Thailand Vs Philippines?

[bestofbothworlds27]

I'm half Filipina Half Spanish but been living in Thailand longer than in the Philippines. I can say Thailand is my second home already. It's not bad comparing both of these countries as they have their own pros and cons. It's the stupid and super corrupt government in the Philippines that made it so bad!!! The Thai politicians are corrupt too but they know how to downplay it and they still give 40% out of the 100% (if u know what i mean;P). Unlike in PI, people will be lucky to get 10%

It's safer in Thailand and more opportunities. My family settled here for good. Thais may not be the smartest people but they are fun and crazy!! and I love crazy!! (in a good way^_^). I went to visit PI last year and my heart broke seeing all those poor kids, I'm not used to it I basically grew up in Thailand. When the right time comes and I have enough source and money, I will open a charity house in PI and help as much as I can.

I LOVE PHILIPPINES AND THAILAND!! ..DON'T LET THE NEGATIVITY OF BOTH COUNTRIES AFFECT THE POSITIVE ONES...'CAUSE THERE ARE MORE TO IT THAN JUST WHORES AND BAD FOOD.

[bangkokburning]

TigsyTikkles

You seem to take issue with the way in which I spell

Filipino

I do it poorly, it does not make me a retard. It is = to my lack of respect for the nation and its people perhaps.

And here we go best of both worlds, claiming half Spanish ancestory (as they all do). Lives abroad as they all do. but never ever compare the Thai peoples culture and heritage to yours -and thinking it is the Thai that comes up short. ROTGLMFAO! Let me get this straight - your nation is a basket case, your ENTIRE family has moved to Thailand. But it is the Thai's that are a bunch of idiots. Now THAT is Filippino thinking sure.

[bangkokburning]

This is all rubbish hermes....

Based on only two visits to Philippines (Manila, Angeles, Luzon, Cebu City) and many years sojourning in Thailand - plus having travelled and worked in 17 other Asian countries...

Philippines

Pros

- service staff are very polite, not exectly sweet, but much more polite than in Thailand. They call you 'Sir'

It is not done out of politeness, it is simply cultural. Filippinos are overly polite becasue the alternative is killing one another.

- better educated, although a minority of the population, the upper class has been to university and has real job skills too

Education is not better, not by a long shot and the % of children passed through K-6 I would wager is far lower than Thailand as well. Universites are not that great, many doctors can't pass boards and end up as nurses abroad. Many (most) nurses end up as caregivers. Filippinos in the street are very thick. They are great at conniving and scheming. That is about it.

- Much better English. I have never been to a nation as developed as Thailand where English skills are so poor.

OK, so Thai's are lazy about English but most Filippinos do not speak English well if at all. That is a huge misconception.

- Keep their religion to themselves. Whether they are Catholic or Eglisia Cristos, they don't wear it on their sleeves as in Siam. I find them less superficial in keeping their religion. If they are secular or irreligious they don't make a show of it to impress others.

HOLY JEEBUS! You are joking right? Filippinos are Catholic to the core and wear it on their sleeves.

- Much easier to get a regular girlfriend and wife

Yes, I poor woman from desparate circumstances who happens at the moment not to have been shunted into the prosti business. At night they go online and show their titties and lie and swindle punters in every free dating site that exists.

So, the Thai's make you work for it, is that what you are saying?

- Beer significantly cheaper (I am a non-drinker and could care less, but for some this is a draw).

True, all alcohol and I am a drinker - but this is hardly a reason to move to a country?! Besides, its shit beer.

- Good value academic education in English. Want to finish your university studies?

HAH what a laugh.

- Much easier language to learn than tonal Thai

That is also untrue. Phils is mixed with many dialects and subdialects, the grammar is insanely stupid.

- It is possible to make local male friends?

In Thailand but as many punters here have acknowledged, in Phils in downright dangerous and I totally agree.

- some religious variety - Catholics, Protestants, Muslims

Thailand is 4% Muslim and has Catholics. Less Christians better as far as I am concerned.

