The Elephants Burial Ground

[CMHomeboy78]

Since so few of the posts are of sufficient merit to deserve a reply, a collective response seems to be in order.

As when coming under attack by pygmies or Lilliputians the best tactic is probably a direct assault instead of confronting the little devils individually.

My topic was a deliberate provocation to think and hopefully react with some sort of intelligent response. But my plea for civil discourse went unheeded and the qualities that make so many farangs disliked and unwelcome in Chiang Mai prevailed.

That ill-mannered arrogance reminds me of the reasons I prefer to live among Thais. My 35 years of experience here includes the most intimate relationships imaginable with them.

Starting as soon as I arrived, with the girls as boyfriend, poo-uh chow and backdoor-johnny at different times. Then mellowing somewhat with age to become a faithful husband to my wife and a devoted father to my two beloved daughters.

My relations with Thai men have been more problematic.

One night long ago near Sattahip I faced the pistols of three armed robbers who stole my new Yahama Enduro.

I've had, and have, some friends among the men, but I like and admire Thai women much much more.

My interest in the art, culture and history of Northern Thailand has been an abiding love of mine since I first came here. As an artist myself, it has provided the inspiration for much of my own work.

To sum up, I consider myself knowledgeable about Thailand in general and Chiang Mai in particular.

The perspective with which I can view the changes that have taken place here during the past three decades allows me to make judgements based on personal experience rather than hearsay or the opinions of others.

While they're not always sound, at least they're based on something more solid than pure fantasy.

My happiness in living here among Thais and being part of an extended Thai family has kept me apart from the expat community and the problems faced by strangers in a strange land; cultural isolation; loneliness; where to get their favorite fizzy drinks, etc.

In recent years the number of farang who call Chiang Mai home for all or part of the year has exploded to the point where their presence is creating a situation that may have undesirable consequences for all of us.

We are not living among spineless people. A violent dislike of foreign dominance has been a constant trait of their character for hundreds of years. They are unlike their neighbors who succumbed to the British, the French, and the Dutch.

Thai history - ancient and modern - is full of unpleasant examples of what happens when guests settle down here and start acting as though they owned the place.

Following the death of King Narai in 1688 there were widespread massacres of Europeans who had established enclaves in Ayudhya, Lopburi and elsewhere.

Sporadic violence against foreigners, notably Chinese, continued throughout the 19th and into the early 20th Century.

The 1980's saw targeted strikes against the Jeen Haw in the North by the RTAF and Daw Chaw Daw commandos. Effectively neutralizing them.

Obviously, history won't repeat itself exactly; but ethnic and racial hatred once provoked, often takes on a life of it's own that can get ugly.

Thai hospitality has limits that shouldn't be pushed too far.

[elektrified]

"...widespread massacres of Europeans who had established enclaves in Ayudhya, Lopburi and elsewhere."

[hellodolly]

No one is sayong there has not been changes. You on the other hand are proclaiming them to be bad. My friend who has been coming here for over 50 years says yes there is changes so what.

Did you ever think it is you. Your attitude you berate the farongs as bringing unwanted change you can't get along well with the Thai Men but the Thai women you get along with fine. Could it be your attitude?

You say the Thais can only take so much change. You might want to tell them. Or get out in the land of the real. More than likely 95% of the vehicles and motor bikes on the road are Thai owned go to the mall's Look at the number of Thais there who can only take a certain amount of change. Go to a stand alone Rimping market see the Thai's there. And the ones who don't have the vehicles and don't go to the Farong places do you think they wouldn't if they could afford it.

I would suggest that you move to a far out village in Issan, There you will not have to put up with the Farongs just the Thai men. Besides if I remember correctly in another post you said you were leaving. Given your attitude might be a good idea.

[true blue]

interesting reading if nothing else,nice to know a bit of the history,of the country.suppose id better make sure my passport is up to date,you never no when the axe might fall.

