Funny I'm watching your video in my hotel room in Da Nang Vietnam 🇻🇳. I've only been here 1 week but I have fallen in love with this city and the people and the vibe here. I currently live in Jomtien Beach so I can compare the two beach towns. Pattaya and Jomtien Beach are like Myrtle Beach and Da Nang is an upscale and cleaner version of Miami Beach/Fort Lauderdale. I can walk the sidewalks without much fear of rolling my ankle or stepping in a hole. 😂 As for food available in Da Nang is 1st world class with cuisine from around the globe You are spot on with the VISA situation in Vietnam. That's the main reason I'm not making the move here. Good stuff as always.
I could not disagree with you more. But each to their own. I live Hua Hin, I hated Da Nang. I cut my time there short. Could not wait to get out of Vietnam. Too many reasons to put here..........But I prefer everything about Thailand........oh just one thing i will say.........girls much prettier in Vietnam and not Obese......Thailand girls.....so many obese now.
The last time I was in Vietnam was 7 yrs ago. Frankly, I was disappointed, nowhere as comfortable as Thailand, at least for a traveler, not a resident. Has Vietnam improved? I have relative married to a Vietnamese American woman and they will be going to Vietnam for a long trip, inviting me to come along, and I am still thinking.
Vietnam is a country that aims to develop industries that can create sustainable value, so the tourism industry is controlled to avoid social unrest because tourism is an industry that can drain a lot of the government's strength and will even be a burden on other key industries, that is why the Vietnamese government controls visas.
Việt Nam phát triển đa nghành nghề là đúng,vì tập chung vào một nghành quá nhiều khi gặp khủng hoảng sẽ rất nghiêm trọng.Nhưng một điều quan trọng Việt Nam kiểm soát ViSA là vấn đề an ninh.
I have lived in Vietnam for the past 2 years. I have been to Thailand over 20 times to different places. I think your analysis was spot on. I have taken the attitude that I’m very happy living in Vietnam and I’m very happy to visit Thailand.
I've been to Thailand since 1987 and I LOVE the kingdom dearly, making Chiang Mai myself (my Thai home for years) but I've ALSO had a great time in Vietnam, especially Saigon! Both countries will do but yes, Siam IS my Second Home! Kob khun mahk & cam on from the US! 🙂
I'd be quite happy to split the year between Vietnam and Thailand. Da Nang in Vietnam is a great beach city, very different feel to places like Hanoi and HCM.
American here. Traveled to both countries for business and pleasure, but no plan to live in either. However, several years ago, for business, I flew back and forth from Japan (my base at the time) to Vietnam, staying with duration in HCM and Hanoi. At first, I couldn't stand Vietnam. Then, my Vietnamese business counterparts took me around and I got a bit more familiar. That was way before Covid-19, perhaps Vietnam is better now? In the past, I ranked Thailand, Bali (my favorite), and even Malaysia higher than Vietnam for tourism. But now I would give Vietnam an equal chance because I feel more comfortable getting around in Vietnam.
A lot of times it really takes getting to know a place before it grows on you. I hated Bangkok my first two visits and now it’s one of my favorite cities. Just had to figure it out. HCM is very cool.
I am Vietnamese 🇻🇳 What is your nationality? Do you love Vietnam? Because every time I meet foreigners in Vietnam, I feel very happy and proud, so not just once but I invite you to come explore Vietnam many times. 😀🇻🇳😉
@@KarinOli Thailand has made remarkable progress in infrastructure development. The country now boasts an extensive network of modern facilities, including advanced public transportation systems like the BTS Skytrain and MRT subway in Bangkok, as well as ongoing projects for high-speed rail networks that aim to connect major cities. In healthcare, Thailand is known for its high-quality medical services and is a popular destination for medical tourism. The country has also made significant strides in technology and innovation, with several Thai companies and institutions gaining global recognition. These advancements reflect Thailand's dynamic growth and development, far surpassing the image of a 'third world' country. What about Philippines?
Definitely Thailand for the vast majority of expats. Vietnam could be appealing for those on a tight budget, or those looking for something more off the beaten path and with less strict visa limitations.
If it weren't for Vietnam's limited visa options, most people would choose Vietnam over Thailand. While Thailand might have better food, Vietnam excels in just about everything else. In Thailand, you might find a girlfriend, but in Vietnam, you'll find a wife. If Vietnam ever changes its visa policies, it could be a game-changer, and many people might start leaving Thailand.
