An ordinary Thai's impression of us Westerners.

[i claudius]

I no longer care what they think of us. I care more about what i think of them....not very much to be honest.

Then why are you here?

I go to thailand because i like it, despite a lot of awful attitude and behaviour from a fair portion of the locals. And given the behavior i often see from the locals i really don't much care what they think of me, especially if the only differentiating feature as far as the locals are concerned is whether we've ironed our T-shirt and trousers.

Id far prefer it if they decided that rather than cheat/attack/abuse or otherwise treat us "farangs" as subhuman they would just stop ironing their trousers instead as their sign of disrespect.

You really must hang out in the wrong areas and with the wrong people ,my wife ,my son and i are virtually always treated with respect ,our Thai neighbours are friendly ,helpfull and well just nice ,could it be that we treat then respectfully or is it that we live on a good estate with Thai people who have good jobs and their own homes ? i really do not think thats all it is ,because i always am and always have been treated well by most Thai people.

[Naam]

for the record: i am a paying guest in their country and i believe in the old proverb

You should - since you are a guest in their country.

"he who pays the piper calls the tune"

as simple as that.

Exactly how much in Thai income tax did you pay this year?

I'm guessing zero, which means that any money that you did spend was simply for items for your own consumption and comfort, same as it would be in any place on the planet.

I'm also guessing that if it came down to a choice between the piddling sums that you likely spend or having someone with your insulting attitude leave, the Thais would choose for you to be gone.

for the record: the year is not yet over and we have spend (according to my spreadsheet) in Thailand the modest amount of 2,352,852 Baht that includes the salaries and benefits of four employees who's families are depending on that income. as our employees enjoy top salaries, accomodation, perks and a 4-day week you are invited to conduct a survey whether they would choose that the Mrs and my[not so]humble self are gone or whether they'd we prefer that we stay.

correct is that i did not pay any income tax but i estimate the VAT at ~ 115,000 Baht (not all expenses had a VAT liability) plus VAT of 409,500 Baht (purchase of a car) and the peanuts amount of ~32,000 Baht (road tax for our cars).

that's a total of approximately 557,000 Baht tax in 2013 which i would like to compare with the taxes you paid.

now waiting patiently for you to publish the taxes you paid...

Nice try - the all important "we" sticks out in the first sentence.

Never said I paid income tax, although I do pay a healthy amount of VAT and import duties each month.

But that begs the real issue - your very negative attitude toward Thais in general. Does your wife, or do the 4 employees, know that you don't "give a toss" what they think? If so, it must be hard on them to put up with that attitude on a daily basis...

The fact remains that I am a guest in this country - even 30 years after my first visit - and I act accordingly. Many do not...

"we" means my wife and my[not so]humble self. that i don't care what Thais or anybody think about doesn't mean i have a negative attitude towards Thais.

your assumption (out of thin air) that i don't give a toss what our staff is thinking is totally wrong. these are people who work with and for us, doing an excellent job, and are treated with the same respect we expect from them towards us. on top of that i am the proud god-grandfather of a little boy and a little girl, son and daughter of two or our staff (soon one more). a relevant thread with pictures exist on Thaivisa here:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/279140-show-your-half-asian-baby/page-17#entry6390910

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/279140-show-your-half-asian-baby/page-17#entry6408079

as far as my non-Thai wife is concerned i'd rather not reveal what she thinks of being a guest in Thailand.

now get back to your dark corner and stop poking your nose into other peoples affairs!

[rayongchelsea]

I no longer care what they think of us. I care more about what i think of them....not very much to be honest.

Then why are you here?

I go to thailand because i like it, despite a lot of awful attitude and behaviour from a fair portion of the locals. And given the behavior i often see from the locals i really don't much care what they think of me, especially if the only differentiating feature as far as the locals are concerned is whether we've ironed our T-shirt and trousers.

Id far prefer it if they decided that rather than cheat/attack/abuse or otherwise treat us "farangs" as subhuman they would just stop ironing their trousers instead as their sign of disrespect.

You really must hang out in the wrong areas and with the wrong people ,my wife ,my son and i are virtually always treated with respect ,our Thai neighbours are friendly ,helpfull and well just nice ,could it be that we treat then respectfully or is it that we live on a good estate with Thai people who have good jobs and their own homes ? i really do not think thats all it is ,because i always am and always have been treated well by most Thai people.

I lived on a nice moo baan for 15 years with really nice neighbours and was the only farang, but that is only one element of Thai society.

You must be retired, stay home a lot , let your wife do most things and not stray far. Nothing wrong with that, but it's a very limited experience.

We have all been treated well by Thais, but if you have lived here, worked here, lived in various areas, do business here , go to the entertainment areas, the beach resorts..you will see a different side and it ain't all roses..

