Things That Were Not So Good.

[john1000]

When settling in Thailand for the first time??

Interested in your views.

[seonai]

What does your post really mean OP? I mean "When things were not so good...." and then settling in Thailand for the first time??????? Are you assuming a negative stance here or what?

[redrus]

What does your post really mean OP? I mean "When things were not so good...." and then settling in Thailand for the first time??????? Are you assuming a negative stance here or what?

I think if you read them both together, "things that were not so good when you first settled in Thailand".....?

redrus

[GuestHouse]

Most people who have problems settling in Thailand (anywhere for that matter) do so because they bring their problems with them.

[KhunMarco]

No ski resorts ..umpfff

Edited May 24, 2006 by KhunMarco

[BKK90210]

Hmm.....

Right now is the exchange rate

Language deficiency - Not be able to communicate to others entirely and properly at first few yrs...feel like a 2 yrs old

There is no winter season in thailand during January - except it has only...hot, humid hot, rainny hot, sticky hot..and oh darned hot! But you will get use to it

Feel like 16 yrs old again when driving - scare to death

Hard to find western toilet or a shirt size xl, xxl anywhere outside your house

Seem like there is no continuous sidewalk of more than 3 meter without a black hole in it

No 2 lanes or 3 lanes street!....just squeeze as many cars as possible in it...it's ok

Don't stick your foot out in a street while eating along the sidewalk - watch out for motorbikes...YIKE!

just to name a few....but like I said before you will get use to it!

But most of all.....

Most people who have problems settling in Thailand do so because they kept comparing between western std Vs. thai std in everything they do in their heads

[john1000]

Guess anywhere is a learning experience. Maybe assuming ex pats are a kindred spirit is the first mistake many people make.....

[Khun Jean]

I found Thai people amongst themselves very closed and 'unfriendly'. Lot has to do with culture, not that they are really unfriendly, they just don't show it. Showing affection and warmth to eachother is also not done. Woman-mother sisters father, never a hug or such things. In the west we hug and kiss all the time, so that was a big difference. I think the western openness and showing friendlyness (also amongst strangers) is better.

Only thing that bugs me really and i go to great lengths to avoid it is noise polution. The amount of sound is overwhelming. A restaurant, shop, bus stop everywhere blaring tv or sounds, preferably a few different mixed at the same time.

[skylar]

I found Thai people amongst themselves very closed and 'unfriendly'. Lot has to do with culture, not that they are really unfriendly, they just don't show it. Showing affection and warmth to eachother is also not done. Woman-mother sisters father, never a hug or such things. In the west we hug and kiss all the time, so that was a big difference. I think the western openness and showing friendlyness (also amongst strangers) is better.

Khun Jean, Thai people express their friendliness in different ways, like wanting to spend time with you, giving you things and so on. Some people on this forum have even described this type of friendliness as cloying. Some Thai people grab other people's attention by sidling up to them and giving them a soft pinch of the arm! Unfriendly is when they don't bother to look at you or talk to you.

I don't like my Italian/French relatives slobbering on both sides of my cheeks and squeezing me until I feel my intestines are going to come out either end of me. I know they love me, but I just dread it when I visit them. I'd prefer a wai any day! Or maybe I'm a stuffy young English git. English people aren't too forthcoming with affection anyway.

[Khun Jean]

I know what to look for when thai people are showing their affection, but the OP asked what it was like when you are settled here the first time. Thai people are much more subtle, it takes a while to pick up and interpret those signals. A lot of body language, an almost unnoticable nod, meaning yes instead of a spoken yes as an answer. When you are here the first time it is hard to "get" it.

It makes the 'intergration' easier when you kow about these things.

[john1000]

But did you integrate wit expats more than locals?? Seems a shame if thats the case, poverty apart, the Thai global network in Uk does show Thailand as a happy place to be.

US driven materialism sorry ( MTV culture ) strips the indigenous culture from so many countries.

[ThaiPauly]

Really...only the Squat Toilets. .which when you are making a long road trip you have no alternative but to use....I really cannot get on with them..my body was never built for them, I will never get used to them..as I get older using them will just get harder

They really are Shitty

But its a small price to pay to live in such a wonderful country..and I have to remind myself that these contraptions still exist in FRANCE

TP

[Totster]

What does your post really mean OP? I mean "When things were not so good...." and then settling in Thailand for the first time??????? Are you assuming a negative stance here or what?

Bit agressive Seonai...

totster

[a2396]

I find living in Thailand for the past 18 months quite positive for the most part. I have made more friends here than I made in 4 years at my previous USA location. I think Thias are quite accepting of foreigners in general. I have had no lectures given to me regarding the foreign policy of the US government as I had experienced several times while living in Malaysia. I like the politeness of society here. No one has flipped me the finger here yet, which used to be an everyday thing (in traffic) back home. The language inadequacies are a problem here and I do not like the the tendancy of Thais not to tell things accurately, no matter what language they are talking. Of course dealing with the women need extra caution.