[CMHomeboy78]

No one is sayong there has not been changes. You on the other hand are proclaiming them to be bad. My friend who has been coming here for over 50 years says yes there is changes so what.

Did you ever think it is you. Your attitude you berate the farongs as bringing unwanted change you can't get along well with the Thai Men but the Thai women you get along with fine. Could it be your attitude?

You say the Thais can only take so much change. You might want to tell them. Or get out in the land of the real. More than likely 95% of the vehicles and motor bikes on the road are Thai owned go to the mall's Look at the number of Thais there who can only take a certain amount of change. Go to a stand alone Rimping market see the Thai's there. And the ones who don't have the vehicles and don't go to the Farong places do you think they wouldn't if they could afford it.

I would suggest that you move to a far out village in Issan, There you will not have to put up with the Farongs just the Thai men. Besides if I remember correctly in another post you said you were leaving. Given your attitude might be a good idea.

No, you don't remember correctly.

I'm not thinking about leaving. I've been here too long and my roots go too deep.

My two girls are both doing very well. The eldest got her masters degree in International Law from Chulalongkorn two years ago. Shortly after that she was recruited by a government ministry where she recently qualified as a C-5 official at the age of 28. We're all very proud of her.

I consider myself blessed by God to have a healthy, happy family.

I wouldn't leave them for the world.

[dru2]

...Sporadic violence against foreigners, notably Chinese, continued throughout the 19th and into the early 20th Century...

Really this is standing history on its head. The Thais, uniquely in Southeast Asia, have made it their business to get on with Chinese migrants and to assimilate them wherever possible. Yes, I know about King Prajadhipok and his 'Jews of the Orient' pamphlet directed against the Chinese, but that was an exception. Generally speaking Thailand, with an ethnic Chinese population of around 13 per cent, has always had the best relationship with Overseas Chinese of any Southeast Asian country - as a consequence of which the percentage of luk jin or Thais of Chinese descent is around 13 percent, easily the highest in Southeast Asia (or, indeed, anywhere outside China and Singapore).

Just about everywhere else in Southeast Asia - Myanmar, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia - has massacred or expelled the Chinese from time to time. Not so the Thais, who uniquely (and wisely) prefer to intermarry with the Chinese.

[daoyai]

I do see that masses of foreigners moving here can potentially have a backlash, The demographic targeted by the homeys tirade is off the mark. Why ? Because the clueless retiree is not a threat and can not become a burden. The visa situation ensures that if the ol' fella becomes insolvent, out he goes. Most retirees are pleasant enough, wandering around, spending money, socializing or not.

[ollylama]

Let's watch with amusement as the young whippersnapper hurls invectives at the oldies. He too will grow older and in turn be subject to the scorn of the know-it-all uppity young righteous. Talking bout ma ma ma generation.

Personally, what bothers me (as someone neither old nor young) is the increasing mass of young foreign kids riding around town ineptly and aggressively in gangs of three or four on rented scooters with their shirts off. Seems like an epidemic.The grey gang in comparison are by and large quite unobtrusive and well mannered.

There was a time when one of the best things about Chiang Mai was that you could hang out with people from all nationalities and ages and everyone was very nice and interesting and open-minded. The OP's post seems indicative of the changing nature of Chiang Mai. It's not a fraternal paradise anymore, but rather just another holiday town where the friction is growing palpable.

[ollylama]

Oops, apologies, I missed some of the intervening dialogue.

Strange criticisms (and leavening of the original message) from the OP. The problems in Chiang Mai are surely not due to a "foreign invasion." It's just growing at a rapid pace. No need to forsee a Krystallnacht just yet.

I think that a lot of people say this kind of stuff because they miss the idyllic Chiang Mai of ten or twenty years ago. And this forum always has its share of farang Defenders of the One Thai Faith, blaming whitey for all the ills, from obesity to violence to inept art gallery collections. I too wish we could go back to a time when I was one of the few people who knew what a jewel this town was, before all these outsiders f**ked it up for me (and, of course, the poor Thais).

