Not What I Expected

[jjrbus]

I came to Thailand a couple of months ago, and following the advice of this forum I met a lady at a beer garden and have been with her since.

When I went to meet her family it was not what I expected, she is Issan and the family is a farm family in Khon Kean, The first thing was the house, a nice 2 story concret structure, whice she and her brother had built. The father is an itelligent man who even speaks a little english, I wanted to do a little project for them and needed a tool, I told them what I needed and here comes dad from the barn with a 1/2in Mikata hammer drill.

These people are poor, but what happened to the illiterate uneducated rice farmer, I expected to meet?

[the gentleman]

Did she have a sister, who had a farang husband or did she have one before you - my experience with Khon Kaen rice farming people (first girlfriend), was they are lovely simple people, but dont speak English, live in wooden houses and have only a smile and some sticky rice to share.

Maybe he is a great farmer, won the lottery, if he has car - he might have a side business. I think to many variables to judge it mate.

[Bluecat]

I came to Thailand a couple of months ago, and following the advice of this forum I met a lady at a beer garden and have been with her since.

????

I am very happy it is working out for you (a couple of months anyway,...) but if some people in this forum advised you to meet ladies in a beer garden, I am not sure they were meaning to do with them what you are doing now,...

But of course, if the parents won the lottery, you're safe,...

[dr_Pat_Pong]

I came to Thailand a couple of months ago, and following the advice of this forum I met a lady at a beer garden and have been with her since.

????

I am very happy it is working out for you (a couple of months anyway,...) but if some people in this forum advised you to meet ladies in a beer garden, I am not sure they were meaning to do with them what you are doing now,...

But of course, if the parents won the lottery, you're safe,...

It must have been George who sent him to beer gardens looking for ladies. I'm gonna ask George to send me on the same route ( that was R O U T E )

[Pink Mist]

They arn't all poor rice farmers around KK area and they don't all have wooden houses, there are quite a few 2 story brick houses in Banpaed, so it's not that surprising really.

[boNita aPPlebuM]

Farang men expect Thai women to always be poor?!? (ok ... maybe not poor but not as wealthy)

Well well well

Go to the Emporium sometimes ... and you'll see that it's not always the case na ka.

One time, i was asked ...

"oh! you are from Thailand? How many elephants does your family own? and do you still live in a hut?"

I simply replied ...

"We have five ... but they are not elephants ... they are Mercedes ... and we don't live in a hut ... it's a house ... if you know what a house is"

He didn't talk to me again during the whole flight

[Axel]

Don't be too harsh boNita aPPlebuM, he asked elephants, not buffaloes

That's certainly one class up.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Farang men expect Thai women to always be poor?!? (ok ... maybe not poor but not as wealthy)

Well well well

I simply replied ...

"We have five ... but they are not elephants ... they are Mercedes ... and we don't live in a hut ... it's a house ... if you know what a house is"

He didn't talk to me again during the whole flight

Was I ever married to you ? There's a sense of deja vu here.

[boNita aPPlebuM]

Hmm ... Was I (married to you)?

You didn't like my elephant story ror ka?

I got so offended that time ... I didn't know how to respond. Actually, there are more stories like that ... many places all over the world (you get to meet strange people when you travel ... it's a fact). I am quite used to it now ... I figured ... hey ... their perception of the world is probably as small as their private part.

No need to get offended.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

No problems Ma'am.

[the gentleman]

Farang men expect Thai women to always be poor?!? (ok ... maybe not poor but not as wealthy)

Well well well

Go to the Emporium sometimes ... and you'll see that it's not always the case na ka.

One time, i was asked ...

"oh! you are from Thailand? How many elephants does your family own? and do you still live in a hut?"

I simply replied ...

"We have five ... but they are not elephants ... they are Mercedes ... and we don't live in a hut ... it's a house ... if you know what a house is"

He didn't talk to me again during the whole flight

you have a point, but how many poor rice farmers from Isaan have 5 Mercs - I think you will find, that the majority of people dont think Thai people/women are all poor - I think the expats who live here, realise the wealth of some Thai families - as in every country, you have your poor to rich scale.

