Foreigners Flaunting Wealth in Thailand: How Is It Viewed?

[SoCal1990]

Some of the financially successful foreigners living in Thailand display their wealth by buying luxury condos or building large houses, driving expensive cars, wearing flashy designer clothing, and openly spending big in restaurants and nightlife spots.
 

These displays of affluence can particularly stand out in rural or less economically developed areas of the country, where local incomes are quite a lot lower and there isn't much of a local middle class.

 

I wonder how local Thai communities perceive foreigners who make their money visibly seen by others in Thailand. Are they admired for their success, spending and helping of the local economy, or do they spark jealousy, distaste and resentment among locals?

[Will B Good]

I think even moderately wealthy westerners despise/hate/loathe (too strong?) people flaunting their wealth......so pretty sure Thai's feel the same way even if they don't show it.

[FritsSikkink]

The ones who like to display their wealth, don't mix a lot with people who are poor.

[scubascuba3]

Those who display wealth are often poor people in disguise, Thais will fall for it of course

[norsurin]

33 minutes ago, Will B Good said:

I think even moderately wealthy westerners despise/hate/loathe (too strong?) people flaunting their wealth......so pretty sure Thai's feel the same way even if they don't show it.

Right.In neighbor village a foreigner build a big house with a big balcony on second floor looking at people everyday.

The neighbors felt like he looked down on them.He wasn't a popular person in that village.

[Will B Good]

2 minutes ago, norsurin said:

Right.In neighbor village a foreigner build a big house with a big balcony on second floor looking at people everyday.

The neighbors felt like he looked down on them.He wasn't a popular person in that village.

 

Not a clever move.....no way I would do that.

[bkk6060]

Of course they mostly do not like them.

 

On the other hand rich people could careless what others think.  Mostly jealousy anyway.

[SoCal1990]

Also, flaunting wealth can provoke jealousy, which in some cases can lead to violence, robberies, or people approaching you for handouts of money.

[ColeBOzbourne]

Flaunting wealth, in any country, can make you a prime target for robbers, thieves, and people who like to borrow things. 

[NickyLouie]

Nice way to open yourself up for extortion

 

[KhunLA]

Foreigners aren't wealthy in TH.  If they truly were wealthy, they wouldn't be in TH.

 

I'm a multi millionaire in TH ... THB 

 

 If I was close to a USD millionaire, I wouldn't be in TH.  I'd be splitting my time in USA & Caribbean.  Continuing my last 10 yrs in the USA, of jet setting, S,D and R&R, but without the jet setting D and R&R.  Maybe a sailboat 😎

 

In TH, I keep a very low profile, as don't need a target on me & mine 

[NickyLouie]

12 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

 

 If I was close to a USD millionaire, I wouldn't be in TH. 

 

USD millionaire ain't much these dayzzzzz ........

[norsurin]

I know about 2 really big house.1 in buriram costs 27 million baht.1 in surin 25 million baht.

The house in surin have 14 bedroom..7 bathroom.The guy who built it past away years ago.Now comes the funny story..he had a gf there and they had a son together.Another lady offered his gf 1 million baht if she finished her bf.

And this stupid lady accepted that.2-3 years later he built this big house.His new gf was so proud and bragged around to everyone.One day she found out that his son get it all after he died.Karma is a bitch!!!

[connda]

1 hour ago, SoCal1990 said:

Some of the financially successful foreigners living in Thailand display their wealth by buying luxury condos or building large houses, driving expensive cars, wearing flashy designer clothing, and openly spending big in restaurants and nightlife spots.

So do "financially successful" Thais.  It's the norm. Thais are raised and indoctrinated with a need to display status and wealth.  Most of them.  Foreigners are already considered to be rich by benefit of being a farangs.  The concept of farangs living in big houses in gated communities and driving fancy cars is an exception that is probably the norm. It's probably a bigger surprise when farangs don't display their wealth.

[Magictoad]

Here we go again. We are not mind readers. If you want to find out; the next time you see this actually happening go and ask the Thais who are nearby but you might find that they are equally wealthy Thais and will just think you're talking nonsense and patronising them.

[Stuck in Thailand]

I've not been on here years and only rejoined to get some info for the change on the EPL coverage, but blow me this site is more tragic than ever. How <deleted> bored are you lot?? 

 

*blows brains out

[connda]

21 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Foreigners aren't wealthy in TH.  If they truly were wealthy, they wouldn't be in TH.

 

Exactly. A typical middle-class American comes to Thailand and buys a home with a price tag of a fixer-upper in the US and that person would be considered "Wealthy" here.  Average home price in the US is about 1/2 million bucks so if a farang drops 16.5 million THB, in the US he's barely keeping up with the Jone's. 

[KhunLA]

31 minutes ago, connda said:

 

Exactly. A typical middle-class American comes to Thailand and buys a home with a price tag of a fixer-upper in the US and that person would be considered "Wealthy" here.  Average home price in the US is about 1/2 million bucks so if a farang drops 16.5 million THB, in the US he's barely keeping up with the Jone's. 

I'm a cheap Charlie, as no way, would I spend more than ฿3M for a house.  But I also don't want to live in a big metro or tourist area, so don't need to. 

 

Saw a townhouse w/surfside view the other day and was curious,

so had the wife call & ask  

 

For 7.5 M baht, I can drive <10 mins to the surf for that view.  Sit in Mira coffee shop, far right of the mall.  7M buys a lot of coffee & pastry.

