Where is "Little ******?"

[WorkingTourist]

Just to continue the immigration aspect, Chinatown offers cheap living quarters, cheap (and familiar) food, people who can help you find a (low wage) job, help you with paperwork, teach you English, etc.

These are important services for poor immigrants coming to the U.S. and it makes sense to keep these things close together, plus rent control and zoning may also play a role in this.

The Westerners that come to Chiang Mai are not faced with the same problems, and I see no advantage living together with a lot of people from my own country. But I doubt I am more integrated than a Chinese person living in Chinatown.

Also, besides the expat club and ThaiVISA, there seems to be many clubs for specific nationalities here, I believe my countrymen arrange a traditional christmas dinner.

[Chiengmaijoe]

When I saw the title with the asterisks I assumed it was about the guy that drove around Chiang Mai with a big sticker that was the full length of his rear windsreen that said LITTLE BASTARD. I never did figure what it meant, and it's been quite a while since I saw him.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I find the Americans to be the most sociable. When an American meets another American in Chiang Mai they instantly seem to click, discussing home towns and where they`ve lived in the States.

Yes, it's weird.

Also national holidays tend to be a thing, like 4th of July, Thanksgiving, etc.

[bangmai]

I find the Americans to be the most sociable. When an American meets another American in Chiang Mai they instantly seem to click, discussing home towns and where they`ve lived in the States.

Usually at the top of their voices.

Which is why you can't hear the Brits, Aussies, etc. doing it.

Kind of strange to stereotype people from a nation of 330 million people, that is 65 times larger than England. The US Expat population does tend to be California centric, which also has the largest Thai influence, and also shares the Pacific Rim. Californians have enjoyed great weather and quality food all their lives, and a technology sector that is larger than OZ and England's put together. They are known for being laid back and somewhat friendly, but it is a very big State. The Brits seem to be more downbeat and dreary, more like the Jerseyites or New Englanders, who speak with a hideous accent, and tend to complain about everything,, no matter how trivial, always pretending to be victims of some grand conspiracy against them, or unwilling participants in a massive government program/racket. Good and bad people everywhere, and you will also notice that a lot of working age people from the States, who are living here on disability payments for things like addiction, back pain, anxiety also come from California, and are often best avoided.

Edited February 5, 2016 by bangmai

[Sparkles]

I find the Americans to be the most sociable. When an American meets another American in Chiang Mai they instantly seem to click, discussing home towns and where they`ve lived in the States. On the other hand the Brits are completely different, they prefer to blank their fellow Brits and other Farlangs. I think the Australians come a close second. Also Americans intend to keep together in groups but the Brits prefer to stay as loners and are most likely to be the ones that will look the other way and ignore you.

What utter nonsense.

[orang37]

I think the difference is more to do with the tendency of farang men to come here for the women. How many of those Farangs are female? How many would have chosen those villages if they hadn't been led there by a local woman?

if they hadn't been led there by the chain, through the ring, in their nose, held by the local woman who convinced them that a ring through their nose would make them so ... 'hansum' ?

~o:37;

[orang37]

I do not think you can meaningfully compare enclaves which originated from mass-migration for economic reasons, or as a result of persecution, pogroms, etc, to patterns of migration of relatively well-to-do foreigners to Thailand, for retirement, for slow-suicide via various combinations of drugs-alcohol-sex, and (much more rarely) out of some genuine interest in, or vocation for, Thai cultural, or business, life.

But, of course, you could argue, that certain zones in Chiang Mai are really islands of a certain type of "foreign" commercial culture related to tourism, albeit surfaced with a facade of faux Lanna-heritage.

Of course, Bangkok still does have a visibly defined "China Town." But, as with places in the U.S. like the Lower East Side, or Baltimore and Boston's Irish, and Italian, districts, over time migrants assimilate, and move out.

Michael Vatikotis, former editor of the Far Eastern Economic Review (PhD. in Thai History, Chiang Mai University), has commented on patterns of voluntary immigration of groups to Chiang Mai, like the silver-smiths on Wua Lai road who came here seeking a "better deal" than they were getting from their oppressive Raman overlords in what is now peninsular Myanmar. The Mon potters who settled Ko Khret on the Chao Phraya at the invitation of King Rama III are another refugee group. For some period of time, there was a distinct group of Avan metal-workers settled in Chiang Saen by King Mengrai who had extorted them by massing a very large army and a couple of thousand war-elephants on the borders of the Kingdom of Ava, and demanding a pay-off ... which the Avans (incredibly rich) chose to pay (see 'Chiang Mai Chronicles' for details).

