Philippines Vs. Thailand Thread?

[dddave]

Sometime this past year, there was a long thread centering on living in Thailand Vs. Philippines.  I have been trying to locate it but neither this forums search function nor Google have been able to find it.  I'm not even sure which sub-forum it was originally posted on. 

I hope somebody can provide a link for this past topic.  Thanks.

[Upnotover]

Here's one;

 

[Upnotover]

Or this one;

 

[Stygge]

Well, there shall always be a thread like this going so you can always start a new one of an old subject.
As I see it the two main contenders of the westernes interest are Thailand and the Philippines with Vietnam as a coming runner up.
Since this is a thai forum most posters here favor Thailand.
The pros and cons have been extensively listed and then it´s a personal preference of what has the highest weight for the individual expat.

 

I stay mostly in Thailand, because of the ease of flying there and the better infrastructure making a short holiday easier.
But in the long run I prefer the Philippines.
The most weight for me in the long run is the language. Even if the english language understanding is exaggerated in the far out provinces it´s still so much better than in thailand. I also experience  the filipinos so much more curios and inquisitive about the world than the thais. For me it´s decisive in the long run. I find the island country the Philippines far less insular than Thailand.
I also think the Philippines in the long run has better prospects than Thailand, mainlu because it´s much younger population. It´s going to make all the difference in the future.
The food is a minor problem for mie since I think food in Thailand generally has deteriorated the latest decade. Heavy on sugar, salt and glutamat it has certainly changed for the worse.
Most of us come for the temples and beautiful churches and other cultural activities of course, but a small, deprived minority comes to find women.
If I, reluctantly, put their glasses on, I can say there is not much difference between Thailand and the Philippines, but maybe the age difference in their respective populations makes the number of younger girls more protruding in the Philippines. If this is a pro or a con I wouldn´t know. Most expats maybe seeking more age appropriate 50 year old ladies and then I definitely recommend Thailand.
Otherwiise both are south east asian countries and the similarites are predominant.

 

[PeachCH]

1991 - 2011 working in Bangkok (married 3 times, divorced 3 times), since then living in Manila. (Once married, never divorced). 

Prefer the Philippines ????????. 

[Presnock]

9 hours ago, Stygge said:

Well, there shall always be a thread like this going so you can always start a new one of an old subject.
As I see it the two main contenders of the westernes interest are Thailand and the Philippines with Vietnam as a coming runner up.
Since this is a thai forum most posters here favor Thailand.
The pros and cons have been extensively listed and then it´s a personal preference of what has the highest weight for the individual expat.

 

I stay mostly in Thailand, because of the ease of flying there and the better infrastructure making a short holiday easier.
But in the long run I prefer the Philippines.
The most weight for me in the long run is the language. Even if the english language understanding is exaggerated in the far out provinces it´s still so much better than in thailand. I also experience  the filipinos so much more curios and inquisitive about the world than the thais. For me it´s decisive in the long run. I find the island country the Philippines far less insular than Thailand.
I also think the Philippines in the long run has better prospects than Thailand, mainlu because it´s much younger population. It´s going to make all the difference in the future.
The food is a minor problem for mie since I think food in Thailand generally has deteriorated the latest decade. Heavy on sugar, salt and glutamat it has certainly changed for the worse.
Most of us come for the temples and beautiful churches and other cultural activities of course, but a small, deprived minority comes to find women.
If I, reluctantly, put their glasses on, I can say there is not much difference between Thailand and the Philippines, but maybe the age difference in their respective populations makes the number of younger girls more protruding in the Philippines. If this is a pro or a con I wouldn´t know. Most expats maybe seeking more age appropriate 50 year old ladies and then I definitely recommend Thailand.
Otherwiise both are south east asian countries and the similarites are predominant.

 

I spent 7 years in the Philippines and now 25 here in Thailand.  I opted to retire here due

to 1)no volcanoes erupting (yet), 2) minor earthquakes seldom only 3) no typhoons every

year.  But I speak Tagalog and Thai so the language doesn't impact me.  The food to me

is much better in Thailand.  However, I also was an avid scuba diver (over 500 dives) and

Thailand can't even begin to come close to the number of super clear water (can see the

moon clearly at 140 feet deep at night of course).  As a hasher, there are a lot less snakes

in the PI so that was a plus too.  Golf for me was a lot cheaper in the PI but that was 30 years

ago so...  Either way, I loved the PI and I love Thailand.  I do read that immigration activity for

the PI is better than here, but the last couple of years here, immigration has gotten a lot

easier for me - no change other than I can't get an Embassy income letter but that just saves

me about 50 USD a year plus the visit there so even that got easier.  Either country can be

almost heaven in my opinion and I also have lived/worked in many EU countries, some

African and many Asian countries and overall, Thailand is still my choice for retirement.

