The Grumpiest Ex-pat In Bangkok

[laphroaig]

Whatever we say, whatever our Myers Briggs profile tells us about ourselves and how we approach life, please understand that Mental illness is a real condition and should not be taken lightly.

Thanks

T

Hi Tony,

that's a sad story, and I apologise if I offended you or your family. I guess I was just brought up differently not to believe in these things, most of which have only been invented in the last few decades.

Hope your daughter gets better.

SC

No worries, I was not offended. In fact I was very much of a mind prior to our own experiences that mental illnesses can be dealt with by pulling ourselves together. I have never been one for sympathy. It took my own family experiences to educate me that mental illness is more than a mood which can be 'sorted out. In the early days of her illness I was less than sympathetic however this caused me to change my outlook. I guess I want to share that with others and let them know that it can be a 'real' condition and cases should be treated with caution.

As for the daughter, the reality is that these conditions do not 'get better' in so far as they do not recover like one recovers from a cold or a broken leg. The condition is always likely to be there but through the mixture of lifestyle, medication and work on herself it is controlled so that a normal life should ensue.

Thanks

T

[Jandajoy]

Hi Guys

Being new here i am not sure whether this post will be viewed as going off topic. If so I apologise but I do want to make a point on this issue of mental health and OCD.

The inference in more than one post is that OCD and mental illness can either be self inflicted or self generated and can be dealt with by way of a good slap.

Firstly, I do not believe that the GOM has OCD through his actions. There would liely be more evidence from his habits than wanting a specific seat.

My daughter suffers from clinical depression and OCD. The OCD has resulted in one suicide attempt through the absolute frustration of the condition, made worse by the depression.

The depression is diagnosed now as a chemical imbalance in the body/brain. No amount of slapping or telling her to pull herself together would correct the imbalance. Thankfully now, through a mixture of medication(which rebalances the chemicals) and good counselling, supportive family and friends, things are pretty well under control for the most of the time.

Whatever we say, whatever our Myers Briggs profile tells us about ourselves and how we approach life, please understand that Mental illness is a real condition and should not be taken lightly.

Thanks

T

An excellent and relevent post. My thoughts are with you having been involved with similar events. Its a nightmare that never goes away.

[balo]

Keep up the good work everyone

I think he will not show up tomorrow , but you never know.

If he's a TV member then I hope he understands how to behave the next time.

[Westerner]

People I would not like a night out with.

1. jandajoy

2. t.s.

[midasthailand]

Invented or discovered?

Pedantic fellow aren't you Janda-no-joy, parhaps you should take a good look at some of your posts on the forum and re-assess who the bully really is? You sought out a village with no other Farangs to live in, when you are introduced to another Farang you have nothing to say to him, Jeez, you could at least have passed a few minutes chatting with the guy.

Looking at the frequency and time of your posts on this and other threads, it would appear that should Thai Visa close down you would have to find a new life.

Nearly all of your posts are critical / confrontational, you use unecessarily flowery language, when there are far simpler words to convey the same meaning and your spelling is pathetic, clearly then, you weren't an English teacher.

You seem to take everything posted literally! I am no authority on human nature, but I can recognise tongue-in-cheek posts when I see them, I am quite sure that no member of TV is seriously considering a physical confrontation with the UnSub. The OP could have chosen to ignore him and never mentioned the incident on TV but then that would have robbed those of us that are amused by the thread, of a few minutes of daily creative writing practise!

Just like television, if you don't like the show, change the station.

Cheers and beers. (stand by for incoming)

Edited May 31, 2008 by midasthailand

[sgunn65]

With a bit of organisation those TV members who attend what has become a compulsive soap opera could take it in turns to occupy the chair over the morning so that if GOM, as seems to be his habit, keeps returning he will see different people in his chair each time.

I am at a bit of a loss over the defence of this guy by a couple of people. Since it is just a bit of fun where no-one gets hurt and the GOM doesn't get hurt either; he just has to sit elsewhere. What is the crime in that?

As for the people who say haven't you got something better to do? Well, no! Isn't life great when you can indulge in a little fun. I wish I was still in Bangkok rather than having to enjoy this vicariously. This has been the best thread I have read even though nothing has happened, the anticipation is excellent.

I say three cheers for the boys on the front line

[surface]

I happened by on the first morning of the planned attack on GOM's seat at around 11:30, hoping to find a place for a good breakfast being my main objective, but was not sure where the seat in question is located. I saw somebody that fit the description of GOM, a 50ish, blonde haired, tallish guy reading a paper intently, with a 30 something guy with dark rimmed classes and short (bleached?) blonde hair a couple of seats away. Was that you CarlBKK?

