On 7/16/2025 at 1:47 PM, kwilco said:

They sweat like broken fridges but shower no more than they would in Manchester.

 

You forgot the reason they sweat. Fat. They tend towards fatness. Beer and big bellies. Tattoos optional.

A another paradox is they love to talk about how much they know about Thailand but when they see themselves they turn into "grunters" =  and lose all power of speech

On 7/16/2025 at 1:47 PM, kwilco said:

It seems to me that expats in Thailand are pretty bad at looking at themselves....

 

Western expats often arrive in Thailand with a suitcase full of grievances about their home countries. “It’s gone downhill,” they say. “Too woke, too expensive, full of immigrants.”
So they leave — only to recreate the very ignorance, entitlement, and intolerance they supposedly escaped.
They sit in bars criticising Thailand while romanticising the country they couldn’t wait to abandon. Some even voted for Brexit, then act bewildered when their visas expire and nobody rolls out a red carpet.
But their contradictions go deeper than politics.

 

Healthcare Ignorance & Gullibility
Expats routinely rave about “cheap and excellent” Thai healthcare — without the slightest understanding of what actually happened in their treatment. If they feel better, it must have worked. Never mind the overprescription, unnecessary procedures, or the profit-driven nature of many private clinics. Most are utterly unqualified to assess the care they receive, but declare themselves experts regardless.

 

Roads, Rules & Arrogance
They sneer at Thai drivers, mock the roads, and complain about “chaos.” Meanwhile, they ride motorcycles without licences, flout traffic laws they’ve never bothered to learn, and assume they’re superior simply because they’ve held a UK or EU driver’s licence since 1989. Many can’t even parallel park a motorbike, let alone navigate Thai roads responsibly.

 

The Comfort Zone of Prostitution & Beer
For too many, life in Thailand revolves around prostitution, cheap beer, and whining about prices — usually from the plastic chairs of a roadside bar. They're proud consumers of an exploitative industry they wouldn’t dare talk about back home, yet somehow feel morally untouchable. “I can’t be a misogynist — I married one,” they say, confusing companionship with ownership.

 

Language & Cultural Illiteracy
Years (even decades) in the country — yet most can’t read a Thai menu, write their own address, or hold a basic conversation without pointing. They rely on their wives, waitresses, or dodgy Facebook groups for filtered info, yet hold forth as if they understand Thai politics, culture, and society.
They stereotype relentlessly: “Thais are like this, Thais are like that.” But if someone made sweeping comments about their home country based on chats with a single barmaid or taxi driver, they’d throw a tantrum.

 

Democracy? They Don’t Get It
Ask them about Thai democracy, and you’ll hear either conspiracy theories or colonial condescension. Few grasp the basics — like the military’s role under the Thai constitution — yet they’ll complain about Thai elections while cheerfully forgetting they supported Brexit or Trump.

 

Identity Denial & Economic Delusion
They recoil at being called immigrants — because that’s what “those other people” are. No, they're different. They’re investors, retirees, or digital nomads — never immigrants.
They overestimate their value to the Thai economy and vastly underestimate what it costs Thailand to keep them here — from overstretched hospitals to under-policed roads.

 

Diet, Dress & Disgrace
They don’t actually like Thai food — too spicy, too weird — and spend a fortune on imported cheese and sausages. They dress like they’ve been expelled from a campsite: singlets, cargo shorts, sunburned skin, and flip-flops in restaurants.
They sweat like broken fridges but shower no more than they would in Manchester. Basic hygiene? Optional. Self-awareness? Nonexistent.

 

Conclusion: The Ultimate Irony
Expats in Thailand fled change, diversity, and accountability in their own countries — and then became the very stereotype they feared. They are loud, uninformed, entitled, and often deeply disrespectful to the country they now call home.
They left their countries calling them broken.
They sit in Thailand complaining about the locals.
And they remain oblivious to the fact that they are the problem.
 

