What do you want Thai people to know about yourself?

[Somtamnication]

You can explain your culture to them until you are blue in the face. It goes in one ear and out the rear. I would like them to leave me the fluck alone.

[Somsrisonphimai]

I would like to know 2 why my wife, when she has said repeatedly we are finished, does not want to come over and divorce me ?

I guess she does not yet want to give up on the marriage or could be it that if she cannot have you, then no one can.

[Somsrisonphimai]

You can explain your culture to them until you are blue in the face. It goes in one ear and out the rear. I would like them to leave me the fluck alone.

How are you going to catch a fish if you don't open your mouth? I love your profile name by the way.

Edited January 13, 2014 by Somsrisonphimai

[Big Pinkie]

You can explain your culture to them until you are blue in the face. It goes in one ear and out the rear. I would like them to leave me the fluck alone.

How are you going to catch a fish if you don't open your mouth? I love your profile name by the way.

so thats why they are so hungry they scared all the fish away.

[Jackson86]

I want Thai people to know that having a fair complexion and is an Asian doesn't mean I'm from China.

so you''re from where then?

[mmh8]

that I am always interested in pretty ladies however 'taken' I look

Isn't that named 'Window Shopping' ?

Or shop for new window?

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

good points, ok I want them to know I can go native, except for language skills. I am happy to have other relationships just like Thai people and think this is good

[geriatrickid]

What does the nine inch part of Nicky's name really mean? When I saw the headline in the other thread, I thought it was a small person who jumped the stage.

[wym]

I want Thai people to know that having a fair complexion and is an Asian doesn't mean I'm from China.

so you''re from where then?

[eldragon]

I'm not sure about specific things I want Thai people to know about me, but I wish less of them were afraid of me.

[eldragon]

For the most part I could care less what the Thais think of me. I gave up trying to get to know the neighbors and establish relationships, so now I just live a life of alienation from the locals with the exception of my wife and immediate family members. I get tired of greeting the natives with a smile and having them turn their heads or look at me like I'm crazy.

There's another side of me that craves the kind of acceptance that I had back in the States where there is a definite class distinction. I made an income in the top 5% of Americans and established a reputation of being a wise, fair and prudent businessman. We can learn something from everyone regardless of social status, but some of us older guys have traveled the world extensively and have spent years gaining knowledge, wisdom and understanding. Some of us even fought in a war called Vietnam to halt the threat of Communism coming to places like Thailand (at least at the time that's what we thought it was all about). So, in short, I worked my ass of to attain a certain level of recognition in the form of trust, respect and dignity within the community.

Now, fast forward to 2010 when I retired to Thailand, and I have been made to feel inferior ever since. The Thais seem to be able to recognize their own HISO types, but when they look at us farangs they seem to lump us all into the same bowl of low lifes that they see running the red light districts and making fools of themselves. Sure, I did all that years ago in Manila, but at least I was a well-dressed respectable fool! I never hit a bar without being decked out in a double-breasted suit.

All kidding aside, the Thais just don't seem to care who we are or who we were before coming here. I could make a long list of the reasons why I have become so critical of the Thais, but this is the one that really gets me in the gut. I came here expecting to live out my life in "paradise", but it has turned into my greatest nightmare. As Rodney Dangerfield used to say..."I just can't get no respect".

Now, having said all that, I can crawl back into my shell and pretend that I don't really give a rat's ass once again.

This has become one of my chief complaints about living here too. There's very little connection with Thais. In fact, there almost seems to be a bit of fear amongst Thais with regards to foreigners. Most of the conversations I have feel very one-sided. I feel very little interest from Thais about my life. Even the Thai girls I've dated seem uninterested in my life. Whatever connection we had came from spending a lot of time together. It was more about things we did together than things we discussed.

I don't know what it is or where it comes from. Maybe the "never colonized" thing. But when I visit a neighboring country (Laos, Burma, Cambodia, etc.) I don't feel it. In fact, I've even gotten to the point where I can instantly recognize Burmese people in TH simply by the way they're not afraid to interact with me. And many of the other SE Asians I meet here tell me they prefer the company of other foreigners to Thais.

