Expat = Not normal back home?

[puukao]

Let's just be honest about this, aren't most expats you meet a little "different" in Thailand?

I admit I have only met about 100, but I would say 98 are a little strange.

Either the 20-year old gf when they are 60, love for bars, and simply a weirder personality than most people i meet.

maybe it's the water.

So I wonder if these expats were normal back home?

i'm sure you have to be a little strange to leave it all and uproot in a country where you can't speak their language.

maybe it's the heat.

It's just the funny guy who comes into language class, admits he was up til 4 a.m., he's 55, and is that vomit on his jeans?

maybe it's just me

[robertthebruce]

Not all.....

I love the weather, the food , Thai people are friendly, I have a good quality of life, here....

That I would not have back home....

If I found somewhere else on par and even better I would be happy to give it a try....

Definitely a bit of a Gyspy....

My only negative is the Driving Standards... That's it..

[NOC]

It's you.

[CharlieH]

Wherever you go in life, there is one thing you can never escape.......you.

its not what you look at, it's what you see.

[slipperylobster]

So you are a weirdo?

I sure would not want to admit it.

[MAJIC]

Well of course Ex Pats are different,otherwise they would be back in their own Countries growing boringly old visiting their Local Bar/Pub, dragging their Jack Russell Terrier behind them,which everyone dislikes having their ankles nipped by the little,aggressive Bastards.

So that's not a fitting end for a world adventurer,who is determined not to go down the road of Gas fires and Duffle coats,not to mention Aunties hand knitted Jumper for Xmas,so this is what you can look forward to,unless like some who suddenly realise having your own Bar stool at your local Bar/Pub for the best Part of 20 years doesn't cut it anymore either.

At this stage unbeknown to yourself you were never going to take the above route above into oblivion,because in reality you have much more courage than the average person.So once decided then comes months and months of working out,how to take early retirement?,look into finding out how to be a English Teacher?,A Bar owner?,or Capitalise all your assets?,and start seriously planning your escape and aquiring Visas?. During these months,which seems nothing else is occupying your thoughts,you will confide to family and friends,your plans for the future,now you will be told,you are mad and have no idea,what a terrible mistake you are making from those who have never been to Thailand,And Thailand is a third world Country and if you get sick you are as good as dead,and many stories about who had a friend at work who said his mate blah blah said..............sometimes these people can give serious doubts and cause for concern,when really they don't have your courage,so they need to cover up their own inadequacies!

You will also find that you have suddenly aquired eccentricity status which was never mentioned before,over the many years they knew you!

Yes you are Different/Not Normal back home because,against the odds you had the courage to do it,and I sincerely hope it worked out for everyone one of you,you deserve it!

Edited September 8, 2015 by MAJIC

[cooked]

Well of course Ex Pats are different,otherwise they would be back in their own Countries growing boringly old visiting their Local Bar/Pub, dragging their Jack Russell Terrier behind them,which everyone dislikes having their ankles nipped by the little,aggressive Bastards.

So that's not a fitting end for a world adventurer,who is determined not to go down the road of Gas fires and Duffle coats,not to mention Aunties hand knitted Jumper for Xmas,so this is what you can look forward to,unless like some who suddenly realise having your own Bar stool at your local Bar/Pub for the best Part of 20 years doesn't cut it anymore either.

At this stage unbeknown to yourself you were never going to take the above route above into oblivion,because in reality you have much more courage than the average person.So once decided then comes months and months of working out,how to take early retirement?,look into finding out how to be a English Teacher?,A Bar owner?,or Capitalise all your assets?,and start seriously planning your escape and aquiring Visas?. During these months,which seems nothing else is occupying your thoughts,you will confide to family and friends,your plans for the future,now you will be told,you are mad and have no idea,what a terrible mistake you are making from those who have never been to Thailand,And Thailand is a third world Country and if you get sick you are as good as dead,and many stories about who had a friend at work who said his mate blah blah said..............sometimes these people can give serious doubts and cause for concern,when really they don't have your courage,so they need to cover up their own inadequacies!

