Agree Or Disagree

[ThaiBasil]

Not talking about the actual definition of tourist or expat here. Just for fun: if you have experienced (or are able to do) the following 10 things you are a real expat. If not you're still in the tourist category:

1) You can order a dish in Thai other than the most common dishes (:pad thai, sweet n sour, fried rice, etc)

2) You know why Thai people where yellow shirts on Monday and Light blue on Friday

3) You've tried the bugs, snake, frogs (or something alike) more than once

4) You have at least 5 CD's of Thai karaoke music

5) You wear Thai gold

6) More than once you were the only farang at a party

7) You eat more barbequed food here than anywhere you've ever been

8) More than one chilli pepper in your dish does not make you run to the toilet anymore

9) You've been here during the good old times: 3 big bottles of chang = 100 baht

10) There was a time you've not wore shoes for more than 2 months and went everywhere on slippers

again it is not too serious, just for fun. just motivate your answer: agree of disagree?

[bojo]

1- I think there's quite a few expats out there who can't order even the basics you've mentioned-

2- I don't have a clue about the light blue ones! Enlighten me

3- The jury's out on snakes, yet to find them here in Chiang mai, any recommendations?

4- Are you sure, the closest I get is having a Karaoke DVD made in my bungalow once while living in Koh Samui, had to move out for the day while the film crew set about a semi porn film. Great days!

5-I don't wear my wealth around my neck

6- All the time

7-probably , now I come to think about it

8- Lived most of life in the UK, Vindaloo and Pahl curries beat Thai stuff hands down.

9- Never drunk Chang and refuse to serve it in my restaurant, it's dangerous for your health and too many stories out there about waking up the next mnorning with the wrong gender.

10- Slippers in Chiang mai and barefoot in Koh Samui and definately the fastest trainers for those days you wake up with the wrong gender.

Regards Bojo

[webfact]

Please add to your list

11) Watch TV through a showcase window.

[Tim207]

Not talking about the actual definition of tourist or expat here. Just for fun: if you have experienced (or are able to do) the following 10 things you are a real expat. If not you're still in the tourist category:

1) You can order a dish in Thai other than the most common dishes (:pad thai, sweet n sour, fried rice, etc)

2) You know why Thai people where yellow shirts on Monday and Light blue on Friday

3) You've tried the bugs, snake, frogs (or something alike) more than once

4) You have at least 5 CD's of Thai karaoke music

5) You wear Thai gold

6) More than once you were the only farang at a party

7) You eat more barbequed food here than anywhere you've ever been

8) More than one chilli pepper in your dish does not make you run to the toilet anymore

9) You've been here during the good old times: 3 big bottles of chang = 100 baht

10) There was a time you've not wore shoes for more than 2 months and went everywhere on slippers

again it is not too serious, just for fun. just motivate your answer: agree of disagree?

I am only a long term part timer, somewhere in between expat and tourist so I guess it is fitting that I fit in to most of these. I do disagree with a few, coincidently the only ones that do not apply to me.

4. I hate karaoke in any language and would never own any.

5. I do not and will not wear jewelry.

[harrry]

A tourist when stuck behind an elephant in traffic thinks how cute.

An expat when stuck behind an elephant in traffic curses at how he is being delayed.

Edited July 12, 2009 by harrry

[PeaceBlondie]

2) I memorized Monday to Thursday, and dressed accordingly for two years (many natives don't). Friday is Lanna shirt day; any color.

5) I've never worn necklaces - too gay.

6) I was the only farang on a huge campus for years.

7) I eat at KFC sometimes; lots of hamburgers, chocolate milk.

10) I've only worn shoes once in the last 4 years.

12) I learned how you pick up the best freelancers without paying the mammasan.

[thaimate]

You always can tell us expats ,we are white as a sheet and never get a suntan ,tourists are all brown and go everywhere (even the supermarket) in shorts and a singlet.

