Why are there so many Filipinas and Thai women marrying foreign husbands?

[ASEAN NOW News]

(file photo)

 

Why are there so many Filipinas and Thai women marrying foreign husbands compared to other countries in the world who are just as poor?

 

The views below do not necessarily reflect the views of ASEAN NOW, so don't shoot the messenger - this article is intended as a lighthearted read!

 

I can speak for the Philippines, not as much for Thailand.

 

According to a comment from an American viewer, he states up front that I’m married to a Filipina, but she was in the US working as a nurse when we met.

 

I do know a lot of American/Filipina couples, many of whom met online or whatever while the girl was still back home.

 

There are a few factors that I think really make Filipinas very attractive to men in other countries, particularly the US, Canada, and Western Europe.

 

Good communication

 

First, English is a first language in the Philippines and is spoken by about half the population. The half that doesn’t speak it tends to be either much older or folks who really live off the grid.

 

There are a lot of places in the Philippines where people live without modern luxuries. For people who live in the cities, English is common.

 

Without saying too much here, a lot of signage in the cities is in English, government forms are often in English. For example, my wife’s birth certificate is in English, etc.

 

English is also very common on TV, although usually mixed with Tagalog.

 

Tagalog is the other most common language (and there’s some effort to call a common form of it “Filipino”) and it’s also spoken by about 50% of the population.

 

The result is that you can speak English there and have as much of a chance of being understood as speaking the most common native language.

 

American TV shows are also common there, so there’s wide exposure to American culture. My wife watched the” A” Team and Dallas growing up, as I did. Filipinos are generally fond of American culture and Americans.

 

Similar Culture

 

Secondly, the Philippines is probably as culturally close to the West as you can get in Asia.

 

Why? Well, 300 and something years of Spanish occupation. The country is mostly Catholic. There’s been a US military presence there since before any living Filipino was born. Little kids still call me “Joe” on the street.

 

Thirdly, the women are beautiful by American/European standards.

 

They have dark skin, but not real dark. Just brown. They come with a built-in tan.

 

But there’s another side to this coin. They think white guys are nice looking, and of course they think if they have a daughter, she’ll have light skin (this is big, big deal in most of Asia).

 

Internet Access

 

The Philippines is a poor country but with decent internet access. So, women who frankly don’t have much of a choice but to live in poverty can get on the internet and find some guy overseas.

 

To them, he’s rich.

 

However, I’ll be blunt and state that a lot of them get over here and find out they’d have been as well off back home.

 

Foreigners can save up and look “rich” in the Philippines for a couple of weeks on a couple grand, but not give her the life she’d like when she gets here.

 

(File Photo)

 

And, to continue being blunt, some guy who would not be attracting attractive women in the US can land a 7 or 8 from over there - a woman who, all else equal, would be far out of his league.

 

This effect is also seen with 50-year-old men and their 18-year-old wives. Again, all else equal this doesn’t happen often.

 

Kids

 

Fifth, kids. What I mean is single mothers. It’s nearly impossible for a single mother to date and marry in the Philippines.

 

Foreigner guys don’t care as much. So sometimes they must go overseas to find a mate.

 

Finally, I’ve seen others mention this elsewhere but being unfaithful is a national sport in the Philippines.

 

Many women just put up with unfaithful Filipino men. But many would rather not risk it.

 

All that said, I really don’t recommend the whole “meet over the internet and marry some girl from 8,000 miles away in another country”.

 

I also don’t recommend the whole “meet over the internet and marry some guy from 8000 miles away in another country”. (See what I did there?)

 

Why?

 

Guys point of view

 

Let’s start with the guy’s side. First, this guy tells the truth:

 

If you find a woman on the internet she’s probably from the lower classes. The main impact this will have is on your wallet, because it is assumed that you are their ATM.

 

Okay, slight exaggeration. But many families expect a monthly allowance, and any emergencies will have them calling. They think you’re “rich”, so they won’t have any qualms about this.

 

Without being too personal, my wife is middle class, and this has never been an issue, but I know people for whom it’s been an issue.

 

You can find plenty of people complaining about this online with a Google search, including people who ended up divorced.

 

If she’s from the lower classes, she may or may not have much of an education.

 

Again, not a deal breaker for most, but it’s often difficult for them to get a job above minimum wage right off. And it’s compounded by difficulty in speaking English.

 

She probably doesn’t know how to drive, either so you’ll have to teach her.

 

They are crazy about “light skin”. Skin whitening products abound over there. Here we have tanning lotion. There, they have sunblock with skin whitening agents. So, you may or may not get her to the beach in a bikini - be forewarned ????