You will also find that you have suddenly aquired eccentricity status which was never mentioned before,over the many years they knew you!

Yes you are Different/Not Normal back home because,against the odds you had the courage to do it,and I sincerely hope it worked out for everyone one of you,you deserve it!

As far as you are concerned Mr Majic this will be true, I think it is for myself (left the UK at 24 and left Switzerland at 63). However you are leaving out the sexpat part of the equation which you don't see so obviously out here in the provinces but is very obvious in Sin City and other places 'down there'. The only reason they are here is cheap sex and they are mostly the ones that get ripped off, that leave Bangkok just once and don't like it, that immediately seek out Farang gathering places and foods, watch and follow their football team... they never really go to Thailand, they live in a bubble. Yes, they are different also.

[chiang mai]

Real expats, those that move overseas for many many years, tend to be a different breed from those who never strayed more than 100 miles from their place of birth, I've seen this repeatedly in life. It's not that they are bad or any worst than others, just different and when they return to their place of birth, fitting in again is almost impossible.

[MaeJoMTB]

However you are leaving out the sexpat part of the equation which you don't see so obviously out here in the provinces but is very obvious in Sin City and other places 'down there'.

Doesn't chasing sex when 50+ class a person as adventurous?

Have you never had sex with a local?

Marrying a local, doesn't stop you being a sexpat!

[Ulysses G.]

When I first moved here 25 years ago, most expats were real weirdos. Most of those guys have moved on and it is more like failed yuppies now.

[villagefarang]

When I find myself musing about expats and their many incarnations I am struck with how different todays expats are from those who were here in the mid-seventies when I arrived. Aside from the military guys who stayed on after the Vietnam war, there really weren’t any retirees back then.

Motivations and mindset were different, aside from the fact that Thai women played a part even back then. People weren’t rejects from social housing, trailer parks or slums. They weren’t people who couldn’t survive back home, they were people who wanted more from life. Maybe it is a small difference but they seemed to be running after or toward something rather than running away.

Those kinds of people still find there way to Thailand but they are dwarfed in number by this new breed of expat. Those of us who started exploring the world right out of university are underrepresented in this modern age so we resign ourselves to having little in common with modern expats. In terms of numbers we are not the norm or normal I guess.

[uptheos]

OP you say;

"It's just the funny guy who comes into language class, admits he was up til 4 a.m., he's 55, and is that vomit on his jeans?

maybe it's just me"

I bet you get funny looks in the language class

[chiang mai]

When I find myself musing about expats and their many incarnations I am struck with how different todays expats are from those who were here in the mid-seventies when I arrived. Aside from the military guys who stayed on after the Vietnam war, there really weren’t any retirees back then.

Motivations and mindset were different, aside from the fact that Thai women played a part even back then. People weren’t rejects from social housing, trailer parks or slums. They weren’t people who couldn’t survive back home, they were people who wanted more from life. Maybe it is a small difference but they seemed to be running after or toward something rather than running away.

Those kinds of people still find there way to Thailand but they are dwarfed in number by this new breed of expat. Those of us who started exploring the world right out of university are underrepresented in this modern age so we resign ourselves to having little in common with modern expats. In terms of numbers we are not the norm or normal I guess.

Indeed, it was far harder in many respects to expatriate in the early seventies than it is today, although I suspect it was a more enjoyable experience back then compared to today. Today the modern expat is just one of thousands and the support provided by the internet and sites compiled by previous travelers make a journey from the UK to Thailand no more challenging than a Saturday afternoon trip to Oxford Street! Even the availability of airline options makes the journey no more daunting than a long comfortable coach ride.

My first expatriation at age twenty was to the US via a turbo-prop and several stopovers to refuel, on arrival I found that even then most Americans had never met a Brit before, most had never traveled outside the US and the availability of UK foodstuffs was almost non-existent. Not exactly hardship by any means but far more challenging than a similar journey today. And it seemed that of all the expats I met back in the early 70's were all extremely adventurous by nature and very different from the younger ones I meet today who all seem to be unnaturally wealthy by comparison and and don't have to face too many challenges in their travels.

