What Is The Biggest Misconception The Thai Have About You, Or Farangs?

[intumult]

I'll add :-

That we cannot take care of ourselves. Cannot clean, cook, iron or do the laundry.

Many have been surprised - to say the least - when they have come back to my place and see I can manage perfectly well by myself.

[jietjon]

Teacup: you said all Westerners should accept being called "farang" by Thais, okay. But in the US, how would you feel if everybody called you "Asian," or "Chinese," or "chink," or whatever?

I'm not being flippant. I think it's a fair question. No doubt most people there regard you as "Asian," but I am certain that they don't call you "Asian" in every single daily encounter. (Many would be terrified of being vilified as "racist" if they even mentioned your race in public.)

What I'd really like to know is: why do Thais always have to call someone farang when the situation does NOT call for it? There are countless daily examples of this. A farang walks into a shop, and an employee always says: "There's a farang here..." - instead of saying there's a customer/someone/person/man/woman?

Or, people are blocking the sidewalk, and if somebody notices, they invariably say something to the effect of "move aside, because a farang wants to pass by..."

Why is it important to identify someone as a farang in such instances? Why is it even relevant?

It's not a farang, just a person walking down the sidewalk. What difference does race make in that case?

How would you feel if every time you walked into a shop in the US, people said: "Hey, there's an Asian here!" Or, on the street, "Here comes an Asian, let him pass by.."

I don't think I'm complaining, I simply do not understand why Thais insist on doing that?

It's ridiculous, really.

I will give you my 2 bhts worth, as a farang bar whore. Thai peeps as much as you dont want to hear this, really hate us in a big way. some people will say different , but i have no ego, and i know we are hated .... fact

[mangkorn]

I said nothing about "hate."

In the kind of situations I'm talking about, there is no hatred - just an incomprehensible insistence on identifying the race of a person who just wants to buy some aspirin, or whatever...

(As for farang bar whores, many of them probably do earn whatever opprobrium they get.)

[teacup]

Teacup: you said all Westerners should accept being called "farang" by Thais, okay. But in the US, how would you feel if everybody called you "Asian," or "Chinese," or "chink," or whatever?

I'm not being flippant. I think it's a fair question. No doubt most people there regard you as "Asian," but I am certain that they don't call you "Asian" in every single daily encounter. (Many would be terrified of being vilified as "racist" if they even mentioned your race in public.)

What I'd really like to know is: why do Thais always have to call someone farang when the situation does NOT call for it? There are countless daily examples of this. A farang walks into a shop, and an employee always says: "There's a farang here..." - instead of saying there's a customer/someone/person/man/woman. Why?

Or, people are blocking the sidewalk, and if somebody notices, they invariably say something to the effect of "move aside, because a farang wants to pass by..."

Why is it important to identify someone as a farang in such instances? Why is it even relevant?

It's not a farang, just a person walking down the sidewalk. What difference does race make in that case?

How would you feel if every time you walked into a shop in the US, people said: "Hey, there's an Asian here!" Or, on the street, "Here comes an Asian, let him pass by.."

I don't think I'm complaining, I simply do not understand why Thais insist on doing that?

It's ridiculous, really.

It's ridiculous, really-------------------------------

I agree it’s ridiculous really and it seems I’m the only thai answering here. Where is everybody anyway?

It’s true it’s not fun if you think too much into the negative connotations of it, then again I wouldn’t put myself in the country or environments with strong racism in the first place anyway, if I can help it. I can understand some of you do not have a choice either. Tell me which country in the world without some sort of underlying racism in their social system. If you don’t complain about the word “farang” then you will be complaining about something else again about Thailand.

And there is nothing strange or different about Thailand from the rest of america or Europe , let’s say 100 or 500 years ago, if you only go back and read into their history of how some being called…..a Viking, a norman, a welsh wrench, blah blah blah…..or the Indian as a half-breed by the white man, or vice versa,…..or the Chinese (those railroad workers), or look at the Pueblo and gringlo (not sure how to spell this exactly, the name the pueblo called the white man), etc

Anyway, what I’m trying to say is that….

The US or most of the western countries, they are many lightyears ahead in “equality to all” than Thailand currently, at least on the surface anyhow. Therefore it‘s the politically correctness also that it’s not acceptable for you to say things in discriminating ways against other races, because of the laws and/ or too many discrimination lawyers lurking around.

