Thailand vs Philippines

[ThaiWolf]

I fully understand that my opinion is just that ... my opinion.

After only 4 weeks here I've had enough, i don't like it! Maybe I haven't given it a proper chance but I'm going with my gut instincts and they have always served me well in the past.

I came to PH from Thailand with every intention of settling down with my girl and seeing the rest of my days out. No problems with my extremely intelligent girl, she has her own beautifully furnished 4 bed house in a gated community with a live-in maid, a good viable business, great neighbours, fantastic family etc. Not once have I been asked to make a contribution to anything (obviously I have). All the people I've met have been so friendly and it's been great to have an intelligent conversation about almost any subject. 

I'm comparing to my 10 years in Thailand living on the outskirts of a provincial city .... The same scenario as here in Iloilo.

So what went wrong?

It's so expensive here. (except the booze which is ridiculously cheap)
Food costs are 50-100% more for many basic items especially meat. Choice of foodstuffs is limited and I'm not talking about western foods. 
I find the food bland in the restaurants and also with the family home cooking.  I like rice but not with every dish and certainly not for breakfast. I don't want to be eating separately from everyone  else.
Utility costs are 50% higher + frequent power outages and water supply cuts. They don't last long but still a pita. They happen in Thailand but not to the extent of here.
The infrastructure maintenance is poor. In Thailand it seems so much more modern with bike lanes etc. 
Public transport is poor. Taxis are great though and affordable.
I like to play competitive badminton even at my age. The club courts I visited are sadly outdated and again expensive. I'm a football fan, not into basketball. 
It's great to have a close community but it's a little too much with the constant 'marites' that goes on in the street. 
Immigration is expensive. Both countries have hoops to overcome but Thailand does offer more in the way of incentives.
Medical costs are quite affordable in Thailand and the standards of care I believe are better. I had to have a course of rabies vaccination here .... A small dog bite clinic (that's another story)   

My honest opinion is the Philippines is way, way behind Thailand in almost every aspect of amenities and lifestyles available to a western guy, even if he is willing to give it a go and try to adapt to a different way of life. I understand the transport of goods from one island to another increases overall costs but even locally produced goods in the market are over-priced and of a poor quality by my standards. It's not all about money but that is an important factor, it's about general well-being and overall contentment with life. I'm not going to find it here, much to my disappointment.

The few foreigners I've seen here looked sad, almost as though they are in a trap with no chance of escape. 

If I could take my girl to Thailand or even to another part of the Philippines I would give it a go but sadly her life is in Iloilo / Bacolod.
Bless her, she understands. 

I've travelled around different areas of Thailand, from the tourist areas to where I lived in Isaan, the food bowl of Thailand. I'm not saying it's all good and it depends on what you want out of life but I definitely believe the pros outnumber the cons. As for the women ....... Certainly 'slimmer' than Filipino's but most haven't got the intellect or the ability to comprehend even the most basic of English, unlike here. Learn Thai they shout ..... No thanks it's better that I can't understand you!  

JMHO.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[BrettGC]

Well at least you won't die wondering 

You gave it a shot mate, and even after 6 months here myself I can see the downsides compared to Thailand (yes I've spent a lot of time there), but as they say, each to their own and for reasons I can't put my finger on, I just prefer PI. 

I guess it comes down to a nearly finished developing country (if you could even still call Thailand that,  I have my doubts) compared to The Philippines, which is still very much in the throws of growing pains I'm not sure it will ever grow out of.  

Best of luck mate 

[Dave Hounddriver]

7 hours ago, ThaiWolf said:

Immigration is expensive. Both countries have hoops to overcome but Thailand does offer more in the way of incentives.

A very well put together comparison.  Thank you.  Of course opinions will differ but it was refreshing to hear yours.  Now to the "immigration" part that I quoted.  This is the first time I have heard of Thailand offering better incentives than Philippines.  Can you elaborate on that?

[ThaiWolf]

Sitting in Manila airport waiting for terminal transfer... Another negative! 

21 minutes ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

A very well put together comparison.  Thank you.  Of course opinions will differ but it was refreshing to hear yours.  Now to the "immigration" part that I quoted.  This is the first time I have heard of Thailand offering better incentives than Philippines.  Can you elaborate on that?

A retirement extension is so easy. In and out of the local office in 30 mins. Easiest way is 800k baht in a fixed acct. It can be done on income of 65k per month or a combination of the two. Cost 1900 baht per year. 

Marriage extension is slightly more complicated but financially less of a burden, only 400k to sit in an acct or 40k per month income. None of this 2 months at a time and cost malarkey. 

Easy to get I.D card valid for life if over 60. Cost 20 baht! Residence book is free. Drivers licence is easy as well. 

