Americans in Thailand, how do you feel?

[Starre]

Haven't noticed anything different in my interactions with Thais.

Yet I do feel an increase in hostility, mostly from those Brits and Aussies who disliked us in the first place.

There is another thread where a non-American mentioned how many expats were losers in their own countries.

The UK and Aus. are tiny with combined populations about 1/4 of the US. Yet they are vastly overrepresented as expats in Thailand. That's because they hate themselves and their countries. As bitter old men they are jealous and have to be bitter toward others.

In 30 years their countries will be muslim due to immigration and breeding rates. They know it. They are powerless to do anything about it because their governments disarmed them.

They actually hate their countries and it shows in a multitude of posts. They have nowhere to go home to. They don't recognize their countries due to immigration and PC governments.

They've given up their sovereign borders to an international group and they no longer can claim patriotic pride. All they can do is criticise those who have an independent country with patriotism and who do have the power to change things. They criticize America AND their own countries. They are lost and broken.

They no longer understand being patriotic and think that those who are have lost the plot when in truth they have lost the plot and have lost their way. They are people without a country. They drink their days away in Thailand realizing that the old saying is true: "Wherever you go, there you are."

@aTomslife, me thinks you generalise (generalize) a bit too much when it comes to Australians and Americans (and Brits) disliking each other. I think yours might be the experience of an ex pat - some ex pats have an axe to grind with their home country and others for reasons some of which @Notsure has pointed out.

The average Australian living in Australia welcomes North Americans and sees your continent as our brother. The majority of us are not so short sighted as to remember what America sacrificed for our country during the war in the Pacific. For that, we will always be grateful sometimes to the extent of being blind eg. Following George Dubbaya into Iraq chasing non existent WMDs. Frankly it's a little bit off putting to hear the opinion "we disliked Americans in the first place." Sure, we think you guys take yourselves too seriously and we like to take the p*** - Australians probably don't take ourselves seriously enough - but when it comes to the crunch, we always stand with you guys. Please don't mistake the bitterness of a few disenfranchised barflies for the opinions of a whole Country.

Edited February 6, 2015 by Starre

[Don Aleman]

I have been here almost 11 years and, though the US/Thai relations were fragile in 2004, they have become much worse the last 5 years. Personally I am, as several other Americans have already done,

investigating other more ex pat friendly countries in which to continue my ex pat existence !

[aTomsLife]

Haven't noticed anything different in my interactions with Thais.

Yet I do feel an increase in hostility, mostly from those Brits and Aussies who disliked us in the first place.

There is another thread where a non-American mentioned how many expats were losers in their own countries.

The UK and Aus. are tiny with combined populations about 1/4 of the US. Yet they are vastly overrepresented as expats in Thailand. That's because they hate themselves and their countries. As bitter old men they are jealous and have to be bitter toward others.

In 30 years their countries will be muslim due to immigration and breeding rates. They know it. They are powerless to do anything about it because their governments disarmed them.

They actually hate their countries and it shows in a multitude of posts. They have nowhere to go home to. They don't recognize their countries due to immigration and PC governments.

They've given up their sovereign borders to an international group and they no longer can claim patriotic pride. All they can do is criticise those who have an independent country with patriotism and who do have the power to change things. They criticize America AND their own countries. They are lost and broken.

They no longer understand being patriotic and think that those who are have lost the plot when in truth they have lost the plot and have lost their way. They are people without a country. They drink their days away in Thailand realizing that the old saying is true: "Wherever you go, there you are."

@aTomslife, me thinks you generalise (generalize) a bit too much when it comes to Australians and Americans (and Brits) disliking each other. I think yours might be the experience of an ex pat - most ex pats have an axe to grind with their home country and others for reasons some of which @Notsure has pointed out.

The average Australian living in Australia welcomes North Americans and sees your continent as our brother. The majority of us are not so short sighted as to remember what America sacrificed for our country during the war in the Pacific. For that, we will always be grateful sometimes to the extent of being blind eg. Following George Dubbaya into Iraq chasing non existent WMDs. Frankly it's a little bit off putting to hear the opinion "we disliked Americans in the first place." Sure, we believe you guys take yourselves too seriously and we like to take the p*** - Australians probably don't take ourselves seriously enough - but when it comes to the crunch, we always stand with you guys. Please don't mistake the bitterness of a few disenfranchised barflies for the opinions of a whole Country.

