PM Yingluck wants Thais living overseas to promote Thainess to the world

[Payboy]

Okay, before I go on a sarcastic rant: what -in the name of <deleted>- is "Thainess?

Fake smiles? The inability to tell the straight- out truth, accept criticism or advice (from farang, especially) and say "sorry" if you made a mistake?

Or is it that fake ideal of respecting elders (at all costs! And I mean ALL costs!), love children (but do everything to get them killed, from disastrous food to the no- helmet policy on motorbikes?) and generally see Thailand as the center of the known universe?

The cute folklore-stuff, like praying to a river- godess, instead of putting together a team of experts to longlastingly fight flooding?

The constant denial about prostitution, no matter if it is in your face on Patpong or hidden in a brothel upcountry?

I could go on and on and on and on and....

Okay, enough of the facts, give us your sarcastic rant now.

[Songhua]

Thainess abroad. That's what the two ladyboys on who-knows-what visa and living a few doors away from me here in Australia must be spreading.

Maybe the rouge porch light is Thai for 'welcome'.

And the PM's Thainess message obviously hasn't got through to my wife either - she tells people that her countrymen are greedy and all carry guns!

.

[FireMedic]

Funny, the few Thais I know living in Florida are doctors. They told me nothing but bad things about Thailand. Government, police, and local corruption, violence, driving dangers, etc., most Thais living abroad aren't proud of those facts. I think PM better have a better formed country structure before she asks her own people to promote it.

[MegaRanter]

My partner is plucking mangoes unriped and stopping in traffic to grab branches off trees for soup. Last week her Thai friend was chased off a private property where she went to harvest leaves locals don't eat.

Thainess could land them in trouble.

She wear bum shorts to go buy things from shop annexed to a mosque. She won't eat parboiled rice from Thailand, only hom Mali , which you have to go to 23 supermarkets to find at $13 for 5 kg bags.

Could go on, and on ....

[kotsak]

Promote Thainess, the one that, as we've been told, foreigners don't understand?

[eddie61]

I bet the students pissed themselves laughing after they had politely waied and she toddled on to less less important things in her day. My good four lettered word what a pratt!

[Trentham]

What!!!!!! Promote lying, love of money, prostitution, corruption, political upheaval, abasement of Buddhism, transvestism and lots more?

[PhilipCook]

fine idea. now who are the next faces the overseas tourists encounter upon arriving in thailand? the immigration desk person, the bus/taxi driver, the hotel receptionist. assuming the overseas thais set a fine example and the hotel receptionist does as well, who will advise the immigration desk person, taxi driver and bus driver about promoting thainess in carrying out their duties?

[MAJIC]

Yingluck should ask the question, "Why should the majority of Thai Immigrants promote Thainess"? most of them only return to Thailand from their adopted Country,for holidays,and to visit their family and friends'' it's all very well expecting them to be Promoting Thailand,but I suspect there will not be much interest,they didn't immigrate to have the same lifestyle as they did in Thailand.

And Mentioning ID cards for Thais will be available by Post from next year,is all very well and good,but does nothing for Thai Passport renewals,which some have to travel more than 200 miles to collect them in person at their nearest Thai Consulate.

[GAZZPA]

This is getting embarrassing to read. I wonder how Thailand would respond to me promoting "Englishness" to the Thai masses whilst I am here?

[Suffinator]

Is Yingluck suggesting every nation should drive like morons, steal, lie and cheat their way through life and of course when you can't get your own way simply murder someone. That's Thainess in a nutshell.

[ezzra]

Promote Thainess to the world you say aye? it has been done so vigorously for many years now

by young, pretty Thai "students " working very hard for the glory of the mother land in all

of those massage parlous all over the world, why I know personally many men who decide

to visit the mother lode of Thainees in Thailand after just couple of visits to those culture

centers, and they never stop coming again, and again, and again,

[bigbamboo]

Jeez, where is this stuff coming from? She is supposed to be a country's PM not a company's PR.

Either she's losing it or someone on the inside wants her out.

[eddie61]

They are funny little people, aren't they?

Sweet..... absolutely hopeless, completely clueless but quite cute, in a little fluffy white rabbit kind of way! Just waiting for the pot when the AEC comes in force.

I love PM Yingluck, she's so cute, she absolutely embodies Thainess. She should be promoted to Supreme Ambassador of Thainess, and let labour minister Chalerm manage the reality of Thainess.

Edited July 10, 2013 by eddie61

[Scully]

Why is everyone moaning about Thainess being promoted?. This should have been done years ago, my father never got the chance to see Thailand but I am sure he would have still enjoyed watching a ping pong show at home.

