Poverty Forces Thai Women Into Foreign Marriages

[The_Other_Mac]

The distortion in the article is that it has been reported as news. This inherently puts a "spin" on it, because jounalists do not explain that the surprising-sounding facts in the story are simply due to the researcher pre-selecting an interesting area (i.e. a case study). The report presumably states these parameters at the beginning - in any case, anyone "qualified" to read the report will understand the methods used, and bear that in mind while considering the reported facts.

What do you expect? That the journalists emphasise to their audience that in other villages the farang influence is far less, but they don't really know how much? You think they should also report that today in Thailand, 60 million people didn't set fire to themselves?

[slim]

Both you and Roiet dismiss this study based on your own vague references and assumptions (not to mention your own biases).

About the only thing that is not logical is the typical and predictable farang male denial, and the Thai Government's probable response to the findings.

So what are my opinions on the subject matter of Dr. Boonmathaya thesis - as so far in this discussion I've only commented on the FACT that she's used old and wholly inaccurate statistics to headline her article?

[kat]

The distortion in the article is that it has been reported as news. This inherently puts a "spin" on it, because jounalists do not explain that the surprising-sounding facts in the story are simply due to the researcher pre-selecting an interesting area (i.e. a case study). The report presumably states these parameters at the beginning - in any case, anyone "qualified" to read the report will understand the methods used, and bear that in mind while considering the reported facts.

What do you expect? That the journalists emphasise to their audience that in other villages the farang influence is far less, but they don't really know how much? You think they should also report that today in Thailand, 60 million people didn't set fire to themselves?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I largely agree with this post. I think the research deserves more scrutiny, but it can definitely "resonate" with other provinces, as the professor stated. I think some of the inconsistencies between the 2 articles may have been semantic. And how old is the research: 1-5 years? What bearing do you think this has on the major hypothesis of her findings, which is that an increasing number of multi-generational Thai women are marrying foreigners for various reasons, driven primarily by economics?

Slim, I don't know really know your opinons, only the claims that you have made here. I simply disagree with your argument that her findings are a statistical impossibility.

Kat

Edited May 8, 2005 by RDN

[bangkokian]

I know what you mean bina... I will not disagree at all that most Thai men in that circumstance would not have the same perspective as this guy I met (he is not married). He really does not get very good pay at all abroad, considering that he pays up 100,000 baht to the agency that places him abroad in Israel, Taiwan, and other counries. His salary ranges from 8000 to 12000 and in certain places he gets extra over time pay. He told me that gets about 9000-10000 in Israel.

I was just bringing up the case of this particular man I met as an example because he told me that he only strive to work abroad just for the sake of "adventure." He also told me that his employer around the Palestinian border was very kind to him and he enjoyed working for them. He also stated that of all the places he's been placed he like it there best and it is not that he was not able to get a higher pay. He realise the danger, but he seems to think that death is a matter of fate, and it can happen anywhere. He told me that he gets around 8000 baht ++ in Thailand, but still wants to get more experience living abroad. It is true that his travel plans would have been different if he were from a more affluent background, but it really does seem to me and he seems to state it out pretty clearly that adventure is what takes him abroad.

Yes, I do realize that most people who are there would rather not be there. I understand that my previous post can lead to misunderstandings, so I hope this clarifies it.

bangkokian   Posted Yesterday, 2005-05-06 15:07:56

   Thanks for sharing. I certainly agree with your point about false impressions that I think is brought about by lots of exoticization. I don't think formal education help to dismantle exoticization as much as life experience. Thai man who is not very educated formally, but his adventurous spirit has taken him to all kinds of places, including the Israeli-Palestinian borders, working in the farms around that area.

bangkokian, u are very very very confused:

the poor shmo got sent to work there by a manpower company; the thai living over the green line to work on the 'farms' hate it since it is more dangerous then 'inside' israel and there is a thread we discuss this point and others somewhere else in the news forum...

not very educated formally i.e. issan, 6 th grade education at most

adventurous spirit: i.e. wants money for wife and kids to build decent house and send to school

farms: i.e. kibbutzim , moshavim in fields, green houses and orchards

israeli palestinaian borders :i.e. over the green line in 'settler's ' outposts that are going to be dismantled in july/august

bina (on kibbutz in israel works with thai workers)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[roiet]

Since living in Thailand (about 18 months) I have yet to meet one single Thai girl/woman who wants to marry a Thai man.

