Fit in

[kannot]

Go with the flow, there're some things that need to change, such as corruption etc which I think would improve the country but it is not my position to suggest such things. I view everything as different not wrong & don't let it make me mad

without corruption thailand would be another singapore! do you really want that?

YES wouldnt it be great, clean, drug free, safe roads wonderful , bring it on!

[Crazy chef 1]

BTW i've seen your post count is getting up quiet fast- do you want to get into competition with Naam or even JT???

What is a matter with you? I have lot of things to say, 555. My posts have rapidly gone up since I found this thread, Words Association, that I really like and so I have been exchanging words with people here. It is like a dictionary to me and I'll never know what people will respond in just one word.

cha cha - no offence intented,just realizing.BTW i would like more Thai's to participate here to eliminate some basic missunderstandings.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[humqdpf]

There is no doubt that certain aspects in Thailand are difficult to deal with - for instance, operating a certain kind of business can be a nightmare if it is perceived by certain locals that you are doing well. And some people find themselves in difficulties when dealing with immigration. And it never helps to annoy someone in Thailand as the outcome is never good.

But has the Thai police every planted a spy in the family of a victim of a murder? Have the undercover police in recent times sent one of their own to cohabit with a left-wing activist for four years so as to spy on them? And does the Thai government as a matter of routine regularly spy on the electronic and phone traffic of innocent people in their own country and in other countries?

The answer to these questions above is of course no. In case you are wondering where these happened, they all occurred in the UK. It has now been reported that the undercover police in the UK placed a spy in the Lawrence family when their colleagues were completely bungling the investigation of the hate murder of their son, Steven Lawrence, at a bus stop in London. Allegations are also emerging of a corrupt relation between one of the undercover officers and the family of one of the suspects.

The left wing activist cohabitation case was revealed in the last couple of days and the equivalent of the Minister of Interior is including this in an inquiry into the activities of undercover officers - there are quite a few allegations of undercover officers using sex to gain access to family circles so as to spy on them. Many of these officers were married and had families elsewhere. It makes the activities of a certain type of Thai bargirl look rather amateur in comparison!

And some of these activities are not designed to catch the bad guys but in fact to cover for the illegal or highly unethical behaviour of colleagues.

And all of us (at least those of us not living under a rock for the past year or more) should know about the level of electronic surveillance that has been instigated by certain Western countries. The only ethical aspect of this is that all foreign citizens appear to have been treated equally, at least in Germany when the USA agency spied on the personal mobile phone of the Chancellor as well as untold numbers of other German citizens.

And just when you say, but in the case of ordinary interactions with the state, Thailand is more venial. Yes, in Thailand you can perhaps make some minor traffic matter go away for ahem a small donation to the police retirement fund, how about my pal in the UK who is disabled and who can barely afford the car he needs to get around but who was fined £100 for being a couple of MPH above the local speed limit on his way from a funeral? In the UK, some slight lapse of memory can lose your license of you forget where the damn cameras are and you rack up 12 points.

And how about the old people who get frightening letters from the tax man even though they have paid at least their fair due?

Do you still want to go back to the grinding work-schedule and stressful way of life?

My own personal experience in the UK is that everyone treats everyone in a rough and unfriendly way. It is always a charm for me when I arrive in Thailand. Even if I am being charged a higher price than the locals, it is being done for a reason - the people charging are usually poor and I am quite rich at least compared to them. But airlines have been doing this kind of thing for decades with different classes and charging different segments of the market different prices.

I remember meeting two Western men in Chiang Mai some years ago. They were about 50 years old, both married to Thai ladies who looked after them very well. they both lived in nice houses and had relatively new cars. They were retired and were stretching their retirement far better than in their own country. In fact, one of them in an unexpected moment of optimism, said that his house in Thailand was far better than anything he had ever lived in back home and alluded that the relationship with his Thai wife was far better than any previous relationship. But all they could do is grouch, moan, complain and niggle about every damn thing.

