The "I've been here longer than you" people.

[rayongchelsea]

There were no real tourist farang ghettos once. That is new.

I lived on a sub Soi of ekkamai for years only 2 farangs.

[thailiketoo]

This is how we used to get around before tuk tuks.

[PJcm]

Means nothing!

I know a few folk who have been here more than 20 years and are still clueless about the place and whose language skills don't extend beyond "Sawatdee Krap"

That is usually the case. Most of the "seasoned experts" limit themselves to a few watering holes and spout out garbled thai/english at the ladies....then wink at you. I have met many tourists, who have seen much more of Thailand than the veterans, and show much more enthusiasm and respect.

I will not give you the name and town, but I went to a place yesterday up in Isaan, and found a small farang place to eat and have a beer. Pretty much the most unwelcoming experience I have ever had. In contrast, went a few doors down, to a small thai restaurant, and got all the smiles and service one could ask for. (My gal was with me).

Yes I've had similar experience with expats, the ones who have been here two years or so and own a new restaurant or pub. They aren't very welcoming so sitting at the bar I start to talk to the staff in Thai or it may be his wife/GF. They have a hissy fit. One man actually said that I couldn't talk to his staff in Thai because he wanted to know what I was saying. told him this is Jolly Olde England and I will speak the vernacular. He had more of a hissy fit and instructed his wife/GF to give me my bill. Six months later he closed down and the wife/GF is back in Pattaya dancing.

[Aussieroaming]

My advise to you..quit striking up conversations with strangers

[SoiBiker]

Means nothing!

I know a few folk who have been here more than 20 years and are still clueless about the place and whose language skills don't extend beyond "Sawatdee Krap"

That is usually the case. Most of the "seasoned experts" limit themselves to a few watering holes and spout out garbled thai/english at the ladies....then wink at you. I have met many tourists, who have seen much more of Thailand than the veterans, and show much more enthusiasm and respect.

I will not give you the name and town, but I went to a place yesterday up in Isaan, and found a small farang place to eat and have a beer. Pretty much the most unwelcoming experience I have ever had. In contrast, went a few doors down, to a small thai restaurant, and got all the smiles and service one could ask for. (My gal was with me).

Yes I've had similar experience with expats, the ones who have been here two years or so and own a new restaurant or pub. They aren't very welcoming so sitting at the bar I start to talk to the staff in Thai or it may be his wife/GF. They have a hissy fit. One man actually said that I couldn't talk to his staff in Thai because he wanted to know what I was saying. told him this is Jolly Olde England and I will speak the vernacular. He had more of a hissy fit and instructed his wife/GF to give me my bill. Six months later he closed down and the wife/GF is back in Pattaya dancing.

See, that does sort of sound like you went out of your way to be obnoxious.

[ATF]

Means nothing!

I know a few folk who have been here more than 20 years and are still clueless about the place and whose language skills don't extend beyond "Sawatdee Krap"

That is usually the case. Most of the "seasoned experts" limit themselves to a few watering holes and spout out garbled thai/english at the ladies....then wink at you. I have met many tourists, who have seen much more of Thailand than the veterans, and show much more enthusiasm and respect.

I will not give you the name and town, but I went to a place yesterday up in Isaan, and found a small farang place to eat and have a beer. Pretty much the most unwelcoming experience I have ever had. In contrast, went a few doors down, to a small thai restaurant, and got all the smiles and service one could ask for. (My gal was with me).

Yes I've had similar experience with expats, the ones who have been here two years or so and own a new restaurant or pub. They aren't very welcoming so sitting at the bar I start to talk to the staff in Thai or it may be his wife/GF. They have a hissy fit. One man actually said that I couldn't talk to his staff in Thai because he wanted to know what I was saying. told him this is Jolly Olde England and I will speak the vernacular. He had more of a hissy fit and instructed his wife/GF to give me my bill. Six months later he closed down and the wife/GF is back in Pattaya dancing.

See, that does sort of sound like you went out of your way to be obnoxious.

I can't see speaking Thai as being obnoxious similar situations have happened to me many times. I've even known Brit bar owners ask Germans to speak English in their bar.

[jacksam]

Not a problem for me. I'm a recluse and rarely speak to anyone in English.

But.....you do speak to us JL on TVF......and we like you.

Thank you. I have US based NGO that deals now with several US Federal Court cases and government policy issues in the US and internationally through the UN principally in Geneva. I spend a lot of time online often at odd hours. I tend to write as briskly as possible or else my stuff in those arenas will just not get read by lawyers, government officials, and heads of large international NGOs who are my typical audience.

