Reading the different posts especially in "General" and "Thailand News", would give most people the impression, that we are living in a terrible place!

Most things happening here, we can not influence, as we are not citizens nor voters. Yes I follow local politics, mostly for the entertaimentvalue! But apart from, that I can get angry with the corruption, nepotism and pure stupidity, it doesn't really affect my everyday life! No it is not a question about the rosetinted, been here too long, but every society has its bad sides and if we only concentrate on the negatives, aren't we just making our own lives miserable ?

Sometimes, when I go into town, after being on Thaivisa, I wonder if we are living in the same country?

I meet friendly and smiley Thais, and even if it not supercheap anymore, it is IMO still good value for money.

Yes I know, I don't have to log on. But I have to admit the "action" is on the above mentioned subforums.

Sometimes when I had enough of the negativity, I log on to the farming-forum. Some very good threads posted by real people!

I think it's the other way round; people's perceptions of Thailand add colour to TV!

soi41 has seen the light! Well Done, sir!

Please join us . Be seduced and join the light-side .

[EDIT] Why post this in the generals?

They should introduce IQ tests at Swampy.

I think it's the other way round; people's perceptions of Thailand add colour to TV!

Correct, it is the other way round.

They should introduce IQ tests at Swampy.

No! This would be devestating for Thailands annual tourist income..

They should introduce IQ tests at Swampy.

No! This would be devestating for Thailands annual tourist income..

Indeed, better to screen out the HIGH IQ entries as we wouldn't want people who tink 2 mutt here. Drink too much ... sure.

It's depressing and absolutely nothing like the Thailand I live in.

When i log ito the Farming Section i start Sniffing and checking my Shoes for stickey stuff.,as for the Gay section...................

Surely your views should be affected by what you see, hear and read.

I agree with the OP. I think it comes down to the attitudes of people and how they react to what could be negative or bizarre situations. I got pulled up on my scooter for taking what I thought was a free left turn at the lights. Cop flags me down, we do the Sawatdee kaps and he asks for my licence (which I have) and asked for the bike licence which was under the seat. As I rummage around in the crap under the seat the cop says something to my wife in Thai, "hope he hasn't got a bomb in there". She translates to me, and I say "no, didn't know I was supposed to have one?". Cop laughs, hands back the licence and lets us go - no ticket, no tea money.

I've got mates who would rant and rave in similar situations. Others complain about being stopped for no helmet, or they rant and rave at immigration because they didn't do their homework and don't have the right documents, or moan because the "idiot Thai" shopkeeper didn't understand that I wanted a 20 watt light bulb and not the 100 watt light bulb he tried to sell me, etc, etc,. I tell them to get with the programme - you don't have any special rights here, be civil, be courteous, be informed - it goes a long way towards making the most of every day.

As to the negative opinions I read on TV by many members - best ignored and not take the bait.

They should introduce IQ tests at Swampy.

No! This would be devestating for Thailands annual tourist income..

Indeed, better to screen out the HIGH IQ entries as we wouldn't want people who tink 2 mutt here. Drink too much ... sure.

I cannot believe!!

What??

This farang more stupid than Somchai!!

You joking me??

No, and he have money mak mak!!

Okay quick, give him visa

I agree with the OP. I think it comes down to the attitudes of people and how they react to what could be negative or bizarre situations. I got pulled up on my scooter for taking what I thought was a free left turn at the lights. Cop flags me down, we do the Sawatdee kaps and he asks for my licence (which I have) and asked for the bike licence which was under the seat. As I rummage around in the crap under the seat the cop says something to my wife in Thai, "hope he hasn't got a bomb in there". She translates to me, and I say "no, didn't know I was supposed to have one?". Cop laughs, hands back the licence and lets us go - no ticket, no tea money.

I've got mates who would rant and rave in similar situations. Others complain about being stopped for no helmet, or they rant and rave at immigration because they didn't do their homework and don't have the right documents, or moan because the "idiot Thai" shopkeeper didn't understand that I wanted a 20 watt light bulb and not the 100 watt light bulb he tried to sell me, etc, etc,. I tell them to get with the programme - you don't have any special rights here, be civil, be courteous, be informed - it goes a long way towards making the most of every day.

As to the negative opinions I read on TV by many members - best ignored and not take the bait.

Wonderful!

