Tyree D.

In South Korea, there is a lot of racism toward children of mixed ethicities. 6 out of 10 elementary and middleschool kids say that they think mixed children aren't really Koreans. Mixed-marriage children are shunned, teased, bullied etc. Kids as young as 7 are being beaten up in the bathrooms by children of the same age.

That being said... I wanted to know if the situation is the same in Thailand.

I plan to have a child with my korean fiance, and I dont want to send our kid to public school here. I want to continue teaching ESL, but not here. Is Thailand a safe option for mixed race kids? Are they going to be shunned and teased there as well?

I'll read the rest of the thread first, but I'm in Korea and they don't think Koreans that grew up outside of Korea and speak little to none of the language (gyopos) are really Koreans! We even got a Korean teacher who grew up here until high school claiming to be a Canadian! Don't get it twisted. There are identity issues across the board.

edit--now I've read it. First, going from Korea to Thailand to teach ESL is a step backwards. Plus, it's not as respected. Also I know people that are ESL pros with ties to Thailand (like myself) but we are teaching and living somewhere else because of the money and working environment. I work with people that have a Thai wife and kid but they are here or Japan; one's wife is here and the other sends money every month and growls over the exchange rate. Somebody already mentioned the differences in test scores. And as a non-Thai, some places you will be worshiped and other places you will be treated like dirt.

Just have your kid and deal with whatever scrutiny will arise. ANYWHERE in the world it will be something.

You're going through an awful lot of trouble just to finally get laid after so many years, and you are probably going to hurt someone.

Some of the people here are very insulting, and a lot of the remarks seem to have more to do with their originators than the subject. I get laid all the time, but it doesn't have anything to do with this.

do you really? It reminds me of the time on this board where a guy asked how to talk to a Thai girl then he said he said to her he could get any woman. If you really do, you don't need our jaded advice.

those women don't love you, they just want your money. stop sending them money and wake up to the reality...thailand is not as good as you thought it was an there is no such thing as paradise.

Where did this one come from?

probably wrong thread reply! But that does remind me of when I was still peaking in Thailand and some hater tried to tell me that. My response was "I don't love them either!!!" Long story short, I lasted longer than that guy did. Oh, he went back to England then back to Thailand to the same boss he thought was ripping him off. I moved on to bigger things. It is what you make of it.

I did it before. I love attention but my name became Farang. I was looking forward to the village but then reality set in. I could also speak and read Thai but then people assumed they wouldn't understand me so they didn't.

Have a good laff because most likely other gullible lads ensnared in her web. I seriously doubt she is sticking to just one now - too much dosh to be had.

Well said Maveric , OP , take a good look in the mirror and repeat daily "Mirror mirror on the wall , who is the most stupid of them all , and why am I ? " . As long as you are a gullible nitwit , you will continue your trip into the meaow trap , admit defeat and move on .

Dumball, so far you have made a number of inane comments on this thread which are neither helpful nor accurate. If you read the original post you will see that I have admited defeat and moved on. Some emotion is involved in this given the timing. This thread is not about me, it is about helping the other guy and saving others from making the same mistakes.

If you have nothing sensible to add I suggest you find somewhere else to post your comments.

The response I was gonna give was already given (move on and worry about yourself) but you haven't.

When I was in Thailand I lived in several red light districts and I was the one writing e-mails and text messages for the bargirls writing the sob stories getting free food and drinks as a reward. I've also seen over 100 relationships and 30 marriages from start to finish. I knew women getting money from 4 guys at once. It's all a game and learn to play it. Move on to a better woman that has never worked in a bar. There is a Bangkok rule about not informing guys that they are being screwed over...maybe they like it.

Fair enough, when I said I had moved on I meant I had made my own decision to end the relationship and would not go back regardless of what happened in the future. I have learned my lesson.

The guy has contacted me for help and I want to do so. What he chooses is entirely up to him. I don't agree with the Bangkok rule so it isn't for me

thanks anyway

Thanks for replying and changing your font so I could see it. The only advise is "Walk Out!". There are no contracts. I've met several guys like that. I lived in the district. Buy me a couple of beers and I will give you the girl's entire bio (and real age!) The majority of the guys still didn't back out. I did everything to warn them. One guy I know still got one woman pregnant twice and another one thought life wasn't worth living anymore. And this was after I already warned them about the specific woman they were with.

