The Eternal Mysteries of Thailand

[eldragon]

What are the eternal mysteries of Thailand? What are the unanswerable questions about the Land of Smiles? What things exist or occur here without a sensible explanation?

 

I'll go first, with an easy one: Why are there so many ladyboys (and toms) in Thailand?

[swissie]

Ladyboys and Tom's. ?

A high degree of tolerance in Thailand perhaps. As opposed in the "West". A Farang Ladyboy in the west will find it hard to find a job plus social acceptance. In Thailand, no problem.
I am more puzzled by Thai people (sometimes highly educated folks), that still believe in "ghosts".
Cheers.

 

[nausea]

I have a theory that the Tom/Ladyboy thing stems from polygamy, i.e. a shortage of men within a marriage, and a shortage of women outside of marriage, along with Buddhist tolerance. It was interesting to read how in a Thai harems the ladies would put on shows to entertain themselves, with some taking the male parts; it's easy to see how this roleplaying could be extrapolated.

[Kwasaki]

Mine is why the must have new not s/h otherwise you look poor, my wife is not like that thank goodness.  

[williamgeorgeallen]

why do western men keep buying houses in their thai girlfriends names? in fact why do western men keep buying houses in a country where doing so has been made illegal? thailand tries to protect us from being scammed but we deliberately  break the law to allow it to happen. this would be the biggest mystery i have seen in thailand.

[elgordo38]

13 hours ago, eldragon said:

I'll go first, with an easy one: Why are there so many ladyboys (and toms) in Thailand?

Because its a more diverse culture. What an easy one. 

[elgordo38]

1 hour ago, Kwasaki said:

Mine is why the must have new not s/h otherwise you look poor, my wife is not like that thank goodness.  

Yes the west is quite the opposite. I did a thriving second hand business with people even calling me looking for certain items. By the same token the quality of items here leaves little room for a second hand market as they barely last in the first set of hands to own them. 

[1FinickyOne]

Well, as to lady boys, why is it that so many are tall and thin, much more so than the general population? 

 

Just by appearance, I have had people tell me it is because the typical body types are not that different between an average male and average female... but why are so many ladyboys quite tall and thin? 

[Enoon]

 

There are none.

 

But there are people who remain eternally mystified because they fail to ask the right questions or look in the right place for answers. 

 

They could look in books or at other sources that have been compiled by people who have taken the time and trouble to research.

 

But they don't.

 

Even if they did they would have to see beyond their own narrow minded, self absorbed prejudice in order to assimilate, comprehend and get their explanation.

 

And they can't do that.

 

They could even use their own ability to observe and understand the world outside of themselves.

 

But they don't have any.

 

I had to stand and listen to them talking "common sense" to each other when I worked behind the bar in a pub. 

 

In that environment they're known as "regulars".

 

 

 

 

Edited November 27, 2016 by Enoon

[elgordo38]

I am eternally mystified after my years of drinking and carousing that I am still alive at 78. I thought booze was supposed to kill brain cells. In me it seems to have had the opposite effect. We booze and I did part ways some years back. They relationship was getting symbiotic in nature and I hate somebody else controlling me. Begone you devil. 

[1FinickyOne]

56 minutes ago, williamgeorgeallen said:

why do western men keep buying houses in their thai girlfriends names? in fact why do western men keep buying houses in a country where doing so has been made illegal? thailand tries to protect us from being scammed but we deliberately  break the law to allow it to happen. this would be the biggest mystery i have seen in thailand.

Hi WGA - 

 

Isn't it rather traditional that in most places in the world, the man works and the funds are used to purchase a house? My father worked and my mother took care of the house - it was from his earnings... and in the case of divorce, it seems also typical that the lady gets the house...

 

I know, there is a small epidemic here of foolish men getting played, by why is there such astonishment when men buy houses for their ladies here? 

[thehelmsman]

   

 

 

 

ID: 1   Posted 14 hours ago · Report post

What are the eternal mysteries of Thailand? What are the unanswerable questions about the Land of Smiles? What things exist or occur here without a sensible explanation?

 

I'll go first, with an easy one: Why are there so many ladyboys (and toms) in Thailand?

 

 

And, Why do the Tom's have such good looking girlfriends?

[Honthy]

13 hours ago, swissie said:

Ladyboys and Tom's. ?

A high degree of tolerance in Thailand perhaps. As opposed in the "West". A Farang Ladyboy in the west will find it hard to find a job plus social acceptance. In Thailand, no problem.
I am more puzzled by Thai people (sometimes highly educated folks), that still believe in "ghosts".
Cheers.

 

 

 

In Prathoum 1we have 2 ladyboys out 25 ....... 7 years old, no interest in finding job

Edited November 27, 2016 by Honthy

[johninbkk71]

Who started the myth and why does it still exist that that Thai food is one of the best cuisine in the world?

[Oishii]

58 minutes ago, johninbkk71 said:

Who started the myth and why does it still exist that that Thai food is one of the best cuisine in the world?

 

This one is easy to answer.

Thai food is great when it's made in the west, because it's made for western tastes.

 

You give your Thai lady money and next thing she's asking for more.  When you ask where the first lot went, they reply, "Not know, I spend."  You ask, "What you buy?"  Answer, "I not know."

