Why do we keep coming back, and back, and back.....?

[smotherb]

After reading a recent post about the benefits of having Permanent residence in Phillipines I am seriously consideringh moving there,I am really tired of all the visa non-sense here-the work permits necessary even for residents etc,the non-sense re-entry permit,90 day report,certificate of residence which is never confirmed.Gawd,what a flippin nightmare.

the Philippines is one of the fastest growing economies in Asia.

The people speak English, and the beaches are truly stunning.

Apart from rental accomodation, (In the Big Cities, Such as Cebu). which gets you a great rental price if you want to buy. Everything else is about half the price of Thailand.

The ladies are great, its so refreshing to take someone out and have a laugh, because they understand you.

There are exceptions of course. But in the main these girls are not money driven, they just want a better life, than the slums they are in at present. Give that to them and they will be so grateful, and what a turn on, to have someone speak to you in English when your having sex hahaha.

I left Thailand, where I still have many friends after 9 years to go to the Philippines and I have not looked back one bit.

i will return to Thailand to visit my friends, but the Philippines is my home now.

And, by the way, dont believe all the crap you hear about it being dangerous, the people are great, just dont go where not not suppose to, same same as in Thailand.

I have lived in Thailand for eight years, the PI for eleven, Vietnam for four, Iran for five, Saudi for four, and worked in Kuwait, Singapore and Hong Kong for another three--I don't consider a few months or a year as having lived somewhere, especially if you stay at company expense in hotels on per diem, or in a compound eating in mess halls.

The only things I see cheaper in the PI are alcohol and cigarets. Food, shelter, medical care, gas, vehicles, clothing are all cheaper; and the civil and technical infrastructure is better, in Thailand. However, the English, the Christianity, the beaches, the booze and cigarets, the willingness of the women, the fact that marriage to a Filipina entitles you to a year at a time stay, make the PI a hard place to disregard--if you can overlook the constant torrent of natural disasters and the never ending hand-out, even from strangers, expecting money and gifts.

I have heard and seen the same stories of woe about the cuckolded husband, the gambling wife, the truckloads of family, the ever-present "brother" and the sick buffalo in both countries; but the Filipinas are more anxious to please a farang just for the chance to get out of the country.

So, as the old adage goes, you pays your money and takes your choice. I certainly haven't ruled out returning to the PI, but lately, Vietnam seems to be calling.

[stopthegreed]

After reading a recent post about the benefits of having Permanent residence in Phillipines I am seriously consideringh moving there,I am really tired of all the visa non-sense here-the work permits necessary even for residents etc,the non-sense re-entry permit,90 day report,certificate of residence which is never confirmed.Gawd,what a flippin nightmare.

the Philippines is one of the fastest growing economies in Asia.

The people speak English, and the beaches are truly stunning.

Apart from rental accomodation, (In the Big Cities, Such as Cebu). which gets you a great rental price if you want to buy. Everything else is about half the price of Thailand.

The ladies are great, its so refreshing to take someone out and have a laugh, because they understand you.

There are exceptions of course. But in the main these girls are not money driven, they just want a better life, than the slums they are in at present. Give that to them and they will be so grateful, and what a turn on, to have someone speak to you in English when your having sex hahaha.

I left Thailand, where I still have many friends after 9 years to go to the Philippines and I have not looked back one bit.

i will return to Thailand to visit my friends, but the Philippines is my home now.

And, by the way, dont believe all the crap you hear about it being dangerous, the people are great, just dont go where not not suppose to, same same as in Thailand.

I have lived in Thailand for eight years, the PI for eleven, Vietnam for four, Iran for five, Saudi for four, and worked in Kuwait, Singapore and Hong Kong for another three--I don't consider a few months or a year as having lived somewhere, especially if you stay at company expense in hotels on per diem, or in a compound eating in mess halls.

The only things I see cheaper in the PI are alcohol and cigarets. Food, shelter, medical care, gas, vehicles, clothing are all cheaper; and the civil and technical infrastructure is better, in Thailand. However, the English, the Christianity, the beaches, the booze and cigarets, the willingness of the women, the fact that marriage to a Filipina entitles you to a year at a time stay, make the PI a hard place to disregard--if you can overlook the constant torrent of natural disasters and the never ending hand-out, even from strangers, expecting money and gifts.

