Philippines vs Thailand

[pgrahmm]

https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/105274-thailand-vs-philippines/&sa=U&ved=0ahUKEwjw7KKok6bLAhXUCI4KHfh8AL0QFggEMAA&client=internal-uds-cse&usg=AFQjCNEXMY29h-tSVvWeYCoeNJ_MrNh58g

Another link for this topic

[1FinickyOne]

I have never been to PPI - have often been tempted by pictures of beautiful beaches but what his put me off is the danger factor - I hear that most stores have armed guards - and my thought is if they are there to prevent them from coming in - then the criminals are massed outside - with me.

That said - I hope you find a place where that is not a problem. I live in a small village outside a small city and all of the scams and problems of Thailand that I read about here, are nowhere to be found near where I live...

[lungnorm]

I have experienced Thailand a few times over the years but decided to retire to the Philippines not Thailand. Can't say its cooler here, and yes I lived in Bohol for 3 months. Its quite nice there but in the main city Tagbilaran the roads are terrible. Rents are cheaper, the food is OK if you know where to go, I can recommend the Bee Farm Restaurant in the Island Mall in Tagbilaran. Just beware of the Philippine family ties. Whats yours is looked upon as theirs. Best to distance yourself away from the family. There are better places here than Bohol, Palawan, Boracay, and maybe Baguio. I have been here 16months this time, I got married and I am happy with my wife. Immigration laws here favour the married applicants, You can renew your tourist visa every 2 months maximum stay 28 months then you need to do a visa run. However of your married to a Philippina apply for Permanent Resident visa costs around A$600 then you get a 13A visa which is a temporary resident visa good for 12 months then you convert it to a Permanent resident visa. After that you just have to do an annual reporting and renew your Alien registration card. Seems a lot less hassle than the Thai system. Good luck.

[stephenterry]

How about hooking up with a sexy, domesticated pinay girl and settling in Thailand? The g/f I had there was great (always made sure I was safe), but at the time I was not in a position to take it any further. I think the safety factor is a little over-cautious - there are a few relatively safe areas in Manila, even late at night.

Similarly, there are many safe areas in Thailand and, IMO, Red light BKK is far safer than Red light Manila. Never, ever had a problem. Maybe just lucky, eh? Same with Chiang Mai - very civilised. Most that could happen is being ripped off for drinks at a club.

[MyFriend You]

Thanks guy's and especially Charlie ,you have always been a good pal on this site to me,yes,i had to do it ,especially when i came back and found evidence of her extracurriculur activities,but now she is stuck with a Thai man who does nothing and expects her to provide him with money,a resturant she spent heaps on that never has any customers,i could go on,but as the old saying goes as you sow,so shall you reap,luckily i am young enough to make the move,and i will not repeat the errors i made here if it works out,the fact that the girl is not an ex bar girl should helpand before anyone ask's how do you know ,believe me i know.

Like Thailand, never be worth more dead than alive, I have lost seven acquaintances in Angeles over the past 10 years, statisticly wise thats not bad at all - but all from the hands of their spouses , the boyfriend, and one by the brother for some stupid reason. Good Luck, I personally never had any issues at all in PI, love the place.

[MyFriend You]

Join the Philippines Addicts Forum, I did and over the years reading about the Scams, Police, Set-ups with "Cheery Girls" (Guilty or not) I gave up my dream of going back there.

[Baerboxer]

Do not know a lot about the country.But the women are 10 times more domestic and caring for their husbands. Phillipinas really respect the man who provides a good life for them. If you can have a good wife and good home life,that is the most important. As you get older other things will become less important. I wish you the best of luck and a very happy future I feel you made the right decision.

Don't know a lot about the country, but an expert on the women!

Did you read all about Pinays on the back of a Cornflakes box then?

Really caring - that's why Western Union thought it prudent to warn American males about the risks of wiring money to Flilipino women they met on web cam chat rooms, "models" friendship sites etc.

Some very rough areas and a police force than can boast more corruption and more ineptness than the RTP.

