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Hello all - I'm curious as to the major differences between the two in the context of an American tourist taking an extended vacation----two months---there.
Which has better beaches?
Which one is more maneuverable in terms of the language barrier?
Which is more economical in terms of every day cost of living for the average tourist?
Which has better food?
Which has better medical and dental services?
Which is the least expensive in terms of medical and dental?
Hello all - I'm curious as to the major differences between the two in the context of an American tourist taking an extended vacation----two months---there.
Which has better beaches? - Philippines
Which one is more maneuverable in terms of the language barrier? - Stay at the tourist spots in either country and they will speak english, otherwise the philippines
Which is more economical in terms of every day cost of living for the average tourist? - Thailand
Which has better food? - Thailand by a million milies, the phillipense if you like lots and lots and lots of fried chicken
Which has better medical and dental services? Will let some one else answer this one
Which is the least expensive in terms of medical and dental?
Thanks for your thoughts!
Last edited by danielsa1775; 09-03-2010 at 05:00 AM..
language is a no-brainer - they speak English in Phil Food is also no brainer - that's Thailand by a mile
comparisons in the other categories are closer
medical : probably Thailand, esp. BKK. Medical tourism is a big business, esp. plastic surgery & dental.
beaches: Phil has more, but some of the islands off Thailand are just as good and easier to get to.
cost of living: edge to Thailand but the baht is strengthening now against the western currencies, so it's not the bargain it used to be.
you left out political stability. Both countries have major corruption and a very unequal distribution of wealth. However, Thailand will likely see a major struggle for power when the King dies. The military will definitely be a major factor in deciding which faction takes over the government. In just the last two years there have been two major incidents involving the "yellow shirts" and "red shirts" that caused major inconvenience to tourists to say the least.
The Philippines are more packed. They will hit the 100 -million mark soon-and it's half the size of Thailand, which has only 65 bn. inhabitants and a low birthrate.
So as far as demographics are concerned, Thailand is better.
Hello all - I'm curious as to the major differences between the two in the context of an American tourist taking an extended vacation----two months---there.
Which has better beaches?
Which one is more maneuverable in terms of the language barrier?
Which is more economical in terms of every day cost of living for the average tourist?
Which has better food?
Which has better medical and dental services?
Which is the least expensive in terms of medical and dental?
Thanks for your thoughts!
BEACHES - BOTH have great beaches. Thailand's beaches are absolutely packed with tourists pretty much everywhere. The Philippines have significantly quieter more relaxing beaches. If you want to party on the beach, go to Thailand. There are two beaches for that that are okay in the Philippines though, but mostly they are much more quiet affairs. Both countries have some beautiful beaches though.
LANGUAGE BARRIER - English is pretty much everywhere in the Philippines, most of the signs, the major newspapers, and most everyone speaks it (but with a Filipino accent). Thailand, almost NO english, except around the tourist areas, where tourist-related people, will probably speak some very good English. If you are just doing the tourist things, Thailand is fine. If you want to get way off the beaten track, you are much better off in the Philippines.
COST OF LIVING/EXPENSES: I would say that Thailand has a lot more cooler things to spend your money on, which could add up quickly. Beer is dirt cheap in the Philippines. Hotels are slightly higher in the Philippines, but not by a lot. I think it is fairly similar though, really.
FOOD: Thailand.
MEDICAL/DENTAL: I am not sure about Thailand, but the Philippines is where many of the world's nurses come from...I would personally rather be sick in the Philippines with Filipina nurses, and English everywhere, IF I were to have some medical needs.
The Philippines are more packed. They will hit the 100 -million mark soon-and it's half the size of Thailand, which has only 65 bn. inhabitants and a low birthrate.
So as far as demographics are concerned, Thailand is better.
Have you been to the Philippines? There are over 7000 islands!! Just going on boats, you pass by many completely deserted beautiful white-sand beaches, that seem ripe for tourism, but lay completely empty.
MANILA is packed with people...and so is BANGKOK. They are both about the same in that regard. But the rest of the country versus the rest of the country, is about the same.
The only big thing I have noticed is that you cannot go anywhere in Thailand without seeing hundreds of foreign tourists absolutely everywhere, whereas in the Philippines, you hardly see any foreign tourists.
Tiger and everyone else - Thanks for your awesome replies so far. I get the vibe that there is some good grubn's to be had in Thailand!
!f anyone could supply more info on the medical and dental in both countries I'd sure appreciate it!
I've never been to the Philippines, so I can't give you any medical/dental related info there. But I can give you an opinion regarding non-critical medical/dental treatment experiences that I've had in Thailand. Bumrungrad International Hospital in Bangkok is well known among expats and foreigners as a top-rated, high quality hospital and medical center. It's accredited by the Joint Commission International (JCI) as well as meets US standards. The facilities there are as modern as any to be found in the US. By Thai standards, it's spendy, but by US standards, it's a bargain without sacrificing quality. If you preregister with them online, your waiting time for appointments can be drastically shortened. I've been there in the past to see a neurologist and was very satisfied with the professionalism and results. Bumrungrad International Hospital | World-class Bangkok Hospital in Thailand for Medical Tourism
There are other excellent international hospitals in Bangkok, and other parts of the country, such as Chiang Mai and other larger cities frequented by tourists, business travelers and expats. English is not a problem as most physicians have had training abroad.
Unless there is an absolute emergency, I'd avoid non-international facilities apart from minor treatment such as colds, general checkup, etc. Sometimes quality standards and equipment are not so great at such domestic facilities, lack specialists, and communication in English could be a problem. That goes for very small clinics and local physicians as well.
As for dental needs, there are numerous dental clinics around the country that can provide excellent care. All dental facilities are supposedly required to provide dental x-rays before any initial treatment. But there are very small places that don't do that. Most of the major international medical centers also have dental clinics on site, but there are many small private dental offices that provide excellent care and are priced much lower. Regardless, it pays to shop around and get reliable recommendations in advance.
I'm not a medical/dental expert. My wife and I have a house in Thailand, so please keep in mind that my opinions, although based on around 20 years of experience in Thailand, are just that -- my own personal opinions.
If you'd like better information, there are some Thailand expat forums dealing with health-related questions. Feel free to send me a direct message if you'd like the URL.
Last edited by NightBazaar; 09-04-2010 at 09:27 AM..
Reason: slight rewording
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