Why AreExpats So Stuck Up

[dighambara]

If someone I don't know wants to say Hi to me, I'll think they are a dash weird... That doesn't make me stuck up, it just makes me think you might be a bit of a nut-job...

In quieter area's, small villages etc there may be other reasons, but in a large city such as Bangkok I don't expect strangers of any nationality to say Hi to me and I certainly don't imagine that I'll go around saying Hi to people I don't know.

A counter question may be asked: "Do people think you are weird if you say Hi to strangers and expect a response ?"

Not entirely realistic, as I often strike up conversations with total strangers, but usually only after I have sized them up a bit.

A bunch of Americans visiting - all short hair. So I happen to see one walking my way, catch up to him and start chatting - a real nice guy.

Of course, the fact that I am former US military - who over 40 isn't..?? - made the conversation easy, via common ground.

On the other hand, every foreign teacher I have met here was a failure back home, so - IMHO - they think they are 'stuck' in a foreign country teaching ignorant people a subject they will never use.

[wym]

Of course, the fact that I am former US military - who over 40 isn't..??

Like 99% - less than 1% of the US population of that age group ever served.

OK fortune is exaggerating, but 90% of the jobs out there avaiable to local westerners do pay far less.

Example job descriptions please - short of very highly qualified specialists remember.

Engineers and helicopter pilots.

Former highly qualified, latter very specialized, plus huge danger money so fair enough.

Seen this craziness?

[Soutpeel]

OK fortune is exaggerating, but 90% of the jobs out there available to local westerners do pay far less.

Example job descriptions please - short of very highly qualified specialists remember.

Engineers and helicopter pilots.

Design engineers, structural engineers, geophysical engineers, facility engineers, drilling engineers, process engineers, I & E engineers, mechanical engineers etc etc shall we continue ?

[Soutpeel]

OK fortune is exaggerating, but 90% of the jobs out there available to local westerners do pay far less.

Example job descriptions please - short of very highly qualified specialists remember.

To say 90% you must know how many farangs actually work legally in Thailand then, so how many are there on work permit s are there ?

[Soutpeel]

Of course, the fact that I am former US military - who over 40 isn't..??

Like 99% - less than 1% of the US population of that age group ever served.

OK fortune is exaggerating, but 90% of the jobs out there avaiable to local westerners do pay far less.

Example job descriptions please - short of very highly qualified specialists remember.

Engineers and helicopter pilots.

Former highly qualified, latter very specialized, plus huge danger money so fair enough.

Seen this craziness?

Once again mate, your taking through your bottom......Hugh danger pay LOL.....where do you get this rubbish....can you not accept that there are farangs in Thailand doing there normal jobs and on the same money or a bit more than they would get in farang land and not all have been transferred to Thailand with a MNC, not every farang is prepared to take a pay cut just for the " privilege" of working/living in Thailand

[JimHuaHin]

Background:

I moved to Thailand to live 7 months ago, after retiring as an Australian university lecturer (professor, if you are from the USA), and I have been visiting Thailand for almost 40 years.

Comment:

Some of the most stuck-up obnoxious individuals I have meet in Thailand over these decades have been know-it-all foreign university lecturers and English language teachers.

Unfortunately these individuals exist in most countries, and in many global educational institutions - I came across enough of them back in Australia.

However, generally educators are a pretty nice cool group of individuals, but I could be biased.

You seem to have had the unfortunate experience of coming across a "undesireable" subset of educators.

[Soutpeel]

Background:

I moved to Thailand to live 7 months ago, after retiring as an Australian university lecturer (professor, if you are from the USA), and I have been visiting Thailand for almost 40 years.

Comment:

Some of the most stuck-up obnoxious individuals I have meet in Thailand over these decades have been know-it-all foreign university lecturers and English language teachers.

Unfortunately these individuals exist in most countries, and in many global educational institutions - I came across enough of them back in Australia.

However, generally educators are a pretty nice cool group of individuals, but I could be biased.

You seem to have had the unfortunate experience of coming across a "undesireable" subset of educators.

A good post, but why are they like this ? Is a case of a silly little title like "Ajaarn" going to their heads ?