Other distinct ethnic groups were brought here wholesale as a result of conquest among Shan, Ngaio, and other "ethnic" groups, and they, in contrast to the artisanal groups ... you can hypothesize ... were "parceled out" as serfs/slaves.

Vatiokitis commented that these groups who retained distinct ethnic identify (were constrained to), who were given low-quality bottom-land to settle on, and were "bound" to their professions from birth, were not allowed inside the moat after dark, etc. ... are a source of Chiang Mai's still-vibrant ethnic diversity which now "surfaces" during liminal rites, like Loy Khratong, and Songkraan.

I do wish the zoo, here, had a "farang" exhibition, but so far my letters to the director suggesting that have met with no response. Perhaps that's because so many of them are stumbling around the streets of Chiang Mai (you know where) exhibiting their feral state ?

cheers, ~o:37;

[landtrout]

I find the Americans to be the most sociable. When an American meets another American in Chiang Mai they instantly seem to click, discussing home towns and where they`ve lived in the States.

Usually at the top of their voices.

Which is why you can't hear the Brits, Aussies, etc. doing it.

Kind of strange to stereotype people from a nation of 330 million people, that is 65 times larger than England. The US Expat population does tend to be California centric, which also has the largest Thai influence, and also shares the Pacific Rim. Californians have enjoyed great weather and quality food all their lives, and a technology sector that is larger than OZ and England's put together. They are known for being laid back and somewhat friendly, but it is a very big State. The Brits seem to be more downbeat and dreary, more like the Jerseyites or New Englanders, who speak with a hideous accent, and tend to complain about everything,, no matter how trivial, always pretending to be victims of some grand conspiracy against them, or unwilling participants in a massive government program/racket. Good and bad people everywhere, and you will also notice that a lot of working age people from the States, who are living here on disability payments for things like addiction, back pain, anxiety also come from California, and are often best avoided.

I've spent a considerable amount of time around Californians, and there's one thing that I can say for certain: 99.9% of them would almost certainly be able to divide 318.9 million (the estimated population of the U.S.A. as of early 2015...) by 64.1 million (the most recent estimate of the population of England...), and come up with a number considerably shy of sixty five.

I'm not sure whether I should attribute that to the fact that they've enjoyed "great weather and quality food all their lives" or to the fact that they've been largely spared exposure to the ass clowns who masquerade as "maffs" instructors in the employ of the rather spectacularly failed state to their immediate east.

I've also spent some time among the "downbeat and dreary" Brits you refer to, and here's my shorthand takeaway: Fools will be suffered only as long as there's a profit to be extracted from their foolishness. Serial fools such as yourself will be suffered not at all.

Cheers/

LT

.

[daoyai]

I find the Americans to be the most sociable. When an American meets another American in Chiang Mai they instantly seem to click, discussing home towns and where they`ve lived in the States.

Usually at the top of their voices.

Which is why you can't hear the Brits, Aussies, etc. doing it.

Kind of strange to stereotype people from a nation of 330 million people, that is 65 times larger than England. The US Expat population does tend to be California centric, which also has the largest Thai influence, and also shares the Pacific Rim. Californians have enjoyed great weather and quality food all their lives, and a technology sector that is larger than OZ and England's put together. They are known for being laid back and somewhat friendly, but it is a very big State. The Brits seem to be more downbeat and dreary, more like the Jerseyites or New Englanders, who speak with a hideous accent, and tend to complain about everything,, no matter how trivial, always pretending to be victims of some grand conspiracy against them, or unwilling participants in a massive government program/racket. Good and bad people everywhere, and you will also notice that a lot of working age people from the States, who are living here on disability payments for things like addiction, back pain, anxiety also come from California, and are often best avoided.

I've spent a considerable amount of time around Californians, and there's one thing that I can say for certain: 99.9% of them would almost certainly be able to divide 318.9 million (the estimated population of the U.S.A. as of early 2015...) by 64.1 million (the most recent estimate of the population of England...), and come up with a number considerably shy of sixty five.

I'm not sure whether I should attribute that to the fact that they've enjoyed "great weather and quality food all their lives" or to the fact that they've been largely spared exposure to the ass clowns who masquerade as "maffs" instructors in the employ of the rather spectacularly failed state to their immediate east.

I've also spent some time among the "downbeat and dreary" Brits you refer to, and here's my shorthand takeaway: Fools will be suffered only as long as there's a profit to be extracted from their foolishness. Serial fools such as yourself will be suffered not at all.

