Thread: Is PC the only real choice?

Originally Posted by nakedguydb

ok lets also be fair . you have been unhappy about panama since you got suckered , you bought your place and then stated whining about the loud bar down the street , did you buy it off the net ? or were you in panama ? either way you did not do your homework .panama is not perfect , no country is , they all have there good and bad , same as the people in the country . i live in a beach town , for the last 3 1/2 years and have yet to meet the shady people you talk about ,never been ripped off , and never heard any nasty rumors about me or about anyone , as far a harming pets , myself and my dog go for walks around pedasi every second night , the local kids look forward to petting her and descovering that they need not be afaid of dogs as their parent have warned them about . , when i left canada i am sure there was drug abusers and alcoholics there also LOL ,some people are very happy in panama , like myself , but then again i was here 5 times checking out the country before i bought anything , and i knew i was moving back to 1950 north america , which i found very refreshing , it is nice to see kids playing in the parks or streets after dark , not seeing everything spray painted with gang chit , being able to buy lunch for a couple of bucks , even if it is chicken , rice and beans , that is a damn site better for you than a burger from rotton ronnies . . yes most gringos are older from say 50 and up , but most are retired , some younger ones that work , but i think for the most part it is a retirement country . you say you picked panama because you did not research other places , from the sound of all your negitive comments you have been posting for a long time you did not research panama either , so lets all be fair about our take on whatever country we chose . if i was as unhappy as you i would have left a long time ago , not just whine about it because to be honest when a peron has a negitive outlook , other people pick that up very fast and then things like your rumors and dog prolbems can start ,i truly hope you get out of panama for your own sake and have a happy life somewhere . do not take this as anything personal , i would tell anyone the same thing .

Uh naked, who said I was unhappy? Don't assume things. I'm happy as a clam but not because of Panama. If anything Panama does offer a lot of financial opportunity but only in selected niche areas. Understanding the ropes here and making wise decisions will yield you positive results. That's why I am here and it's working out for me. But after my business ventures are over with then I am out of here. Not because Panama is a bad place but because there are much better places in the world to live. There is no reason to stick around in place that lacks so much. Yes, Panama lacks a lot. I know a lot of people who are are married to Panama and get offended when others move on to brighter pastures. That's not my problem but theirs.

There are a lot of nuances and subtleties about Panama that you will never know about until you experience them first hand... or listen to other people sharing their own experiences. That's what forums like these are for is to share information. Not necessarily feel good positive info either.

The culture and attitudes of the people of Panama are regional. You live in a better area than I do. The people are different. Where I live there is a lot of jealously amongst the locals versus the rich Panamanian weekenders. That animosity leads to problematic behavior such as poor customer service and a projection of bitterness and spite.

Panama has become a clearing house of people running away from something back home. That's what Panama really is, a convenient and perceived safe place to escape to because the mass media and promoters told them it was. That's the hard truth very few people will admit.

Felicity, I am curious about the regional differences you mentioned.
Which part of Panama are you in currently?

Originally Posted by Felicity

Panama has become a clearing house of people running away from something back home. That's what Panama really is, a convenient and perceived safe place to escape to because the mass media and promoters told them it was. That's the hard truth very few people will admit.

Speaking personally, I'm "running away" from having to work! I don't want to wait until I'm 62 (give or take) until I can afford to retire comfortably in the US when I can do that in Panama in one or two years from today!

Such as paying $50 import fees and fill out various forms (+ 3 20 min phone calls) for a $10 sun lotion that you bought to your PO Box in Miami.

Also, paying $240 to deposit a $120 check drawn on a Canadian bank.

Or why not renew temporary permits for all your cars/motorcycles every 3 months for a year - OR - get a new carnet + driver's license every 3 months while you wait for paperwork to process.

One of my favorites is having a foreign check bounce for $750 and the available money be reduced by $1500 until the 20 days have passed.

The key is to pay 3-5 times as much and not have to deal with anyone from this country unless it's an absolute necessity.

Originally Posted by Felicity

There are a lot of nuances and subtleties about Panama that you will never know about until you experience them first hand... or listen to other people sharing their own experiences.

I have never had a problem depositing a check (USA) other than wait 15 days to clear. My Drivers License and car registration are both good for a year.

Do you remember writing this in another thread: "I opened an account very easily in Feb 2010 at the Boquete HSBC but I had an HSBC Premier USA account. Then I found out they have no connection with the USA HSBC. They refused to take any USA checks period leaving me sort of helpless."?

It's kind of like saying, I have no problem thinking because I cannot think. Don't you think?

Originally Posted by Panamaman

I have never had a problem depositing a check (USA) other than wait 15 days to clear. My Drivers License and car registration are both good for a year.