[DP25]

3) You've tried the bugs, snake, frogs (or something alike) more than once

5) You wear Thai gold

I kinda think these things are more 'touristy.' I generally associate wearing a big gold chain more with fresh of the plane tourists than expats. Eating creepy crawlies is disgusting, something you do in your first week when you're walking in khao san or suhkumvit totally drunk.

Other than that yes to everything.

[ThaiBasil]

You always can tell us expats ,we are white as a sheet and never get a suntan ,tourists are all brown and go everywhere (even the supermarket) in shorts and a singlet.

Yeah, they always walk in the sun on the main roads as well (no matter how dangerous) while we drive a car or motorbike to get out of the sun asap, hahaha .....

[neverdie]

2) I memorized Monday to Thursday, and dressed accordingly for two years (many natives don't). Friday is Lanna shirt day; any color.

5) I've never worn necklaces - too gay.

6) I was the only farang on a huge campus for years.

7) I eat at KFC sometimes; lots of hamburgers, chocolate milk.

10) I've only worn shoes once in the last 4 years.

12) I learned how you pick up the best freelancers without paying the mammasan.

Crikey PB, How on earth do necklaces make you TOO GAY? Sorry just a confused 'straight guy'.

Tip Tip, it seems I'm almost an expat according to you, its only I don't have any Karoke CD's in my collection

[webfact]

9) You've been here during the good old times: 3 big bottles of chang = 100 baht

I was already around when Chang was considered being an elephant not a beverage brand...

... for Thais, you'll always remain a tourist. Even if someone has lived for decades in Thailand

[robblok]

1) That easy

2) I knew about it but forgot it already. Believe monday yellow because the king was born on a monday

3) I moved to Thailand did not get a lobotomy so no bugs for me

4) No Thai karaoke here, but my gf plays enough Thai and other songs by way of you tube. Cd's are for old ppl

5) I wear a nice gold chain that i got in Holland from my parents when i graduated. No thai gold for me its too weak

6) Happens all the time

7) When i first came her sure now i cook healthy food for myself to stay in shape

8) I love spicy Thai food and it does not give me any problems

9) Don't drink anymore and when drank i did not drink chang but Leo

10) I only wear shoes in the gym when training legs

[Texpat]

What if everything you own is here, you haven't left the country in years, you expect to be here for many, many more years -- and very few things on the list apply?

Still a tourist, I suppose.

goofy

[robblok]

5) I've never worn necklaces - too gay.

Real good sense of humor

[LennyW]

10 out of 10 on that one for me then - yippee!!

[ThaiBasil]

Hmmmmm ..... I guess people get stuck at the karaoke and the Thai gold. It's just that as soon as you buy a cd with Thai music, it has a video with text to sing along. It is not really whether you like karaoke or not. Probably should have rephrased that then.

And regarding the gold: sooner or later you'll be offered a Thai Buddha which to wear around your neck, or sooner or later you'll wear a ring with your (Thai) partner, or just a wristband. But I guess its indeed a matter of taste too. I for instance wear a gold necklace with a Thai buddha offered to me by my gf father. So I'll wear it out of respect and also out of respect for the beuatiful religion (hope people will stay on-topic and not turn it into a topic about religion now).

Ohw and regarding the 3 chang = 100 baht. You do not need to drink it, its just: were you here when it was just 3 bottles for a 100 thb?

[rgs2001uk]

All questions now receive the following answers,

up to you or mai saep muan gan

[sgunn65]

I have lived here for two years and run a business here. I thought that might creep me into the expat category but:

I would rather nail my head to the floor than listen to thai karaoke!

I don't wear yellow gold but hang my star of david on a white gold chain (slightly gay)

I always wear shoes

Never drink chang, as the changover is too bad

As one of my clients said when I asked him if he wanted to try bugs, "I am not poor and I am not desperate"!! I love that line

The best i can remember is 70 baht to the pound

I can't even order pad thai, but I am excellent at pointing to pictures

So it looks like I am a tourist. Can someone tell me where I can buy a chang vest?

