Farang Rak Thai. Do The Foreigners Like Thais?

[eurasianthai]

To suggest we're welcomed into their country for any reason other than economic is facile.

So what do you expect exactly? That people you meet in Thailand will love you because you're a nice guy as soon as they meet you?

Do they do that in the western world with foreigners?

Trust from the locals is difficult to earn, anywhere in this world.

[Nignoy]

I see thais as nothing more than farmers. Not necessarily in the agricultural sense - they merely employ the resources at their disposal in order to get the maximum return, be it from paddy fields, animals, wildlife and minerals on the one hand, to farang and attractive daughters on the other. The thai mentality is; eat first, ask questions later - same as all other peoples' who've known genuine hardship.

It is very easy for people from rich, democratic western countries to mystify what poor people have to do just to survive. There's a lot of decadent, morally bankrupt seams being mined on this board. To suggest we're welcomed into their country for any reason other than economic is facile.

you mea n to say that us oldtimers born during the second world war, forced to start work or join the army at 14came from ric h democratic backgrounds you dont half talk some <deleted>!! I suggest maybe you try living and working with rural thais instead of basing your information on thai people you have met in bars or brothels, notice you never mention where you are from or what or where you draw your immense wisdom from

[F1fanatic]

For the most part, I'm ambivalent about the thais; because last time I checked the country was called thai-land. As it has that name I've kinda resigned myself to being around a lot of 'em.

I mean where else are 60+ million of these ever smiling yet diminutive people gonna stay except in a place aptly named the "Land 'O Thaiz"?

I tolerate them much as they tolerate me, with a contemptuous indifference. As long as they don't impact me and I don't impact them we seem to manage to co-exist just fine.

Now askin' me do I like 'em? Hmmm, that'd be stretch of the imagination ; tolerate is far more accurate description for both sides (the indigenous natives and myself).

If you only tolerate the local people, the owners of the Thai country (a.k.a. Thai-land) but don't want to impact with them, I wonder what you are doing here.

Oh god - its the old 'if you don't love everything about this country, then get out' argument.

How hard is it to understand that we can love some things about this country without loving everything?

Have to say that I've not met anyone yet that's lived here for a few years that has much respect for the people. It doesn't matter - we're putting LOTS of money into the economy and enjoy the lifestyle/scenery etc. Good for everyone.

[eurasianthai]

Oh god - its the old 'if you don't love everything about this country, then get out' argument.

How hard is it to understand that we can love some things about this country without loving everything?

That actually bothers me also.

Is it perfect in the country you come from?

So what are you doing here in the first place?

You should not love everything in Thailand.

Many things need to get better.

But many things are great.

And many people.

[F1fanatic]

Oh god - its the old 'if you don't love everything about this country, then get out' argument.

How hard is it to understand that we can love some things about this country without loving everything?

That actually bothers me also.

Is it perfect in the country you come from?

So what are you doing here in the first place?

You should not love everything in Thailand.

Many things need to get better.

But many things are great.

And many people.

Precisely - I agree. The reason we are here in the first place is 'cos we don't love everything about our own countries. Neither do the people still living there!

As I said before, "we can love some things about this country without loving everything".

[Jingthing]

Its just another place, with good points and bad points. It ain't for everyone, but you don't have to wear rose colored glasses here to still want to stay.

[eurasianthai]

but you don't have to wear rose colored glasses here to still want to stay.

I fully agree with that, too many people stay in Thailand for the wrong reasons.

And I'm sure GucciLittlePiggy is one ot them...

[F1fanatic]

but you don't have to wear rose colored glasses here to still want to stay.

I fully agree with that, too many people stay in Thailand for the wrong reasons.

And I'm sure GucciLittlePiggy is one ot them...

And what, pray, are the "wrong" reasons?

[eurasianthai]

And what, pray, are the "wrong" reasons?

Well, this a question for him, not for me.

And hopefully, he'll prove me wrong.

[F1fanatic]

And what, pray, are the "wrong" reasons?

Well, this a question for him, not for me.

And hopefully, he'll prove me wrong.

No, you were the one who brought up the subject of people staying here for the "wrong reasons", and I can't see anything in his post that indicates he's a paedophile. So enlighten us, who in your opinion are the people staying here for the wrong reasons?

[eurasianthai]

So enlighten us, who in your opinion are the people staying here for the wrong reasons?

