How many genuine Thai friends do you have?

[Orton Rd]

None, but I don't want any

[rkidlad]

Most of my friends here are foreigners. Have a good friend from Hong Kong who's completely off his nut.

 

My Thai friends are mostly female ones who are friends with my missus. The thing we have in common is that when we meet we usually have drinks. You can never be bored when there are drinks. The male partners are perfectly nice but you often feel you can't just say how you really feel. You kind of have to be sensitive in order to not offend. I feel closish to a couple of them, but at the end of the day, we avoid sensitive subjects and we mostly just talk football as it's fun and can be an endless source of convo. 

 

Whether here in Thailand or anywhere else in the world, I like to be around people who don't take themselves too seriously and like to take the p*** out of each other. I'll do the small talk for so long, but making friends is about having someone that has something to offer you. All I really look for in a friend is decent conversation. 

Edited July 1, 2020 by rkidlad

[pineapple01]

Never realy bothered , here or anywhere ive lived, keep in touch with old chums i made from the sixties but most of em are dead now. Plus yer get old, get fussy , only get on with Ex Millitary Types, cant stand this Snowflake Generation. Thais or Westerners.

[TooBigToFit]

I had Thai friends before I had western friends here. But being the way I am, I tend to fade away from people over time. I still have friends around but most of my time is spent alone or with my family. I'm not really close to my relatives who are always around. Part of the change is my lack of interest in drinking and nightlife and just getting together. I guess nowadays I just like to do my own thing. Lots of older people spend less and less time with others from what I've seen. For holidays, people get together but most of the year there isn't that much connection. Anyways, I still have Thai friends around but don't see them but once in a blue moon.

 

 

[Curt1591]

All the friends I have here are Thai - not just acquaintances, but people we hang out and do things with. 

The only 2 farangs I befriended, years ago, turned out to be real head cases. 

I do have friends that occasionally fly over from the States. 

[Sujo]

I have 0 friends of any nationality. Im not really interested. I have a few acquaintaces that i meet up with for general chat but i dont get personal with anyone and they dont with me.

 

Im happy with that arrangement.

[Big Joke]

With the low esteem that Thais hold farangs that live in Thailand in, perhaps normal Thai people don't want their friendship.

[Puchaiyank]

The title of the post made me laugh....thanks!  ????

[WineOh]

18 minutes ago, Big Joke said:

With the low esteem that Thais hold farangs that live in Thailand in, perhaps normal Thai people don't want their friendship.

What brought about this low esteem, as you put it.

 

without our almost five decades of tourist dollar most normal people here would still farming, working for 20 baht a day under the red hot sun.

 

is that the way they want it?

like it or not, money from tourism and expats has contributed untold billions upon billions here over the years..but that is all over now. You reap what you sow, I guess.

(no pun intended ????)

Edited July 1, 2020 by Liverpoolfan

[WineOh]

2 hours ago, steven100 said:

 i don't need genuine friends.  In about 10 minutes i need a genuine bottle of beer .....

Im on it now mate.

july 1st, prohibition has officially ended.

[2long]

It's difficult to judge whether the OP is 

- bored and started this thread for his own entertainment

- a troll who just wants other members to bite

- a bitter soccer fan desperate for attention

 

His follow-up replies seem to prove his whole point, and go a fair way to explain the lack of friends.

[BritManToo]

3 hours ago, Liverpoolfan said:

How many genuine Thai friends do you have?

Zero, because generally Thais don't have friends, but they do have plenty of family.

In the west we ignore our family.

 

I actually prefer the Thai way.

Nearly every friend I had pooped on me given the chance.

It's always your best friend who bangs your wife/gf when you aren't paying attention.

[Keyser Soze666]

Thai friends?? Hahahaha..thanks for the laugh. It's a miracle to even get a hello off your neighbour, let alone a friend lol.

 

And oh, zero, obviously.

[Keyser Soze666]

3 hours ago, smutcakes said:

I think most people make or made their lifelong friends when growing up together, at school or university. As you get older i think you are less likely to make those type of friends as you are grown up and generally have a life of your own, as do other grown ups.

 

I have friends in the UK who i would describe as lifelong friends, but we rarely chat but when we do we pick up exactly like we left off.

 

 

 

 

Nail on the head, sir. My best friends are still from when I was at school, early teens, and some of them I haven't seen for 20 years. 

[mike787]

Many and all so sweet.????

[CorpusChristie]

14 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

.

It's always your best friend who bangs your wife/gf when you aren't paying attention.