- P4P is better value (short time' means 2 hours, and the service girls are more accomodating)

- they can read and do

No its not at all. Its more expensive, more HASSLES and full of scams.

- filipinas/os have artistic talents

Becasue Thai's don't?! <deleted>!!

- Filipinas/os are more broad-minded, even uneducated people can see the perspectives of people of other beliefs. Thais are too close-minded and provincial.

Yes, they are open for you to come in and marry their _____ and spend your money. SOme of the most backward, conservative people I have encountered.

- Filipinas/os are less superstitious, more practical

Another epic fail.

- you can have a conversation with a Filipina/o, and not just because of language - you are not from Mars.

So learn Thai if it bothers you - or go there!

- there is less homosexuality and *much* less transvestitism

Its just hidden, Philippines is VERY VERY GAY. A Peace Corp worker some years ago even remarked to me his wife forbid the children from watching all sorts of TV shows becasue so gays were to present. So there you go.

CLUELESS

[bangkokburning]

TigsyTikkles

Freedom of Speech and Religion. We can talk crap about our government all day as long as we’re not being libelous. Our Internet is not restricted at all.

Well you can becasue the government knows you being Filipino won't do anything about it and they being the Filipino government will kill you if you did try something,

Internet is restricted, pornography and strip-cams (which filippino girls love to do becaue it is: zero effort, men hold them as objects of desire and its basically free money). I believe many actiions such as online meeting/marriages and other similar issues are illegal as well despite being all over the place.

Beaches are not the best. Post a photo of yor favorite beach in Philippines and i can match it with one in Thailand.

[jaideeguy]

Having lived both in the Phil [7yrs] and LOS [for the last 12yrs], I find myself torn between both. Both have their pros and cons which have been listed on this thread....most are generalizations that some I agree with, but bottom line, both can be fun and I'm considering maintaining a residence in both places and in Baguio in the Phil and Chiang Mai in Thailand, which i feel are the best of both countries.

When in Thai I miss certain things about the Phil and when In Phil, I miss certain things about Thai and they both have their iritations/agrivations along with their advantages and why suffer iritations when airfares are less now than they were 10 yrs ago and now you can avoid MNL by landing in Clark Pampanga, which is a lot less stressful.

That's my plan for now.....

[grumpyoldman]

This is all rubbish hermes....

CLUELESS

Thanks BKKburning, I also had a good laugh at that post.

[TheKeeNok]

I've recently moved from thailand to the Phils but for one main reason

the phils still hgas some good snorkelling and diving due to the fact it has fewer tourists

and what tourism there is is based around diving as opposed to thailands tourism model which is based around maximum commercialistaion with no regard for the environment.

If thailand looked after its beache and marine environment better and turned it back to the tropical paradise it once was then i would remain in thailand. This is all the Phils has thats better

so unless you are crazxy about swimming or diving on coral seas then give it a miss.

Main drawback is security

crime is a way of life in the big cities and the fact that even guards outside of 7/11's have pump action shotguns doesn't put you at ease. there must be a need for this. Terrorism is much more of an issue as well and kidnappings have frequently taken place

other issues are

firstly

Girls seem more crazy, true they speak english better but they seem even more of a head case than farang girls if thats possible. Plue due to their diet they are generally fatter than thais and have darker skin. I think Thai women are better looking

secondly

The food is just sh*te. Local diet seems to consist of fried fat and sloppy rice

no veg or good cuts of meat

whereas eating at a roadside eatery in thailand is a culinary delight eating at one in The Phils

is just plain torture.

thirdly

culture

are we in Asia or South America or even America?

