Tomtomtom69 Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 Panang pretty nice there if you like muslims. Penang is majority Chinese, although there are some Muslims too. And on my most recent trip to southern Thailand I observed just how many mosques and how few Buddhist temples there were. The majority of Thais all the way up to about 50km south of Ranong are also Muslim (from the Phang-nga border to 50km south of Ranong, I counted 11 mosques and only 3 Buddhist temples), so you better like Muslims too if you want to live anywhere in southern Thailand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomtomtom69 Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 Hello, My recommendation is to visit Malaysia instead of Philippines! Agree, It will be extremely difficult for your family to assimilate with the local Philippine nationals. At least life is pretty mundane in Malaysia, or at least that was my experience I found while traveling around Penang with my Thai wife. Maybe a short vacation to the PI would help confirm our concerns. I am not aware of any good forums in the PI. Most are for meeting Filipina ladies. "Mundane"? Penang is anything but mundane! There is some excellent food (lots of variety, ranging from Malay to Indian to Chinese for local food and all the usual western and other Asian choices like Japanese, Thai and Korean), there are beaches, shopping malls, English speaking locals, agro-tourism and great infrastructure in general. Of course there are many places like that in Thailand too, but Penang is just as good as Thailand it just doesn't have the sex industry (but with a family why would anyone care about go-go bars with bored looking girls all crying out the same predictable "you handsome!?") A friend of mine who has visited Thailand twice now likes Thailand in general, but he feels it isn't all that special and doesn't understand the hype and in particular, doesn't understand why some people think it's way better than Malaysia. He actually preferred the food in Malaysia and I don't think the interaction most tourists who don't speak Thai have with Thais is special enough to warrant them as being considered friendlier than nationals of other countries. At the end of the day, you're just another tourist, another farang, Chinese tourist, Japanese etc. who they have seen tons of already before you showed up. Anyway, I don't know the Philippines well, only Malaysia. Go and check it out and report back about what your findings are. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bredbury Blue Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 If you are worried about the troubles, i wouldn't bother going out of Thailand, just go and stay in Mae Hong Son or Pai for a few weeks...lovely places, no sign of anything related to the troubles up there, and it's cheap for accomm (Imperial MHS Baht 1300/night and other decent places cheaper), food, etc. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In Search of Space Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 I have never been to PI but have worked with dozens of Filipinos in Middle East & they are fantastic people. I believe the stories, have seen news on the politics there but can't believe it. I guess all the good ones leave Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bakseeda Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 any advice will be appreciated If you have never been there, dont bother, its a basket case. Why do you think there are so many Pinoy trying to get to Thailand? I will NEVER set foot in that country again. The tales the wifes Pinoy friends could tell you would make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. Best avoided, Cambo is better if a push comes to a shove. Cambo as you call it is a shi*hole.. Only take your daughter to Cebu if you want to sell her .. Better stay in Thailand... or take all your family back to your home country.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brancodug Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 If you like the Wild West move to the Philippines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kerrysum Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 And you want to go to PI?????? Think I would find another place....... At least do some research...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kerrysum Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 any advice will be appreciated If you have never been there, dont bother, its a basket case. Why do you think there are so many Pinoy trying to get to Thailand? I will NEVER set foot in that country again. The tales the wifes Pinoy friends could tell you would make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. Best avoided, Cambo is better if a push comes to a shove. Cambo as you call it is a shi*hole.. Only take your daughter to Cebu if you want to sell her .. Better stay in Thailand... or take all your family back to your home country.. Agreed..... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slipperylobster Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 I have never been to PI but have worked with dozens of Filipinos in Middle East & they are fantastic people. I believe the stories, have seen news on the politics there but can't believe it. I guess all the good ones leave Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand Correct.. The good ones (perhaps the ones who work hard and qualify for jobs overseas/ and University Grads) are very good, as was my wife. The ones in the USA are extremely friendly....and good hearts. Alas, the majority that remain the the Philippines are poor...poorer than Thailand. The men are prone to staring...sometimes for hours, at a "Cano". It can be friendly..but inside the country, things can turn bad quickly....more so than here. In Subic Bay, the small town of Barretto (usually quiet) had a run-in with the (NPA). Four Policemen killed across the street from the most popular bar. Friends were running for cover. This is a town with only one short main street. It can happen that fast. I was shanghai'd on a jeepney and almost robbed at a cemetary (I am rather large and ornery when drinking and being in the back, the two in the front presented knives and asked for money..... I shouted loud, grabbed them by their hair and clunked their heads together. I had to "fix things" later with the head jeepney manager in Olongapo. Believe me, they knew what happened. I agreed not to report