Lack Of Thai Male Friends

[EVENKEEL]

I only have one close friend, more like a brother, back home. And his circle of friends became mine as well. Here in Thailand language is a primary barrier for lack of male friends. I am quite content not having real friends in Thailand, I have my dog, my big bike, weed and beer and a nearby beach. Life is good.

[2baht]

9 hours ago, JimTripper said:

I have been in Thailand over 10 years and just realized I have had zero Thai male friends the whole time.

 I have been here over 30 yrs and have no Thai male friends by choice! Ask around, you'll find many farang gives Thai males a wide berth! Mummies boys! Shallow as a puddle!

[Dan O]

9 hours ago, bob smith said:

I would say that it is pretty much impossible for a farang man to have a true male thai friend.

 

We value honesty and integrity, they value face and deference.

 

I have tried, many times.

I now don't have real friends here but acquaintances.

 

it is the way it is.

bob.

When have you valued honesty, integrity? You talk trash about Thais, your a womanizer and proud of how you treat them, treat mrs smith (if there is one) in every disrespectful way possible, your an alcoholic that can't straight half the time posting bs. Better take a hard look in the mirror Bob before you claim honesty and integrity.

Edited March 17 by Dan O
Spelling

[Dolf]

9 hours ago, bob smith said:

vietnamese blokes are OK.

 

i think its the fact they have been colonized before and dont have any superiority complex like the thais do. Vietnamese people are generally warm and hospitable.

 

bob.

Date them then

[actonion]

10 hours ago, bob smith said:

in your experience, would you say that the majority of Thais think we are better or worse than them?

 

over the years i have had thai people tell me that they tend to think that farang are smarter and better than them, but this could of course be a smokescreen. 

 

bob.

Better or worse than  them?... A Thai lady school teacher I  once knew told me that  Thai kids are taught in school that Thai's  are a superior race, superior to whom I  did'nt ask,  but  she was not pleased when I  laughed...

[spidermike007]

I have often thought about this, and it's one of the few areas about being an expat in Thailand that I find frustrating. I know a number of Thai men, and we are acquaintances but I would not consider any of them to be true friends. I am not of the opinion that many have about most Thai men, I know a lot of very good, relatively honorable, hard-working Thais, but they don't seem to have any interest in really getting to know us or hanging out, which is very unfortunate.

 

I know if I lived in the Philippines, Vietnam, Mexico or many other countries I would have a lot of local friends, but that's not the case here, and it's probably due to quite a number of factors. Very sad indeed. 

[bob smith]

2 hours ago, BritManToo said:

I'm not sure Thais have friends as we know it.

They have people they borrow money from, and they have family.

Mostly they have family in place of friends.

 

Not suitable friends for us anyway, too lacking in education and general knowledge of the world while thinking they are much better/important than they really are, and at the same time being extremely sensitive and touchy, likely to try and kill you at any moment.

Just my opinion, maybe they aren't like that at all and the problem is me.

you’ve pretty much nailed it on the head there mate!

 

bob.

[mfd101]

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

Mostly they have family in place of friends.

Yes, that's my experience but of course much depends on where you live and what your connections are.

 

I live here in south Surin amongst the poor uneducated iliiterate Khmers who are my b/f's family and village. What I always notice is that getting along with sisters & nieces is easier than with brothers & nephews even though I see the men now more often than the women. In particular the men who are not so close to my b/f (cousins, inlaws, uncles) will always lower their head when I'm around and not 'see' me. I interpret this as the usual problem of status: Not sure where I fit in the scheme of things, don't know whether to wai or wait for me to do so, and therefore best to ignore (which - given that I've had some 12 years of being around & paying regular (FIL & MIL) & irregular (health) bills for everyone - I find a little irritating.)

 

Even ignoring the language barrier, there's no possibility of having a conversation on any subject because they simply know nothing outside of the village & local agriculture ...

[bob smith]

1 minute ago, spidermike007 said:

I have often thought about this, and it's one of the few areas about being an expat in Thailand that I find frustrating. I know a number of Thai men, and we are acquaintances but I would not consider any of them to be true friends. I am not of the opinion that many have about most Thai men, I know a lot of very good, relatively honorable, hard-working Thais, but they don't seem to have any interest in really getting to know us or hanging out, which is very unfortunate.

