Just how Thai are you...

[TKDfella]

18 hours ago, chiang mai said:

I consider my self well integrated, my Thai is far from perfect and there's lots of things here that could be better but I accept and enjoy the place and its people for what they are without feeling the need to criticise to others. Mostly I feel comfortable being the only foreigner amongst a large group of non-English speaking Thai people, perhaps better to say that doesn't make me feel uncomfortable. My diet is 80% western food, I can't handle Thai TV but I think many Thai movies are excellent be they humour, scary or almost documentary like. I don't get upset any more when people try to scam me because usually I catch it before it costs me anything - I don't resent the Immigration guys trying to take a cut because the whole country is like that to some degree, it's almost cultural. I know if I ask a question I'll always get an answer and a smile and that it may take several answers before I get the right one, no big deal, it's the way it is.

Very philosophical and probably the best way to deal with 'things' here. I'm quite similar, food around 50/50, don't like Thai TV 'Soaps' or game shows but enjoy their comedy and ghost movies. Also their historical series are good although I lack good understanding of Thai history to really appreciate them. 

[Fookhaht]

15 minutes ago, roo860 said:

 

 

I wouldn't buy <deleted> all from anyone who goes around thinking they are Thai or any other race that they are not.
I had enough of those types when travelling around India, come out of an ashram and give themselves some ridiculous name.

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Wait until you meet some green back-packer at some of the temples around here, who are trying to impress the head monk, or the friends back home with their selfies. 

But this thread isn't about those types of people.  

Anyone who lives in another culture cannot help but be influenced by their environment (unless you develop a fortress mentatlity--e.g. poster "brd" above).  This thread is about the conscious or unconscious ways we have adapted to our environments, mostly for our own benefits.  Most of us have chosen to focus on the positive side of that adaptation.  

 

In every cultural contact, one can choose to accept those things that seem beneficial and reject those that do not.  It's my opinion that every "positive" poster here has also rejected negative influences of the culture.    From there on out, it's just a matter of seeing the glass half-empty or half-full.  

 

To reject everything is to become embittered or cloistered.  To accept all is considered "going native" which makes one look like a fool to the locals.   There's got to be a happy medium, IMO. 

Edited February 17, 2017 by Fookhaht

[chiang mai]

1 hour ago, TKDfella said:

Very philosophical and probably the best way to deal with 'things' here. I'm quite similar, food around 50/50, don't like Thai TV 'Soaps' or game shows but enjoy their comedy and ghost movies. Also their historical series are good although I lack good understanding of Thai history to really appreciate them. 

 

Try watching Naresuan, there's three or four movies in the series that trace the history of the kings and the role of Burma. Very educational and eminently watchable.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naresuan

[johng]

 
Try watching Naresuan, Very educational and eminently watchable.
 

And historically accurate ?

[roo860]

 
Try watching Naresuan, there's three or four movies in the series that trace the history of the kings and the role of Burma. Very educational and eminently watchable.
 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naresuan

Chiangmai, does it have cymbols crashing, drum rolls, and whistles blown when someone trips up? If not then one couldn't claim to be anything like a Thai.

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[Andrew Dwyer]

I've not been here that long, just coming up to a year, but I find myself changing.
I get the fork/spoon thingy.
The " bum gun " ?, sometimes you gotta use paper and then the bum gun to avoid a mess !!
Chopsticks ?, not a problem, use them for noodles ( with a little slurping), never for rice.
Never without a " cha yen " , love it.
Eat Thai food 90% including market and roadside food, 10% KFC and Japanese.
Trying to learn the language to communicate with friends, but admittedly finding it difficult.
Have no problem driving here but find my driving attitude changing, becoming more aggressive usually to taxis and vans disrespecting my " road space"
Dropped the eleven from 7-eleven and just call it Lotus !
Thai tv seems just like tv anywhere in the world, reality shows and the amount of singing shows ( I can see your voice, The Mask etc) seems excessive !!
Love traveling around this beautiful country !

I guess being polite and humble gets you more respect here, i don't strut around like I am better than the thais,I am a visitor to their country and culture after all, obviously take care not to be taken advantage of.



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[chiang mai]

5 hours ago, roo860 said:

 

 

Chiangmai, does it have cymbols crashing, drum rolls, and whistles blown when someone trips up? If not then one couldn't claim to be anything like a Thai.

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It has those things and more, including bare breasted females, elephant fights and some quite spectacular stunt work, did I mention bare breasted females!