Edited March 4, 2016 by Baerboxer

[chilli42]

There are good things about the Philippines to be sure .... language being one of them, people are nice etc. What I did not like about the Philippines is that I found it very dull place to live. If you plan to pass your time on a pristine stretch of beach it might work. Though I would go stir crazy in no time.

It's none of my business but ... since you are just exiting a relationship it might be wise to take a prolonged break before starting another relationship be that in Thailand or Philippines. You may find that your interest in the Philippines vanish like dew in the morning sun.

[Wasa]

i certainly count the seconds until i leave.

as an aside, electricity and water in BGC and Makati, are more expensive than anywhere i have ever lived.

Internet is tragic, 3 and 4g are worse.

The ripoff starts at the airport, with people in airport uniforms selling coupon taxis for 2-5 times the going rate.

produce available even in the high end supermarkets is anemic at best, selection is ridiculously poor. give me a villa any day please.

meat counters are vile, ground beef is waterlogged, chicken slimy and they will hand you a bag of chicken breasts that is slimy on the outside because the person behind the counter is not careful.

every one, every where calls you sir.

mall cops have shotguns, 7-11 guards have shot guns. bank guards have shot guns. Parking attendants have empty holsters, because 3 or 4 guys share the same rusty pistol.

most condos or toilets do not have bum guns.

all food has been philipinized and outside more upscale eateries is awful. you thought kfc thailand was bad,you have no idea. try kfc phils, jollibee, or chow king. wretched.

while they claim is made that english is widely spoken it is essentially a tagalog bastardization and in comprehensible.

Nor can they understand any vaguely complex request.

taxi drivers speak rudimentary english if any and have no knowledge what so ever of the areas they drive. getting lost hopelessly despite a very logical grid system in the area i live. taxis are beat up over half have broken back seats. they always ask if you can pay "additional" due the trappics sir.

drivers are in constant use of the horn and far more stupidly aggressive than their thai counterparts.

taxis are impossible to come by at certain times of the day.

if you buy or rent a car, due to color coding it is unusable 3 days out of the week.

while i am most emphatically not in either thailand or phils for the women, the women her do nothing for me. there is no polish,

they are strangely shaped and all seem to have some sort of massive facial mole.

me no likely. 2 more months and im back in my thai house.

I mostly agree with these comments. The food is not nice and the last bit about the facial moles is spot on!

I lived and worked in Thailand for a few years. My work there dried up so I took a year long stint fly in fly out on an Australian LNG plant 6 on 2 off and then an expat role came up in the Philippines so here I am in a corporate environment just south of Manila with occasional trips down near the villages around the south coast also.

Definitely a well established gun culture here and a more corrupt and violent society. Political uprisings around the country with frequent associated bombings and shootings. 100m + population and counting due to the predominate catholic society.

One thing no one has mentioned here is the traffic. If you live in the cities it dominates your life. It is stifling and far worse than anythink BKK can ever throw at you. What should be about a 20-25min journey into Makati can take up to 3 hours. Even my 5 min walk home on a Friday night in my quiet area (if I were to use my driver) could take 30mins in the car. Infrastructure is lacking.

But even with a GDP per capita less than half that of Thailand, it is strangely in some ways more civilised than Thailand. Traffic is orderly (probably because it doesn't move) people wear helmets, there are armed cops and security guards everywhere.

Best thing I did was to bring my Thai gf with me. I doubt I would live here unless something changes as I become more familiarised, so when my work is finished here I'll be heading back to Thailand.

[ozyjon]

Thailand + Philippines = Laos

[Wasa]

Thailand + Philippines = Laos

No, your equation is wrong I think. If we ratio it on a common deniminator such as comparative GDP per capita then your equation should be -

Thailand - Philippines = Laos

[whaleboneman]

I love the friends I have there because we always manage to have deeper and more meaningful conversations due to their level of English proficiency.

But yeah, it's the one place in Southeast Asia where I felt the most unsafe. Guns, lots and lots of guns coupled with a high crime rate, even every single McDonalds has an armed guard because gangs would just show up and stick places up.

In fact crime rate just went up by 46% last year: http://www.philstar.com/metro/2015/08/03/1483869/philippine-crime-rate-46

Of course what I'm describing is Manila, parts outside may be much safer.