My wife and I personally know of at least 2 dozen girls/women who want European husbands.

The reason's for this are all too obvious if you know anything of Thailand and Thai men who are generally piss poor fathers, piss heads, gamblers, womanisers, wife beaters, chauvinists, unreliable, untrustworthy.............shall I go on.

This, by the way, is not my opinion its the opinion of my Thai wife (although knowing her father I agree with it 100%).

My wife badgers me constantly to find a husband for 4 members of her own family - her sister, and 3 of her nieces - 2 of whom are "pure" as my wife puts it and are available for marriage if you have the necessary 500,000 baht.

(absolute discretion assured)

I wish I could find ANYONE I know who is in a position to take any of these women as a wife but I cant.

For this survey to claim 110 women out of a population of 330 are married to or have non-Thai  partners either living in Thailand or out of Thailand is a statistical IMPOSSIBLITY as anyone with the capacity of logical thought would realize.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

As I stated earlier, it is much better to question the professor's study based on more knowledge of her methodology and actual research questions. Your claim that her numbers are statistically impossible is not correct, based on the reasons I stated in post #81.

Both you and Roiet dismiss this study based on your own vague references and assumptions (not to mention your own biases). I am not arguing that her research or numbers are perfect - I cannot be that certain. But her hypothesis sounds probable, and on the basis of this argument, is not a statistical impossibility.

Slim, all of your arguments seem to hinge on what you see or do personally. Just because you don't see many foreign men in the villages or when you shop, does not mean that there are no foreign marriages present. This is a huge assumption which leave gaping flaws in your own assessment. There are plenty of foreign men who do not shop, do not live in the village, or do not live with their wives most of the time.

C'mon, this is a no-brainer, right? You are completely subjective in your own reasoning as to why this report should be dismissed. But hey, I'm glad your own marriage and work with your Thai family has made you a leading expert on the issue of poverty, culture, and gender dynamics in Thailand. I'm sure you have thought much more about it than me, and the hundreds of researchers who have studied it from both the domestic and transnational perspective,

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Kat

Vague assumptions. No facts.

Have you been to this village Baan Jarn which is in Changwat Roi-et. Did you interview the village chief ?

The village chief said 66 woman from this village married Swiss man. He also said that 100 woman from this village married foreigners and only 2 Swiss man live in this village.

I know this from first hand and I have more statistics on hand provided by the governor of Roi-et.

So, 100 Baan Jarn woman married foreigners, 2 Swiss man live in this village.

100 minus 2 equals 98 % woman married Swiss. Statistical error of ? ??? Deviation of how many %

As said this story is published every few years and every time its published its twisted a bit more. The professor did not do survey in this vilage, the figures picked from some news publications, but which one

PS: You want to pay a visit with me to the village chief ??

[devildog683]

if my wife married for money, she isnt very bright....... (which she is )

[ray23]

Since living in Thailand (about 18 months) I have yet to meet one single Thai girl/woman who wants to marry a Thai man.

My wife and I personally know of at least 2 dozen girls/women who want European husbands.

The reason's for this are all too obvious if you know anything of Thailand and Thai men who are generally piss poor fathers, piss heads, gamblers, womanisers, wife beaters, chauvinists, unreliable, untrustworthy.............shall I go on.

This, by the way, is not my opinion its the opinion of my Thai wife (although knowing her father I agree with it 100%).

My wife badgers me constantly to find a husband for 4 members of her own family - her sister, and 3 of her nieces - 2 of whom are "pure" as my wife puts it and are available for marriage if you have the necessary 500,000 baht.

(absolute discretion assured)

I wish I could find ANYONE I know who is in a position to take any of these women as a wife but I cant.

