Have Thais got it right, and we've got it wrong?

[Bluespunk]

It's never wrong to show empathy for the suffering of others.

 

To not do so is worrying.

[Krataiboy]

On 4/15/2018 at 11:55 AM, RichardColeman said:

My wife is a school teacher - 40 - good brain. But has never heard of 9/11 !

 

I think what you are up against is that Thai's think the world revolves around Thailand and nothing will ever effect it. Everything is Farang. Personally I see Thailand as 3rd world most of the time, asking any 3rd world country to get involved in anything outside their borders would be hard - bit like asking a rural family in the Ivory coast what should happen about North Korea.

 

Besides they are so petrified of being invaded sending any army abroad would worry the Junta

My wife is a school teacher - 40 - good brain. But has never heard of 9/11

 

Mine thinks it's a shop.

[JSixpack]

2 minutes ago, Bluespunk said:

It's never wrong to show empathy for the suffering of others.

 

To not do so is worrying.

 

Most Thais do so, however.

[khunPer]

On 4/15/2018 at 6:40 AM, Bangkok Barry said:

Who is right and who is wrong?

After I've been living here for soon close to 15 years, I begin to think that your wife is right – i.e. the Thai-way-of-thinking: "Don't think too much" – be happy, why worry about something that has no impact on one's daily life...

And over the years I've changed (perhaps I'm becoming old..?), and think that we Westerners shall not always interfere in other's local "business", and tell them how to behave – some conflicts can only be solved by the parties themselves, interference is just to prolong the unavoidable – remember that we ourselves get annoyed if some outsiders tell us how to do things...

Edited April 16, 2018 by khunPer

[Pilotman]

No they haven't got it right.  No social safety net, little medical care, people dying for want of support, an economy riddled with and held back by corruption,  no real rule of law, that is what 'don't think too much' gets you. 

[observer90210]

21 hours ago, Hummin said:

It is only on your mind, because your media source give it to you. Do you worry about the hunger crises in the world? 

 

http://www.care.org/emergencies/global-hunger-crisis

..and do you worry or plan to do something about the inflating prices of my favorite bourbon Whiskey in Thailand, please, Sir, thank you very much, ?

[puffy]

In many ways I would have to put myself in the bracket of knowing very little of world affairs.

What I know comes from biased big media sources and is very western centric.

I know nothing about the state of affairs in Paraguay, Cameroon, Fiji and Mongolia, a long with dozens of other countries.

I know a lot about western culture and bits and pieces about others but not with any great deal of understanding.

There is far too much happening in the world and it is too big to know about all this, also I don't speak many different languages

so it is difficult for me to keep up to date on affairs in Japan for example.

I am sure all the people going on about the Beatles and Elvis must be aware of the Indian album Aap Kaa Suror which has sold 55 million copies, more than thriller did in the US.

I would say to the people on here mocking the Thai's for their knowledge of things totally unrelated to their culture, do you really know about the world as much as you think, or is it just news fed western centric information?

[xen]

Ever since i was young I was interested in world affairs and what makes the world the way it is so i can't really understand how some people live in a world with all the shutters and curtains drawn all the time. It is just me  I know. but both my Thai wives gradually came over to my way of thinking - just observing the world through the nightly news, reading newspapers, both Thai and English but they do not get hysterical about it and they feel more in tune with the world and knowing that how aware of the world they are the more control of the everyday life they have .

[marquis22]

Send a post about Syria on your wife's FB and see if there is any response.

But if you really want a talking point with her then discuss food :-)

[duanebigsby]

31 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

No they haven't got it right.  No social safety net, little medical care, people dying for want of support, an economy riddled with and held back by corruption,  no real rule of law, that is what 'don't think too much' gets you. 

The medical care here is easier for most Thais than Americans have access to.

[NanLaew]

On 4/15/2018 at 5:55 AM, RichardColeman said:

I think what you are up against is that Thai's think the world revolves around Thailand and nothing will ever effect it.

No. What we are 'up against' is that farangs think that Thai's think the world revolves... etc., etc.. The manic's post immediately before yours is right on the money though.

 

The rest of your post only compounds this commonly held, boorish and totally false 'third world' dismissal of another culture that you, like many others, haven't taken the time to try and 'get your head around.'

 

While we may lament the Thai indifference, they must be having a right good giggle at our rabid interest in everything that we cannot change or influence. I have a soft spot for the inveterate Thaksin hater that is only surpassed by the entertaining, fawning adulation of those of the opposite persuasion.

 

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to polish my amulets.

[Hummin]

42 minutes ago, observer90210 said:

..and do you worry or plan to do something about the inflating prices of my favorite bourbon Whiskey in Thailand, please, Sir, thank you very much, ?

Not a dam thing! And the hunger crises, is not up to me, but UN, and my members in my government who I woted for, to deal with questions like that. Sick and tired of crises after crises coming on the doorstep so far away, and out of my control, and I better take care of my doorstep where I am, and can give a hand to some needy ones. Right here, right now! Your whiskey is not on my mind. Sorry

[NanLaew]

36 minutes ago, duanebigsby said:

The medical care here is easier for most Thais than Americans have access to.

...and in the case of regular bodily repair & maintenance (not including life-extending triple-bypasses and other interventions mandated by an improper, previous lifestyle) far cheaper.

Edited April 16, 2018 by NanLaew

[RocketDog]

On 4/15/2018 at 12:55 PM, mauGR1 said:

You have a point, but i still believe that searching for the truth is more than "passing time", but then, i also believe in "intelligent design" and "karma" and a lot of other funny little things.

Seriously? Intelligent design?