Thailand still has the highest rate of gun-related deaths in Asia though, so what do we know? Anything's possible. http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/thailand-has-highest/2527420.html

I was in Manila yesterday. Felt safe. Passed several McDonald's that did not have armed guards so I'm not sure where you get your info from.

Now in Palawan and loving it.

Have yet to see any crime or rip offs happening here and this is my second visit.

As Lou Reed said, "don't believe anything you hear and only half of what you see".

[bizman]

Thanks to many of you for your insight. I just cancelled my plans to visit there!

[pgrahmm]

i certainly count the seconds until i leave.

as an aside, electricity and water in BGC and Makati, are more expensive than anywhere i have ever lived.

Internet is tragic, 3 and 4g are worse.

The ripoff starts at the airport, with people in airport uniforms selling coupon taxis for 2-5 times the going rate.

produce available even in the high end supermarkets is anemic at best, selection is ridiculously poor. give me a villa any day please.

meat counters are vile, ground beef is waterlogged, chicken slimy and they will hand you a bag of chicken breasts that is slimy on the outside because the person behind the counter is not careful.

every one, every where calls you sir.

mall cops have shotguns, 7-11 guards have shot guns. bank guards have shot guns. Parking attendants have empty holsters, because 3 or 4 guys share the same rusty pistol.

most condos or toilets do not have bum guns.

all food has been philipinized and outside more upscale eateries is awful. you thought kfc thailand was bad,you have no idea. try kfc phils, jollibee, or chow king. wretched.

while they claim is made that english is widely spoken it is essentially a tagalog bastardization and in comprehensible.

Nor can they understand any vaguely complex request.

taxi drivers speak rudimentary english if any and have no knowledge what so ever of the areas they drive. getting lost hopelessly despite a very logical grid system in the area i live. taxis are beat up over half have broken back seats. they always ask if you can pay "additional" due the trappics sir.

drivers are in constant use of the horn and far more stupidly aggressive than their thai counterparts.

taxis are impossible to come by at certain times of the day.

if you buy or rent a car, due to color coding it is unusable 3 days out of the week.

while i am most emphatically not in either thailand or phils for the women, the women her do nothing for me. there is no polish,

they are strangely shaped and all seem to have some sort of massive facial mole.

me no likely. 2 more months and im back in my thai house.

I mostly agree with these comments. The food is not nice and the last bit about the facial moles is spot on!

I lived and worked in Thailand for a few years. My work there dried up so I took a year long stint fly in fly out on an Australian LNG plant 6 on 2 off and then an expat role came up in the Philippines so here I am in a corporate environment just south of Manila with occasional trips down near the villages around the south coast also.

Definitely a well established gun culture here and a more corrupt and violent society. Political uprisings around the country with frequent associated bombings and shootings. 100m + population and counting due to the predominate catholic society.

One thing no one has mentioned here is the traffic. If you live in the cities it dominates your life. It is stifling and far worse than anythink BKK can ever throw at you. What should be about a 20-25min journey into Makati can take up to 3 hours. Even my 5 min walk home on a Friday night in my quiet area (if I were to use my driver) could take 30mins in the car. Infrastructure is lacking.

But even with a GDP per capita less than half that of Thailand, it is strangely in some ways more civilised than Thailand. Traffic is orderly (probably because it doesn't move) people wear helmets, there are armed cops and security guards everywhere.

Best thing I did was to bring my Thai gf with me. I doubt I would live here unless something changes as I become more familiarised, so when my work is finished here I'll be heading back to Thailand.

Unfortunately there are a lot of threads on this they are archived out apparently.....

The US will not allow their servicemen to go there on leave - even if family roots are there ..... Considered too dangerous....

[pgrahmm]

I love the friends I have there because we always manage to have deeper and more meaningful conversations due to their level of English proficiency.

But yeah, it's the one place in Southeast Asia where I felt the most unsafe. Guns, lots and lots of guns coupled with a high crime rate, even every single McDonalds has an armed guard because gangs would just show up and stick places up.

In fact crime rate just went up by 46% last year: http://www.philstar.com/metro/2015/08/03/1483869/philippine-crime-rate-46

Of course what I'm describing is Manila, parts outside may be much safer.

