Ever noticed how things are completely reversed here?

[thhMan]

I dont see it like that...

I just see Thais as brainwashed.... it explains most things.... Watch a stupid thai soapie and you will understand it has nothing to do with culture....

[bannork]

Completely reversed, England- dull, boring, repressed, so many laws, so much political correctness.

Thailand- fun, varied, spontaneous, what laws?

[SPIKECM]

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.

Everyone is poor in Thailand? Are you sure about that?

Edited August 19, 2014 by SPIKECM

[JAFO]

What a silly thread IMHO. What's reversed? I dont see anything reversed, its just different. What I do not understand though is why a great number of foreigners sit around for countless hours comparing it all the time and then complain about it.

Life here is so easy if you just take it for how it is.

There are several examples in the thread. People here spend a boatload of dough on skin-whitening treatments and lotions here, and in Farangistan, it's the opposite, as someone said. You don't see that this is reversed?

I'm with those who didn't see that the OP was complaining about anything, just observing. I'd also wish that there were more open discussions without people flying off the handle here.

Regardless of the reasons, I like how in nightclubs here, young attractive women stare at me, but it's the opposite in Farangistan.

Couple of things, I did not state that I thought the OP was complaining but a lot of posts after headed that way.

I still do not see the "reversed" part. Opposite in some ways of doing things, Yes. Different.... absolutely. Maybe I am splitting hairs. I mean you could go on and on and in most cases split this up in your home country as well.

I hope my post did not come off as "flying off the handle". I commented and still think its a bit of a silly thread.

As for your example of "Young attractive women staring at you in Night clubs....well....In "Farangistan" if you are an old guy you will definitely get stared at too, The difference is In TL they see a possible meal ticket. In Farangland you are looked at as a creepy old man who has no life.. Just depends on what stares you are noticing.

[dukeandduke]

What a silly thread IMHO. What's reversed? I dont see anything reversed, its just different. What I do not understand though is why a great number of foreigners sit around for countless hours comparing it all the time and then complain about it.

Life here is so easy if you just take it for how it is.

There are several examples in the thread. People here spend a boatload of dough on skin-whitening treatments and lotions here, and in Farangistan, it's the opposite, as someone said. You don't see that this is reversed?

I'm with those who didn't see that the OP was complaining about anything, just observing. I'd also wish that there were more open discussions without people flying off the handle here.

Regardless of the reasons, I like how in nightclubs here, young attractive women stare at me, but it's the opposite in Farangistan.

Couple of things, I did not state that I thought the OP was complaining but a lot of posts after headed that way.

I still do not see the "reversed" part. Opposite in some ways of doing things, Yes. Different.... absolutely. Maybe I am splitting hairs. I mean you could go on and on and in most cases split this up in your home country as well.

I hope my post did not come off as "flying off the handle". I commented and still think its a bit of a silly thread.

As for your example of "Young attractive women staring at you in Night clubs....well....In "Farangistan" if you are an old guy you will definitely get stared at too, The difference is In TL they see a possible meal ticket. In Farangland you are looked at as a creepy old man who has no life.. Just depends on what stares you are noticing.

Well, you used the word "complain" in your post, so that led me to believe.... never mind.

If "opposite" and "reversed" are not synonymous, at least at levels below Oxford dissertations, then I don't know the language well enough.

No, in Farangistan, I'm beyond the point where they stare at me in disgust. I'd take that at this point.

[JAFO]

What a silly thread IMHO. What's reversed? I dont see anything reversed, its just different. What I do not understand though is why a great number of foreigners sit around for countless hours comparing it all the time and then complain about it.

Life here is so easy if you just take it for how it is.

There are several examples in the thread. People here spend a boatload of dough on skin-whitening treatments and lotions here, and in Farangistan, it's the opposite, as someone said. You don't see that this is reversed?

I'm with those who didn't see that the OP was complaining about anything, just observing. I'd also wish that there were more open discussions without people flying off the handle here.

Regardless of the reasons, I like how in nightclubs here, young attractive women stare at me, but it's the opposite in Farangistan.

Couple of things, I did not state that I thought the OP was complaining but a lot of posts after headed that way.

I still do not see the "reversed" part. Opposite in some ways of doing things, Yes. Different.... absolutely. Maybe I am splitting hairs. I mean you could go on and on and in most cases split this up in your home country as well.

I hope my post did not come off as "flying off the handle". I commented and still think its a bit of a silly thread.

As for your example of "Young attractive women staring at you in Night clubs....well....In "Farangistan" if you are an old guy you will definitely get stared at too, The difference is In TL they see a possible meal ticket. In Farangland you are looked at as a creepy old man who has no life.. Just depends on what stares you are noticing.

Well, you used the word "complain" in your post, so that led me to believe.... never mind.

If "opposite" and "reversed" are not synonymous, at least at levels below Oxford dissertations, then I don't know the language well enough.

No, in Farangistan, I'm beyond the point where they stare at me in disgust. I'd take that at this point.

Fair enough.

[maximillian]

...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".