Perhaps it is misery likes company or it was because they had nothing to do all day but complain. But here were two gents who were living the life that their compatriots of the same age could only dream of and all they could see was the bad stuff.

[HeavyDrinker]

The OP is really a Norwegian Docker with a cock a foot and a half long, just to make some of you think twice...

[HeavyDrinker]

I feel sorry for Humf(or whatever) above now, the dozy <deleted>...that must have taken him 2 hours to make up.....

[mrfaroukh]

There double pricing in many other countries for example India as foreigners you must pay more to enter Taj Mahal. In Italy they had two prices for those living in that city and those who not. To get a bus would cost 1 Euro for local and 16 Euro for others. Of course the smart thing is to ask for a day pass and pay 16 Euro. They had two menu, one was for local the other so called Menu de turisto (Menu for the tourist). And so on.

There a few things that if they are changed would be good both for tourist and Thai people. Regarding noise etc, so there are lots of choices. Don't stay in Pattaya center move to Jomtien and enjoy the silent.

My advise when living in Thailand try to be like them and go with the flow, if you want to behave the same and be the same why the hell did you come to Thailand in the first place?

[NeverSure]

There is double pricing in America. Even Disneyland and Disney World have discount packages for people who live in the counties where they are located.

Then there are the awesome national parks. At the Grand Canyon, a carload of people can get in for $25. An individual in a car, $12.

Active members of the US military - free admission.

Senior US citizens only age 62 or older, $10 for a lifetime pass to ALL US national parks.

[benalibina]

The double pricing and showing no price on markets will soon be over, then Thailand is full of shoppingmalls from Central with only big shops left.

The not obeying trafficrules and being selfish on the roads will also stop one day when Thailand gets real policemen. Nobody likes to be hurt in an accident. I see more rich Thai biking now, that is a good sign.

Thailand is just still an undeveloped 3rd world country on many fronts, there is enough money these days so it is just a matter of time before civilisation kicks in.

I have been hearing about Thailand is undeveloped country since I was born. I mean can you or anyone explain what is considered developed country?

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Not read the whole thread...so maybe a double answer.

A developed country is a country where somebody will be held accountible for its, nonconforming actions.

[NeverSure]

The double pricing and showing no price on markets will soon be over, then Thailand is full of shoppingmalls from Central with only big shops left.

The not obeying trafficrules and being selfish on the roads will also stop one day when Thailand gets real policemen. Nobody likes to be hurt in an accident. I see more rich Thai biking now, that is a good sign.

Thailand is just still an undeveloped 3rd world country on many fronts, there is enough money these days so it is just a matter of time before civilisation kicks in.

I have been hearing about Thailand is undeveloped country since I was born. I mean can you or anyone explain what is considered developed country?

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Not read the whole thread...so maybe a double answer.

A developed country is a country where somebody will be held accountible for its, nonconforming actions.

There needs to be an economic factor too. Developed countries have a higher income per capita, and higher GDP per capita.

There needs to be a "creative" factor too. Developed countries are ahead in technology inventing and producing medium and high technology products.

Thailand isn't at a level where it invents or designs its own car manufacturing plants, builds airplanes even military, invents any part of the internet or computers, and the list could go on and on. This is partly an education issue, but developed countries create wealth for themselves with this creativity and technology.

Edited March 7, 2014 by NeverSure

[benalibina]

The double pricing and showing no price on markets will soon be over, then Thailand is full of shoppingmalls from Central with only big shops left.

The not obeying trafficrules and being selfish on the roads will also stop one day when Thailand gets real policemen. Nobody likes to be hurt in an accident. I see more rich Thai biking now, that is a good sign.

Thailand is just still an undeveloped 3rd world country on many fronts, there is enough money these days so it is just a matter of time before civilisation kicks in.

I have been hearing about Thailand is undeveloped country since I was born. I mean can you or anyone explain what is considered developed country?