I was assigned to the US embassy 4 different times; while I also lived in many EUR capitals, Asian Capitals, even a couple of African and my good/bad thoughts about all those years of living away from the US.  Near the top of my list of course  for retirement here - NO cold weather.  I have put up with the floods, even evacuated out of BKK in 2011 to Kanchanaburi for 3 months.  But, I have lived where there are earthquakes of really strong level 8/9, typhoons, cyclones, hurrivanes, droughts, heat, weather conditions of all types yet Thailand remains a smoother changing nation - yeah, seems a lot more rain lately but that may change too who knows.  Food wise, I love Thai dishes of many different types and still seem to be paying a lot less than those same meals in the US Thai restaurants even if the quality remains the same.  I don't drink alcohol, nor have I smoked dope or anything along those lines as I like to think I care for my mind and my body.  I exercise religiously every day for at least 60 minutes with different types of exercise - weights, walking, core exercises.  I eat healthy foods and an no where near being overweight.  My BP remains in the healthy region and I check it regularly.  I have never been bed ridden or hospitalized since I was a baby though at the age of 30, I did have walking pneumonia but antibiotics wipe it away with no lasting effects.  I have run matathons though my body now refuses that distance.  I was an avid SCUBA diver (over 500 divers) while assigned to the Philippines - best sea life dives in the clearest of waters.  I spent a lot of time on the golf courses around the world, even in places like Italy that didn't have many public courses.  Housing here is way much cheaper than in the US, as are vehicle prices though foreign vehicles are taxed way too much.  Yeah driving here is definetly scary at times but one learns to be more careful and alert at all times in order to survive.  The political scene has been changing since I first began to visit Thailand and stays the same - ever changing!  but as an expat, I can't become involved in those deliberations so I don't complain about them.  Health care/insurance - I have a US govt sponsored insurance policy for me and my family and while it is expensive, I have had it or the like since 1970 and will keep it until I pass away as the coverage is complete for me an my family.  I am on my second family as my 1st wife died later in life of Breast cancer - we had a daughter now older and having a great job and 2nd family with a Thai wife versus US wife, we too have a daughter now 21 a student at the number #1 Thai University and this year going as an exchange student to a top Koean University.  Graduated from CM International School reading, writing, speaking, teaching in four different languges, Chinese, Thai, Korean and English.  She was accepted at a US college with scholarships but opted to stay in Thailand and on a liberal arts degree wasn't planning a STEM career anyway and the cost is definetly in my favor here!  I try to avoid complaining about anything here except for current US politics and forum users comments at times though I do understand that it is an open forum and one only has a very few prohibative comments.   I still consider this country to be a paradise, especially considering where I would probably be living in the US if I had retired there.

On 7/16/2025 at 1:47 PM, kwilco said:

They left their countries calling them broken.
They sit in Thailand complaining about the locals.
And they remain oblivious to the fact that they are the problem.
 

I think the majority are OK but there are many ex pats that the above applies.  Your post went off the rails a bit when you revealed your politics and would have been more well received if you stayed on topic.  Many ex-pats here are losers that hoped to find a better place here.  It isn't the destination...

Shirley someone's noticed. The OP's "expats" are all male.

There are female expats here, for whatever reason.

There are educated expats who don't hang out in bars all day.

2 hours ago, Purdey said:

Shirley someone's noticed. The OP's "expats" are all male.

There are female expats here, for whatever reason.

There are educated expats who don't hang out in bars all day.

I'm talking about the paradox not the gender. Citing exceptions in no way negates the argument - I think we all know that expats are not a uniform group - however if you look at the replies on this thread it tells you quite a lot  about gender and education of many of them. Yes almost all the replies are male....and misogynistic.

31 minutes ago, kwilco said:

I'm talking about the paradox not the gender. Citing exceptions in no way negates the argument - I think we all know that expats are not a uniform group - however if you look at the replies on this thread it tells you quite a lot  about gender and education of many of them. Yes almost all the replies are male....and misogynistic.

 

3 hours ago, Purdey said:

Shirley someone's noticed. The OP's "expats" are all male.

There are female expats here, for whatever reason.

There are educated expats who don't hang out in bars all day.

PS - mostly you are ASSUMING these paradoxes apply  to men

3 hours ago, Presnock said:

I was assigned to the US embassy 4 different times; while I also lived in many EUR capitals, Asian Capitals, even a couple of African and my good/bad thoughts about all those years of living away from the US.  Near the top of my list of course  for retirement here - NO cold weather.  I have put up with the floods, even evacuated out of BKK in 2011 to Kanchanaburi for 3 months.  But, I have lived where there are earthquakes of really strong level 8/9, typhoons, cyclones, hurrivanes, droughts, heat, weather conditions of all types yet Thailand remains a smoother changing nation - yeah, seems a lot more rain lately but that may change too who knows.  Food wise, I love Thai dishes of many different types and still seem to be paying a lot less than those same meals in the US Thai restaurants even if the quality remains the same.  I don't drink alcohol, nor have I smoked dope or anything along those lines as I like to think I care for my mind and my body.  I exercise religiously every day for at least 60 minutes with different types of exercise - weights, walking, core exercises.  I eat healthy foods and an no where near being overweight.  My BP remains in the healthy region and I check it regularly.  I have never been bed ridden or hospitalized since I was a baby though at the age of 30, I did have walking pneumonia but antibiotics wipe it away with no lasting effects.  I have run matathons though my body now refuses that distance.  I was an avid SCUBA diver (over 500 divers) while assigned to the Philippines - best sea life dives in the clearest of waters.  I spent a lot of time on the golf courses around the world, even in places like Italy that didn't have many public courses.  Housing here is way much cheaper than in the US, as are vehicle prices though foreign vehicles are taxed way too much.  Yeah driving here is definetly scary at times but one learns to be more careful and alert at all times in order to survive.  The political scene has been changing since I first began to visit Thailand and stays the same - ever changing!  but as an expat, I can't become involved in those deliberations so I don't complain about them.  Health care/insurance - I have a US govt sponsored insurance policy for me and my family and while it is expensive, I have had it or the like since 1970 and will keep it until I pass away as the coverage is complete for me an my family.  I am on my second family as my 1st wife died later in life of Breast cancer - we had a daughter now older and having a great job and 2nd family with a Thai wife versus US wife, we too have a daughter now 21 a student at the number #1 Thai University and this year going as an exchange student to a top Koean University.  Graduated from CM International School reading, writing, speaking, teaching in four different languges, Chinese, Thai, Korean and English.  She was accepted at a US college with scholarships but opted to stay in Thailand and on a liberal arts degree wasn't planning a STEM career anyway and the cost is definetly in my favor here!  I try to avoid complaining about anything here except for current US politics and forum users comments at times though I do understand that it is an open forum and one only has a very few prohibative comments.   I still consider this country to be a paradise, especially considering where I would probably be living in the US if I had retired there.

 

With respect, saying that this isn’t relevant to me is actually part of the paradox.

The original post wasn’t claiming every expat fits the stereotype — it was highlighting a pattern that exists within the larger population. And ironically, one of the key behaviours it describes is this exact reaction: distancing oneself from criticism while insisting the issue doesn’t apply — even as it unfolds in real time.

There are tens of thousands of expats in Thailand, yes.
But pretending that hypocrisy, entitlement, or superiority complexes don’t exist just because you personally don’t see yourself that way… is exactly why the term paradox fits so well.

On 7/16/2025 at 1:47 PM, kwilco said:

It seems to me that expats in Thailand are pretty bad at looking at t

 

Once again we see the bubble mentality at work, with expatriates in this fellow's mind seemingly restricted to tourists, sex tourists and non active former sex tourists (ok maybe a few beachcomber/adventurer types as well). There are also quite a few pretend businessmen around but they really belong to the mentioned categories What doesn't seem to occur to this fellow and those that made mostly tedious comments on his post is that very many expatriates came to Thailand to do a serious job of work.They are well paid usually, concentrated on Bangkok and the ESB - and have mostly go nowhere near AN.

4 minutes ago, jayboy said:

Once again we see the bubble mentality at work, with expatriates in this fellow's mind seemingly restricted to tourists, sex tourists and non active former sex tourists (ok maybe a few beachcomber/adventurer types as well). There are also quite a few pretend businessmen around but they really belong to the mentioned categories What doesn't seem to occur to this fellow and those that made mostly tedious comments on his post is that very many expatriates came to Thailand to do a serious job of work.They are well paid usually, concentrated on Bangkok and the ESB - and have mostly go nowhere near AN.

so you're just introducing a few sub-catagories to the paradox? Are you including or excluding yourself?

On 7/16/2025 at 11:58 AM, BritManToo said:

I can read and write Thai.

Golden future is ahead of you. Western Embassies are handwringingly looking for Farangs that can "court proof" translate English to Thai or vice versa. Name your price.

But then, you don't care much about such things. Judging by your posts. More power to you. Am I right or am I right?
 

 

On 7/16/2025 at 2:28 PM, BritManToo said:

I fled the cold and the sideways rain.

Once climate change has finished making the UK a tropical paradise, I'll go back.

