Poll: Foreigners In Thailand: When You're Here, Do You Consider Yourself A "guest" Of Thailand?

[kevvy]

guest? However, doesn't it involve showing respect for one's guests, providing for their needs, and treating them as equals. I think we are not even guests in this country , if we were guests then we would be treated fairly and with respect .. are we guests ....I dont think so.

OK,.. what would be your interpretation be then? In terminoligy of a Noun?

A person or persons who receives the hospitality of a club, a city, or the like. In general there is not alot of hospitality here towards westerners

[GuestHouse]

Beetlejuice, I did not say I have more rights than most Thais, I said I 'enjoy more rights' and suffer less abuse of my rights than most Thais do in their own country.

The distinction between having rights and enjoying rights is important.

Most Thais do not get to 'enjoy' rights they have, they certainly suffer abuse of their rights.

While as an expat legally working here I' m for the most part left alone by the authorities, often enjoying rights I don't legally have.

Edited May 7, 2013 by GuestHouse

[GuestHouse]

But let's not get hung up on semantics.

Call me a 'guest' if you wish.

If I am a 'guest' I can assure you I feel I've been treated as a very welcome one.

[radiogeneris]

The whole idea of country creates division between people. Imagine there are no countries, no borders, no religion. Yes, I am a dreamer, but are not all greatest accomplishments first a dream?

[SteeleJoe]

The whole idea of country creates division between people. Imagine there are no countries, no borders, no religion. Yes, I am a dreamer...

You are also a plagiarist!

(And absurdly unrealistic.)

Edited May 7, 2013 by SteeleJoe

[radiogeneris]

I believe earth was created for all to share. I believe all people should have choice to live where they want. There is enough mass land for everybody. The whole over population talk is a crap. The problem is human greed and injustice. Once we start care about each other the world would be much better place. Than there will be no question or poll like this.

[lemoncake]

I do not think it matters what i consider, what matter is how locals perceive and treat me.

Those who know me DO NOT consider me as a guest., Those who do not know me , DO consider and treat me as just a tourist.

Am i bothered? Yes at times i am. Can i just ignore it? probably could, but then it would not be me

[Jingthing]

Voted no simply on the basis that guests don't pay to stay. Whilst upmarket hotels use that term, it's really just a touchy-feely version of 'customer'

The use of guest referring to a paying customer of a hotel (or restaurant, etc.) is a totally legitimate use of the word guest. Guest like most words has multiple meanings. Paying money (being a customer) doesn't make you not a guest. Guest is correctly used in both paying and non-paying situations according to its definition. I don't consider a country as a hotel though.

Edited May 7, 2013 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

The poll should really have three options:

1. Paying customer

2. Guest

3. Resident

In such a poll only a minority would be guests in the real sense of the word.

I tried to tell him that

I completely rejected that idea for good reason. That's not the point of the question. The question is crystal clear. Again, you CAN be a paying customer and ALSO consider yourself a guest. Guest has MULTIPLE meanings. The question is about whether you consider yourself a guest or not. If not, the correct answer is NO. If you consider yourself a customer but not a guest, the correct answer is NO. If you consider yourself a fluffy cat, the correct answer is NO. Simples.

Edited May 7, 2013 by Jingthing

[squarethecircle]

I consider anywhere on the earth to be my proper home...same should hold true for anyone who can respect and integrate with their surroundings. So I don't consider myself a guest of Thailand, it's just a place where to go to hang out (and where I previously worked).

I find I have to be on guard there in order to avoid getting ripped off, and tend to stay in my "spots" where I've been before, feel safe, and know how to get around without getting screwed over. So I don't consider myself a guest in any sense - more like somewhere between a paying customer and a cautious resident at another temporary home on the planet.

[SteeleJoe]

Voted no simply on the basis that guests don't pay to stay. Whilst upmarket hotels use that term, it's really just a touchy-feely version of 'customer'

Errr...all hotels use that term. It is, by definition, the correct one.

[Jingthing]

Voted no simply on the basis that guests don't pay to stay. Whilst upmarket hotels use that term, it's really just a touchy-feely version of 'customer'

Errr...all hotels use that term. It is, by definition, the correct one.

Yes, will say again I agree. But to me, a country is not a hotel. You can use the word guest to describe your position in Thailand the country, but I think it's a stretch of the word guest. I don't think the nation of Thailand actually looks at you that way (whatever that is, as if an entire nation can think as one). (They're not that into you ...)

Edited May 7, 2013 by Jingthing

[F4UCorsair]

I think the word 'guest' to describe a tourist or a foreigner living and/or working in Thailand to be a silly use of the word. Airlines have been using 'guest' for their pax for many years now instead of customers or passengers. If you're paying to be somewhere, you are definitely not a guest, in my view.

My view is you may be called a guest if somebody has invited you, but even then, if invited to Thailand to perform a job, it's still a silly use of the word.

I'm not calling you 'silly' jingthing, just describing what I consider the misuse of the word.

It reminds me of local councils dropping 'the' when referring to them, i.e., 'the council', and calling themselves just 'council', no doubt a reference to the term 'counsel' used by the legal fraternity. I told my local councillors that they were trying to inject some class into an otherwise unclassy organization.

[Jingthing]

Silly or not, using guest to describe a paying customer is one of the recognized meanings of the word guest according to its DEFINITION. Of course, probably the PRIMARY definition is receiving more sincere hospitality (not paying). Be my guest! (You're not paying.) I think its pointless to "argue" about ESTABLISHED definitions. Those are a given. The question here is about use of the word to describe foreigners role in an ENTIRE NATION. I think guest doesn't fit that.