Not me, I'm color blind.

I don't really pay too much attention to other peoples views of Thailand.You make of it what you can,which is what I'm trying to do.

There's a lot of very negative things said on TV,but if we were to agree with all the moaners,then there'd be no expats here anymore.They'd all ship out for pastures green.

Let people say what they want.Everybody's entitled to an opinion,but sometimes it's better keeping your opinion to yourself.

I suppose it colors my view to some extent, but really compared to riding the great baht buses of Pattaya, its a very minor factor.

As attributed to the late US Senator from NY State and former Harvard Professor Daniel Patrick Moynihan:

Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts.

From what i see on here there is a 4 way split of types of forum members:

• The retired devision with money
• The working devision with an income through work
• The holiday tourist
• The ones settled here maybe not rich but getting by.

Now the way i percieve these are,

The retired with money think everyone to be a little beneath them probably spills from a high ranking position within their workplace.

The working devision are happy to be here and make the most of every minute of it, as do the ones settled here but not wealthy.

The holiday tourist or the 2 week millionaire as they are called here they just think everone is a cheap charlie and screw the world their enjoying themselves.

None of the above mentioned is right or wrong but is how i percieve some on here but not all.......

Color my view?

I guess it would have some occasional and limited influence on my thinking - if only to some extent confirm previously held convictions or suppositions; but given that I'd been working at learning about Thailand (through study and experience) over 30 years - most of it here - before I ever even read ThaiVisa...

Not too much.

Reading these pages colors my view of some farangs who post here but little else. Then again I lived in Thailand for more than 30 years before I ever heard of TV.

I suppose it colors my view to some extent, but really compared to riding the great baht buses of Pattaya, its a very minor factor.

Been a while since i have seen one of your baht bus threads

I do sometimes wonder what Thailand some people live in after reading some of things on here. As i find living here relatively easy, apart from learning the language, I take many negative posts on here with a pinch of salt.

There seems to be a correlation between financial comfort and the level of dissatisfaction with Thailand among some - NOT all - of the grumpy old men on Thaivisa.

Those who experience financial constraints seem to have a tendency to rail against Thailand and its relatively trivial annoyances to a far greater degree . . . possibly because their situations mean they have to interact with the working class locals a lot more.

Still, there are exceptions. The poster formerly known as TommoPhysicist, for example. I mean, here was a man with an all-singing, all-dancing index-linked pension, an attractive wife (he sent me a photo) some years his junior with her own farm and yet he bitched non-stop about Thais and how none of them could be trusted. It made me wonder why on earth he chose to remain here.

reading TV has no affect on my opinions of thailand at all, for that i rely own experiences. it has however affected my opinions of ex-pats here ...

NO it doesn't ,but i sometimes wonder why some posters live here and where their thought processes come from ,maybe they are not the sharpest tools in the box.

They should introduce IQ tests at Swampy.

Absolutely,it would only affect the mongers that don't live here!

There seems to be a correlation between financial comfort and the level of dissatisfaction with Thailand among some - NOT all - of the grumpy old men on Thaivisa.

Those who experience financial constraints seem to have a tendency to rail against Thailand and its relatively trivial annoyances to a far greater degree . . . possibly because their situations mean they have to interact with the working class locals a lot more.

Still, there are exceptions. The poster formerly known as TommoPhysicist, for example. I mean, here was a man with an all-singing, all-dancing index-linked pension, an attractive wife (he sent me a photo) some years his junior with her own farm and yet he bitched non-stop about Thais and how none of them could be trusted. It made me wonder why on earth he chose to remain here.

I wonder about your powers of logic....

"an attractive wife (he sent me a photo) some years his junior with her own farm"

" wonder why on earth he chose to remain here"

Please tell me you don't work for Special Branch...

SC

The answer to the original question is no, but reading TV frequently does colour my view of my fellow ex-pats and farangs in general.

And after 9500+ posts that view must be colored kaleidoscopic.

Does Reading Thaivisa Colour my View Of Thailand ? Not really because some of the stories are so bizarre and different from my own experience that it can only be rare isolated incidents blown out of proportion.

On the other hand, it does colour my view of the type of foreigners who end up in Thailand. i have seen expats forums in China, hk, Malaysia, Singapore...really, there is an overwhelming skew towards a particular type in Thaivisa.