You need to change that too : *Its always my best friend that bangs my wife/gf when I'm not paying attention* .

  As most of us dont have those issues as friends Wifes/GF's are strictly off limits

[CorpusChristie]

I find that I dont have much in common with Thais , common ground on which friendship can develop.

We just dont have the same interests or backgrounds .

Thais tend to be vague and polite and staying middle of the road .

"Could do", "Maybe" , "Not sure" "Up to you"

I tend to be more direct and decisive , which some Thais consider to be being rude .

Just different cultures 

[Pilotman]

1 hour ago, bodga said:

You'll never  know  how genuine ANY friends  are until you really need  them, so my answer.......I don't  know. I'd  count  my Wife in but others  I don't  know. I don't have many friends  anyway and that includes the whole  world.

I have 4 very close friends. I know for example, that if I was snow storm, car stopped, 150 miles from home, if I called then they would come out and get me. I would not hesitate to do the same for them. I was once on a golfing weekend here.  My friend who was golfing with me, had to go back early to work in Taiwan. I then got very ill in my hotel.  When He found out, he took the next plane back to help me. That's friendship. 

[Skallywag]

6 minutes ago, Keyser Soze666 said:

Nail on the head, sir. My best friends are still from when I was at school, early teens, and some of them I haven't seen for 20 years. 

Same here.  Still a newby, only been a Non-O immigrant resident here for 2 years now.  Close friends are all in the U.S., have made a few good friends here all foreigners.  We go fishing sometimes, have drinks and shoot the breeze, maybe go to the night market, etc...

I have some Thai ladies who I enjoy their company.

Can it be a genuine friendship when money is required !  LOL

Definitely enjoy their company when we are together 

That's what friends are for

 

[worgeordie]

Genuine .....there's the rub 

regards Worgeordie

[Skallywag]

7 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

. I know for example, that if I was snow storm, car stopped, 150 miles from home,

No snow in thailand, and all distances are in kilometers  LOL

Guess you were not talking about Thai friends (one was working in Taiwan)

[WineOh]

38 minutes ago, 2long said:

 

- a bitter soccer fan desperate for attention

Oh yeah,dead bitter me mate.

not sure if you are aware from living on the moon but we have just won the Premier League. 
 

either that or you are confusing me with an Everton fan ????

[1FinickyOne]

1 hour ago, n00dle said:

possibly more acceptable to return wai with a deep nod slow nod, its better than nothing and simple as it may seem, its pretty easy to cock up a wai. 

I would say from my experience, it is most importantly coupled with a friendly smile... so often, I might meet one of the other parents from school walking out of the supermarket or somewhere where I or they might have our hands full and the situation is informal... and we fumble and bumble and laugh while we attempt to get part way there... and so, the smile as much or more than the wai says, happy to see you... that said, I rarely wai with friends and family... 

[1FinickyOne]

17 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

I have 4 very close friends. I know for example, that if I was snow storm, car stopped, 150 miles from home, if I called then they would come out

If you are ever in a snowstorm here, you can call me too, I would come right away also... my wife loves the snow. 

[Pilotman]

Just now, kenk24 said:

If you are ever in a snowstorm here, you can call me too, I would come right away also... my wife loves the snow. 

Thanks, I will make a note.  You too. ????

[1FinickyOne]

18 minutes ago, CorpusChristie said:

We just dont have the same interests or backgrounds

That can make it very interesting and once you get comfortable w/someone, the politeness and such is not as important and the true goodness of heart and depth of affection comes through... it just takes some time. 

[Pilotman]

10 minutes ago, Skallywag said:

No snow in thailand, and all distances are in kilometers  LOL

Guess you were not talking about Thai friends (one was working in Taiwan)

Indeed not.  Apart from Mrs P,  I have no other Thai 'friends',  just lots of acquaintances. 

[1FinickyOne]

5 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

Thanks, I will make a note.  You too. ????

We have actually had good sized hail a couple of times... and it did not disappear quickly... sat on the ground for a little while... 

[2long]

I just had a word with my friends* on the moon here and they confirmed that all Liverpool fans are bitter, regardless of recent results.

Or are you a player in the team? Because you say that 'we' just won something.

 

*not sure how 'genuine' my moon friends are

[poohy]

been here 21 years

2

Both guys are exceptional tourist guides and worked for me (great fun guys both ex Thammasat students) so their political view would scare the pants off most thais many entertaining evening listening to their escapades and rants

 

Humbled as i had 60th party last year in Bangkok both turned up one from Khon Kaen one straight from the plane from Moscow.

 

Edited July 1, 2020 by poohy