Yeah, so I'm sure there's a proper word for what I'm on about, but it alludes me at the moment (looking at you Jack D. !)

 

What I was had in mind was that on many topics here there's this thing about how 'assimilated' people are, how 'Thai' are you, etc.

Thinking about it while walking the dog (relevant in a moment) I got into noticing that locals were copying/absorbing things I do

 

Now, this is a 'village' setting, in the sense that it's a village with many people having cows farms, fields and all, but we're 5 minutes

from the highway, and shopping centers/supermarkets (not Bangkok level, but still) aren't far. Also a real-estate boom meaning more

outsiders, housing projects etc. But still a village atmosphere nevertheless.

 

So here's my list:

 

Dog walking - walk my dog every night, same hours more or less. Dog is well cared for, cute, harness.

Result - after many nightly conversations, comments etc. We now have 3-4 others doing the same, none before.

 

Fence - all the fences here were barbed wire. Didn't care for the prison look, went for 'squares' cattle fence.

Result - pretty much all new fences seen are the 'new' type (and this is a cattle/dairy village...)

 

House/roof color - Mrs. Morch chose white walls grey tile roof. A compromise between her new found love for the Mediterranean, and the reality of dust in Thailand.

Result - housing project across the street supports the same, so will the new one on the other edge of the village, and the new headman's son's house.

 

Brush-cutter - I was weary of using the normal one, so started out with a wheeled contraption. Noticed people were noticing, and at some point one of the Elders asked.

Result - household fixture in the village, allows older people to work and feel useful. A half-joke locally whether you're in the wheeled version age bracket.

 

A couple of others, but less conclusive so far.

 

How about you?

Edited December 14, 20232 yr by Morch

Be careful what you teach the locals.

"Reverse-Assimilation" could go horribly wrong and they might start encroaching on your land.

You could end up living in a tent as a refugee on your own property.

AnythIng is possible here... TIT.

It's not reverse assimilation but rather keeping up with the jones, 

happens with all thais in gated moobans also 

One new chap on our soi started parking his pickup badly, nose-in, at a bit of an angle, arse-end sticking out, partially blocking the 2-way.

 

Now everyone's doing it.

Yes, early in the morning just about dawn I took to standing on the front porch, drinking coffee and scratching my balls while watching the sunrise.

 

Pretty soon they were all doing it. I had to put a stop to it though and told them to go home  and make their own coffee and scratch their own privates.

I moved to an apartment building where most of the inhabitants are Thai.  Started wearing a codpiece around the building and down to the pool and gym.  While nobody has sourced a copiece as of yet, several of my neighbours appear to be stuffing socks or cloths into their underwear and shorts.