Common Perceptions Of Thailand By Westerners Who Never Came.

[georgemandm]

I think the op dose not know much about thailand at all , some of the things are wright but I have seen first hand how western man get ripe of here and I am not a farlang ok I am from the west , farlang is a racist word .

Lol.... So you think all that is Thailand encompassed do you?

You need to get out of Pattaya more.

I have lived in Korat for 5 years, and I would not know where to go to find a prostitute. But then agai, I have no need for one being married and all that.

I have lived in Korat for 5 years, and I would not know where to go to find a prostitute

You need to get out of the house more.

I dont live in Korat, but have visited often enough to know where in Korat to go.

Where do you think the locals go?

Not sure about karat but thai prostitute are all over thailand and how the hell would you know I am in Pattaya .

I made a comment about the op and all you people out there know everything about thailand and I am wrong.

I am saying on what I have seen coming and going to thailand over the last 7 years .

[Crazy chef 1]

Fewer Americans go to Thailand than Brits, and we have 6 times as many people, so basically hardly anyone has any first or second hand knowledge of Thailand and views of it are completely ridiculous.

...or the rest of the world...

[trainman34014]

When i first announced i was selling up and moving to Thailand i received many different response's but these are some of them....

1...'' Thailand ?....well isn't that all jungle still inhabited by Jap' soldiers still hiding since the war ? ''

2...'' I've always thought of Thailand as all natives and mud huts ''''

3...'' Be careful you don't catch something nasty from those hookers over there ''

4...'' Don't eat the food, they say it's all Cats and Rats. ''

5...'' Is that near the Caribbean ? ''

[PepperMe]

These Perceptions of Thailand have been around for nearly 2 decades, yet the op still came here..

I studied Thailand for a year before I came here, and could even speak some token Thai.

I did my research..... Obviously you came here yourself for the adult attractions.

Not everyone has the same idea of Thailand as the ignorant.

[PepperMe]

I think the op dose not know much about thailand at all , some of the things are wright but I have seen first hand how western man get ripe of here and I am not a farlang ok I am from the west , farlang is a racist word .

Lol.... So you think all that is Thailand encompassed do you?

You need to get out of Pattaya more.

I have lived in Korat for 5 years, and I would not know where to go to find a prostitute. But then agai, I have no need for one being married and all that.

I have lived in Korat for 5 years, and I would not know where to go to find a prostitute

You need to get out of the house more.

I dont live in Korat, but have visited often enough to know where in Korat to go.

Where do you think the locals go?

Not sure about karat but thai prostitute are all over thailand and how the hell would you know I am in Pattaya .

I made a comment about the op and all you people out there know everything about thailand and I am wrong.

I am saying on what I have seen coming and going to thailand over the last 7 years .

So coming and going for 7 years... That makes you a sex tourist then... So that just strengthens the fact that you have never come out of the resorts......

[White Christmas13]

They are the same people who'll tell you that you have to be careful driving through Sydney because a kangaroo could jump out at any moment.

Yes it is true

[georgemandm]

I think the op dose not know much about thailand at all , some of the things are wright but I have seen first hand how western man get ripe of here and I am not a farlang ok I am from the west , farlang is a racist word .

Lol.... So you think all that is Thailand encompassed do you?

You need to get out of Pattaya more.

I have lived in Korat for 5 years, and I would not know where to go to find a prostitute. But then agai, I have no need for one being married and all that.

I have lived in Korat for 5 years, and I would not know where to go to find a prostitute

You need to get out of the house more.

I dont live in Korat, but have visited often enough to know where in Korat to go.

Where do you think the locals go?

Not sure about karat but thai prostitute are all over thailand and how the hell would you know I am in Pattaya .

I made a comment about the op and all you people out there know everything about thailand and I am wrong.

I am saying on what I have seen coming and going to thailand over the last 7 years .

So coming and going for 7 years... That makes you a sex tourist then... So that just strengthens the fact that you have never come out of the resorts......

