Dear Folks,

Some people here are old enough to recall The Far Eastern Economic Review, but most are not.  And, I mean the time when FEER was owned by the Jewish immigrant from Vienna, and before it was dumbed down. Eric Halpem, where are you now when we need you….??????

Have you ever wondered who, among posters on TV,  are the REAL…Old-Timers…???

I am not an Old Timer.

But, are you?

I have about 55 years in Asia, with about only 6 years outside Asia, during this time. Therefore, I have about 49 continuous years in Asia.

What about YOU?

Are you the longest-lived relic of former years in Asia?

I know of one guy here on TV who is almost 104-years old. He is my hero.  I hope I can become the oldest Old-Timer on TV…one day.

BUT:  As of this moment, who is the Number One Old Timer on TV?

Most likely, I am not even in the running for such a competition as this.

Who is the guy, here on TV, with staying power, unlike nobody else?

The older I get, the more years I rack up.

Also, the longer I stay on TV, the more Topics I will be able to post.

So, from this perspective: Who is the fairest of us all?

Any Farang here have more than 50 years in Asia?

Speak Up, Please….!!!

50 years ago, here in Asia, there were FAR FEWER tourists.

Life was better for us then.

Best regards,

Gamma

NOTE: Sorry, because I neglected to add a few "pointers" concerning how you might be able to adapt to life here in Asia, as we Old-Timers have easily adapted....

the following list provides twenty essential protocols for sociocultural, legal, and psychological adaptation to East and Southeast Asia, with particular emphasis on the Kingdom of Thailand. These tips are grounded in sociolinguistic and anthropological observations relevant to Western males over the age of 25.

Sociocultural and Interpersonal Protocols

1. Prioritize High-Context Communication: Western communication is typically low-context (direct and explicit). In Taiwan, Japan, China, and Thailand, communication is high-context; meaning is derived from the environment, social status, and non-verbal cues. Subtlety is mandatory.

2. Preserve "Face" (Mianzi/Kiai): The preservation of social dignity, or "face," is a core tenet of social stability. Avoid public criticism, direct confrontation, or anger, as these actions result in a mutual loss of face and permanent damage to social or professional standing.

3. Recognize Vertical Social Hierarchies: Societal structures are hierarchical based on age, professional title, and social status. Use appropriate honorifics (e.g., Khun in Thailand, San in Japan) and acknowledge seniority through subtle physical gestures or seating arrangements.

4. Execute Correct Greeting Rituals: Master the Wai in Thailand (palms pressed at chest level) and bowing in Japan or Taiwan. The depth and duration of the gesture should correspond to the seniority of the recipient.

5. Observe Physical Etiquette Regarding Extremities: In Thailand and SE Asia, the head is sacred (the highest point), and the feet are considered spiritually and physically unclean (the lowest point). Never touch another person’s head and never point your feet at people or religious icons.

6. Adopt Non-Confrontational Conflict Resolution: Employ "secondary control" strategies. Rather than attempting to change a stressful situation directly (primary control), adapt your internal response and seek indirect resolution through intermediaries or subtle suggestions.

7. Implement Footwear and Threshold Protocols: Remove shoes before entering residences and certain places of business or worship. In Thailand, specifically avoid stepping on the wooden threshold of a doorway, as it is traditionally believed to house a guardian spirit.

8. Utilize Ambidextrous or Dual-Handed Exchanges: When offering or receiving business cards, currency, or gifts, use both hands (or the right hand supported by the left). This signifies respect and full attention to the transaction.

9. Navigate Gift-Giving Nuances: Research country-specific taboos. In China and Taiwan, avoid giving clocks (associated with death) or sharp objects (symbolizing the severing of a relationship). Always accept a gift with both hands and refrain from opening it in the presence of the giver.

Administrative and Legal Compliance

10. Maintain Rigorous Visa and Residency Documentation: Ensure absolute compliance with local immigration laws. In Thailand, this includes the 90-day reporting requirement and understanding the specific constraints of the Long-Term Resident (LTR) visa or other stay-extension categories.

11. Adhere to Defamation and Lèse-Majesté Laws: Thailand maintains strict lèse-majesté laws (Section 112) regarding the Monarchy. In China and Vietnam, political criticism is similarly regulated. Exercise extreme discretion in all public and digital discourse regarding government or royalty.