Check the Thai Bureau of Immigration website for other options. Many guys use agents which can do the lot for you, they even have ways of by-passing the financial requirements required. 

[Possum]

Due to my previous occupation I have spent considerable time in Asia. I will agree that Thailand has many advantages, especially the medical care which is world class. I also enjoyed my time in Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan and Singapore. Were I wealthy I would have retired in Singapore. However, for me Philippines is a nice mix of advantages and disadvantages that balance each other out. English is taught here which is an advantage. Is it understood here? Somewhat but it's a start for someone who is weary of learning other languages . Cost of living is low. I find the food available to be to my liking though at times I miss the variety available outside the major population areas. Driving and roads are a horror in the provinces. Most people are not aware of the traffic laws and law enforcement is nonexistent.The government is run by family dynasties employed by a relatively few very rich people. So the country is an oligarchy. Being from the US I am used to that so not a big issue.

I find that if you keep a low profile, don't get into disputes with minor officialdom and treat folks with respect one can have a happy life here. In my experience the average person in the provinces is much more compassionate than the average person in so called developed countries. But that's just my personal experience...thus far.

[hk blues]

18 hours ago, ThaiWolf said:

If I could take my girl to Thailand or even to another part of the Philippines I would give it a go but sadly her life is in Iloilo / Bacolod.
Bless her, she understands. 

Based on the attached report, I wouldn't advise you to waste your time trying anywhere else here - the Philippines is not for everyone.

https://touristspotsfinder.com/most-livable-cities-philippines/

 

[skippyscage]

11 hours ago, Greglm said:

Most people are not aware of the traffic laws and law enforcement is nonexistent.

I would take a guess that 50% or more don't even hold a driving licence and the number climbs the further south you go

[Peaceful John]

TW, I agree with everything you said.  And thank you for sharing your thoughts.  To me, the real value in staying here is your roots.  I have a wife who I love and adore (although there are days I question that......research Tampo) and 2 kids.  I have roots here that push me to see the positive side and make it work.  It seems your roots are in Thailand and the act of transplanting them here is going to be a trying journey to say the least (and maybe not worth the effort).  Maybe consider a part time PI experience (back and forth every 4 to 6 months) since your lady friend just might be a rare find anywhere and worth investing some time in to see if she is a positive value add to your life.  Just my thoughts.  In any case, I can truly say if I had the same roots here as you do, I would feel exactly as you do and would definitely rethink returning to the life you are more comfortable with.  And by the way (and I'm sure you already know this), but it is completely, 100% normal, for you to be feeling this way at this point in your transition.  Follow your heart my friend as it is your best guide.  Good luck to you TW and please keep us informed as to what you decide  (and if your decide to head back to Thailand, stay connected with us so we can experience your comparisons.  

[hk blues]

1 hour ago, Peaceful John said:

TW, I agree with everything you said.  And thank you for sharing your thoughts.  To me, the real value in staying here is your roots.  I have a wife who I love and adore (although there are days I question that......research Tampo) and 2 kids.  I have roots here that push me to see the positive side and make it work.  It seems your roots are in Thailand and the act of transplanting them here is going to be a trying journey to say the least (and maybe not worth the effort).  Maybe consider a part time PI experience (back and forth every 4 to 6 months) since your lady friend just might be a rare find anywhere and worth investing some time in to see if she is a positive value add to your life.  Just my thoughts.  In any case, I can truly say if I had the same roots here as you do, I would feel exactly as you do and would definitely rethink returning to the life you are more comfortable with.  And by the way (and I'm sure you already know this), but it is completely, 100% normal, for you to be feeling this way at this point in your transition.  Follow your heart my friend as it is your best guide.  Good luck to you TW and please keep us informed as to what you decide  (and if your decide to head back to Thailand, stay connected with us so we can experience your comparisons.  

I think that this is an excellent take on living here in the Philippines.  How many of us would be here, and stay here, if our wives/partners weren't here?  I wouldn't.  Now, it's not that life here is so bad, and certainly my own experience of living here in Iloilo is very different from ThaiWolf's but so what - we are different people with different needs, wants, budgets, expectations, locations and partner/family around us.  

Side Note - My username is hk blues - all things being equal (they never are) I'd be in Hong Kong now, not the Philippines.  Maybe the same applies to ThaiWolf? 

[Snowy79]

To be fair sometimes once you've been here a while you adapt or tailor your expectations a bit, maybe even move around and change the scenery and circle of friends but one thing that did reopen my eyes was taking a short break to Cambodia, it makes you realise that the Philippines is a bit backward in certain areas which if it's one of your priorities could be a deal changer.  All the best back in Thailand.