Do Expats Look Down On Tourists?

[kowneeoh]

Many expats i see, seem to go to great lengths to constantly show themselves as being more than just a tourist.

Some use Thai language in situations where it's not necessary. For example, i've seen expats in banks trying to explain something in Thai (and failing), when it seems that the bank teller's command of English is somewhat better than theirs in Thai.

Another instance of trying to prove one has settled in Thailand is in the ordering of the spiciest food. Not that i question that the expat in question doesn't enjoy hot food, but there seems to be an element of pride in being able to stomach what the locals do.

It sometimes even seems like the tourists themselves are doing anything to avoid the tag. Some frequent travellers to Thailand are a bit like wannabe expats, and try to convince you they really are the genuine article.

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...

So just why is it expats are so keen to distance themselves from being a tourist. And why the need to prove it every time they step outside the front door? Or have i got it round the wrong way? Perhaps it's not so much a case of not wanting to be a tourist, but more like just trying to fit in. What do you think?

What you are describing above are "wanke_rs". The handfull of farangs I socialize with don't seem to be like that.They are just ordinary Joes going about thier business with out the need to "prove" anything.

[NowImEasy]

People are the same the world over, and a famous person told us to love our neighbor as ourself.

But I find it hard to love the drunk, hairy, balding farang with the hugh stomach (no shirt) at the restaurant in Hua Hin who asked my wife if she wanted to go to his hotel with him. My wife and I went to Hua Hin for the Chinese New Year and we invited her family to join us. They had never been outside Burirum. Being polite (a Thai trait) no-one mentioned the hugh fatsos burning on the beach. It was the last night, after some drinks that my wife told her brothers about the drunk who tried to pick her up. After some good laughs, the questions started. They were all truly amazed at seeing farangs like that for the first time. And it made me look good, as I was the only farang that they knew. I speak, eat, squat, and pray with them, and now they don't consider me fat any more!!!!!

[Prakanong]

Most of you are not expats anyway in the conventional sense - ie do you have a regional or even country position in a houshold name MNC with the salary and perks to go with it - thought not!

Joking

[Jefferson]

Most of you are not expats anyway in the conventional sense - ie do you have a regional or even country position in a houshold name MNC with the salary and perks to go with it - thought not!

Well, that's your definition and you're of course very welcome to it. But it seems your claim is tht this is also the 'conventional sense', and that simply isn't the case.

An expatriate (in abbreviated form, expat) is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of the person's upbringing or legal residence. The word comes from the Latin ex (out of) and patria (country, fatherland)

[Ulysses G.]

Agreed!

[Prakanong]

Most of you are not expats anyway in the conventional sense - ie do you have a regional or even country position in a houshold name MNC with the salary and perks to go with it - thought not!

Well, that's your definition and you're of course very welcome to it. But it seems your claim is tht this is also the 'conventional sense', and that simply isn't the case.

An expatriate (in abbreviated form, expat) is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of the person's upbringing or legal residence. The word comes from the Latin ex (out of) and patria (country, fatherland)

Oh I got a bite even with the joking comment

Whatever - I prefer my definition even if I was joking - eking out a living on a paper boy's salary just so you can be close to LBFM's is not my idea of fun.

[Garry]

I don't feel the need to prove my status in front of tourists - I rarely see any!

Just to be pedantic - I eat very spicy food and attempt to speak Thai on most of the time.

however:

Whenever going to a tourist area - I actually pretend to be a tourist who doesn't speak any Thai. Get my fair share of laughs listening to the "how much are we going to charge this one" banter going on around me.

Soundman.

My listened thai is better than my spoken and I know exactly what you mean, as I've been in that situation many a time my self.

And then when the moment is right come back with the price you want to pay in Thai language. Looks of shock are always amusing on an embarrassed thai face.

[Garry]

I don't feel the need to prove my status in front of tourists - I rarely see any!

Just to be pedantic - I eat very spicy food and attempt to speak Thai on most of the time.

however:

Whenever going to a tourist area - I actually pretend to be a tourist who doesn't speak any Thai. Get my fair share of laughs listening to the "how much are we going to charge this one" banter going on around me.

Soundman.

My listened thai is better than my spoken and I know exactly what you mean, as I've been in that situation many a time my self.