the jeepney in return of no future attempts of robbing me or harassing me. They agreed,obviously. Only one example of dozens....including hits on 3 of my friends resulting in deaths at their homes. be careful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louse1953 Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 Guns all over the place in the Phils. Crime is bad. Poverty is worse than here. Thai girl is not going to be happy. The food sucks. Cebu is nothing special. I would reconsider the move. Spot on mate,check Nepal or Malaysia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slipperylobster Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 Ha... my avatar is me with my LBD's (little brown dogs). All the LBFM's (Little Brown........Machines) were just one block away. Good times and very dangerous times. I believe in higher powers...because survival (18 years there) was against the odds, for a crazy drunk like me. When I stepped into Thailand, it was like I understood nothing...and that was a relief. 18 years of being called names, and "Hey Joe", not to mention 20 men sitting on my car and front porch, trikes trying to run you down every 10 steps, Floods, Volcano's, Earthquakes, Tsunami's, Hit Men, Angry Men... was a miracle to get here. Take the biggest monkey you ever saw, and put him on your back. Ex wives/girlfriends out to get/kill ya....landlords threatening your life... Hello Thailand Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obnoxious troll Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 (edited) in summary PI is a Christian country and thats why you are here in the first place isn't it. Edited May 16, 2014 by obnoxious troll Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slipperylobster Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 (edited) in summary it is a Christian country and thats why you are here in the first place isn't it. Good point. Grew up in an Italian section of Upstate New York. Same idea...a bit of organized crime and then a Catholic Confession on Friday....and Holy communion on Sunday. Second Nature to me. If you played the game right, and kept quiet, never step on anybody's toes.... The Crime lords were pretty easy natured...and much safer than dealing with the police. Stay in one small town for two long, make waves, get drunk, walk tough....and you are better off leaving. Lesson learned. Edited May 16, 2014 by slipperylobster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louse1953 Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 Panang pretty nice there if you like muslims. Whats religion got to do with liking somebody.Panang is nice to eat,but Penang would be a good option,on the Batu Ferringi side(west). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bignose Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 The preceding numerous posts say it all, it is highly recommended that you reconsider. My wife is a Filipino and we have lived in Thailand for four years, if she did not have family back in Manila we would never set foot in the place again. Try somewhere else or stay put, the Philippines is not a viable option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louse1953 Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 Panang pretty nice there if you like muslims. Penang is majority Chinese, although there are some Muslims too. And on my most recent trip to southern Thailand I observed just how many mosques and how few Buddhist temples there were. The majority of Thais all the way up to about 50km south of Ranong are also Muslim (from the Phang-nga border to 50km south of Ranong, I counted 11 mosques and only 3 Buddhist temples), so you better like Muslims too if you want to live anywhere in southern Thailand. Muslim is not a country or a race of people.Malaysian people of the Muslim faith are nice people just like anybody else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louse1953 Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 If you are worried about the troubles, i wouldn't bother going out of Thailand, just go and stay in Mae Hong Son or Pai for a few weeks...lovely places, no sign of anything related to the troubles up there, and it's cheap for accomm (Imperial MHS Baht 1300/night and other decent places cheaper), food, etc. Keep it quiet there mate,dont want too many in the know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slipperylobster Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 If you are worried about the troubles, i wouldn't bother going out of Thailand, just go and stay in Mae Hong Son or Pai for a few weeks...lovely places, no sign of anything related to the troubles up there, and it's cheap for accomm (Imperial MHS Baht 1300/night and other decent places cheaper), food, etc. Keep it quiet there mate,dont want too many in the know. My gal owns a resort there, by the way. Confirmed quiet. an Occassional helicopter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozyjon Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 Went to a friends wedding there, i was supposed to stay for 2 weeks after the wedding i went to the travel agent and changed my ticket to return asap. When you go to a restaurant and there is a big sign at the entrance saying "leave your guns here" it really says and means something, if you have a family network there that will protect you then maybe you will be 80% OK otherwise it's the most dangerous place i have ever been to. never go there again, i have too much to loose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slipperylobster Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 Hello, My recommendation is to visit Malaysia instead of Philippines! Agree, It will be extremely difficult for your family to assimilate with the local Philippine nationals. At least life is pretty mundane in Malaysia, or at least that was my experience I found while traveling around Penang with my Thai wife. Maybe a short vacation to the PI would help confirm our concerns. I am not aware of any good forums in the PI. Most are for meeting Filipina ladies. Here is something to get you started.... not a forum per se...but steady info. http://www.raosubic.