I have heard and seen the same stories of woe about the cuckolded husband, the gambling wife, the truckloads of family, the ever-present "brother" and the sick buffalo in both countries; but the Filipinas are more anxious to please a farang just for the chance to get out of the country.

So, as the old adage goes, you pays your money and takes your choice. I certainly haven't ruled out returning to the PI, but lately, Vietnam seems to be calling.

i total agree with a lot you have said. Vietnam is a great place, and I seriously considered it myself. I was desperatly looking for a way out of Thailand.

Regarding the health care and costs. I went into the Bangkok hospital 18 months ago for a hernia operation. I was detained for 2 days and cost me 130,000 baht. They also discovered I had a problem with my liver, and gave me medication that was quite expensive and said I would have to take this for the rest of my life.

A year later the same hernia came back. i went to the best hospital in Cebu, Again with my doctor speaking perfect English. I had exactly the same operation, 2 nights in hospital, 90,000 pesos, about 70,000 baht. I showed a liver specialist there the tablets I had been taking, and she told me, after I had been taking them fo a year at considerable expence that they were doing me no good. She said they did help my liver, but they did nothing to treat the cause. i dont take them any more, and take the tablets she gave me, which are treating the cause of the problem not aiding the condition, and I feel a lot better.

Also The gasoline is 40 pesos a litre at 1.35 pesos to 1 baht, do the calculations yourself. i can buy clothes there for next to nothing, if you know where to shop.

yes there are a lot of beggars, and homeless people, but it is still a country in it's infancy, with a lot of poverty, but it is growing at a fast pace. Even in 1 year I have seen differences.

So for me, at least for the foreseeable future the Philippines has everything I need.

[inzman]

Everybody has different dreams and ambitions. I say follow them to distance lands and make your own choice. I love Thailand, but I wouldn't mind setting up camp in Vietnam or the Philippines.

[bobthomas]

The reason why so many people (not all) stay , is because they havn't been anywhere else.

They get to Thailand, and its so different from where they come from, and so liberal, in many ways, they think its paradise. But they havn't seen the other paradise in other places, so they don't know any better.

Thailand is a great country, But after spending over 9 years there, it is, sadly, not the place it used to be. Probably the most important thing is expense. Thailand is no longer considered cheap, like it used to be. In fact its expensive if your not careful.

The people seem to have lost a lot of their charm, (and I know people will winge and say "well where I live in this little village in Issan, everyone is so nice",) it's not what it used to be. and they are money driven, ......... your money.

So my advice would be, go to Thailand its a wonderful country, there are still a lot of nice people, in certain areas. But before you make a final choice, do go and visit the other Asian, countries, like Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia. Then make an informed choice.

In a way I have to agree with this. I always ask people that have been in Thailand for years, "have you been to Cambodia?".

Most of them answer either, "No", or, "Well yeah- on a Visa run to the border"

Add Vietnam, Laos, Burma, PI and Malaysia,

and,

Thailand is the most convenient place for most of these people- although that's actually not true anymore, that is the perception.

Years ago Thailand was easier than say Cambodia. but no more. I would have to say Cambodia is easier, Visa wise, and all around.

b

[geisha]

I was sitting on the bus the other day listening to 6 foreign guys talking about Thailand. Three were good looking Aussies, the others, not sure but probably Europeans. All agreed they only came for the cheap sex and Thai food.

[Nemesis7]

I keep asking myself as to why again, and again and again I keep coming back to thailand.

I have been almost all over south east Asia, actually I can claim almost all over Asia, and some how I didnt ferl none could attract me more than thailand. There are times few things I may not like about Thai people but I simply love this country, it's beautiful, the weather is great, the food is great and I feel I can be just myself here the way I want.

What else can I ask for.