[OneZero]

Personally, what bothers me (as someone neither old nor young) is the increasing mass of young foreign kids riding around town ineptly and aggressively in gangs of three or four on rented scooters with their shirts off. Seems like an epidemic.The grey gang in comparison are by and large quite unobtrusive and well mannered.

There was a time when one of the best things about Chiang Mai was that you could hang out with people from all nationalities and ages and everyone was very nice and interesting and open-minded. The OP's post seems indicative of the changing nature of Chiang Mai. It's not a fraternal paradise anymore, but rather just another holiday town where the friction is growing palpable.

+1 Spot on.

[philw]

Personally, what bothers me (as someone neither old nor young) is the increasing mass of young foreign kids riding around town ineptly and aggressively in gangs of three or four on rented scooters with their shirts off. Seems like an epidemic.The grey gang in comparison are by and large quite unobtrusive and well mannered.

There was a time when one of the best things about Chiang Mai was that you could hang out with people from all nationalities and ages and everyone was very nice and interesting and open-minded. The OP's post seems indicative of the changing nature of Chiang Mai. It's not a fraternal paradise anymore, but rather just another holiday town where the friction is growing palpable.

+1 Spot on.

Sadly correct, I think.

[rene123]

It's been an interesting topic and I always appreciate different perspectives, even if they are at odds to what I believe. I have not been here long enough to make definitive comments, but I DO understand humanity in all its various forms. No, I wasn't in Chiang Mai 30 years ago; I've only just turned 38. But, it's not hard to imagine what Chiang Mai was like many years ago. It only takes a few visits to other cities such as Chiang Rai, Lamphun, Lampang, Uttaradit, Phrae, Nan, Udon Thani, Khon Kaen, or Phitsanulok, and you can imagine what Chiang Mai used to be like. They are all sleepy little cities where they roll up the streets at 9 PM and everyone goes to bed. If there is any nightlife you would have to be a Thai to find it. Those that have assimilated into the simple Thai life of family, farming and not much else then I would imagine a more vibrant city such as Bangkok or Chiang Mai might be annoying. I just came back from a few nights in a small Thai village of Mae La Noi. The village shuts down right at sunset and there is NOTHING to do other than read a book in one of the few, poorly lit guest cottages. Then, at 6 AM the town speakers start blaring the sounds of two cats being tortured slowly for an hour. That is followed by an hour of government propaganda. That ends at 8 AM when everyone who doesn't have ear muffs is forced out of bed... whether you like it or not. Then, comes the problem of finding somewhere to eat a recognizable meal.

[heybruce]

Since so few of the posts are of sufficient merit to deserve a reply, a collective response seems to be in order.

As when coming under attack by pygmies or Lilliputians the best tactic is probably a direct assault instead of confronting the little devils individually.

My topic was a deliberate provocation to think and hopefully react with some sort of intelligent response. But my plea for civil discourse went unheeded and the qualities that make so many farangs disliked and unwelcome in Chiang Mai prevailed.

That ill-mannered arrogance reminds me of the reasons I prefer to live among Thais. My 35 years of experience here includes the most intimate relationships imaginable with them.

Starting as soon as I arrived, with the girls as boyfriend, poo-uh chow and backdoor-johnny at different times. Then mellowing somewhat with age to become a faithful husband to my wife and a devoted father to my two beloved daughters.

My relations with Thai men have been more problematic.

One night long ago near Sattahip I faced the pistols of three armed robbers who stole my new Yahama Enduro.

I've had, and have, some friends among the men, but I like and admire Thai women much much more.

My interest in the art, culture and history of Northern Thailand has been an abiding love of mine since I first came here. As an artist myself, it has provided the inspiration for much of my own work.

To sum up, I consider myself knowledgeable about Thailand in general and Chiang Mai in particular.

The perspective with which I can view the changes that have taken place here during the past three decades allows me to make judgements based on personal experience rather than hearsay or the opinions of others.

