Is There Good In Thailand?

[frodo]

Living in Thailand a person must take the “good with the bad.” Lately, it seems there has been more “bad” on the board. For whatever reasons; frustrations, annoyances, personal challenges, it is easy to fall into the so-called “blame game.” Without a doubt, I too get frustrated from time to time, but I don’t let it get the best of me. Whether it is someone jumping que, price gouging, state of education, traffic, politics, etc., it is easy to forget about the better side of life. I’ve personally seen people who had not been able to let the smallest incidents go, and overtime, those things corrupted their brains. They went from being positive about life in Thailand to actually hating everyone and everything. Personally, I could not imagine being so bothered about a small insignificant incident and bringing it home where personal and social life is severely affected.

Being able to release some of that pent up frustration on a web board can be cathartic for many, yet at the same time constant nick-picking and negativity can impact an individual’s well-being and disrupt the good things that continue to exist here.

A few weeks ago I had purchased a new front load washing machine. When it was delivered and set-up the next day, the service I received was first class all the way around. The workers had the proper tools, they were very knowledgeable and efficient at what they were doing, they cleaned messes as they went along, and they were the most courteous people. However, the best was yet to come. While they were cleaning up, the gents noticed a few things in the house that needed minor repair, which I hadn’t had time to do. Having the tools, they actually made repairs and happily I will add. I was more than happy to give them money since they went up and beyond the call of duty. They actually refused! For them, it was not about money, but doing something to help another person. That is top-notch service which I had received only one other time, and it was here in Thailand when I had my a/c installed. In my homeland, this service had never happened. It’s more of the attitude, “It will cost you.”

Take the good with the bad. Those small incidents that can bring us down from time to time can always be negated by the much more positive things here. Don’t forget those things; they will make a happier person.

[Donz]

some posters are just complainers.

I agree, Ive seen posts about not getting pole space on the train and they post how ALL thais are rude and they are un-educated, Thais have no ability to que up, Thais are all stupid etc etc.

I think posters are just venting out there day to day frustrations on here to feel better about themselves.

People need to lighten up abit and live life and not get upset when you see someone spitting some chewing gum on the floor.

[ThaiPauly]

I always thought that queing was a Thai trai that they learnt off us Brits.

I have never come accross a race that seem to be so happy to wait.

Anyway Anger is not good for you. When you have pent up anger over someone or something it is only YOU that really suffers.

Mai Bpen Rai...I think works very well here..its certainly not a phrase you hear to often back home (In English of course).

[Tywais]

When one's love affair with Thailand is over and begin really living here with all the day to day activities and interactions some reality begins poking through. How one deals with it is probably the same as how one deals with difficulties in their home countries, either nit pick or except it as part of their new life. I personally take the good with the bad but for me the good has far outweighed the bad compared to my previous life. Sure, I btch and moan occasionaly but much less then before.

An example like the OPs. The other day my car wouldn't start due to a dead battery. The gardner had just arrived to do his normal activities at the house and saw I was having problems. He offered to jump the car and helped me push it out into the street. His battery cables wouldn't work (too small) and he went house to house trying to find a better pair. Got some and came back, car started perfectly. Tried to pay him and he just backed up waving his arms saying no need and looked embarassed that I would offer it.

[KhunMarco]

Here in CM I received the best Dental treatments in my whole life.

Courtesy, punctuality, top notch techniques, explained each single procedure in details.

Today I actually fell asleep during a root canal treatment No kidding! It's been a competition between me and the drill ...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[Donz]

When one's love affair with Thailand is over and begin really living here with all the day to day activities and interactions some reality begins poking through. How one deals with it is probably the same as how one deals with difficulties in their home countries, either nit pick or except it as part of their new life. I personally take the good with the bad but for me the good has far outweighed the bad compared to my previous life. Sure, I btch and moan occasionaly but much less then before.

An example like the OPs. The other day my car wouldn't start due to a dead battery. The gardner had just arrived to do his normal activities at the house and saw I was having problems. He offered to jump the car and helped me push it out into the street. His battery cables wouldn't work (too small) and he went house to house trying to find a better pair. Got some and came back, car started perfectly. Tried to pay him and he just backed up waving his arms saying no need and looked embarassed that I would offer it.

ive noticed that you have chilled out abit, and that story is good as not many people in the world would do that for someone

[ColPyat]

Living in Thailand a person must take the “good with the bad.” Lately, it seems there has been more “bad” on the board.

My personal life is as good as it can get. My happines in my personal life does not blind me though to the fact that Thailand is in severe trouble, and that most inhabitants here have not such a good life.

[jdinasia]

Ugh .....

Look at the city today. All decked out in yellow ... even upcountry people are expressing their joy at being Thai and at living here ...