 

I know if I lived in the Philippines, Vietnam, Mexico or many other countries I would have a lot of local friends, but that's not the case here, and it's probably due to quite a number of factors. Very sad indeed. 

Phils sounds like good fun.

 

I bet if you get in with a decent crowd there life would probably be a lot more fulfilling than it is here.

 

bob.

[spidermike007]

4 minutes ago, bob smith said:

Phils sounds like good fun.

 

I bet if you get in with a decent crowd there life would probably be a lot more fulfilling than it is here.

 

bob.

You asked. 

From what I hear from my friends who live there, the threshold for taking care of a PI gal is far lower than here, and so are their expectations. There is nothing inexpensive about caring for a Thai woman! I speak from experience! 

 

In terms of beauty, I find both have stunning women. But, the primary issue for me, if I was single, would be the actual quality of life there. From my point of view:

 

Philippines

Pros-

1. The women can be lovely. And many of them speak english. And if you are older guy, that is a plus in the PI. Plus they are way less demanding, and the bar is set much lower, in terms of their expectations. Older guys can get with far younger women, without an issue. The parents actually encourage it! Generally, it is possible to have a real conversation with many women there. Not the case here. It is rare here. Unlike most Thai women, the women there can have a real sense of curiousity, and will ask genuine questions about you, and your life, beyond where do you come from, how much do you earn, and what do you own? The PI seems to have a higher level of intellectual development.

 

2.  The visa system is something that some think is simpler. You do need to have money on deposit, and unlike Thailand it remains on deposit the entire time you live there. A minimum of $20,000 for the SRRV Smile visa, unless that has changed.

 

3. The place has thousands of islands, and some stunning beaches, and cleaner water than Thailand, at least on the Gulf Coast. But, the islands are fairly hard to get to, and the services are very limited, and more expensive than in Thailand. So, you really need a yacht, or a helicopter to enjoy the outer islands. And most lack basic services. 

 

4. In general I would say the people can be quite friendly. Especially the women. But, unlike Thailand, even the men can be friendly. I suspect if I lived there, I would have a number of local male friends, unlike here. I have never met a society of men, who are less interested, less curious about, and less willing to get to know foreigners, than I have here in Thailand. It is sometimes astonishing. It is a real disappointment. The place is more Westernized. You do not feel like you are living on another planet, which can be nice sometimes. Some shopping can be better, as there are Costco type outlets there. Some of the highways are better, and as an American, I can have goods shipped to me, with a preferred system, that allows low cost shipping, and duty free imports. Unheard of in Thailand. Importation of goods in Thailand can be horrendously difficult. It is an onerous system, one that is outdated by decades, in this age of globalization. Thailand is far, far more insular and fearful of the outside world, than the PI.

 

They are more Western in their mindset. The colonial occupation by Spain, which was largely managed by Mexico, means the culture is more Western leaning. Which makes them more open to the outside world and more curious. Qualities which are sorely lacking here. 

 

I find it rare for Thai men to have much interest at all, in really getting to know us. They seem to be lacking curiosity of the outside world, to a remarkable degree. 

 

nomadcapitalist.com/2018/01/15/the-philippines-residency-srrv/

 

Cons-

1. The entire country is like one big Tijuana. It is depressing. Very little landscaping in the homes, even nice homes are ugly, and have barbed wire, and glass topped walls everywhere you look.

 

2. The security situation is not very good. You always have to keep your eyes open, keep an eye on your back, and beware of robbery, home theft, and violence. It is rampant. I have many friends who live there, and they all say the same thing.

 

3. If you do get into an altercation with a Philippine man, or are getting robbed or harassed, unless you are a 6th degree sensei, do not fight back. An astonishing number of locals are well trained in the fighting arts. Many are good with sticks, knives, blades or any sort, and their hands, fists and feet. I have a friend who is a world class security consultant. He is a black belt in a few different martial arts. He says he can usually fight his way out of a gang of men, nearly anywhere in the world. Except in the PI. That is the only country he will NOT take an assignment.

The average guys there, can take down the average Westerner in five seconds. In Thailand few have those kinds of skills. Very few.

 

4. The food sucks. The only other country I can think of with worse food, is Cuba. Granted, if you are willing to spend the money, you can find good food. But, it is not the general rule, as it is here. Also, the access to fresh fruits and vegetables is pathetic compared to Thailand. Very low quality, and often not fresh. Thailand is a paradise by comparison, when it comes to all things related to food.

