Is Thailand loosing its charm?

[Crazy chef 1]

Though Thailand has just two parts: Bangkok and the farm...again interesting...

[AlphMichaels]

Consumerism and Commercialization has taken its global toll. But to be sure Asia SE Asia is upside down silly with it. From children to "supposedly" mature adults, most seem lost in pursuit of the next status symbol. If they can get their eyes centered on whats in front of them and not on their mobile, that is.

Yep, OP..., you nailed it. Bangkok has fallen prey to a westernized model much more quickly than it can handle. It's sad to see.

[TheCruncher]

To paraphrase Samuel Johnson, when a man is tired of Bangkok, he's tired of life.

Everywhere changes. Only a fool would expect otherwise. But Thailand is still awesome if you approach it with an open mind.

Let me correct that for you.

But Thailand is still awesome if you approach it with an open empty mind.

[Cypress Hill]

Foreigners are way too obsessed with what many of them perceive as the sun setting on Thailand's stint as an adult Disneyland for tapped-out Westerners.

It's natural for people to lament the demise of what went before but personally, after nearly 8 years in residence, I think Bangkok is even better now

[BlindMagician]

As I type, sitting in a park little coffee shop, a lady is shouting at her mobile phone...non stop blah blah...what a headache.

[SoiBiker]

Bangkok is one of the world's great cities.

I'd love to see someone come to Bangkok and tell the locals they're not really Thai.

[JLCrab]

My only time living in Bangkok (for about 6 months) was in Klong San district before the Skytrain crossed the river. Every time I would get on the ferry for the Pepsi Pier some well meaning Thai would tell me that I'm on the wrong Ferry and point to the Chao Praya boat loaded with tourists. I had a great time and could go for days without hardly ever seeing a farang except for my building.

And I could find adult Disneyland-type places where again I was the only farang and mostly nobody spoke English.

Edited December 5, 2015 by JLCrab

[JLCrab]

soi biker you are correct...my apologies to joni and best wishes for her

A great live version of the song:

[awayego]

"Take paradise and put up a parking lot "

But was it really paradise or just a black market country for sex, copies, dirty street stands, scams, trafficking, drugs etc etc .....

I think we all were in amazement at how everything was possible and around every bend we were shocked or surprised and now it is getting cleaned up and brought under control, sort of.....

[Adam Duritz]

They paved paradise and put up a parking lot

With a pink hotel, a boutique, and a swingin' hot spot

Don't it always seem to go

That you don't know what you got 'til it's gone

They paved paradise and put up a parking lot

[Vanessa Carlton]

Ooooh, bop bop bop

Ooooh, bop bop bop

[Adam]

They took all the trees, and put em in a tree museum

And they charged the people a dollar and a half to see them

No, no, no

Don't it always seem to go

That you don't know what you got 'til it's gone

They paved paradise, and put up a parking lot

[Vanessa]

Ooooh, bop bop bop

Ooooh, bop bop bop

[Adam]

Hey farmer, farmer, put away your DDT

I don't care about spots on my apples,

Leave me the birds and the bees

Please

Don't it always seem to go

That you don't know what you got 'til it's gone

They paved paradise and put up a parking lot

Hey now, they paved paradise to put up a parking lot

Why not?

Especially given her recent health issues, it would only be polite to credit the lyrics to their actual author.

Get well soon, Joni Mitchell.

Here, here! 'Blue' is still one of my all-time favourite albums. Happy and sad memories whenever I hear the feature track. (Yes, I know Big Yellow Taxi was on 'Ladies of the Canyon'!).

Get well soon Joni.

[Crazy chef 1]

Bangkok is one of the world's great cities.

I'd love to see someone come to Bangkok and tell the locals they're not really Thai.

And I would love to see someone to tell the local Bangkok residents that they are the same as Issan,Phetchabun or other country people...

[SoiBiker]

Bangkok is one of the world's great cities.

I'd love to see someone come to Bangkok and tell the locals they're not really Thai.

And I would love to see someone to tell the local Bangkok residents that they are the same as Issan,Phetchabun or other country people...

Why would anyone do that?

I'm not the same as a Yorkshireman. But we're both British.

[connda]

Considering the PTB are attempting to make it look like Singapore, yeah it is losing it's own uniqueness.

