Thailand is so extreme

[utkb]

What's extreme about Thailand?

In Vegas there are after your dollar, in Thailand there are after your Baht.

There are beautiful and ugly sites and locations in Thailand, same same all over the world.

There are good and bad people in Thailand, same same all over the world.

Trash pile up in Thailand, go to London, Paris, Rome or Athens and look where people dump the rubbish on empty plots.

Driving in Thailand, did you ever tried to drive in Rome or Athens.

London and Paris becoming the same.

Still trying to find something extreme here......but I can't.

Ahhh, yes, the ex politicians? May be...........

A taxi passenger was killed over 50 baht or something less than a year ago. You don't find that extreme?

An innocent driver was shot down by an unknown person, while siting in his car waiting for the green lights to turn on, a year ago, in Detroit USA.

You don't find that extreme?

That sounds much more random than extreme since there was no justification or motive.

Detroit is a good example of an extreme place in the USA. It was once the center of economic growth, and now it is a wasteland.

Not a total wasteland. It still comes in 10th as city with most millionaires per capita.

http://www.businessinsider.com/10-us-cities-with-the-most-millionaires-2012-12?op=1

[Absolut]

What's extreme about Thailand?

In Vegas there are after your dollar, in Thailand there are after your Baht.

There are beautiful and ugly sites and locations in Thailand, same same all over the world.

There are good and bad people in Thailand, same same all over the world.

Trash pile up in Thailand, go to London, Paris, Rome or Athens and look where people dump the rubbish on empty plots.

Driving in Thailand, did you ever tried to drive in Rome or Athens.

London and Paris becoming the same.

Still trying to find something extreme here......but I can't.

Ahhh, yes, the ex politicians? May be...........

Good Greek food, extremely rare to find in Thailand,... ;-) i would die for some...

The Olive Tree restaurant in Chaweng, Samui. The Greek owner is also the chef, serving nothing but Greek food.

Possibly a long way to go for good Greek food (extreme even perhaps)

[umbanda]

One of the most extreme places I have seen in the US was LA. A friend of mine from there (we are both Americans, but he is from LA) took me to the Westin Hotel near downtown. Beautiful hotel. We went up the tower and there was a rotating restaurant on top that takes about an hour to give you a 360 view of the city. We drank martinis for an hour and had a great time.

On the way back, we walked though skid row to get back to the car. Worse than anything I have seen in Thailand. Just a few blocks difference.

Don't get me wrong...I love the US and I love Thailand, too. But you can see some pretty stark contrasts in both countries...they are just different ones.

EDIT/ADDITION--I do understand, though, how someone from certain parts of the US (including where I grew up) might not be used to contrasts like that, since smaller communities tend to be more homogeneous.

I am a US citizen but originally from Brazil, probably the country with more contrast between extreme wealthy and poverty, just meters away. The country wasting billions to host a World Cup.

In the US I was living in San Diego, California, called "The Finest" because its resort beauty. In 2008 I had the opportunity to work with the Senior Center in downtown 10th Avenue. After the first real estate boom in 1992, the area becomes the site of luxury high towers, with condos in the millions dollars....around homeless centers. In 2008, those centers were full, and the city distributed igloo small tends to homeless people and families for them to place and sleep on the streets walkways between 8PM to 8AM. One of my tasks was to obtain free food from the local supermarkets to distribute at the shelters, and at one block long people food lines at 10AM every day...and give some counseling.

That was happening from 10th Avenue east, because the city didn't want to disturb the high life routine on the west side. Anyway...SHAME was the barrier that stopped the homeless to walk the west side.

Most of those homeless Americans were in EXTREME mental and financial misery...not just poverty.

In Thailand you may see poverty.....but not misery. Some people cannot evaluate the EXTREME difference in those words.....