I loved Vietnam, likes are cheap food, beer, grab taxi, cheaper authentic known clothing brands, and most young people speak English. Dislikes noise, pushy sales people, lines at immigration in and out always almost one hour, hot shopping centres, lack of shade or shelter from sun and rain with smaller buildings . Nice place to visit but could never live there for me anyway
@greghale5069 I'm on a marriage visa in Vietnam, and it's so easy. I only have to renew it every 5 years 😅 and it's only like 10usd a time. On the 5y visa, though, you do have to leave the country every 6 months, so I have also got a residency card that I renew every 3 years so I don't need to leave the country at all. The residency card is around 150usd every 3 years.
Agree with your beer comments. Vietnam has great craft beer 🍺 at good prices. Thailand has craft beer but too expensive because of government tax. Can't beat a tasty IPA!
For me it’s cheaper in Vietnam. The difference that matters to me is the visas Vietnam was ahead for me with the 90 days but Thailands new visa policy has changed that. Overall I would rather live in Thailand but it’s close.
Only traveled about 9 days in Vietnam. I prefer Thai food, many great chioces, variety can be found easily. Sprained wrist in Vietnam and the healthcare at International was clean, efficient, good quality and inexpensive. Same quality care in Thailand. I found public transportation and Intracity transportation harder to find and not readily available in some cities. Thailand buses, or vans are easy to locate and many choices.
@@2Rugrats9597 we had 1 year visas and they removed it. If you’re married you on only get 2 years stay or 5 year visa but have to leave the country every 6 months. The bureaucracy in Vn dislikes westerners, bring your money then gtfo. Vietnam is not Thailand. How do I know this? Based in Vietnam 5 years now
Not physic, it’s just Vietnam will want to make more money for there economy and be a little more lenient in there visa’s like Thailand. I also try to think positive instead of being a negative wise ass like yourself.
I travel between both when im in SE Asia. I save money and spend about 25% less in vietnam living like a human and make actual friends 😆. With the cash i save in Vietnam i live like an inhuman and make no friends in Thailand. Best of both worlds. 😉🤷 Ohh i almost forgot Grab is 50% cheaper in Vietnam which makes up for the lack of public transportation.
Use Be or Xanh SM in Vietnam, same as Grab but even a bit cheaper, with greener options. There is public transportation in big cities in Vietnam, however, not widely used by foreigners, and it's also not good enough systems
@@philipjanek3864 it's your choice, but being cheaper does not mean being less trustworthy, it's simply being the most valuable out of what you pay for.
Thanks Ramze, good info. I've not been to Vietnam. I hear the French influenced the proliferation of fine pastries? I want to experience the moderate temps of Dalot.
Honestly, i preferred Vietnam in the 90's and early 2000's, when i got invited to go a couple of times with a group of Vietnam Veterans. Very few tourists, expats, and no "influencer" types back then, especially once you got outside of Saigon. You could drink a cold Tiger beer, and relax on the beach at places like the Furama, with very few people there. They were starting or getting ready to start a bunch of resorts along the coast then, the Vietnamese tourist bureau or whatever it was called took us on tours of the what they were building. Toured from North to South and hit the major cites, and a bunch of the rural areas, and various US military camps and battle sites. Great experience touring with the Vietnam vets and hearing their stories. We rented a bunch of cyclos in Hanoi, strapped an insulated keg of beer to one, and rode around town drinking with the cyclo drivers. The snorkeling and scuba diving in Nha Trang wasn't great back then, they used to use dynamite for fishing and killed the reefs around Hon Dung(?) island i think it was. Alot of people associate My Khe Beach as "China Beach", but the vets took me to what they called the "Real China Beach". Can't remember exact location, but we rode our rental scooters about 30 minutes or so South of the Furama resort. The Hawaii(?) bar in Da Nang or Hoi An, can't remember exactly where, was really fun. i recommend it if it hasn't changed much since i was there last. Hue was great. Saigon was alot of fun, Rex hotel was a nice stay, etc.. Overall it was very safe then, had 3 people on a scooter try to pickpocket in Nha Trang. We were walking back from the Rainbow bar/restaurant i think it was called, and was part of the dive shop if i remember right. They pulled up and 2 girls jumped off and started trying to hug on a couple of the guys, fortunately one of the guys realized his wallet was gone, they grabbed the girls by the wrist and held them. When they did that, the guy got off his scooter to help the girls, but he forgot his key. I grabbed the key and told them i'd drive the scooter in the ocean if they didn't drop the wallet. About 2 seconds later the wallet magically fell out of one of the girls dresses. lol After everyone made sure they had everything, i gave the key back and told them to piss off. After this was over, we hear laughing and it was our hotel security guards, and they saw the whole thing. That's when they told us those "girls" were not really "girls", and the guards thought it was really funny. Back then Nha Trang had a huge heroin problem, and theft was rampant, not sure if it's still like that. Oh, and a few places you have to watch out for UXO's still, KHE SANH area was really bad. I've got a few videos on my channel of some of my trips to Vietnam with the vets, if anyone is interested. The visa issue does suck, we'll see what ASEAN single visa program does, if it happens. Guess you could always marry a Vietnamese women and get a 5 year. lol Anyway, it doesn't really matter which you choose if you are one of those guys that sits in the same bar, spending money on the same bar girls every day. Seen too many expats that do that, and rarely go anywhere else, then complain they are broke and bored.