Cheers/

LT

^^^^^^^

. No LT, your superior "maffs" did not help you to understand that after stating the respective populations of the two nations "bangmai circus pants" then stated that the U.S. is 65 times LARGER than the old sod,.... obviously the differerence in land mass. sheesh.

Edited February 6, 2016 by daoyai

[happy Joe]

It is perfectly correct that CM there is almost no community area.

While in Pattaya where I lived before they are. Germans in Naklua, Muslims near Walking Street, Russians in Pratumnak and even a small French-speaking place near Buakao.

I think the explanation is simple, it is the traders and assets that are grouped by neighborhood to guide their activities according to their know-how.

In Chiang Mai where expatriates are mainly retired this need does not exist.

Edited February 6, 2016 by happy Joe

[bangmai]

I find the Americans to be the most sociable. When an American meets another American in Chiang Mai they instantly seem to click, discussing home towns and where they`ve lived in the States.

Usually at the top of their voices.

Which is why you can't hear the Brits, Aussies, etc. doing it.

Kind of strange to stereotype people from a nation of 330 million people, that is 65 times larger than England. The US Expat population does tend to be California centric, which also has the largest Thai influence, and also shares the Pacific Rim. Californians have enjoyed great weather and quality food all their lives, and a technology sector that is larger than OZ and England's put together. They are known for being laid back and somewhat friendly, but it is a very big State. The Brits seem to be more downbeat and dreary, more like the Jerseyites or New Englanders, who speak with a hideous accent, and tend to complain about everything,, no matter how trivial, always pretending to be victims of some grand conspiracy against them, or unwilling participants in a massive government program/racket. Good and bad people everywhere, and you will also notice that a lot of working age people from the States, who are living here on disability payments for things like addiction, back pain, anxiety also come from California, and are often best avoided.

I've spent a considerable amount of time around Californians, and there's one thing that I can say for certain: 99.9% of them would almost certainly be able to divide 318.9 million (the estimated population of the U.S.A. as of early 2015...) by 64.1 million (the most recent estimate of the population of England...), and come up with a number considerably shy of sixty five.

I'm not sure whether I should attribute that to the fact that they've enjoyed "great weather and quality food all their lives" or to the fact that they've been largely spared exposure to the ass clowns who masquerade as "maffs" instructors in the employ of the rather spectacularly failed state to their immediate east.

I've also spent some time among the "downbeat and dreary" Brits you refer to, and here's my shorthand takeaway: Fools will be suffered only as long as there's a profit to be extracted from their foolishness. Serial fools such as yourself will be suffered not at all.

Cheers/

LT

.

It appears the inbreds don't know the difference between "larger" and "more." "larger" must be politically incorrect in the UK, after all it sure can't mean taller, with a family tree looking more like a hedge. Many are also too ashamed to state, where they have lived. 318.9 million? That would be the number, who are less of -ick than yourself.

Edited February 6, 2016 by bangmai

[NeverSure]

Kind of strange to stereotype people from a nation of 330 million people, that is 65 times larger than England. The US Expat population does tend to be California centric, which also has the largest Thai influence, and also shares the Pacific Rim. Californians have enjoyed great weather and quality food all their lives, and a technology sector that is larger than OZ and England's put together. They are known for being laid back and somewhat friendly, but it is a very big State. The Brits seem to be more downbeat and dreary, more like the Jerseyites or New Englanders, who speak with a hideous accent, and tend to complain about everything,, no matter how trivial, always pretending to be victims of some grand conspiracy against them, or unwilling participants in a massive government program/racket. Good and bad people everywhere, and you will also notice that a lot of working age people from the States, who are living here on disability payments for things like addiction, back pain, anxiety also come from California, and are often best avoided.

I've spent a considerable amount of time around Californians, and there's one thing that I can say for certain: 99.9% of them would almost certainly be able to divide 318.9 million (the estimated population of the U.S.A. as of early 2015...) by 64.1 million (the most recent estimate of the population of England...), and come up with a number considerably shy of sixty five.

I'm not sure whether I should attribute that to the fact that they've enjoyed "great weather and quality food all their lives" or to the fact that they've been largely spared exposure to the ass clowns who masquerade as "maffs" instructors in the employ of the rather spectacularly failed state to their immediate east.

I've also spent some time among the "downbeat and dreary" Brits you refer to, and here's my shorthand takeaway: Fools will be suffered only as long as there's a profit to be extracted from their foolishness. Serial fools such as yourself will be suffered not at all.

Cheers/

LT

.

It appears the inbreds don't know the difference between "larger" and "more." "larger" must be politically incorrect in the UK, after all it sure can't mean taller, with a family tree looking more like a hedge. Many are also too ashamed to state, where they have lived. 318.9 million? That would be the number, who are less of -ick than yourself.