So spending time on here on TV is often a respite from reading legal documents or monitoring online meetings or testimony. I just do not tend to meet a lot of farang/non-Thais. I don't drink; don't smoke; and I know nothing about footie. Although my Thai skills are not on par with those in the Thai language forum I have no problem speaking with Thais who speak no English. So thanks from here in the outskirts of KK.

I have read a lot of your self serving gigs. I don't want to put donks on table ....but is this another one of your CV,s

I'm a retired doctor but that means nothing. Its people that tend to flash cash or some expertise, in general have what we in AU refer to as "small member syndrome".

You may think this is left field , but seen few if your posts. Rather than subtle relate to OP you pontificate.

[jacksam]

Not a problem for me. I'm a recluse and rarely speak to anyone in English.

But.....you do speak to us JL on TVF......and we like you.

Thank you. I have US based NGO that deals now with several US Federal Court cases and government policy issues in the US and internationally through the UN principally in Geneva. I spend a lot of time online often at odd hours. I tend to write as briskly as possible or else my stuff in those arenas will just not get read by lawyers, government officials, and heads of large international NGOs who are my typical audience.

So spending time on here on TV is often a respite from reading legal documents or monitoring online meetings or testimony. I just do not tend to meet a lot of farang/non-Thais. I don't drink; don't smoke; and I know nothing about footie. Although my Thai skills are not on par with those in the Thai language forum I have no problem speaking with Thais who speak no English. So thanks from here in the outskirts of KK.

I have read a lot of your self serving gigs. I don't want to put donks on table ....but is this another one of your CV,s

I'm a retired doctor but that means nothing. Its people that tend to flash cash or some expertise, in general have what we in AU refer to as "small member syndrome".

You may think this is left field , but a few if your posts. Rather than subtle relate to OP you pontificate.

Edited November 25, 2014 by jacksam

[Aussieroaming]

Come and tell us about it when you have been here long enough to understand life here

[eldragon]

I wouldn't call Jomtien living here.

[fey]

His irritation was on base. One thing you get tired of real fast over here is people passing through asking the same questions over and over.

Your first mistake was asking 'where you from?'

when you have moved permanently telling people that you were from some city you grew up in ages ago gets old. it also makes me feel like a two week millionaire.

well i grew up in blah blah blah

i'll just tell you the last city i lived in, but thats bogus too, but it sounds like a great answer

the second was probably 'what do you do?'

not a great answer to this question in places where burnt out backpackers are scrounging for their next meal.

maybe teaching, blogging or photo journalist would be a good answer. dont make to much and sounds ARTY and COOL

Try to be a little more original next time and skip the tourist jazz.

[Lissos]

Nothing new, this. It goes on in all sorts of circles. One example is the sort of conversation that often develops when travellers come together. It can slide into a subtle or not so subtle competition about who is the most 'seasoned' in situ, along with clever pepperd name dropping from 'visited' lists or claiming to newbies how much better / cheaper / less developed / authentic / friendly everything was 10 or more years ago (often right, unfortunately too). It gets tiresome and I'm not immune from it either. Men in particular love to be viewed as the veteran of whatever activity, and be turned to for advice. One thing I found out though is that no matter how experienced you think you are, and no matter how long you've been carrying out a particular activity, there is always somebody out there who was doing it when you were a school boy in shorts, and when you find yourself talking about the state of affairs in a particular place 15 years ago with some tinge of veteran pride remember that out there is somebody who was there / here 20-30 years before we were.

[fey]

Nothing new, this. It goes on in all sorts of circles. One example is the sort of conversation that often develops when travellers come together. It can slide into a subtle or not so subtle competition about who is the most 'seasoned' in situ, along with clever pepperd name dropping from 'visited' lists or claiming to newbies how much better / cheaper / less developed / authentic / friendly everything was 10 or more years ago (often right, unfortunately too). It gets tiresome and I'm not immune from it either. Men in particular love to be viewed as the veteran of whatever activity, and be turned to for advice. One thing I found out though is that no matter how experienced you think you are, and no matter how long you've been carrying out a particular activity, there is always somebody out there who was doing it when you were a school boy in shorts, and when you find yourself talking about the state of affairs in a particular place 15 years ago with some tinge of veteran pride remember that out there is somebody who was there / here 20-30 years before we were.

it all boils down to insecurity. people trying to find familiar in common in strange environments that are new and dont feel as safe as home.

its also why farang ghettos, mc donalds, starbucks and villa market are so popular.

one of the favorite conversations of travelers is discovering that someone is actually from the same town! and even neighborhood! do you know tim mc cracken?

get off the your past hangups. it's where i am now that matters.