While they're not always sound, at least they're based on something more solid than pure fantasy.

My happiness in living here among Thais and being part of an extended Thai family has kept me apart from the expat community and the problems faced by strangers in a strange land; cultural isolation; loneliness; where to get their favorite fizzy drinks, etc.

In recent years the number of farang who call Chiang Mai home for all or part of the year has exploded to the point where their presence is creating a situation that may have undesirable consequences for all of us.

We are not living among spineless people. A violent dislike of foreign dominance has been a constant trait of their character for hundreds of years. They are unlike their neighbors who succumbed to the British, the French, and the Dutch.

Thai history - ancient and modern - is full of unpleasant examples of what happens when guests settle down here and start acting as though they owned the place.

Following the death of King Narai in 1688 there were widespread massacres of Europeans who had established enclaves in Ayudhya, Lopburi and elsewhere.

Sporadic violence against foreigners, notably Chinese, continued throughout the 19th and into the early 20th Century.

The 1980's saw targeted strikes against the Jeen Haw in the North by the RTAF and Daw Chaw Daw commandos. Effectively neutralizing them.

Obviously, history won't repeat itself exactly; but ethnic and racial hatred once provoked, often takes on a life of it's own that can get ugly.

Thai hospitality has limits that shouldn't be pushed too far.

You accuse others if ill-mannered arrogance? Read your original post and all your follow-on replies, they are clearly the rants of an arrogant know-it-all. Some people who have lived productive, hard-working lives (are you one of them?) decided to retire to Chiang Mai. So what? The fact that you came here 30 years ago does not make you a superior being. By your own admission you spend little time with other expats, so your zeal for stereotyping all foreignors is not only arrogant, it screams of close-minded ignorance.

[hellodolly]

No one is sayong there has not been changes. You on the other hand are proclaiming them to be bad. My friend who has been coming here for over 50 years says yes there is changes so what.

Did you ever think it is you. Your attitude you berate the farongs as bringing unwanted change you can't get along well with the Thai Men but the Thai women you get along with fine. Could it be your attitude?

You say the Thais can only take so much change. You might want to tell them. Or get out in the land of the real. More than likely 95% of the vehicles and motor bikes on the road are Thai owned go to the mall's Look at the number of Thais there who can only take a certain amount of change. Go to a stand alone Rimping market see the Thai's there. And the ones who don't have the vehicles and don't go to the Farong places do you think they wouldn't if they could afford it.

I would suggest that you move to a far out village in Issan, There you will not have to put up with the Farongs just the Thai men. Besides if I remember correctly in another post you said you were leaving. Given your attitude might be a good idea.

No, you don't remember correctly.

I'm not thinking about leaving. I've been here too long and my roots go too deep.

My two girls are both doing very well. The eldest got her masters degree in International Law from Chulalongkorn two years ago. Shortly after that she was recruited by a government ministry where she recently qualified as a C-5 official at the age of 28. We're all very proud of her.

I consider myself blessed by God to have a healthy, happy family.

I wouldn't leave them for the world.

Well I may be wrong but I am sure you said on another thread after your put down rant.

" I am out of here"

[Dancealot]

Elephant graveyards are the most romantic thing i ever saw in my life: African elephants walk to the place on their last prowess; kneel down and die surrounded by their family's bones..

Hope this instinct/archetype is not taken away from the Asian elephants by humans.

Edited January 29, 2013 by Dancealot

[Mapguy]

Personally, what bothers me (as someone neither old nor young) is the increasing mass of young foreign kids riding around town ineptly and aggressively in gangs of three or four on rented scooters with their shirts off. Seems like an epidemic.The grey gang in comparison are by and large quite unobtrusive and well mannered.

There was a time when one of the best things about Chiang Mai was that you could hang out with people from all nationalities and ages and everyone was very nice and interesting and open-minded. The OP's post seems indicative of the changing nature of Chiang Mai. It's not a fraternal paradise anymore, but rather just another holiday town where the friction is growing palpable.