[jmccarty]

Well of course Ex Pats are different,otherwise they would be back in their own Countries growing boringly old visiting their Local Bar/Pub, dragging their Jack Russell Terrier behind them,which everyone dislikes having their ankles nipped by the little,aggressive Bastards.

So that's not a fitting end for a world adventurer,who is determined not to go down the road of Gas fires and Duffle coats,not to mention Aunties hand knitted Jumper for Xmas,so this is what you can look forward to,unless like some who suddenly realise having your own Bar stool at your local Bar/Pub for the best Part of 20 years doesn't cut it anymore either.

At this stage unbeknown to yourself you were never going to take the above route above into oblivion,because in reality you have much more courage than the average person.So once decided then comes months and months of working out,how to take early retirement?,look into finding out how to be a English Teacher?,A Bar owner?,or Capitalise all your assets?,and start seriously planning your escape and aquiring Visas?. During these months,which seems nothing else is occupying your thoughts,you will confide to family and friends,your plans for the future,now you will be told,you are mad and have no idea,what a terrible mistake you are making from those who have never been to Thailand,And Thailand is a third world Country and if you get sick you are as good as dead,and many stories about who had a friend at work who said his mate blah blah said..............sometimes these people can give serious doubts and cause for concern,when really they don't have your courage,so they need to cover up their own inadequacies!

You will also find that you have suddenly aquired eccentricity status which was never mentioned before,over the many years they knew you!

Yes you are Different/Not Normal back home because,against the odds you had the courage to do it,and I sincerely hope it worked out for everyone one of you,you deserve it!

Stop picking on Jack Russell's! Mine followed me here and seems to be welcome everywhere we bring her. Though she does bite, but normally only hands and faces if she can jump that high!

[huawei]

When I find myself musing about expats and their many incarnations I am struck with how different todays expats are from those who were here in the mid-seventies when I arrived. Aside from the military guys who stayed on after the Vietnam war, there really weren’t any retirees back then.

Motivations and mindset were different, aside from the fact that Thai women played a part even back then. People weren’t rejects from social housing, trailer parks or slums. They weren’t people who couldn’t survive back home, they were people who wanted more from life. Maybe it is a small difference but they seemed to be running after or toward something rather than running away.

Those kinds of people still find there way to Thailand but they are dwarfed in number by this new breed of expat. Those of us who started exploring the world right out of university are underrepresented in this modern age so we resign ourselves to having little in common with modern expats. In terms of numbers we are not the norm or normal I guess.

Agree 100%.

1. They had personality and individuality and were very positive.

2. They had ambition to be different and embrace it.

3. They didn't just jump on a 400 quid one way flight, to get away from something.

4. They weren't looking for the conveyor belt Thai wife.

5. They discovered Thailand and liked it. Not because it had easy " women"

6. They were young.

7. Weren't worried about pensions, being ripped off, security, where the nearest hospital was. Being called a farang, and all the absolute nonsense that is written in here.

8. Issaan was to be avoided unless doing voluntary work.

9. They didn't bring many prejudices with them because they didn't have many.

10. Most worked.

However the new breed experience something different but new to them. I just feel jaded by the Thailand that has been lost.

The retirees have changed the landscape here. For better or for worse..much more than the Russians or the Chinese they so seem to disparage.

Most interestingly if you read some of the threads they seem to think they know better than some who have lived here 30 plus years and have been exposed to all facets of Thai life and their institutions..

Everywhere changes..

One thing in common..not normal back home..I think the answer is yes..

[JLCrab]

I started learning Chinese even before Nixon made his visit to China in 1972. Didn't make it myself to China until 1988 when the locals were amazed that I could read and write better than speak Mandarin. Started learning Thai around the same time.

As per CNX above when I first went to China, all communication had to be done by TELEX. Travelers Checks were the only way to exchange money unless you carried a lot of cash. So not normal? Never was normal.