[bobthomas]

After reading a recent post about the benefits of having Permanent residence in Phillipines I am seriously consideringh moving there,I am really tired of all the visa non-sense here-the work permits necessary even for residents etc,the non-sense re-entry permit,90 day report,certificate of residence which is never confirmed.Gawd,what a flippin nightmare.

the Philippines is one of the fastest growing economies in Asia.

The people speak English, and the beaches are truly stunning.

Apart from rental accomodation, (In the Big Cities, Such as Cebu). which gets you a great rental price if you want to buy. Everything else is about half the price of Thailand.

The ladies are great, its so refreshing to take someone out and have a laugh, because they understand you.

There are exceptions of course. But in the main these girls are not money driven, they just want a better life, than the slums they are in at present. Give that to them and they will be so grateful, and what a turn on, to have someone speak to you in English when your having sex hahaha.

I left Thailand, where I still have many friends after 9 years to go to the Philippines and I have not looked back one bit.

i will return to Thailand to visit my friends, but the Philippines is my home now.

And, by the way, dont believe all the crap you hear about it being dangerous, the people are great, just dont go where not not suppose to, same same as in Thailand.

You have to wonder why so many guys bring their GFs from PI to live in with them inThailand. If the Thai women were that great, why would they have to import a woman from PI?

Thailand invariably ends up being, "The first and last place people go", for a number or reasons.

1) They get married/GF or have property in Thailand

How many times have I heard my friends say:

A) "My wife/gf won't let me go to Cambodia....or anywhere for that matter!"

or

"I am not going to pay for airfare and accommodations to Cambodia/Vietnam, I have a condo/ house (or just plain pay rent) in Thailand. Why should I pay for two places?"

and then the ever troublesome problem-

2) They don't want to learn about a new place, they already have a knowledge of Thailand. Who wants to learn all that weird shit all over again?

_________________________________________________________________________

We all get comfortable in our lives.

but it is specifically because we broke out of our comfort zone in the West, that we even found Thailand in the first place!

You have to get up and go.

You will not regret it.

I was in just Cambodia 8 weeks ago- I am going back next month and then it's off to Vietnam.

as I said if you look for a new place "you won't regret it".

bob

[thai3]

I only came back for the music, apart from that there is nothing here except a modern day feudal social system, political oppression, corruption, stupidity, a broken education system, xenophobia and a lack of responsibility and accountability. It's really a third world dump with a veneer of western modernity on the top. Oh yes there is the 'cheap' sex and Thai food, yuk.

[stopthegreed]

The reason why so many people (not all) stay , is because they havn't been anywhere else.

They get to Thailand, and its so different from where they come from, and so liberal, in many ways, they think its paradise. But they havn't seen the other paradise in other places, so they don't know any better.

Thailand is a great country, But after spending over 9 years there, it is, sadly, not the place it used to be. Probably the most important thing is expense. Thailand is no longer considered cheap, like it used to be. In fact its expensive if your not careful.

The people seem to have lost a lot of their charm, (and I know people will winge and say "well where I live in this little village in Issan, everyone is so nice",) it's not what it used to be. and they are money driven, ......... your money.

So my advice would be, go to Thailand its a wonderful country, there are still a lot of nice people, in certain areas. But before you make a final choice, do go and visit the other Asian, countries, like Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia. Then make an informed choice.

In a way I have to agree with this. I always ask people that have been in Thailand for years, "have you been to Cambodia?".

Most of them answer either, "No", or, "Well yeah- on a Visa run to the border"

Add Vietnam, Laos, Burma, PI and Malaysia,

and,

Thailand is the most convenient place for most of these people- although that's actually not true anymore, that is the perception.

Years ago Thailand was easier than say Cambodia. but no more. I would have to say Cambodia is easier, Visa wise, and all around.

b

Most people go to Thailand, and offer opinions on other places they have never been to. They are in their comfort zone, so good look to them.

[elgordo38]

I asked the wife;

Why do I keep coming back here?

Her answer;

Because you can't find anyone better than me.

Can't argue here...............................

Yeah she's got you there. The same goes for me plus I am 76 now to old to play Christopher Columbus. My g/f is not perfect but darn near.