+1 Spot on.

Sadly correct, I think.

Speaking of youthful foreign male exhibitionists lacking tee shirts as they scoot naked-chested around town, at least they (mostly) have nice pecs, as opposed to their elder brethren who lack sufficient modesty to dress appropriately for their age or physical appearance!

Can't really say the same for the younger foreign girls who seem not to have such nice "pecs" and also tend to be more than immodestly underdressed!

Edited January 29, 2013 by Mapguy

[Mapguy]

All in all, this thread seems to have become the longest pissing contest for quite some time! OP DID say, after all, that he was being provocative! Seems he hit a nerve or two, or three, or four, or..!!

Whatever happened to the hamburger threads?! Everyone watching their cholesterol numbers these days?

[rene123]

All in all, this thread seems to have become the longest pissing contest for quite some time! OP DID say, after all, that he was being provocative! Seems he hit a nerve or two, or three, or four, or..!!

Whatever happened to the hamburger threads?! Everyone watching their cholesterol numbers these days?

They changed the hamburger threads to discussions on pizza.

By the way, where can you get a nice Mexican burrito?

[Dancealot]

All in all, this thread seems to have become the longest pissing contest for quite some time! OP DID say, after all, that he was being provocative! Seems he hit a nerve or two, or three, or four, or..!!

Whatever happened to the hamburger threads?! Everyone watching their cholesterol numbers these days?

They changed the hamburger threads to discussions on pizza.

By the way, where can you get a nice Mexican burrito?

In Mexico, Rene. Where they serve excellent tequila Blanca's which are also readily available all over the world.

From Sauza

[rene123]

All in all, this thread seems to have become the longest pissing contest for quite some time! OP DID say, after all, that he was being provocative! Seems he hit a nerve or two, or three, or four, or..!!

Whatever happened to the hamburger threads?! Everyone watching their cholesterol numbers these days?

They changed the hamburger threads to discussions on pizza.

By the way, where can you get a nice Mexican burrito?

In Mexico, Rene. Where they serve excellent tequila Blanca's which are also readily available all over the world.

From Sauza

Thanks, I think I'll stick to Thailand. I've BEEN to Mexico and other than the old architecture and beaches, I can't say I was impressed. From what I've heard recently from friends, it is now as expensive as the States, but without the infrastructure.

[Mapguy]

All in all, this thread seems to have become the longest pissing contest for quite some time! OP DID say, after all, that he was being provocative! Seems he hit a nerve or two, or three, or four, or..!!

Whatever happened to the hamburger threads?! Everyone watching their cholesterol numbers these days?

They changed the hamburger threads to discussions on pizza.

By the way, where can you get a nice Mexican burrito?

Well, so much for watching out for high cholesterol!

[CMHomeboy78]

...Sporadic violence against foreigners, notably Chinese, continued throughout the 19th and into the early 20th Century...

Really this is standing history on its head. The Thais, uniquely in Southeast Asia, have made it their business to get on with Chinese migrants and to assimilate them wherever possible. Yes, I know about King Prajadhipok and his 'Jews of the Orient' pamphlet directed against the Chinese, but that was an exception. Generally speaking Thailand, with an ethnic Chinese population of around 13 per cent, has always had the best relationship with Overseas Chinese of any Southeast Asian country - as a consequence of which the percentage of luk jin or Thais of Chinese descent is around 13 percent, easily the highest in Southeast Asia (or, indeed, anywhere outside China and Singapore).

Just about everywhere else in Southeast Asia - Myanmar, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia - has massacred or expelled the Chinese from time to time. Not so the Thais, who uniquely (and wisely) prefer to intermarry with the Chinese.

I have an immense amount of respect for the historical work you do.

Thank you for the civil and intelligent response to my post.

The yapping of soi dogs has made me almost deaf to the sound of a courteous voice.

