Farangs have the full potential for turning into a despised minority here in Chiang Mai.

Like so many groups in other times and places who have made themselves unwelcome, farangs seem to be doing everything possible to bring the fire down on their own heads.

When the dust and ashes settle they always ask "why us?"

It's not your religion. It's not your race. It's not the color of your skin.

It's the way you act. That's the short answer.

While there is still time maybe it would be a good idea to examine our own behaviour and the way we relate to the people of Chiang Mai.

We are a high-profile group with spending habits that run the gamut from the obnoxious high-roller to the parsimonious cheap-charlie.

Arrogant behaviour... even the passive arrogance that manifests itself as a total disinterest in Thai history and traditional ways of Northern Thai life tend to isolate farangs from intelligent and cultured Thais.

When instances of blatant arrogance occur it just confirms the latent prejudices against them and could eventually result in a backlash that would have serious consequences for us all.

Oldtimers who remember the military, paramilitary, and grassroots death squads of the 60's and 70's that were used so effectively to snuff local commies will understand how easily those tactics could be used against a contemporary threat to their traditional values.

Those of us who live with Thais and have offspring among them don't need to be told how important mutual respect and civility is to maintain good relations.

Expats who live a life apart and can do a bird on short notice may need to be reminded for the good of us all.

Thais are a complex people, behind the smiles and sa-nay there is a capacity for revenge that is best left unprovoked.

A hitman culture has always existed here just below the surface.

A kind of rustic Murder Inc. But unlike in the US it's not just a group of criminal dagos, it's a traditional way of dealing with people they want to get rid of. Be it for politics, business, or a perceived cultural threat.

These hordes of new farangs have come down on Chiang Mai for reasons of their own that have nothing to do with an interest in the heritage of Lanna Thai.

Simply put, their way of life has changed dramatically in their own countries.

Mass third-world immigration and the resulting economic and social decline has undermined and reduced whatever degree of affluence they were accustomed to.

Now they've arrived here to re-establish a lifestyle they can no longer afford back home.

If the alarming increase in their numbers doesn't level off soon trouble can be expected.

The exact forms it will take remain to be seen but it will come and that's for sure.

The situation has already gone beyond the point where integration and assimilation to one degree or another could make a difference.

That worked fairly well in the past, but the very numbers we're dealing with now make it a moot point.

There are just too many of them.

Posh ghettos in the form of hi-rise condos and gated communities might work for awhile. Many Thais benefit financially from them in one way or another.

But like the overwhelming presence of American GI's in recent history, the day finally came when they wore out their welcome and the door hit them very hard in the ass as they left.

,

When ya leaving ?

john

Bye

It will be interesting to follow this....

MSPain

It will be interesting to follow this....

MSPain

Indeed.

What a crock. Hope he's happy somewhere else.

Great Diatribe. But we're missing one vital piece of information - what event caused this out pouring of bitterness? Who pi**ed in your cornflakes today? Or did you just wake up and think it was time for some good old fashioned trolling?

Is Chiang Mai a dystopia that needs an ethnic cleansing?

Have things really gotten that bad?

If so, let's snap to it and create an ultra-violent video game based on that premise.

An updated Clockwork Orange scenario in a real horrorshow Thai context!

The avatars would be the droogs Alex, Georgie, Pete, and Dim with their antagonist Billyboy. Throw in Anders Breivik for a modern touch.

They would prowl Chiang Mai by night looking for degenerate farangs to eliminate in creative ways.

Better living through chemistry at the Korova Milkbar, located... where else?... on Loi Kroh. Dirty, seedy, and squalid as it is.

A game like this would be the perfect outlet for those who are concerned about the present situation.

They could play to their heart's content and at the at the end of the day Chiang Mai would still be...

"Queer as a Clockwork Orange".

Bog help us all!

Wow, got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning 'eh?

I seem to get along just fine with Thai folk here in CM as well as in rural Lamphun where we have our home. You sound like you're "hitting the wall": time to accept what is, or find a new home.

Really! It's not that bleak. Cheer up.

Not exactly sure what brought on that particular rant.

But I can see where their might be some truth in it given a little bit of time.

Chiang Mai has attracted an incredible amount of new expats here.

The last two times I went in for my 90 day report the wait was for more than a hour, Prior to that it had only been for no more than 45 minutes and that was the exception, Many was the time it was only five minutes,

Look at the line up for retirement visa's or renewals it is a long line and that dosen't count the ten that pre booked on line every day.

Is Chiang Mai a dystopia that needs an ethnic cleansing?

Have things really gotten that bad?

If so, let's snap to it and create an ultra-violent video game based on that premise.

An updated Clockwork Orange scenario in a real horrorshow Thai context!

The avatars would be the droogs Alex, Georgie, Pete, and Dim with their antagonist Billyboy. Throw in Anders Breivik for a modern touch.

They would prowl Chiang Mai by night looking for degenerate farangs to eliminate in creative ways.

Better living through chemistry at the Korova Milkbar, located... where else?... on Loi Kroh. Dirty, seedy, and squalid as it is.