due to spanish and american colonisation the culture really is messed up

instead of noodle soup sold at street corners we have hamburgers

instead of temples we have delapidated churches

fourthly

infrastructure

improving slightly but still abysmal

dirt roads in many places meaning dust is everywhere and power cuts are a way of life

fifthly

conveniences and ability to buy goods

shopping is way better in thailand which is starnge as the Phils has more malls than anywhere i've ever been but they hardly ever stock evrything i need or

want

two examples

Shower gel is virtually unheard of

I also have a problem with my eyes whereby I need to wash them out with an eye bath

every day. lost mine nad wanted to buy another. The Filipinos have never heard of such a thing.

again very odd

all this makes me wonder why i moved but the answer is as i said in the diving and swimming

all in all the quality of life In thailand is far better

Iam sure the countless filipinos inLOS agree with I . I sure do! I once heard the philippines being refered to as 'the sick man of asia". If anyone has been there, you can see why,

[TheKeeNok]

This is all rubbish hermes....

Based on only two visits to Philippines (Manila, Angeles, Luzon, Cebu City) and many years sojourning in Thailand - plus having travelled and worked in 17 other Asian countries...

Philippines

Pros

- service staff are very polite, not exectly sweet, but much more polite than in Thailand. They call you 'Sir'

It is not done out of politeness, it is simply cultural. Filippinos are overly polite becasue the alternative is killing one another.

- better educated, although a minority of the population, the upper class has been to university and has real job skills too

Education is not better, not by a long shot and the % of children passed through K-6 I would wager is far lower than Thailand as well. Universites are not that great, many doctors can't pass boards and end up as nurses abroad. Many (most) nurses end up as caregivers. Filippinos in the street are very thick. They are great at conniving and scheming. That is about it.

- Much better English. I have never been to a nation as developed as Thailand where English skills are so poor.

OK, so Thai's are lazy about English but most Filippinos do not speak English well if at all. That is a huge misconception.

- Keep their religion to themselves. Whether they are Catholic or Eglisia Cristos, they don't wear it on their sleeves as in Siam. I find them less superficial in keeping their religion. If they are secular or irreligious they don't make a show of it to impress others.

HOLY JEEBUS! You are joking right? Filippinos are Catholic to the core and wear it on their sleeves.

- Much easier to get a regular girlfriend and wife

Yes, I poor woman from desparate circumstances who happens at the moment not to have been shunted into the prosti business. At night they go online and show their titties and lie and swindle punters in every free dating site that exists.

So, the Thai's make you work for it, is that what you are saying?

- Beer significantly cheaper (I am a non-drinker and could care less, but for some this is a draw).

True, all alcohol and I am a drinker - but this is hardly a reason to move to a country?! Besides, its shit beer.

- Good value academic education in English. Want to finish your university studies?

HAH what a laugh.

- Much easier language to learn than tonal Thai

That is also untrue. Phils is mixed with many dialects and subdialects, the grammar is insanely stupid.

- It is possible to make local male friends?

In Thailand but as many punters here have acknowledged, in Phils in downright dangerous and I totally agree.

- some religious variety - Catholics, Protestants, Muslims

Thailand is 4% Muslim and has Catholics. Less Christians better as far as I am concerned.

- P4P is better value (short time' means 2 hours, and the service girls are more accomodating)

- they can read and do

No its not at all. Its more expensive, more HASSLES and full of scams.

- filipinas/os have artistic talents

Becasue Thai's don't?! <deleted>!!

- Filipinas/os are more broad-minded, even uneducated people can see the perspectives of people of other beliefs. Thais are too close-minded and provincial.

Yes, they are open for you to come in and marry their _____ and spend your money. SOme of the most backward, conservative people I have encountered.

- Filipinas/os are less superstitious, more practical

Another epic fail.

- you can have a conversation with a Filipina/o, and not just because of language - you are not from Mars.

So learn Thai if it bothers you - or go there!

- there is less homosexuality and *much* less transvestitism

Its just hidden, Philippines is VERY VERY GAY. A Peace Corp worker some years ago even remarked to me his wife forbid the children from watching all sorts of TV shows becasue so gays were to present. So there you go.

