Why Do Some Ex Pats Defend Thailand At All Costs

[Maigo6]

Some of the posters summed me up to a great extent. I DON'T want any responsibilities, duties or obligations. I paid my dues by working all my life and what's left of my life belongs to me. I get up when I want, go to bed when I want, wear what I want and go where and when I want.

And have a drink when you want !

[dumball]

Some of the posters summed me up to a great extent. I DON'T want any responsibilities, duties or obligations. I paid my dues by working all my life and what's left of my life belongs to me. I get up when I want, go to bed when I want, wear what I want and go where and when I want. Some years back, I had a great girlfriend who had children. I was too selfish to marry her because her children were in the package, and yes, I'm far too selfish to raise children that are not mine. I don't have to defend Thailand or my life style. I like it here and I like my life style. Fortunately I have a wife who understands me and she herself is quite independent. No jealous clinging woman for me.

Gary A , to my way of thinking you are a stand alone person who has what he wants and has every intention of keeping it that way ,CONGRATULATIONS , you bring a sense of sanity to this thread every-time you post .Like the private said whilst talking to his superior on the telephone "I am saluting you sir ".

[Maigo6]

Gary A , to my way of thinking you are a stand alone person who has what he wants and has every intention of keeping it that way ,CONGRATULATIONS , you bring a sense of sanity to this thread every-time you post .Like the private said whilst talking to his superior on the telephone "I am saluting you sir ".

Dumball, am I included in the salutations ?

[Gary A]

Some of the posters summed me up to a great extent. I DON'T want any responsibilities, duties or obligations. I paid my dues by working all my life and what's left of my life belongs to me. I get up when I want, go to bed when I want, wear what I want and go where and when I want.

And have a drink when you want !

That's a great idea. I think I'll head for the corner and see if Nit Noi is open. If not, I'll go to the little restaurant, same side of the road and just south of his place.

[Gary A]

Gary A , to my way of thinking you are a stand alone person who has what he wants and has every intention of keeping it that way ,CONGRATULATIONS , you bring a sense of sanity to this thread every-time you post .Like the private said whilst talking to his superior on the telephone "I am saluting you sir ".

Dumball, am I included in the salutations ?

Thanks Dumball, I'll just have a beer for both you and Maigohok, then one for myself and maybe one for the road.

[dumball]

Gary A , to my way of thinking you are a stand alone person who has what he wants and has every intention of keeping it that way ,CONGRATULATIONS , you bring a sense of sanity to this thread every-time you post .Like the private said whilst talking to his superior on the telephone "I am saluting you sir ".

Dumball, am I included in the salutations ?

See what surprising results a little hint can produce in lieu of denegration ?

Maigo , you do have a comedic thread in your body .

Yeah-------Okay .

[Chaimai]

Gary A , to my way of thinking you are a stand alone person who has what he wants and has every intention of keeping it that way ,CONGRATULATIONS , you bring a sense of sanity to this thread every-time you post .Like the private said whilst talking to his superior on the telephone "I am saluting you sir ".

Dumball, am I included in the salutations ?

See what surprising results a little hint can produce in lieu of denegration ?

Maigo , you do have a comedic thread in your body .

Yeah-------Okay .

I think someone has hijacked Maigo's computer

[henryalleman]

But there are many things very, beautiful about this place( the smiles alone warm my heart, the beauty of land, the inherant kindness of so many, etc, etc, but none of those are the ones clung to

it is the lies, and deceit, the internal racism I hate

thailand was never a colony... sorry- it was, far more so than many others and still is and always will be until it stops becoming the worlds most favote over 50 I want to find( meaning buy) love retirement zone

Thailand is democratic- oh, then why are its own people not allowed to question its own people

Thailand is not a 3rd world country- go and take a peek at nana, look at its appalling human rights issues, it healthcare... and ask if this is true...

I could fill 10 pages with this

, and until it allows its own people to question EVERYTHING, until it own up to its own failings, no welfare, a ruling elite who does not give a dam about the way its own people are treated and keep them happy with all this false pride it will never progress

The above is well pointed out.

However what is supporting and makes it possible for a ruling elite who does not give a dam about the way its own people are treated to still sit in power.

Weapon, well money are like power .I.e. weapon.

Why do the ruling elite have more money = weapon than the majority of the population?

Control and rules which favour the ruling elite and keep the majority of the population down. I.e. the ruling elite own or control most of the production, factories and service industry and make huge profits. The moneyed class loots the Nation, while the working class suffer lower wages, higher prices and decreased human rights and constitutional liberties. More accurate, vulture capitalism.