Thailand still has the highest rate of gun-related deaths in Asia though, so what do we know? Anything's possible. http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/thailand-has-highest/2527420.html

I was in Manila yesterday. Felt safe. Passed several McDonald's that did not have armed guards so I'm not sure where you get your info from.

Now in Palawan and loving it.

Have yet to see any crime or rip offs happening here and this is my second visit.

As Lou Reed said, "don't believe anything you hear and only half of what you see".

Well.....Let's see....I had 3 guys try and triangle me with ready knives in broad daylight on a sidewalk about 65 meters away from a McDonalds there....I was already alert because someone tried to grab something out of a pocket about 30 minutes before that......And I am neither small or helpless looking.....

Had a few other experiences along the way there also.....

[wileycoyote]

Thailand gets my vote

In spite of recent changes & sporadic violence in Thailand,I still feel safer in Thailand, than in the Philippines both in the cities and in the countryside.

[xylophone]

I love the friends I have there because we always manage to have deeper and more meaningful conversations due to their level of English proficiency.

But yeah, it's the one place in Southeast Asia where I felt the most unsafe. Guns, lots and lots of guns coupled with a high crime rate, even every single McDonalds has an armed guard because gangs would just show up and stick places up.

In fact crime rate just went up by 46% last year: http://www.philstar.com/metro/2015/08/03/1483869/philippine-crime-rate-46

Of course what I'm describing is Manila, parts outside may be much safer.

Thailand still has the highest rate of gun-related deaths in Asia though, so what do we know? Anything's possible. http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/thailand-has-highest/2527420.html

I was in Manila yesterday. Felt safe. Passed several McDonald's that did not have armed guards so I'm not sure where you get your info from.

Now in Palawan and loving it.

Have yet to see any crime or rip offs happening here and this is my second visit.

As Lou Reed said, "don't believe anything you hear and only half of what you see".

"Now in Palawan and loving it"

So what is the rented accom like as well as restaurants and any nightlife??

[mango66]

Spent time in the Philippines but preferred Thailand. Bangkok, specifically.

Not enough white people in the Philippines. I was living in Boracay and had a great apartment, a woman, and a beautiful beach, but the nightlife was not nearly as good as BKK. I am in my 30s, though, so that may be a bit different.

PROS: Excellent local beer (Red Horse), no drinking restrictions, and a great beach.

CONS: Little to do and limited nightlife.

Wouldn't go back to the Philippines...

You could do a lot worse, though...

He was talking about to live !!

You just thinking about nightlife !

If your life is the " night life "

Stay in Pathaya !!

and ask you in 10 years, what a life is this ??

[mango66]

i certainly count the seconds until i leave.

as an aside, electricity and water in BGC and Makati, are more expensive than anywhere i have ever lived.

Internet is tragic, 3 and 4g are worse.

The ripoff starts at the airport, with people in airport uniforms selling coupon taxis for 2-5 times the going rate.

produce available even in the high end supermarkets is anemic at best, selection is ridiculously poor. give me a villa any day please.

meat counters are vile, ground beef is waterlogged, chicken slimy and they will hand you a bag of chicken breasts that is slimy on the outside because the person behind the counter is not careful.

every one, every where calls you sir.

mall cops have shotguns, 7-11 guards have shot guns. bank guards have shot guns. Parking attendants have empty holsters, because 3 or 4 guys share the same rusty pistol.

most condos or toilets do not have bum guns.

all food has been philipinized and outside more upscale eateries is awful. you thought kfc thailand was bad,you have no idea. try kfc phils, jollibee, or chow king. wretched.

while they claim is made that english is widely spoken it is essentially a tagalog bastardization and in comprehensible.

Nor can they understand any vaguely complex request.

taxi drivers speak rudimentary english if any and have no knowledge what so ever of the areas they drive. getting lost hopelessly despite a very logical grid system in the area i live. taxis are beat up over half have broken back seats. they always ask if you can pay "additional" due the trappics sir.

drivers are in constant use of the horn and far more stupidly aggressive than their thai counterparts.

taxis are impossible to come by at certain times of the day.

if you buy or rent a car, due to color coding it is unusable 3 days out of the week.

while i am most emphatically not in either thailand or phils for the women, the women her do nothing for me. there is no polish,

they are strangely shaped and all seem to have some sort of massive facial mole.

me no likely. 2 more months and im back in my thai house.

