Why Not Socialize More?

[IanForbes]

Ian, you come across as the sort of chap that would get along with just about anyone. People like that are great, but not everybody is the same. Personally, I use to be a very social person, however over time I have learnt to be very wary of the fellow human being. I would be quite happy with a fishing rod, old fourbie, tinny boat and a dog.

If anything is ever going to hurt or deceive you, it will be a human being.

I often wave at people, but apparently you are suppose to use all your fingers when waving....I never have been able to get that right

How does that old song go... "Old dogs and children and watermelon wine."

There is a lot of truth to that song. Children are innocent and loving, dogs will love you know matter what you do and wine can sooth a rough day. I can get a smile from any of the three.

[mahtin]

[Children are innocent and loving, dogs will love you know matter what you do and wine can sooth a rough day. I can get a smile from any of the three.

[AndyBlueEyes]

My american friend here in Chaiyaphum, has also wondered about that fenonema.. he thought that maybe a lot of guys

are "wanted" by their homecountries or even Thailand authorities. And wants to keep a low profile.

Anyhow, I think that the most of the guys are just shy and do not dare to talk without being approached to!!!

Glegolo

This topic has been done before but the factoids never change. Anyone who has spent any time in Thailand eventually becomes aware that Thailand has become a giant magnet for many of the misfits and rejects of western society. Anytime you have a farang population with a high percentage of low lifes consisting of wierdos of every type including guys that are so unacceptable to normal women that they can only get sex by coming to Thailand and paying for it, guys that are too lazy to do an honest days work, child molesters, guys on the run from child support or the law, scam artists, paranoid schitzo types, social retards, and the list could go on etc. etc. etc. on, it obviously makes one a little more cautious when meeting total strangers. Although Thailand has much more than it's fair share of farang losers, it is still possible to meet many farangs out there that are actually are quite normal people and still know how to be sociable and smile.

[smokie36]

My american friend here in Chaiyaphum, has also wondered about that fenonema.. he thought that maybe a lot of guys

are "wanted" by their homecountries or even Thailand authorities. And wants to keep a low profile.

Anyhow, I think that the most of the guys are just shy and do not dare to talk without being approached to!!!

Glegolo

This topic has been done before but the factoids never change. Anyone who has spent any time in Thailand eventually becomes aware that Thailand has become a giant magnet for many of the misfits and rejects of western society. Anytime you have a farang population with a high percentage of low lifes consisting of wierdos of every type including guys that are so unacceptable to normal women that they can only get sex by coming to Thailand and paying for it, guys that are too lazy to do an honest days work, child molesters, guys on the run from child support or the law, scam artists, paranoid schitzo types, social retards, and the list could go on etc. etc. etc. on, it obviously makes one a little more cautious when meeting total strangers. Although Thailand has much more than it's fair share of farang losers, it is still possible to meet many farangs out there that are actually are quite normal people and still know how to be sociable and smile.

I only came for the lovely beaches/snorkelling

But have made some wonderful friends over the years

Met very few of the above...

Edited July 18, 2009 by smokie36

[Lopburi99]

... I only came for the lovely beaches/snorkelling

[smokie36]

... I only came for the lovely beaches/snorkelling

Didn't take too long......

[Harcourt]

When I was last in Thai, I noticed the other farang would studiously avoid eye contact. At the time I put it down to them being long term residents trying to avoid the embarrassing situation (amongst their Thai peers) of beeing seen to associate with "one of them" (sex tourist, wierd tourist...) ie to want to distance themselves from undesirable connotations. I was plainly a newcomer, thus tourist-looking. I could empathise with them as I didn't want to be seen associating with sex-tourists either. I just had to accept that I may be mistaken for one.

The odd thing is, the farang with Thai partners HERE in NZ also take pains not to greet other men with Thai partners (in restaurants, public song kran gatherings, temple etc where one is most likely to find the mixed couples converging)....whereas I think we might have something in common, they avoid contact at all costs, and if contact is unavoidable, they steer clear of any discussion about Thailand.

I had always tried to initiate contact, 1. because it is friendly, and 2. because I was (naively...and that's another topic!) thinking that my partner might crave some company with another woman that speaks her own language, she being the stranger in a strange land.

So, the farang-with-Thai-wife who lives in his home country is also a bit unsociable.....but seemingly only to other farangs-with-Thai-wife .