CLUELESS

Having been to the phils 6 times and with the city from which I hail from being infested with 120 000+ filipinos, I totally agree. Filipinos speak english, are familiar with western culture, yet close to 40% of them in the west fail to graduate from high school. Getting through hs is not all that difficult. Filipinos are well educated? The phlippines has a good educational system? LMFAO! We still need engish speakers working at McDs

[TheKeeNok]

I'm half Filipina Half Spanish but been living in Thailand longer than in the Philippines. I can say Thailand is my second home already. It's not bad comparing both of these countries as they have their own pros and cons. It's the stupid and super corrupt government in the Philippines that made it so bad!!! The Thai politicians are corrupt too but they know how to downplay it and they still give 40% out of the 100% (if u know what i mean;P). Unlike in PI, people will be lucky to get 10%

It's safer in Thailand and more opportunities. My family settled here for good. Thais may not be the smartest people but they are fun and crazy!! and I love crazy!! (in a good way^_^). I went to visit PI last year and my heart broke seeing all those poor kids, I'm not used to it I basically grew up in Thailand. When the right time comes and I have enough source and money, I will open a charity house in PI and help as much as I can.

I LOVE PHILIPPINES AND THAILAND!! ..DON'T LET THE NEGATIVITY OF BOTH COUNTRIES AFFECT THE POSITIVE ONES...'CAUSE THERE ARE MORE TO IT THAN JUST WHORES AND BAD FOOD.

Why does every other Filipino say that they are HALF SPANISH? I have to brush up on my history,but didnt the Spanish leave over a 100 years ago? So ur sayin that both ur mother and father are half spanosh so u urself are hald spanish? OR perhaps ur father or mother is a full blooded spanard(which I Hfind HIGHLY unlikely).

At best you have SOME Spanish blood and IF that is the case is it something to be proud of? It is likely that the spanish blood would have come from the male side, which leads one to wonder what the female side was up to! Some dangerous waters ur entering by sayingur part spanish. Id deny it altogether! LOL

[PattayaParent]

Filipinos are world class workers and they can work anywhere, anytime.

I will give you that..the most resilient,non-whinging workers..

A lesson to spoiled Westerners.

Not the ones I worked with.

[bestofbothworlds27]

Well unlike you I am proud of my blood line no matter what BS you say about it..loser much??. And yes I am half Spanish and it's from my maternal side..jealous much? you want me to slap you with my passport? (I'm dual citizen) ..And you need to brush up more on your history since you are also left a century ago.

[thehelmsman]

One of the big differences between the women is that the majority of the Fillipinas want to leave PI and become a citizen in your country - they mainly identify with the USA. The Thai women are very much happy in their country - especially with the lifestyle Farangs can offer.

[wintermute]

I'm half Filipina Half Spanish but been living in Thailand longer than in the Philippines. I can say Thailand is my second home already. It's not bad comparing both of these countries as they have their own pros and cons. It's the stupid and super corrupt government in the Philippines that made it so bad!!! The Thai politicians are corrupt too but they know how to downplay it and they still give 40% out of the 100% (if u know what i mean;P). Unlike in PI, people will be lucky to get 10%

It's safer in Thailand and more opportunities. My family settled here for good. Thais may not be the smartest people but they are fun and crazy!! and I love crazy!! (in a good way^_^). I went to visit PI last year and my heart broke seeing all those poor kids, I'm not used to it I basically grew up in Thailand. When the right time comes and I have enough source and money, I will open a charity house in PI and help as much as I can.

I LOVE PHILIPPINES AND THAILAND!! ..DON'T LET THE NEGATIVITY OF BOTH COUNTRIES AFFECT THE POSITIVE ONES...'CAUSE THERE ARE MORE TO IT THAN JUST WHORES AND BAD FOOD.

Why does every other Filipino say that they are HALF SPANISH? I have to brush up on my history,but didnt the Spanish leave over a 100 years ago? So ur sayin that both ur mother and father are half spanosh so u urself are hald spanish? OR perhaps ur father or mother is a full blooded spanard(which I Hfind HIGHLY unlikely).