 

3 story, but not wide, perfect location and across the street from lovely bay, but ugly A$$ wires in front of balcony, and the price.   If aroun the corner from were we live, may 2M, and that's a stretch.   Have neighbor with stand alone house w/ small lot for less than 3M.

 

https://www.google.co.th/maps/place/Mira+Cafe/@11.8263741,99.8035101,3a,75y,302.81h,99.95t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1seA8vU6lxX2YH9DSZCWuvBQ!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fcb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26pitch%3D-9.951024021828331%26panoid%3DeA8vU6lxX2YH9DSZCWuvBQ%26yaw%3D302.8100000042736!7i16384!8i8192!4m6!3m5!1s0x30fe83d9c21c7a3d:0x553b5a4d7245f961!8m2!3d11.8268152!4d99.8036007!16s%2Fg%2F11y44xfd8b?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDYzMC4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

 

[3NUMBAS]

Burglars will pay em a visit

[spidermike007]

I think anybody, anywhere flaunting their wealth is an ugly thing, every time I see somebody driving a hugely expensive sports car, or wearing really ostentatious clothes, or a lot of expensive jewelry, it just looks kind of ridiculous to me. It reeks of insecurity and it's just not a polite statement, and feels like they are saying I have so much more than you do, and I want you to notice me, acknowledge me, and respect me for my money.

 

Sorry buddy, but I don't because that's all you got, you are an empty suit with cash and not much else. 

[transam]

The only person I have ever seen flaunting purported wealth was an ageing Thai lady. She got hold of a farangy, next she is covered in gold, wears shorts up her arris and hair doo's that belong on a much younger lady.

It is actually quite embarrassing to see.........🤭

 

The well off Thai folk I know, rarely wear gold in their daily life, or even at parties....

[hotandsticky]

1 minute ago, spidermike007 said:

I think anybody, anywhere flaunting their wealth is an ugly thing, every time I see somebody driving a hugely expensive sports car, or wearing really ostentatious clothes, or a lot of expensive jewelry, it just looks kind of ridiculous to me. It reeks of insecurity and it's just not a polite statement, and feels like they are saying I have so much more than you do, and I want you to notice me, acknowledge me, and respect me for my money.

 

Sorry buddy, but I don't because that's all you got, you are an empty suit with cash and not much else. 

 

 

I am sure that you didn't intend it, but that post smacked of envy.

[Stocky]

It's always best to keep a low profile. Ostentatious displays of wealth, apart from being vulgar, are only likely to attract the wrong kind of attention.

[daveAustin]

1 hour ago, KhunLA said:

Foreigners aren't wealthy in TH.  If they truly were wealthy, they wouldn't be in TH.

 

I'm a multi millionaire in TH ... THB 

 

 If I was close to a USD millionaire, I wouldn't be in TH.  I'd be splitting my time in USA & Caribbean.  Continuing my last 10 yrs in the USA, of jet setting, S,D and R&R, but without the jet setting D and R&R.  Maybe a sailboat 😎

 

In TH, I keep a very low profile, as don't need a target on me & mine 

Load of cobblers. Know several dollar millionaires that choose to live here full time, since Thailand is sound whether one is rich or living by normal means. Would personally divide my time, but majority would still be here. 

[Cameroni]

2 hours ago, SoCal1990 said:

I wonder how local Thai communities perceive foreigners who make their money

 

Very poorly, as Thais who come into money only build very modest looking houses and drive very unassuming cars. Ostentatious spending is unheard of in Thailand...True, some of the houses in the village look like butcher's baroque, but probably Ukrainians or Russians.

[newbee2022]

2 hours ago, SoCal1990 said:

Some of the financially successful foreigners living in Thailand display their wealth by buying luxury condos or building large houses, driving expensive cars, wearing flashy designer clothing, and openly spending big in restaurants and nightlife spots.
 

These displays of affluence can particularly stand out in rural or less economically developed areas of the country, where local incomes are quite a lot lower and there isn't much of a local middle class.

 

I wonder how local Thai communities perceive foreigners who make their money visibly seen by others in Thailand. Are they admired for their success, spending and helping of the local economy, or do they spark jealousy, distaste and resentment among locals?

There are a lot of more wealthier Thais around. They give a <deleted> what other people think.

So don't worry

[Mike_Hunt]

1 hour ago, NickyLouie said:

 

USD millionaire ain't much these dayzzzzz ........

No kidding. 

[Mike_Hunt]

55 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

I think anybody, anywhere flaunting their wealth is an ugly thing, every time I see somebody driving a hugely expensive sports car, or wearing really ostentatious clothes, or a lot of expensive jewelry, it just looks kind of ridiculous to me. It reeks of insecurity and it's just not a polite statement, and feels like they are saying I have so much more than you do, and I want you to notice me, acknowledge me, and respect me for my money.

 

Sorry buddy, but I don't because that's all you got, you are an empty suit with cash and not much else. 

The envy is eating away at you. 

[BangkokReady]

27 minutes ago, Cameroni said:

Ostentatious spending is unheard of in Thailand.

 

Have you ever been to Thailand???

[Keeps]

2 hours ago, KhunLA said:

 If I was close to a USD millionaire, I wouldn't be in TH.  I'd be splitting my time in USA & Caribbean.  Continuing my last 10 yrs in the USA, of jet setting, S,D and R&R, but without the jet setting D and R&R.  Maybe a sailboat 😎

 

Could you honestly do that on a relatively pitiful amount? That's quite surprising.