would move to Oman. Nice place mostly good people, Clean, Very low crime, Motorcycles are cheap, Good fishing and beaches, You can own land
I was just offered a job here where I would have to live here full time. Spoke to the wive about it and shes not very keen on the idea

Actually even though Rigger is normally quite dim-witted I have to agree with him on this case. Oman is actaully quite nice - good diving, desert trips etc and the people are quite nice. However, it is only nice when you compare it with neighbouring countries. If one could choose anywhere in the world it would not be Oman.

[Rigger]

Actually even though Rigger is normally quite dim-witted I have to agree with him on this case. Oman is actaully quite nice - good diving, desert trips etc and the people are quite nice. However, it is only nice when you compare it with neighbouring countries. If one could choose anywhere in the world it would not be Oman.

Actually even though Blake7 is normally quite gay and loves to suck cock I have to agree with him on this case. Oman is actaully quite nice - good diving, desert trips etc and the people are quite nice. However, it is only nice when you compare it with neighbouring countries. If one could choose anywhere in the world it would not be Oman.
But due to them offering lots of money and house car and free schooling for the kids makes Oman a smart choice for me

[BambinA]

Actually even though Rigger is normally quite dim-witted I have to agree with him on this case. Oman is actaully quite nice - good diving, desert trips etc and the people are quite nice. However, it is only nice when you compare it with neighbouring countries. If one could choose anywhere in the world it would not be Oman.

Actually even though Blake7 is normally quite gay and loves to suck cock I have to agree with him on this case. Oman is actaully quite nice - good diving, desert trips etc and the people are quite nice. However, it is only nice when you compare it with neighbouring countries. If one could choose anywhere in the world it would not be Oman.

Actually even though Rigger is normally quite Ascaris' whore and loves to eat shit I have to agree with him on this case. Oman is actaully quite nice - good diving, desert trips etc and the people are quite nice. However, it is only nice when you compare it with neighbouring countries. If one could choose anywhere in the world it would not be Oman.