Hi-so Or Lo-so?

[Neeranam]

After posting on another thread, memories of my Bangkok day came back. This got me thinking about hanging out with farmers and the like - Lo-so.

These were great times and I love these people.

Also I spent a while with Hi-so people, down the RBSC and the like, where it was important to wear the right thing, know the right people, and all that other crap that I left my own country for. All those wannabees trying to "improve" themselves in the social order.

My best memories are hanging out with the Lo-So, playing Hi-lo.

Maybe that is why I live where I do now, spending my days off on a hammock on my friends farm listening to the rice grow.

Of course as farnags, or foreigners, we do not fit into the social order at all - no matter if we are drinking 'lao kao' baak soi with the motorcyle taxi drivers, or playing golf with general plod at the sports club.

I know which is more ebjoyable for me, what about you?

Edited February 14, 2006 by Neeranam

[terdsak_12]

I prefer the middle classes. Not trying to hit you up for cash all the time, got a few marbles rattling around too.

[chuchok]

so-so suits me fine

[leftcross]

lo-so for me every time. i'm working class english so i get on better with people who know about struggle, hard work and making the most of things.

i have an aversion to hi-so people, whatever country i am in. you can shove your emporium up your harris.

[pnustedt]

I don't think that I judge people by their so-called social status but I do prefer informal occasions where people can act and interact naturally without the need to show off and impress.

[Heng]

What's a hi-so or lo-so? Is there an absolute definition? Surely it's all relative.

[Cassandra]

After posting on another thread, memories of my Bangkok day came back. This got me thinking about hanging out with farmers and the like - Lo-so.

These were great times and I love these people.

Also I spent a while with Hi-so people, down the RBSC and the like, where it was important to wear the right thing, know the right people, and all that other crap that I left my own country for. All those wannabees trying to "improve" themselves in the social order.

My best memories are hanging out with the Lo-So, playing Hi-lo.

Maybe that is why I live where I do now, spending my days off on a hammock on my friends farm listening to the rice grow.

Of course as farnags, or foreigners, we do not fit into the social order at all - no matter if we are drinking 'lao kao' baak soi with the motorcyle taxi drivers, or playing golf with general plod at the sports club.

I know which is more ebjoyable for me, what about you?

Without wishing to be unkind, most farang on this forum don't really have a choice , including you I am afraid notwithstanding your rather unconvincing comments about hanging with "hi-so people down the RBSC and the like"

[cdnvic]

so-so suits me fine

exactly

cv

[Neeranam]

""""""""""""""""Without wishing to be unkind, most farang on this forum don't really have a choice , including you I am afraid notwithstanding your rather unconvincing comments about hanging with "hi-so people down the RBSC and the like"""""""""""""""""""""""

I have some good friends who are expats and members of the RBSC. I know of at least three guys on this forum that are. Some of us do/did have a choice.

My 'unconvincing comments' - please explain what you mean by this!

Edited February 14, 2006 by Neeranam

[Cassandra]

""""""""""""""""Without wishing to be unkind, most farang on this forum don't really have a choice , including you I am afraid notwithstanding your rather unconvincing comments about hanging with "hi-so people down the RBSC and the like"""""""""""""""""""""""

I have some good friends who are expats and members of the RBSC. I know of at least three guys on this forum that are. Some of us do/did have a choice.

My 'unconvincing comments' - please explain what you mean by this!

As Oscar Wilde remarked, only those who can't get into Society make fun of it.There are in fact relatively few farang who are hi-so.All of them have been here a long time and have worked at a senior level as a businessman or entrepreneur, or retired after this.Oddly enough they are a strangely unattractive lot with one or two exceptions.Knowing a few members of RBSC does not make one hi-so but in any case the way you express yourself does not suggest you are very familiar with that world.

[mogoso]

What's a hi-so or lo-so? Is there an absolute definition? Surely it's all relative.

I'd prefer my relatives more on the hi-so side than on the lo-so side.

Although I like Loso's music well enough particularily the first album

Don't mind me I'm just babbling.

[Neeranam]

"""""""""""""As Oscar Wilde remarked, only those who can't get into Society make fun of it.There are in fact relatively few farang who are hi-so.All of them have been here a long time and have worked at a senior level as a businessman or entrepreneur, or retired after this.Oddly enough they are a strangely unattractive lot with one or two exceptions.Knowing a few members of RBSC does not make one hi-so but in any case the way you express yourself does not suggest you are very familiar with that world.""""""""""""""""""