[Misterwhisper]

Oh noooo! Not that nauseating "push 'Thainess' on everybody" approach again.

"...she asked them to let others know of all these good things while studying abroad."

But there we have it. In Mrs. Flim-Flam's mind 'Thainess' only manifests itself in 'good things' worth promoting to people in other countries, who probably couldn't care less to be acquainted with much over-rated 'Thainess'.

Because let's face it: 'Thainess' certainly also encompasses quite a slew of rather negative aspects, like instituted hypocrisy, blanket acceptance of corruption, subservience to anyone deemed 'socially higher', inability of logical thinking, lemming behaviour, uncontrolled and sudden emotional outbursts, xenophobia, an obsession with 'face' bordering on self-destruction and all too often causing physical harm to perceived offenders, non-existence of environmental awareness and obsessive-compulsive littering anywhere and anyplace, nationalistic attitudes and 'master race' delusions, and, and, and... the list could go on almost indefinitely.

Edited July 10, 2013 by Misterwhisper

[unanimosity]

Thai students are temporarily overseas. This message must be directed at people truly living overseas and that narrows it down to Thai restaurant owners. Apparently they are expected put a push cart on the street, making sure not to get a license, and sell food from uncovered pots and pans with no running water for washing hands and utensils while stealing electricity from the nearest utility pole.

Those very few that do not own or work in Thai restaurants can spread Thainess by making sure to let the door swing closed into the person behind and taking every precaution not to use the words please or excuse me.

[DeeMaiDee]

Thainess...translated into human speak..Obsessive Compulsive Disorder...

[rubin]

"Thainess" - is IF a Thai person doesn't like something he takes out a samurai sword and KILLS?

Edited July 10, 2013 by rubin

[TroyT]

Maybe they could encourage those of us who have chosen LOS to be their home to talk positively to others who might think about doing the same ...

...... instead of treating us like aliens; or worse!

Edited July 10, 2013 by TroyT

[monty1412]

Students, that concludes the ceremony... however as part of our final day we are going to hear from Pornchai whom many of you know, about his native Thailand .

Pornchai welcome.. please tell us about your home...

Swaasdee krup everyone.. allot of you know me so let me start by telling you about Thailand..

Its a great place... the capital is Bangkok and the traffic is terrible.... yes there are plenty of taxi's but most are driven by people whose last job was behind a water buffalo and quite often they have guns and knives and just last week and American got stabbed with a samurai sword by a taxi driver.. however it was his fault cause he got annoyed with the taxi driver and in Thailand you shouldn't get annoyed.

However dont let me put you off going to Thailand and getting a taxi just as long as you are going where he wants to go and don't expect the meter to be on.

The beaches are great.. in Phuket and Pattaya you can have a wow of a time and hire jet skis.. Just beware of the old scam however where they say you damaged them and then the thugs all descend on you until you agree to pay an extortionate amount.. the police.. well they are in on it so dont expect any help there.... all good fun but remember to keep your cool and don't get annoyed as you hand over 30,000 Baht for something you didn't do as this is Thailand and you shouldn't get annoyed. Besides everyone knows you farang have heaps of money

Our politics are well known.. in fact we have a great brother and sister team sort of like your Punch and Judy puppet routine.. THaksin is in exile as he has run away from the country due to being convicted of bribery and his sister is the PM but he controls her and the other puppets . People get annoyed at this but they shouldnt as you dont get annoyed in Thailand.

Thai people really care about our framers so much so that we are the only nation that gives our farmers a rice subsidy... the farmers are real happy at least if they got some of it, our rice is now the most expensive in the world and we are sooo blessed with rice that we are sitting on mountains of it is storage just for a rainy day... people sometimes get annoyed at this but you shouldn't get annoyed in Thailand.

We have a great quality of life in Thailand...its not that we value life highly its just we have a great quality of life... chances are if you get in an altercation over even the most simple thing with a Thai man then a knife or gun will be bought out.. but dont worry there aren't that many deaths statistically of foreigners in Thailand.. well not compared to active war zones . Again moral of the story is dont get annoyed.. yes you guessed it.. you shouldn't get annoyed in Thailand.

Ladyboys.. many fellow students asked me about these and they are really a great part of Thai society.. if you go for a standard massage chances are there will be a lady boy under the bed to help sort through your clothes... feeling tired and run down.. not to despair allot of ladyboys will accompany you home and give your drink a little sedative to help you sleep and only deduct a modest sum from your wallet for the service.