But your contention that my claim that there was racially motivated violence against Chinese here is "standing history on its head" is simply not true. There was indeed violence, and it was documented.

It was small-scale and spontaneous, arising mostly from resentment over their sense of racial superiority and the economic advantages they soon gained as a result of their work-ethic.

That Thais "made it their business to get on with Chinese migrants and to assimilate them wherever possible" might apply to some idealistic intellectuals, but not to the Thais who worked sixteen hour days in Chinese households and shops.

My first Thai girlfriend was in an early marriage to a Chinese in Yaowarat where her mother-in-law treated her like a dog. A common occurrence, according to the working-class Thais among whom I lived in the late '70s.

Situations like that led to the killing and looting frequently reported in the Bangkok Recorder and other early news sources.

The sentiments expressed in King Prajadhipok's "Jews of the Orient" pamphlet may have been an "exception" among educated westernized Thais, but not among the ordinary people who had to deal with the Chinese on a daily basis.

Please excuse me for so bluntly contradicting you.

But the fact of the matter is that there was violence against Chinese in the 19th and into the early 20th Century.

It's frequency and severity can be debated but not the fact of it's existence; because it is recorded in diplomatic correspondence and the English language news sheets of old Bangkok.

As I said, I have great respect for your work and wish you continued success with it.

[dru2]

CM Homeboy -

Thank you and handsomely said.

I'm not suggesting there is no Sinophobia or that there never has been in Thailand, only that it is markedly less than anywhere else in Southeast Asia.

Of course there is anti-Chinese sentiment and it has, from time to time, led to unpleasantness - such as the aforementioned Prajadhipok pamphlet and the history of closing Chinese language schools, obliging ethnic Chinese to take Thai names, etc., but nothing to match the massacres that have taken place as recently as the 1965-66 killings in Indonesia (c. 500,000 dead), Malaysia 1969 (c. 2000 dead), Myanmar 1976 (as many as 100,000 ethnic Chinese fled the country) and the post-unification expulsions of Hoa Chinese from Vietnam - no killings, but 450,000 ethnic Chinese fled the country).

Then there's the strange case of Khmer Rouge Cambodia, where just about every senior Khmer Rouge official was a Sino-Khmer and China was Democratic Kampuchea's main ally - but even so an estimated 350,000 ethnic Chinese were either killed, starved to death or driven out.

So we differ chiefly in matters of degree. I retract my suggestion that you were "standing history on its head", but I also reiterate that Thailand is still the most Sino-tolerant country in the region.

[realthaideal]

All in all, this thread seems to have become the longest pissing contest for quite some time! OP DID say, after all, that he was being provocative! Seems he hit a nerve or two, or three, or four, or..!!

The OP's nerve striking is more in a curious title, a rant coming out of left field, and then mistaking it for a seed of thought-provoking discourse. Given - and most of us have acknowledged it - times have changed. But.... what can you do about that dimension called 'time?'

Claiming rank by how many natives you know and are close to.... and how long you've been here... So what, you're the #1 most original colonizer who is most profound and belongs here more than anyone who came even a day after you ? Holier than thou-ness is all it is. It was nice to read him opening up about his family and pride in his daughter. That's great.

In fact from that perspective, his worries make alot more sense. ONly thing is... to generate good online conversation, as in weighing your thoughts before going off on someone, often requires careful, measured thought and structured speech. Just going off rarely produces the result you want.

[Chicog]

This topic was guaranteed to make the greenhorns throw a hissy-fit about my nostalgia for the good ol', bad ol' days.

It's a knee-jerk reaction to be expected from people who - almost without exception - lack any first-hand knowlege of what life in Chiang Mai was like thirty or more years ago, and seem to resent the existence of those who do.

Petty nastiness was to be forseen. I won't be drawn into a cat-fight, and I can easily sidestep the ejaculations of venom.

So instead of the peevish one-liners, maybe you can come up with an intelligent response to some of the points I've made.

