Foreigners And Thais Nothing In Common We Can Relate To, To Talk About

[SinglePot]

I have witnessed considerable unjustified criticism of Thai women.

Apologies for my too absolute defence of them.

[Berkshire]

I can bet, that if you put me in a room, with 1,000 people in Los Angeles, (who were born there) that I can't find even one person who would say that a ghost caused the above accident I described. I can bet if I was in a room with any amount of Thai people, some huge percentage, maybe all, depending on the demographics, would say the ghost, bad luck, bad blessing ceremony, something along those lines would be the reason given for the accident. His bed was located facing the wrong way, there are all sorts of similar answers.

I'd bet that in this room of a 1,000 in Los Angeles, you'd find plenty of people with even whackier ideas. Like praying to some higher being, that the Earth was created in 7 days, heaven and hell, Adam and Eve, the will of God, etc. What the heck is the difference?

[SinglePot]

Absolutely Berkshire.

A huge percentage, maybe all are Thai.

[Kitsune]

Clever people know when to call it quits when it gets personal. To ignore................YEAH !!!!!!!!!

Better.

You're right, this is getting nowhere

I'm out of here.

[SinglePot]

Heeding the advice of maxme that I am doing this thread no favours, and benalibina's point that clever people know when to shut up...

Let me just say that if I was in a room with 500 Thai women and 500 farang women I would sit with the Thais.

Analyse, dissect, criticise, ignore...... Up to you.

'If spoken to harshly, remain as silent as a cracked gong.'

I am no Buddha, I am just an ordinary man.

Good morning.

[livinthailandos]

Can we Try to stay on topic.

Sent from my using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Cluey]

Well going off on tangents is a sign that the topic itself has pretty well petered out.

The OP's opinion that it's very hard to find Thais able and willing to discuss deep and meaningful issues.

Apparently some others find it less difficult, and have issued a standing invitation to a mixed evening D&M conversation salon over dinner.

We have been warned not to extrapolate from the situation so as to denigrate the intellectual capacity of the population as a whole.

What else is there to say?

[nontabury]

I'm thinking of joining a Glasgow Forum where I will be able to give my unquestionable opinion

Of that fair city based on my extensive experience as a TWT,( Yes i have visited) I will be able to lecture and try and impose my limited views on the locals,many of whom will have resided there for many many years.

OK, just joking, In BT defense I would just like to say, that it's good that he comes on this forum

As a TWT he can give his opinions from a completely different angle from us ex-pats who happen to reside here, sometimes he will observe things that we don't or perhaps we just simple take for granted.

However I don't think this is one of those cases, I believe having re-read through most of this topic, that the majority who disagree with BT, are not saying or implying that all(100%) Thais are unable to carry out an intelligent conversation,what they are saying is that the Vast majority of Thais cannot, due mainly to the fact that the Thai education system is only interested in retaining the status quo.

BT keeps mentioning the Thais, who can carry out an intelligent conversation,who as a TWT he has come into contact with. Well BT this might come as a surprise to you, but I have also had conversations with Very Rich,high connected Thais, in fact when I was in business in the UK, they sometimes came and stayed at my UK house. Again the majority were not really interested in aspects of other cultures or about events outside of Thailand, what they were interested in, was simple how to make more money. The ones who are able to make or willing to carry out the conversations that you are referring to are very few and far between.

[metisdead]

A post in which the reply was made within the quoted post has been removed, this is altering a quoted post and is in violation of this forum rule:

30) Do not modify someone else's post in your quoted reply, either with font or color changes, added emoticons, or altered wording.

[elektrified]

I tend to meet and to get to know educated, well-traveled people in Thailand and to me they are no different than anyone else in the world. We have the same conversations we have with people from the West - minus heated world political debates. Sure if you are going to chit chat with some locals from a small village there is nothing more than small talk about food, the weather and so forth. Even my motorcycle mechanic who does not speak hardly any English and whose travel has been limited to mostly other Asian countries and a 2 week holiday in the USA many years ago, loves talking with me about U.S. politics and American football when I go there once in a while.

If you are an interesting person, you will attract other people who share similar interests. The well to do Thai clients we have who are audiophiles and have traveled the world are very interesting people.

[Tomtomtom69]

What I can't be bothered with is the " you don't know what it's like " brigade. I choose to never know what it's like, I want to enjoy life.

.

So stop telling us what to think, stop telling us we are wrong in what we witness everyday, if you can't be bothered to face reality

I can't help who you mix with, and my pals are of the opinion that the Thais wouldn't discuss anything with you anyway, as you, like most farangs in this country, rank behind the flea on the dogs back in order of importance.

