Ever noticed how things are completely reversed here?

[squarethecircle]

No judgment implied, but:

I notice how things are sometimes completely reversed here, almost comically, from back in Farangland

Example: I was trying to explain to a friend how cheap cars can be back in home country, like there is a secondhand market where people will buy a car, lightly use it for one year, then sell it for half the original price or less. Friend implied he would rather buy the expensive car, as (my reading) buying a cheap car would lead to loss of face. Actually this is totally opposite of how I think, as for me and the people I grew up with, getting a good deal on a quality car actually gives "face" as it implies you're smart and still able to get good quality stuff, so you would actually brag about the low price and let people know what you got.

Another example: I made a small "faux pas" in telling some friends how interesting I thought the Hmong culture was, as it seems like for most f-rangs, at least the more liberal and "educated" ones, we're quite interested in minority cultures and how they operate even to the point of having "savage fetish". Seems like here the opposite is true, they're kind of looked down upon as being uncivilized.

Another example: Back in Farangistan paying for a hooker means you're kind of a loser, as it implies you can't get the sex on your own so you have to pay for it. Here it seems quite the opposite, a group of friends might stop by the joint after a night of drinking and this would be quite acceptable, no strings attached and you get your needs taken care of.

Another example: I often walk around town in order to get exercise, as it seems like a healthy and natural way to go about. I notice the only other people doing this here are homeless people looking for goodies in the trash. Seems like walking around town is a low-class way to get around, whereas back in Farangistan, especially in parts run by liberals, walking or riding bikes around town is seen as "enlightened" behavior.

Another example: I smoke and I always buy the "yaa siin" or loose-leaf tobacco. It is 5 baths for a pack whereas the same amount of tobacco in cigarette form would be 10 times the price, plus it's untreated and IMO better quality than say Marlboro. People here seem to look down on it as low-class and mostly distance themselves from it, whereas again in liberal-run parts of Farangistan loose-leaf tobacco is the latest fad as it is seen as "natural" and "organic".

Maybe these aren't good examples but I often notice how things are completely flipped around here. Anyone know what I mean or have other good examples?

[AYJAYDEE]

that's why it's called culture shock

[Pib]

Every country is different...and sometimes radically different.

[manarak]

Well, one of the reasons why things hi-so lo-so are reversed, is because Farangistan's hi-so class is much smaller than here and hidden from view.

Rich people riding the bicycle around town or bargaining second hand cards are very rare in Farangistan, and hookers are expensive too, so people rationalize and suddenly become virtuous, LOL.

Did you notice also how malls, airports, bus and railway stations in Thailand try to make you comfortable and offer seating, while in Farangistan seats there are very rare?

Notice how streets in Farangistan are quiet and enjoyable, while the malls are shit, and it's the opposite in Thailand?

I think things like the above over here are closer to "normal" than in Farangistan.

P.S.

I like the name "Farangistan" 555

[isawasnake]

The irony for me is everyone is poor and everything is expensive here. You know, you can get a really good, fresh peach pie in the US for 5 bucks when they go on sale. A REALLY good one. I was just walking through emporium and a little, teeny low quality PIECE of cake is 120 baht. An entire high quality peach pie 150 baht, a little sliver crap piece of cake for 120 baht. This is not really a rant, just the truth.

[AYJAYDEE]

The irony for me is everyone is poor and everything is expensive here. You know, you can get a really good, fresh peach pie in the US for 5 bucks when they go on sale. A REALLY good one. I was just walking through emporium and a little, teeny low quality PIECE of cake is 120 baht. An entire high quality peach pie 150 baht, a little sliver crap piece of cake for 120 baht. This is not really a rant, just the truth.

so you claim EVERYTHING is expensive in thailand based on the examples of western deserts that use imported products??

[isawasnake]

The irony for me is everyone is poor and everything is expensive here. You know, you can get a really good, fresh peach pie in the US for 5 bucks when they go on sale. A REALLY good one. I was just walking through emporium and a little, teeny low quality PIECE of cake is 120 baht. An entire high quality peach pie 150 baht, a little sliver crap piece of cake for 120 baht. This is not really a rant, just the truth.

so you claim EVERYTHING is expensive in thailand based on the examples of western deserts that use imported products??

Requote myself "anything packaged and or processed will be terribly more expensive here". I don't really get your point anyway. Maybe somebody can educate me, Nikon camera equipment is made here, yet it costs less after it gets shipped across the ocean to the US. Any takers on that one. Things just cost more here for no apparent reason (ie, because some Thai dude somewhere says so) is what I am going with at this point. They also make non imported deserts here, and if they are even halfway decent, they are way overpriced. If you think things have to be imported to be more expensive here, you are dreaming.