At best you have SOME Spanish blood and IF that is the case is it something to be proud of? It is likely that the spanish blood would have come from the male side, which leads one to wonder what the female side was up to! Some dangerous waters ur entering by sayingur part spanish. Id deny it altogether! LOL

Any Filipino that claims half spanish blood is full of it. It's more like a drop if even that. The only people who have spanish blood are the ultra wealthy elite who also mixed a long time ago with Chinese and wealthy Filipino "natives." The upper class Filipinos are more ethnic Chinese than anything with a smattering of their beauty queens and old established families being a bit more Spanish but still nowhere near half.

[Arkady]

It's much easier to get permanent residence or long term visas in the Philippines but impossible to get nationality, even though the Philippines permits its own citizens to have another nationality and millions have done so. In Thailand you can't hardly get PR any more but can apply for Thai nationality if you married to a Thai and live and work full time in Thailand, although it takes years and years. Probably the Filipino system of being able to get PR or a long term visa relatively easily is the most useful, as very few foreigners will every get Thai citizenship.

[monty1412]

Sound like a bunch of sex tourists to me.

Hi Acquiesce. That's called argumentum ad hominem. When you can't argue the facts you attack the person making the argument. Well done. Just for the record, I lived in Manila for two years with my family due to a transfer by the company I was working for at the time, so I guess I don't fall under your category.

Now for those who want to hear what the OP asked abou:

One thing I left out. Quality and availability of medical care. There are nowhere near as many hospitals and medical facilities as there are in Thailand, and their overall quality was very lacking in my opinion. I will give you several examples. For a while we lived in Alabang, which was a very expensive gated housing area south of Manila. There was a small clinic there for the residents. It was not very clean, and the toilet did not even have a seat. When I politely mentioned that might be a good idea for a facility located in a clinic the staff were just baffled. Makati Medical Center, not very clean either. Doctor also told us my wife's right ovary was just find--it had been removed several years earlier! Ironic for a place that supplies lots of doctors and nurses around the world. Perhaps all the good ones leave?

This post I like.. put the inevitable idiot poster on topics that are genuinely informational in his place fair and squarely and rendered useful on topic information at the same time. Classy as it exposed both ends of the IQ spectrum in one post. Nice one Qualtrough

[maprao]

Well, most of the Filipinos I knew in California hoped to return to their island home one day, carrying a big sack of American dollars. Bless their hearts.

Probably after having divorced their US husbands......and taken them to the cleaners!

[SPIKECM]

The poverty here is quite unbelievable. The place is totally dependent on overseas work remittances.....but I reckon if they would give me power for 10 years I could sort the whole place out. I would make a simple start by lining all the police up against a wall and shooting them. That would get rid of most of the criminals. Next I would line up the taxi touts at the airport (who help stop a lucrative tourist industry right when they come off the plane). Eventually you can see my plan would help check the population problem. But you would be left with lots of good people. I would get the movie "religulous" translated into all the languages here, make it compulsory viewing for all and then there would surely be complete understanding when I converted all the churches and mosques to badminton courts or day care centres for kids, whilst their parents started working in the new economy which would have been kick started by shooting all of the old Spanish elite here who control all the commerce. Also as you can see there would be a bright future of employment in a burgeoning arms industry. If you own a chicken factory here, you get more money if you sell abroad, but if a chicken farmer in Thailand wants to export his cheaper produce to the hungry Filipinos, the old elite will find some way to throw a spanner into their container cooler system. I would let Tesco in with open arms. Incredibly no Tesco or the likes here as again the old elite don't want that. You get old dusty Chinese department stores which have check out lines saying "Senior Citizens, Disabled and Pregnant Women Only". Maybe I could introduce a law where every new Tesco supermarket has to have a line for "Religious People", but strictly no more than one line. A pregnant disabled dwarf with a seriously bad attitude (that probably would go without saying) could staff it. All the other lines could say "Infadels Only".