 

As for diversity, with a non-white wife and mixed race kids, not sure how I could get much more diverse, maybe you could help me with a few suggestions?

 

 

You must plan on living another 500 or more years.

 

 

53 minutes ago, In Full Agreement said:

 

 

You must plan on living another 500 or more years.

 

 

I thought there was only 10 years left?

On 7/16/2025 at 1:47 PM, kwilco said:

It seems to me that expats in Thailand are pretty bad at looking at themselves....

 

Western expats often arrive in Thailand with a suitcase full of grievances about their home countries. “It’s gone downhill,” they say. “Too woke, too expensive, full of immigrants.”
So they leave — only to recreate the very ignorance, entitlement, and intolerance they supposedly escaped.
They sit in bars criticising Thailand while romanticising the country they couldn’t wait to abandon. Some even voted for Brexit, then act bewildered when their visas expire and nobody rolls out a red carpet.
But their contradictions go deeper than politics.

 

Healthcare Ignorance & Gullibility
Expats routinely rave about “cheap and excellent” Thai healthcare — without the slightest understanding of what actually happened in their treatment. If they feel better, it must have worked. Never mind the overprescription, unnecessary procedures, or the profit-driven nature of many private clinics. Most are utterly unqualified to assess the care they receive, but declare themselves experts regardless.

 

Roads, Rules & Arrogance
They sneer at Thai drivers, mock the roads, and complain about “chaos.” Meanwhile, they ride motorcycles without licences, flout traffic laws they’ve never bothered to learn, and assume they’re superior simply because they’ve held a UK or EU driver’s licence since 1989. Many can’t even parallel park a motorbike, let alone navigate Thai roads responsibly.

 

The Comfort Zone of Prostitution & Beer
For too many, life in Thailand revolves around prostitution, cheap beer, and whining about prices — usually from the plastic chairs of a roadside bar. They're proud consumers of an exploitative industry they wouldn’t dare talk about back home, yet somehow feel morally untouchable. “I can’t be a misogynist — I married one,” they say, confusing companionship with ownership.

 

Language & Cultural Illiteracy
Years (even decades) in the country — yet most can’t read a Thai menu, write their own address, or hold a basic conversation without pointing. They rely on their wives, waitresses, or dodgy Facebook groups for filtered info, yet hold forth as if they understand Thai politics, culture, and society.
They stereotype relentlessly: “Thais are like this, Thais are like that.” But if someone made sweeping comments about their home country based on chats with a single barmaid or taxi driver, they’d throw a tantrum.

 

Democracy? They Don’t Get It
Ask them about Thai democracy, and you’ll hear either conspiracy theories or colonial condescension. Few grasp the basics — like the military’s role under the Thai constitution — yet they’ll complain about Thai elections while cheerfully forgetting they supported Brexit or Trump.

 

Identity Denial & Economic Delusion
They recoil at being called immigrants — because that’s what “those other people” are. No, they're different. They’re investors, retirees, or digital nomads — never immigrants.
They overestimate their value to the Thai economy and vastly underestimate what it costs Thailand to keep them here — from overstretched hospitals to under-policed roads.

 

Diet, Dress & Disgrace
They don’t actually like Thai food — too spicy, too weird — and spend a fortune on imported cheese and sausages. They dress like they’ve been expelled from a campsite: singlets, cargo shorts, sunburned skin, and flip-flops in restaurants.
They sweat like broken fridges but shower no more than they would in Manchester. Basic hygiene? Optional. Self-awareness? Nonexistent.

 

Conclusion: The Ultimate Irony
Expats in Thailand fled change, diversity, and accountability in their own countries — and then became the very stereotype they feared. They are loud, uninformed, entitled, and often deeply disrespectful to the country they now call home.
They left their countries calling them broken.
They sit in Thailand complaining about the locals.
And they remain oblivious to the fact that they are the problem.
 

Your extravagant and wildly inaccurate , long-winded appraisal of western men is actually, quite offensive.

In all my 20 years of living in this wonderful country, where I, personally, am very happy, bears no reflection to the many acquaintances or friends, - 'newbies' that I have met in all that time

 

You appear to have no idea how foreigners think, act, plan, consider the pitfalls, or enjoy the wondrous things about Thailand that many of us have experienced, cherish and consider ourselves lucky to have found in this paradise country, albeit, with its own set of problems, cultural or otherwise.  Your post appears to be AI generated and ingenuously, feeble and totally untrue. 