[Andrew Dwyer]

It has those things and more, including bare breasted females, elephant fights and some quite spectacular stunt work, did I mention bare breasted females!

Mmmm 2 of my most favourite things !
Forget the elephant fights and the stunt work !


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[wow64]

When hot I pull my shirt up and expose my stomach to cool down and if my misses gives me any lip I punch her out.. gone a bit native.

[Dale59]

Been married to a Thai woman for over a decade. Never integrated into the Thai thing but I obviously indulge her needs for food etc. I'm an American and like being an American and living in America No desire to be anything else and no desire to figure out Thais in general. I don't pretend to speak Thai because I know a few words and I don't enjoy most of the food - especially rice! Figuring my wife out is hard enough sometimes but not because she's Thai - because she's a woman like any other woman and who of us can ever figure that stuff out! I do enjoy a visit occasionally but that's the extent of it.


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[BKKBodhisattva]

In my experience, I've found that Thais have a lot more respect and time for foreigners who don't try to change too much about what they are in order to fit in.

The pressure to conform is so strong in Thai society that many of them appreciate when someone is resolutely individualistic and lives by his or her own set of rules and customs......provided they don't clash with other people's

I've embraced some Thai traits:-

Love Thai food and I'll never tire of it - eat it 65% of the time

I'm learning the language at school but only because I have a 3 yr old. Have to admit that I probably wouldn't bother expanding my basic Thai otherwise.

I really don't know how I ever lived without the ass gun - the thought of going back to using clumps of tissue to drag shit up my crack makes me nauseous.

 

[seancbk]

8 hours ago, Dale59 said:

Been married to a Thai woman for over a decade. Never integrated into the Thai thing but I obviously indulge her needs for food etc. I'm an American and like being an American and living in America No desire to be anything else and no desire to figure out Thais in general. I don't pretend to speak Thai because I know a few words and I don't enjoy most of the food - especially rice! Figuring my wife out is hard enough sometimes but not because she's Thai - because she's a woman like any other woman and who of us can ever figure that stuff out! I do enjoy a visit occasionally but that's the extent of it.


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If you don't live in Thailand there is no reason for you to have adapted and taken on Thai-ness.   Even living with a Thai shouldn't cause it.   Your wife should in fact be becoming less Thai and more like an American.

The OP is about those of us who live here, adapting and becoming more like Thais.

 

[grollies]

2 hours ago, BKKBodhisattva said:

In my experience, I've found that Thais have a lot more respect and time for foreigners who don't try to change too much about what they are in order to fit in.

The pressure to conform is so strong in Thai society that many of them appreciate when someone is resolutely individualistic and lives by his or her own set of rules and customs......provided they don't clash with other people's

I've embraced some Thai traits:-

Love Thai food and I'll never tire of it - eat it 65% of the time

I'm learning the language at school but only because I have a 3 yr old. Have to admit that I probably wouldn't bother expanding my basic Thai otherwise.

I really don't know how I ever lived without the ass gun - the thought of going back to using clumps of tissue to drag shit up my crack makes me nauseous.

 

I was going to say I couldn't have put it better myself........but I probably could have 

[Fookhaht]

6 hours ago, BKKBodhisattva said:

 

I really don't know how I ever lived without the ass gun - the thought of going back to using clumps of tissue to drag shit up my crack makes me nauseous.

 

 

The above poster's sentiment expresses the only reason why I hate visiting the West and my sweet family.

I once read the TV post of a foreigner who tried to explain the superior value of the bum-gun over toilet paper.  It went something like this:  

 

• Spread peanut butter on your face.  
• Method #1:  try to wipe it all off with a tissue, and try to feel clean.  
• Method #2:  get under the shower and wash it off, and see if you feel cleaner.  
• Case closed.  

Edited February 18, 2017 by Fookhaht

[Stevemercer]

So can any farang who feels they are Thai tell me what to do when you just have a squat toilet and a cistern of water (no bum gun)? Do you carry around a roll of toilet paper just in case, or just splash yourself even if you have the trots?

[grollies]

13 minutes ago, Stevemercer said:

So can any farang who feels they are Thai tell me what to do when you just have a squat toilet and a cistern of water (no bum gun)? Do you carry around a roll of toilet paper just in case, or just splash yourself even if you have the trots?

Strip

Squat

Shit

Splash

Swipe

[Andrew Dwyer]

So can any farang who feels they are Thai tell me what to do when you just have a squat toilet and a cistern of water (no bum gun)? Do you carry around a roll of toilet paper just in case, or just splash yourself even if you have the trots?

