Do You Hang Around Or Even Live In Tourist Areas?

[davethailand]

...a very strange comment indeed.

Have you ever been outside tourist areas, Jim?

Can't find any restaurants, never noticed any bars, markets, sports events, concerts, etc.?

Poor Jim!

Plenty of restaurants, bars and markets everywhere, sport events and concerts...I really don't care about it.

As for the other posters...from now on, I will keep posting on your will, I will agree to everything you guys say if that makes you guys happy...but my opinion will still be the same.

What kind of person do you see yourself as Alex?

Other people might put you in the same category as the people you actually dislike.

[alexth]

It's really up to you Dave, it's your opinion and I respect it. I only have one request, please tell me what's about me bothering you guys so much? Maybe I'm getting it all wrong and need sombeody to elighten me

[britmaveric]

It's really up to you Dave, it's your opinion and I respect it. I only have one request, please tell me what's about me bothering you guys so much? Maybe I'm getting it all wrong and need sombeody to elighten me

For starters your generalizing is way off mark.

[davethailand]

It's really up to you Dave, it's your opinion and I respect it. I only have one request, please tell me what's about me bothering you guys so much? Maybe I'm getting it all wrong and need sombeody to elighten me

I have no feelings about you as i don't know you but what Brit says is true.

[alexth]

Maybe sometimes I'm generalizing, maybe sometimes I'm right, sometimes speaking good about people makes you guys angry, doing the opposite gets to the same result, it all depends on your moods.

I know, there are good people and bad people, there are genious and there are complete morons, the point is, all I did was stating that you might have a better chance finding more good people in Bangkok than Pattaya, I wasn't generalizing anything...maybe the way I express myself in english is what makes it harder to understand...

"I have no feelings about you as i don't know you...", I appreciate that, I don't know you either, nor I know Brit, nor the most of you guys...and BTW, you are pretty quick in showing your claws Brit, I would have my comments regarding yourself too, I kept them for myself as this is not my business...

I don't know what else I can say...hope one day we'll get to know eachother better and clear it all out

[britmaveric]

Alexth, no claws mate I'll be happy to have a pint with you any day.

My point is simple there are no more bad people in Pattaya than anywhere in Thailand including BKK. The only difference is it gets reported more, but I think you know that. Anyways I've seen more crap in Bangkok than I have in Pattaya any old day, but I certainly don't think majority of residents in BKK are bad, now do I?

If you want trouble you can find it any place in Thailand - I tend to not travel those circles.

[RamdomChances]

My point is simple there are no more bad people in Pattaya than anywhere in Thailand including BKK. The only difference is it gets reported more

I think as a percentage your probably wrong there and there are more "Bad" people in Pattaya. If you compared it to the tourist areas of BKK I'm not sure. Pattaya evolved as a "fun" city read alchol and sex, I think that will always attract a larger % of shady characters than say a rural farming enviroment or a city suburb. The same goes for most other "toruist" areas

Saying that the % is still small. I've been to Pattaya loads of time's and never really encountered any (although I'm just a tourist there) and I think you average tourist with more than a few brain cells will be unlikly to have much fo a problem.

There does seem to be a bit of snobery against Pattaya , I used to live in Phuket and would say that Patong at least is just as bad as Pattaya. Both Phuket and Pattaya have areas outside of the main tourist placed where you could live and enjoy a "normal" life (whatever "normal" is )

RC

[Neeranam]

""""""""""""""There is not much happening in Thailand outside the foreigner areas.... no books, no newspspers, no restaurants nada."""""""""""

Are you serious?

[Neeranam]

"""""""""""""""and anyone talking abt Thai ladies no matter what they do and refering to them as Whores deserve to be thrown out the country.Your Scumbags."""""""""""""""

So if I go down to the docks in Leith and see a woman flashing her wares, and call her a w***e is this OK. I call a spade a spade and the word is not offensive to me, just a job, and a high percentage of women in Pattaya choose this profession. It has nothing to do with their being Thai, are you that naive that you think the girls in Pattaya like you because of your good looks and personality?

As for your talk of slapping people - an internet hooligan! Do you walk down Stalking Street with Union Jack shorts, looking for people to slap - be careful you may get one back.

[somchai jones]

Just to set the record straight - not everyone who lives in a tourist area is a total loser. Many expats live in tourist areas for work / business reasons, rather than because they are drinking themselves to death or enjoy the mediocre conversation of bar girls.

And, believe it or not, there are also some 'touristy' areas in Thailand without a large population of women with tattoos and orange hair, that are actually quite nice and fun to live in. You'll find beautiful land and seascapes, as well as nice people. But maybe you've never been down south.

