YoungNRich12

That sounds more like a sacrifice than positive acceptance. People do things for money, it does not mean that they view these things as being good.

We can guess at her motivation, but the bottom line is that the mother obviously thinks there is something good about it.

My friend who experienced this told me he was told that the mother thought western men did not fool around and made better husbands.

How is this different than arranged marriages between Thais? I know a few Thai people who are in arranged marriages, including one who got married about 5 years ago. Usually its because the families feel that the union will be beneficial, usually financially or socially.

When the partners are mismatched, its more likely that the female is being traded as a commodity. Surely, you can see the difference between a marriage arranged between two 25 year old neighbors and a 25 year old and a 65 year old from another country.

Did this rebellion take place right after the sin sot was presented?

No pink TV polo? What do I wear on Tuesday?

People always mention how they are going to make these corrupt, extortionists squirm by stalling, asking questions, dropping names, etc. I would love to actually see this take place. What is more likely, is that they are as quiet as a mouse and pay up. Hard to believe that these so called gangsters have not heard it all and are going to get scared because you spoke Thai to them.

The corruption only comes up when farang are not benefiting. If the littering fine was 500 baht and the cops were asking for half of that off the books, well, all would be well. The fact the cop was robbing the tax payers and corrupt, well that is not the real issue. The real issue is what the cost is to you. So lets drop the ethical debate and look at it more realistically. You don't want to have to pay. You might, if you are unlucky, have to pay at some point in your life.

Move along people.

Somewhere on Soi Pridi I presume? Would like the soi #, I know these Posts can be tucked into little cracks and practically invisible.

That sounds more like a sacrifice than positive acceptance. People do things for money, it does not mean that they view these things as being good.

Any trip to any foreign embassy in Thailand always comes along with seeing a farang and sometimes his partner in a heated argument with the clerk who is simply following the rules handed down to her. Despite the common misplaced jealousy, it is a hardly some sort of desirable, carefree feet-in-the-air job position. There isn't even any viable opportunity for tea money. Imaging having to explain the same rules over and over again to people who view you with absolute contempt because even the simplest procedures prove difficult for these individuals.

Farang: "So what if she over stayed on with her last trip with her other fiance? What does that have to do with me? She told you already, shee missed her flight so she had to overstay - What's that? - Oh, her cousin was also sick so she could not leave - Huh? - And, her friend Nok, do you know her?, has a friend, Ping, who has a sister, Jan, who worked in the Thai Embassy in Paris who told her that it was okay because she was sick - What's that? I dunno. Maybe ten more minutes. Can't you wait? I don't know where the bathroom is."

"Ms. Supong cannot apply for a visa for five years because she over stayed previously. Sorry."

"What's a Seapond?"

"That is your girl friend's name"

Perhaps the real question is, What is there to like about you besides your ATM card?

The two examples you gave to illustrate your point about well educated Thai people not accepting interracial relationships had you mind reading every individual involved:

-The meaning behind the body language of the other Thai people witnessing the conversation you believed you observed.

-The reasons behind the doctor's desire to classify a fellow doctor by her skin color to fit his world view of your relationship with her.

-Your current gf's parents not wanting to meet you because they are afraid that despite the photos they were shown, that you are really an old pensioner.

Both examples were totally bizarre. But in your last post you say that you have only rarely experienced this sort of thing and that you have more Thai male friends than female friends, so now I can only assume I am talking to a schizophrenic. I much prefer to make fun of people who stick to their ludicrous positions more rigorously, not flip flop three posts later.

In the long term, I don’t see any direction for Thailand but up… it’s hard to imagine things becoming much cheaper here, but more importantly, the country controls vast quantities of two resources that will be absolutely critical in the future....

Did anyone else think he was going to say something different than he did at this point?

I am scared just hearing about this guy. Somebody hold me.

Do you believe I'm making too many assumptions? Both spoken and body language give us cues everyday to meaning that may be evident, implied, or subconscious...

or imagined.

Its not a surprise that Thai women are more interested in Farang men than heterosexual Thai men. For reasons to obvious to state, there is less motivation for a hetersexual Thai male to seek relationships with farang males. Perhaps I should remind you that adult social circles differ from Kindergarten in that everyone does not have a name tag, eat lunch together and possess the same general demeanor, personalities and goals.

the wealthy will be unhappy but prepared to change their minds once they get to know the partner and realise that their daughter/son will be loved and well cared for.

For me, as a wealthy individual, I will be completely disappointed if my daughter chooses to marry someone from the same culture with whom I can understand and communicate with. Ideally, my daughter will marry someone from one of those off the map tribal villages in the middle of the jungle of some island that they just discovered thirty to forty years ago and are still trying to convince to stop sacrificing children. I can't think of anything worse than her marrying someone who grew up in the town over. Its so, how do you say, boring and unoriginal the way most people choose to marry within their culture. Think of all the humerus cross culture experiences you miss out on, like "Someone tell Sushada's new husband that he is chewing on ginger and lemon grass and to only eat the water" or "Can someone please translate what my grand daughter just said to me?" and "That's great that you are moving 9,000 km away. I look forward to sight seeing in Spokane Idaho."