The ruling elite own the politicians, makes the people stupid so they can rule more easily themselves, they rule your job opportunities they use the cheapest labour, preferably imported, they destroy the environment, they take your tax money when they fail in investment, their politicians have made it easy for their third world neighbours to immigrate here so they get cheap labour.

So where do it leave us foreigners on TV forum and how to define what is to defend. Personally I see it this way. The Thais live in a injustice system ruled by the elite. I'm against injustice. I'm not against Thais. If I say everything is fine I would support the elite. With putting the finger on point I think is not good its to hope that if they ever get a democratic system here it would change!

It seems as also on TV that political background, personal and economical interests, makes it clear why some dare to complain against a injustice system and others applaud it.

A system which is hardly feel able for us day to day but very see able unless blind. A system very unfair to the majority of the Thai people. When on one side some seems to clap their hands and walk hand in hand with the ruling elite with exploiting the system as best they can to make their own little emporium and one the other side they who complain against the system, not for their own sake but for unfairness of it mostly get the message that they can leave, from the "want to be" ruling elite TV foreigners.

What this last bunch here is doing is to clearly support the ruling elite with their arrogance for where they live.

Well spoken, exactly my feelings to

[MSingh]

Some expats have lost the plot completely. They defend all the bad things that they see and have convinced themselves with their weak arguments that it can somehow be justified.

A classic example is sinsot. Guys who have been fleeced or are willing to be turned over somehow try to defend their actions citing that it is Thai culture. Irrespective of their lack of historical knowledge, any union between a Thai and a non Thai is a 50% Thai and yet they conveniently forget all the western traditions that go with marriage.

That is just one example but for the most part, guys are so grateful for getting some sex from someone that they lose the plot and become more Thai than Thais ! That is at the basis of the vast vast majority of relationships which engender this Orwellian mantra that Thailand good, western bad.

I see it all the time. Western folk ignoring the obvious because of some made up excuse. The trouble is that they have actually convinced themselves in their illusionary world.

I've lived in a number of countries including some in Asia and guys elsewhere don't act like this. Why ? because the main reason for being in most countries is not to get laid. In Thailand it is, however which way it is neatly packaged and wrapped up.

I love Thailand but I know where I fit into their strata and I don't kid myself that very few Thais actually want foreigners here. As one poster from somewhere long ago said, they would be much happier if we just left our money at the airport and buggered off back to wherever we came from. Very true indeed.

Excellent Post & bang on the money..

[McLovin]

I agree with Huey as far as I am proud to be American and do not wish to be Thai or anything else. However, I do tire of people who complain about everything and everyone in Thailand to such a degree that one is bound to ask the question, "So why don't you leave then?" Some expats seem to have the opinion, "I Ihate this country and I hate the Thais but it is cheap and I cannot get l--d back home but I can buy sex off your women on the cheap so I will do you all a favor and live here anyway." I myself, being American, am not very impressed by the political system here. Who is? Not even the Thais, from what I see. And there are appalling abuses of human rights. I myself work in a voluntary capacity to attempt to combat some of that. So far, I don't really think I have accomplished much and perhaps never will. But I believe if one sees something wrong it is better to try to change it than just complain about it. Like someone else here said, why don't people just live life? If something is bad then say it is bad. Just as long as you can also see what is good. And as far as being accepted by Thais, or thought of as Thai, I don't believe a farang will ever obtain this but who wants to? In many places in this country the Thais treat me better than their countrymen.

Have look in your own backyard as well .... I think Guantamano Bay takes the cake for human rights abuses

[McLovin]

Some expats have lost the plot completely. They defend all the bad things that they see and have convinced themselves with their weak arguments that it can somehow be justified.

A classic example is sinsot. Guys who have been fleeced or are willing to be turned over somehow try to defend their actions citing that it is Thai culture. Irrespective of their lack of historical knowledge, any union between a Thai and a non Thai is a 50% Thai and yet they conveniently forget all the western traditions that go with marriage.

That is just one example but for the most part, guys are so grateful for getting some sex from someone that they lose the plot and become more Thai than Thais ! That is at the basis of the vast vast majority of relationships which engender this Orwellian mantra that Thailand good, western bad.

I see it all the time. Western folk ignoring the obvious because of some made up excuse. The trouble is that they have actually convinced themselves in their illusionary world.