Healthy smoking then... ?

[belg]

real buddists (monks?).... hahahaha, even they want money, even they got everything offered... they want to go shopping, have expensive bags, sunglasses, cars, gold, private jets...

[thailiketoo]

OK maybe I gave some bad examples to start out with, but the whole point is I constantly see things that are flat-out reversed from how they are in the west. No judgment implied as I said in the beginning. Like the two sides of the yin and yang come to mind: Anyone got any more examples?

When I first head Thai spoken in 1965 it sounded like ducks quacking. Now I can tell where people are from and how good on an education they have by listening to them speak Thai.

When you become familiar with Thailand and its people you will notice the similarities much more than you notice the differences now.

The reverse is in your mind more than in reality. I could tell you but it may be perceived as bickering so I'll leave it. You can investigate the cultural if you seek understanding at your leisure.

You now are seeing Thailand through Farang colored glasses. You may think they don't distort but I assure you after you have been here for a few decades you will understand that they do.

[lucifer666]

Here, the light switches are UP for ON, In the UK, Down is ON

Edited August 19, 2014 by lucifer666

[mumjokmok]

the green plastic tub of dtra maeow (black cat) tobacco at 25 baht also gives the shopkeeper the impression i am a burmese labourer. plastic screwable pot is so better than little 5 baht bag. the freshness.

chinese people leave the plastic wrapping on say a bicycle or car seats, and use it that way. it's in such poor taste it's excellent. i have seen this in india too, car seats in use with the original plastic wrapping from the dealer.

maybe its just a different era in consumerism.....

[thailiketoo]

Here, the light switches are UP for ON, In the UK, Down is ON

A lot of us are from the USA where I believe the light switches are the same as Thailand and not reversed. So people from the US would not think they were reversed.

[squarethecircle]

ThaiLikeToo: "The reverse is in your mind more than in reality. I could tell you but it may be perceived as bickering so I'll leave it. You can investigate the cultural if you seek understanding at your leisure.

You now are seeing Thailand through Farang colored glasses. You may think they don't distort but I assure you after you have been here for a few decades you will understand that they do."

Well touche, but another example I thought of is during Thai language lessons online (I think at the thai-language.com site, or is it thai-language.org) they said that in English or probably German and Romance languages the consonant is the crucial part of the language, ppl cn ndrstnd mst sntncs jst wth th cnsnnts (or put in another way, uvan uf wi chonge thu vewals, wa stall cun camprohund tho mainang af tho santonce), but in Thai it's the other way around, the vowel is the crucial part. And English and German are harsh almost by nature (well maybe not the French parts of English) but Thai and Chinese (well not the rough Beijing sound) and Japanese sound like birds chirping in comparison. No?

[tigermonkey]

Sometimes I think that westerners here try very hard to emphasize the differences, to create their own sense of separation, whether superior or inferior.

One more observation - Thai Immigration call a border run by the name "Out -In". Farang, at least on TVF insist it is an "In - Out", and any experienced bar punter knows that "Out - In" is physically impossible.

[Thakkar]

If you go looking for differences, you'll always find them.

If you kook for similarities, you'll find plenty as well.

T

[Friendly Stranger]

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.

My take on this is that these items are considered luxury or items that are really not required, hence the mark up.

Example:

Why would a local buy a chocolate bar for 30 b when they can get a cheap meal for almost the same price. I know about tariffs but this is an example.

Another one that I personally dealt with is a membership to a gym. It costs comparable if not equal to the west as it is deemed a luxury and really not required for ever day living.

Edited August 19, 2014 by Friendly Stranger

[Nuddy]

Hmm, its difficult sometimes to read through the comments. I like to but it can be so "down".

I thought the heading on the OP was about the electric switches for instance.

So yeah it takes a little while to get used to that too.

However, I did have another thought about reversals and that was how instead of having high morals( integrity) things were reversed here!.

Regards

[isawasnake]

The biggest one I notice all the time, or maybe it is just the one that bugs me the most, is that Thais don't care at all about quality or service, and in the US that's all anybody cares and talks about. I think Thais buy things based on whether or not the item is on their walk home or not. That's it, that's the criteria. There is no concept whatsoever about "going to the best ________ in town". It just does not enter their heads to try and find the person who does it best. This topic can take you way down the rabbit hole, but I personally feel this is where many of their problems stem from.... customers get poor service and low quality, and that will tend to keep consumerism down.

There are just so many it is hard to even list them all. But I also notice they hire too many employees, all of which are untrained, whereas in the states they would hire fewer, qualified employees. So you get these situations where there are 6 Thai girls behind a little counter, all running into each other, and none of them know what to do. The list goes on, but I do see so many opposites.

Edited August 19, 2014 by isawasnake

[benalibina]

Hmm, its difficult sometimes to read through the comments. I like to but it can be so "down".

I thought the heading on the OP was about the electric switches for instance.

So yeah it takes a little while to get used to that too.

However, I did have another thought about reversals and that was how instead of having high morals( integrity) things were reversed here!.