"Things may have gotten better here, but I think there is more acceptance of foreigners by Thai women of all classes, than Thai men. I've seen it in many of the interactions that I've had with Thais from all different backgrounds, women tend to be more accepting or supporting when they find out that my girlfriend is Thai. Men seem to have a preconceived notion of the status of the girl if she is dating a foreigner.

For example, I'm speaking with a well-to-do Thai man and I find out that he is a doctor at the same hospital where my girlfriend worked (also a doctor), so I ask him if he knows her. His first reaction is "Your girlfriend is a doctor?" as if that is patently impossible. Then, as I tell him more about her, he seems to only be able to accept it if he can categorize her in a pejorative way. "Oh yes, I think I know who you're talking about now, she's the dark one." My girlfriend is not really dark, (she's half Thai-Chinese, so while she isn't one of those girls with porcelain white skin, I definitely wouldn't categorize her as dark), but I think the categorization is related more to what "class" a person is, than their skin colour.

By categorizing her as a lower class than himself (although they have the same job specialization, and make the same amount of money, and she came from an academic family), this man was able to make it "okay" because his categorization put her into a group that were undesirable for him.

My girlfriend has related some similar difficulties for her. She has said that dating/marrying a foreigner limits her opportunities here as she will be judged by that fact in her professional life. As well, her parents are not happy about the situation, they've been afraid to meet me (my girlfriend and I have been together for over two years) because although they've seen pictures of me, they are afraid that I'm some old, fat pensioner trying to steal their upwardly mobile daughter away."

Since you are so good at mind reading, I think you might want to setup shop as a fortune teller. Even if you just serviced the farang community, think of the profits. We have so many foreigners here who only speak basic or intermediate Thai (I assume, like yourself, as these conversations would not have been carried out in English if you could have more clearly explained who your ex-girl friend was in Thai) yet lack your mind reading skills. Heck, you have came up with a detailed psychological analysis of two people with whom you have never even met before, let alone spoke too. Now, that my friend is skill. We've got farang on this forum who have been with the same girl for ten years and can't even tell you what she means when she says "Up to you" or if that is really her little sister or daughter and then we have got you, the missing link. The guy who makes things happen. Turns water into wine.

I wouldn't be surprised if in less than a decade you have your own television show "The Thai Whisperer" and at least five dozen half Chinese-Thai doctors in your cell phone.

Looks like this thread conjured up some negative memories about what you shouldn't have had to pay for.

That was a smart idea to move close by to your Isaan wife's family. Build a nice castle in comparison to the tin shacks which everyone in her family occupies. Than get surprised and angry when they (the grade 4 or less educated, alcoholic, etc) come around looking for whiskey handouts.

Imagine, having a farang in the family who is stingy. Its like someone telling you that they are a lawyer and that your distant great Uncle left you a huge inheritance and then saying "Just kidding!"

and wondering if its the same for health insurance or not.

recommendations for some kind of family package?

I suppose it makes sense to give cash public hospitals as opposed to private hospitals because you are essentially just buying something as opposed to showing gratitude, whereas gratitude is probably more logically shown through a personal gift (cake, cookies, dress shirt) as opposed to a cash payment.

Listed package was 40,000. Final bill was 47,000 (I figured it would have been around 50,000). Were so excited, tired and ready to get out of there that we did not even bother to skim the bill over to see what the extra charges were. Your bill was 50% higher?

Assuming you were as happy as you could be and your doctor was particularly sensitive to your spouse's emotions, would you tip your doctor in a private hospital that charges around 40k baht for the procedure? We have heard varying opinions on the subject and are learning towards 5,000 baht.

Thx.

What did you mean that you are the wrong farang to F with? What would you have done if he told you the water stays off?

You kids need to go to Chinatown, eat some real Chinese food and you won't even go back to MK. My wife and her family always joke about MK. "...Lets go to MK" then everyone makes a choking sound like they are dying.

MK is terrible. If you think its good it means you have terrible taste in food.

Its funny that farang who are not fluent in Thai are always so willing to make criticisms on Thai language based subjects such as literature or sarcasm. Their opinions are about as useful as a blind man's thoughts on The Last Supper.

People tell these types to go home because they are annoying. They should stop being so lazy and make more money, then they won't have to complain about the cost of cheese and brag about the cost of fried rice. The self involved mantra is always along the lines of "This isn't fair! I want a second serving. Didn't I earn it? I wish my dad was a Chinese Thai Opium Lord. Why can't I legally sell pork balls from a motorcycle? Why are there immigration regulations? Why did that girl pretend she couldn't hear me when I tried to talk to her? Why won't they give me the Thai price? Why is it so hot? If I was Prime Minister, you know what I would do?"...

"Female entertainment for half an hour 3000 baht Australia"

I thought you guys just drove around until you spotted some livestock.