 

You also don't appear to know much about your fellow travellers, adventurers and enthusiastic, 'go get 'em  personages who help make this country one of the most envied destinations around  the whole world.

 

Try to have a 'nice' day!

 

Maybe you should just stick to the bars and bar girls, eh?

14 minutes ago, Bundooman said:

Your extravagant and wildly inaccurate , long-winded appraisal of western men is actually, quite offensive.

In all my 20 years of living in this wonderful country, where I, personally, am very happy, bears no reflection to the many acquaintances or friends, - 'newbies' that I have met in all that time

 

You appear to have no idea how foreigners think, act, plan, consider the pitfalls, or enjoy the wondrous things about Thailand that many of us have experienced, cherish and consider ourselves lucky to have found in this paradise country, albeit, with its own set of problems, cultural or otherwise.  Your post appears to be AI generated and ingenuously, feeble and totally untrue. 

 

You also don't appear to know much about your fellow travellers, adventurers and enthusiastic, 'go get 'em  personages who help make this country one of the most envied destinations around  the whole world.

 

Try to have a 'nice' day!

 

Maybe you should just stick to the bars and bar girls, eh?

looks like I"ve touched a nerve and you are performing as expected.

21 minutes ago, Bundooman said:

Your extravagant and wildly inaccurate , long-winded appraisal of western men is actually, quite offensive.

In all my 20 years of living in this wonderful country, where I, personally, am very happy, bears no reflection to the many acquaintances or friends, - 'newbies' that I have met in all that time

 

You appear to have no idea how foreigners think, act, plan, consider the pitfalls, or enjoy the wondrous things about Thailand that many of us have experienced, cherish and consider ourselves lucky to have found in this paradise country, albeit, with its own set of problems, cultural or otherwise.  Your post appears to be AI generated and ingenuously, feeble and totally untrue. 

 

You also don't appear to know much about your fellow travellers, adventurers and enthusiastic, 'go get 'em  personages who help make this country one of the most envied destinations around  the whole world.

 

Try to have a 'nice' day!

 

Maybe you should just stick to the bars and bar girls, eh?

 

 

Nothing wrong with bars and bar girls - if that is what takes your fancy.

 

I know several happy people who's life mostly revolves around the two.

1 hour ago, Bundooman said:

Your extravagant and wildly inaccurate , long-winded appraisal of western men is actually, quite offensive.

In all my 20 years of living in this wonderful country, where I, personally, am very happy, bears no reflection to the many acquaintances or friends, - 'newbies' that I have met in all that time

 

You appear to have no idea how foreigners think, act, plan, consider the pitfalls, or enjoy the wondrous things about Thailand that many of us have experienced, cherish and consider ourselves lucky to have found in this paradise country, albeit, with its own set of problems, cultural or otherwise.  Your post appears to be AI generated and ingenuously, feeble and totally untrue. 

 

You also don't appear to know much about your fellow travellers, adventurers and enthusiastic, 'go get 'em  personages who help make this country one of the most envied destinations around  the whole world.

 

Try to have a 'nice' day!

 

Maybe you should just stick to the bars and bar girls, eh?

A while ago the OP stated on the subject of Thai driving that it goes back to when then travelled the canals on boats, what a load of sh!te😆 a member put him right in his place for that nonsense👌

I agree with pretty much all your points here. In general, most expats that I've met during my extensive time in Thailand embody the worst aspects of Western imperialism--they tend to be racist and complain non-stop about immigration and how the muslims or Mexicans or Turks are ruining their countries; they look down on Thais as stupid and lazy and speak as if they're experts on Thai life and culture without speaking any Thai and without doing any research beyond beer-bars and go-gos; have no problem manipulating Thai immigration laws or bypassing visa requirements to suit their own personal interests; and show little respect for or awareness of the basic social values that define Thai culture (such as เเกรงใจ, ความกตัญญู, ความไม่เห็นแก่ตัว, ทำบุญ, etc.,). But, it's not surprising to me why you're getting such vehement disagreement here and why people are becoming hostile towards you--and I seriously doubt it's because they're racist or because they can't see their own biases. Your rhetoric incites this reaction, and shows that you're really not interested in having  an important and thoughtful discussion on all the topics you raise--but that you're really interested in attacking, demeaning, and inciting a brawl. It's not clear why you're so hostile in this piece and why you're swinging in all directions--because you never say what's motivating this polemic, or why you're so fired up about the loser expats in Thailand, or what the purpose of all this is about. So, yea, even though you're only speaking generally and don't accuse all Western expats of committing these paradoxical blunders, no one here gets this because of the way you frame your argument-- with an arrogant, elitist tone, and with no respect for the people on this forum who took the time to read what your wrote. I'm pretty sure you would've received vastly different responses if your argument was framed with a little more respect for your readers. 

