Just Back After Being Away For 4 Months

[Begbie]

ASfter a few months living in Cambodia I had no choice but to come back to the Land of No Smiles for a brief period. I was taken aback by the obvious anti-farang sentiment.

Maybe it's because the Khmers are so friendly and welcoming that I forgot what Thais have become, or has it actually deteriorated of late?

Edited May 30, 2007 by Begbie

[Ulysses G.]

Thailand seems great to me!

[Etrigan]

I think its a bit of both mate!

[jdinasia]

HAD to come back?

[JimmyTheMook]

ASfter a few months living in Cambodia I had no choice but to come back to the Land of No Smiles for a brief period. I was taken aback by the obvious anti-farang sentiment.

Maybe it's because the Khmers are so friendly and welcoming that I forgot what Thais have become, or has it actually deteriorated of late?

Where were you in Thailand?

[jackmuu]

I have never felt any anti farang sentiment, anywhere.

Maybe it is an indivdual thing.

[Begbie]

HAD to come back?

Unfortunately yes. Business.

I was in Pattaya. Maybe that's not a true indication of the rest of Thailand. I hope not.

[jeebusjones]

The Cambodian borders are not very friendly places. You can't really judge all of Thailand from your experience at the border.

---

Oops, just saw your latest post. Yeah Pattaya wouldn't be a very good indicator either. The scum of the earth tends to end up there in large quantities.

Edited May 30, 2007 by jeebusjones

[chinthee]

I have never felt any anti farang sentiment, anywhere.

Maybe it is an indivdual thing.

Yup, I agree. Never felt any anti-farang sentiment anywhere. I don't know where people are feeling this, and wonder if it's related to tighter visa requirements, etc., or perhaps lack of Thai language knowledge?

[h90]

no anti farang sentiment here.....

Maybe you shouldn't wear the "I love bush" T-Shirt

[jdinasia]

Could just be that Cambodians are still happy to have any influx of FX ... and some Thais have seen a decrease in this <and some others are starting to care who it comes from>

but really .... Pattaya=Thailand? 555

Edited May 30, 2007 by jdinasia

[JR Texas]

ASfter a few months living in Cambodia I had no choice but to come back to the Land of No Smiles for a brief period. I was taken aback by the obvious anti-farang sentiment.

Maybe it's because the Khmers are so friendly and welcoming that I forgot what Thais have become, or has it actually deteriorated of late?

JR Texas to Begbie: When I lived in Cambodia (only for a short time), I really liked the people.......kind, generous even when they had nothing to give, smart..........I really did not come away thinking that I was not wanted......immigration officers were friendly.........no strange looks from the police.

I have always felt unwanted by the Thai government and many Thais in the big cities. Where I live now, in Thailand, I feel welcome, but I live in Isan and things seem different in Isan (most beautiful girls in Thailand and the friendliest people if you ask me).

It is extraordinary that many of the posts are stating that they have never felt unwelcome in Thailand.........that should tell you something about their ability to judge things.

For the past seven years the visa rules taking place before their eyes have been stating "you are not welcome." The same is true for the business rules.

The TOXIN administration made it very clear that foreigners were not welcome....only money from rich foreigners was welcome.

I have to say that Cambodia, in general, is far more farang friendly than Thailand.......no question about it. Xenophobia and discrimination are, unfortubnately, on the rise in Thailand.

I can only hope that the majority of the good and decent people of Thailand will put an end to it.

[jdinasia]

LOL .... yes JR ... only you have the ability to judge things The rest of us that live here, speak the language etc have no clue ... only you do!

[Maigo6]

I was in Pattaya. Maybe that's not a true indication of the rest of Thailand.

Correct.

[jackmuu]

It is extraordinary that many of the posts are stating that they have never felt unwelcome in Thailand.........that should tell you something about their ability to judge things.

For the past seven years the visa rules taking place before their eyes have been stating "you are not welcome." The same is true for the business rules.

Or maybe some are welcomed more than others.

What is not welcoming about the visa rules? The fact that they don't want people living here illegaly. not paying tax and doing monthly border runs?

What is not welcoming when I apply for a non immigrant O visa and get it back in the post 2 days later, no questions asked?

I think possibly the people that Thailand doesn't want to welcome are the same types of people that aren't really welcome anywhere.

[BFD]

And let us not forget that the Khmer actually call us 'Barangs' (note the B ), meaning they've got at least the same undercurrent of separation that has labelled us farangs here. While it might just be a 'quirk' they picked up from their big brother to the west, the Cambodians still have their own word for us.

That said, apart from a few very isolated incidents, I have felt no ill effects from having white skin.

BFD!

Except the suntan lotion is so expensive!

Edited May 30, 2007 by BFD

[ThaiGoon]

ASfter a few months living in Cambodia I had no choice but to come back to the Land of No Smiles for a brief period.

It's shocking you had to come back to Thailand.

[farang prince]

HAD to come back?

Unfortunately yes. Business.

I was in Pattaya. Maybe that's not a true indication of the rest of Thailand. I hope not.

Maybe you didn't tip the BG enough.

[JR Texas]

LOL .... yes JR ... only you have the ability to judge things The rest of us that live here, speak the language etc have no clue ... only you do!

JR Texas to Jdinasia: I do not remember stating that I had a monopoly on "truth." I gave my perception of the problem.......it is my view only.

