Why Do I Need To Love Thailand?

[eurasianthai]

Indeed, I love the Beatles and do not really care whether other people love their music or not.

Even if nobody loves it, I will still love it.

A bit different as far as Thailand is concerned, I do not love Thailand but I love some Thai people and hence, have no choice but to care about their country.

So, hopefully, one day, care and love will join and I will love Thailand.

[Boo]

That is probably quite accurate now you mention it patong.

Of course they haven't factored in the whole mixed marriage thing, they wouldn't be aware that my husbands mother & aunts are getting old & we decided to be closer to them for when they need more care (my family in UK is younger) or that for the benefit of our son learning thai & experiencing some life in Thailand we made the decision to relocate for a while. So the issue of loving or even really liking Thailand isn't one that is so black & white

[patong]

the question is, do we love anywhere. and if we do for how long?

[eurasianthai]

I actually love many countries and would not mind staying for long or even retiring in any of them.

In no particular order, I love France, Japan, Italy, Spain, Malaysia, Singapore and quite a few others.

But well, Thailand is not part of the list yet, for many reasons.

[Ijustwannateach]

I have spent a lot of time in various Asian countries now. Atypically, I would say that as a place to *live, study, and work*, Thailand suits me very well indeed- but I would not think much of it as a tourist compared to other countries in Asia (not being on the sexpat scene makes a difference, I suppose).

Every place has a lot of problems though, and that makes it pretty hard to 'love' any of them unconditionally, including Thailand.

[whiterussian]

Love it, Love it, Love it.

20 mins in any direction I have glorious countryside, rugged mountains, steaming jungles, waterfalls, vistas, hot springs, etc.

Empty highways, stone age dwellings (or should I say bamboo age) gradually transforming into solid houses over the years...

And I only live 10mins from the 'farang' city center in CM down the super highway- should I choose to visit (haven't been for 6 months!)

Love it!

Paris was nice, but you really need cash to relax there in comfort.

Sub-Saharan Africa, beautiful, but a short life expectancy is to be expected.

America? - Nice, but dog eat dog.

Europe, forget it, love being able to get away without a police fine because they like the look of my motorbike! From now on the west will descend deeper and deeper in its rules and regulations, until there is nothing left to enjoy except breathing.

Edited March 21, 2010 by whiterussian

[bina]

boo, i can understand them actually. i think that for most westerners, a country is a country is a country. u choose a place to live cause of tax breaks, weather, education, or job. but for instance, why would anyone in their right mind live where i am, unless they love the country/poeple regardless of the shit. or as my ex used to say : israel is wonderful. we even have the best shit. well,l if u ask anon, he answers more or less along the same lines. thailand has the sweetest farts . (or something similar he says)

it has to do with roots i think. a majority of westerners dont have roots and dont feel rooted. but many people from many nationalities do. and they love their country regardless of the shit in it. so when they ask someone living in their country about 'loving ' it, they really mean it. i get asked that all the time here. and if i mention that we might move to thailand, i got horrified looks.. not because i am going to a god forsaken paganistic third world country, but because i am 'abandoning'/betraying the country i live in here. cause even our wording for living here isnt 'living' its more like 'home and hearth -growing' -not just living. u live in other countries. u grow/house and hearth here. so a thai is expecting u to answer accordingly. they for the most part would not understand why anyone would come to a place unless it was for making lots of money or cause they absolutely loved the country with all their heart.

in short they are a homogenous ethnocentric xenophobic people.

sort of rambling , so difficult to talk on keyboards after night shift...

bina

israel

[patong]

homogenEous ethnocentric xenophobic people.

to love a country there has to be a reason why, sure you can just like a country there is nothing wrong with that. love is a big word for some but small for others

Edited March 21, 2010 by patong

[jackr]

Probably best to think like a Thai in that situation. Their mindset - which is generally one of sanuk and not focusing too much at the wider picture, such as the more mundane things in life - is pretty much one-track. Greng jai, mai pen rai, and that they smile a lot has a lot to answer for, where the default is to not expose one's true feelings or get serious. When he was asking that question, it was very likely only at surface level and he was after affirmation on why his country is so great to make him feel good; sort of bordering on childish. Probably best to go along with it and avoid the truth for the sake of harmony... mind you, when in the that situation, I usually do the same.