I didn't stay to eat however as I wasn't sure if there is a menu or not and didn't want to eat just cake/bread for breakfast. Is there a menu available if you sit down? I saw something on the counter at the window seats that looked to have "breakfast" mentioned on it, but I didn't want to get up in the persons face sitting there to read it (especially since it may have been GOM and I already had my run in with the BIB for this month). I still may pop by this morning since I can't get to sleep and haven't eaten all day/night, but I'll await confirmation that at least some eggs are on offer.

[wade72]

I have been reading this post and it never ceases to amaze me the PC, bleeding hearts of this world. The GOM belittles, bullies, and badgers the staff in the restaurant. If these are his actions in one place you can be sure it carries over to every other social situation he is in LOS. Generally people like this will tone it down a level when they are in there own country since there is a very good chance they will be able to get away with there arrogance there. Oh but please lets not forget he is the victim now and is just misunderstood. I'm sure a case could be made for Hitler, Ganges Khan, and Pol Pot, they were just a little misunderstood and should be left to there own actions so they feel better about themselves I suppose. Ok I realize that this is a pretty big jump from wanting a seat in café to genocide. The basics are the same though, the GOM feels he is superior to the Thai staff and they should bow to his wishes and kiss his as_s. If he can't have his sacred seat in a restaurant it is perfectly ok for him to make there life miserable even thought there is nothing they can do about it.

Now for all the people that defend him and think he is just misunderstood and should be left alone, perhaps you might consider how this affects you personally. You might never meet the miserable a-hole and think you can just stick your head in the sand and it will never affect you. Wrong. It does affect you, idiots like the GOM are why the Thais have such a low opinion of the average farang and personally I think that the GOMs of this world should be taken to task for there actions. The staff in the café can't do anything about it as some have suggested, if you know anything about Thai run businesses they will have to just put up with it even though there life is miserable due to this idiot. Unfortunately Thailand seems to attract more then it's share of little men and women who have no power in there own country but come here and think there money makes them a big shot.

So remember next time you see a farang being an ass to the Thais and acting like a big shot, you're a farang as well and what he does will lower there opinion of you as well.

Well I think it was mentioned here before but I will say it again anyways, it is probably better that the GOM gets an attitude adjustment by the farang community before he pushes a Thai to the snapping point.

Give it to him boys, and sure looking forward to the youtube footage.

By the way, if this is some marketing ploy of the café owners as it has been suggested, I am in awe of the true gorilla tactics and bow to your superior abilities.

Edited May 31, 2008 by wade72

[wade72]

I would like to mention I was telling my Thai family about this and they thought it was great. Basically they said it is about time that the farang community dealt with the other farangs.

[geriatrickid]

Good Lord. what garbage.

Translation: I need to spout some self professed expert advice

A person suffers from a mental affliction. You go in, beat him up and then it's OK!

WHAT? And you know the subject has a mental affliction because??? You have examined him using your extensive experience in psychiatric medicine? The individual with high certainty does not suffer from an organically induced mental illness. This is most certainly a behavioural problem. In mature males with such set patterns, the only way to correct such behaviour is through behaviour modification. The events unfolding are a crude form of such modification. I see no evidence of anyone being beaten up.

You see bullying as only a physical manifestation. You obviously have no concept of how people, include yourself in this, bully, intimidate and manipulate others throught their tone of voice, a look, a grimace or glare, or simply standing too closely.

Classic mountain out of a mole hill mindset. Is it so hard to see this as a test of wills: A fellow that thinks he has a "right" to a spot in a public place and is now having to learn what the concept of No is VS. people assering their right to obtain a meal in a public free seating area.

The cafe concerned is bemused by the banter but silently assesses the income lost. 5 years, 5 times a week, 150 -250 bht a day - errrr that's how much?

" He was a grumpy bugger, but he did turn up every day for 5 years (alledgedly) and payed his money."

Well never mind, the thoughtful caring considerate collegues of Thai Visa have banded together and succesfully banned the guy. Excellent, because he was very rude (for 5 years) but was it that bad?

Never managed a business, people or investments have you? The guy sits there for how many hours each day, taking up valuable retail space? The restaurant should be charging him rent for the use of the space. A restaurant cannot afford to rent out space for a few hours each day at 15-225B. Subtract costs for food, staff, fixtures and overhead and it's obvious the guy is a freeloader, a mooch. That's why the restaurant hasn't intervened. If he was spending 1000-10,000 baht as occurs at some restaurants in the city, they would have been delighted to reserve a table.

You think a rude guy like this makes for happy staff? It's hard to recruit and retain good staff and if they are forced to deal with the same miserable turd every day, they will simply say the crap wage isn't worth it and they'll just move along to another place.

If you two self appointed protectors of the "innocent" want to defend him, go for it, but don't use arguments that are unfounded and based upon unsubstantiated "facts".

[CarlBkk]

This is definitely no elaborate marketing strategy for the Oriental chain. Another TV member turned up the morning after I posted my experience and saw the guy. Similarly the staff at the cafe are there to serve and don't appear to be of a management rung to really care if they take 20,000 baht per day or 50,000 baht per day.

