Facebook and Rural Thailand

[Tai777]

Hello all, it's me again.

I was just wondering about everyone's experiences with rural Thailand and the Thai's obsession with Facebook.

It happened to my village in just a couple years.

Around 2011 no one there had even heard of Facebook, by 2014 all the under 30's were on it, even elementary age children.

There is no landline for internet in my village, they are accessing it through their mobiles.

After this "Facebook-ification" of my village, I feel the quality of life has diminished greatly.

I want to know other people's experiences. Are most villages in Thailand completely lost to Facebook? Are there still many poorer more isolated villages that haven't jumped on the Facebook bandwagon?

Also doesn't have to be limited to just Thailand. This can be about Facebook in Southeast Asia in general.

Where is the best place to get a non-Facebook Asian girl?

Did you marry an Asian girl who uses social networking?

Do you feel this has negatively affected your relationship?

I know that in China no one really uses it. One could also try rural Myanmar or Laos and even Cambodia.

Any input is welcome.

[benalibina]

To gain more knowledge about thai food.....it is a great medium though......also to know more about the variety of thai spirits....

[sipi]

I actually think facebook (and the internet) in general have done the young people in our village more good than harm. They have a far better world view. They are constantly posting photos, and viewing photos of their friends no matter where they are in the world.

My wife is often on facebook chatting to friends, I don't mind a bit.

[georgemandm]

Hello all, it's me again.

I was just wondering about everyone's experiences with rural Thailand and the Thai's obsession with Facebook.

It happened to my village in just a couple years.

Around 2011 no one there had even heard of Facebook, by 2014 all the under 30's were on it, even elementary age children.

There is no landline for internet in my village, they are accessing it through their mobiles.

After this "Facebook-ification" of my village, I feel the quality of life has diminished greatly.

I want to know other people's experiences. Are most villages in Thailand completely lost to Facebook? Are there still many poorer more isolated villages that haven't jumped on the Facebook bandwagon?

Also doesn't have to be limited to just Thailand. This can be about Facebook in Southeast Asia in general.

Where is the best place to get a non-Facebook Asian girl?

Did you marry an Asian girl who uses social networking?

Do you feel this has negatively affected your relationship?

I know that in China no one really uses it. One could also try rural Myanmar or Laos and even Cambodia.

Any input is welcome.

Can you not see why Facebook is use so much in a thai village because what the hell can the poor village people do in a thai village <deleted>?k all that is why it is the most boring place on earth a thai village and before you have a go at me I do live in one but I am a smart western I go back to my home to Australia when I feel like it .

I have it very , very good , home in thailand and home in Australia and before some smart ass say when you go home you thai plays around well good on her if she wants to because I don't care if she dose I will just get a new one .

[Soutpeel]

I know that in China no one really uses it.

more likely due to the government stopping people using it than people not wanting to use it

Where is the best place to get a non-Facebook Asian girl?

how utterly sexist and racist unless your pedo of course and you really mean you want an " asian girl"

Do you feel this has negatively affected your relationship?

based on on your previous question one can understand by your current "Asian girl" sits on FB all day.

The irony of the OP's post is that he is complaining about the use of social media among the natives, using social media

Edited March 11, 2015 by Soutpeel

[CharlieH]

Moved

[nikmar]

My student came out with "facebook makes you closer to the people furthest away and further away from the people closest to you."

it was the best English she has ever spoken.

[DP25]

Where is the best place to get a non-Facebook Asian girl?

Try the nearest nursing home

[Tai777]

It's not sexist. Not everyone lives in the UK/US

People have different values.

I would just prefer someone who doesn't care about fads like facebook

Lots of young women from Myanmar aren't on it, so no nursimg homes

[LuckyLew]

It's not sexist. Not everyone lives in the UK/US

People have different values.

I would just prefer someone who doesn't care about fads like facebook

Lots of young women from Myanmar aren't on it, so no nursimg homes

Facebook is not a fad, a fad is here for a season then gone

Facebook is here to stay no matter how much you dislike it

Pretty sure the chinese have their own version of facebook and most are probably glued to it

My Thai GF used to be on FB non stop until I gave her an ultimatum, now she rarely uses it

An hour a day is fine ...

If your partner prefers being on FB more than spending time with you .. maybe you should look in the mirror and ask why?

Have a nice trip to Myanmar

[Soutpeel]

Lots of young women from Myanmar aren't on it, so no nursimg homes

Er FB was only unbanned in Burma in 2011, I believe, give it time

one suspects lots of young women ain't on it in Burma cos they have no internet, cos they got no money to pay for it .

[Aussieroaming]

Well OP...Facebook has spread all over Asia like a virus. I think that Asians seem to love the social aspect of Facebook so why not let them enjoy it. There is no need for you to feel bummed out by the Facebook trend, just ignore it, as I do.

Lucky for me my wife didn't go down the Facebook scene. I have lots of friends who use it and it doesn't affect my quality of life at all

[DP25]

Lots of young women from Myanmar aren't on it, so no nursimg homes

The only reason young women in Burma are not on Facebook is because they are desperately impoverished and can not afford smart phones and computers. That poverty also makes them more likely to marry old farang men, so good luck.

Unless you plan on locking them in a cage, as soon as they have the money they will want to use Facebook or similar programs just like any other normal person their age.

Edited March 11, 2015 by DP25

[Tai777]

Don't believe so.

I know people my age, in the US that don't use it.

I don't use it.

I think they might be more worried about more important things than using social media if they came from such an impoverished background.

My mother is Thai and was born poor but made it up, and she doesn't use Facebook.

The only reason I have a smartphone is because I need it for practical purposes. I don't actually want one and if I didn't need it I'd throw it out.

[thehelmsman]

I'll never log onto facebook, my lady doesn't. No smartphone and probably never will.