It is strange.

I agree with a poster from OZ who stated that he wouldn't normally greet strangers in the supermarket at home, so why do it in Thai..... but strangers in a strange land have a commonality, as do the spouses of Thai wives in their home towns.

Is this unsociability due in part to the stigma of sex-tourism/mail-order brides?

[idrankwhat]

I tend to be friendly which is a habit I picked up in Thailand but I agree when I smile or acknowledge someone they tend to ignore me or pretend they didn't notice. More than one person mentioned it in posting that there are a lot of strange people in Thailand and perhaps some running from their past. I worked in Japan for 2 years before coming to Thailand and it was quite the opposite experience there for me.

[glegolo]

This topic has been done before but the factoids never change. Anyone who has spent any time in Thailand eventually becomes aware that Thailand has become a giant magnet for many of the misfits and rejects of western society. Anytime you have a farang population with a high percentage of low lifes consisting of wierdos of every type including guys that are so unacceptable to normal women that they can only get sex by coming to Thailand and paying for it, guys that are too lazy to do an honest days work, child molesters, guys on the run from child support or the law, scam artists, paranoid schitzo types, social retards, and the list could go on etc. etc. etc. on, it obviously makes one a little more cautious when meeting total strangers. Although Thailand has much more than it's fair share of farang losers, it is still possible to meet many farangs out there that are actually are quite normal people and still know how to be sociable and smile.

------------------------------------------------------------

Yes, I believe you are 100% right with this counting of lowlifes,, but the list is far too long I believe,

at least up here in Isaan, if you compare with the positive list of nice people moving here. All you negative guys,

you must somewehere inside of yourselfs be aware that many many many people come here at the time in their

lives when they are getting a bit older, close to retirement.

For many (like me) Thailand has given me a wonderful chance of a very good life financilly!! There is so many

good ones living here, and I cannot just listen and thinking about all this negativity when I go out amongst

people. - "Ohhhhh, dear me,,, I cannot smile or say hello.. that man looks like a child molester, or criminal or maybe

he is wanted in his homecountry".

I greet (if he looks OK of course in my eyes) him, not judging too much, and it feels a little bit warmer I must say in

this sometime strange world I am living in... I love it here, but I guess it takes some time to adjust 100%...

I have now heard so many people giving reasons NOT to say hello or nod, but thankfully, the list of people that

actually are returning my hello is far more than the ones that are not.

At last, I did wrote initially that this probably is much much much worse in big cities like Bangkok, Pattaya(Jomtien)

Khon kaen, Khorat and others... I am aware that there is a big difference between smaller places and bigger cities,

it is exactly the same all over the world, I guess!!

Glegolo

[phutoie2]

Sure, no need to shake hands with every farang one sees in MBK or Patong. Main point here is, that many would ignore another Farang in the middle of an empty rice field, just because he is another farang.

Oh so true!. .

In Tesco's last week and this lardy, you know the type, long white socks and long shorts with a little bit of knee showing loaded all but one of the French sticks into his trolley at the bread counter.

I shouted out "Oi Fatso you have left one behind!". We had some farang eye contact then, but it fell on deaf ears and no verbals! -pity.

Thankfully the staff brought out a fresh batch 10 mins later.

Edited July 19, 2009 by phutoie2

[Harcourt]

Sure, no need to shake hands with every farang one sees in MBK or Patong. Main point here is, that many would ignore another Farang in the middle of an empty rice field, just because he is another farang.

Oh so true!. .

In Tesco's last week and this lardy, you know the type, long white socks and long shorts with a little bit of knee showing loaded all but one of the French sticks into his trolley at the bread counter.

I shouted out "Oi Fatso you have left one behind!". We had some farang eye contact then, but it fell on deaf ears and no verbals! -pity.

Thankfully the staff brought out a fresh batch 10 mins later.

Case in point....I understand now why some ignore others.

[glegolo]

Sure, no need to shake hands with every farang one sees in MBK or Patong. Main point here is, that many would ignore another Farang in the middle of an empty rice field, just because he is another farang.

Oh so true!. .

In Tesco's last week and this lardy, you know the type, long white socks and long shorts with a little bit of knee showing loaded all but one of the French sticks into his trolley at the bread counter.