So I could go on and on about my home.. there are so many things I haven't mentioned.. but it sure is a great place... Once I finish here I plan to go to university here, get a job here, get my relatives and friend here live here...some people get annoyed that Im sacrificing myself by not going home but I like to think Im giving other Thais a better opportunity and besides you shouldn't get annoyed in Thailand.

See you all at the party tonight....if anyone falls of the balcony i will cover for you as my sister has had two of her farang husbands mysteriously fall so i know what to do...

[bigbamboo]

Has it occurred to Ms.Y and her advisors that the reason most Thais ARE abroad is to get away from silly nonsense like 'Thainess'?

[DocN]

Okay, before I go on a sarcastic rant: what -in the name of <deleted>- is "Thainess?

Fake smiles? The inability to tell the straight- out truth, accept criticism or advice (from farang, especially) and say "sorry" if you made a mistake?

Or is it that fake ideal of respecting elders (at all costs! And I mean ALL costs!), love children (but do everything to get them killed, from disastrous food to the no- helmet policy on motorbikes?) and generally see Thailand as the center of the known universe?

The cute folklore-stuff, like praying to a river- godess, instead of putting together a team of experts to longlastingly fight flooding?

The constant denial about prostitution, no matter if it is in your face on Patpong or hidden in a brothel upcountry?

I could go on and on and on and on and....

Okay, enough of the facts, give us your sarcastic rant now.

You got me!

[Chrisswe]

Yes it's a good idea, but some serious problem must be solved first, satch as for Pattaya concern, swimming in garbage, Giant air pollution, Giant traffic problem, Criminality and vendor Maffia and so on !!

[GeorgeO]

Perhaps they could start by showing the video of the 60 year-old Australian lady who was stabbed to death in Phuket, or perhaps the more recent clip of the samurai wielding taxi driver who ended the life of an American on the streets of Bangkok.

Then there's always that clip of the gang who jumped all over the Indian guys in Pattaya for allegedly spoiling their precious jet skis, or the law professor screaming, shouting, punching and kicking those Thai women because they wouldn't give way to his Mercedes.

Can't think of any better examples of Thainess as it is currently being presented domestically...!

[Songhua]

Thai students are temporarily overseas. This message must be directed at people truly living overseas and that narrows it down to Thai restaurant owners. Apparently they are expected put a push cart on the street, making sure not to get a license, and sell food from uncovered pots and pans with no running water for washing hands and utensils while stealing electricity from the nearest utility pole.

Those very few that do not own or work in Thai restaurants can spread Thainess by making sure to let the door swing closed into the person behind and taking every precaution not to use the words please or excuse me.

5555 Yeah, I can imagine my council health inspector's reaction to that. I'll ask her about it next time she's berating me for the one centimetre hole next to the light fitting which creates a non fully sealed kitchen .... or the couple of grains of uncooked rice she found by crawling almost the whole way under the bench.

Next to her, Thainess is a walk in the park.

Three young Thai hi-so uni students (girls) are regular customers of ours and live just nearby our shop in a swanky penthouse owned (not rented) by the father of one of them. Very nice girls but I'm not sure they're into the whole Thainess thing, spreading their leader's word or even studying for that matter - they seem to spend most of their days walking around in bikini tops & shorts and hanging out at nightclubs at night.

[OzMick]

Yingluck should ask the question, "Why should the majority of Thai Immigrants promote Thainess"? most of them only return to Thailand from their adopted Country,for holidays,and to visit their family and friends'' it's all very well expecting them to be Promoting Thailand,but I suspect there will not be much interest,they didn't immigrate to have the same lifestyle as they did in Thailand.

And Mentioning ID cards for Thais will be available by Post from next year,is all very well and good,but does nothing for Thai Passport renewals,which some have to travel more than 200 miles to collect them in person at their nearest Thai Consulate.

When I married my Thai wife, it had to be registered in BKK (from Samui), her name had to be changed in Sukhothai, she could only buy a passport in BKK, but somehow my middle name had worked its way into her name, so back to Sukhothai to correct, then back to BKK for passport, which has to be picked up in person after 3 working days, but their was a public holiday weekend included so back to Sukhothai to visit mum, and then nearly 2 weeks later,home to Samui via BKK for passport. Only some time after I realised how lucky I was that she wasn't from Chiang Rai or Sungai Kolok.

Later, in oz, Thai Air refused to allow my step-children to board on a second leg of a return ticket, despite her maiden name being shown in passport, until we gave them a stat dec in English (which she can't read) that she was their mother.

[eddie61]

Students, that concludes the ceremony... however as part of our final day we are going to hear from Pornchai whom many of you know, about his native Thailand .