I pity you that needs to live in a country with people you rate so lowly.

That is one ridiculously discriminatory and absolutely absurd comment to make. First of all, the average Thai has respect for foreigners, especially those that mind their own business and are not known criminals etc. there is no reason why they wouldn't.

Secondly, if this statement were true, Thailand would be an extremely hostile place for "farangs", by which I think you mean foreigners in general and the tourism industry here would barely be in existence. Thirdly, if you are by any way implying that a well traveled, well-to-do hi-so Thai would be as narrow minded as to not spend time with foreigners, but would rather hang out with Somchai the banana trader that drives his beaten up pickup truck loaded with bananas to market and blames everyone else for his problems then you are surely mistaken.

Not sure where you came up with such a view but I can assure you that this is not how most Thais view foreigners.

Edited June 15, 2013 by Tomtomtom69

[Kitsune]

What I can't be bothered with is the " you don't know what it's like " brigade. I choose to never know what it's like, I want to enjoy life.

.

So stop telling us what to think, stop telling us we are wrong in what we witness everyday, if you can't be bothered to face reality

I can't help who you mix with, and my pals are of the opinion that the Thais wouldn't discuss anything with you anyway, as you, like most farangs in this country, rank behind the flea on the dogs back in order of importance.

I pity you that needs to live in a country with people you rate so lowly.

That is one ridiculously discriminatory and absolutely absurd comment to make. First of all, the average Thai has respect for foreigners, especially those that mind their own business and are not known criminals etc. there is no reason why they wouldn't.

Secondly, if this statement were true, Thailand would be an extremely hostile place for "farangs", by which I think you mean foreigners in general and the tourism industry here would barely be in existence. Thirdly, if you are by any way implying that a well traveled, well-to-do hi-so Thai would be as narrow minded as to not spend time with foreigners, but would rather hang out with Somchai the banana trader that drives his beaten up pickup truck loaded with bananas to market and blames everyone else for his problems then you are surely mistaken.

Not sure where you came up with such a view but I can assure you that this is not how most Thais view foreigners.

Tourist industry takes years before reacting to trends, it might not have an impact now, but in the future

[boosta]

Used to be only the truly wealthy, government officials and real international businessmen could afford to travel.

Now it costs less than a couple month's utilities bills to fly to the other side of the world.

Obviously as more and more Thais learn not all foreigners are worthy of respect, they will have a more realistic attitude about us, especially given the reasons so many stick around rather than just visiting and heading back home.

Totally justified and reasonable, we should consider ourselves lucky the default attitude away from tourist-infested places is at least neutral if not still positive.

Familiarity breeds contempt.

[SeaVisionBurma]

Locking for a clean up. Several of you seem more intent on bickering than sticking to the topic.

Hasn't been an on-topic response for a while...

Update: I am re-opening this topic.

Suggest you all go back and read the OP (Post #1, page#1 for any of you who might have difficulty finding it)

Any further bickering, or posts not remotely connected to the OP - will be removed and holidays possibly awarded (and I don't mean the type of holidays where they give you awesome bits of fruit and little coloured parasol type things in your welcome drinks)

Carry on.

[pigeonjake]

i suppose it all depends on what you want to talk about,

i find i have plenty in comon with the people in our vilage,

i like to chat about farming, pigs ,chickens ect, but then again i was from farming stock in the uk, i was never one for chating about polatics, and the like, so i dont bother here,

jake

[sustento]

I've known a Thai family for the past 20 years. The only thing I can relate to is that they are undoubtedly the friendliest, kindest, most honest bunch of people I've ever met in my whole life.

[ABCer]

my wife and me, we talk about allsorts of things just the same as i did with my ex wife in the uk,

whats shes been doing,,

how things are going with my work,

the news both uk and thai,

is the family ok,

are the animals ok,

lots of things, im married to her we are just a normal couple that happen to be british and thai, in fact i think that gives us more to talk about,

again just my thoughts, i think some try and complicate a relationship, insteed of just letting it happen, a relationship grows with time, youll find youll get more to chat about as time goes by,

you all know im not good with words, but i hope you get my drift,

take care jake

Pigeonjake, I like your post and think I understand what you are trying to say.

Just cannot help, but to recall a joke: A fellow is talking about his friend, - "He is a good friend, smart, not stingy, reliable, ... never mind he's a jew..."

No offence meant, really

Edited June 18, 2013 by ABCer