I am normal, here because of work, and don't snort anything. Couple of comments:

1) Costa del Este or the Canal Zone are great areas in my opinion.
2) Restaurant food here is very good with great prices. Most restaurants in Casco Viejo are wonderful.
3) Fruits and vegetables, if they're local, are incredible. Avocados, bananas, mangos... all of it.

OK, roads aren't that great. Sidewalks exists only in the aforementioned great areas above. But this isn't Europe or the US and it doesn't pretend to be. (Unless its your condo sales person.)

But its relatively safe, stable, and moving in the right direction. I see nothing but a great future where, what less than 7 years?, Panama could be a developed first-world country.

To the OP, from what I've read about Panama, and from what I know about SE Asia, Malaysia is somewhere in between Thailand and Panama ( both bearing striking resemblences of wanting to be first world, yet not having the infrastructure nor the motivation to become a first world country. I've lived in Singapore for a number of years and now Thailand for over a decade with trips to Malaysia every so often. Malaysia is somewhere in between squeaky clean Singapore ( which still allows you to have fun) and the similar Thailand and Panama.

I can live anywhere and I chose Thailand for the overall quality of life I get here. I live on a tropical island, I have an int'l airport that can take me to a wide variety of countries in a couple of hours, all my friends from Hawaii come here on their vacations etc. ( They've done Central and South America and they prefer here). However that being said, there is still the day to day little things that you expect in not developed countries such as shakedowns, duel pricing, frustration with people that are quite lazy, gov't red tape etc.

I look forward to hearing how you compare Malaysia ( it really depends on where you go) and your trip to Panama.

Originally Posted by HKT

I can live anywhere and I chose Thailand for the overall quality of life I get here. I live on a tropical island, I have an int'l airport that can take me to a wide variety of countries in a couple of hours, all my friends from Hawaii come here on their vacations etc. ( They've done Central and South America and they prefer here). However that being said, there is still the day to day little things that you expect in not developed countries such as shakedowns, duel pricing, frustration with people that are quite lazy, gov't red tape etc.

I look forward to hearing how you compare Malaysia ( it really depends on where you go) and your trip to Panama.

The whole 3 month Thai retirement visa thing is not annoying for you? just the simple fact that Malaysia has a proper permanent retirement visa with only a few strings attached, compared to the joke that is a Thai retirement visa...just look at the red tape comparison there...and the fact you can own pretty much what ever you want in Malaysia.

From a distance its clear in my thinking anyway that Malaysia wants foreigners to retire there and Thailand doesn't....and yet foreign retires in Thailand out number those in Malaysia by maybe 10 to 1 or more.

A growing number of people from Singapore are finding it to expensive to retire in Singapore. Many are buying second homes in Malaysia for retirement, mostly in JB (Johore Bahru).

Why are you picking on me?

Originally Posted by Panamaman

Why are you picking on me?

If you are feeling picked on you can request a special thread like the TOC side discussion thread. LOL

I am curious what your definition of a "problem" is. I assume you are Panamanian?

Is standing in line for 10 hours to renew license plates not a "problem" AFTER you have the plates?

Is not being able to deposit checks and being forced to open a bank account in another bank not a "problem"?

Basically nothing is a problem if you have the time right? Since time has no value?

You did in fact have a problem depositing checks - they flat out refused to accept them.

I have no idea where this thinking comes from but I have never come even near anything so bizarre anywhere else.

Originally Posted by Panamaman

Why are you picking on me?

The 90 day thing on a retirement visa means making a 2 minute trip to town to say hi to immigration officers, get a stamp in your passport and you're back home in an hour

Originally Posted by So_Cynical

The whole 3 month Thai retirement visa thing is not annoying for you? just the simple fact that Malaysia has a proper permanent retirement visa with only a few strings attached, compared to the joke that is a Thai retirement visa...just look at the red tape comparison there...and the fact you can own pretty much what ever you want in Malaysia.

From a distance its clear in my thinking anyway that Malaysia wants foreigners to retire there and Thailand doesn't....and yet foreign retires in Thailand out number those in Malaysia by maybe 10 to 1 or more.

>>From a distance its clear in my thinking anyway that Malaysia wants foreigners to retire there and Thailand doesn't

Malaysia wants retirees and their money, while Thailand, like many 3rd world developing countries, wants to stay xenophobic and not allow many rights to foreigners, just like most countries of it's stature. Malaysia is trying to bridge the gap between countries that allow ownership of any property to anyone, and countries that don't allow foreigners to own land.

Thailand does want retirees, they just want to make sure that retirees can support themselves so they make the barrier to entry tougher than many places.

Originally Posted by Liont

Felicity, I am curious about the regional differences you mentioned.
Which part of Panama are you in currently?

Coronado. Rich city dweller Panamanians and their families flock here on weekends to their beach homes behind the pearly gates. Not a lot of mixing amongst the various groups. Can't say there is a real community here. Just various groups doing their own thing.