Where Are The Americans?

[Beetlejuice]

Is it true that if you get a stupid American marrying a stupid English person, they give birth to a right little Yanker?

[jazzbo]

I am an American living now for 7 years in Thailand and if I wanted to hang out with a bunch of Americans, I know where I would go: America.

[floridaguy]

I am an American living now for 7 years in Thailand and if I wanted to hang out with a bunch of Americans, I know where I would go: America.

Haha, that is funny, and true. I agree. We are a loud bunch aren't we?

I have been all around Thailand since living here, and the most Americans I ever saw were concentrated in Pattaya. Hence, I avoid Pattaya like the plague.

[Jingthing]

Plenty of Yanks in Pattaya, and a desperate need here for a DECENT Mexican restaurant. There are some crappy ones and they do OK it seems, but imagine the market for a really good one.

Thailand is very far from the USA. You want lots of Americans abroad, try Mexico, etc.

Personally I don't mind being called a Yank at all. Only an uneducated Yahoo, even from the south, would in an international context. Septic though is clearly an insult but you will find most Americans won't even know the term.

Edited December 7, 2010 by Jingthing

[jfchandler]

To the OP, as a lifelong member of the aforesaid group, I've hardly EVER heard any American refer to themselves or other Americans as "yanks." So it makes me wonder why you do... Perhaps you've been hanging out with the wrong crowd too long... like the Pommies...

"Yankee" is a different term, with its historical roots as described above. Not many Americans in the modern world, at least outside the South, go around referring to themselves or others as Yankees... It would be roughly comparable to today referring to the Thais "Siamese."

As for Americans in Thailand, I remember seeing some statistics sometime back that broke down the countries of origin for foreigners supposedly living in Thailand.... I don't remember the exact numbers or rankings, but it seemed Americans were 4th or 5th most... I think the Brits and Germans and some snowy country (like Norway, Sweeden or Denmark) were more numerous in Thailand.

As for Mexican restaurants, I'd say BKK is pretty well populated... The Pattaya folks are always screaming for a new Mexican place, but these days, you'd do better there serving Russian food. Chiang Mai already has a popular offering (Miguel's).... Khon Kaen and Udon are both lacking, but I'd wonder if there's enough of a consistent customer base there to make a go of it... Maybe if it was a combined cantina/restaurant, drinking being a popular sport thereabouts.

[Jingthing]

Pattaya already has plenty of Russian places. I don't know how many are good ones though. Perhaps the Russian food market is already saturated. There was a nice Russian place in inner Jomtien that didn't last a year. Also keep in mind that Russians are often quite open minded when eating. I see them in different kinds of restaurants, like Indian, and they eat Thai food, a lot. I wouldn't be surprised if many of them also would go for Mexican.

Edited December 7, 2010 by Jingthing

[ClareQuilty]

I guess its common knowledge that there are a lot less Americans here, relative to population, than English, Germans, Australians, etc. I think its mainly because of Americans' incredibly short holidays - very few ever make it over here as a tourist, and so they don't become expats. Generally speaking, I also find that most working people in the US keep their heads down financially, and even if they could by some means of borrowing or long-term saving afford to come to Thailand, they probably never would, due to fear of losing their jobs or other economic problems. Working-class Europeans tend to have a better safety net, health care, etc, and be somewhat less fearful. The Americans who do make it over here tend to be quite well-off, from the upper middle class.

[Jingthing]

Not exactly.

http://www.nydailynews.com/travel/2009/09/29/2009-09-29_despite_recession_americans_still_traveling_abroad_top_20_international_destinat.html

Thailand is far. But so is India, and this article indicates India is getting a lot more American travelers. Another point -- Thailand has a VERY BAD reputation among Americans because of the way it is often referred to in the media (often used in the punchline of bawdy jokes). You know what I mean.

Edited December 7, 2010 by Jingthing

[Kwasaki]

On a tangentially related note: how do British folks out there feel about being called European? In America we usually think of Britain as being totally "European," and of course technically speaking it is, and yet I often hear Brits say things like "In Britain and Europe," suggesting that they don't really feel like part of the continent. Any thoughts on this?

My thoughts yeah !! I'm a Brit and referred to as a cockney although I was only born of cockney parents and American guys I have met while passing through our village have never refer to me as European not that it would bother me anyway. We would not consider ourselves as Europeans because we are not full members of the European Market and also seperated by water and some would like to turn the tunnel into a big gun.

It might annoy a snobby Brit being called European but myself would just correct them and say " No !! I am from England I am English " funny you bring this up !! I would prefer to put English on my passport rather than British.

But I think it goes back to England being the called the British Isles and again I think Scots, Welsh, and Eire don't like being referred to as part of the British Isles.