 

Most of them don’t save money. The inflation rate in the Philippines is in the double digits, so putting money in the bank makes about as much sense as putting it in a toilet.

 

And flushing. Nobody has leftover money there, anyway, so there’s no investing and no saving. You will have to teach her about these things. “Retirement” in the Philippines means you go live with one of your kids.

 

And Filipino food - well, there’s a reason you don’t see tons of Filipino restaurants around even though Chinese, Thai, Japanese, Korean, and even Vietnamese are popular.

 

You’ve been warned :), they have some good dishes and a lot of stuff that just makes you wonder.

 

Other than that, Filipinas tend to make great wives, if you take care of them. They’re really family oriented, loyal, oh I could go on here. If you find the right one, you’re set.

 

Ladies

 

For the other side - ladies, please be very careful about meeting your dream guy from overseas.

 

You think you’re poor and even if he doesn’t have much say in America, you’ll be better off, right? Wrong.

 

This is a very different place. I’ve known of guys who brought fine women over to the States and tricked them in various ways - ways that are easy when you don’t know anyone over here, and don’t really know him and only see him through a camera.

 

I can’t tell you all the stuff I’ve seen - we’d be here all night. Let me give you a few real-life stories:

 

1.     Guy had been married 6 times before, the widowed 62-year-old Filipina was wife #7. He was wheelchair bound and lived on $1300/month fixed income, a large amount of which went to rent. He was finding women on the internet since there is literally no way he was going to meet anyone in the US anymore. His small social circle knew he was a controlling jerk. When she went to the store, she had to carry a small walkie-talkie so he could make sure she didn’t go anywhere else or talk to anyone. She managed to snag a business card that a friend of mine had put on a bulletin board in a small market, and when she finally escaped to the women’s shelter in town, she called him and ultimately was united with a son in California. She didn’t know anything about the jerk she’d married until she got to the US.

 

2.     The guy is an engineer, which is a big deal in the Philippines. (My brother-in-law is a real engineer (civil), and the title is used there like we’d use “doctor” over here. He went to university and passed boards to get the title.) So, when the girl saw he was an engineer she was suitably impressed. He promised her a garden wedding and she invited her family and friends to the garden wedding. She was divorced a couple of kids so finding a guy in the Philippines probably wasn’t a choice. Turns out Mr. Engineer is a “quality control engineer” at a factory. In case you’re wondering if that’s “civil”, “mechanical”, “electrical”, or “chemical” engineering - no. He’s not an engineer. In most places in the US, he wouldn’t be able to legally use that title. He also didn’t have money left over for the garden wedding after he bought her plane ticket. She humiliated herself to marry some guy who lives in the middle of nowhere (no job prospects for her) and isn’t happy. She’s financially no better off than she was there.

 

3.     He works an entry level job at Walmart in his mid-50s. I don’t know what she thought she was getting in to as he was able to visit there a couple of times before they got married. She probably thought he had a good job. He has no real assets and stupidly spends what little money he has left after paying the bills. She would like to leave him but can’t since she has literally no education and can’t work beyond unskilled jobs. When I say “no education” I mean it. I was in a market with her one time, and she had $50. She didn’t know what she could buy because she couldn’t do basic addition. She wasn’t of low intelligence - she literally had never been taught math. The right guy would get her help in this area - Mr. Wonderful doesn’t care. And, yes, we’ve tried.

 

4.     Some ladies I know met a Filipina in Walmart one day wearing a sweater in the middle of the southern summer. Not common. They told her in Tagalog to meet them in the bathroom, and she did. She was married to a police officer who beat her regularly. She was wearing a sweater to cover her bruises. She had to get out of the restroom because he was watching her and would wonder what was up. Very controlling. They saw a few months later that she fell down the stairs and died, and he was able to have her body cremated the next day. (In case you’re not catching on - she didn’t really fall down the stairs).

 

I have more stories. I’m going to leave it at that.

 

Ladies, seriously, if a guy is trying to attract women from a poorer country there are two possibilities, both of which can be true:

 

1.     He’s unable to attract women where he is, either since he has a crappy job, has personality issues, etc.

2.     He prefers to find a woman who’s far more attractive than anyone he can possibly hope to attract here.

 

Think long and hard about it. I know many couples who do well, many who get by, and many where the woman feels like she got cheated.

 

And, worse yet, she’s 8,000 miles from home with no family and no real way to get back home. And nowhere else to go. She’s stuck.

 

Hope that explains it.

 

https://www.quora.com/Why-are-there-so-many-Filipina-and-Thai-women-marrying-foreign-husbands-compared-to-other-countries-in-the-world-who-are-just-as-poor

 

 

[bkk6060]

Some countries think all westerners are wealthy.  Many of these girls are fooled thinking the guy has money and he turns out to be a big loser joke cheap charlie.