You are a very stupid man if you think I am a sex tourist because I come and go to thailand you need to get a life I am one who can come and go not like you who sales his life back home to come and live here thailand .

[Soutpeel]

Do not forget that many of the people who post here rarely impinge upon the 'real' Thailand.

So many foreigners here live their lives in their own little ivory towers, in some mainly foreign condo or complex, going down to the beach, shopping in air con centres ... doing what, essentially, visitors do.

Often we see that the opinions of those people stand out clearly here - they have no conception of what life is truly like for the average Thai worker.

Those commenters should really be the ones we blame for a poor image of Thailand - all they do is complain, with no rhyme nor reason nor understanding.

I agree that many long term expats live in the tourist areas and because of that have a limited experience of Thailand. I don't think any one can come close to understanding the country, or its people, unless they live outside the tourist areas and with ordinary Thais. Just because someone has lived here a long time means sqat if they spend all their time bemoaning the country from their bar stall.

And you're right that a lot of the bad press comes from expats. Mostly those that made bad decisions and want to blame someone else or grumpy old men.

"I don't live int tourist area therefore I am better than a farang who does, the ones who live in the tourist areas are all drunks and chase prostitutes all day"...

tis such clique and stereotypical picture you paint and you doing exactly what the OP was accusing people in the UK of doing when presenting stereotypes of Thailand

I have lived in Thailand in a non-tourist area for 14 years, work with Thai nationals on a daily basis and associate with primarily normal Thai's and one suspects seen more of this country that you ever have

and guess what ?... I don't come close to understanding the country, so maybe you should stop preaching and being so self-righteous, your may not be in a ivory tower, but your certainly standing on a soap box

[uptheos]

In America the average perception seems to be that Thailand is it an impoverished hellhole full of starving people that sell their young children to sex slave brothels. People think all the girls in the bars for foreigners are child sex slaves. Fewer Americans go to Thailand than Brits, and we have 6 times as many people, so basically hardly anyone has any first or second hand knowledge of Thailand and views of it are completely ridiculous.

And half of Americans think Thailand is Taiwan, and can't point out either on a map!

when I was over in America I was asked by a woman where I came from and I replied London ,oh that's in France ain't it, most people I met there were very nice, but dim. Didn't have a clue about the world outside

When I lived there for a while, I found that most American's knew more about London than most Brits.

[Soutpeel]

So coming and going for 7 years... That makes you a sex tourist then... So that just strengthens the fact that you have never come out of the resorts......

and the OP whinges about people in the UK painting stereotypical pictures of Thailand, and yet here he is using one of the the oldest thai clique in the book..."you must be sex tourist"

your comments just strengthen the case your hypocrite, BTW you cant strengthen a fact, it either a fact or its not...

[Soutpeel]

In America the average perception seems to be that Thailand is it an impoverished hellhole full of starving people that sell their young children to sex slave brothels. People think all the girls in the bars for foreigners are child sex slaves. Fewer Americans go to Thailand than Brits, and we have 6 times as many people, so basically hardly anyone has any first or second hand knowledge of Thailand and views of it are completely ridiculous.

And half of Americans think Thailand is Taiwan, and can't point out either on a map!

when I was over in America I was asked by a woman where I came from and I replied London ,oh that's in France ain't it, most people I met there were very nice, but dim. Didn't have a clue about the world outside

When I lived there for a while, I found that most American's knew more about London than most Brits.

given the fact most US tourists visit London on holiday, and most Brits avoid the place like the plague when on holiday and in their lives have never been to London, not unsurprising

[roo860]

Prostitutes, ladyboys, full moon parties and Elephants.

Yeah England is going down the pan!!!!!!

[weegee]

In America the average perception seems to be that Thailand is it an impoverished hellhole full of starving people that sell their young children to sex slave brothels. People think all the girls in the bars for foreigners are child sex slaves. Fewer Americans go to Thailand than Brits, and we have 6 times as many people, so basically hardly anyone has any first or second hand knowledge of Thailand and views of it are completely ridiculous.

