To change or.......

[benalibina]

I read in many topics that we, foreigners living in or connected to Thailand, want the thais to change into our ways of thinking.

Is ...inform that there are other ways of doing, or looking at, various matters not a better description ?

[JingerBen]

Yes, it's probably a better description.

Before you start teaching them, master the languages... English and Thai.

[sdanielmcev]

I don't want Thailand to change into the West. Ever. Intelligence is the adaptability to change, Somewhat lacking here on TV.

[ukrules]

I don't care what (if anything) they think.

[AYJAYDEE]

I don't care what (if anything) they think.

that's strange. I could swear I often saw you complaining about what they think and how they act !

[David48]

Change is inevitable. It's an ongoing process and affected by those events within the individual's sphere of influence.

While our presence is strong as a community on Thai Visa, once we become individuals in Thai Society with our individual Families, partners and/or Bar Stools ... our voice is diminished .. almost to silence.

Do we have, in reality, any real chance to change Thailand as a whole, or indeed, in part?

The only influence that I see that we have, collectively on/in the Kingdom is through Hollywood ... it is the one medium which I see has both mass appeal and mass influence. OH ... apart from the Premier League, of course.

Sadly, our music seems to only touch the Thais in isolated pockets because of the language barrier.

Just my take on the OP.

.

[David48]

Which ever direction the Thais take Thailand in the Future, as much as I like the place ... please let it not be like Singapore ...

.

[benalibina]

On an individual level not national. My OP was not to turn Thailand into a Singapore for example. A couple of recent threads from Costas are a good example......differences in culture and dealing with various matters. When thais are given an other option on how to deal with a certain issue....they can think about and conclude......yeah good idea/option , no my way is still better or reach a consensus. Mutual understanding.

[David48]

^^ Humm ... on an individual level ... OK then ... try this.

I learnt this a long time ago.

If you wish to change a Thai persons mind ... be crafty as a Fox.

Chat in general with them about an issue, have the solution at hand, allow then to come up with the answer you were hinting at as 'their' solution ... 'they' thought of it.

Has worked in the past for me.

Disclaimer ... maybe cannot be applied universally ... as we well know ... all Thais are different!

[AYJAYDEE]

On an individual level not national. My OP was not to turn Thailand into a Singapore for example. A couple of recent threads from Costas are a good example......differences in culture and dealing with various matters. When thais are given an other option on how to deal with a certain issue....they can think about and conclude......yeah good idea/option , no my way is still better or reach a consensus. Mutual understanding.

thais will consider options brought to their attention by mass media, not by the rants of farang complainers on this site.

[geronimo]

Thai people have a wonderful ability to adapt. This has helped them rise above any situation and it will continue to do so. We, as foreigners, may not like it sometimes but rest assured that they will always survive. They managed to avoid being colonised and that is a biggie! For me, the interesting thing is how they will deal with ASEAN and the language issues. They will have some fierce competition for jobs from Philipino's and other English speaking ASEAN member countries.

As David so rightly pointed out, there is no hope of us affecting any change, save for on an individual basis. I feel the military have some positive input and we will soon see the results of their efforts in many ways.

Again it all comes down to education. Their ed system sucks and always has, in the past it suited the elite however that it now turned into a pressing issue that won't go away.

My two penny worth.

[geronimo]

Off topic here ....I've just realised I made almost one thousand posts in ten years. Do we get anything when we reach the four figures?? A silver watch from the mods maybe?

PS I could have easily been on 3 or even 4 thousand if I had something worthwhile to add.

[AYJAYDEE]

Thai people have a wonderful ability to adapt. This has helped them rise above any situation and it will continue to do so. We, as foreigners, may not like it sometimes but rest assured that they will always survive. They managed to avoid being colonised and that is a biggie! For me, the interesting thing is how they will deal with ASEAN and the language issues. They will have some fierce competition for jobs from Philipino's and other English speaking ASEAN member countries.

As David so rightly pointed out, there is no hope of us affecting any change, save for on an individual basis. I feel the military have some positive input and we will soon see the results of their efforts in many ways.

