Do Expats Look Down On Tourists?

[hanibal7]

I love the tourists as many are my mates,but i do love sitting in a bar and looking at how they think the girls love them.also a new tourist is like a moth to a light for the girls.milky white with sandles and socks heheheh,and i have to stop and sit in the same bar and observe how the girls are trying to get money off them.Tourists are good for me as i go out more when my mates are over.

[Jingthing]

As an expat is is very silly to look down on tourists. Always keep in mind the thin ice almost all expats are staying here on. I do recognize tourists will usually have different priorities and attitudes than expats. I loved very spicy food even before I visited Thailand, so I wouldn't jump to conclusions as to why white people would ask for spicy food. It is annoying being treated like a tourist by the Thais. As I am more recognized it happens much less, so I am glad about that. Welcome, tourists, have a great holiday.

Edited May 9, 2008 by Jingthing

[rixalex]

Has it ever occurred that some ex pats speak Thai, because they like to be able to speak another language? Not because they want to show of?

Yes, this had occured to me. I thought it was clear that i wasn't talking about every expat who ever speaks Thai, and nor was i saying that trying to speak Thai was a bad thing. Just questioning those who seem competitive about it.

As i've found on these forums, unless you state everything explicitly, people seem to enjoy getting the wrong end of the stick.

[midasthailand]

I certainly don't look down on tourists but I'm not sure I want to be treated like one. And I am pretty sure they can tell the difference.

Just the other day I went to a gym and was given the price list. The regular price was 200 THB per session but the Thai price was just 30 THB. On establishing that I lived just around the corner in a house, not a hotel, he was delighted to offer me the Thai price. I think he suspected I wasn't a tourist immediately, as I removed my shoes before stepping inside.

Well I had a warm glow for the rest of the day I can tell you…

Have you got. Brown feet? Mine are still tanned but with white lines over where my sanddles hold on!!!!

Judging by FunFun's last two posts, he has got so into Thai that he has forgotten how to speak (spell) English. WRT the OP, I agree that a lot of expats do look down their noses at tourists, for the life of me I can't understand why? As far as I'm concerned we are all visitors/guests in this country and should behave accordingly!

[toptuan]

Most expats WERE tourists in LOS at one time. You'd think this would contribute to a bit of empathy...at least sympathy...toward the newbies.

[rewket]

i hate the people you described because most of them are sex depraved retirees/poor retired people who never had any power or prestige

I hate the disguting tourist aswell, you know the one with the thailand tshirt, speedo, 2cm long shorts.. blacksock with sandals, obnoxious.

I hate the backpackers too

Well ive always hated most ,people who relocate because most of them relocate for a reason, its because they didnt fit somewhere and i never get along with people who cannot fit, something is missing or they're totally weird in a non interesting way.

I see myself and the peoplek i like as people living here, not expats or tourists.

[toptuan]

i hate the people you described...

I hate the disguting tourist...

I hate the backpackers too...

Well ive always hated most... people who relocate...

[Pushit]

Some call it "Going Bush" or "Losing the Plot" God help us.

[Naam]

i don't discriminate. i hate all people

[Seizhin]

Has it ever occurred that some ex pats speak Thai, because they like to be able to speak another language? Not because they want to show of?

Yes, this had occured to me. I thought it was clear that i wasn't talking about every expat who ever speaks Thai, and nor was i saying that trying to speak Thai was a bad thing. Just questioning those who seem competitive about it.

As i've found on these forums, unless you state everything explicitly, people seem to enjoy getting the wrong end of the stick.

I'm not a Western, and I'm easily mistaken for a Thai, and that's where the problem is.

I'd rather speak in English with foreigners though, but I know that we enjoy learning and polishing our language skills.

[Kerryd]

i don't discriminate. i hate all people

Just like me !

I hate everybody !

But I hate them all equally !

[toptuan]

i don't discriminate. i hate all people

Just like me !

I hate everybody !

But I hate them all equally !

Wow, there's a lotta luv in this room tonight folks! [short nightclub piano interlude]....

Where's Rodney King when you need 'im?

Edited May 9, 2008 by toptuan

[funfun]

come on tim, make yourselfe at home!!

[Scott]

Expats looking down on tourists is just human nature. It's like a senior looking down on a freshman or a fraternity hazing its new members. It has to do with establishing seniority and status--sort of like the dog that pees on the most posts. It has to do with territoriality etc.

