Why Are There So Many Americans In Chiang Mai?

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Given the population size there aren't many Americans here at all.

And even then, the ones you do see tend to be from the USA or Canada. Very few from all the other places.

Edited April 7, 2013 by WinnieTheKhwai

[uptheos]

Given the population size there aren't many Americans here at all.

And even then, the ones you do see tend to be from the USA or Canada. Very few from all the other places.

Si senor........I can't say I've noticed more American's & Canadians than anyone else and those I have encountered are mainly friendly.

[CMNightRider]

I have met so many American bullshit artists who are looking for 'venture capital' when their credit cards get maxed out here its unreal.

Right so I'm not just sponsoring your easy lifestyle, this baseness will make a fortune........right.

Sent from my i-mobile IQ 6A using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

"American Bullshit Artists?" I have been here five years, and have yet to meet anyone who fits this description. Where are you hanging out? Most of the Americans I have met living here are educated and living in nice homes or condos. You ever here the saying, "Birds of a feather flock together."

[Gonzo the Face]

I have met so many American bullshit artists who are looking for 'venture capital' when their credit cards get maxed out here its unreal.

Right so I'm not just sponsoring your easy lifestyle, this baseness will make a fortune........right.

Sent from my i-mobile IQ 6A using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

"American Bullshit Artists?" I have been here five years, and have yet to meet anyone who fits this description. Where are you hanging out? Most of the Americans I have met living here are educated and living in nice homes or condos. You ever here the saying, "Birds of a feather flock together."

Aaawwww go easy on the poor sod........ Maybe he and his group are too old to flock.

[Thakkar]

I have met so many American bullshit artists who are looking for 'venture capital' when their credit cards get maxed out here its unreal.

Right so I'm not just sponsoring your easy lifestyle, this baseness will make a fortune........right.

Sent from my i-mobile IQ 6A using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

"American Bullshit Artists?" I have been here five years, and have yet to meet anyone who fits this description. Where are you hanging out? Most of the Americans I have met living here are educated and living in nice homes or condos. You ever here the saying, "Birds of a feather flock together."

Aaawwww go easy on the poor sod........ Maybe he and his group are too old to flock.

...that would explain the bitterness.

[connda]

Really? Where? They must be hiding in gated communities because I don't stumble across them very often.

[rene123]

This has been a long topic based entirely on generalizations. I have known several Americans who were real jerks, but far more that were very generous people willing to help everyone in need. I can say the same about just about every other group of people from other countries. Chiang Mai is a great city for English speaking foreigners because of what it offers. It's hard to find a business, bar, shop or cafe that DOESN'T speak English.That is not true for many cities in Thailand, or even outlying areas of Bangkok.

Why do people have to knock other countries and their citizens? Is it some sort of jealousy or poor self image? I take everyone one on one. They are either nice or they aren't. Ignore the ones who aren't and spend time with the nicer people. It's really quite simple.

It's been my experience that jealous people are very petty and want to bring everyone else DOWN to their own level. Most are hypocrites and talk out of both sides of their mouth at the same time.

[Genericnic]

"In other tourist places, Hua Hin, Koh Chang, Samui, Phuket, Bangkok I heard nowhere near this number as a percentage of foreigners".Haven't you compared the prices?The answer is pretty obvious.

Not to mention that Chiang Mai offers things that none of those places has. Why would an American move to Hua Hin when he can move to Florida or Mexico for the same, and likely better beaches? Not to mention for the same or better prices.

Thailand has a retirement visa at age 50 with no pension. Mexico ... doesn't.

Yeah, but the girls in Mexico have bigger boobs, not that you care. Plus we all had at least 4 years of Spanish in school. It's not that hard.

No Spanish for me. I studied Russian. It was the late '60s and the Cold War was hot.

David

[puukao]

I am disappointed this thread has been allowed to continue.....of course it's meant to attack Americans. USA represents 25% of World GDP (2x China), and saving China from Japan, Europe from Hitler, etc.....however, this generation forgets history and simply hates to hate. I hear so many negative comments about Americans from Canadians and Australians in Chiang Mai, it's ridiculous. Trust me, we don't sit around in America and talk about neither Canada nor Australia. Which is another reason to hate, I guess.