And then when the moment is right come back with the price you want to pay in Thai language. Looks of shock are always amusing on an embarrassed thai face.

[younghusband]

Most of you are not expats anyway in the conventional sense - ie do you have a regional or even country position in a houshold name MNC with the salary and perks to go with it - thought not!

Well, that's your definition and you're of course very welcome to it. But it seems your claim is tht this is also the 'conventional sense', and that simply isn't the case.

An expatriate (in abbreviated form, expat) is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of the person's upbringing or legal residence. The word comes from the Latin ex (out of) and patria (country, fatherland)

Oh I got a bite even with the joking comment

Whatever - I prefer my definition even if I was joking - eking out a living on a paper boy's salary just so you can be close to LBFM's is not my idea of fun.

But actually Prakanong you do have a point.Fact is most of the expatriates by your narrower definition (mostly MNC employees, university educated, mostly Bangkok based) don't really draw much of a distinction between tourists and the mass of so called "expatriates" and visa runners who have no obvious real reason to be here apart from the usual bad ones - including marrying a peasant and living in some godawful Isarn backwater.In any event there's hardly any mixing between the two groups.This isn't snobbery just a reality some prefer to avoid.

[Naam]

My listened thai is better than my spoken..

strange coincidence? the same applies to me since i visited Thailand for the first time 35 years ago. even now in my advanced age my listened thai is excellent. of course i don't understand what is said. but that's a different topic

[Prakanong]

Most of you are not expats anyway in the conventional sense - ie do you have a regional or even country position in a houshold name MNC with the salary and perks to go with it - thought not!

Well, that's your definition and you're of course very welcome to it. But it seems your claim is tht this is also the 'conventional sense', and that simply isn't the case.

An expatriate (in abbreviated form, expat) is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of the person's upbringing or legal residence. The word comes from the Latin ex (out of) and patria (country, fatherland)

Oh I got a bite even with the joking comment

Whatever - I prefer my definition even if I was joking - eking out a living on a paper boy's salary just so you can be close to LBFM's is not my idea of fun.

But actually Prakanong you do have a point.Fact is most of the expatriates by your narrower definition (mostly MNC employees, university educated, mostly Bangkok based) don't really draw much of a distinction between tourists and the mass of so called "expatriates" and visa runners who have no obvious real reason to be here apart from the usual bad ones - including marrying a peasant and living in some godawful Isarn backwater.In any event there's hardly any mixing between the two groups.This isn't snobbery just a reality some prefer to avoid.

You will make us sound like snobs

When I am at the BBQ next week at the large house of the Head of Microsoft Asia I will do a straw pole

[LiveSteam]

You know you have been in Thailand a long time when you stand in the shade of a power pole waiting for the bus.

LiveSteam

[aehn]

Many times I have found myself in a shop / restaurant or whatever, and been totally shocked by the way some lagered up, loudmouthed, chang tank top wearer is making a fool of himself. I will usually smile to the abused member of staff, speak in a politer than normal way, and also in Thai.

I think it is just my little way of showing the Thai person - 'hey, we are not all like this !'

Does anybody agree ?

I usually do not apologize (although it had happened), but sure, i sometimes go to great length to distance myself from the angry obnoxius falang cursing and trying to dominate the place.

Just recently i had a guy in front of me wanting to by some kind of special bread in foodland, telling the staff in a very hard to understand accent, to get it quickly, of course she did not understand what he said, i did not either, and then he started to shout and curse telling her how fuc_kin stupid she was, and how unintelligent the thai people were etc, yeah, that was embaressing, to say the least, and i actually had to apologies for him.

Another time not so long ago i had a furious angry falang totally tomatoe red in the face, screaming he wanted his money back because the food was served on paper plates, he cursed the staff for not being able to have a decent coffe shop, btw he had already ate up everything, plus had coffee, and refused to pay, i might mention, this was of course not a five star restaurant, but a cheap causal cafee typ place, what did he expect?

Yeah, i felt embaressed that time too. Could you imagen this bloke going to Mc Donalds in a western country behaving like that?

[Prakanong]

You know you have been in Thailand a long time when you stand in the shade of a power pole waiting for the bus.

LiveSteam

Is it not normal to stand in the shade

[larvidchr]

I have really enjoyed reading this very funny thread this morning drinking my first cup of coffee the news will have to wait till tomorrow.