On the other hand, when I'm back in the States, do I give a hoot about many of the foreigners I meet? Not really. In fact, in my entire life, I'd say I've never had a friend- a true friend- that wasn't American, Canadian, or European. So maybe it's not that big a deal that no one cares who I am. Maybe it's as simple as we're just too different.

[Choonpon]

I want Thai people to know that having a fair complexion and is an Asian doesn't mean I'm from China.

so you''re from where then?

Hahaha... I like that!

[wym]

For the most part I could care less what the Thais think of me. I gave up trying to get to know the neighbors and establish relationships, so now I just live a life of alienation from the locals with the exception of my wife and immediate family members. I get tired of greeting the natives with a smile and having them turn their heads or look at me like I'm crazy.

There's another side of me that craves the kind of acceptance that I had back in the States where there is a definite class distinction. I made an income in the top 5% of Americans and established a reputation of being a wise, fair and prudent businessman. We can learn something from everyone regardless of social status, but some of us older guys have traveled the world extensively and have spent years gaining knowledge, wisdom and understanding. Some of us even fought in a war called Vietnam to halt the threat of Communism coming to places like Thailand (at least at the time that's what we thought it was all about). So, in short, I worked my ass of to attain a certain level of recognition in the form of trust, respect and dignity within the community.

Now, fast forward to 2010 when I retired to Thailand, and I have been made to feel inferior ever since. The Thais seem to be able to recognize their own HISO types, but when they look at us farangs they seem to lump us all into the same bowl of low lifes that they see running the red light districts and making fools of themselves. Sure, I did all that years ago in Manila, but at least I was a well-dressed respectable fool! I never hit a bar without being decked out in a double-breasted suit.

All kidding aside, the Thais just don't seem to care who we are or who we were before coming here. I could make a long list of the reasons why I have become so critical of the Thais, but this is the one that really gets me in the gut. I came here expecting to live out my life in "paradise", but it has turned into my greatest nightmare. As Rodney Dangerfield used to say..."I just can't get no respect".

Now, having said all that, I can crawl back into my shell and pretend that I don't really give a rat's ass once again.

This has become one of my chief complaints about living here too. There's very little connection with Thais. In fact, there almost seems to be a bit of fear amongst Thais with regards to foreigners. Most of the conversations I have feel very one-sided. I feel very little interest from Thais about my life. Even the Thai girls I've dated seem uninterested in my life. Whatever connection we had came from spending a lot of time together. It was more about things we did together than things we discussed.

I don't know what it is or where it comes from. Maybe the "never colonized" thing. But when I visit a neighboring country (Laos, Burma, Cambodia, etc.) I don't feel it. In fact, I've even gotten to the point where I can instantly recognize Burmese people in TH simply by the way they're not afraid to interact with me. And many of the other SE Asians I meet here tell me they prefer the company of other foreigners to Thais.

On the other hand, when I'm back in the States, do I give a hoot about many of the foreigners I meet? Not really. In fact, in my entire life, I'd say I've never had a friend- a true friend- that wasn't American, Canadian, or European. So maybe it's not that big a deal that no one cares who I am. Maybe it's as simple as we're just too different.

I think subconsciously farang in "third world" countries are just constantly thinking they are inherently superior to "the natives" - and with some it's completely conscious as you can see by reading TV.com

This is not only irritating to the locals - obviously they pick up on your attitude from body language, tone of voice and facial expression even if you try to suppress the feeling - but it also means you're always walking around assuming that somehow you are deserving of greater respect from the locals.

Well does an obviously foreign alien in your country automatically get greater respect? No.

The whole "never been colonized" and "Thailand for Thais" phenomenon is I think a defensive reaction to this superiority complex by foreigners. Not to mention TPTB's encouraging "us vs them" xenophobia to strengthen their control of the masses.

Lots of Thais in the service industries will PRETEND to respect you when they have to, or want to get money from you, but once that context/need has passed it will stop - don't be offended by that.

Just realize that true respect must be earned. Trying to get to know their culture and showing your knowledge and respect for it, learning their language, getting to know them as individual people - on an equal basis, sincerely trying to be helpful to others, all these things will over time earn you more and more respect. Just like friendship, you have to give it most of the time FIRST, and MORE than the other does, in order to get it back.

TL;DR just being white and/or from an earlier-developed country, doesn't make you worthy of respect.