[Emster23]

Whacha mean? Thailand is up to it's collective neck (and down around waist for men) in charms, amulets, magic tattoos.... sales of strawberry Fanta would cease without spirit houses....

[DrTuner]

Don't worry. There will be a backlash and people will revert to the local ways. It's what's happening all over the world. The transition period won't be comfortable, however.

[fishbrando]

Also here in phuket things are changing the friendly and genuine attitude by the locals is mostly disappeared.

friendly and genuine? Hahahahahaaa!

Yes, I know the real Phuket folks are very nice, but tourism has a way of ruining and area and drawing out the worst of the locals to interact with the travelers. Phuket seems to have the absolute worst people in its tourism industry, from the taxi mafia to the jet-ski vendors.

Five years ago I was walking on the beach in Patong and one aggressive jet-ski vendor followed me for 20 minutes or so. Eventually I stood in an area with just enough shade for me while he stood sweltering in the sun. I also opened my umbrella so I wouldn't have to see his face.

Edited December 5, 2015 by fishbrando

[swissbie]

Bangkok is not Thailand? BKK is the heart of Thailand, the center of the country, it's economic motor and filled with people from all provinces. Big changes had been (and still are) unavoidable. Prosperity and modernisation have their drawbacks, but it's part of it. Whitener is now widely available and cellphone cracyness not an isolated Thai problem. Even folks living "upcountry behind the hills" are happy to have cells and big tv's, most of the nice cars in rural Thailand are not bought with a laugh from the ricefield.

[Jimmpy]

Thailand is still a charm, just not as much as it used to be. It is evolving as one would imagine, but it still has that aura about it.

I hope Thailand never loses it's charm.

Crazy Chef is right, it HAS lost it's charm.

[JLCrab]

Foreigners are way too obsessed with what many of them perceive as the sun setting on Thailand's stint as an adult Disneyland for tapped-out Westerners.

It's natural for people to lament the demise of what went before but personally, after nearly 8 years in residence, I think Bangkok is even better now

... and it surely would go downhill fast if you were to ever leave.

[bazza40]

Bangkok has never had much appeal for me, just too large. Although it is interesting from the point of view how a city of that size can actually function effectively.

There are so many things to see and do in Thailand I doubt it will ever lose its charm for me. Away from the tourist venues, there are things to boggle the mind.

For example, the Thai representation of Hell at a temple in Phayao. Or a temple near Mae Suai ( have never seen another falang there, off the beaten track ) with a fascinating combination of Hindu gods and Buddhism. Views from Doi Mae Salong.

The biggest change appears to be mobile (cell ) phones. Particularly smartphones with cameras. Even your poorest villager in the sticks seems to have one.

[Crazy chef 1]

Also here in phuket things are changing the friendly and genuine attitude by the locals is mostly disappeared.

friendly and genuine? Hahahahahaaa!

Yes, I know the real Phuket folks are very nice, but tourism has a way of ruining and area and drawing out the worst of the locals to interact with the travelers. Phuket seems to have the absolute worst people in its tourism industry, from the taxi mafia to the jet-ski vendors.

Five years ago I was walking on the beach in Patong and one aggressive jet-ski vendor followed me for 20 minutes or so. Eventually I stood in an area with just enough shade for me while he stood sweltering in the sun. I also opened my umbrella so I wouldn't have to see his face.

Hence ...things are changing...can't remember 15 years ago to get hustled by a jet ski vendor...

[sawadee1947]

Thailand is still a charm, just not as much as it used to be. It is evolving as one would imagine, but it still has that aura about it.

I hope Thailand never loses it's charm.

Me too.hope it doesn't become a copy of the west...

think about your life. How much did you copy from West Germany? Thailand will do same to achieve the same way of life and similar standards.

[villagefarang]

Bangkok has never had much appeal for me, just too large. Although it is interesting from the point of view how a city of that size can actually function effectively.

There are so many things to see and do in Thailand I doubt it will ever lose its charm for me. Away from the tourist venues, there are things to boggle the mind.

For example, the Thai representation of Hell at a temple in Phayao. Or a temple near Mae Suai ( have never seen another falang there, off the beaten track ) with a fascinating combination of Hindu gods and Buddhism. Views from Doi Mae Salong.

The biggest change appears to be mobile (cell ) phones. Particularly smartphones with cameras. Even your poorest villager in the sticks seems to have one.