Of course quite a few do.

And pedophilia was not on my mind when I said it.

But staying for a girl you met for a short time in a bar was.

And it is not a critic at all.

Of the girls.

Edited February 3, 2010 by Farangrakthai

[eurasianthai]

But well, let's get back to the original topic, you live or want to live in Thailand, is it because you like the Thai people?

Or is it the weather?

[purplehaze]

But well, let's get back to the original topic, you live or want to live in Thailand, is it because you like the Thai people?

Or is it the weather?

No,No,No.

As it asks on the visa application form reasons for staying in Thailand or words to that effect,it's not the food,people,weather, temples,beaches,cheap this or that,it's to support my thai wife and my kids(family).Where does it state that I must like Thailand and everything in it and must despise my own country,yes I will gladly go back to my own country but the wife will need more convincing.

[t.s]

I think the OP would have been better if he asked - Do Thai people like Russians / English / Finnish etc. and vice versa - At least that keeps it to a nationality vs nationality type thing.

I actually do not think Thai people make any difference in between Russians, English, Finish, and other westerners, they're all farangs for them.

So it makes it easier to answer that part of the equation, do the Thais like foreigners?

The other part of the equation is indeed less obvious, because even if the Thais consider us as farangs, or aliens, all the same, we know we're not all the same, we're actualy very different from each others...

i think you are quite wrong.

i know many thais who have taken exception to specific nationalities on the basis of having been regularly disappointed or mistreated by them.

it really is not that hard to differentiate.

Edited February 3, 2010 by t.s

[MrJohnson]

For the most part, I'm ambivalent about the thais; because last time I checked the country was called thai-land. As it has that name I've kinda resigned myself to being around a lot of 'em.

I mean where else are 60+ million of these ever smiling yet diminutive people gonna stay except in a place aptly named the "Land 'O Thaiz"?

I tolerate them much as they tolerate me, with a contemptuous indifference. As long as they don't impact me and I don't impact them we seem to manage to co-exist just fine.

Now askin' me do I like 'em? Hmmm, that'd be stretch of the imagination ; tolerate is far more accurate description for both sides (the indigenous natives and myself).

If you only tolerate the local people, the owners of the Thai country (a.k.a. Thai-land) but don't want to impact with them, I wonder what you are doing here.

Oh god - its the old 'if you don't love everything about this country, then get out' argument.

How hard is it to understand that we can love some things about this country without loving everything?

Have to say that I've not met anyone yet that's lived here for a few years that has much respect for the people. It doesn't matter - we're putting LOTS of money into the economy and enjoy the lifestyle/scenery etc. Good for everyone.

If you haven't met anyone here that respects Thais then I think you should get out more or change the places you hang out.

[whichschool]

I personally think thinking along the lines of "do i like a nationality" isnt right.

Try living in Saudi, that will change your way of thinking.

[GucciLittlePiggy]

I personally think thinking along the lines of "do i like a nationality" isnt right.

Try living in Saudi, that will change your way of thinking.

Quite. As I said in previous post, there are many decadent, morally bankrupt dreamers in these parts. The one-world-we're-all-equal crap is, frankly, nauseating. The world has changed: that line of utopian claptrap died a death YEARS ago.

We are all equal in an equal world. As we live in a hideously unequal world, we ain't all equal.

[eurasianthai]

For the most part, I'm ambivalent about the thais; because last time I checked the country was called thai-land. As it has that name I've kinda resigned myself to being around a lot of 'em.

I mean where else are 60+ million of these ever smiling yet diminutive people gonna stay except in a place aptly named the "Land 'O Thaiz"?

I tolerate them much as they tolerate me, with a contemptuous indifference. As long as they don't impact me and I don't impact them we seem to manage to co-exist just fine.

Now askin' me do I like 'em? Hmmm, that'd be stretch of the imagination ; tolerate is far more accurate description for both sides (the indigenous natives and myself).

If you only tolerate the local people, the owners of the Thai country (a.k.a. Thai-land) but don't want to impact with them, I wonder what you are doing here.

Oh god - its the old 'if you don't love everything about this country, then get out' argument.

How hard is it to understand that we can love some things about this country without loving everything?

Have to say that I've not met anyone yet that's lived here for a few years that has much respect for the people. It doesn't matter - we're putting LOTS of money into the economy and enjoy the lifestyle/scenery etc. Good for everyone.