It's true that the "inbreds" don't know the difference between larger and more.

Bangmai said larger but the inbred went to population rather than area. The UK is smaller than the State of Oregon which is just one of 50 states and certainly not one of the largest.

The US is so much larger than the UK that you could hide the puny UK in the State of Texas and not only would no one ever miss it, they couldn't find it if they did.

On topic, there is no "little America" anywhere in any country that I know of and I believe it's because Americans don't much choose to expatriate. The US is already large and open with every type of economic, cultural, scenic, and weather patterns you could ask for. There's no reason to leave other than for international travel and vacations.

Cheers.

Edited February 6, 2016 by NeverSure

[Mapguy]

For one foreign Anglophone ghetto, go to the Expat Club.

[fey]

You're kidding, right? Pretty much everything inside the moat is Farang Town.

But that's lumping ALL foreigners in together. That's not the case in the West. There, each nationality has its own distinct enclave, streets with all the shops selling only that country's goods and services, with signs all in that language. Today, most of the signs inside the moat are in Chinese... for the tourists, not for residents.

By 'The West', I guess you mean the US - enclaves like those you describe aren't particularly common in Europe.

Yes, foreigners here tend to get lumped together in farang ghettos - but they're certainly not integrating into Thai society like your OP suggests.

Where is the British enclave? I've never noticed any part of Chiangmai that I could call "Americatown?" Can you give me the Google Map coords, please. And I seem to recall a rather large number of TV posters stating that they keep away from farangs, preferring the company of Thais for their social life. I guess your post confuses me a bit. Did you mean to say that farangs DONT get lumped together, as I stated?

You seem to have a selective memory, and notice only what you want to see, not what's really there.

Does it work for you? Great.

Go outside now and look at some flowers.

______________

Now, American here and I don't wish to socialize with other Americans. Why? Because I'm here now, not in America. Also don't like talking about what i used "to do" back there etc for the same reasons. i'm here now and so is the person asking. enjoy it, hate it but just 'do it'. not sure why so many ask about the past, i would prefer the present or future.

Edited February 6, 2016 by fey

[FolkGuitar]

For one foreign Anglophone ghetto, go to the Expat Club.

This thread has spawning some interesting ideas... food for thought...

While true that the Expat Club is an English-speaking 'group,' it only meets once a month. It's not an established 'neighborhood.'

I think that what some other posters have suggested is nearer the mark; that the neighborhoods that become established in other countries were created more from economic concerns rather than simply interest groups.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Well this turned into a great topic!

[orang37]

Now, American here and I don't wish to socialize with other Americans. Why? Because I'm here now, not in America. Also don't like talking about what i used "to do" back there etc for the same reasons.

Excellent, we look forward to your total silence.

~o:37;

[bangmai]

Now, American here and I don't wish to socialize with other Americans. Why? Because I'm here now, not in America. Also don't like talking about what i used "to do" back there etc for the same reasons.

Excellent, we look forward to your total silence.

~o:37;

Apparently, it is more popular for some to talk about what others used to do back home.

[farang95]

important to mention that the farang who doesnt speak the native language are the ones who feel the need to be around other westerner every day ...... a bit strange...But hell who i am to judge lol ...

[farang95]

The Worst foreigner in thailand are The UK - Australian and American ..... .i agreed with the thai about that fact.

[bangmai]

The Worst foreigner in thailand are The UK - Australian and American ..... .i agreed with the thai about that fact.

Many are Canadians disguised as Americans.

Edited February 7, 2016 by bangmai

[farang95]

The Worst foreigner in thailand are The UK - Australian and American ..... .i agreed with the thai about that fact.

Many are Canadians disguised as Americans.

i met maybe one or two canadians....i loved it to talk with them..Their accent is so much fun !!! about the american maybe am a bit a bit aggressive...most of them i saw was in phuket...patong turn people very crazy....should i blame it on the place ? lol

[luther]

1 to 2 percent of Americans live overseas as permanent residents. This equals 3 - 6 million people. Most are working or hold dual citizenship. The retirees in many countries huddle together in the suburbs of large cities. (Oaxaca, comes to mind.)

My American friends who have stayed in Thailand all did so for the same reason…Healthcare. They would have had a hard time moving back to the states and getting a job in their late 50’s. Most would have been forced to pay out of pocket for health insurance…1,000 dollars per month with a 10,000 dollar deductable.

[bangmai]

1 to 2 percent of Americans live overseas as permanent residents. This equals 3 - 6 million people. Most are working or hold dual citizenship. The retirees in many countries huddle together in the suburbs of large cities. (Oaxaca, comes to mind.)