Edited August 18, 2014 by isawasnake

[AYJAYDEE]

The irony for me is everyone is poor and everything is expensive here. You know, you can get a really good, fresh peach pie in the US for 5 bucks when they go on sale. A REALLY good one. I was just walking through emporium and a little, teeny low quality PIECE of cake is 120 baht. An entire high quality peach pie 150 baht, a little sliver crap piece of cake for 120 baht. This is not really a rant, just the truth.

so you claim EVERYTHING is expensive in thailand based on the examples of western deserts that use imported products??

Requote myself "anything packaged and or processed will be terribly more expensive here". I don't really get your point anyway. Maybe somebody can educate me, Nikon camera equipment is made here, yet it costs less after it gets shipped across the ocean to the US. Any takers on that one. Things just cost more here for no apparent reason (ie, because some Thai dude somewhere says so) is what I am going with at this point. If you think things have to be imported to be more expensive here, you are dreaming.

as anywhere, things will cost what the market will bear

[3NUMBAS]

and 2+2 can equal anything that suits them to their advantage

[bendejo]

In Western countries we get the impression that in Buddhist and Hindu countries the people are beyond all the materialism, petty vanities and all the superficial aspects of physical existence that are so much part of life in Farangistan. It is not possible to be more wrong.

[AYJAYDEE]

In Western countries we get the impression that in Buddhist and Hindu countries the people are beyond all the materialism, petty vanities and all the superficial aspects of physical existence that are so much part of life in Farangistan. It is not possible to be more wrong.

I never had that impression

[geronimo]

We want to be black, they want to be white. We are stressed, they are not.

[geronimo]

The irony for me is everyone is poor and everything is expensive here. You know, you can get a really good, fresh peach pie in the US for 5 bucks when they go on sale. A REALLY good one. I was just walking through emporium and a little, teeny low quality PIECE of cake is 120 baht. An entire high quality peach pie 150 baht, a little sliver crap piece of cake for 120 baht. This is not really a rant, just the truth.

so you claim EVERYTHING is expensive in thailand based on the examples of western deserts that use imported products??

Requote myself "anything packaged and or processed will be terribly more expensive here". I don't really get your point anyway. Maybe somebody can educate me, Nikon camera equipment is made here, yet it costs less after it gets shipped across the ocean to the US. Any takers on that one. Things just cost more here for no apparent reason (ie, because some Thai dude somewhere says so) is what I am going with at this point. They also make non imported deserts here, and if they are even halfway decent, they are way overpriced. If you think things have to be imported to be more expensive here, you are dreaming.

They make deserts here? I'll have a large Sahara then!

[geronimo]

In Western countries we get the impression that in Buddhist and Hindu countries the people are beyond all the materialism, petty vanities and all the superficial aspects of physical existence that are so much part of life in Farangistan. It is not possible to be more wrong.

I never had that impression

Real Buddhists are!

[AYJAYDEE]

In Western countries we get the impression that in Buddhist and Hindu countries the people are beyond all the materialism, petty vanities and all the superficial aspects of physical existence that are so much part of life in Farangistan. It is not possible to be more wrong.

I never had that impression

Real Buddhists are!

define a real buddhist

[geronimo]

In Western countries we get the impression that in Buddhist and Hindu countries the people are beyond all the materialism, petty vanities and all the superficial aspects of physical existence that are so much part of life in Farangistan. It is not possible to be more wrong.

I never had that impression

Real Buddhists are!

Someone who does not form attachments, does not assume or judge and accepts things for what they are.

[AYJAYDEE]

In Western countries we get the impression that in Buddhist and Hindu countries the people are beyond all the materialism, petty vanities and all the superficial aspects of physical existence that are so much part of life in Farangistan. It is not possible to be more wrong.

I never had that impression

Real Buddhists are!

Someone who does not form attachments, does not assume or judge and accepts things for what they are.

that is an arahant and I doubt youve met one in your life.

[geronimo]

In Western countries we get the impression that in Buddhist and Hindu countries the people are beyond all the materialism, petty vanities and all the superficial aspects of physical existence that are so much part of life in Farangistan. It is not possible to be more wrong.

I never had that impression

Real Buddhists are!

Someone who does not form attachments, does not assume or judge and accepts things for what they are.

I have always called LOS the land of contradiction as the people (in some ways) could not be more opposite to Buddha's teachings if they tried!!

