What Is Your Opinion Of The Expat Scene In Thailand?

[bkkjames]

I don’t believe this is a good thing because the next generation will be a breed of people full of self interest, leading to the break up of the family unit and the community sprit will be a thing of the past, which seems to be already well under way.

Mate, if you haven't noticed, TV is a virtually community where thousands of people get to meet, interact, argue, find love and so on, that would have never have happened in the 'good ol days' which you refer.

In fact, I suspect TV has brought many people together face to face (see TV meetups, pissups, halloween, anniversaries etc for examples of this) that would have never have met otherwise.

Break up of the family you say. Do you have any data to support such a claim? Utter non-sense IMO.

[patklang]

Overall i find expats very nice to chat with and seen very few lowlifers,as one poster commented on.

[Ulysses G.]

Personally, I avoid drunken, tatooed Brits like the plague.

[bkkjames]

Personally, I avoid drunken, tatooed Brits like the plague.

very funny! btw, with the call to wear black for the next few days, these guys and their bg's will finally not look out of place in public.

[patklang]

drunken tattooed brits,dressed in black,all with bg,is this some sort of paranoia lol.have the bg got tattoos and skinheads too.

[bkkjames]

drunken tattooed brits,dressed in black,all with bg,is this some sort of paranoia lol.have the bg got tattoos and skinheads too.

they are called 'tramp stamps' nowadays I understand.

[yabaaaa]

I am a 56 year old, English guy born in Whitechapel, London.

Reading the negative views of some of the posters, I doubt whether this only pertains to expats living in Thailand but also to a new form of Western culture worldwide. I blame several factors for the causes, but mostly on technology. They used to say television killed the art of conversation, but on line computers with Skype, emails, chat lines and forums such as Thaivisa, social websites Facebook etc has killed the art of actual people contact. Also these days there is a lot of mistrust between people that puts a huge barrier on being able to break the ice and getting to know each other.

I don't believe this is a good thing because the next generation will be a breed of people full of self interest, leading to the break up of the family unit and the community sprit will be a thing of the past, which seems to be already well under way.

Whitechapel? Is that still in the British sector or has it been ceded to the ayatollahs?

Seriously I think what you say is very true and merely a sad, to some of us, indication of the generation gap we all have to face at one time or another.

Wasn't Jack the Ripper one of thise friendly sociable types described from Whitechapel??

[kmart]

Fear and loathing in LoS.

[Maigo6]

why so many Farangs believe they have the right to dictate the thoughts/feelings and expression of other Farangs is beyond me. Surely, if they were so secure in their own convictions they would not care what other people think or have to say.

So why do YOU ctitisize so many posts or posters ?

LOL.

[tomahawk]

I find that I have little or nothing in common with most of the expats I have met here, other than that we are expats. I have basically 2 farang friends here. One of them is I believe mentally disturbed, but still a nice guy. Perhap sthis is what I have in common with him. I mean the mentally disturbed part, but I try to be a nice guy too. The other one I go to gym with, but that is the extent of our relationship. I have nothing in common, thankfully, with sex tourists. I don't go to bars anymore. The truth is I would like to have farang friends but as I said I just have nothing in common with most of them here. I do believe though that the expats in rural areas where there are less farangs are more friendly and helpful. I believe this is a survival mechanism of sorts as they need each other more as as a result of living a more remote and alien existence. I find living in the city here not much different than living in a city in America, so farang do not have to rely on each other as much.

[Gary A]

Posters often criticize expats because they are not fluent with the Thai language. In my own opinion, I find that it is often better to NOT speak fluent Thai. I speak enough Thai to be able to order food or buy what I need from the small stores. My wifes' sister and brother in law have a small village shop. Often when I stop by for something, the local drunks wish to have a conversation with me. It is easier for me to tell them I don't speak Thai than to be rude and try to ignore them. As I mentioned previously, I'm not much for meaningless conversation.

[Maigo6]

As I mentioned previously, I'm not much for meaningless conversation.

