What Would You Change About Thai Culture?

[venturalaw]

I would teach Thais a new concept (especially while driving):

WAIT YOUR TURN

Edited June 12, 2009 by venturalaw

[Birdman]

What do people here mean by "I would teach them"? Reminds me of brutal colonial or missionary behaviour centuries ago.

[venturalaw]

What do people here mean by "I would teach them"? Reminds me of brutal colonial or missionary behaviour centuries ago.

Conjured up a negative interpretation and applied it to all. Why not consider teaching an enlightening experience? You must be a lib.

[spidermike007]

What a fascinating topic. Thais can be wonderful people. The culture is fascinating. What could be done to improve it:

Start teaching history in school. Include a few hours of world history and geography. We all react to the world differently, when we know a world exists

out there. Also, get serious about teaching english to the youth of this country, if indeed they are serious about growing the economy.

This may also ease the extreme xenophobia found here. The government can only promote this fear of foreigners if the people are kept

ignorant.

Get past the "kneejerk" reaction of the injustices done to thailand in the 19th century. Move into the future.

[Birdman]

What do people here mean by "I would teach them"? Reminds me of brutal colonial or missionary behaviour centuries ago.

Conjured up a negative interpretation and applied it to all. Why not consider teaching an enlightening experience? You must be a lib.

Why not consider teaching nothing at all, if you are not asked for and let Thais be as they are Thais.

[bungy007]

If you could change something about Thai culture to make life easier for a foreigner, what would it be? (A wish list, since it isn't going to change)

Here is my first comment:

Less discrimination in pricing

I find that a foreigner will pay more for the same service provided to a Thai citizen. This is discrimination in some countries and illegal. In most cases, it is a minor difference, but it is a little annoying to get used to. Prices are usually not listed for many purchases, so it is up to the seller to determine what they want to sell it for, and can discriminate all they want (even directly in front of you).

note: This is not suppose to 'showcase' perceived problems with the Thai culture. In fact, it will help me better understand differences in the culture. Part of trying to adapt to the culture. Hopefully it helps others that are experiencing culture shock.

crimes committed against foreigners by Thais should attract double the normal sentencing tariffs

murders of foreigners should carry a mandatory death sentence, no exceptions

it may think make Thais think twice about targetting foreigners.

Loved the last line but sorry to say, in my experience it is very rare for a Thai to think once - thinking twice is just being too optimistic. In gerneral, thais don't think they just act/react by instinct or reflex. I would set about changing this and teach them how to think. From this point a lot of other problems will be taken care of by simple thought process.

[bungy007]

You guys remind me of how it is here in Texas. The Mexicans swarm in and are turning this place into a cesspool. They expect everything to be in spanish; all govt forms are in spanish, everytime you call for support they have a spanish option, and none of them bother to learn english so they expect you to speak spanish and get mad at you if you insist on speaking english. Every other store is mexican owned and their staff cant speak english; even in a chain store the staff don't bother to learn english. They leach off the govt and expect certain civil rights because they're minorities; did I also mention they're racist? They talk in spanish behind your back. Those of you who want to change Thai culture are like mexicans, you go into a country you didn't build and whine about how they won't accomodate you even if its unreasonable.

Err don't think so! I haven't got one of those silly hats for one thing. If anything your comparison should be reversed. We would be the Americans coming to live in Mexico complaining about what a snafu the whole joint is. Don't forget, most of what you see in daily life was 'lifted' by the Thais. They didn't invent it they copied it. Let's see, the combustion engine (see trains,cars, motorcycles, busses, trucks), they bycycle, department stores, tv, films, cinemas, coke, pepsi, McDonalds, high rise builidings (hotels/office blocks et al) hospitals, modern medicine, fast food, convenience stores, t-shirts, jeans, shoes, sandals, shorts, designer clothes, dvds, cds, game-boys, nintendo, computer games, deck-chairs, beer, karoke, knife, forks and spoons for eating, electricity, the telephone, mobile phones, radios, air-con, democracy - oopps. they are still working that one out

[MiG16]

crimes committed against foreigners by Thais should attract double the normal sentencing tariffs

murders of foreigners should carry a mandatory death sentence, no exceptions

it may think make Thais think twice about targetting foreigners.

