nemrut

I hope the demographics change back to westerners.

Why, there are already too many low-life farang in Thailand walking around shirtless/shoeless and behaving like animals -- and that's when theyre not even drunk.

Farang have no shame that's why so many don't understand the concept of 'face' and dismiss it in a derisive manner.

How exactly does charging foreigner more than locals count as Racial Discrimination? It may be discrimination, but's it's not racial. Unless, of course, you believe that there is a race called "non-Thai".

In case you had not noticed, there are very many races other than Thai. These races are all being discriminated against, hence racial discrimination.

Now is that still too difficult for you to understand or would you like me list all those races in alphabetical order??????

Farangs whining about being charged 'few pennies' more in Thailand while proclaiming it's discriminatory really reveal the level of ignorance and sense of entitlement many of you have.

Most of you have no clue what it's like to be discriminated against your whole life yet you're now an authority on the matter because you're not being treated as 'the royalty' you believe yourself to be?

Don't think that Thais don't notice many of you walking around with smug satisfaction while showing your contempt for them and their culture.

You're lucky they've allowed you to live in their country despite much of your appalling, low-life behavior.

Now then Nemrut, I think it is you that has a bit of a grudge or psychological problem. I don't see how you can tie one persons perception of life in Thailand and then say things like many of us walk around smug and with contempt towards Thais and their culture.

What gives with that?

And I for one certainly don't display appalling low life behaviour.

Sure you can probably aim these comments at some individuals but please don't paint everybody with the same brush.

Of course not but it's my opinion based on what I often observe to be constant whining by farangs in Thailand combined with their arrogance and contempt for Thai people/culture.

May I suggest that you open your eyes and look around you

And what do you see...aspiration disguised as affluence? Many of the Thais sporting the latest fashion or smart phone are doing so on easy credit and up to their ears in debt.

Most Thais are still very poor by western standards and the number of genuinely 'rich' Thais are relatively few.

I agree wholeheartedly. And by making an assertion that those of us who are not working here, and are not paying taxes, are not benefitting the country financially, by being here, is ludicrous at best, and just plain wrong at worst. We may not pay taxes, but we spend a lot more money every month than the average Thai. And where is that money being spent? And who is benefitting from it? And does that not help the economy?

On no level do I feel one iota less entitled to paying the same entrance fee as the locals, due to the fact that I do not pay a relatively small amount of income tax here. I spend a small fortune every month here.

I dont agree with discrinatory practices and try to avoid supporting them.. I am the same when it comes to seeing how Thais discrinminate against Shan / Thai Yai / or immgrants.. I would absolutely not pay my burmese gardener less than a thai one simply because hes Burmese and I can abuse him and hes got less chances.. Thats not how a fair social system should be. when things are unfair or go against my beliefs, I oppose them.. thats how they change !!

Much of what you take for granted and your very lifestyle is a result of exploitation. The very computer youre using was likely built by those exploited at very low costs. Is that not a form of discrimination as well?

Perhaps you should redirect you outrage to more pressing matters as it comes across as disingenuous and trivializes the issue.

How exactly does charging foreigner more than locals count as Racial Discrimination? It may be discrimination, but's it's not racial. Unless, of course, you believe that there is a race called "non-Thai".

In case you had not noticed, there are very many races other than Thai. These races are all being discriminated against, hence racial discrimination.

Now is that still too difficult for you to understand or would you like me list all those races in alphabetical order??????

Farangs whining about being charged 'few pennies' more in Thailand while proclaiming it's discriminatory really reveal the level of ignorance and sense of entitlement many of you have.

Most of you have no clue what it's like to be discriminated against your whole life yet you're now an authority on the matter because you're not being treated as 'the royalty' you believe yourself to be?

Don't think that Thais don't notice many of you walking around with smug satisfaction while showing your contempt for them and their culture.

You're lucky they've allowed you to live in their country despite much of your appalling, low-life behavior.

What percentage of the population are rich Thais and are those the one's that frequent the national parks?

The number of farang living in Thailand who enjoy 2-3x purchasing power of most Thais while taking advantage of the country's infrastructure and paying no taxes far exceeds the number of rich Thais, let alone those frequenting national parks.