Again it all comes down to education. Their ed system sucks and always has, in the past it suited the elite however that it now turned into a pressing issue that won't go away.

My two penny worth.

i have experience of very accomplished thais educated in the thai public school system.

[geronimo]

Thai people have a wonderful ability to adapt. This has helped them rise above any situation and it will continue to do so. We, as foreigners, may not like it sometimes but rest assured that they will always survive. They managed to avoid being colonised and that is a biggie! For me, the interesting thing is how they will deal with ASEAN and the language issues. They will have some fierce competition for jobs from Philipino's and other English speaking ASEAN member countries.

As David so rightly pointed out, there is no hope of us affecting any change, save for on an individual basis. I feel the military have some positive input and we will soon see the results of their efforts in many ways.

Again it all comes down to education. Their ed system sucks and always has, in the past it suited the elite however that it now turned into a pressing issue that won't go away.

My two penny worth.

i have experience of very accomplished thais educated in the thai public school system.

Yes AJ. There are always exceptions to generalisations. I too, know some Thais who are very clued up.

[AYJAYDEE]

Thai people have a wonderful ability to adapt. This has helped them rise above any situation and it will continue to do so. We, as foreigners, may not like it sometimes but rest assured that they will always survive. They managed to avoid being colonised and that is a biggie! For me, the interesting thing is how they will deal with ASEAN and the language issues. They will have some fierce competition for jobs from Philipino's and other English speaking ASEAN member countries.

As David so rightly pointed out, there is no hope of us affecting any change, save for on an individual basis. I feel the military have some positive input and we will soon see the results of their efforts in many ways.

Again it all comes down to education. Their ed system sucks and always has, in the past it suited the elite however that it now turned into a pressing issue that won't go away.

My two penny worth.

i have experience of very accomplished thais educated in the thai public school system.

Yes AJ. There are always exceptions to generalisations. I too, know some Thais who are very clued up.

except they are not exceptions, they are the majority of young thais I am associated with. its a matter of effort. if they want to do well, they can and the system provided them with what they needed to succeed.

[umbanda]

Thai people have a wonderful ability to adapt. This has helped them rise above any situation and it will continue to do so. We, as foreigners, may not like it sometimes but rest assured that they will always survive. They managed to avoid being colonised and that is a biggie! For me, the interesting thing is how they will deal with ASEAN and the language issues. They will have some fierce competition for jobs from Philipino's and other English speaking ASEAN member countries.

As David so rightly pointed out, there is no hope of us affecting any change, save for on an individual basis. I feel the military have some positive input and we will soon see the results of their efforts in many ways.

Again it all comes down to education. Their ed system sucks and always has, in the past it suited the elite however that it now turned into a pressing issue that won't go away.

My two penny worth.

i have experience of very accomplished thais educated in the thai public school system.

Yes AJ. There are always exceptions to generalisations. I too, know some Thais who are very clued up.

except they are not exceptions, they are the majority of young thais I am associated with. its a matter of effort. if they want to do well, they can and the system provided them with what they needed to succeed.

You just said right ""if they want to do well"...I live around good universities, and in permanent contact with young university students....To find one English speaker or just interested in learn English is very rare, even if some of their teachers ask for research on English writen material...

[geronimo]

Thai people have a wonderful ability to adapt. This has helped them rise above any situation and it will continue to do so. We, as foreigners, may not like it sometimes but rest assured that they will always survive. They managed to avoid being colonised and that is a biggie! For me, the interesting thing is how they will deal with ASEAN and the language issues. They will have some fierce competition for jobs from Philipino's and other English speaking ASEAN member countries.

As David so rightly pointed out, there is no hope of us affecting any change, save for on an individual basis. I feel the military have some positive input and we will soon see the results of their efforts in many ways.

Again it all comes down to education. Their ed system sucks and always has, in the past it suited the elite however that it now turned into a pressing issue that won't go away.

My two penny worth.

i have experience of very accomplished thais educated in the thai public school system.

Yes AJ. There are always exceptions to generalisations. I too, know some Thais who are very clued up.

except they are not exceptions, they are the majority of young thais I am associated with. its a matter of effort. if they want to do well, they can and the system provided them with what they needed to succeed.

