Farangs Views On Thailand

[Begs]

Just read this thread, I hope I get this right,

Some of you are whinging about whingers.

Some of you are whingers who are whinging about people whinging about whingers

Please correct me if I made a mistake

Well yea, i was whinging about the ammount of whinghers in Thailand, then i was verbally assaulted by whingers that where whinging about me whinging about whingers.............

The whinging never ends!

[RamdomChances]

Ture true

[Insight]

I wasn't whinging, I was merely observing!

Bugger, now I'm whinging.

[medicinebox]

Back to the thread.

We are living in a racist country, with two tier pricing and complicated rules and regs for any "alien" other than a casual tourist. Most thai's look down on us as stupid farangs with more money than sense. Remember the Mia Falang print in the paper the other day.

So I say, if you want to whinge, then have a bloody good whing, before they start charging farangs 10bht per whinge.

Personally, I spend a few months a year here, then go back to reality. The number one reason I choose not to live here is, THEY DONT LIKE US. Wake up!

[Simbo]

Are you lot still at it! I've been shopping to Tesco, had a nice little tour around and lo and behold, this post is getting longer and longer. See what you have started, Shark. Typical Brit, start an argument in an empty house.

I like a little whinge sometimes.

[Simbo]

And I've just found out, Thais have to renew their I.D. card every 5 years at a cost of 100 baht. It's compulsory to have one. Is this a condition

Thais have to put up with to stay in this, their own wonderful country.

Thats another whinge for you!

[Begs]

Personally, I spend a few months a year here, then go back to reality. The number one reason I choose not to live here is, THEY DONT LIKE US. Wake up!

Who are THEY? Who are US?

As you do not live in Thailand, then what possible reason could you have to come to a country where.....

THEY DON"T LIKE YOU, Wake up!

If i felt the same way, i would stay away and stay in reality.

Stop whinging!

[Begs]

And I've just found out, Thais have to renew their I.D. card every 5 years at a cost of 100 baht. It's compulsory to have one. Is this a condition

Thais have to put up with to stay in this, their own wonderful country.

Thats another whinge for you!

A well deserved whinge.

Farang do not have to have a Thai id card to stay in Thailand hence saving 100 baht every 5 years. Thats discrimination against Thais!

[RamdomChances]

THEY DONT LIKE US.

Pheww, thats cleared a lot up, I thought it was only me "they" did'nt like, but then again people back home did'nt as well . I'm the sort of person that you take an instant dislike to, but then I grow on you slowly (a bit like a rash or fungal infection)

We are living in a racist country

Personally, I spend a few months a year here, then go back to reality. The number one reason I choose not to live here is, THEY DONT LIKE US. Wake up!

Hmm a bit at odds with yourself there, anyway a few months is just an extended holiday!!

[Boon Mee]

OK..who whinges more. Brits, Aussies or Yanks? Guess this could be a poll.

[Bluecat]

Personally, I spend a few months a year here, then go back to reality. The number one reason I choose not to live here is, THEY DONT LIKE US. Wake up!

I agree with you.

I felt the same way for a very long time.

I did not want to come to Thailand for that very reason and a few other ones.

But I had to come.

And I learned.

To know them and more importantly, they learn to know me.

And I will not elaborate further because as a "visitor", you will not understand.

And anyway, some people never understand,...

[hkthai]

My Wifes Thai and she tells me how unsafe LOS especially at night, in and out of the city!

I've had the privilege of living in Southern and Northern California and other US Citites as well as Asia and Bangkok. I would not want to be caught walking in Downtown in some of those US cities after dark.

Now for Bangkok, in general, I don't have a problem. Although my perception is that it is more dangerous today versus 7 - 10 years ago.

[maerim]

Anyone who doesn't question why the man next door is living in a mansion, with servants and 3/4 cars, while they are living in a bamboo shack is beyond me.

Next time you see the guy in the bamboo shack tell him he is lucky that the guy in the mansion does not have him turfed out on his ear for making the place untidy and look on the bright side of life.

