Bitter & Twisted Isaan Expats

[cali4995]

Probably not fair to single-out Esan, some of these people are everywhere and often just off the plane.

In fairness, on my brief forays into the countryside, I've found the expats to be generally of a friendlier

decent breed. But, at the end of the day, like it or not, we all are often lumped into the same group

"farang" so it probably behooves us to encourage folks to try and behave and just get along better.

[BigSnake]

Have met a few Expats on my visit to Isan that are like you say, however for the most part they a far a few between. May I suggest you don't visit or socialize places where expats are drinking bitching and moaning, you would have a much brighter day and enjoyable stay Isan(Udon). CHEERS!!

[Gary A]

I used the silver spoon example because I have seen it first hand a number of times. One good example was when Mommy died, he got a fairly handsome inheritance. He managed to squander that money much quicker than most would. Since he had never had a decent job, he had no investments or pension. Now the well is dry and he has no where to turn. He has no work history and no skills. Add his age to that and as you can imagine, he is in deep doo doo.

To elaborate a bit, there are guys here in Thailand working for a pittance or maybe even earning a decent living. They are at their peak earning years and had they remained in their home country they would be contributing to some type of pension plan. It is also quite likely that the guys here have no long range plans to provide for their old age. Perhaps they have been in Thailand too long and only worry about today. Sooner or later, old age, illness or some misfortune will beset them. What will happen to them when those problems come? The Thais have a family network to take care of those problems. Those guys are NOT Thai and likely do not have a number of children to count on.

[danfred]

Great bit of posting.

Have to make a comment on one thing though, just becasue you see another Farrang why does that mean you have to go and speak to them? Not that I am a grumpy <deleted>,

I love living in Issan... would not change it.

I also love it here and agree with you. Why would you speak to a total stranger just because he was not a Thai?

Same thoughts here... I had to stop my partner who kept trying to introduce me to every farang we saw. In most cases it was awkward since we don't confront one another like that back home. My partner meant well and thought I might want to meet more farangs. I told him that had to happen naturally and cannot be forced. For example you happen to be sitting next to one another at a beer bar and you happen to extend a toast to the table next to you or you need a light for a cigarette and it happens that a farang is smoking right next to you or you're standing in the same queue waiting for something... only then a conversation may or may not develop.... but we never walk across a bar or club with the intention of striking up a conversation with a random stranger.

I have to admit when I first moved to Issan... to be a farang was considered a novel thing (at least by the Thai) which led me to believe it was novel to see other farang in the area (also because I was new to the area)... so I always said hello or at least smiled when passing another farang... more often than not the return greeting was a blank stare. I didn't get it at first and just though they were rude.... but later I understood that these are normal farangs just like the ones back home... they rarely smile or greet random strangers (or even make eye contact) and being in Issan makes that no different.

.

Thai are basically the same way... they don't greet random strangers... but I do notice they don't seem to have many issues striking up conversions with random people.

However, as a farang living in Issan I am greeted by just about every Thai I walk past... and in anticipation or habit I often greet them before they get the chance. I really like it and it does feel good to be reaching out and acknowledging random people that pass you. I do still mess up sometimes though and mistakenly greet a farang passing by and when getting the blank response I just laugh to myself.

[Geekfreaklover]

However, as a farang living in Issan I am greeted by just about every Thai I walk past... and in anticipation or habit I often greet them before they get the chance. I really like it and it does feel good to be reaching out and acknowledging random people that pass you. I do still mess up sometimes though and mistakenly greet a farang passing by and when getting the blank response I just laugh to myself.

I must admit I can relate to this. I used to live in a rural village in Isaan and every once in a while a Farang would turn up at the house with a girlfriend that was taking him to meet the parents in a neighbouring village. Being a Farang living near by, the girlfriend thought it would be a good idea to come and say hello. More ofton that not, myself and the other farang would have nothing in common worth talking about.

The optimist in me thought - She just wanted her boyfriend to have a new farang friend.

The cynic / realist thought - She is showing the farang that he too could build a big house in the village (like the one we were living in) for her and her family.

That's a good example of Isaan life making you bitter and twisted!!

Anyway, I divorced the bitch and now spend my time drinking chang beer alone and hatching conspiracy theories.

[JimiDee01]

You don't drink Beer Chang. On Friday we shall be drinking the finest wines known to humanity, and smoking fancy cigars.

[Geekfreaklover]

You don't drink Beer Chang. On Friday we shall be drinking the finest wines known to humanity, and smoking fancy cigars.

"Withnail and I" ??

Yep, i'll be there with me smoking jacket, silver spoon, and a serious bottle of medoc, 88.