[Tai777]

Nice to see some likeminded people here. I know the Myanmar government hates the Karenni people and persecuted them (I dont condone this) so a lot of those young women will be non-Facebook for decades to come. If you want a traditional wife you gotta move fast because the walls are closing in.

[Phil Water]

I am very surprised to hear of a village that has gone all Facebook. My experience in Thailand is that the young people were shunning Facebook for Line and Whatapp.

[kinmaew]

Its also good for learning Thai reading their messages rather than from textbook. Long live Facebook and Farang Technology seems the Thais cannot do without it.

[Berkshire]

My student came out with "facebook makes you closer to the people furthest away and further away from the people closest to you."

it was the best English she has ever spoken.

Good one. I'll have to remember this one.

[Berkshire]

Don't believe so.

I know people my age, in the US that don't use it.

I don't use it.

I think they might be more worried about more important things than using social media if they came from such an impoverished background.

My mother is Thai and was born poor but made it up, and she doesn't use Facebook.

The only reason I have a smartphone is because I need it for practical purposes. I don't actually want one and if I didn't need it I'd throw it out.

You'll find that there are probably many who agree with you...but they are far outnumbered. Personally, I can't stand the thing. I have a FB account but rarely use it. Unfortunately, just about everyone I know uses FB, both in Thailand and the USA. It's a freakin phenomenon. So whether we like it or not, it's going to be around like TV, e-mail, mobile phones, the internet, and all of these other technologies that many tried to reject in the beginning. But I would absolutely hate to be with a girl who was addicted to it.

[nikmar]

What I really hate to see is people in a social situation all sat around staring at an i-phone. On the sky train,restaurants and in classrooms when I worked in a school, I see couples and groups and no real social interaction, everyone in their own cyber world. Facebook is about as narcissistic as it gets and it doesn't bode well for future generations. I'm grateful that my wife leaves Facebook at home when we go out. However, practically everything we eat ends up being commented on on Facebook by a load of no-marks with nowt better to do.

[Tai777]

It's cool guys. luckily in Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia probably millions of girls who are poor have no foundation in computers/smartphones so they couldn't figure out how to use them even if they had money to buy one.

It's a bit like several middle-aged adults I know who have smartphones but their fingers just cant figure out how to press the screen the right way.

luckily I was born before the digital age took full swing. Also for you guys whose wives use Facebook, I express my sympathies.

[sipi]

It's cool guys. luckily in Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia probably millions of girls who are poor have no foundation in computers/smartphones so they couldn't figure out how to use them even if they had money to buy one.

It's a bit like several middle-aged adults I know who have smartphones but their fingers just cant figure out how to press the screen the right way.

luckily I was born before the digital age took full swing. Also for you guys whose wives use Facebook, I express my sympathies.

Why? Would it be better if my wife had her photos printed out and posted them to her friends and family along with a hand written letter to each one?

I honestly thought sharing them with her friends and family on facebook would be quicker.

[marko kok prong]

To gain more knowledge about thai food.....it is a great medium though......also to know more about the variety of thai spirits....

Sly,Ben,talkin his nonsense again.

[benalibina]

To gain more knowledge about thai food.....it is a great medium though......also to know more about the variety of thai spirits....

Sly,Ben,talkin his nonsense again.

Does Klaus have a fb account ?

[Berkshire]

It's cool guys. luckily in Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia probably millions of girls who are poor have no foundation in computers/smartphones so they couldn't figure out how to use them even if they had money to buy one.

It's a bit like several middle-aged adults I know who have smartphones but their fingers just cant figure out how to press the screen the right way.

luckily I was born before the digital age took full swing. Also for you guys whose wives use Facebook, I express my sympathies.

You remind me of that Eddie Murphy skit, where he talks about going back to Africa to find himself a "bush woman." But unless you intend to stay out in the sticks and live like a peasant, your future "bush woman" will find out about FB and all the other modern amenities. There's no stopping it.

[sipi]

It's cool guys. luckily in Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia probably millions of girls who are poor have no foundation in computers/smartphones so they couldn't figure out how to use them even if they had money to buy one.

It's a bit like several middle-aged adults I know who have smartphones but their fingers just cant figure out how to press the screen the right way.

luckily I was born before the digital age took full swing. Also for you guys whose wives use Facebook, I express my sympathies.

You remind me of that Eddie Murphy skit, where he talks about going back to Africa to find himself a "bush woman." But unless you intend to stay out in the sticks and live like a peasant, your future "bush woman" will find out about FB and all the other modern amenities. There's no stopping it.

His next thread will be about those evil flush toilets.

[Tai777]

I don't mind certain modern amenities. Why do we have to have all of them?

It's funny you'd mention flush toilets. They are actually bad for your health and don't fully evacuate your colon like a squat toilet does. Same thing with giving birth laying down.

If everyone she knows lives in the bush then who would she use facebook to talk to anyway?

Also even if she learns about it, no guarantee she'll want one anyway. These types are usually non-narcissistic.

[sipi]

Hi again Tai. You mentioned in your OP that you feel the quality of life in your village has diminished greatly with the advent of facebook. I can see where you are coming from but disagree. You could say the same about television but possibly to a greater extent. The family sit around staring at a box.

However, TV and the internet have opened their horizons.

When I was dating my wife their was no internet. How many times I raced out to the mailbox hoping for a letter after the postman had been.

I really wish facebook was around back then. We just find it so convenient to keep in touch with everyone no matter where we or they are.

I took the bait before over your "sympathy" statement. No need for that. We find it very useful and you find it annoying. Courses for horses.☺

[Tai777]

Different blokes different strokes right?

Doesn't bother me that you like it.

I'd only be bothered if it had to be an everyday reality for me (i.e. someone close to me does)