Feeling 'eyed' by Thailand and what I'm planning on doing about it

[marcusarelus]

2 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Channeling your inner mod now. 

A person thinks they are getting the evil eye because they are imagining it or because they have done something to deserve it (real or imagined).  Agree? 

 

I think the OP is getting the evil eye because he is perceived by Thai people as anti Thai. 

Edited March 21, 2019 by marcusarelus

[NCC1701A]

10 minutes ago, Nyezhov said:

Hey @NCC1701Ahurry check it out, vicious expat fight, post 280 et seq, hurry

 

[Leaver]

1 hour ago, marcusarelus said:

The only people that are financially stressed are the folks who had no money in the bank here.  How can any reasonable person live in a country not worthy of putting 20 grand in it's banks?

Why should someone from a stable western country move 20 grand of their retirement funds to an unstable third world country, that will only pay them 1.5% interest, and then they can't even spend their 20 grand?  

 

I have a reasonable amount of money in the bank, just not a Thai bank, and I will not be manipulated by a bunch of muppets in Bangkok into a poor financial decision, just so I can say, "I live in Thailand" which, incidentally, is fast losing its bragging rights. 

 

 

[marcusarelus]

11 minutes ago, Gecko123 said:

False. Again, you need to take more time and READ more carefully before firing off your missives.

 

It is about Thai government and immigration policy which has become less welcoming, and socio-economic factors which have contributed to Thais being less welcoming to foreigners as well and how people should respond to these changes.

Feeling 'eyed' by Thailand and what I'm planning on doing about it

 

Above is the OP. 

Edited March 21, 2019 by marcusarelus

[Jingthing]

9 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

A person thinks they are getting the evil eye because they are imagining it or because they have done something to deserve it (real or imagined).  Agree? 

 

I think the OP is getting the evil eye because he is perceived by Thai people as anti Thai. 

I wasn't there. Maybe the people giving the eyes are anti-foreigner? It's impossible to say unless we can have those people interviewed on the spot assuming they would be honest about it. 

 

Personally as I live in Pattaya, I'm used to observing a range of attitudes from Thais. From overt hostility (almost understandable considering how rude so many foreigners are), to indifference (most common), to charming almost innocent friendliness (like the other day when a food court girl seemed giddy and overjoyed that I asked for wide noodles in Thai). 

Edited March 21, 2019 by Jingthing

[Nyezhov]

4 minutes ago, Leaver said:

so I can say, "I live in Thailand" which, incidentally, is fast losing its bragging rights. 

I dont know about that, I had three "please take mes" from hippie chicks in the States before I rolled over here. I may find a good one for the Fall return.

[marcusarelus]

6 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

I wasn't there. Maybe the people giving the eyes are anti-foreigner? It's impossible to say unless we can have those people interview on the spot assuming they would be honest about it. 

 

Personally as I live in Pattaya, I'm used to observing a range of attitudes from Thais. From overt hostility (almost understandable considering how rude so many foreigners are), to indifference (most common), to charming almost innocent friendliness (like the other day when a food court girl seemed giddy and overjoyed that I asked for wide noodles in Thai). 

Neither was I and it's just my opinion.  Of all of the possible alternatives it seems the most likely to me as I interact with Thais all day long and I'm old and no one gives me the evil eye.  If they did I don't know that I'd notice.  Living in Vietnam I did notice and it happened every day as I had 250 Vietnamese people working for me.

Edited March 21, 2019 by marcusarelus

[Leaver]

10 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

Stop bickering and get back on topic

Seriously, why don't you start the "Thailand Is Perfect" thread. 

 

You can post all you like about Thailand's positives, and forget about all Thaland's negatives. 

 

This thread, however, is pointing out some negatives, and yes, Thailand has some negatives, both for individuals, and for as a group. 