There was one American guy in our village once but he got well stitched and ended up in Bangkok I think.

Edited December 7, 2010 by Kwasaki

[rijb]

Is it true that if you get a stupid American marrying a stupid English person, they give birth to a right little Yanker?

You must be a yankophile...

[jazzbo]

If you go to one of the US Embassy Consular outreaches you will see that some Americans arrived here in the mid-1960s and have never left.

[anothertorres]

i'm right here. can i have my burrito now?

[ClareQuilty]

...Another point -- Thailand has a VERY BAD reputation among Americans because of the way it is often referred to in the media (often used in the punchline of bawdy jokes). You know what I mean.

Yes of course, you are talking about the reason many, perhaps most, people come to Thailand - overall that factor is a far bigger attraction than detraction for visitors.

[Jingthing]

...Another point -- Thailand has a VERY BAD reputation among Americans because of the way it is often referred to in the media (often used in the punchline of bawdy jokes). You know what I mean.

Yes of course, you are talking about the reason many, perhaps most, people come to Thailand - overall that factor is a far bigger attraction than detraction for visitors.

Sure, but not for everyone, and the USA has plenty of domestic talent as well. A lot of people don't want to go to Thailand because they are afraid what friends and family will think of them. Yes, there are lots of people very hung up and hypocritical about sex in America, it's really part of the culture.

Edited December 7, 2010 by Jingthing

[NanLaew]

Septic though is clearly an insult but you will find most Americans won't even know the term.

Septic tank is rhyming slang for Yank.... how can it be so offensive? It's ultimately the same thing... unless the yank really thinks that he is being called a septic tank. They could have been labeled J. Arther Rank but that was already taken.

I am Jockinese btw.

Edited December 8, 2010 by NanLaew

[Jingthing]

Septic though is clearly an insult but you will find most Americans won't even know the term.

Septic tank is rhyming slang for Yank.... how can it be so offensive? It's ultimately the same thing... unless the yank really thinks that he is being called a septic tank.

I am Jockinese btw.

I know the origin and I also know it is not a nice way to refer to Americans.

I can give the origin of many derogatory terms and they would still be derogatory terms, so what's your point, other than being cute?

Next ...

Edited December 8, 2010 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

Where are the American you ask? They are off in some foreign country trying to exploit the nationals out of their resources. Or, bombing some third world country to test out their new military weapons. Where else would they be? Might makes right.

Can't wait until people start replacing Chinese for American. How tiresome.

[bobo42]

...

Personally I don't mind being called a Yank at all. Only an uneducated Yahoo, even from the south, would in an international context. Septic though is clearly an insult but you will find most Americans won't even know the term.

I never minded being referred to as a "Yank" either. Doesn't seem like its normally intended as an insult, and in any case, I don't take it as such. I've never met an American abroad that seemed bothered by anything such, and most Americans back in the US would be unfamiliar with the term.

As far as calling an American a "septic", I just don't get it. The first time I heard "septic" was from a drunk Brit trying to get a rise out of me. I was totally ignorant of the term, had no idea that he was trying to be offensive. He tried and tried to get some anger out of me by explaining fervently what it "meant", and I just didn't believe him. Seemed to me a bit like calling somebody "stupid-head" and believing that it is really witty and clever. He got really bent out of shape all by himself - and I wasn't trying to pull his leg - I just couldn't believe that this could possibly be a widely used derogatory term, but I guess it is. I thought it was some kind of joke and kept expecting some kind of good-natured punchline, but no, he was actually looking for an argument and ended up storming away in a huff.

Is it really just because of the casual rhyming relationship? Septic tank = yank? Really? I really hope there is a better story behind it, I'd love to know what it is.

[jazzbo]

Regardless of what any other farang might think, Thai persons -- especially when in a Thai language conversation -- seem always pleased and a bit surprised to meet an American at least once out of the usual spots...

(The Americans) are off in some foreign country trying to exploit the nationals out of their resources.... except for Canada where they just happily ship their resources across the border to us.

[ballpoint]

Growing up in NZ some 40 odd years ago, Americans were always referred to as Yanks, just as Australians were Aussies, English were Poms, Irish were Paddies, French were frogs and we NZ'ers of European extraction were Pakehas (a Maori term). Nothing derogatory was meant about any of these, just a short hand way of saying where someone was from. It led to a joke doing the rounds of the school yards in the 70's about the definition of an American bra - one yank and it's off. Rather childish, but we thought it was funny. The term Septic, which is indeed from septic tank, wasn't heard of until later, maybe following the big immigration wave of Poms, NZ not really having a rhyming slang of its own, although the dialect is readily understood there. Australia has always had its own version though, probably due to the different class of settlers for the two countries. Yanks are called Seppo's by many Aussies, short for septic tank = Yank. You'll also see other rhyming terms for Americans, for example in the Trainspotting movie and book, an American tourist who gets beaten up and robbed in a pub toilet is referred to as a Sherman; Sherman tank = Yank. Probably a more tolerable term for Americans to take.

