Should I visit Philippines instead of Thailand?

[Jan0]

I have visited Thailand for a short trip of 5 days. I have also been hearing that Some expats are starting to move to Philippines mainly instead of staying in Thailand anymore??? I am thinking of staying for a few months to upto a year or more just for a holiday.

 

My question is:

 

Is Philippines better value?

Is Philippines more fun?

Is Philippines more friendlier?

 

I also heard that they tend to rip off foreigners much more in Thailand compared to Philippines???

Edited March 13, 2020 by Jan0

[BritManToo]

It's certainly easier to stay in the Philippines.

Can't say the Filipinos were any worse than Thais for attempted scams, and they're all fairly friendly and speak English.

Nicer beaches, cheaper booze.

[zhounan]

1. Yes

2. Yes

3. Yes

and yes, pinay are more beautiful than thai.

[UbonThani]

Crime ridden

Bad food

Annoying Catholics

 

 

[Jan0]

33 minutes ago, zhounan said:

1. Yes

2. Yes

3. Yes

and yes, pinay are more beautiful than thai.

Should I visit Philippines instead of Thailand ???

[gk10002000]

right now manilla is on lockdown so travel and visiting may be a bit of a problem.  You won't see anywhere as much asian architecture, thai type temples, etc.  Food is no where near as good in my opinion.  Religion is quite different, and attractive or less attractive to some depending on their likes.  Barrios and ghettos are as bad or worse as anything you will see in Thailand. 

 

Oh and this constant page updating reloading "transferring data from forum.thaivisa" that shows up in the lower left makes the page jump up and down, and really a pain to use this site

[ThaiBunny]

5 minutes ago, Jan0 said:

Should I visit Philippines instead of Thailand ???

Duterte has banned all domestic movement into and out of Manila

[PerkinsCuthbert]

Two different types of cheese, take your pick. Philippines is harder going but more rewarding in many respects, and they're generally not as weary of foreigners. Be aware that Peak Virus is yet to happen in both countries. Du30 yesterday announced a lockdown of Manila starting Sunday, unclear as yet whether this includes just land and sea transport, or air too. 

[Logosone]

Only if you prefer basketball.

 

Shopping centres are much worse, gigantic soulless affairs, not the well thought out malls you get in Thailand, Singapore or Malaysia. 

 

The food generally is worse than Thailand, however, you can eat well in Philippines too if you're prepared to pay a premium.

 

There is fantastic pizza, Mexican food and Chinese food, but you generally have to go to the right places, sometimes 5 star hotels and it will cost you. Some Filipino food is good like Lechon, barbecued fish and even Sisig or Beef Salpicado. But you can forget about French baguette the way you can get in Thailand from real Frenchmen or even Japanese copies thereof. Also there is no selection of sandwich meats like in Thailand. No German butchers, no Spanish, French or Italian exports. They do have the best pineapple juice in the world though.

 

In Thailand there are supermarkets in Chiang Mai, or Bangkok, that are geared to tourists, from all countries, you get products from most countries. This is not the case in Philippines.

 

Hotels are vastly more expensive in Philippines than Thailand, food a little more. 

 

As for the people Pinoys have a much greater propensity towards crime and scams than Thais, much more violent too. Handguns proliferate more in the Phil.

 

However, they have one great plus, they speak much better English. They are just as friendly as Thais, and yes there are good looking Pinays. However don't expect to be mobbed as a White God, it won't happen. It's become very hard for Westerners to hook up with Pinays. They will be just as likely to demand money as Thai girls, but there are less obvious 'freelancers. There are more serial dating professionals. Unless you go to Angeles, avoid. Mostly prostitutes.

 

Beaches are better in Phil, obviously head to smaller islands like Bantayan, not places like Boracay which have become sewage infested dumps the Phil closed for a while due to the filth. Palawan is still clean.

 

The one big drawback about Phil: MUCH MORE earthquakes, typhoons and such. Thailand just doesn't have those problems.

 

Another HUGE drawback: Internet is terrible. Really bad. Much better in Thailand.