And half of Americans think Thailand is Taiwan, and can't point out either on a map!

when I was over in America I was asked by a woman where I came from and I replied London ,oh that's in France ain't it, most people I met there were very nice, but dim. Didn't have a clue about the world outside

When I was in America I had a guy identify the continent of Africa, as containing such countries as Brazil, Argentina and Peru.. ....but more troubling was the fact he was EX-US navy

LOL...and watch out for the guy at the controls of the AHTS backing under the rig you are on...

[rayongchelsea]

These Perceptions of Thailand have been around for nearly 2 decades, yet the op still came here..

I studied Thailand for a year before I came here, and could even speak some token Thai.

I did my research..... Obviously you came here yourself for the adult attractions.

Not everyone has the same idea of Thailand as the ignorant.

You completely missed my point and have inferred others.

He came regardless of these perceptions, so they have very little value in them. So basically who cares what people think!!

Came here as a student in late 70's.

Why oh why does everything have to be crouch in " adult attractions" by those who say they have no interest in that side of things and interpret other people's intentions accordingly.

I appreciate your studying of thai before you came..I have always thought it should be mandatory to get a visa for a long term stay,but don't prejudge others.You are making stereotypical perceptions of others, same mistake..

[elviajero]

Do not forget that many of the people who post here rarely impinge upon the 'real' Thailand.

So many foreigners here live their lives in their own little ivory towers, in some mainly foreign condo or complex, going down to the beach, shopping in air con centres ... doing what, essentially, visitors do.

Often we see that the opinions of those people stand out clearly here - they have no conception of what life is truly like for the average Thai worker.

Those commenters should really be the ones we blame for a poor image of Thailand - all they do is complain, with no rhyme nor reason nor understanding.

I agree that many long term expats live in the tourist areas and because of that have a limited experience of Thailand. I don't think any one can come close to understanding the country, or its people, unless they live outside the tourist areas and with ordinary Thais. Just because someone has lived here a long time means sqat if they spend all their time bemoaning the country from their bar stall.

And you're right that a lot of the bad press comes from expats. Mostly those that made bad decisions and want to blame someone else or grumpy old men.

"I don't live int tourist area therefore I am better than a farang who does, the ones who live in the tourist areas are all drunks and chase prostitutes all day"...

tis such clique and stereotypical picture you paint and you doing exactly what the OP was accusing people in the UK of doing when presenting stereotypes of Thailand

I have lived in Thailand in a non-tourist area for 14 years, work with Thai nationals on a daily basis and associate with primarily normal Thai's and one suspects seen more of this country that you ever have

and guess what ?... I don't come close to understanding the country, so maybe you should stop preaching and being so self-righteous, your may not be in a ivory tower, but your certainly standing on a soap box

Try reading what people write before going off on one. And don't quote things that weren't said.

Preaching, self-righteous, soap box. Sorry, I thought this forum was for people to express opinion.

You know nothing about me so your suspicions are groundless. But mines definitely bigger than yours!

I don't profess to be better than the prostitute chasing drunks or anyone else. It's my opinion, through personal experience, that you need to interact with Thais outside the tourist areas to have a chance of getting to know Thailand, because the tourist areas do not reflect Thailand.

Although you've lived here for such a short time and don't, as I, come close to understanding the country, surely you must agree that if we don't the tourist area living expats have even less chance.

[Soutpeel]

surely you must agree that if we don't the tourist area living expats have even less chance.

who cares if they understand it or not, that's their choice, understanding a country doesn't make it any easier getting a visa, some people are not that insecure that they feel they must do everything they can to "integrate" and be accepted as some sort of pseudo-Thai at one with their "Thainess"

If someone goes out their way to "understand a country" great knock yourself out, but please don't start inferring someone is less worthy of being here because they don't want to "understand a country" or cant be bothered..