I mostly agree with these comments. The food is not nice and the last bit about the facial moles is spot on!

I lived and worked in Thailand for a few years. My work there dried up so I took a year long stint fly in fly out on an Australian LNG plant 6 on 2 off and then an expat role came up in the Philippines so here I am in a corporate environment just south of Manila with occasional trips down near the villages around the south coast also.

Definitely a well established gun culture here and a more corrupt and violent society. Political uprisings around the country with frequent associated bombings and shootings. 100m + population and counting due to the predominate catholic society.

One thing no one has mentioned here is the traffic. If you live in the cities it dominates your life. It is stifling and far worse than anythink BKK can ever throw at you. What should be about a 20-25min journey into Makati can take up to 3 hours. Even my 5 min walk home on a Friday night in my quiet area (if I were to use my driver) could take 30mins in the car. Infrastructure is lacking.

But even with a GDP per capita less than half that of Thailand, it is strangely in some ways more civilised than Thailand. Traffic is orderly (probably because it doesn't move) people wear helmets, there are armed cops and security guards everywhere.

Best thing I did was to bring my Thai gf with me. I doubt I would live here unless something changes as I become more familiarised, so when my work is finished here I'll be heading back to Thailand.

Unfortunately there are a lot of threads on this they are archived out apparently.....

The US will not allow their servicemen to go there on leave - even if family roots are there ..... Considered too dangerous....

US likes to go to Irak,Afghanistan and dieeee there !!!

[HooHaa]

I love the friends I have there because we always manage to have deeper and more meaningful conversations due to their level of English proficiency.

But yeah, it's the one place in Southeast Asia where I felt the most unsafe. Guns, lots and lots of guns coupled with a high crime rate, even every single McDonalds has an armed guard because gangs would just show up and stick places up.

In fact crime rate just went up by 46% last year: http://www.philstar.com/metro/2015/08/03/1483869/philippine-crime-rate-46

Of course what I'm describing is Manila, parts outside may be much safer.

Thailand still has the highest rate of gun-related deaths in Asia though, so what do we know? Anything's possible. http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/thailand-has-highest/2527420.html

I was in Manila yesterday. Felt safe. Passed several McDonald's that did not have armed guards so I'm not sure where you get your info from.

Now in Palawan and loving it.

Have yet to see any crime or rip offs happening here and this is my second visit.

As Lou Reed said, "don't believe anything you hear and only half of what you see".

What you say is true to a point.

BGC where I live, just outside makati ( I ride my bike into office every day) is safe as houses.

It is a brand new sterile singaporesque business and residential area with some very high end condos, a grass promenade called high Street lined with top level retail that runs its entire length about 6 long city blocks.

there is also Fort strip night entertainment area, burgos circle with its terraced restrauunts and lovely park.

The whole area is bounded by the Manila country club and next to McKinley hill and the Forbes suburb. Supercars line the streets weekends and it all feels very safe.

The locals are professionals or call center people, they wear yoga pants and walk beagles

But it is behind a wall. A very tall wall.

Makati is safe as houses by day, greenbelt is lovely.

But it is behind a wall.

Take one wrong step across that imaginary line and these places are surrounded by slum as far as you can see.

These areas are walled and guarded, they are expensive and exclusive, but they are not the norm. To enter a shopping centerYou pass through a metal detector and open your computer bag for a security guard with a drumstick so mhe can't be accused of planting something.

Simply put you don't walk amongst the common man here especially by night.

Push the limits of these areas and street level is very different.

I can't say I give it any thought, but then I am paying for the separation. Palawan is one of the most expensive places in the country. You are are doing it too.