 

5. Pollution. They use a lower grade of diesel. So, there is alot of soot in the air. The PI has an epidemic of lung diseases and respiratory diseases. Even on many of the populated islands. The hospitals are full of people who are having a very hard time breathing. It is a real issue there. Lung disease is at an epidemic level, though the authorities do not like to talk about it, and publish very little information on it. Having said that the pollution does seem to be getting worse here in Thailand, year by year. 

 

6. Aesthetics. The average house you would rent, looks like a slum. Tall walls, with barbed wire, to keep out intruders. And they just do not pay attention to landscaping and gardens like the Thai people do. So, most neighborhoods are fabulously ugly. Alot of slums in the big cities, and just not physically appealing.

 

7. Renting. There is a vastly lower number of rental units available, few are as nice as what you can find in Thailand, and it is almost always more expensive, with the possible exception of Central Bangkok. You just cannot find the studio apartments like the ones available all over Hua Hin, for 6,000 to 8,000 baht a month. That does not exist there.

 

8. Infrastructure. The entire country lacks the infrastructure you have here in Thailand. As I am typing now, I am enjoying a 1GB download speed, and a 500MB upload speed, all on fiber optic cable, for 600 baht a month. Unheard of in many countries, including the US! Triple the cost there. No sky train network anywhere near comparable to Bangkok. Mo MRT network either. They have one under construction, and it will be limited to ten stations.

 

I have a friend who does private security for a lot of very high net worth individuals, and corporate CEOs, when they travel, and he told me that the only country in the world that he will not take an assignment is the Philippines. When I asked him why he reminded me that he was at the 6th or 7th degree level in six different martial arts, besides the fact that he was 6'5 and about 280 lbs. of muscle. Spent his whole life training. Not the kind of guy you would want to mess with. He told me under normal circumstances he could incapacitate a group of four or five guys, in under a minute. Not in the PI. 

 

He said that in general, the Philippine men had the greatest degree of fighting skills of any group of people in the world, and that if you encountered a single guy, or a group of Philippine guys on the street you just never knew what their level of skill was, and you had to assume that they were expert street fighters. He said many were experts with knives, sticks and improvised weapons. Not the case here.

 

If you add on top of that, the fact that the country is extremely poor and that there's a fairly high level of desperation, it makes the Philippines a very, very dangerous place. Crime there is very opportunistic. And being a foreigner makes you a potential target. Again, not the case in Thailand. 

 

You really have to know what you're doing, you really have to know where you're going at all times, especially at night, and you always have to have eyes in the back of your head, and constantly looking over your shoulder. Of course, it varies depending on the city, the part of the city, and the region. But it is just one of many reasons I would not want to live there. 

 

I've been told this by a number of friends who live in the Philippines and it's been my observation, the several times that I have visited. 

 

I like the people. The level of english skills and the women seem to be the big draw for most guys. But random guys in the street, can be a hazard, and that is variable I would want to have to deal with, regularly. 

 

I consider the PI to be far more of a ghetto experience. But, I am referring to the environment, and I think you are referring to the social aspect. I agree with that. Thais are spectacularly insular, and seem to have little to no curiosity about the outside world. The people in the PI are infinitely more open minded, and far more Western. And the language is a huge plus in the PI. Many speak good english, and I would guess if you were attempting to speak poor Tagalog, the people would try far harder than here, to understand what you are trying to say. Since they are more Westernized, they are likely more creative, linguistically. If you do not have the pronunciation and the tones down perfectly here, the people are completely lost. A total inability to dance around in circles intellectually. And they barely even care to try to understand what you are saying! That is a huge nuisance and annoyance here. 

 

The PI is a foreign country. Thailand is a distant planet. 

[2baht]

1 minute ago, spidermike007 said:

You asked. 

From what I hear from my friends who live there, the threshold for taking care of a PI gal is far lower than here, and so are their expectations. There is nothing inexpensive about caring for a Thai woman! I speak from experience! 