This other guy had already gotten your help and still won't back away. You've done your part. Now find a new TGF.

Have a good laff because most likely other gullible lads ensnared in her web. I seriously doubt she is sticking to just one now - too much dosh to be had.

Well said Maveric , OP , take a good look in the mirror and repeat daily "Mirror mirror on the wall , who is the most stupid of them all , and why am I ? " . As long as you are a gullible nitwit , you will continue your trip into the meaow trap , admit defeat and move on .

Dumball, so far you have made a number of inane comments on this thread which are neither helpful nor accurate. If you read the original post you will see that I have admited defeat and moved on. Some emotion is involved in this given the timing. This thread is not about me, it is about helping the other guy and saving others from making the same mistakes.

If you have nothing sensible to add I suggest you find somewhere else to post your comments.

The response I was gonna give was already given (move on and worry about yourself) but you haven't.

When I was in Thailand I lived in several red light districts and I was the one writing e-mails and text messages for the bargirls writing the sob stories getting free food and drinks as a reward. I've also seen over 100 relationships and 30 marriages from start to finish. I knew women getting money from 4 guys at once. It's all a game and learn to play it. Move on to a better woman that has never worked in a bar. There is a Bangkok rule about not informing guys that they are being screwed over...maybe they like it.

all you need is cash

It seems hardly a day goes by without the mods having to step in and clean-up or close threads in which TV members are spouting venom at one group or another (and a job well done by the way).

One day its people of faith another day people of particular nationalities, western women, backpackers, beggars or the old favorite, immigrants back in the country where the ranting TV member emigrated from.

What’s going on here, what is it about Thailand or even TV that it attracts so very many intolerant people?

Because it's like the show Fantasy Island...for the right price we will make you believe what you want to believe. Then reality will come crashing down.

I love this board. I wondered why there are no boards towards Korea active and lively like this and it's because all the idiots are here!

Love it and leave it.

Here? Where are you Tyree D.?

First I want to apologize for saying idiots. I'm not even sure if I was referring to the country or this boards. Either way it was wrong. I am in Korea. Look up the thread I started.

To go back on topic, my story was I went to Chiang Mai University one semester and went from a virgin to a stud. Took 4 1/2 years to get back and stayed for 2 years. Got sick and had to come back home with no money. Got a job in L.A. teaching Japanese and Koreans then got interested in a new place. Went to Korea and love it more and am glad the taboos like showing your foot and loss of face don't exist here. Then had to come back to thaivisa and rant about how I love it here.

That's my story.

It happens to everyone. The only difference with me is I keep explaining how Korea is better than Thailand. I'm no different from the Thailand is better than (insert my home country here). Same, same...but different.

I saw an amateur video of a Pattaya girl talking through the whole thing and it just makes me not wanna go back. People ask "Why do you even post here?" Same reason you do...just sightly different.

One day you might be like me, finally go to a new place then come here and say it's better. In '05 I was the was guy loving Thailand and teaching fighting off the haters. Now I'm the pro-Korea guy. Tomorrow I'll be pro-Japan. The year after that I'll be Norway. Then I will say nothing beats the UK 2012.

I love this board. I wondered why there are no boards towards Korea active and lively like this and it's because all the idiots are here!

Love it and leave it.

Plenty on Tong Sala in Koh Pha Ngan. They are a very strong community.

This doesn't just happen in Thailand.

Really, where else has a boy had his foreskin removed instead of a mouth problem, ?... i could sort of relate to it if it had been a translation mix up, but this is all thais involved from what i can see,.im off for an op on my back soon, im having signs in thai written and tieing on my pecker saying " not here ,my back you fool ")

happened on Married With Children. Al Bundy went in for a circular incision but instead got a circumcision.

Other than that, Thailand is stranger than fiction.

i asked thai people what do they think about the kimchee people, some say they are rude during visit in thailand. While the other group of thai think the korean are hot and sexy. For me i find the korean ugly and rude. Korean culture like any other seemed to be into plastic surgery. I think the stupid thai kids just stupid too be drooling over the korean pops star,being pale and narrow eyes..The korean eyes figure is just not my taste.