May I suggest that you open your eyes and look around you

And what do you see...aspiration disguised as affluence? Many of the Thais sporting the latest fashion or smart phone are doing so on easy credit and up to their ears in debt.

Most Thais are still very poor by western standards and the number of genuinely 'rich' Thais are relatively few.

Why should foreigners in Thailand - mostly farang with 2-3x purchasing power of local population be allowed to pay the same price as Thais?

The locals are likely spending 1/3rd of a day's wages to bring their family to the park, and as a farang who can easily afford the higher entrance fee, why would you expect to pay the same price as them?

If everyone paid the same price, Thais and foreigners alike, the prices would inevitably increase faster than the local consumer could afford.

Oh yes, how silly of me, I completely forgot that there are no rich Thai people. All the big cars and big houses are foreign owned. All the huge companies in Thailand are owned by foreigners.i should remind myself of that when I spend time with my Thai friends who have the kind of money I'll only ever have in my dreams

What percentage of the population are rich Thais and are those the one's that frequent the national parks?

The number of farang living in Thailand who enjoy 2-3x purchasing power of most Thais while taking advantage of the country's infrastructure and paying no taxes far exceeds the number of rich Thais, let alone those frequenting national parks.

Why should foreigners in Thailand - mostly farang with 2-3x purchasing power of local population be allowed to pay the same price as Thais?

The locals are likely spending 1/3rd of a day's wages to bring their family to the park, and as a farang who can easily afford the higher entrance fee, why would you expect to pay the same price as them?

If everyone paid the same price, Thais and foreigners alike, the prices would inevitably increase faster than the local consumer could afford.

A tragic accident in the US draws such negative responses, but the accident in France on this forum the other day caused not hardly a negative remark about that country.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/865250-france-in-mourning-after-pensioners-killed-in-horror-bus-crash/

RIP to the victims.

Plowing into a mass of people while drunk is not so much an 'accident' but rather irresponsible, if not malicious behavior that happens far too often in the US.

The sad thing is that many Americans like to dismiss these as 'accidents' as isolated incidents when in fact, they occur on a regular basis.

There is something seriously wrong with US society and it's not just guns.

One has to wonder why is there some much senseless violence and unnecessary deaths occurring in such an advanced and wealthy country?

A long and difficult investigation lies ahead after France’s deadliest road crash in more than 30 years.

Note the comment above.

There is and will be an exhaustive investigation into this disaster, it will not be brushed under the carpet.

Now perhaps if a similar action was to be applied to such mishaps here in Thailand the safety of the traveling public and the bus crews would be greatly improved

If Thailand had the resources/infrastructure to conduct such an exhaustive investigation as France is undertaking, it would likely be more developed and expensive country to live in for farang like yourself who dont understand the meaning of 'developing country.'

This type of thing happens all to often with Brits/Yanks/Aussies who drink too much and believe theyre entitled to do whatever they want.

Good example of why white westerners are labeled farang in a derisive manner by many Thais.

WOW!!!! This today, and just yesterday's news about the Thai husband who went berserk in a Samut Prakan mall and knifed his wife to death after she had told him to wanted to leave him.

And the news a week or so back about the teenage school girl who died after being beaten/abused by her jealous classmates.

A troubling picture of domestic life here in Thailand (not that LOS has any exclusive on these kinds of tragedies).

No worse than US with regulare mass shootings, road rage and gangs of motorcycle thugs terrorizing families.

China's actions and policies created the problem; it only has itself to blame.

Kind of the like the current mass exodus of Syrian refugees as result of US/EU attempts at toppling govts and destabilizing the region..no?

I really enjoyed CM the year I lived there; however

I missed the ocean. I visited Hua Hin, spent a month

There and finally opted for Jomtien Beach. Great

Medical, lots of English spoken, movies mostly in

English, and you are close to BKK.1 1/2 hours. I

Love the ocean, Jomtien Beach and Hua Hin beaches

I found dirty. I go to Koh Larn once a week, beach is

Clean and the water as clean as Maui. I have been

Here 5 years and hope to stay at least another 5.

Have you considered Jomtien?

How's the ferry ride? Miss the pristine water/coastline of Maui but there's only so much surfing, golf, tennis, sitting on beach one can do before they go out of their mind :-)

Sad thing is he will likely come out of prison an even worse person than when he entered. Doubt Thai prisons have much if any rehabilitation programs for good behavior.