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Not read the whole thread...so maybe a double answer.

A developed country is a country where somebody will be held accountible for its, nonconforming actions.

There needs to be an economic factor too. Developed countries have a higher income per capita, and higher GDP per capita.

There needs to be a "creative" factor too. Developed countries are ahead in technology inventing and producing medium and high technology products.

Thailand isn't at a level where it invents or designs its own car manufacturing plants, builds airplanes even military, invents any part of the internet or computers, and the list could go on and on. This is partly an education issue, but developed countries create wealth for themselves with this creativity and technology.

Accountability comes from within 1self. If not.....someone else will hold that person accountable, most likely. Result is that the wrongdoer is made to suffer. Whether privataly or publicly. The person will learn from its mistakes. Good and bad....the difference...is called...... civilization.

Just my take on it.

[smotherb]

Somsrisonphimai, I compliment you on your command of written English. Many native English speakers on this forum could take lessons from you.

[risky11]

Yep as a visitor is thier country I'm just expected to bend over, gently part my bumcheeks and take it...not allowed to complain.

Umm...no, complaints are not allowed, 555. When you are in Rome, do what the Roman does.

Well, I live in the USA. According to your logic, I should not strive to be "salt and light" in a corrupt and wicked generation. Rather I should dive into sin and corruption, since that is what SOME Americans are doing. Speaking out about injustice is a noble human trait. Fitting in can be good, but it is evil when it's done out of cowardice.

Edited March 7, 2014 by risky11

[kannot]

There is no doubt that certain aspects in Thailand are difficult to deal with - for instance, operating a certain kind of business can be a nightmare if it is perceived by certain locals that you are doing well. And some people find themselves in difficulties when dealing with immigration. And it never helps to annoy someone in Thailand as the outcome is never good.

But has the Thai police every planted a spy in the family of a victim of a murder? Have the undercover police in recent times sent one of their own to cohabit with a left-wing activist for four years so as to spy on them? And does the Thai government as a matter of routine regularly spy on the electronic and phone traffic of innocent people in their own country and in other countries?

The answer to these questions above is of course no. In case you are wondering where these happened, they all occurred in the UK. It has now been reported that the undercover police in the UK placed a spy in the Lawrence family when their colleagues were completely bungling the investigation of the hate murder of their son, Steven Lawrence, at a bus stop in London. Allegations are also emerging of a corrupt relation between one of the undercover officers and the family of one of the suspects.

The left wing activist cohabitation case was revealed in the last couple of days and the equivalent of the Minister of Interior is including this in an inquiry into the activities of undercover officers - there are quite a few allegations of undercover officers using sex to gain access to family circles so as to spy on them. Many of these officers were married and had families elsewhere. It makes the activities of a certain type of Thai bargirl look rather amateur in comparison!

And some of these activities are not designed to catch the bad guys but in fact to cover for the illegal or highly unethical behaviour of colleagues.

And all of us (at least those of us not living under a rock for the past year or more) should know about the level of electronic surveillance that has been instigated by certain Western countries. The only ethical aspect of this is that all foreign citizens appear to have been treated equally, at least in Germany when the USA agency spied on the personal mobile phone of the Chancellor as well as untold numbers of other German citizens.

And just when you say, but in the case of ordinary interactions with the state, Thailand is more venial. Yes, in Thailand you can perhaps make some minor traffic matter go away for ahem a small donation to the police retirement fund, how about my pal in the UK who is disabled and who can barely afford the car he needs to get around but who was fined £100 for being a couple of MPH above the local speed limit on his way from a funeral? In the UK, some slight lapse of memory can lose your license of you forget where the dam_n cameras are and you rack up 12 points.

And how about the old people who get frightening letters from the tax man even though they have paid at least their fair due?

Do you still want to go back to the grinding work-schedule and stressful way of life?