I shouted out "Oi Fatso you have left one behind!". We had some farang eye contact then, but it fell on deaf ears and no verbals! -pity.

Thankfully the staff brought out a fresh batch 10 mins later.

-------------------------------------------

Yes, Why not make a joke, is it so difficult to understand and laugh with a joke given.

I mean, do we really have to be so dam_n serious.... be nice and glad.....

and HARCOURT shitty remark........

Glegolo

[neverdie]

Sure, no need to shake hands with every farang one sees in MBK or Patong. Main point here is, that many would ignore another Farang in the middle of an empty rice field, just because he is another farang.

Oh so true!. .

In Tesco's last week and this lardy, you know the type, long white socks and long shorts with a little bit of knee showing loaded all but one of the French sticks into his trolley at the bread counter.

I shouted out "Oi Fatso you have left one behind!". We had some farang eye contact then, but it fell on deaf ears and no verbals! -pity.

Thankfully the staff brought out a fresh batch 10 mins later.

-------------------------------------------

Yes, Why not make a joke, is it so difficult to understand and laugh with a joke given.

I mean, do we really have to be so dam_n serious.... be nice and glad.....

and HARCOURT shitty remark........

Glegolo

Hey glegolo, dispite you claiming some ownership to this thread, others like HARCOURT are well and truely entitled to have their own opinion on the issue. Its not up to you to brand someone else's opinion, shitty or not. You are entitled to think the way you do, others have a different reason for responding they way they do.....thats what makes this funny little world go around, OR do you want billions of little glegolo's festering in all the crevises of this world.

Thankyou for your opinion & thankyou to Harcourt. You are obviously running a fairly tight ship up there at ur place, the big man with the gold & the hairy chest rules the roost and everyone bows and scrapes to his every movement.......I see you feel some power and control now that you have converted your currency and joined the ranks of 'the millionaire' but trust me glegolo, its no great acheivement here in Thailand for farang to do this.

Its funny you seem to support the idea of publically humiliating a man that like bread and may be a little portly, irregardless of the way he dresses, I don't think he did anything to deserve that type of treatment. I seriously doubt that happened anyway, but if it did, why would you want to hang around withsome grub that is yelling out abuse in a shopping centre. Let me guess, knocking old ladies over is fun too? Goodness me, what planet are you coming from?

Glegolo, I wonder if theres any chance the man on the bike up there at the end of your soi creating ur electricty will take a spell?

[mahtin]

Blimey, neverdie, you had a revelation - when did you become submissive?

And here I am agreeing with you!

[glegolo]

Sure, no need to shake hands with every farang one sees in MBK or Patong. Main point here is, that many would ignore another Farang in the middle of an empty rice field, just because he is another farang.

Oh so true!. .

In Tesco's last week and this lardy, you know the type, long white socks and long shorts with a little bit of knee showing loaded all but one of the French sticks into his trolley at the bread counter.

I shouted out "Oi Fatso you have left one behind!". We had some farang eye contact then, but it fell on deaf ears and no verbals! -pity.

Thankfully the staff brought out a fresh batch 10 mins later.

-------------------------------------------

Yes, Why not make a joke, is it so difficult to understand and laugh with a joke given.

I mean, do we really have to be so dam_n serious.... be nice and glad.....

and HARCOURT shitty remark........

Glegolo

Hey glegolo, dispite you claiming some ownership to this thread, others like HARCOURT are well and truely entitled to have their own opinion on the issue. Its not up to you to brand someone else's opinion, shitty or not. You are entitled to think the way you do, others have a different reason for responding they way they do.....thats what makes this funny little world go around, OR do you want billions of little glegolo's festering in all the crevises of this world.

Thankyou for your opinion & thankyou to Harcourt. You are obviously running a fairly tight ship up there at ur place, the big man with the gold & the hairy chest rules the roost and everyone bows and scrapes to his every movement.......I see you feel some power and control now that you have converted your currency and joined the ranks of 'the millionaire' but trust me glegolo, its no great acheivement here in Thailand for farang to do this.

Its funny you seem to support the idea of publically humiliating a man that like bread and may be a little portly, irregardless of the way he dresses, I don't think he did anything to deserve that type of treatment. I seriously doubt that happened anyway, but if it did, why would you want to hang around withsome grub that is yelling out abuse in a shopping centre. Let me guess, knocking old ladies over is fun too? Goodness me, what planet are you coming from?