These days the asian seemed to dig into much of western culture which i really disappointed. Look at japan, the country 90% percent of the culture is very westernized that they rather be buying LV and gucci then preserving their culture. Soon or later or now, thai girls is already westernized.

maybe one day I'll have some knowledge to make a Korea vs. Thailand vs. Japan thread. But for the people I've talked to in the know, Japan is the most westernized, most un-nationalistic place in Asia. The men work all the time and don't raise their boys. The students never speak because they don't want to stand out. However, NOBODY complains about the women!!

lived in Thailand for 3 years, and I have now lived in Korea for two years... heres my opinion..

Food

Thai food is nicer, but there is a bit more variety in Korea (of local food that is).. if you are into raw fish (as i am) Korea is a great place for it.. a lot of my friends really like the BB Q's but they don't excite me too much. Seoul is very disappointing for foreign food - even in Itaewon the quality is poor compared to bangkok. Outside Seoul you may find average and expensive pasta places, Korean version of Chinese food and Japanese food.. but very little else other than local food.

nightlife

Korea is excellent for night life, bars never close, all Koreans (except some of the numerous weirdee Christian folk) drink to excess regardless of age and sex - beers not great but palatable and local beer is almost as cheap as in Thailand. Hongdai in Seoul is an excellent night out. Also there generally is a good mix of expats, too many Canadians sadly (met 3 or 4 that were OK), but a younger crowd and generally not the weirdos we have all come across in Thailand - though there are a few

Women

At first i was blown away by Korean women, but after a while you realise a lot of it is very professionally applied make up, a lot of plastic surgery and the fashion... having said that there are many many many stunners here (especially hongdai).. and the short skirts in summer are just.. well , anyway! I think more Korean women wear high heels on a day to day basis than anywhere else. As for getting a girl friend, i have to say its easier than any where else Ive known - but thats coz I'm hitting on the right demographics - late 20's/early 30's.. Koreans are obsessed by marriage and are getting desperate by this stage... also as a foreigner u r seen as less traditional than the often sexist attitudes that still pervade Koreans ideas of marriage/relationships. Blind dating in Korea is very normal and easy to set up through colleagues, mates or online... and Koreans are sexually permissive as anywhere else... although one problem is girls/women tend to live at home until married - even into their 30's.. and parents often give night curfews to their adult children! but Korea is full of 'motels'!!!

men

The downside to Korea, and this is a sweeping generalisation, is the male Korean company can be hardwork - maybe because of the army. they are generally more patriotic and insular, and will bore you to tears about the correct way to drink soju (a disgusting chemical drink!!) and what is Korean culture - far too many social rules to relax when out with male work colleagues! a bit different in more informal gatherings.

culture and other stuff

As has already been said, Korea is quite a soulless place - destroyed after the wars, rebuilt and now obsessed with the economy - in fact the only news you will find in the English language newspapers is about LG, Samsung, daewoo and the strength of the won. There, apparently was a serial killer in Seoul a few years ago - his tally reached over 20 and it barely made the news. Saying that Korea is easily the safest place Ive ever lived - there is simply zero fear of crime - no graffiti, no gangs of kids.. nothing (although i think 4 women maybe a different story)... and no kids gangs coz they spend all day in school and academies - literally all day, high school kids will arrive home after midnight - studying the whole day. Korea is an incredibly regimented and controlled society - really predictable, you never really see anything that surprises you - where in Thailand you can see something interesting virtually anywhere at anytime. Koreans are also a lot more abrupt, very few 'thank yous' a lot of pushing and shoving in crowded areas - much less charm than Thailand. Thailand is certainly a more attractive country - BKK much prettier than Seoul. but away from the cities there are nice places - jeju island is nice, as is the east coast and skiing in winter is good and cheap.

Language

Ive tried learning both. Thai is much easier in my opinion. Reading Korean is easy and there are many english or Konglish words used - but apart from that everything is difficult - the grammar especially. Reading thai is much much harder, and the tones are a bit of a problem, but listening and speaking is suprisingly far easier, after 2 years in thailand i was about on basic conversational level - no where near that in korea (korea is apparantly rated as one of the hardest languages to learn) - but reading korean menus, timetables etc is very easy.

overall i miss Thailand, i prefer it - but the money is much better here and Korea is not too bad.. lots of good (expat) friends here and Korean women tend to make me forget about most of the negatives. and i get 4 months holiday a year so easy to take a short hop back to Thailand.