My own personal experience in the UK is that everyone treats everyone in a rough and unfriendly way. It is always a charm for me when I arrive in Thailand. Even if I am being charged a higher price than the locals, it is being done for a reason - the people charging are usually poor and I am quite rich at least compared to them. But airlines have been doing this kind of thing for decades with different classes and charging different segments of the market different prices.

I remember meeting two Western men in Chiang Mai some years ago. They were about 50 years old, both married to Thai ladies who looked after them very well. they both lived in nice houses and had relatively new cars. They were retired and were stretching their retirement far better than in their own country. In fact, one of them in an unexpected moment of optimism, said that his house in Thailand was far better than anything he had ever lived in back home and alluded that the relationship with his Thai wife was far better than any previous relationship. But all they could do is grouch, moan, complain and niggle about every dam_n thing.

Perhaps it is misery likes company or it was because they had nothing to do all day but complain. But here were two gents who were living the life that their compatriots of the same age could only dream of and all they could see was the bad stuff.

Cases you quote are rare and in frequent, if lack of memory kills someone do you think thats good, you get 3 chances first, more than fair, no doubt that disabled guy got a heavily discounted if not free car in the UK from the benefit system and now you say he speeds and loses it.

Police here wouldnt plant spys, theyd beat a confession out or just "forget" the case....which is better?

The reason you quote for higher prices is pathetic, often the vendor is not poor ..what they are is greedy..simple

Edited March 7, 2014 by kannot

[techboy]

Yep as a visitor is thier country I'm just expected to bend over, gently part my bumcheeks and take it...not allowed to complain.

More to the point is anything that displeases many expats, no matter how trivial, automatically goes down to a Thai flaw. Back in their home countries they would not make a peep.

[Somsrisonphimai]

The double pricing and showing no price on markets will soon be over, then Thailand is full of shoppingmalls from Central with only big shops left.

The not obeying trafficrules and being selfish on the roads will also stop one day when Thailand gets real policemen. Nobody likes to be hurt in an accident. I see more rich Thai biking now, that is a good sign.

Thailand is just still an undeveloped 3rd world country on many fronts, there is enough money these days so it is just a matter of time before civilisation kicks in.

I have been hearing about Thailand is undeveloped country since I was born. I mean can you or anyone explain what is considered developed country?

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Not read the whole thread...so maybe a double answer.

A developed country is a country where somebody will be held accountible for its, nonconforming actions.

There needs to be an economic factor too. Developed countries have a higher income per capita, and higher GDP per capita.

There needs to be a "creative" factor too. Developed countries are ahead in technology inventing and producing medium and high technology products.

Thailand isn't at a level where it invents or designs its own car manufacturing plants, builds airplanes even military, invents any part of the internet or computers, and the list could go on and on. This is partly an education issue, but developed countries create wealth for themselves with this creativity and technology.

OMG! It might take another 500 lives of mine to see Thailand becomes a leader or inventor of any new technology if it will ever happen.

Edited March 8, 2014 by Somsrisonphimai

[Somsrisonphimai]

The OP is really a Norwegian Docker with a cock a foot and a half long, just to make some of you think twice...

You must be drunk when made this reply.

[techboy]

1. People come here all to often looking for a situation, a complacent life style, whatever. They have no idea whether or not they like Thailand. Then they find that it is not all about them. They react by consummately slandering the country.

2. People come here and think that they are now elite creatures. Eventually they wake up and find that they are the same jokers that they always were and this results in them becoming wretched, frequently downright venomous malcontents. This manifests itself in their taking it out on the Thais by contriving malicious assertions about them.

[Somsrisonphimai]

There is no doubt that certain aspects in Thailand are difficult to deal with - for instance, operating a certain kind of business can be a nightmare if it is perceived by certain locals that you are doing well. And some people find themselves in difficulties when dealing with immigration. And it never helps to annoy someone in Thailand as the outcome is never good.