I make it a point to be nice to tourists and helpful. I've been a newbie in a lot of places and some of ways you get treated are pretty deplorable and completely unhelpful. I've been here a long time, but I am still learning about the people and the place. I see changes--some good and some bad. If I leave tomorrow and I was teaching a class on 'Thai studies', I 'd have to admit there's more that I don't know than that I do know.

[LKIBA]

The backpackers hate the package tourists, the package tourists hate the sex pats, the long term expats hate the short term expats, the non teachers hate the teachers, the teachers hate the backpackers etc.

Ok, quite a generalisation, and of course not everyone is like that, but overall I think we can safely say a lot of farang hate other farang here for the stupidest reasons.

Even on this forum you can be ridiculed for meeting your wife in a bar, or living in too small an apartment, teaching English, your choice of holiday destination (think Phangan/Pattaya), choosing to eat farang food daily instead of Thai food etc.

The farang that are generally most negative towards other farang usually do so out of some need to compete against them and/or to try to win brownie points from the Thais.

Very well put Burman. I concur with all.

I wonder what the need to compete is then? Self doubt perhaps?

Its a man thing. You will find that most of these competing types are men. Woman generally dont get involved in such nonsense. There far to busy cooking dinner and cleaning.

what a prat u r

[isabelle17]

I am most certainly not an expat...I guess I am a tourist, well...except not. I don't really know what I am. I studied in thailand for two years...went back to the states..and going back to Thailand again next month....

Anyway...I guess I am having self-indentity issues....

I try to be nice to the tourists, and help them out if I can. The only tourists that really irritate me (and I believe some of these might be expats too...so it might not just be the tourists...) are the ones I see picking up bar girls and like others have said, truly believing these bar girls think they are gods gift to women...

Or I see a lot of the guys on the beach who get drunk and just do stupid things. I assume that those are mostly tourists. Last time I was in Thailand I had a really irritating drunk guy (possibly from Ireland...I am not good with accents...) following me around and then harassing everyone around him, and then finally running out into the middle of the street. Smart guy...

Anyway...as long as the tourists are respectful, I don't see them as a problem...but some of them also don't know about Thai culture. I think that everyone should try and follow the culture of a specific country they go to. Before I ever go into a new country I am constantly looking at guide and phrase books to see what I am in for!

Edited May 9, 2008 by isabelle17

[ozymandious]

I don't necessarily look down on tourists, but some times it seems that they go on vacation and all they're common sense goes flying right out the window.

2 peeves

Put on a Helmet; you have to wear one at home and there's more a chance of head trauma here.

Put on a shirt; you don't shop at your Tesco top-less at home do you?

[waza]

Should Have called this, Why I hate tourists? lol

Edited May 9, 2008 by waza

[burman]

Put on a Helmet; you have to wear one at home and there's more a chance of head trauma here.

And of course all expats wear helmets.

Put on a shirt; you don't shop at your Tesco top-less at home do you?

I can't honestly say I have seen many shirtless tourists shopping at Tescos on their holiday. Is it a common occurrence?

[qwertz]

"Meeting with other expats i find there can be an underlying current of competition as to who speaks the most Thai, eats the spiciest food, knows the most about Thai people, and so on..."

ill take that as you cant read or write Thai, in fact ill bet your one of those that cant even speak Thai!!!!

This attitude exactly proves the point i was making about those who shout about how good their Thai is, and admonish others - even those they have never met. Very sad.

For the record i both speak Thai and eat spicy food, but don't feel this is something i have the need to prove to others.

I eat Thais and speak spicy food, have I been to Thailand once too often or is this typical?

[Pepe']

i hate the people you described...

I hate the disguting tourist...

I hate the backpackers too...

Well ive always hated most... people who relocate...

==============

Only if they are much taller than the tourists...

[Prakanong]

The backpackers hate the package tourists, the package tourists hate the sex pats, the long term expats hate the short term expats, the non teachers hate the teachers, the teachers hate the backpackers etc.

Ok, quite a generalisation, and of course not everyone is like that, but overall I think we can safely say a lot of farang hate other farang here for the stupidest reasons.

Even on this forum you can be ridiculed for meeting your wife in a bar, or living in too small an apartment, teaching English, your choice of holiday destination (think Phangan/Pattaya), choosing to eat farang food daily instead of Thai food etc.

The farang that are generally most negative towards other farang usually do so out of some need to compete against them and/or to try to win brownie points from the Thais.

Very well put Burman. I concur with all.