12. Diversify Financial Jurisdictions: Decouple primary wealth from your host country. Maintain global investment accounts in robust hubs (e.g., Singapore, Hong Kong) while utilizing local accounts for domestic liquidity and daily operational expenses.

13. Master the Digital "Super-App" Ecosystem: Integration requires proficiency in localized platforms: Line (Thailand/Taiwan), WeChat/Alipay (China), and Grab (SE Asia). These are essential for payments, logistics, and social professionalization.

Environmental and Lifestyle Management

14. Prioritize Language Acquisition: Even basic proficiency in tonal (Thai, Mandarin) or pitch-accent (Japanese) languages significantly increases social capital and facilitates administrative navigation.

15. Utilize Tier-1 Private Healthcare: For serious medical concerns, utilize international-standard private hospitals (e.g., Bumrungrad or Samitivej in Thailand). These facilities offer Western-standard care and staff proficient in English.

16. Manage Environmental Stressors: Account for high humidity, heat, and seasonal air quality fluctuations (e.g., the "burning season" in Northern Thailand). Utilize high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtration and schedule outdoor activities for early morning or evening.

17. Observe Food Hygiene and Dietary Transitions: Transition gradually to local cuisines to allow gut flora adaptation. Prioritize high-turnover street food vendors and verify water sources; bottled or filtered water is a requirement for consumption.

18. Practice Collectivist Public Decorum: East and Southeast Asian urban environments favor group harmony. Avoid loud telephonic conversations in public, maintain orderly queuing, and minimize personal space intrusions in crowded settings.

19. Navigate Transportation Variance: Understand the risks of motorbike usage in SE Asia, which has high fatality rates. Utilize rail systems (BTS/MRT in Bangkok, HSR in Taiwan/Japan) or reputable ride-sharing services to mitigate transit-related liabilities.

20. Mitigate Culture Shock via the Adjustment Cycle: Recognize the four stages of adaptation: Honeymoon, Rejection, Adjustment, and Acceptance. Maintain psychological resilience by establishing a routine and avoiding the "expat bubble" while keeping ties to your cultural origin.

Edited May 2May 2 by GammaGlobulin

By the way: I am STILL in the HONEYMOON stage of my life here in Asia.......

Hope that you guys are, too.

Just now, GammaGlobulin said:

I am not an Old Timer.

If you still call it TV, you ARE an old timer.

But by posting such AI nonsense, I guess you could be a New Timer.

Edited May 2May 2 by wil iam not

Just now, GammaGlobulin said:

The older I get, the more years I rack up.

Wow, who would have believed that!

We live in Asia?

Just now, GammaGlobulin said:

By the way: I am STILL in the HONEYMOON stage of my life here in Asia.......

Hope that you guys are, too.

Japanese women who live to 110.

I "discovered" the FEER (and Asiaweek) in 1973, and subscribed to both until their demise.

The FEER was an outstanding publication; issues of which were regularly banned in some Asian countries.

Just now, GammaGlobulin said:

50 years ago, here in Asia, there were FAR FEWER tourists.

I wasnt even a swimmer 50 years ago. Coming up on it this year.

41 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

the longer I stay on TV, the more Topics I will be able to post.

Sad and scary thought. Needless to say, at the peril of all others.

39 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

We live in Asia?

Well, I am not sure about you.

Just now, blaze master said:

I wasnt even a swimmer 50 years ago. Coming up on it this year.

Great book (short story) by Cheever, by the way.

Edited May 2May 2 by GammaGlobulin

Just now, GammaGlobulin said:

Well, I am not sure about you.

I was implying that with globalization and the internet we can create our own bubbles anywhere.

Last night I dined on Swedish meatballs while listening to Mexican music.

Just now, Jingthing said:

I was implying that with globalization and the internet we can create our own bubbles anywhere.

Last night I dined on Swedish meatballs while listening to Mexican music.

That is good, and better than my fare.

I dined on tuna.

Just now, GammaGlobulin said:

That is good, and better than my fare.

I dined on tuna.

Enjoy each miserable day.

Just had Japanese. Food, not people.

Just now, Jingthing said:

Enjoy each miserable day.

Just had Japanese. Food, not people.

The more we suffer on this Earth, the greater the reward in Heaven which awaits us.

Just now, GammaGlobulin said:

The more we suffer on this Earth, the greater the reward in Heaven which awaits us.