My American friends who have stayed in Thailand all did so for the same reason…Healthcare. They would have had a hard time moving back to the states and getting a job in their late 50’s. Most would have been forced to pay out of pocket for health insurance…1,000 dollars per month with a 10,000 dollar deductable.

A friend claims 42K per year income, and pays Kaiser 170 per month with a 5000 USD deductible, age 55. Now, they can't nail you for pre-existing conditions..so people, who never made claims are getting screwed. A small egment of low income earners may be better off under the new regime, but families have much higher deductibles and the healthy are paying more...and more employers are only covering the employee. Oh, and the insurance companies are getting hurt bad.

[1BADDAT]

To the OP. The main different is that in the west (usa particulary) whole families move to a new comity to establish a new life. They tend to move to similar areas and establish businesses, restaurants..etc. Most foreigners in thailand are either on holiday or are retiring here. They do not come as a family, most are single or have a spouse. And quite commonly they have a thai spouse. So the kids are only half X and half thai anyway.

They do not set up the level of businesses as they do in America as the rules won't allow it. It's a totally different situation.

Additionally, there are just too many nationalities that come to thailand to set up an area for each.

The only exception to this I see is Jomtien has a high concentration of Russians. maybe the Indians have an area covers too.

[1BADDAT]

important to mention that the farang who doesnt speak the native language are the ones who feel the need to be around other westerner every day ...... a bit strange...But hell who i am to judge lol ...

quite a generalization. And one that has been talked to death on this site (an English only site)...hmm. Kind of blows your thai speaking theory a little huh?

[FolkGuitar]

To the OP. The main different is that in the west (usa particulary) whole families move to a new comity to establish a new life. They tend to move to similar areas and establish businesses, restaurants..etc. Most foreigners in thailand are either on holiday or are retiring here. They do not come as a family, most are single or have a spouse. And quite commonly they have a thai spouse. So the kids are only half X and half thai anyway.

They do not set up the level of businesses as they do in America as the rules won't allow it. It's a totally different situation.

Additionally, there are just too many nationalities that come to thailand to set up an area for each.

The only exception to this I see is Jomtien has a high concentration of Russians. maybe the Indians have an area covers too.

Why do you suppose the Russians behave differently? I can understand the Indians, many of whom do move here as families and start businesses. But the Russians? I thought they only hung out at the beach. Or is THAT the common denominator?

[1BADDAT]

The Worst foreigner in thailand are The UK - Australian and American ..... .i agreed with the thai about that fact.

Have the Thais taken a poll on this matter? As far as I can tell, they hate the Arabs and Indians most (forgot the Chinese) Haven't heard any other groups mentioned. Please educate us on what ALL the Thais think.

[1BADDAT]

To the OP. The main different is that in the west (usa particulary) whole families move to a new comity to establish a new life. They tend to move to similar areas and establish businesses, restaurants..etc. Most foreigners in thailand are either on holiday or are retiring here. They do not come as a family, most are single or have a spouse. And quite commonly they have a thai spouse. So the kids are only half X and half thai anyway.

They do not set up the level of businesses as they do in America as the rules won't allow it. It's a totally different situation.

Additionally, there are just too many nationalities that come to thailand to set up an area for each.

The only exception to this I see is Jomtien has a high concentration of Russians. maybe the Indians have an area covers too.

Why do you suppose the Russians behave differently? I can understand the Indians, many of whom do move here as families and start businesses. But the Russians? I thought they only hung out at the beach. Or is THAT the common denominator?

They seem to come as families as well and buy properties in the same buildings. But I am no expert on Jomtien or the Russians.

[saakura]

I was talking with a new arrival in my area who was surprised that he was not the only farang living this far out of Chiang Rai (60 km). It seems no matter how remote, there is a farang associated with almost every village you visit. A large number of foreigners are spread throughout the countryside and are not necessarily living in an enclave of fellow countrymen. Again I think it is because we have a different attitude to those immigrants moving to the West.

I think the difference is more to do with the tendency of farang men to come here for the women. How many of those Farangs are female? How many would have chosen those villages if they hadn't been led there by a local woman?

That is a good point. Very few foreigners, male or female, are able to navigate life in Thailand without the aid of a local partner to act as translator.

I would think that for many, one of the primary reasons for retiring here, apart from the warm climate and cheaper cost of living, is the availability of young women willing to become partners for a symbiotic relationship. He gives her money, she gives him honey and guides him. Take the women out of the equation, many of them might not find it so attractive anymore.