Edited September 9, 2015 by JLCrab

[stoneyboy]

The advent of cheaper air travel,Internet and social media as well as a disdain for the country of origin of many expats makes them what they are here.

Rather than gripe and moan about the weather in England or the cost of living there it's simply easier to come here and find all the negatives that Thailand has to offer after the honeymoon period is over.

As stated the quality of traveller has again no doubts deteriorated due to cost factor and freedom to travel,if you were wealthy enough to go to university in say the 1970s or 80s then you would be in the minority as you still are today in the UK for example.

How can people expect anything else when the people that come here are often working class or retired working class citizens of their country of origin and are not particularly educated to a high standard.

People are what they are,most of the kind hearted,respectful and decent people I've had the pleasure of meeting here are simply ordinary folk back home,ex factory worker,truck driver,etc etc.

Pair that with the fact that working here is nigh on impossible unless you possess some superior degree or skill then the haves those that do and have worked here will always look down upon those that haven't or can not.

For example if you are a university teacher or the like it's highly unlikely that your going to be nipping down soi 6 with Bob the ex bin man from Bolton as you probably wouldn't do back home,your circle of friends is going to be more suited to your career path and levels of education as so that like some have stated you don't take offence every time Bob the ex bin man says the F word.

Some people aspire to be something in life and others are just what they are simple as that.

[Gecko123]

Thailand's sex industry attracts a disproportionate number of misfits, both young and old, than would otherwise find their way here.

[pgrahmm]

I'm going to flip side the discussion a little.....

I have met/know many families 20-50's that would rather have/raise their children/families here where they have more choices and sometimes freedoms than in many of the nanny states.....Coupled with an active sense of adventure from what I have seen they make great parents with happy children.....

Many have made it an active choice to take control over their lives for many other reasons than the ones mentioned above.....

[chiang mai]

Thailand's sex industry attracts a disproportionate number of misfits, both young and old, than would otherwise find their way here.

Speak for yourself!

[NickJ]

I have become so guarded here when it comes to ex-pats....There are so many stories about rip off artists and bad business practices. For the most part, I think people retired here are fairly safe. If they are well funded and live a life that resembles one where they could or would duplicate anywhere they choose to live.

I avoid most if not all newcomers here for there "body count", Bar owners and people whose goal is to drink daily.

Awhile back I met a guy that seemed normal enough. Turned out he was only attracted to the wives and girlfriend of people. He went as far as to try and buy my girlfriend and her family. Then stalked her and threatned me with a violent death.

Even made an eight hour drive, twice to visit her parents.......All I could do was to not give him any kind of playing field and.......Take stock in my handguns and property cameras.

[Gecko123]

Thailand's sex industry attracts a disproportionate number of misfits, both young and old, than would otherwise find their way here.

Speak for yourself!

Chiang Mai:

The OP is only the most recent of a steady stream of posters who have commented about the idiosyncratic nature of the expat community in Thailand. Whatever the label used: "quirky", "oddball" "antisocial", etc., some have gone so far as to comment that Thailand's expat community is idiosyncratic even when compared to expat communities in neighboring countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Laos. Other than the sex industry, what prominent social dynamic can you point to which might help explain this phenomena?

It's undeniable that Thailand's sex industry attracts many visitors, both tourists and expats alike. You need only look at the high percentage of male visitors travelling solo to confirm this. As unpalatable as this may be for some to hear, the truth is that sex tourists, even casual sex tourists, are probably not the most socially and psychologically well adjusted group of people on the planet.

But if you don't think the sex industry plays a role in this dynamic, that's fine. I'm open to listening to any alternative theories you or others might have.

Edited September 9, 2015 by Gecko123

[chiang mai]

Thailand's sex industry attracts a disproportionate number of misfits, both young and old, than would otherwise find their way here.

Speak for yourself!