[Tywais]

1) I can order any Thai dish because I can read the menu.

2) Yes and also know why many don't wear yellow anymore.

3) Seems that would make a lot of Thais tourists.

4) Have at least 5 but no longer sing to them.

5) Wore 1 baht for about a year from the gift my wife gave me for our wedding. No longer wear it, too uncomfortable.

6) Many times.

7) Being American I would be hard pressed to eat "more" barbecue then before.

8) Hasn't been an issue but I tend to steer away from my wife's Som Tahm.

9) Was here but can't quite equate Chang with good times. 3 large and can't remember if I had a good time or not.

10) Last time I wore covered shoes was at my wedding about 12 years ago.

[sheikxhoni]

I think this topic misses the mark. I know what an expat is without any kind of "test" based on being more Thai than a Thai. An expat will fail all these tests because expats are often aloof from the host country's culture. As a Dept of State retiree who has lived in several countries all over the world, I know that an "expat" is someone who does not have specific plan to be back at work in another country next week or next month because they live in another country, in this case Thailand - but without wanting or trying to be Thai. People working in embassies often hang out together with only marginal contact with the host country. They are not tourists but meet my - and their - definition of expat perfectly because they are not Thai and they are not tourists. That in between state - neither tourist nor Thai - is what makes them an expat, in my opinion. Eating bugs, l going without shoes, buying Thai music, etc, is what expats would call "going native" - and that is something different entirely.

COMMENTS - -

[Birdman]

9) You've been here during the good old times: 3 big bottles of chang = 100 baht

I was already around when Chang was considered being an elephant not a beverage brand...

... for Thais, you'll always remain a tourist. Even if someone has lived for decades in Thailand

I beg to disagree. Nowadays Thais can distinguish by the way you move, look, speak and behave. Except at Thai only/once in a while a Farang places.

[citizen33]

9) You've been here during the good old times: 3 big bottles of chang = 100 baht

I was already around when Chang was considered being an elephant not a beverage brand...

... for Thais, you'll always remain a tourist. Even if someone has lived for decades in Thailand

I beg to disagree. Nowadays Thais can distinguish by the way you move, look, speak and behave. Except at Thai only/once in a while a Farang places.

I'm just a part-timer - though with a couple of uninterrupted one-year work stints and a continuing work affialiation. Many ring a bell but:

2. Didn 't know about light blue.

3. Barely - tried the Isaan bugs twice, just to confirm first impression

5. Only Thai gold I have is a wedding ring, which however stays in the safe with her gold. Don't like any metal about my person.

7. Have just as many curries or things prepared in other ways.

10. If you mean sandals, yes.

Just want to mention 9, which brings back memories of my favorite karaoke bar a couple of years ago (not so long in the past!). Regarding 4 (VCDs) have loads.

[babuhavas]

Not talking about the actual definition of tourist or expat here. Just for fun: if you have experienced (or are able to do) the following 10 things you are a real expat. If not you're still in the tourist category:

1) You can order a dish in Thai other than the most common dishes (:pad thai, sweet n sour, fried rice, etc)AGREE

2) You know why Thai people where yellow shirts on Monday and Light blue on Friday-AGREE BUT NOT IN FAVOUR OF THAT

3) You've tried the bugs, snake, frogs (or something alike) more than once

4) You have at least 5 CD's of Thai karaoke music-NO SORY I DONT HAV EVEN 1

5) You wear Thai gold-I HATE THAI DESIGNS

6) More than once you were the only farang at a party-OH YEAH I HAPPEN LOT MANY TIMES

7) You eat more barbequed food here than anywhere you've ever been-NO I DONT

8) More than one chilli pepper in your dish does not make you run to the toilet anymore-YEP NOW I LIKE SPICY FOOD

9) You've been here during the good old times: 3 big bottles of chang = 100 baht-NO I CAME VERY LATE-THE BEST PRICE I REMEMBER WAS 1 BOTTEL OF 50 BAHT

10) There was a time you've not wore shoes for more than 2 months and went everywhere on slippers-NA I LIKE TO WARE SHOES

again it is not too serious, just for fun. just motivate your answer: agree of disagree?