Time will change and improve Thailand too in many years ahead in the issue of discrimination and racism awareness of its citizen. Given times like the rest of the first world countries, I’m sure Thailand too will change for the better, with education, time, and globalization (if we want to be part of the world at large, that is) etc.

For now you are stuck in the jackpot generation, and seems like there isn’t that much for you to do anything, unless you try to educate a thai person directly in front of you when you hear something you don’t like and I’m pretty sure that person will be calling you or changing their attitude differently next time. Unless you say something or be outspoken about it, no one will know what you want.

In addition: the word “farang’ also has many benefits and it comes with many perks for being one too, if you just want to look at the positive connotations of it.

My opinions should not be set in the stone for all thais, but that's how I feel toward the subject and the word.

TC

[cophen]

The biggest misconception 'The Thais' have about 'Farangs' is that 'Farangs' are homogenous.

The biggest misconception 'Farang' have about 'The Thais' is that 'The Thais' are homogenous.

Trying to fit 60 million people into a cliche exported from the other side of the world is a wate of time and effort.

[farang555]

farang r rich when u compare them to thais!

arent english teechers held in high esteem, almost like rock stars and these r the poor farangs!

[LivinLOS]

Speaking to yourself, merehap?

Not at all.. You said that you didnt see how Thais could possibly differentiate between farangs.. I said why not ?? Surely that exhibits a lack of curiosity about the world and its peoples.

You may be able to differentiate based on your education, or experiences.

Sure, I talk to people, I have an interest in the world, I see the southern abrupt style (that I dont mind personally, it feels honest), the genetic subtleties between Chiang Mai 'look' and Issan 'look'.. I am not right a lot of the time I guess, but thats over distances of a couple hundred miles, for a culture I am not from. The old 'you all look the same to us' is borderline racist and part of what makes such 'them and us' xenophobia in the world.

And In the tourist areas maybe, it should be their business to know, if you want them to, because you’re a pay customer and very displeased of how they are addressing you. If they don’t, then that’s their problem as I wouldn’t know why. But in my previous post, I was referring to the thais “as in general“, not in the tourist areas, bkk, or those more educated thais.

I have more of an interest in people than if I can just make money from them.. Being in an area to do business and if I am forced to interact is not my motive for talking to people and watching how people interact.

Btw: most tailor touts are not thai generally, Pakistani, Indian….may be - can't you tell the diff? . So you got to go and ask them the “why not“, yourself

I never claimed they were.. The majority of our lot in Phuket seem to be Nepali with some Bangladeshi for the street touts.

But……

How many thais out there have exposed themselves to so many types of foreigner,…or care to,… or want to do that,… unless they know you personally. Most thais have nothing to do with the foreigners on daily, monthly, or even yearly basis, ……so they don’t give a hoot. And this is not an ignorance.

Not knowing something is to be ignorant of it.. Thats perfectly fine, a wise man knows he knows nearly nothing.. But to not care to learn, or not 'give a hoot' about learning is clearly ignorance and a poor trait. There is a world outside of Thailands borders. One of my great pleasures has been seeing my GF's world view grow and her curiosity about the world increase as shes has traveled to different countries and cultures, initially she didnt care much, never watched international news, her sum interest in the outside world was to see 'snow'. Now shes better informed, follows whats happening globally, has her own valid opinions on things. Thats great to me to see her grow.

And…..How many farangs can tell the diff from a Philliphino, malaysian, and Indonesian, ......Or from Chinese and Taiwanese.

Also….Isn’t that why you put us in a one same group as “asian” back at your home country? Generally speaking, …."Oh well you all look “asian” to me".

Same same

I assure you people would not call you asian to your face or discuss you in the 3rd person as in 'oi asian, what you want to eat ??' or 'the asian wants ice tea'..

As for myself in broad strokes I can usually tell Philippino from Thai from Malaysian from Indo (Tho Indo and Malay are hard to peg between Sumatra and Peninsula Malaya, much easier with Javanese or Balinese) and especially if I can hear them talk among themselves etc. I probably couldnt tell Taiwanese from Chinese yet as I dont know enough about them and am ignorant to thier difference's and cultural clues. Hence I am very curious about China and reading a lot on the country to fill the gaps in my knowledge. The knowledge may be of no profit for me but I dont want to remain ignorant about such a large country and culture.

