Are there any 'normal' farangs living in Thailand?

[thaibeachlovers]

3 hours ago, bignok said:

For adventure. Regular people rarely go anywhere.

I agree that it's adventurous types that move to LOS, even if they stop once there.

Of all the people I know in home country, most never left, or just go on an occasional package holiday abroad. I'm definitely not normal on that life style.

[rose33]

3 hours ago, ross163103 said:

I've lived here 30 years and over time I noticed the same thing, although saying that, I do have some friends that have been here a long time and are fairly "normal". I think with the ones that do have issues it could be that; some people have issues before coming to Thailand, and some come here "normal" and go off the rails. From what I've seen it's mainly from women, alcohol, or failed business ventures--or a combination of all three. 

Western cultural norms are so different to Thailand cultural norms that farang actually (imo) need to "go off the rails" of western culture before they can really be settled & happy in Thailand.

[thaibeachlovers]

8 minutes ago, rose33 said:

Western cultural norms are so different to Thailand cultural norms that farang actually (imo) need to "go off the rails" of western culture before they can really be settled & happy in Thailand.

That was certainly true when driving in LOS. One didn't get anywhere fast if one didn't drive like them.

[Northstar1]

I totally agree, I’m far from perfect, but I genuinely feel great about myself when I travel in Thailand.

the numbers of rift raft etc etc etc is in a class of its own.

thailand attracts them like moths to a light!

[roo860]

14 minutes ago, Northstar1 said:

I totally agree, I’m far from perfect, but I genuinely feel great about myself when I travel in Thailand.

the numbers of rift raft etc etc etc is in a class of its own.

thailand attracts them like moths to a light!

'Rift raft'? That's a new one.

[bignok]

4 hours ago, Hummin said:

My impression is, and I am traveling quite a bit inside Thailand, most retired expats stay one place in Thailand and travel very little, and seems very little adventures compared to tourists. Maybe they travelled a bit in the beginning, but for some reasons stopped. 

Women, climate, food. Change. Why would a person want to live in 1 country their whole life anyway?

[bignok]

A lot depends on work. Some jobs take people overseas. Some cannot. Some live 1, travel 50. Lots of oddballs not living in Thailand. I don't think normal exists. There is boring and less boring. Humans are all limited. 

[bignok]

30 minutes ago, roo860 said:

'Rift raft'? That's a new one.

Riff raff he means. Low class people.

[bignok]

3 hours ago, rose33 said:

Western cultural norms are so different to Thailand cultural norms that farang actually (imo) need to "go off the rails" of western culture before they can really be settled & happy in Thailand.

I prefer the way. Less road rules enforced. Easy access to meds. Food on street. Dating 20 years younger no big deal. The west tries too hard and is rigid. Follow the rules Mon to Friday, then get drunk on Friday/Sat Clean house on Sunday and watch some boring football match. Say it's the best country in world. Then repeat for 50 years. Great life not.

 

I met a guy who lives in his car aged 70 or so. Never been overseas, hates foreigners especially asians says he lives in the best country in the world. Drinks beer and eats meat. That's his life. 

[LittleBear57]

Last time i went to a bar in Thailand (not restaurant) was about 8 years ago in Bang Saray. I may have the odd beer in a restaurant, but don't go to bars unless they serve good food.

[fredwiggy]

2 hours ago, bignok said:

I prefer the way. Less road rules enforced. Easy access to meds. Food on street. Dating 20 years younger no big deal. The west tries too hard and is rigid. Follow the rules Mon to Friday, then get drunk on Friday/Sat Clean house on Sunday and watch some boring football match. Say it's the best country in world. Then repeat for 50 years. Great life not.

 

I met a guy who lives in his car aged 70 or so. Never been overseas, hates foreigners especially asians says he lives in the best country in the world. Drinks beer and eats meat. That's his life. 

Less road rules enforced is not a good thing. Check the stats. Corruption, taking money to look the other ways on many offenses, especially human trafficking. Bangkok huge hub for selling little girls and boys to slime. Dating younger comes with a price, higher than dating older. The food's great though, although I miss a lot of western food, which doesn't come close here. Okay, but not the same. Med access better yes, but not needed yet.

Edited April 21, 2023 by fredwiggy

[EVENKEEL]

Sitting on Soi Buakhao having a few is great for watching Pattaya's wide range of foreigners scurrying about on the street. Good fun. 

[bignok]

14 minutes ago, fredwiggy said:

Less road rules enforced is not a good thing. Check the stats. Corruption, taking money to look the other ways on many offenses, especially human trafficking. Bangkok huge hub for selling little girls and boys to slime. Dating younger comes with a price, higher than dating older. The food's great though, although I miss a lot of western food, which doesn't come close here. Okay, but not the same. Med access better yes, but not needed yet.

Up to you

[brianburi]

3 hours ago, bignok said:

Riff raff he means. Low class people.

flew over your head eh?.   When most were thinking it was something to do with water sports.....

[bignok]

3 minutes ago, brianburi said:

flew over your head eh?.   When most were thinking it was something to do with water sports.....

I don't know. Is this kinking stuff?