Most inhabitants here do have a good life .... some people are just too cynical to see it.

Edited June 9, 2006 by jdinasia

[TokyoT]

“The good life” much like beauty is all in the eye of the beholder.

[camerata]

I’ve personally seen people who had not been able to let the smallest incidents go, and overtime, those things corrupted their brains.

Very true. In the same way that rubbing on a piece of wood day after day will create a groove, life's irritations create grooves in the mind. That's why a lot of old people are grumpy - the same things irritating their mind day after day, making the grooves deeper and deeper. You need to catch the groove before it gets too deep.

A lot of farang I've met see themselves as a victim - everything bad is happening specifically to them, or specifically to farang. But if they'd just wake up and see that the bad stuff happens to everyone (and a lot of really bad stuff happens to Thais), they'd be able to appreciate the good stuff and maintain a more balanced outlook.

Yesterday, at Immigration, they actually apologized to me for keeping me waiting 15-20 minutes while they looked for my documents. And they said it like they meant it. That's a first in over 20 years of dealing with Thai officialdom. It made my day.

[Tippaporn]

Great OP. Thanks, and that goes to the other posters as well. Yeah, I'm one of those, too, who continues to seek out the good here and minimize the bad. Not sticking my head in the sand but the attitude does make a huge difference.

Edited June 9, 2006 by Tippaporn

[ColPyat]

Most inhabitants here do have a good life .... some people are just too cynical to see it.

I don't really see what this has to do with cynicism.

Just because we have enough money to life a decent life, and because most of the social injustices, that are a sad fact of Thailand, do not phase us directly, does not mean that most Thais are happy with their life. It is very superficial to judge from the behavior during those celebrations that everything is in order in Thailand.

You should have a look at the suicide statistics that are a above the international norm, and the murder rates here, which are in international comparism only after Columbia and South Africa, way above even the ones in the US. This should be a rather good indicator for the level of happines here in Thailand.

The problem are the wingers, who complain about every little thing that negatively affects their life here, blow it out of proportion and see themselves as the eternal victim of "the Thais". These people fail to have a good look around themselves, and see not what diffculties the average Thai has to face by living in this country. Those are the cynics.

I have a happy life here, i do not have much to complain about. But i do not carry an ostrich attitude, this is a developing country in a huge transition which creates enormous social tensions.

I only don't let these problems affect my personal level of happines negatively.

[ROFL]

some posters are just complainers.

I agree, Ive seen posts about not getting pole space on the train and they post how ALL thais are rude and they are un-educated, Thais have no ability to que up, Thais are all stupid etc etc.

I think posters are just venting out there day to day frustrations on here to feel better about themselves.

People need to lighten up abit and live life and not get upset when you see someone spitting some chewing gum on the floor.

Its because we/they/us live in Thailand right now. If we lived in NYC people would say the same things.

People shouldnt be so defensive, and if they are they shouldnt read "stitch and bitch" threads.

[ROFL]

Ugh .....

Look at the city today. All decked out in yellow ... even upcountry people are expressing their joy at being Thai and at living here ...

Most inhabitants here do have a good life .... some people are just too cynical to see it.

-

I think its great thing when people express pride in their country or "King".

Whats interesting is that it only seems to be allowed in certain countries, if Amercans show their pride in their country their called Nationalistic right wing neo-cons.

Personally I dont see anything wrong with people being proud of their country as long as its not expressed as "we are better" than the rest.

Personally I think the Kings a pretty cool guy, I even picked up a framed photo of him yesturday, the one where hes sitting in his Monks robes with sunglasses on.

I also like the fact that he was born in AMERICA.

So I'll have no problem wearing Red White and Blue tomorrow, I wont feel like a wannabe farang.

[jdinasia]

you lost me there ....

the Ugh was in response to the attempted hijacking of the thread bye the scaremongers and doomsayers.

I have far more positive stories of life in Thailand over the years than negative ones!

(as for being proud to be an American .... whatever floats your boat .... I don't think it is all that special of a status to have pride in ....

[Dakhar]

I hired a fellow to paint one of my wife's town houses. I did not specify that he paint the bathroom, or the outside washing area.

When I got home from work (9:30) I quick like a bee jumped on the moped to go inspect the work.

Trully I expected half-a-s-s-ed work. I am a perfectionist, a gene my fahter passed on down to me.

So I opened the door to the town house.... and I was amazed at the work. WOW, I could have not done better myself, and probably could not have done as well of a job myself.

So there is quality to be found in Thailand.

Enjoy folks

[Sing_Sling]

I'm sure we have all had many positive experiences in Thailand, it's nice to hear some of them for a change.