In other places like Pattaya, you get treated like a tourist because you're in a tourist area and you're white and you look like a tourist. Simple, really. Just like my Thai friend got mistaken for a waitress in a Thai restaurant in London (she was pretty pissed off too).

As to why it pisses people off, I guess it's to do with the fact that no matter how long you've been in a place and how well you speak the language, you will never be thought of as 'one of us' (i.e. the indigenous people - this is the same in every country in the world). Here, this fact is just brought out into stark relief in a tourist area, which somewhat shatters the illusions one can foster at home of fitting in.

Your last paragraph makes a good point.

However, on possibly a more frivalous note, what is it with you and girls with tattoos or coloured hair.

You've mentioned this in other posts, the most pitiful one being when you said that any Thai woman in a bikini is a whore. In the same thread you made reference to the tattoos.

I think you'll find that there are an increasingly large amount of SE Asian young women, Thai included, that are being tattooed for fashion reasons. Also, dying ones hair doesn't make you a whore.

In the course of my work promoting Asia Pacific universities, I regularly have meetings at SE Asian universities. Are all the students there that I see with coloured hair whores? I don't think so.

[Patex]

...I will keep posting on your will, I will agree to everything you guys say if that makes you guys happy...

Aaah,

Finally you make progress in how to communicate with people who describe themselves as intelligent.

Come on guys, this is about tourist areas. Can anybody show me one fukcing touristspot on this whole planet were they wait only for your highly respected person to found a meaningful relationship who lasts for a lifetime??

[expatgaz]

"""""""""""""""and anyone talking abt Thai ladies no matter what they do and refering to them as Whores deserve to be thrown out the country.Your Scumbags."""""""""""""""

So if I go down to the docks in Leith and see a woman flashing her wares, and call her a w***e is this OK. I call a spade a spade and the word is not offensive to me, just a job, and a high percentage of women in Pattaya choose this profession. It has nothing to do with their being Thai, are you that naive that you think the girls in Pattaya like you because of your good looks and personality?

As for your talk of slapping people - an internet hooligan! Do you walk down Stalking Street with Union Jack shorts, looking for people to slap - be careful you may get one back.

Your last paragraph is way off the mark sunshine, but to answer i find that highly unlikely.

Regarding Leith....same opinion...what gives you the right to call anybody a whore ?? Whether the word is offensive or not to you is absolutely NOT the point, I feel your back peddling pretty sharpish with this, why not just apologise for your childish and immature "banter".As for being naive....looks to me that you got shat on from a great height and are struggling to get over it.Your generalizing is <deleted> pal....grow up.

EPG

[The Dude]

The Dude has a garage full of shovels for tourist areas cause he digs them. The Dude has a house full of shovels for Sukhumvit cause he digs it the most. He has a closet full of Pattaya shovels cause he digs visiting there from time to time but offloads said shovels on the thought of living there cause he would not dig that. On the tattoo issue, The Dude has no shovels cause he does not dig tattoos on chicks cause it makes them look low class. Can you dig it?

[Neeranam]

I don't think it has anything to do with class, these days in Thailand. Then again there are tacky tattoos and very stylish ones. Most people I know who got tattoos in the past regret it now, including myself.

How can you tell the difference in class between a hi-so girl in Pattaya and a lo-so bar-girl?

It is not the tattoo that makes it obvious! I've no time for the hi-sos, give me the hoes any day.

[alexth]

I have the tattoos, now I 'll just have to sign up in a bar as a whore This is the same reaction as my 87 years old grandmother had when she saw my tattoo, she said that only criminals have tattoos

I'm not saying that everybody should like tattoos or piercings, I'm just saying that having tattoos or piercing or coloured hair, does not make you a lowlife, afterall, we all live in the 20th century

[britmaveric]

Tats/piercings are fine if you have them for the right reason and less is better than more. I find lot of people who go this route tend not to think before they do it, and they regret from doing so after and then its well too late. (least for tat part)

Anyways don't like the word "whore" it may be the case, but the connotation is rather ugly.

RC - I'm not sure of that, I think fun city just gets a bad rap, and people tend to give it one more for its reputation rather then earning it. Take Samui for instance - lawlessness there sort of pales in comparison to Pattaya. BKK I've seen more fights then I have in Patters, perhaps mere coincidence, maybe not?

[RamdomChances]

Tats/piercings are fine if you have them for the right reason and less is better than more. I find lot of people who go this route tend not to think before they do it, and they regret from doing so after and then its well too late. (least for tat part)

Anyways don't like the word "whore" it may be the case, but the connotation is rather ugly.

RC - I'm not sure of that, I think fun city just gets a bad rap, and people tend to give it one more for its reputation rather then earning it. Take Samui for instance - lawlessness there sort of pales in comparison to Pattaya. BKK I've seen more fights then I have in Patters, perhaps mere coincidence, maybe not?