For this survey to claim 110 women out of a population of 330 are married to or have non-Thai  partners either living in Thailand or out of Thailand is a statistical IMPOSSIBLITY as anyone with the capacity of logical thought would realize.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

As I stated earlier, it is much better to question the professor's study based on more knowledge of her methodology and actual research questions. Your claim that her numbers are statistically impossible is not correct, based on the reasons I stated in post #81.

Both you and Roiet dismiss this study based on your own vague references and assumptions (not to mention your own biases). I am not arguing that her research or numbers are perfect - I cannot be that certain. But her hypothesis sounds probable, and on the basis of this argument, is not a statistical impossibility.

Slim, all of your arguments seem to hinge on what you see or do personally. Just because you don't see many foreign men in the villages or when you shop, does not mean that there are no foreign marriages present. This is a huge assumption which leave gaping flaws in your own assessment. There are plenty of foreign men who do not shop, do not live in the village, or do not live with their wives most of the time.

C'mon, this is a no-brainer, right? You are completely subjective in your own reasoning as to why this report should be dismissed. But hey, I'm glad your own marriage and work with your Thai family has made you a leading expert on the issue of poverty, culture, and gender dynamics in Thailand. I'm sure you have thought much more about it than me, and the hundreds of researchers who have studied it from both the domestic and transnational perspective,

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Kat

Vague assumptions. No facts.

Have you been to this village Baan Jarn which is in Changwat Roi-et. Did you interview the village chief ?

The village chief said 66 woman from this village married Swiss man. He also said that 100 woman from this village married foreigners and only 2 Swiss man live in this village.

I know this from first hand and I have more statistics on hand provided by the governor of Roi-et.

So, 100 Baan Jarn woman married foreigners, 2 Swiss man live in this village.

100 minus 2 equals 98 % woman married Swiss. Statistical error of ? ??? Deviation of how many %

As said this story is published every few years and every time its published its twisted a bit more. The professor did not do survey in this vilage, the figures picked from some news publications, but which one

PS: You want to pay a visit with me to the village chief ??

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hey I got an idea, you guys get together find a grad student, go to the village and get a new report done. That should be one heck of a Thesis.

[slim]

Slim, I don't know really know your opinons, only the claims that you have made here. I simply disagree with your argument that her findings are a statistical impossibility.

Ok Kat - I'll withdraw impossible because as we all know "nothing is impossible" - Thailand might win the World Cup in 2010, I might become the next Pope, the Thai Police force might become uncorruptable............

Select from any of the following instead will you?

Unlikely, inplausible, improbable, doubtful, unbelievable, far-fetched, arguable, chancy, debatable, diffident, disputable, dubitable, equivocal, farfetched, fishy,suspect, suspicious, trustless, unassured, uncertain, unclear, unconvinced,bizarre, dubious, eccentric, fantastic, illogical, etc etc etc

Take care

Slim

[astral]

I heard that 50 years ago the first Thai teacher married a Swiss man. Later she introduced her sister to other Swiss men and in 50 years 100 foreigners married Thai ladies from this place. All introduced by family and relatives and friends over a period of 50 years. I believe the statistics are bit out of proportion, this story is already very very  old and written over and over and 96 instead of 66 swiss man are the professors result etc  Aged 20 - 59 is another bracketing error.  Some of these Thai ladies went to Switzerland 50 years ago. Statistically seen the wealth in Baan Jarn is accumulated over 50 years.  Again BBC and the professor made a big story. It seems that the income of the grandchildren staying in Switzerland now beeing 20 -30 of age is added to the money flow. I heard that only 2 Swiss live in Baan Jarn, all the others live happily with their Thai wifes and Swiss born children in Switzerland.

Summary: This research and the BBC report is a copy of a very old story and really to much asumptions and extrapolation applied. Some general remarks about Thai ladies marry foreigners added to make the story a bit spicy.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Now that I can believe,

but it cannot be extrapolated to cover the rest of Thailand,

as any good university graduate or profesor should know.

The data quoted by the professor is a statistical anomoly.

My own, limited, experience says that only a very few Thai's are happily married

to farangs.

They are scattered around the country and the world.

They are married to a wide variety of nationalities.

[kat]

Vague assumptions. No facts.

Have you been to this village Baan Jarn which is in Changwat Roi-et. Did you interview the village chief ?

