Am I Getting Culture Shock?

[Thongkorn]

My wife comes from Just outside of Bangkok, Samut Sahkon, its an industrial area, Dirty, Smelly, I love the place, or not so much the place as the people,They work hard in the Factorys, to Eek out a living, Some times i see a sad sight, a child that has a Disability, or a person who has had an accident that has left them dis figured, Thats not a reality shock, Just a reality chek, It makes me remember that how lucky I am, I have no problems about people holding doors open or Pushing past me in the streets of Central Bangkok, I also Go live in the Jungle in South Thailand with Thai friends, the two life styles are so diffrent, But still the same, the people in the Jungle still have to find food to live but they are in Paradice to me, But to them its every day life,

[neverdie]

My wife comes from Just outside of Bangkok, Samut Sahkon, its an industrial area, Dirty, Smelly,

Indeed Samut Sakhon is a real shitehole, especially the main town area and near all the factories but its a whole lot more than an industrial area, its a farming area and a fishing town with direct access into the gulf and only a few minutes from Bangkok. Of course if you get off the main streets of the province and drive just a few minutes you will be surrounded by farmland, cleanliness and fresh air & still be in Samut Sakhon.

I find whenever I get the dirts with the place, I just travel to somewhere new for a couple of days and its all good again.....well until i get the dirts again. Travelling in Thailand is dead easy, the OP should take a short break in Krabi or something

[eggomaniac]

It's a matter of unintelligence to want to stay too long in any big city, but especially filthy, polluted ones.

My little girl and I got in the habit of walking around the grates, you know the ones, with raw sewage and a stench rising from them. Then you notice fairly upscale restraunts that put some of their tables right on top of them, yecchh.... and the happy couple enjoying there repast with toilet waste streaming under their feet....

Then you get out into the clean country side, oh it;s not clean,,, garbage dumped in ditches and yard that look like garbage dumps... and that constant smell of burining plastic, what's up with that???

If Ko Chang wants to charge Western rates for rooms, they should at least do a form Clean Up committee. National Park? my arse... is cleaner

Let me see if I got this right, and please correct me if I didnt.

You insult all people that like to live in a city, by stating they are unintelligent.

You enjoy walking with your little girl (your daughter I pressume) in areas where raw sewage runs.

But the countryside is also a garbage dump.

And finally, the unfairness of too high prices for the rooms in Kho Chang.

Did I get right?

yes to the first one, we can make our own choices and living in a large polluted city is a poor choice.

no, by walked around I meant 'away' from the grates where the sewage stench was wafting. most people walk right over them , yeck

yes, almost everywhere one goes in Thailand there is major littering and a pervading stink of burning plastic, [you're mad I'm stating a fact?]

Yes Ko Chang also has the littering problem, they should do something about it if they want to compare with resorts in other countries that are in "national Parks"

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

as to the OP, I can't mention what my main cultural shock was on visiting Thailand, the filth, pollution, littering and burning plastic?

There are several posts in TV about the burning plastic and there is even a report of increased hospital visits over it,, with some Posts suggesting the OP make the 'choice' to move to the country side, instead of 'choosing' to live in BKK, you don't think it would be considered helpful to let them that could be like jumping from the frying pan into the fire, so they could make a choice based on 'intel"?

hmmm are you disagreeing these conditions exist, or do you think I am not allowed to point the conditions out?

pardon me for calling a stink hole a stink hole, literally.

Edited March 10, 2010 by eggomaniac

[phetaroi]

pardon me for calling a stink hole a stink hole, literally.

So, here's the trend. You appear to be new to the forum...or at least I haven't noted your posts before. In one thread you broadly criticize virtually all Thais' political views. Now you're generally calling the nation a "stink hole, literally".

Why do you choose to live here?

[thaihome]

Some people, despite their dreams otherwise, are just not cut out to be long term expats. If after 6 months, people not holding the door open for the OP makes it to the top 3 of the irritating things, then there may be a problem.

TH

[chicowoodduck]

To the OP, Bangkok sucks, you are just a slow learner.

The rest of the country is better, in varying degrees.

"Bangkok sucks" is a bit harsh, but not too far off the mark! Maybe that is why I like to go to BKK for short visits only.

IMHO....it all boils down to what you want and can tolerate. To each his own!

It might be a time for a change in the scenery for you as change is sometimes like a vacation.

And me? After having lived here since 2007, I often dread the thought of going back home (USA) for a visit, as I'm "homesick" for the Land of Vertical Smiles within a week, but that's just me.

[doggie888888]

beatin a dead horse here, but... you gotta get out of Bangkok.

Yeah, come to Pattaya

[Bjorn]

I have experienced the same when living in Bangkok. I lived there 5 years. Left Bangkok 1998 and returned to Thailand 2002, but this time I moved to the NorthEast of Thailand. Good move!! Thais here are very different from the ones i Bangkok, more helpful and friendly. Apart from that fact, the cost of living is just a fraction of the costs in Bangkok. Also, no traffic problems, less pollution, less noise, etc etc

I can understand that some people do like Bangkok and can't live a more "rural" life, but for me personally, the life here is better. Why don't you just try and move? If that sucks as well, then maybe consider Vietnam or Malaysia

[eggomaniac]

pardon me for calling a stink hole a stink hole, literally.

So, here's the trend. You appear to be new to the forum...or at least I haven't noted your posts before. In one thread you broadly criticize virtually all Thais' political views. Now you're generally calling the nation a "stink hole, literally".

Why do you choose to live here?

Look, people were telling the OP to think about living in a non polluted part of Thailand outside of BKK. where?

Sounds like the OP has the opportunity to make an intelligent choice.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/People-Affec...Th-t346327.html

Here are 8 provinces he could head to and breathe stink every day and die quicker.

I experienced the same acrid haze in Surat Thani.

Search 'burning plastic' and read all the posts about it and view the pictures of the garbage strewn landscapes.

Also, he might want to wait until the civil war is over.

live in Thailand? not in this life time... occasional visit, yes, but am thinking next time it will be Lao, instead

More than one experienced traveller has said it is more like the Thai experience pre the 7/11's Era

--- oh, and are you suggesting the Thais have the political thing all jai dee???

where is that rumbling laughter emoticon?

Edited March 11, 2010 by eggomaniac