Chiang Mai:

The OP is only the most recent of a steady stream of posters who have commented about the idiosyncratic nature of the expat community in Thailand. Whatever the label used: "quirky", "oddball" "antisocial", etc., some have gone so far as to comment that Thailand's expat community is idiosyncratic even when compared to expat communities in neighboring countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Laos. Other than the sex industry, what prominent social dynamic can you point to which might help explain this phenomena?

It's undeniable that Thailand's sex industry attracts many visitors, both tourists and expats alike. You need only look at the high percentage of male visitors travelling solo to confirm this. As unpalatable as this may be for some to hear, the truth is that sex tourists are probably not the most socially and psychologically well adjusted group of people on the planet.

But if you don't think the sex industry plays a role in this dynamic, that's fine. I'm open to listening to any alternative theories you or others might have.

Having lived and worked in several countries in the region since the mid 1990's I aware that most countries in SE Asia have a sex industry of some sort, not all are as widely advertised as Thailand, thanks to the UK tabloids, but they are, none the less, all mostly very buoyant industries that thrive and are tolerated well. Even the heavily Muslim countries of Malaysia and Indonesia have them, as do "respectable" territories such as Singapore and Japan (and to quite some degree I might add). So when I compare Thailand to those countries, with a view to the behaviors of the expat contingent in them, honestly, there's not that much difference between them other than attitudes of the host country government.

So to suggest that Thailand attracts more than it fair share of misfits by virtue of its sex industry, is actually a giant step to leap on the basis of thinking there are many single travelers who come here and also quite wide of the mark I suggest. Although I can imagine that views on this subject might be totally opposite given those of a person who lives in say Pattaya and a person who lives where I do in rural northern Thailand. And whilst this is in no way shape or form an attempt to bash Pattaya, a foreigner walking around Pattaya might be forgiven for holding your view simply because the subject is always in your face, 24 hours a day, in rural Chiang Mai province it is 180 degrees about face.

As to the origins of any potentially idiosyncratic tendencies of expats in Thailand and I'm not sure that's actually proven nor measurable: Thailand is a holiday destination known for its relaxed attitudes, beach resorts, hot climate, decent infrastructure and inexpensive living. Neighboring countries have many of those characteristics but none of them have all of those things, pointing at the Thai sex industry as the sole single cause of expat behavior (if indeed it truly is any different here than elsewhere in the region) is naive and very short sighted I suggest.

[Gecko123]

Thailand's sex industry attracts a disproportionate number of misfits, both young and old, than would otherwise find their way here.

Speak for yourself!

Chiang Mai:

The OP is only the most recent of a steady stream of posters who have commented about the idiosyncratic nature of the expat community in Thailand. Whatever the label used: "quirky", "oddball" "antisocial", etc., some have gone so far as to comment that Thailand's expat community is idiosyncratic even when compared to expat communities in neighboring countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Laos. Other than the sex industry, what prominent social dynamic can you point to which might help explain this phenomena?

It's undeniable that Thailand's sex industry attracts many visitors, both tourists and expats alike. You need only look at the high percentage of male visitors travelling solo to confirm this. As unpalatable as this may be for some to hear, the truth is that sex tourists are probably not the most socially and psychologically well adjusted group of people on the planet.

But if you don't think the sex industry plays a role in this dynamic, that's fine. I'm open to listening to any alternative theories you or others might have.

Having lived and worked in several countries in the region since the mid 1990's I aware that most countries in SE Asia have a sex industry of some sort, not all are as widely advertised as Thailand, thanks to the UK tabloids, but they are, none the less, all mostly very buoyant industries that thrive and are tolerated well. Even the heavily Muslim countries of Malaysia and Indonesia have them, as do "respectable" territories such as Singapore and Japan (and to quite some degree I might add). So when I compare Thailand to those countries, with a view to the behaviors of the expat contingent in them, honestly, there's not that much difference between them other than attitudes of the host country government.

