Has Bangkok become too western?

[Dagnabbit]

More like globalized commerce.

When we visit my wife's niece in Bangkok, our experience includes:

Korean car

Japanese restaurants

Mobs of filtering scooters

Three language conversations

A deluge of Chinese products

Sandals left outside the door

Street food

Real Thai massage

Temple visits

Papaya salad with sticky rice

Accupuncture session

Public buses with no Aircon

The wai

None of this seems remotely western to me.

sorry to hear about the Korean car....

[thaiduncankk]

Who really cares ?

If the people who come here, and believe it is below their station (because they think they are superior), with their cash, and nil personality, they are entitled to go to wherever they feel superior.

And, good luck to them.

[cumgranosalum]

Here is a far more constructive look at Bangkok.

http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2016/05/17/punpong-wiwatkul-celebrates-local-culture-modern-structures

[Thian]

Thailand always bends with the wind. It takes those things from the West that it can use to make money and discards the rest. Bangkok is a huge city with so many areas in which expats and tourists do not venture. The Sukhumvit corridor is 'Western' oriented in that it is loaded with fast food chains and Western style hotels and the prices to match. The majority of Thais never go to these places except to work and do not eat in Western style restaurants or go to the bars or pubs in that area. They can't afford it nor do they want to eat western style food. The rest of the city where tourists mostly do not venture is much more interesting and where the majority of Thais actually live. If you have time- go down many of the inner Sois that connect in a myriad of ways and you find a whole different lifestyle with delicious Thai food and friendly people. I have literally driven around Bangkok for 12 hours at a time and never left the city limits. The majority of the city is vibrant; fascinating and not Western at all. A better written piece might be about the undiscovered areas of Bangkok. We already know where the tourists hang out.

Thai don't eat western food and it's never busy at Sizzlers......

[Strangebrew]

And your point being?

[tubby johnson]

The writer craves his "authentic" tourist experience, wants to see more poverty, dirt and misery, so he can feel blessed and superior.

As others have mentioned, he needs to get out of the lower Sukhumvit ghetto and experience the rest of Thailand.

And with the multiplying hordes of Chinese tourists, how exactly is Bangkok becoming too Western?

[willyumiii]

Yes, it is way too western for me.

But if it was not so western, it would not attract the kinds of expats and tourists that it does.

I am somewhat amused by those who only know Bangkok and the other westernized areas like Pattaya, Phuket and other tourist areas and think that they represent what Thailand is all about.

Most of Thailand is very different from these areas.

I do enjoy a visit to Bangkok ,and the like' once or twice a year,

but for me it is like visiting a different country, a different world

It is probably a good thing that those who require a western life style have places like this.

It is probably also that they do not venture into the real Thailand.

[cumgranosalum]

Yes, it is way too western for me.

But if it was not so western, it would not attract the kinds of expats and tourists that it does.

I am somewhat amused by those who only know Bangkok and the other westernized areas like Pattaya, Phuket and other tourist areas and think that they represent what Thailand is all about.

Most of Thailand is very different from these areas.

I do enjoy a visit to Bangkok ,and the like' once or twice a year,

but for me it is like visiting a different country, a different world

It is probably a good thing that those who require a western life style have places like this.

It is probably also that they do not venture into the real Thailand.

so how would Bangkok be "de-westernised"??

[cumgranosalum]

Thailand always bends with the wind. It takes those things from the West that it can use to make money and discards the rest. Bangkok is a huge city with so many areas in which expats and tourists do not venture. The Sukhumvit corridor is 'Western' oriented in that it is loaded with fast food chains and Western style hotels and the prices to match. The majority of Thais never go to these places except to work and do not eat in Western style restaurants or go to the bars or pubs in that area. They can't afford it nor do they want to eat western style food. The rest of the city where tourists mostly do not venture is much more interesting and where the majority of Thais actually live. If you have time- go down many of the inner Sois that connect in a myriad of ways and you find a whole different lifestyle with delicious Thai food and friendly people. I have literally driven around Bangkok for 12 hours at a time and never left the city limits. The majority of the city is vibrant; fascinating and not Western at all. A better written piece might be about the undiscovered areas of Bangkok. We already know where the tourists hang out.

Agreed.

Geographically speaking, Bangkok is less than 1% westernised.

Geographically?

[willyumiii]

"Before I settled in Bangkok in January of 2016 "

Seriously?

Four to five months in Bangkok and he is posting this??

It takes AT LEAST five years to learn enough about any part of Thailand to even form a somewhat valid opinion.

You wil think you understand what Thailand is all about four or five times , maybe more,before you get close to reality.

[cumgranosalum]

"Before I settled in Bangkok in January of 2016 "

Seriously?

Four to five months in Bangkok and he is posting this??