Why would you have 5 Mercs, unless it was for "show" na krap

[boNita aPPlebuM]

The five Mercedes was a SARCASTIC answer na ka ... I don't own them.

In fact, I take the subway ka ... parking costs too much (uh ... maybe I am poor?)

But I do live in a house, not a hut ...

[davidm]

how many poor rice farmers from Isaan have 5 Mercs

For that matter how many Thais, period. A few Chinese-Thais do, though. They are also the rich girls you might encounter at the Emporium. Most of the Thai girls you see at the Emporium are either working there or with a foreign boyfriend/husband.

[cdnvic]

When I went to meet her family it was not what I expected, she is Issan and the family is a farm family in Khon Kean, The first thing was the house, a nice 2 story concret structure, whice she and her brother had built. The father is an itelligent man who even speaks a little english, I wanted to do a little project for them and needed a tool, I told them what I needed and here comes dad from the barn with a 1/2in Mikata hammer drill.

These people are poor, but what happened to the illiterate uneducated rice farmer, I expected to meet?

Your views aren't anything unusual, or something you should feel bad about. Everyone tends to have preconceptions about people and places that are built on stereotypes embedded in their minds. (Ask the Americans who come to Canada in August to go skiing) If you ever wind up taking this girl back to your home there will no doubt be alot of surprises in store for her that makes her think much as you are now.

cv

[hkthai]

how many poor rice farmers from Isaan have 5 Mercs

For that matter how many Thais, period. A few Chinese-Thais do, though. They are also the rich girls you might encounter at the Emporium. Most of the Thai girls you see at the Emporium are either working there or with a foreign boyfriend/husband.

IMO, not a bit of difference really. I am third generation Thai of Chinese ancestry but if anyone ask my nationality or trait, I would answer that I am Thai.

[paulsenp]

The five Mercedes was a SARCASTIC answer na ka ... I don't own them.

In fact, I take the subway ka ... parking costs too much (uh ... maybe I am poor?)

But I do live in a house, not a hut ...

You write some great posts, and make refreshing remarks "for a thai girl".

I am married to a thai, have been for 25 years, and know lots of thai people both in Thailand and in my home country, Denmark, but I rarely come across girls with a wit like yours.

Hope you will stay active in this forum for a long time.

[Bluecat]

Farang men expect Thai women to always be poor?!?

I do not really think so,...

I think it is more the other way round, i.e do the Thai women always expect the farang to be rich?

[meemiathai]

The five Mercedes was a SARCASTIC answer na ka ...  I don't own them. 

In fact, I take the subway ka ... parking costs too much (uh ... maybe I am poor?)

But I do live in a house, not a hut ...

You write some great posts, and make refreshing remarks "for a thai girl".

I am married to a thai, have been for 25 years, and know lots of thai people both in Thailand and in my home country, Denmark, but I rarely come across girls with a wit like yours.

Hope you will stay active in this forum for a long time.

I agree that she has written some great posts but am not surprised at all by her wit. In fact I have met a lot of intelligent thai girls and most of them got very good sense of humour. I had to think really fast in order to catch what they really meant.

[markt]

I think it is more the other way round, i.e do the Thai women always expect the farang to be rich?

Lol.

[boNita aPPlebuM]

The sense of humor keeps me sane in the cruel world

The sarcasm ... hmm ... helps me progess in the self-actualization process ?!? (Sorry Maslow ... I really use sarcasm to climb the hierarchy)

But back to the subject ...

I do agree with Bluecat ... to some extent ... that some Thai women have this hidden expectation (of farang men being rich(er)) so they will be benefitted from his wealth. And to tell you the truth, I don't like it at all It makes the rest of us (other Thai women) appear like a gold-digger.

But I can proove to you that at least one Thai girl does not expect farang men to be rich ... My farang boyfriend and I are struggling to pay rent on time and pay back college loans ...

All I ever expected is to have "US" through this financial crisis ...