You mean our conversations in Nit Noi's Bar are meaningful..

Then again, I end up with a mean hangover the next day.

I'm off to Hong Hin later to buy some gas, I'll have a look in the bar on my way past.

[Tod Daniels]

If you don't like it, why don't you pack your bags and go home!

I knew it wouldn't be long before the card carrying, color coordinated shirt/bracelet wearing "we-b-thai" contingent crept out from under their rock to start with their "luv it or leave it" rhetoric.

I've got news for you, most times I can just barely tolerate this country and its diminutive, ever smiling, inhabitants. The only reason I cut them slack is because it is their country, . Still I have abso-tively posi-lutely NO intention of leaving.

Back on topic:

As far as the ex-pat community; you would be hard pressed to find a more dysfunctional group of people. It is probably one of the worst ex-pat communities I have ever seen as far as infrastructure, support, etc. If you are not a foreign "we-b-thai" embracing your 'thainess', touting the virtues of this country, you are ostracized by them as 'not understanding thai culture' (an oxymoronic statement if there ever was one).

Then again the prevalence of cheap alcohol, even cheaper women and accommodations make thailand a magnet for people who couldn't have this quality of life in their home country. They come here to "live the dream" in Nakhon Nowhere supporting their tattooed, gold encrusted, "thai-in-tow" and her extended family.

I will admit to having met very interesting people here. However there are very few that I would ever socalize with on a personal level.

[JimsKnight]

There are interesting people still in Thailand, but not that many on this thread, too many do-gooders and people expecting folk to do as they say .

Trouble is the Ulysses G types and the other golden oldies are a dying breed and these younger, arrogant twits are becoming a bigger factor.

Thankfully the other Euro types haven't gone the crazy way of the younger generation types

[MKAsok]

Break up of the family you say. Do you have any data to support such a claim? Utter non-sense IMO.

I believe he means the break-up of the extended family.

[bkkjames]

If you don't like it, why don't you pack your bags and go home!

I knew it wouldn't be long before the card carrying, color coordinated shirt/bracelet wearing "we-b-thai" contingent crept out from under their rock to start with their "luv it or leave it" rhetoric.

I've got news for you, most times I can just barely tolerate this country and its diminutive, ever smiling, inhabitants. The only reason I cut them slack is because it is their country, . Still I have abso-tively posi-lutely NO intention of leaving.

Back on topic:

As far as the ex-pat community; you would be hard pressed to find a more dysfunctional group of people. It is probably one of the worst ex-pat communities I have ever seen as far as infrastructure, support, etc. If you are not a foreign "we-b-thai" embracing your 'thainess', touting the virtues of this country, you are ostracized by them as 'not understanding thai culture' (an oxymoronic statement if there ever was one).

Then again the prevalence of cheap alcohol, even cheaper women and accommodations make thailand a magnet for people who couldn't have this quality of life in their home country. They come here to "live the dream" in Nakhon Nowhere supporting their tattooed, gold encrusted, "thai-in-tow" and her extended family.

I will admit to having met very interesting people here. However there are very few that I would ever socalize with on a personal level.

Hmm where to start with such good material, paragraph 3 will do.

Unlike say expat hotbeds like in Saudi or similar, the group here (yourself included Todd) live a very independant existance so the need for hold my hand support groups is not required (do you need your hand held?).

Paragraph 4.

Besides hating the place and the people in between learning to read, write and speak Thai, what pray tell keeps you here if not what you mention?

[dingdongrb]

I’ve read all the responses to my thread, very interesting indeed. There are some great posts here, which explain all I wanted to know but was afraid to ask, so to speak.

But I am a little saddened by the views of the majority of the posters, I will try and explain.

I am a 56 year old, English guy born in Whitechapel, London. The last of the cockneys that now seem to be extinct. 200 years ago when I was a child, us Eastenders were a very communial lot of people. Many were still getting over the traumas of the war and lost many of their friends, neighbours and family members during the blitz that the East end took most of the brunt in London. Socializing with our neighbours was a regular event, our families were close, that included cousins, Aunts, Uncles not just the immediate family. Back in those days, neighbours actually spoke with each other and if you had a friend, that friend was normally for life.

