bocceball1

Years ago a thai friend of mine took me to meet some other friends of hers (this was in Bangkok). Well, where we went could be consider nothing more than a Slum ....no roads, just alleys and planks, the places where most lived look like temporary workers sheds with corrugated tin roofs, although some were the old thai wooden houses you see in the country and some even had concrete block for walls. When we were leaving one old women (at least 80) invited Us into her home (well, onto her porch where she was sitting) as she had never seen a farang in the area before. I tried to beg off gracefully but she wouldn't let me. It was some kind of honor for her to host a farang in her home (or so my friend told me).She couldn't walk so when she offered me something to drink and eat she motioned toward her refrigerator. Inside was some water and an apple (That was It!)....my friend I was with indicated to me that I couldn't refuse as such would be an insult to her. She had basicly offered me the last of her food, Her kindness was something I never experienced in the west and I wanted to help (give her a little money) ....again my friend said that would also insult her and that I shouldn't.

As a country....good infrastructure, great weather ....so for me a fantastic place to live.

As to the Thai people....well, people are people, good and bad everywhere but my experience has been to meet people who generally have nothing but are willing to give ....especially of their hearts.......so again ....a fantastic place to live

Maybe apart from the homeless living on the streets there aren't any Thai people with nothing don't be fooled by poverty pleading, they choose not to live in posh houses or dress themselves in smart clothes because it is not important to then and dumping rubbish everywhere is their way.

Travel around the small villages meet some of the old mums you will discover they are not as poor as you are led to believe; I have met many from all parts of Thailand on my travels they own land and have a stash or cash they just choose not to spend it.

You say give their hearts but what are you actually getting?

What do they actually give?

But I agree a fantastic place to live.

Never said Thai people had nothing........I said "...generally have nothing"...meaning compared to the west and obviously NOT all Thai's....The Thai's I have met are generally poor....living paycheck to paycheck if their lucky enough to have a job! and those who don't have a job, they appear to live off the generosity of their neighbors, family and eat when they have food and when they don't .......they don't eat ....but seem to always have rice. Glad to hear that the old Mums in the villages have land and money (guess they don't have to send their daughters to Pattaya to help them survive)

When I say they give of their hearts...that's my perception....their helpful and offer their help when not asked (and insulted or hurt if you refuse their help whatever form it may take)

One old women from a slum area (at least to my western standard's it was ....many of the homes were just brick walls with corrugated tin roofs, no roads just alleyways meandering in and out) I was visiting once invited me into her home as she had never seen a farang in the area before. I tried to beg off gracefully but she wouldn't let me. It was some kind of honor for her to host a farang in her home (or so my friend told me).She couldn't walk so when she offered me something to drink and eat she motioned toward her refrigerator. Inside was some water and an apple (That was It!)....my friend I was with indicated to me that I couldn't refuse as such would be an insult to her. Her kindness was something I never experienced in the west and I wanted to help (give her a little money) ....again my friend said that would also insult her and that I shouldn't.

Have many more heartfelt stories of Thai's showing kindness to me for no other reason than to be kind...

So the Thailand I live in is obviously different from the one you and many TV posters live in ......good or bad? don't know....but for me its been Fantastic and have no regrets living here.

I agree some things make no sense.....but then again there are tourists that come to Thailand or go on vacation and make no sense as noted below

THESE ARE ACTUAL COMPLAINTS RECEIVED BY “THOMAS COOK VACATIONS FROM DISSATISFIED CUSTOMERS”:

1. “I think it should be explained in the brochure that the local convenience store does not sell proper biscuits like custard creams or ginger nuts.”

2. “It’s lazy of the local shopkeepers in Puerto Vallarta to close in the afternoons. I often needed to buy things during ‘siesta’ time — this should be banned.”

3. “On my holiday to Goa in India , I was disgusted to find that almost every restaurant served curry. I don’t like spicy food.”

5. “The beach was too sandy. We had to clean everything when we returned to our room.”

6. “We found the sand was not like the sand in the brochure. Your brochure shows the sand as white but it was more yellow.”

7. “They should not allow topless sunbathing on the beach. It was very distracting for my husband who just wanted to relax.”

8. “No-one told us there would be fish in the water. The children were scared.”

9. “Although the brochure said that there was a fully equipped kitchen, there was no egg-slicer in the drawers.”

10. “We went on holiday to Spain and had a problem with the taxi drivers as they were all Spanish.”

11. “The roads were uneven and bumpy, so we could not read the local guide book during the bus ride to the resort. Because of this, we were unaware of many things that would have made our holiday more fun.”