1 hour ago, Septic99 said:

I agree with pretty much all your points here. In general, most expats that I've met during my extensive time in Thailand embody the worst aspects of Western imperialism--they tend to be racist and complain non-stop about immigration and how the muslims or Mexicans or Turks are ruining their countries; they look down on Thais as stupid and lazy and speak as if they're experts on Thai life and culture without speaking any Thai and without doing any research beyond beer-bars and go-gos; have no problem manipulating Thai immigration laws or bypassing visa requirements to suit their own personal interests; and show little respect for or awareness of the basic social values that define Thai culture (such as เเกรงใจ, ความกตัญญู, ความไม่เห็นแก่ตัว, ทำบุญ, etc.,). But, it's not surprising to me why you're getting such vehement disagreement here and why people are becoming hostile towards you--and I seriously doubt it's because they're racist or because they can't see their own biases. Your rhetoric incites this reaction, and shows that you're really not interested in having  an important and thoughtful discussion on all the topics you raise--but that you're really interested in attacking, demeaning, and inciting a brawl. It's not clear why you're so hostile in this piece and why you're swinging in all directions--because you never say what's motivating this polemic, or why you're so fired up about the loser expats in Thailand, or what the purpose of all this is about. So, yea, even though you're only speaking generally and don't accuse all Western expats of committing these paradoxical blunders, no one here gets this because of the way you frame your argument-- with an arrogant, elitist tone, and with no respect for the people on this forum who took the time to read what your wrote. I'm pretty sure you would've received vastly different responses if your argument was framed with a little more respect for your readers. 

I think it's becuase people don't understand what a paradox is and  reduce the piece to either agreeing or disagreeing which is not the aim of a paradox. It is to take another look or engage in reviewing or summing up the situation - nobody seems to do this, they are too keen to say "THat's not me" - which shows a complete misunderstanding of the OP whilst still demonstrating the paradox.

6 hours ago, roo860 said:

A while ago the OP stated on the subject of Thai driving that it goes back to when then travelled the canals on boats, what a load of sh!te😆 a member put him right in his place for that nonsense👌

I think you underline the road safety  and the lack of cultural knowledge paradoxes here. 

PS - what is a "load of <deleted>e member"? - I've neever seen a reply rthough, perhpas you'd like to show a reference address?

4 hours ago, kwilco said:

I think you underline the road safety  and the lack of cultural knowledge paradoxes here. 

PS - what is a "load of <deleted>e member"? - I've neever seen a reply rthough, perhpas you'd like to show a reference address?

The forum member who replied to your ridiculous statement about Thai drivers was Richard-Smith, was quite a while ago, from your reply to me it seems like you've drunk too many 'paradoxes' yesterday, try reading your replies before posting them, I do understand that obviously English isn't your first language.

On 7/16/2025 at 1:47 PM, kwilco said:

It seems to me that expats in Thailand are pretty bad at looking at themselves....

 

Western expats often arrive in Thailand with a suitcase full of grievances about their home countries. “It’s gone downhill,” they say. “Too woke, too expensive, full of immigrants.”
So they leave — only to recreate the very ignorance, entitlement, and intolerance they supposedly escaped.
They sit in bars criticising Thailand while romanticising the country they couldn’t wait to abandon. Some even voted for Brexit, then act bewildered when their visas expire and nobody rolls out a red carpet.
But their contradictions go deeper than politics.

 

Healthcare Ignorance & Gullibility
Expats routinely rave about “cheap and excellent” Thai healthcare — without the slightest understanding of what actually happened in their treatment. If they feel better, it must have worked. Never mind the overprescription, unnecessary procedures, or the profit-driven nature of many private clinics. Most are utterly unqualified to assess the care they receive, but declare themselves experts regardless.

 

Roads, Rules & Arrogance
They sneer at Thai drivers, mock the roads, and complain about “chaos.” Meanwhile, they ride motorcycles without licences, flout traffic laws they’ve never bothered to learn, and assume they’re superior simply because they’ve held a UK or EU driver’s licence since 1989. Many can’t even parallel park a motorbike, let alone navigate Thai roads responsibly.

