What’s the difference between the Philippines and Thailand?

Many people say the Philippines is just like Thailand. Perhaps, it’s because Filipinos and Thais have similar physical attributes; or maybe because the pollution, as well as the traffic situation in both countries, is more or less the same. The similarities do not end there, surely, but there, too, are many aspects in which you can say that the Philippines is not Thailand and Thailand is not the Philippines.

What's the difference between the Philippines and Thailand?
What’s the difference between the Philippines and Thailand?

For one thing, Thailand is a lot bigger than the Philippines in terms of land area but while there are only around 67 million people living in Thailand, there are close to 105 million people living in the Philippines. The population growth rate of Thailand is only .4%, while the Philippines’ is 1.87%.

The Philippines has a rather colorful history in the sense that it was under foreign rule for long time before it gained its independence. The Philippines was in the hands of the Spanish for three centuries, which pretty much explains why many street names and Filipino family names are in Spanish, and why the Philippines is predominantly Catholic. The country was also under American influence for about 50 years. Thailand, meanwhile, was never under such influences, European or American.

It is quite easier to get by in the Philippines because of the fact that Filipinos can speak and understand the English language better than Thais. You don’t need to carry a Filipino dictionary with you when traveling to the Philippines at all, although of course, that is really up to you if you want to learn a few Filipino words. But Thailand, being tourist-friendly, will always have someone close by who can translate your language to Thai or Thai language to English.

There’s a world of difference between Filipino food and Thai food, too. A food blogger describes Filipino food in two ways; one it is “food for the crazy”, and second it is “food for the lazy”. Take for instance “Kare-Kare” which has to be cooked bland and then eaten with salty “bagoong” (a pasty condiment made of shrimp), or “adobo” which you just put in all the ingredients together and simply wait till everything is cooked. Generally, Filipino dishes are delicious, but heavy on the stomach, more so since they are best eaten with rice (and not just one serving of rice, mind you!). Thai foods, on the other hand, are “herbilicious”. They come with a distinct herby scent and taste.

When it comes to dating, it’s hard to say who are better, Thai women or Filipino women. Eventually, one’s choice depends on one’s personal preference. Both are beautiful, without a doubt. Thai women, though, are more aggressive, and perhaps because of the foods they eat, have a distinct scent that lots of men find attractive. Filipino women are charming and they often are good conversationalists.

Both the Philippines and Thailand are a haven for tourists. Both countries boast of world class travel destinations and tour packages in all budget sizes. It would be an incredibly wonderful thing if you can visit both countries at different times and see for yourself what’s the difference between Philippines and Thailand. (Link to this article: http://filipinofilipinaheart.com/whats-the-difference-between-the-philippines-and-thailand/)