[stopthegreed]

I only came back for the music, apart from that there is nothing here except a modern day feudal social system, political oppression, corruption, stupidity, a broken education system, xenophobia and a lack of responsibility and accountability. It's really a third world dump with a veneer of western modernity on the top. Oh yes there is the 'cheap' sex and Thai food, yuk.

you came back for the Music?? Well try the Philippines who have great music, and they sing in English !!

[steven100]

sex and beer .......

[mikemac]

"my gf stole my bike and burned my passport, should i marry her?"

By all means have a large traditional Thai wedding...

Hide all the kitchen knives...and sleep with one eye open...

I love your sense of humor...you will do just fine navigating all the Thai-made hassles aimed at making a farangs life a living paradise...

............................"Hide all the kitchen knives...and sleep with one eye open...".................................

and the ducks, get rid of the ducks !

[pgs]

After reading a recent post about the benefits of having Permanent residence in Phillipines I am seriously consideringh moving there,I am really tired of all the visa non-sense here-the work permits necessary even for residents etc,the non-sense re-entry permit,90 day report,certificate of residence which is never confirmed.Gawd,what a flippin nightmare.

the Philippines is one of the fastest growing economies in Asia.

The people speak English, and the beaches are truly stunning.

Apart from rental accomodation, (In the Big Cities, Such as Cebu). which gets you a great rental price if you want to buy. Everything else is about half the price of Thailand.

The ladies are great, its so refreshing to take someone out and have a laugh, because they understand you.

There are exceptions of course. But in the main these girls are not money driven, they just want a better life, than the slums they are in at present. Give that to them and they will be so grateful, and what a turn on, to have someone speak to you in English when your having sex hahaha.

I left Thailand, where I still have many friends after 9 years to go to the Philippines and I have not looked back one bit.

i will return to Thailand to visit my friends, but the Philippines is my home now.

And, by the way, dont believe all the crap you hear about it being dangerous, the people are great, just dont go where not not suppose to, same same as in Thailand.

I agree with your comments about the Philippines, especially concerning the women. Wish I could live there but I just can't warm up to the idea of living on an island or group of islands, plus I can't get used to Filipino food. But I definitely like going there for holiday...2 weeks next month. Enjoy!

I have PH friends I visit there, a few constantly asking for return visits. The ladies are nice - well, mine are, they look after me well & don't really ask much - but the food... that gives me a lot of trouble. I just can't get use to it. Thia/Viet/Korean foods, no problems at all. PH foods... Jolibee makes McD's seem good. Streeet food is not so good, even their main restaurant chains leave a lot to be desired - like edible food.

Living there.... not so sure. Foreigners can only own 40% opposed to the 49% in TH.

Being searched before going into shopping centres or using trains get a bit much after a while.

No, can't see me living there. Short visits are ok.

[mikemac]

After reading a recent post about the benefits of having Permanent residence in Phillipines I am seriously consideringh moving there,I am really tired of all the visa non-sense here-the work permits necessary even for residents etc,the non-sense re-entry permit,90 day report,certificate of residence which is never confirmed.Gawd,what a flippin nightmare.

"Gawd,what a flippin nightmare."

Let's just say some people find it to be quite a challenge. Makes you wonder how they ever managed to earn a living if they're so easily over-whelmed. Certainly when you read some of the threads in the visa forum you wonder if some of the posters are allowed to cross the street without someone holding their hands.

....................."when you read some of the threads in the visa forum you wonder if some of the posters are allowed to cross the street without someone holding their hands.".......................

I wonder the same thing when I am reading some of the comments on the Thailand News section. Some of the posts written by the Yingluck trolls make me think - "I wonder if your Mummy knows you are playing with her computer".........................

[fey]

The reason why so many people (not all) stay , is because they havn't been anywhere else.

They get to Thailand, and its so different from where they come from, and so liberal, in many ways, they think its paradise. But they havn't seen the other paradise in other places, so they don't know any better.

Thailand is a great country, But after spending over 9 years there, it is, sadly, not the place it used to be. Probably the most important thing is expense. Thailand is no longer considered cheap, like it used to be. In fact its expensive if your not careful.