[Ulic]

Six of one half dozen of the other. Both places have strengths and weaknesses. Both have

great women and bad women. Philippines strengths IMO. English is more widely spoken,

easy visa compliance compared to Thailand. Cheap alcohol and tobacco. (I don't smoke ,

and drink only socially so unimportant to me)

Thailand, strengths IMO. Infrastructure, from roads, health care, availability of suitable

western level accommodation, cost and availability of both western and local food, shopping

and entertainment, the electrical grid. Really up to you though. One of my best friends

stayed three months here in Jomtien, and chose Puerto Galera, Philippines, I stayed 3

months in Puerto Galera giving it an honest trial (it was definitely not cheaper) and chose

here. Both places are quite filthy, power outages 4-5 times a week there, here 4-5 times in

the past 9 months. The weather in Thailand is better. Typhoons are possible year round in

the Philippines. It also rains far more. All that said if there was the level of accommodation

at a similar price I would maybe choose the Philippines even with its infrastructure draw

backs. For me Thailand is a better choice but if English being spoken by many locals to

some degree is your priority, Philippines. All you can do really is go and see for yourself.

The lady/wife situation is obviously important to you. It was not to me. Don't burn you bridges

and don't commit 100% to the Philippines (financially, similar crap property ownership laws

for foreigners as Thailand.) until you have been there a couple of years. I do read many think

the best option is to bring your Philippina GF/wife to Thailand to live. It is worth considering.

Best of luck.

Edited March 4, 2016 by Ulic

[fekman]

PI is good for 'foreigner wow factor' which is nearly gone in LOS. English, better beer and more loyal girls. Thats where it ends. LOS is definitely safer, cleaner and MUCH better food. You will starve in PI as the food is un-eatable, Western food included.

If you spent any time in U.S. or Latin America, you will know that nightlife sux in both PI and LOS. Lamer than lame.

[harleyclarkey]

Bangkok a world apart and far more attractive city than Manila.

But Phills also have world class beaches, good beer (San Miguel Pilsner streets ahead of crappy Chang), good climate, less hassle and scams, to me more genuine people, more friendly, less hassled and burned out with tourists, I did not have any issue with food.....and Thai is probably my world favorite but it does get boring after a month or so.

But give me the rest of the Phills any day over Thailand. There are really ace places to visit...Banaue, Vigan, untouched islands, off shore Robinson Crusoe style resorts.

They also speak English which means you can actually communicate and get involved and more importantly see what is going on with leases, police reports, court stuff, lawyers, doctors, etc, etc.

Yes....just back after being in both countries and I would take the Phills.

Edited March 4, 2016 by harleyclarkey

[harleyclarkey]

Six of one half dozen of the other. Both places have strengths and weaknesses. Both have

great women and bad women. Philippines strengths IMO. English is more widely spoken,

easy visa compliance compared to Thailand. Cheap alcohol and tobacco. (I don't smoke ,

and drink only socially so unimportant to me)

Thailand, strengths IMO. Infrastructure, from roads, health care, availability of suitable

western level accommodation, cost and availability of both western and local food, shopping

and entertainment, the electrical grid. Really up to you though. One of my best friends

stayed three months here in Jomtien, and chose Puerto Galera, Philippines, I stayed 3

months in Puerto Galera giving it an honest trial (it was definitely not cheaper) and chose

here. Both places are quite filthy, power outages 4-5 times a week there, here 4-5 times in

the past 9 months. The weather in Thailand is better. Typhoons are possible year round in

the Philippines. It also rains far more. All that said if there was the level of accommodation

at a similar price I would maybe choose the Philippines even with its infrastructure draw

backs. For me Thailand is a better choice but if English being spoken by many locals to

some degree is your priority, Philippines. All you can do really is go and see for yourself.

The lady/wife situation is obviously important to you. It was not to me. Don't burn you bridges

and don't commit 100% to the Philippines (financially, similar crap property ownership laws

for foreigners as Thailand.) until you have been there a couple of years. I do read many think

the best option is to bring your Philippina GF/wife to Thailand to live. It is worth considering.

Best of luck.

Puerto Galera is probably not the best example Ulic....too near Manila, crowded, over commercialised.

There are hundreds of super beaches/islands where prices are very low and a true escapism experience..

Agreed that to speak and communicate to me is an absolute vital.