I have seen many foreigners complain that rule of law is lacking in thailand

yet now I see a suggestion to deviate totally , infact abandon, the very principle of rule of law.

similar punishment for similar crime is one crucial aspect to ensuring rule of law in any society

[imaneggspurt]

Stop lying and be trustworthy - do what you said you would do, when you said you were going to do it, in the way you said you were going to do it. Stop being childish.

SUPERB,well said, the childish bit especially,..i would only add to use the words " i dont know " instead of a lie of yes or no,.when in reality you have no idea, which is often, !

[Datsun240Z]

What a fascinating topic. Thais can be wonderful people. The culture is fascinating. What could be done to improve it:

Start teaching history in school. Include a few hours of world history and geography. We all react to the world differently, when we know a world exists

out there. Also, get serious about teaching english to the youth of this country, if indeed they are serious about growing the economy.

This may also ease the extreme xenophobia found here. The government can only promote this fear of foreigners if the people are kept

ignorant.

Get past the "kneejerk" reaction of the injustices done to thailand in the 19th century. Move into the future.

History and Geography hehe , Most oldies never knew of WWII.

[wackysleet]

What a fascinating topic. Thais can be wonderful people. The culture is fascinating. What could be done to improve it:

Start teaching history in school. Include a few hours of world history and geography. We all react to the world differently, when we know a world exists

out there. Also, get serious about teaching english to the youth of this country, if indeed they are serious about growing the economy.

This may also ease the extreme xenophobia found here. The government can only promote this fear of foreigners if the people are kept

ignorant.

Get past the "kneejerk" reaction of the injustices done to thailand in the 19th century. Move into the future.

History and Geography hehe , Most oldies never knew of WWII.

Whats the name of that baccy you smoke Datsun, please hand some around .

[Datsun240Z]

What a fascinating topic. Thais can be wonderful people. The culture is fascinating. What could be done to improve it:

Start teaching history in school. Include a few hours of world history and geography. We all react to the world differently, when we know a world exists

out there. Also, get serious about teaching english to the youth of this country, if indeed they are serious about growing the economy.

This may also ease the extreme xenophobia found here. The government can only promote this fear of foreigners if the people are kept

ignorant.

Get past the "kneejerk" reaction of the injustices done to thailand in the 19th century. Move into the future.

History and Geography hehe , Most oldies never knew of WWII.

Whats the name of that baccy you smoke Datsun, please hand some around .

Van Nelle, Heavy Shag

[wackysleet]

History and Geography hehe , Most oldies never knew of WWII.

Whats the name of that baccy you smoke Datsun, please hand some around .

Van Nelle, Heavy Shag

I went to school with her Datsun and she really is fat, must weigh a fair few kilos .

[venturalaw]

What do people here mean by "I would teach them"? Reminds me of brutal colonial or missionary behaviour centuries ago.

Conjured up a negative interpretation and applied it to all. Why not consider teaching an enlightening experience? You must be a lib.

Why not consider teaching nothing at all, if you are not asked for and let Thais be as they are Thais.

Perhaps you did not read the name of the topic: "Replying to What Would You Change About Thai Culture?" It is a thread to which people have responded. So, your statement "if you are not asked for and let Thais be as they are Thais" is nonsensical.

[Chaimai]

What do people here mean by "I would teach them"? Reminds me of brutal colonial or missionary behaviour centuries ago.

Conjured up a negative interpretation and applied it to all. Why not consider teaching an enlightening experience? You must be a lib.

Why not consider teaching nothing at all, if you are not asked for and let Thais be as they are Thais.

