Thoughts On Falang Going A Little Overboard On The "Thai-Ness"?

[473geo]

All I'm getting at is Thainess or not is just a reflection of someone's own personality..not where they necessarily originate or choose to live.

hmmm....I'm not talking about leading a relaxed, Thai lifestyle, or wearing flip flops...more along the lines of falangs suggesting the mass arrest and deportation of other falangs.

Hmm I wonder do the majority of Thai people want most farangs to be kicked out?

Not sure that is Thainess as such in these people...perhaps more a sense of being superior...or simply that they are not very sociable.

Submaniacs example is not in my opinion "Thaier than Thai", perhaps some posters displaying a sense of preservation on behalf of the Thai people, that the country is not bought up, corporatised and and totally westernised losing its quite unique identity

a rather valid stance I would say.....even if doomed to failure.......be happy you are experiencing Thailand as it has been and as it is now

[MAJIC]

A long term Identity crisis,don't know who the F**** they really are!

[473geo]

I think most of these types are found outside 7-11's with a bottle of Chang...

They are also the one's who sometimes talk to you in "Tinglish"...

RAZZ

I think this is an example of those with a superior attitude mentioned previously

[theblether]

The example of the young folk going native is pretty spot on, as they are kind of role playing. Once they go back to farangland they soon grow out of this harmless stupidity. Probably the best line that George W Bush delivered was 'I can confirm that when I was young and stupid, I was young and stupid'.

I think the OP is referring to a more insidious type. They bring a level of sneer, smart assness and condescension to every conversation. On this forum they love sniping, and they jump like scalded cats every time they see so called thai bashing. There was an example yesterday of someone reacting in that fashion on the 'ten things you won't hear' thread. An innocuous comment about Michael Crichton became a defence of the Thai nation issue.

Anyway, we have all met the bar room bore, the single issue sycophant, and the obsessive hobbyist. In fact I bet in the past when you went to family weddings you knew one of them was going to be there, and you set out to avoid them. But you can't, they always hunt you down and corner you, they bang on about their issue for the millionth time, and you fantasize about jumping like a gazelle and kicking them squarely on the balls. You don't do it because you don't want to upset the old aunties, but little do you know that the old aunties wish someone would do it.

I had an Elvis obsessive cousin, he was brain damage, I stopped going to functions because of him. I had to eventually tell my parents the truth, my uncle phoned me and told me to hit him a slap the next time he cornered me. I love my uncle very much.

Anyway, these Thaier than Thai people are the equivalent of my cousin, and many more people you can picture now. They have stunted personalities, and they fill the void with whatever nonsense is at hand. In Thailand that is to go native. Recognize them for what they are, they are the weirdo wedding stalkers, devoid of self awareness, and desperate to make themselves relevant and important.

The next time you see one, spring 3 feet in the air and kick him squarely on the balls, and while he is squirming, bend over him and say 'that's for your old aunties, and if I hear any more of your crap, you'll be getting a slap as well'.

Edited March 17, 2012 by theblether

[RAZZELL]

I think most of these types are found outside 7-11's with a bottle of Chang...

They are also the one's who sometimes talk to you in "Tinglish"...

RAZZ

I think this is an example of those with a superior attitude mentioned previously

Don't quite get where you are coming from...???

Basically there are two types of "Thaier than thais":

1) The loser alcoholic bums drinking chang, covered in tats and wearing amulets, who usually mix with those who aren't the "cream of Thai society". They live in LOS on their dole cheques, pitiful pensions and mumble a few words of pidgin rubbish and drop them into the conversation at every available opportunity

2) The educated, retired types...who are perhaps even worse!

RAZZ

[DMC1]

Westerners wearing massive amulets around their necks don't half look like plonkers IMO

[473geo]

Westerners wearing massive amulets around their necks don't half look like plonkers IMO

I think most of these types are found outside 7-11's with a bottle of Chang...

They are also the one's who sometimes talk to you in "Tinglish"...