1. In terms of macroeconomic stability, Vietnam does better than Thailand. Within the next 5 or 10 years, Vietnam's infrastructure will be very developed, and it will be one of the few countries leading in infrastructure among Southeast Asian countries. 2. Vietnamese diplomacy is not dominated by big countries. It helps Vietnam avoid negative influences from neighboring countries. 3. Vietnam is safer than Thailand in terms of security and human safety. 4. Vietnamese cuisine has begun to be known to the world with many diverse, suitable options, not too spicy, not too sweet, not too salty...very good for health.
I disagree with you that Vietnamese food has limited option. I believe Vietnamese food has at least the same or more selection than Thai food. The reason you think Thai food has much more selection because their restaurants offer bigger menu. To prove my point, you should watch a few RU-vid videos about Vietnamese street food total more than 4 hours combined into 2 videos. You will agree with me that Vietnamese food has more selection than Thai food.
I posted a comment about food without seeing yours. My point is: tourists don't have to eat local foods. There are international cuisines in both Vietnam and Thailand and they are quite good. So, comparing foods is not meaningful to the tourists.
It sounds like both have their pro and cons and you can’t really go wrong with either. Of course depends on personal preferences as well. Personally I like both and would love to split the year between them if I could.
Who else DOESN’T want to retire in a country like Vietnam that only allows you to stay for 90 days and demands that you leave the country? Border runs for eternity every 90 days? Ridiculous. Only alternative is to marry or get a legitimate job but then you’re retired so working is not an option.
I am a US-born Vietnamese American, but I have to say I can understand why Thailand has 2 times more international visitors than Vietnam. People who like Vietnam, for the most part that I can tell, are those who have a special thing for Vietnam's uniqueness and charm. But to a neutral foreigner who just wants to travel for fun, for sightseeing, I can say that Malaysia and Thailand are easier for the tourist. Hence, both of them have more visitors than Vietnam. However, Vietnam is gaining because of the low cost. Vietnam is surely cheaper.
@@RamzeTravels Not sure about the number of international tourists that Malaysia reports. The reason is lots of Singaporeans bought houses at the border town in Malaysia. They go work in Singapore in the morning and back in Malaysia in the evening and Malaysia counts them as tourists.
Việt nam vẫn sẽ là lựa chọn tốt hơn . Còn nói đến lượng khách du lịch lớn hơn là do Việt nam mới mở cửa , kinh tế và các dịch vụ mới ra đời nên từ giờ và tương lai khách du lịch sẽ biết đến Việt nam nhiều hơn từ đó luogwj khách sẽ tăng rất nhanh và bắt kịp thái lan rồi vượt thái lan
@@thumtlnguyen3626 If they live in Malaysia, they must have a proof of residency, why would any country count its resident entries as international visits? If you have a house in the US and PR card, you cross into Canada to work and come back, it won't count you as an international visitor. If a Vietnam citizen with US green card goes to Vietnam or anywhere overseas and comes back, the US doesn't count that as international visit.
@@VuongNguyen-wi7ju rác, rác, rác..., vệ sinh, chặt chém khách, giao thông ko ổn ở VN còn rất nhiều, nếu hết những chuyện này thì VN sẽ có cơ hội vượt Thái Lan, còn nếu chưa thì sẽ là không...
các chi tiết khá thực tế , ở việt nam hiện không cấp thị thực cho người nghỉ hưu , tôi nghĩ thời tiết ở thái lan nóng hơn và ở thủ đô thái lan cảm giác ngột ngạt hơn
Ive lived in both countries and it depends what you want. Nightlife is better in Thailand and they have the nicer beaches in general but as for cost of living Vietnam is probably less than half the price.