A game like this would be the perfect outlet for those who are concerned about the present situation.

They could play to their heart's content and at the at the end of the day Chiang Mai would still be...

"Queer as a Clockwork Orange".

Bog help us all!

Wasn't a Clockwork Orange banned in Britain... maybe still?

If so, a lot of Brits won't know what you're on about.

Is Chiang Mai a dystopia that needs an ethnic cleansing?

Have things really gotten that bad?

If so, let's snap to it and create an ultra-violent video game based on that premise.

An updated Clockwork Orange scenario in a real horrorshow Thai context!

The avatars would be the droogs Alex, Georgie, Pete, and Dim with their antagonist Billyboy. Throw in Anders Breivik for a modern touch.

They would prowl Chiang Mai by night looking for degenerate farangs to eliminate in creative ways.

Better living through chemistry at the Korova Milkbar, located... where else?... on Loi Kroh. Dirty, seedy, and squalid as it is.

A game like this would be the perfect outlet for those who are concerned about the present situation.

They could play to their heart's content and at the at the end of the day Chiang Mai would still be...

"Queer as a Clockwork Orange".

Bog help us all!

Wasn't a Clockwork Orange banned in Britain... maybe still?

If so, a lot of Brits won't know what you're on about.

I think Kubrick's film was banned.

But I don't think Burgess' book ever was.

I may be wrong.

But whatever the case, as a lifelong anglophile I'm confident my beloved limeys are hip to everything.

"parsimonious"...had to look that one up. Learn something new everyday!

"parsimonious"...had to look that one up. Learn something new everyday!

If you liked "parsimonious" try looking up "pontificating miscreant".

Is this possibly a thread generated by the over-exuberant behaviour of some farang tourists last week ?

When ya leaving ?

john

Bye

Original.

It's hard to take issue with your main points.

The spectre you raise of a revivial of the death squads may be a little over the top.

But then again it may not be.

Anyway, don't dwell on it. You'll have the greenhorns peeing in their boots. Songkran will seem dry by comparison.

I also think you've overstated the economic plight of the recent newcomers.

The middle-classes of the US and Europe have taken a financial hit lately, no question about that. But I don't think it's as bad as you imply.

They come here because their money goes farther. Not because they face any real deprivation in their own countries.

In terms of social services most of them probably sacrifice a lot by living here.

The younger among them are no doubt fleeing nanny-state laws that curtail their freedoms and make living in those countries such a crushing bore.

You can't even ride in the back of a pick-up truck anymore.

Developments like that even Orwell and Kafka were unable to foretell.

Is it any wonder they want to get away?

And climate surely plays some part. Many of the places farangs come from are a cold-hell for much of the year. The rest of the time often rainy and sunless.

Amid such gloom, thoughts of a land of perpetual summer must act like rocket fuel on their fantasies.

Go for the sun... go for the pussy... but go!

The comparison you make with the present plague of farangs and the [virtual] occupation of Thailand by the US Military is excellent.

Although a proud Artful Dodger myself, I had a lot of friends among the many, mostly Airforce guys who stayed on and settled here in the late 70's.

As physical specimens the two groups couldn't have been any more different.

The GI's were prime examples of young manhood. Even the middle-aged officers were fit and healthy looking.

The tourists who followed were a mixed bag. The full spectrum of humanity. The whole banquet... everything from fruit to nuts.

Otherwise, similarities and dissimilarities could be discussed ad infinitum.

Sink them all. The important point you make is that the Thais finally couldn't take it anymore and expelled the lot of them.

Could it happen again?

Tune in again next week.

In the meantime our leading ladies are getting nose-jobs and eyes sawng-chahn really pee-set.

Just for you. You hansum man!

I think we begin by characterizing the worst of us, our most disagreeable behaviors, and generalize these dismaying qualities of character to the whole of our population here. (My advice - stay out of bars.) This is statistical nonsense and cannot be proved. As a general thing, it omits every foreign resident I've met here, curious and kindly folk by and large, but that's not a significant statistic either.

Next we hear that the (imaginary) harms we do will cause Thais to 'rise up.' It must be grand to be so close to not only the thinking of the people, but the decisions of leaders, considering their financial interests (condo, housing, and apartment owners among them - some of these leaders and bankers pretty well placed).

Diatribe is the word, all right. Nary a fact, fiery speculation, and inflammatory conclusion. Or perhaps it's merely massively immature; it certainly is all wrong.

I admit I've been dismayed by some behaviors I've seen. But most of us and enough of them? Nonsense! Well, I mean, in my Humble opinion.

the heat affects different people in different ways

Completely bonkers!

A despicable act of inflammatory rhetoric, by a specialist in schadenfreude, whose sole goal is to perpetuate paranoia among the weak-minded, and to draw attention to themselves. To be blunt: a troll.

The OP, in my opinion should be permanently banned. And, yes, I have reported this message to the moderators.

An interesting observation: A number of the posts, even by different members, seem to have the identical and somewhat unique writing style...