But has the Thai police every planted a spy in the family of a victim of a murder? Have the undercover police in recent times sent one of their own to cohabit with a left-wing activist for four years so as to spy on them? And does the Thai government as a matter of routine regularly spy on the electronic and phone traffic of innocent people in their own country and in other countries?

The answer to these questions above is of course no. In case you are wondering where these happened, they all occurred in the UK. It has now been reported that the undercover police in the UK placed a spy in the Lawrence family when their colleagues were completely bungling the investigation of the hate murder of their son, Steven Lawrence, at a bus stop in London. Allegations are also emerging of a corrupt relation between one of the undercover officers and the family of one of the suspects.

The left wing activist cohabitation case was revealed in the last couple of days and the equivalent of the Minister of Interior is including this in an inquiry into the activities of undercover officers - there are quite a few allegations of undercover officers using sex to gain access to family circles so as to spy on them. Many of these officers were married and had families elsewhere. It makes the activities of a certain type of Thai bargirl look rather amateur in comparison!

And some of these activities are not designed to catch the bad guys but in fact to cover for the illegal or highly unethical behaviour of colleagues.

And all of us (at least those of us not living under a rock for the past year or more) should know about the level of electronic surveillance that has been instigated by certain Western countries. The only ethical aspect of this is that all foreign citizens appear to have been treated equally, at least in Germany when the USA agency spied on the personal mobile phone of the Chancellor as well as untold numbers of other German citizens.

And just when you say, but in the case of ordinary interactions with the state, Thailand is more venial. Yes, in Thailand you can perhaps make some minor traffic matter go away for ahem a small donation to the police retirement fund, how about my pal in the UK who is disabled and who can barely afford the car he needs to get around but who was fined £100 for being a couple of MPH above the local speed limit on his way from a funeral? In the UK, some slight lapse of memory can lose your license of you forget where the dam_n cameras are and you rack up 12 points.

And how about the old people who get frightening letters from the tax man even though they have paid at least their fair due?

Do you still want to go back to the grinding work-schedule and stressful way of life?

My own personal experience in the UK is that everyone treats everyone in a rough and unfriendly way. It is always a charm for me when I arrive in Thailand. Even if I am being charged a higher price than the locals, it is being done for a reason - the people charging are usually poor and I am quite rich at least compared to them. But airlines have been doing this kind of thing for decades with different classes and charging different segments of the market different prices.

I remember meeting two Western men in Chiang Mai some years ago. They were about 50 years old, both married to Thai ladies who looked after them very well. they both lived in nice houses and had relatively new cars. They were retired and were stretching their retirement far better than in their own country. In fact, one of them in an unexpected moment of optimism, said that his house in Thailand was far better than anything he had ever lived in back home and alluded that the relationship with his Thai wife was far better than any previous relationship. But all they could do is grouch, moan, complain and niggle about every dam_n thing.

Perhaps it is misery likes company or it was because they had nothing to do all day but complain. But here were two gents who were living the life that their compatriots of the same age could only dream of and all they could see was the bad stuff.

I thought you were given me a novel (: very good analysis I would say.

[Somsrisonphimai]

Go with the flow, there're some things that need to change, such as corruption etc which I think would improve the country but it is not my position to suggest such things. I view everything as different not wrong & don't let it make me mad

without corruption thailand would be another singapore! do you really want that?

YES wouldnt it be great, clean, drug free, safe roads wonderful , bring it on!

I would leave out the food though. Don't really like their food, sorry Singaporeans.

[techboy]

Yep as a visitor is thier country I'm just expected to bend over, gently part my bumcheeks and take it...not allowed to complain.

The problem more likely is you want those cheeks to be kissed. Go live at the Shangri-La for 6000-10000 baht per day and I am sure you will find the Thailand that satisfies your needs.

[Somsrisonphimai]

What? Do you think Burma, Philippine, and India are better than Thailand? They were colonized by the western world, right? I don't like Thailand current politic affair and wish not to discus it, but I am still proud of Thailand.

well there was a lot of luck involved by not getting DIRECTLY colonized.

and yes it certainly was a good thing for thailand. a lot of misery in the world is the result of colonisation, alas.

