Thanks MRchips377,

Refreshing and I would say a fair and honest commentary as what this thread was about.

From high atop the Soap box tower,

peace & love and girly man joy to you boys!

You all come back now ya hear!

cause, It is in the light that the darkest of the dark are seen!

Ad captandum vulgas!

That is all!

You're a manager, perhaps?

.... that's just spooky....

totster

Heh-heh! Never underestimate the power of the English spook!

This is quite an interesting thread. Me, im english and worked in thailand and hongkong and have been coming to thailand regularly for about 25 years. My wife is thai chinese. I agree with the comment that the chinese are a bigger influence than us whities in Thailand, isnt Taksin chinese ? But chinese have been there for hundreds of years, have grown wealthy, so chinese influence is behind the scenes, especially in business, not linked to any grand plan, the chinese have adjusted and integrated themselves, as far as they can, into thai culture. Certain things still distinguish thai chinese from thais, ching ming, chinese new year, weddings & funerals, taoist temples, etc. But it get's complicated, e.g. a lot of bangkokkiens dont realise that "dim sum" is chinese food, they think it's thai food !

Why do farangs visit or live in thailand. For me, its a home from home. I feel really comfortable there. I've acquired a taste for oriental culture. I speak everyday thai, so i have a great time there with thai and chinese friends. I find that thai people like to enjoy themselves in what i call a normal way, joking, listening to music, eating, flirting, and they are generally easy going and broad minded. Back home in the uk, so many people are obsessed with mind games, being this or being that, got to have this, got to have that, etc, and don't seem to be able to just relax, let their hair down and just enjoy themselves in a natural friendly way. Im in my 50's and find that i can flirt with young women or older women. I'm not chasing women, just enjoying the flirting game. Thai women seem to understand that, and thai society seems to be more accepting of this. Back in the UK, i've got to be very careful because of political correctness or yobbishness. You get worried someone is going to clock you one, just because you're enjoying yourself and they can't stand to see someone else being happy! Another thing back home is that younger people seem to think you should retire from sex at a certain age. If a 50 year old man is seen with a woman 10, 15, 20 years younger than you, people call him a "dirty old man"or even a pedophile. As long as my partner is legally over the age of consent, what does it matter. Society in western countries seems to be narrow minded in certain ways. It's ok for gay couples to get married, ok for older women to have toy boys but for white middle aged man to have a young gf, its taboo. What's going on ? Is it a feminist nazi culture now ?

A lot of falang guys i talk to in thailand, say that to have a thai gf in thailand is a lot cheaper than having a wife back in d uk. Maybe's it's a bit shallow to say that, but this availability and affordability of ladies must influence a lof of western guys to visit and want to stay in thailand.

Of course there's lots of other attractive things about thailand, inexpensive to live, laid back lifestyle, beautiful beaches, sunshine, food and fruit, etc.

Of course, there are some minuses, visa problems, pollution, crazy farangs, some irritating laws, traffic problems etc.

110% with you

It's the lure of the pussy.

This was one of the reasons to spend my holidays there.

Number 2: sun and beaches, number 3: Bangkok being a hub for travelling in Asia.

Now I'm living in Thailand to take care of my girlfriend, who is studying here.