Not that far off the beaten track. It is right off the 118 which is the main highway between Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai.

[blueyeshk]

It's changing / as most things for the worse- it lost already a lots of its appeal if you visit regularly neighboring countries you know what's wrong with Thailand - the human factor is the biggest minus on the other hand it has a lot of connivence for daily life but their is a price tack on that and that's pretty high if you have to interact with Thais on a daily bases.

[Thaidream]

Thailand has changed over the last 40 years tremendously. Part of this change has been good in that people are more informed and their economic lives are somewhat better. Part of the change has been bad in that many parts of Thailand have been over developed and have lost those things that make Thailand different than the rest of the World. Pattaya has a perfect example of what I dislike about the modernization of Thailand. It looks and feels too much like New York, London or Berlin. It and other places in Thailand have lost their Thai charm because they have run after the money. There is much too much commercialism in Thailand with money becoming a god that will allow one to purchase all those things that the Western World is trying to sell you. I am not against modernization long as it does not destroy that culture that makes you what you are. I do not have a smart phone and do not want one. They are all made in China and sold for an obscene price that makes the American master richer and richer.If you want it- up to you but I refuse to sell my soul to the American master. Thailand needs to stop listening to the West and start preserving its culture or it will lose its soul to the dollar or pound.

[Jimmpy]

Thank you Crazy Chef.

I have read some of your postings in the past and you always seem to "nail-it", whatever the subject it.

I left Bangkok 10 years ago and just reciently returned.

At first I was in shock and awe at what I saw but now feeling depressed and thinking about leaving.

I have been unable to explain this to my family back home and really couldn't understand it myself.

Change so quick that we can't keep up with it.

Those are powerful words.

Thanks for putting this in perspective for me.

[Crazy chef 1]

Thailand is still a charm, just not as much as it used to be. It is evolving as one would imagine, but it still has that aura about it.

I hope Thailand never loses it's charm.

Me too.hope it doesn't become a copy of the west...

think about your life. How much did you copy from West Germany? Thailand will do same to achieve the same way of life and similar standards.

Nice reply...but I didn't copy much from west Germany.certainly I am using the new products and technology but my way of thinking/ morals have never changed.

I never buy things to impress my neighbors

I never talk about things I have to impress somebody

I still believe in helping each other

I still believe in family

I am still humble

...

And I still like my leipzscher allerlei....

[bazza40]

Bangkok has never had much appeal for me, just too large. Although it is interesting from the point of view how a city of that size can actually function effectively.

There are so many things to see and do in Thailand I doubt it will ever lose its charm for me. Away from the tourist venues, there are things to boggle the mind.

For example, the Thai representation of Hell at a temple in Phayao. Or a temple near Mae Suai ( have never seen another falang there, off the beaten track ) with a fascinating combination of Hindu gods and Buddhism. Views from Doi Mae Salong.

The biggest change appears to be mobile (cell ) phones. Particularly smartphones with cameras. Even your poorest villager in the sticks seems to have one.

Not that far off the beaten track. It is right off the 118 which is the main highway between Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai.

Yes, you've nailed it. Now shhhh.

[deepcell]

I guess older people come to dislike change wherever they live.

That is an oversimplification in my opinion. I am getting older (61) and change has never been a problem for me.

I should have put the word 'some' in there.

And modernisation,innovation or globalisation is not ALWAYS positive...

.. and globalisation will destroy generations around the globe. just a fact. all in name of the progress!

[Robert24]

To be fair, I think Phuket is quite different from other provinces in Thailand . I've recently been there again and visited a friend of mine and this time I decided to only stay a few days and then travelled to Phang Ng less than an hours drive but you are in different world, in a world that is reflecting more real Thailand than Phuket does.

Now in terms of it's loosing it's charme. I think Thailand is changing, modernizing, the middle class gets more affluent but they are not adopting Western values. If you think that you are dreaming. They may be hooked to their mobile devices, same as in Japan, China and Asian countries but they are not chatting in English. If anything the new generations that are more affluent are more nationalistic and holding up Thai values than previous generations.

[Crazy chef 1]

Thailand is still a charm, just not as much as it used to be. It is evolving as one would imagine, but it still has that aura about it.

I hope Thailand never loses it's charm.

Crazy Chef is right, it HAS lost it's charm.

My friend Sipi is always right ...naja mostly...