Where's this all heading?

[Gecko123]

Many years ago, at a Thai temple in San Bruno, California, my teacher, a monk, asked me why I was studying Thai. Even though my real motivation for studying was that I was intrigued about why Thais smiled so much, and because I felt socially comfortable around them, I gave the monk my pat response whenever I was asked this question: that it was because I liked Thai culture, food, music, the weather, etcetera, etcetera.

 

When I finished explaining, the monk sat quietly for a long moment looking at me from across the table and finally said, “What about Thai people?” Even though I hastened to assure him that I liked Thai people as well, I secretly thought it was somewhat telling that I hadn’t included them in my list. For a long while, and in some ways ever since then, I’ve been asking myself how I really do feel deep down about Thai people. ‘Love-hate’ might be too strong to describe my feelings, but the truth is that after all these years, although I like Thai people a lot, there’s an unmistakable vein of ambiguity mixed in there as well. And more and more I’m coming to the conclusion that that ambiguous feeling is probably mutual. I do sense that foreigners have become less welcomed here in the past several years, and I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about why this might be the case.

 

I think a lot of it has to do with money. There seem to be fewer big spending ex-pat around these days. The pound devaluation, uncertainty about the dependability of entitlement programs in the West, the Great Recession, the depressed oil and gas industry, and an increase in retirees attracted to Thailand because of its lower cost of living have all helped shape a more frugal demographic group than in the past. While it is still comparatively cheaper to live in Thailand than in the West, the cost of living here has been steadily increasing,, yet another factor causing people to watch their pennies more closely.

 

Big–box retailers like Big C, Makro, Tesco-Lotus, HomePro, and Robinson’s are also changing how many mom-and-pop retailers perceive foreigners. Because many foreigners feel more comfortable shopping at these big box retailers (air conditioning, one-stop checkout, more transparent pricing, digital scales, less sales pressure, and more accessible English-speaking staff), foreigners are spending less money at small businesses than in years past. I’ll confess that I’ve succumbed to this trend as well, and I’ve noticed that my relationships with many local small business owners have shrunk in the process.

 

Thai and foreign social media has had a big impact too. For many years, foreigners were left to their own devices trying to navigate Thai culture, especially when it came to cross-cultural relationships. Nowadays foreigners can easily exchange notes with one another via social media which has probably led to greater savvy-ness, if not outright leery-ness, about diving head-long into a new relationship.

 

Maybe more short-term non-committal interactions, fewer long term or married relationships? Maybe fewer houses being built, fewer cars being gifted, fewer monthly allowances, fewer joint bank accounts, smaller sin sots, fewer in-laws being supported, fewer land parcels and tractors being purchased? My suspicion is that fewer women are hitting the proverbial jackpot, and those who do probably have to work harder to get the purse strings loosened. And Thais are slowly learning that not all foreigners are as gullible or free spending as they once were, and that lying, stealing, and infidelity can sometimes have terrible consequences.

 

So taking money out of the equation, how do Thais and foreigners really feel about each other? If money has become less of an incentive for interaction, what’s left? Do Thais and foreigners need to do some soul-searching about how they really feel about one another, and start looking for a healthier paradigm for interaction based on mutual understanding and respect, not just money? I’m especially interested in hearing stories from people who live humble “simple living” lives, who don’t spend a lot of money and feel they are well integrated into their communities, who we can learn from.

 

Edited July 12, 2017 by Gecko123

[champers]

The best place to start is by trying to rid oneself of generalised preconceptions, learn from experience and judge people as individuals on their own merits. That would be a both ways deal.

[Been there done that]

If not for money we thais dont want foreigners here. A thai man told me that a while ago.

 

When my mbike had a flat tyre, I had it fixed at mbike repairshop. Guy stopped his work to repair it for me. Lasted 15 minutes. He charged me 30 bth.

 

 

 

 

[swissie]

= We are on a highway to hell.

Seriously: In Tourist-Hub's, Thai's may feel "over-saturated" with Farangs. For the Thai's it would be easier to bear, if todays Farangs would spent as much as the "former generation" of Farangs.

In the sticks, Thai's have a clear idea of how much Farang a) compared to Farang spends on the "community". Who do you think is more popular?

Let's face it (and a good number of Farangs have a very hard time to grasp this): It's all mostly about money in the Kingdom.
This applies everywhere, one might say. Correct!

It's just that the "money-factor" is more pronounced in Thailand than any other country I have ever been. And I have been in quite a few.
Cheers.  

[Ruffian Dick]

Sort of a back-handed compliment to tell a Thai person that you love their country because it's so cheap.

[Rc2702]

Thailand 4.Wherewegoing? 

[Been there done that]

3 hours ago, Rc2702 said:

Thailand 4.Wherewegoing? 

High again, I suppose.

[marko kok prong]

Depends where you live,if Pattaya,Phuket Bangkok ect,yea they only want money,i live in Wichianburi,,Phetchabun province ,north/central Thailand a lot of other expats live here,i try to spread my money around okay i may go to Tesco or Makro in Petchabun city,but i also spend a few bob at my local store round the corner,i can speak a bit of Thai,and they love me there,we always have a chat and joke,we have several small bars in the town i try to spread my custom around them too,my girl lives just out of town,i rent a house here,they are very friendly people a i have never ever had a problem,even with the young guys in a bar,be friendly,to them they are always friendly back,however,if you start struting around like some colonial planter you will have problems. Quite frankly places like Pattaya ,and Phuket sicken me the appaling behavouir of some tourists,no wonder the THais there hate them,here all is harmonious,especially as i made up with my beautiful girlfriend,sometimes i think it worth having an argument for the making up,only with women if it's men well,i was in the Seals.