[wym]

I'm saying helicopter pilots - which I do consider quite specialized and well-qualified as are all the examples given - are paid more than say truck drivers due to the higher risk of their work.

Let's try for desk jobs that only require decent intelligence and a liberal arts BA from a middle-ranking uni - or these days even a top-100 uni, say five years low-to-middle general management experience. Not commission-based.

[Soutpeel]

I'm saying helicopter pilots - which I do consider quite specialized and well-qualified as are all the examples given - are paid more than say truck drivers due to the higher risk of their work.

Let's try for desk jobs that only require decent intelligence and a liberal arts BA from a middle-ranking uni - or these days even a top-100 uni, say five years low-to-middle general management experience. Not commission-based.

How much are chopper pilots paid then ? Sure the truck drivers in Iraq believe their job is higher risk than an average chopper pilot

[thailiketoo]

I'm saying helicopter pilots - which I do consider quite specialized and well-qualified as are all the examples given - are paid more than say truck drivers due to the higher risk of their work.

Let's try for desk jobs that only require decent intelligence and a liberal arts BA from a middle-ranking uni - or these days even a top-100 uni, say five years low-to-middle general management experience. Not commission-based.

http://www.hillsboroaviation.com/en/page/helicopter_flight_training_program_costs

Like I said helicopter pilots and engineers. It is not like a chopper pilot is much more than a truck driver with a few more levers. They ferry people and equipment. No degree.

Engineers have an education but lets not get carried away with the intelligence stuff.

[Soutpeel]

I'm saying helicopter pilots - which I do consider quite specialized and well-qualified as are all the examples given - are paid more than say truck drivers due to the higher risk of their work.

Let's try for desk jobs that only require decent intelligence and a liberal arts BA from a middle-ranking uni - or these days even a top-100 uni, say five years low-to-middle general management experience. Not commission-based.

http://www.hillsboroaviation.com/en/page/helicopter_flight_training_program_costs

Like I said helicopter pilots and engineers. It is not like a chopper pilot is much more than a truck driver with a few more levers. They ferry people and equipment. No degree.

Engineers have an education but lets not get carried away with the intelligence stuff.

You sound like my old fella, and his favourite quote.....a higher education is not a measure of intelligence

[Sayonarax]

i said hello to some bellend at the gym/pool i frequent. It go to the point where i eventually had to tell him to leave me the fock alone because he yammers in my ear every chance he gets. now he just looks hurt.

there is a very good reason for keeping to yourself.

I think you did him a favor.

Edited February 4, 2014 by Sayonarax

[chrisinth]

wym, on 04 Feb 2014 - 11:46, said:wym, on 04 Feb 2014 - 11:46, said:

I'm saying helicopter pilots - which I do consider quite specialized and well-qualified as are all the examples given - are paid more than say truck drivers due to the higher risk of their work.

Let's try for desk jobs that only require decent intelligence and a liberal arts BA from a middle-ranking uni - or these days even a top-100 uni, say five years low-to-middle general management experience. Not commission-based.

You could try Project managers, QA/QC coordinators, PLC programmers, welding inspectors (level 3), IT admins to start with. That's without even going into the workshop...................

Edit: Just to bring it back on track, they would all at least smile and nod if you were to meet them in the street. Generally, beer would have to be on the table for a meaningful conversation.....................

Edited February 4, 2014 by chrisinth

[JLCrab]

Background:

I moved to Thailand to live 7 months ago, after retiring as an Australian university lecturer (professor, if you are from the USA), and I have been visiting Thailand for almost 40 years.

Comment:

Some of the most stuck-up obnoxious individuals I have meet in Thailand over these decades have been know-it-all foreign university lecturers and English language teachers.

Unfortunately these individuals exist in most countries, and in many global educational institutions - I came across enough of them back in Australia.

However, generally educators are a pretty nice cool group of individuals, but I could be biased.

You seem to have had the unfortunate experience of coming across a "undesireable" subset of educators.

A 'lecturer' in Australia would correspond to 'associate professor' in USA as Professor in USA refers to a tenured position -- this according to terms in Australia on the website of the European University Institute eui.eu. I helped with some graduate school and scholarship applications for some Thais who held lecturer positions in Thailand and this all got a little confusing.

