Wrinkly Backpackers V. Spotty Tourists

[toastwars]

Better than the ones who finish uni and dive headfirst into a corporation.

Smells like jealousy to me... couldn't make it to anything in life, stuck in the middle of nowhere smelling cow dung every day, and now trying to disguise it as 'adventurous spirit'? lol... if it makes you feel better. But you are right; a uni-educated person could get a decent LOS job - other than 'English teacher' fresh off Khao San Road.

I notice you live in Yorkshire, Bangkok and Samui...not excactly off the beaten track are we Tax?

Exactly... whenever I see someone's "Location" showing both a Thai and some posh Farang place, it's quite obvious that the person is about as committed to the Thai way of life as the average Pakistani to Judaism. How about giving it all up, doing away with the comfy West altogether instead of trying to ride two horses with one ass. And that includes you too, Mr. 'Muang Thong and Brighton' Toastwars.

do i have to live full time in the middle of baghdad or the gobi desert to be able to express an opinion on travel.

Nay, but folks with half-assed committment to life in a third-world country can't really brag about being adventurous - aside from the "occasional adventure", like the little schoolkid's scoutcamp weekend.

Oh my I am so in awe of you...your commitment is complete..I wish I was more like you! I have to travel due to my business here...This thread is about adventurous back packers...I must say though that I am sure the Thai nation admires your commitment..living here on a tiny income spending at the thai rate and contributing nothing...at least I actually contribut something to this econamy by providing employment and trade...dumb coments are not a valued contribution

[SiamJai]

I must say though that I am sure the Thai nation admires your commitment..living here on a tiny income spending at the thai rate and contributing nothing...

Just how the heck do you know what I contribute to the country? Talking about 'dumb comments', I'm sure you wrote this when looking in the mirror, eh?

In fact, if you want to know, I'm here to do research at CMU on a disease that affects a significant portion of the Northern population of Thailand.

Now, that's contribution, Toaster. Any dummy with a million bucks can come here, open shop in a third-world country, take advantage of rock-bottom local wages and the generous exchange rate, then brag about "contribut something to this econamy by providing employment and trade" How about contributing something to the English language and learn proper grammar, eh?

Enjoy your business, dude.

[toastwars]

I must say though that I am sure the Thai nation admires your commitment..living here on a tiny income spending at the thai rate and contributing nothing...

Just how the heck do you know what I contribute to the country? Talking about 'dumb comments', I'm sure you wrote this when looking in the mirror, eh?

In fact, if you want to know, I'm here to do research at CMU on a disease that affects a significant portion of the Northern population of Thailand.

Now, that's contribution, Toaster. Any dummy with a million bucks can come here, open shop in a third-world country, take advantage of rock-bottom local wages and the generous exchange rate, then brag about "contribut something to this econamy by providing employment and trade" How about contributing something to the English language and learn proper grammar, eh?

Enjoy your business, dude.

appologies for my sloppy spelling, I think you have confused spelling with grammar. I would like to point out that as a research student your work will probably only contribute to a mounting waste problem.

I use traditional centres of manufacture for making my products, I pay a fair price and the communities I support, seem to apreciate my contribution greatly. I prevent the denudance of traditional skill bases in these areas, prevent families having to be separated by keeping employment figures up in these small communities, people would be heading to Bankok taking factory jobs if it were not for my contribution. The skills they employ would be lost, in exchange for a menial factory job, I have contributed to their way of life by allowing their way of life to continue, letting age old skills be passed on through the generations not lost by the wayside.

I also gave my time and musical talents free when I played at the MTV Asia aid concert, helping to raise tens of millions (and rising) in aid for affected countries including Thailand, Is that ok or does my spelling make all this effort null and void.

[taxexile]

I'm here to do research at CMU on a disease that affects a significant portion of the Northern population of Thailand.

you are the disease pal.

the disease is called falangus obnoxiosum and is characterised by the sudden appearance in the community of naive westerners who appear to have fallen blindly in love with all things thai and devote their empty lives trying to become thai . they are often seen wearing rose coloured spectacles which seem to distort reality.

in the later stages of the disease these simpering fools become preachers for the cause , causing terminal boredom in those who come in contact with them.

the disease is thought to have originated in the usa , where too many students with little experience of life outside the campus or rollerblading park have too much time on their hands and too much money in their pockets and travel the world doing phd courses in irrelevant subjects.

the disease is incurable , but innoculations with a healthy dose of cynicism can put the disease in remission.

[SiamJai]

I would like to point out that as a research student your work will probably only contribute to a mounting waste problem.