Even the thais, themselves, many times can’t even differentiate between what they know and what they don't - generally speaking of course.

I am completely lost by this parting shot.

[PeaceBlondie]

Come on, they do not indoctrinate young Thais in comparative physical anthropology, or in details of the Scottish and Welsh borders. The vast majority of "farang" are foreigners of European ancestry. Generally, Thais know when a foreigner is not a farang, such as an African American or an indigenous Native American, even if they don't know the current PC term for it. World-wide, usually, most strangers look the same. Thais that you know personally, you know individually, on sight. When a Thai knows you individually, you are not just another farang. However, they know you are in some subcategory of farang, rather than Japanese Ainu.

Sorry to break it to the Scots, but it hardly matters here, if you are mistaken for English. Belgians cannot expect to be divided between Walloons and Flemish. Back in Houston, living in an Asian neighborhood, I did not realize that certain hamburger flippers were Thais rather than Chinese. I had no need to differentiate or to know, until I came back and told them I was living in Thailand. Then they divided themselves between Krungthep and Lampang.

[LivinLOS]

Come on, they do not indoctrinate young Thais in comparative physical anthropology, or in details of the Scottish and Welsh borders.

Neither did I, or any other 'westerner' I know.. But a curiosity of the world and the people in it means that on sight the differences between a 6ft 4 blond Norwegian or a dark skinned Italian gives a frame of reference thats useful in starting conversations, making connections, having beneficial interactions and getting through life.

World-wide, usually, most strangers look the same.

Strange as I think the exact opposite.. The world is full of diversity and interesting differences in people and we need to celebrate our differences a bit more rather than pretend we are all the same (back to the IQ and penis size posts.. Some people want to pretend we are all identical, some kind of PC homogenization that we are supposed to believe, yet one glance at the world shows us thats clearly not the case)..

[teacup]

It’s funny and rather self-righteousness, isn‘t it?…. That base on your point of view, that is how the people in the world should be and must be,….. and how people should live, react, or curious of all things around them, just like you and your gf.

Unless I misunderstood the hidden meaning of your essays.

[LivinLOS]

It’s funny and rather self-righteousness, isn‘t it?…. That base on your point of view, that is how the people in the world should be and must be,….. and how people should live, react, or curious of all things around them, just like you and your gf.

Unless I misunderstood the hidden meaning of your essays.

Maybe it is self righteous ?? I dont know.

I do think that actively choosing not to learn, to not exhibit curiosity about the world around you, to not want to have new experiences, to not want to be well informed, to not make the effort to educate yourself. Yes I would say those are very negative things. The 'you think too much' line makes me cringe every time someone says it, as does the almost total lack of Thai language book stores or reading for pleasure. I see that as all part of adult mental growth.

I am not saying thats purely a Thai trait. I have seen plenty of westerners who would rather watch crappy soap operas and have limited horizons too.

I do commend your ability to have this discussion in English tho, I could not do so to this level in Thai.

[teacup]

Thanks, I’m really flattered.

Just to add a bit

It’s not like we are born without curiosity trait, but I think many thais just neither have the time nor money to “nurture” the curiosity of all things.

Just look at "the hobby" thing. How many thais do have a hobby? Some do, but many don't....cuz most just can't really afford it.

[Jingthing]

teacup, I want to join the chorus of appreciation for your contribution here. As a Thai who has spent time in the US, you have a special perspective on these issues. One thing you said, that Thais generally don't give a fig either way about farangs in general, definitely hits the spot. We definitely as a group do inflate our importance to Thais and Thailand and thanks for pointing that out. Why should Thais care much about us? It makes sense that they wouldn't. We are foreigners in your land. When I lived in the US, I don't think I spent one second worrying what Indian immigrants thought about Americans, nor did I worry about their visa or fitting in/or not issues. They came to my country, it is bloody well their problem.

Edited July 27, 2008 by Jingthing

[smileah]

-We can't eat spicy food

-We think Thai women are the most beautiful

-We are hot tempered

-We cause every accident we are involved in

-We can't pick out an item from the store shelf and need three people to randomly pick items and hold them in front of our face.

-We are ready to order food the minute we have a menu in our hands

Couldn't have said it better. The second to last one made me laugh.

[Flatouthruthefog]

Returning to the original question.............. difficult to say whether it's a misconception, but I'd say it's commonly held by Thai that we farang "think too much".

