What happened to you, Thailand?

[Enoon]

Your life sounds like ****

 

I doubt that you can change it or yourself now.

 

Stay away from balconies.......or don't........up to you.

 

 

[Hummin]

7 minutes ago, bob smith said:

so they judge us on our body language/appearance? 

 

whatever happened to 'dont judge a book by it's cover?'

 

thais are pretty shallow, wouldn't ya say?

 

bob.

Do you know what Thais think about westerns? Do you have any idea how many excuses Thais make because of our behaviour, lack of respect, dress codes, ? 

 

If you lived as long as you say you have done, then you would know where they place the average western sex tourists. You can claim the average Thai you know, is as bad or worse, but then it says more about you, who you manage to get to know, than anything else. 

 

 

[novacova]

4 minutes ago, bob smith said:

the women aren't far behind either

The only time I’ve ever been hit was by a Thai woman, she put on her heaviest pair of shoes came over, barged in, took one shoe off and started beating me with it.

[G_Money]

58 minutes ago, transam said:

Indeed, I do, but I am one of those who generally has a happy face when I go out, a smile with eye contact..🤗

 

Though in the years I have been here, to me, it is the farangy's that have the problem, generally miserable, have a hi-so thing, no patience, I would suggest the locals may pick that up.  😏

 

 
OMG, I agree.  2 out of hundreds still isn’t record shattering.

[bob smith]

2 minutes ago, Hummin said:

Do you know what Thais think about westerns? Do you have any idea how many excuses Thais make because of our behaviour, lack of respect, dress codes, ? 

 

If you lived as long as you say you have done, then you would know where they place the average western sex tourists. You can claim the average Thai you know, is as bad or worse, but then it says more about you, who you manage to get to know, than anything else. 

 

 

what the hell are you on about at all.

 

about as clear as mud, as usual.

 

bob.

[Cardano]

44 minutes ago, John Drake said:

 

I'm in the far Western suburbs. I walk around my area a lot, go to the local Foodland, Gourmet Market, and Taling Chan post office on a regular basis. I never see another Westerner in those places. Never. Go to Central Pinklao or the Eye, Ear, Nose, Throat Hospital regularly and never see any there either. Go into Petcharat Pharmacy near Siriraj Hospital and they are always stunned to see me there because no other Westerner comes in. Same thing for Thonburi Market, Don Wai Market, and my trips to the banks. 

Do you have a sight impediment?

[Hummin]

2 minutes ago, bob smith said:

what the hell are you on about at all.

 

about as clear as mud, as usual.

 

bob.

Can always trust you bob when it comes to topics, nothing new, just same over and over again and again. 

 

Your life is so miserable in Thailand, do something about it, stop being such a whining wimp

[BangkokReady]

1 hour ago, bob smith said:

what has happened to the Thai people?

are they all stressed out because of money?

is it because their politics are a mess?

is it social media that is influencing how they feel about us?

 

I think it's the above, plus covid.  Their self-esteem took a nock when things got really bad simply because tourists weren't allowed in.  This didn't lead to them appreciating tourists more, quite the opposite.  Post covid, there have been multiple strong anti-foreigner campaigns also.

[bob smith]

3 minutes ago, BangkokReady said:

 

I think it's the above, plus covid.  Their self-esteem took a nock when things got really bad simply because tourists weren't allowed in.  This didn't lead to them appreciating tourists more, quite the opposite.  Post covid, there have been multiple strong anti-foreigner campaigns also.

finally a post with a modicum of sense!

 

@Hummin & @susanlea take note!

 

bob.

[expat_4_life]

1 hour ago, bob smith said:

Just today I was in a tourist ghetto meeting a friend of mine I haven't seen in a while.

I was sat at my table enjoying a nice cold beer when a hawker walked past and plonked her stuff on my table.

I politely said no thanks in english and smiled.

She persisted.

Then I said the same in Thai, to which she reacted angrily, and gave me the 'oiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii' and stormed off.

I did nothing wrong, other than said no thank you.

 

I find the hawkers that invade my space annoying as well - many of them are not Thai FWIW.  I use the Dog Whispers technique, "No touch, no talk and no eye contact".  They soon scamper off elsewhere.

[susanlea]

5 minutes ago, Hummin said:

Can always trust you bob when it comes to topics, nothing new, just same over and over again and again. 

 

Your life is so miserable in Thailand, do something about it, stop being such a whining wimp

Agree with you. 

[bob smith]

5 minutes ago, expat_4_life said:

 

I find the hawkers that invade my space annoying as well - many of them are not Thai FWIW.  I use the Dog Whispers technique, "No touch, no talk and no eye contact".  They soon scamper off elsewhere.

like leaches they are, blood sucking parasites. 