[kirstymelb101]

Majority of ex-pats I've met are generally nice people. I don't want to come across as self righteous when typing this!! The 'up-yourself' ex-pats I've met usually hang around the bar/club scene. Some (not all) real cocky ex-pats have offered to buy me drinks, expecting me to melt in there arms. When I sincerely refuse they look perplex and confused, like I'm suppose to feel privileged he even approached me in the first place, lols. Then again, from what I've seen Thai girls (not all but some) throw themselves at the first handsome Farang they see at pubs.

I much rather spend my free leisure time with friends/family who appreciate my time, not a few loose nights out in the city, and next day not remember a thing. Maybe this is the reason I've stopped going to clubs completely. The general crowd in this places are loonies, it was fun at first but I think I'm getting to old now. I'm only 25, but feel 50 ahahaha...

Edited February 4, 2014 by kirstymelb101

[arminbkk]

People are just not friendly, Thai and farang alike.

I don't think the farangs are stuck up, but do think they are not interested/cannot be bothered with interacting with another foreigner on the street.

They make that very clear with the facial expression at first sight of you. Then again so do most Thais.

Who can really say they encounter loads of friendly smiling Thai people while walking along an ordinary busy street packed with vendors on the sidewalk

or a market, or a shopping mall, or an MRT/BTS platform, or in your apartment building even etc. on any given normal day?

Not talking about passing bars or people you already 'know' a long time.

I cannot say that. People, Thais or farang, usually have a blank even dismal facial expression, with which they either stare you down or

they turn to avoid contact, look at a blank wall, check the phone, fingernails or the dark sky above.

The general expression, made in the first split second, is:"I can't be bothered with you/I don't like you".

That attitude usually continues when you ask them about what they are selling.

It seems a friendly engaging approachable appearance is not required to be in sales in Thailand.

My shortcoming is, like most people, that I go with first impressions, so give me a dismal look and I'm already put off and on my way.

On the positive side: there can be pleasant interaction when you have passed the first hurdles of making contact and interacting.

I'm not Thai bashing by the way: just disappointed its the same here as in most other countries I've been (UK/Europe).

[Somsrisonphimai]

I'm saying helicopter pilots - which I do consider quite specialized and well-qualified as are all the examples given - are paid more than say truck drivers due to the higher risk of their work.

Let's try for desk jobs that only require decent intelligence and a liberal arts BA from a middle-ranking uni - or these days even a top-100 uni, say five years low-to-middle general management experience. Not commission-based.

How much are chopper pilots paid then ? Sure the truck drivers in Iraq believe their job is higher risk than an average chopper pilot

Helicopter pilots make over $150,000 a year if they can also fly the privet jet.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[chrisinth]

Somsrisonphimai, on 04 Feb 2014 - 14:11, said:

Soutpeel, on 04 Feb 2014 - 11:55, said:

wym, on 04 Feb 2014 - 11:46, said:

I'm saying helicopter pilots - which I do consider quite specialized and well-qualified as are all the examples given - are paid more than say truck drivers due to the higher risk of their work.

Let's try for desk jobs that only require decent intelligence and a liberal arts BA from a middle-ranking uni - or these days even a top-100 uni, say five years low-to-middle general management experience. Not commission-based.

How much are chopper pilots paid then ? Sure the truck drivers in Iraq believe their job is higher risk than an average chopper pilot

Helicopter pilots make over $150,000 a year if they can also fly the privet jet.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

I've been up with a few that were certainly hedge-hoppers...............

(Sorry Somsrisonphimai, couldn't resist that typo............ )

[kirstymelb101]

I'm saying helicopter pilots - which I do consider quite specialized and well-qualified as are all the examples given - are paid more than say truck drivers due to the higher risk of their work.

Let's try for desk jobs that only require decent intelligence and a liberal arts BA from a middle-ranking uni - or these days even a top-100 uni, say five years low-to-middle general management experience. Not commission-based.

