Can't speak to the mood down in Pattaya, but, in general, 2026 has not been a good year for me in terms of relations with Thais out here in rural Thailand. In general, when the economy weakens, Thais become more morose and less affable than normal, and I suspect some of this is directed towards foreigners. This is occurring out in the countryside more than ever this year because much of the inflation in farm input prices like diesel and fertilizer can be blamed on foreigners. Also, I am sensing that because the rainy season in Central Thailand has seen below normal rainfall, there's a lot of apprehension about whether second growing season crops can be planted or will be successful which is stressing people out. Label it what you will, but there seems to be more friction and less friendliness towards me since Anutin came into office. Anutin's war on nominee arrangements and the news media's constant broadcasting of all stories involving foreigner misbehavior has turned suspicion about the legality of any foreigner's access to land or even whether they're in the country legally into a topic of speculation. The murder of 'Cake' and the BTS incident involving Italian youths seems to have also scarred the otherwise generally welcoming Thai disposition. I'd also like to point out that recent publicity about foreigners having their visa revoked for behavior "incompatible with Thai culture or disrespectful of Thais" is a very subjective criteria, potentially involving a lot of he said/she said situations. I'm not second guessing for a moment any of the decisions in recent high profile cases, but this criteria may be making some Thais feel they have the potential power to get you kicked out of the country if they so choose, making them more assertive and confrontational in some situations. Without dismissing any of the voices on this thread arguing that things are all hunky dory in the land of smiles, I can't help but wonder about the depth of relationships some people have with Thais. Is the interaction all on a superficial transactional level? Are the interactions being conducted only in English or limited Thai? Is the spouse constantly playing an intermediary role between you and other Thais? That can make a big difference in your perceptions, and how attuned you are to shifting attitudes. Just my thoughts.