I can't wait for the next threads: "Why are there so few blacks in Chiang Mai." "Why are there so few .........."

This thread is definitely not "friendly".

I hope it closes soon.

take care.

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

It's mostly envy.

There was a public opinion survey of middle eastern peoples from a bunch of countries a few years ago.

They were asked about Americans and the typical response was "Death to Americans"

When they were asked where they would like to live if they could live anywhere and the #1 reply was "Dearborn Michigan"

It's like the hot chick who hates the chick who is much hotter than her

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Last year I was one of the many Americans in CM.

I am still in CM but no longer one of the Americans here.

[hellodolly]

It's mostly envy.

There was a public opinion survey of middle eastern peoples from a bunch of countries a few years ago.

They were asked about Americans and the typical response was "Death to Americans"

When they were asked where they would like to live if they could live anywhere and the #1 reply was "Dearborn Michigan"

It's like the hot chick who hates the chick who is much hotter than her

Your post makes a lot of sense Dearborn Michigan is in America and predominantly a Muslim community. In there eyes the best of both worlds.

Interesting with all the predominantly Muslim countries available to them that they would pick a community in the United States.

[hellodolly]

Last year I was one of the many Americans in CM.

I am still in CM but no longer one of the Americans here.

What nationality passport do you carry now?

I am an American living here who has lived in Canada 34 years I moved there at the age of 30 I have lived in Chiang Mai for 7 years and still carry an American passport because I am an American.

Not proud of a lot of what they do but that is my problem. It does not change my nationality although I could have taken Canadian citizenship for $200 at the age of 60 and still maintained my American citizenship I choose instead to move to Thailand where I located in Chiang Mai and choose to call it home. When my passport needs renewing I will get an American one and still call Chiang Mai home.

[daoyai]

Last year I was one of the many Americans in CM.

I am still in CM but no longer one of the Americans here.

But you are still AnotheroneAmerican to me.

On a more serious note, Americans are know for the ability to reinvent themselves, to morph and shapeshift, one member here actually merged with a primate.

[Thakkar]

As someone who's lived many years outside of my country of birth, I don't really get this nationalism thing. There is much about many countries that I admire, and wish to learn from. However, even I, rootless as I am, understand that you can love your country or culture or language or food, without having to hate others or things that other people, for whatever reason, hold dear.

Blanket generalizations (except this one!) are the refuge of the lazy. It's hard work assessing people individually. Much easier to lump them together as 'loud', 'haughty', 'pushy', 'demure' or whatever.

I'm reminded of a quote that went something like this: if tomorrow we all were to wake up and have the same height, skin color, gender, language, culture, etc, there will surely be some among us who will still somehow find something to hate about each other.

To the poster who generalized about the size of Mexican boobs, I'd like to see the data, please, with pictures. Thanks.

T

[BookMan]

Last year I was one of the many Americans in CM.

I am still in CM but no longer one of the Americans here.

But you are still AnotheroneAmerican to me.

On a more serious note, Americans are know for the ability to reinvent themselves, to morph and shapeshift, one member here actually merged with a primate.

AN ex-member I presume?

[Thighlander]

It is obvious that the Thais prefer the Americans...........generosity, cleanliness, accent, etc.....I think the EuroTrash is envious of that, also, and that is even more reason for them not to go to the thai bars....they feel helpless out of their own element of bland food and cigarettes.

[wolf5370]

Nationalism is an age old trick by the rich (and governments) to get the poor and stupid to fight on their behalf and keep them wealthy and powerful. Suggesting that there is a difference between people based on place of birth is asinine, upbringing and indoctrination does make a difference, but there is no real biological difference and that goes double for young countries like the USA where just a few hundred years ago most of the ancestors of todays Americans were spread all over the globe.

This whole "eurotrash" vs "dumb yank" is foolish and shows much about the brain washing and intelligence of the speaker.

After the war, due to the bankrupting and destruction of Europe, America was left in a position of hegemony. If this had been handled differently, with the world in such a weakened and volatile state, this world could be much, much worse than it is now. This included many hard decisions, many mistakes (all is clear in hindsight) and the accumulation of both friends and enemies (as always is the case).

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Last year I was one of the many Americans in CM.

I am still in CM but no longer one of the Americans here.