Apparently the 'designer' is incompetent or just a <deleted> when you consider how humanity has turned out so far.

Ah well, everybody is entitled to their own particular brand of insanity I suppose.

Karma? Wish thinking, just like all religion. People die, the universe moves on. Face the facts and Get over your infantile self-delusion of grandeur.

[wgdanson]

8 hours ago, Neeranam said:

Do you know Thai bands from that era?

Do you know the Thai word for creation, assuming you are living in Thailand?

No.

[wgdanson]

7 hours ago, JSixpack said:

and can name several songs by U2 she likes

Wow, which two are they please?

 

[Pilotman]

6 hours ago, duanebigsby said:

The medical care here is easier for most Thais than Americans have access to.

Yep, they haven't git it right either 

[metisdead]

A post commenting on moderation has been removed. 

[JSixpack]

1 hour ago, wgdanson said:

Wow, which two are they please?

 

 

Beautiful Day and Mysterious Ways. She also loves City Of Blinding Lights. 

[ericthai]

On 4/15/2018 at 12:55 AM, RichardColeman said:

My wife is a school teacher - 40 - good brain. But has never heard of 9/11 !

 

When it happened it was all over the news that night in Thailand, in the newspaper that next day. Several Thais died that worked in the towers.  Several years later the papers did an article about the two dies that died in the 9/11 attacks. 

[gaff]

21 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

I didn't suggest that my wife - not girlfriend/wife which was the first thing you were unable to comprehend - was dumb (second thing you were unable to comprehend). I said she wasn't concerned about things that don't affect her and she has no control over. The post was about whether that realistic attitude was right or wrong.

You really should understand what you are reading before commenting. If you have had dozens of highly educated girlfriends and dates perhaps none of them lasted as you were out of your depth with them.

 

Your wife is a nobel price ! Just as you !

 

Happy now ?

 

 

[Bangkok Barry]

3 minutes ago, gaff said:

 

Your wife is a nobel price ! Just as you !

 

Happy now ?

 

 

 

What is a nobel price?

[gaff]

20 hours ago, khunPer said:

After I've been living here for soon close to 15 years, I begin to think that your wife is right – i.e. the Thai-way-of-thinking: "Don't think too much" – be happy, why worry about something that has no impact on one's daily life...

And over the years I've changed (perhaps I'm becoming old..?), and think that we Westerners shall not always interfere in other's local "business", and tell them how to behave – some conflicts can only be solved by the parties themselves, interference is just to prolong the unavoidable – remember that we ourselves get annoyed if some outsiders tell us how to do things...

 

I would feel sad to become Thai...

 

 

[gaff]

As usual in this kind of post, we got messages from husbands who do not know more than their wives, and then tell us (people who are clearly aware about what the Thai are and how they think) that we are wrong.

 

Definitively funny.

 

Enjoy your Thai life ! I will never accept to become one of them ! I have too much ego and self esteem to become an idiot !

 

 

[Justfine]

On 15/04/2018 at 2:55 PM, RichardColeman said:

My wife is a school teacher - 40 - good brain. But has never heard of 9/11 !

 

I think what you are up against is that Thai's think the world revolves around Thailand and nothing will ever effect it. Everything is Farang. Personally I see Thailand as 3rd world most of the time, asking any 3rd world country to get involved in anything outside their borders would be hard - bit like asking a rural family in the Ivory coast what should happen about North Korea.

 

Besides they are so petrified of being invaded sending any army abroad would worry the Junta

People in non English speaking countries don't worry about all the drama associated with US/UK. 

 

Likewise westerners don't know much about the non English speaking world.

 

Same same 

[Odysseus123]

All this talk about "The West" bemuses me.

 

I have been back for eight months now and have not noticed any large (or small) gatherings of people discussing world events.

 

They usually discuss sport,their banal and crappy reality tv,their chronic level of debt caused by their materialic mania and the fact that their children all appear to have ADHD,Dyslexia,a Conduct Disorder (or two or three) and a major drug problem.

 

Of course,I am talking about the middling sort-heaven only knows what the lower orders discuss.

Edited April 17, 2018 by Odysseus123

[Odysseus123]

8 minutes ago, Justfine said:

Thai people made the country. Completely stupid to post on a Thai forum or visit a country when you hate the people.

 

 

 

 

Agreed-but it is a most curious phenomenon.An inherent need to proclaim that one's own waterhole is superior to all others?

 

Why would anyone want Thailand "transformed" intro the West?

 

What would be the point in going there...or coming here..depending where I choose to be.

[jayboy]

On 4/16/2018 at 10:29 AM, duanebigsby said:

This is funny. We're here discussing Thai people who can't find Thailand on the map when in our home countries we have people saying the earth is flat, global warming is a hoax, 9/11 was an inside job, man never landed on the moon, and the English Royal Family are lizard people ruled by the Illuminati.

Not just Thais.The magazine Big Chilli geared for local expats had an editorial a little while ago seriously suggesting 9/11 was an inside job.

[jayboy]

On 4/15/2018 at 11:55 AM, RichardColeman said:

My wife is a school teacher - 40 - good brain. But has never heard of 9/11 !

 

 

The your wife is an ignoramus and given her profession should be ashamed of herself.

 

 

[Odysseus123]

2 minutes ago, jayboy said:

Not just Thais.The magazine Big Chilli geared for local expats had an editorial a little while ago seriously suggesting 9/11 was an inside job.

Don't forget chemtrails,the Illuminati,Atlantis,the Hollow Earth and Daffy Duck.

 

I am reliably informed that these folk make up the backbone of the US ballistic submarine fleet...