I've lived in a number of countries including some in Asia and guys elsewhere don't act like this. Why ? because the main reason for being in most countries is not to get laid. In Thailand it is, however which way it is neatly packaged and wrapped up.

I love Thailand but I know where I fit into their strata and I don't kid myself that very few Thais actually want foreigners here. As one poster from somewhere long ago said, they would be much happier if we just left our money at the airport and buggered off back to wherever we came from. Very true indeed.

Excellent Post & bang on the money..

I agree ... Excellent post

[mclaus]

I was the one who wrote the piece about the big sign 'On arrival' at the airport that reads " Please deposit your money in the bin , then go home " , it brought me a lot of flack by the constant pack of wanabees , delusinary losers and pendantic perfectionists .

I hope they have been taking note of the exodus of more informed expats to less confrontational destinations , the cut in tourism of 30% can also be partially attributed to the 'Problems of Thailand' , yet still they deny and defend , i feel sorry for them in some ways .

I enjoyed my time spent in Thailand and would still be there because of the pleasures and happiness i felt , but i finally admited the fact to myself , "Self , you are not wanted here " so i left .I feel more needed where i am accepted , gives a great feeling and sense of satisfaction .

I think there is alot of truth in what you have said here.

I agree that there is alot of petty moaning on the forum. However there are many people that voice a valid concern on here that get shot down as bad mouthing Thailand. We may not be able to change the way things are done in Thailand (and in many ways I don't think we should) But when problems start affecting things like tourism, which has a huge impact for many. Can they be ignored so easily

[dumball]

Guantanamo bay , what a very bad examle to give concerning human rights , many of those interned there have no idea what human means , and rights , who needs rights , they do not like what we allow them to have or the way we tell them to live ? Easy , just send them off to Allah so he can explain .

[HorseDoctor]

Yeah, If Tland is so nirvanic-what are they doing online in a discussion forum?

And the post about getting laid is dead on, how many expats would jump through the immigration hoops if it weren't for the women, so economically disadvantaged , ...CENSORED......

[bangkokrick]

Some expats have lost the plot completely. They defend all the bad things that they see and have convinced themselves with their weak arguments that it can somehow be justified.

A classic example is sinsot. Guys who have been fleeced or are willing to be turned over somehow try to defend their actions citing that it is Thai culture. Irrespective of their lack of historical knowledge, any union between a Thai and a non Thai is a 50% Thai and yet they conveniently forget all the western traditions that go with marriage.

That is just one example but for the most part, guys are so grateful for getting some sex from someone that they lose the plot and become more Thai than Thais ! That is at the basis of the vast vast majority of relationships which engender this Orwellian mantra that Thailand good, western bad.

I see it all the time. Western folk ignoring the obvious because of some made up excuse. The trouble is that they have actually convinced themselves in their illusionary world.

I've lived in a number of countries including some in Asia and guys elsewhere don't act like this. Why ? because the main reason for being in most countries is not to get laid. In Thailand it is, however which way it is neatly packaged and wrapped up.

I love Thailand but I know where I fit into their strata and I don't kid myself that very few Thais actually want foreigners here. As one poster from somewhere long ago said, they would be much happier if we just left our money at the airport and buggered off back to wherever we came from. Very true indeed.

Having waded my way through all the posts i think that this one hits the nail on the head. Good post torrenova.

Cheers, Rick

[rixalex]

Having waded my way through all the posts i think that this one hits the nail on the head. Good post torrenova.

Waded? You make it sound like this thread is full of <deleted>! Surely not?!

[Chaimai]

Having waded my way through all the posts i think that this one hits the nail on the head. Good post torrenova.

Waded? You make it sound like this thread is full of <deleted>! Surely not?!

More to come, I fear

[bangkokrick]

Having waded my way through all the posts i think that this one hits the nail on the head. Good post torrenova.

Waded? You make it sound like this thread is full of <deleted>! Surely not?!

Why do you associate 'waded' with <deleted>? That is not what i meant so don't twist my words. I simply read the entire thread in one go as i have been away since i posted.

Cheers, Rick

[beerchang]

Surely it's up to one's self to decide what to defend and what not to defend? I love Thailand but I don't defend corruption, nor does anyone else on this forum. (I hope, or I'll be wrong!)

[rixalex]

Having waded my way through all the posts i think that this one hits the nail on the head. Good post torrenova.

Waded? You make it sound like this thread is full of <deleted>! Surely not?!

Why do you associate 'waded' with <deleted>? That is not what i meant so don't twist my words. I simply read the entire thread in one go as i have been away since i posted.