Pornchai welcome.. please tell us about your home...

Swaasdee krup everyone.. allot of you know me so let me start by telling you about Thailand..

Its a great place... the capital is Bangkok and the traffic is terrible.... yes there are plenty of taxi's but most are driven by people whose last job was behind a water buffalo and quite often they have guns and knives and just last week and American got stabbed with a samurai sword by a taxi driver.. however it was his fault cause he got annoyed with the taxi driver and in Thailand you shouldn't get annoyed.

However dont let me put you off going to Thailand and getting a taxi just as long as you are going where he wants to go and don't expect the meter to be on.

The beaches are great.. in Phuket and Pattaya you can have a wow of a time and hire jet skis.. Just beware of the old scam however where they say you damaged them and then the thugs all descend on you until you agree to pay an extortionate amount.. the police.. well they are in on it so dont expect any help there.... all good fun but remember to keep your cool and don't get annoyed as you hand over 30,000 Baht for something you didn't do as this is Thailand and you shouldn't get annoyed. Besides everyone knows you farang have heaps of money

Our politics are well known.. in fact we have a great brother and sister team sort of like your Punch and Judy puppet routine.. THaksin is in exile as he has run away from the country due to being convicted of bribery and his sister is the PM but he controls her and the other puppets . People get annoyed at this but they shouldnt as you dont get annoyed in Thailand.

Thai people really care about our framers so much so that we are the only nation that gives our farmers a rice subsidy... the farmers are real happy at least if they got some of it, our rice is now the most expensive in the world and we are sooo blessed with rice that we are sitting on mountains of it is storage just for a rainy day... people sometimes get annoyed at this but you shouldn't get annoyed in Thailand.

We have a great quality of life in Thailand...its not that we value life highly its just we have a great quality of life... chances are if you get in an altercation over even the most simple thing with a Thai man then a knife or gun will be bought out.. but dont worry there aren't that many deaths statistically of foreigners in Thailand.. well not compared to active war zones . Again moral of the story is dont get annoyed.. yes you guessed it.. you shouldn't get annoyed in Thailand.

Ladyboys.. many fellow students asked me about these and they are really a great part of Thai society.. if you go for a standard massage chances are there will be a lady boy under the bed to help sort through your clothes... feeling tired and run down.. not to despair allot of ladyboys will accompany you home and give your drink a little sedative to help you sleep and only deduct a modest sum from your wallet for the service.

So I could go on and on about my home.. there are so many things I haven't mentioned.. but it sure is a great place... Once I finish here I plan to go to university here, get a job here, get my relatives and friend here live here...some people get annoyed that Im sacrificing myself by not going home but I like to think Im giving other Thais a better opportunity and besides you shouldn't get annoyed in Thailand.

See you all at the party tonight....if anyone falls of the balcony i will cover for you as my sister has had two of her farang husbands mysteriously fall so i know what to do...

Democracy.... I poritic very boling

Copyright plotection.... Oheeey! Why u tink toomut

Corruption... hab in ebery plate

Soap opera: i lie to mut, hab many, thailand no 1,

Edited July 10, 2013 by eddie61

[Maggusoil]

I think more practical advice would be more useful. Such as what to say when people ask why there are so many prostitutes in Thailand. And how is it that the Thai PM is the sister of a "self exiled" fugitive who is actually running the country. That sort of thing.

In my work I meet a lot of people who travel, family types included, not just sex tourists and sexpats. They usually think of Thailand by what they see. This includes sexpats and sex tourists. Very, very few of them would even go near any comment about Thai politics or politicians.

I have very clever Thai friends who know a lot about it and even then, really cannot understand.

If we have a predominantly negative attitude, we will see negatives everywhere. If we have a predominantly positive attitude we will see positives everywhere.

If we are looking for problems to solve or people we can assist we will find them.

I have quite good friends who support orphanages here and travel here twice a year from Australia to attend them.

The thing I have noticed most predominantly in Thai Visa Forum, apart from the excellent advice regarding visas to be found here, is an almost overwhelming community of Thai bashers.

Serious, dedicated bashers who appear to be waiting like vultures on a fence, for the

next piece of negative news to drop into their inbox, to pounce upon, to say, there, you see, what a terrible place this is and what idiots Thai people are.

If most of these people either live here or visit here often, it really makes me wonder why they come at all.

Can someone please explain?

[Always18]

In my, perhaps, cynical view of what passes for Thai-ness, I suspect that any ex-pat Thai promoting such behavior in a Western environment would swiftly find themselves shunned, blacklisted and probably arrested and incarcerated.....................