[Emster23]

"common misconception that all farang will be ripped off by their wives and end up losing everything. To be honest, in the 5 years I have been here, I am yet to meet a farang who has fallen this way."

1. you must not meet many farangs. I'd say odds might be 50-50, but if farang leaves common sense and judgement at the airport, who's to blame.

2. Plenty of girlfriends rip off too

3 General populace of many countries ignorant of anything beyond their borders: Thais think USA is part of Europe, know some Americans who think Taiwan and Thailand same place.

4. USA blasted regularly here with silly prejudices too, like everyone gets shot at. Thailand has higher gross numbers of gunshot homicides than USA.

5. Every place has it's issues and assets. Get used to it.

6. I started coming to Thailand in 1982, and it wasn't for sex.

[mesquite]

I'm glad Thailand gets all the bad press it does. Hopefully it prevents more people from moving here.

[pigeonjake]

I think the op dose not know much about thailand at all , some of the things are wright but I have seen first hand how western man get ripe of here and I am not a farlang ok I am from the west , farlang is a racist word .

Lol.... So you think all that is Thailand encompassed do you?

You need to get out of Pattaya more.

I have lived in Korat for 5 years, and I would not know where to go to find a prostitute. But then agai, I have no need for one being married and all that.

I have lived in Korat for 5 years, and I would not know where to go to find a prostitute

You need to get out of the house more.

I dont live in Korat, but have visited often enough to know where in Korat to go.

Where do you think the locals go?

fairy light bars, he must of seen them if he has driven at night,, they are on the outskirts of any little town,,

[PepperMe]

"common misconception that all farang will be ripped off by their wives and end up losing everything. To be honest, in the 5 years I have been here, I am yet to meet a farang who has fallen this way."

1. you must not meet many farangs. I'd say odds might be 50-50, but if farang leaves common sense and judgement at the airport, who's to blame.

2. Plenty of girlfriends rip off too

3 General populace of many countries ignorant of anything beyond their borders: Thais think USA is part of Europe, know some Americans who think Taiwan and Thailand same place.

4. USA blasted regularly here with silly prejudices too, like everyone gets shot at. Thailand has higher gross numbers of gunshot homicides than USA.

5. Every place has it's issues and assets. Get used to it.

6. I started coming to Thailand in 1982, and it wasn't for sex.

So 50% of farangs you know have been ripped off by their wives?

Thailand has higher gun deaths than USA?

I hope you are not offended, but you are clearly lying.

Edited March 20, 2015 by PepperMe

[misterme]

"There also seems to be a common misconception that all farang will be ripped off by their wives and end up losing everything. To be honest, in the 5 years I have been here, I am yet to meet a farang who has fallen this way. I know many have, but more the type who come here on holiday, hook up with a bar girl and is lured up to Isaan and milked. But considering the staggering amount of expats in Thailand, this is very very rare. Most people are not so stupid to get sucked in that far.... So again extremely isolated cases."

I agree. Someone has rose colored glasses on.

The INDUSTRY of deceiving foreigners is one of the truest, sadest aspects of this country.

I'd hardly call it rare!

I'd be more likely to call it prevalent. So much so, that many Thais consider it an ethical way to generate wealth.

[Emster23]

"common misconception that all farang will be ripped off by their wives and end up losing everything. To be honest, in the 5 years I have been here, I am yet to meet a farang who has fallen this way."

1. you must not meet many farangs. I'd say odds might be 50-50, but if farang leaves common sense and judgement at the airport, who's to blame.

2. Plenty of girlfriends rip off too

3 General populace of many countries ignorant of anything beyond their borders: Thais think USA is part of Europe, know some Americans who think Taiwan and Thailand same place.

4. USA blasted regularly here with silly prejudices too, like everyone gets shot at. Thailand has higher gross numbers of gunshot homicides than USA.

5. Every place has it's issues and assets. Get used to it.

6. I started coming to Thailand in 1982, and it wasn't for sex.

So 50% of farangs you know have been ripped off by their wives?