In telecommunications, there's only pseudo competition. Any start up gets swallowed up by the giants to keep prices high. Nowadays the way to get absurdly rich is to control the mobile companies. Every extra one piso a minute makes billions. Look at that Mexican, Carlos Slim. What is he? The richest man in the world? There must be the equivalent here. This is a country of the absurdly rich and the absurdly poor. It is what happens when you deny a country a free market. Nothing much will change though. A free press and a democratic system have made no difference. Once that old cancer, corruption, gets a hold there's not a lot of hope to change anything.

Great ideas you have here. Most of the old Spanish elite are already inactive except maybe for one or 2 families. The Chinese Filipinos now control most of the big industries. I wouldn't be surprised if in 20 or so years time, a few Koreans would also join the mix.

Re your thoughts about a small hotel - they have been my thoughts exactly for the past few years. Say in Manila, there isn't a single hotel or bnb or guesthouse that anybody ever raves about unlike say Bali or Chiang Mai or even Bangkok where there are at least 20 such establishments getting rather iconic reviews. Same for Cebu and possibly Angeles. No one knows how to run such an establishment and they only get business bec all other options are crap too.

We stayed at the New Horizon in Manila where there is European management and they made a good effort, but there are so many places which are sooooo bad. In Angeles the good places are full seemingly months in advance. Borocay is a joke in peak season... we were quoted 3000 with no hot water! ...ended up with a smelly damp place at 2,500.... it really is a joke... i just don't know enough about the politics of the place to start investing there.. land titles are not easy I have heard.. they don't have chanotes like Thailand... the overriding issue is that I just don't think I could stand living in the Philippines..... for a potential business though it surely has a lot better potential than Thailand..

[Ulysses G.]

Sound like a bunch of sex tourists to me.

Sex tourists need love too.

[ppmacready]

When I arrived in Thailand 16 years ago.

People were leaving Fillys to settle in Thailand.

So stupidly I never bothered visiting Fillys.

Now I find many of my friends and acquaintances are leaving Thailand to live in the Philippines.

4 years ago I decided to start taking a look.

I have enjoyed all my visits since.

Its just more fun in Fillys!

The biggest difference I noticed, was the X-Pat crowd there do not moan!

Although they have in my opinion, much more to moan about!

The poverty, food, accommodation are all inferior to Thailand.

The short comings of that country have all been adequately described here.

So why do the X-Pats in the Philippines not moan?

There just plain happier in there relationships.

Its as simple as that.

If your in love and feel loved.

You can live any where.

In my humble opinion.

The thinking mans solution, is find a decent Filly girl and live in Thailand.

Unlike Thailand, it is easy to find a ''normal '' girl and date her.

They are not indolent , racist or supercilious.

I'm sticking my neck out here now-

I have always advised people to not live with a bar girl in Thailand.

But I have to say, even I would chance a Filly one.

If your self worth is higher that than.

You can meet middle class girls all day long in Fillys!

Surprisingly, even wealthy young women are interested in old farts!

You can readily meet teachers , nurses and other professional women.

They are polite , humble and gracious.

Of course if you have been treated like a doormat by women all your life.

Thats not going to change in Fillys.

But you will be a happier door mat!

10% of my Charity clubs members are now married or living with Pino's in Thailand.

Its a trend set to grow!

[TommoPhysicist]

Sexy young girls and UK pension increases.

Can it get better than that!

[farang000999]

is the crime really that bad?

[moe666]

is the crime really that bad?

A couple of years ago we went to visit my daughter in laws family in the PI, Her mother is Philippino and father is american, we stayed at the family home south of manila. The uncle is the village capitan = city manager he went to a village furneral and when he got back I saw him hand off his 45c automatic pistol. He routinely carries a gun due to political rivalries and other possible crimes.

[Ulysses G.]

is the crime really that bad?