[Moonrakers]

Is it really just because of the casual rhyming relationship? Septic tank = yank? Really? I really hope there is a better story behind it, I'd love to know what it is.

Surely you've heard of cockney rhyming slang

Apples and pears = Stairs (I'm going up the apples)

Dog and Bone = Phone (Answer the dog)

Butchers Hook = Look (Have a butchers at this)

Septic Tank = Yank.

jingthing is wrong. It is not offensive, it is no different to you guys calling us limies. He is just choosing to be offended.

[ballpoint]

Is it really just because of the casual rhyming relationship? Septic tank = yank? Really? I really hope there is a better story behind it, I'd love to know what it is.

Surely you've heard of cockney rhyming slang

Apples and pears = Stairs (I'm going up the apples)

Dog and Bone = Phone (Answer the dog)

Butchers Hook = Look (Have a butchers at this)

Septic Tank = Yank.

jingthing is wrong. It is not offensive, it is no different to you guys calling us limies. He is just choosing to be offended.

Frog and toad

Brahms and Liszt

Tom and Dick

Pen and ink

I've even heard a few Americans using it without being aware of it:

Blowing a raspberry - raspberry tart = fart

Calling someone a berk - Berkshire hunt = can't say that word here

[Northpoint]

I once got told off by a US guy for calling him a yank.

I thought yank was an Athem eaps of American term anyway.

Where are the most American's? My guess is Pattaya!

You are not wrong. Go to the FLB bar on Walking Street in Pattaya and there are heaps of them on most nights. Some of them are even half-decent guys.

[jfchandler]

Ian, lucky for the Poms and the Frogs that Americans do, when necessary, exercise our might, as you put it...

Otherwise, you'd all be speaking German and eating sauerkraut.... and listening to polka music.

I guess England and France would have qualified back then as third-world countries, right???

Where are the American you ask? They are off in some foreign country trying to exploit the nationals out of their resources. Or, bombing some third world country to test out their new military weapons. Where else would they be? Might makes right.

[Moonrakers]

Ian, lucky for the Poms and the Frogs that Americans do, when necessary, exercise our might, as you put it...

Otherwise, you'd all be speaking German and eating sauerkraut.... and listening to polka music.

I guess England and France would have qualified back then as third-world countries, right???

Where are the American you ask? They are off in some foreign country trying to exploit the nationals out of their resources. Or, bombing some third world country to test out their new military weapons. Where else would they be? Might makes right.

How very unexpected

[MSingh]

I once got told off by a US guy for calling him a yank.

Any American who would be offended by the term "yank" is wound up way too tight. Either that or he's a card-carrying member of the KKK.

Yes, "septic" is a far more derogatory and offensive label..

Why is it ??

It's just Cockney Rhyming Slang..

Septic Tank = Yank http://www.cockneyrhymingslang.co.uk/slang/sceptic_tank

Would Apples be a more derogatory & offensive label to Stairs then ??

Or would Boat be a more derogatory & offensive label when talkign about someone's face ??

[Moonrakers]

Ian, lucky for the Poms and the Frogs that Americans do, when necessary, exercise our might, as you put it...

Otherwise, you'd all be speaking German and eating sauerkraut.... and listening to polka music.

I guess England and France would have qualified back then as third-world countries, right???

I agree with you but the US was on the same level as the UK back then. Militarily. Man power yes, but way behind the Germans in every other department. Same with the Russians, man power, numbers.

Can we not go down this route, It really is all quite predictable and boring. This has has been done ad nauseum already. If jfcchandler wants to get all patriotic then just let him.

[jfchandler]

Moon, I think you'd notice that I was simply answering Ian's silly nationalist post above... I didn't start it....but I did answer it.

But I do agree, the thread has gone way off the original topic, and not in a particularly productive direction.

Edited December 8, 2010 by jfchandler

[Moonrakers]

Absolutely, me old china!

[Northpoint]

Not exactly.

http://www.nydailynews.com/travel/2009/09/29/2009-09-29_despite_recession_americans_still_traveling_abroad_top_20_international_destinat.html

Thailand is far. But so is India, and this article indicates India is getting a lot more American travelers. Another point -- Thailand has a VERY BAD reputation among Americans because of the way it is often referred to in the media (often used in the punchline of bawdy jokes). You know what I mean.

And I thought you were only interested in fine foods.