 

So, my myth is: Where does the money go?  

[Emster23]

Thai food is great when it's made to Thai tastes. Get used to it and learn to love it.

" You give your Thai lady money and next thing she's asking for more." You picked the wrong horse in this race.

My wonder is Thais  putting catsup on pizza.

[chrisinth]

3 hours ago, thehelmsman said:

   

 

 

 

ID: 1   Posted 14 hours ago · Report post

What are the eternal mysteries of Thailand? What are the unanswerable questions about the Land of Smiles? What things exist or occur here without a sensible explanation?

 

I'll go first, with an easy one: Why are there so many ladyboys (and toms) in Thailand?

 

 

And, Why do the Tom's have such good looking girlfriends?

 

Have to admit, some of them are Dee-lightful..............................

[Hayduke]

37 minutes ago, Emster23 said:

Thai food is great when it's made to Thai tastes. Get used to it and learn to love it.

" You give your Thai lady money and next thing she's asking for more." You picked the wrong horse in this race.

My wonder is Thais  putting catsup on pizza.

The catsup is to enhance the flavor of the mayonnaise.

[eldragon]

Why are there so many 1,000 baht notes flying around this place if most people won't accept them?

[eldragon]

7 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

Mine is why the must have new not s/h otherwise you look poor, my wife is not like that thank goodness.  

 

Thailand is the new money of Asia. Anyway, most Thais I know seem okay with second hand unless they're a female involved with a foreigner. Then everything has to be new, first class, or VIP.

[rogeroc]

In the opening pages Lonely Planet guide says. ''Thailand is a land full of ambiguities and Incongruities.'  Absolutely true but i have no idea why it turned out that way!

[elgordo38]

6 hours ago, kenk24 said:

Well, as to lady boys, why is it that so many are tall and thin, much more so than the general population? 

 

Just by appearance, I have had people tell me it is because the typical body types are not that different between an average male and average female... but why are so many ladyboys quite tall and thin? 

Undernourished. 

[tifino]

the eternal mystery to me, is that are always new ones popping up every day...

 

today:

 We were in the grocery store.

Amongst the cache of goodies is a bag of mushrooms,

and missus has put them into the paper bag, inside a plastic bag.

 

I, the dumb falang; knows what's going to happen...

and in preparation for the inevitable - I grab a spare paper bag...

 

... the CheckOut chick grabs the bag(s) and shoves her hand in and mulches the paper bag within

 

I turn around to grab my 'spare'

 

It's gone!!

 

"The paper bag, honey?" I ask, pointing to the basket.

 

In response I get the usual:

"WHY you collect Lubbish?? - I throw it away" (gotta credit her though - she's real quick, when you don't want her to be)

 

The eternal repeating thing I can only again do:

 Is shrug and say "Yes, I  dumb falang" - and then say "I luv you too dear"

 

 

 

 

[1FinickyOne]

50 minutes ago, rogeroc said:

In the opening pages Lonely Planet guide says. ''Thailand is a land full of ambiguities and Incongruities.'  Absolutely true but i have no idea why it turned out that way!

 

I think some of the confusion and contradiction is due to confrontation being impolite... this will often lead to answers in the affirmative that are incorrect and so, I would guess that people grow up with and hear a lot of unintentional incorrect answers... which can lead to some of the insecurities that you see and some people not wanting to offer an answer for fear of being incorrect... 

[thehelmsman]

6 hours ago, Hayduke said:

The catsup is to enhance the flavor of the mayonnaise.

 

Ohhh, you've had those pizzas as well. I can eat pretty much everything but those are such crap and the Thais don't even know it.

[elgenon]

I love mayonnaise. It is one of the 5 major food groups. But worse than catsup on pizza is the Chinese adding a very sweet mayonnaise and almonds to shrimp.

[Bangkok Barry]

20 hours ago, kenk24 said:

Well, as to lady boys, why is it that so many are tall and thin, much more so than the general population? 

 

Just by appearance, I have had people tell me it is because the typical body types are not that different between an average male and average female... but why are so many ladyboys quite tall and thin? 

 

I've noticed that, often, if you imagine western women with a male hairstyle, facially they could easily be mistaken for men. Try it and see. Far less so the other way around.

[piersbeckett]

19 hours ago, johninbkk71 said:

Who started the myth and why does it still exist that that Thai food is one of the best cuisine in the world?

Royal Thai Cuisine differs drastically from Issan Road Kill

[Kwasaki]

21 hours ago, elgordo38 said:

Yes the west is quite the opposite. I did a thriving second hand business with people even calling me looking for certain items. By the same token the quality of items here leaves little room for a second hand market as they barely last in the first set of hands to own them. 

 

I guess you right about many s/h items.

Good quality can be found from private sales of motorbikes and cars.

We found 2 fridges in great condition s/h for wife's cafe', saved a good amount. 

 

[1FinickyOne]

22 hours ago, elgordo38 said:

Yes the west is quite the opposite. I did a thriving second hand business with people even calling me looking for certain items. By the same token the quality of items here leaves little room for a second hand market as they barely last in the first set of hands to own them. 

 

If anything still has any value left, it goes to a member of the family... thus, no garage sales, except by foreigners...