Thailand has higher gun deaths than USA?

I hope you are not offended, but you are clearly lying.

******

Here is link to murders with firearms from 2002. Couldn't find more recent. Thailand #3 with 20,032 USA #4 with 9,369. And considering USA about 5x as many people, I would say significant number, even if by some miracle Thai numbers dropped by 50%. http://www.nationmaster.com/country-info/stats/Crime/Murders-with-firearms

I would say that number of farangs with tales of being ripped off by Thai women might be around 50%, but those are just my experiences, just as posters was based on his. Not take everything, but man usually gets end of the stick that stinks. Also I said "might be". Maybe Chula could do a survey, but then not uncommon for farangs to kill themselves after getting cleaned out (I assume you have read plenty of those posts on TV), so numbers would be skewed... Thais have different ratings of cultural values regarding love, marriage, honesty than Westerners.

I hope you are not offended if I tell you you are ignorant or stupid. I say it with only the utmost respect.

Edited March 20, 2015 by Emster23

[DP25]

"common misconception that all farang will be ripped off by their wives and end up losing everything. To be honest, in the 5 years I have been here, I am yet to meet a farang who has fallen this way."

1. you must not meet many farangs. I'd say odds might be 50-50, but if farang leaves common sense and judgement at the airport, who's to blame.

2. Plenty of girlfriends rip off too

3 General populace of many countries ignorant of anything beyond their borders: Thais think USA is part of Europe, know some Americans who think Taiwan and Thailand same place.

4. USA blasted regularly here with silly prejudices too, like everyone gets shot at. Thailand has higher gross numbers of gunshot homicides than USA.

5. Every place has it's issues and assets. Get used to it.

6. I started coming to Thailand in 1982, and it wasn't for sex.

So 50% of farangs you know have been ripped off by their wives?

Thailand has higher gun deaths than USA?

I hope you are not offended, but you are clearly lying.

He's not 'lying' about the gun murder thing, he is just misinformed There has been a gun murder statistic passed around on a site called Nationmaster for years that is wildly inaccurate because of a translation error. The Thais translated gun crime (including illegal possesion) as gun murders, giving them over 20,000 gun 'murders' per year, which is more than the US and up there with Colombia and South Africa. The reality is Thailand has about 3000 TOTAL murders per year.

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

3,307 murders in 2011

Edited March 20, 2015 by DP25

[rgs2001uk]

I think the op dose not know much about thailand at all , some of the things are wright but I have seen first hand how western man get ripe of here and I am not a farlang ok I am from the west , farlang is a racist word .

Lol.... So you think all that is Thailand encompassed do you?

You need to get out of Pattaya more.

I have lived in Korat for 5 years, and I would not know where to go to find a prostitute. But then agai, I have no need for one being married and all that.

I have lived in Korat for 5 years, and I would not know where to go to find a prostitute

You need to get out of the house more.

I dont live in Korat, but have visited often enough to know where in Korat to go.

Where do you think the locals go?

fairy light bars, he must of seen them if he has driven at night,, they are on the outskirts of any little town,,

Exactly Jake, they are everywhere, maybe he thinks its leftovers from X-Mas.

Heck our man from Korat needs only to go down the road to Pak Thong Chai, I was offered a 'good time' there for 200 baht.

The scene for the locals is way bigger than anything our 2 week millionaires ever see.

As for the perception some farangs who have never visited here have, blame in on some of the women our 2 week millionaires export to Farangistan.

My mrs was called a snob because she wanted nothing to do with them.

One slapper even wanted to use our house as a 'knocking shop'.

Learn to speak Thai and here the way some of them lie and cover up for each other, much less what they say about their feckless husbands.

