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Have to disagree on many counts. Though not the visa-receipt thing, that was brilliant ;-) 1) Chinese public transport is subject to random stops and searches.

by mahmud 13y ago

Have to disagree on many counts. Though not the visa-receipt thing, that was brilliant ;-) 1) Chinese public transport is subject to random stops and searches. Everyone has to show identification. 2) The Chinese borders with Vietnam and Laos are not exactly tourist destinations. The place is rife with ethnic tensions and saturated with military presence, due to opium trafficking, smuggling of goods, and that little war between Vietnam and China. 3) The hill-tribe and minority "armies" (gangs?) are just 2nd-rate heroin traffickers, and that region is one of the most heavily infiltrated by intel, specially Thai. Thailand is one of the closest U.S. allies, right up there with Colombia and Jordan in terms of ass-kissing to State Department. 4) Both China and Vietnam are police states; any whiff of him and they can mobilize undercover cops of an entire city. Hotel and taxi operators are the gov's eyes and ears. Not to mention you're required to register your movement with nearest police station (no one ever does this ;-) Bangkok would have been a perfect option, since the people are desensitized to white men and no one would notice him.

contingencies 13y ago
1) Not that random, but yeah, hence the 'my passports getting a visa in some consulate' note (easily forged). 2) Your info is maybe 30 years out of date. It's one of the largest tourism destinations in the country. I know, I lived there five years. 3) The Shan State Army are ethnic Tai speakers, so yeah, maybe. But further west, the Wa and yet further the Kachin are more independent. 4) It's not hard to find hotels that don't care about registration. Even if they do register, few report identities to the police immediately. Even if they report immediately, few cops are going to be bothered to check. By the time they do, you're gone. Bangkok is indeed a good destination, except, as you point out, that Thailand is a major US ally.

by mahmud 13y ago

contingencies 13y ago

1) Not that random, but yeah, hence the 'my passports getting a visa in some consulate' note (easily forged). 2) Your info is maybe 30 years out of date. It's one of the largest tourism destinations in the country. I know, I lived there five years. 3) The Shan State Army are ethnic Tai speakers, so yeah, maybe. But further west, the Wa and yet further the Kachin are more independent. 4) It's not hard to find hotels that don't care about registration. Even if they do register, few report identities to the police immediately. Even if they report immediately, few cops are going to be bothered to check. By the time they do, you're gone. Bangkok is indeed a good destination, except, as you point out, that Thailand is a major US ally.