[bluejets]

3 hours ago, PeachCH said:

1991 - 2011 working in Bangkok (married 3 times, divorced 3 times), since then living in Manila. (Once married, never divorced). 

Prefer the Philippines ????????. 

Nothing to do with older and wiser and poorer I take it.....??????????

[Tony125]

https://www.worldnomads.com/travel-safety/southeast-asia/philippines/areas-to-avoid-in-the-philippines

 

 

https://www.viahero.com/travel-to-philippines/is-philippines-safe

[ThailandRyan]

3 hours ago, PeachCH said:

1991 - 2011 working in Bangkok (married 3 times, divorced 3 times), since then living in Manila. (Once married, never divorced). 

Prefer the Philippines ????????. 

That's because once married in the Phils it takes an literal act of congress, and the church approval to get a divorce in the Phils.  A friend married his Filipino wife 5 years ago and I was his best man.  The final signature on the paper was from the provincial Governor and it was only done after a 1 hour interview with my friend, his wife, and then questions directed towards me by the Governor asking about my friends character.  At the end when he signed, he told them both that the only way a marriage ends in the Phils is by death or the church annulling it which is a very extensive process.........

 

I lived in Cebu for awhile, and liked it the best from the other places I lived while there.  Manila was a bad experience with getting mugged not once but twice in the parking garage one in the mall, and the other in my residence.........It is the primary reason I moved back to Bangkok.

Edited June 18, 2022 by ThailandRyan

[Thingamabob]

2 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

That's because once married in the Phils it takes an literal act of congress, and the church approval to get a divorce in the Phils.  A friend married his Filipino wife 5 years ago and I was his best man.  The final signature on the paper was from the provincial Governor and it was only done after a 1 hour interview with my friend, his wife, and then questions directed towards me by the Governor asking about my friends character.  At the end when he signed, he told them both that the only way a marriage ends in the Phils is by death or the church annulling it which is a very extensive process.........

 

I lived in Cebu for awhile, and liked it the best from the other places I lived while there.  Manila was a bad experience with getting mugged not once but twice in the parking garage one in the mall, and the other in my residence.........It is the primary reason I moved back to Bangkok.

Mugged twice in Manila in the 1990s.

[starky]

13 hours ago, Stygge said:

Well, there shall always be a thread like this going so you can always start a new one of an old subject.
As I see it the two main contenders of the westernes interest are Thailand and the Philippines with Vietnam as a coming runner up.
Since this is a thai forum most posters here favor Thailand.
The pros and cons have been extensively listed and then it´s a personal preference of what has the highest weight for the individual expat.

 

I stay mostly in Thailand, because of the ease of flying there and the better infrastructure making a short holiday easier.
But in the long run I prefer the Philippines.
The most weight for me in the long run is the language. Even if the english language understanding is exaggerated in the far out provinces it´s still so much better than in thailand. I also experience  the filipinos so much more curios and inquisitive about the world than the thais. For me it´s decisive in the long run. I find the island country the Philippines far less insular than Thailand.
I also think the Philippines in the long run has better prospects than Thailand, mainlu because it´s much younger population. It´s going to make all the difference in the future.
The food is a minor problem for mie since I think food in Thailand generally has deteriorated the latest decade. Heavy on sugar, salt and glutamat it has certainly changed for the worse.
Most of us come for the temples and beautiful churches and other cultural activities of course, but a small, deprived minority comes to find women.
If I, reluctantly, put their glasses on, I can say there is not much difference between Thailand and the Philippines, but maybe the age difference in their respective populations makes the number of younger girls more protruding in the Philippines. If this is a pro or a con I wouldn´t know. Most expats maybe seeking more age appropriate 50 year old ladies and then I definitely recommend Thailand.
Otherwiise both are south east asian countries and the similarites are predominant.

 

You think food in the Philippines is good compared to Thailand? 

[Luckyman999]

Today the Ladys of Thailand are much more pretty and slim than in the Phillipines .. the Filipina ladues gor so fat .. horrible

[ThailandRyan]

32 minutes ago, Thingamabob said:

Mugged twice in Manila in the 1990s.

Things never Change unfortunately.  Many of the former military guys I ran with up near Clark also had that experience when down in Manila.