 

To discuss Thailand's negatives doesn't make you anti-Thai, and even if someone was anti-Thai, so what?  It's the internet, this is an open forum.  As long as someone doesn't breach forum rules, or breach Thailand's computer crimes act, they can speak negatively of Thailand's politics, policies, laws etc etc.  Feel free to debate such negatives, but don't make it personal toward a member because they no longer think "Thailand is Perfect." 

 

None of us are Thai citizens, and never will be.  You could be in Thailand for 20 years, with a house, car, wife, business, and kids, and as a foreigner, you have no more rights than the the first time tourists coming to Thailand on a 30 day visa exempt stamp. 

 

You make it sound like you would fight with Thailand in a war against your own country.  i simply don't buy it. 

[Jingthing]

4 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

Neither was I and it's just my opinion.  Of all of the possible alternatives it seems the most likely to me as I interact with Thais all day long and I'm old and no one gives me the evil eye.  If they did I don't know that I'd notice.  Living in Vietnam I did notice and it happened every day as I had 250 Vietnamese people working for me.

You certainly project an awful lot.

Like clearly you feel no stress about the visa changes and project that every expat that does feel stress is anti-Thai, skint, or expressing fake stress. I'm hear to inform you that your experience is only your own. 

[marcusarelus]

1 minute ago, Leaver said:

Seriously, why don't you start the "Thailand Is Perfect" thread. 

 

You can post all you like about Thailand's positives, and forget about all Thaland's negatives. 

 

This thread, however, is pointing out some negatives, and yes, Thailand has some negatives, both for individuals, and for as a group. 

 

To discuss Thailand's negatives doesn't make you anti-Thai, and even if someone was anti-Thai, so what?  It's the internet, this is an open forum.  As long as someone doesn't breach forum rules, or breach Thailand's computer crimes act, they can speak negatively of Thailand's politics, policies, laws etc etc.  Feel free to debate such negatives, but don't make it personal toward a member because they no longer think "Thailand is Perfect." 

 

None of us are Thai citizens, and never will be.  You could be in Thailand for 20 years, with a house, car, wife, business, and kids, and as a foreigner, you have no more rights than the the first time tourists coming to Thailand on a 30 day visa exempt stamp. 

 

You make it sound like you would fight with Thailand in a war against your own country.  i simply don't buy it. 

There is nothing wrong with pointing out negative things about Thailand.  Nothing is wrong with my pointing out that doing that makes you Anti Thai. I have been happily married for many years.  In that time I have never said anything negative about Thailand.  I am happily married. 

[marcusarelus]

6 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

You certainly project an awful lot.

Like clearly you feel no stress about the visa changes and project that every expat that does feel stress is anti-Thai, skint, or expressing fake stress. I'm hear to inform you that your experience is only your own. 

It is the great majority of expats in Thailand.  I know many more than you do.

[Jingthing]

28 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

It is the great majority of expats in Thailand.  I know many more than you do.

OIC. Well, then, it's settled. It appears that you speak for the vast majority of expats in Thailand. That's really great to know! I underestimated your vast powers. Perhaps you can find a way to monetize that. In any case -- last word to you. I'll just go back to posting about issues around the visa changes and it'll all be hunky dory. 

[rumak]

On 3/20/2019 at 12:17 PM, mauGR1 said:

Thailand is changing, the whole world is changing, people get old, and it's not always easy to find something to be happy about.

Also, with age we tend to be more selective with company, and being lonely may trigger too much thinking.

 

I think it was Socrates who said that we have a choice between being a happy pig, or a sad philosopher, or something in the middle.

I found out that tending a garden, and do something nice with your hands can help a lot.

didn't Socrates say  "getting old sucks"  ?   or maybe it was another TV member   ????   Like i said the other day   SU SU !   it is a challenge  MG  .    try to stay healthy and busy and don't think too mutt .   easier said than done.

[mauGR1]

2 minutes ago, rumak said:

didn't Socrates say  "getting old sucks"  ?   or maybe it was another TV member   ????   Like i said the other day   SU SU !   it is a challenge  MG  .    try to stay healthy and busy and don't think too mutt .   easier said than done.

