JiveTalker

Foreigners that use the word farang.

Foreigners that bang on constantly about other foreigners that moan about Thailand. If you don't like reading Thaivisa - go somewhere else.

People that don't wear helmets.

Yes, usually the same people that love to shoehorn the word farang into every conversation - be it with a Thai at 7-11 or a poor fellow foreigner that they've decided to share their Thainess with at the bar.

I hope see recovers but she gets no sympathy from me.

Just take a moment to ask yourself why people drive like they do in Thailand. Police do very little to enforce rules. There are no driving lessons. Young people will drive like their elders who seem to have very little social responsibility, you can see this every day when parents allow kids on bikes with no helmets.

Had this girl had the benefit of a system like we do in the west I daresay she wouldn't be in the position she is in today. The system is inadequate here, and there are far too many victims like this.

Thanks Scott

I'm more interested in hearing what people with teaching experience would recommend with regard to training. that would make me a more effective teacher in se Asia.

I hope I'm not having a mid life crisis here, but I really feel like taking a year or two out to help within a small, less advantaged community.

By financial neccesity I am non resident from the Uk, otherwise would gladly work there. The main obstacle to my considering teaching in Thailand, is that in my experience here, learning is not much encouraged - far less, thinking outside the box.

Thinking outside the box may not be encouraged, but if you're a good teacher you'll be able to influence this. The system may be broken but the students are eager and willing to learn in the most cases, and teaching here can be a thoroughly rewarding experience.

That being said volunteering here is difficult, visas are not easy to obtain. A job in a small school outside the big towns and tourist hot spots may be up your street. If you're able to invest some time and patience you've a good chance of making a difference. Without a degree it's a risk of course.

With all due respect I think you miss the point of a discussion forum. It's foremost a place to discuss problems, issues and difficulties we face as foreigners in Thailand. Therefore it's obvious that you'll see more negativity than you'll generally encounter in day to day life. If someone has a problem with a corrupt official or an overcharging business then they need to vent. Within Thailand we are often powerless to question or challenge what happens to us. Thaivisa is the perfect place to discuss and resolve (to some extent) any issues we have.

There are many on this forum that feel the discussion and reactions to any issues are an insult and offensive to Thailand. They're not. It's what a discussion forum is, and always has been. Sure you'll get the odd nutcase and troll, but you should be able to see these guys a mile off.

I appreciate your post telling us how wonderful your life is, but we'd all find another site to use if all posts were in similar ilk.

This is a forum, we talk and are friends in the main but never meet face to face. It's nice on occasions to read something eeer nice, instead of reading problem after problem so l really don't know where your coming from. Perhaps your a lonely person and has never experienced friendship, l don't know, but from your comment you really should mix more.

"You're"

I use real life to experience friendship. You may need to use the Internet to meet people, but others have an active social life already. I enjoy reading the forum, and find it useful at times, but it's not something I use for social needs.

Have you seen how much good teachers can earn overseas, in countries like South Korea, Saudi and Iraq? A few years there, save up some serious money, then come back and find a steady job in a Thai school. It's not a bad way to live. You can certainly afford some luxuries.

With all due respect I think you miss the point of a discussion forum. It's foremost a place to discuss problems, issues and difficulties we face as foreigners in Thailand. Therefore it's obvious that you'll see more negativity than you'll generally encounter in day to day life. If someone has a problem with a corrupt official or an overcharging business then they need to vent. Within Thailand we are often powerless to question or challenge what happens to us. Thaivisa is the perfect place to discuss and resolve (to some extent) any issues we have.

There are many on this forum that feel the discussion and reactions to any issues are an insult and offensive to Thailand. They're not. It's what a discussion forum is, and always has been. Sure you'll get the odd nutcase and troll, but you should be able to see these guys a mile off.

I appreciate your post telling us how wonderful your life is, but we'd all find another site to use if all posts were in similar ilk.

But back on topic, I've often wondered that myself, WM. Frankly, to hear these whiners complain about Thailand day in and day out, it would seem that anywhere else would be better. But the PI would seem a viable alternative for those who are lacking in the local language department. So yes, I would certainly encourage those who are sick of Thailand to give the PI a try. In fact, I strongly encourage it. Better yet, I'm freakin begging you, please go. Better still, get the heck out of here already!

I don't think you've mentioned this particular gripe of yours before.

What are you jabbering on about today? Tactics? What are your tactics? Should I compose a set of tactics before I sit down to surf the Internet?

I'll call a Thai racist if he is racist. I'll call a foreigner racist if he is racist. I've met plenty in equal measures. Ignorance is no excuse for racism either. I don't really know why you feel the need to generalize people based on one quote or point of view. You shouldn't try so hard to shoehorn people into a particular box just because they don't share your viewpoint.