[AYJAYDEE]

I have always called LOS the land of contradiction as the people (in some ways) could not be more opposite to Buddha's teachings if they tried!!

thats ridiculous. thais are no different than the people of western countries who ignore the teachings of jesus.

[geronimo]

I have always called LOS the land of contradiction as the people (in some ways) could not be more opposite to Buddha's teachings if they tried!!

thats ridiculous. thais are no different than the people of western countries who ignore the teachings of jesus.

If you are spoiling for an argument, you'll not find one here.

[BaldPlumber]

You buy that loose tobacco through choice? it's practically unsmokeable.

I took some home to the UK and couldn't give it away. Bear in mind 50g of tobacco in the UK is approximately 850 baht and I still had no takers.

On the plus side, you can have it for only 2 baht per bag if you like. It's only 3 years old now.

[jcisco]

The irony for me is everyone is poor and everything is expensive here. You know, you can get a really good, fresh peach pie in the US for 5 bucks when they go on sale. A REALLY good one. I was just walking through emporium and a little, teeny low quality PIECE of cake is 120 baht. An entire high quality peach pie 150 baht, a little sliver crap piece of cake for 120 baht. This is not really a rant, just the truth.

so you claim EVERYTHING is expensive in thailand based on the examples of western deserts that use imported products??

Nah he just generalised and gave an example, then failed to balance his comments with support or not supporting examples to his argument. Try to be constructive, rather than nitpicking obvious ****, it really makes you less interesting and valuable than what he was saying, You know his experience...

What's yours?

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[robblok]

About the sports thing, i see quite a few foreigners older who don't do a thing and quite a few of my Thai neighbors exercise in the park in front of my house. I also know that there are quite a few gyms and packed with Thais.

I would say in general Thais sport less but there are quite a few that exercise quite a lot.

[wprime]

Yep they got things completely reversed.

(top is a girl, bottom is a dude)

Edited August 18, 2014 by wprime

[Payboy]

[samran]

Yes, they even drive on the other side of the road here. How weird is that? And they put many of their vowels before, above or below consonants. Crazy culture.

[sirineou]

The irony for me is everyone is poor and everything is expensive here. You know, you can get a really good, fresh peach pie in the US for 5 bucks when they go on sale. A REALLY good one. I was just walking through emporium and a little, teeny low quality PIECE of cake is 120 baht. An entire high quality peach pie 150 baht, a little sliver crap piece of cake for 120 baht. This is not really a rant, just the truth.

so you claim EVERYTHING is expensive in thailand based on the examples of western deserts that use imported products??

Requote myself "anything packaged and or processed will be terribly more expensive here". I don't really get your point anyway. Maybe somebody can educate me, Nikon camera equipment is made here, yet it costs less after it gets shipped across the ocean to the US. Any takers on that one. Things just cost more here for no apparent reason (ie, because some Thai dude somewhere says so) is what I am going with at this point. They also make non imported deserts here, and if they are even halfway decent, they are way overpriced. If you think things have to be imported to be more expensive here, you are dreaming.

"Any takers on that one."

Sure I'll give it a shot. Have you heard the term "Economies of scale"? one might be able to sell a product for a lot less if one would sell a lot of them, but in a market where one will only sell a few, one has to sell them for more to cover the overhead and make a profit,

Does that make sense to you?

[canman]

The irony for me is everyone is poor and everything is expensive here. You know, you can get a really good, fresh peach pie in the US for 5 bucks when they go on sale. A REALLY good one. I was just walking through emporium and a little, teeny low quality PIECE of cake is 120 baht. An entire high quality peach pie 150 baht, a little sliver crap piece of cake for 120 baht. This is not really a rant, just the truth.

How much would you pay for a Mango, Rambutan, Mangosteen etc. in the States? How much here?

[squarethecircle]

We want to be black, they want to be white. We are stressed, they are not.

Bingo, exactly flipped around. All the examples I could think of while typing this were economic or the like, but I've seen it too many times in other areas as well.

Like the yin and yang, or hodge and podge.

And I I heard Durians in a market in Chinatown in LA were going for $30 a piece. That's 20 times the price of what they were at a market in S Thailand, and 5 times the price in Laos, for undoubtedly lower quality Durian.

[Seastallion]

I have always called LOS the land of contradiction as the people (in some ways) could not be more opposite to Buddha's teachings if they tried!!

thats ridiculous. thais are no different than the people of western countries who ignore the teachings of jesus.

Not saying Geronimo is right, but Thais claim to be Buddhist, many Westerners don't claim to be Christian, and so your analogy is inaccurate.