Edited May 7, 2013 by Jingthing

[nakhonandy]

My wife said of course I am not a guest, married a Thai, live here. Part of the family!

Must be one of her good days!

[canuckamuck]

"So where are you living?"

"Well currently I am a guest of Thailand"

"Wow that sounds great! So you stay for free?"

"No I paid for a house in my wife's name"

"Oh, but you travel for free, right?"

"No I pay for all my travel."

"I see... Food vouchers then? Free visa? Expense account?"

"No... "

"Then why do you call yourself a guest?

"The Thai Visa 'you're a guest' brigade said I was."

And if that includes the land the house is situated on, and the real state is not part of your registered company, than you have broken the law and you are not entitled to any of it, and your Thai wife has also broken the law by accepting your money to purchase the land.

Everyone has to pay for they`re own food and travel, wherever they are.

And the fact that you need to obtain a visa free or otherwise, means you are a guest here requiring a regular visa or permissions to stay.

It was an imaginary conversation for the sake of illustration.

And no, not everyone pays. But usually you have to be very rich or very important to become that type of guest.

[dutchman]

Offcource i feel like a guest as i never can claim anythings els als an alian

[SteeleJoe]

Yes, will say again I agree. But to me, a country is not a hotel. You can use the word guest to describe your position in Thailand the country, but I think it's a stretch of the word guest. I don't think the nation of Thailand actually looks at you that way (whatever that is, as if an entire nation can think as one). (They're not that into you ...)

Wasn't talking to you JT.

I have no problem with you position and don't care about this particular semantic argument (between foreigners about an English word and whether they feel it applies to themselves or not.)

[radiogeneris]

The whole idea of country creates division between people. Imagine there are no countries, no borders, no religion. Yes, I am a dreamer...

You are also a plagiarist!

(And absurdly unrealistic.)

[itchybum]

You should have put a choice for Expat or Hobo in the poll.

Everyone would have picked expat, simple then.

The poll is flawed by lack of thought.

[Jingthing]

Before I mentioned that to me, when foreigners in Thailand use the word guest to describe themselves, especially in the context of the power of the authorities over our continued PERMISSION to STAY here (a serious issue for many of us) the word suggests a TOADY attitude of submission to such authorities. While I will do the virtual fake kowtow at immigration if I think it will help me like any sensible self preserving expat, that's an entirely different thing than INTERNALIZING that attitude. I see no point in doing that, and to me the guest thing usage is a symptom of that kind of internalization.

Edited May 7, 2013 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

You should have put a choice for Expat or Hobo in the poll.

Everyone would have picked expat, simple then.

The poll is flawed by lack of thought.

Think you're expat, not a guest, the correct answer is no. You either fail to get the POINT of the poll, or rather more likely are playing a sniping game here. Think you're a sniper, not a guest, the correct answer is no.

The poll as it stands is a done deal. I suggest if you have an idea for ANOTHER poll, start it yourself, OK?

Edited May 7, 2013 by Jingthing

[radiogeneris]

The whole idea of country creates division between people. Imagine there are no countries, no borders, no religion. Yes, I am a dreamer...

You are also a plagiarist!

(And absurdly unrealistic.)

What does in mean realistic anyway?? It is all an idea of people. Like country, it is just an idea.. If majority of people accept a new idea, so a new reality is born. Than what is accepted now as norm is becoming unrealistic. The idea of countries and goverments is becoming unrealistic. All that needs to hapen is for enough people to accept the new idea.

[lookingeast]

No, i don't feel like a Guest. I feel like what i guess my legal status is, an ALIEN.

[Chicken George]

I did not vote. I am not a guest in my mind as I consider this to be my home. My home but with no legal status could say like a hilltribe person but with money. I would like to have Nationality like my wife and two children so I feel safe to be able to be with them in the future. May not be posdible money wise or health wise in the future who knows. Also may be impossible to take them to the UK..

[Severi]

My friend put this nicely once: "Foreigners in Thailand are tolerated, not welcomed"

Sometimes it really feels like that, when you spend more than few months in Thailand...

[Lung666]

If you behave like a guest (ie. you are respectful, do efforts to speak the language and keep a rather low profile), which I don't consider annoying or problematic whatsoever, life happens to be pretty good and easy-going here. I'm treated like a guest most of the time, locals systematically forgive my ongoing "mistakes" and motivate me in avoiding making the same mistake twice. The thai folks I have contact with totally understand that I'm a foreigner and that I grew up in a different setting. In short: it's great being a guest and it even offers certain privileges (think about that).

[Gerald14]

Of course I am NOT a guest. I worked here. paid taxes and now I am retired and still take care of my Thai family, a "guest" does not do that. Whoever is complaining about having limited rights, should consider permanent residence and becoming a Thai thereafter all is open for the people with a little effort.

[canuckamuck]

I did not vote. I am not a guest in my mind as I consider this to be my home. My home but with no legal status could say like a hilltribe person but with money. I would like to have Nationality like my wife and two children so I feel safe to be able to be with them in the future. May not be posdible money wise or health wise in the future who knows. Also may be impossible to take them to the UK..

I have decided to change my status to Hill tribe. Thanks for the idea.

[Jingthing]

Interesting that the not a guest option has picked up a lot of support over night (now 45 percent). As said before, I had predicted a small majority for not a guest but was surprised before at the initial results, only about 20 percent. One interesting things for poll creators is to see whether your personal prediction of the results of a poll you do will actually pan out.