And for those of you that believe multiculturalism doesn't work, it does. It's worked in places all around the world for many years. Deal with it, it's here to stay.

This may be off the topic, but it seems that if many farang have their way, the culture of Thailand will cease to exist, and the place will just be a low-rent version of london or New York.

This is a good point. Many farangs seem to want Thailand to change to suit them, to modernize, be more westernized, accept the western way of thinking, etc.....the caveat being that it stays cheap because most are on a limited income. You can't have it both ways. I often tell my most vocal farang Thailand critics that there's already a "Thai utopia" out there that would fit their description of a modern Thailand. It's called Japan. But of course, most of these guys couldn't afford to live there.

Farang is still an ugly word.

There are 1 or 2 people on here that really can't stand Thailand. There are also 1 or 2 on here that feel the need to defend Thailand against any and every minuscule slight whilst screaming about racism. All of these people are as stupid as each other. Everyone has the right to voice their opinion, good or bad. Most of us fit somewhere in the middle, so perhaps you'd consider stopping banging this particular drum.

What is FARLANGLAND?

Some of those posts make me sick.

Drunk, obnoxious, disrespectful, Farang, pond life make me sick. I bet you anything you care to wager, that I've seen more of those than you have badly behaved Tuk Tuk drivers.

I hope you don't find yourself in the same predicament and expect sympathy.

That's the whole point. Unless you are the tiny minority, (French family) It wont happen to anybody behaving themselves. Stand up everybody that's lived in Phuket for a while. Now sit down if you've never been attacked by a Tuk Tuk driver. What percent of the people standing are still standing?

And if this happened in your home country would you be OK with that?

I can't wait for the day that low life scum, get dealt with in an appropriate way. In my country the laws and the police enforcing them are a joke. Bring back the good old days of police men, clipping yobs round the ear without being taken to court, maybe my home country wouldn't be such a sh!t hole.

I can only hope that enough tourists saw it and will take the vivid picture home with them and tell everyone never to come to Thailand!

If only I had 10 Baht for every time someone made that naive comment. 99% of people use Tuk Tuks without a single issue, and that includes the high prices. The amount of people coming to Phuket will never be affected by Tuk Tuk drivers, I assure you of that.

Every decent Thai and foreign person I know is ashamed of the behaviour of the tuk tuk drivers. Yet somehow, for whatever reason, you've decided to turn this round and blame the foreigner. A mob beating is justified becuase farang pond life makes you sick.

Many people are affected by the actions of the tuk tuk drivers. You can assure us all you like but you're in the minority on this one.

Tony Pulis is an idiot.

Pulis wants Portsmouth relegated because that means there is less chance his useless team will go down. Pulis won't get another chance in the Premiership, he knows that.

No.

I hate to repeat myself but.... for those that are complaining about those of us who have the outrageous nerve to say anything bad -

The sub heading of the original post was "Why all the negatives from the local expats?".

I think you'll find that I made reference to that in my last post. I knew someone would jump on it, so I thought I would save them the trouble and point it out first, but obviously you don't hate to repeat yourself that much! Now it's my turn to repeat myself. If the OP hadn't added that half of the title, the negative response from expats would have been just as prevalent.

The expats are telling you why - coming here for a holiday is entirely different to living here.

But why revel in it? Why not three lines saying that you're glad he had a good holiday, and there's a lot to love, and then one line saying 'But things are different when...." It's when residents are so full on negative that people get confused, and inevitably ask, "why the <deleted>#k are you still here?"

It has also been pointed out to you that this expat forum is a great place to talk about the realities of life here (generally not seen by tourists staying for a few weeks). Its not a PR site to encourage tourism!

Reality my arse! Whose reality are you referring to, cos it's not mine. I've been married to a Thai for nearly a decade and have spent a fair bit of time in this country, 90% of which was in Phuket. I'm yet to have one single negative incident worth talking about. Frustration at the appalling driving ability of most, yes. A little moan about Thai people and their lack of logical thought at times, definitely, but mugged, burgled, abused by a Tuk tuk driver, treated with out and out disrespect etc, not even once.

Those few of you that have been here a few years and are still convinced Phuket is heaven on earth - OK, but try to understand that others don't see it that way anymore (you must have met them and understand why!) - but still have their own reasons for staying here.

