when in rome do as romans do. when in thai do as thais do

[Jingthing]

wow

i wonder who has a problem

Easily solved.

Regrets I allowed myself to be BAITED by you.

Welcome to my IGNORE list.

[HappyDazed]

Expats are not immigrants? ROFL!!!!! That's some next level denial!

Basically, they cant admit to being immigrants because that would would degrade their whinging about immigrants in their home country.

Hypocrisy and superiority complex personified!

---

To answer the op, I actively avoid farang and hangout almost predominately with Thais.

I don't travel 20,000KM to sit in a falang bubble, some tourists are ok but most expats are way too whiny about Thailand(this forum being a case in point).

Edited June 26, 2016 by HappyDazed

[chowny77]

I find I have friends with mostly Thai's but I also have a small close knit group of foreign friends. My foreign friends are actually not from the UK but, South Korea, Bhutan, South Africa, Philippines, Australia, Germany, Switzerland, Norway and the US. To be honest I will mix and spend time chatting with anyone if they are nice. There are also foreigners who live in my town that I do not have the time of day for because of one thing or another. The most hassle I have had in Thailand has usually been caused not by the Thai's but from other foreigners who have a bee in their bonnet or are a little aggressive/mental.

[tolsti]

you came to live here

do you mix with thais or keep in your own groups

remember in your own country you hated the new immigrants

come and not speak english and grouped together in there own area

and not mix with the locals of there new country?

now tables turned do you come and join a expat group

and whinge about you new country and its people

A whole shed load of them would spell and punctuate better than you.

[opalred]

the spellin grammur police have arived

[anotheruser]

so we have a visa for 12 mths

so we dont have to mix with locals

we keep in our expat group for 20yrs here

Don't have to indeed ... and the problem is what exactly?

There is no problem with that at all. Until you end up back home on the Mexican border trying to fit in and wondering what went wrong because you couldn't fit in other places. Good luck with the Zeta. nothing wrong with living here and not mixing with the locals, however remember what brought you here in the first place, and would you prefer the alternative back home?

[catman20]

In answer to your questions

I don't mix with anyone.

I'm not an immigrant, and neither are you.

Thailand isn't my new country, I'm still English.

me too ive been here 16 years i dont mix with Thais or farangs cant stand all the lies and B...S....

[bitcoinforever]

in my country they are treated like brothers passport after 5 years , able to work own land be all-in with skin in the game. does not happen here we are all just transits we may stay a long time but we are also made to leave when they want us to. i have too many stories of married guys with kids being made to leave for different minors offenses. so no we are not treated the same like back home, they are just waiting for us to leave.

[DrTuner]

I'm here to exploit the country. Thais allow it.

[AlQaholic]

I am sorry, but stupidity is something I can't tolerate.....

[AlQaholic]

the spellin grammur police have arived

Im de blest spleller in da wold!

[kovaltech]

In answer to your questions

I don't mix with anyone.

I'm not an immigrant, and neither are you.

Thailand isn't my new country, I'm still English.

Yup, thats the attitude, same as those coming to "live" in our home country's

Some only want to live by the law of their origin...

[KarenBravo]

Has to be the most stupid thread I've seen this year.

Well done OP.

[gandalf12]

I only know a few foreigners and they live at distance from me. I prefer to chat whenever the opportunity arises with locals. However, that doesn't mean to say I cant see things wrong within the country and complain about it. No my own country is not perfect and I will be the first to admit it but just because you live in another country is not a reason to think everything is good and should keep quiet.

If Thai's spoke up a bit more about what they see is wrong with Thailand maybe the country would have advanced more than it has

[DoctorG]

Personally I do not give a rat's arz if immigrants to my country do not integrate or speak English, as long as they obey the law, and do not interfere with me.

[bark]

Thai Visa, is Fight Night.

" Can't we all just get along " ?

[wow64]

Have kept the when in Rome attitude myself.. Get drunk and beat up the misses and gigs a fair bit... Drive home pissed and shoot my gun off after a motorbike accident..

Sent from my c64

[Emster23]

I've been here 15 years. I can only speak for myself regarding motivations (or lack of) for adapting to country happen to be living in. It puzzles me that so many make no effort to learn Thai. I've never been to a class, but somehow can speak at a decent level. How? I learn from the locals. They really do appreciate the effort, usually very patient in helping "get it right", and although I know it is a bit of flattery when they tell me how well I speak, much better than the angry "Learn the language or get the hell out of here" which seems rather prevalent in the west.

Rather obvious that having some language skills opens doors to interaction with locals of a different stripe, those who don't see you as a possible source of income. When ever I land in a new place, I try to learn as much of local lingo as possible, so speak smattering of Spanish, Japanese, Indonesian, Thai, etc. Like I quip "I can be misunderstood in several languages".

[kannot]

opaired:

Sounds like you hit a nerve.

Many illegal immigrants in the west have done a good job integrating and learning the local language. Most westerners here are here legally, not illegally. Despite the need to renew visas annually and report your address every 90 days, many live here permanently or semi-permanently on a full time basis.

