In general, where do foreigners fit in the Thai social hierarchy? 

Do Thais subject foreigners to the same rules as they subject other Thais?

do they judge us on our education, family ties, work position, how much money we have etc..

 

A little bit about me.

I never went to university and have worked many different jobs.

But now I am financially sound having made a number of good business moves in my youth.

I have what I consider to be a good life.

Plenty money in the bank, sound investments, few women scattered about the country who I can just call whenever I am in town etc..

I do what I want when I want and nobody is my boss.

 

Where would I fit into the thai hierarchy? 

and where, for example, would your bog standard English teacher fit who earns 30,000 baht a month?

do Thais place more emphasis on Job titles than they do money in the bank?

 

Just a little thought experiment for a Sunday morning.

 

bob.

Edited May 26, 20242 yr by bob smith

We do not fit in, and we are seen as a separated group with separated expectations etc. You will never be seen as part of them or comparable etc. In terms of expectations: of course they judge anyone, and they always expect the very best possible.

 

For a foreigner, they would assume you do at least better than 40K a month, that would even be on the lower side. That's why Thais hate it so much when they see super cheap people here, or foreigners who walk around with a 2L re-fill bottle as if it is the dessert and 20 baht for a new bottle kills the bank.

Edited May 26, 20242 yr by ChaiyaTH

Just now, ChaiyaTH said:

We do not fit in, and we are seen as a separated group with separated expectations etc.

Could you, or someone else, please elaborate more on this point.

 

bob.

Just now, bob smith said:

Could you, or someone else, please elaborate more on this point.

 

bob.

You are not Thai, you never will be, simple as that. There is different social rules and expectations for Thais and Foreigners.

Edited May 26, 20242 yr by ChaiyaTH

2 minutes ago, ChaiyaTH said:

You are not Thai, you never will be, simple as that.

That is an oversimplification, but ok if that is your view.

 

bob.

Edited May 26, 20242 yr by bob smith

1 minute ago, bob smith said:

Oversimplification but ok if that is your view.

 

bob.

No that is simply the truth, you can complicate it as much you want, it doesn't change the facts. Anyone with brains and enough years here can confirm that. We are seen as a different group: foreigners.

Edited May 26, 20242 yr by ChaiyaTH

11th Place, just after make-up.

1 minute ago, ChaiyaTH said:

No that is simply the truth

what kind of truth is it?

 

are you saying that foreigners cannot naturalize and become Thais?

 

and let me guess, those foreigners aren't really thais, right?

 

bob.

Just now, bob smith said:

what kind of truth is it?

 

are you saying that foreigners cannot naturalize and become Thais?

 

and let me guess, those foreigners aren't really thais, right?

 

bob.

Correct, even you would somehow obtain Thai nationality, you would still be the 'foreigner' if it comes to how Thais will deal with you.

Just now, bob smith said:

what kind of truth is it?

 

are you saying that foreigners cannot naturalize and become Thais?

 

and let me guess, those foreigners aren't really thais, right?

 

bob.

Correct, even you would somehow obtain Thai nationality, you would still be the 'foreigner' if it comes to how Thais will deal with you.

I don't really care. I have enough money to blow this joint when I feel like it. 

4 minutes ago, ChaiyaTH said:

Correct, even you would somehow obtain Thai nationality, you would still be the 'foreigner' if it comes to how Thais will deal with you.

But you wouldn't be a foreigner. You would be Thai, with a Thai ID card.

whatever argument a native Thai would put to a naturalized one falls at the first hurdle when, at the dinner table, one presents the blue ID card which is the same as the native Thais.

 

don't you see the discrepancy here?

 

bob.

Edited May 26, 20242 yr by bob smith

How can a foreigner fit into the "Thai hierarchy" (whatever that is) if they're not Thai?

10 minutes ago, bob smith said:

But you wouldn't be a foreigner. You would be Thai, with a Thai ID card.

whatever argument a native Thai would put to a naturalized one falls at the first hurdle when, at the dinner table, one presents the blue ID card which is the same as the native Thais.

 

don't you see the discrepancy here?

 

bob.

Correct, even you would somehow obtain Thai nationality, you would still be the 'foreigner' if it comes to how Thais will deal with you.