 

all smiles when they approach and all sulky when you tell em to get stuffed.

 

bob.

Edited June 28 by bob smith

[save the frogs]

17 minutes ago, bob smith said:

so do the Thai's with cambodians.

 

what's your point?

 

bob.

My point is .... misery loves company.

 

 

[transam]

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Bob seems to generalise based on his own issues...     

 

There's a touch of reality in some of the points he makes, Thailand has changed, every country has, its called progression, development etc... we have also changed, its called aging, maturing...   for the most of use here an element of 'rose tinted glasses' is replaced with realism... 

 

But... people such as Bob have issues with everything. 

 

In another recent thread (about registering a vehicle), Bob implied that authorities want to make such processes as difficult as possible for Foreigners, whereas others (myself included) found such processes incredibly simple. 

 

The crux of Bobs posts come down to attitude, it would appear that all of the issues bob encounters are completely self inflicted and he's also extremely thin-skinned to any perceived sleight by a Thai, while has the skin of a rhino when dealing with some of the flack he receives on this forum - quite the enigma is Bob... apperntly a complete train wreck, nevertheless an enigma, a likeable one.

 

 

I agree......😋

[richard_smith237]

11 minutes ago, BangkokReady said:

I think it's the above, plus covid.  Their self-esteem took a nock when things got really bad simply because tourists weren't allowed in.  This didn't lead to them appreciating tourists more, quite the opposite.  Post covid, there have been multiple strong anti-foreigner campaigns also.

 

I think a lot of that has been caused more so by the prevalence of 'social media' targeting a specific nationalistic nerve...   

 

... I wouldn't suggest there are 'multiple strong anti-foreigner campaigns'... but I would agree that a handful of foreigners have behave so poorly, there has been some publicised black-lash and outpourings of disdain on social media and national media which we may consider edging towards nationalism (anti-farangism if you want) until we also compare to the similar levels of outrage Thai's would levy at other Thai's for similar behavior...  (just look at the media attention the Dr who was killed crossing the road received).

Edited June 28 by richard_smith237

[G_Money]

I can’t say I blame the Thais for losing their respect towards foreigners.

 

Just look at the news reports.  Every day I can use my favorite term, nutter farang.  Those are the ones that were offensive enough to make the news.

 

Many more nutter farang incidents don’t make the news but are  heard about in disastrous relationships.  Stuff I’ve heard from women you can’t just make up at the time when being told.

 

Over the past 10 years I’ve spent long periods of time in Thailand doing my homework to decide if I want to pull the plug and become a full time expat.

 

More and more I’m leaning against it.

 

Reason:  Nutter Farangs.  Not all are but way too many are for my liking.

[bob smith]

Just now, transam said:

I agree......😋

I disagree.

 

you need to get out more, trans.

 

are you still in your dressing gown?

 

bob.

[susanlea]

6 minutes ago, expat_4_life said:

 

I find the hawkers that invade my space annoying as well - many of them are not Thai FWIW.  I use the Dog Whispers technique, "No touch, no talk and no eye contact".  They soon scamper off elsewhere.

Try flirting with them.

[transam]

44 minutes ago, susanlea said:

90% of the country Bob. 

Great reply....

[susanlea]

1 minute ago, G_Money said:

I can’t say I blame the Thais for losing their respect towards foreigners.

 

Just look at the news reports.  Every day I can use my favorite term, nutter farang.  Those are the ones that were offensive enough to make the news.

 

Many more nutter farang incidents don’t make the news but are  heard about in disastrous relationships.  Stuff I’ve heard from women you can’t just make up at the time when being told.

 

Over the past 10 years I’ve spent long periods of time in Thailand doing my homework to decide if I want to pull the plug and become a full time expat.

 

More and more I’m leaning against it.

 

Reason:  Nutter Farangs.  Not all are but way too many are for my liking.

90% of farangs are nutters like 90% of voters are idiots.

[bob smith]

1 minute ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

... I wouldn't suggest there are 'multiple strong anti-foreigner campaigns'...

It absolutely is an anti foreigner campaign, Bangkok ready is spot on!

 

They hate us with a passion.

 

bob.

[transam]

43 minutes ago, bob smith said:

well that hasn't been my experience at all.

 

bob.

Then you must see that it is you that is the problem..........🤔

[connda]

1 hour ago, bob smith said:

..a friendly word of warning, this is going to be a long winded post. mods, before you close my thread please remember that these are my own experiences that I am posting about and that they are valid, even if they do not align with your own!

