altayvan

Funny how tough talk disappears when cheap labor is on the line. Plenty of Republican-aligned businesses benefit from the status quo, they’re not exactly rushing to fix it.

that's the joke. Iran does the dirty work of Islamists funding wars wherever they find allies in the middle east. but they don't even know why they do it and no one appreciates them anyway

It’s a bipartisan mess. Republicans talk tough on immigration, but in reality, they’ve consistently supported policies that keep a steady supply of cheap, undocumented labor, hurting both immigrants and American workers. Democrats are more nuanced: they support immigration but aim to regularize status and protect labor rights. Neither side has truly prioritized the working class in decades. It’s a bipartisan mess. Republicans talk tough on immigration, but in reality, they’ve consistently supported policies that keep a steady supply of cheap, undocumented labor, hurting both immigrants and American workers. Democrats are more nuanced: they support immigration but aim to regularize status and protect labor rights. Neither side has truly prioritized the working class in decades.

fact is they are underpaid and have to keep to themselves because as soon as they start arguing someone can report them. republicans want this status quo were cheap illegal labour keeps flooding in.

You are under arrest for deadpanning

I post to X whenever I videoed myself keying a Tesla

I don't know how wanting to keep any passportless illegal immigrant has become the standard for democrats. It's not exactly communist, communists would also prevent their own people from owning passports for fear they will leave their jobs and everything.

Yes, I heard about this too. But I find it a bit belittling. Not all budget travellers leave piles of garbage on the road and overcrowd infrastructure. Some of them are very respectful and learn the local language.

That’s a pretty strong take. It sure will keep the cheap Charlie’s and alcoholics away.

I don’t feel like engaging further, but I appreciated that comment, it captured something I’ve been feeling for a while.

Your talking about the local economic and social impacts of tourism, not about tourism itself.

I heard that a lot in Thailand: ‘Don’t generalize.’ It still holds.

That’s really what this post is about. It’s not just me getting older or nostalgic. It’s that everybody’s mum, their boss, and even their dog are flying in for a “Thai experience” they saw on TikTok. And that’s fine. But it’s not the same. The places I once slipped through unnoticed now ask for insurance, printouts, onward flights, and proof of funds. The cheap guesthouses are being replaced by “lifestyle stays.” The freedom I used to feel, being nobody, going nowhere in particular, is starting to feel like a problem. And I’m wondering if anyone else sees it too.

Interesting that I’m now measured against people who work themselves into the ground all year, only to spend a fortune on two weeks they barely understand. That’s what qualifies as a ‘quality tourist’ these days? Interesting that I’m now measured against people who work themselves into the ground all year, only to spend a fortune on two weeks they barely understand. That’s what qualifies as a ‘quality tourist’ these days?

I’ve been coming to Asia for many years, always on a shoestring. Not a digital nomad, not chasing luxury, just a little bit of a backpacker. The kind who speaks some Thai, stays in hostels, eats street food, and knows the backstreets better than the malls. My first thought goes out to Cheap Charlie in Pattaya. I wonder how he’s getting on. He, like many of us, made a life of simplicity here. I know I inspired friends to follow in my footsteps, some of them spent 30k GBP in a month on holidays, even medical trips. But that was never my style. I stretched every dollar, every baht. And it used to be enough. Now, I feel like I’m considered a low-quality tourist. Immigration seems colder. More scrutiny. More suspicion. Like I’m not welcome anymore unless I can show a big bank balance and perfect insurance. I probably won’t even get 60 days in the country this year. It’s like Thailand (and Southeast Asia in general) has shifted. It’s aiming for a new kind of tourist, those who book resorts from Instagram, drop cash on wellness retreats, and never talk to locals unless it’s through Grab or room service. And that’s fine. Things change. But it stings. Because I’ve loved this region quietly, humbly—for decades. And now I feel like I’m being pushed out of a home I never really had. Just wondering if anyone else feels this shift? Or is it just me, feeling a bit left behind?