You Stupid Backpackers

[meadish_sweetball]

"Hippy-like characters" are indeed banned from entering Thailand if they can't show sufficient funds or an onward ticket. When you approach a check-in counter anywhere in the world, that is what the check-in attendant reads on the screen.

[natee1]

Dave, I didn't mean sanitary, sorry, brain a bit slow today.

They can check my bank account at check-in? Is it 1984 already?

[meadish_sweetball]

Nope, they can't check your bank account, but you are personally responsible for bringing proof of funds, a valid visa from a Thai embassy or an onward ticket.

In case of an airline sending a person which doesn't meet the Thai immigration criteria to Thailand, I have been told they will hold the airline responsible for any costs incurred for the repatriation of the crusty peace-loving rasta, as well as his didgeridoo.

[konangrit]

In my neck of the woods backpackers are commonly refered to as tw@tpackers.

[maerim]

tw@tpackers.

This is an invalid e-mail address.

[Rhys]

Now, Now, it is not the backpackers.. In Chieng Mai Several years ago at the Immigration Office.. An..overweight, European Farang, came marching in the office, spendidly dressed in flowing Hawaiian Shirt, speaking, actually good Thai.. with good tones. and with his Thai Braclet Fan attached. Then to the top of his Valhala lungs..yells.. WHO.. AWW..NA... U tee Nigh.. Then, starts to berate the professinal Thai officer taking care of him.

The boss comes out.. he says, something, then goes on yelling.. The Thais in the office keep their heads down.. the officer does his best to help..

A fine day for the man from miester heaven.

Then this officer waits on me.. and to my surprize... helps and takes care of my paperwork efficiently... I told him he did a good job with the Valhala Thor Speaker.

He smiles.. A little recongition for good work.. may help at the immigration office.

[konangrit]

lol@maerim

Is this a valid e-mail address?

[Georgie-Porgie]

I have a friend who came to Thailand as a broke middle age back-packer. Now, he's a good looking guy in his early 50s. He started doing import export maybe 10 years ago and now is very, very wealthy.

He is one of the nicest, most normal people that I know here, but he always says, "Everybody that is living in Thailand (farangs) has something wrong with them; Never forget, we are all a bunch of losers".

When I read here everyday that it is "the fat sex-tourist slobs" or "the dirty cheap back-packers" that ruin Thailand, his wisdom becomes very apparent to me.

I'll tell you what, I'm nothing special, and lucky as he11 to be here.

Maybe, some of you people should look in the mirror a lot more honestly.

[ChiangMaiThai]

I have a friend who came to Thailand as a broke middle age back-packer. Now, he's a good looking guy in his early 50s. He started doing import export maybe 10 years ago and now is very, very wealthy.

He is one of the nicest, most normal people that I know here, but he always says, "Everybody that is living in Thailand (farangs) has something wrong with them; Never forget, we are all a bunch of losers".

When I read here everyday that it is "the fat sex-tourist slobs" or "the dirty cheap back-packers" that ruin Thailand, his wisdom becomes very apparent to me.

I'll tell you, I'm nothing special, and lucky as he11 to be here.

Maybe, some of you people should look in the mirror a lot more honestly.

Its not one group of people that 'ruin thailand' and yes, we are all a little twisted to be living here.

But still, the people that can't figure out that clean clothes and shoes may be a good idea when visiting immigration aren't needed in my opinion.

[samran]

Just one other little point, the Australian Tourism commission has done some research  which shows that the average backpacker spends more money than the average tourist, stays a touch longer and the money actually spent reaches local communities and business, unlike say the package tourist.

Spend money on what?

pornography, fireworks and hot air if you were visiting canberra

Otherwise, they tend to spend money on.... well, whatever products and services were provided business owned and operate by locals.

In Thailand this would probably mean the noodle vendor, guesthouse operator, the 2 baht songtaew guy....etc.etc.

The ACT holds the prize for the largest mail order porno' pic rentals in the land ( as you'd well know Chris )

What is ATC, who is Chris? -there is so much I don't know.

Re: spending money, I thought your ordinary, straight tourist spend something like $100 and more per day? Maybe the 4star hotel will get most of it.

But backpackers can't be spending this amount on fried noodles... However, I agree, they are supporting small local businesses, great.

http://atc.australia.com/cms/imagesres/bac...sheetjune03.pdf

check it out. In Australia at least, the average backpacker spends twice as much as the average tourist. Admittedly they stay longer, but the important thing (which I read somewhere else) was that the spending is more directed into the local economy, so the benefit to the local economy is extremely positive when compared to an average tourist who tend to source most of their activities (and hence spending) through one or two central agencies.

Same logic should apply to Thailand as well.

ACT is the Australian Capital Territory, the capitol region of Australia. Technically, it isn't a state, and it is my temporary home.

ATC is the Australian Toursim Commission.

