So we all may have run down Thailand in the past but you have to give them credit for certain areas that are by far better than many countries 

 

My wife was on her Yamaha Filano and the V-Belt snapped and was pushed to a small mechanic at 4pm

He phoned and said he didn't have one but jumped on his bike to the dealer 15km each way.

 

5pm she was back on her bike happy again.

Try doing this in any Western country.

 

Similar thing happened with a washing machine

Picked up in the morning with no power/faulty diplay and brought back in the afternoon fully working  to our door.

 

You have to admire the efficiency here I know back in the U.K it would take weeks .

 

Let's appreciate the good things in Thailand as I see so many posts about how <deleted> it is here but I am really enjoying it here.

15 minutes ago, kwak250 said:

So we all may have run down Thailand in the past

Nope, I have never. 

 

You are talking to the other members. 

 

All the other miserable, moaning, complaining, whinging whining foreigners, not me. 

 

Thailand suits me, it's just like me rough around the edges but works fine. I like it the way it is. 

 

The only complaint from me are some of the foreigners, it's the only negative from me, some are a nasty, miserable lot. 

We have a few here. 

 

10 minutes ago, kwak250 said:

So we all may have run down Thailand in the past but you have to give them credit for certain areas that are by far better than many countries 

 

My wife was on her Yamaha Filano and the V-Belt snapped and was pushed to a small mechanic at 4pm

He phoned and said he didn't have one but jumped on his bike to the dealer 15km each way.

 

5pm she was back on her bike happy again.

Try doing this in any Western country.

 

Similar thing happened with a washing machine

Picked up in the morning with no power/faulty diplay and brought back in the afternoon fully working  to our door.

 

You have to admire the efficiency here I know back in the U.K it would take weeks .

 

Let's appreciate the good things in Thailand as I see so many posts about how <deleted> it is here but I am really enjoying it here.

 

Agreed...  for those with a healthy sense of balance the positives in Thailand are all around us in abundance, sitting right alongside those the aspects that are not so positive, the negatives as they may be called. 

 

Being able to recognise both and discus openly shows a healthy sense of balance by not being overtly bias towards or against but simply having the ability to make observations. 

 

Thailand for the vast majority is clearly a net positive and thats why we are here.

 

 

I too am often left pleasantly surprised when encountering simple and fast responses to situations I might have otherwise expected to include an unnecessary or beurocratic complexity.

 

 

That Thais are not kind is simply not true, it applies to to a lesser extent on Phuket and Samui and areas where the locals are jaded and deal with a lot of butthead foreigners (Pattaya), but for the most part I find the Thai people as delightful as ever, they're still very light-hearted, it's very easy to get them to smile and laugh, and they're great fun. 

 

The other aspect of this is that the Thai people are fairly intuitive so what you get back is often times a reflection of what you bring to the table. If you're grouchy and ornery and overly serious, they're not going to respond to you. But if you're lighthearted with a nice smile, kind-hearted and respectful, you get all of that back in abundance. Most Thai people are quite lovely. And I love to be around them, and I love it here. 

 

And how about Thai women? 

Combine their innate femininity, and the level of comfort they have in expressing that, it makes them very appealing. I see a  Western woman sometimes, who is beautiful, but cold as ice, and more masculine than I am, and there is no appeal, whatsoever. 

 

I think it can be described as the ability to manifest the dignity within femininity. Or, a woman who is not trying to be a man, having lost her sense of womanhood, along the way. 

 

Or a woman who is in touch with her body, and not plagued with feelings of shame and a fake sense of purity. Also, some Thai girlfriends, lovers and wives realize that a man enjoys sex, and allowing them that enjoyment, freedom and pleasure is just not a big deal. 

 

Lastly, there is a comfort level in the playing of roles here. It is an amazing quality many Thai women have. Allowing a man to be a man, and enjoying being a woman and acting like one. What is more appealing than that? And who wants to be with a woman who is more masculine than we are? 