[elviajero]

surely you must agree that if we don't the tourist area living expats have even less chance.

who cares if they understand it or not, that's their choice, understanding a country doesn't make it any easier getting a visa, some people are not that insecure that they feel they must do everything they can to "integrate" and be accepted as some sort of pseudo-Thai at one with their "Thainess"

If someone goes out their way to "understand a country" great knock yourself out, but please don't start inferring someone is less worthy of being here because they don't want to "understand a country" or cant be bothered..

I agree, it's their choice and I don't care what they choose to understand. That wasn't my point. My very simple point was that you have a better understanding of the country if you live outside the tourist area. Is that really such an emotive opinion!

I'm not sure if the pseudo-Thai rant is your opinion about some people, or if you're implying it of me. Either way, <deleted>!

And please point out where I inferred "someone is less worthy of being here because they don't want to "understand the country" or can't be bothered"

I'm not sure what your problem is. Maybe you're just a grumpy old man.

[Soutpeel]

surely you must agree that if we don't the tourist area living expats have even less chance.

who cares if they understand it or not, that's their choice, understanding a country doesn't make it any easier getting a visa, some people are not that insecure that they feel they must do everything they can to "integrate" and be accepted as some sort of pseudo-Thai at one with their "Thainess"

If someone goes out their way to "understand a country" great knock yourself out, but please don't start inferring someone is less worthy of being here because they don't want to "understand a country" or cant be bothered..

I agree, it's their choice and I don't care what they choose to understand. That wasn't my point. My very simple point was that you have a better understanding of the country if you live outside the tourist area. Is that really such an emotive opinion!

I'm not sure if the pseudo-Thai rant is your opinion about some people, or if you're implying it of me. Either way, <deleted>!

And please point out where I inferred "someone is less worthy of being here because they don't want to "understand the country" or can't be bothered"

I'm not sure what your problem is. Maybe you're just a grumpy old man.

I have no problem at all, just giving opinions, but there you go again, the premise of this thread was perceptions and stereotypes of Thailand and people in Thailand,

and you couldn't resist using another Thai clique... the "grumpy old man" gambit, ergo suggesting I retired to Thailand and I am shacked up to an ex BG half my age as well ?..

Well on this occasion you perceptions are so far off its not even funny, but kinda shows how your no better than the people the OP was criticizing in the first place

[CharlieH]

Post removed

7) You will respect fellow members and post in a civil manner. No personal attacks, hateful or insulting towards other members, (flaming) Stalking of members on either the forum or via PM will not be allowed.

[elviajero]

surely you must agree that if we don't the tourist area living expats have even less chance.

who cares if they understand it or not, that's their choice, understanding a country doesn't make it any easier getting a visa, some people are not that insecure that they feel they must do everything they can to "integrate" and be accepted as some sort of pseudo-Thai at one with their "Thainess"

If someone goes out their way to "understand a country" great knock yourself out, but please don't start inferring someone is less worthy of being here because they don't want to "understand a country" or cant be bothered..

I agree, it's their choice and I don't care what they choose to understand. That wasn't my point. My very simple point was that you have a better understanding of the country if you live outside the tourist area. Is that really such an emotive opinion!

I'm not sure if the pseudo-Thai rant is your opinion about some people, or if you're implying it of me. Either way, <deleted>!

And please point out where I inferred "someone is less worthy of being here because they don't want to "understand the country" or can't be bothered"

I'm not sure what your problem is. Maybe you're just a grumpy old man.

I have no problem at all, just giving opinions, but there you go again, the premise of this thread was perceptions and stereotypes of Thailand and people in Thailand,

and you couldn't resist using another Thai clique... the "grumpy old man" gambit, ergo suggesting I retired to Thailand and I am shacked up to an ex BG half my age as well ?..

Well on this occasion you perceptions are so far off its not even funny, but kinda shows how your no better than the people the OP was criticizing in the first place

Or maybe I was just considering that you maybe a grumpy old man.

[CharlieH]

Off topic posts removed

[gandalf12]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Is the UK full of violent skin-heads with punk haircuts and chains?

That is what I have heard.

The way things have gone in recent years in the UK it probably is