How much are chopper pilots paid then ? Sure the truck drivers in Iraq believe their job is higher risk than an average chopper pilot

Helicopter pilots make over $150,000 a year if they can also fly the privet jet.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

My aunt's husband is the Captain Pilot for Air-Asia airlines in Thailand. They just bought a condo in Bangkok worth 12 million bht, not to mention the two Mercedes they already own. Yet every time I see my aunt she looks miserable.....

[Somsrisonphimai]

Somsrisonphimai, on 04 Feb 2014 - 14:11, said:

Soutpeel, on 04 Feb 2014 - 11:55, said:

wym, on 04 Feb 2014 - 11:46, said:

I'm saying helicopter pilots - which I do consider quite specialized and well-qualified as are all the examples given - are paid more than say truck drivers due to the higher risk of their work.

Let's try for desk jobs that only require decent intelligence and a liberal arts BA from a middle-ranking uni - or these days even a top-100 uni, say five years low-to-middle general management experience. Not commission-based.

How much are chopper pilots paid then ? Sure the truck drivers in Iraq believe their job is higher risk than an average chopper pilot

Helicopter pilots make over $150,000 a year if they can also fly the privet jet.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

I've been up with a few that were certainly hedge-hoppers...............

(Sorry Somsrisonphimai, couldn't resist that typo............ )

I know there are the grammar polices on here, 555. Lot of professors and teachers come out of the woodwork responding to this thread. Not sure how they can stop themselves from not trying to edit some of the posts, 555.

I did google and the hedgehoppers is a flying club based in England. I am a sucker for pilot, sorry for being off the topic.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[Sayonarax]

I'm saying helicopter pilots - which I do consider quite specialized and well-qualified as are all the examples given - are paid more than say truck drivers due to the higher risk of their work.

Let's try for desk jobs that only require decent intelligence and a liberal arts BA from a middle-ranking uni - or these days even a top-100 uni, say five years low-to-middle general management experience. Not commission-based.

How much are chopper pilots paid then ? Sure the truck drivers in Iraq believe their job is higher risk than an average chopper pilot

Helicopter pilots make over $150,000 a year if they can also fly the privet jet.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

My aunt's husband is the Captain Pilot for Air-Asia airlines in Thailand. They just bought a condo in Bangkok worth 12 million bht, not to mention the two Mercedes they already own. Yet every time I see my aunt she looks miserable.....

Maybe because your aunts husbands is always away at work? I notice this trend with a lot of married women whose husbands are really good bread winners but are never around..

[Somsrisonphimai]

I'm saying helicopter pilots - which I do consider quite specialized and well-qualified as are all the examples given - are paid more than say truck drivers due to the higher risk of their work.

Let's try for desk jobs that only require decent intelligence and a liberal arts BA from a middle-ranking uni - or these days even a top-100 uni, say five years low-to-middle general management experience. Not commission-based.

How much are chopper pilots paid then ? Sure the truck drivers in Iraq believe their job is higher risk than an average chopper pilot

Helicopter pilots make over $150,000 a year if they can also fly the privet jet.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

My aunt's husband is the Captain Pilot for Air-Asia airlines in Thailand. They just bought a condo in Bangkok worth 12 million bht, not to mention the two Mercedes they already own. Yet every time I see my aunt she looks miserable.....

I guess money cannot buy her happiness. I hope she is not stuck up like the people OP was talking about.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Edited February 4, 2014 by Somsrisonphimai

[kirstymelb101]

Maybe because your aunts husbands is always away at work? I notice this trend with a lot of married women whose husbands are really good bread winners but are never around..

Yup! very good point indeed. Well she's been married ten years, and has two kids with him. Maybe her heart tells her she wants out but can do nothing about it. I suspect he's highly unlikely to stay faithful, surely he has other woman on the side....... Love can't buy happiness, only stability and social security.

[thailiketoo]

Yup! very good point indeed. Well she's been married ten years, and has two kids with him. Maybe her heart tells her she wants out but can do nothing about it. I suspect he's highly unlikely to stay faithful, surely he has other woman on the side....... Love can't buy happiness, only stability and social security.

I think you may have something there. Every time I've been in love I ended up poor.

[Berkshire]

I guess money cannot buy her happiness. I hope she is not stuck up like the people OP was talking about.