Yeah, let's not beat around the bush here. Thailand was not formally colonised simply because the British and the French needed a buffer state between their empires to create a balance of power in the region. This did not stop the British from hiving off substantial territory from Thailand in 1909 to be incorporated in the unfederated Malay states. Shan areas of Thailand were also incorporated into British Burma, and Laos and additional portions of what is now Cambodia were also transferred to French Indochina. So while there was never a colonial governor of Thailand, it's a stretch to say the country was fully independent, sovereign, or free. The same can be said of the WWII era Japanese presence ... a lot of Thais would like to think that the country stayed out of the war, but it was actually little more than a vassal state of Japan (which explains why the Japanese were able to build the Death Railway on Thai territory). I love Thailand, but the myth of Thai independence is nothing more than that... a myth. [And it's nothing to be ashamed of either... like all colonised countries, they were faced with larger and very ruthless western powers whose use of force was near impossible to resist].

Come on! Why did they choose Thailand and not its neighbors? I think at that time Thailand had good leaders that can negotiate with the invaders to allow Thailand maintaining its independence. Give Thais some credit will you.

[Somsrisonphimai]

The only thing in life you have total control over is your personal attitude.

Plus, to coin a well worn phrase ... I never rarely sweat the small stuff (except those pesky mosquitoes ... hate those little suckers. They love me - and I hate them).

All the above keeps me sane ...

OH ... I do ask that you don't drink my last beer. Happy to share the 2nd last beer though ...

Sounds like a plan!

I also feed the bally mozzies!

Have you heard of this?

kill mozzies.jpg

Here is a homemade trap to help keep you and the kiddos from being a blood donors!!!

HOMEMADE MOSQUITO TRAP:

Items needed:

1 cup of water

1/4 cup of brown sugar

1 gram of yeast

1 2-liter bottle

HOW:

1. Cut the plastic bottle in half.

2. Mix brown sugar with hot water. Let cool. When cold, pour in the bottom half of the bottle.

3. Add the yeast. No need to mix. It creates carbon dioxide, which attracts mosquitoes.

4. Place the funnel part, upside down, into the other half of the bottle, taping them together if desired.

5. Wrap the bottle with something black, leaving the top uncovered, and place it outside in an area away from your normal gathering area. (Mosquitoes are also drawn to the color black.)

Change the solution every 2 weeks for continuous control.

I just need your address to come and share that beer LOL

I need to save this instruction, thank you. Mosquitoes are bad in my village.

[thailiketoo]

What? Do you think Burma, Philippine, and India are better than Thailand? They were colonized by the western world, right? I don't like Thailand current politic affair and wish not to discus it, but I am still proud of Thailand.

well there was a lot of luck involved by not getting DIRECTLY colonized.

and yes it certainly was a good thing for thailand. a lot of misery in the world is the result of colonisation, alas.

Yeah, let's not beat around the bush here. Thailand was not formally colonised simply because the British and the French needed a buffer state between their empires to create a balance of power in the region. This did not stop the British from hiving off substantial territory from Thailand in 1909 to be incorporated in the unfederated Malay states. Shan areas of Thailand were also incorporated into British Burma, and Laos and additional portions of what is now Cambodia were also transferred to French Indochina. So while there was never a colonial governor of Thailand, it's a stretch to say the country was fully independent, sovereign, or free. The same can be said of the WWII era Japanese presence ... a lot of Thais would like to think that the country stayed out of the war, but it was actually little more than a vassal state of Japan (which explains why the Japanese were able to build the Death Railway on Thai territory). I love Thailand, but the myth of Thai independence is nothing more than that... a myth. [And it's nothing to be ashamed of either... like all colonised countries, they were faced with larger and very ruthless western powers whose use of force was near impossible to resist].