If you haven't met anyone here that respects Thais then I think you should get out more or change the places you hang out.

Indeed.

Or I would suggest going back to the place you come from.

[GucciLittlePiggy]

To suggest we're welcomed into their country for any reason other than economic is facile.

So what do you expect exactly? That people you meet in Thailand will love you because you're a nice guy as soon as they meet you?

Do they do that in the western world with foreigners?

In the Uk, yes. There has been unprecedented immigration into the UK in recent years, with relatively little animosity. They have been welcomed through provision of benefits, advice, housing, welfare and health provision, with rights akin to the indigenous population, and all free of charge.

But there is one key difference: the majority are economic migrants, looking to earn money from the UK for their families, whether here or back in their homelands. The majority of farang in thailand are there to spend their savings, not take jobs/benefits etc from thais. Let's see how farang are welcomed in thailand if the roles were reversed. Pretty damned poorly I'd suggest.

Ergo, you're basic premise is flawed.

[GucciLittlePiggy]

Indeed.

Or I would suggest going back to the place you come from.

Why? Because the vast majority of people he's met don't appear to respect thais very much? Why's that a reason to go home? Empirical evidence OUT!!

Let's have no opinions on this board, especially those that are right...

[eurasianthai]

Let's see how farang are welcomed in thailand if the roles were reversed. Pretty damned poorly I'd suggest.

You mean if Thailand was a rich and developed country and UK was a developing one?

The roles would be reversed indeed.

And foreigners would be welcomed damned poorly in the UK.

But not in Thailand

[GucciLittlePiggy]

I see thais as nothing more than farmers. Not necessarily in the agricultural sense - they merely employ the resources at their disposal in order to get the maximum return, be it from paddy fields, animals, wildlife and minerals on the one hand, to farang and attractive daughters on the other. The thai mentality is; eat first, ask questions later - same as all other peoples' who've known genuine hardship.

It is very easy for people from rich, democratic western countries to mystify what poor people have to do just to survive. There's a lot of decadent, morally bankrupt seams being mined on this board. To suggest we're welcomed into their country for any reason other than economic is facile.

you mea n to say that us oldtimers born during the second world war, forced to start work or join the army at 14came from ric h democratic backgrounds.

Rich, no. Democratic, yes. But still immeasurably better off than Thais. Our economy was ruined by war, but our essential infrastructure - health, education, rule of law, state and so on - was still functioning. Ours was a set-back. There was still hope. What hope does a poor peasant farmer have in Issan?

[GucciLittlePiggy]

Let's see how farang are welcomed in thailand if the roles were reversed. Pretty damned poorly I'd suggest.

You mean if Thailand was a rich and developed country and UK was a developing one?

The roles would be reversed indeed.

And foreigners would be welcomed damned poorly in the UK.

But not in Thailand

Are you seriously suggesting a rich thailand would welcome poor farang out of the goodness of their hearts??

You're a troll.

[GucciLittlePiggy]

So enlighten us, who in your opinion are the people staying here for the wrong reasons?

Of course quite a few do.

And pedophilia was not on my mind when I said it.

But staying for a girl you met for a short time in a bar was.

And it is not a critic at all.

Of the girls.

For some bizarre reason, I really don't feel the need to justify my actions to you, but you're waaay off. Anyway, there's a splendidly poetic quality to your contradictory gibberish, so keep it up!

[GucciLittlePiggy]

I think the OP would have been better if he asked - Do Thai people like Russians / English / Finnish etc. and vice versa - At least that keeps it to a nationality vs nationality type thing.

I actually do not think Thai people make any difference in between Russians, English, Finish, and other westerners, they're all farangs for them.

So it makes it easier to answer that part of the equation, do the Thais like foreigners?

The other part of the equation is indeed less obvious, because even if the Thais consider us as farangs, or aliens, all the same, we know we're not all the same, we're actualy very different from each others...

i think you are quite wrong.

i know many thais who have taken exception to specific nationalities on the basis of having been regularly disappointed or mistreated by them.

it really is not that hard to differentiate.

No, it's not. Ask any vendor on sukhumvit who they'd prefer to sell to; farang or arab - you'll quickly get a definitive answer.

We will only all be treated equally when we are all equal. Until then, there will be prejudice, bias, favouritism, injustice, hatred, envy, racism, intolerance and all the other things that makes us {deep breath for the dreamers} human beings.

