Interviews with them are interesting such as on the Thairish times YT site. That guy had the wisdom to go back home but he has done interviews with some, to me, very damaged foreigners, all male as the odd female guests have been normal. They don't have any problem coming out with the most shameful admissions of criminal activities or living with school girls etc. They are mostly loud mouth know it alls of the sort you would avoid if you met in real life. These people are often well liked, looked up to and even have advice taken from them by the viewers. I guess he only has them on as they cannot stop talking about themselves, they often admit to mental problems and addictions along with train wreck relationship tales.

5 minutes ago, Denim said:

Depends where you choose to live. 

 

The tourist ghettoes are not typical of the rest of the country.

Yes, I think you're right there Denim, because in the other parts of Thailand to which I have ventured I have never seen the likes of the drongos, dropouts, deadbeats and drunks that I have experienced here in Patong, so that's why I have a very small and select circle of friends.

 

I go out only in the evening once a week to catch up with friends and have a bit of a lair up and will visit a couple of bars with these friends, but I'm not a big beer drinker and certainly wouldn't go to a bar in the daytime.

 

I have a friend who is a "functioning alcoholic" and when he runs out of money to buy a half-decent bottle of red wine, he buys the cheapest and nastiest 2 L bottles of wine he can possibly find. I have done him a few favours, as he has done me, however I'm not a close friend and certainly wouldn't go on the binges that he and his mates do.

 

I'm happy with my own company, sampling some nice wines and going out and about during the daytime, taking the car for a drive, or pottering around Patong on my motorbike, or going for bona fides massages, as well as spending far too much time on the computer staying in touch with friends in the UK, Australia and NZ.

 

Normal? Well I think so for a 76-year-old, but then again..........

1 hour ago, jwest10 said:

Many are normal and do their very best for their Thai families and many certainly have not got pots of gold.

Spot on that just about sums me up, OK next. ????

Most people I meet here in Bangkok are what I’d consider normal - its one of the reasons I prefer Bangkok... There are far more ’normal’ (or what society would consider normal) foreigners here, as such we are not treated with an element of disregard we may sometimes witness in areas of far higher tourist footfall (I had to word that very delicately !!! ????)

 

Only very few are what I’d consider ‘unhinged’.....  I suspect a lot of this depends upon where and with whom we socialise and through those to whom we are introduced etc. 

 

I have met the occasional fruit cake, they are easily avoided by walking away. 

 

Then of course there are those who think they are somehow special and ‘above being normal’ by virtue of simply being here - these types usually have quite the superiority complex..????

 

 

 

I've known some relatively normal farang in Thailand, but as you say, it has more than it's fair share of nut-jobs/crims.

We have to bear in mind that many of the normal people we see will be "holidaymakers" rather than wizzened old expats. Some men even bring their farang-wives on holiday to Thailand!????

"If The Devil were to cast his net in Thailand"

1 hour ago, bogs smith said:

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

Well society knows that you were born as a male with a penis but you feel like a female so it's okay that you use the same public restroom as the females........  and that's normal? 555

 

If you ask me, 'society' is not normal these days!

I know what you are talking about. There appears to be is a certain Westerner "demographic" that gravitates to Thailand, especially places like Pattaya etc.

 

Some of my more "normal" expat friends refer to it as "The Pattaya Strange"

 

I met one fellow who was trying to rent me his condo. He invited me over for a chat. The topic? Him. Every sentence started with "I" and I tolerated about 1 hour of endless stories of his talents, accomplishments and accolades before I politely excused myself.

 

In Bangkok there seems to be quite a lot less of these kinds personalities you describe. I find there are many more well adjusted expats in BKK than the holiday spots.

 

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

Normal people live in their home countries.

Bored people live in their home countries.

3 minutes ago, dingdongrb said:

Well society knows that you were born as a male with a penis but you feel like a female so it's okay that you use the same public restroom as the females........  and that's normal? 555

 

If you ask me, 'society' is not normal these days!

That didn't take long.

????

57 minutes ago, John Drake said:

Eventually, every criminally inclined pervert makes his way to Thailand.

yeah, so true.   it used to be so much nicer when there were only a few of us !   ????

yes they are but they don't sit in the pub or talk on the street with strangers

1 hour ago, Dmaxdan said:

Who wants to be normal? 

Especially when you can be a Villa fan. UTV.

3 minutes ago, rumak said:

yeah, so true.   it used to be so much nicer when there were only a few of us !

when I was first here in 1974 - - if you saw another farang on the street, you both stopped to say hello and exchange information, good restaurants, best place to stay etc... 

11 minutes ago, likerdup1 said:

I know what you are talking about. There appears to be is a certain Westerner "demographic" that gravitates to Thailand, especially places like Pattaya etc.

 

Some of my more "normal" expat friends refer to it as "The Pattaya Strange"

 

I met one fellow who was trying to rent me his condo. He invited me over for a chat. The topic? Him. Every sentence started with "I" and I tolerated about 1 hour of endless stories of his talents, accomplishments and accolades before I politely excused myself.

 

In Bangkok there seems to be quite a lot less of these kinds personalities you describe. I find there are many more well adjusted expats in BKK than the holiday spots.

 

Just a different normal. In Bangkok more of them have jobs. What were you doing in Pattaya, did you want to join the "Strange"??

I'm normal ...

... although, I seem to be the only one with that opinion.   Just a little bias, really, I'm not in denial.  OK, lets go with unique ????