 

 

22 minutes ago, kwak250 said:

So we all may have run down Thailand in the past but you have to give them credit for certain areas that are by far better than many countries 

 

My wife was on her Yamaha Filano and the V-Belt snapped and was pushed to a small mechanic at 4pm

He phoned and said he didn't have one but jumped on his bike to the dealer 15km each way.

 

5pm she was back on her bike happy again.

Try doing this in any Western country.

 

Similar thing happened with a washing machine

Picked up in the morning with no power/faulty diplay and brought back in the afternoon fully working  to our door.

 

You have to admire the efficiency here I know back in the U.K it would take weeks .

 

Let's appreciate the good things in Thailand as I see so many posts about how <deleted> it is here but I am really enjoying it here.

Thailand is great.

25 minutes ago, kwak250 said:

So we all may have run down Thailand in the past

You may have done but "we" certainly have not. 

 

Some posters really should stop using the collective "we", falsely claiming that "we all...", blah, blah, blah.  It may make you feel less guilty but it is a fallacy.

Those that continually run them down typically have bad experiences in the tourists hotspots. Those places are not Thailand or 'real' Thais. I sometimes have a whinge, but Thai people overall are very cool. I have yet to witness such generosity of spirit anywhere else in the world. The amount of times--in similar situations as the op--where I've been helped out when in trouble is uncanny. Some of my best friends are Thai and I'm more comfortable around them than I am my own to be honest.

I ran out of gas on a motorbike some Thais stopped and took me to get gas and brought me back.  I agree, some kind people. 

 

Most of the problems it seems are in entertainment areas.  Drunks and Cheap Charlie's stupidly pushing the envelope causing problems. And, Thai mafia creating issues.  Most of the country seems ok though.

50 minutes ago, daveAustin said:

Those that continually run them down typically have bad experiences in the tourists hotspots. Those places are not Thailand or 'real' Thais. I sometimes have a whinge, but Thai people overall are very cool. I have yet to witness such generosity of spirit anywhere else in the world. The amount of times--in similar situations as the op--where I've been helped out when in trouble is uncanny. Some of my best friends are Thai and I'm more comfortable around them than I am my own to be honest.

 

38 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

I ran out of gas on a motorbike some Thais stopped and took me to get gas and brought me back.  I agree, some kind people. 

 

Most of the problems it seems are in entertainment areas.  Drunks and Cheap Charlie's stupidly pushing the envelope causing problems. And, Thai mafia creating issues.  Most of the country seems ok though.

 

Agreed & Agreed !!...  plenty of comments thus far highlight a degree of jadedness in areas of high tourist footfall where a dual-coincidence of impolite, drunk and disrespectful foreigners combines with jaded Thai's who may not even be from the area resulting in a rather predicable less than pleasant out come - this develops a 'stigma' that is not really conducive to positivity. 

 

Mean while...  when stepping beyond the 'critical mass' of foreigner population a pleasant equilibrium of normalcy is once again experience.

 

I find Bangkok pleasant because people people here are just 'normal'  - most foreigners here are normal, many working etc, most Thai's are too - everyone somewhat indifferent towards each other yet respectful of each other - it just feels like normal life and I enjoy that.

 

I've been to area's well outside of the area's where foreigners are an 'every day observation' and of course, we (foreginers) are a curiosity - being followed around a supermarket by kids giggling and saying 'farang' is cute, but its not normal life - the friendly interactions with locals is highly endearing, but again - this is too far from 'normal life' for me.

 

The spectrum of interaction and experiences in Thailand is very wide and far reaching - there is no 'one Thailand' i.e. an area that is more Thailand than any other - I read this comment a lot "That's not real Thailand"... But it is...  Thailand just exists on this huge spectrum that gives many of us different experiences.

 

 

 

 

 

1 hour ago, Liverpool Lou said:

You may have done but "we" certainly have not. 

 

Some posters really should stop using the collective "we", falsely claiming that "we all...", blah, blah, blah.  It may make you feel less guilty but it is a fallacy.

When i say ran Thailand down it could mean having a moan about the restricted selling times of alcohol or the thai government ,
Are you telling me you have never had a moan about anything in Thailand?
Never moaned about anything? 

soi dogs?

Corruption..

Inverted price structure. .