RAZZ

I think this is an example of those with a superior attitude mentioned previously

Don't quite get where you are coming from...???

Basically there are two types of "Thaier than thais":

1) The loser alcoholic bums drinking chang, covered in tats and wearing amulets, who usually mix with those who aren't the "cream of Thai society". They live in LOS on their dole cheques, pitiful pensions and mumble a few words of pidgin rubbish and drop them into the conversation at every available opportunity

2) The educated, retired types...who are perhaps even worse!

RAZZ

3) The superior types who think they are more savvy than both 1 & 2 about how to behave in Thailand, and thus look down on them......

Edited March 17, 2012 by 473geo

[smokie36]

Submaniacs example is not in my opinion "Thaier than Thai", perhaps some posters displaying a sense of preservation on behalf of the Thai people, that the country is not bought up, corporatised and and totally westernised losing its quite unique identity

a rather valid stance I would say.....even if doomed to failure.......be happy you are experiencing Thailand as it has been and as it is now

I take your point. However the whole world is evolving...Thailand is not going to remain as it was any more than other countries.

But then we know there are going to be big changes around the corner for this country. Let's hope they are peaceful ones.

[macksview]

Cracking thread!!

You should see some of these bufoons offload their "Thainess" routines if, like me, you happen to look like a tourist.

This week in A Nana Gogo bar some fool came stomping in, waied all the dancers, and staff then began barking (low class) pidgin atonal Thai at them.

I think he was about to say something about me to the dollies however the fact that myself and my pal were roaring with laughter at him seemed to put him off and he departed swiftly.

a farang wai ing go-go girls, he is up with thai culture, perhaps though he must rescpect them as they may given him a free blowie or lend him money for his cambo visa run

[473geo]

Cracking thread!!

You should see some of these bufoons offload their "Thainess" routines if, like me, you happen to look like a tourist.

This week in A Nana Gogo bar some fool came stomping in, waied all the dancers, and staff then began barking (low class) pidgin atonal Thai at them.

I think he was about to say something about me to the dollies however the fact that myself and my pal were roaring with laughter at him seemed to put him off and he departed swiftly.

a farang wai ing go-go girls, he is up with thai culture, perhaps though he must rescpect them as they may given him a free blowie or lend him money for his cambo visa run

I guess he could have retained his westernism and climbed on stage shaking them all by the hand and saying how do you do?

[pattayadingo]

Then I have to think myself lucky in that I have never met any of these types of people personally though I have seen the idiots wai-ing everyone in sight.

I should be thankful I move in circles where there is a mix of nationalities and cultures. Maybe I have had some good Thai teachers letting me know more about the basics of Thai etiquette while being allowed to be myself and these people accepting my mistakes and correcting them along the way.

Being yourself is what I believe you should be. There is no need to take on an alter ego. I have found many Thai people accept I am not Thai. They accept my humour. Those that do not - that is up to them, in the same way, those I meet and drink with from around the world either accept me or not. Heaven forbid I ever turn into some sort of person who goes overboard on Thainess - if I do, slap me!

[Geekfreaklover]

Cracking thread!!

You should see some of these bufoons offload their "Thainess" routines if, like me, you happen to look like a tourist.

This week in A Nana Gogo bar some fool came stomping in, waied all the dancers, and staff then began barking (low class) pidgin atonal Thai at them.

I think he was about to say something about me to the dollies however the fact that myself and my pal were roaring with laughter at him seemed to put him off and he departed swiftly.

Haha. What a tool. He was correct to wai, though. Bargirls are above hime in the rich Thai social fabric.

If he started waing Burmese construction workers then there'd be real cause for concern

[theblether]

Then I have to think myself lucky in that I have never met any of these types of people personally though I have seen the idiots wai-ing everyone in sight.

I should be thankful I move in circles where there is a mix of nationalities and cultures. Maybe I have had some good Thai teachers letting me know more about the basics of Thai etiquette while being allowed to be myself and these people accepting my mistakes and correcting them along the way.