You might as well while you are at it tell him to choose his parents more carefully next time, make sure they have a few bob in the bank.

[hkthai]

If you ask the average Englishman if he LIKES England, he will  say " No"

If you ask the average Thai if they LOVE Thailand they will say  "Yes".

This is probably dead-on accurate but, has the average Thai person ever been out of Thailand to have another country to compare it to? More than likely, most of them have not and are not able to make this comparison. No country is going to be perfect for anybody. One can always find flaws somewhere. I think its a matter of pros & cons for most people. One might find many flaws in Thailand but actually like more than they dislike. Everyone is entitled to their opinion.

Good point. I would not want to live anywhere else in the world even with the many flaws.

corruption

inefficiencies

class discrimination

lazy workers/people

politician criminals

lousy educational system

....and the list goes on and on and on... But you know what, it's home.

You live and work the system as best you can. There are problem that you can solve or make better and some where you just have to go with the flow or ignore. I have seen improvements over the years. For example, it use to take me up to a full day to renew my Thai ID. Now it takes me less than an hour. There are some areas where things have seemingly gone backwards...like corruption. And some progress (although little as it may appear) like the prosecution of a prominent person (the case will probably be overturn though).

Make sure you have the right expectations when you move over here. There are way too many people moving over here with the wrong expectations and in turn are disappointed...and bitches about it enough to last several lives.

[DogNo1]

What a great opportunity to mention the philosophy of Buddhism! Basically, Buddhism says that the natural state of human existence is suffering brought about through attachment to things. This would include habits, characteristics of a particular culture, wealth, and so on. One of the reasons that the family living nearby in the bamboo shack can be happy is that they don't find their level of existence objectionable compared to the guy next door in the mansion. Thailand is a very Buddhist country and I personally think that one of the things that makes the Thai people so affable is their religion.

Don't get me wrong. I am not challenging anyone's right to complain. Complain away. I just hope that at some point that leads you to feeling better. We often can't change our living conditions, but we can sometimes change how we feel about them. Of course, it's a personal choice and we can choose to feel however we want. Sometimes being miserable is just the flip side of a deep love of our own country.

[HinHam]

Jeeze I agree with Simbo, again.

Keep talking madicinebox, I like your views too.

I am not only a Brit but English, so what if people want to whinge, talk is cheap.

Missing Kasi, I need to have another look at that Avatar.

[Bluecat]

We often can't change our living conditions, but we can sometimes change how we feel about them.

Very nice one.

And I very much agree.

But true for people who have "enough" compared to the ones who have nothing.

If you have nothing, you still should "fight" to get something.

And when you have something, you should know when this something is enough,...

Will it happen one day?

Maybe.

But probably not in my lifetime,...

[medicinebox]

THEY DONT LIKE US.

Pheww, thats cleared a lot up, I thought it was only me "they" did'nt like, but then again people back home did'nt as well . I'm the sort of person that you take an instant dislike to, but then I grow on you slowly (a bit like a rash or fungal infection)

We are living in a racist country

Personally, I spend a few months a year here, then go back to reality. The number one reason I choose not to live here is, THEY DONT LIKE US. Wake up!

Hmm a bit at odds with yourself there, anyway a few months is just an extended holiday!!

Oh righty then, I know nothing and only visit on "extended holidays". I lived here for 2 yrs straight before and it gradually wore me down. The last straw was Songkhran, when 4 Thai guys stopped me with big smiles and poured water on my head very gently. I thought "What a nice bunch they are, maybe I'm wrong about them".

2 minutes down the road I felt something running down the side of my face. It was spit. Not just spit but proper snotty phlegm they must have all hokked up into a bowl, and dished it out to the "stupid falang".

So please allow me to comment on what i think they think of us!

[medicinebox]

Personally, I spend a few months a year here, then go back to reality. The number one reason I choose not to live here is, THEY DONT LIKE US. Wake up!

I agree with you.

I felt the same way for a very long time.

