Video: American desperate to be Thai - so why would "buffalo" Thais want to be Americans?!

[webfact]

Video: American desperate to be Thai - so why would "buffalo" Thais want to be Americans?!

 

video screenshot

 

The American man featured complaining about someone stealing his ants has been featured on national Thai TV.

 

A video of the appearance of the US man - who goes by the name of Udom Suksaneh - was posted on Facebook on the page of Vithoon Phatsornphak where it received nearly 11,000 shares and much comment.

 

The poster drew the ire of some when he praised the American for wanting to be Thai but criticized Thais who wanted to move in the opposite direction as "buffaloes".

 

His message was: If Thailand is good enough for Udom why isn't it good enough for you?

 

Udom appeared on the show "The Family Business". In a concluding video in almost perfect central Thai he thanks his US parents for bringing him to Thailand and putting him in Thai kindergarten.

 

Picture: Facebook

 

He says he loves the country with all his heart and loves the king. He says that he loves and respects the Thai culture as his own.

 

He says he is Thai though earlier posts indicated that he was not officially a Thai national though he wanted to be one. He was shown on Facebook with some Thai writing on a piece of cardboard saying it is terrible luck that he is not a Thai.

 

Writing scribbled on a picture of him as a young child claims he was born in the wrong place.

 

In the video of the show he is seen wiping away a tear as sentimental music plays.

 

Udom says that he is from Prae and can speak Thai and loves Thailand because of his mum and dad.

 

"I'm Thai 100%", he says as he wai's his folks.

 

The presenter then invites his father to say a few words. In good Thai though lacking the clarity of his son the father says:

 

"I am proud he loves Thailand. We are not Thais but we will surely live here until we die. And we will help the locals as much as we can".

 

He also says with a smile that he doesn't always see eye to eye with his son but it seems good-natured.

 

The presenter then says they have won a package for two rooms at a Pattaya spa worth 56,000 baht for appearing on the show before the ending credits roll.

 

The poster said that the father is known as Bunyeun Suksaneh and is a missionary who has lived in Rong Kwang district of Prae for 26 years. His real name is Eugene Robert Long.

 

Thaivisa requests to speak to the son on Messenger have not been answered.

 

Some people commenting on Facebook criticized the poster for suggesting that Thais were buffaloes for wanting to be Americans though most respected this American family for their love and commitment to Thailand.

 

Udom was featured on Thaivisa last week speaking in northern dialect mock complaining that someone had pinched his "Mot Som" or sour ants.

 

Source: Facebook

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2018-03-23

 

[Somtamnication]

He will always be a farang. Shame, but that is the hard truth. I know a local farang, born in Phuket in 1962. Is a Thai national. 

They must have changed THAT law years ago.

[marko kok prong]

He will never be a Thai,he must be crazy if he wants to be.

[Kieranmc]

He can of course become a Thai citizen under the correct requirements so i wonder why he hasnt? No money ? No job? 

 

Does anyone know what he is actually doing here other than eating ants? 

[lemonjelly]

I think it’s better that he accepts who he is rather than trying too hard to ‘be Thai’. Just be yourself rather than trying to adhere to a national stereotype 

[rkidlad]

I've found many foreigners here who want to be Thai, or simply don't wanna be an outsider, often resort to self-loathing. They think by praising all things Thai and bashing all things American or British, etc, it will endear them to the locals. They always fail to notice that this behaviour just creates disdain towards them from the locals. In any country and culture, if you crap all over yourself, people will just think you're horrible, whiny and pathetic, and they won't take you seriously. This often results in the self-hater trying even harder, but ultimately moving farther away from their goal. This just creates more bitterness and anger directed in the wrong places.

 

My missus is Thai. She joins me often in having a beer with my American, Irish, Moroccan, British, Israeli friends, etc, and says that we don't take ourselves too seriously. We tease each other and make fun of each other's countries at times and everyone just laughs.

 

It's better to be around like minded people than it is to be with someone just because you were born on the same piece of land. 

 

[JOC]

This young man clearly have some issues.....(to say it very politely).....

[Thian]

I bet he'll cry if they charge him the farangprice at a national park.

[Jeremy50]

That video with it's dreadful teary music and obsequious fawning participants was hard to watch, I just wanted to punch the guy. Go home the lot of you, and get a life.

