Integrating into the Thai culture

[mrowe1973]

I tried to assimilate towards Thai culture but the Thais were moving towards western culture quicker than I was able to integrate into traditional Thai, well Lanna culture. There are now only three men, including myself, in the village, all of us over 60, willing to wear a pakama in public and we all get grief from our wives for doing so except for 90 year old Uey Kieow. But I seem to have integrated well as I am still drinking Thai "whiskey" with the same cast of tambon (sub-district) characters from over the past 30 years. The only diference is that me and my drinking pals all go home and go to sleep long before midnight and let our sons do the drinking for us into the wee hours.

I'm a non drinker so I can never assimilate!

[TonyPaul]

When I see these topics, it always reminds of the western tool I saw on Sukhumvit giving Wais to spirit houses.

Or the fresh in town tools that wai the gogo girls in the bars!

[thailiketoo]

I tried to assimilate towards Thai culture but the Thais were moving towards western culture quicker than I was able to integrate into traditional Thai, well Lanna culture. There are now only three men, including myself, in the village, all of us over 60, willing to wear a pakama in public and we all get grief from our wives for doing so except for 90 year old Uey Kieow. But I seem to have integrated well as I am still drinking Thai "whiskey" with the same cast of tambon (sub-district) characters from over the past 30 years. The only diference is that me and my drinking pals all go home and go to sleep long before midnight and let our sons do the drinking for us into the wee hours.

I'm a non drinker so I can never assimilate!

The Current Situation and Effect of Alcohol Consumption in Thailand 2013 report conducted by the Center for Alcohol Studies (CAS) has shown that 31.5 percent of Thai people aged 15 years and over, or about 17 million drinkers, consume alcohol regularly.

No, you can't assimilate because you know little about Thailand.

[NoshowJones]

...but also dressing like them..

So how do you dress now?

If your coming to Bangkok they mostly wear jeans, t shirts, shorts , sneakers..that sort of thing

Are you sure your going to adapt?

Don't be like those Farang assh-les who walk about shirtless, that will definitely not endear you to the Thais.

[NoshowJones]

does wearing my sarong round the house count as being thai,,,,???

back to my coffee,,

I hope thats behind closed doors Jake!!!.....

As long as the closed doors are locked with the keys on the inside.

[mrtoad]

You're a guest. Behave as you would hope a guest of yours would behave. But integration? Thais are even more insular than Brits (and that's saying something), so by all means try but don't be disappointed with the results.

I take it you haven't been to The UK then?

[mrowe1973]

I tried to assimilate towards Thai culture but the Thais were moving towards western culture quicker than I was able to integrate into traditional Thai, well Lanna culture. There are now only three men, including myself, in the village, all of us over 60, willing to wear a pakama in public and we all get grief from our wives for doing so except for 90 year old Uey Kieow. But I seem to have integrated well as I am still drinking Thai "whiskey" with the same cast of tambon (sub-district) characters from over the past 30 years. The only diference is that me and my drinking pals all go home and go to sleep long before midnight and let our sons do the drinking for us into the wee hours.

I'm a non drinker so I can never assimilate!

The Current Situation and Effect of Alcohol Consumption in Thailand 2013 report conducted by the Center for Alcohol Studies (CAS) has shown that 31.5 percent of Thai people aged 15 years and over, or about 17 million drinkers, consume alcohol regularly.

No, you can't assimilate because you know little about Thailand.

Your saying those are good statistics based on age and population?

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[wprime]

Dont fool yourself, you will be tolerated and nothing more.

Tolerated isn't the right word. Most Thai people don't dislike farangs, but they will always be regarded as different simply from their physical appearance. That isn't a bad thing though, it makes them something special particularly outside of BKK. I don't understand why farangs would want to integrate into Thai culture, it is important to respect the culture but anything beyond that is superfluous.

[mrtoad]

You can't be something you aren't. It's no different regarding class. As far as I am concerned, I am accepted where I live by the locals. Don't have any hassles from them, they are very polite and friendly and treat me no differently than I treat them. However long I live here, I understand that i won't be Thai, and I have no desire to be.

[joshstiles]

...but also dressing like them..

So how do you dress now?