I wonder what the need to compete is then? Self doubt perhaps?

No doubt its the insecurity - a hel_l of a lot of them have their coats on a very shakey nail with regards to ther status and long term future in Thailand.

I also find its the (for want of a better date) post 2000 crowd who are the worst. They discovered Thailand rather late, when a lot more info available on the internet and the relative cost of going there was almost at a all time low. The longer term settled expats who are there for the duration and do not need to show off etc are usually fine.

There are exceptions to the rule of course.

I also find hilarious that some of them have not been to many places in Thailand, only been to local countries for visa runs or whatever and have no real knowledge of Asia.

[Prakanong]

Is somebody here describing some expats? (thanks to Thai-Expert aka "J" for this one)

"Back-stabbing, low-life, lying, stealing, cheating scum is a description often heard in Bangkok. Yes, the Farang residents of Bangkok have an unsurpassed reputation. Seen frequently in their favourite haunts of skull bars, freelancer joints and late night disco's they trawl through the night looking for their most prized catch "the all night freebie". Never mind that the girl in question may have spent a considerable portion of her youth servicing the troops on "R and R" from Vietnam, not having to pay is their ultimate accolade. When harsh reality kicks in, and they realize that this night (again) they will have to come up with some hard cash, they delve deep into their wallet to come up with a tattered 500 baht note, and settle for a quickie, consoling themselves that "tomorrow is another night", and the hunt will be on again."

[garro]

I take people as I find them. I recently moved from a very rural part of Thailand to a city. Previously if I saw any westerner it was nice. I think a lot of the reasons for friction between tourists and ex-pats is misunderstanding. When I first came to Thailand I was surprised at how other ex-pats would refuse to make eye-contact unless they knew me. I automatically smile at everyone, but constantly being either ignored or receiving a scorn means that over the years I do this less with outer westerners. It might make me seem a bit unfriendly at times.

In regards to Thai language. Other westerners do seem to get unreasonably upset when other westerners speak Thai or speak Thai better Thai then them. I think that this reminds them that maybe the special relationship with Thailand, that they though they have, isn't so special. To be honest, when I first came to Thailand I would feel intimidated by the western Thai speakers, but as my ability to speak Thai improved so my irritation lessened.

Edited May 10, 2008 by garro

[distortedlink]

It`s the same as with people who have no tolerance for children, they forget that they were children once also. The same goes for residents that look down on tourists, have probably all been tourists here themselves at some stage when they first visited Thailand.

I prefer tourists to long term residents, much more friendly and not so full of themselves.

[zorro1]

The trait in a certain breed of expats i like the best is that they now believe themselves to be gods gift to women as they can pull freelancers in any nightclub and kid themselves it was their charm that was the clincher.

I expect bar girls do have some sort of rating system. I have noticed that the young well dressed Tall, dark and hansum gets the most attentention over the 83 yr old with shorts pulled up to his chest wearing socks and sandals. Personally I fit somewhere between the 2

[garro]

I think another problem between expats and tourists is that many of the male tourists you meet are interested in the girly bar scene and see Thailand in these terms. I would say that most long stayers have no interest in this small aspect of life in Thailand - even though some may have dabbled in the beginning. It is boring and irritating hearing the comments made by many tourists about Thai women. They are not the sort of things they would get away with saying about women in their own countries. It normally takes some time living in Thailand before these guys get past the idea that Thailand is one giant sweet shop.

Edited May 10, 2008 by garro

[Sir Burr]

Many of these tourists are wage slaves for 50 weeks of the year.

Let them have their two weeks of fun.

[Prakanong]

Many of these tourists are wage slaves for 50 weeks of the year.

Let them have their two weeks of fun.

50 weeks? - are they all Americans as they are the only ones I know on 10 days a year

I do wish sometimes I was on my 60 days I took in Europe but I suppose I would rather be living in Asia again.

Edited May 10, 2008 by Prakanong

[ilyushin]

There are many expats that do look down on tourist as well as other expats and Thais too. Human nature to be superior I guess.

I've met many expats over the years that look down on everybody. No idea where it comes from. MDs and CEOs are the worse offenders, but not all as some have been here long enough to know better.

I speak Thai and eat Thai food every day, but that doesn't mean I look down on tourist or other expats. I actually don't even pay much attention to other farang expats or tourist. Guess that is looking down on them in some people's minds, but to be honest I just don't have time to join the pissing contest.

Edited May 10, 2008 by ilyushin