 

So, in summary, No, Philippines is not better value, it's more expensive, Yes, it can be more fun it largely depends who you're with and where you are and how much money you have, and friendly is good in both places.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[BritManToo]

7 minutes ago, Logosone said:

Shopping centres are much worse, gigantic soulless affairs, not the well thought out malls you get in Thailand, Singapore or Malaysia. 

 

However, they have one great plus, they speak much better English. They are just as friendly as Thais, and yes there are good looking Pinays. However don't expect to be mobbed as a White God, it won't happen. It's become very hard for Westerners to hook up with Pinays. They will be just as likely to demand money as Thai girls, but there are less obvious 'freelancers. There are more serial dating professionals. Unless you go to Angeles, avoid. Mostly prostitutes.

You're in the most exotic places in the world, and you want to sit in shopping malls?

Walk in the jungle, swim in a waterfall, go to the beach ......... <deleted>.

 

At 60+ I've always assumed any woman that spoke (socially) with me, must be looking to make money.

Doesn't matter what country I'm in.

Edited March 13, 2020 by BritManToo

[Logosone]

I'm more of a luxury traveller than a backpacker.

 

If I don't get perfect French baguette and Black Forest ham or Jamon Serrano or Milano Salami I'm not happy. So yes, shopping malls are vital for me. It's here that you get the supermarkets for foreigners that have the things needed for a good life. You won't find them in the wet market or the local Thai or Filipino market.

 

What's not to like about good malls, good places to eat, 3D cinemas. Especially in Thailand they've taken it to an art form. In Central Festival I can bring my trousers to the Shangri La dry cleaner, get a fresh apple-pineapple juice, buy art and writing supplies, eletronics, do banking, buy clothes or shoes,  gadgets, pay the electricity bill, the phone bill, get a screen protector for the tablet. 

 

I like these great Asian malls, especially Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. Philippines has huge gigantic malls but they seem less well designed, much less varied.

 

Obviously that does not preclude going to the beach, I've been to Kota beach and it is pretty good, much better than any beach in Thailand I've seen. I've also visited waterfalls in Phil, but they're overcrowded now. Spetacular scenery, but too many people.

 

Well, yes, the women are usually out to make money, but there are shades of grey. In Thailand often a Thai girl will tell you straight up 'Me freelanceer, for money'. You don't get that as much in Phil, where there are more serial dating professionals who like to pretend you're the boyfriend. Of course there are also prostitutes, but you know what I mean.

 

 

Edited March 13, 2020 by Logosone

[BritManToo]

5 minutes ago, Logosone said:

What's not to like about good malls, good places to eat, 3D cinemas. Especially in Thailand they've taken it to an art form. In Central Festival I can bring my trousers to the Shangri La dry cleaner, get a fresh apple-pineapple juice, buy art and writing supplies, eletronics, do banking, buy clothes or shoes,  gadgets, pay the electricity bill, the phone bill, get a screen protector for the tablet. 

I can do most of that from my sofa at home.

[shdmn]

The biggest plus with the PI is almost everyone speaks decent english.  It just makes everything that much easier for regular day to day things.

 

They are pouring billions into inproving the infrastructure.  I have seen definite improvements over the last few years.  Better internet, less power outages, more tollways etc.  There is economic development going on all over the place right now around Clark/Angeles. You probably won't recognize the place in a few more years.

Edited March 13, 2020 by shdmn

[Logosone]

Yes, the Phil will definitely get better. The internet in particular should get better. But it's still abominably poor.

 

And typhoons and earthquakes will keep destroying new infrastructure in Phil.

[coppywriter]

2 hours ago, PerkinsCuthbert said:

Two different types of cheese, take your pick. Philippines is harder going but more rewarding in many respects, and they're generally not as weary of foreigners. Be aware that Peak Virus is yet to happen in both countries. Du30 yesterday announced a lockdown of Manila starting Sunday, unclear as yet whether this includes just land and sea transport, or air too. 

All domestic travel including Air in and out of Manila. 

 

[nickmondo]

4 hours ago, UbonThani said:

Crime ridden

Bad food

Annoying Catholics

 

 

totally agree.

the food is disgusting

[448glb]

Yes

4 hours ago, zhounan said:

1. Yes

2. Yes

3. Yes

and yes, pinay are more beautiful than thai.

They are definitely more greasy????