...make sure you work like them too!!!!!!!!! Then you'll fit right in.

[thailiketoo]

I tried to assimilate towards Thai culture but the Thais were moving towards western culture quicker than I was able to integrate into traditional Thai, well Lanna culture. There are now only three men, including myself, in the village, all of us over 60, willing to wear a pakama in public and we all get grief from our wives for doing so except for 90 year old Uey Kieow. But I seem to have integrated well as I am still drinking Thai "whiskey" with the same cast of tambon (sub-district) characters from over the past 30 years. The only diference is that me and my drinking pals all go home and go to sleep long before midnight and let our sons do the drinking for us into the wee hours.

I'm a non drinker so I can never assimilate!

The Current Situation and Effect of Alcohol Consumption in Thailand 2013 report conducted by the Center for Alcohol Studies (CAS) has shown that 31.5 percent of Thai people aged 15 years and over, or about 17 million drinkers, consume alcohol regularly.

No, you can't assimilate because you know little about Thailand.

Your saying those are good statistics based on age and population?

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/infographic/alcohol-consumption-thailand/

Or.

Feel free to google,

Countries That Consume the Most Alcohol

Hint Ireland is #2.

Edited May 9, 2014 by thailiketoo

[Om85]

From my point of view I think that I am pretty well integrated into Thai society, I speak, write and read the language, must of my friends are Thai, my wife is Thai, my daughter is Thai, and my friends and Thai relative accept me as one of them. Integrating into Thai society is pretty easy, you just need to learn the language, learn a little bit of their history, study Buddhism, and learn their manners, but you should not pretend to be Thai because you will never be, in my case , I am Latin and I am very proud of my history, ancestry, culture, language etc, ; integrating into Thai society doesn't mean that you must to be Thai, just means that you must to be able to understand their ways an act accordingly, but for that you must to understand yourself otherwise.....

[JLCrab]

I'm sure when you go back to Rome speaking Latin is very useful.

[mrowe1973]

I tried to assimilate towards Thai culture but the Thais were moving towards western culture quicker than I was able to integrate into traditional Thai, well Lanna culture. There are now only three men, including myself, in the village, all of us over 60, willing to wear a pakama in public and we all get grief from our wives for doing so except for 90 year old Uey Kieow. But I seem to have integrated well as I am still drinking Thai "whiskey" with the same cast of tambon (sub-district) characters from over the past 30 years. The only diference is that me and my drinking pals all go home and go to sleep long before midnight and let our sons do the drinking for us into the wee hours.

I'm a non drinker so I can never assimilate!

The Current Situation and Effect of Alcohol Consumption in Thailand 2013 report conducted by the Center for Alcohol Studies (CAS) has shown that 31.5 percent of Thai people aged 15 years and over, or about 17 million drinkers, consume alcohol regularly.

No, you can't assimilate because you know little about Thailand.

Your saying those are good statistics based on age and population?

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/infographic/alcohol-consumption-thailand/

Or.

Feel free to google,

Countries That Consume the Most Alcohol

Hint Ireland is #2.

I can't assimilate into Thai culture because I don't drink. Exactly, how is it I know little about Thialand? I knew all along Thialand is full of alcoholics both Thai and falang. That's why I don't fit in when I'm there....

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[thailiketoo]

I can't assimilate into Thai culture because I don't drink. Exactly, how is it I know little about Thialand? I knew all along Thialand is full of alcoholics both Thai and falang. That's why I don't fit in when I'm there....

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

The great majority of Thais don't drink on a regular basis which you would know if you had a clue about Thailand.

http://englishnews.t...ption-thailand/

[Om85]

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Turn it around and think about your homeland.
Immigrants that do not adapt to some of their host country's customs are demonised. Looked down upon and blamed for racial tension. By all means they can retain their dress and food, their religious beliefs, their celebrations (although some rednecks will condemn them for those things too), but some of the host's customs should be taken up. Language is a biggy, in my opinion, as communication is important.
Local ettiquette is important to adopt. Can you imagine what the average American/European/Anitpodean would feel about an immigrant who didn't learn what was considered good and bad manners and thus constantly offended people, albeit unknowingly?
Turn it around and ask yourself what you would like to see of immigrants/visitors in your homeland, and then don't follow a double standard.