Come on! Why did they choose Thailand and not its neighbors? I think at that time Thailand had good leaders that can negotiate with the invaders to allow Thailand maintaining its independence. Give Thais some credit will you.

Geography more than anything. Thailand is in the middle. Making it a bumper state against the states that wanted protection.

They don't teach this in Thailand?

For example the Japanese needed Thailand to attack Singapore so Thailand became an ally of Japan to facilitate the conquest of Singapore and Burma. If Thais had resisted perhaps WWII would have been over much sooner.

Edited March 8, 2014 by thailiketoo

[Somsrisonphimai]

i think thai are very tolerant towards farang who BEHAVE. i have made 1000's of small mistakes and all people stayed friendly to me because they know i'm farang (different culture/background) and not thai but i do my best. the worst that happened was that they treated me like a child, which was in fact very charming and funny too. as soon as i came to thailand i mixed with the locals and had to learn their language and basic customs since i have no thai wife or gf to deal with stuff for me. most people really appreciate me, some don't but that's their nature. i'll be leaving next year exploring a side of the globe i have never been. sofar i have no regrets about my stay here, no bad memories.

I don't know about others but I think Thais are fascinated by farangs. They just cannot help but gaga over the farangs: male and female, old and young, attractive and not attractive, and rich and poor.

[Somsrisonphimai]

What? Do you think Burma, Philippine, and India are better than Thailand? They were colonized by the western world, right? I don't like Thailand current politic affair and wish not to discus it, but I am still proud of Thailand.

well there was a lot of luck involved by not getting DIRECTLY colonized.

and yes it certainly was a good thing for thailand. a lot of misery in the world is the result of colonisation, alas.

Yeah, let's not beat around the bush here. Thailand was not formally colonised simply because the British and the French needed a buffer state between their empires to create a balance of power in the region. This did not stop the British from hiving off substantial territory from Thailand in 1909 to be incorporated in the unfederated Malay states. Shan areas of Thailand were also incorporated into British Burma, and Laos and additional portions of what is now Cambodia were also transferred to French Indochina. So while there was never a colonial governor of Thailand, it's a stretch to say the country was fully independent, sovereign, or free. The same can be said of the WWII era Japanese presence ... a lot of Thais would like to think that the country stayed out of the war, but it was actually little more than a vassal state of Japan (which explains why the Japanese were able to build the Death Railway on Thai territory). I love Thailand, but the myth of Thai independence is nothing more than that... a myth. [And it's nothing to be ashamed of either... like all colonised countries, they were faced with larger and very ruthless western powers whose use of force was near impossible to resist].

Come on! Why did they choose Thailand and not its neighbors? I think at that time Thailand had good leaders that can negotiate with the invaders to allow Thailand maintaining its independence. Give Thais some credit will you.

Geography more than anything. Thailand is in the middle. Making it a bumper state against the states that wanted protection.

They don't teach this in Thailand?

For example the Japanese needed Thailand to attack Singapore so Thailand became an ally of Japan to facilitate the conquest of Singapore and Burma. If Thais had resisted perhaps WWII would have been over much sooner.

Oh no no no...that would not be fair to Thailand to say such thing. Perhaps the Japanese should have not started in the first place.

[Somsrisonphimai]

1. People come here all to often looking for a situation, a complacent life style, whatever. They have no idea whether or not they like Thailand. Then they find that it is not all about them. They react by consummately slandering the country.

2. People come here and think that they are now elite creatures. Eventually they wake up and find that they are the same jokers that they always were and this results in them becoming wretched, frequently downright venomous malcontents. This manifests itself in their taking it out on the Thais by contriving malicious assertions about them.

I must give my 2 cents here. Generally speaking, foreigners come to Thailand because of the wonderful things they hear about Thailand and think they can fit in easily, cheap living, beautiful women, good food, friendly people, etc.