Please, I already explained this. Notice the word "those." As in those people who disliked us anyway. Nothing I wrote implied that I thought most or even that many Brits and Aussies disliked us Yanks. Just that those people who did now have a new reason to whinge, and in my experience they're taking full advantage of the fact.

I agree with you: we are family. Which is why it perplexes me that some wish to cut off their nose to spite their face, by seemingly wishing for the U.S. to fail internationally.

[tonray]

I have been here almost 11 years and, though the US/Thai relations were fragile in 2004, they have become much worse the last 5 years. Personally I am, as several other Americans have already done,

investigating other more ex pat friendly countries in which to continue my ex pat existence !

There are no expat friendly countries. There are of course plenty of fat wallet friendly countries. And you are chasing rainbows because as soon as the US starts mucking in the affairs of your 'expat friendly' country then the results may be even more dramatic than here in Thailand. In some places you would need to be sheltered from mobs trying to lynch you. Be careful where you go not everyone is as civilized as you think and the ones that are (Canada/NZ/AUS/EURO) have expat unfriendly cost structures.

[williet98248]

I have had the feeling that we were maybe treated a little better in some situations than expats from other counties.

Another from the nanny state with a sense of entitlement complex.

Please tell me why you should recieve preferential treatment, does your $$$ buy more baht than mine.

Head back to Obama land and gives us an update after a few months, I hear Ferguson is a nice place to be these days, especially with an attitide like yours.

Well...we Americans have had a special relationship with the Thais ever since the 17th century, being one of the first to establish trade and diplomatic relations with Thailand and especially since the end of WWII when the other winners (England and France) of the war wanted to carve up Germany's and Japan's conquered nations and former colonies including Thailand as colonial possessions and 'spheres of influence'. Just as they returned Vietnam to the French and former colonies in the Middle East were returned or given to the Brits and the French. We can see how well that worked out. The US stepped in and told the Brits and French Allies to keep their hands off Thailand and supported the Thai government of the time. The King of Thailand was borne in the US. In 1966 the US and Thailand signed the US-Thai Treaty of Amity giving US citizens and corporations special and unique economic and business rights in Thailand that no other nation has enjoyed. The US has a special relationship with the Thai military not extended to other nations. So...yeah...maybe we Americans have been and should feel entitled to being treated a bit better than some other nationalities who looked at Thailand as a place to plunder and exploit. I am proud to be an American and while the US has it warts and problems it is a nation that people risk their lives to get INTO and not to get OUT of. If your 'nanny state' reference is related to social programs the US is a lot less of a nanny state than Britain and France. If you mean the 'nanny' to the world...well, who else will do it? The US is always first in sometimes a very short line when assistance is needed for natural and sometimes man caused disasters even if those calamities happen to not so friendly nations. Our military adventures can be debated and I don't agree with my government on a lot of things. Re. your reference to Ferguson. The grand jury found no fault with the police officer and if the black guy had just moved to the side walk and not attacked the officer he would be alive today. As to your reference to 'Obamaland' That reveals a bit about your own bigoted attitudes. And yes...my dollar does buy more baht than yours. The dollar has remained steady and indeed gained a bit of value while the Pound, Euro, AUS and other currencies have lost value.

Back to your cave.

To address the poster's question whether the current spat between the US and Thai government will affect we US expats. Mr Russell as a rep of the

Democratic US government had to say what he said and the Thai government had to respond in the defensive manner of a government installed as a result of a military coup. Nothing surprising here. Will all blow over shortly. Meanwhile I have not seen any personal adverse affects. We'll see what happens when I go to Immigration for my 90 day report this month. But I expect to be in and out as usual. Nothing to see here, move along please.

[amykat]

Haven't noticed anything different in my interactions with Thais.

Yet I do feel an increase in hostility, mostly from those Brits and Aussies who disliked us in the first place.

There is another thread where a non-American mentioned how many expats were losers in their own countries.