26 minutes ago, bob smith said:

Could you, or someone else, please elaborate more on this point.

Useful aliens / Useful idiots.

Mmm, well, how will they know anything about you unless they get to know you and then I am sure you will enlighten them as to your financial postion etc and well you have done. Until that happens, you are just another "visitor" an immigrant white man who could just as well be on the bones of his ar** and scraping by on a minimal pension.

 

How you would be viewed ?, as most people do, you make an assessment based on first impression, behaviour , dress, interaction. You are however a foreigner, and dependent on the what interaction that person has had with foreigners will color their perception. That could be good or bad.

 

Its upto you how people perceive you and where they place you based on what you do or say, not necessarily on what you have, just like any other society. (mostly)

Below the soi dogs, 

Just now, CharlieH said:

Its upto you how people perceive you and where they place you based on what you do or say, not necessarily on what you have, just like any other society. (mostly)

this is completely wrong, Charlie.

 

That is not how thai culture works at all!

 

bob.

1 minute ago, bob smith said:

this is completely wrong, Charlie.

 

That is not how thai culture works at all!

 

bob.

In your opinion. 😀

Just now, CharlieH said:

In your opinion. 😀

You can't really have a opinion about stuff like this, it is like saying the sky is green.

45 minutes ago, bob smith said:

Where would I fit into the thai hierarchy? 

You're a farang, Bob, that's it!

 

 

Edited May 26, 20242 yr by 2baht

43 minutes ago, bob smith said:

Just a little thought experiment for a Sunday morning.

You're thinking tooooo much. 

 

Don't worry about things that you can't control. 

 

You say that you have ample funds available, just let your hair down, enjoy the outdoors, the fantastic weather, affordable pricing, the smiling faces from all the beautiful happy Thai's. 

 

Life's too short, you got to make the most out of your short stay on planet earth. 

 

All your negativity over the many months I've read will affect your health which will shorten you life. 

 

DON'T WORRY, BE HAPPY. 😊😊😊😊😊

 

4 minutes ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

the smiling faces from all the beautiful happy Thai's. 

...how can you tell, they are all still wearing masks!!

 

bob.

To the title ..

... they / we don't.  We're incidental, irrelevant, tolerated as tourist, even less so as expats.

 

No different than citizens, as simply tolerated to serve and provide services and tax revenue to the elite in control.

  

To not realize those facts is simply ignorance on your part.  You're simply a clog in a well oiled machine.   Why do you think the retirement ages closely correspond with life expectancies.  So you don't waste too many of their resources afterwards.

 

Sooner you wake up to the facts, the more smiles you'll have 

Edited May 26, 20242 yr by KhunLA

1 minute ago, KhunLA said:

Sooner you wake up to the facts, the more smiles you'll have 

I haven't smiled for years.

 

bob.

You can't fit in and you shouldn't aspire to either. Just dress well and be polite is about all you can do. They don't care about things like your past accomplishments, just how nice you look and how much money you're perceived to have. All very shallow anyways so I keep my distance from their culture in this regard and don't worry about fitting in.

Just now, NorthernRyland said:

All very shallow anyways so I keep my distance from their culture in this regard and don't worry about fitting in.

I have the same attitude to be honest.

 

I was just curious after watching numerous youtube videos on Thai culture and face.

 

bob.

48 minutes ago, bob smith said:

are you saying that foreigners cannot naturalize and become Thais?

You are born Khon Thai, there is no other way, one cannot become Khon Thai except by birth!!

6 minutes ago, 2baht said:

You are born Khon Thai, there is no other way, one cannot become Khon Thai except by birth!!

how about half thais born here?

 

do they qualify for the prestigious title 'Khun Thai'? 

 

bob.

Edited May 26, 20242 yr by bob smith

44 minutes ago, bob smith said:

But you wouldn't be a foreigner. You would be Thai, with a Thai ID card.

whatever argument a native Thai would put to a naturalized one falls at the first hurdle when, at the dinner table, one presents the blue ID card which is the same as the native Thais.

 

But Thai people haven't been brainwashed with multicultural BS since birth like everyone in the West. Thai nationality means having Thai parents, not a piece of government issued paper. This is why you can't fit in to their thing, it's an ethnic group, basically one big extended family.