Yep, nobody really likes getting old, but the alternative is worse

[bwpage3]

4 hours ago, Leaver said:

Have you considered leaving Thailand? 

 

Is it possible, the grass may be greener on the other side of the fence, and let's be honest, when it comes to visas, the grass is definitely greener on the other side of the fence.

 

I refuse to have money extracted from me this way, so I am leaving.  I will travel back to Thailand as regularly as tourist visas and exemption stamps allow me to do so.  

 

You can't protest, or complain, in Thailand.  Foreigners have no rights here.  Best to change yourself, because Thailand will not change for you / foreigners.

 

When my current visa comes to an end, I will leave, and given the way Thailand is heading, I just might end up not coming back on tourist visas as often as I thought, and then I will invite friends in Thailand who will visit me, and if they see the grass is greener, they may also leave. 

 

 

This whole saga could be a great advertisement for Thailand's competitors, particularly Vietnam, who don't have to actively compete.  All Vietnam has to do is sit back and let Thailand kill its tourism and expat retiree industry. 

We left Thailand after being there for 10 years and moved to Florida USA in 2014.

 

Arriving on a green card, Thais are not forced into any 90 day reporting, TM-30, VISA runs or any of that other BS. Have to ask yourself why foreigners living in Thailand aren't reciprocated the same rights?

 

My wife just became a US Citizen this past week and absolutely loves it here.

 

Why?

 

Yesterday I came home from work, there was Isaan Music playing in the house, wife was cooking up a huge Thai dinner, Papaya salad, you name it.

 

Sunday, we had lunch with some of her Thai friends.

 

Saturday over to Orlando to this giant Asian supermarket where she can buy any Thai food she wants. Nothing like the smell of dried squid being warmed on the BBQ grill.

 

Thai TV, movies, etc.

 

So for her she has all the conveniences she had in Thailand except with a better house, cars, school etc. She has her own car, can drive herself anywhere she needs to go. 

 

Power doesn't go on and off, water doesn't go on and off with no warning or reason

 

Lots to see and do where we live.

 

Very safe as well. ( I am not going to comment on fear mongers and hurricanes). House is reinforced concrete block with steel shutters to install over all windows, built to hurricane codes, etc. Far enough inland not to worry about it one bit. Have gas generator, water pump, all the equipment to ride out anything with no loss in comfort). Crime is everywhere in the world, however, where we live is very safe. 

 

So as a Thai woman, aside of missing her father (who she calls 3 or 4 times a week), she isn't missing anything else at all.

 

When it comes time for a holiday, she doesn't want to visit Thailand.

 

We are within a couple of hours of ton's of Caribbean Islands, Bermuda, Dominican Republic, Jamaica,  is close, etc. she would much rather visit some place other than Thailand.

 

So for her, leaving Thailand wasn't a big deal and greatly improved her quality of life.

 

The grass for her is greener in the USA, than it ever would have been in Thailand.

 

 

[mngmn]

6 hours ago, Gecko123 said:

I wanted to compliment you on the quality of your observation skills. I've observed that when a foreigner moves to a close-knit community they can seriously disrupt the long-standing pecking order. But it took me a lot longer than 3 years to connect the dots.

 

After I read your post, I reflected on who I have butted heads with the most in my village, and in every case it has been with someone who may have resented me because they had been displaced in the pecking order. Some anecdotes:

 

Several houses down is a family which probably owns more land than others in the moo ban. They also had the status of having the nicest house and owning a pickup truck. The husband also worked in a Bangkok furniture factory. I didn't realize it at first, but they were probably at the top of the pecking order.