[koheesti]

Just recently i had a guy in front of me wanting to by some kind of special bread in foodland, telling the staff in a very hard to understand accent, to get it quickly, of course she did not understand what he said, i did not either, and then he started to shout and curse telling her how fuc_kin stupid she was, and how unintelligent the thai people were etc, yeah, that was embaressing, to say the least, and i actually had to apologies for him.

I know a guy like that down here - although his accent is fine. Apparently he's been banned from a few stores including Tescos for his outbursts.

[Prakanong]

Just recently i had a guy in front of me wanting to by some kind of special bread in foodland, telling the staff in a very hard to understand accent, to get it quickly, of course she did not understand what he said, i did not either, and then he started to shout and curse telling her how fuc_kin stupid she was, and how unintelligent the thai people were etc, yeah, that was embaressing, to say the least, and i actually had to apologies for him.

I know a guy like that down here - although his accent is fine. Apparently he's been banned from a few stores including Tescos for his outbursts.

He might have Tourette's

[aehn]

Just recently i had a guy in front of me wanting to by some kind of special bread in foodland, telling the staff in a very hard to understand accent, to get it quickly, of course she did not understand what he said, i did not either, and then he started to shout and curse telling her how fuc_kin stupid she was, and how unintelligent the thai people were etc, yeah, that was embaressing, to say the least, and i actually had to apologies for him.

I know a guy like that down here - although his accent is fine. Apparently he's been banned from a few stores including Tescos for his outbursts.

He might have Tourette's

Or just a regular angry loud farang convinced that he always knows best, hehe

[Jefferson]

Most of you are not expats anyway in the conventional sense - ie do you have a regional or even country position in a houshold name MNC with the salary and perks to go with it - thought not!

Well, that's your definition and you're of course very welcome to it. But it seems your claim is tht this is also the 'conventional sense', and that simply isn't the case.

An expatriate (in abbreviated form, expat) is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of the person's upbringing or legal residence. The word comes from the Latin ex (out of) and patria (country, fatherland)

Oh I got a bite even with the joking comment

Whatever - I prefer my definition even if I was joking - eking out a living on a paper boy's salary just so you can be close to LBFM's is not my idea of fun.

My dear sir!! Whoever was talking about fun? We merely discussed what/who is an expatriate.. Being an expat is not MEANT to be fun! In fact, I dare submit that one of the tenets of being an expat is complaining about things, the locals, first and foremost.

One thing an expat can never do is assimilate; if you go local then the 'patria' part gets diminished, the lines blurred between the country of one's upbringing and the new country..! This absolutely REQUIRES not (appearing to) have too much fun!

[SeaVisionBurma]

i look down on everybody who is shorter than me.

LOL

[jfchandler]

I'm taller than EVERYONE....so... guess you know what that means!!!!

(I'm big on smelling the freshly washed...lightly perfumed hair of Thai ladies!!!!!)

[billythehat]

…mmmm….not always having much to do with being a so-called expat in Disneyland East.

Not matter how long you've been rotting away the most productive years of your life in some one else's country, the walls you built around you in your own country remain pretty well fixed, viz;

" I wouldn't put up with these c**ts in my own country and I'm not gonna put with 'em here either, gibber, rant, foam...bring back national service, that's what I say…. "

Indeed Sir, but irony is it not that what you detest in your fellow countrymen has followed you here…crivvens, whatever next….militant feminist marches in Patong?…

Edited May 12, 2008 by billythehat

[fabianfred]

We do not get a great number of tourists visiting the small town of Fang on the road between Chiangmai and Mae Sai, although there are quite a few expats in the area you hardly ever see them talking to each other, in the big new Tesco or at the Post Office etc.

I must admit that I find it rather strange when I meet farangs and I look at them with my ready smile, hoping to catch their eye, but they studiously ignore me. It is as if they have decided that they are not tourists and are trying to assimilate themselves in some way, and therefore do not want to communicate with other farangs.

The strangest ones to me, seem to be the ones who have an agenda, since they are here working (!) as missionaries, living very comfortably on other peoples donations, and looking down their noses at everyone, as if, in their eyes, unless you are a missionary you must be a sex tourist; and naturally any farang actually living here, and with a Thai wife, has got to have pulled her out of a bar......