 

In terms of beauty, I find both have stunning women. But, the primary issue for me, if I was single, would be the actual quality of life there. From my point of view:

 

Philippines

Pros-

1. The women can be lovely. And many of them speak english. And if you are older guy, that is a plus in the PI. Plus they are way less demanding, and the bar is set much lower, in terms of their expectations. Older guys can get with far younger women, without an issue. The parents actually encourage it! Generally, it is possible to have a real conversation with many women there. Not the case here. It is rare here. Unlike most Thai women, the women there can have a real sense of curiousity, and will ask genuine questions about you, and your life, beyond where do you come from, how much do you earn, and what do you own? The PI seems to have a higher level of intellectual development.

 

2.  The visa system is something that some think is simpler. You do need to have money on deposit, and unlike Thailand it remains on deposit the entire time you live there. A minimum of $20,000 for the SRRV Smile visa, unless that has changed.

 

3. The place has thousands of islands, and some stunning beaches, and cleaner water than Thailand, at least on the Gulf Coast. But, the islands are fairly hard to get to, and the services are very limited, and more expensive than in Thailand. So, you really need a yacht, or a helicopter to enjoy the outer islands. And most lack basic services. 

 

4. In general I would say the people can be quite friendly. Especially the women. But, unlike Thailand, even the men can be friendly. I suspect if I lived there, I would have a number of local male friends, unlike here. I have never met a society of men, who are less interested, less curious about, and less willing to get to know foreigners, than I have here in Thailand. It is sometimes astonishing. It is a real disappointment. The place is more Westernized. You do not feel like you are living on another planet, which can be nice sometimes. Some shopping can be better, as there are Costco type outlets there. Some of the highways are better, and as an American, I can have goods shipped to me, with a preferred system, that allows low cost shipping, and duty free imports. Unheard of in Thailand. Importation of goods in Thailand can be horrendously difficult. It is an onerous system, one that is outdated by decades, in this age of globalization. Thailand is far, far more insular and fearful of the outside world, than the PI.

 

They are more Western in their mindset. The colonial occupation by Spain, which was largely managed by Mexico, means the culture is more Western leaning. Which makes them more open to the outside world and more curious. Qualities which are sorely lacking here. 

 

I find it rare for Thai men to have much interest at all, in really getting to know us. They seem to be lacking curiosity of the outside world, to a remarkable degree. 

 

nomadcapitalist.com/2018/01/15/the-philippines-residency-srrv/

 

Cons-

1. The entire country is like one big Tijuana. It is depressing. Very little landscaping in the homes, even nice homes are ugly, and have barbed wire, and glass topped walls everywhere you look.

 

2. The security situation is not very good. You always have to keep your eyes open, keep an eye on your back, and beware of robbery, home theft, and violence. It is rampant. I have many friends who live there, and they all say the same thing.

 

3. If you do get into an altercation with a Philippine man, or are getting robbed or harassed, unless you are a 6th degree sensei, do not fight back. An astonishing number of locals are well trained in the fighting arts. Many are good with sticks, knives, blades or any sort, and their hands, fists and feet. I have a friend who is a world class security consultant. He is a black belt in a few different martial arts. He says he can usually fight his way out of a gang of men, nearly anywhere in the world. Except in the PI. That is the only country he will NOT take an assignment.

The average guys there, can take down the average Westerner in five seconds. In Thailand few have those kinds of skills. Very few.

 

4. The food sucks. The only other country I can think of with worse food, is Cuba. Granted, if you are willing to spend the money, you can find good food. But, it is not the general rule, as it is here. Also, the access to fresh fruits and vegetables is pathetic compared to Thailand. Very low quality, and often not fresh. Thailand is a paradise by comparison, when it comes to all things related to food.

 

5. Pollution. They use a lower grade of diesel. So, there is alot of soot in the air. The PI has an epidemic of lung diseases and respiratory diseases. Even on many of the populated islands. The hospitals are full of people who are having a very hard time breathing. It is a real issue there. Lung disease is at an epidemic level, though the authorities do not like to talk about it, and publish very little information on it. Having said that the pollution does seem to be getting worse here in Thailand, year by year. 

 

6. Aesthetics. The average house you would rent, looks like a slum. Tall walls, with barbed wire, to keep out intruders. And they just do not pay attention to landscaping and gardens like the Thai people do. So, most neighborhoods are fabulously ugly. Alot of slums in the big cities, and just not physically appealing.