You must have too many mirrors near the computer you are writing from. If you were in my place, as a 'research student', all Thais would get out of your contribution is the biohazard waste - including your own, acid-marred corpse. On the other hand, if I were in your place, I could boss around and tell others what to do, just fine.

But oh my, you can really write diatribes about what an excellent addition You are to Thailand! Did you practice this before?

The only problem is, Your Holiness got around my previous point that in fact, anyone with enough money could do your 'contribution'. And in fact, many do. It's just they don't go around bragging about it, creating the mythos of a do-gooder around themselves - they just pocket the money.

[toastwars]

Bloody ###### Tax...you got me agreeing with you....I was going to start going on about how SiamJai is way off topic with hist squeeky rant but I guess as a spotty academic no hoper...he probably fits in the spotty backpacker bit well.

Spotty little herbert, stick your half arsed research where it will do some good, in the bog a least it may be of some use there as long as the paper isn't to scratchy

I started my business with 3000 UKP..that included getting here setting up house buying a Pc everything...I live on a shoestring and things ain't so good at the moment. business has it's ups and downs..hey ho...so there you go another of your half baked arguments and semi slurs shot down...you are starting to be made to look a little silly...stop squeeling about nothing ya big girl here put this in your mouth and try nt to get so excited you might wet yourself.

Edited March 5, 2005 by toastwars

[SiamJai]

you are the disease pal

Oh, oh... look at little Taxy, getting upset, aren't we? I guess my comments hit a bit too close to home, huh? Why don't you get yourself a life, little man. Maybe you could bore some others near the cozy fireplace about your great adventures of the past - Grandpa

Edited March 5, 2005 by SiamJai

[SiamJai]

things ain't so good at the moment.

Oh, I feel so sorry for you, Toaster. Do you want me to cry into my beer tonight for you?

stick your half arsed research where it will do some good,

Such a Thai enthusiast, and haven't heard about Karma? What goes around comes around, dude. Belittle academic research now, and watch as the next contagious disease wipes your factory dead empty. Why some are such short-sighted idiots, thinking only about what makes money now, that's beyond me.

[toastwars]

you are the disease pal

Oh, oh... look at little Taxy, getting upset, aren't we? I guess my comments hit a bit too close to home, huh? Why don't you get yourself a life, little man. Maybe you could bore some others about your great adventures of the past - Grandpa

Thats not upset...thats a pretty good rebuke of you and your blathering attempts at insults. Myself and Tax don't always agree but I think we do in this case...You, are out of your league here, I am untroubled as I am sure Tax is by your unimaginitive and uninteresting digs that are so easily rebuked. Are you sure you are a research student? Your debating skills seem to point to a level more akin to that of door opener or trolley cart collection trainee..

[SiamJai]

You, are out of your league here

Oh really? I'm so scared now... two old trotty geezers; a shopkeeper and a wannabe adventurer-nobody try to look less idiotic and unintelligent than they actually are. Please, don't try to hard... just wastin' my time and that of the readers. You are right, I'm outta this leauge... I usually debate with university-educated people, about things affecting hunreds of thousands - if not millions, of people.

Myself and Tax don't always agree but I think we do in this case

Oh, feeling lonely, Toaster? Don't feel secure on your own? Trying to gang up, licking some ass over there?

Get lost, dudes. I will entertain myself with you clowns later.

See ya's... and watch that bloodpressure!

Edited March 5, 2005 by SiamJai

[toastwars]

Oh, I feel so sorry for you, Toaster. Do you want me to cry into my beer tonight for you?

No not really, Ups and downs are par for the course in this world, you probably don't understand as you have lived in your little comfort zone , college, little adventure in asia, back to work for exploiting drug company back home.

Such a Thai enthusiast, and haven't heard about Karma? What goes around comes around, dude. Belittle academic research now, and watch as the next contagious disease wipes your factory dead empty. Why some are such short-sighted idiots, thinking only about what makes money now, that's beyond me.

I have heard of Karma but I am an agnostic..I don't feel the need to go jumping into Bhuddism just because I live in a bhuddist country, I leave that to the students who think it is "cool" to proudly proclaim their conversion until they get back home,I find it a little shallow. I think about what makes money now because I like to eat, what do you live on? water and contrived beliefs, then again, you are probably right, making any money, ever, is probably beyond you, ...destined to be another eternal student. Just what this economy needs

Edited March 5, 2005 by toastwars

[SiamJai]

This last post of yours is full of contradictions. If you manage your business the same way you are writing your posts here, no wonder you have troubles!

In the first part you depict me as the rich college student with a 'comfort zone' and a 'little adventure'. You are off the mark by a mile yet again, but by now that goes without saying.