That was our way of life and how I was brought up. Even during the 1970s and 1980s when I lived in France and Spain, us brit expats still gathered together socially in those foreign lands. It was the kruts, frogs, diegos and us who we considered normal and all the rest as being alien, they considered us the same, but it was never taken to heart and we had a sort of respect for each other. I laugh when I think back now.

Most of the elder family members of my parents generation are dead now and when they died they took with them the old ways of the community sprit and greatness of actual people contact.

Reading the negative views of some of the posters, I doubt whether this only pertains to expats living in Thailand but also to a new form of Western culture worldwide. I blame several factors for the causes, but mostly on technology. They used to say television killed the art of conversation, but on line computers with Skype, emails, chat lines and forums such as Thaivisa, social websites Facebook etc has killed the art of actual people contact. Also these days there is a lot of mistrust between people that puts a huge barrier on being able to break the ice and getting to know each other.

I don’t believe this is a good thing because the next generation will be a breed of people full of self interest, leading to the break up of the family unit and the community sprit will be a thing of the past, which seems to be already well under way.

Sassienie, I couldn't agree with you more. I am not sure it is due to technology or the move up in modern civilization but it sure seems to me that communication of how I knew it when I was much younger has made a drastic change over the decades.

I mean it used to be that when I was young and growing up we not only knew our next door neighbor we knew everyone on the entire street. They may have not all been our closest friends but we spoke small talk with each other and always said, 'hello' during our passings. Today I am sure that most of us don't even know our neighbor's names let alone much about them.

And when I was growing up we always sat down and had at least one meal (usually dinner) together as a family. I bet this rarely takes place today as in most families both parents are working so that little Suzie or Johnny can have that newest i-Pod or cell phone. Perhaps this is why our world's teens are in so much trouble, the parents know little about their day-to-day activities or lives.

It used to be that my immediate family (brothers, sisters, and parents) would always call each other a few times a weeks just to communicate and see how each are doing. But over the years this has even faded by the use of email. And then most email received is really nothing more than a few pics of a recent event or even a joke.

So sad that the personal touch of communication appears to be leaving our lives.

[Gary A]

As I mentioned previously, I'm not much for meaningless conversation.

You mean our conversations in Nit Noi's Bar are meaningful..

Then again, I end up with a mean hangover the next day.

I'm off to Hong Hin later to buy some gas, I'll have a look in the bar on my way past.

It's different when you get drunk together. We go from meaningful conversation to the normal bullshit. Yesterday I was at the "Corner" with the local Brit. I did go to the city today but the Corner was closed. Maybe I spent too much baht there yesterday. Not Noi takes a day off when he has a few baht in his pocket.

[OlRedEyes]

If you don't like it, why don't you pack your bags and go home!

I knew it wouldn't be long before the card carrying, color coordinated shirt/bracelet wearing "we-b-thai" contingent crept out from under their rock to start with their "luv it or leave it" rhetoric.

I've got news for you, most times I can just barely tolerate this country and its diminutive, ever smiling, inhabitants. The only reason I cut them slack is because it is their country, . Still I have abso-tively posi-lutely NO intention of leaving.

Back on topic:

As far as the ex-pat community; you would be hard pressed to find a more dysfunctional group of people. It is probably one of the worst ex-pat communities I have ever seen as far as infrastructure, support, etc. If you are not a foreign "we-b-thai" embracing your 'thainess', touting the virtues of this country, you are ostracized by them as 'not understanding thai culture' (an oxymoronic statement if there ever was one).

Then again the prevalence of cheap alcohol, even cheaper women and accommodations make thailand a magnet for people who couldn't have this quality of life in their home country. They come here to "live the dream" in Nakhon Nowhere supporting their tattooed, gold encrusted, "thai-in-tow" and her extended family.