 

7. Renting. There is a vastly lower number of rental units available, few are as nice as what you can find in Thailand, and it is almost always more expensive, with the possible exception of Central Bangkok. You just cannot find the studio apartments like the ones available all over Hua Hin, for 6,000 to 8,000 baht a month. That does not exist there.

 

8. Infrastructure. The entire country lacks the infrastructure you have here in Thailand. As I am typing now, I am enjoying a 1GB download speed, and a 500MB upload speed, all on fiber optic cable, for 600 baht a month. Unheard of in many countries, including the US! Triple the cost there. No sky train network anywhere near comparable to Bangkok. Mo MRT network either. They have one under construction, and it will be limited to ten stations.

 

I have a friend who does private security for a lot of very high net worth individuals, and corporate CEOs, when they travel, and he told me that the only country in the world that he will not take an assignment is the Philippines. When I asked him why he reminded me that he was at the 6th or 7th degree level in six different martial arts, besides the fact that he was 6'5 and about 280 lbs. of muscle. Spent his whole life training. Not the kind of guy you would want to mess with. He told me under normal circumstances he could incapacitate a group of four or five guys, in under a minute. Not in the PI. 

 

He said that in general, the Philippine men had the greatest degree of fighting skills of any group of people in the world, and that if you encountered a single guy, or a group of Philippine guys on the street you just never knew what their level of skill was, and you had to assume that they were expert street fighters. He said many were experts with knives, sticks and improvised weapons. Not the case here.

 

If you add on top of that, the fact that the country is extremely poor and that there's a fairly high level of desperation, it makes the Philippines a very, very dangerous place. Crime there is very opportunistic. And being a foreigner makes you a potential target. Again, not the case in Thailand. 

 

You really have to know what you're doing, you really have to know where you're going at all times, especially at night, and you always have to have eyes in the back of your head, and constantly looking over your shoulder. Of course, it varies depending on the city, the part of the city, and the region. But it is just one of many reasons I would not want to live there. 

 

I've been told this by a number of friends who live in the Philippines and it's been my observation, the several times that I have visited. 

 

I like the people. The level of english skills and the women seem to be the big draw for most guys. But random guys in the street, can be a hazard, and that is variable I would want to have to deal with, regularly. 

 

I consider the PI to be far more of a ghetto experience. But, I am referring to the environment, and I think you are referring to the social aspect. I agree with that. Thais are spectacularly insular, and seem to have little to no curiosity about the outside world. The people in the PI are infinitely more open minded, and far more Western. And the language is a huge plus in the PI. Many speak good english, and I would guess if you were attempting to speak poor Tagalog, the people would try far harder than here, to understand what you are trying to say. Since they are more Westernized, they are likely more creative, linguistically. If you do not have the pronunciation and the tones down perfectly here, the people are completely lost. A total inability to dance around in circles intellectually. And they barely even care to try to understand what you are saying! That is a huge nuisance and annoyance here. 

 

The PI is a foreign country. Thailand is a distant planet. 

Can you summarize this in less than 100 words? 🤔

[rexpotter]

11 hours ago, stoner said:

 

i had but both died. one took me under his arm and showed me thailand. we often shared bamboo together. it's what brought us together in the first place. 

 

 

Only under his arm?

[bob smith]

12 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

You asked. 

From what I hear from my friends who live there, the threshold for taking care of a PI gal is far lower than here, and so are their expectations. There is nothing inexpensive about caring for a Thai woman! I speak from experience! 

 

In terms of beauty, I find both have stunning women. But, the primary issue for me, if I was single, would be the actual quality of life there. From my point of view:

 

Philippines

Pros-

1. The women can be lovely. And many of them speak english. And if you are older guy, that is a plus in the PI. Plus they are way less demanding, and the bar is set much lower, in terms of their expectations. Older guys can get with far younger women, without an issue. The parents actually encourage it! Generally, it is possible to have a real conversation with many women there. Not the case here. It is rare here. Unlike most Thai women, the women there can have a real sense of curiousity, and will ask genuine questions about you, and your life, beyond where do you come from, how much do you earn, and what do you own? The PI seems to have a higher level of intellectual development.

 

2.  The visa system is something that some think is simpler. You do need to have money on deposit, and unlike Thailand it remains on deposit the entire time you live there. A minimum of $20,000 for the SRRV Smile visa, unless that has changed.