Your talking about something completely different from what the OP's commenting on, 99.9% of farang's in Thailand are not immigrants any way, further the local population don't want you to integrate for the most part, your a farang and you will always be a farang, even if you get a Thai passport.....your tolerated that's all.

the difference between Thailand and the places you have cited, those countries/natives want the immigrants to integrate and its the immigrants who resist the integration, Thailand on the other hand has too many "immigrants" desperate to be "Thai" and the locals "don't want you" integrate because "you farang"

Integrating doesn't mean that you will stop being a farang, you cant stop being a farang cuz simply that's what you are, in my country we refer as our Asian compatriots as Chinese cuz that's the way in which we call Asians even though they were born in my country speak only Spanish etc , i don't like to generalize , but in my experience Thais admire farangs that get to know their manners and ways, and that will facilitate everything to you in this country. I already applied for Thai citizenship but I did it not bcuz I wanted to be Thai , but bcuz of convenience, and if you are a farang , that for whatever reason want to live here on a permanent basis, want to get PR or citizenship, then your are an immigrant

[khunPer]

»I don't expect the Thais to suddenly see me as one of their own, but I would like them to understand that I respect their culture and I'm willing to talk and act with them at their level.«

I agree with OP. I will always be a farang here, but I can learn about and respect the culture.

I will to a certain state integrate a bit – enough to be accepted as part of the local community, but still being an “alien” – that include greeting or wai, respect of the older locals and those of higher status, follow the basic norms on how to behave in Thailand, try to pick-up some of the language (little difficult, when I’m still fighting for more than 50 years learning some English as second language).

It will not try to dress like a Thai or rather traditional Thai; firstly I have my (own) style – I am and will always be a stranger, and many Thais do dress Western style – and secondly I think it may look more weird or comic than acceptable; but that’s for me, for others it may work perfect and be elegant to dress Thai.

In general I believe “little” integration is worth it, but of course depending of where you live and how much you intend to mingle with the locals and the local society. It’s a question of finding a balance – we are different individuals, so my balance may not work for others – where you keep your identity, because you will always be a foreigner, but don’t distance that much, so the locals don’t “let you in”. I attend local events, especially when requested or invited for funerals (temple ceremony), parties, weddings etc.

I believe it’s worth integrating a bit into the Thai culture and be accepted – most of the locals know my name and wai me (first, even elder I should show respect for): »Sawadee khun Per… sa baai dii mai…?«

[thailiketoo]

Everybody asks, can you speak Thai, can you eat Thai food, do you have Thai wife, do you have Thai family. They want to know if you have integrated and like it if you do.

[Om85]

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I'm sure when you go back to Rome speaking Latin is very useful.

I don't speak Latin, I am Spaniard, but can understand Latin very well and if you like philosophy and Arts in general is very useful

[thailiketoo]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

I'm sure when you go back to Rome speaking Latin is very useful.

I don't speak Latin, I am Spaniard, but can understand Latin very well and if you like philosophy and Arts in general is very useful

It is also useful finding out if you went to a good prep school.

[mrowe1973]

I can't assimilate into Thai culture because I don't drink. Exactly, how is it I know little about Thialand? I knew all along Thialand is full of alcoholics both Thai and falang. That's why I don't fit in when I'm there....

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

The great majority of Thais don't drink on a regular basis which you would know if you had a clue about Thailand.

http://englishnews.t...ption-thailand/

I know the majority of thais are wonderful people and the majority of them never ever tell a lie even if the statics say otherwise. No one ever denies the truth in Thailand thats what I love about the culture.

Edited May 9, 2014 by mrowe1973

[JLCrab]

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I'm sure when you go back to Rome speaking Latin is very useful.

I don't speak Latin, I am Spaniard, but can understand Latin very well and if you like philosophy and Arts in general is very useful

It is also useful finding out if you went to a good prep school.

I didn't go to a prep school. From the screenplay for The Ox-Bow Incident (1943) A young Anthony Quinn as Martinez:

Jenny Grier: [when Juan finally speaks English after pretending he only knows Spanish] So, he speaks American!