[Somsrisonphimai]

For the most part I could care less what the Thais think of me. I gave up trying to get to know the neighbors and establish relationships, so now I just live a life of alienation from the locals with the exception of my wife and immediate family members. I get tired of greeting the natives with a smile and having them turn their heads or look at me like I'm crazy.

There's another side of me that craves the kind of acceptance that I had back in the States where there is a definite class distinction. I made an income in the top 5% of Americans and established a reputation of being a wise, fair and prudent businessman. We can learn something from everyone regardless of social status, but some of us older guys have traveled the world extensively and have spent years gaining knowledge, wisdom and understanding. Some of us even fought in a war called Vietnam to halt the threat of Communism coming to places like Thailand (at least at the time that's what we thought it was all about). So, in short, I worked my ass of to attain a certain level of recognition in the form of trust, respect and dignity within the community.

Now, fast forward to 2010 when I retired to Thailand, and I have been made to feel inferior ever since. The Thais seem to be able to recognize their own HISO types, but when they look at us farangs they seem to lump us all into the same bowl of low lifes that they see running the red light districts and making fools of themselves. Sure, I did all that years ago in Manila, but at least I was a well-dressed respectable fool! I never hit a bar without being decked out in a double-breasted suit.

All kidding aside, the Thais just don't seem to care who we are or who we were before coming here. I could make a long list of the reasons why I have become so critical of the Thais, but this is the one that really gets me in the gut. I came here expecting to live out my life in "paradise", but it has turned into my greatest nightmare. As Rodney Dangerfield used to say..."I just can't get no respect".

Now, having said all that, I can crawl back into my shell and pretend that I don't really give a rat's ass once again.

This has become one of my chief complaints about living here too. There's very little connection with Thais. In fact, there almost seems to be a bit of fear amongst Thais with regards to foreigners. Most of the conversations I have feel very one-sided. I feel very little interest from Thais about my life. Even the Thai girls I've dated seem uninterested in my life. Whatever connection we had came from spending a lot of time together. It was more about things we did together than things we discussed.

I don't know what it is or where it comes from. Maybe the "never colonized" thing. But when I visit a neighboring country (Laos, Burma, Cambodia, etc.) I don't feel it. In fact, I've even gotten to the point where I can instantly recognize Burmese people in TH simply by the way they're not afraid to interact with me. And many of the other SE Asians I meet here tell me they prefer the company of other foreigners to Thais.

On the other hand, when I'm back in the States, do I give a hoot about many of the foreigners I meet? Not really. In fact, in my entire life, I'd say I've never had a friend- a true friend- that wasn't American, Canadian, or European. So maybe it's not that big a deal that no one cares who I am. Maybe it's as simple as we're just too different.

I would say most Thai men and some women have that attitude toward foreigners/farangs you described. Thai men probably feel threathen (not sure it is the right term to use) by foreigners that here foreigners come to Thailand, live like king and have a pretty young girl as their arm candy, and so they look at themselve and they wonder how can that happen.

[Jackson86]

When I go thailand they seem to like me and talk to me. Not just girls but guys as well. I don't feel unsafe or threatened.

[wym]

I would say most Thai men and some women have that attitude toward foreigners/farangs you described. Thai men probably feel threathen (not sure it is the right term to use) by foreigners that here foreigners come to Thailand, live like king and have a pretty young girl as their arm candy, and so they look at themselve and they wonder how can that happen.

No, they know how it works, realize most of the girls are only with us for money.

And you're deluded, most are laughing as the girls we end up with aren't what they consider attractive at all, more like happy foreigners are bringing so much money into the Kingdom in exchange for what they consider taking out the garbage.

[Somsrisonphimai]

I would say most Thai men and some women have that attitude toward foreigners/farangs you described. Thai men probably feel threathen (not sure it is the right term to use) by foreigners that here foreigners come to Thailand, live like king and have a pretty young girl as their arm candy, and so they look at themselve and they wonder how can that happen.

No, they know how it works, realize most of the girls are only with us for money.

And you're deluded, most are laughing as the girls we end up with aren't what they consider attractive at all, more like happy foreigners are bringing so much money into the Kingdom in exchange for what they consider taking out the garbage.