Cassandra, without wanting to sound unkind - I never said I was hi-so, I'm very far from being that. Anyone that knows me will tell you this. You seem to be assuming I am a social wannabee like yourself. All I said was that I know hi-so people and used to socialise with them, and still do occasionally in Bangkok. I could tell you about who I know and why but I'm not into name-dropping etc. I am lo-so and proud of it.

As I said I'm happier with lo-so people, like myself.

Answer the bloody question! Quit trying to put ME into some kind of category.

Farang business men are not hi-so, they sometimes mix with them. I had a friend tell me that he had lunch with the Sultan of Brunei(horse sale), the previous week in Bangkok, as we were sitting eating 15 baht noodles next to two prostitutes. I am not talking about having money and trying to think you have a place in the Thai social ladder. If you really knew these 'unattractive" guys, you'd realise that they don't give a toss about hi-so stuff.

I don't think you have the slightest clue what you are talking about. How long have you been in this country?

Are you hi-so BTW? You sound a bit like a "poo dee dtai din" to me.

[Thaiboxer]

Both hi-so and lo-so circles have their good and bad apples. I tend to look at a person's lifestyle, personality, values, etc before deciding whether or not I'll spend much time around them. I've met folks from all social classes both in my home country and here in Thailand. Not all hi-so's are snobs and not all lo-so's are after your money...it really depends on the individual and how they were raised. What makes things difficult for us farangs is not knowing the language (both body and verbal) as well as the locals do. In one of my Thai culture books it says, "Thais will keep on smiling even when they feel like hitting you."

[astral]

Why don't you write and ask Miss Manners.

She deals with such idiotic matters.

Edited February 14, 2006 by astral

[chippie]

Neeranam, It was you on a previous thread who was asking 'why does anyone hang around tourist places' with all the so called lo-so people, now you seem to have changed your mind and want to be part of the gang again. Whats your point, can one not just have friends without having to cattergorise everything.

[thaibebop]

Both hi-so and lo-so circles have their good and bad apples. I tend to look at a person's lifestyle, personality, values, etc before deciding whether or not I'll spend much time around them. I've met folks from all social classes both in my home country and here in Thailand. Not all hi-so's are snobs and not all lo-so's are after your money...it really depends on the individual and how they were raised. What makes things difficult for us farangs is not knowing the language (both body and verbal) as well as the locals do. In one of my Thai culture books it says, "Thais will keep on smiling even when they feel like hitting you."

Thank you.

[Cassandra]

"""""""""""""As Oscar Wilde remarked, only those who can't get into Society make fun of it.There are in fact relatively few farang who are hi-so.All of them have been here a long time and have worked at a senior level as a businessman or entrepreneur, or retired after this.Oddly enough they are a strangely unattractive lot with one or two exceptions.Knowing a few members of RBSC does not make one hi-so but in any case the way you express yourself does not suggest you are very familiar with that world.""""""""""""""""""

Cassandra, without wanting to sound unkind - I never said I was hi-so, I'm very far from being that. Anyone that knows me will tell you this. You seem to be assuming I am a social wannabee like yourself. All I said was that I know hi-so people and used to socialise with them, and still do occasionally in Bangkok. I could tell you about who I know and why but I'm not into name-dropping etc. I am lo-so and proud of it.

As I said I'm happier with lo-so people, like myself.

Answer the bloody question! Quit trying to put ME into some kind of category.

Farang business men are not hi-so, they sometimes mix with them. I had a friend tell me that he had lunch with the Sultan of Brunei(horse sale), the previous week in Bangkok, as we were sitting eating 15 baht noodles next to two prostitutes. I am not talking about having money and trying to think you have a place in the Thai social ladder. If you really knew these 'unattractive" guys, you'd realise that they don't give a toss about hi-so stuff.

I don't think you have the slightest clue what you are talking about. How long have you been in this country?

Are you hi-so BTW? You sound a bit like a "poo dee dtai din" to me.

1.What makes you think I am a social wannabe? Quit trying to put ME into some category.

2.It's obvious you are lo-so.No need to keep repeating this.

3.Who said farang businessmen are hi-so? Not me.In fact most are rather down market.What I said was that the very few hi so farang- (Harald Link, Bill Heinecke, Raymond Eaton,Ralph von Buren to name some "attractive" ones)-tend be long residence business people.Actually I suspect they care more than a toss about the hi-so stuff.

