Several days ago I visited the building site of my married ex secretaries new condominium shop house in Thonburi. Of course, all of the workers gawked at the falang walking with the owner. At one point she turned to me and said, “they will think that you are going to give me some money for this project”.

Why? This kind of thinking is understandable in the bar scene and possibly in some areas of Issan. But, why would people who have no association with falangs think this. Is it some kind of cultural myth?

Can someone with more insight than I please give your thoughts? Where did it come from? How long has it been common? Does the Thai media, movies, and magazines promote this myth in some way?

Aloha

Siki

I heard a look tung song today that basically portrayed the 'farang' as the money giver - "I am broke, I'd better find myself a farang".

The workers probably came from Isarn, where there are thousands of poor girls that marry a farang and then live a life of relative luxury, building a house wihin a year or two of getting married(something their freinds can't do) and never having to do a days graft again in their lives. What do you expect the workers to think?

It's not just Isarn, it's all of rural Thailand, and Bangkok too.

Myth Of The Rich Falang Showering Money On A Thai: Where Does It Come From?

uh, from all the rich farangs showering money upon thais.

Myth Of The Rich Falang Showering Money On A Thai: Where Does It Come From?

uh, from all the rich farangs showering money upon thais.

for three weeks....

and then travel back home to their council flat in the midlands....

QUOTE(girlx @ 2006-04-30 12:12:46) *

QUOTE

Myth Of The Rich Falang Showering Money On A Thai: Where Does It Come From?

uh, from all the rich farangs showering money upon thais. wink.gif

for three weeks....

and then travel back home to their council flat in the midlands....

Where they get early retirement and take their life savings to Thailand and give some 'poor' girl.

It's called reality not mythology.

It would appear to some Thai people that Farangs shower money on them or others, but to many Farangs the ammounts of money involved are not that much, but to some Thai people, those ammounts are huge.

Also to some Farangs they are huge ammounts also.

You have.They believe they do notThey want.Mind you,I have met many people here who think they are poor,but would have a very nasty shock if they went to Myanmar.For example here in Chumphon I have never seen so many expensive 4x4 cars in my life.[sorry if a bit off topic.]

Little dosh in Thailand goes a long way - same dosh spent in the West doesnt. So we can see where the perception comes from.

Several days ago I visited the building site of my married ex secretaries new condominium shop house in Thonburi. Of course, all of the workers gawked at the falang walking with the owner. At one point she turned to me and said, “they will think that you are going to give me some money for this project”.

Maybe she was just dropping a hint?

A hundred pounds (6000/7000 baht) spent on a night on the piss...could be a month's wages for someone...

So you can see where they get the idea....

When you go to Thailand on holiday...everyone's a two-week millionaire...

All to do with luck and the story of the white elephant