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marios Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 I agree entirely with those who try to dissuade you from going to the Philippines. When I got married to my Filipino wife, one of the options I had in mind was to settle in the Philippines. My wife was adamant! No way! She said that she would be worried sick every time I go alone for a walk. Whereas I never felt threatened in Thailand, I came more than 15 times for a month or more over a period of 20 years, on the contrary in the Philippines, been there 10 times, I never felt safe outside Makati. In Bangkok I just let go. In Manila I always am on guard. Generally the Philippines lag tragically as compared to Thailand. Food, medical care, hotel or condo accommodation all surpass the Philippines in value for money. I would go to Malaysia. A prosperous country where English is widely spoken. The choice of Philippines because it is cheap is not correct in my opinion. The only advantage is that they can almost all understand English. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JB300 Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 (edited) I visit the Philippines 3-5 times a year & find Davao City much safer /"Normal" than the likes of Cebu/Manilla (am typing this from the back of a taxi, meter running no need to ask, there now), yes it is in Mindano but well away from the troubles down south (bit like being in Bangkok with the troubles southern Thailand has). Infrastructure is quite rough here (I spend 1/2 my time in Kapalong and we've had brownouts almost daily) but the people are lovely & friendly and visas are a doddle 30 day entry, renew every 2 months to 16 months then do a border run & start again). IMHO Standard of driving is much better here than Thailand but the local food sucks (though there are some great Japanese & Korean places all over RPI). Malaysia (Penang, Langkawi & Mallaca) is also a great place to go, as others have suggested try a holiday 1st and see how you like them. Edited May 16, 2014 by JB300 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EASYDOGG Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 Silly talk OP. Where about the girls school education? Why not relocate inside Thailand, somewhere like Chiang Mai or Chaing Rai, life is pleasant there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jomcondo Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 + nice people in the PI. + women have nice curvy bodies - food is disgusting. - dirty streets. no way I would go back. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JB300 Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 (edited) + nice people in the PI. + women have nice curvy bodies - food is disgusting. - dirty streets. no way I would go back. Agree with all of this except the part about never going back as my Filipina doesn't want to live anywhere else in Asia except Singapore (where I work & we spend most of the year) & there's no way I'm retiring there.Have taken her to numerous places in Thailand, Malaysia & Indonesia but she's from a tight knit community so always happy to visit but never to stay, I'm sure UK/Europe would be a different story but again, I'm not retiring there. I'd even go so far as to say the only things more expensive in Thaland is beer (<20thb for a bottle of San Mig Light in the stores here, 45 thb in an average bar/restaurant) & "Birds" (apparently, I only know that mine is expensive to "run" .. Lol ) Edited May 16, 2014 by JB300 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudcrab Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 You could always try Australia - presumably you are Ozzie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JB300 Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 I'm a Brit, but Aus & NZ are very appealing to me. To the OP, have you considered taking the family to your "Homeland" (appreciate Thailand is your home, I mean the country you were born/grew up in) for an extended holiday? If expense is a concern & you feel you absolutely must leave Thailand due to the troubles, then I think Malaysia is your best bet & don't be concerned about it being a Muslim country, Mallaca & Penang seem to be predominantly Chinese Malays & Buddhists. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgrahmm Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 (edited) No - no - and no..... I am very familiar with the Phils and have spent a good amount of time there + married a filapina (that's over way too controlling - a matriachal society) & I really did not ever want to be in a position I'd be forced to move there......I would never live there. Very dangerous, you are a target, they are desperate in many cases, driving is abysmal, angry, and aggressive - mano on mano....beggars everywhere pounding on your car doors at most stops.......forget cleanliness of all types. The friendliness and smile you see around Thailand -forget it there.....pray your car does not fail when in places you don't know........ If you like dirty, poverty, danger,people that do not mix well with the Buddhist way of thinking and very aggressive people you might like it there - no place to raise a child or bring a Thai wife...... If you take a good look at the Farangs that hang out there and spend time with them at all you'll find they are not a good grade of person in a high percentage of cases...... My family was hi-so and highly placed so was better than 90% but all you have to do is really look around. Building standards - forget it.....the food/diet sucks & no Thai cooking spices available or easily found..... Edited May 16, 2014 by pgrahmm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hagler Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 (edited) I have had the misfortune of being required to be in the Philippines every 4-6 weeks for a couple of weeks a time for the last 3 years. I have also spent over 25 years now in third world and developing countries and can say with my hand on my heart that there is no worse country you could think of to spend time in with your family. It is dirty, corrupt, dangerous and the food is swill fit only for animals . An ex US colony where the only lasting legacies they left behind are a gun culture and fast food franchises. You are out of your mind. Dont do that to your family. Edited May 16, 2014 by hagler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgrahmm Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 Oh - that's right - they pat/check you for guns entering businesses & stop and check your car for guns during elections.....nice place..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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