.noise and pollution?

 

On my very first to trip to Phuket some 25+ years ago I rented a trail bike.  Stupidly I presumed it had a full tank and set off exploring the paradise that Phuket used to be.  Needless to say, I ran out of petrol some time later; on the main road heading west back to Patong.  Standing stupidly at the side of the road in a time before mobile phones I contemplated the looooong walk to anywhere.  A Thai man of indeterminate age on a motorcycle and sidecage rolled up with his son.  The old chap stopped to chat with me, he didn't speak English and I didn't speak Thai but we managed to agree that the Thai Miss Universe was stunning.  20 minutes later his son returned with a glass bottle of what I first assumed to be the start of a drinking session.  Fortunately, it was poured into the fuel tank and I returned to Patong a little wiser and a lot happier.

18 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

it applies to to a lesser extent on Phuket and Samui and areas where the locals are jaded and deal with a lot of butthead foreigners (Pattaya

why not give up working with tourists then and go back to farming?

 

The Don.

11 hours ago, Don Giovanni said:

why not give up working with tourists then and go back to farming?

 

The Don.

most of them know their lives are easier than farming and are not jaded

Just yesterday at our earthquake damaged condo.  No working elevators.  One lady needed to get some items from apartment on the 33rd floor and was unable to make the climb. Some other tenants went up for her and via Line video collected what she needed.  She offered to pay but no one accepted money.  Neighbors for life now 

7 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

most of them know their lives are easier than farming and are not jaded

Most who work in high tourist areas, such as Phuket and Samui are pure scum.

 

I've stood near the bakers oven before and heard how they talk about farangs after fleecing them.

 

Disgusting.

 

The Don.

36 minutes ago, animalmagic said:

On my very first to trip to Phuket some 25+ years ago I rented a trail bike.  Stupidly I presumed it had a full tank and set off exploring the paradise that Phuket used to be.  Needless to say, I ran out of petrol some time later; on the main road heading west back to Patong.  Standing stupidly at the side of the road in a time before mobile phones I contemplated the looooong walk to anywhere.  A Thai man of indeterminate age on a motorcycle and sidecage rolled up with his son.  The old chap stopped to chat with me, he didn't speak English and I didn't speak Thai but we managed to agree that the Thai Miss Universe was stunning.  20 minutes later his son returned with a glass bottle of what I first assumed to be the start of a drinking session.  Fortunately, it was poured into the fuel tank and I returned to Patong a little wiser and a lot happier.

That right there is what i am talking about!

18 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

most of them know their lives are easier than farming and are not jaded

but spidermike says they are jaded?...

 

I would go even further - I would say that many are dangerous, especially the red van taxi mafia in Patong!

 

The Don.

11 hours ago, Don Giovanni said:

Most who work in high tourist areas, such as Phuket and Samui are pure scum.

 

I've stood near the bakers oven before and heard how they talk about farangs after fleecing them.

 

Disgusting.

 

The Don.

baker's oven. ha ha.

19 hours ago, kwak250 said:

So we all may have run down Thailand in the past but you have to give them credit for certain areas that are by far better than many countries 

 

My wife was on her Yamaha Filano and the V-Belt snapped and was pushed to a small mechanic at 4pm

He phoned and said he didn't have one but jumped on his bike to the dealer 15km each way.

 

5pm she was back on her bike happy again.

Try doing this in any Western country.

 

Similar thing happened with a washing machine

Picked up in the morning with no power/faulty diplay and brought back in the afternoon fully working  to our door.

 

You have to admire the efficiency here I know back in the U.K it would take weeks .

 

Let's appreciate the good things in Thailand as I see so many posts about how <deleted> it is here but I am really enjoying it here.

Lmao so because you had good luck with a washing machine guy at one occassion, you thank the nation entirely? Meanwhile I needed 5 electricians before finding out a rat bite my main electric cable, while our wooden house was at risk of fire as well us for being electrocuted, all having certified papers...

 

It's like saying taxi drivers here are great because you have this 1 in so many times that you do have a nice one. Which is super rare lol. But if it comes to motorbike mechanics, you win on that, they are always doing good on that. But it is kind of hard to mess those tasks up as well.