Glegolo, I wonder if theres any chance the man on the bike up there at the end of your soi creating ur electricty will take a spell?

--------------------------------

Neverdie OK you win, I apologize to you and Harcourt.. But I think you are a quite funny guy despite that you are so dam_n hungry for revange.... You were forced more or less to apologize to me.. dont be angry for that.....

I felt that harcourts remark was a bit .... and I just wrote what I did feel about it... it was just a JOKE that this guy did.. for god sake... come on....

Glegolo

[neverdie]

Ohhh Glegolo, as I said, everyones entitled to their opinion.

As for my apology, it related to the fact I was careless in not specifiy what part of naughty eeks post I supported.

I should of know eek would be wrong.....dam_n u eek

Its all good glegolo, these threads are here so that people can come in, throw in their two bobs worth and then get on with life.

I have truely enjoyed participating in ur post. Please be careful who you smile at and try to chat up at the supermarket, Thailand is FULL of all kinds of strange Farang & you might end up getting a little bit extra.

Personally, I will be keeping a close eye out for anyone smiling at me.....surely they must be up to no-good, what do they want?

ps: my work friends use to call me 'the smiling assassin' & you really didnt want me smiling at you. Are you aware that Monkies, Dogs and Kangaroos take smiling to be a sign of aggression?

[473geo]

I have to agree with Harcourt on this one...this is one occasion where the comment deserved no more than it got.......rudeness has many guises, this was not a joke it was an insult...somebody trying to look clever at the expense of somebody else.......the comment was offensive

[t.s]

Whats this money thing, you normally pay me with kisses.

Neverdie, just wondering, have you ever made a post on Thaivisa that didn't include a bit of flirting?

rixalex, you have me picked incorrectly & I think if you checked thru all my posts, most of them would have nothing to do with flirting, most my posts are filled with ANGER and VIOLENCE . You also seem to neglect the fact that I may just have one or two friends here on thai visa, both male or female whom I joke with in such manner. Knowing eeek, if I step out of line she will soon let me know about it. Please be my guest, put me on block if you don't like it, I recall others have done so, but for some reason they always seem to return to speak to me at a later stage .

Perhaps you are in need of a little bit of attention yourself or are you just the jealous type.

a little thin skinnned today? or perhaps he hit the nail on the head? either way, your overraection was worth a chuckle.

[neverdie]

ohh t.s, your 24 hours too late, rixalex and I have already sorted this issue, definately a part over reaction on my behalf, plus poor expression of what I was actually trying to say.

anyway, great to see you here...

[Harcourt]

Sure, no need to shake hands with every farang one sees in MBK or Patong. Main point here is, that many would ignore another Farang in the middle of an empty rice field, just because he is another farang.

Oh so true!. .

In Tesco's last week and this lardy, you know the type, long white socks and long shorts with a little bit of knee showing loaded all but one of the French sticks into his trolley at the bread counter.

I shouted out "Oi Fatso you have left one behind!". We had some farang eye contact then, but it fell on deaf ears and no verbals! -pity.

Thankfully the staff brought out a fresh batch 10 mins later.

-------------------------------------------

Yes, Why not make a joke, is it so difficult to understand and laugh with a joke given.

I mean, do we really have to be so dam_n serious.... be nice and glad.....

and HARCOURT shitty remark........

Glegolo

The problem with tongue in cheek or sarcastic comments is that you have to have the right tone. phutoie2's anecdote was so feasiblly realistic that I did not know he/she was joking.

If his/her story was joking and meant to emphasise the rudeness that can occur in supermarkets...ok...well, I didn't get it. I make no apology for that.

I've heard people say things like that, and so I took it to be a truthfull account....thus my comment.

Regardless of whether or not it was a true account....my comment was not shitty...in fact it answered your query: Would you want to be friendly with a loud-mouthed, offensive, abrasive person at the supermarket?

[glegolo]

. Are you aware that Monkies, Dogs and Kangaroos take smiling to be a sign of aggression?

------------------------

hahaha!! Yes I was aware of that. It is because showing teeth is aggressive for these animals.. and it is just ONLY that!!!

Showing teeths.... not smiling..... there are not that many animals that can smile besides humans so......