Of course, if more Thai read more ThaiVisa posts they'd likely change their view on that .

Always tend to agree with you Steve - nice comments.

Congrats to the OP for an interesting OBJECTIVE question which has obviously got us all glued to the screen! Shame about the many digressions, especially IQ which probably deserves its own thread.

Thai misconceptions of "Us" (and I wish more Thais DID contribute to this forum):

1. That we always expect the waitress/waiter to pour our beer for us. I know Thai men do, but WE ARE DIFFERENT. We have poured more than you have. We know to tilt the glass. We don't spill, and if we like our beer really cold (and have a HIGH IQ - sorry!) we leave plenty in the bottle for as long as possible because the bottle is always colder than the glass! AND WE DO NOT WANT ICE IN IT!!! AAARRRGHHHH! Sorry again.

2. That we don't know how to drive because we are not Thai and/or we were taught 'on the wrong side of the road.' Out of the myriad accidents I've witnessed on the roads here in almost 2 decades, only 1 involved a farang and he was a drunken youth on a motorcycle.

3. That we are only interested in lounging around, even if we are not tourists. Please be aware that most working expats here work very hard (on behalf of Thailand and Thais as well as themselves) and that over 100's of years, farangs have invented most things you see, use, make things with, enjoy in your home, ride in, on, and fly on. Please give us a little credit for our contributions to the world.

4. That we are ungrateful parasites in/on Thailand. Most of us are not and we cherish the ability to live among you. Thank you!

[sylviex]

QUOTE (sylviex @ 2008-07-26 16:47:59) If we are "beautiful" it is our duty to reproduce.

We all want children.

We all want rich men as partners.

We take care of all household matters.

Women can't be as intelligent as men.

We must like shopping above all other activities.

We must choose the pink phone, not the blue one.

......

A good point.. I think gender roles are more divergent here than in the modern west, it would seem the society encourages these roles which come over in your experiences.

It is a large part of the experience for foreign women. We are not just living in a very different culture, we are also moving back some decades in terms of attitudes about gender. Some of the men's experiences reflect this too -- surprise about the man who can look after himself, for example. Generally men notice this less, as the difference works in their favour, though some men are uncomfortable with being treated too slavishly -- the beer pouring, for example.

Oh. Just thought of something else. We really do like to be alone sometimes. Not the biggest misconception, but one, and an interesting one.

I think what bothers us about the "farang" label is, in part, that it feels like an automatic rejection or exclusion, of sorts, as it amounts to "not Thai", and there's an assumption that there can be no chance of a genuine interaction with someone who is not Thai. I understand this idea, but it can be a little frustrating.

[bayrider]

That we are Hansom man?

[siamamerican]

Thanks, I’m really flattered.

Just to add a bit

It’s not like we are born without curiosity trait, but I think many thais just neither have the time nor money to “nurture” the curiosity of all things.

Just look at "the hobby" thing. How many thais do have a hobby? Some do, but many don't....cuz most just can't really afford it.

Well thought out post! LivinLOS is intelligent, well spoken, and seems to have been very successful professionally. His reality is far different than that of most Thais. I'm sure he is aware of this fact, but he is using his situation to measure Thais.

My Thai wife, like LivinLOS's wife, has developed a desire to learn and experience other cultures since we met, because she now has the time, money, and new role models to emulate.

[LivinLOS]

It is a large part of the experience for foreign women. We are not just living in a very different culture, we are also moving back some decades in terms of attitudes about gender. Some of the men's experiences reflect this too -- surprise about the man who can look after himself, for example. Generally men notice this less, as the difference works in their favour, though some men are uncomfortable with being treated too slavishly -- the beer pouring, for example.

Ahh but its only partly in their / our favor.. Look at the amount of bellyaching that many farang males do when it comes to being the sole / primary breadwinner.. Suddenly the flipside is forgotten and its all a desire for more equality !!

[katana]

Interesting thread by teacup. Thanks for starting it.

...You said that you didnt see how Thais could possibly differentiate between farangs.. I said why not ?? Surely that exhibits a lack of curiosity about the world and its peoples...As for myself in broad strokes I can usually tell Philippino from Thai from Malaysian from Indo (Tho Indo and Malay are hard to peg between Sumatra and Peninsula Malaya, much easier with Javanese or Balinese) and especially if I can hear them talk among themselves etc. ...