3.The fact that you sat at a noodle stall next to a prostitute who serviced the Sultan of Brunei who was best friends with a horse who was a cousin of Princess Anne who won the Grand National is a useful piece of information.Many thanks.

4.There is no 4th point.

[steveromagnino]

The concept of hi-so here in Thailand is very different to genuine society people around the world.

Around the world, the people like Ba Prem would be considered society; yet here it is mostly the newly rich (sahtee mai) that are considered hi-so.

Within the westerners mentioned; well one of them is a great example of a guy who has made a bit of money, and wishes to spend his time playing the part of a hi-so. That's his decision, and he cannot be respected or not respected for making it, that's how he chooses to spend his time. On the other hand, another prominent business man I put in a different category; he is in the lifestyle business, and thus needs to socialise and know the people in those circles; hence he is also part of the 'society set' but perhaps for different reasons.

I have the good or bad fortune, depending how you look at it, to be i some ways part of this group socially, and as a result of the social connections gained, for work as well where I deal with this group on a very regular basis.

They cannot universally be written off as snobs or great people or anything else. Certainly, the lifestyle has its benefits - countless free drinks, food, events, inside information - and its costs - endless pointless conversation abouf fashion, snobby events and having to kiss a$$ to certain VERY unsavoury people who are considered hi so here (and would be considered social suck ups, snobs or in some cases criminals elsewhere).

I'd say most of the talk of 'hi so' in Thailand and the contact foreigners have with it, are primarily the people trying to be 'hi so' rather than the genuine society people themselves. Many of the genuine society families are actually quite ashamed of this circle of newly rich people, and make a point of avoiding it as much as possible. Others love it, or put up with it for the business reasons of needing to deal with this group.

For the most part, I do see a fair few farangs trying to break into this group, and they do in some ways operate outside the norms of the group. Young men and women are part of the younger fashion set by assocation, but mostly there because of their friends rather than anything else, the older ones either are around here a long time and become part of it with enough effort or through their work (although I can think of only one in the group you name that I would guess actually enjoys the whole hi so lifestyle).

The sad sight at the polo King's Cup was enough to convince me that if hanging out to be seen is the reason for joining this group, then this is a domain best left to Thai people with lots of time on their hands. The foreign couples there for 'social reasons' looked very out of place; the Thai people there for 'social reasons' only slightly better - that said a fair few of the people were into the polo, and THAT is a good reason to hang out with the hi-so crowd; you get to see stuff that you would otherwise perhaps miss (like polo, huge fancy boats and fancy fashion events).

It kills me that sailing has become a 'hi-so' sport, because rich soceity people generally are the biggest most arrogant talentless idiots in boats with terrible taste. Give me chavs on the water anyday e.g. Ted Turner.

[zzap]

1.What makes you think I am a social wannabe? Quit trying to put ME into some category.

2.It's obvious you are lo-so.No need to keep repeating this.

3.Who said farang businessmen are hi-so? Not me.In fact most are rather down market.What I said was that the very few hi so farang- (Harald Link, Bill Heinecke, Raymond Eaton,Ralph von Buren to name some "attractive" ones)-tend be long residence business people.Actually I suspect they care more than a toss about the hi-so stuff.

3.The fact that you sat at a noodle stall next to a prostitute who serviced the Sultan of Brunei who was best friends with a horse who was a cousin of Princess Anne who won the Grand National is a useful piece of information.Many thanks.

4.There is no 4th point.

I am kind of getting tired of your 'biting' at those you consider less-educated and knowledgable than yourself, Cassandra.

This isn't the first thread you take off-topic like this, is it?

BTW, your point 3. = please read the post you responded to again, you have mixed up what was being said. Not the first time this happened, either...

Edited February 14, 2006 by zzap

[marshbags]

Poeple should be judged by what the are, immaterial of there status.

Being genuine is the only qualification, position doesn,t get a look in as far as i am concerned.

When i was in business here my ex. partner was obsessed with status ect.

He used to say this is so and so, has this and that and is very influencial, you must get to know him.

I always used to say, never mind what they,ve got or who they are.

Do you know if they are good people otherwise i,m not interested.

That for me is always the only factor i consider when socialising.

Hi so ? Low so ? forget it as far as i,m concerned.

marshbags

[tuky]

so-so suits me fine

I fit right into that group

[steveromagnino]

Poeple should be judged by what the are, immaterial of there status.