[smotherb]

Well, the love of my life is Filipina, maybe I am biased too. I have lived in Manila, Cebu, Daet, Tacloban, Angeles City, and Puerto Galera.

Here comes a lot of my opinion, but it is based upon almost 50 years living, working, and traveling in Asia. I have had wives from Vietnam and the PI; long-term girlfriends from Cambodia, Thailand, Iran and Korea. I know literally scores of expat Westerners married to or in long-term relationships with ladies from SEA.

The Filipinas are more domestically-inclined than Thai, Vietnamese, or Cambodian women seem to be. They are concerned with pleasing their man, both as a sex partner and housekeeper. They actively seek a foreign relationship and want to get out of the Philippines; however, they are content to remain in the PI with a foreigner. All is not well though; Filipinas can also be demanding, unfaithful, money-grubbing and tend to develop a wealth of good stories about a sick buffalo or a grandmother needing an operation.

Almost all Filipinas speak some English and you can actually have conversations with many of them. You are not limited to the relatively poor and uneducated girls that seem to be prevalent in Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia. Many available Filipinas have college degrees, good jobs and have even worked abroad. However, like Latins and Asians, family is always a concern.

Filipinas do not come in as many varieties of builds and facial structures as do Thai women. However, there are high nosed, light-skinned and tall-statured Filipinas, but most are the cute little brown-skinned ones I like so well. Filipinas have better legs and butts than Thai women. That is not to say Thai women’s legs are bad, some are very nice; however, many have flat butts, thick knees, and bowed calves thinner than their knees—in case you have not noticed, I am a butt and leg man.

Officially, immigration offers less hassle and simply having a Filipina spouse entitles you to a one year extension of stay renewable annually—the Balikbayan. Without a Filipina spouse, the Philippines offers long term stay visas or your stay can also be arranged for a fee. Working, investment and buying property has some similarities to Thailand. In short, you can be made to jump through hoops to satisfy them and you never truly own the property or the business—as is the case here, I have seen and heard too many tales of woe to want to get too involved.

The social, technological and civil infrastructures in the PI are not up to the par they are in Thailand or Vietnam, but they are better than Cambodia. In many areas, there are power outages, called brown-outs, some are even scheduled; internet is sometimes not available and almost always slow; sewerage, drainage and garbage collection are sporadic and need help—trash is often littering the streets and any wall is a urinal. Roads are often full of pot-holes and you should never run up on a bridge at speed, if you do not know the road—there may be a difference of several inches in road and bridge levels.

There is considerable graft, along the lines of Cambodia, and more so than here in Thailand, but it is improving. You can expect to pay a ‘facilitation fee’ for many public services. We used to jokingly say, “Oh, gee sorry, I killed your mother did I; how much was that?” Thievery is rampant, you dare not leave your house unattended, it will get broken into. My Filipino in-laws and teacher friends here are all amazed that I still have my Harley, because it is only behind a padlocked gate—they say it would be long-gone in the PI, better knock on wood; watch it be gone in the morning here.

Filipino food is bland and lacks variety—mostly boiled and fried with little imagination. There is a more limited selection of most fruits and vegetables than here in Thailand or in Vietnam. However, pan-de-sol (a small bread roll), saltine-type crackers, white bread, pork, fish, chicken, hot dogs, canned beans, corned beef, sardines, eggs and onions are available everywhere, so you can get by if you don’t like the local foods. Western foods are available in the tourist traps.

Local alcohol: beer, spirits, wine are as cheap as anywhere. In fact, you can get a great 15 year old 750ml Tanduay Rum for about B200 and it is a smooth sipping rum, very nice. The five year old 750ml Tanduay rum may be B60. In many rural bars, “a drink” refers to a half bottle of rum, a bucket of ice, and two bottles of soft drinks—soda is rarely available, unless imported. Red Horse beer makes the old Chang taste like light beer. San Miguel is a good pilsner and San Miguel Light—as is imported here—is an excellent light beer. Local cigarettes are also cheap and are sold one at a time, with a light, if you like.

Housing and hotels are more expensive than here for the same quality. Too many places of accommodation are old and in need of repair. Public transportation, like buses and jeepneys, are relatively cheap; but taxis and tricycles can be expensive and are apt to be old and antiquated. Ferry service boats are also antiquated and slow, but relatively cheap and an alcoholic drink and a snack are usually available.