Juan Martínez: And ten other languages, my dear - but I don't tell anything I don't want to in any of them.

[thaivisa999]

I think you could possibly pull it off if you were willing to dedicate your entire life to it and learn so much that you knew more about Thai language and history and that most Thai do themselves. Then you could quote a clever and appropriate historical saying in every difficult situation so that many right thinking people would really respect that you know all there is to know...but I am not sure if that is even possible and needless to say it would be a very difficult task if not an almost impossible one (as you would have to initially master the Thai tones and then spend years learning perfect Thai and Thai history and culture, which most of the time wouldn't be of any use to you)...although there may be someone who has done it...

Otherwise though if you just have normal knowledge you would just be another farang wearing Thai clothes...better off trying something else with a certain benefit...but if you do try to do it would be interesting to know how you get on...

But anyway as I read here before what really matters above all else is if you are part of someones family by blood and you can never get that so it seems you would have to be unique if you were trying to be accepted as Thai which is not something I understand that ever happens...mind you I only know what I have read on these forums so I may have a funny view of the Thai world...

[thailiketoo]

I can't assimilate into Thai culture because I don't drink. Exactly, how is it I know little about Thialand? I knew all along Thialand is full of alcoholics both Thai and falang. That's why I don't fit in when I'm there....

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

The great majority of Thais don't drink on a regular basis which you would know if you had a clue about Thailand.

http://englishnews.t...ption-thailand/

I know the majority of thais are wonderful people and the majority of them never ever tell a lie even if the statics say otherwise. No one ever denies the truth in Thailand thats what I love about the culture.

People go to school to become doctors and engineers and statisticians. They can also give you the reliability percents of their poll numbers. Sorry but science has for the most part replaced the home spun wisdom of Mark Twain.

[HeavyDrinker]

Many Westerners have assimilated fully into Thai culture and society.

Simply wear an open shirt with your gut sagging over your belt plus an amulet, learn a few key phrases from the Bar Girl of your choice which you can repeat ad nauseum every time you see another Westerner and you're there.

[JLCrab]

I speak Thai with persons who speak no English on a daily basis. If I speak Thai with someone new, some say 'Oh -- you speak Thai very well' and others when hearing the exact same thing say "Huh? What? What language is that you're speaking?"

Me -- I'm a math guy and integration is better left to calculus.

[thailiketoo]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

I'm sure when you go back to Rome speaking Latin is very useful.

I don't speak Latin, I am Spaniard, but can understand Latin very well and if you like philosophy and Arts in general is very useful

It is also useful finding out if you went to a good prep school.

I didn't go to a prep school. From the screenplay for The Ox-Bow Incident (1943) A young Anthony Quinn as Martinez:

Jenny Grier: [when Juan finally speaks English after pretending he only knows Spanish] So, he speaks American!

Juan Martínez: And ten other languages, my dear - but I don't tell anything I don't want to in any of them.

My point was that people with a quality education use Latin to qualify others in the same league; casually working bits of it into language or speech patterns like John Kerry and JFK. JFK flunked Latin but at least he took it.

[Strangebrew]

It is about respecting there culture don't be so stupid you will be looked on as a fool and it may insult them.

[thaivisa999]

I knew an American who spoke perfect Mandarin (and was able to pass himself off as overseas Chinese as he was part Mexican so looked a little different and had attended university in Macao with only Chinese students and had been able to pretend he was overseas Chinese – so he kind of looked the part) and was and presumably still is a well known sinologist. He lived in Taiwan, China and really wanted to integrate.
Every time he sat in his garden and rolled up his trouser legs and put a hankercheif on his head and drank a can of coke in the garden his Chinese neighbours would peer over the top of the fence and say

'...aaaahhh, you see, a typical American!' and then scrutinise him like he was in the zoo...

He really wanted to integrate but no matter how hard he tried he could never do it...
When he told me that anecdote I found it quite funny as I didn't realise people still like to put hankys on their head and roll up their trouser legs but anyway apparently he did like to do that...

So basically don't try TOO hard to integrate unless you want to change yourself totally as you are fighting a losing battle...

[Strangebrew]

you get more respect by at least learning thai than trying to be thai it would like you living ina ghetto and trying to be black.