Being genuine is the only qualification, position doesn,t get a look in as far as i am concerned.

When i was in business here my ex. partner was obsessed with status ect.

He used to say this is so and so, has this and that and is very influencial, you must get to know him.

I always used to say, never mind what they,ve got or who they are.

Do you know if they are good people otherwise i,m not interested.

That for me is always the only factor i consider when socialising.

Hi so ? Low so ? forget it as far as i,m concerned.

marshbags

I agree socially, but in terms of business, we all have to kiss a$$ from time to time. A fair few of the people in this hi-so group have lots of money, and no ability to spend it on anything productive, so we need to show them how to spend it/invest it wisely.

And that is why your ex partner was in some ways correct. Know how = one way. Know who = another way.

And I can guarantee quite a few of the people in this hi so circle here in Thailand (and probably elsewhere) are NOT nice people at all. :-)

[Cassandra]

1.What makes you think I am a social wannabe? Quit trying to put ME into some category.

2.It's obvious you are lo-so.No need to keep repeating this.

3.Who said farang businessmen are hi-so? Not me.In fact most are rather down market.What I said was that the very few hi so farang- (Harald Link, Bill Heinecke, Raymond Eaton,Ralph von Buren to name some "attractive" ones)-tend be long residence business people.Actually I suspect they care more than a toss about the hi-so stuff.

3.The fact that you sat at a noodle stall next to a prostitute who serviced the Sultan of Brunei who was best friends with a horse who was a cousin of Princess Anne who won the Grand National is a useful piece of information.Many thanks.

4.There is no 4th point.

I am kind of getting tired of your 'biting' at those you consider less-educated and knowledgable than yourself, Cassandra.

This isn't the first thread you take off-topic like this, is it?

BTW, your point 3. = please read the post you responded to again, you have mixed up what was being said. Not the first time this happened, either...

Re point 3 I have read your post again carefully and apologise for misresponding.Here is the revised version:

The fact you sat at a noodle stall next to Princess Anne who seviced a horse who was best friends with the Sultan of Brunei who was a cousin of a prostitute who won the Grand National is a useful piece of information.Many thanks

[PeaceBlondie]

...I had a friend tell me that he had lunch with the Sultan of Brunei(horse sale), the previous week in Bangkok, as we were sitting eating 15 baht noodles next to two prostitutes....

Cor, mate, wos that you, Neeranam? I thought you wos that bloke what ate chips with me in Liverpool after the game with Ashton Villa. You remember, we wos sitting with them two birds from Lancashire, what started up a Aston Martin repair shed after they got busted for stealing Ferrraris from Lord Upshon's estate.....

[marshbags]

Poeple should be judged by what the are, immaterial of there status.

Being genuine is the only qualification, position doesn,t get a look in as far as i am concerned.

When i was in business here my ex. partner was obsessed with status ect.

He used to say this is so and so, has this and that and is very influencial, you must get to know him.

I always used to say, never mind what they,ve got or who they are.

Do you know if they are good people otherwise i,m not interested.

That for me is always the only factor i consider when socialising.

Hi so ? Low so ? forget it as far as i,m concerned.

marshbags

I agree socially, but in terms of business, we all have to kiss a$$ from time to time. A fair few of the people in this hi-so group have lots of money, and no ability to spend it on anything productive, so we need to show them how to spend it/invest it wisely.

And that is why your ex partner was in some ways correct. Know how = one way. Know who = another way.

And I can guarantee quite a few of the people in this hi so circle here in Thailand (and probably elsewhere) are NOT nice people at all. :-)

Fortunately i do not, but no offence taken or given.

Incidently the ex partner used to tell me exactly what you said.

He turned out to be a right con. merchant even got into the F*** M***n,s

Some good it did him as he got caught and went home skint, thank god i didn,t listen to him.

I have always followed the above through out my life and i have never had any regrets.

Right scum and no mistake............................

Kiss a*** not likely, never.

There,s another topic running at the moment about the biggest conman of them all, with plenty still kissing his a*** because of his phoney status. ( Initials T.S. as a clue ,which is code for Kamoy )

I do not have any desire for loads of money and i sleep well at night content with my status.

Again nothing personal intended Steve, just my view / take on the topic.

marshbags

Edited February 14, 2006 by marshbags

[zzap]

1.What makes you think I am a social wannabe? Quit trying to put ME into some category.