Edited July 15, 2014 by umbanda

[1BADDAT]

My immediate thought was that the OP had never been to India ! I vividly remember my first trip to Cambodia and remarking that the poverty seemed far worse than anything I had seen in up country Isaan. My well travelled companion replied that most of Africa and Latin America were just as bad or worse.

The fact is that the World is a very unequal place , that is why so many of us juggle capitalist desires with liberal sensibilities.

You are correct, I have never been to India. I was offered a job there and I told them that is the last place I wanted to go. Instead I held out for Thailand. One thing that I think I may have not portrayed very well in my original post is that the extremes are both very good and very bad. That is what makes Thailand what it is and why people want to move here. You get the very bad (poverty, dangerous roads, brutally hot weather, safety issues) along with the very good (wonderful tourist destinations, beautiful beaches, beautiful women, nightlife...etc).

So many people on this site seem to want to defend Thailand like it is their duty. I am not bashing Thailand, just pointing out that this place can be very good and very bad and that is what makes it exciting and challenging.

[1BADDAT]

OMFG, if Skid Row was cleaned up, if that guy in Detroit had lived, if India didn't exist, would that make Thailand any more or less bizarre?

Exactly! Don't know why so many choose to point out other extreme situations to try and downplay the extreme nature of Thailand.

[Somsrisonphimai]

The most extreme and unique to Thailand would be the boy becomes the most beautiful lady and unrecognizable in a second.

[Berkshire]

OMFG, if Skid Row was cleaned up, if that guy in Detroit had lived, if India didn't exist, would that make Thailand any more or less bizarre?

Exactly! Don't know why so many choose to point out other extreme situations to try and downplay the extreme nature of Thailand.

What I don't get is people who start a thread, specifically asking for others' opinions, and then get upset when people obliged and actually post their opinions. Perhaps next time you start a thread, you should include a disclaimer that says "only post your opinions if you agree with me."

[smotherb]

What's extreme about Thailand?

In Vegas there are after your dollar, in Thailand there are after your Baht.

There are beautiful and ugly sites and locations in Thailand, same same all over the world.

There are good and bad people in Thailand, same same all over the world.

Trash pile up in Thailand, go to London, Paris, Rome or Athens and look where people dump the rubbish on empty plots.

Driving in Thailand, did you ever tried to drive in Rome or Athens.

London and Paris becoming the same.

Still trying to find something extreme here......but I can't.

Ahhh, yes, the ex politicians? May be...........

A taxi passenger was killed over 50 baht or something less than a year ago. You don't find that extreme?

An innocent driver was shot down by an unknown person, while siting in his car waiting for the green lights to turn on, a year ago, in Detroit USA.

You don't find that extreme?

That sounds much more random than extreme since there was no justification or motive.

Detroit is a good example of an extreme place in the USA. It was once the center of economic growth, and now it is a wasteland.

Oh, for 50 baht is extreme and for no reason is random. You are really reaching aren't you.

[1BADDAT]

An innocent driver was shot down by an unknown person, while siting in his car waiting for the green lights to turn on, a year ago, in Detroit USA.

A taxi passenger was killed over 50 baht or something less than a year ago. You don't find that extreme?

You don't find that extreme?

That sounds much more random than extreme since there was no justification or motive.

Detroit is a good example of an extreme place in the USA. It was once the center of economic growth, and now it is a wasteland.

Oh, for 50 baht is extreme and for no reason is random. You are really reaching aren't you.

Kill someone for 50 baht = extreme

Someone dead at stoplight because they started shooting first = common

Someone dead at stoplight because they failed to go when light turned green = extreme

Someone dead at stoplight for no apparent reason = random ( definition: proceeding, made, or occurring without definite aim, reason, or pattern:)

Even someone with a basic education should be able to follow this. That is of course if the person looks at it rationally and does not react emotionally.

[smotherb]

An innocent driver was shot down by an unknown person, while siting in his car waiting for the green lights to turn on, a year ago, in Detroit USA.

