barky

No more than normal,it's just becoming more visible due to an increased use of social media and the like.

You are very uninformed. The fact is that this phenomena is vastly increasing world-wide as the pressure of life is becoming unbearable for the 99% of non-elite. To say its normal is totally wrong (and dangerous for unsuspecting visitors), and Im surprised that so many equally ill-informed people agreed with you. However, I do agree that it is becoming more visible as taking a video of an atrocity is seen as "popular and cool and funny" rather than intervening as an individual/group/community as it detracts from the enjoyment of watching an innocent family being brutally mugged. But, more importantly, changing the culture of many Thais of being so aggressive and hateful toward innocent foreigners is necessary. As long as the culture of corruption (both financial and moral) prevail in Thailand the problem will never be solved. Clearly as there has been a very long hideous history of this in Thailand, I can only surmise that many Thais (particularly the authorities) just don't care and probably get off on it.

When will people ever learn not to have a holiday in Thailand. I mean what does it take.

It's just as stupid as the American populace continuing to preserve their "right" to bear arms. Meanwhile there is mass shooting after mass shooting. Clearly the population as a whole couldn't give a rats ass how many innocent people die (as long as it isn't them…right?)

Spend your holiday money where you are treated with respect and welcomed happily by the locals. And, importantly, your rights as a human being are upheld and you do receive justice.

You don't get justice in Thailand! So, stop going to Thailand!

Go to almost anywhere in Europe, U.K., Canada, N.Z., South Sea islands etc etc

Thailand does not deserve your hard earned money and it definitely does not deserve your life.

Wake up and don't continue to be so dumb.

Not sure about the need for the non sequitur regarding the 2nd amendment but, if you needed to get that off your chest...

I'm totally aware that they are different topics thank you. But your need to trivialize such important matters tells me much about you. One day you may be at the wrong end of a fist or a gun. At that time I'm sure you'll want everyone to have empathy and to acknowledge the injustice of it :-)

RTP police criminals and what a nice thing to do

Hey Prayut is this your global message to Mr Obama... Do not think this goes unoticed. This is a disgrace and is this part of your ROAD MAP

Oh I forget the other scum bags are little Chinese the super race NOT

A Shame on YOU

The sad FACT is… western governments don't care what happens in Thailand and they certainly don't care about their citizens here. That's why these things happen all the time because Thais know instinctively that nothing will ever happen. Western governments are all show and no substance (just like the Thai govt.)

If any western govt. had any guts at all or even a modicum of decency they could solve these kinds of problems with a phone call. These are the kinds of problems Putin would fix in a second.

Having seen the CTV from the club, the girl is definately lying.

She is lieing because she was either paid off or threatened with death. And the Thai police were clearly paid off or just need new eye glasses. Mr PM do your job!

You're kidding right? expecting, or even hoping that the so called PM will do anything that is appropriate, fair and just.

My Advice Stay well clear of Thailand it is not what it was ^years or more ago there are so ny better places to holiday

My thoughts exactly! Just stop visiting. Oh I know your thinking "it will never happen to me".

Then go ahead, but don't say you weren't warned:-)

When will people ever learn not to have a holiday in Thailand. I mean what does it take.

It's just as stupid as the American populace continuing to preserve their "right" to bear arms. Meanwhile there is mass shooting after mass shooting. Clearly the population as a whole couldn't give a rats ass how many innocent people die (as long as it isn't them…right?)

Spend your holiday money where you are treated with respect and welcomed happily by the locals. And, importantly, your rights as a human being are upheld and you do receive justice.

You don't get justice in Thailand! So, stop going to Thailand!

Go to almost anywhere in Europe, U.K., Canada, N.Z., South Sea islands etc etc

Thailand does not deserve your hard earned money and it definitely does not deserve your life.

Wake up and don't continue to be so dumb.

Why are there those that have been living here for some time and still dont know the "rules" ? After all it's not that difficult a custom to understand and follow.