Look forward to it old boy.

[blue eyes]

Sorry Gary, it sounds 'bitter and twisted' to me.

Gary A is certainly not bitter and twisted.

Hi Gary, hope you're not too cold up there at this time.

I'm out of country at the moment, Alien is very cold she tells me, looks like Loei is in for a cold few days, well nights actually.

Cheers Gary, I wish I was there, I want one of those BBQ's you have !

See you. M.

The 10 and 11 Celsius is COLD. These kinds of nights I have to stay up later than the wife otherwise she enjoys climbing in bed and putting her cold feet on my warm parts. When will you be back? Almost too cold to drink beer lately.

Gary A, just leave the ice out and it will be just right.

[Andrew Hicks]

[ but I feel fairly confident in saying it applies to all areas of Thailand

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Delete Thailand. Insert World. I've found far less losers here in LOS than in other countries I visited. The biggest problem here is that the people who have made it are in fact looking for losers, because maybe at one time they were losers themselves that have come good. And of course I agree that the losers stand out more here. All they are, are the people that have not made it. Probably 75-80% of the guys/gals that come here to settle are losers in their own rights anyway, be it failed marriage,failed career, failed love-life, failed bank balance, failed friendships, failed business, and most of them no fault of their own. A lot of people just want to get away from it all. I know I'm not making many friends here, but people that speak the truth rarely do. Remember winners only come to Thailand on holiday.

One sure thing that indicates whether you're a loser or not is the number of posts you've made on Thaivisa.

Think about it!

Andrew.

[billd766]

[ but I feel fairly confident in saying it applies to all areas of Thailand

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Delete Thailand. Insert World. I've found far less losers here in LOS than in other countries I visited. The biggest problem here is that the people who have made it are in fact looking for losers, because maybe at one time they were losers themselves that have come good. And of course I agree that the losers stand out more here. All they are, are the people that have not made it. Probably 75-80% of the guys/gals that come here to settle are losers in their own rights anyway, be it failed marriage,failed career, failed love-life, failed bank balance, failed friendships, failed business, and most of them no fault of their own. A lot of people just want to get away from it all. I know I'm not making many friends here, but people that speak the truth rarely do. Remember winners only come to Thailand on holiday.

One sure thing that indicates whether you're a loser or not is the number of posts you've made on Thaivisa.

Think about it!

Andrew.

For me it is 1549 posts but that is from 11 Nov 2003 or 0.82 a day.

Does this make me a loser?

[Svenn]

I used the silver spoon example because I have seen it first hand a number of times. One good example was when Mommy died, he got a fairly handsome inheritance. He managed to squander that money much quicker than most would. Since he had never had a decent job, he had no investments or pension. Now the well is dry and he has no where to turn. He has no work history and no skills. Add his age to that and as you can imagine, he is in deep doo doo.

To elaborate a bit, there are guys here in Thailand working for a pittance or maybe even earning a decent living. They are at their peak earning years and had they remained in their home country they would be contributing to some type of pension plan. It is also quite likely that the guys here have no long range plans to provide for their old age. Perhaps they have been in Thailand too long and only worry about today. Sooner or later, old age, illness or some misfortune will beset them. What will happen to them when those problems come? The Thais have a family network to take care of those problems. Those guys are NOT Thai and likely do not have a number of children to count on.

I don't think silver-spoon trust-fund babies are very common in thailand, but they certainly are a miserable lot all around the world. I remember my old man laughing at me for saying I wish I was one of them at one point, he said they tend to be depressed and shallow people with aimless lives. This isn't though some macho, tough-guy idea that working for your own money makes you stronger or something, it's simply the basic human fact that we need contrast to enjoy things- you need to work a little for your money to appreciate it, to enjoy it... you need to be hungry before food tastes good, etc.

Anyway, I'd go a step further gary as i tend to get irritated with middle-aged or older farangs that are clearly living off a pension they really didn't deserve, or worse yet lucky investments from back home . There's plenty of mickey mouse careers in developed countries that waay overpay their retirees. This isn't to say there aren't plenty of older farangs that did work hard, and are getting their deserved break. I'm just saying though that there's something very unappealing about a 40-something farang drinking beer and operating a barely-profit bar or tourist business in thailand without really caring if it succeeds.

I'm 23 and trying to get a long-term life together in isaan (building house, etc), without help from my parents (they still don't know, lol ), but frankly I think it's going to have to be a part-time deal for the next decade or so as I simply have a better salary back in the US. The other kids my age or younger that come to thailand to teach are ok people mostly, nothing wrong if they get a little help from their parents, i'd do it for my kid...