What a naiive response.

Many believe the Thais are inherently lazy and stupid and will remain that way. Others (including myself) think that the Thais, if properly educated, can change some of the things that fall short of 'western standards'. Many threads have been running on the current standard of Thai driving and the lack of tidyness where rubbish is concerned.

Please do not suggest that Thais (or any other race) should be left to their own devices, evolution can be encouraged or accelerated by education.

[Birdman]

What do people here mean by "I would teach them"? Reminds me of brutal colonial or missionary behaviour centuries ago.

Conjured up a negative interpretation and applied it to all. Why not consider teaching an enlightening experience? You must be a lib.

Why not consider teaching nothing at all, if you are not asked for and let Thais be as they are Thais.

Perhaps you did not read the name of the topic: "Replying to What Would You Change About Thai Culture?" It is a thread to which people have responded. So, your statement "if you are not asked for and let Thais be as they are Thais" is nonsensical.

So this thread makes sense to you. So you think because of this particular thread there will more potential to change Thai culture. That is ridiculous.

[Birdman]

What do people here mean by "I would teach them"? Reminds me of brutal colonial or missionary behaviour centuries ago.

Conjured up a negative interpretation and applied it to all. Why not consider teaching an enlightening experience? You must be a lib.

Why not consider teaching nothing at all, if you are not asked for and let Thais be as they are Thais.

What a naiive response.

Many believe the Thais are inherently lazy and stupid and will remain that way. Others (including myself) think that the Thais, if properly educated, can change some of the things that fall short of 'western standards'. Many threads have been running on the current standard of Thai driving and the lack of tidyness where rubbish is concerned.

Please do not suggest that Thais (or any other race) should be left to their own devices, evolution can be encouraged or accelerated by education.

Hey, we talked about the use of the term "teaching them" in the disparaging sense of "teaching them a lesson" NOT a about education.

[wackysleet]

On a lighter note, I would like to change my wife .

[venturalaw]

You are the only one here that has been disparaging. And I have seen nothing posted regarding 'changing' Thai culture. Not only is changing the culture undesirable, it is impossible.

Edited June 12, 2009 by venturalaw

[IMA_FARANG]

I read through the comments posted here, and with a very few exceptions, I read a lot of racist, pompous, self-serving trash from a self-rightous group of farang bigots.

We seem to have a group of people who are so in love with there own preconcieved predjudices, especialy about "jolly old blighty", that anyone who doesn't follow their opinions is inferior to them.

It seems like, from some of the comments, that the only contact some of the farangs expressing their views here ever had with a Thai person was at the end of his pr##k.

Anyhow, I'll list some things I would like to see happen in thai society:

1. Less glorification of the materialistic western life style. More emphisis of traditional "Thai values", and less of "western values."

2. A system in which value of an individual is based on that individuals worth...and not his or her money, possesions, or social standing.

3. A system in which the good intelligent students are rewarded....not simply those whose family has money or influence. A system where service to the country is more important than financial gain. A system where a worker feels taht after years of honest work, he or she can actually expect to benefit form the fruits of that work.

4. A tax system where a worker who pays his or her taxes can see benefits directly from that tax money in how it is spent, because the money is being visably spent on schools, hospitals, and services for the average person.

5. A system where public servants are rewarded for service to the people, and corruption is punished publicly. Then a worker could actually feel that those elected or appointed to "serve" him or her was actually interested in serving the people and not himself first.

But why go on,we know none of that will happen. At least not without a major change in the capitalistic system that benefits the greedy and corrupt and not the common people.

Oh and one more thing. Less reliance on "tourism" as a sorce of money...and a shift to income earned from Thai workers and their products rather than foriegn tourists. A society of maids and waiters, bellboys and "service workers" will always be dependent of the whim of rich foriegn tourists, and will never develop true economic independence.