Irregardless of your immigration status, you have chosen to live here.

Not being interested in the local people and culture suggests a lack of mental curiosity, or a possible personality disorder. Not making an effort to learn the language is just plain bad manners.

When that culture accepts many things I find personally distasteful I dont see the problem.

[SOTIRIOS]

....you are obviously better than us......

[BrainLife]

I live here 13+ years and before that 25+ holidays, in Pattaya, not the bar scene.

The Thais that know me consider me "Thai", their words, not mine.

So I have learned to say YES and do NO, just an example.

No Thai ever questions me about it, just as I learned, to not count on their YES statement.

Just 1 example my dear.

[KarenBravo]

Why do people keep banging on about "engaging" with Thais?

Believe it, or not, many people choose to live in Thailand because of the climate, beaches, scenery and the cost of living. The inhabitants that occupy this country is irrelevant. Couldn't give a crap if Thais, Indians, Chinese, or Westerners were the locals.

Frankly, I much prefer my own Western culture. I think it is far superior to the one here.

[williet98248]

"When in Rome... The equivalent of "Love it or Leave it!" I don't 'love' it and I'm not leaving it. Not going to embrace Thainess either.

I have made a good life here but that doesn't mean I think everything is wonderful. I do avoid the bar society of complainers and have a few good friends that are as relatively happy here as I am.

I live here but I am not an immigrant. I have to extend my visa every year and suffer the uncertainty that I can be denied renewal at the whim of the government. The government pretty much treats we expats as potential criminals.

I know enough Thai language to make my self understood and understand about 30% of what is being said. Can't carry on a lively conversation. Doubt if my 74 year old brain can do much more.

I am friendly with Thais but we are not going to be bosom buddies. I thought my Thai neighbor in my upscale Moo Baan was my BFF until he acquired a new wife and four barking, whining, yowling dogs that did it night and day. When I and other neighbors complained loud and long he said with a straight face. "I was here first, I can do what I want. I am Thai, you are farang. You have no right to complain." Lesson learned. We are not friends any more. I will probably not make good friends with a Thai person ever again.

I have read Thai histories and made an effort to expose my self to Thai culture but that doesn't mean I am going to abandon my core values or accept certain things in Thai culture just because it is 'Thainess'. When people move to another country they bring their culture with them. Only natural. OK, I have learned to accommodate, change and accept certain things which greases daily existence and gives me a good life here, but I am not, can not , will never and do not want to be...a Thai.

[TSF]

"when in rome do as romans do. when in thai do as thais do"

Very good point. I've been here years and stll behave like a farang. It's high time I started to behave like a Thai man.

So when I finish making this post I'll go through to the kitchen and punch my missis in the head and kick her in the guts a few times for taking too long in fixing my lunch. And instead of staying home this evening watch TV with me she can damn well go out hooking on the Beach Road and bring me back some money. Anyway, I'm off now to snatch a few gold chains and try find that jerk who gave me a dirty look yesterday and stab him in the back....Chok Dee Na Krap.

[williet98248]

the spellin grammur police have arived

Yes, I'm here and I am giving you a ticket.

[KarenBravo]

If there is one thing worse than a serial "Thai-basher", it's a rose-tinted glass wearing Thai apologist who thinks Thais can do no wrong. You know, the ones that think they understand "Thainess" (and secretly think they have it, too).

[Khon Kaen Dave]

You know,just when life feels easier,some idiot comes along with a post like this.Saying 'we are only guests' and all that kind of crap.

Do as the Thais do.

Ok i will go around taking yaba and raping my mates girlfriend.

I will buy a sword and try and kill the other tribes,as is required.

I will never stop trying to scam the tourists that come here for a dream holiday.I will get drunk and kill 9 people in my car when i have neither a driving license nor the sense to learn how to drive.I will beat up elderly tourists and then make the excuse that i was drunk and accept my 1,000 baht fine.I will do anything i like and rely on my dad to get me off the hook.

I will serve bacteria laden food on the street and make fruit juice that is capable of making you sick for a week,but i wont care because the tourists love our culture and our culinary expertise.

I will go to work in an Hotel and then rob all the safety boxes that have tourist money in them and just give them a Homer Simpson look and say "i dont know."

I will buy a shop and rent out motorbikes with the sole intention of fleecing them when the return the bike back for repairs that never existed,and also in the hope that some idiot tourist will give me his passport as a deposit.

As i am a pretty

boy,i will put on a dress and walk along beach road and rip necklaces from tourists and anything else i can steal.There is much more to ad to this list but enough is enough when answering a stupid,puerile post such as this,by someone who obviously knows F##k All

[Lannig]

A bit Pattaya-centric view for someone whose nickname suggests he lives in Khon Kaen, isn't it?

Or Phuket-centric.

[silent]

wow

i wonder who has a problem

Easily solved.

Regrets I allowed myself to be BAITED by you.

Welcome to my IGNORE list.

The trick to integrating without enabling in any culture is learning how to outsmart the right way

[KarenBravo]

What a stupid video. Worthless!!