[spidermike007]

Posted this previously, but since that thread disappeared, and I spent crazy time on this list, here goes:

 

From what I hear from my friends who live there, the threshold for taking care of a PI gal is far lower than here, and so are their expectations. There is nothing inexpensive about caring for a Thai woman! I speak from experience!

In terms of beauty, I find both have stunning women. But, the primary issue for me, if I was single, would be the actual quality of life there. From my point of view:

Pros-
1. The women can be lovely. And many of them speak english. And if you are older guy, that is a plus in the PI. Plus they are way less demanding, and the bar is set much lower, in terms of their expectations. Older guys can get with far younger women, without an issue. The parents actually encourage it! Generally, it is possible to have a real conversation with many women there. Not the case here. It is rare here. Unlike most Thai women, the women there can have a real sense of curiousity, and will ask genuine questions about you, and your life, beyond where do you come from, how much do you earn, and what do you own? The PI seems to have a higher level of intellectual development. Also, many would argue that PI women are better lovers, and far more into sex than the average Thai woman. Although that is subjective. 

2. The visa system is simpler. Immigration is not obnoxious, like here in Thailand. In general, the government seems less xenophobic, when it comes to dealing with ex-pats. 

3. The place has thousands of islands, and some stunning beaches, and cleaner water than Thailand, at least on the Gulf Coast. But, the islands are fairly hard to get to, and the services are very limited, and more expensive than in Thailand.

4. In general I would say the people can be quite friendly. Especially the women. But, unlike Thailand, even the men can be friendly. I suspect if I lived there, I would have a number of local male friends, unlike here. I have never met a society of men, who are less interested, less curious about, and less willing to get to know foreigners, than I have here in Thailand. It is sometimes astonishing. It is a real disappointment.5. The place is more Westernized. You do not feel like you are living on another planet, which can be nice sometimes. Some shopping can be better, as there are Costco type outlets there. Some of the highways are better, and as an American, I can have goods shipped to me, with a preferred system, that allows low cost shipping, and duty free imports. Unheard of in Thailand. Importation of goods in Thailand can be horrendously difficult. It is an onerous system, one that is outdated by decades, in this age of globalization. Thailand is far, far more insular and fearful of the outside world, than the PI.
nomadcapitalist.com/2018/01/15/the-philippines-residency-srrv/

 

5. The PI is more Western. Easier to understand the culture, and the people have more common sense. Also, there are trade treaties with the US, that allow inexpensive shipping from the US to the PI. Nothing like that exists here. 

Cons-
1. The entire country is like one big Tijuana. It is depressing. Very little landscaping in the homes, even nice homes are ugly, and have barbed wire, and glass topped walls everywhere you look.

2. The security situation is not very good. You always have to keep your eyes open, keep an eye on your back, and beware of robbery, home theft, and violence. It is rampant. I have many friends who live there, and they all say the same thing.

3. If you do get into an altercation with a Philippine man, or are getting robbed or harassed, unless you are a 6th degree sensei, do not fight back. An astonishing number of locals are well trained in the fighting arts. Many are good with sticks, knives, blades or any sort, and their hands, fists and feet. I have a friend who is a world class security consultant. He is a black belt in a few different martial arts. He says he can usually fight his way out of a gang of men, nearly anywhere in the world. Except in the PI. That is the only country he will NOT take an assignment.
The average guys there, can take down the average Westerner in five seconds. In Thailand few have those kinds of skills. Very few.

4. The food sucks. The only other country I can think of with worse food, is Cuba. Granted, if you are willing to spend the money, you can find good food. But, it is not the general rule, as it is here. Also, the access to fresh fruits and vegetables is pathetic compared to Thailand. Very low quality, and often not fresh. Thailand is a paradise by comparison, when it comes to all things related to food.

5. Pollution. They use a lower grade of diesel. So, there is alot of soot in the air. The PI has an epidemic of lung diseases and respiratory diseases. Even on many of the populated islands. The hospitals are full of people who are having a very hard time breathing. It is a real issue there. Lung disease is at an epidemic level, though the authorities do not like to talk about it, and publish very little information on it.

6. Aesthetics. The average house you would rent, looks like a slum. Tall walls, with barbed wire, to keep out intruders. Little in the way of landscaping. So, most neighborhoods are fabulously ugly. Alot of slums in the big cities, and it is just not physically appealing.

7. Renting. There is a vastly lower number of rental units available, few are as nice as what you can find in Thailand, and it is almost always more expensive, with the possible exception of Central Bangkok. You just cannot find the studio apartments like the ones available all over Hua Hin, for 6,000 to 8,000 baht a month. Nice 3 bedroom homes in smaller towns for 10,000 baht a month. That just does not exist there. And most homes are surrounded by barbed wire fences, or tall walls with cut glass on the top, to keep burglars out, instead of the pretty landscaping you find here. 