[Datsun240Z]

I read through the comments posted here, and with a very few exceptions, I read a lot of racist, pompous, self-serving trash from a self-rightous group of farang bigots.

We seem to have a group of people who are so in love with there own preconcieved predjudices, especialy about "jolly old blighty", that anyone who doesn't follow their opinions is inferior to them.

It seems like, from some of the comments, that the only contact some of the farangs expressing their views here ever had with a Thai person was at the end of his pr##k.

Anyhow, I'll list some things I would like to see happen in thai society:

1. Less glorification of the materialistic western life style. More emphisis of traditional "Thai values", and less of "western values."

2. A system in which value of an individual is based on that individuals worth...and not his or her money, possesions, or social standing.

3. A system in which the good intelligent students are rewarded....not simply those whose family has money or influence. A system where service to the country is more important than financial gain. A system where a worker feels taht after years of honest work, he or she can actually expect to benefit form the fruits of that work.

4. A tax system where a worker who pays his or her taxes can see benefits directly from that tax money in how it is spent, because the money is being visably spent on schools, hospitals, and services for the average person.

5. A system where public servants are rewarded for service to the people, and corruption is punished publicly. Then a worker could actually feel that those elected or appointed to "serve" him or her was actually interested in serving the people and not himself first.

But why go on,we know none of that will happen. At least not without a major change in the capitalistic system that benefits the greedy and corrupt and not the common people.

Oh and one more thing. Less reliance on "tourism" as a sorce of money...and a shift to income earned from Thai workers and their products rather than foriegn tourists. A society of maids and waiters, bellboys and "service workers" will always be dependent of the whim of rich foriegn tourists, and will never develop true economic independence.

It can't be idealistic, there will always be people ripping of other people, hey that's why we got poor and rich remember ! Even my home country, which has full democracy, still alot of corruption. I just read an article about Bankers, who where retiring, got their golden handshake and a few milions... And than the normal guy is working his whole life his ass of for a louzy buck until he reached retirement.

[lioness]

This thread should be headed what don't you like about Thailand or what would you like to change, which is old hat anyhow.

To define the word culture:- the customs, insitutions and achievements of a particular nation, people or group.

[yabaaaa]

3. A system in which the good intelligent students are rewarded....not simply those whose family has money or influence. A system where service to the :

Id take the "intelligent" bit out of this not everyone is born with or can acquire it. Someone who works or tries hard is just as important as someone who is intelligent.

[Shazza]

Mostly, I love Thai culture...family, relaxed attitudes and so on...

I agree about education here needing to change... but how to change it? How can a western education fit in with an eastern mindset? People who say they love different cultures can often bring in education as this wonderful be all and end all to fix everything and as they do it, they wreck the culture of the people. Yes, teach more world history and geography - for sure... but whose world history? Whose views and opinions... I've had a young boy from an American family here argue with me about the geography of my own country - he'd just been learning about it and had been taught incorrectly!

I think if Thai people were taught to be more proud of their achievements at an early age that would help with job satisfaction and the way they work... and our moobaan swimming pool would always be clean and swimmable rather than the hit and miss thing it is now!

=

In New Zealand when I was about 10 or so the government began a huge campaign about being a TIDY KIWI... they also placed rubbish bins all over the place.... everywhere we went we were reminded to be tidy.... we didn't even have a lot of fines and stuff, just education... speaking with expats here who have been to NZ - this worked... and NZ is indeed beautiful because of it... loads of what you guys here have percieved as cultural things you'd like to see changed are educational issues.... these things can't change quickly they take a generation or two of education and persistence on the part of the government.

But Thai culture... nah, I love it the way it is (mostly) when we go back to NZ at times I am shocked by our culture - guess that's all the shocking habits I bring back here to freak people here out!!! Ha ha... we are visitors here and should be on our best behaviour I guess, but even that would be pretty hard for most Thai people to cope with... they are so very, very gracious

[timekeeper]

crimes committed against foreigners by Thais should attract double the normal sentencing tariffs

murders of foreigners should carry a mandatory death sentence, no exceptions

it may think make Thais think twice about targetting foreigners.