What nationality passport do you carry now?

I am an American living here who has lived in Canada 34 years I moved there at the age of 30 I have lived in Chiang Mai for 7 years and still carry an American passport because I am an American.

Not proud of a lot of what they do but that is my problem. It does not change my nationality although I could have taken Canadian citizenship for $200 at the age of 60 and still maintained my American citizenship I choose instead to move to Thailand where I located in Chiang Mai and choose to call it home. When my passport needs renewing I will get an American one and still call Chiang Mai home.

I'm here on my (newly acquired) Thai passport.

[hml367]

Without more details that surely should get the experts excited.

MSPain

[Gonzo the Face]

Last year I was one of the many Americans in CM.

I am still in CM but no longer one of the Americans here.

But you are still AnotheroneAmerican to me.

On a more serious note, Americans are know for the ability to reinvent themselves, to morph and shapeshift, one member here actually merged with a primate.

I am an American would like to say that I merge with my primemate as frequently as possible...... due to age , not as freqently as I used to..... but have now excluded my secondary mate as well as #'s 3 and 4.

[hellodolly]

hml367, on 14 Apr 2013 - 14:19, said:

Without more details that surely should get the experts excited.

MSPain

Not really there are a certain amount of new Thai citizenship allowed here not many but a few.

As we can plainly see he by his alias here he is having a hard time of letting go of his American citizenship.

Which is a very easy thing to do. I looked into it when I was considering taking out a Canadian citizenship. You may take citizenship in another country as long as you do not indicate you no longer want to be an American. Just drop in to any consulate or American Embassy and announce you do not want to be a citizen any more you have taken citizenship else where.

I highly doubt he will ever return to the states but if he tries it under a Thai passport he may be in for a surprise. Best to retain his American citizenship as there are many countries it is more acceptable in than a Thai one is. Canada being one. It is easier to get into the states with a Thai passport than it is into the Canada.

I was thinking of taking my Thai wife to Mexico but the routes you have to take to avoid the states made it rather impractical considering 2 weeks would probably be more than enough for her. Also I am not sure how her passport would be received in some of the countries.

On the positive side it is cheaper to get into China. Also Indonesia and Cambodia I found my wife was free and I had to pay $25 American.

Edited April 14, 2013 by hellodolly

[AnotherOneAmerican]

hml367, on 14 Apr 2013 - 14:19, said:

Without more details that surely should get the experts excited.

MSPain

Not really there are a certain amount of new Thai citizenship allowed here not many but a few.

As we can plainly see he by his alias here he is having a hard time of letting go of his American citizenship.

It was a lot easier than that.

Came to visit Thailand for the first time about a year ago, wanted to see if I could find any relatives (mother was Thai).

Had my original Thai birth certificate in my mothers trunk in the roof. Didn't even realise it entitled me to Thai citizenship until a Thai gf pointed it out.

Employed a Thai lawyer to do all the running around, and a few months later went to collect my Thai ID card.

Still American as well, but only when I enter a country on my American passport.

[hml367]

Darn! Only had time for one expert response!

I was thinking more along the lines of what you say happened.

I did think there would be more responses.

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[balo]

Remove the missionaries from the city and half of the Americans will be gone.

[wholetthedogout]

Americans spend money and tip well so the chiang mai people like them and make them welcome. Am not American by the way but honest.

[elektrified]

Remove the missionaries from the city and half of the Americans will be gone.

A large number of the missionaries are American; that is true. But there are also a large number of European and Korean missionaries here too.

[Ulysses G.]

I am a lapsed Catholic, but generally I like the missionaries. They are some of the most pleasant, positive expats around.

[muchogra]

I have a foreign friend who's now a dean of the graduate school back in his own country. Of course, he's a doctorate! He introduced me to a friend of his, an Amercan, whose father worked for the missionary. This fellow went to the same international school with us back then in Bangkok some decades ago. I called him as a courtesy of my friend when I was moving to CM.. He was less than luke-warm! Shouldn't people working for the missionery be more enthusiacstic toward friends from long time ago?

[muchogra]

Adding to my previous post, my friend from abroad called a couple of days ago to inquire if I have had contct with his friend in CM. My answer to him was: He might be your friend but certainly not mine!