[ROFL]

(as for being proud to be an American .... whatever floats your boat .... I don't think it is all that special of a status to have pride in ....

Thanks for proving my point, Proud of being THAI...scream it from the mountain tops...proud of anywhere else and all YOU can find is the negative of THAT country.

So you get upset if we talk about Thailands issues, but have problems with people being proud of their country of origin if it doesnt suit you.

Just remember, the KING was BORN in America.

My point was simply that its OK to be proud of your country, just dont be a hypocrite about it.

You used Thais wearing of yellow as evidence that everythings OK with Thailand..and maybe it is...but I doubt you would say the same of Americans wearing red whitel and blue.

Edited June 9, 2006 by ROFL

[jdinasia]

huh?

I don't get upset here at all! I'm a yank ... I just don't think it is something to be proud of OR ashamed of ... i mean really ... an accident of birth is all it is.

I am happy however and proud for the Thais that they have this great king and that he has been around for so long! Hope he's here for another 12 years or more!

[mbkudu]

Living in Thailand a person must take the “good with the bad.” Lately, it seems there has been more “bad” on the board. For whatever reasons; frustrations, annoyances, personal challenges, it is easy to fall into the so-called “blame game.” Without a doubt, I too get frustrated from time to time, but I don’t let it get the best of me. Whether it is someone jumping que, price gouging, state of education, traffic, politics, etc., it is easy to forget about the better side of life. I’ve personally seen people who had not been able to let the smallest incidents go, and overtime, those things corrupted their brains. They went from being positive about life in Thailand to actually hating everyone and everything. Personally, I could not imagine being so bothered about a small insignificant incident and bringing it home where personal and social life is severely affected.

Being able to release some of that pent up frustration on a web board can be cathartic for many, yet at the same time constant nick-picking and negativity can impact an individual’s well-being and disrupt the good things that continue to exist here.

A few weeks ago I had purchased a new front load washing machine. When it was delivered and set-up the next day, the service I received was first class all the way around. The workers had the proper tools, they were very knowledgeable and efficient at what they were doing, they cleaned messes as they went along, and they were the most courteous people. However, the best was yet to come. While they were cleaning up, the gents noticed a few things in the house that needed minor repair, which I hadn’t had time to do. Having the tools, they actually made repairs and happily I will add. I was more than happy to give them money since they went up and beyond the call of duty. They actually refused! For them, it was not about money, but doing something to help another person. That is top-notch service which I had received only one other time, and it was here in Thailand when I had my a/c installed. In my homeland, this service had never happened. It’s more of the attitude, “It will cost you.”

Take the good with the bad. Those small incidents that can bring us down from time to time can always be negated by the much more positive things here. Don’t forget those things; they will make a happier person.

Only one complaint. Wife lost her keys to our apartment. I had a new key made from my key at the keymaker on Soi 18 Sukhumvit in front of 7-11. I got home and the key didn't work. I looked at it carefully and it's not the right blank to start with. Oh well, 25 baht down the drain. The guy at the Nana intersection at the police booth makes them for 25 and they work. I love this country.

Edited June 9, 2006 by mbkudu

[thankuverybig]

i think they have more respect for the elderly (not that i am) in thailand than they do in the uk.

or at least outwardly they do,they are outwardly very respectful people.

maybe there not saying "hes past it" so much.

[ROFL]

huh?

I don't get upset here at all! I'm a yank ... I just don't think it is something to be proud of OR ashamed of ... i mean really ... an accident of birth is all it is.

I am happy however and proud for the Thais that they have this great king and that he has been around for so long! Hope he's here for another 12 years or more!

OK, no worries.

[ColPyat]

I think its great thing when people express pride in their country or "King".

Whats interesting is that it only seems to be allowed in certain countries, if Amercans show their pride in their country their called Nationalistic right wing neo-cons.

Gosh, yes, you have me convinced!

In this spirit, we should start a movement to reinstall the British Crown in its rightful place as the ruling monarch and head of state of the US.

Furthermore - i advocate to reinstall deposed monarchs and their families worlwide, return their holdings, and reintroduce the priviledges of the aristocracy.

For King and Country!

[ROFL]

I think its great thing when people express pride in their country or "King".

Whats interesting is that it only seems to be allowed in certain countries, if Amercans show their pride in their country their called Nationalistic right wing neo-cons.

Gosh, yes, you have me convinced!

In this spirit, we should start a movement to reinstall the British Crown in its rightful place as the ruling monarch and head of state of the US.

Furthermore - i advocate to reinstall deposed monarchs and their families worlwide, return their holdings, and reintroduce the priviledges of the aristocracy.

For King and Country!

One can be proud of their country without being proud of their king or leaders.