[Naam]

I no longer care what they think of us. I care more about what i think of them....not very much to be honest.

Then why are you here?

I go to thailand because i like it, despite a lot of awful attitude and behaviour from a fair portion of the locals. And given the behavior i often see from the locals i really don't much care what they think of me, especially if the only differentiating feature as far as the locals are concerned is whether we've ironed our T-shirt and trousers.

Id far prefer it if they decided that rather than cheat/attack/abuse or otherwise treat us "farangs" as subhuman they would just stop ironing their trousers instead as their sign of disrespect.

You really must hang out in the wrong areas and with the wrong people ,my wife ,my son and i are virtually always treated with respect ,our Thai neighbours are friendly ,helpfull and well just nice ,could it be that we treat then respectfully or is it that we live on a good estate with Thai people who have good jobs and their own homes ? i really do not think thats all it is ,because i always am and always have been treated well by most Thai people.

no Thai has ever attacked or abused me or treated as "subhuman. and as far as cheating is concerned Thailand is not much different from any other country. yes i agree, "Farang pricing" does exist. however, it is not really Farang related, but just following the common attitude "charge as much money as possible if money exists!".

companies are doing it on a global scale by selling the same product at different and sometimes at a multiple price in high-income countries.

[Jerry Cornelius]

First of all, I have no Idea what the "usual" Thai thinks of Westerners. Being a Westerner

I can only say when I see some of the filthy,fat lugs with their dirty clothes, gulping beer after

beer at 11 AM I can only think of what a bunch of "red necks" that arrived in Thailand. Of course,

they would be just as fat, dirty and gulping beer after beer in their Home Countries if half of them

were not running from child support, alimony, and other infractions of the law in their Home

Countries, not to mention all the unpaid bills they left their families to pay off.

This is what I, as a Westerner, think of this "Type". Clean up, have a little self-respect and

try to be a credit to your Home Country not an embarrasment.

Being a 'red neck' is an ideology. Not an appearance.

Excessive consumption of alcohol can give an hypertensive appearance though.

The folks you describe are merely alcoholics, in their cups.

If you don't care for right wing thinkers, at least describe them properly.

Jerry

[peterpop]

Yes. I am often embarrassed by the behaviour,attitude and dress of other foreigners here in Thailand and my wife and some Thai friends also find this distasteful because it shows a lack of respect for their ways. The remark below 'Who gives a Toss' reflects this fairly accurately. Low life.

[khrab]

on the subject of

The part about prison is correct, but as for reasons well known the prisoners have no belts so the fit of the pants is not secured andd tends to lower sometimes.

[gugabh]

Good folks , do not much care what people think of me . What matters is that I respect the Thai people and I worry about not being wrong with their customs . I'm living quite well here and I have had a lot of respect from them . Of course I'm different, but I believe many may develop a certain dislike of foreigners who frequent brothels , tattoo and if moreover treat them badly and did not even greet them. In any foreign country this would be frowned upon . In my , perhaps even expelled the great taste . In your case , I saw a comparison and not a statement that you are equal to others. The treatment I get when I'm wearing a suit is the same as when I'm in shorts and sport shirt. Of course , do not like slippers and do not own tattoo. But give long and good morning everyone who treat me well . the frowning , respect the space and avoid contact. In most , if respect any human being , you will also have your respect . Now here for us , what's rude English living here , so we just want your money , and I'm certain ! The same happens in london .

[Rimmer]

A racist rant has been removed

[lineofentry]

Smart = educated, wealthy, powerful, high status, important, to be grovelled up to.

Scruffy = low class, unimportant, poor, stupid, to be derided and treated like dirt.

Explains why there is so much 'top brass' pushing their faces on telly and trying to look very important.

I like the 'the middle way', I think some bloke mentioned it a few years ago.

[SickOfEm]

Yes. I am often embarrassed by the behaviour,attitude and dress of other foreigners here in Thailand and my wife and some Thai friends also find this distasteful because it shows a lack of respect for their ways. The remark below 'Who gives a Toss' reflects this fairly accurately. Low life.

Behaviour, attitude and dress do not go hand in hand. Ones chosen attire does not reflect the attitude or behaviour of ones personality. A person cannot be judged by his appearance in the same token as the sea cannot be measured with a bucket.

[nithisa78]

I no longer care what they think of us. I care more about what i think of them....not very much to be honest.

sounds like personal problem....with your self-esteem.

[rayongchelsea]

Yes. I am often embarrassed by the behaviour,attitude and dress of other foreigners here in Thailand and my wife and some Thai friends also find this distasteful because it shows a lack of respect for their ways. The remark below 'Who gives a Toss' reflects this fairly accurately. Low life.