What makes your post contradictory is the next part, where you, as a would-be fortune teller, try to predict my future, as someone who will never amounts to anything more than a student, making no money etc.

So, which one now? The rich spoiled student, or the poor, jobless ever-student? Both assumptions are false, as well as your other 'bright' prediction that I gonna leave Thailand after I'm done here. In case you missed it from my earlier posts when I talked about committment, I am here to stay. More than just a country I fancy, Thailand is the country I intend to make - home. The only home, not some wishy-washy hopping between Thailand and Farangland.

Now, at least one thing we can learn from all this tit-for-tat: If your business goes bankrupt, (I hope not), fortune-telling is one profession you probably should leave alone.

By the way, you spelled 'Buddhism' wrong consistenly; that's not a simple spelling mistake. You indeed have a problem of bad grammar.

I think about what makes money now because I like to eat, what do you live on?

I also like to eat, and fortunately, I make enough money to do so, without worshipping money and making it my goal to amass as much as wealth as possible. If that were my goal, I'd have opened a business here, rather than being concerned with finding solutions to a disease that Thai farmers and forestry workers die of every day.

You are probably right though... this line of thinking and attitude won't get me the money that you are probably raking in. But I can live with that.

Oh, by the way... I'm not a Buddhist convert either.

Edited March 5, 2005 by SiamJai

[SiamJai]

I was going to start going on about how SiamJai is way off topic

Actually, if you go back and re-read the previous pages, you can see that it was already off-topic before I came in. Come to think of it, you and Tax were in a slugfest already, like two roosters! I just came in, and like you, I challenged Tax on his hypocrisy and then it got off from there. ... talk about irritable posters, lol.

But sure, let's get back on topic. This way it ain't going anywhere...

The OP-article simply stated that there are more old geezers traveling than young backpackers. Well, duh! More money and nothing constructive to do after retirement. But I feel that Tax came down pretty hard on the LP-adventurers. I agree with Martin, saying

As backpacking has become a more established mode of vacationing, more people will try it out and these will truely be less inclined to steer a non established path. But it is eveyones choice

[toastwars]

In the first part you depict me as the rich college student with a 'comfort zone' and a 'little adventure'. You are off the mark by a mile yet again, but by now that goes without saying.

Every single assumtion you have made about me has been off the mark.

Oh, by the way...  I'm not a Buddhist convert either.

So why are you banging on about karma?

I also like to eat, and fortunately, I make enough money to do so, without worshipping money and making it my goal to amass as much as wealth as possible.

And you asume that is my goal?

Thailand is the country I intend to make - home. The only home, not some wishy-washy hopping between Thailand and Farangland.

This is the statement and inference that started all this, are we supposed to be in awe of you for this commitment? Are you some sort of "Uber being" because you left home?

How long do I spend in The UK each year? is it a week a month or two? do you know?

This arrogance and concited attitude that you seem to have is excactly what gives Expats a bad name, "I'm better than you, I am more in touch with the Thai culture", I have heard it all before, if you don't like having asumtions made about you, then don't make assumptions about others. Thailand is not in desperate need of another Expat who thinks the rest of the world is beneith him.

[The_Eye_Of_Sauron]

....BORING !

3 of you spending the weekend online ranting on at each other and nitpicking every comment.

So much for "Adventurers" !

[toastwars]

Sorry dudes. tedious shooting down thread this has turned into.

For my part over.

appologies.

[taxexile]

you and Tax were in a slugfest already

that was no slugfest , that was just friendly alehouse banter.

and like toastwars , i've had enough newbie nonsense from the man from "siam"

now wheres me pipe and slippers.

its time for a cuppa.

[aaaaaa]

i've had enough newbie  nonsense from the man from "siam"  

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

ghhhh.... actually it is not a man, but a lady !

curious - what she'd comment on this your phrase .

Edited March 5, 2005 by aaaaaa

[kayo]

sometimes one is inclined to wonder what it was all about, and where they all went....

[Maigo6]

sometimes one is inclined to wonder what it was all about, and where they all went....

That was a good thread .

I enjoy reading some of the older threads, some real characters amongst the posters, alas many have been banned now.

[kayo]

Yeah, when I see old threads, and spot "banned members", I enjoy to look up their last posts, and see how it all went wrong for them...

And to maybe revive this topic, you then start to wonder,

Of the banned members, and whn reading them, you start try to guess whether they were spotty backpacking lonely planeters, Daddy's-rich-kid-has-some-experience-traveling-is-maybe-a-bit-older-but-not-necessarily-rich-kid-neo-hippie-con-wannabe, wrinkly expats-moved-on-to-greener-pastures, and many other classed of &lt;deleted&gt; or dead people.