I think you may just be comparing like with like (I'm assuming your talking about the tourist parts of BKK) I you compare Pattaya with say where I live or any other rural part of thailand you'd see a big differance. I dont know much about Samui only been ther once and that was enough, sort of like Ibiza in Thailand

Edited March 21, 2006 by RamdomChances

[davethailand]

I have the tattoos, now I 'll just have to sign up in a bar as a whore

what were you told about generalizing alex?

Another one?

Edited March 21, 2006 by davethailand

[britmaveric]

I have the tattoos, now I 'll just have to sign up in a bar as a whore

Another one?

[alexth]

I have the tattoos, now I 'll just have to sign up in a bar as a whore

what were you told about generalizing alex?

Another one?

Shall I ask for your approval before posting? :D

[zzap]

I'm not saying that everybody should like tattoos or piercings, I'm just saying that having tattoos or piercing or coloured hair, does not make you a lowlife, afterall, we all live in the 20th century

Most of us have lived in the 21st century for several years now.

[davethailand]

I have the tattoos, now I 'll just have to sign up in a bar as a whore

what were you told about generalizing alex?

Another one?

Shall I ask for your approval before posting? :D

By the look of your last couple of posts i think you should.

[ilyushin]

Over the years , I have tried almost every place to live in Thailand. Big house business area, small apartments all areas, condos in suburbs, Tourist spots (hotels), remote villages, suburb home with family, downtown chasing "whores" . After all of this I don't see a major problem with "tourist areas". I get bored after a few hours and usually return to my modest little home in DMZ. When I do go out to tourist spots ,they try to over charge , cheat, squeeze , show off, etc... I still enjoy myself. Funny what you can see and hear at such places. Have fun if you are with or without a "whore". In business , I meet whores, cheats, cons and impostors. Going out on the town is no different.

[Neeranam]

Having returned from a holiday area recently, it is great to be home.

It really makes me wonder why people live in Bangkok around Sukhumvit road. Fair enough for 1 year or so when it is all new but I know 1 guy who has klived there for 35 years!

[undercover]

Mabe it depends where you came from before, if you used to live in the middle of knowhere with no shops bars or young ladys of the night then living in knowhereland is ok for you, others that lived in citys before probably want to do the same here.

[Doza]

Can't understand why expats live in tourist areas?

Well if you call Sukhumvit (upper) a tourist area did you consider it might be because:

They found their first choice aprtment there

They work in the area

They socialise in the area

There are plenty of bars / restaurants / shopping malls in the area

The sky train is there

Their friends live in the area

.....ummmm why would you live anywhere else???

[mikethevigoman]

When I was here first I used to hang around Pat Pong and Nana for a couple of years or so, until I found better places to go, could speak the language, realised what the girls were after(money, in case anyone doesn't know), and really saw the people around there for what they are. Nearly all the guys I meet that have been shafted by Thai girls have picked them up in the holiday areas - Pattaya, Samui, Nana etc. I really don't understand why guys who have been here for years still hang out there with these girls who are after the gullible farang. SURELY they know why these girls go there to work and what they think of farang.

Bangkok/Thailand is a huge place and has so much more to offer.

Is it just me or do others get pissed off being treated like a tourist, especially in the tourist areas?

As ian drury sang ' sex and drugs and rock and roll " !

[lazeeboy]

When I was here first I used to hang around Pat Pong and Nana for a couple of years or so, until I found better places to go, could speak the language, realised what the girls were after(money, in case anyone doesn't know), and really saw the people around there for what they are. Nearly all the guys I meet that have been shafted by Thai girls have picked them up in the holiday areas - Pattaya, Samui, Nana etc. I really don't understand why guys who have been here for years still hang out there with these girls who are after the gullible farang. SURELY they know why these girls go there to work and what they think of farang.

Bangkok/Thailand is a huge place and has so much more to offer.

Is it just me or do others get pissed off being treated like a tourist, especially in the tourist areas?

As ian drury sang ' sex and drugs and rock and roll " !

live in a tourist area and you have everything at hand ,live in the sticks and die from boredom

[observer21]

Well I live in a tourist area for work reasons, so I dont have so much of a choice.

And although I dont get ripped of by bar girls on a regular basis I do still continue to be treated like a tourist and ripped off, even though I speak Thai and dont look like a tourist (as I wear very smart clothes for work).

Just the other day - 140 baht for a bag of vegetables at the market, and today in the DVD shop.

It drives me crazy sometimes, I might go home

There is no going back once you have drank from the devils cup

[observer21]

[e]As ian drury sang ' sex and drugs and rock and roll " !

Who is Isan drury

Edited June 14, 2007 by observer21