I think you could tell the difference maybe because you have spent some time in SE Asia. But I would imagine a lot of Westerners who had never left their respective countries, if they saw someone from China, Thailand, Laos, the Philipines. Japan etc would not be able to tell them apart and would just call them asian.

Edited July 27, 2008 by katana

[sylviex]

Ahh but its only partly in their / our favor.. Look at the amount of bellyaching that many farang males do when it comes to being the sole / primary breadwinner.. Suddenly the flipside is forgotten and its all a desire for more equality !!

Interesting. I thought that while they bellyached, many of the men here were somewhat proud of this role & enjoyed being being at the top of the family hierarchy.

I have often wondered about this, though, as I do believe that equality for women is, in turn, of much benefit to men, and this environment is one in which they might realise that.

[sammo]

-We can't eat spicy food

-We think Thai women are the most beautiful

-We are hot tempered

-We cause every accident we are involved in

-We can't pick out an item from the store shelf and need three people to randomly pick items and hold them in front of our face.

-We are ready to order food the minute we have a menu in our hands

Also, along these lines;

- My Thai missus thinks i am incapable of walking 100 metres to 7-Eleven, and should use the motorbike instead

- That Farangs who visit tourist areas don't know how to stop a taxi/tuk-tuk etc when we need one, and so every taxi driver has to sound their horn as they pass you

- That we really did not just order that food 'a little bit spicy', we must have said 'very, very spicy'

- We shouldn't be allowed to enter a furniture store alone. A member of staff must follow our every move, talking incessantly about promotion this and promtion that

- That we all have such successful lives back home, where our nice government takes good care of us, that we must be crazy to come here in the first place

-

[frankman]

To the IQ-tester!!! Prove me wrong! 38.5 people in the U.S.A. can't read or write!? Facts please. and than we talk about I.Q. again. No offence!!!

Edited July 27, 2008 by frankman

[elkangorito]

Many of these guys scrape by teaching English, when in their own countries they probably hauled bricks or stacked supermarket shelves.

Yes...I scrape by, by teaching English. In my own country, I was a facilities manager & electrical engineer.

I rather enjoy scraping by...it is my preferred lifestyle.

That farangs are more intelligent than Thais - a misconception frequently shared by both, it appears.

Without stoking anybodys ego.. Just go look at IQ testing.. 16% of Thai children up north qualify as technically retarded by western measures.

http://www.thailandlife.com/thaiyouth_64.html

IQ scores in the high 80's and low 90's are the norm. Those are the facts.

IQ tests are a load of crap! I have had my IQ tested heaps of times by the Australian military & the results are a load of crap. These tests are an attempt to quantify human intellect. This is an impossible task since humans can change their way of thinking at the drop of a hat. If somebody changes one thought, it can change their whole life because their way of thinking has changed. Conversely, perform such a test on a machine & the results will always be consistent, since machines can't think (but can calculate). What is the IQ of a computer? Before anybody comments, I realise that age is relevant with this inane method of testing intellect. Allow me to rephrase a question; what are the IQ's of a 1 year old computer versus a 10 year old computer?

That the only reason we come to Thailand is to have sex with bargirls.

That we all have a good enough knowledge of English to be able to teach it! (just look at some of the "English" responses to this thread and you will know that this is definitely a misconception).

That we are wealthy.

That we couldn't be walking along the street to get from A to B, we must only be there to buy something from their stall.

That we do not like spicy food.

That we couldn't possibly speak Thai.

In fact, some farangs come to Thailand because they like the climate, food, lifestyle, people, geographic location and the culture! A side benifit to Thailand is that it also has a great nightlife and beautiful women. Good thread Teacup!

Very good post. It agrees with my thoughts up to a degree, except I don't go for girls.

The biggest misconception I have come across, is what my Thai friends think about me. They (most) think that I am wonderful, whereas I am not (if only they see my posts here). Due to the "wonderful" culture here, "negative" aspects of personality are greatly frowned upon. To be "negative" is to be "serious"....& one can't be serious here. I only know 2 Thai people whom can come to grips with the negative aspects of a personality & not see it as "bad". The others (who can't grasp this incredibly complex theory) are just following the "program".

Nonetheless, I think that I am setting an example with my Thai colleagues in such that I am slowly revealing my "dislikes". Most of them can seem to understand that just because someone doesn't like something (eg. a monarchs, religions etc), doesn't mean that the thinker of such, is a bad person. They can actually see that it is merely a difference of opinion.