So to suggest that Thailand attracts more than it fair share of misfits by virtue of its sex industry, is actually a giant step to leap on the basis of thinking there are many single travelers who come here and also quite wide of the mark I suggest. Although I can imagine that views on this subject might be totally opposite given those of a person who lives in say Pattaya and a person who lives where I do in rural northern Thailand. And whilst this is in no way shape or form an attempt to bash Pattaya, a foreigner walking around Pattaya might be forgiven for holding your view simply because the subject is always in your face, 24 hours a day, in rural Chiang Mai province it is 180 degrees about face.

As to the origins of any potentially idiosyncratic tendencies of expats in Thailand and I'm not sure that's actually proven nor measurable: Thailand is a holiday destination known for its relaxed attitudes, beach resorts, hot climate, decent infrastructure and inexpensive living. Neighboring countries have many of those characteristics but none of them have all of those things, pointing at the Thai sex industry as the sole single cause of expat behavior (if indeed it truly is any different here than elsewhere in the region) is naive and very short sighted I suggest.

Frankly, I think thou doth protest too much, and your arguments hold very little water.

Ask anyone in your home country which country in Asia has the most infamous sex industry, and trust me they're not going to name Malaysia or Indonesia.

Sure prostitution is universal, but, give me a break: in the West Thailand is the most widely publicized and the destination of choice for the majority of hard core sex tourists, or guys just wanting to get laid on holiday.

The impact of the sex industry isn't just confined, as you have suggested, to Pattaya, Nana Plaza or other zones of prostitutions. It extends far beyond. You have to consider how many expats who meet women in these settings then move elsewhere, be it Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Lopburi, Ayuthaya, Khon Kaen, Surin, Mukdahan, Koh Samui, Hua Hin, Cha-am, Chompon, Hat Yai, or the proverbial (I hate this term) 'Nakhorn Nowhere.' Those guys who set up households out in rural areas are just as likely to have originally been attracted to Thailand for the sex industry as someone living in Pattaya. I live out in the countryside. Every single guy I know in a 100 kilometre radius of me met his wife in a beer bar type setting, and moved to his girlfriend's or wife's hometown. Trying to distance oneself from this reality because you live out in the boonies is just plain silly; everyone living out in the countryside knows otherwise.

And Chiang Mai, you've never noticed that the number of expats you run into here seem to have more personality quirks and disorders than a similar cross-section of a population back home? Seriously? Maybe you haven't, but you have to admit a lot of people have come on TVF and reported otherwise.

Edited September 9, 2015 by Gecko123

[JLCrab]

Without questioning the above, my first extended stays in Thailand were as a skilled volunteer at a Foundation Under Royal Patronage of HM The King in Khon Kaen. After the third such extended stay, I decided to move full-time to Khon Kaen in part because I met a Thai girl in Khon Kaen. She was from Bangkok. Go figure.

We met in large measure because she doesn't speak English. 12 years later, she still does't. She said back then: I'm a Thai girl in Thailand. Why should *I* have to learn English?

Edited September 9, 2015 by JLCrab

[chiang mai]

Speak for yourself!

Chiang Mai:

The OP is only the most recent of a steady stream of posters who have commented about the idiosyncratic nature of the expat community in Thailand. Whatever the label used: "quirky", "oddball" "antisocial", etc., some have gone so far as to comment that Thailand's expat community is idiosyncratic even when compared to expat communities in neighboring countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Laos. Other than the sex industry, what prominent social dynamic can you point to which might help explain this phenomena?

It's undeniable that Thailand's sex industry attracts many visitors, both tourists and expats alike. You need only look at the high percentage of male visitors travelling solo to confirm this. As unpalatable as this may be for some to hear, the truth is that sex tourists are probably not the most socially and psychologically well adjusted group of people on the planet.

But if you don't think the sex industry plays a role in this dynamic, that's fine. I'm open to listening to any alternative theories you or others might have.