You are assuming the OP is correct, when in fact, it may be the OP himself who's a bit...shall we say, "off."

[FiftyTwo]

You sound like my old fella, and his favourite quote.....a higher education is not a measure of intelligence

A quote usually espoused by someone with no education at all.

Edited February 4, 2014 by FiftyTwo

[chrisinth]

You sound like my old fella, and his favourite quote.....a higher education is not a measure of intelligence

A quote usually espoused by someone with no education at all.

Thats quite possible. I prefer

"A little bit of practice screws up a whole lot of theory".

Nothing against shiny-ass_d scholars, just sometimes its the ones that get their hands dirty solve the puzzles and get the job done..................

[seajae]

I'm saying helicopter pilots - which I do consider quite specialized and well-qualified as are all the examples given - are paid more than say truck drivers due to the higher risk of their work.

Let's try for desk jobs that only require decent intelligence and a liberal arts BA from a middle-ranking uni - or these days even a top-100 uni, say five years low-to-middle general management experience. Not commission-based.

How much are chopper pilots paid then ? Sure the truck drivers in Iraq believe their job is higher risk than an average chopper pilot

Helicopter pilots make over $150,000 a year if they can also fly the privet jet.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

My aunt's husband is the Captain Pilot for Air-Asia airlines in Thailand. They just bought a condo in Bangkok worth 12 million bht, not to mention the two Mercedes they already own. Yet every time I see my aunt she looks miserable.....

one of my bil's is a chopper pilot in the thai airforce and his wife is a doctor, they are rarely together and they seem to have just as many money problems as everyone else, maybe you need to work for private companies to get the real money.

[rgs2001uk]

As I said you're just the kind of arrogant idiot he's talking about. To suggest that 120k a month here is a poor wage when well educated qualified people in the UK and USA are taking jobs for much less, just makes you look even more foolish. Go and have a rethink and come back with something relevant.

Horses for courses, if your mate is a single 20+ early 30s with no committments then best of luck to him, yeah he can have a great life here on that.

Whats his career path, has he peaked, whats promotion prospects,has he hit a "glass ceiling", where will he be in say 5 or ten years time?

120k per month, lets assume he is smart enough not to have burned his bridges back home and is buying a house back in farangistan, lets say 30k per month mortgage, lets assume he is astute enough to invest say another 30k per month into some sort of pension/retirement plan.

That leaves 60k per month, throw a wife and a couple of kids into the equation, suddenly the 120k per month isnt so attractive.

Not enough info.

Go and read another thread, some poor sap at 60 years old is skint, has ran out of money to stay here, failing to plan is planning to fail.

[rgs2001uk]

As I said you're just the kind of arrogant idiot he's talking about. To suggest that 120k a month here is a poor wage when well educated qualified people in the UK and USA are taking jobs for much less, just makes you look even more foolish. Go and have a rethink and come back with something relevant.

To suggest that 120k a month here is a poor wage

For your average Thai, its a damned good wage, for a farang its not.

when well educated qualified people in the UK and USA are taking jobs for much less

Sorry cant talk about the USA, in the UK a graduate job will be paying the same.

Thankfuly I got my head in the books and got qualified enough to secure a job that gave me not only a decent salary, but skills, knowledge and experience that allow me to work , where, when and for how much I want.

Had the same conversation recently with some TEFLr who couldnt accept I earn more in a month than he does in a year.

I know guys who dont get out of bed for less than 25k per day.

Tell your friend to stop wasting his time here and head to Brunei or the ME, thats if he is a "proper" teacher.

Don't you mean "... if he's properly greedy"; or "... in desperate need of short-term cash"? If he's happy and comfortable on what he earns and spends, why would he go somewhere else to be unhappy where the two did not match up?

SC

Don't you mean "... if he's properly greedy"

Hadnt thought of it like that, thought of it more along the lines of taking the going rate for the job.

Must admit I or no-one I know took a wage cut to go to the ME, yes I was a corporate whore, wage slave whatever you want to call it.

Would I do it again, sorry no thank you, I certainly wasnt there for the non existant culture, filled my boots and got out.

The crock of shit outweighed the pot of gold.