I would welcome that and will answer your challenge if I'm able.

Does it irk you that they have more money to spend and little or no respect for "Whenwees"?

I must admit, I switch off when the old timers start with "I remember Whenwee...." because invariably their memories of the past are far more interesting to themselves than others.

[uptheos]

This topic was guaranteed to make the greenhorns throw a hissy-fit about my nostalgia for the good ol', bad ol' days.

It's a knee-jerk reaction to be expected from people who - almost without exception - lack any first-hand knowlege of what life in Chiang Mai was like thirty or more years ago, and seem to resent the existence of those who do.

Petty nastiness was to be forseen. I won't be drawn into a cat-fight, and I can easily sidestep the ejaculations of venom.

So instead of the peevish one-liners, maybe you can come up with an intelligent response to some of the points I've made.

I would welcome that and will answer your challenge if I'm able.

Does it irk you that they have more money to spend and little or no respect for "Whenwees"?

I must admit, I switch off when the old timers start with "I remember Whenwee...." because invariably their memories of the past are far more interesting to themselves than others.

I'll never mention Derek Tapscott & Jack Kelsey again!

[Mapguy]

All in all, this thread seems to have become the longest pissing contest for quite some time! OP DID say, after all, that he was being provocative! Seems he hit a nerve or two, or three, or four, or..!!

The OP's nerve striking is more in a curious title, a rant coming out of left field, and then mistaking it for a seed of thought-provoking discourse. Given - and most of us have acknowledged it - times have changed. But.... what can you do about that dimension called 'time?'

Claiming rank by how many natives you know and are close to.... and how long you've been here... So what, you're the #1 most original colonizer who is most profound and belongs here more than anyone who came even a day after you ? Holier than thou-ness is all it is. It was nice to read him opening up about his family and pride in his daughter. That's great.

In fact from that perspective, his worries make alot more sense. ONly thing is... to generate good online conversation, as in weighing your thoughts before going off on someone, often requires careful, measured thought and structured speech. Just going off rarely produces the result you want.

Good point!

[uptoyoumyfriend]

"R.I.P. Chiang Mai" ???

if i were to address my thai neighbors with a rant like that they would just let me know

that there is a train station bus station airport and a few roads all perfectly suited

for the young dynamic and yet experienced world traveler with the cool of the buddha

to look for greener pastures outside the emerald gates.

i've read lots of stupid posts on tv -this one tops many

[CMNightRider]

"Another elephants burial ground where the old tuskers come to die? Innundated by a human-wave of these old biddies? Drank government Kool-Aid? Most of these people have spent their lives as wage-slaves in mind-numbing jobs?"

• Like
  

Wow dude, why are you such a hater? Most of the older guys I have met here have lived interesting and productive lives, and have simply decided to retire in Chiang Mai for a host of reasons. Many are retired military, police, and business people. I know a couple of them that are in their late sixties and early seventies who have and still work as contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Gee, I wonder what your background is? It sure didn't have anything to do with journalism. The average third grader writes better than you, lol. Have you ever considered meditation or psychotropic medication? Live and let live.

[rene123]

"Another elephants burial ground where the old tuskers come to die? Innundated by a human-wave of these old biddies? Drank government Kool-Aid? Most of these people have spent their lives as wage-slaves in mind-numbing jobs?"

• Like
  

Wow dude, why are you such a hater? Most of the older guys I have met here have lived interesting and productive lives, and have simply decided to retire in Chiang Mai for a host of reasons. Many are retired military, police, and business people. I know a couple of them that are in their late sixties and early seventies who have and still work as contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Gee, I wonder what your background is? It sure didn't have anything to do with journalism. The average third grader writes better than you, lol. Have you ever considered meditation or psychotropic medication? Live and let live.

It's just an attention grabber to get a discussion started, CMnightrider. I doubt if it was meant to encompass everyone. Say something outrageous and you get more replies. Start a topic with a boring title and it will quickly drop off the forum.