If you are older, you don't initiate the wai. If someone wais you then depending on their age and status you reciprocate with either a "nod and a smile" , a wai at chest level, a wai at chin level, (A wai higher than this is absolutely unnecessary unless you have just met your God.

The ridiculous myth that westerners should automatically wai all and sundry has been propagated by Thais and books such as Lonely Planet. ( I cringe every time I witness some westerner initiating a wai to the 7-11 staff or Tuk Tuk driver)

A higher wai does in fact apply to some,Royalty or Monks.

Why are there those that have been living here for some time and still dont know the "rules" ? After all it's not that difficult a custom to understand and follow, isn't that what you just wrote.

My God you are thick aren't you! I indicated clearly for the non-foggy minded that there IS a higher wai But instead of God a perceptive mind would have inserted Royal/Monk.

Why are there those that have been living here for some time and still dont know the "rules" ? After all it's not that difficult a custom to understand and follow.

If you are older, you don't initiate the wai. If someone wais you then depending on their age and status you reciprocate with either a "nod and a smile" , a wai at chest level, a wai at chin level, (A wai higher than this is absolutely unnecessary unless you have just met your God.

The ridiculous myth that westerners should automatically wai all and sundry has been propagated by Thais and books such as Lonely Planet. ( I cringe every time I witness some westerner initiating a wai to the 7-11 staff or Tuk Tuk driver)

Perhaps these people you laugh at just want to show the natives that they are not one of the xxxxxxx influx, and are making an effort eh.

This is utter tripe but great PC though. You'd be a great polly. I didnt say laugh, I said cringe..look it up in a dictionary. Just observe the Thais themselves. Maybe you just don't know what you're talking about.

Why are there those that have been living here for some time and still dont know the "rules" ? After all it's not that difficult a custom to understand and follow.

If you are older, you don't initiate the wai. If someone wais you then depending on their age and status you reciprocate with either a "nod and a smile" , a wai at chest level, a wai at chin level, (A wai higher than this is absolutely unnecessary unless you have just met your God.

The ridiculous myth that westerners should automatically wai all and sundry has been propagated by Thais and books such as Lonely Planet. ( I cringe every time I witness some westerner initiating a wai to the 7-11 staff or Tuk Tuk driver)

they are not horrible drivers but actually excellent drivers with really poor etiquette.

No, they are, without doubt, both!!!

I not understand everything you write but

sometimes one person buy but the whole family use

I know this crazy thinking for you

sorry but this our way, our thinking

No you didn't understand. He said clearly that the vast majority of people who were riding the bike were NOT family!

Oftentimes wondered if its really the sales policies, or the lack of well spoken Thai language, that cause many of these problems.

In a small part yes. But, by in large, most are just dumb as*es. And, you cant fix dumb.

The 90 day thing shows just your status as a (permanent) tourist. Tourists leave after 90 days max, they allow you to report in country - courtesy of TH government.

I travel a lot, so it does not bother me much. But basically you are a tourist, even with family here.

Exactly !! And, there's the rub!!!

To expand a bit more. I do 90 address reports here and will continue to do 90 day address reports as long as I live here, no matter how many years. Or decades. That kind of place can't really be your home in reality. You can decide to delude yourself that it is if it makes you happier.

Exactly Jingthing.

Many of the expat community here are totally deluded.

The fact is, until you're not living from one 12 moth visa to another, and you don't need to submit 90 day reports, own & operate your own business 100% and employ who you want, buy land, vote (if you really want to), be able to apply for and hold any job you are qualified for, come and go as you please, not be over-charged, don't need a work visa, get a lifetime DL, hold a Thai passport (as well as your bith country's passport) etc, etc...you can never really call this or any place HOME.

Is anyone even ALLOWED to write of commentate in the media like that?

NO!!!!!

The actual answer is probably they just don't understand it.