It is a pity neverdie that you are so stronghearted (wrong word???) Give life a chance... but I agree about the

weirdo part.... we have to be careful of course.

Ok be well,,,, see you in another thread, angry or not!!

hhahahah

Glegolo

[neverdie]

Glegolo,

Its not about strong hearted, its hard headed....been kicked alot.

Please create another interesting thread, throw caution to the wind and go out on an edge

Edited July 19, 2009 by neverdie

[cdnvic]

and HARCOURT shitty remark........

Glegolo

I thought it was quite apt.

[MiG16]

play nice guys and girls

[farangpom]

Hi!!

I would like to ask you guys "out there", and especially you that lives outside the big cities here in Thailand.

Why in hel_l are you so, not interested in talking a few words to other falangs???

I would never have agreed with you until a couple of days ago. I live in Phetchabun near (20Kms) Nong Phai and whenever we are in town and see another farang I make a joke of saying "farang farang" and pointing. always good for a smile and a hello. However last time in Nong Phai we met another farang guy browsing in Big Home store and he wouldn't even look at me, completely ignored me and that was the first time ever for me. Very strange behaviour IMO.

So, if you see a farang pom, that'll be me, say hello!

[mahtin]

So, if you see a farang pom, that'll be me, say hello!

All right, just this once.

Welcome to TV.

[neverdie]

So, if you see a farang pom, that'll be me, say hello!

All right, just this once.

Welcome to TV.

Mahtin! Shame on You!

Obviously moderator MiG16 is rubbing off on you, stop being nice IMMEDIATELY & retract that 'Welcome', it could be one of glegolo's freaky mate ur speaking too, before we know it, they will multiply and the end of the world as you know it, will come!

[Birdman]

Hi!!

I would like to ask you guys "out there", and especially you that lives outside the big cities here in Thailand.

Why in hel_l are you so, not interested in talking a few words to other falangs???

I would never have agreed with you until a couple of days ago. I live in Phetchabun near (20Kms) Nong Phai and whenever we are in town and see another farang I make a joke of saying "farang farang" and pointing. always good for a smile and a hello. However last time in Nong Phai we met another farang guy browsing in Big Home store and he wouldn't even look at me, completely ignored me and that was the first time ever for me. Very strange behaviour IMO.

So, if you see a farang pom, that'll be me, say hello!

Maybe you were the first other Farang for him after years in isolated places without electricity, news, etc and the only words he understood from the locals in this years was "farang, farang"...

[WeeGB]

Hi!!

I would like to ask you guys "out there", and especially you that lives outside the big cities here in Thailand.

Why in hel_l are you so, not interested in talking a few words to other falangs???

I would never have agreed with you until a couple of days ago. I live in Phetchabun near (20Kms) Nong Phai and whenever we are in town and see another farang I make a joke of saying "farang farang" and pointing. always good for a smile and a hello. However last time in Nong Phai we met another farang guy browsing in Big Home store and he wouldn't even look at me, completely ignored me and that was the first time ever for me. Very strange behaviour IMO.

So, if you see a farang pom, that'll be me, say hello!

Hi, and welcome to the forum.

I've lived in Phet for 10 years or so, there's a very strange, teutonic looking, bald guy, wears glasses and lots of gold, who has completely ignored every farang who's ever come here - he even has a way of looking at us farangs, in a way that lets one know he doesn't want to acknowledge us, he seems to be a real oddball, maybe it was him?

As far as I'm aware, most of the other farangs up here usually smile, nod, or have a quick chat with each other. Although having said that there was a youngish farang chap in Tesco the other day who glowered at me, for no good reason that I was aware of - maybe it was his time of the month?

It's only been in the last couple of years that more farangs have appeared up here, which is maybe why farangs are still a bit more polite with each other, than they seem to be in the more tourist areas. As far as I'm concerned a polite "good morning" doesn't cost anything, and if it isn't acknowledged why worry? If people want to come here to be miserable, that's fine by me, though I don't understand what they have to be miserable about.

[mahtin]

Mahtin! Shame on You!

Obviously moderator MiG16 is rubbing off on you, stop being nice IMMEDIATELY & retract that 'Welcome', it could be one of glegolo's freaky mate ur speaking too, before we know it, they will multiply and the end of the world as you know it, will come!

Fear not.

Mr. Tortoise is back in his shell for the next century.

TV excepted.