 

The Comfort Zone of Prostitution & Beer
For too many, life in Thailand revolves around prostitution, cheap beer, and whining about prices — usually from the plastic chairs of a roadside bar. They're proud consumers of an exploitative industry they wouldn’t dare talk about back home, yet somehow feel morally untouchable. “I can’t be a misogynist — I married one,” they say, confusing companionship with ownership.

 

Language & Cultural Illiteracy
Years (even decades) in the country — yet most can’t read a Thai menu, write their own address, or hold a basic conversation without pointing. They rely on their wives, waitresses, or dodgy Facebook groups for filtered info, yet hold forth as if they understand Thai politics, culture, and society.
They stereotype relentlessly: “Thais are like this, Thais are like that.” But if someone made sweeping comments about their home country based on chats with a single barmaid or taxi driver, they’d throw a tantrum.

 

Democracy? They Don’t Get It
Ask them about Thai democracy, and you’ll hear either conspiracy theories or colonial condescension. Few grasp the basics — like the military’s role under the Thai constitution — yet they’ll complain about Thai elections while cheerfully forgetting they supported Brexit or Trump.

 

Identity Denial & Economic Delusion
They recoil at being called immigrants — because that’s what “those other people” are. No, they're different. They’re investors, retirees, or digital nomads — never immigrants.
They overestimate their value to the Thai economy and vastly underestimate what it costs Thailand to keep them here — from overstretched hospitals to under-policed roads.

 

Diet, Dress & Disgrace
They don’t actually like Thai food — too spicy, too weird — and spend a fortune on imported cheese and sausages. They dress like they’ve been expelled from a campsite: singlets, cargo shorts, sunburned skin, and flip-flops in restaurants.
They sweat like broken fridges but shower no more than they would in Manchester. Basic hygiene? Optional. Self-awareness? Nonexistent.

 

Conclusion: The Ultimate Irony
Expats in Thailand fled change, diversity, and accountability in their own countries — and then became the very stereotype they feared. They are loud, uninformed, entitled, and often deeply disrespectful to the country they now call home.
They left their countries calling them broken.
They sit in Thailand complaining about the locals.
And they remain oblivious to the fact that they are the problem.
 

Thank God not all Expats are these kind of people. I’ve been here 13 years from the US with my Thai wife who I met in California we been married 42 years and still adore each other. I have never been in a bar in Thailand, I have a 5 year drivers license and I mostly follow the laws, I try my best to fit in, my Thai is about 50% but I can get around on my own, I respect the Thai Traditions, we don’t do the temples but we volunteer and make a lot of donations to help the poor and the children of Thailand, we always tip when we eat out or travel. I do my best not to get upset about over everyday problems, I have learned to just let it go. Am always polite.  There is so many different kinds of food available in Thailand you could never complain of not having a certain kind of food.  Lay low with the politics. Respect the police and Military, they are there to help not cause harm. These people you are talking about don’t live in my neighborhood.

On 7/16/2025 at 4:51 PM, novacova said:

My wife is a total and complete racist, she can’t stand Chinese, she loathes them along with Cambodians, Burmese and others. Personally can’t care less because it’s none of my business.

She is living in the wrong country then. Most Thais are Thai Chinese even if they say they’re not. And the Cambodians, Burmese are working in Thailand in the hotels, restaurants, malls, stores, everywhere. If you can’t bear to be around them, you should leave.

10 hours ago, roo860 said:

The forum member who replied to your ridiculous statement about Thai drivers was Richard-Smith, was quite a while ago, from your reply to me it seems like you've drunk too many 'paradoxes' yesterday, try reading your replies before posting them, I do understand that obviously English isn't your first language.

Richard Smith males some profoundly ill-informed posts - if you have a queery about boat culture and road safety find the thread or make a new one and I will expalin it to you - it is one of the reasons that foreigners have so much difficulty in driving in Thailand - it is also an example of the expat paradox concerning road safey - they think they are "superb" drivers, yet don't know how to drive in Thailand.

1 hour ago, pchansmorn said:

She is living in the wrong country then. Most Thais are Thai Chinese even if they say they’re not. And the Cambodians, Burmese are working in Thailand in the hotels, restaurants, malls, stores, everywhere.