[Pravda]

Just now, bkk6060 said:

Some countries think all westerners are wealthy.  Many of these girls are fooled thinking the guy has money and he turns out to be a big loser joke cheap charlie.

Speak for myself

[Denim]

Come back Dan , all is forgiven.

[KarenBravo]

It's a push-pull effect.

She's pulled towards a better life due to her (perception) that her husband will have more money than the average Philipino she can meet.

She's pushed away from Philipinos due to them running their lives with another part of their anatomy that isn't the brain.

[Jenkins9039]

I'll give it from a middle class perspective.

 

Wife's friends.

 

1) Previously 'concubine' to the owner of a Premier League Football Club.

 - Now married (his second marriage - secret) not allowed children, to a tier one 'thai official'. - White Skin Southern.

 

2) Had many men (Thai) that are upper society, or upper middle class but could not support her demands now with her original love (private relationship to married man) who has since she was a young girl, and continues to provide money, car, home etc - White Skin Southern.

 

3) Thai lower middle class, unmarried and works for Government, looking for a foreigner boyfriend because she has no interest in Thai's, want's to see the world and move to Australia/NZ/Europe/US... (she's down to earth). - Brown Skin Southern.

 

4) Married a European who didn't really want to marry after first marriage in Japan, has money but did not show it to her until after marriage, he didn't want a child but now has a child. - Brown Skin Southern

 

- He's unfaithful (she doesn't know) and a bit of a jerk.

 

5) Prettiest one, engaged to a Korean, who works overseas, happy to remain in her property and meet up for coffees etc, no idea about marriage or settling down (both of them), no interest in going to Korea - White Skin Southern.

 

- He has trust issues, but to be fair, she is a godess... very lucky, but she loves him and has no interest in fun and games (shame).

 

Asked the wife when we met whilst she was studying in Europe, she said she had no interest in being a 'second wife' or a 'first wife' and being cheated on. - White Skin with a garden tan Southern.

 

Wife's family are fairly wealthy, she is the eldest and has a younger sister (slightly) with two kids, considered the responsible one.

 

Wife often remarks about 'Buriram girls not being faithful, and or only interested in wealth or appearance of it.

 

- Wife is personally worth about 165m THB (her own assets) but dresses down as well as up, doesn't give a hoot about peoples thoughts, gone past that stage.

 

From all of that, I took 'stability', 'faithful' and ability to 'provide' meaningful life.

 

Average Westerner is Gucci appearance - Broke reality.

Average Bar Girl - is a simple yet also sharp when it comes to obtaining 'money'.

 

The average 'costs' in keeping a middle class (mid-upper) in the state of society (my wife's parents paid for this before we married) is approx 20-80,000 THB a month (skin creams, fillers, etc).

 

Average westerner lives of 50,000 THB a month.

 

Many Thai's are far wealthier than westerners, but they also like to shop for newer models constantly.

 

One Thai guy i know (had 9 businesses pre covid) and was dating with '2' above recently married and word dropped she was pregnant, a mistake but one he is dealing with appropriately. 

 

 

As for language Thai woman learn English quicker than a westerner learns another language from observance. 

 

Me i speak little Thai, rather not hear the rumours.

Edited October 20, 2021 by Jenkins9039

[Bluespunk]

6 hours ago, ASEAN NOW News said:

They have dark skin, but not real dark. Just brown. They come with a built-in tan.

Jesus...

[Pravda]

16 minutes ago, Jenkins9039 said:

I'll give it from a middle class perspective.

 

Wife's friends.

 

1) Previously 'concubine' to the owner of a Premier League Football Club.

 - Now married (second marriage) not allowed children, to a tier one 'thai official'.

 

2) Had many men (Thai) that are upper society, or upper middle class but could not support her demands now with her original love (private relationship to married man) who has since she was a young girl, and continues to provide money, car, home etc

 

3) Thai lower middle class, unmarried and works for Government, looking for a foreigner boyfriend because she has no interest in Thai's, want's to see the world and move to Australia/NZ/Europe/US... (she's down to earth).

 

4) Married a European who didn't really want to marry after first marriage in Japan, has money but did not show it to her until after marriage, he didn't want a child but now has a child.

 

- He's unfaithful (she doesn't know) and a bit of a jerk.

 

5) Prettiest one, engaged to a Korean, who works overseas, happy to remain in her property and meet up for coffees etc, no idea about marriage or settling down (both of them), no interest in going to Korea.

 

- He has trust issues, but to be fair, she is a godess... very lucky, but she loves him and has no interest in fun and games (shame).