Being yourself is what I believe you should be. There is no need to take on an alter ego. I have found many Thai people accept I am not Thai. They accept my humour. Those that do not - that is up to them, in the same way, those I meet and drink with from around the world either accept me or not. Heaven forbid I ever turn into some sort of person who goes overboard on Thainess - if I do, slap me!

I firmly believe that the old saying 'there is no bigger fool than a half educated fool' is true.

I had an attempt at learning wai'ing and I practised on my girlfriends dog.

The girlfriends mun, ahem, caught me and i've never lived the humiliation down.

The dog had a good laugh with it's pals too. Every time I walked in the street every soi dog rolled about in laughter at the sight of me.

I'll never live it down.

[BoonToong]

Great thread......

I've got a new word for the "Thaier than Thai person" - 'Tharrang'

When I lived in west Africa we had a very similar animal; "we can help these people", "isn't it soooooooooooo sad?", "why don't they grow lemons here and sell them, that would generate a lot of extra cash" etc, etc, etc. They became 'experts' in African culture, African Drumming (but were crap drummers), wearing local garb and my mates (African) were secretly laughing at them. In truth, they thought these guys were a a bit off their rocker. They probably secretly thought I was too

Anyway, let them continue, they add another circus act for other's entertainment

[Soutpeel]

- if I do, slap me!

very very hard ?

[Kananga]

Cracking thread!!

You should see some of these bufoons offload their "Thainess" routines if, like me, you happen to look like a tourist.

This week in A Nana Gogo bar some fool came stomping in, waied all the dancers, and staff then began barking (low class) pidgin atonal Thai at them.

I think he was about to say something about me to the dollies however the fact that myself and my pal were roaring with laughter at him seemed to put him off and he departed swiftly.

a farang wai ing go-go girls, he is up with thai culture, perhaps though he must rescpect them as they may given him a free blowie or lend him money for his cambo visa run

He actually looked reasonably well dressed. Just one of those sad middle aged men who's lost that inner voice that tells you when it's time to go home.

[inthepink]

I wear some Buddhist amulets but not all the time. I call them pra kreuang of course, because I'm so integrated. They were given to me by my gf and her father, I don't wear them because I'm a Buddhist. Maybe that's stupid, I don't really care. I wear them underneath my shirts, never over them. I got a smile from the metal detector guy when going through customs at Bombay airport when I had to show him what was setting his machine off, which was something of an achievement as most of them looked miserable as sin.

I think many people place too much importance on cultural differences though. When you make close friends, it doesn't really matter. It's not something I think about too much. Of course I will never be Thai, I don't look Thai for a start.

I have to admit that I do look down on some Westerners living in Thailand though, i.e.. those who wear polyester vest tops, shorts and plastic flip flops when they go to the mall. That's basically because they look like chavs to me though, not because they are not trying hard enough to be Thai.

Re. the OP, English speaking foreigners who speak to me in Thai really get on my tits.

Edited March 17, 2012 by inthepink

[RAZZELL]

3) The superior types who think they are more savvy than both 1 & 2 about how to behave in Thailand, and thus look down on them......

Exactly

BTW - I treat people in Thailand the way I do everywhere else on the planet... with respect unless they deserve to be treated differently...

Idiots who fit into categories one and two are the exception

RAZZ

[Ijustwannateach]

....I remember a few years back a very 'superior' younger foreign man or two hanging out with an older foreign crowd I sometimes joined at parties. They seemed proud of themselves for having picked up dubious English-speaking 'boyfriends' from the Silom scene. One of them was convinced he had the 'real Thai experience' because he sometimes stayed over at his bf's family's house in the suburbs. They never got away from Silom, as far as I know, and I haven't seen them around that older crowd for some time now either. I have seen their erstwhile 'boyfriends' out on the Thai scene, though!