There's your problem right there mate. Few people, few years??? There's thousands of people that have called Phuket home for varying, long periods of time. Two people were in a thread recently, discussing the way things were in Patong, 20+ years ago. Neither of them were moaning I seem to remember. Re-read 'Keesthas' post, I fear you may fall in to the group of people he was describing. People blaming their own inability to adapt to a new culture on everything but themselves. Finally, as for your last comment, about having no choice and personal reasons to stay here, that one's been around the block a few times as well. What happened. Did you accidentally nail you foot to the floor four years ago, and the doctor told you, that if you removed it you would certainly die? Or do you mean your Thai Girlfriend doesn't want to move away from her family? Or that you've got <deleted>#k all better, to go to in your own country? Even if someone has got a truly genuine reason for not being able to leave, it's not my fault, or anybody else's, and it's certainly not Phukets fault either so it still doesn't justify the continual moaning and slating of the place you have chosen, and still choose to live, that is undeniably illogical and border line retarded.

You have an incredible mind. That post should be put to music. It's special. Good effort.

Didn't take too long before true identity showed.

All the best of luck, student of studying human behavioural studies.

For a student of behavioural studies he takes it all very personally. Precious little thing is our kiwi...

There are some pretty reasonable EPs out there, but you are probably limited to places like BKK, Phuket or Chiang Mai. They are all run for profit though...

The difference in English between an average student in a good EP and an average student on a non EP is really quite noticeable.

Thanks for your words but loking at your past stories i wonder wht your interests really are.Your main gripe seems to be the tuks but you in general write a heap of negatives about the place you live.Why? and as for the tukstuk i mean do you ever use them ireckon you dont because you are expat and have a car.Did you yourself have arun in or what.in all honesty it sounds like you and only acouple of others are out to promote negatives and disharmony in the very place you call home.How ironic .My impression is that mabe you are either a very bored oldy with little else to do and passed your use by date or you are just making waves to promote other self interests.

These are my observations from a student ot human behavioural studies, and i found that this forum offers a lot of opportuneties in regards to quirky behaviour patterns.All great for my planned thesis i might add.

Phuket is a great place to live. It's far from perfect. This forum gives people an opportunity to discuss gripes and give newcomers a helping hand.

Those of us that cast aspersions on a place after a flying visit or those of us that prefer to bury our heads in the sand are exhibiting even quirkier behaviour. I hope this is also great for your thesis - which I'm sure will be an utterly thrilling read.

No the Tuk tuk situation isn't great, but stop thinking that you can and have the right to try and change it. Or at least, if you want to think you have the right, please stop thinking that you can and will, because that's just making you look foolish.

That's a fairly pathetic way to live your life. Plenty of things have changed in Thailand because people voiced concerns over problems or disparities. Recently the local government implemented a new jet ski system (that may or may not work - but that's a another issue) after some foolish people voiced a concern. The governor is looking at improving the public transport in Phuket because it's clearly broken. How does he know it's broken?

Let me spell it out for the "wanna-b-thai" foreign sock puppet contingent. Using that word to refer to other foreigner is clearly a "fox-paw" (or "faux pas" for you retards) of giant magnitude and should not be tolerated by other foreigners EVER!!!

Well said that man.

Why are you all whining about a 200 baht taxi ride?

You know the price before you get in

So what ......... pay it or walk!!!

200 baht = 6 USD = 4.20 Euros = 3.73 GBP

How much do taxi cost back home?

Cost 3.25 to get in a taxi back in Canada

How the heck can so many people complain about such a little amount

I find it baffling

The taxi meters are no better than the wanke_rs

who charge sevice charges on the bill.

Who they hel_l are they to tell me how much I have

to tip? oh...... so I dont like this .... so I don't go back

to those restaurants

You don't like the fares .... walk but stop complaining about

what is, especially when it is only a couple dollars/euros or quid

You find it baffling because you've completely missed the point. You don't go back to restaurants that over charge you, you go to others, but there is no alternative than to take a tuk tuk in Phuket if you've had a few drinks. I don't care what it is in Euro or Pound, I live and work in Thailand. It's all relative. I can understand that for a casual visitor like yourself, who's probably spent 2 weeks in Patong on holiday, it's not important. You have no frame of reference.

Both Thai and foreign people that live here all the year round would benefit from having a fairly priced metered taxi or decent bus service. That shouldn't be too much to ask, should it?

Mostly overused by newcomers to Thailand tying that little bit too hard to fit in.

If you got rid of the Burmese, Bangladeshi and Indian suit sellers etc, Patong would still be ok. That to me is the main difference between now and the old days. That and the bar fines. This constant talk of a taxi "mafia" is ill-informed and tedious. These guys just want to protect their living, would you prefer they stopped driving farangs and started robbing them instead? They just want their slice of the tourist pie.

Yes, the Burmese are the reason Patong is not the same as it used to be.

Bloody hel_l.

That's mental.

Public transport on this island is beyond a joke.

Well worth the effort, that.