I hope I am entitled to my opinion, even when it is not what you want to hear. Where I come from this is called "freedom of speech."

[torito]

I have never felt any anti farang sentiment, anywhere.

Maybe it is an indivdual thing.

Yup, I agree. Never felt any anti-farang sentiment anywhere. I don't know where people are feeling this, and wonder if it's related to tighter visa requirements, etc., or perhaps lack of Thai language knowledge?

In the only place I'd heard about anti-farang sentiment is in this forum. I have never felt it.

There are much more anti-migrant sentiment in other countries, e.g. Australia, and they make you feel it wherever you are. The only thig that they are missing in there is to separate public water taps: Aussies & &lt;deleted&gt;, as americans used to to do with negros.

I never was invited to come here. It was my choice. In any case, as soon as I feel it and it becomes uncomfortable for me, then I will leave this country. As I did it in Australia. This is my prerrogative.

[jdinasia]

LOL .... yes JR ... only you have the ability to judge things The rest of us that live here, speak the language etc have no clue ... only you do!

JR Texas to Jdinasia: I do not remember stating that I had a monopoly on "truth." I gave my perception of the problem.......it is my view only.

I hope I am entitled to my opinion, even when it is not what you want to hear. Where I come from this is called "freedom of speech."

It is extraordinary that many of the posts are stating that they have never felt unwelcome in Thailand.........that should tell you something about their ability to judge things.

Maybe I misread that ? Doesn't it imply that people that have not felt unwelcome have a problem with their ability to judge things? and again by implication that your ability is superior?

[Maigo6]

Maybe I misread that ? Doesn't it imply that people that have not felt unwelcome have a problem with their ability to judge things? and again by implication that your ability is superior?

JD, you're like a Pit Bull, you get your teeth into something and won't let it go.

BTW, I totally agree with you.

Edited May 30, 2007 by Maigo6

[bkkmick]

I concur with serveral other posters. More than 7 years living here and never a sign of anti-foreigner (and at 6'3" I do stand out a bit).

[jdinasia]

Never ever felt even slightly unwelcome in Thailand as a foreigner? Surely impossible.

It makes me wonder if the people that say such ridiculous things have some agenda they are pushing.

Not by the government and not by Thais ...

I have felt disliked by a few Thais that were pushing, thinking I was a tourist ... and I wasn't buying ... but that's not feeling unwelcome

[torito]

Never ever felt even slightly unwelcome in Thailand as a foreigner? Surely impossible.

It makes me wonder if the people that say such ridiculous things have some agenda they are pushing.

Impossible for you perhaps...don't you think that it is a little bit arrogant and ignorant to believe that you can be in the shoes and the mind of others?

[JR Texas]

LOL .... yes JR ... only you have the ability to judge things The rest of us that live here, speak the language etc have no clue ... only you do!

JR Texas to Jdinasia: I do not remember stating that I had a monopoly on "truth." I gave my perception of the problem.......it is my view only.

I hope I am entitled to my opinion, even when it is not what you want to hear. Where I come from this is called "freedom of speech."

It is extraordinary that many of the posts are stating that they have never felt unwelcome in Thailand.........that should tell you something about their ability to judge things.

Maybe I misread that ? Doesn't it imply that people that have not felt unwelcome have a problem with their ability to judge things? and again by implication that your ability is superior?

JR Texas to Jdinasia and Maigo6: You are correct......it means that I think they are making an error in interpreting "reality." Yes, it means that I believe that my judgment on this issue is closer to reality.

Again.......this is my opinion on this specific issue. I also believe in the possibility that there are right and wrong answers to questions. I may be wrong.......did you read that..........I may be wrong.

Do I believe I am always right? No......I have been wrong in the past so I know that I am not always right. But in this case, I strongly believe that I am right.

I find it impossible to believe that a thinking farang could live in Thailand for an extended period and not notice even one case of anti-farang sentiment.

Read what I said.......my answer was not "black and white," it was more like gray. I think it was fairly balanced.

Maigo6....you changed your picture....but you did not change your brain.... Maybe when hel_l freezes over we will agree on something :D

[chinthee]

Never ever felt even slightly unwelcome in Thailand as a foreigner? Surely impossible.

It makes me wonder if the people that say such ridiculous things have some agenda they are pushing.

Impossible for you perhaps...don't you think that it is a little bit arrogant and ignorant to believe that you can be in the shoes and the mind of others?

What possible agenda could any of us who have never felt unwelcome or anti-Farang sentiment have? Undercover agents for Thai BOI to bolster up Farang investment sentiment?; agents for the Thai government against the National Associations of Retired persons worldwide to grab as many rich retirees as possible??

[Maigo6]

I have been wrong in the past so I know that I am not always right.

Maigo6....you changed your picture....but you did not change your brain.... Maybe when hel_l freezes over we will agree on something :D

There you go JR, something we can agree on..........

[JR Texas]

I have been wrong in the past so I know that I am not always right.

Maigo6....you changed your picture....but you did not change your brain.... Maybe when hel_l freezes over we will agree on something :D

There you go JR, something we can agree on..........

JR Texas to Maigo6: Can you say the same?

[jdinasia]

JR -- Then it would it be fair for me to say that if YOU feel unwelcome in Thailand and I feel welcome, then possibly both of us are correct?