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Retirement Options: Thailand vs PH
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What country is better for a 62 year old single man to retire to, the Philippines or Thailand? And why?
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As Paul said, the Philippines would be the best for you if you are white or speak English and if that is your chief concern. However, having lived in the Philippines for 2 years myself, I will let you know that it is only in the major cities that you will find people that can speak English. If you go into the countryside then you will not find an ENglish speaker unless you run into a teacher or government bureaucrat. I spent most of my time in the Eastern Visayas and of necessity had to learn the local dialect as many people did not even speak Tagalog, much less English (as a friend of mine in Manila said, “Even the bums under the bridge speak English in Manila!”). And wasn’t it a treat for the custom officials to meet an American with an Eastern Samar accent. For those of you in America, picture a rural Kentucky or West Virginia accent, I was speaking the local equivalent. However, as long as you stick to places like the National Capital Region, Cebu, Davao City, or tourist traps then you should be fine. Most there can speak at least broken English. Now lets consider other reasons. Economic: Edit: I added PPP in here, but I am no economic expert so good luck interpreting it. Thailand : 1 Thai Baht equals 0.028 US Dollar So 100 USD is 3526.00 Baht. The Dollar is strong in Thailand. The Gross Domestic Product per capita in Thailand was last recorded at 15346.65 US dollars in 2015, when adjusted by purchasing power parity (PPP). The GDP per Capita, in Thailand, when adjusted by Purchasing Power Parity is equivalent to 86 percent of the world's average. GDP per capita PPP in Thailand averaged 10899.27 USD from 1990 until 2015, reaching an all time high of 15346.65 USD in 2015 and a record low of 6650.69 USD in 1990. Thailand GDP per capita PPP | 1990-2017 | Data | Chart | Calendar Philippines: 1 Philippine Peso equals 0.02 US Dollar 100 USD is 4994.78 Philippine Peso. The Dollar is stronger in the Philippines. The Gross Domestic Product per capita in Philippines was last recorded at 6938.21 US dollars in 2015, when adjusted by purchasing power parity (PPP). The GDP per Capita, in Philippines, when adjusted by Purchasing Power Parity is equivalent to 39 percent of the world's average. GDP per capita PPP in Philippines averaged 4798.99 USD from 1990 until 2015, reaching an all time high of 6938.21 USD in 2015 and a record low of 3796.61 USD in 1993. Philippines GDP per capita PPP | 1990-2017 | Data | Chart | Calendar Religion: Philippines: Are you Catholic? If you are then you will find plenty of parishes to go to whenever you want mass. Are you one the of the very few foreigner Iglesia ni Cristo members? You’re in luck. The Philippines is your religions headquarters. Are you Seventh-Day Adventist, Jehovah’s Witness, Nondenominational or Mormon? You will find a Church in the major cities and their surrounding areas. If you are Muslim, move to Mindanao. Thailand: This is a very Buddhist land. If not Buddhist, they are Hindu, or practice traditional Chinese religions. If you are an Atheist this would be a pretty good place to go. You won’t be bugged much about your beliefs in God or lack thereof here though you might be asked to meditate. Religion in Thailand – Wikipedia Cultural/Food: Philippines: I call the Philippines, Spasia (Spay-sya) or Spanish Asia. All the towns are based of the old Spanish design. There will be a town square with city hall and a cathedral/church at the center. Most of the food has obvious foreign influence. One of the biggest is Mexican. A lot of Mexicans (both Mestizo and Native MesoAmericans) were shipped to the Philippines to work as administrators, bureaucrats, and constables for the Spanish Colonial Authority, promised good work, and an eventual return to Mexico. They never got that return to Mexico. So…yeah. Menudo, Asada, etc. You will find a lot of Mexican dishes there, but sweeter. They are not big on spice there. Now one big culture difference is how loyal they are to their families. In America, and to a lesser extent in Western Europe, we have a very individualistic, pull yourself up by your bootstraps mentality. We only give our family monetary aid if they really need it, but really they can always go to the government. They can usually go there for help. You can’t do that in the Philippines. So if you get involved with a Filipina, expect at least some of your money to be sent to their family. If it is a good family then they will put that money towards their home, their business, their farm, etc. If your lover has siblings still of school age then you can expect that money to go towards their education. Unfortunately, some families will be more than willing to take as much money from you as possible and stop working at all. Be wary, because if that happens you may find yourself penniless and your in-laws drunk. Philippines – Wikipedia Thailand: The culture here is kind of a mix between other Southeast Asia cultures with strong Indian and Chinese influences to produce something uniquely Thai. The cuisine also reflects this. You should be able to try Thai Cuisine yourself by locating a Thai restaurant. Respecting Elders is very big here so if you ever become established in the community or join a family expect respect from those younger than you, especially Children. Thailand – Wikipedia Transportation: Philippines: It sucks. You think traffic was bad in New York City or L.A., well, Traffic is more “fun” in the Philippines. You would be best served to buy yourself a scooter or a motorcycle and be the most defensive driver the world has ever seen. Thailand: From what I have heard, it is not any better here. Relationships: Philippines: Marami masyadong malapit mamatay or MMMM. Is a common phrase. It essentially means ready to die or will die soon. Some Filipinas, the patient ones, will marry you, they will stay with you until the day you die and then will take the money that you have left her to do with her life want she wants to do. This could be pursuing a man she actually wants instead of needs, starting a business, who knows. A small amount will cheat you out of everything you own and leave you the moment that you no longer have money. A small amount will genuinely fall in love with you and will be the apple of your eye. These are the ones that will marry you for you and just see your money as a nice perk or as an essential to raise children with you. Yes, many will want children. The rest will not be interested in you because they are either not interested in Foreigners or in old Foreigners. Thailand: From what I have heard, the Thailand is fairly similar to the Philippines in this regard. Weather: Both are tropical, wet, and humid. The Philippines, being on the edge of the Pacific has worse storms. Conclusion: If it was me, I would stay in America. I have too much family here. No children though, because I am in my 20’s and not yet married. Also, I’m too attached with my creature comforts here to leave them for more than a year or two.
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If you are english speaking, the Philippines is a better place to retire to. Almost everyone in the Philippines understand and speak english since it is one of the official language of government. It is also being taught in schools. Sometimes, it is even the first language of young children of the middle class Filipinos. Since everyone speaks english: It will be easier for you to put up a business should you still be inclined to do so. (62 years old, you are still young).If you get sick, all your care givers from the highly profesional doctors and nurses to the humble hospital worker, will understand you easily and you will be able to communicate clearly what ails you or what you feel.Relationships need trust and understanding. It is easier to build relationships if people can talk in a common language.Filipinos are more hospitable and are generally more accepting of foreigners especially westerners. At 62 years old, you can still find love (true love even) in these islands. Like Thailand, the country is a big tropical island paradise.