Having lived and worked in several countries in the region since the mid 1990's I aware that most countries in SE Asia have a sex industry of some sort, not all are as widely advertised as Thailand, thanks to the UK tabloids, but they are, none the less, all mostly very buoyant industries that thrive and are tolerated well. Even the heavily Muslim countries of Malaysia and Indonesia have them, as do "respectable" territories such as Singapore and Japan (and to quite some degree I might add). So when I compare Thailand to those countries, with a view to the behaviors of the expat contingent in them, honestly, there's not that much difference between them other than attitudes of the host country government.

So to suggest that Thailand attracts more than it fair share of misfits by virtue of its sex industry, is actually a giant step to leap on the basis of thinking there are many single travelers who come here and also quite wide of the mark I suggest. Although I can imagine that views on this subject might be totally opposite given those of a person who lives in say Pattaya and a person who lives where I do in rural northern Thailand. And whilst this is in no way shape or form an attempt to bash Pattaya, a foreigner walking around Pattaya might be forgiven for holding your view simply because the subject is always in your face, 24 hours a day, in rural Chiang Mai province it is 180 degrees about face.

As to the origins of any potentially idiosyncratic tendencies of expats in Thailand and I'm not sure that's actually proven nor measurable: Thailand is a holiday destination known for its relaxed attitudes, beach resorts, hot climate, decent infrastructure and inexpensive living. Neighboring countries have many of those characteristics but none of them have all of those things, pointing at the Thai sex industry as the sole single cause of expat behavior (if indeed it truly is any different here than elsewhere in the region) is naive and very short sighted I suggest.

Frankly, I think thou doth protest too much, and your arguments hold very little water.

Ask anyone in your home country which country in Asia has the most infamous sex industry, and trust me they're not going to name Malaysia or Indonesia.

Sure prostitution is universal, but, give me a break: in the West Thailand is the most widely publicized and the destination of choice for the majority of hard core sex tourists, or guys just wanting to get laid on holiday.

The impact of the sex industry isn't just confined, as you have suggested, to Pattaya, Nana Plaza or other zones of prostitutions. It extends far beyond. You have to consider how many expats who meet women in these settings then move elsewhere, be it Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Lopburi, Ayuthaya, Khon Kaen, Surin, Mukdahan, Koh Samui, Hua Hin, Cha-am, Chompon, Hat Yai, or the proverbial (I hate this term) 'Nakhorn Nowhere.' Those guys who set up households out in rural areas are just as likely to have originally been attracted to Thailand for the sex industry as someone living in Pattaya. I live out in the countryside. Every single guy I know in a 100 kilometre radius of me met his wife in a beer bar type setting, and moved to his girlfriend's or wife's hometown. Trying to distance oneself from this reality because you live out in the boonies is just plain silly; everyone living out in the countryside knows otherwise.

And Chiang Mai, you've never noticed that the number of expats you run into here seem to have more personality quirks and disorders than a similar cross-section of a population back home? Seriously? Maybe you haven't, but you have to admit a lot of people have come on TVF and reported otherwise.

Oooo, Shakespere and a metaphor, both in the opening phrase!

Then we live in different Thailand s and I wont debate this with you because you wont be able to relate to the Thailand I live in. Incidentally, I don't meet that many expats and the ones I do are pretty stable as far as I can see. In fact, most own businesses here and one or two are very successful in that respect, none of them and indeed none of the expats I know appear to be married to ex-bar girls based on appearance, demeanor, intellect et al. doubtless the good wives in most Issan locations are not similar.

As for Thailand's reputation: smut and sex sells newspapers.

[Gecko123]

Give me a break with the "I live in a 'special' Thailand talk." And just for the record…I don't live in Isaan.

And the Bard's name is spelled Shakespeare. Have your uni educated wife proofread your posts next time.

[thehelmsman]

Thailand's sex industry attracts a disproportionate number of misfits, both young and old, than would otherwise find their way here.

Speak for yourself!

Chiang Mai:

The OP is only the most recent of a steady stream of posters who have commented about the idiosyncratic nature of the expat community in Thailand. Whatever the label used: "quirky", "oddball" "antisocial", etc., some have gone so far as to comment that Thailand's expat community is idiosyncratic even when compared to expat communities in neighboring countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Laos. Other than the sex industry, what prominent social dynamic can you point to which might help explain this phenomena?