 

With that out of the way, let's get down to it.

 

When I first moved to thailand many, many moons ago, it was a vibrant place, full of happy go lucky people enjoying themselves. It was such a blessing to be here and I thoroughly enjoyed the first few years in (what was back then worthy of the name) the land of smiles.

 

I started to notice some big changes around 2013, especially with regards to peoples attitudes toward farang.

Then when the coup hit things slowly started going downhill.

 

Now the Thailand that I live in is unrecognizable to me.

everyone seems stressed, nobody is smiling and the locals seem to have zero patience for farangs in general.

 

Just today I was in a tourist ghetto meeting a friend of mine I haven't seen in a while.

I was sat at my table enjoying a nice cold beer when a hawker walked past and plonked her stuff on my table.

I politely said no thanks in english and smiled.

She persisted.

Then I said the same in Thai, to which she reacted angrily, and gave me the 'oiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii' and stormed off.

I did nothing wrong, other than said no thank you.

 

what has happened to the Thai people?

are they all stressed out because of money?

is it because their politics are a mess?

is it social media that is influencing how they feel about us?

It certainly is not the place that I remember when I first came here. It has now changed beyond almost all recognition. 

Most thais on the street completely avoid eye contact when they see a farang walking without their mask on.

some even cross over to the other side of the road, or at the least move as far away from them as possible.

 

my honest opinion is I think they are terrified of us.

a combination of negative media portrayals recently and the fact that farangs don't like to wear masks has shaped their current perception of us.

 

Pre 2013 I can count on one hand the amount of times I had a bad experience in Thailand,

now it is almost daily..

 

Also It seems that the economy is in dire straights. So many closed shops, roller shutters down, boarded up buildings etc. Once bustling areas of famous tourist hot-spots now seem to be on their knees. Something just doesn't seem right.

 

How about you? do your experiences align with mine? if not, then do tell me where you are having positive encounters with locals because, as someone who travels around Thailand a lot, I would love to know where this utopia is.

 

bob.

 

 

I'd say pre-2019 was Ok.  2020 and beyond have seen the beginning of the end for Thailand. 
Small and medium businesses decimated by their own government.
Factories closing.
Inflation making life hard for everyone except the uber-wealthy.
Government promising to raise taxes and seek more things to tax as well.
The rich get richer and the poor (and middle-class and even the upper middle-class) get poorer.

In the meantime, in between time, Thais ain't got fun.  Not!  🙄
So gotta agree with ya on this one bob smith, yeah I've noticed as well.  Just on a slightly different timeline.

[bob smith]

4 minutes ago, G_Money said:

Just look at the news reports.

they are demonizing foreigners with selective reporting.

 

can't you see that?

would a foreigner on holiday in the US or UK that slept in a hotel without permission make the evening news???

 

think about it for goodness sake!

 

bob.

Edited June 28 by bob smith

[transam]

2 minutes ago, bob smith said:

I disagree.

 

you need to get out more, trans.

 

are you still in your dressing gown?

 

bob.

Now just look at your reply, you have an attitude problem, you are your own problem........😬

[Hummin]

14 minutes ago, BangkokReady said:

 

I think it's the above, plus covid.  Their self-esteem took a nock when things got really bad simply because tourists weren't allowed in.  This didn't lead to them appreciating tourists more, quite the opposite.  Post covid, there have been multiple strong anti-foreigner campaigns also.

Thais also started to travel places there was mostly western tourism before, and maybe they appreciated the change. 

[bob smith]

1 minute ago, transam said:

you have an attitude problem,

maybe. maybe not.

 

I personally think that thais have an attitude problem.

 

bob.

[susanlea]

5 minutes ago, bob smith said:

It absolutely is an anti foreigner campaign, Bangkok ready is spot on!

 

They hate us with a passion.

 

bob.

They might hate you but they don't hate me. They give me free beach mats.

[bob smith]

3 minutes ago, susanlea said:

 but they don't hate me.

 

you're hysterical you are, big susan bird.

 

bob.

Edited June 28 by bob smith

[transam]

Just now, bob smith said:

maybe. maybe not.

 

I personally think that thais have an attitude problem.

 

bob.

When it comes to..... "some" .....farangy's, I have no doubt...........😉

 

But, in places like Pattaya where the locals are dealing day after day with mainly sh_t head farangy tourists, I think I would be p_ssed off too.

 

Where I live, it is a pleasure to do anything, why, very few tourists, a few farangy expats, who, many themselves stay out of the way, and a few that are "know-it-alls", been here 5 minutes bringing their farangland with them...🙄