[Boon Mee]

I have a friend who came to Thailand as a broke middle age back-packer. Now, he's a good looking guy in his early 50s. He started doing import export maybe 10 years ago and now is very, very wealthy.

He is one of the nicest, most normal people that I know here, but he always says, "Everybody that is living in Thailand (farangs) has something wrong with them; Never forget, we are all a bunch of losers".

When I read here everyday that it is "the fat sex-tourist slobs" or "the dirty cheap back-packers" that ruin Thailand, his wisdom becomes very apparent to me.

I'll tell you, I'm nothing special, and lucky as he11 to be here.

Maybe, some of you people should look in the mirror a lot more honestly. 

Its not one group of people that 'ruin thailand' and yes, we are all a little twisted to be living here.

But still, the people that can't figure out that clean clothes and shoes may be a good idea when visiting immigration aren't needed in my opinion.

If your definition of being "twisted" means not wanting to live where it snows, beautiful beaches, great food, beautiful women, a relative low cost of living to suit a comfortable life-style...I guess that's "twisted" but I prefer to think of it as common sense.

[Ausiefella]

JESUS!!!!

You people take some beating, how dare you and what gives you the right to talk about people visiting this country. Backpackers, sex tourist, beer drinkers, any single man, anyone not wanting to visit a wat, ban them. Ban them all at the point of entry. Then open up the flood gates to all the family holiday makers, two parents (one of each sex of course) and two children. Happily going around Thailand viewing historic sites and cultural thingys. Spending a few $'s during the day. Back to the hotel, spending a few more $'s there, and then early to bed, up early the next day to do the same thing again.

Bring it on, watch Thailand prosper.

[Pink Mist]

Aussiefella you remind me of someone, it escapes me for the moment, I will remember, it wont happen overnight, but it will happen.

[samran]

JESUS!!!!

You people take some beating, how dare you and what gives you the right to talk about people visiting this country. Backpackers, sex tourist, beer drinkers, any single man, anyone not wanting to visit a wat, ban them. Ban them all at the point of entry. Then open up the flood gates to all the family holiday makers, two parents (one of each sex of course) and two children. Happily going around Thailand viewing historic sites and cultural thingys. Spending a few $'s during the day. Back to the hotel, spending a few more $'s there, and then early to bed, up early the next day to do the same thing again.

Bring it on, watch Thailand prosper.

sounds like a John Howard fantasy destination.

[Georgie-Porgie]

I have a friend who came to Thailand as a broke middle age back-packer. Now, he's a good looking guy in his early 50s. He started doing import export maybe 10 years ago and now is very, very wealthy.

He is one of the nicest, most normal people that I know here, but he always says, "Everybody that is living in Thailand (farangs) has something wrong with them; Never forget, we are all a bunch of losers".

When I read here everyday that it is "the fat sex-tourist slobs" or "the dirty cheap back-packers" that ruin Thailand, his wisdom becomes very apparent to me.

I'll tell you what, I'm nothing special, and lucky as he11 to be here.

Maybe, some of you people should look in the mirror a lot more honestly. 

One more thing about this post, I actually intended to use this example concerning one of the "My wife is a good girl and yours is a whore" threads. My point is, that you still had to go Thailand to get her, didn't you.

[caledonia]

I really don't know where these backpackers are that you all seem to meet but the only folk I seem to see with dreads these days are Japanese (they got them russtled up in half an hour on Koh San). In fact the 'typical' backpackers (is there such a thing...judging by your stereo types it would appear so) are only pasing through Thailand these days on the way to Nepal and Laos cos Thailand is full of drunken idiots looking for a ladyboy. Sure they might be iriitating but not half as irritating as the new breed of traveller to Thailands -the guys in checked shirts who somehow landed on the Bangkok bound flight instead of the Magaluf flight(lager lout infested spanish resort for non-brit readers). Its the stevies, kevs, davies etc that are worrying these days.... they are the ones drinking at the 50Baht cocktail bars, being sick everywhere and bringing on the ever decreasing opening hours. I tell you blink fast enough on Koh Samui and it is Tenerfie..Irish themed pubs indeed....what the ###### is that all about!! hey I am Scottish and I love a good celtic pub but I had the horribile feeling I had been here before.....back when San Antonio, Ibiza was just a baby!!!!

And without being cheeky lads have you not got something better to talk about that those 'nasty stinky backpackers'.....get yourself on the Lonely planet forums and I don't think they are passing a thought for the old ex-pat boys who actually believe that the women back home just didn't get how good a catch they were....the world is sniggering!!!

Maerim...would love to know what British girls you were dating....not very high calibre clealry......British women are known for many things but there body hair aint one of them.....maybe you were just hanging out in greasy rock bars!!!! Or more likely were dating before the invention of Nair and gilette venus....and British men are such a catch too!!!!!

