Farang Rak Thai. Do The Foreigners Like Thais?

[Loz]

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?

A daughter, who will be groomed to hunt down a monied aging farang who will shower the family in sin sods and other gifts until death wherupon all his good and chattles will become the property of the now "hi so" farming family.

But like most lottery winners the spoils will be squandered and they will soon be poor again. Then the older and "used" daughter will be wheeled out once more for a farang lotto. cos only the farang are interested in used goods. And some will fail to read any forums and fall for the old sinsod on a used model chestnut.

And the beat goes on...

Good news is, before they contemplate suicide they will probably post the story here so we get to play dutch uncle.

[Naam]

i dislike all peope, especially humans

[enemedin]

The truth is dont get attached to anyone; sexy or not sexy.

what is sexy and what is not sexy ? just in our minds.

the magazines, the tv, and the movies, have done their work on our brains.

Learn how to trade stock and shares (the volatile ones) and all will be ok with thai lady.

the man who gives gifts and money, soon will be asked for more and more, and when he dont give anymore, he will be hated.

A calm firm attitude should be kept from the beginning of any relationship. Give a bit, then come back where you started, then give that bit you gave before, then dont give , and then give after a while ... you will be more appreciated, then suddenly invent a problem for yourself and let your lady help you with that, so you'll keep her mind busy for a while not to ask for money.

Unfortunately what happens with these people its not voluntary, its a poor country lets face it !

They learn new skills to survive, all the lies, all the fake whinging, and monaning (all the mama have a problem, and sister not have money) can be only effective on those who want to have an effect on them.

YOu need to be friend with some thai men to understand how to behave. Forget you are a farang, your body is, but your mind its up to you to change.

"Some" lady thai will care so much for a man thai, that even if he is drunk and dont work, she'll do anything to help and give money to him.

Have been cheated in the past, have lost money, and have had that great feeling of giving money to families, and feeling appreciated by them, and feeling like a special one here in thailand. but now i have learned and am getting better.

[Nignoy]

miss piggy have you ever lived in isaan, when the firstcommonwealth troops moved in, inthe early 60,s the provincial villagers were chomping on sticky rice and the odd piece of gai yang on marketday , they did not have the proverbial pot to piss in, I have been going back to the same village for over 40 years, they have roads , shops, electricity and mobile phones but they still havent got a Pot To Piss In

[ivowatson]

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

Thailand is rich and developed compared to Burma, Laos and Cambodia. So, are those people welcomed here?

You don't have to answer.

[hammered]

Yes I like Thai people. Why would I be in their country if I didnt like them?

[Nignoy]

how can you not like thai people, warts and all, nothing more relaxing for me and the wife after a 10 week tour of asia or europe,to relax for a couple of weeks in our little home from home in yasothon province before heading back to Queensland,my wife is english and she loves village life too,we spend half our time in thailand, dont buy no buffaloes, or sponsor any families and we are treated with respect, better than freezing our <deleted> off in UK lol

[dmax]

50/50

[Birdman]

how can you not like thai people, warts and all, ...............

............no criterion at all. Stay alone on a tiny Thai palm island, if you want to, or with all of your friends in the middle of the most remote rice field in China or in the slums of Lagos or in LA or wherever you want, not harming others and others not harming you.

Exactly that is freedom.

[Loz]

The truth is dont get attached to anyone; sexy or not sexy.

what is sexy and what is not sexy ? just in our minds.

the magazines, the tv, and the movies, have done their work on our brains.

Learn how to trade stock and shares (the volatile ones) and all will be ok with thai lady.

the man who gives gifts and money, soon will be asked for more and more, and when he dont give anymore, he will be hated.

A calm firm attitude should be kept from the beginning of any relationship. Give a bit, then come back where you started, then give that bit you gave before, then dont give , and then give after a while ... you will be more appreciated, then suddenly invent a problem for yourself and let your lady help you with that, so you'll keep her mind busy for a while not to ask for money.

Unfortunately what happens with these people its not voluntary, its a poor country lets face it !

They learn new skills to survive, all the lies, all the fake whinging, and monaning (all the mama have a problem, and sister not have money) can be only effective on those who want to have an effect on them.

YOu need to be friend with some thai men to understand how to behave. Forget you are a farang, your body is, but your mind its up to you to change.

"Some" lady thai will care so much for a man thai, that even if he is drunk and dont work, she'll do anything to help and give money to him.