I will admit to having met very interesting people here. However there are very few that I would ever socalize with on a personal level.

It had to be said.

[Hannahcopacabana]

Now as one of the few single expats out here that actually stays for longer than 4 months at a time I find that part of the reason is:

The age factor - Old, coffin dodgers who don't socialise that much. They just stay at home with the wife and kids and thats it. Getting them to come out and play is like trying to raise the titanic. But that's not their fault usually. But its just a reason.

The mentality - Even in my apartment which has a few younger farang in it there is this 'dam_n, another farang in Thailand' effect that you get. It's like you are spoiling their bubble by being near to them as they've come here to get away from white caucasians etc.

A very good expat-friend of mine and I summed it up like this:

The piss-head expats go to Patong beach, Phuket

The Whoremongers go to Pattaya (and Patong Beach to a lesser extent).

The piss-head expats who've got money, a proper expat company job and have a bit of sense to them go to Bangkok.

The Chill-heads, lay-backs and prima-donnas often end up in Chiang Mai and the other islands.

The Retiree's and statics end up in Hua Hin and Issan.

The unknowns and hiddens dwell in the south of Thailand and get up to their own thing down there, (never have figured them out yet)

Please don't take that to heart, it's just a rough generalisation for rule of thumb (typically).

For me I monger and drink from time to time (not at all right now) and chill and even static (but not much). It's the excess that gets you

Expats move around and don't always stay in one place, so there can be a 'changing of the guard' effect in a place over time.

An example of this was Chiang Mai pre-2000 when there were more characters and now it's less characters but more farangs in numbers

Now I've lived in Chiang Mai Province for xx months as a single dude and do find the place to be that bad but it is boring and the expats are very routinelike, married (often the wives have got them up their to be away from the big bad cities down south ). The whole 'expat club' scene is a bit too village-minded and group-think for my liking but it's a good way of meeting the local expats.

But the mentality of the locals and expats are more friendlier than say Bangkok where there is a more stand-offish, expat-snob mentality.

Yet the big city, naughty night-life expats are not usually boring and more characterful so you have a story or two to tell with/of them and there's usually sanuk etc etc.

So you've got good and bad sides to the whole scene depending on the area and crowd you hang out with.

The best crowd of expats (in general so far) were on the islands and in Hua Hin for me. They aren't perfect but there was a more even-handed mentality and 'all-round' quantity.

I am at ease in groups or as a rarely-seen solitaire who is just tinkering about doing some things and projects.

i do agree the whole negative boozy-ballshitters are unfortunately quite apparent out here there is something to take from this in experience and gaining knowledge on the what is and what isn't. Too much of that isn't a good thing.

Right now I'm on solitaire mode writing my books and projects etc etc, but next month it's into the sin-city expat scene.

The key is to keep on moving and don't stop in one place for too long. You never know what the next month brings and for me that is a part of lifes adventure. Too many expats forget that or trade it in for married life, which is a cool thing too

One thing that does piss me off are the people who seem to launch the whole moral crusades and wage these wars of words against the singletons and mongers doing there thing.

Expats choose their groove and if that's what they do, then that's what they do.

Sure, I don't agree with the nutcase lunatics, raging boozers/womanisers and primadonnas who seem to think they are walking demi-gods but it's a waste of time letting it get you down. You just swerve and move around that sht or play it off. You rarely should have to meet them head-on so to speak

So much truth in there that I LOLed. I'm certainly guilty of the "how dare you also be farang and here?" mentality once in a while.

Forgive my ignerrance but I thought an expat was someone who lived in another country: How can you be an expat if you live here for a few months at a time? (insert puzzled smiley)

[PeaceBlondie]

May I be the first to say...

If you don't like it, why don't you pack your bags and go home!

You were not the first to say it. Maybe the 857,213th.