In a nutshell, unless you follow their behaviour program, you will be a "typical" farang. Not many Thais that I know, can see beyond this narrow way of thinking.

Edited July 27, 2008 by elkangorito

[willy1957]

I think the biggest misconception is that Farangs are all rich.

Many are on the bones of their azz and totally unsuitable for a partner for a decent Thai woman, or any other women.

Maybe these guys scrape by teaching English, when in their own countries they probably hauled bricks or stacked supermarket shelves.

That is completely right, but the main difference is our lifestandard where a lot of Thai-ladys haven't got a clue.Even for jobs you mention you get payed at least 1000 euro in Belgium, at today's rate that is about 50000 baht. That is ten times the salary of what Thai people earn when they have lower level jobs. The point is they don't know, or some don't know that living in Belgium with 1000 euro in month is not easy, as you already pay easily 400 euro rent for an appartment. What left is enough to shop at the Aldi supermarket, a low price market.A car you can't even think of. What happens is that some tourists come with their vacation-money and make the lady's head going crazy, because mostly their are not honest about their real situation.That is one of the reasons why mixed marriages in Belgium know a divorce rate of 70 %. Untill they come over, they don't know that the life of a simple worker is rather hard. The real rich don't go to Thailand for a lady, because the rich can get(young) lady's wherever they want ,no matter how old they are or how they look.For those, and I know some of them, not really intrested in a Thai-lady just live in Thailand because with 700-800 euro you can really live well, for example you have no heathing costs in the winter, but when they teach it is mostly as a volunteer.It is also a matter of perception.To return to the " not easy life" with 1000 euro in month in Belgium, that is hard to imagine for familys who have to live with 4000 baht like I know them in Phrae.

Just out of curiosity, is it possible to live in Belguim for 1000 euro a month, bcos it certainly aint enough in Scotland ... and i thought we were Europes poorhouse?

Read again, I said it is not easy , but not impossible either if you live a simple life, no car, for example.

The borderline in Belgium is 700 euro, under that amount you are considered poor, wich is about 15% of the population. 1 on 100 can't buy elemental thing like food.In Thailand food is cheap, so even the very poor(to our standards) have their daily food, as I am speaking for Phrae and Chiang Mai.I don't know other places in Thailand so I can't speak about those.

[qwertz]

Ahh but its only partly in their / our favor.. Look at the amount of bellyaching that many farang males do when it comes to being the sole / primary breadwinner.. Suddenly the flipside is forgotten and its all a desire for more equality !!

Interesting. I thought that while they bellyached, many of the men here were somewhat proud of this role & enjoyed being being at the top of the family hierarchy.

I have often wondered about this, though, as I do believe that equality for women is, in turn, of much benefit to men, and this environment is one in which they might realise that.

Sylvie, women do have an all important role to play in society but since they're generally far better than

than men at running a house, raising children and taking care of a man's needs, they are confined to this

role by men in many lands.

I suspect that this is so because if they were allowed other roles, who knows what else they might do

better?

However, purely out of selfish motives, I hope this situation remains so because I for one would not trust

men in general to follow through with a woman's allotted responsibilities.

[arco27]

There you go, as someone said already. 'Farangs in general' . Till the Thai can drop that little misconception, they'll never understand an American, Italian, Frenchman or any of the vastly different cultures that they happily lump together to try and make life simple.

and that most farangs have the misconcetion that all Asians are the same and never understand that Thais, Japanese, Chinese, Cambodians or Nepalese

or any of the vastly different cultures that they happily lump together to try and make life simple.

[brackmagic]

I believe that many Thai's think their country is so wonderful that no matter what, the farang hordes will continue to come/stay.

[JSixpack]

I have had my IQ tested heaps of times by the Australian military & the results are a load of crap.

Sorry you consistently had crappy results from your heaps of IQ tests. I suspect many of our posters have been similarly disappointed, though perhaps they didn't have as many tests as yourself. Perhaps you just need to have your IQ tested in a less demanding environment. In Thailand, now, you can often just pay for the test results you want to see.

[LivinLOS]

I believe that many Thai's think their country is so wonderful that no matter what, the farang hordes will continue to come/stay.

And the sad thing is.. As the west declines.. They may be right