11 hours ago, ChaiyaTH said:

fire as well us for being electrocuted,

my laptop nearly caught fire in a hotel room. 

 

19 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Agreed...  for those with a healthy sense of balance the positives in Thailand are all around us in abundance, sitting right alongside those the aspects that are not so positive, the negatives as they may be called. 

 

Being able to recognise both and discus openly shows a healthy sense of balance by not being overtly bias towards or against but simply having the ability to make observations. 

 

Thailand for the vast majority is clearly a net positive and thats why we are here.

 

 

I too am often left pleasantly surprised when encountering simple and fast responses to situations I might have otherwise expected to include an unnecessary or beurocratic complexity.

 

 

You could have ended your statement after the first word really, couldn't you?

2 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

my laptop nearly caught fire in a hotel room. 

 

Well my hand was non functioning as i initially found out about the incident after paying 1K more electric for a few months, when on holiday a few weeks noticing it, and using my shower. I still have PTSD lol specially after the 4th guaranteed me it was now safe. Not.

 

Imagine how this works out with all those building inspections....

11 hours ago, ChaiyaTH said:

Imagine how this works out with all those building inspections....

people cutting corners, man

1 minute ago, save the frogs said:

people cutting corners, man

cutting pillars lol

1 hour ago, Don Giovanni said:

Most who work in high tourist areas, such as Phuket and Samui are pure scum.

 

I've stood near the bakers oven before and heard how they talk about farangs after fleecing them.

 

Disgusting.

 

The Don.

Way to get in the spirit of the thread.

God bless you, know what I mean?

Been there over 45 times, Never ever had a problem with the thai peopel. Only problem i ever had was with a Polish guy that wanted to fight me, Not too bright that guy. I will go to live in Hua Hin end of next year.Perfect place for me,resonably quiet, and good golf courses.

20 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

Nope, I have never. 

 

You are talking to the other members. 

 

All the other miserable, moaning, complaining, whinging whining foreigners, not me. 

 

It's amazing how miserable, moaning, complaining, whinging and whining you are about other foreigners, yet never seem self-aware enough to realise it.

 

20 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

Thailand suits me, it's just like me rough around the edges but works fine. I like it the way it is. 

 

That's great, but it's shocking how much delusion you show in order to achieve this point of view.

I live in a poshish gated community and have more fun with the Thai gardeners,cleaners and security men than all my farang neighbours.I like em.

20 hours ago, kwak250 said:

So we all may have run down Thailand in the past but you have to give them credit for certain areas that are by far better than many countries 

 

My wife was on her Yamaha Filano and the V-Belt snapped and was pushed to a small mechanic at 4pm

He phoned and said he didn't have one but jumped on his bike to the dealer 15km each way.

 

5pm she was back on her bike happy again.

Try doing this in any Western country.

 

Similar thing happened with a washing machine

Picked up in the morning with no power/faulty diplay and brought back in the afternoon fully working  to our door.

 

You have to admire the efficiency here I know back in the U.K it would take weeks .

 

Let's appreciate the good things in Thailand as I see so many posts about how <deleted> it is here but I am really enjoying it here.

 

It's simply human nature to moan about the annoying stuff and forget the good stuff instantly.  It's called negativity bias and it's completely natural, quite sensible even.  Most people who say something negative about Thailand are simply being honest and letting off a little steam or seeking validation for their feelings.

 

People are very unlikely to come online and say they just had a wonderful interaction with a Thai person, they generally just enjoy it and move on.  A negative interaction, on the other hand, will stay with a person all day, possibly longer, and they will want to tell someone about it.  Again, just human nature.

 

You just get a few toxic users (some in this thread) who are triggered by anyone giving an honest report of something negative about Thailand.  They have mental problems, and this causes them to desperately need to see Thailand as superior, and themselves as superior as a result of liking the place.  If anyone says anything negative about Thailand, no matter how true, their cognitive dissonance kicks in, and they go on the attack.

 

If Thailand was so bad, then people wouldn't choose it over their own countries, or any other countries they could live in.