The UK and Aus. are tiny with combined populations about 1/4 of the US. Yet they are vastly overrepresented as expats in Thailand. That's because they hate themselves and their countries. As bitter old men they are jealous and have to be bitter toward others.

In 30 years their countries will be muslim due to immigration and breeding rates. They know it. They are powerless to do anything about it because their governments disarmed them.

They actually hate their countries and it shows in a multitude of posts. They have nowhere to go home to. They don't recognize their countries due to immigration and PC governments.

They've given up their sovereign borders to an international group and they no longer can claim patriotic pride. All they can do is criticise those who have an independent country with patriotism and who do have the power to change things. They criticize America AND their own countries. They are lost and broken.

They no longer understand being patriotic and think that those who are have lost the plot when in truth they have lost the plot and have lost their way. They are people without a country. They drink their days away in Thailand realizing that the old saying is true: "Wherever you go, there you are."

Thanks for this post NeverSure! Some posters really deserved that, for this today and thousands of others over the years!

Edited February 6, 2015 by amykat

[chicowoodduck]

Well, I'm close to 70 and my plan is to keep my bags packed and at the ready for when the sh*t hits the fan.....always have a Plan B is my motto.....??

[moojar]

Why do Australians call Americans "Septic Tanks"?

Rhyming slang.

haha, and it works on two levels.

[SoiBiker]

What I find fascinating about Americans is the way that many of them react to any perceived criticism of their country. They tend to react quite strongly, jumping straight to comments about how we're all just jealous of their awesome nation, or losers - without seemingly giving any thought to the idea that it might be what their government has done in their name over the years, the behaviour of some of their countryfolk when abroad, or indeed this lack of humility itself that is to blame.

[sanuk711]

Guys before you tear yourselves (& each other) apart, --The OP posted a thread on American -Thai relationship.

"Being an American resident in Thailand, I am not as comfortable here as I have been in the past.

With recent international developments involving both Thailand and my home country I am no longer confident my future in Thailand will continue to be as comfortable as it has been. Because of past good relations between Thailand and the US, I have had the feeling that we were maybe treated a little better in some situations than expats from other counties."

.

I know its been hijacked a bit by the xenophobes on both sides..... but his question is--- If you are American, do you feel a difference lately in the Thai-American relationship.

.

My 2 satangs on the other questions is--- I left London in my teens, lived in Sweden--then America---NZ---Australia--Thailand, & spent far to many years in the their merchant navy's traveling around other countries, my take on it is that the more similar the countries -the more they argue. I found the German & British people a lot alike in many things, The Canadians seem horrified when you think their Americans......etc...etc

Edited February 6, 2015 by sanuk711

[Anthony5]

Guys before you tear yourselves (& each other) apart, --The OP posted a thread on American -Thai relationship.

"Being an American resident in Thailand, I am not as comfortable here as I have been in the past.

With recent international developments involving both Thailand and my home country I am no longer confident my future in Thailand will continue to be as comfortable as it has been. Because of past good relations between Thailand and the US, I have had the feeling that we were maybe treated a little better in some situations than expats from other counties."

.

I know its been hijacked a bit by the xenophobes on both sides..... but his question is--- If you are American, do you feel a difference lately in the Thai-American relationship.

You can't discuss the current Thai - American feelings without taking into account in which direction and for which reasons the relationship between other nations and the US has developed in the same period of time.

[ttthailand]

I am an American and proud of it ! When asked by a Thai where I am from and after my response their eyes light up and always say good things. It happened just today in Immigration. I can not recall one time in 20 years here one Thai saying something negative to me about America. I can't say I haven't heard negative comments about others however. I won't go on or thus will be deleted as have other true comments I have posted.

[mamypoko]

It's not being American that gives me pause, it's super efficient news reporting. I know it's irrational, but I find myself,

when out with the boys, with my back against the wall facing the door - I just don't want my head cut off. It was

the same way when I saw JAWS - had to sit in the theater with my feet way up off the floor FOR YEARS.

I don't have to look very far to find my problems.

[louse1953]

Haven't noticed anything different in my interactions with Thais.