Behaviour, attitude and dress do not go hand in hand. Ones chosen attire does not reflect the attitude or behaviour of ones personality. A person cannot be judged by his appearance in the same token as the sea cannot be measured with a bucket.

But you very much are in Thailand..add the car you drive to the list.

[tsigane]

Yes. I am often embarrassed by the behaviour,attitude and dress of other foreigners here in Thailand and my wife and some Thai friends also find this distasteful because it shows a lack of respect for their ways. The remark below 'Who gives a Toss' reflects this fairly accurately. Low life.

Amen to this. Never in my life have I seen westerners like I saw here in Thailand (I guess mostly Pattaya). I've seen white trash in the US, but I never knew such people existed in continental Europe. Thailand seems like a magnet for low-lives of the world.

Whenever I feel mistreated by Thais, I think of Pattaya farangs and I can almost see why they see us as walking ATMs only. The only reason they tolerate us is money as there is nothing else we can offer to them. I would certainly ask for much more money to tolerate such guests in my country.

[lostinsurin]

I live in Surin and always dress well, my friends don't see why,

but I know Thais judge us by how we dress.

90% of farangs will disagree, but they were slobs before they came here, they put on shorts and the wife beater top and go drinking.

Some people look fine in casual dress, but most don't.

Thais love to see a well dressed farang, it shows respect.

[SickOfEm]

Yes. I am often embarrassed by the behaviour,attitude and dress of other foreigners here in Thailand and my wife and some Thai friends also find this distasteful because it shows a lack of respect for their ways. The remark below 'Who gives a Toss' reflects this fairly accurately. Low life.

Behaviour, attitude and dress do not go hand in hand. Ones chosen attire does not reflect the attitude or behaviour of ones personality. A person cannot be judged by his appearance in the same token as the sea cannot be measured with a bucket.

But you very much are in Thailand..add the car you drive to the list.

I'm a bit more intelligent than that to judge someone by their appearance or by what car they drive. Which is why, I, "don't give a toss".

[lostinsurin]

Yes. I am often embarrassed by the behaviour,attitude and dress of other foreigners here in Thailand and my wife and some Thai friends also find this distasteful because it shows a lack of respect for their ways. The remark below 'Who gives a Toss' reflects this fairly accurately. Low life.

Amen to this. Never in my life have I seen westerners like I saw here in Thailand (I guess mostly Pattaya). I've seen white trash in the US, but I never knew such people existed in continental Europe. Thailand seems like a magnet for low-lives of the world.

Whenever I feel mistreated by Thais, I think of Pattaya farangs and I can almost see why they see us as walking ATMs only. The only reason they tolerate us is money as there is nothing else we can offer to them. I would certainly ask for much more money to tolerate such guests in my country.

Well said.

[lostinsurin]

Yes. I am often embarrassed by the behaviour,attitude and dress of other foreigners here in Thailand and my wife and some Thai friends also find this distasteful because it shows a lack of respect for their ways. The remark below 'Who gives a Toss' reflects this fairly accurately. Low life.

Behaviour, attitude and dress do not go hand in hand. Ones chosen attire does not reflect the attitude or behaviour of ones personality. A person cannot be judged by his appearance in the same token as the sea cannot be measured with a bucket.

But you very much are in Thailand..add the car you drive to the list.

I'm a bit more intelligent than that to judge someone by their appearance or by what car they drive. Which is why, I, "don't give a toss".

No your not otherwise you would give a toss.

[northernjohn]

It would be interesting to have a thread on what Thai's think about foreigners.

Not just the one's in Patttaya.

But in there defense I was in Starbucks on the beach road and there was a couple selling orange juice out side the shop. When I left I asked how much they said 20 baht the same price I was paying here. I said I will take 5 he put 5 in the bag smiled at me and put another one in.

Being as I live in Thailand I care what they think about us. People who don't care are just giving them selves a license to do what ever they want. That is why they come here because they can't do it back home.

Didn't care there either

I said do it back home. Not think it.

Big difference.

[lostinsurin]

I no longer care what they think of us. I care more about what i think of them....not very much to be honest.

sounds like personal problem....with your self-esteem.

Paddy, did your bar lady take your money?

[northernjohn]

Yes. I am often embarrassed by the behaviour,attitude and dress of other foreigners here in Thailand and my wife and some Thai friends also find this distasteful because it shows a lack of respect for their ways. The remark below 'Who gives a Toss' reflects this fairly accurately. Low life.

Behaviour, attitude and dress do not go hand in hand. Ones chosen attire does not reflect the attitude or behaviour of ones personality. A person cannot be judged by his appearance in the same token as the sea cannot be measured with a bucket.