I have seen many foreigners complain that rule of law is lacking in thailand

yet now I see a suggestion to deviate totally , infact abandon, the very principle of rule of law.

similar punishment for similar crime is one crucial aspect to ensuring rule of law in any society

the ''very principle of rule of law'' in Thailand as you refer to it is only applied by the depth of your pockets or your level of influence with Thai family or their friends

there is no one law here that applies to everyone in this society

Thais know that they will always have the upper hand, if you are farang, one strike and you are out,

unless you have the money to make it otherwise.........

in my view a dual sentencing policy would send a firm message to Thai criminals about the government's attitude about attacking tourists, damaging the international image and the financial interests of Thailand and re-dress the balance a little in our favour.

it will never be implemented of course unless the powers that be realise that they could get even more money from criminals in return for sweeping higher profile crimes against tourists under the carpet, so its hardly worth discussing anyway.

[Jonmakmak]

Some good ideas here, and some stupid ones too.

Heres a couple of my (stupid) ones.

1. Put more bins everywhere and brainwash the Thai people to use them!

2. Ban Tuk Tuks.

2. Ban Thai people.

2. Ban Thailand.

[Datsun240Z]

Why ruin Thailand? It's the charm of the country, they should be a bit messy.

[dbrenn]

If you could change something about Thai culture to make life easier for a foreigner, what would it be? (A wish list, since it isn't going to change)

Here is my first comment:

Less discrimination in pricing

I find that a foreigner will pay more for the same service provided to a Thai citizen. This is discrimination in some countries and illegal. In most cases, it is a minor difference, but it is a little annoying to get used to. Prices are usually not listed for many purchases, so it is up to the seller to determine what they want to sell it for, and can discriminate all they want (even directly in front of you).

note: This is not suppose to 'showcase' perceived problems with the Thai culture. In fact, it will help me better understand differences in the culture. Part of trying to adapt to the culture. Hopefully it helps others that are experiencing culture shock.

It's you who has to change, because Thailand certainly won't change for you

The only solution to long-term happinesss in Thailand is acceptance for what it is.

[wackysleet]

If you could change something about Thai culture to make life easier for a foreigner, what would it be? (A wish list, since it isn't going to change)

Here is my first comment:

Less discrimination in pricing

I find that a foreigner will pay more for the same service provided to a Thai citizen. This is discrimination in some countries and illegal. In most cases, it is a minor difference, but it is a little annoying to get used to. Prices are usually not listed for many purchases, so it is up to the seller to determine what they want to sell it for, and can discriminate all they want (even directly in front of you).

note: This is not suppose to 'showcase' perceived problems with the Thai culture. In fact, it will help me better understand differences in the culture. Part of trying to adapt to the culture. Hopefully it helps others that are experiencing culture shock.

It's you who has to change, because Thailand certainly won't change for you

The only solution to long-term happinesss in Thailand is acceptance for what it is.

Perhaps for us falangs but please don't say that thais should have to accept the inherant problems that beset them through unfair treatment by their respective governments

[Naam]

If you could change something about Thai culture to make life easier for a foreigner, what would it be? (A wish list, since it isn't going to change)

Here is my first comment:

Less discrimination in pricing

I find that a foreigner will pay more for the same service provided to a Thai citizen. This is discrimination in some countries and illegal. In most cases, it is a minor difference, but it is a little annoying to get used to. Prices are usually not listed for many purchases, so it is up to the seller to determine what they want to sell it for, and can discriminate all they want (even directly in front of you).

note: This is not suppose to 'showcase' perceived problems with the Thai culture. In fact, it will help me better understand differences in the culture. Part of trying to adapt to the culture. Hopefully it helps others that are experiencing culture shock.

double pricing is related to "culture"? are you for real?