@RamzeTravels I'm currently living in a beach resort south of Vietnam around 180km from ho chi minh city. I pay 180usd for a fully furnished 2 bedroom house. Eating local food costs me 30,000vnd a meal that's $1.20 and a beer is roughly 20,000vnd 80c. If I want western food like a pizza I pay around 5usd If I want a hamburger and fries around 3usd. There are no lady drinks in to pay for so it's not expensive to go out.
I have been living in VN for 25 years and been to Thailand very often for business and leisure. You talk a lot about what is cheaper here and there but is that what "better" is about? Those are both amazing country. In my view VN provides excellent business opportunities, it is great to work with Vietnamese as long as you are respectful and open to the culture and not want or need to live in an expat enclave. I find it harder to connect with Thais, also socially. Thailand in my opinion is more serene and relaxed, laid back, the pace in VN and especially in large cities is a bit faster. Healthcare is way superior in Thailand I'd rather retire in Thailand ... .
I like them both man, to their own. Always try to go to both in same trip. From an traveller perspective twice a year: I Love Da Nang and Hoi An, not in the touristy area of Hoi An, but a little bit outside of the center is lovely. Da Nang beach is more relaxing vs Thai beaches. An the hotels with roof top bar and pool cost only 20-30$/night for very good standard. I Love bangkok for city life, and dislike Saigon/Ho Chi Minh. MRT and BTS is so much better than the chaos in Saigon. I love food from both places, Vietnam more balanced, but Thai spices and flavousr is pure joy and love!
A note about the food: you can eat hamburgers, pizza, fried chicken all the time in Vietnam or Thailand. Comparing the foods is silly. Nobody forces a tourist to eat local foods exclusively. I am an aficionado of Japanese food, and I can tell you that I enjoy Japanese food in Saigon very much. Even my Japanese friends enjoyed it also.
@@is-ness I ate street food in Chiang Mai once. Had a severe case of amoeba gastroenteritis, sick for 4 days, vacation was ruined. Never again. If I go to a small town in Asia without decent restaurants, I would have to bring along my own food or re-cook everything. Your idea of eating local as a local doesn't work for everyone.
Nicely done Ramze. Enjoyed the content. 1 video a day is incredible! Don’t burn out buddy as I like the content and would like to see your content long term.
Food is a matter of personal preference and taste. Everybody likes Sushi and I hate it for my liking. I find Sushi seriously lacks spices. You don't find lots of Thai restaurants in Vietnam but in Thailand I saw lots of Vietnamese restaurants from big cities to smaller ones.
@@thumtlnguyen3626 không có món nào của thái lan nổi tiếng và phổ biến bằng Phở , Bánh mì , gỏi cuốn, chả giò , bánh xèo và nem nướng cuộn bánh tráng😂, bây giờ Bún thịt nướng và bún chả và bún bò huế, cơm tấm, mì quảng đang dần được nổi tiếng vì khách du lịch và youtuber họ khán phá ra. bạn vào video tiếng Hàn Nga Nhật Đài Loan hay Mỹ xem họ bình luận đi , họ nói khắp châu á này món ăn Việt Nam ngon nhất. họ xếp Thái sau đồ ăn Hàn vì cay và nặng mùi và thường xuyên bị đau bụng. tôi không nói dối , bạn hãy search tiếng Nga Hàn Nhật thử xem😂 , ở Saigon tôi đếm tầm 5 cửa hàng đồ ăn thái nhưng nhà hàng Hàn và nhà hàng Nhật chắc khoảng mỗi nước 50 restaurant.
I’m leaning towards Vietnam as my first choice with a close 2nd being Thailand and third place being in Bali and way way down the line I would consider the Philippines actually change that the food is horrible in the philippines never mind take the Philippines out
Thumbs up 👍 Ramze……the several times I’ve been there have been fantastic except for everyone honking their horns…..also we took the motorbike food tour and ate at several restaurants with a variety of food, next time you go check it out 😎
From what I've read, most people agree that Vietnamese is actually a little harder than Thai. Apparently Thai grammar is fairly simple and straightforward, whereas Vietnamese grammar is very complicated and difficult to learn.