 

The house we built was by no means lavish, but it was nicer than their house. Also, we did some modest landscaping. I remember that not long afterwards, this family expanded their house with a second story and added some built-on rooms. They also did a bunch of landscaping. One day, not long after my house had been completed, I remember that the wife of this family made some catty comments about both the paint color (white) of my house as well as offering her opinion that "there was too much yellow" in the landscaping. So that was my first clue that they might have been jealous.

 

For the first 7 years after moving there, I didn't own a car, or for that matter even a motorcycle, and looking back, I think this lack of wheels made me a non-threat in the socio-economic pecking order. But 6 years ago I bought a nice pickup truck, and in many ways, relations with my immediate neighbors kind of became more distant in the process. Not long afterwards, we began to have tensions with this family turning on loud bass music outdoors, and sometimes when I went to talk to them, I could see that the speakers were pointed in the general direction of my house. I got the distinct impression that they were taking malicious pleasure in annoying me. They kept doing this over and over again despite many polite requests to lower the volume, until one day, I drove over to their house to ask them again to turn down the music, I got gang assaulted. Even though they assaulted me a little bit, the main focus of their attack was directed at the pickup truck, and I immediately began to wonder if they were sub-consciously jealous of my pickup truck.

 

Another story I can share is about the wife of the district land office manager (who enjoys high status in the village as a senior government official). She runs a small grocery store in town. At first, I was never a regular customer, but to the best of my knowledge I had never done anything ever to antagonize this woman. In fact, I had done her a favor by selling her several large bags of dry cat food at a huge discount after I no longer owned a cat. So the first time I ever went into her shop (many years ago), I asked to buy 10 eggs, but I could see one of the eggs had a very visible crack on the top. I didn't say anything, but watched carefully to see if she would try to sell me this cracked egg. Sure enough she did and when I pointed it out to her, she tried to fool me by showing me the bottom side of the eggs, and I had her set them down to see the cracked egg. So you would think that that would have established that I'm not a fool when it comes to buying eggs.

 

So last year, I started shopping there again. While the shop was still owned by the land office manager's wife, she had a friendly helper who waited on me, and there was never any problem. The pork I bought was fine, no games with the pricing or weight, the bags of ice I bought were heaping, and the bag ties were knotted so as to avoid the ice spilling out. No problems.

 

But then one day, the helper no longer worked there and the wife again helps me. The shop has this pork display case which allows the customer to see the hanging meat from all sides. So without opening the case or fingering the meat with my dirty little fingers, I circle the case carefully trying to pick out the best of cut of meat I could find, and when I've made my choice I tell the shop owner I would like 1 kilo of pork from the cut I had selected. So she takes the meat out of the case, and cuts off what is supposed to be 1 kg of pork. But I can immediately see that it's far less than 1 kg of meat, and sure enough it weighs just 700-800 grams of meat. But instead of cutting an additional slice from the piece I had selected, she reaches into to the meat display case and pulls out this really fatty piece of meat and uses that to bring the weight up to 1 kg.

 

Another thing I noticed this woman did was, unlike her assistant who carefully knotted the large bags of ice (used for blanching vegetables for freezing) that I purchased, the owner would not knot the bag, and one time she saw that after I had put the bag of ice on the front seat floor of my truck, the bag immediately fell over, spilling ice all over the floor. OK, no problem. Live and learn. But the next time I purchased ice, she didn't knot the ties again, so I made a big point to knot the bag of ice on the ice cooler lid right in front of her, and when I looked over at her I swear she looked disappointed that I had caught this and she wouldn't get to watch the ice spilling all over the floor again.

 

So I just ask myself why would this woman be behaving like this? You would think that having attracted a foreigner to her store would be a feather in her cap, and she would want to make a reasonable effort to keep you coming back, especially since business is pretty slow, but she's acting like she doesn't even want me as a customer. Was it because she just had some antipathy towards foreigners, or was she jealous of me because I had more money than her husband? I have no idea, but those are the only two explanations I could come up with after wracking my brain to try and understand this behavior.