Cheers, Rick

OK OK. Keep your knickers on. Next time you wade, i promise to not speculate what it is you're wading in. Happy?

[agord]

Surely it's up to one's self to decide what to defend and what not to defend? I love Thailand but I don't defend corruption, nor does anyone else on this forum. (I hope, or I'll be wrong!)

Some do. Some seem to think they are real Buddhists and we should all just ignore the coruption, lying and thievery that goes on. These guys spend 500 baht on an amulet and fake gold chain and suddenly transform themselves into men of wisdom giving advise to the rest of us as if we are lost souls wandering their kingdom. You can find them sitting next to the other guy who thinks they are Mr. Thai know it all and nobody else could possibly be as established as they are here and anyone claiming even the tiniest bit of experience or knowledge is shut down for daring to hold themself in the same league.

[bangkokrick]

Having waded my way through all the posts i think that this one hits the nail on the head. Good post torrenova.

Waded? You make it sound like this thread is full of <deleted>! Surely not?!

Why do you associate 'waded' with <deleted>? That is not what i meant so don't twist my words. I simply read the entire thread in one go as i have been away since i posted.

Cheers, Rick

OK OK. Keep your knickers on. Next time you wade, i promise to not speculate what it is you're wading in. Happy?

Happy as a pig in shit!

Cheers, Rick

[Moothon]

I've been here for the last decade, and am still going through the levels of the Thai world. I have found that tourist "know it all's" have usually been in Thailand for from 2 weeks to 6 months or have repeatedly come here on vacation several times for a few weeks at a time. I have found that most expats that "go Thai", if it happens to you, usually happens around 1 to 2 years in country, when some of the language and a little understanding of the first level of the Thai world is being understood.

I guess I could say that it happened to me also, to some extent, as far as I learned from my gf at the time how to cook some different thai foods and how and where to shop cheaply and how to use the vans, rot tuu's, to get around Bangkok and Thailand, safer and cheaper than taxis, back before there was a skytrain and subway. Even wore and still wear a necklace with an amulet that she gave me, not because of wanting to be Thai, but because it was a gift and I like it.

Bangkok was a real pain to get around in, and smiling in smugness at expats wondering around hopelessly lost because I knew more than them, and then it kind of wore off around year 3 as I saw how stupid and silly some expats go, as someone said before "trying to be more thai than a thai". I never resorted to wearing lime green shower shoes and a sarong, smoking krung thip cigs ALL the time and cussing any and all western food.

I like steaks often and pizza once in a while. Granted, as soon as I knew how to order Thai food, I did eat Thai food almost ALL the time, but after a year or so, I MISSED MEXICAN FOOD AND PIZZA AND HAMBURGERS.

So usually if you see an expat eating at Burger King, they are usually either a tourist who cannot speak thai, or someone that has been here for awhile and has reverted to eating anything they feel like eating whether it be thai or a hamburger that day.

But I will say, I have a few Thai friends and can speak Thai pretty well, so I'm lucky in that regard, but as the old saying goes, "as soon as you think you know something, you find out that you don't know shit".

Also, I laugh at the guys who cuss Thai's all the time, who are laughing their way to the bank. Almost every day I hear people bitching about how some "stupid" thai overcharge, cheated, stole, ripped off, switched, didn't supply, mistook something, etc. etc. etc and how they paid anyway ha ha ha ha

And the guys who mistake Thai's not giving a shit what you think, for being rude or stupid. It's not being rude or stupid, they really don't give a rat's ass about you or what you think, the same as the people that cut in front of you in the line at 7-11 or anywhere.

All the stolen mail and packages from the post office, tenants paying more than 5 baht per unit for electric, etc etc.

goes on and on........ for the rest of us, just grin and know there are still a few people around are who are at least "halfway" normal...

[orpheus454]

To admit need, would be the same as admitting inadequacies, something a Thai will not do, and something many of the Thai defenders refuse to do.

Huh...

Do you mean the 65 Million Thai people that you don't know, or the one that married you ?

Oh good one mister ambasordor, what would Thailand do without out you here to defend it?

It would carry on in the Thai way, just as it will carry on and survive in the Thai way despite your moaning about it. Cos if I defend or you attack Thailand, in the grand scheme of things, it's makes not one iota of difference to Thailand, only to yourself, so I tend to look upon the positive whilst you prefer to look upon the negative. We have a choice, that's what makes a forum,

let's face it, if the forum was nothing but Thai bashing, it would be banned from local servers probably, you know what the censorship is like here............LOL, you see it's infectious, I'm moaning about something I can't change...