@@RamzeTravels yeah, I would not have expected it either. Both languages are on the same basic level of difficulty (harder than German/Indonesian but easier than Japanese/Chinese) for English speakers, so I don't think there's a huge difference.
Pattaya is too crazy and way to laud for me living in retirement. Jomtien would be a much better option and if you want the crazy make a day trip to Pattaya. P.S make sure to go to the island of Ko lan WOW amazing you want incredible beaches and piece
The main problem in Vietnam is the "old men in power" don't have the capacity to change to modern times... They "let" the kids modernize for a while, but decided they liked to be in power more... so until the next generation... Vietnam won't change "much"... but the potential is there... The same could be said of Thailand, but you can see the effect that the "gatekeepers" of the idea of a monarchy over rides ALL.. in real time... There won't be much in the way of changes to society, or rules, etc in the foreseeable future because of this... This is not to say that they won't spend money they don't have to keep up with "the Jones" (aka Singapore)...
Chân mình còn lấm bê bê Lại cầm bó đuốc đi dê Chân người .Thật lạ với những kẻ cứ trõ mõm sang nhà hàng xóm. Việc nhà các anh, đất nước các anh ,anh lo đi.
Không bất ngờ lắm về dân Thái. Vì dân Thái là những kẻ bẩn tính kinh khủng. Giờ VN đang phát triển nên mấy tin về kinh tế VN dân Thái vào chửi VN quá trời. Nhất là VinFast, tụi nó chửi không còn gì, tụi nó cay lắm nên chửi cho bỏ tức 😂
I like Thailand a lot and traveled there many times. But as a traveler, I don't care much about the politics of a country. The only thing that matters is whether it is comfortable, pleasant, and interesting to the traveler. So, Vietnam or Thailand, who cares what political systems they have?
@@albertpm1414 that nice. Dont get me wrong. I live at the hot tourist area at the border between thai-lao-myanmar (and chinese SEZ). Heard a lot of political shxt from tourist - few but it exist. So i glad that to see many of you guy don't care about political shxt.
Comparing Vietnam vs Thailand is a bit unfair as Vietnam was in constant war and invaded by foreign nations like Chinese , French, and America for thousands of years. Thailand was historically never colonized . The country was completely destroyed by 1975 so of course their infrastructure is years behind Thailand.
it doesn't matter what the history was. Put yourself in the shoes of a foreigner tourist. You have money, you want to visit a country to relax, which country? that's the point. If you are a Vietnamese, you don't get it.
@@kmhedgef8642 history is a huge part of how a country becomes what it is today. Some foreigners are looking for party and beach scene while some are searching for off a beaten path experience. Different strokes for different folks buddy. Educate yourself out of ignorance.
@@NathanDrake-hm6li It is you who are ignorant. Statistics: Thailand has 2 X more international visitors than Vietnam. Malaysia has 1.45 X more. Go and tell them Vietnam's history blah blah... Only in your delusion that these international travelers give a damn. But learn more about market research by various international trade groups on the hospitality industry and tourism: within Eastern Asia, Vietnam is ranked below many countries in terms of visitors' satisfaction. Here is for your education: use OECD data or Statista to learn a little about those facts. But maybe statistical research is beyond your IQ.
@@NathanDrake-hm6li it's you who needs a lesson: Thailand has 2 times, Malaysia has 1.45 times more international visitors than Vietnam. Go tell those visitors Vietnam history and see if they care. According to many international market research firms on the international hospitality industry and tourism: Vietnam was ranked by travelers in the bottom quarter among all other Asian countries (Japan ranks #1 in terms of transportation, service, sanitary, pollution, etc. which surprises no one). Facts are not your ignorant emotion.
@@NathanDrake-hm6li I am American and quite fond of Vietnamese culture as I went to Westminster Little Saigon often for food when in college. When older, I traveled to Vietnam HCM city for business, and I was very disappointed. Nothing against Vietnam. I have Vietnamese American friends & colleagues, my cousin is married to a Viet-Am woman. I've traveled the world and from a traveler's perspective, Vietnam back then (before Covid) wasn't quite pleasant. I wish the best for Vietnam.
Don't have such an attitude. I am a US-born Vietnamese American and this video is not for Vietnamese like you, but for Westerners. The fact is Thailand has 2 times more international visitors than Vietnam, although the latter is growing fast, largely thanks to being cheaper. Don't be a sour grape if foreigners don't like Vietnam, instead, make Vietnam better.
