I’ve noticed there are some older foreigners who choose to settle in rural villages of Thailand on low retirement incomes. They often rely solely on a fixed government or state pension, may have little or no savings, shop mostly at fresh markets to keep costs down, and live quite frugally, sometimes wearing older or inexpensive clothing that doesn't present them so well.
 

I’m curious how local Thai communities perceive these foreigners. Are they generally accepted as part of the community? Do locals look down on them for living so cheaply and trying to emulate a very inexpensive local lifestyle? Do they wish these foreigners would return to their home countries? Do they feel these foreigners should be spending more to help the local economy or contributing something financially to the community? Or are they mostly indifferent and unconcerned either way?

Ask the Thais dude

10 minutes ago, Harrisfan said:

Ask the Thais dude

Incredible, another one of your extremely detailed, insightful and philosophically well-rounded responses. Can always rely upon you to add so much value to the discourse.

1 minute ago, SoCal1990 said:

Incredible, another one of your extremely detailed, insightful and philosophically well-rounded responses. Can always rely upon you to add so much value to the discourse.

Seems like common sense to me.

At a guess, I reckon the Thais prefer each and every one of them over yourself.

 

1 minute ago, SoCal1990 said:

Incredible, another one of your extremely detailed, insightful and philosophically well-rounded responses. Can always rely upon you to add so much value to the discourse.

This is a farang forum. Why would they know what Thais in villages think of poor farangs? Most Thais don't give a stuff about farangs you know.

3 minutes ago, Harrisfan said:

This is a farang forum. Why would they know what Thais in villages think of poor farangs? Most Thais don't give a stuff about farangs you know.

Another astounding answer from you with so much valuable insight. It doesn't get any more enlightening than this. 

 

Do you like low life foreigners who cannot speak your native language living near you?

I bet Thais dislike them very much.

 

 

Because why would anyone with a lot of money choose to live there?

26 minutes ago, SoCal1990 said:

I’ve noticed there are some older foreigners who choose to settle in rural villages of Thailand on low retirement incomes

How would you notice this without being there? How many villages have you been to? Are you stalking old guys in villages? I've never noticed this at all. How do you know they are poor apart from guessing?

all things being equal, being rich is 1000000000% better.   Successful!!!!   Made it!!!!!!   Nobody wants some broke clown who struggles to put two pennies together.    

 

There are probably three or four things in life, everything else is noise.

 

money, health, happiness, passion.  

 

happiness might mean having a family, or not.   

 

so maybe this poor farang who you hope is miserable and ashamed to show his face and maybe you would like him beaten down more......maybe he has 3 out of 4.   

 

Hitler was super rich, and many people said he gave back to the state many times over.   

 

For him, he thought he was 4/4 but his passion got him killed.   money can also get you killed.  you use money as this metric without thinking it through.   You would then love to live next to Trump.  OK.  You worship the rich.  OK.  

 

to me,  a modest budget is about 300,000 baht a month and would like to have a Xmas party with only people in that category.  

39 minutes ago, SoCal1990 said:

I’ve noticed there are some older foreigners who choose to settle in rural villages

 

 

What an incredible observation. 

1 minute ago, blaze master said:

 

 

What an incredible observation. 

It took me nearly a millennia to achieve that. 

5 minutes ago, blaze master said:

 

 

What an incredible observation. 

Not if you had not cut the quote to suit your comment!

The full quote should be "I’ve noticed there are some older foreigners who choose to settle in rural villages of Thailand on low retirement incomes"!

It  makes a big difference when you do not cut important parts of a requote, and against AN rules!

1 minute ago, SoCal1990 said:

It took me nearly a millennia to achieve that. 

 

 

No doubt. 

Just now, blaze master said:

 

 

No doubt. 

Don't speak!

I lived in a small village in surin years ago.I speak thai well and normally everyone was nice and polite.

If a cheap Charlie came to the village everyone knows that and they told me so.Anyway not my business.But i feel sorry for the foreigner they talked about.When these foreigners visit me with their gf she sat down and complained about everything.I told their gf to stop gossip and better looking themself.After that they normally not visit me again and then i was a bad foreigner.

1 minute ago, Harrisfan said:

Can't wait for the next topic, what do Spanish villages think of Thais living there? 

I suppose you will be starting another of your pointless topics on that soon.

1 minute ago, DezLez said:

Not if you had not cut the quote to suit your comment!

The full quote should be "I’ve noticed there are some older foreigners who choose to settle in rural villages of Thailand on low retirement incomes"!

It  makes a big difference when you do not cut important parts of a requote, and against the rules!

 

Suit nothing. If you dont see the irony I suggest moving to Isan.

You can have a good life on a right budget in rural districts and do not need anything else than a roof above your head, and a motorbike. Eat Thai food 5k a month at most, and 1000 baht electric.

 

Two persons 10k give or take, should give them 30k to save pr month, which will be 300k a year if you include some spending for clothes once and awhile alike flipp flopps, a few 100 baht shorts and t-shirts. 20k for agent and a trip to Pattaya. 

 

Living  in the paradise S Cal

1 minute ago, SoCal1990 said:

Don't speak!

 

Why are you so angry.

Whatever he's making in his retirement is more than the average local makes here anyway. Just to live here you need to make at least the minimum, or at least the locals think you do. No one knows how much a person has unless they spend haphazardly or for showing off, which isn't appreciated by anyone anyway. And some live beyond their means, showing off even if they're making less than it seems.

 

Most locals will accept anyone who's respectful to them, greeting them with a Wai and a smile. Those that don't accept you if you behave well don't deserve your thoughts, as prejudice is everywhere and those that are prejudiced are going to be that way no matter what you have, and jealous besides. Locals appreciate when a foreigner blends in, goes to markets and buys their wares, and offers them all a smile when you're out and about. Share your fruit if you grow any, offer a lending hand if you see any in trouble.

3 minutes ago, blaze master said:

 

Why are you so angry.

You're failing to keep up. 
 

 

3 minutes ago, norsurin said:

I lived in a small village in surin years ago.I speak thai well and normally everyone was nice and polite.

If a cheap Charlie came to the village everyone knows that and they told me so.Anyway not my business.But i feel sorry for the foreigner they talked about.When these foreigners visit me with their gf she sat down and complained about everything.I told their gf to stop gossip and better looking themself.After that they normally not visit me again and then i was a bad foreigner.

So define a "cheap charlie"   

no matter how good you consider your Thai to be , if they want to gossip about you they will speak khmer

 

2 minutes ago, fredwiggy said:

Most locals will accept anyone who's respectful to them, greeting them with a Wai and a smile. Those that don't accept you if you behave well don't deserve your thoughts, as prejudice is everywhere and those that are prejudiced are going to be that way no matter what you have, and jealous besides. Locals appreciate when a foreigner blends in, goes to markets and buys their wares, and offers them all a smile when you're out and about. Share your fruit if you grow any, offer a lending hand if you see any in trouble.

Same in most places. Be a good person they will like you.

2 minutes ago, SoCal1990 said:

You're failing to keep up. 
 

 

 

OK.

Just now, blaze master said:

 

OK.

Still don't get it?

How could anyone possibly know the answer to this question unless they are mind readers?

If YOU really want to know; then ASK THEM YOURSELF!

Flame and trolling posts removed

1 minute ago, Bday Prang said:

So define a "cheap charlie"   

no matter how good you consider your Thai to be , if they want to gossip about you they will speak khmer

 

I speak Khmer too.My exwife learned me.The family speak thai..khmer and Laos.On daily basis they spoke Khmer