What's up with the lies?!

[Been there done that]

9 hours ago, Gecko123 said:

I've been coming to Thailand since '86, have lived in a small village in central Thailand for 14 years, have 23 years of Thai language study under my belt, and have traveled to every region of Thailand, so your preachy comment that I need to get out into the "real" Thailand was woefully misaimed at me.

 

The idea that as soon as you cross some provincial borderline  or if you travel the back roads of Thailand long enough, you will eventually stumble upon Tamboon "We No Lie" (Rao No Gohok ) is just silly. People circulate throughout Thailand constantly, so these lines of demarcation are increasingly blurred. Many, if not most, rural people do stints in large metropolitan and tourist areas not only for work (taxi and transport drivers, construction, restaurant,  hotel, factory, and  retail  workers, etc.)  but also to pursue their educational goals. Ask anybody on the streets of Bangkok where they were born, and chances are it wasn't Bangkok. As for your putdown about Isaan (note spelling), many, including many Thais as well as me, think that Isaan is Thailand's cultural heart (especially musically).

 

In my experience, the idea that you are going to encounter more trustworthy people out in Thailand's rural heartland is very questionable.  More down to earth, more laid back, less jaded by influxes of tourists? Sure. But more honest? Not so sure about that. In fact, quite the opposite may be the case. In rural Thailand, the level of poverty is high (contributing to a hardscrabble 'You do what you gotta do' mentality). The quality of government schools is quite low (meaning the quality of education both academicallty as well as morally is quite poor) , the quality of parenting often leaves a lot to be desired (kids dumped off with granny for years on end while the parents  go to Bangkok for work, or the parents  are incarcerated for drug offenses, have died prematurely from alcoholism, drug abuse or automobile accidents, or abandon the children through divorce) all of which contributes to poor moral guidance from either schools, religious institutions or parents. And don't forget the "brain drain" throughout rural Thailand where just about everyone with any aptitude splits to the big city to  pursue their goals, leaving behind a dearth of academic and character role models for kids to emmulate.

 

As I pointed out earlier, bar culture is in no way restricted to just sex-tourism epicenters. These girls often marry and settle down in the same rural areas they came from. Yes, some of these relationships are solid, but some of them are strictly mercenary, and the whole village knows what is going on when this is the case and take their cues from the Thai wife. If she's taking advantage of her husband, oftentimes everyone wants to get in on the act. The wayward bargirl/wife sets the tone about the extent to which their foreign hubby can be taken advantage of, and sadly, in many cases the message is its a free for all.

 

I'm not just basing my comments on my personal experience. I talk to Thais all the time about how they perceive foreigners. I also talk to Thais about how they perceive other Thais. I've been around long enough in my village where I know people who can't be trusted. I've often double-checked with Thai neighbors and fellow villagers how they perceive another Thai, and I have generally almost always found that if I don't trust a person, most other Thais don't as well. So I have a fair degree of confidence about my perceptions on this subject.

 

 

 

 

 

It certainly seems that after a long while posting on this forum that you have opened your eyes. Well done !

[Ossy]

22 hours ago, Gecko123 said:

I've been coming to Thailand since '86, have lived in a small village in central Thailand for 14 years, have 23 years of Thai language study under my belt, and have traveled to every region of Thailand, so your preachy comment that I need to get out into the "real" Thailand was woefully misaimed at me.

 

The idea that as soon as you cross some provincial borderline  or if you travel the back roads of Thailand long enough, you will eventually stumble upon Tamboon "We No Lie" (Rao No Gohok ) is just silly. People circulate throughout Thailand constantly, so these lines of demarcation are increasingly blurred. Many, if not most, rural people do stints in large metropolitan and tourist areas not only for work (taxi and transport drivers, construction, restaurant,  hotel, factory, and  retail  workers, etc.)  but also to pursue their educational goals. Ask anybody on the streets of Bangkok where they were born, and chances are it wasn't Bangkok. As for your putdown about Isaan (note spelling), many, including many Thais as well as me, think that Isaan is Thailand's cultural heart (especially musically).

 

In my experience, the idea that you are going to encounter more trustworthy people out in Thailand's rural heartland is very questionable.  More down to earth, more laid back, less jaded by influxes of tourists? Sure. But more honest? Not so sure about that. In fact, quite the opposite may be the case. In rural Thailand, the level of poverty is high (contributing to a hardscrabble 'You do what you gotta do' mentality). The quality of government schools is quite low (meaning the quality of education both academicallty as well as morally is quite poor) , the quality of parenting often leaves a lot to be desired (kids dumped off with granny for years on end while the parents  go to Bangkok for work, or the parents  are incarcerated for drug offenses, have died prematurely from alcoholism, drug abuse or automobile accidents, or abandon the children through divorce) all of which contributes to poor moral guidance from either schools, religious institutions or parents. And don't forget the "brain drain" throughout rural Thailand where just about everyone with any aptitude splits to the big city to  pursue their goals, leaving behind a dearth of academic and character role models for kids to emmulate.

 

As I pointed out earlier, bar culture is in no way restricted to just sex-tourism epicenters. These girls often marry and settle down in the same rural areas they came from. Yes, some of these relationships are solid, but some of them are strictly mercenary, and the whole village knows what is going on when this is the case and take their cues from the Thai wife. If she's taking advantage of her husband, oftentimes everyone wants to get in on the act. The wayward bargirl/wife sets the tone about the extent to which their foreign hubby can be taken advantage of, and sadly, in many cases the message is its a free for all.

 

I'm not just basing my comments on my personal experience. I talk to Thais all the time about how they perceive foreigners. I also talk to Thais about how they perceive other Thais. I've been around long enough in my village where I know people who can't be trusted. I've often double-checked with Thai neighbors and fellow villagers how they perceive another Thai, and I have generally almost always found that if I don't trust a person, most other Thais don't as well. So I have a fair degree of confidence about my perceptions on this subject.

 

 

 

 

 

If there was a 'best post of the month' competition, this should win it. On topic, insightful and respectful . . . a rare mix, these days.