Originally, they were here as tourist and they thought what a wonderful place for retiring. But there is a big different between being a tourist and a resident. As tourists they were there for a good time and left in a few days, it was a fantasy not reality. As residents, they experienced the normal side of Thailand that sometime difficult to accept so they complained and wanted the place to go back to when they were here as tourists.

Edited March 8, 2014 by Somsrisonphimai

[slipperylobster]

Or maybe you meant Japan, but wait? I don't think Japan was colonized either was it?

Had to think about this comment. As a matter of fact, they lost the War and the whole Feudalistic system was trashed. Japan was rebuilt. Much more drastic than colonization. There was a period of time when the entire society and government had to answer to American rule. Occupation of Japan.....due to their surrender....did happen !

http://history.state.gov/milestones/1945-1952/japan-reconstruction

Just so that comparison cannot be misunderstood.

[Docno]

What? Do you think Burma, Philippine, and India are better than Thailand? They were colonized by the western world, right? I don't like Thailand current politic affair and wish not to discus it, but I am still proud of Thailand.

well there was a lot of luck involved by not getting DIRECTLY colonized.

and yes it certainly was a good thing for thailand. a lot of misery in the world is the result of colonisation, alas.

Yeah, let's not beat around the bush here. Thailand was not formally colonised simply because the British and the French needed a buffer state between their empires to create a balance of power in the region. This did not stop the British from hiving off substantial territory from Thailand in 1909 to be incorporated in the unfederated Malay states. Shan areas of Thailand were also incorporated into British Burma, and Laos and additional portions of what is now Cambodia were also transferred to French Indochina. So while there was never a colonial governor of Thailand, it's a stretch to say the country was fully independent, sovereign, or free. The same can be said of the WWII era Japanese presence ... a lot of Thais would like to think that the country stayed out of the war, but it was actually little more than a vassal state of Japan (which explains why the Japanese were able to build the Death Railway on Thai territory). I love Thailand, but the myth of Thai independence is nothing more than that... a myth. [And it's nothing to be ashamed of either... like all colonised countries, they were faced with larger and very ruthless western powers whose use of force was near impossible to resist].

Come on! Why did they choose Thailand and not its neighbors? I think at that time Thailand had good leaders that can negotiate with the invaders to allow Thailand maintaining its independence. Give Thais some credit will you.

You need to read a history of SE Asia, not just a history of Thailand. The British were moving from west to east, starting in India, then provoking a war with Burma to take over that country; at the same time they were solidifying their presence to the south, in Malaysia, capitalizing on Malay fears of Siam expansionism. The you had the French establishing a presence in what is now Vietnam and spreading into Cambodia. Siam was the last fruit left for the plucking, where the boundaries of these two empires would meet. It was not "chosen", as you said it was the last empty square on the gameboard. Yes, thai kings and ministers did a good job of playing the middle, but as another poster said, it was more a matter of geography than anything else.... the colonial powers knew that each would not allow the other to take over Siam in the middle. But each also carved off large pieces of Thai territory to add to their empires. Not a story for westerners to be proud of, but it's what happened....

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[thailiketoo]

Or maybe you meant Japan, but wait? I don't think Japan was colonized either was it?

Had to think about this comment. As a matter of fact, they lost the War and the whole Feudalistic system was trashed. Japan was rebuilt. Much more drastic than colonization. There was a period of time when the entire society and government had to answer to American rule. Occupation of Japan.....due to their surrender....did happen !

http://history.state.gov/milestones/1945-1952/japan-reconstruction

Just so that comparison cannot be misunderstood.

Japan was not colonized. If you are trying to make the case that the American occupation was the same as colonization; I have no comment on that is it is too far from reality to debate.

[thailiketoo]

Oh no no no...that would not be fair to Thailand to say such thing. Perhaps the Japanese should have not started in the first place.

I think it is fair. Thailand attacked France in the Franco Thai war as part of WWII and erected the Victory monument to celebrate the victory as a result.

Thailand was an aggressor against the French the year before becoming an ally of Japan.