SoCal1990

Well put. Particularly about the politically obsessed and those bored to tears in Isaan.

Once you've had enough Leo, why not move over to Chang and keep the party going?

If you’re spending more than half your waking hours lurking, refreshing, and posting on this site, what does that actually say about you? Maybe it’s boredom. Maybe it’s just too much free time. Or maybe it’s something deeper, like a quiet addiction to the forum world where arguing with strangers and chasing validation in the form of likes, dislikes, and dopamine-drip replies becomes the daily ritual. There are a few common breeds of heavy posters I've noticed. Some treat the forum like a personal diary, narrating every tedious detail of their day. Others seem to think they’ve been knighted as moral overseers of Thailand, issuing sweeping declarations on immigration, banking, language, food or how to “do it right.” Then there are the moaners, the whingers, the local experts, the self-appointed cultural interpreters, and of course the contrarians who will argue against gravity just to get a rise. Different styles, same pattern: too much time on their hands and a need to feel heard. For many, the forum seems to have become a digital pub, a place to hold court, vent, swap tall tales, or just feel slightly less invisible in the long blur of retirement or midlife drift. It’s easy to laugh at it, but it also points to something real. Maybe, for all the sunshine and cheap beer, quite a few guys out here are still looking for purpose, routine, or connection, even if it’s in yet another circular thread about female relationships or your latest shopping trip to Makro. So is it a harmless time-waster, or does it point to something deeper? Either way, if you find yourself posting more than living, it might be time to log off and walk outside. There’s still a real Thailand out there, beyond the reply button.

I wonder if any forum members meet that criteria? Hmmm...

And what was the criteria?

Your Avatar looks familiar, I just cant place it.

And who has made the greatest number of posts on this topic?

An old Thai insult that gets thrown around in certain circles: "Farang Kee Nok". Literally, “bird sh*t foreigner.” The stereotype of the bottom-rung farang in Thailand living on scraps, always broke, maybe overstaying visas, lurking around cheap rooms and drinking outside the 7-Eleven. The type of foreigner that generally gives other foreigners in Thailand a bad name. But like most labels, I've noticed it gets thrown around pretty loosely. Some people use it for anyone who doesn’t live the high life in an expensive condo. Others think it means any guy who goes native and lives like a local, eats Thai food every day, rides a motorbike, and avoids tourist traps. Perhaps what actually qualifies someone as a farang kee nok depends on a mix of factors. It’s not just about money, but also about behavior and attitude. Living in an inexpensive apartment and keeping a low budget doesn’t automatically make someone kee nok. It’s seemingly more about being rude, sloppy, and constantly trying to game the system. Have you ever been called "kee nok" and is it really such a bad thing?

Just one?

I think the term “old hand” was originally meant to describe someone who’s a seasoned veteran. Someone with real experience on the ground who actually gets it. But these days, plenty of people like to call themselves old hands without ever really reaching that level. Like you said, many live in an isolated expat bubble, drink too much, never bother to learn the language, and never grasp how or why things work here. I see it constantly on this forum, people who’ve been here for years but clearly never figured it out. Most of the time, they just seem angry more than anything.

After 20-30 years, you should at least be able to speak it with a 4th grade proficiency. No excuse not to.

That's creepy. Guys actually come to Thailand and shut themselves in for 20 years? Most expats I've met have been the opposite.

Definitely should pen a book about it. You could title it "Wrong Place, Wrong Time".

What qualifies someone as a real old-hand in Asia, particularly in Thailand? Years in-country, experience with visas and immigration, half a dozen failed romances, knowledge of local culture, language skills, or merely staying long enough without going home? Personally, I’d say if you haven’t done at least 20 years here, you’re still a mid-level newbie. It’s only after the two-decade mark that you can claim true “old-hand” status. That's when you’ve seen governments change multiple times, witnessed street protests, department store fires, coups, tsunamis, currency crashes, floods, bar scenes rise and fall, and you’ve been through at least a couple cycles of Thailand reinventing itself. And for those who hit 30 years? I don’t even know what category that is… ancient relic? Museum piece? Or maybe just “part of the woodwork.” Either way, at that point you've seen it all, and none of it surprises you anymore. Not even a soi full of ladyboys.

So you got the two common routes you see foreign men take in Thailand. The “settle down with a Thai wife” path, and the “short-time, no-strings” path. The wife route often comes with a hefty monthly price tag. Family costs, house, car, ongoing support, it all adds up really fast. And after the honeymoon period fades, a lot of these guys quietly admit they’re lucky to get it once a week, some go months, some basically live in a sexless routine with constant financial outflow. Living the "quiet roommate" life. At best it's like living with a maid. Then there’s the short-time crew. Pay as you go, zero drama, no in-laws, no PMS, no monthly bills except rent and beer, more action in a week than most married guys see in a year, always on demand, always with a smile. They spend less, get more, and keep their freedom. And they can hire a maid if they need one to clean their place and do their laundry. So who’s really ahead in the long run? Maybe the wife-life is just a stable trap with diminishing returns. Or maybe it’s pure bliss. Maybe the short-time guys are the smart ones, avoiding the slow financial and emotional bleed. Or maybe they’re the ones missing out on something. Guess it all depends on one's own perspective.