A taxi passenger was killed over 50 baht or something less than a year ago. You don't find that extreme?

You don't find that extreme?

That sounds much more random than extreme since there was no justification or motive.

Detroit is a good example of an extreme place in the USA. It was once the center of economic growth, and now it is a wasteland.

Oh, for 50 baht is extreme and for no reason is random. You are really reaching aren't you.

Kill someone for 50 baht = extreme

Someone dead at stoplight because they started shooting first = common

Someone dead at stoplight because they failed to go when light turned green = extreme

Someone dead at stoplight for no apparent reason = random ( definition: proceeding, made, or occurring without definite aim, reason, or pattern:)

Even someone with a basic education should be able to follow this. That is of course if the person looks at it rationally and does not react emotionally.

Ah, so now you insinuate I am without basic education. Now, is that a random remark, since there is no apparent reason for your statement. Or, is it an extreme remark because because I disagree with you? It may even be a common jibe, for someone like you.

My befuddled friend, no apparent reason does not mean it's random, there may well have been a reason.

[duanebigsby]

What's extreme about Thailand?

In Vegas there are after your dollar, in Thailand there are after your Baht.

There are beautiful and ugly sites and locations in Thailand, same same all over the world.

There are good and bad people in Thailand, same same all over the world.

Trash pile up in Thailand, go to London, Paris, Rome or Athens and look where people dump the rubbish on empty plots.

Driving in Thailand, did you ever tried to drive in Rome or Athens.

London and Paris becoming the same.

Still trying to find something extreme here......but I can't.

Ahhh, yes, the ex politicians? May be...........

A taxi passenger was killed over 50 baht or something less than a year ago. You don't find that extreme?

And people showing up to eat dinner at ChIpotles with AR-15's is normal?

It's legal, what's your problem with that?

In any sane country it isn't legal, that's my problem with it.

[Bernard Flint]

Last time i went back to the uk, that was extreme. Beggars on the street aSKING FOR A FIVER FOR FOOD, HOW EXTREME IS THAT

[ravip]

When I spent time in New Delhi roughly 20 years ago, there were large mansions in neighborhoods that were built by the British in which wealthy Indian families now lived. And there were ramshackle squatter camps between the mansions with no utilities. The squatters never bothered the families and v.v.

That is how the 'Invaders' proudly lived their nose-up life styles.

[ravip]

In any sane country it isn't legal, that's my problem with it.

Have a poll on 'sane countries' - would be lovely to see.

[RikDao]

When I spent time in New Delhi roughly 20 years ago, there were large mansions in neighborhoods that were built by the British in which wealthy Indian families now lived. And there were ramshackle squatter camps between the mansions with no utilities. The squatters never bothered the families and v.v.

--------------------

I haven't been in India in years.

But when I was in Bombay (yes, it was still called Bombay then) there was a very expensive nightclub close to my hotel.

At night I used to see the wealthy Indians and their wives with jewelry on going into that nightclub. The admission fee alone for the night was ,more than the beggars sleeping outside the nightclub could get begging in a month.

The wealthy Indians and their wives in their beautiful gowns and Saris would actually step over the sleeping beggars to enter the nightclub without even looking at the beggars.

Thailand is nothing compared to that.

Often an entire makeshift camp (with 100+ residents) will grow up around one water faucet sticking out of the wall around a mansion. If the rich people ever turned the water off, the whole place would have to move. I was in India in 2011, and infrastructure-wise, Thailand seems like West Germany in comparison. (BTW, not that I care, but plenty of people in Bombay and elsewhere still call it that).

To me, Thailand is extremely interesting, and very attractive. Place was off the radar for westerners until a few hundred years ago, and they've been compelled to modernize fairly quickly...

[3NUMBAS]

the pristine beaches have had rubbish pits dug over decades and are now covered over by sand ,but lurking just beneath are rubbish heaps where restaurants buried their rubbish over the years as there was no waste disposal facilty available