What an ignorant statement. My wife was born here and is not a Chinese national. She employs Burmese, doesn’t mean she likes them. She is a complete and utter raciest  as with most Thais we know. She doesn’t like Chinese, Burmese, Cambodians, Hindis, most nationalities east of here, Muslims including Thai Muslims and most of all stupid people especially those that make stupid statements . She’s ok with Koreans and Japanese and some westerners depending on their behavior. You better wake up, your Thai wife, spouse or whatever Thai is most likely raciest, get used to it or move on.

1 hour ago, pchansmorn said:

If you can’t bear to be around them, you should leave.

Me? Obviously you’re having English language reading comprehension difficulties. 

On 7/16/2025 at 10:54 AM, blaze master said:

How do you know if that poster cannot speak thai

same way I know you can't

On 7/16/2025 at 1:47 PM, kwilco said:

Western expats often arrive in Thailand with a suitcase full of grievances about their home countries. “It’s gone downhill,” they say. “Too woke, too expensive, full of immigrants.”

 

Definitely too PC (25 yrs ago), being woke is fine, but way OTT with pronouns & DEI, and thankfully getting reversed now.  Still best country (USA) for 'Freedom of Speech / Expression"

 

Overtaxed, but again, better than most countries, UK, EU, AU, but don't get all the free sh!t, which might be a good thing.

 

Yes, immigration, or so I read, is a major problem now in the USA.

 

On 7/16/2025 at 1:47 PM, kwilco said:

Healthcare Ignorance & Gullibility

 

... excellent in USA, though need insurance

Affordable & accessible in TH, though possibly not the best for hi tech stuff.

 

Roads, Rules & Arrogance

 

... Love the lack of over enforcement of rules.  Common sense rules without over watch.  Though a few too many don't have any.  Oh well, sucks for them.  Just don't commit suicide on my car.

 

The Comfort Zone of Prostitution & Beer

 

Fine if that's your life style, though it should be a more discreet market area.  Profits seem to win over common sense.  Easy to avoid, though feel sorry for the locals who have to put up with it.

 

Prostitutions should be legal, and if you want to be an Alky, that's your choice, just stop driving vehicles and harming people.

 

On 7/16/2025 at 1:47 PM, kwilco said:

Language & Cultural Illiteracy

 

... Personal choice if wanting to learn, what level, if you think you need or want to be fluent.  For citizenship, is should be required in every country.

 

On 7/16/2025 at 1:47 PM, kwilco said:

Democracy? They Don’t Get It

 

... democracy doesn't exist anywhere in the world, It's an illussion.

 

Identity Denial & Economic Delusion

They recoil at being called immigrants — because that’s what “those other people” are. No, they're different. They’re investors, retirees, or digital nomads — never immigrants.
They overestimate their value to the Thai economy and vastly underestimate what it costs Thailand to keep them here — from overstretched hospitals to under-policed roads.

 

Have a non immigrant visa ... nuff said.  My existence worldwide is meaningless and irrelevant to anyone, unless I've done something useful for or with them.  I'm a retiree, husband, father & investor now, anything thing else is in the past, thankfully.

 

On 7/16/2025 at 1:47 PM, kwilco said:

Diet, Dress & Disgrace

 

... another personal choice thing, but worldwide, people have no respect for themselves or others.

 

Conclusion: The Ultimate Irony 
Expats in Thailand fled change, diversity, and accountability in their own countries — and then became the very stereotype they feared. They are loud, uninformed, entitled, and often deeply disrespectful to the country they now call home.

 

Why I avoid most expats, and avoided the same type in my home country.  Seems my generation as parents wanting to be friends with the kids, and failed miserably as parents.  Oh well.

10 hours ago, kwilco said:

same way I know you can't

 

Seems you like being wrong just as much as you like being angry.

 

Stop making yourself look so foolish ok. 

1 hour ago, blaze master said:

 

Seems you like being wrong just as much as you like being angry.

 

Stop making yourself look so foolish ok. 

so you have nothing to contribute to the discussion? sounds as if it's all beyond your ken... hance the pardox of expats to realise they aren't as clever as their Thai neighbours.

On 7/16/2025 at 4:51 PM, novacova said:

My wife is a total and complete racist, she can’t stand Chinese, she loathes them along with Cambodians, Burmese and others. Personally can’t care less because it’s none of my business.

 

She's a nationalist, not racist. When she gets around to loathing or hating you, then and only then can we revisit the argument.