I just drove my TGF's motorbike to a massage place to drop her off for a 2 hour thai massage. I pulled off and stopped because a guy in front of me stopped and opened his door wide open to get out of his car and another person was following me right on my ass. It was potentially ugly. I avoided what could have been an accident. They didn't lose face.

I doubt either one of them did it to be malicious but at the same time both of them probably knew less than the basics of safe driving habits.

I'll always give way to ignorance.

Then you'd be giving way to more than half the drivers in Thailand.

Over the past month I've been the subject of minor road rage on two separate occasions by young (20's) Thai male drivers. One was tailgateing me at 80klm and got angry that I touched my brakes to warn him that he was far too close (about 2 mtrs) He then sped up and forced his way between me and the car in front even though there was no room to do so.

The other time while crawling along in bumper to bumper traffic the guy to my left decided he was going to instantly move in front of me into my lane. Again, there was no space but he forced his way even nudging (a slight touch) my car and then blameing me for the contact <deleted>. He then weaved all over the road trying to block my path. This was in the middle of 5 lane wide peak hour traffic.He was certifiable, supper aggressive, and downright dangerous...other than that he was a model of Thai youth.

Thailand has more than its fair share of road rage and selfish, aggressive, dangerous drivers.

Personally, I absolutely don't care if they kill themselves. In fact, I'm relieved. As long as they don't take me with them!!!!!

I'm of the opinion that most Thais feel (particularly in the case of a weterner) they can do almost any negative thing to you they want and you just have to suck it up!

From memory, this kinda thing happened to me only once here in BKK about 8 or 9 years ago in Hard Rock Cafe Siam Square. Some dumb ass agressive (western) prick was itching to fight someone for reasons only he understood. I unfortunately sat on a bar stool next to him to have a drink and listen to the band. He then muttered some agreesive thing at me and then he got up and moved away. Anyhow 30 minutes later I also move with a friend to the other side of the bar and unfortunately passed by this asshol_e again, as I was on the way to the toilet he said some agressive coment again and at that point, I lost it a little and shouted at him to meet outside. After I came out of the toilet, he had gone.....I was relieved and went about enjoying the evening.

This kinda thing is fairly common in my home country and Thai males are guilty of this on the odd ocassion. I think some males are just born <deleted> and deserve a shitty life for making other peoples lives unnecessarily unpleasant. A pox on en all.

_{I watched the series. Very poorly researched. Almost not worth watching.}

In terms of partial integration, my best experience is being accepted for who and what I am, i.e. a young white english guy, by older and other Thai people who appreciate the effort I make to behave politely in a Thai sense of the word (and speak the language). Then also that these people will help me, be kind to me, have my back and genuinely seem to care about me (and I them). This is a warm feeling and necessary to any life, no?

The worst experience would be along the same lines; the realisation that even if I lived here the rest of my life, had a Thai family, with half Thai kids, spoke and read/wrote Thai fluently, gained Thai citizenship one day, contributed everything I could to Thailand, I would still never integrate into Thai society and will always have been farang.

However, I am not so sure this is a bad thing, ultimately. Riding the line between both cultures allows you to benefit from both sides, yet it does this while simultaneously preventing you from ever feeling totally "at home". The realisation I have spent all my adult life in a country not of my birth results in feeling at home neither in England nor in Thailand.. and therein lies the rub.

I remain therefore very comfortably lost, a sensation that grows with each year I live here. I am uncertain where it ends and how that might feel.

Wow oxfordWill, this pretty well sums it up for me too.

Fe Fe, could you please explain, exactly how weterners (who dont have the benefit of a Thai parent and all the obvious advantages that flow from that) are "integrated" into Thai society.

When I say integrated, I mean how a person from a western country (eg: N.Z. Aus. USA. Canada.Norway.Switzerland.UK etc) would understand it to be.

To be absolutely honest I've not seen any real, tangible, feel-at-home, feel as though you are a part of the general society kind of evidence.