If any Thais compliment me on my Thai I usually say to them...."If I have been living here for 17 years and could not speak any Thai...you would be right to call me lazy, wouldn't you.." and after they nod and smile I say "well, I'm not that good, but I'm not lazy..."

....and as for the human need to compete with others, at anything, it is just the ego trying to raise its ugly head......... fortunately we are in the best place to learn how to combat it and try to diminish its effect.

[Mossfinn]

"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.

"For the record i both speak Thai "

so you cant read or write thai then?

You started it

"i find there can be an underlying current of competition as to who speaks the most Thai"

and it turns out you can only speak thai, unlike myselfe and many on here who are so fluent in thai i somtimes forget to speak english, well American english that is!!

How about written English?

Moss

[thaihome]

Most of you are not expats anyway in the conventional sense - ie do you have a regional or even country position in a houshold name MNC with the salary and perks to go with it - thought not!

Well, that's your definition and you're of course very welcome to it. But it seems your claim is tht this is also the 'conventional sense', and that simply isn't the case.

An expatriate (in abbreviated form, expat) is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of the person's upbringing or legal residence. The word comes from the Latin ex (out of) and patria (country, fatherland)

Oh I got a bite even with the joking comment

Whatever - I prefer my definition even if I was joking - eking out a living on a paper boy's salary just so you can be close to LBFM's is not my idea of fun.

But actually Prakanong you do have a point.Fact is most of the expatriates by your narrower definition (mostly MNC employees, university educated, mostly Bangkok based) don't really draw much of a distinction between tourists and the mass of so called "expatriates" and visa runners who have no obvious real reason to be here apart from the usual bad ones - including marrying a peasant and living in some godawful Isarn backwater.In any event there's hardly any mixing between the two groups.This isn't snobbery just a reality some prefer to avoid.

This is very true. How many people here have actually been to Nichada Thani, much less live there?

TH

[Doza]

Most expats (those here for work) don't even know about this board and couldn't care less about the issue and certainly couldn't be bothered debating it online. I know plenty of expats who enjoy the occasional night out in KSR as much as any backpacker. And most expats I know are tourists somewhere on a fairly regularl basis and were backpackers once themselves!

Who cares? Only those with some sort of insecurity or strange peccadillo about "expats". The rest just go about their lives having fun.....

[LinkPopularity]

bloody tourists ...

[SeaVisionBurma]

Who cares? Only those with some sort of insecurity or strange peccadillo about "expats". The rest just go about their lives having fun.....

Who cares? Well it would seem that everybody who has replied in this thread cares enough to makes some kind of comment - yourself included.

This thread has been the best entertainment in months.

I actually thought the OP had a good observation, and that it was destined to draw some interesting comments. I never would have expected the amount of posters coming out of the woodwork who have had some sort of reaction to the posts following the OP.

I am amazed at the amount of posts about the definition of the term 'expat'. Incredible! Many seem to take a sensitive reaction to a definition of expat that doesn't quite match their own situation or view. It has been covered in this thread - expatriates are temporary or permanent residents of a country other than their country of origin. It broadly covers many reasons for a person being in another country.

Keep it coming.

[kmart]

…mmmm….not always having much to do with being a so-called expat in Disneyland East.

Not matter how long you've been rotting away the most productive years of your life in some one else's country, the walls you built around you in your own country remain pretty well fixed, viz;

" I wouldn't put up with these c**ts in my own country and I'm not gonna put with 'em here either, gibber, rant, foam...bring back national service, that's what I say…. "

Indeed Sir, but irony is it not that what you detest in your fellow countrymen has followed you here…crivvens, whatever next….militant feminist marches in Patong?…

[fire and ice]

I find that a clear benefit of showing you are either living in Thailand or are in Thailand often is that if Thais view you as such they are less likely to try to rip you off or overcharge you.

If you can get speak some Thai and pronounce it properly, its unlikely you will be seen as a target for a scam, pay pay too much for a taxi, bar girl etc... Sure, some Thais are either not bright enough to join the dots here, or they may just try their luck with you. But about 80% of the time they know trying it on with you will not work in their favour.

When I move about with tourist friends who are visiting, I see Thais try to pin them at every turn (so to speak)- then they give up when the tourist's mate starts speaking Thai chat-mak to them.