I did not want to come to Thailand for that very reason and a few other ones.

But I had to come.

And I learned.

To know them and more importantly, they learn to know me.

And I will not elaborate further because as a "visitor", you will not understand.

And anyway, some people never understand,...

Well I guess I must be one of them people who never understand.

But if you mean learn to accept, well I can do that. That's why I know 4 months is enough for me to tolerate here. It has its good points also.

But back to the understanding part.

The more I understand about Thai's, the less I know about Thais.

Also note well: I never said I don't like Thai's.

(some have their uses)

[stroll]

You stay in Pattaya, medb, and if you are mouthing off there about your '3 holer' girl for 350bt a day, i.e. talk the way you post here, maybe that explains it.

I am not saying you shouldn't post your comments, but what goes around comes around, living in an (almost) expat-free zone in Bangkok, my impression is different from yours, I feel welcome.

[Bluecat]

The more I understand about Thai's, the less I know about Thais.

I do not agree on this one.

You do not know about Thai because you do not understand them.

And on "some have their use", I prefer not to comment,...

[medicinebox]

You stay in Pattaya, medb, and if you are mouthing off there about your '3 holer' girl for 350bt a day, i.e. talk the way you post here, maybe that explains it.

I am not saying you shouldn't post your comments, but what goes around comes around, living in an (almost) expat-free zone in Bangkok, my impression is different from yours, I feel welcome.

I travelled all over Isaan and the people are really friendly. Hardly a falang in site. But Familiarity breeds contempt. Yes Pattaya is a hard core town, thus 4 months max.

Mouthing off about my 3 holer bgf. I aint going coy on anyone, but I wasn't mouthing off. If thats the case everyone who posts is mouthing off. I was being honest and open.

BC, you've lost your sense of humour. Did you not see the wink?

[Bluecat]

BC, you've lost your sense of humour.

I didn't.

Did you,...

[meemiathai]

We are living in a racist country,

A bald person pointing and mocking a monk's head?

[stroll]

[meemiathai]

I believe myself am a polite person.

But when in London, most likely polite responses might not be the case even after I have been polite whilst in most of the cases when in Thailand, people will usually react politely if one is being polite.

And in a lot of occasions during conversations, the English people will imply how they are better than other races. A farang couple told me how the UK are leading the world in all sorts of things a few years back. I was quite surprised as I couldn't even find a decent shop that sells modern technology stuff.

I have actually witnessed quite a few racist incidents by English people.

I do not mean all English are the same, but why am I always that unlucky?

[meemiathai]

That's why I know 4 months is enough for me to tolerate here.

Please forgive my poor understanding capability.

But do you mean you come here every year for 4 months to tolerate something?

I don't get it!

[anono555]

sorry to hear about your bad experiences in London meemathai...

yes, it's true... the majority of English people are rude and arrogant and make me ashamed to be from this once great country. this place is going to the dogs

[stroll]

I did get your first post, meemiathai, my smilies were pointing at medicinebox.

And rob, don't send me any more of the kind of message you've sent before, it is not funny, and I don't find it particulary insulting, either, but I will report it.

[medicinebox]

That's why I know 4 months is enough for me to tolerate here.

Please forgive my poor understanding capability.

But do you mean you come here every year for 4 months to tolerate something?

I don't get it!

The Thai's are noted for their tolerance. It could be said that they hide their true feelings to save face. Tolerance. Putting up with something you would rather not.

So I'l explain it like this. After 4 months I have reached my tolerance level. The level where I am putting up with things i'd rather not. Then I go home. I don't stay here to save face. I come here because I like it. It is not a 4 month tolerance test. Its just my limit.

The poor unfortunate thai's however, have to stay here and tolerate falangs.

Even though ive been spat on, ripped off, lied to, I will say again. I dont dislike Thais. But they are not too fond of us when its all boiled down.

Now, I speak my mind, I dont post here to be popular. I am honest and open on this board, so less arse kissers and more true input please.