Everybody to their own boys, lets not go trying to look better than others by slagging them off...I am sure you were young once too

[RDN]

I really don't know where these backpackers are that you all seem to meet but the only folk I seem to see with dreads these days are Japanese ....

I'm sick of the Japanese arriving by coach load to shop at Big C and Tesco! I actually saw one Japanese man taking a photo of two Japanese women at the checkout in Big C! The women were holding up their Big C bags as if they were some kind of trophy. How can you explain such weird behaviour?

[sonthaya]

RDN, they are not backpackers but tourists

[dr_Pat_Pong]

RDN, they are not backpackers but tourists

Exactly Sonthaya. And why indeed shouldn't they ?

[konangrit]

I really don't know where these backpackers are that you all seem to meet but the only folk I seem to see with dreads these days are Japanese ....

I'm sick of the Japanese arriving by coach load to shop at Big C and Tesco! I actually saw one Japanese man taking a photo of two Japanese women at the checkout in Big C! The women were holding up their Big C bags as if they were some kind of trophy. How can you explain such weird behaviour?

Japanese are weird full stop.

OK, we've collectively slagged off backpackers, sex tourists, lager louts and Japs. What other types really p!55 you off? The more stereotypical the better.

For a start I'd like to add families who take their kids to bar beers and let their 12 year old sons get abused by bar girls.......lucky b*stards.

[RDN]

I really don't know where these backpackers are that you all seem to meet but the only folk I seem to see with dreads these days are Japanese ....

I'm sick of the Japanese arriving by coach load to shop at Big C and Tesco! I actually saw one Japanese man taking a photo of two Japanese women at the checkout in Big C! The women were holding up their Big C bags as if they were some kind of trophy. How can you explain such weird behaviour?

Japanese are weird full stop.

OK, we've collectively slagged off backpackers, sex tourists, lager louts and Japs. What other types really p!55 you off? The more stereotypical the better.

How about fat, bald, Germans on BIG bikes with no silencers ("mufflers" for our yanky readers... and what about those yankies? Over here, over sexed, think they can play pool. Hah! Beat 'em everytime - especially that fat bald one on the big bike

[stroll]

Watch your mouth or I'll show you what us grown up bikers carry the spare chain with us for- careful your backpack might get torn!

[ChiangMaiThai]

JESUS!!!!

You people take some beating, how dare you and what gives you the right to talk about people visiting this country. Backpackers, sex tourist, beer drinkers, any single man, anyone not wanting to visit a wat, ban them. Ban them all at the point of entry. Then open up the flood gates to all the family holiday makers, two parents (one of each sex of course) and two children. Happily going around Thailand viewing historic sites and cultural thingys. Spending a few $'s during the day. Back to the hotel, spending a few more $'s there, and then early to bed, up early the next day to do the same thing again.

Bring it on, watch Thailand prosper.

Are you one of those Aussie's who have never known the comfort of shoes?

[dr_Pat_Pong]

JESUS!!!!

You people take some beating, how dare you and what gives you the right to talk about people visiting this country. Backpackers, sex tourist, beer drinkers, any single man, anyone not wanting to visit a wat, ban them. Ban them all at the point of entry. Then open up the flood gates to all the family holiday makers, two parents (one of each sex of course) and two children. Happily going around Thailand viewing historic sites and cultural thingys. Spending a few $'s during the day. Back to the hotel, spending a few more $'s there, and then early to bed, up early the next day to do the same thing again.

Bring it on, watch Thailand prosper.

Are you one of those Aussie's who have never known the comfort of shoes?

He can't abide shoes CMT, nor indeed can he afford a pair ( and he can't spell Aussie either ). A probable dreaded backpacker

[stroll]

Dreaded in which sense, Judge Dread?

[Yohan]

OK, we've collectively slagged off backpackers, sex tourists, lager louts and Japs. What other types really p!55 you off? The more stereotypical the better.

For a start I'd like to add families who take their kids to bar beers and let their 12 year old sons get abused by bar girls.......lucky b*stards.

As a fact, Thailand is a country, which is fairly open to any kind of foreigners....

If you as a foreigner like the other foreigner in Thailand is another matter....

I go my way, and this is nobody's business, and the others go their way.....

As long as they do not directly disturb my own life, I do not really care...

Johann

[Ausiefella]

I like to be different Dr.

[maerim]

invention of Nair and gilette venus....

The horrors I used to knock about with have nothing to do with you and as to body hair you must be joking!

Whenever I see a European woman I am even more convinced Darwin was right some of them have that much hair it looks like fur.

[mbkudu]

Why yal gettin sa werked up over a bunch a dern hippies. All they is doin is smokin a little weed, medtatin and theys even bringin their own wimmin long

with'em. Theys ain't even sex terists; theys got their own fat a$$ed hairy legid

gals ahreddy. I say lets'em be.

[Snark]

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