The people seem to have lost a lot of their charm, (and I know people will winge and say "well where I live in this little village in Issan, everyone is so nice",) it's not what it used to be. and they are money driven, ......... your money.

So my advice would be, go to Thailand its a wonderful country, there are still a lot of nice people, in certain areas. But before you make a final choice, do go and visit the other Asian, countries, like Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia. Then make an informed choice.

In a way I have to agree with this. I always ask people that have been in Thailand for years, "have you been to Cambodia?".

Most of them answer either, "No", or, "Well yeah- on a Visa run to the border"

Add Vietnam, Laos, Burma, PI and Malaysia,

and,

Thailand is the most convenient place for most of these people- although that's actually not true anymore, that is the perception.

Years ago Thailand was easier than say Cambodia. but no more. I would have to say Cambodia is easier, Visa wise, and all around.

b

think twice about asking "have you been to cambodia?"

the country sucks. finally went there to check out sihanoukville after everyone kept talking about it.

it sucks.

phenom pehn is a dump. people take dumps on the street and you eat with rats scurrying around your feet.

soem reap is tolerable, but after visiting angkor wat got bored pretty quickly.

again a dump of a country, immigration wants bribes leaving at the main airport (did not insust if you refuse though)

[neverdie]

I asked the wife;

Why do I keep coming back here?

Her answer;

Because you can't find anyone better than me.

Can't argue here...............................

But didn't she draw the short straw ! ?

[stopthegreed]

I was sitting on the bus the other day listening to 6 foreign guys talking about Thailand. Three were good looking Aussies, the others, not sure but probably Europeans. All agreed they only came for the cheap sex and Thai food.

its crazy eh? years ago Thailand was a place for middle aged men or couples, or for retired folk.

now there are more and more younger people coming for cheap sex. The spending power everywhere in the world is with the 25-40 age group.

cheap sex to them is 2,000 baht short time, or 4-5,000 for the evening. And they pay it willingly, saying its cheap !

compared to back home it is cheap. But not so long ago it was 500 and 1,000, so they are partly responsible for price rises across the board. Its turning into Another Benidorm with sex.

The other thing is, why do good looking men go half way across the world for prostitutes. When I was a young man, I got all the sex I wanted at home for nothing?

[neverdie]

I keep coming back for the temples and gardens. ?

[kennypowers]

After reading a recent post about the benefits of having Permanent residence in Phillipines I am seriously consideringh moving there,I am really tired of all the visa non-sense here-the work permits necessary even for residents etc,the non-sense re-entry permit,90 day report,certificate of residence which is never confirmed.Gawd,what a flippin nightmare.

the Philippines is one of the fastest growing economies in Asia.

The people speak English, and the beaches are truly stunning.

Apart from rental accomodation, (In the Big Cities, Such as Cebu). which gets you a great rental price if you want to buy. Everything else is about half the price of Thailand.

The ladies are great, its so refreshing to take someone out and have a laugh, because they understand you.

There are exceptions of course. But in the main these girls are not money driven, they just want a better life, than the slums they are in at present. Give that to them and they will be so grateful, and what a turn on, to have someone speak to you in English when your having sex hahaha.

I left Thailand, where I still have many friends after 9 years to go to the Philippines and I have not looked back one bit.

i will return to Thailand to visit my friends, but the Philippines is my home now.

And, by the way, dont believe all the crap you hear about it being dangerous, the people are great, just dont go where not not suppose to, same same as in Thailand.

You're sleeping with women from the slums?

I have Filipino family, and I'll tell you from experience that it's a very money driven culture, as with most Asian cultures. Trust me, you won't be marrying into a middle class Filipino family unless you've got a good job, and you don't mind going to Church and pretending to be a Catholic. The first question the girl's parents will ask is, is he a doctor, lawyer or dentist?

Sure the slum girls are easy going and prepared to give up their values, they've got nothing to lose and everything to gain. No different to Thailand. But like Thailand, you'll get zero respect from Filipinos for hanging out with slum girls and bar girls.

[Guest]

Thailand is the best if you avoid Bangkok and the tourist areas.

Learn to speak the language, and mind your own business... it can be a very good life here.