 

3. The place has thousands of islands, and some stunning beaches, and cleaner water than Thailand, at least on the Gulf Coast. But, the islands are fairly hard to get to, and the services are very limited, and more expensive than in Thailand. So, you really need a yacht, or a helicopter to enjoy the outer islands. And most lack basic services. 

 

4. In general I would say the people can be quite friendly. Especially the women. But, unlike Thailand, even the men can be friendly. I suspect if I lived there, I would have a number of local male friends, unlike here. I have never met a society of men, who are less interested, less curious about, and less willing to get to know foreigners, than I have here in Thailand. It is sometimes astonishing. It is a real disappointment. The place is more Westernized. You do not feel like you are living on another planet, which can be nice sometimes. Some shopping can be better, as there are Costco type outlets there. Some of the highways are better, and as an American, I can have goods shipped to me, with a preferred system, that allows low cost shipping, and duty free imports. Unheard of in Thailand. Importation of goods in Thailand can be horrendously difficult. It is an onerous system, one that is outdated by decades, in this age of globalization. Thailand is far, far more insular and fearful of the outside world, than the PI.

 

They are more Western in their mindset. The colonial occupation by Spain, which was largely managed by Mexico, means the culture is more Western leaning. Which makes them more open to the outside world and more curious. Qualities which are sorely lacking here. 

 

I find it rare for Thai men to have much interest at all, in really getting to know us. They seem to be lacking curiosity of the outside world, to a remarkable degree. 

 

nomadcapitalist.com/2018/01/15/the-philippines-residency-srrv/

 

Cons-

1. The entire country is like one big Tijuana. It is depressing. Very little landscaping in the homes, even nice homes are ugly, and have barbed wire, and glass topped walls everywhere you look.

 

2. The security situation is not very good. You always have to keep your eyes open, keep an eye on your back, and beware of robbery, home theft, and violence. It is rampant. I have many friends who live there, and they all say the same thing.

 

3. If you do get into an altercation with a Philippine man, or are getting robbed or harassed, unless you are a 6th degree sensei, do not fight back. An astonishing number of locals are well trained in the fighting arts. Many are good with sticks, knives, blades or any sort, and their hands, fists and feet. I have a friend who is a world class security consultant. He is a black belt in a few different martial arts. He says he can usually fight his way out of a gang of men, nearly anywhere in the world. Except in the PI. That is the only country he will NOT take an assignment.

The average guys there, can take down the average Westerner in five seconds. In Thailand few have those kinds of skills. Very few.

 

4. The food sucks. The only other country I can think of with worse food, is Cuba. Granted, if you are willing to spend the money, you can find good food. But, it is not the general rule, as it is here. Also, the access to fresh fruits and vegetables is pathetic compared to Thailand. Very low quality, and often not fresh. Thailand is a paradise by comparison, when it comes to all things related to food.

 

5. Pollution. They use a lower grade of diesel. So, there is alot of soot in the air. The PI has an epidemic of lung diseases and respiratory diseases. Even on many of the populated islands. The hospitals are full of people who are having a very hard time breathing. It is a real issue there. Lung disease is at an epidemic level, though the authorities do not like to talk about it, and publish very little information on it. Having said that the pollution does seem to be getting worse here in Thailand, year by year. 

 

6. Aesthetics. The average house you would rent, looks like a slum. Tall walls, with barbed wire, to keep out intruders. And they just do not pay attention to landscaping and gardens like the Thai people do. So, most neighborhoods are fabulously ugly. Alot of slums in the big cities, and just not physically appealing.

 

7. Renting. There is a vastly lower number of rental units available, few are as nice as what you can find in Thailand, and it is almost always more expensive, with the possible exception of Central Bangkok. You just cannot find the studio apartments like the ones available all over Hua Hin, for 6,000 to 8,000 baht a month. That does not exist there.

 

8. Infrastructure. The entire country lacks the infrastructure you have here in Thailand. As I am typing now, I am enjoying a 1GB download speed, and a 500MB upload speed, all on fiber optic cable, for 600 baht a month. Unheard of in many countries, including the US! Triple the cost there. No sky train network anywhere near comparable to Bangkok. Mo MRT network either. They have one under construction, and it will be limited to ten stations.