It takes AT LEAST five years to learn enough about any part of Thailand to even form a somewhat valid opinion.

You wil think you understand what Thailand is all about four or five times , maybe more,before you get close to reality.

people learn at different rates, it largely depends on their ability to look objectively at things - a rarity on Tv - but I know people who have lived in Thailand for over 20 years and still don't have a clue what makes the place tick....I also think that anyone who tries to classify countries as "westernised" or "too western" is really just making up a false premise to start with - this issue simply doesn't exist. "too westernised" for WHAT?

[willyumiii]

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Yeah..

Even Willyumiii has learned that one!

Thanks Scott

[willyumiii]

Yes, it is way too western for me.

But if it was not so western, it would not attract the kinds of expats and tourists that it does.

I am somewhat amused by those who only know Bangkok and the other westernized areas like Pattaya, Phuket and other tourist areas and think that they represent what Thailand is all about.

Most of Thailand is very different from these areas.

I do enjoy a visit to Bangkok ,and the like' once or twice a year,

but for me it is like visiting a different country, a different world

It is probably a good thing that those who require a western life style have places like this.

It is probably also that they do not venture into the real Thailand.

so how would Bangkok be "de-westernised"??

A compass or world map might be helpful tools

Hong Kong, Tokyo, Ho Chi Min City, and countless other big cities in the "far east" have developed, just as large cities around the world have.

They are all still very eastern cities,

They are just existing in the 21st century.

East is east and West is west, but the entire world is moving on,

and modern technology has allowed us all to share the same developments....good or bad.

[Thian]

Bangkok has become a concrete jungle. We need more green and parks with old tree's and places to relax.

And to make the parks more western the MacDonalds can open small booths to sell 10 baht soft icecreams.

[MaiChai]

Its not the Westernisation that drove us out of Bangkok. It was the traffic, polution, over crowding, spending all our time sitting in traffic, lack of parks and nothing to do but shop.

Edited May 20, 2016 by MaiChai

[Carson2311]

Maby the question in this case is: Why would you like to leave your country just to settle down in a place that looks and works the same?

Totally pointless!

More rice for breakfast! ¤lol¤

My opinion of the next article: Why is it so much water surronding Thailand - Contact Country Moving Experts Now!

[DrTuner]

Bangkok has become a concrete jungle. We need more green and parks with old tree's and places to relax.

Unlikely to happen, as the developers are able to build every square meter full of concrete towers by using the correct brown letter techniques. Only place left alone seems to be Dusit. For now.

[MorristheRunt]

The recent removale of Sampeng Lec market and other of this type are in my opinion destroying Bangkok.

When you in Siam Paragon of Central you could be in any City in the world, same sh1t different day.

[phoenixdoglover]

I asked my wife, raised on a farm in Khon Kaen province, what three things she liked most about Bangkok:

1. Shopping at the many malls

2. The sky train and MRT train

3. International restaurants

No surprises there. Convenience, variety, and modern amenities, such as shopping in an air conditioned space, are appreciated everywhere.

[Tomtomtom69]

Sounds like the type of person who for selfish reasons never wants things to change no matter how much it may benefit the locals.

I'm not saying if Bkk, and other places, are benefiting but there must be some and it far outweighs an individuals' personal desire to have things as he / she wants.

There are many foreigners here who hate seeing Thailand changing. It's always western culture that is to blame.

It's actually insulting to Thais. Thais are human beings. Human beings like material items. This is a fact of life. For what's good and bad, people should be free to do what makes them happy in life.

Unfortunately for some foreigners, they're coming to Thailand and getting annoyed because Thailand isn't what 'they' think it should be. Well, foreigners are free to live the simple life as well. Funny how they choose the western life style.

It's these same morons who complain about how say Singapore is too "boring" has "too many rules" is "too clean" blah blah blah when in fact, Singapore is arguably the most interesting, safest, cleanest country in all of Asia and if they could find a job there, they'd probably move there in a heartbeat.

​Yet these same people constantly complain about Thailand's heavy traffic, poor enforcement of traffic rules, bad driving, rubbish/garbage everywhere, lack of justice (except for the rich and politically connected) etc. but of course Thailand is still fun, because you have street food, which Singapore barely has anymore and you have bar girls who make fake comments like "oh you hansome man".

Personally I think if Thailand could become like Singapore, South Korea or Japan, it would be a hell of a better country than it is now. If these foreigners are so anti-development, I suggest moving to rural Shan State in Myanmar, somewhere in the Lao or Cambodian countryside or perhaps India or Bangladesh.

Obviously they can't handle any of those so they'll be flocking back to Thailand in a heartbeat and the first meal they'll have once they get off the bus, or the plane will be a Whopper combo with large fries and coke. So much for trying to adapt to Thai ways eh.