Unfortunately, a lot of these types who start out 'Thaier than Thai' are also the ones who turn around completely and become Thai-phobic once they swing around to the second stage of their culture shock- a lot of them choose that time to exit and never reach a more balanced view, so that's probably a good decision for them.

[wana]

I wear some Buddhist amulets but not all the time. I call them pra kreuang of course, because I'm so integrated. They were given to me by my gf and her father, I don't wear them because I'm a Buddhist. Maybe that's stupid, I don't really care. I wear them underneath my shirts, never over them. I got a smile from the metal detector guy when going through customs at Bombay airport when I had to show him what was setting his machine off, which was something of an achievement as most of them looked miserable as sin.

I think many people place too much importance on cultural differences though. When you make close friends, it doesn't really matter. It's not something I think about too much. Of course I will never be Thai, I don't look Thai for a start.

I have to admit that I do look down on some Westerners living in Thailand though, i.e.. those who wear polyester vest tops, shorts and plastic flip flops when they go to the mall. That's basically because they look like chavs to me though, not because they are not trying hard enough to be Thai.

Re. the OP, English speaking foreigners who speak to me in Thai really get on my tits.

good thai persons dont dress like that anyway ,i rememeber once walking with my ex gf , (a school headmistress ) in a poorish area of inner city bkk on a stifling hot day

there were a few guys who had their t-shirts off (the heat was sweltering ),some working and others just hanging around in the area ,drinking beer ,playing chess like old men do

she went into some shop and i took my t-shirt off and sat down on a wall and lay back just chilling

she came out of the shop ,looked at me ,and said WHAT ARE YOU DOING ? THATS NOT POLITE ,THIS IS NOT THE BEACH !

i thought she was joking but apparentlly doing things like that shows your place on the social ladder and you get treated accordingly

if farangs want to dress like that ,i say let them ,it makes a properly dressed farang look like he should be respected more han his vest and shorts wearing fellow countrymen

[richard_smith237]

I worked with a guy who was more Thai than the Thai’s !!...

One day he came into my office with a bowl of insects…

The conversation became a little loaded as I asked him <deleted> he was doing eating the insects, why not eat a bowl of peanuts, crisps or some other snack… He said he loved insects, Thai’s eat them and Thai’s love them, so why shouldn’t he. Fair point.

So, I pulled in a couple of Thai’s… before I could ask them a question, they asked him what on earth he was doing eating the insects !!... to prove a point I asked them, if they had ever tried insects, Ans: No !!!...

He was the type of guy who throws in Thai in to the English when speaking English with a another foreigner, and his pidgin English is embarrassing… The only thing I could see was that some people have simply gone too native in their attempts to prove how at one they have become with all things Thai... To everyone around them, they are muppets !

[loong]

There may come a time that I am able to go 2 consecutive days without being puzzled, confused or thinking "<deleted>!" about some aspect of Thai behavior.

Until then I will have to accept that my logical thinking is different to Thai logical thinking.

I suspect that I will never fully understand the culture.

Some things about Thai behaviour annoys me and sometimes I will post about it on this forum.

For sure, everytime that I do, some "Thaier than Thai" who knows and understands everything about Thai culture will respond with "If you don't like it here, why don't you go back to your own country"

I think that they are suffering from a superiority complex

[carmine]

There may come a time that I am able to go 2 consecutive days without being puzzled, confused or thinking "<deleted>!" about some aspect of Thai behavior.

Until then I will have to accept that my logical thinking is different to Thai logical thinking.

I suspect that I will never fully understand the culture.

Some things about Thai behaviour annoys me and sometimes I will post about it on this forum.

For sure, everytime that I do, some "Thaier than Thai" who knows and understands everything about Thai culture will respond with "If you don't like it here, why don't you go back to your own country"

I think that they are suffering from a superiority complex

Have you noticed how "why do you go back to your own coutry" line is invariably said with a sneer.

Interestingly, these types always seem to be idealistic youngsters. i have a feeling that one day suddenly the realisation sinks in that the Thais also think they are complete and utter tw8ts and they simply fly back to farangland, Bob Marley cd's, The Beach dvd, sarongs and buddha chains et al.