The village chief said 66 woman from this village married Swiss man. He also said that 100 woman from this village married foreigners and only 2 Swiss man live in this village.

I know this from first hand and I have more statistics on hand provided by the governor of Roi-et.

So, 100 Baan Jarn woman married foreigners, 2 Swiss man live in this village.

100 minus 2 equals 98 % woman married Swiss. Statistical error of ? ??? Deviation of how many %

As said this story is published every few years and every time its published its twisted a bit more. The professor did not do survey in this vilage, the figures picked from some news publications, but which one

PS: You want to pay a visit with me to the village chief ??

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

ok, but this is much more information than your previous post. At any rate, the figures you stated are not much different than the figures stated in the report, except for the number of Swiss men physically present. Again, their actual physical prescence has nothing to do with the number of marriages in the village, or the reasons for marriage given in the interviews. Harping on the number of Swiss men physically present in the village seems like a scarecrow argument.

Ok Kat - I'll withdraw impossible because as we all know "nothing is impossible" - Thailand might win the World Cup in 2010, I might become the next Pope, the Thai Police force might become uncorruptable............

Select from any of the following instead will you?

Unlikely, inplausible, improbable, doubtful, unbelievable, far-fetched, arguable, chancy, debatable, diffident, disputable, dubitable, equivocal, farfetched, fishy,suspect, suspicious, trustless, unassured, uncertain, unclear, unconvinced,bizarre, dubious, eccentric, fantastic, illogical, etc etc etc

Take care

Slim

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ok, Slim, so you think it's improbable. I get your point. I'm also glad to see that you can use a dictionary

Cheers

Now that I can believe,

but it cannot be extrapolated to cover the rest of Thailand,

as any good university graduate or profesor should know.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Actually, any good graduate or professor would tell you that statistics and most research is about studying something specific that can be replicated or extrapolated to a more general population. The challenge is to do it responsibly and competently.

ray23:

"Hey I got an idea, you guys get together find a grad student, go to the village and get a new report done. That should be one heck of a Thesis."

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Maybe we can get Astral, Roiet, and Slim to carry out the next research report.

[custard]

Fair enough.

You want sex, the girls want your dosh, so what's wrong with that ?? That's just life and you have to live with it.

[venturalaw]

Your so-called argument is based on how many other foreigners you see on an outing to Big C on any given time of the week.

"So-called argument?"

No, my "so-called argument" is against the use of wildly inaccurate figures to substantiate a University thesis.

If, and I say if, because I haven't read Dr. Boonmathaya's actual report, but if the following statement has been reported accurately:

The particular village chosen for the study is noticeable for the fact that nearly one in three of the 330 women aged 20-59 resident there has chosen to marry a foreigner, with 96 percent having married men from Switzerland

it is unequivocally incorrect and a massive distortion of the actual situation (particularly as the original report from the BBC that Dr. Boonmathaya seems to have based her thesis on doesn't say this anyway).

In my experience of living in Khon Kaen for 18 months with a wife who is from a NE Thai village and having travelled extensively around NE Thailand, I would estimate that less than 1% of any village in NE Thailand have women resident in that village with non-Thai husbands.

In Bann Jarn (which is a Baan Muang District of Sakon Nakhon - remarkably similar to every other N.E. Thai province I've ever been to) , Dr. Boonmathaya claims this percentage is over 33% !!!! and they are 96% Swiss !!

I wonder what all these Swiss men do all day ?

I haven't seen any cuckoo clocks in the shops.

This is a statistical impossibility! and MUST be wrong.

Anyway, this is all semantic

2 entries found for semantic.

se·man·tic ( P ) Pronunciation Key (s-mntk) also se·man·ti·cal (-t-kl)

adj.

Of or relating to meaning, especially meaning in language.

Of, relating to, or according to the science of semantics.

Yes Kat - your absolutely right - my argument is semantic - because if someone's going to publish a serious report or thesis about why women from poor areas of Thailand seek partners from Europe (something I am actively involved in through my Thai family and probably know more about than you and Dr. Boonmathaya ) I like to read facts about the subject not fiction.