Paper in car

or

Wipes in gf's bag

or

Worst case scenario, use undercrackers , flush em and then go commando !!

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[seancbk]

5 hours ago, Stevemercer said:

So can any farang who feels they are Thai tell me what to do when you just have a squat toilet and a cistern of water (no bum gun)? Do you carry around a roll of toilet paper just in case, or just splash yourself even if you have the trots?

 

Not the answer you were looking for, but if you still get diarrhea then you are not even remotely acclimated.

 

[Fookhaht]

Strip
Squat
Shit
Splash
Swipe

Ah yes, the 5-S method. Ends with finger painting.


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[dick dasterdly]

15 hours ago, Stevemercer said:

So can any farang who feels they are Thai tell me what to do when you just have a squat toilet and a cistern of water (no bum gun)? Do you carry around a roll of toilet paper just in case, or just splash yourself even if you have the trots?

Going way off topic here , but its very rare to find myself in a situation where I have to use a squat toilet and cistern of water!

 

Fortunately, 99.9% of the time we're at home when we crap, and so have the benefits of the bum gun .

[Katia]

19 hours ago, Fookhaht said:

 

The above poster's sentiment expresses the only reason why I hate visiting the West and my sweet family.

I once read the TV post of a foreigner who tried to explain the superior value of the bum-gun over toilet paper.  It went something like this:  

 

• Spread peanut butter on your face.  
• Method #1:  try to wipe it all off with a tissue, and try to feel clean.  
• Method #2:  get under the shower and wash it off, and see if you feel cleaner.  
• Case closed.  

Aye, if I could get in the shower!  Otherwise, it's more like the equivalent of: stand in front of the sink, aim the sprayer at your face, and don't get the water (and bits of sprayed-off peanut butter) everywhere...

[Fookhaht]

1 hour ago, Katia said:

Aye, if I could get in the shower!  Otherwise, it's more like the equivalent of: stand in front of the sink, aim the sprayer at your face, and don't get the water (and bits of sprayed-off peanut butter) everywhere...

Giver yourself time  It's an acquired skill.   

[brd]

no one visiting needs to drop as they say their suitcases or knowledge at the airport upon their arrival for falling in love to become under lower standards living not a dream because in USA sects they apply the same rules as they do here....do whatever you like included sex at any times, bring all your money to the sect as you do not need it, eat mainly rice giving you a zombie attitude, pray, meditate and sleep any times meaning only broken hours are seriously weakening you......

Only few Ladies realise how lucky they are to be upgraded with the chances to raise mixed superb kids and to express themselves in English rather than Lao or Khmer so often they use outside Bangkok.

But they have to understand when one is selected all the village is not included like UBANTU. That is difficult !

Be happy, do avoid to upset any one or if doing it smile a lot, but stick to your guns you are who you are with superior standards as you know we come here for solutions included the one we love to be free to do the right things not also what the bad ones when suitable when the Thai refuse any one to know what is right and wrong in their own lifestyle.

 

[Gecko123]

It's all about respect. Show that, and everything else falls into place.

 

Learn the language. Pay attention to how people communicate non-verbally, especially by eye contact, and what makes them laugh. Food is such a bond. Being interested in cooking and ingredients brings people close together. Try to be kind. Try to smile and be friendly. 

 

I have experienced great warmth and kindness from Thais. It has taken a while, but I feel like Thais have accepted me as one of their own. I know some will roll their eyes, but, yes, I do feel Thai.

[Rc2702]

On 17/02/2017 at 11:44 AM, roo860 said:

 

 

I wouldn't buy <deleted> all from anyone who goes around thinking they are Thai or any other race that they are not.
I had enough of those types when travelling around India, come out of an ashram and give themselves some ridiculous name.

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So that's where ya got ya name! 

[roo860]

So that's where ya got ya name! 

And where did RC come from?
[emoji12]

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[Rc2702]

18 hours ago, roo860 said:

 

And where did RC come from?


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B29 pal and you? CW5?

[roo860]

B29 pal and you? CW5?

CW5, that's Poland.

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[Gecko123]

I'm not a big fan of mimicking/apeing Thai culture just for the sake of trying to fit in either. But the wai is such a down to earth way to show humility, common humanity, and goodwill, that I think it is misguided to try and make people feel overly self-conscious about doing it incorrectly. Done sincerely, it is always appreciated, even if done at less than appropriate situations. 

[grollies]

I can open a bottle of Leo with a cigarette lighter, does that count?