This expectation is much more than hoping that someone is rich

[e-san]

I think Thai women are just like women anywhere. Some are poor, some are not. But Farang tourists come here with different expectation about relationships. They are looking for poorer and less educated Thai GFs who can satisfy their demand. If they want normal relationships, they can find it in their countries. It surprises me to see lots of farang guys falling in love, have heart broken or invest their money with the Thai bar girls. But when asked if they do this with the BGs in their countries, they said No!

[Bluecat]

But Farang tourists come here with different expectation about relationships. They are looking for poorer and less educated Thai GFs who can satisfy their demand.

I do not think the farang tourists are SPECIFICALLY looking for poorer and less educated Thai GF.

They are in fact probably not even looking for a GF, it is just that a tourist on a short visit will probably mainly "meet" those poorer and less educated Thai girls,...

That sometimes it leads to a relationship proves if need be that having no education does not mean you are not smart,...

[meemiathai]

But Farang tourists come here with different expectation about relationships. They are looking for poorer and less educated Thai GFs who can satisfy their demand.

I do not think the farang tourists are SPECIFICALLY looking for poorer and less educated Thai GF.

They are in fact probably not even looking for a GF, it is just that a tourist on a short visit will probably mainly "meet" those poorer and less educated Thai girls,...

That sometimes it leads to a relationship proves if need be that having no education does not mean you are not smart,...

EXACTLY

[mouse]

You know Bonita, I used to have the Mercedes, exspensive suits at $500 each and spend $150 for a evening meal and a lot more on a weekend until I found that little village, my Thai wife comes from and we built a happy family of five. And if you offered me 5 Mercedes, I would not go back. Now I am no longer rich but, we will never be hungry and we are happy. Neve be ashsamed of you culture of heritage.

[e-san]

That sometimes it leads to a relationship proves if need be that having no education does not mean you are not smart,...

Sorry guys! Didn't mean the girls are not smart. Surely they are. Just got too many complaints from dissapointed farangs when things didn't turn out as what they expected. My point is, farang should use common sense when they are dealing with the BGs here as well as anywhere. Only the Thai BGs are sweeter, I guess.

[meemiathai]

farang should use common sense when they are dealing with the BGs here as well as anywhere.

Please also use common sense to judge what kind of farangs are these BGs usually dealing with!

[cdnvic]

farang should use common sense when they are dealing with the BGs here as well as anywhere.

Please also use common sense to judge what kind of farangs are these BGs usually dealing with!

[Guest IT Manager]

The five Mercedes was a SARCASTIC answer na ka ...  I don't own them. 

In fact, I take the subway ka ... parking costs too much (uh ... maybe I am poor?)

But I do live in a house, not a hut ...

You write some great posts, and make refreshing remarks "for a thai girl".

I am married to a thai, have been for 25 years, and know lots of thai people both in Thailand and in my home country, Denmark, but I rarely come across girls with a wit like yours.

Hope you will stay active in this forum for a long time.

I agree. It is refreshing to see Thais posting and not being all weird about the foreign preconceptions.

Thailand markets itself as a place to see life at its' most simple, rather than as the worlds bedroom. Give a little, get a little I think.

Welcome.

[Koh_Falang]

You know Bonita, I used to have the Mercedes, exspensive suits at $500 each and spend $150 for a evening meal and a lot more on a weekend until I found that little village, my Thai wife comes from and we built a happy family of five.  And if you offered me 5 Mercedes, I would not go back.  Now I am no longer rich but, we will never be hungry and we are happy.  Neve be ashsamed of you culture of heritage.

I agree 100%

Happiness isnt mesured by how much money you have... allthough it does help

[jjrbus]

Thanks guys and gal, I try to be non judgemental, and keep an open mind, and just let people be what they are. But after reading so much about the poverty of Issan, I really was supprised by this trip. I had no intention of having a girlfriend here, but this lady is nothing like so many of the stories I read here and on other forums. She has finished high school, works hard, is itelligent, not very wordly but learns very fast. The only downside is she is emotionally immature, which I've noticed to be common among asain women, I do no mean that as an insult just an observation.