[TigerandDog]

On 4/18/2023 at 12:18 PM, Skallywag said:

Same same, all foreigners are farangs are they not?  

No not same same.. Farangs are foreigners with WHITE skin. Asians, africans or non-whites are just referred to as foreigners.

[KhunLA]

1 hour ago, LittleBear57 said:

Last time i went to a bar in Thailand (not restaurant) was about 8 years ago in Bang Saray. I may have the odd beer in a restaurant, but don't go to bars unless they serve good food.

Same here, can't remember last time I was in a bar.  At least 10yrs.  More for food than alcohol.  One of those box bars, where alcohol is the main course, even longer.

 

Even our monthly local forum meet ups in Udon Thani ended up in restaurants, after the first year or so,  That's easily 15+ yrs ago.  Can't even remember last time I opened a 3rd beer (490ml) at the house.  And usually struggled finishing the second.   That's embarrassing ????

 

Back to normal ... 

... normal = like minded, good luck with that.

 

1. Happily married

2. Un-happily (cheating) married

3. Un-married

 

Judging by the forum, not a whole lot in group #1

Edited April 21, 2023 by KhunLA

[BangkokReady]

On 4/18/2023 at 4:31 PM, Mac Mickmanus said:

On 4/18/2023 at 4:21 PM, The Fugitive said:

Feel sorry for them. Hard work. All 7/11's I've been in seem always very busy. They have the microwaves and an oven to operate too. Enduring the chime and 'Hello and welcome' every few seconds must be absolute torture. 

You are getting 7/11's with Tesco Lotuses .

They say "Hello Welcome" at Tesco lotuses and not 7/11's

They say "Sawaddee ka chern kaaa!" when anyone enters a 7/11, which means "Hello, welcome!".

[gomangosteen]

2 hours ago, LittleBear57 said:

Last time i went to a bar in Thailand (not restaurant) was about 8 years ago in Bang Saray. I may have the odd beer in a restaurant, but don't go to bars unless they serve good food.

Our town, pop. 9,000 has no hotel/pub/bar, no licensed cafes.

Best barstool bs-ing farang deterrent ever.

[nauseus]

4 hours ago, brianburi said:

flew over your head eh?.   When most were thinking it was something to do with water sports.....

Of course it's to do with water sports:

 

 

 

 

Also a concept in petroleum geology:

 

https://www.google.co.th/books/edition/Petroleum_Geology_of_Northwest_Europe/YTqHqJfXwYEC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=rift+raft&pg=PA201&printsec=frontcover 

Edited April 21, 2023 by nauseus

[patman30]

On 4/18/2023 at 11:30 AM, bogs smith said:

i suppose i meant what society would deem as normal. i e none of the problems i listed in my OP

Then they would still be in their home country working a 9-5 and in debt

[KhunLA]

12 minutes ago, nauseus said:

Of course it's to do with water sports:

 

 

 

 

Also a concept in petroleum geology:

 

https://www.google.co.th/books/edition/Petroleum_Geology_of_Northwest_Europe/YTqHqJfXwYEC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=rift+raft&pg=PA201&printsec=frontcover 

noun: riff-raff

1. disreputable or undesirable people.

[ozimoron]

On 4/19/2023 at 7:26 AM, The Fugitive said:

Racism isn't to do with appearance. It's to do with how people behave (or don't).

If you believe that race is linked to the way people behave then you're racist.

[Mac Mickmanus]

3 minutes ago, ozimoron said:

If you believe that race is linked to the way people behave then you're racist.

People of different race behave differently ?

That itself is a racist statement and we are taught that we are all the same .

   I do agree with you though 

[nauseus]

10 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

noun: riff-raff

1. disreputable or undesirable people.

The term used was rift raft.

[KhunLA]

Just now, nauseus said:

The term used was rift raft.

Reading comprehension ....

... or new specs ????

https://aseannow.com/topic/1292366-top-10-reasons-to-retire-in-thailand-in-2023/page/5/#comment-18029728

 

[richard_smith237]

18 minutes ago, nauseus said:

29 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

noun: riff-raff

1. disreputable or undesirable people.

The term used was rift raft.

And its obvious to all but the most obtuse that there was a typo and he really meant ‘riff-raff’.....

 

It’s often highly entertaining the extent of arguments surrounding some pathetic nit-picking.

[bignok]

40 minutes ago, ozimoron said:

If you believe that race is linked to the way people behave then you're racist.

Asians act the same as Farangs? Or is it just culture? Most culture is adopted by the age of 15. You see this comparing someone who moves oveseas at age 4 vs 24.

 

Maybe studies have been done on this. Nature vs nuture.

[bignok]

16 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

And its obvious to all but the most obtuse that there was a typo and he really meant ‘riff-raff’.....

 

It’s often highly entertaining the extent of arguments surrounding some pathetic nit-picking.

Or drift raft if thats a term.

[Hummin]

5 minutes ago, bignok said:

Asians act the same as Farangs? Or is it just culture? Most culture is adopted by the age of 15. You see this comparing someone who moves oveseas at age 4 vs 24.

 

Maybe studies have been done on this. Nature vs nuture.

Genetics have influence on your personality, as a group, we might be more influenced by culture.