[scorecard]

2 hours ago, Somtamnication said:

He will always be a farang. Shame, but that is the hard truth. I know a local farang, born in Phuket in 1962. Is a Thai national. 

They must have changed THAT law years ago.

 

There is a common belief that foreigners cannot get Thai citizenship.

 

In reality it's been possible for non-Thai people to attain Thai citizen for a very long time and still is and every year a few non-Thais do get Thai citizenship and a Thai passport.

 

I'm aware of one young British guy, came here when just 30 years old to hopefully get some work teaching bachelor of business programs (he already had an MBA from the UK). Fell in love with a young professional lady (not hi-so, not rich), the guy got a clear picture of what was needed in terms of language skills, personal education, contribution to society etc., and he went all out to get it right, at 35 he became a Thai national. No renewal, no 90 days reporting etc etc, nothing. 

 

He reads, writes, understands, speaks perfect Thai. Helps, with his Thai wife, at several schools for underprivileged kids. Today he teaches MBA programs in Thai and English. Very calm and pleasant your guy, keeps a low profile, well respected by his Thai and western work colleagues and his students. He doesn't play it up but he will privately admit that having Thai nationality opens many doors.

 

His wife opened her own consulting business, her husband helps as needed, no need for work permit, etc.

 

The threads at the start of the Thai visa forum give all the details of what's needed, the process etc. 

 

 

 

Edited March 23, 2018 by scorecard

[Kieranmc]

unfortunately hes not a 100% Thai as he thinks. Probably 0% from looking at his parents lol 

[anon4637435435]

I would never want to be thai. I value my size!

[tubby johnson]

What a complete idiot. Incoherent buffoon. You can tell he was educated at Thai schools.

[HLover]

1 hour ago, Kieranmc said:

Does anyone know what he is actually doing here other than eating ants? 

Seems he's busy embarrassing himself and his parents.

[HLover]

1 hour ago, rkidlad said:

I've found many foreigners here who want to be Thai, or simply don't wanna be an outsider, often resort to self-loathing. They think by praising all things Thai and bashing all things American or British, etc, it will endear them to the locals. They always fail to notice that this behaviour just creates disdain towards them from the locals. In any country and culture, if you crap all over yourself, people will just think you're horrible, whiny and pathetic, and they won't take you seriously. This often results in the self-hater trying even harder, but ultimately moving farther away from their goal. This just creates more bitterness and anger directed in the wrong places.

 

My missus is Thai. She joins me often in having a beer with my American, Irish, Moroccan, British, Israeli friends, etc, and says that we don't take ourselves too seriously. We tease each other and make fun of each other's countries at times and everyone just laughs.

 

It's better to be around like minded people than it is to be with someone just because you were born on the same piece of land. 

 

True, he looks like a self loathing squid.

[OmarZaid]

1 hour ago, JOC said:

This young man clearly have some issues.....(to say it very politely).....

He is deeply disturbed ... identity issues reveal always reveal this

[Bluespunk]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Writing scribbled on a picture of him as a young child claims he was born in the wrong place.

 

In the video of the show he is seen wiping away a tear as sentimental music plays.

Pass me the sick bag...

[quandow]

I used to get quite frustrated when the inlaws constantly referred to me as "The farang." How many times did I tell them "The farang has a name."

 

Thailand will NEVER NEVER NEVER accept anyone outside their race/tribe as an equal.

[Knocker33]

He must have had a lobotomy 

[ScotBkk]

2 hours ago, lemonjelly said:

I think it’s better that he accepts who he is rather than trying too hard to ‘be Thai’. Just be yourself rather than trying to adhere to a national stereotype 

Agreed. I'm a fully fledged Farang, proud of it - and don't want to be anything else ..........

[NextStationBangkok]

Not bad option to be in Thailand, but keeping American nationality is your Trump card!

[Misterwhisper]

It's difficult to comprehend why he hasn't received Thai citizenship yet as he obviously is well integrated and has adopted a lot of typical male Thai behavior:

 

the self-loathing;

the insecurity;

the child-like immaturity

the emotional instability;

the cringe-worthy servility;

the nationalistic undertones in what he said;

the whiny voice (although spoken in perfect pitch; although he should work on his r's)

And I bet he's a bad driver, too.