 

Interesting post.  My observation skills have increased tremendously since living in Thailand. It now seems easy to spot the slight of hand that market stall holders use.  Also my negotiation skills.  Thousands of baht later, I find myself able to quickly identify potential downsides in a deal.  What fascinates me is that my Thai partner often walks straight into some con or or bad deal.  When we discuss it she says she will never go back to that business again.  This seems to reflect the Thai aversion to conflict.

[Skallywag]

18 hours ago, Gecko123 said:

I kind of have this attitude: Me and my money? We come as a package deal. Love my money? Love me. Respect my money? Respect me. I think more people need to take this stance until the government, and in many cases, Thais in general, get the message.

Edited 9 hours ago by Gecko123

You sound caucasian, wealthy, and privileged to me - which is great for you.  Many countries around the world will likely show you more of the respect you desire. 

As we are ultimately visitors in this Kingdom, my attitude is more about respecting the Thai's not the other way around.   

As the Jackson 5 sang - One bad egg doesn't spoil the whole bunch - 555.  Mai pen rai, good luck to you

 

[marcusarelus]

11 hours ago, bwpage3 said:

We left Thailand after being there for 10 years and moved to Florida USA in 2014.

 

Arriving on a green card, Thais are not forced into any 90 day reporting, TM-30, VISA runs or any of that other BS. Have to ask yourself why foreigners living in Thailand aren't reciprocated the same rights?

 

My wife just became a US Citizen this past week and absolutely loves it here.

 

Why?

 

Yesterday I came home from work, there was Isaan Music playing in the house, wife was cooking up a huge Thai dinner, Papaya salad, you name it.

 

Sunday, we had lunch with some of her Thai friends.

 

Saturday over to Orlando to this giant Asian supermarket where she can buy any Thai food she wants. Nothing like the smell of dried squid being warmed on the BBQ grill.

 

Thai TV, movies, etc.

 

So for her she has all the conveniences she had in Thailand except with a better house, cars, school etc. She has her own car, can drive herself anywhere she needs to go. 

 

Power doesn't go on and off, water doesn't go on and off with no warning or reason

 

Lots to see and do where we live.

 

Very safe as well. ( I am not going to comment on fear mongers and hurricanes). House is reinforced concrete block with steel shutters to install over all windows, built to hurricane codes, etc. Far enough inland not to worry about it one bit. Have gas generator, water pump, all the equipment to ride out anything with no loss in comfort). Crime is everywhere in the world, however, where we live is very safe. 

 

So as a Thai woman, aside of missing her father (who she calls 3 or 4 times a week), she isn't missing anything else at all.

 

When it comes time for a holiday, she doesn't want to visit Thailand.

 

We are within a couple of hours of ton's of Caribbean Islands, Bermuda, Dominican Republic, Jamaica,  is close, etc. she would much rather visit some place other than Thailand.

 

So for her, leaving Thailand wasn't a big deal and greatly improved her quality of life.

 

The grass for her is greener in the USA, than it ever would have been in Thailand.

When I left America after being there for 60 years Thailand was a breath of fresh air.  In America people gave me the evil eye and harassed me because I had a young (22) beautiful woman at my side most places. 

 

I remember being overwhelmed with sadness as I had to trudge through legions of old folks on the beach with black socks and speedo bathing suits and the ancient bag boys at the grocery stores in Florida and the hoards roaming the streets like zombies looking for early bird dinners and buying ill fitting garish clothes at Wallmart. 

 

My health care was assigned to an awful place called Bay Pines in Tampa and the stories of mismanagement and ill feelings towards Veterans there were legend and that place never improved. 

 

I remember being attacked by fire ants in my front yard and the nosy old ladies watching my every move out of cracked windows thinking I didn't notice.  I realized Florida housing was in a financial bubble and I had to run before it burst.  Lucky I made it out and got my money in a secure bank and stable Thai currency because the States crashed.