Deal with it.

[enemedin]

It is true there are bad and good in each country... human are human.

in the end what is bad and what is good ?

its only a question of tolerance ...

Many Thais are certainly nice, many others will only smile to you if you buy the stuff they are selling ...

example try to go to the market and enquiry how much is for a pair of jeans, or shoes and dont buy it cos you dont like them ;

if the seller is in a good mood, ok, if not better not to understand what they say in their language ...

or try to enquiry for a taxi and not to accept their nite price, and hear the comments afterwards... or the bad gestures from some of the taxi men. pai loi, pai pai pai leo leo etc...

i find that many are the nice people, who smile and who are really simple people, really making me feel comfortable, and making me feel to buy their product even, if i dont like it .

I mean i started to like the plah ning fish, only cos the couple in pattaya klang, is so lovely that i just eat it.

Unfortuately as a matter of fact, there is some immaturity, Some have Attention Deficit Disorder. Many have other problems.

Example? try have an accident on the road, and many will smile, rather than trying to help...

Thais seem to be okay, when talking alone with farang, but seem to get excited when they are in group.

The need of the attention and approval from others, seem to be the base of their survival. a bit like the fans in a football match.

Some others like the farangs tourists, but they dont certainly like the farang who lives here from long time; because they say::: "Farang Luu Mak"

Conclusion?

I love thailand and some Thai people, and am very happy to deal with the kind of thais whom i have chosen to leave, and deal with because of the work am doing here.

thank guud, Am surrounded , by the intelligent ones, by those who dont seem to have behaviour problems, and those who have their day filled with busy activity, therefore do not have the time to look at farangs in the street and comment on them continously.

The rest of them, who i meet occasionally by chance anywhere in pattaya or bangkok, who do have some deficit unconscious disorderS, just as they do not exist... move on to the next more reasonable one, when asking for an information, or a service etc.

This is only stating facts, and no hate, no joy has been added to my personal opinion, and well lets say that too... to the opinions of few mates i got, a bit everywhere.

Thailand is great, would you change it ? Keep on smiling

[eurasianthai]

It is true there are bad and good in each country... human are human.

in the end what is bad and what is good ?

its only a question of tolerance ..

Indeed

[Colabamumbai]

Last night, at a party, I met some strangers and found most really hearty and friendly folks. like the guy from Petchabun Province who was overjoyed to hear how much I love the mountains... I'm often touched by that direct unfiltered acts of kindness towards me, an ugly fat farang. Like the old woman following me 400 m to correct incorrect directions. Or strangers wanting to help when you stop / look at a map etc.

Even going to sleep during a visit is now something I might do

In years coming to LOS, I never felt threatened or in danger. This is a good place and we all take our baggage, wherever we go. A grumpy man might be grumpy over here, too. someone who loves life might smile back and appreciate what the country and its people give.

You took the words right out of my mouth.....

[Colabamumbai]

Last night, at a party, I met some strangers and found most really hearty and friendly folks. like the guy from Petchabun Province who was overjoyed to hear how much I love the mountains... I'm often touched by that direct unfiltered acts of kindness towards me, an ugly fat farang. Like the old woman following me 400 m to correct incorrect directions. Or strangers wanting to help when you stop / look at a map etc.

Even going to sleep during a visit is now something I might do

In years coming to LOS, I never felt threatened or in danger. This is a good place and we all take our baggage, wherever we go. A grumpy man might be grumpy over here, too. someone who loves life might smile back and appreciate what the country and its people give.

You took the words right out of my mouth.....

Ask someone in Canada for directions and they will be dialing 911 on their cell phone before you even get close to them....

[eurasianthai]

Last night, at a party, I met some strangers and found most really hearty and friendly folks. like the guy from Petchabun Province who was overjoyed to hear how much I love the mountains... I'm often touched by that direct unfiltered acts of kindness towards me, an ugly fat farang. Like the old woman following me 400 m to correct incorrect directions. Or strangers wanting to help when you stop / look at a map etc.

Even going to sleep during a visit is now something I might do

In years coming to LOS, I never felt threatened or in danger. This is a good place and we all take our baggage, wherever we go. A grumpy man might be grumpy over here, too. someone who loves life might smile back and appreciate what the country and its people give.

You took the words right out of my mouth.....

I have been in Thailand for 13 years and the worst that happened to me is not remembering my way home ...