 

I have a friend who does private security for a lot of very high net worth individuals, and corporate CEOs, when they travel, and he told me that the only country in the world that he will not take an assignment is the Philippines. When I asked him why he reminded me that he was at the 6th or 7th degree level in six different martial arts, besides the fact that he was 6'5 and about 280 lbs. of muscle. Spent his whole life training. Not the kind of guy you would want to mess with. He told me under normal circumstances he could incapacitate a group of four or five guys, in under a minute. Not in the PI. 

 

He said that in general, the Philippine men had the greatest degree of fighting skills of any group of people in the world, and that if you encountered a single guy, or a group of Philippine guys on the street you just never knew what their level of skill was, and you had to assume that they were expert street fighters. He said many were experts with knives, sticks and improvised weapons. Not the case here.

 

If you add on top of that, the fact that the country is extremely poor and that there's a fairly high level of desperation, it makes the Philippines a very, very dangerous place. Crime there is very opportunistic. And being a foreigner makes you a potential target. Again, not the case in Thailand. 

 

You really have to know what you're doing, you really have to know where you're going at all times, especially at night, and you always have to have eyes in the back of your head, and constantly looking over your shoulder. Of course, it varies depending on the city, the part of the city, and the region. But it is just one of many reasons I would not want to live there. 

 

I've been told this by a number of friends who live in the Philippines and it's been my observation, the several times that I have visited. 

 

I like the people. The level of english skills and the women seem to be the big draw for most guys. But random guys in the street, can be a hazard, and that is variable I would want to have to deal with, regularly. 

 

I consider the PI to be far more of a ghetto experience. But, I am referring to the environment, and I think you are referring to the social aspect. I agree with that. Thais are spectacularly insular, and seem to have little to no curiosity about the outside world. The people in the PI are infinitely more open minded, and far more Western. And the language is a huge plus in the PI. Many speak good english, and I would guess if you were attempting to speak poor Tagalog, the people would try far harder than here, to understand what you are trying to say. Since they are more Westernized, they are likely more creative, linguistically. If you do not have the pronunciation and the tones down perfectly here, the people are completely lost. A total inability to dance around in circles intellectually. And they barely even care to try to understand what you are saying! That is a huge nuisance and annoyance here. 

 

The PI is a foreign country. Thailand is a distant planet. 

if there was a ‘wow’ emoji I would smash the hell out of it!

 

what a fantastically detailed comparison between TH and PH.

 

nice one mate!

 

bob.

[BritManToo]

20 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

2.  The visa system is something that some think is simpler. You do need to have money on deposit, and unlike Thailand it remains on deposit the entire time you live there. A minimum of $20,000 for the SRRV Smile visa, unless that has changed.

You can just turn up and stay in PI for around $300/year at any age, no requirement for any money or income.

[JimTripper]

31 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

I know if I lived in the Philippines, Vietnam, Mexico or many other countries I would have a lot of local friends, but that's not the case here, and it's probably due to quite a number of factors. Very sad indeed. 

One of my friends from college (in California) retired in Mexico. He knows all kinds of people there now. They go back and forth and visit, party, etc. It's become a bigger and bigger circle of friends. It's a big difference from my situation in Thailand.

[Rampant Rabbit]

12 hours ago, JimTripper said:

I have been in Thailand over 10 years and just realized I have had zero Thai male friends the whole time.

Do other expats here have Thai male friends? If so, what are their ages, how old are you and where did you meet?
I'm talking about friends like I had in the USA where you call each other, hang out, go out to sporting events and concerts & drinking of course. Not guys you would know through a female or her relatives, but just guy friends you would meet while out and about.

I dont have any friends, it  makes life so much easier.

[brianthainess]

40 minutes ago, rexpotter said:

12 hours ago, stoner said:

 

i had but both died. one took me under his arm and showed me thailand. we often shared bamboo together. it's what brought us together in the first place. 

 

 

Only under his arm?

In a Headlock ?

[brianthainess]

12 hours ago, JimTripper said:

I have been in Thailand over 10 years and just realized I have had zero Thai male friends the whole time.

You could try beach road. 

[fondue zoo]

12 hours ago, pgrahmm said:

Just this guy....

 

 

 

He looks like a good boy, give him a pat from me.

 

 

Edited March 18 by fondue zoo

[fondue zoo]

I don't need Thai male friends, I have enough extended Thai family to call me fat and fish sauce challenged already thanks.