...never been but Pattaya sounds almost like the 'Walmart of Thailand.'

PS...OK bright boy, Why do parents give underage kids keys to their m/cycle...ONE QUESTION.......ANSWER IT.........?

Because the kids are sober!

Next...

..that would never happen in the west as parents there rarely get drunk.

It'a too bad that this populous needs to save face at all costs. They all could have easily walked away.

I read this on TV a few years back and thought it was well written, so I saved it.

My guess is that the Buddha taught nothing of face. If he did, it was probably an encouragement to lose face as often as possible, so as to shatter the ego. Face is nothing but ego. It is nothing but a lack of manhood being expressed. It is nothing but extreme cowardice, and in my opinion is the opposite of everything Buddhism stands for. If you really think about it, face is really nothing more that the inability to look within, to introspect, to reflect, and to improve as an individual. It corrodes the soul. It prevents spiritual growth. It retards forward development. It holds a person back, from any sort of advancement. Only when we are able to look within, admit fault with ourselves, take responsibility, and show remorse for poor actions on our own parts, are we able to advance as a people, or as an individual. Face prevents all of that, and serves as a weak excuse for not looking within, and taking blame for anything. It is blight on the face of Asia. Face is abhorrent behavior. So is lying. And if lying is used to save face, it may be the ultimate form of offensive behavior, and a huge spiritual transgression. And from a spiritual point of view, lying might be the ultimate form of laziness. On many levels, it is the opposite of spiritual development and growth.

I know I will hear about all the reasons for face. About all the social implications, etc. I do not give a hoot about the culture behind face. I am simply talking about face as a form of extreme personal weakness. I am talking about the negativity of the trait, and how it holds people back, in regard to the spiritual life, and the precepts of Buddhism, or any other faith for that matter. Face is the very opposite of spirituality, and therefore Buddhism. All those opinions expressed are my own of course. And they are just opinions. But, I think they may have some validity. What do you think?

Sadly, you and others have little understanding of face and what it means in communal-based societies. You're bluntly looking at it through the lense of western individualism which often ignores nuance and sees everything in an ego-centric manner.

It may be what people do here but I'm not from here I'm a foreigner.

Why should westerners be expected to bow down to local traditions such as this if they choose not to.

In my house it's my rules is that OK with the remaining TV members who have adapted to living like the natives.

I was raised to be independent and once old enough to fend for myself,ok that's not what happens here,I/we don't have to conform to it just because we live here.

Those who bow down to most of these stupid demands are pussy whipped and scared of the old lady.

Don't do as I do do as I say.

Who said you should bow down to local traditions? But equating them with 'stupid demands' shows you neither respect the culture nor its people.

You can choose to live as an 'independent' westerner and dismissive of Thai traditions, but your quality of life and interactions with Thais will likely suffer as a result.

You're in a developing country so you can't expect the level of safety nor infrastructure you're used to in your home country. Nothing wrong with dicussing your concerns but where it becomes inappropriate all to often is when it turns into veiled racism bashing Thais and their culture.

By and large i find Thais much more civilized on the roads than in many western countries where road rage is a daily occurrence and shootings are the norm.

As for underage drivers, keep in mind that because you're in a developing country, many minors help to support their families need the transportation to get around.

"Should I start yelling and kick them out? Can I get physically confrontational? I don't have good "people skills" and I'm worried that any violence on my part could spark revenge and compromise my girlfriend's safety. Should we involve the landlords in this?

I don't want any cantaloupes or people on my land."

Guessing you're from either US/UK/AUS by your confrontational tone and entitled attitude. Yelling or geting 'physically confrontational' will certainly teach you some lessons you don't want to learn.

You don't sound like you're able to cope with the situation in an intelligent and civilized manner without creating a lot of drama--and harm to yourself. Best course of action is to move on and hopefully learn from your mistakes in entering this arrangement without paperwork nor understanding of Thai culture.

This is the Thai way,,,Shut up and put up with it we all have to ,We all get angry about this,

Only entitled farang like yourself get angry and worked up over such a benign situation. Everyone else knows how to go with the flow in a developing country with limited resources.

Problem with Russians, Brits and many other farang is too much drinking and macho culture which is afraid of appearing weak.