Why would one avoid BKK ?

Few cities can rival BKK ... it really has it all ... from "no star' to "Five star"

Except for sitting on a beach ... if you can't do it in BKK ... it probably can not be done.

Perhaps you prefer a small town or village life , which is great and I get that ... if it works for you.

I have lived in several major world capitals, love big cities, and BKK is by far ... the best.

The key here is i like big cities, you do not. And the reason there are "tourist areas' is because they have things people want to see and do. A beach is a "tourist area" and one must take the good with the bad.

I am happy you found a quite peaceful life far from the bustling crowds, but you are simply projecting your preferences on others.

In short, it is a wonderful day here in BKK, and me, and about 12,000,000 other people are really lucky to be here.

[marios]

Vietnam is the place I can't stop going back to! As much as I enjoy living in Thailand, Vietnam is the place that fascinates me the most!

Why? Can you tell us some more please? One positive thing I can immediately see is the roman alphabet. I would love to hear views and comparisons with regards to Thailand .( Just a few pointers)

Thanks

Mario

[smotherb]

After reading a recent post about the benefits of having Permanent residence in Phillipines I am seriously consideringh moving there,I am really tired of all the visa non-sense here-the work permits necessary even for residents etc,the non-sense re-entry permit,90 day report,certificate of residence which is never confirmed.Gawd,what a flippin nightmare.

the Philippines is one of the fastest growing economies in Asia.

The people speak English, and the beaches are truly stunning.

Apart from rental accomodation, (In the Big Cities, Such as Cebu). which gets you a great rental price if you want to buy. Everything else is about half the price of Thailand.

The ladies are great, its so refreshing to take someone out and have a laugh, because they understand you.

There are exceptions of course. But in the main these girls are not money driven, they just want a better life, than the slums they are in at present. Give that to them and they will be so grateful, and what a turn on, to have someone speak to you in English when your having sex hahaha.

I left Thailand, where I still have many friends after 9 years to go to the Philippines and I have not looked back one bit.

i will return to Thailand to visit my friends, but the Philippines is my home now.

And, by the way, dont believe all the crap you hear about it being dangerous, the people are great, just dont go where not not suppose to, same same as in Thailand.

I have lived in Thailand for eight years, the PI for eleven, Vietnam for four, Iran for five, Saudi for four, and worked in Kuwait, Singapore and Hong Kong for another three--I don't consider a few months or a year as having lived somewhere, especially if you stay at company expense in hotels on per diem, or in a compound eating in mess halls.

The only things I see cheaper in the PI are alcohol and cigarets. Food, shelter, medical care, gas, vehicles, clothing are all cheaper; and the civil and technical infrastructure is better, in Thailand. However, the English, the Christianity, the beaches, the booze and cigarets, the willingness of the women, the fact that marriage to a Filipina entitles you to a year at a time stay, make the PI a hard place to disregard--if you can overlook the constant torrent of natural disasters and the never ending hand-out, even from strangers, expecting money and gifts.

I have heard and seen the same stories of woe about the cuckolded husband, the gambling wife, the truckloads of family, the ever-present "brother" and the sick buffalo in both countries; but the Filipinas are more anxious to please a farang just for the chance to get out of the country.

So, as the old adage goes, you pays your money and takes your choice. I certainly haven't ruled out returning to the PI, but lately, Vietnam seems to be calling.

i total agree with a lot you have said. Vietnam is a great place, and I seriously considered it myself. I was desperatly looking for a way out of Thailand.

Regarding the health care and costs. I went into the Bangkok hospital 18 months ago for a hernia operation. I was detained for 2 days and cost me 130,000 baht. They also discovered I had a problem with my liver, and gave me medication that was quite expensive and said I would have to take this for the rest of my life.

A year later the same hernia came back. i went to the best hospital in Cebu, Again with my doctor speaking perfect English. I had exactly the same operation, 2 nights in hospital, 90,000 pesos, about 70,000 baht. I showed a liver specialist there the tablets I had been taking, and she told me, after I had been taking them fo a year at considerable expence that they were doing me no good. She said they did help my liver, but they did nothing to treat the cause. i dont take them any more, and take the tablets she gave me, which are treating the cause of the problem not aiding the condition, and I feel a lot better.