It's undeniable that Thailand's sex industry attracts many visitors, both tourists and expats alike. You need only look at the high percentage of male visitors travelling solo to confirm this. As unpalatable as this may be for some to hear, the truth is that sex tourists, even casual sex tourists, are probably not the most socially and psychologically well adjusted group of people on the planet.

But if you don't think the sex industry plays a role in this dynamic, that's fine. I'm open to listening to any alternative theories you or others might have.

Please educate us or me anyway. When I travel solo as I travel often I'm a sex-tourist, according to you Right??? OK got it....................jees you self righteous individuals on this site are unbelievable.

And, you're the one who once posted you felt like throwing a little girl out the window because she laughed at your stuttering in the classroom.

[chiang mai]

Give me a break with the "I live in a 'special' Thailand talk." And just for the record…I don't live in Isaan.

And the Bard's name is spelled Shakespeare. Have your uni educated wife proofread your posts next time.

OK got it now, an American English teacher, with vast amounts of experience of life in Thailand/Issan, right!

[Soutpeel]

Thailand's sex industry attracts a disproportionate number of misfits, both young and old, than would otherwise find their way here.

Speak for yourself!

Chiang Mai:

The OP is only the most recent of a steady stream of posters who have commented about the idiosyncratic nature of the expat community in Thailand. Whatever the label used: "quirky", "oddball" "antisocial", etc., some have gone so far as to comment that Thailand's expat community is idiosyncratic even when compared to expat communities in neighboring countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Laos. Other than the sex industry, what prominent social dynamic can you point to which might help explain this phenomena?

It's undeniable that Thailand's sex industry attracts many visitors, both tourists and expats alike. You need only look at the high percentage of male visitors travelling solo to confirm this. As unpalatable as this may be for some to hear, the truth is that sex tourists are probably not the most socially and psychologically well adjusted group of people on the planet.

But if you don't think the sex industry plays a role in this dynamic, that's fine. I'm open to listening to any alternative theories you or others might have.

Having lived and worked in several countries in the region since the mid 1990's I aware that most countries in SE Asia have a sex industry of some sort, not all are as widely advertised as Thailand, thanks to the UK tabloids, but they are, none the less, all mostly very buoyant industries that thrive and are tolerated well. Even the heavily Muslim countries of Malaysia and Indonesia have them, as do "respectable" territories such as Singapore and Japan (and to quite some degree I might add). So when I compare Thailand to those countries, with a view to the behaviors of the expat contingent in them, honestly, there's not that much difference between them other than attitudes of the host country government.

So to suggest that Thailand attracts more than it fair share of misfits by virtue of its sex industry, is actually a giant step to leap on the basis of thinking there are many single travelers who come here and also quite wide of the mark I suggest. Although I can imagine that views on this subject might be totally opposite given those of a person who lives in say Pattaya and a person who lives where I do in rural northern Thailand. And whilst this is in no way shape or form an attempt to bash Pattaya, a foreigner walking around Pattaya might be forgiven for holding your view simply because the subject is always in your face, 24 hours a day, in rural Chiang Mai province it is 180 degrees about face.

As to the origins of any potentially idiosyncratic tendencies of expats in Thailand and I'm not sure that's actually proven nor measurable: Thailand is a holiday destination known for its relaxed attitudes, beach resorts, hot climate, decent infrastructure and inexpensive living. Neighboring countries have many of those characteristics but none of them have all of those things, pointing at the Thai sex industry as the sole single cause of expat behavior (if indeed it truly is any different here than elsewhere in the region) is naive and very short sighted I suggest.

Maybe pose a question this way how many " expats" would have set themselves up in Thailand if there wasnt such a prominent sex industry ?

Having worked an lived in many countries over the years with "expat" populations have to concide Thailand appears to have large numbers of "broken" or strange expats far more than anywhere else i have been