Just to add, if I was as unhappy as many of the Thai bashers appear to be in Thailand, I'd be on the first available flight out, or I'd live a pretty miserable life here if I had no choice.

Luckily I have a choice, and I choose to remain here, if that's OK with the majority of the posters here.

Yeah, OK then, you can stay...

[Chaimai]

To admit need, would be the same as admitting inadequacies, something a Thai will not do, and something many of the Thai defenders refuse to do.

Huh...

Do you mean the 65 Million Thai people that you don't know, or the one that married you ?

Oh good one mister ambasordor, what would Thailand do without out you here to defend it?

It would carry on in the Thai way, just as it will carry on and survive in the Thai way despite your moaning about it. Cos if I defend or you attack Thailand, in the grand scheme of things, it's makes not one iota of difference to Thailand, only to yourself, so I tend to look upon the positive whilst you prefer to look upon the negative. We have a choice, that's what makes a forum,

let's face it, if the forum was nothing but Thai bashing, it would be banned from local servers probably, you know what the censorship is like here............LOL, you see it's infectious, I'm moaning about something I can't change...

Just to add, if I was as unhappy as many of the Thai bashers appear to be in Thailand, I'd be on the first available flight out, or I'd live a pretty miserable life here if I had no choice.

Luckily I have a choice, and I choose to remain here, if that's OK with the majority of the posters here.

Yeah, OK then, you can stay...

Errrrr? - OK then, up to you.

[Ta22]

Thailand so bad so bad ,

Thailand business so poor so poor

Thailand girl so dangerous Dangerous

no come no come .

Trust the above statment

you will obey

i am right , i am good to you *

whahhahahahhahahhaahhaha

when you can't beat them join them .

when you can't convince them deceive them

*so i can have more space , more business and more girl in thailand withOUT you

Edited November 24, 2008 by Ta22

[Lancelot]

I have spoken to Thai people who strongly suspect that all the recent unrest is being encouraged and manipulated by foreigners.

Hi Garro,

Interesting that foreigners are "encouraging and manipulating" the recent unrest in Thailand.

How did the foreigners accomplish this? What evidence did the Thais you spoke with provide to support their views?

Are "foreigners" responsible for creating PAD? Or the pro government opposition protestors?

[njpski]

I defend Thailand because I like the people, I like its culture, its history, its diversity.

I dislike people who say Thailand should be more like the West.

***off topic comments edited***sbk

To bash a country by comparing it to another is counter-productive as it is easy to find examples of digraceful behaviour in any country.

All countries have faults but all countries have good points as well (some countries' good points are better hidden than others though!).

Ex-pats who defend Thailand "at all costs" do not necessarily think of themselves as Thai but are probably enlightened enough to see that Thailand deserves a fair go against some of the vitriol published here.

[lookpapa]

People tend to justify their actions, if they didn't they may not be able to live with themselves.

When I used to live in Thailand and went home to Oz I used to do this when people asked me why I live there. Now that I'm in Oz I can see more clearly but now I still justify why I left Thailand. It's normal to want to make yourself happy with what you decided. However it's easier to justify leaving now that Thailand is imploding.

The easiest way to justify living in Thailand is on economic grounds especially for people with limited financial resources. The trade off is loss of civil liberties to some extent and turning a blind eye to things you would not have if you lived back in your own country.

It takes a lot of baggage you had back home to self exile yourself and become a minority in an Asian country. Each and everyone of you should look within and analyse what made you do it and the price you pay.

[robbo1]

I defend Thailand because I like the people, I like its culture, its history, its diversity.

I dislike people who say Thailand should be more like the West.

To bash a country by comparing it to another is counter-productive as it is easy to find examples of digraceful behaviour in any country.

All countries have faults but all countries have good points as well (some countries' good points are better hidden than others though!).

Ex-pats who defend Thailand "at all costs" do not necessarily think of themselves as Thai but are probably enlightened enough to see that Thailand deserves a fair go against some of the vitriol published here.

Here here I totally agree with you theThai people are great they are a very proud group I have never seen so many flags of a country than in Thailand I believe it is one of the few countries in asia that has never been run by European countries eg Burma Loas Malaysia Vietnam Indonesia Singapore just to name a few the thais arer great people im married to a Thai lady and one day I hope to live permanently in this wonderful place issan area of course