[Tyree D.]

If you already suffer from the idea that Thailand and Thai people have in some way victimized you and you developed into a  boring monotonous whining machine, there is only one possible cure & It’s very simple indeed.

Go back where you came from.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Why do so many expats in Thailand assume that the only two choices are Thailand or **** off back to where you came from? There are plenty of other countries in the world. If you decide that living in Thailand is not for you (and it certainly wasn't for me), then find somewhere you do like.

I would quote that if there wasn't a sig limit. If you've missed my Gen Forum rants, I've moved to Korea and never looked back.

[Gary A]

I used the silver spoon example because I have seen it first hand a number of times. One good example was when Mommy died, he got a fairly handsome inheritance. He managed to squander that money much quicker than most would. Since he had never had a decent job, he had no investments or pension. Now the well is dry and he has no where to turn. He has no work history and no skills. Add his age to that and as you can imagine, he is in deep doo doo.

To elaborate a bit, there are guys here in Thailand working for a pittance or maybe even earning a decent living. They are at their peak earning years and had they remained in their home country they would be contributing to some type of pension plan. It is also quite likely that the guys here have no long range plans to provide for their old age. Perhaps they have been in Thailand too long and only worry about today. Sooner or later, old age, illness or some misfortune will beset them. What will happen to them when those problems come? The Thais have a family network to take care of those problems. Those guys are NOT Thai and likely do not have a number of children to count on.

I don't think silver-spoon trust-fund babies are very common in thailand, but they certainly are a miserable lot all around the world. I remember my old man laughing at me for saying I wish I was one of them at one point, he said they tend to be depressed and shallow people with aimless lives. This isn't though some macho, tough-guy idea that working for your own money makes you stronger or something, it's simply the basic human fact that we need contrast to enjoy things- you need to work a little for your money to appreciate it, to enjoy it... you need to be hungry before food tastes good, etc.

Anyway, I'd go a step further gary as i tend to get irritated with middle-aged or older farangs that are clearly living off a pension they really didn't deserve, or worse yet lucky investments from back home . There's plenty of mickey mouse careers in developed countries that waay overpay their retirees. This isn't to say there aren't plenty of older farangs that did work hard, and are getting their deserved break. I'm just saying though that there's something very unappealing about a 40-something farang drinking beer and operating a barely-profit bar or tourist business in thailand without really caring if it succeeds.

I'm 23 and trying to get a long-term life together in isaan (building house, etc), without help from my parents (they still don't know, lol ), but frankly I think it's going to have to be a part-time deal for the next decade or so as I simply have a better salary back in the US. The other kids my age or younger that come to thailand to teach are ok people mostly, nothing wrong if they get a little help from their parents, i'd do it for my kid...

I worked for 22 years for a major US company that had a great pension plan. You work 30 years and you get the full pension plus medical benefits. After 22 years they sold that division. My pension was vested but I was out of a job. I now get a whopping $366 per month from that program with no COLA or insurance. As far as US Social Security, I paid into that program for 45 years. I'm now getting some of that money back. Had I not paid into optional savings plans, I would not be living as well as I am. There are no free lunches out there. You better look after yourself and provide for your own future because no one else is going to look out you. Some Euro socialist governments are now running out of money. What is going to happen to their socialists programs?

[mahtin]

Sinner on the mainland

Hes a sinner on the sea

He looks for absolution

Not accountability

How many destinations

Oh God hes seen them all

He collects his precious pittance

Never a port of call

Remittance man

Blacksheep of the family clan

Broke too many rules along the way

Remittance man

So far away from home

No theyll never understand

The remittance man

A man of empty pockets

From jingling his change

The idleness and grieving

For all that he retains

By the harbour lights of sydney

Or the bora bora moon

He recites his sad confession

To the seagulls and the loons

Remittance man

Blacksheep of the family clan

Broke too many rules along the way

Remittance man

So far away from home

No theyll never understand

The remittance man

Well you can claim that you were born a prince

But youre the only one you can convince

Survivor with no livelihood

That you could ever make it good

But still you dream of what you can pretend

An unexpected passenger

Boarded in marseilles

An angel full of tenderness

She gave her heart away

She was but a gypsy

He was just a stray

They almost made a miracle but it slowly slipped away

So he follows the equator

With a wish to run aground

Its a very vicious circle

Goin round and round and round

And he watches from the fantail

As the mainland disappears

Just like the flying dutchman

Hes a prisoner of his fears

Remittance man

Blacksheep of the family clan

Broke too many rules along the way

Remittance man

So far away from home

No theyll never understand

No theyll never understand

No theyll never understand

The remittance man