[Tywais]

just for fun.

I think this topic misses the mark. I know what an expat is without any kind of "test" based on being more Thai than a Thai.

I believe most of us do know the formal definition, but as the OP points out this is for fun and not to be taken seriously.

[Jingthing]

An expat is someone who will experience culture shock if they move back to their home country.

[ProdigalSon]

Not talking about the actual definition of tourist or expat here. Just for fun: if you have experienced (or are able to do) the following 10 things you are a real expat. If not you're still in the tourist category:

1) You can order a dish in Thai other than the most common dishes (:pad thai, sweet n sour, fried rice, etc)

2) You know why Thai people where yellow shirts on Monday and Light blue on Friday

3) You've tried the bugs, snake, frogs (or something alike) more than once

4) You have at least 5 CD's of Thai karaoke music

5) You wear Thai gold

6) More than once you were the only farang at a party

7) You eat more barbequed food here than anywhere you've ever been

8) More than one chilli pepper in your dish does not make you run to the toilet anymore

9) You've been here during the good old times: 3 big bottles of chang = 100 baht

10) There was a time you've not wore shoes for more than 2 months and went everywhere on slippers

again it is not too serious, just for fun. just motivate your answer: agree of disagree?

1 - Agree

2 - Agree, but not sad enough to actually let it influence my clothing choices in the morning. Any foreigner who follows this colour code should be deported.

3 - Disagree - none of my Thai friends have even tried any of those listed.

4 - Disagree (similar reason to #3)

5 - Agree/Disagree - only wear Thai gold if you're extremely baan nork.

6 - Disagree - I went to more parties where I was the only foreigner in the first year I was here.

7 - Agree

8 - Disagree - My stomach's always been weak!!!

9 - You can still get it at that price in some places.

10 - Totally disagree. I used to wear flip-flops when I was first here, but now I'm the total opposite. You're just asking for trouble if you go to Warm Up in flip-flops.

[davyboy]

9) You've been here during the good old times: 3 big bottles of chang = 100 baht

I was already around when Chang was considered being an elephant not a beverage brand...

... for Thais, you'll always remain a tourist. Even if someone has lived for decades in Thailand

Yep, I was also around then!

I also remember 4 big bottles of Beer Chang for 100 baht!!

[maechanman]

9) You've been here during the good old times: 3 big bottles of chang = 100 baht

I was already around when Chang was considered being an elephant not a beverage brand...

... for Thais, you'll always remain a tourist. Even if someone has lived for decades in Thailand

I remember Beer Chang in it's early days,up in Chiang Rai it used to be 4 bottles for 100 Baht.

[longstebe]

Looks like I'm still a tourist.

The Thai karaoke thing is out the window for me as is the colour of the shirt days.

I like the Chang but was not here when it was so cheap.

[yabaaaa]

Not talking about the actual definition of tourist or expat here. Just for fun: if you have experienced (or are able to do) the following 10 things you are a real expat. If not you're still in the tourist category:

1) You can order a dish in Thai other than the most common dishes (:pad thai, sweet n sour, fried rice, etc)

2) You know why Thai people where yellow shirts on Monday and Light blue on Friday

3) You've tried the bugs, snake, frogs (or something alike) more than once

4) You have at least 5 CD's of Thai karaoke music

5) You wear Thai gold

6) More than once you were the only farang at a party

7) You eat more barbequed food here than anywhere you've ever been

8) More than one chilli pepper in your dish does not make you run to the toilet anymore

9) You've been here during the good old times: 3 big bottles of chang = 100 baht

10) There was a time you've not wore shoes for more than 2 months and went everywhere on slippers

again it is not too serious, just for fun. just motivate your answer: agree of disagree?

The expats know the truth the tourists know little and if they did know they probably wouldnt come.