8. Infrastructure. The entire country lacks the infrastructure you have here in Thailand. As I am typing now, I am enjoying a 1 GB download speed, and a 300MB upload speed, all on fiber optic cable, for 600 baht a month. Unheard of in many countries, including the US! Triple the cost there. No sky train network anywhere near comparable to Bangkok. Mo MRT network either. They have one under construction, and it will be limited to ten stations. Shall I go on? I could. As far as I am concerned, the only reason to live there is the women, and a slightly more cooperative, and far less xenophobic and racist government. Alot of ex-pats are looking to leave Thailand, as the current administration is so far beyond heinous and incompetent, it is unspeakable.

9. Security. I have a friend who does private security for a lot of very high net worth individuals, and corporate CEOs, when they travel, and he told me that the only country in the world that he will not take an assignment is the Philippines. When I asked him why he reminded me that he was at the 6th degree level in a few martial arts, besides the fact that he was 6'5 and about 280 lbs. of muscle. Spent his whole life training. Not the kind of guy you would want to mess with. He told me under normal circumstances he could incapacitate a group of four or five guys, in under a minute. Not in the PI. He said that in general, the Philippine men had the greatest degree of fighting skills of any group of people in the world, and that if you encountered a single guy, or a group of Philippine guys on the street you just never knew what their level of skill was, and you had to assume that they were expert street fighters. He said many were experts with knives, sticks and improvised weapons. Not the case here at all. If you add on top of that, the fact that the country is extremely poor and that there's a fairly high level of desperation, it makes the Philippines a dangerous place. Crime there is very opportunistic. And being a foreigner makes you a potential target. Again, not the case in Thailand. I never worry about security here. There, I watch my back all the time. You really have to know what you're doing, you really have to know where you're going at all times, especially at night, and you always have to have eyes in the back of your head, and constantly looking over your shoulder. Of course, it varies depending on the city, the part of the city, and the region. But it is just one of many reasons I would not want to live there. I've been told this by a number of friends who live in the Philippines and it's been my observation, the several times that I have visited. I like the people. The level of english skills and the women seem to be the big draw for most guys. But random guys in the street, can be a hazard, and that is variable I would want to have to deal with, regularly. 

I consider the PI to be far more of a ghetto experience, referring to the physical environment. Thais are spectacularly insular, and seem to have little to no curiosity about the outside world. The people in the PI are infinitely more open minded, and far more Western. And the language is a huge plus in the PI. Many speak good english, and I would guess if you were attempting to speak poor Tagalog, the people would try far harder than here, to understand what you are trying to say. Since they are more Westernized, they are likely more creative, linguistically. If you do not have the pronunciation and the tones down perfectly here, the people are completely lost. A total inability to dance around in circles intellectually. And they barely even care to try to understand what you are saying! That is a huge nuisance and annoyance here. 
 
The PI is a foreign country. Thailand by comparison is a distant planet.
 

Edited June 18, 2022 by spidermike007

[YITB1980]

Quality health care is a factor for older dudes like us. Some expats who have experiences in both countries, feel that Thailand is a better bet in that regard.

[YITB1980]

2 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Pros-
1. The women can be lovely. And many of them speak english. And if you are older guy, that is a plus in the PI. Plus they are way less demanding, and the bar is set much lower, in terms of their expectations. Older guys can get with far younger women, without an issue. The parents actually encourage it! Generally, it is possible to have a real conversation with many women there. Not the case here. It is rare here. Unlike most Thai women, the women there can have a real sense of curiousity, and will ask genuine questions about you, and your life, beyond where do you come from, how much do you earn, and what do you own? The PI seems to have a higher level of intellectual development. Also, many would argue that PI women are better lovers, and far more into sex than the average Thai woman. Although that is subjective. 

 

Pre-COVID, some guys found a lady there and brought her back to Thailand. Best of both worlds.

[OneMoreFarang]

That's easy: I prefer Thailand and innocent Thai girls. They don't speak English. ???? 

[ThailandRyan]

1 minute ago, OneMoreFarang said:

That's easy: I prefer Thailand and innocent Thai girls. They don't speak English. ???? 