YES.

[bangkokburning]

Once you get past the lovely albeit superficial politeness of the people it is a dirty, nasty broken country more like Africa than anything in Asia.

One my first visit to Phils (94) I remarked to two Swiss doctors doing some NGO work in hospital how lovely and friendly the people were (I, the noob in Asia). They sort of smirked and asked if I wanted to swing round that evening when they were removing bullets and knives out of any number of bodies.

Philippines - I have a million bad stories!

[Jake829]

Isnt that ironic that my country Philippines is sending nurses,caregivers,entertainers,engineers,doctors,teachers to other countries despite the fact that its far worst from Thailand?

I don't know if ironic is the word I would use unless for example you already have enough doctors for all your poor and can pay them enough to keep it attractive enough to stay in their home country. And I think your country can't, I am sorry to say. I have yet to meet anyone who knows both countries who thinks that Thailand is in worse shape; however, with the endless political crisis in Thailand, this "contest" may change.

Government and private sectors dont pay much salary as compared to other country (Thailand too). Its becoming worse in some business sectors that there are brain drain. We can't force them to stay there. Goverment is futile on this problem. Filipinos are world class workers and they can work anywhere, anytime.

In here with political crisis, its far better here because there is monarchy.

which is why they are nicked named "flipo's" or "flip flops" because their easy to slip in to anything they do be it working in Dubai airport or a chamber maid or a prostitute, no job is too demeaning for them, in 20 years time it will be poorer than Somalia due to being over populated and against abortions and not using condoms responsibly

[ravip]

Hey guys and gals... I just read only a couple of posts here.

Comparisons - Bashing, Comparisons - Bashing.

Come on, let's pull our socks up... let's discuss & suggest some perfect, heavenly places to live.

Imagine... no corruption, no murder, no nothing bad... only good!!!

Then, we all could show these nasty countries a lesson and enjoy our lives in bliss, until thy kingdom come!

[Plucky]

this is exactly what I have been looking for. my friend Jefftd77? is living cm too but recently went pi for a visa/fun run and I am intrigued!

Posted with Thaivisa App http://apps.thaivisa.com

[ShanePashen]

I don't give a dam_n about living standards, which country has got the hotter chicks.

Aesthetically, I'd give the edge to the Thai women, in general of course.

I am sure many here have had relationships long and short, & dated both.

serious question.

Well half serious.

Anecdotal evidence demanded.

[onionluke]

I don't give a dam_n about living standards, which country has got the hotter chicks.

Aesthetically, I'd give the edge to the Thai women, in general of course.

I am sure many here have had relationships long and short, & dated both.

serious question.

Well half serious.

Anecdotal evidence demanded.

I might add to your aesthetic edge comment by saying , in my experience, Phillipinas are more likely to have moustaches than Thai females .

[wintermute]

Once you get past the lovely albeit superficial politeness of the people it is a dirty, nasty broken country more like Africa than anything in Asia.

One my first visit to Phils (94) I remarked to two Swiss doctors doing some NGO work in hospital how lovely and friendly the people were (I, the noob in Asia). They sort of smirked and asked if I wanted to swing round that evening when they were removing bullets and knives out of any number of bodies.

Philippines - I have a million bad stories!

What you say is true but most expats with means aren't going to be living and scraping along with the rabble. The Philippines as a country is a complete failure though and it's a big warning sign for where Thailand may end up if they don't manage to tamp down their corruption more. In Philippines the elite have made their classist distinction almost a world unto itself. They never mix with poorer Filipinos and live in vast gated communities. The first thing you'll notice about countries that have reached an "equilibrium" in their failure is that the next step down is being a complete failed state. you'll notice basic living essentials are quiet expensive in the Philippines and most Filipinos don't earn enough in their own country to live on. The majority rely on overseas income from relatives working abroad. That's a real bad situation and the reason why Filipinos have been able to scrape by thus far is due to their level of english and ability to work in various service jobs worldwide.