 

But on a more serious note: Has he actually ever tried to apply for Thai citizenship? Several posters have correctly pointed out that it is in fact possible to attain. With him having lived in the country for so long, speaking the language so flawlessly, having adopted so many traits and having integrated so well, I don't see why it shouldn't be granted. Unfortunately, the article gives no details.

 

And if he has attempted it, it would be interesting to know on what reasonable grounds his application was turned down by the Interior Ministry reviewing panel.

[bkkcanuck8]

Citizenship is just a tool.  You can identify with a country and feel you belong with or without citizenship.  The fact that he cannot feel whole without having citizenship, or potentially acceptance as a Thai is sad.  He is obviously lacking something at his core which cannot be filled with anything outside of your being, it has to come within.  Acceptance from others or the country would not solve the situation - only hide what he is lacking from within himself.  

[jak2002003]

15 minutes ago, quandow said:

I used to get quite frustrated when the inlaws constantly referred to me as "The farang." How many times did I tell them "The farang has a name."

 

Thailand will NEVER NEVER NEVER accept anyone outside their race/tribe as an equal.

You are quite correct.  

 

I love it here, and I really like most of the average Thai people I meet day to day. 

 

However, it is the culture here that they will never accept farangs as Thai.  I don't mean this as a negative comment against Thai people, its just the way it is.  

 

They have a class system, even the 'hi so' Thai people won't accept other Thai people from lower class.  Then even the lowest class poorest Thai person will look down on a Thai Yai, Shan, Hill tribe person... even if they have Thai nationality.  

 

The posters saying it is possible for a farang to get Thai Nationality.... its is out of reach for the majority of people, and unrealistic.  The main factor being lack of money... as you require huge sums of money to qualify, also have a successful business or job here... which in itself is near imposable to get here due to the work restrictions for farangs.  

 

 

[mok199]

its not hard to see why thais think falangs are idiots,after this grandstander gets a spotlight.....message to Udom ''andy Warhol called ,your 15 minutes is up''..but I will say this ,he has defintley spent time learning the language..kudos for that Khun Udon

Edited March 23, 2018 by mok199
speliing

[spidermike007]

3 hours ago, Kieranmc said:

He can of course become a Thai citizen under the correct requirements so i wonder why he hasnt? No money ? No job? 

 

Does anyone know what he is actually doing here other than eating ants? 

Do you have any idea how incredibly difficult it is to gain Thai citizenship? The bar is set ridiculously high. 

 

 

Gaining Thai citizenship is not easy, and for this reason many people opt to apply for permanent residency instead. In recent years the rules have been relaxed a little but it is still not easy to achieve and can only be given to those who meet certain criteria. In the first place the applicant must have been living and working in Thailand for a minimum of 3 years prior to the application. There is also a requirement to be able to speak basic Thai and understand a minimum amount of the language. You may also be asked to sing the national anthem. There should also be proof that you have been paying taxes in Thailand for at least 3 years. If you are married to a Thai citizen this can help to speed up the process and will be in your favour.

 

It is also essential that you show that you have no criminal convictions and that you have conducted yourself well while you have been in Thailand. There are a number of checks that are carried out including your political background, checks for convictions concerning drugs and your general criminal record. You must be at least 18 years of age and be considered an adult in your home country. You must have a minimum income of 80,000 THB each month, although if you are married to a Thai citizen or have had a child born in Thailand then this is reduced to 30,000 each month. There is a requirement to attend an interview and there may also be a written test.

 

http://www.expatfocus.com/expatriate-thailand-citizenship

[woofwoof]

This place is a melting pot expats  from all over the world , no one cares who you are or where your from as long as your polite and behave in a civilized manner. 

[AWillOz]

I think the idea of becoming a Thai citizen scares Farang when they learn that they may go into the army if requested!

[HLover]

If his face did not look so much like a lobotomized man child, he could be the new Ant-Man of comic book lore.

 

Perhaps they will make a movie called 'Ant Brain' and cast him as the doodling clown/hero.

[orange31]

Met him. Really nice guy. Makes handmade hammocks. Parents moved to Thailand when he was a few months old. Born and raised in Thailand, he's completely Thai apart from his genes and passport. 

 

Not sure exactly the problem with him getting Thai Nationality, he did explain but went over my head.

 

To posters who say he should go home, he's lived his entire life in Thailand.