Also The gasoline is 40 pesos a litre at 1.35 pesos to 1 baht, do the calculations yourself. i can buy clothes there for next to nothing, if you know where to shop.

yes there are a lot of beggars, and homeless people, but it is still a country in it's infancy, with a lot of poverty, but it is growing at a fast pace. Even in 1 year I have seen differences.

So for me, at least for the foreseeable future the Philippines has everything I need.

I have to admit it has been seven years since I lived in the PI, but I think you may be biased by some costs and your hospital experience. I too have been in hospital in both countries and had very different results from yours, both in terms of quality of care and total expense. There are a lot of variations in doctors, operations and hospitals, let it suffice to say, the same medicines I need cost less in Thailand--and the costs have been the same the entire time I have been here, so unless the costs have decreased in the PI, they are still cheaper.

A far as the cost of goods and commodities go, I must confess I do very little shopping, my wife does almost all of it. She is Filipina and four of her family members are here teaching English; consequently, I have a rather large Filipino network here in Thailand. Every one of them say it is cheaper here for the necessities of life, especially foods, shelter, clothing, cooking gas and oil--all except the alcohol and cigarets--and they can find better paying work here.

[morpho]

Vietnam is the place I can't stop going back to! As much as I enjoy living in Thailand, Vietnam is the place that fascinates me the most!

Why? Can you tell us some more please? One positive thing I can immediately see is the roman alphabet. I would love to hear views and comparisons with regards to Thailand .( Just a few pointers)

Thanks

Mario

Personally I think the countryside in Vietnam is absolutely stunning!!! Beautiful mountains, rivers, beaches, forests...you name it. The culture with its historical Chinese and uniquely Vietnamese traditions also fascinate me...so different than Thai culture and traditions (and just more interesting to me). The history of the country is so interesting to me too. And I just find most Vietnamese to be much warmer and genuinely friendlier than most Thais....and I am an American! I have made more good friends traveling in Vietnam than I have made good friends living in Thailand. The food is great too! As for having the Roman alphabet, I think it means little in terms of learning or understanding to speak Vietnamese...the six-tone language is just as difficult (if not more so) as Thai.

As I said before, it's all a matter of personal preference and some are happier in Thailand or the Philippines for various reasons and I can understand why, but for me I feel that Vietnam is the place I should be.

[nithisa78]

Wrong, we actually all don't bash. Nor do we care what you have to say.

[dragonfly94]

I only came back for the music, apart from that there is nothing here except a modern day feudal social system, political oppression, corruption, stupidity, a broken education system, xenophobia and a lack of responsibility and accountability. It's really a third world dump with a veneer of western modernity on the top. Oh yes there is the 'cheap' sex and Thai food, yuk.

you came back for the Music?? Well try the Philippines who have great music, and they sing in English !!

What good PI music is there?

Edited January 16, 2015 by dragonfly94

[how241]

coming back and back...me not...because i haven't left...at least for the last 5 years...

+1...Love it here.

[Pheat123]

It's the...uh...food and the temples *cough*

And the wonderful beaches!

The abundance of cheap prostitutes

Keeps me coming back year after year

[dogpatch55]

After reading a recent post about the benefits of having Permanent residence in Phillipines I am seriously consideringh moving there,I am really tired of all the visa non-sense here-the work permits necessary even for residents etc,the non-sense re-entry permit,90 day report,certificate of residence which is never confirmed.Gawd,what a flippin nightmare.

the Philippines is one of the fastest growing economies in Asia.

The people speak English, and the beaches are truly stunning.

Apart from rental accomodation, (In the Big Cities, Such as Cebu). which gets you a great rental price if you want to buy. Everything else is about half the price of Thailand.

The ladies are great, its so refreshing to take someone out and have a laugh, because they understand you.

There are exceptions of course. But in the main these girls are not money driven, they just want a better life, than the slums they are in at present. Give that to them and they will be so grateful, and what a turn on, to have someone speak to you in English when your having sex hahaha.