[Caine]

Yes forget Thailand it's washed up. Land of Smiles my a#s*.

[phil2407]

I’ve lived in Philippines over 2 years now as was fed up with Thailand and the way the country was going - banning FFW plus now possible criminal charges - even though up to 40 MP’s in same boat - government / EC doesn’t pursue them 

Philippines- yes most corrupt country in SE Asia and rent 1/3 more than Thailand but immigration easier - foreign food about the same as Thailand- bills dirt cheap 

local food and transportation also cheap and no 2 tier pricing 

swings and roundabouts 

[Cactus99]

Stay where you are. Don't go to either country. And don't get on an airplane. You need to start reading more news. 

Edited March 13, 2020 by Cactus99

[Caine]

Not all dipsticks reside under car bonnets then

[Deerculler]

Philippines goes out of it's way to welcome expats.That is a fact.

[Suitcase]

4 hours ago, gk10002000 said:

right now manilla is on lockdown so travel and visiting may be a bit of a problem.  You won't see anywhere as much asian architecture, thai type temples, etc.  Food is no where near as good in my opinion.  Religion is quite different, and attractive or less attractive to some depending on their likes.  Barrios and ghettos are as bad or worse as anything you will see in Thailand. 

 

Oh and this constant page updating reloading "transferring data from forum.thaivisa" that shows up in the lower left makes the page jump up and down, and really a pain to use this site

I don’t know how any barrios and ghettos could get any worse than what you see here in Bangkok

Go behind any shopping center or five-star hotel and there’s nothing but dilapidated tin shack’s the people sleep on the ground and cook in a little charcoal pot

you could bulldozed down 60% of Bangkok and never miss it!

[NoshowJones]

5 hours ago, UbonThani said:

Crime ridden

Bad food

Annoying Catholics

 

 

What is annoying about Catholics? Please explain. and no, I am not a Catholic,

[donmuang37]

Just a word of caution: If the virus gets bad in SE Asia, I'd rather be getting medical care in Thailand than in the Philippines.  JMHO.  Cheers

[bkk6060]

The Phils "food is bad" comments are clueless.

Probably have never been there.

It is like saying, you only will eat bugs and scorpions in Issan.

There is a historical western presence in Philippines.

There are Western, Euro, Asian, fast food places all over the place.

"The food" is not a valid reason not to go there.

Edited March 13, 2020 by bkk6060

[tifino]

5 hours ago, ThaiBunny said:

Duterte has banned all domestic movement into and out of Manila

and we know what happens to he don't like...

[gonesouth]

lol..thai girls are born to cheat...the most in the word and they will leave you for more always...58 percent...i always laugh when i see what people say here...just can not admit truth.. how many lives have been taken or or been ruined by thia girls...there was a time when thailand was good but all is gone now .. i understand hard to leave there but it is just time before farnags will wake up...face it you are just retirement plan for girls there but you make yourself believe something else ...and the gov does not want you there and will keep finding ways to make you go.... philippines hard to say but for sure better people...girls more faithful and will hang in there with you...yes not same as thailand in times but ahead of that fake smile crape... thais will still .. kill.. and smile at each other with there face bull shi...... what do you think when they smile at you....the best way i can sum this up is ....they must be a  DEMOCRAT....sad but true....lies .. fake...and do not turn you back......................................... bottom line.

[Destiny1990]

Will be very complicated Visa-wise to stay one year in Thailand better go to the Phillipines easy visa easy English!

[Logosone]

38 minutes ago, gonesouth said:

girls more faithful and will hang in there with you...yes not same as thailand in times but ahead of that fake smile crape... thais will still .. kill.. and smile at each other with there face bull shi...... what do you think when they smile at you....the best way i can sum this up is ....they must be a  DEMOCRAT....sad but true....lies .. fake...and do not turn you back......................................... bottom line.

Girls more faithful....hahahahahahahahahahaha....

 

Pinay's cheat like hell. Because they're poor. They want to 'exercise their options'...What they're looking for is the biggest and best wallet, and if they think someone else could be that wallet they will lie to you and have sex with that guy.

 

And the fake smile is just the same in Phil, I rather like it. Smiles are better than the attitude you get in China, Taiwan or Europe.