Yet I do feel an increase in hostility, mostly from those Brits and Aussies who disliked us in the first place.

There is another thread where a non-American mentioned how many expats were losers in their own countries.

The UK and Aus. are tiny with combined populations about 1/4 of the US. Yet they are vastly overrepresented as expats in Thailand. That's because they hate themselves and their countries. As bitter old men they are jealous and have to be bitter toward others.

In 30 years their countries will be muslim due to immigration and breeding rates. They know it. They are powerless to do anything about it because their governments disarmed them.

They actually hate their countries and it shows in a multitude of posts. They have nowhere to go home to. They don't recognize their countries due to immigration and PC governments.

They've given up their sovereign borders to an international group and they no longer can claim patriotic pride. All they can do is criticise those who have an independent country with patriotism and who do have the power to change things. They criticize America AND their own countries. They are lost and broken.

They no longer understand being patriotic and think that those who are have lost the plot when in truth they have lost the plot and have lost their way. They are people without a country. They drink their days away in Thailand realizing that the old saying is true: "Wherever you go, there you are."

Paranoia has set in.I don't know where to start,so i wont.

[louse1953]

I have two nationalities, American and British, a right Yanker some may call me, but if anyone asks; I am firmly making my British side the priority and leaving my American passport at home. Even at Immigration I always go as British rather than American.

My guess is that the most despised nationalities worldwide are Americans and Israelis, any countries that bear a grudge it`s usually aimed at them first hand. I think the OP is quite right to have concerns and the way tensions are building in the world, especially in the middle east, I can see the situation becoming much worse before it gets better.

Maybe despised by a vocal minority, but loved by a silent majority. It's probably the #1 place people want to immigrate to. And for good reasons.

http://247wallst.com/special-report/2013/09/25/countries-with-the-most-immigrants/

The United States has always been regarded as a nation of immigrants. Recently-published figures from the United Nations support this view. More than 45 million immigrants live in the U.S., according to UN figures, more than four times as many living in any other nation in the world.

And when they get there they are sadly disappointed.

[Anthony5]

I have two nationalities, American and British, a right Yanker some may call me, but if anyone asks; I am firmly making my British side the priority and leaving my American passport at home. Even at Immigration I always go as British rather than American.

My guess is that the most despised nationalities worldwide are Americans and Israelis, any countries that bear a grudge it`s usually aimed at them first hand. I think the OP is quite right to have concerns and the way tensions are building in the world, especially in the middle east, I can see the situation becoming much worse before it gets better.

Maybe despised by a vocal minority, but loved by a silent majority. It's probably the #1 place people want to immigrate to. And for good reasons.

http://247wallst.com/special-report/2013/09/25/countries-with-the-most-immigrants/

The United States has always been regarded as a nation of immigrants. Recently-published figures from the United Nations support this view. More than 45 million immigrants live in the U.S., according to UN figures, more than four times as many living in any other nation in the world.

I guess they took the place of the record numbers of Americans who renounce US citizenship.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/robertwood/2014/10/30/americans-renounce-citizenship-in-record-numbers-why-you-should-care/

The U.S. Treasury Department’s name and shame list of Americans who renounced citizenship in July, August, and September this year is up to 776. That’s 2,353 renunciations for 9 months, and that means by year-end last year’s 2,999 renouncers should be exceeded. For 2013, there was a 221% increase, with record numbers of Americans renouncing.

[Honkeydog]

Election going to happen soon (the sooner the better) in USA and hope to get a new leader who is not Muslim and does not piss off our friends (like Thailand) and embrace the enemy.

[Anthony5]

Election going to happen soon (the sooner the better) in USA and hope to get a new leader who is not Muslim and does not piss off our friends (like Thailand) and embrace the enemy.

I wonder who you have in mind, because the previous government were all in bed with the Musilms, especially the Saudi Arabians.

[GAS]

Election going to happen soon (the sooner the better) in USA and hope to get a new leader who is not Muslim and does not piss off our friends (like Thailand) and embrace the enemy.