[Soutpeel]

I think that they are suffering from a superiority complex

Personally I think its an inferiority complex with some indivduals and a desperate need to be accepted.

Strange thing is I know a few farangs who are actually Thai citizens with a passport etc and one would think that if anyone would have gone "native" and Thaier than Thai, it would be them, but these are indivduals are very balanced and normal and in fact very critical and outspoken about Thailand, the culture etc, for example the "face" issue in Thailand in their opinion is a crock of BS, as are a few other things and of course its their right to these comments as they are Thai citizens.

[473geo]

I think that they are suffering from a superiority complex

Personally I think its an inferiority complex with some indivduals and a desperate need to be accepted.

Strange thing is I know a few farangs who are actually Thai citizens with a passport etc and one would think that if anyone would have gone "native" and Thaier than Thai, it would be them, but these are indivduals are very balanced and normal and in fact very critical and outspoken about Thailand, the culture etc, for example the "face" issue in Thailand in their opinion is a crock of BS, as are a few other things and of course its their right to these comments as they are Thai citizens.

And you don't feel people who take Thai citizenship feel a desparate need to be accepted?

[David006]

I think that they are suffering from a superiority complex

Personally I think its an inferiority complex with some indivduals and a desperate need to be accepted.

Strange thing is I know a few farangs who are actually Thai citizens with a passport etc and one would think that if anyone would have gone "native" and Thaier than Thai, it would be them, but these are indivduals are very balanced and normal and in fact very critical and outspoken about Thailand, the culture etc, for example the "face" issue in Thailand in their opinion is a crock of BS, as are a few other things and of course its their right to these comments as they are Thai citizens.

You see these types all over the world.......I guess mostly it is affectation and a few bricks short of a load in many cases...let 'em get on with it..'nough to think about without worrying or considering these poor souls..they are entertaining though..lol

[neverdie]

Ahh yes, I know the type of person the OP is referring to. I find that they originally come from a small village outside the town of Twatsville

Sounds like a rather smelly little town Judas.

[NewlyMintedThai]

I think that they are suffering from a superiority complex

Personally I think its an inferiority complex with some indivduals and a desperate need to be accepted.

Strange thing is I know a few farangs who are actually Thai citizens with a passport etc and one would think that if anyone would have gone "native" and Thaier than Thai, it would be them, but these are indivduals are very balanced and normal and in fact very critical and outspoken about Thailand, the culture etc, for example the "face" issue in Thailand in their opinion is a crock of BS, as are a few other things and of course its their right to these comments as they are Thai citizens.

And you don't feel people who take Thai citizenship feel a desparate need to be accepted?

Acceptance, no.

Most of us have a desperate need only to be able to own land and businesses in our own name, and to be free of visas and work permits forever.

[473geo]

I think that they are suffering from a superiority complex

Personally I think its an inferiority complex with some indivduals and a desperate need to be accepted.

Strange thing is I know a few farangs who are actually Thai citizens with a passport etc and one would think that if anyone would have gone "native" and Thaier than Thai, it would be them, but these are indivduals are very balanced and normal and in fact very critical and outspoken about Thailand, the culture etc, for example the "face" issue in Thailand in their opinion is a crock of BS, as are a few other things and of course its their right to these comments as they are Thai citizens.

And you don't feel people who take Thai citizenship feel a desparate need to be accepted?

Acceptance, no.

Most of us have a desperate need only to be able to own land and businesses in our own name, and to be free of visas and work permits forever.

Ok, I see a commercial decision........that according to Soutpeel gives you the right to criticise........enjoy

[Sing_Sling]

Nothing wrong with people that have gone troppo - unless they're trying to convince you that their choice is better than yours and they constantly complain about their home country.

There's a difference, however, between these people and the gap-year/Big OS people who want to get into Thai Dye and Full Moon parties for a few weeks or months.