Farangs Don't Know

[maerim]

religion.....dontcha just love it.

No

[Up2U]

Wait until the people who go to Orlando start to find Thailand.

[thaimee]

Now we all know how wars are started.

Yes, whoremongering, stock market investing, oil crude futures, bush dubya's and anything else history has choosen to thow up!

Thaimee.

[KevinN]

Why are foreigners refered to by some as "guests" ,Are they not charged ever increasing costs for VISA's and for products and services.

Seems to me that they are paying visitors,same as at a ball game or an amusement park and as such are not "guests".

We have guests in our home for dinner once in awhile and they are never charged for food or service as would a visitor be in a hotel or resturant.

These people are all paying visitors and as tourists they can not be expected to show the same interest in a country and it's customs as those that live there and make a profit from the paying visitors.

I am married,want to live here the rest of my life and we have built and own a home,but I am still classed the same as a paying tourist,,But as such as I am I do show an interest in what goes on and into the customs.

[kenk3z]

I found out that some of the things my TGF kept trying to correct were not her "opinions" but actually good cultural advice. I thought she was trying to get me to do things HER way, but actually she was trying to help me fit in better.

For example, she kept trying to get me to eat with this strange looking spoon thing, instead of the fork.

And you don't have to take off your shoes AND socks, just the shoes.

etc, etc, the list goes on..........

My excuse is to tell her that I come from the barbarian peoples that destroyed the Roman Empire, and that she can not expect me to act civilized.

kenk3z

[sonthaya]

Try do it the Thai way, respect the way they live, be polite and there should be no problems.

[Yohan]

Why are foreigners refered to by some as "guests" ,Are they not charged ever increasing costs for VISA's and for products and services.

Seems to me that they are paying visitors,same as at a ball game or an amusement park and as such are not "guests".

We have guests in our home for dinner once in awhile and they are never charged for food or service as would a visitor be in a hotel or resturant.

These people are all paying visitors and as tourists they can not be expected to show the same interest in a country and it's customs as those that live there and make a profit from the paying visitors.

Thank you for pointing it out.....

I tried to do this already with my last posting in this thread...

It is a difference if somebody is invited for dinner as a friend and it is totally free of charge for him, or if he goes in a restaurant and pays for his meal.

It is a difference if somebody stays overnight for free in the house of his friend, or if he books a hotel-room and pays for his accomodation.

It is a difference if somebody takes you for a free ride with his car, or if you have to pay for a sightseeing bus ticket.

You cannot compare the behaviour of a guest with those of a paying visitor,

or those of a personal friend, who is invited to join for free, with a paying customer.

TOURIST = paying customer/visitor and this is not a *guest*

An older farang couple in tourist normal attire, shorts and regulation rumpled exotic shirts were strolling and taking pictures, plowing their way through a large group of novices.

What else do you expect from TOURISTS = paying visitors to do?

Should they study Thai culture? Should they speak and read Thai? Should they dress like a Thai monk?

Should they wait behind, while the Thais are sitting in front?

And by the way, Chinese locals are entering Buddhist respected areas also with shorts and T-shirts......

Or is Hadyai not in Thailand?

Take a look at:

http://johann.50megs.com/custom4.html

Johann

[Snark]

deleted

[sbk]

Actually I think this has more to do with respecting Thai traditions than it does with the temples etc.

A small brochure handed out with the tm card is an excellent idea, simple things like: appropriate clothing for temples (and its not all foreigners, I saw some Thai girls wearing very inappropriate clothing to the Palace when I took my nephew there last year), respectful behavior (the feet thing, head patting etc). There really are only a few really necessary things to be pointed out, the rest is common sense which, let's face it, can't be taught to some people.

[Snark]

deleted

[dkstoney]

There is no right way to act in this country. They live in a fantasy world of etiquette just as we do. It's just not the same.

Snark said: "Someone visits a foreign country. This isn't that much different from being invited into somebody's house. You are supposed to act in certain ways."

When I have guests in my house I make accomodation for them. I accept that they may have little idiosynchracies and don't dwell on it. There are certain rules for being a good host as well.

Where does it say in anyone's religious documents that you can't snap pictures of their idols? Why is taking a picture rude? That image will be shown to friends and family in other parts of the world further dispersing the knowledge of the Buddha.

Two words for Bangkok:

Displaced Villagers

[thaimee]

Why are foreigners refered to by some as "guests" ,Are they not charged ever increasing costs for VISA's and for products and services.

Seems to me that they are paying visitors,same as at a ball game or an amusement park and as such are not "guests".

Kev, i believe the term 'Guests' generaly applies to the Indian-Pakistani people who come here for business. I believe these people are refered to as 'Guests'.

Us foreigner's are farang's and as such have no other name other than tight arse farang or walking ATM. I believe this to be the general perception, beg to differ?

I would prefer to be classified as a guest as somehow it seems one better than farang. Probably not much better...

Thaimee.

[stroll]

Guests or foreign visitors, neither should leave their politeness and common sense at the doorstep. Many a tourist or longterm resident seem to believe it is alright to behave here in ways which wouldn't be acceptable in their homecountry, ranging from the antics in the beerbars to the disregard of religious images. Everybody here has enough observations to write a book about it.

And with the Thai mentality being tolerant and non-confrontative, these folks, (backpackers and lagerlouts and so on, to use some stereotypes), might well believe it is fine what they are doing.

But I assure you it is not, when I hear my Thai friends talking, or discuss with other expats who are trying to fit in.

Btw,

Many monks who live on the temple grounds, especially the senior ones, apart from lazing about all day, ripping tourists off and looking after their fat bank accounts, also have unpaid social duties in the community, to be understood in the Buddhist concept of compassion. They fulfill functions which in farang country would be termed councelling, caring, helping people in need.

When I got involved in my partner's village, I was amazed just how much the head-monks daily routines were those of a social worker, rather than leisurely meditating on temple grounds. No wonder people like to give something back and donate when they can...

[Eggy]

Most Thais are polite and decent folk, well mannered too. However, many of the other Asian visitors to the Kingdom leave their manners at home.

They are genetically unable to hold doors open letting them swing back in your face, love to stride the pavement 3 abreast ensuring anyone going the other way is forced into the road, and always barge to the front of the queue in shops,etc.

I could go on, but won't!!

[sonthaya]

Eggy, you wouldn't be talking about the Japanese