Why Are You Here?!?

[robblok]

@skate,

Your not even living here how can you judge those who do live here and have lived here for a long time.

I wonder how many people of the you cant complain and if you don't like it leave group have ever visited a forum that comments politics and news in their own country.

I did and still do and i see just as much comments there about stupid things and people complaining about this and that. But nobody tells them to go because they are natives to the country.

Just because you live somewhere and have the possibility to move does not mean you have to agree or like everything that is going on here. For me the benefits outweigh the problems by far but that does not mean i don't complain once in a while.

Corruption is widespread and crazy anyone disagreeing is not paying any attention in Thailand. Thai drivers in general are real dangerous, i doubt that anyone who really uses a bike or car here will disagree. So why cant we complain about those things.

I love the weather, the fishing, the life, the food, and many of the locals But i'm not blind to its downsides. I have only met one really sour guy he was constantly putting the Thai guys down (mind you not the girls). Everything was bad and they were all out to get him. After half an hour i got sick and told him i did not want to hear from him again. The extreme whiners should not be here. But valid complaints or grievances... why not.

[andrewbkk]

WHY ARE YOU HERE!?!?

I thought about this a long time ago. And I think the answer is quite simple. Problem is ........ for many people the truth is hard to accept.

Think about it this way. Imagine you're back home in London or NYC or LA or Sydney. Imagine you've got a great job. Imagine prospects for promotion are looming. Imagine you love the wife and the kids are doing great at school. Imagine the house repayments are going well, and in only another year or so the car will be completely paid off.

In this situation, are you going to wake up one morning and decide to scrap everything so that you can come and live in Thailand?

I think people here in Thailand can be classified as follows ................

1. Genuine expats. These people are the senior managers who have been transferred here. They usually stay for a year or two. They live in expensive rented accommodation and enjoy massive benefits. Their children go to the top international schools.

2. Failures. These are people who lost their jobs or their wives (or both) and became disillusioned with their own countries. They came to Thailand for a kind of sex vacation, and then decided to stay. Many failures re-invent themselves and start new lives here. Some become successful and blend in well with the local culture

3. Born losers. These are the mis-fits that never made it in their own countries and will never make it here in Thailand. Many born losers are surprisingly nice people. Many are educated and intelligent. Many teach English at government schools.

4. Criminals. There are many criminals here in Thailand. Some operate boiler room scams; others get invloved with drugs, pornography and prostitution.

5. The mentally ill. I have met many men over the years who quite clearly were mentally ill. I think they receive some kind of disability pension from their own country and then come here to live modestly and enjoy the warm weather and friendly people. Many mentally ill people I've met were Americans suffering from post traumatic stress disorder.

6. Sexpats. These men are usually low-budget retirees who come here for sex. They often meet their wives or girlfriends online, and then live here in cheap or rented accommodation. Many of these men are very happy with their lives in Thailand, and some of them make great drinking buddies.

Maybe there are other categories I've overlooked, but I've been here long enough to know that what I've just written describes the majority of foreign men here in Thailand.

You left out quite a few obvious categories and classifications, Andrew.

Obvious to some, yet not to others.

I consider the source.

So ............ you consider the "source", do you?

Interesting.

[StreetCowboy]

...The extreme whiners should not be here. But valid complaints or grievances... why not.

I can't think of anywhere else that would suit them (the extreme whiners) better. The great thing is that the locals can't understand a word they're saying, and are too polite to learn.

SC

[zzaa09]

@skate,

Your not even living here how can you judge those who do live here and have lived here for a long time.

Don't ya just hate that?

Yet, far too common.

[skate1047]

@skate,

Your not even living here how can you judge those who do live here and have lived here for a long time.

I wonder how many people of the you cant complain and if you don't like it leave group have ever visited a forum that comments politics and news in their own country.

I did and still do and i see just as much comments there about stupid things and people complaining about this and that. But nobody tells them to go because they are natives to the country.

Just because you live somewhere and have the possibility to move does not mean you have to agree or like everything that is going on here. For me the benefits outweigh the problems by far but that does not mean i don't complain once in a while.

Corruption is widespread and crazy anyone disagreeing is not paying any attention in Thailand. Thai drivers in general are real dangerous, i doubt that anyone who really uses a bike or car here will disagree. So why cant we complain about those things.

I love the weather, the fishing, the life, the food, and many of the locals But i'm not blind to its downsides. I have only met one really sour guy he was constantly putting the Thai guys down (mind you not the girls). Everything was bad and they were all out to get him. After half an hour i got sick and told him i did not want to hear from him again. The extreme whiners should not be here. But valid complaints or grievances... why not.

Lived there for a year. Owned a restaurant that royally tanked when the world economy went for a dive back in '08.

You can ask the people around me of about my time there - not as bad as some, but still pretty dam_n rough...

Never had money to cover expenses each and every month - having to borrow from friends, family and even my thai gfs family.

gf got pregnant so I had to sell the restaurant and come home to support the whole situation from a better financial standing, and in the process brought them to Canada where they are now.

Despite probably having the most stressful experience in my life - I was deepenly saddened when I had to come home, and I wouldn't slander any Thais for my experience, which is really the point of the post here.

I think people on this thread have misinterpreted what I meant and have all seem to take it personally(or else why would you defend racism?) - this was really directed at people that come on here and seem to hate Thais and really make some fairly racist comments.

Maybe I'll look into how to delete this thread - it was a bad idea and made on a whim...

Thanks,

James

[metisdead]

OP said:

Maybe I'll look into how to delete this thread - it was a bad idea and made on a whim...

We won't delete it, but we'll put it to bed.