Good satire.

9 hours ago, Jingthing said:

I was implying that with globalization and the internet we can create our own bubbles anywhere.

Last night I dined on Swedish meatballs while listening to Mexican music.

Sounds like a hot night in Boyztown.

Gam, did this list come outta you??? "Telephonic"?!? There is definitely a learning curve to be polite enough to be accepted in Thailand and an even bigger curve learning to read and text Thai.

Only 35 years for me. We live a simple life, mostly cook at home. Nightlife is downloads.

Definitely still HONEYMOON at 76!

Just now, unblocktheplanet said:

Gam, did this list come outta you??? "Telephonic"?!? There is definitely a learning curve to be polite enough to be accepted in Thailand and an even bigger curve learning to read and text Thai.

Only 35 years for me. We live a simple life, mostly cook at home. Nightlife is downloads.

Definitely still HONEYMOON at 76!

Whatever you do, always avoid the Expat Bubble.

Continue with Thai reading practice, no matter how long you are here.

They say three things happen to you when you get old. First, you lose your memory.

Uh, I forgot the other two. Let me get back to you.

There are always people who know more and have been here longer, but I realised I had reached the dinosaur stage years ago.

In a bar in Soi Yamato (13/1 to many) I overheard a gent say to his friend "there's a Post Office in 13/2". An ice cold hand gripped my heart......am I that much out of it.? They will always be soi Yamato and Soi Post to me, having been around for many years before those street numbers went up, when Bukhao was largely a collection of shacks.

On 5/2/2026 at 11:42 AM, GammaGlobulin said:

I am not an Old Timer.

Check your passport birth date.

On 5/2/2026 at 11:42 AM, GammaGlobulin said:

Have you ever wondered who, among posters on TV,  are the REAL…Old-Timers…???

Well. Old-Timers may be a bit subjective - a couple of decades probably qualifiers as well-heeled tho ....

That being said, pre-internet is a different category. The days of news stands that carried the Bangkok Post, featuring the columnist dubbed the "Night Owl" (Bernard Trink). He wrote about Thailands Nightlife and always respectfully ended his columns with the tagline "I don't give a Hoot" - of course this would be too unPC these days.

There were also the Thai Tabloids, the one I remember most was 191, full of explicit photos and Crime Reporting ... different era, definitively "Old-Timers".

Edited May 5May 5 by expat_4_life

On 5/3/2026 at 8:07 PM, lou norman said:

They say three things happen to you when you get old. First, you lose your memory.

Uh, I forgot the other two. Let me get back to you.

Its that difficult moment when stood at the bottom of the stairs. Have I just come down, or was I intent on going up?

On 5/2/2026 at 2:32 PM, JimHuaHin said:

I "discovered" the FEER (and Asiaweek) in 1973, and subscribed to both until their demise.

The FEER was an outstanding publication; issues of which were regularly banned in some Asian countries.

Well said.

First arrived in Thailand as a 21 year old in 1962. Worked here in the 1980s following numerous business and holiday visits. Retired here in 1993 together with my Thai wife to whom I am still very happily married. I am now 85, she is 72. Not sure if this makes me an old timer but it sure feels like it !

Just now, expat_4_life said:

Well. Old-Timers may be a bit subjective - a couple of decades probably qualifiers as well-heeled tho ....

That being said, pre-internet is a different category. The days of news stands that carried the Bangkok Post, featuring the columnist dubbed the "Night Owl" (Bernard Trink). He wrote about Thailands Nightlife and always respectfully ended his columns with the tagline "I don't give a Hoot" - of course this would be too unPC these days.

There were also the Thai Tabloids, the one I remember most was 191, full of explicit photos and Crime Reporting ... different era, definitively "Old-Timers".

Thank you for "The Rest of the Story".

On 5/2/2026 at 12:10 PM, GammaGlobulin said:

By the way: I am STILL in the HONEYMOON stage of my life here in Asia.......

Hope that you guys are, too.

CONGRATULATIONS BOB

Yes, I remember the FEER quite well. I still refer to this site as Thaivisa even though I know the name was changed a few years ago. Having said that, I'm definitely not in the running for one of the oldest on this site. I only arrived in Bangkok in 1983 and there are many here and others I know that were here many years before that.

To qualify as being "old" I think you would have to be at least 80 or 85 to take that honor.