(sorry, drunk writing this so a bit incoherent!)

don't be sorry. you are the reason why I made this thread. Somebody that has been to both places longer (fragment alert). Can't complain about the money. In 4 months I have made more than I did all last year or any other year.

Now I have some "this is the Korean way" moments, but since I already know there are far less cultural taboos than Thailand and I grew up around Koreans in South Bay Los Angeles, I simply reply, "And this is the Tyree way!" then they back off.

BKK prettier than Seoul? I'm digging the less traffic and depper subway line. That and less people hitting on me but they do exist. And the longer lasting clubs.

some nice posts since my last one. To the second guy, you didn't direct that directly toward me but I post here because the message boards geared toward Korea suck!

To the first guy, I already noted the food isn't better, but I don't mind the lack of tourism variety. My Asian experience only starts in 1999 so all I've seen everywhere is westernization. I had a 9 year head start on Thai language but it is easier to pick up Korean and what's wrong with that? Plus, there aren't any moments where I have to turn on certain tones where soi maak goes from meaning "very beautiful" to street dog".

I enjoy all replies; positive or negative, pro-Thailand or pro-Korea.

Went to a club in Seoul and saw two trannies for the FIRST TIME IN MY 4 MONTHS HERE!!! I saw a drag queen once but that was for an event. In my first post I was only at my few weeks mark but I am still enjoying and preferring it.

Everything I like I already noted. I haven't had a drink bought for me in two months tho (the economy).

Swedish women? I heard they were all that. I'll find out one day. But I still feel good by looking at a map or seeming lost even in Seoul and nobody coming to me and asking "where you go?" But if I ask somebody, they will help and even stay with me until I figure things out. And if they don't speak English, they will call somebody who does.

I don't know if I mentioned this yet but I have a skin condition and break out every so often. Here somebody I already knew led me to a dermatologist. In Thailand the response was, "ewww...HIV"

keep bringing the insight

based on my experience, my first teaching job in Thailand was supposedly between me and three people:

me, an American Black man. (at the time) zero experience.

a Thai man, 5 years experience

a Chinese woman, I don't know anything else since she never spoke

result:

WE ALL GOT HIRED!

I learned in my Thai Society class at CMU SE Asians claim to be a part of a religion even if they ever practice it.

case in point:

-Thailand is 95% "Buddhist" but everything you already mentioned

-Indonesia is considered the most populous Muslim nation in the world but when I was there I saw open drug use and elementary kids smoking at school and other things that would get you hanged in Saudi Arabia

I'm in Korea where 33% say they have no religion. But in SE Asia when I said I had no religion they looked at me confused.

If you already suffer from the idea that Thailand and Thai people have in some way victimized you and you developed into a  boring monotonous whining machine, there is only one possible cure & It’s very simple indeed.

Go back where you came from.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Why do so many expats in Thailand assume that the only two choices are Thailand or **** off back to where you came from? There are plenty of other countries in the world. If you decide that living in Thailand is not for you (and it certainly wasn't for me), then find somewhere you do like.

I would quote that if there wasn't a sig limit. If you've missed my Gen Forum rants, I've moved to Korea and never looked back.

I read this and get a good kick.

I'm glad Korea is unappealing to the majority of you all, Black, White or SE Asian. You guys can keep thinking you are royalty when you are just liked because of your wallets believing what you want to believe. Now vent on.

Well I've worked in Korea (Seoul, Pusan and Ulsan) and am due to go back there (Seoul) for about 4 months and I am dreading it.

The south of the country ain't bad but Seoul is the most misnamed place on Earth as it is completely devoid of any hint of soul.

Korean food is quite good although they could do with learning how to serve it hot (apart from the Korean BBQ's which you have to cook) but Koreans are probably the most disgusting people to share a dinner table with. All this exaggerated slurping and lip smacking turns my stomach. Passed off as the way to get the most out of the food merely serves as a smoke screen to hide the fact that they are two legged pigs.