 

Asked the wife when we met whilst she was studying in Europe, she said she had no interest in being a 'second wife' or a 'first wife' and being cheated on.

 

Wife's family are fairly wealthy, she is the eldest and has a younger sister (slightly) with two kids, considered the responsible one.

 

Wife often remarks about 'Buriram girls not being faithful, and or only interested in wealth or appearance of it.

 

- Wife is personally worth about 165m THB (her own assets) but dresses down as well as up, doesn't give a hoot about peoples thoughts, gone past that stage.

 

From all of that, I took 'stability', 'faithful' and ability to 'provide' meaningful life.

 

Average Westerner is Gucci appearance - Broke reality.

Average Bar Girl - is a simple yet also sharp when it comes to obtaining 'money'.

 

The average 'costs' in keeping a middle class (mid-upper) in the state of society (my wife's parents paid for this before we married) is approx 20-80,000 THB a month (skin creams, fillers, etc).

 

Average westerner lives of 50,000 THB a month.

 

Many Thai's are far wealthier than westerners, but they also like to shop for newer models constantly.

 

One Thai guy i know (had 9 businesses pre covid) and was dating with '2' above recently married and word dropped she was pregnant, a mistake but one he is dealing with appropriately. 

 

 

As for language Thai woman learn English quicker than a westerner learns another language from observance. 

 

Me i speak little Thai, rather not hear the rumours.

 

None of these women pay for man? That's odd cuz this is my schtick.

[2 is 1]

Have had both Filipina wife (ex) and now Thai. You can hit gold differ every place not only in asia! 

That is stupidity of man nothing else! Yes i loose much money whit Filipina but all fold was mine coz not make prenup! To me Filipina woman is more sexy and take care man better. Ofcourse depend woman also and "lvl" of woman!

[Jenkins9039]

2 minutes ago, 2 is 1 said:

Have had both Filipina wife (ex) and now Thai. You can hit gold differ every place not only in asia! 

That is stupidity of man nothing else! Yes i loose much money whit Filipina but all fold was mine coz not make prenup! To me Filipina woman is more sexy and take care man better. Ofcourse depend woman also and "lvl" of woman!

I've always considered them chubbier.

[BritManToo]

6 hours ago, ASEAN NOW News said:

Ladies, seriously, if a guy is trying to attract women from a poorer country there are two possibilities, both of which can be true:

 

1.     He’s unable to attract women where he is, either since he has a crappy job, has personality issues, etc.

2.     He prefers to find a woman who’s far more attractive than anyone he can possibly hope to attract here.

For the ladies,

Maybe she would just like to live in a nice home with a guy that doesn't beat her unconscious 3x a week.

 

And for the men,

Maybe he would like a woman that weighs less than 200lbs.

And is prepared to have sex with him more often than once a month.

[BritManToo]

4 minutes ago, Jenkins9039 said:

I've always considered them chubbier.

You've not been to the PI then,

When I was there I had to impose a lower weight limit on the women I dated (38Kg), as they had the smallest women I'd ever encountered.

[Enigmatist]

The entire OP can be almost be transcribed word-for-word for the Thai dating manual.

[KarenBravo]

So many Pilipinas have no chin.

[2 is 1]

1 hour ago, Jenkins9039 said:

I've always considered them chubbier.

I was married whit Filipina not Greenlantic Inuit.

 

[2 is 1]

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

You've not been to the PI then,

When I was there I had to impose a lower weight limit on the women I dated (38Kg), as they had the smallest women I'd ever encountered.

Yeah my ex was 149 centimeter whit feather on her head, weight 39 kilogram. Little skinny but really round, firm tush!

[henry213]

Money

Edited October 20, 2021 by henry213

[Berkshire]

On 10/20/2021 at 7:43 AM, ASEAN NOW News said:

Ladies, seriously, if a guy is trying to attract women from a poorer country there are two possibilities, both of which can be true:

 

1.     He’s unable to attract women where he is, either since he has a crappy job, has personality issues, etc.

2.     He prefers to find a woman who’s far more attractive than anyone he can possibly hope to attract here.

Harsh but pretty close to the truth.  I suppose number 2 would apply to us older guys who just want to <deleted> young hotties without the relationship baggage. 

[Nickelbeer]

If you have to ask, you may not have been to Asia.

[KrantzDied]

On 10/20/2021 at 3:18 PM, BritManToo said:

For the ladies,

Maybe she would just like to live in a nice home with a guy that doesn't beat her unconscious 3x a week.

 

And for the men,

Maybe he would like a woman that weighs less than 200lbs.

And is prepared to have sex with him more often than once a month.

So true... Goddamn it!