* read Roiet's post Kat and tell me Dr. Boonmathaya's thesis is relevant

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Just a thought but is it not possible that the Thai women reside in the village and their Swiss husbands, who visit infrequently, live in Switzerland ? That would account for your observation of low numbers of "non-Thai husbands".

[ray23]

Fair enough.

You want sex, the girls want your dosh, so what's wrong with that ??  That's just life and you have to live with it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Just a thought, Thailand reminds me in many ways of the farm America I knew as a child. My parents were migrant farm workers, never truly owned anything until I was five years old. The family stuck together and worked for the common good of the entire famliy, sound familiar. I had a brother killed in the Korean war, the life insurance that was given to my family, allowed my parents to buy a small farm. The economy picked up and there was work in Los Angeles, in construction field the brothers and thier families headed to LA to make better money, sound familair.

Now that being said I wonder how many marriages that were entered into during the 20's 30's and 40's in America, to escape the misery of poverty. I really don't believe that this is something that just happens in Thailand, or Asia for that matter. I also truly doubt that this is something new on the scene.

Does it really matter why the realtionships were entered into if they are succesful. Some are some are not, is that any different then two teenagers in heat that get married, some work some do not.

Are there more unhappy relationships in Thailand then in America?

Are there poeple who take advantage, husband or wife, is that really different then other area's of the world?

I don't doubt the findings of the research, but I think to make a true comparison that are many many factors that would have to be considered, including how this compared to the rest of the world to understand if there wa a true difference in human nature in Thailand then the rest of society

I think a truly complex issue

Enough from someone who has no idea what he is talking about.

On a lighter note the wife translated a Thai song for me the other day the words were get the money from your Farrang husband and give it to your Thai husband. Now I think that may be a bit different then other cultures. That would make a heck of a research project.

Some Thai ladies are the best dream merchants in the world.

[custard]

Nothing to do with money, white skin and the perceived racial superiority ?

But why is that I've never seen a Thai girl married to a black man ??? Just a coincidence or what ?

[kat]

No Ray, I don't think you're wrong in the least. Your post has a lot on the ball. The situation has a lot to do with the stage of development. But culture is also a big factor. There are always similarities, and differences. The question is where does one end and the other begin.

[chuchok]

Nothing to do with money, white skin and the perceived racial superiority ?

But why is that I've never seen a Thai girl married to a black man ???  Just a coincidence or what ?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Tigers mum.

[custard]

In England when coloured blokes get white girls, its a piss-take (and also a theft).

But here in Thailand such a thing is acceptable and fine, why ? Are Thai men more generous and broad-minded or are they just more tolerant ?

[ray23]

Nothing to do with money, white skin and the perceived racial superiority ?

But why is that I've never seen a Thai girl married to a black man ???  Just a coincidence or what ?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No just a lack of information, I know three black guys here in Udon that are married to Thais. That are just the ones that I have personal knowledge of. I would be surprised if there were not a lot more.

Edited May 9, 2005 by ray23

[roiet]

I heard that 50 years ago the first Thai teacher married a Swiss man. Later she introduced her sister to other Swiss men and in 50 years 100 foreigners married Thai ladies from this place. All introduced by family and relatives and friends over a period of 50 years. I believe the statistics are bit out of proportion, this story is already very very  old and written over and over and 96 instead of 66 swiss man are the professors result etc   Aged 20 - 59 is another bracketing error.  Some of these Thai ladies went to Switzerland 50 years ago. Statistically seen the wealth in Baan Jarn is accumulated over 50 years.  Again BBC and the professor made a big story. It seems that the income of the grandchildren staying in Switzerland now beeing 20 -30 of age is added to the money flow. I heard that only 2 Swiss live in Baan Jarn, all the others live happily with their Thai wifes and Swiss born children in Switzerland.

Summary: This research and the BBC report is a copy of a very old story and really to much asumptions and extrapolation applied. Some general remarks about Thai ladies marry foreigners added to make the story a bit spicy.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Now that I can believe,

but it cannot be extrapolated to cover the rest of Thailand,

as any good university graduate or profesor should know.

The data quoted by the professor is a statistical anomoly.

My own, limited, experience says that only a very few Thai's are happily married

to farangs.