[phetaroi]

The OP said: "I usually reply with a "yes, it's ok" then they sit with an expectant face, like that isn't sufficient & I should then rattle off a bunch of reasons why Thailand is so great."

This desire to hear something good about one's own country seems rather logical. When I reverse the situation and think about "foreigners" I have met in the States who seem not to have a significant appreciation for America and its culture, I too wonder...and will probably ask...so why did you come here? I understand that it may be different for some, but for me choosing to leave one's own country to live elsewhere is a very big decision. For me it took two things -- having a certain level of discomfort with the way things are going in America, and having a certain level of appreciation for the way things are in Thailand. Although I won't, I could fairly easily make you a list of the pros and cons of each country, from my perspective. But, overall, something had to tip the balance and make me want to resettle.

[Insight]

Going against the grain of this thread, I remember a quote from Stickman yonks ago where he stated that Thais who had travelled globally a bit more can't understand why a lot of farang stick around after five or so years, after the novelty dies off I guess.

I'd provide a link but that site is a 'mare to find anything in.

[CHdiver]

Just be careful what you answer to the Immigration Officer, he may be a Mod here in his second live and will just ban you if your answer is not appropriate

Now to the OP, I dont love Thailand, its just a place I am at the moment. However, I would not tell that to a Thai. Most People will get upset if you tell them bad things about there country. So a little white lie now and then doesnt hurt.

[Boo]

Just to clarify, I never said anything bad about Thailand but I didn't elaborate on liking the place either. I "live" here, as in, I have a child in nursery, I still have to get him ready every day, prepare food, clean house, do laundry, make the school run2 times a day, my husband has a business that he needs my help with every day. I get one, maybe 2 nights out a week so my life is pretty much the same as it was in the UK except I don't work here (yet). The weather is better if you compare the horrid winter the UK suffered this year but it is too sweaty, the mossies piss me off & generally I find getting stuff done to be much more efficient in UK than here but I can live with it & most all other "negatives" I come across.

When I have met Thais living in UK I will always ask "do you like it here" (no expectant grin though ) & if they answer with an "yes, ok but too cold, or yes ok but food no good, or even the odd, no, I don't like anything" I don't take it as a personal insult & can usually empathize with their complaints.

I think the lack of international travel is probably close to the truth, IME many thais who have moved overseas (esp women I have found) will enjoy their life in europe, OZ or US & find coming back to Thailand to be a real reverse culture shock & tend to complain more loudly than us foreigners.

[robblok]

I have to say i agree with Boo i like Thailand but i don't love it. Like many others said Thais are really nationalistic and crazy about their country.

[sbk]

Ah I am the odd duck. I do love Thai food. The spicier the better and when I am in the US, I miss it terribly.

That said, do I love Thailand? Not particularly. I do like living here and a long stay back in the US last summer made me realize I'd rather live here than there, but then after 20 years in Thailand, its my home almost as much as the US is. As IJWT said, Thailand suits me for now.

Things change and I may change my mind later on, but for now. I like it fine. Besides, I didn't come here looking for anything at all, no escape, no change, no nothing. My goals were oriented elsewhere, I just happened to fall in love and get married while on holiday and stayed.

What would I tell my Immigration officer? I'd lie through my teeth

[canuckamuck]

I am not impressed with Thailand, but I like it here.

[Naam]

I have to say i agree with Boo i like Thailand but i don't love it. Like many others said Thais are really nationalistic and crazy about their country.

is that a reason to like or dislike Thailand?