 

However, as happy as I am with my decision and my financial well being I've never gone to an American website and tried to make those poor folk who have to live in Florida feel bad.  When I talk to my kids I don't rub it in that I've found a happier nicer place.  I made sure my daughter and new son had a hurricane protocol in place which moves her to relatives in the middle of the country while her husband guards the house to protect from looters.  I have her my house on the island which is nice but does have storm dangers.  There were 162 hurricanes and tropical storms since I lived in Florida. 

 

I can understand the OP's point of view about the evil eye as it happened to me in Florida and Vietnam and Canada but never Thailand perhaps I'm just lucky.  I do wonder though at why people who have left Thailand hold such a grudge.  Like I said before, after I left Florida I never posted negative information except in defense of others who chose to compare Thailand negatively.  Doing that is kind of like the evil eye I remember from Florida folk who frowned on people happier than themselves. 

[mauGR1]

2 hours ago, marcusarelus said:

There were 162 hurricanes and tropical storms since I lived in Florida. 

 

Really, perhaps you're exaggerating a bit ?

[Gecko123]

4 hours ago, Skallywag said:

You sound caucasian, wealthy, and privileged to me

Let's just say your forensic linquist skills left me underwhelmed.

 

4 hours ago, Skallywag said:

As we are ultimately visitors in this Kingdom, my attitude is more about respecting the Thai's not the other way around.

That approach might work and may even be advisable for a tourist, but when you live here long term, respect can't just be a one-way street.

 

4 hours ago, Skallywag said:

One bad egg doesn't spoil the whole bunch

Thank you for that. A very helpful and useful reminder which I will try and keep in mind going forward.

 

4 hours ago, Skallywag said:

Mai pen rai, good luck to you

Same to you, and thank you for your well-intentioned and thoughtful post.

 

[Gecko123]

18 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Why would you be daft enough to ever spend more money in this woman's shop?

I haven't been back since that business with the pork. I told that story at my barbershop. Farang ngoh was the consenus opinion as to why she did it.

Edited March 22, 2019 by Gecko123

[Olmate]

3 minutes ago, Gecko123 said:

I haven't been back since that business with the pork. I told that story at my barbershop. Farang ngoh was the consenus opinion as to why she did that.

Do you really think she has noticed, or cares! Thai people in general are happy with cash in the till today!Tomorrow,s another story altogether.

[Gecko123]

18 minutes ago, Olmate said:

Do you really think she has noticed, or cares! Thai people in general are happy with cash in the till today!Tomorrow,s another story altogether.

Of course she noticed. I would venture to say that she figured out pretty quickly why I stopped shopping there as well. In a small village shopkeepers keep mental tabs on how often you've come in and everything you've bought since the beginning of time. Does she care? I agree, that's tougher to say.

Edited March 22, 2019 by Gecko123

[marcusarelus]

2 hours ago, mauGR1 said:

Really, perhaps you're exaggerating a bit ?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Florida_hurricanes

 

I never lie.

[Nyezhov]

16 hours ago, bwpage3 said:

The grass for her is greener in the USA, than it ever would have been in Thailand.

The grass for anybody outside the EU, Canada, Oz and Japan is greener in the USA...and greener for a bunch of folks in those areas too. So what is your point? She loves it there. I do too ????

[Nyezhov]

I think all of you lovers and haters of Thailand, as well as the incessant Visa obsessed babblers need to take a deep breathe, chill, and look inside yourself. It will all be cool.

[ravip]

On 3/18/2019 at 3:55 PM, Leaver said:

A good and honest post.

 

I would say the Thai Government is not "at arms length" so much as having "their hands in your pocket."  ????

 

The Thai economy is not doing to well, so what do they do here, extort money out of farang, en masse. 

 

I expect things to be worse after the election, as an illegitimate Government arranges its own legitimacy, then anything is possible. 

 

The Thai economy is not doing to well, so what do they do here, extort money out of farang, en masse. 

You mean to say Thailand is running entirely on extorted money out of farang, en masse?