12. “It took us nine hours to fly home from Jamaica to England. It took the Americans only three hours to get home. This seems unfair.”

13. “I compared the size of our one-bedroom suite to our friends’ three-bedroom and ours was significantly smaller.”

14. “The brochure stated: ‘No hairdressers at the resort’. We’re trainee hairdressers and we think they knew and made us wait longer for service.”

15. “There were too many Spanish people there. The receptionist spoke Spanish, the food was Spanish. No one told us that there would be so many foreigners.”

16. “We had to line up outside to catch the boat and there was no air-conditioning.”

17. “It is your duty as a tour operator to advise us of noisy or unruly guests before we travel.”

18. “I was bitten by a mosquito. The brochure did not mention mosquitoes.”

19. “My fiance and I requested twin-beds when we booked, but instead we were placed in a room with a king bed. We now hold you responsible and want to be re-reimbursed for the fact that I became pregnant. This would not have happened if you had put us in the room that we booked.”

Op....I am going to assume that your post was done in "sarcasm", otherwise as pointed out earlier its gibberish.

As for understanding Thai's ....well...IMO westerner's will never understand Thai thinking ....and if you ever get to that ahhhh moment where you THINK you understand Thai's....well ...you've just become delusional.

As for you more recent post and asking the question "why" ....well I think you hit the nail on the head there....throughout my education (Jesuit) that was the only thing they ever taught me ....was to question everything and discover my own answers.

Obviously the question "why" is not in the Thai education system.....And Why you ask....IMO its because the elite don't want an educated public...they like it just the way it is ....so they can exploit them.

Posted this a few months ago in the travel section....got a few views ...thought I'd share this in General Topics for everybody to enjoy

Found this on another site....would've linked it but don't know what the rules are re linking....Just thought they were hilarious!!!!! and wanted to share.

THESE ARE ACTUAL COMPLAINTS RECEIVED BY “THOMAS COOK VACATIONS FROM DISSATISFIED CUSTOMERS”:

1. “I think it should be explained in the brochure that the local convenience store does not sell proper biscuits like custard creams or ginger nuts.”

2. “It’s lazy of the local shopkeepers in Puerto Vallarta to close in the afternoons. I often needed to buy things during ‘siesta’ time — this should be banned.”

3. “On my holiday to Goa in India , I was disgusted to find that almost every restaurant served curry. I don’t like spicy food.”

5. “The beach was too sandy. We had to clean everything when we returned to our room.”

6. “We found the sand was not like the sand in the brochure. Your brochure shows the sand as white but it was more yellow.”

7. “They should not allow topless sunbathing on the beach. It was very distracting for my husband who just wanted to relax.”

8. “No-one told us there would be fish in the water. The children were scared.”

9. “Although the brochure said that there was a fully equipped kitchen, there was no egg-slicer in the drawers.”

10. “We went on holiday to Spain and had a problem with the taxi drivers as they were all Spanish.”

11. “The roads were uneven and bumpy, so we could not read the local guide book during the bus ride to the resort. Because of this, we were unaware of many things that would have made our holiday more fun.”

12. “It took us nine hours to fly home from Jamaica to England. It took the Americans only three hours to get home. This seems unfair.”

13. “I compared the size of our one-bedroom suite to our friends’ three-bedroom and ours was significantly smaller.”

14. “The brochure stated: ‘No hairdressers at the resort’. We’re trainee hairdressers and we think they knew and made us wait longer for service.”

15. “There were too many Spanish people there. The receptionist spoke Spanish, the food was Spanish. No one told us that there would be so many foreigners.”

16. “We had to line up outside to catch the boat and there was no air-conditioning.”

17. “It is your duty as a tour operator to advise us of noisy or unruly guests before we travel.”

18. “I was bitten by a mosquito. The brochure did not mention mosquitoes.”

19. “My fiance and I requested twin-beds when we booked, but instead we were placed in a room with a king bed. We now hold you responsible and want to be re-reimbursed for the fact that I became pregnant. This would not have happened if you had put us in the room that we booked.”

".....we dont want our trip ruined by a few selfish people who dont think of others."

What hole did you just crawl out of? You make plans (or at least your staff did) to travel to a 3rd world country and you expect everything to be "rosey" just because your arriving!

Why did you not inform the elitist Thai's of your arrival so they could've postponed this imposition on your holiday? How dare they!

Good luck avoiding the muggings, disease, and for sure DON'T drink the water or eat street food!!!!

Sounds like a good ol time!