Ummm, the "selection" will happen soon and we will have the red and blue team give us another Bush or Clinton....yippee! And while the diabetic comatose Americans fight over which team is better the mega banks and crops will continue to run the show and plunder the country. Yawn.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

There's a lot of connections between Thailand and the U.S., not the least of which being the U.S. having the largest Thai population outside of Asia. Passing political scuffles aren't likely to change that dynamic.

According to the 2000 census there were 150,093 Thais in the United States.

In 2009, 304,160 U.S. residents listed themselves as Thais.^[2]

Demographics

Los Angeles, California has the largest Thai population outside of Asia. It is home to the world's first Thai Town. In 2002, it was estimated that over 80,000 Thais and Thai Americans live in Los Angeles.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai_American#Demographics

Population

At the time of the 2001 UK Census, 16,257 people born in Thailand were residing in the UK.^[3] The Office for National Statistics estimates that, in 2009, 35,000 Thai-born people were living in the UK.^[4]

The UK is home to the largest Thai expatriate community in the world outside of Asia, Australia and North America.^[3]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thais_in_the_United_Kingdom

[lostmebike]

Most replies seem to be off thread.

And it has to be said .... after reading the comments from page 1, it would seem NeverSure has turned this into an America versus the Aussies, Brits and Europeans and god only knows what other nationalities he has a problem with.

The OP was about a change in attitudes between Americans and Thais or words to that affect.

[NoshowJones]

What situations were these?

Swearing an affidavit for retirement extensions, while others have to show the required amount of funds in the bank.

[SoiBiker]

...especially the Brits who seem to be the scum of the earth...just look at their incessant bleating and thai bashing here on bitterexpat dot com.

Please don't judge us all by the standard of a small but noisy minority of losers.

[NoshowJones]

Haven't noticed anything different in my interactions with Thais.

Yet I do feel an increase in hostility, mostly from those Brits and Aussies who disliked us in the first place.

I would be surprised if most Brits disliked the Americans, I have met and still meet plenty of Americans, and never had an issue with any of them.

[KamalaRider]

"I have had the feeling that we were maybe treated a little better in some situation"s than expats from other counties."

A LITTLE???

[moojar]

Election going to happen soon (the sooner the better) in USA and hope to get a new leader who is not Muslim and does not piss off our friends (like Thailand) and embrace the enemy.

Thanks for that Mr Murdoch.

[ubonjoe]

A inflammatory post has been removed.

[DonaldBattles]

Don't worry, the USA remains the sugar daddy for Thailand. They are not going to bite the hand that feeds them. They remember that the USA and allies liberated them from the Japanese and kept the Vietnamese from taking the entire Malay Peninsula.

There is about 4,000 USA government employees in thailand and loads of CIA and DEA and this will not change. The JUSTMAG agreement has been in effect for many years.

With Cobra Gold taking place this month the USA always leaves loads of equipment and material free with the Thais. The military loves the USA as many of them go to advance schools in the USA. The financial support has never stopped.

Everything changes but nothing ever changes.

[moojar]

...especially the Brits who seem to be the scum of the earth...just look at their incessant bleating and thai bashing here on bitterexpat dot com.

Please don't judge us all by the standard of a small but noisy minority of losers.

Now no offence Soi, you seem like a reasonable and likeable bloke. But you know, I joined a Philippines expat forum, and on the whole they seem a whole lot nicer than here, less inclined to bicker. I just figured with PI being farther away from Britain than LOS, there are just fewer Brits that make the trek, and hence a lower ratio of them on the PI forum.

edit: spelling

Edited February 6, 2015 by moojar

[KamalaRider]

Don't worry, the USA remains the sugar daddy for Thailand. They are not going to bite the hand that feeds them. They remember that the USA and allies liberated them from the Japanese and kept the Vietnamese from taking the entire Malay Peninsula.

There is about 4,000 USA government employees in thailand and loads of CIA and DEA and this will not change. The JUSTMAG agreement has been in effect for many years.

With Cobra Gold taking place this month the USA always leaves loads of equipment and material free with the Thais. The military loves the USA as many of them go to advance schools in the USA. The financial support has never stopped.

Everything changes but nothing ever changes.

What about PM Prayuth's toe flirting with russia? Eh eh, nudge nudge