I get a kick out of all the T V posters who for some reason think they have to dress fancy for the Thais. I wear shorts and button up shirts some very flashy like with Bob Marley on them. I have never in my 3 years here had a problem with my dress from a Thai. Seems like T V posters are the only ones who care. So far I have had a very good relationship with all the Thai's I have met. I have never had a problem with immigration or police men. I have shared a few small jokes with the police men I have met.

Yes dress does not go hand in hand with attitude. That is some thing that I have no matter what I wear or don't wear.

I do admit the behavior of some foreigners can be a bit upsetting. They seem to think they are better than other races.

[Ghostnigel]

Judging by the opinions given on here ,i can see why immegrants to Britain act as they do ,if they also think like that ,they do not care what we think ,they just do what pleases them .

And that is why i left the sh*t-hole, they can keep it, i'm done with the UK, and all the w*nkers that run it...!!

So that's why i am here, and don't really care what they think of me, i know I'm a good guy, my Mrs says I'm a good guy, everyone else can go and do one.....

[Ghostnigel]

This must be a first, a Pattaya snob.

If dressing properly and not looking like a tramp makes me a snob, then I'm in!

You're the only one in Pattaya that does then mate...

[Ghostnigel]

I don't think much of poor old women who have to sell food by the roadside with no attempt at hygiene.

(I bet she doesn't wash her hands between going to the toilet and serving food)

In the west they would be considered criminals and forced to move on.

Don't you think its bad when even an old woman who sells food at the side of the road ,looks down on many of the falangs here ? strange.

I don't care what the poor think of me.

I bet she would be happy for me to sleep with her daughter and give her enough money not to be a street seller, no matter how I dress.

So you are saying she only cares how white foreigners dress? ...... strange.

Maybe she only has 'minging' daughters, so she has no chance of being an MIL to a Farang, so she has no connection to us, hence the dislike of us, maybe most Thais see it that way.

[HeavyDrinker]

All this fuss over what some lowly som tam vendor thinks.

I'd wager most Thais would be appalled that I,Claudius sees her as an "ordinary Thai"

[tropo]

First of all, I have no Idea what the "usual" Thai thinks of Westerners. Being a Westerner

I can only say when I see some of the filthy,fat lugs with their dirty clothes, gulping beer after

beer at 11 AM I can only think of what a bunch of "red necks" that arrived in Thailand. Of course,

they would be just as fat, dirty and gulping beer after beer in their Home Countries if half of them

were not running from child support, alimony, and other infractions of the law in their Home

Countries, not to mention all the unpaid bills they left their families to pay off.

This is what I, as a Westerner, think of this "Type". Clean up, have a little self-respect and

try to be a credit to your Home Country not an embarrasment.

You obviously have a high opinion of yourself, but seriously, what a load! There are probably enough people in your home country giving it a bad name without requiring the services of expats.

I have respect for people who don't give a hoot about what others think. That's called really living it up.

[JSixpack]

Happiness lies in not much caring what Thais think but, when necessary for your own greater convenience and best interests, appearing to them as if you do.

It's a viewpoint Thais would understand perfectly.

[keith7777]

Wow what a topic. I have heard thais say I look good, look strong, look well off and all the other things that they say about a westerner. I know that some of them especially the younger guys say some rotten things about us. But there is no argument that if you put forth the effort you can get most of them to smile and in a lot of cases no effort at all. I take them on face value and with a grain of salt, I can say that I get along much better with thais than I do with other farang. Don't know why that is. Have one living next to me that is mad as hell most of the time and he seems to make noise that I can hear when he thinks I have done something he does not like and there is a lot he does like. So mark me down on the side of the thai in most cases. Not saying all farang are like that but there are 3 living near me that are. That is my position and am sticking to it!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Ulic]

It is not much effort or expense to wear clean shorts, an ironed collared shirt and a squirt

of cologne when I head out. 90% of those who wear a wife beater or a base ball hat turned backward

are fooling themselves if they think they can pull it off. Best left to those under 23 years old.

As long as your clothes are clean, don't stink, and not wobbly drunk and belligerent, your OK.

I try not to judge on appearance alone.

[anon8]

Thailand seems like a magnet for low-lives of the world.

Whenever I feel mistreated by Thais, I think of Pattaya farangs and I can almost see why they see us as walking ATMs only.

The only reason they tolerate us is money as there is nothing else we can offer to them. I would certainly ask for much more money to tolerate such guests in my country.

You agree that locals tolerate us only because we pay.

And knowing this, we somehow should respect them, and we should care what they think of us? What kind of sense does that make?

Sent from my C6802 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app