They are scattered around the country and the world.

They are married to a wide variety of nationalities.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Correct, a statistical anomoly.

Some rather more representative statistics provided by the governor of Roi-et.

Changwat Roi-et has 600,000 inhabitants. 1200 foreigners married to Thai woman. The majority are English followed by German, Swiss, Norwegian, French, Italian, American etc. A total of 32 nationalities married to Thai woman. Only 300 foreigners live in this Changwat. All the others are scattered around the world with their 900 Thai wifes.

The place where I live outside Roi-et has 8000 inhabitants, 107 Thai woman married to foreigners from 18 nationalities. Only 3 foreigners live in this place.

[slim]

Ok, Slim, so you think it's improbable. I get your point. I'm also glad to see that you can use a dictionary

No think about it Kat.

............thesaurus actually - as I'm sure you meant.

Maybe we can get Astral, Roiet, and Slim to carry out the next research report.

Something, perhaps Dr. Boonmathaya should have considered instead of relying on a second-hand 50 year old story from the BBC - hardly the height of research excellence.

By the way Kat (honest , hand on heart answer only accepted) would you have been so vehemently defensive of the author of this report if it had been written by a man............?

On second thoughts - no answer required.

In England when coloured blokes get white girls, its a piss-take (and also a theft).

But here in Thailand such a thing is acceptable and fine, why ? Are Thai men more generous and broad-minded or are they just more tolerant ?

George - this post should be deleted.

Edited May 10, 2005 by slim

[kat]

"No think about it Kat.

............thesaurus actually - as I'm sure you meant."

Actually, no I didn't really think about it. I haven't used once since high school. But I stand corrected

" ... instead of relying on a second-hand 50 year old story from the BBC - hardly the height of research excellence."

I can't make judgements like this until I know or see somewhere that the research is actually 50 years old. That is my main point - more reliable information before you judge or dismiss.

"By the way Kat (honest , hand on heart answer only accepted) would you have been so vehemently defensive of the author of this report if it had been written by a man............?

On second thoughts - no answer required."

I read all kinds of research by both women and men. Good research is good research. All deserve scrutiny. But judging from your assumptions, you seem to have more of a problem with gender research in general.

Let me ask you a question: Would you be able to research the topic of this thread without bias? I think the result would be more dubious than the researcher in question.

Cheers.

[devildog683]

Ok, Slim, so you think it's improbable. I get your point. I'm also glad to see that you can use a dictionary

No think about it Kat.

............thesaurus actually - as I'm sure you meant.

Maybe we can get Astral, Roiet, and Slim to carry out the next research report.

Something, perhaps Dr. Boonmathaya should have considered instead of relying on a second-hand 50 year old story from the BBC - hardly the height of research excellence.

By the way Kat (honest , hand on heart answer only accepted) would you have been so vehemently defensive of the author of this report if it had been written by a man............?

On second thoughts - no answer required.

In England when coloured blokes get white girls, its a piss-take (and also a theft).

But here in Thailand such a thing is acceptable and fine, why ? Are Thai men more generous and broad-minded or are they just more tolerant ?

George - this post should be deleted.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

agreed

[bina]

i was just wondering, if maybe the research was a bit 'fudged' , kat?

from what i read and also what i saw in thailand, the teaching system in general condones cheating copying etc.... universities included?

here in the holyland there have been several research projects that recently were 'debunked' after discovering that they were 'borrowed' from internet, and other professors' research projects from years back....

could be ?

most profs must publish or die and research doesnt always have ideaological background although the study sounds interesting and politically correct, could be just 'junk' republished and revamped as many of the posters indicate?

and often what's reported in news is some reporter's understanding of research project and not really what was researched, or results, etc.... sometimes pays to read the original research results and not interpretations of same...

as for the idiot w/the black/white thingy: thai MEN seem to prefer white skin (white is socially higher class i.e. not working in fields; westerners seem to prefer tanned i.e. tanned and healthy looking not like vampires been discussed a million times, get a grip!!

[haha]

all this discussion about why thai girls like foreigners...

has it ever occurred to people that the simple reason that 2 people get together is because they love each other?

what's with all the analysis? why do you need to make "love" a racist issue? ..or an age issue?