[JLCrab]

Not a problem for me. I'm a recluse and rarely speak to anyone in English.

But.....you do speak to us JL on TVF......and we like you.

Thank you. I have US based NGO that deals now with several US Federal Court cases and government policy issues in the US and internationally through the UN principally in Geneva. I spend a lot of time online often at odd hours. I tend to write as briskly as possible or else my stuff in those arenas will just not get read by lawyers, government officials, and heads of large international NGOs who are my typical audience.

So spending time on here on TV is often a respite from reading legal documents or monitoring online meetings or testimony. I just do not tend to meet a lot of farang/non-Thais. I don't drink; don't smoke; and I know nothing about footie. Although my Thai skills are not on par with those in the Thai language forum I have no problem speaking with Thais who speak no English. So thanks from here in the outskirts of KK.

I have read a lot of your self serving gigs. I don't want to put donks on table ....but is this another one of your CV,s

I'm a retired doctor but that means nothing. Its people that tend to flash cash or some expertise, in general have what we in AU refer to as "small member syndrome".

You may think this is left field , but a few if your posts. Rather than subtle relate to OP you pontificate.

Thank you -- and I have read that guys with small members try to make up for it by buying big motorcycles.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=small+penis+motorcycle

Edited November 25, 2014 by JLCrab

[HooHaa]

stop hanging out in bars in jomtien. simple innit?

[HooHaa]

deleted, dbl post

Edited November 25, 2014 by HooHaa

[n210mp]

When I first came her I had loadsa friends and acquaintances.

I think I was being being over friendly to all and every one who talked to me.

Maybe made me feel more comfortable or secure with the vastly different culture that I was then trying to assimilate into.

I have now "practically" no friends or should I say friends who I could trust with my life/wife or family.

I still have many acquaintances but none that I would like to get involved with to the extent that I would enjoy their company for anything more than a days golfing or the occasional couple of hours at a non short time bar.

The quality of most of those coming from Europe, Oz or the USA are minimal in my opinion and to be honest I have never met a more dysfunctional and "hung up" set of people anywhere that I have travelled and believe me I have seen most of the world both as a tourist and businessman.

Its said by one Philosopher that 80% of people have a socially dysfunctional mental condition, in Pattaya I would estimate that 95% of the ExPats that I have met up have some kind of mental problem including most of the indigenous population. (Dont ask me for a link)

After a while it seems to me that our typical jolly ExPat becomes either a sex monger or an alcoholic, maybe both through boredom and peer pressure and like all those who are addicted or obsessed criticises those are aren't in the same mindset as them.

Anyway back to my rant

The "practically friends" that I do have are great people but again I would not wish them to assume any responsibility for me or mine, I feel that if you view friends on that type of basis you will in the end be disappointed and in any event its like having friends as an insurance policy and that is not surely very friend, friendly.

Whilst living in Pattaya for a while I have noticed that there seems to be some kind of "One upmanship" with those who usually whilst Mau,continue to state how long they have been here every time you have the misfortune to meet them.

They also talk in that Pseudo pidgin Thinglish that sounds so patronising and insipid.

There is One such as this on our Soi (There is always one, isn't there)

Most of the ExPats try to ignore him, which is only possible when He's sober, this is possible because he cannot hold a sober and sensible conversation

However when He is drunk, which is every afternoon He then assume this alter ego and loudly bores the pants off everyone in the Soi who cannot escape his tales of conquests and jack the lad exploits, all gained whilst bar flying in the dens of iniquity in downtown Pattaya.

Its his incessantly telling how long he as lived in Pattaya though that really grates on those unlucky enough to be captured by him

I am of the opinion that to continually remind me of how long they have been here, means that they have little self confidence and maybe not much intellect either.

But then again it's like looking for a good woman in the UK, where would you go these days?

Like the good woman in the UK the good ExPat doesn't frequent too many bars and in the absence of places like a good and genuine ExPats club where you are not going to be treated as a customer , it is hard to meet up with the good woman or the good ExPat.

Having been a little cynical I will say that there does seem to be genuine people in the golfing societies and maybe other sports oriented clubs but when you are a maturing ExPat you dont seem to have the same stimulus for going places making friends as you did when you were younger.

Thinking about it I assume many of the more mature ExPats prefer the company like me of their wives and family, just like it used to be back home in the UK (in a previous existence)

There are so many wheeler dealers, conmen, chancers down on their luck in this area that it seems to me that the complaints that some posters have on this forum of ExPats being an unfriendly lot (when passing each other on the street or in a market and not acknowledging each other ETC) are entirely justified.