Surface - it sounds like you saw the right guy in the corner there. He tells the staff that he likes it in that spot because it's quiet to work, but he doesn't actually do any work...he never looks up, just reads the BKK Post, eats, drinks, complains about something now and again, makes the odd phone call and then leaves probably about lunchtime. On that first morning ozsamurai got the nearest seat to him but as he'd removed 3 stools, it wasn't that close. I was the other side of oz, but I think that the guy you spotted wasn't either of us: I don't think oz wears glasses or had bleached hair (although it is blond) and the same for me.

I also now wish they have some more breakfast options, but their food is quality nevertheless: quiche, pate on rye bread, sandwiches, Hungarian goulash, pastries, breakfast set for 130b which is latte + 2 croissants.

[wade72]

CarlBKK

I didn’t think it was a marketing ploy. It’s too good of an idea. The really great ideas are always only stumbled upon by accident.

[wade72]

BTW Carl;

Don't you have an appointment? I'm waiting for the progress report!

[churchill]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics...recruiting.html

UK Grumpy Club Now Recruiting .

Very amusing - perhaps one should be formed in Bangkok !

Edited May 31, 2008 by churchill

[CarlBkk]

BTW Carl;

Don't you have an appointment? I'm waiting for the progress report!

10.05 and I'm too late...he's there right now in a pink polo shirt looking contented in his place. No-one else in there, no sign of other TV members.

Without making it obvious I can't take a pic otherwise I would (I might still have a go). No-one else turn up this morning?!

[keestha]

Interesting to note how easy it would be to use the internet to make a lot of people gang up against somebody they don't know and have never heard of before. They will just take for granted what is being written by somebody they also don't know. You don't know the real story untill you have seen the real thing. and maybe heard the story from both sides.

Mind you I am not talking about this particular case. Just philosophizing about what could theoretically happen.

[Ulysses G.]

CarlBkk is a man of great integrity and would not BS his TV mates that way!

[wade72]

Keeshta; Good point

But I still want an update. The sadistic side of my personality says “stick it to him.”

Carl, does your cell phone have a camera? Can always be pretending to dial a number.

[wade72]

Or just walk up tap him on the shoulder and say “excuse me sir, but I think your sitting in my seat”

Be sure to have the cameras rolling though.

[Prakanong]

Interesting to note how easy it would be to use the internet to make a lot of people gang up against somebody they don't know and have never heard of before. They will just take for granted what is being written by somebody they also don't know. You don't know the real story untill you have seen the real thing. and maybe heard the story from both sides.

Mind you I am not talking about this particular case. Just philosophizing about what could theoretically happen.

It is interesting to watch the type of guy's who would have been bullied at school and had cried about it turn the tables.

Same here just a supposition but I have met some good guys from this board but others you know they were the wimps ans soft shites at school

[Crushdepth]

I got there a bit late and...he got his stool. dam_n! But I got the photo

I imagine I would cop a ban for posting it though :-(

Edited May 31, 2008 by Crushdepth

[Who, me ?]

I got there a bit late and...he got his stool. dam_n! But I got the photo

You Hero !!!

[wade72]

You da man

Thinking I know what my X wife saw in "All My Children" now

[CarlBkk]

I got there a bit late and...he got his stool. dam_n! But I got the photo

I imagine I would cop a ban for posting it though :-(

Nice one. So close yet so far....1-0 to GOM. PM me the photo and I'll put it up on the Facebook thread.

[surface]

It is interesting to watch the type of guy's who would have been bullied at school and had cried about it turn the tables.

Same here just a supposition but I have met some good guys from this board but others you know they were the wimps ans soft shites at school

You are the type of person that gives westerners in Thailand such a wonderful reputation. Perhaps if you'd spent more time on your work in school instead of bullying "soft shites" you'd be able to put together a proper sentence.

You should go to the coffee shop and introduce yourself to GOM as he sounds like your kind of guy.

Edited May 31, 2008 by surface

[wade72]

Accessing the facebook thread would be done how?

[Who, me ?]

I got there a bit late and...he got his stool. dam_n! But I got the photo

I imagine I would cop a ban for posting it though :-(

Nice one. So close yet so far....1-0 to GOM. PM me the photo and I'll put it up on the Facebook thread.

what is facebook ?

[CarlBkk]

Accessing the facebook thread would be done how?

Sign up for a free account Facebook dot com, then do a search for the main Thailand group called We Love Thailand. Join this group and you can then view threads and post. The thread in question is at the top so very easy to find.

[surface]

I got there a bit late and...he got his stool. dam_n! But I got the photo

I imagine I would cop a ban for posting it though :-(

Nice one. So close yet so far....1-0 to GOM. PM me the photo and I'll put it up on the Facebook thread.

Could you put it up someplace where we don't need to create an account?

[wade72]

Once I see it I can put it on my server and give you the link