[Hannahcopacabana]

I suppose I am not the most friendly of expats and I usually avoid eye contact with other farangs in the street and malls. But I do love talking bo11ocks down the pub and often chat to expats and holidaymakers. I'm fast learning to be picky about who I talk to though - last time I ended up having to bail a young lad out by lending him bribe money for Bangkok's finest . And, recently, I was told that I was very brave to have moved here with my husband because I would have such trouble holding onto him (!).

On the sub-topic: of why people come to Th, and in response to people who say that they don't talk to other farang cause they're all so dodgy for whatever reason:

Oops, I'm one of those people who came here because it was a preferable lifestyle to the one I could have had at home. I wanted (when the time comes) to be able to raise a child in a family where you can choose to have a stay-at-home parent (bagsie not it!) instead of having to have both parents working their arsez off trying to pay for a crippling mortgage and exorbitant child care. I also came here because it was a country where I could do the job that I love without psychological trauma, daily verbal abuse and threat of physical violence. Are these not valid reasons? Do any of them make me a bad person? (not rhetorical questions - I'm actually curious)

Sure those aren't the only reasons I came here: I love the food , the climate, the otherness of it all. And I love how I'm a constant source of amusement to the local vendors down at the market . I like that when you catch someone's eye by accident, the instinct is to smile (and who cares about why) and most of all I love this beautiful country which is such a mess of contradictions I think (hope) it will always hold a kind of mystery for me.

BTW, I'm not purporting to be whiter-than-white: I like to go out at the end of a working week and get totally smashed but I'm in my twenties - I figure that's allowed (and my mummy assures me I'll grow out of it one day). :D

[MKAsok]

May I be the first to say...

If you don't like it, why don't you pack your bags and go home!

You were not the first to say it. Maybe the 857,213th.

Call it a wild hunch, but I get the feeling he was being ironic...

[polecat]

May I be the first to say...

If you don't like it, why don't you pack your bags and go home!

You were not the first to say it. Maybe the 857,213th.

(Not in this thread PB How and where do I claim my 500 baht?)

We should get shirts made.

[polecat]

Trouble is the Ulysses G types and the other golden oldies are a dying breed and these younger, arrogant twits are becoming a bigger factor.

Policemen are looking younger these days, eh.

[MikeSR]

the funny thing is if you got all the people saying "i dont socialize because all the farang here are boring losers" together, they would still come to the conclusion that everyone else was a loser. perhaps we don't see ourselves the way others see us.

[bravingbangkok]

I really do not care what expats are here and what they do, that is their business and if they are successful good for them

My personal experience leads me to the conclusion that an expat should keep to himself here in Thailand.

[Gravelrash]

In addition to many good expats living in LOS, a great many of the farang expat population consists of misfits, drunks, crooks, perverts, anti-social types, or people that have escaped to LOS to take advantage of the the cheap housing, women, and whiskey. I think most farangs with any common sense tend to be more guarded and careful in choosing who they socialize with due to the vast number of losers and western society rejects living in LOS.

Which category do you place yourself, and in which do others place you?

[Gravelrash]

In addition to many good expats living in LOS, a great many of the farang expat population consists of misfits, drunks, crooks, perverts, anti-social types, or people that have escaped to LOS to take advantage of the the cheap housing, women, and whiskey. I think most farangs with any common sense tend to be more guarded and careful in choosing who they socialize with due to the vast number of losers and western society rejects living in LOS.

Good post!

I do think, though, that it depends very much upon where you live in Thailand.

I am lucky enough to live in an area in which most ferangs have chosen to set up home and raise a family, rather than just visit (or live by themselves) so the opportunity to build genuine relationships exists.

I can, though, fully understand why those who live in more "transient" areas, which seem to attract more of the people that you describe, will view others with suspicion.

So in which part of Pattaya do you live?

[thucydides]

I meet an expat occasionally who is soured on Thailand, and I kind of ignore such people.

Oh really? Have we forgotten already that angst about Thailand you experienced in the not too distant past prompting thoughts of a possible relocation to Mexico? Presumably you are not too disposed to your own company?