Far from innocent, they are programmed for the long con....lol, well some are.  Had a friend whose marriage lasted 20 years here in Thailand, in the end when he turned 80 and needed daily help, the now 55 year old woman, kicked him to the curb and took him to the cleaners, all because he needed daily assistance after a stroke......so nice to see they are so caring unlike the Filipina women who are natural care givers.  Friend in the Phils has the same aged wife, he needs help daily, former military, and she is loving and caring.  The drawback as some of us have posted is the safety of yourself in the Phils.

[bkk6060]

They are about the same for me.  The girls are very similar in their GFE which are both very good.

I like the English in Phils.  But, prices are way up there now if you look at hotels, etc. more then Thailand.

I never understood the food complaint seems so stupid there are probably more western foods available in the Phils then here.  Some people can find a place to eat? Dumb.

[ThailandRyan]

13 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

They are about the same for me.  The girls are very similar in their GFE which are both very good.

I like the English in Phils.  But, prices are way up there now if you look at hotels, etc. more then Thailand.

I never understood the food complaint seems so stupid there are probably more western foods available in the Phils then here.  Some people can find a place to eat? Dumb.

True about the food, but it depends upon where you live.  In Cebu where I was staying you had to drive a distance to find decent food, but instead I obtained an S&R Membership (Like Costco) and purchased everything I could so I could cook at my Condo.  I also would order from Amazon, and it was no issue getting this delivered, where here it takes an act of congress and many of the items can not be shipped here, but then I have sourced out what I need here in Thailand thanks to living in BKK.

Edited June 18, 2022 by ThailandRyan

[OneMoreFarang]

51 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Far from innocent, they are programmed for the long con....lol, well some are.  Had a friend whose marriage lasted 20 years here in Thailand, in the end when he turned 80 and needed daily help, the now 55 year old woman, kicked him to the curb and took him to the cleaners, all because he needed daily assistance after a stroke......so nice to see they are so caring unlike the Filipina women who are natural care givers.  Friend in the Phils has the same aged wife, he needs help daily, former military, and she is loving and caring.  The drawback as some of us have posted is the safety of yourself in the Phils.

I think it is always funny when some people mention long con together with Thai girls or women. Do you know any Thai person who thinks more than maybe a month ahead? Do you really think they have this 20 year plan? 555

 

We all change, that is nature. Maybe if we are a couple we change in the same direction and we grow old together and still have the same interest. Or maybe we grow apart. I think nobody of us should expect that their girlfriend or wife stays with them forever. And we also should not expect that our kids take care of us when we are old or need help. Maybe they do, but we shouldn't expect it to happen.

[Sparktrader]

7 hours ago, Presnock said:

I spent 7 years in the Philippines and now 25 here in Thailand.  I opted to retire here due

to 1)no volcanoes erupting (yet), 2) minor earthquakes seldom only 3) no typhoons every

year.  But I speak Tagalog and Thai so the language doesn't impact me.  The food to me

is much better in Thailand.  However, I also was an avid scuba diver (over 500 dives) and

Thailand can't even begin to come close to the number of super clear water (can see the

moon clearly at 140 feet deep at night of course).  As a hasher, there are a lot less snakes

in the PI so that was a plus too.  Golf for me was a lot cheaper in the PI but that was 30 years

ago so...  Either way, I loved the PI and I love Thailand.  I do read that immigration activity for

the PI is better than here, but the last couple of years here, immigration has gotten a lot

easier for me - no change other than I can't get an Embassy income letter but that just saves

me about 50 USD a year plus the visit there so even that got easier.  Either country can be

almost heaven in my opinion and I also have lived/worked in many EU countries, some

African and many Asian countries and overall, Thailand is still my choice for retirement.

Where do you live? Near the beach?

[Sparktrader]

1 hour ago, OneMoreFarang said:

That's easy: I prefer Thailand and innocent Thai girls. They don't speak English. ???? 

Lavk of English a plus!

[Sparktrader]

57 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

They are about the same for me.  The girls are very similar in their GFE which are both very good.

I like the English in Phils.  But, prices are way up there now if you look at hotels, etc. more then Thailand.

I never understood the food complaint seems so stupid there are probably more western foods available in the Phils then here.  Some people can find a place to eat? Dumb.

Phil food is <deleted>

Thai food is good

[Stygge]

6 hours ago, starky said:

You think food in the Philippines is good compared to Thailand? 

Same same but different.
Western food more available.
Vegetables more available in Thailand.
Taste is like an <deleted>, everyone has one.
The myth is that Thai food is more healthy. That was long time ago.
You have to visit grandma in the province to get old style healthy and tasty thaifood.

[JimmyJ]

In Phil., can expats own pistols?

 

If so, is concealed carry legally possible?