[Boo]

no but may be part of the reason they expect us non thais to think it is so great too

[PeaceBlondie]

I hate Thai food. I can't speak ten words of the language after 7 years. Thailand's better than Nicaragua. It's not paradise, but it's good. Thai women have small boobs. The education system sucks.

[robblok]

I have to say i agree with Boo i like Thailand but i don't love it. Like many others said Thais are really nationalistic and crazy about their country.

is that a reason to like or dislike Thailand?

\

What she said.

I am happy here, i like Thailand but its not like its perfect and the best in the world.

[robblok]

I hate Thai food. I can't speak ten words of the language after 7 years. Thailand's better than Nicaragua. It's not paradise, but it's good. Thai women have small boobs. The educatio system sucks.

I thought you did not fancy Thai women .

[JonnyF]

I like Thailand a lot but I wouldn't say I love it either. I think most Thai's haven't been anywhere else and see lots of tourists here so they assume it's the best place in the world.

People in the office often ask me about other places I've worked and when I tell them about the clean, beautiful beaches in Australia and show them pictures of the English countryside they quite often seem more than a bit "put out", even more so if I politelty mention the stacks of rubbish I often encounter when visiting the beaches here at the weekend.

I don't see the harm in being honest about the good and the bad here, as long as you try to do it in a nice way. I've never been a great liar so just spouting off the usual stuff about how great the place is gets tiring after a while, especially as Thai's seem to ask quite a lot.

[MrJohnson]

cause they are asking me what I love. I don't love food, I am not a foody & imo thai food isn't as great as people go on about. Some things are good but then so is alot of other food. Besides giving some lame-o bs answer to make someone feel proud isn't my style. I like Thailand but I don't love it. Really, that should be enough.

And besides, I can't lie on the spot, I gave the immigration guy an honest answer, tough boob if he don't like it

Maybe the people who have been asking you this question genuinely love their country very much.(BTW - I get this question a lot from taxi drivers, street food vendors etc.) Maybe they are different to you personally or maybe it could be a 'cultural' thing. Who knows? Sometimes, in the interests of politeness, a little white lie might be acceptable. Don't let it keep you awake at night.

[carmine]

Thailand currently is slightly better to live in than the UK. I quite like living here, and when i get bored of the place i'll leave. Like Thailand, yes. Love Thailand, ofcourse not. I love England, that is where i was born. But not a great place to live. Here, it's more relaxed.

One thing i would say is that i never had seen such litter bugs until i came here. Garbage everywhere. Such a shame. Very complicated solution. Buy some rubbish bins and use them, instead of lobbing it out wherever

[Jingthing]

Hey, they let me stay here, its hard to complain too much. The list of countries that would tolerate my sorry asss ain't long ...

[Birdman]

"Do you love Thailand" is not a question. It is a rhetoric phrase like "pai nay? - where do you go?", where no one expects a detailed description on a map or the West's "how are you", where no one expects a life's suffering story.

[t.s]

cause they are asking me what I love. I don't love food, I am not a foody & imo thai food isn't as great as people go on about. Some things are good but then so is alot of other food. Besides giving some lame-o bs answer to make someone feel proud isn't my style. I like Thailand but I don't love it. Really, that should be enough.

And besides, I can't lie on the spot, I gave the immigration guy an honest answer, tough boob if he don't like it

honest answer boo. nobody but you really cares about what you like or love.

[somtampet]

lol, yes this is what I mean, I mean, if you don't want to know the truth then don't ask. I suppose he does this with all farang coming through & they probably either give him the full gush or bs their asses off. I just can't do it.

I love Thailand had many full gushes here

[fletchsmile]

So many answers... so little time... especially depending on your mood at the time. One suggestion:

Q (from a nice Thai person): What do you love / like about Thailand?

A: (With a smile) The way everyone tells me how wonderful everything is. Even when it isn't true...

[BkkMD]

if u dun like go home na khrap

lol no but seriously, you might as well lie. will make life in Thailand much easier