 

"I have had many such encounters over the years and its making me question. does Thailand attract losers or do people become losers when they have been here too long?"

 

Comes down to 'why' they came to TH.  If because they can't afford to live in home country or can't afford to 'socialize' in home country, then yea, bit of a loser before they got here.

 

Take note .... 'can't' .... is not the same as prefer not to.

 

Some, do to ignorance/stupidity, gave it all away, because she 'was' different.   AND, they did something different they wouldn't do in home country.   Buying their short time, known, GF/Wife anything she wanted.

 

Sadly some of those were well off, kind hearted, just thinking with the wrong head.  Or simply didn't plan their retirement finances right, expected the exchange rate to be the same for the rest of their life.  No oops mentality or prep for.   USD/THB, for me, arrive 40+, H/45, L/29 .... OUCH.   Makes that 400k & 800k a bit expensive.

 

Others, would pass as low life, bottom of the barrel, scrapings off your shoes no matter where they live.  Sadly, way too many live in TH.  Luckily, they congregate in the farang ghettos.   Easily avoided.

3 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

I'm normal ...

... although, I seem to be the only one with that opinion.   Just a little bias, really, I'm not in denial.  OK, lets go with unique ????

 

"I have had many such encounters over the years and its making me question. does Thailand attract losers or do people become losers when they have been here too long?"

 

Comes down to 'why' they came to TH.  If because they can't afford to live in home country or can't afford to 'socialize' in home country, then yea, bit of a loser before they got here.

 

Take note .... 'can't' .... is not the same as prefer not to.

 

Some, do to ignorance/stupidity, gave it all away, because she 'was' different.   AND, they did something different they wouldn't do in home country.   Buying their short time, known, GF/Wife anything she wanted.

 

Sadly some of those were well off, kind hearted, just thinking with the wrong head.  Or simply didn't plan their retirement finances right, expected the exchange rate to be the same for the rest of their life.  No oops mentality or prep for.   USD/THB, for me, arrive 40+, H/45, L/29 .... OUCH.   Makes that 400k & 800k a bit expensive.

 

Others, would pass as low life, bottom of the barrel, scrapings off your shoes no matter where they live.  Sadly, way too many live in TH.  Luckily, they congregate in the farang ghettos.   Easily avoided.

Talking about scrapping the barrel, you bought a Chinese MG....................????

If a guy is in pubs drinking and has no money how does he pay for the beers?

1 hour ago, jwest10 said:

Many are normal and do their very best for their Thai families and many certainly have not got pots of gold.

A lot depends on where they live and where the OP lives. All the ones I know out in rural Thailand are perfectly normal, but then I haven't been living in touristy areas for some 18 years.

 

It seems to me that the OP really ought to move to a civilised area.

Thailand is one of the few places I feel normal!

 

You will not meet me in the bars

1 hour ago, John Drake said:

Eventually, every criminally inclined pervert makes his way to Thailand.

or dies trying

48 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

Spot on that just about sums me up, OK next. ????

And me.

2 minutes ago, transam said:

Probably more like, we eventually grew up...........????

 

Remember, you will probably not be a dip-stick all of your life, trust me on that.............????

I wouldn't put my money on that outcome.

The only thing normal in this world is the setting on your washing machine.

 

 

Did you say, "Normal Farangs in Thailand?"

 

Definitely not.

That's impossible.

Farangs in Thailand, for the most part, have been considered very STRANGE in their home countries. and have consequently been banished, mostly.

This is why I never: Hang with Farang!

 

Yes, in reply to the OP, Farang in Thailand are most certainly strange, and stranger than most Thai understand.

 

Only the Doors knew how strange the Farang can be, when cornered in Thailand:

 

 

 

Mainly keep to myself and family 

If I meet other Farangs  walking shopping ect always say hello ????

Don't use bars they were okay in my younger days a lot of years ago 

If I want a beer besides the house go to a restaurant to be sociable  ???? 

2 hours ago, bogs smith said:

does Thailand attract losers or do people become losers when they have been here too long?

Probably the first.

 

I've learned to avoid eye contact with farangs, as I invariably regret responding to them. So many whingers, drug addicts, scammers, braggarts, conspiracy theorists, bitter people, chips on their shoulder, insanely bored pensioners, more scammers, talkative bores ..... oh, lots of talkative bores. A bunch of losers and not good to associate with such people.

I don't judge others. Life is largely luck.

50 minutes ago, billd766 said:

A lot depends on where they live and where the OP lives. All the ones I know out in rural Thailand are perfectly normal, but then I haven't been living in touristy areas for some 18 years.

 

It seems to me that the OP really ought to move to a civilised area.

near you, preferably.......????

51 minutes ago, billd766 said:

A lot depends on where they live and where the OP lives. All the ones I know out in rural Thailand are perfectly normal, but then I haven't been living in touristy areas for some 18 years.

 

It seems to me that the OP really ought to move to a civilised area.

Where a person chooses to live is irrelevant.

6 minutes ago, tubby johnson said:

Probably the first.

 

I've learned to avoid eye contact with farangs, as I invariably regret responding to them. So many whingers, drug addicts, scammers, braggarts, conspiracy theorists, bitter people, chips on their shoulder, insanely bored pensioners, more scammers, talkative bores ..... oh, lots of talkative bores. A bunch of losers and not good to associate with such people.

I strike up a conversation with any random stranger sitting near me in a bar. Quite fascinating, some of them. Others not. It's not like I'm going to marry them or take them home with me.