Have been cheated in the past, have lost money, and have had that great feeling of giving money to families, and feeling appreciated by them, and feeling like a special one here in thailand. but now i have learned and am getting better.

Actually sounds like some nuggets of gold in this post.

Its all a game. When you understand the rules you can play to win. Until you do, you are born to lose.

[wintermute]

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

Thailand is rich and developed compared to Burma, Laos and Cambodia. So, are those people welcomed here?

You don't have to answer.

Comparatively speaking Thailand is richer but what determines how well poor immigrants are treated in their host country depends on how big the educated middle class is. Thailand is still a developing world country with a relatively small middle class and an even smaller percentage have what you would call a decent enough education to know what goes on in the world. The rule of law etc.. and social institutions just aren't developed in Thailand. The western world has had a 400 year head start in industrialization, social institutions, etc.. to refine this socially liberal outlook. Modern Thai culture is a pretty new thing.

So if Thailand had the exact situation as most Europeans have had for the last 400 years and were a truly developed nation then rights would be respected just fine.

[dttk0009]

I don't like or dislike people based on things like race, nationality or sexual orientation.

[tombkk]

I Laos, Malaysia, Philippines I have much more the feeling I'm communicating on a mature level with open minded people who are well able to listen, who are honest, intelligent, motivated and disiplined.

You can blame someone for his ignorance, it is not an excuse just a very bad habit, answer (in general) is no.

I grant that people in Malaysia and the Philippines speak better English than Thais in general. In Laos, you need to find wealthy people to speak English with. I do not agree that Thai people lack in communication skills (if you leave English out of the picture and agree to speak Thai with them).

Excellent. Good for you Tom! Finding out that Thai people are better at communicating in thai than english must've been a real revelation for you. Bravo!!

Your sarcasm is refreshing. Let us know how long you have been living here, and how your efforts at learning the language are coming along.

I don't think that you would be one of those people who would expect the locals to speak your language, would you?

[tombkk]

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.

No, it's not that argument. It's just that I *feel* that you are one of those foreigners who live here and complain about everything the Thai people do and stand for. There must be some reason why you live here?

No country in the world is perfect. But everybody who has a choice and chooses to live here, does have some comparison (at least to his home country).

[whichschool]

So after reading the thread on Farang liking their fellow Farang, and this thread on whether we like Thais, the conclusion that can be taken is we dont like anyone.

[whichschool]

I don't like or dislike people based on things like race, nationality or sexual orientation.

Yes i bet youd get on just as well with a English speaking Swahellian, Hermaphrodite, Witch Doctor just as easily as you would with a geezer from down your manor!

Birds of a feather flock together.

Edited February 14, 2010 by whichschool

[gardenubon]

i think buddism plays a big part in the freindly thai/lao people in my area and also the culture of "gin koaw" everyone who eats always offers other to eat with them. sometimes its embarrassing though as my issan is very limited and i dont want the food offered.

i think that compared to what ive experienced in scotland they are pretty friendly and seem honest.

but how can i really know untill i can speak issan? can any farang here speak thai? issan?

and also im kinda new to thailand and still have a lot of learning to do.

also i would like to say that alot of things we westerners take for granted, the peeps here dont evn contemplate and vice versa.

but sometimes its weird when the familys over for food and my dining table is overlooked for the hard floor or a movie is on but im alone on the sofa with the floor full. this always reminds me im a long way from home as we would be fighting for a seat in my town and hating sitting on the hard uncomfy floor.

[Phil Conners]

More or less half of them. (The female half)

[MJP]

They are bonkers. They do talk very loud.

But okay . . . I can't help but like them. We may piss and moan sometimes, we do back in our own countries, everyone does it. Web forums are often sounding boards for when people have minor gripes.

There is a liveliness and zest about these folks you do have to admire.

Edited February 15, 2010 by MJP

[mauGR1]

They are bonkers. They do talk very loud.

But okay . . . I can't help but like them. We may piss and moan sometimes, we do back in our own countries, everyone does it. Web forums are often sounding boards for when people have minor gripes.

There is a liveliness and zest about these folks you do have to admire.

Nice post MJP,these are my sensations too.

I find that geography has an effect on people,and Thailand has a ideal climate(for me) a fertile soil,and natural beauties of any kind.

Btw i was rather selective,almost a misanthropist in my country,no way i can change that !

Happy gardening !