There you have it!

[BoonToong]

Before you start teaching them, master the languages... English and Thai.

Why should the OP change?

[ATF]

It's the Falungs that need to change their attitude. How many of them speak Thai? Less than 1%?

When I explain to Thais that a huge proportion of native English speakers can't speak English properly they don't believe me, but it's true.

Most Falungs only meet "unsuccessful" Thais, not engineers and other professionals, except their doctor perhaps and doctors are notorious in every Country.

[AYJAYDEE]

You just said right ""if they want to do well"...I live around good universities, and in permanent contact with young university students....To find one English speaker or just interested in learn English is very rare, even if some of their teachers ask for research on English writen material...

learning english is not the yardstick of the thai education system.

[kannot]

is it better to let your kids wander down roads with no knowledge of the dangerous cars or educate them in road safety.................is just ONE example of why i wont be following the Thais, if death isnt a big enough incentive for them ( clearly their Buddhist stuff might interfere with common sense here) then thats their look out.

They can stick to their nonsense as long as it doesnt affect me.............often though it does.

[AYJAYDEE]

is it better to let your kids wander down roads with no knowledge of the dangerous cars or educate them in road safety.................is just ONE example of why i wont be following the Thais, if death isnt a big enough incentive for them ( clearly their Buddhist stuff might interfere with common sense here) then thats their look out.

They can stick to their nonsense as long as it doesnt affect me.............often though it does.

as its their country , I'm pretty sure they can stick to their "nonsense" whether it affects you or not.

[AYJAYDEE]

except they are not exceptions, they are the majority of young thais I am associated with. its a matter of effort. if they want to do well, they can and the system provided them with what they needed to succeed.

There you have it!

and yet you blame the system!

[geronimo]

except they are not exceptions, they are the majority of young thais I am associated with. its a matter of effort. if they want to do well, they can and the system provided them with what they needed to succeed.

There you have it!

and yet you blame the system!

Yes because the system was set up to produce followers, not leaders.

[geronimo]

except they are not exceptions, they are the majority of young thais I am associated with. its a matter of effort. if they want to do well, they can and the system provided them with what they needed to succeed.

There you have it!

and yet you blame the system!

Yes because the system was set up to produce followers, not leaders.

Sorry misread your post, thought it read "the system did not provide them" stand corrected.

[geronimo]

On that note, I think there will always be people who realise their potential, whatever ed system they are under.

[mrtoad]

It's the Falungs that need to change their attitude. How many of them speak Thai? Less than 1%?

When I explain to Thais that a huge proportion of native English speakers can't speak English properly they don't believe me, but it's true.

Most Falungs only meet "unsuccessful" Thais, not engineers and other professionals, except their doctor perhaps and doctors are notorious in every Country.

I think you make a good pint to be honest ATF, how many foreigners actually associate with some of the real professional Thais in this country. They might be quite surprised if they spent time with them. The average Somchai hanging around Pattaya , Nana, or Patong is not a yardstick on Thais.

[AYJAYDEE]

On that note, I think there will always be people who realise their potential, whatever ed system they are under.

as I said, the majority I associate with. the system was perfectly fine to prepare them. I can see how folks less ambitious might blame the system however.

[AZBill]

My wife and I live in the US full time. Occasionally we go to Thailand for a visit but these visits are getting less frequent. My wife has adapted well to the US and has integrated nicely into my family who adore her.i encourage her to stay connected to her Thai roots, take her to temple when she wants and make sure she is always stacked up with Thai food. I myself don't get involved in the whole Thai thing as I am American and like it that way, and so does she. This change has been gradual for her, but as she has traveled extensively and taken advantage of opportunities America has to offer, Thailand has basically become a very small and confining place for her. I notice the same sentiment from many of her Thai friends in the US who have had similar opportunities. Some have no desire to return to Thailand at all and are fed up with all the petty stuff that goes on between their friends and family in Thailand. I know it doesn't always work out so well for some, and like I say, the change has been a gradual one and not always easy for her. But believe me when I tell you that given a supportive and loving environment these women can and do adapt quite nicely without you ever needing to push them to change.