2.It's obvious you are lo-so.No need to keep repeating this.

3.Who said farang businessmen are hi-so? Not me.In fact most are rather down market.What I said was that the very few hi so farang- (Harald Link, Bill Heinecke, Raymond Eaton,Ralph von Buren to name some "attractive" ones)-tend be long residence business people.Actually I suspect they care more than a toss about the hi-so stuff.

3.The fact that you sat at a noodle stall next to a prostitute who serviced the Sultan of Brunei who was best friends with a horse who was a cousin of Princess Anne who won the Grand National is a useful piece of information.Many thanks.

4.There is no 4th point.

I am kind of getting tired of your 'biting' at those you consider less-educated and knowledgable than yourself, Cassandra.

This isn't the first thread you take off-topic like this, is it?

BTW, your point 3. = please read the post you responded to again, you have mixed up what was being said. Not the first time this happened, either...

Re point 3 I have read your post again carefully and apologise for misresponding.Here is the revised version:

The fact you sat at a noodle stall next to Princess Anne who seviced a horse who was best friends with the Sultan of Brunei who was a cousin of a prostitute who won the Grand National is a useful piece of information.Many thanks

You are confused about who posted which comment, again, please make an effort.

I didn't sit anywhere, it is Neeranam you should address with this.

[BKK90210]

Often I see hi-so flaunting their wealth in everyone’s faces….Apparently….have so much money they don’t know what to do with it

And I also see newly rich so-called lo-so flaunting their new-found-wealth in everyone’s faces. They are just as superficial as hi-so.

I hang out with neither hi-so or lo-so, but with those whose qualities show the true personality of the human being. When I meet people, my "respect-meter" is on neutral. When I get to know them, it will change according to where their personality falls on my scale. It's not foolproof, but I think it's more reliable than any category of hi-so or lo-so superficial values.

[LoveDaBlues]

1.What makes you think I am a social wannabe? Quit trying to put ME into some category.

2.It's obvious you are lo-so.No need to keep repeating this.

3.Who said farang businessmen are hi-so? Not me.In fact most are rather down market.What I said was that the very few hi so farang- (Harald Link, Bill Heinecke, Raymond Eaton,Ralph von Buren to name some "attractive" ones)-tend be long residence business people.Actually I suspect they care more than a toss about the hi-so stuff.

3.The fact that you sat at a noodle stall next to a prostitute who serviced the Sultan of Brunei who was best friends with a horse who was a cousin of Princess Anne who won the Grand National is a useful piece of information.Many thanks.

4.There is no 4th point.

I am kind of getting tired of your 'biting' at those you consider less-educated and knowledgable than yourself, Cassandra.

This isn't the first thread you take off-topic like this, is it?

BTW, your point 3. = please read the post you responded to again, you have mixed up what was being said. Not the first time this happened, either...

You guys haven't figured it out yet? Cassandra = Harmonica

[chanchao]

Can we move beyond trying to place each other into particular groups? Especially when you don't know the person beyond what they write here.

Let me summarize my opinion with: "Good boys go to RBSC, bad boys go to Pattaya, and are likely to have a lot more fun on a lot less money. They also tend to not give a hoot no matter what."

For leisure time I tend to favour lo-so as it's more 'real'.. I.e. what you see is what you get. As opposed to listen to someone yapping about his new business venture on a fancy golf course. Would I move into a loso scene 24/7 or even marry into it.. hel_l no.

Cheers,

Chanchao

[Neeranam]

"""""""""""You are confused about who posted which comment, again, please make an effort.

I didn't sit anywhere, it is Neeranam you should address with this."""""""""""""""""

She is confused, period. I was simply trying to point out that I have a friend who is a millionaire(and mixes with the hi-so in Thailand for business reasons) but can hang out with people regardless of their social standing.

I hate it when people hijack a thread with nonsense and start insulting people they don't know.

I thought it was a simple question - do you prefer to hang out with hi-so or lo-so Thais?

Cassandra probably doesn't have any Thai friends, so can't answer the question. One of those diplomat wives' clubs that doesn't even want to be in the country. Most of them end up being alkies or xanax addicts. Sad, they eventually go home after years here and haven't learned a thing, apart from what that wifey on Channel 11 tells them in the morning. careful with that xanax Cass. It's very addictive.

Anyone know the carabao song 'Ba'?

marshbags and stever thanks for your wise replies.