I left Thailand, where I still have many friends after 9 years to go to the Philippines and I have not looked back one bit.

i will return to Thailand to visit my friends, but the Philippines is my home now.

And, by the way, dont believe all the crap you hear about it being dangerous, the people are great, just dont go where not not suppose to, same same as in Thailand.

You have to wonder why so many guys bring their GFs from PI to live in with them inThailand. If the Thai women were that great, why would they have to import a woman from PI?

Thailand invariably ends up being, "The first and last place people go", for a number or reasons.

1) They get married/GF or have property in Thailand

How many times have I heard my friends say:

A) "My wife/gf won't let me go to Cambodia....or anywhere for that matter!"

or

"I am not going to pay for airfare and accommodations to Cambodia/Vietnam, I have a condo/ house (or just plain pay rent) in Thailand. Why should I pay for two places?"

and then the ever troublesome problem-

2) They don't want to learn about a new place, they already have a knowledge of Thailand. Who wants to learn all that weird shit all over again?

_________________________________________________________________________

We all get comfortable in our lives.

but it is specifically because we broke out of our comfort zone in the West, that we even found Thailand in the first place!

You have to get up and go.

You will not regret it.

I was in just Cambodia 8 weeks ago- I am going back next month and then it's off to Vietnam.

as I said if you look for a new place "you won't regret it".

bob

I liked it in the Philippines, but I did not think it was cheaper there than Thailand, apart from beer... And as nice as the girls are, I wonder why so many guys want to take one to live in Thailand? The Thai girls are just as nice! And the food is better!! I do want to go back to the Philippines again some day..

[weegee]

After reading a recent post about the benefits of having Permanent residence in Phillipines I am seriously consideringh moving there,I am really tired of all the visa non-sense here-the work permits necessary even for residents etc,the non-sense re-entry permit,90 day report,certificate of residence which is never confirmed.Gawd,what a flippin nightmare.

the Philippines is one of the fastest growing economies in Asia.

The people speak English, and the beaches are truly stunning.

Apart from rental accomodation, (In the Big Cities, Such as Cebu). which gets you a great rental price if you want to buy. Everything else is about half the price of Thailand.

The ladies are great, its so refreshing to take someone out and have a laugh, because they understand you.

There are exceptions of course. But in the main these girls are not money driven, they just want a better life, than the slums they are in at present. Give that to them and they will be so grateful, and what a turn on, to have someone speak to you in English when your having sex hahaha.

I left Thailand, where I still have many friends after 9 years to go to the Philippines and I have not looked back one bit.

i will return to Thailand to visit my friends, but the Philippines is my home now.

And, by the way, dont believe all the crap you hear about it being dangerous, the people are great, just dont go where not not suppose to, same same as in Thailand.

You have to wonder why so many guys bring their GFs from PI to live in with them inThailand. If the Thai women were that great, why would they have to import a woman from PI?

Thailand invariably ends up being, "The first and last place people go", for a number or reasons.

1) They get married/GF or have property in Thailand

How many times have I heard my friends say:

A) "My wife/gf won't let me go to Cambodia....or anywhere for that matter!"

or

"I am not going to pay for airfare and accommodations to Cambodia/Vietnam, I have a condo/ house (or just plain pay rent) in Thailand. Why should I pay for two places?"

and then the ever troublesome problem-

2) They don't want to learn about a new place, they already have a knowledge of Thailand. Who wants to learn all that weird shit all over again?

_________________________________________________________________________

We all get comfortable in our lives.

but it is specifically because we broke out of our comfort zone in the West, that we even found Thailand in the first place!

You have to get up and go.

You will not regret it.

I was in just Cambodia 8 weeks ago- I am going back next month and then it's off to Vietnam.

as I said if you look for a new place "you won't regret it".

bob

I liked it in the Philippines, but I did not think it was cheaper there than Thailand, apart from beer... And as nice as the girls are, I wonder why so many guys want to take one to live in Thailand? The Thai girls are just as nice! And the food is better!! I do want to go back to the Philippines again some day..

Guess you have never been to Vietnam then?????....they are stunning.