It is so funny how most people on here defending why girls are with them, love and not money, but here you are you saying otherwise. I am not deluded, it is true that Thai men feel threaten. The normal girls and the attractive girls are also wanted to be with the foreign men.

[wym]

Maybe poor upcountry Thai men.

Those I've spoken to in the city always express amazed contempt for the women we choose "why farang like dark skin?" is probably the most common question I get in discussing the topic.

Although ** I ** consider the girls I take to be stunners, my impression is that they are not considered beautiful by mainstream Thai standards.

[Somsrisonphimai]

Maybe poor upcountry Thai men.

Those I've spoken to in the city always express amazed contempt for the women we choose "why farang like dark skin?" is probably the most common question I get in discussing the topic.

Although ** I ** consider the girls I take to be stunners, my impression is that they are not considered beautiful by mainstream Thai standards.

Yeah, I want to know too why are they like dark skinned girls so much? Just wonder would they also go for any other color?

[wym]

I can only answer for myself, and that is skin color just doesn't matter to me at all, if a girl is beautiful she is beautiful.

As a generalization I'd say that Thai people see light skin as inherently more beautiful than dark, many farang don't.

Also since the dark-skinned girls are more rejected by Thais, makes them more likely to target farang.

Plus of course the fact that there is a correlation here between light skin and being wealthier, the country poor tend to be darker.

[kimbathewhitelion]

Wow! The longevity of this post! Someone was bored.

My words would be, well I'm half Asian so not exactly White & I also don't have a big nose...SO STOP calling me a Falang!

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[kannot]

Want the kids to know that MOST of the bad things the parents say about foreigners are not true. We will not eat you if you misbehave for example...

Speak for yourself.............i like em on a skewer personally!!

[Jackson86]

How I wish I can talk to her in thai... I just hope she understand I'm not a bad person. Haiz...

[Somsrisonphimai]

Wow! The longevity of this post! Someone was bored.

My words would be, well I'm half Asian so not exactly White & I also don't have a big nose...SO STOP calling me a Falang!

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Generally, Thais do not call Asian people farang.

[Somsrisonphimai]

How I wish I can talk to her in thai... I just hope she understand I'm not a bad person. Haiz...

You can learn how to speak Thai that might help win her over.

[kimbathewhitelion]

Wow! The longevity of this post! Someone was bored.

My words would be, well I'm half Asian so not exactly White & I also don't have a big nose...SO STOP calling me a Falang!

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Generally, Thais do not call Asian people farang.

I said half & they do. I met a Thai in Udon Thani who was raised in New York. Other than his appearance he was all American & having traveling back was very upset that the Thais all referred to him as a Falang.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[sirchai]

That when I bar fine one all there gettin is 15 baht a kilo.Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

I am sorry but I don't get your statement. Can you explain?

A 40kg TG is in his opinion only worth a 600 THB bar fine.

For some reason he's willing to pay more for the big ones.

Wasn't that a beauty contest in New Jersey? -

[Greydog]

"If you picture yourself as a rich African-American 100 years ago in Mississippi you're pretty close to understanding how most Thai people view you."

This was posted on ThaiVisa a couple of years ago. I copied & pasted it into my Great Quotes About Thailand-textfile. This quote still makes me both laugh and think.

Edited March 5, 2014 by Greydog

[sirchai]

Wow! The longevity of this post! Someone was bored.

My words would be, well I'm half Asian so not exactly White & I also don't have a big nose...SO STOP calling me a Falang!

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Generally, Thais do not call Asian people farang.

I said half & they do. I met a Thai in Udon Thani who was raised in New York. Other than his appearance he was all American & having traveling back was very upset that the Thais all referred to him as a Falang.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Could it be that America had made him to a "fatnolong"?-

[Tchooptip]

I don't want to eat chicken feet.

Too bad you are not health conscious, the feet are used in a base for soups which I make..the glycerin is non-fat...makes your hair brighter less loss and your nails will grow..not to mention your skin will glow..but that is not what you want right you are not well informed on the good things Thai's have been eating for years...oh well just keep eating your MacFat and KFC deep fried chicken and have a wonderful life in the emergency ward... dam it I will post me...Mr. Ron

Off topic picture of the year congratulation!

[celso]

My nipples they hurt, they hurt when I twist them.