Regards

Hmm...i was thinking on a similar way to reply as you did........admittance of wrongdoing...... Edited August 19, 2014 by benalibina

[AYJAYDEE]

Hmm, its difficult sometimes to read through the comments. I like to but it can be so "down".

I thought the heading on the OP was about the electric switches for instance.

So yeah it takes a little while to get used to that too.

However, I did have another thought about reversals and that was how instead of having high morals( integrity) things were reversed here!.

Regards

how so? are you suggesting thais are less moral than people in western countries?

[MAJIC]

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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.

Actually, they drive on the correct side of the road. Its the weird ones that drive on the other side.

All about perception and where you come from.............................

Edit: Can't argue about their vowel movements though! Should be easy for you Samran.

In Thailand flashing your headlights means you are coming through and not giving way to the oncoming driver!

In the UK flashing your headlights means you are giving way to the oncoming driver!

[KhnomKhnom]

This is just another of way too many comments here from people who settled in the WRONG COUNTRY for them.

Unlike Red China, Thailand does not shoot people departing the nation. You may have to pay for overstaying to get out, but otherwise the doors and airline gates are wide open.

I strongly recommend, for your mental health and lower blood pressure, that if you are so dissatisfied with Thailand, that you just LEAVE.

Actually, PLEASE LEAVE.

There are foreigners living here who love the place just as it is and would not go live anywhere else. The chronic complainers give the wrong impression and their sour words and negative behavior make it worse for we who enjoy living here because we can be seen as another stupid farang.

Many complainers say "I hate Thailand and I hate more because it makes it hard for me to live here."

[poweratradio]

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

I don't get and point in comparison or any point for that matter that the OP is trying to make. Useless thread.

[Strangebrew]

Geez , What's the big deal who cares you want peach pie go to US and get or make it yourself. I not here for American or Mexican food I here because I want to be here. Do I care how they do things" NO" none of my business. Do I care what they think of me when I go for a walk? " Nope" Didn't care back home why start now. I had the three car thing back home big house, swimming pool. neighbors trying to impress others. But one day looked at what I had all the toys and asked myself if I was happy? Well I wasn't gave everything to my daughters, House cars toys. Sold all the other property cashed up and hit the road. haven't looked back been the happiest years too. I don't need to impress anyone I eat when I want sleep when I want do what ever is legal when I want. Complain about price go to where you can get it cheaper.Besides if there something I miss and want I can get or make myself.

[lostmebike]

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.

Do you live in an expensive condo and only shop at malls??

Sure things are getting more expensive, noticeably so but to say EVERYTHING is expensive is absurd which leads me on to the second part of your sentence, are you sure everyone is poor? Walking around these expensive malls and such places, have you not noticed the Thai-Chinese that seem to control Thailand all around you? Even in 'ban-nok', the smaller cities outside of Bangkok, I can assure you, they have huge homes, German cars, kids privately educated and seem to live the life that most aspire to in the west.

Peaches??? Maybe peach pie is expensive cos of the places you shop. In the north, hill tribes have grown them for centuries. I know a piece of cake/pie costs around 60-80 Baht in most of the places I've seen (including bakeries in Centrals). Do you live in Bangkok?

[indothai]

I like the move "Mr. Baseball" with Tom Selleck, "Gung Ho" Michael Keaton is another one of my favorites.

[squarethecircle]

"I strongly recommend, for your mental health and lower blood pressure, that if you are so dissatisfied with Thailand, that you just LEAVE.

Actually, PLEASE LEAVE."

Actually I have no clue why you think this represents dissatisfaction with Thailand. Tried to make it clear from the beginning that it was just some observations made, how things are completely reversed almost like the Yin-Yang. For now (and pending the next visa approval, I may start Thai language classes to get a legitimate ED-visa) it is home.

[gigman]

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??

Welcome to Australia...

Then you will see how expensive life is....5555

[Brian Robson]

If you go around without a shirt you are considered to be poor.

If you don't wear shoes you are starting to go mad.

Thai sense of sanuk is sometimes 'off'. The girlfriend saw someone with a metal prosthetic leg and exclaimed within earshot. "Terminator!"

[Berkshire]

As for the walking around thing, I see Thais walking around all the time, all over freakin Thailand. If anything, there's a whole lot more out-of-shape farangs in Thailand than Thais. When I go workout, I see Thais all over the place. What the heck is the OP talking about?

The OP is saying that in US and Western countries that if you walk or ride your bike that you are being green or getting exercise and people actually respect that. He believes that in Thailand that if you are on a bicycle or walking that you are viewed in a negative light by being poor.

If I had never been to Thailand and know zilch about the Thai way, I may read the OP's remarks and ask "Gosh, really?" But I've been here a lot of years and know quite a few Thais, so I can certainly cite BS when I see it. And I've never heard or seen or read about any Thais looking down on those who walk or ride bicycles. You kidding me? It would take a seriously brain damaged individual to think that one up. Or at least someone who spends night and day trying to find negative things to say about the Thais. Which pretty much explains the OP.