[FruitPudding]

12 hours ago, JimTripper said:

I have been in Thailand over 10 years and just realized I have had zero Thai male friends the whole time.

Do other expats here have Thai male friends? If so, what are their ages, how old are you and where did you meet?
I'm talking about friends like I had in the USA where you call each other, hang out, go out to sporting events and concerts & drinking of course. Not guys you would know through a female or her relatives, but just guy friends you would meet while out and about.

 

Nah, I thought I had one,  but he was just a leech.

 

Typical. 

[ikke1959]

10 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

No Thai male friends.

I have a couple of Thai male business associates, and I trust them. But no personal Thai friends.

 

Our cultures are without question very different. I don't look down at them and in general I don't think Thais look down at me. We are just different. 

You are right and besides that Thailand is a very closed society.. Help or support will never accepted from non Thais, unless it can't be done by Thais. The Government is preaching this and it has its impact in the private lives.. Although I have good relationships with everybody it is all very thin ice and on a distance.. Maybe also because Thai people are very jealous and they see everybody else as a threat for a relation. In fact they have never learned to deal with others.  

[Jack Hammer]

12 hours ago, JimTripper said:

I have been in Thailand over 10 years and just realized I have had zero Thai male friends the whole time.

Do other expats here have Thai male friends? If so, what are their ages, how old are you and where did you meet?
I'm talking about friends like I had in the USA where you call each other, hang out, go out to sporting events and concerts & drinking of course. Not guys you would know through a female or her relatives, but just guy friends you would meet while out and about.

Have you tried searching out ladyboys  for friends? . They are actually guys wearing lipstick. Please give feedback.

[FruitPudding]

1 hour ago, actonion said:

Better or worse than  them?... A Thai lady school teacher I  once knew told me that  Thai kids are taught in school that Thai's  are a superior race, superior to whom I  did'nt ask,  but  she was not pleased when I  laughed...

 

Yeah, the longer you stay here, the harder it is to respect them.

[amexpat]

1 hour ago, 2baht said:

Can you summarize this in less than 100 words? 🤔

Yes please be considerate of the semi-literate and intellectually incurious. 

[fondue zoo]

Every day hug a random person.

The person who doesn't press charges is a keeper!

Edited March 18 by fondue zoo
make it a bear hug, with the noises and everything

[stoner]

1 hour ago, rexpotter said:

Only under his arm?

 

this is a PG site sir. 

[stoner]

51 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

In a Headlock ?

 

yes lets go with that. 

[Gecko123]

13 hours ago, JimTripper said:

I have been in Thailand over 10 years and just realized I have had zero Thai male friends the whole time.

Do other expats here have Thai male friends? If so, what are their ages, how old are you and where did you meet?
I'm talking about friends like I had in the USA where you call each other, hang out, go out to sporting events and concerts & drinking of course. Not guys you would know through a female or her relatives, but just guy friends you would meet while out and about.

Replicating the Western style friendship pattern you describe above should not be your goal, and few Thai males have that style of relationship with other Thai men. The easiest Thai males to befriend are in your same age range and older. The foundation of the friendship should be things you have a common interest in. For example, gardening, farming, diet, health management, exercise, sports, Thai food, vehicle repair, cars, (not likely but possibly) money and investing, etc.

 

I would steer away from allowing drinking to become the common denominator. It has been my experience that once inebriated many Thais find conversing over any kind of language barrier to be too laborious. There can also be problems whenever anybody has had too much to drink.

 

Thai males are less likely to be highly proficient in English, so obviously the better your Thai is the easier you will find it. Even if your Thai is very limited, you can befriend many Thais by offering to teach their children English.

 

Contrary to the nonsense posted on this forum, most Thai men are affable, have good senses of humor, like to shoot the breeze, are thrilled to have a chance to converse with a foreigner who can speak Thai reasonably well, and are hard-working, and family oriented.

Edited March 18 by Gecko123

[marin]

13 hours ago, bob smith said:

I would say that it is pretty much impossible for a farang man to have a true male thai friend.

 

We value honesty and integrity, they value face and deference.

 

I have tried, many times.

I now don't have real friends here but acquaintances.

 

it is the way it is.

bob.

People still sitting in the plane on the tarmac arriving in Thailand for the first time know more about the country and its people than you.

 

bob.