The country is beautiful, over seven thousand islands, and the larger are mountainous with beautiful green valleys and waterfalls. There are far more beautiful beaches than Thailand ever thought about having, but there are far more trash heaps too. The major cities are polluted and crowded, traffic is a nightmare. The rural areas offer quiet and a rustic existence, but the many small cities on the beach offer the best of both.

Recreational facilities—such as sightseeing, treks, scuba, waterfalls, caves, volcanos, etc., are everywhere. The Spanish left a wide variety of old churches and forts. I like to stay in fishing villages and go fishing with the locals—you’d be surprised what a couple of bottles of cheap alcohol, properly distributed, can get you into. I used to like to stick my mountain bike on a jeepney and be dropped off some 200 kms away; then ride back through the mountains.

Ladies of negotiable virtue are available everywhere, as it is here in Thailand. The tourist traps offer the Western style girlie bars and the rural areas offer a closer variation, but often with an interesting local twist; much better, I think, than the rural Thai Christmas-tree-light bars, karaokes, B20 bars, and booking joints. Massage is available, but nowhere near the quantity or quality available here. However, since almost all speak some English, everything can be arranged. I recommend the happy beginning.

So why, you may ask, am I living in Thailand rather than the PI. I lived there many years, but it got old. I have now lived here many years, and it too has gotten old. However, I will invariably try somewhere else in SEA, probably back to Vietnam. As my old grand pappy use to say, “you pays your money and takes your choice.”

Go take a good long look at the PI, stay in several places in several provinces. It won’t be difficult to get around, they all speak some English and they all take Western currency.

[mrfaroukh]

1. Thai people love Thailand and would like to live in Thailand only, but Philippinos love to travel out for better life.

Ph ladies are more educated as they always try to get a good job in Western countries.

I have many friends happily married to Ph ladies they really take care of families, and work at the same time

No language problem with Ph people.

But if I want to choose where to live, I will choose Thailand as it is more clean, more safe, less beggers, more variety of food.

[ehw200]

I think it depends where you are

in Manila, I spent a month near Edsa ave and Shaw Blvd

on the wrong side of the street

not once did anyone try to scam me

every one in the area was super nice

now in the so called tourist area Malate/Ermita

the scams never stop,,, a new one every 10 or 15 minutes

also never had any problems in Cebu

[louse1953]

Spent time in the Philippines but preferred Thailand. Bangkok, specifically.

Not enough white people in the Philippines. I was living in Boracay and had a great apartment, a woman, and a beautiful beach, but the nightlife was not nearly as good as BKK. I am in my 30s, though, so that may be a bit different.

PROS: Excellent local beer (Red Horse), no drinking restrictions, and a great beach.

CONS: Little to do and limited nightlife.

Wouldn't go back to the Philippines...

You could do a lot worse, though...

Comparing Bangkok's nightlife to Boracay is a bit weird isn't it.Like say Manila is better than Ko Chang.

[marko kok prong]

have to say thanks for all the input,it's seems almost 50-50 for and against. I made a concious descision not to go to Manila or Angeles,hence i will find myself in bohol,which from comments on hear and what i have researched seems to be a good balance,a fair bit of tourism,but hopefully not too overdeveloped,i have no real wish to visit the big cities.The safety angle,well thinks can happen anywhere,i have travelled a lot and i also spent and extended time in Mexico in the 90's,have been in guatemala,and New guinea[though that was for work,in a fairly remote location in a self contained work site]though you do have to spend some time in port Moresby,which can be a little hairy,so i am not overly worried but nor am i complacent,i usually go with'if it does not feel right,don't do it,anyway flights and hotels [for some of the stay] are booked,and i have a very excited lady waiting,so i am not pulling out,also it is starting to get awfully hot In Petchabun now,39c today expected and i am fed up of sitting at home on my own,punctuated by 2 hours in the local expat bar,so thanks to all who have contributed,and sure i will keep you updated when i am there.

[buythisdashcam]

Cambodia is so much better...