...could it be - someone is jealous?

or worst yet, a hatemonger?

[devildog683]

all this discussion about why thai girls like foreigners... 

has it ever occurred to people that the simple reason that 2 people get together is because they love each other?

what's with all the analysis?  why do you need to make "love" a racist issue?  ..or an age issue?

...could it be - someone is jealous?

or worst yet, a hatemonger?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

good post

love is love, no matter where you find it

[slim]

Let me ask you a question: Would you be able to research the topic of this thread without bias? I think the result would be more dubious than the researcher in question

Kat - I'm not the slightest bit biased.

I believe the subject matter of Dr. Boonmathaya's thesis is important and as a foreigner happily married to a Thai girl and living in N.E. Thailand - it's particularly relevant to my life and I've something far more relevant to this subject than a BBC article and some questionable research - EXPERIENCE!

I know why Thai girls look to non-Thais for partners.

It largely stems back to August 1972 when the eldest daughter of King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Queen Sirikit - HRH Princess Ubol Rattana Rajakanya married the American Peter Ladd Jensen.

Before this event inter-race marriages were actively discouraged but the marriage of the Kings oldest daughter to a foreigner was viewed as giving respectablity to such unions. I believe some of the older citizens of many Thai villages are still reticent to welcome inter-race marriages but you're looking at the 60+ age generation.

The follwing quote from Dr. Boonmathaya's thesis is highly accurate though I strongly take issue with her use of the word "fear".

The popularity for marrying foreign men appears to have become so strong among women in the village that Dr. Rattana fears that it has become a 'fashion', with the majority of girls of primary school age replying that they want to marry a foreigner when asked what they want to be when they grow up.

My wife is one of 4 children having 3 sisters. Her fathers idea of child raising was to assault his wife and 4 daughters for no reason especially when he had a bottle of Laos whisky inside him.

Kat, I dont know what your background is or even what nationality you are (I suspect your not Thai - if you are your English is good) but if you hadn't realized Thailand is a highly chauvinistic male dominated society.

For the average Thai man a womans place is in the home, cooking, washing and taking care of her husband while he goes off and drinks, gambles, smokes and womanises.

You really don't need to be a Professor of Sociology to understand why Thai girls look for a falang husband particularly when they think all Europeans (and the British in particular) have a personality like Hugh Grant with the money to match.

(I bloody wish!)

Edited May 10, 2005 by slim

[thymode91]

For the average Thai man a womans place is in the home, cooking, washing and taking care of her husband while he goes off and drinks, gambles, smokes and womanises.

I am agree with this quotes, its normal for them this situation therefore, their ladies/women hate them because lack of respect compare with the foreigner. but again not all Thai Guys are the same somehow there are still pretty much good around.

[bossman]

Thai women say that Thai men are usless !! Any wonder, their mothers and grandmothers pamper them shitless, they're spoilt brats by the time they're 4 or 5 yo. It carries on throughout their adulthood, they are selfish, spineless, lack responsibility and dont respect women but on the other hand, girls even very young are supposed to help their mothers take care of the family, to achieve this it might even mean having no education at all, so what are their options ? My wife considers herself lucky, she did 3 years primary school, her brothers went to year 6 but her other sisters didnt go to school at all.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I know plenty of thai guys that aren't "useless" sorry to disappoint you champ but thai women (the players) will tell you what you want to hear when big money (maybe small in your case) is involved.

[Pie Boy]

In England when coloured blokes get white girls, its a piss-take (and also a theft).

But here in Thailand such a thing is acceptable and fine, why ?  Are Thai men more generous and broad-minded or are they just more tolerant ?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Custard , I pity your lady (if you have one).Theft ?

In Engalnd when muppets post rubbish like this its racism.

[elliss]

And I thought she loved me....

This article pretty much hits the nail on the head.

In one case, a very attractive, intelligent but incredibly lazy girl (been at University for 6 years & no sign of any qualifications yet) is up for grabs.

wait for it. pedro01 the posts from the sucker s

should be heading your way .

do you have a photo to send me ?.