To compare Korea with Thailand is like comparing sh1t with sugar. I would far rather face a barrage of "hey you farang" in a market than the blank face Korean automatons.

Is it just me? Possibly, but my Vietnamese lady friend also hates them with a passion as there are a few around here at the moment because a Korean company is setting up a low cost production facility in the locality.

Anyhow the client wants me to go there and kick the sh1t out of the contractor (my mission from God ) so I will endure it for a few months then it's back to civilisation.

women are just as pretty but have economic options so bad news for you old guys

Are you on drugs? Faces like a smacked ar5e. From your "economic options" comment I assume you associate with prostitutes so that explains in part your "pretty" illusion (see, the beer goggles really do work).

Korea is not for me.

Nor me but I have to serve my time in the Gulag Archipeligo to earn my time in paradise.

oh god, what a sh!t hole that country is, and how true is everything you say. gulag archipeligo - he he he. rude, pushy, aggressive people. if i ever had to go back i think i'd top myself first.

beautiful women - are you kidding me??? chewing gum with their mouths open, and scowling all the time?! kim-chi breath, cosmetic surgery. god oh god.

great food - are you on crack??? the stench alone of silk worm larve is enough for me retch right here over my keyboard. give me dog over the eternal stench of kim chi and dried squid.

how about the bags of rotting rubbish left by the side of the road, leaching out putrid kim-chi juice into puddles.

lets talk about toilets - some of the wrose i've encountered anywhere in the world (bar india). Oh my f&*&*6 Christ the stench!

buildings falling down, schoolgirls left to burn in dorms, people shot from soldiers posted on roof tops - nothing more than a nation of disasters.

r u talking about Korea? I know people who brush their teeth after every meal. I have more experience with som tam breath. Left to burn in buildings? Happy New Year 2552! Toilets? I've seen better maintenance here and never had to pay to use a public toilet. Body odor? I prefer pheromones over thick perfume.

edit: and I am yet to experience the slurping and smacking the guy in the first quote mentioned. I doubt I am still in my illusion stage.

edit 2: once read on another board a foreigner talking about Thailand and praising it while his boss got mad. He replied, "At least Thailand has one thing Korea doesn't...a unified country!" I guess he overlooked the political turmoil and the south's attempts at cession.

I see no new replies but I have more insight:

I tried getting my hair done. The guy who ran the hostel I was staying at walked me to 5 different salons. They all refused saying they had no experience with my hair and didn't wanna take risks. I said it was okay and they still refused. They are so sincere here. In Thailand I would get my hair done and nothing was changed but they still said I was handsome and charged me extra because they gave me a massage.

I've now been to Seoul. So much better than Bangkok! 8 Line subway (does BKK still only have one skytrain and one subway?) and bars open until 6 AM (Is the social order still in effect?) Itaewon is like the Sukumvit but there are no hawkers pulling me into shops and the streetwomen are more low key (or maybe because it's just winter?) This was New Year's so it was still an active time.

I listen to both commercial and underground music. There are more English-language choruses and harmony and the rappers got rhymes and diversity. LOS got too many Joey Boy sound-alikes. The Wondergirls smash Girly Berry (they still around?)

And last, I can hook up with a female without wondering if she is gonna ask for money when she leaves. Speaking of which, at the clubs that have int'l DJs with covers over $20US...here the majority of attendees is single women; in Thailand all the local ladies were taken (and probably paid for).

I'm still lovin' it (incorrect English grammar alert). I was told my honeymoon phase would wear off but it hasn't and won't. I'm a DJ.

Yes, it's getting expensive. Several months ago, I went to the States for a couple of weeks and had Thai friends ask me to get things for them--a laptop computer, a digital camera and a few other things. I asked why and they said it was because they were cheaper!! I opted out of getting things because I was going to be too busy to do much shopping (I told them there was the difference in the electrical current--110 vs. 220).

They had checked this stuff out on the internet. It was always the other way around before.

today's digital appliances automatically adjust to the local voltage, especially laptops and cameras.

seoul>bangkok

I'm thinking of starting a thread in Gen Forum about it. Go to Itaewon, either taxi or subway. That's as on topic as I can stay. I am so not missing Thailand.

bye

edit: the weather is around 0 Celcius. Doesn't bother me but others are different.