Thread: What differences between Philippines and Thailand??

I just got back writing to an old friend who's dating a Phili lady with the hope of marrying her. He asked me for comparisons to what he pays for things and what I pay in Thailand. Basically asking which was poorer of the two? I've never been to the Phili's so I looked it up on the web. I looked at this site and I can't believe the writer has been to Thailand. Here's what she says about Thais and alcohol.

Alcohol – it seems that in these 2 countries people are just not alcohol fans. Personally, I almost never saw a Filipino (apart from that crazy night when we ended up at the swimming pool at 3.30 am) or a Thai person drinking alcohol, not even when we went out at night. There are definitely less people drinking than somewhere in Europe, for example.

Similarities and differences between Thailand and Philippines

Firstly, do you think she is she correct?? And secondly, what are the differences between the two countries?? I think she's wrong regarding alcohol in Thailand so I don't believe the rest of her post.

Your suspicions are correct. Thai like a drink as much as anyone else, although I have met more teetotal women here than anywhere else.
This woman sounds like a failed NGO worker, probably a lesbian and a vegetarian, who may once have been in the same building as Jeremy Corbyn.

^I didn't even read her crap past the part where she said she had been in Thailand for a total of 5 weeks, and the PI for three.

I lived in Thailand for 6 years, and have lived here for 20.

Differences:

Language. Most Filipinos speak at least basic English. Thais don't.

Food. Thai food is good. Flip food sucks.

Immigration Policy. Much easier here, probably due to far, far fewer tourists and temporary residents.

Cost of living: Quite similar.

Consumer goods: Quite similar.

Infrastructure. Worse here. Spotty power. Highest electric rates in Asia. Shitty internet speed; highest costs in Asia. Generally shitty, old, collapsing infrastructure across the board.

Violence. Similar. Violence against foreigners. Much less here due to fewer targets.

^
Well summed up - spot on imo.

^^ And the flip birds seem a little bit chunkier but easier going?

^Perhaps. My wife is quite small...5'3, 106 lbs. But yes, in general I would say Flip ladies are larger. Easier going, yes, I would agree.

Thank you Davis. You explain it quite well, thanks.

I concur with Davis.

Nailed it.

Especially the food.

My wife, who is a university-trained chef, and I have pondered the food issue for years. Basically, most of the same ingredients are available in both countries. Great pork, chicken, fish and seafood....beef, not so much. Great fruit and vegetables. We have concluded that there is simply no logical explanation for the qualitative difference in the food of the two countries other than Flips can't cook. They can take a beautiful fish right out of the ocean and fuck it up. Quite strange.

I also think when evaluating the inhabitants of the two countries, it can't be overemphasized how much difference being able to communicate with the locals in something other than monosyllabic grunts makes. In my years in Thailand, I knew relatively few foreigners who could speak fairly good Thai, including many who were married to Thai women and/or had lived there for years.

Flips are generally more willing to travel than Thai, who in most cases don't transplant as well. Possibly because Thai don't want to live elsewhere, and Flips do. The sheer volume of Flips who live/work outside of the PI out of economic necessity results in a more worldly population.

But, if I had to pick one thing, I would say language is the deciding factor. It's rough living in a country like Thailand and being able to speak only very basic Thai - it's a game-changer as far as quality of life.

Lazy me. Only just read the link.

From the woman who posted in the link:

Maybe because I don’t drink,

Smoking – for non-smokers like me, Philippines and Thailand is a true paradise! Very few locals smoke there

I even tried catfish as that was before I became vegan

lol

Originally Posted by chassamui

Your suspicions are correct. Thai like a drink as much as anyone else, although I have met more teetotal women here than anywhere else.

Disagree.

A far higher percentage of Thais are teetotal than in most of our home countries imo.

Thing is a far higher percentage who do drink consume gutrot alcohol that they can't handle.

And doesn't your second point suggest your first is inaccurate?

In my admittedly limited experience this was also true in the Philippines.

Cyrille I have lived in tourist areas and also spent 4 years in rural Thailand. Thais do drink, often to excess and often pretty unstable locally produced stuff.
I used the comparison with a number of women abstaining, as it compares to my experience in the west. It does indeed seem unusual and counter intuitive to the main point. However, I can only speak as I find.

The blogger is an Eastern European. No doubt Thai and Filipinos drink less, relatively speaking, than those who chain smoke and swill down anything alcoholic they can get their hands on in many Eastern European countries.

In Thailand, I lived for three years in Bangkok, and three in a dusty little border town. In the PI, I lived in Manila for 7 or 8 years, and the rest in a smaller, partially rural area. In none of those have I seen the excessive binge drinking and alcoholism prevalent in the West.

Neither Flips nor Thai, in my experience, handle large quantities of alcohol well.

Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton

Easier going, yes, I would agree.

Maybe, maybe not. Only woman that ever tried to attack me with a knife was Filipina ex wife. Small, but fiery. The fact that I laughed didn't help matters...

Interesting point. IMHO Filipinas are way better at sex than Thai. Must be the Catholic upbringing.

Originally Posted by FlyFree

Interesting point. IMHO Filipinas are way better at sex than Thai.

I would agree. Filipinas certainly appear to enjoy it more.

Originally Posted by chassamui

probably a lesbian and a vegetarian

not many rug munchers enjoy a sausage.

Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton

In none of those have I seen the excessive binge drinking and alcoholism prevalent in the West.
.

Different story up country though Davis. Posted previously that on my first trip up country, woke up early (5, 5.30ish), and all the village men were sat around a small fire outside, swigging back the local brew.

I asked the missus what the hell - and got the reply that they would not be able to start work until the shakes had gone.....

^Certainly don't doubt it exists. I don't, however, think binge drinking and alcoholism are even close to the rates in many Western countries.

I've been in a lot of Thai and Filipino bars - you see them drinking in groups, but it's very rare to see a solitary drinker at the bar hunched over his drink(s), as is often seen in the West.

I don't, however, think binge drinking and alcoholism are even close to the rates in many Western countries.

Not sure about alcoholism - up-country, people who drink often drink a lot - but you're right about binge drinking. The hideous drinking habits of the British are generally not replicated in Thailand, thank fuck.

Originally Posted by Passing Through

up-country, people who drink often drink a lot

I agree. Hong Tong gets drunk like beer where I live. Europeans social drink whereby Asians drink to get pissed as fast as possible IMO.

^Agree.

Originally Posted by chassamui

Cyrille I have lived in tourist areas and also spent 4 years in rural Thailand. Thais do drink, often to excess and often pretty unstable locally produced stuff.
I used the comparison with a number of women abstaining, as it compares to my experience in the west. It does indeed seem unusual and counter intuitive to the main point. However, I can only speak as I find.

The op said he is suspicious about the contention that fewer people in Thailand drink than in our home countries.

You said the op's suspicions are correct.

I at no point said 'Thais do not drink'. I merely agree that fewer people drink than in our home countries. More abstain, but a high percentage of those who do drink get rat arsed. They also seem to start in on it remarkably early in the day. That's my experience.

Originally Posted by fishlocker

As to which place is poorer god only knows.

Not true. I know. The Philippines is far more poverty stricken than Thailand. By a huge percentage.