You are sadly mistaken as are the followers you have. Really, are majority of farangs have your mentality? It is disgusting, to say the least!

[ravip]

16 hours ago, bwpage3 said:

We left Thailand after being there for 10 years and moved to Florida USA in 2014.

 

Arriving on a green card, Thais are not forced into any 90 day reporting, TM-30, VISA runs or any of that other BS. Have to ask yourself why foreigners living in Thailand aren't reciprocated the same rights?

 

My wife just became a US Citizen this past week and absolutely loves it here.

 

Why?

 

Yesterday I came home from work, there was Isaan Music playing in the house, wife was cooking up a huge Thai dinner, Papaya salad, you name it.

 

Sunday, we had lunch with some of her Thai friends.

 

Saturday over to Orlando to this giant Asian supermarket where she can buy any Thai food she wants. Nothing like the smell of dried squid being warmed on the BBQ grill.

 

Thai TV, movies, etc.

 

So for her she has all the conveniences she had in Thailand except with a better house, cars, school etc. She has her own car, can drive herself anywhere she needs to go. 

 

Power doesn't go on and off, water doesn't go on and off with no warning or reason

 

Lots to see and do where we live.

 

Very safe as well. ( I am not going to comment on fear mongers and hurricanes). House is reinforced concrete block with steel shutters to install over all windows, built to hurricane codes, etc. Far enough inland not to worry about it one bit. Have gas generator, water pump, all the equipment to ride out anything with no loss in comfort). Crime is everywhere in the world, however, where we live is very safe. 

 

So as a Thai woman, aside of missing her father (who she calls 3 or 4 times a week), she isn't missing anything else at all.

 

When it comes time for a holiday, she doesn't want to visit Thailand.

 

We are within a couple of hours of ton's of Caribbean Islands, Bermuda, Dominican Republic, Jamaica,  is close, etc. she would much rather visit some place other than Thailand.

 

So for her, leaving Thailand wasn't a big deal and greatly improved her quality of life.

 

The grass for her is greener in the USA, than it ever would have been in Thailand.

 

 

So...  lets all move to the USA! Yes, the dream of all on this planet!

[Gecko123]

 

I'm struck by how people on this thread who reported that they haven't noticed any change in how friendly Thais are, in the next breath say things like "I avoid Thais as much as possible" and "I live in a farang ghetto." I suppose, in some ways, I envy them.

 

I guess if you spend your days bouncing around Thailand on a 90 day visa from one sliced fruit vendor to the next noodle stall and spend your evenings smoking and drinking yourself into an early grave without ever interacting with Thais beyond grunted transactions in pigeon Thai until it's time to go home, it's easy to delude yourself into thinking 'it's all good.'

 

It's when you settle in one place, become part of a community, try to build relationships beyond superficial interactions, have to negotiate the challenges that day-to-day life invariably throws at you, and you have to deal with long-term visa and housemaster reporting requirements that reality begins to set in. 

Edited March 22, 2019 by Gecko123

[beautifulthailand99]

On 3/19/2019 at 11:03 AM, newnative said:

     Great post and I totally agree with everything you said.  The OP might be far happier in a city like Pattaya with people from everywhere.  I started in Rayong and always felt like the local Thais were staring at me--usually I was the only farang at Home Pro or Index.  When my partner and I moved to Pattaya suddenly I was no longer a curiosity.  Lots of support services, great hospitals, wide range of condos to either rent or buy, restaurants galore, great shopping choices, movies, recreation...  Maybe give it some consideration.

Hua Hin and Pattaya/Jomtiem are ours (though we need to share with the rude Ruskies and numerous noisy Chinese) and if it ever comes to blows our geriatric army could probably hold out for a day or two whilst we got medevaced from our condo roofs to the safety of a farang refugee camp probably just over the border somewhere. A quick health check from the UN and a safe passage home to farang-land will make a satisfying end to this oriental adventure.