"What are you doing in the wider Thai community?"
Everyone is different and everyone has their own place in and view of the Thai community. Some work here, others are retired and many come as tourists. Opinions about Thailand and our place in it therefore differ considerably. There is nothing wrong with that. It makes me curious about everyone's role.
How foreigners who stay in Thailand for a shorter or longer period of time should behave is a point that is much discussed. Should we adapt, and how much? Should we integrate or perhaps assimilate? These are open questions to which everyone must give their own answer. Should we learn the language? No, you don't have to, but it is useful and fun.
The most important thing is that you feel at home and participate in the Thai community, with all its many good things and sometimes bad things.
What is appropriate? Well, we have to follow Thai standards of courtesy. And we must obey the laws of Thailand.
Furthermore, we should acquaint ourselves with important elements of Thai history, economics and politics, and perhaps some other matters.
But this reader's question is about something else. I think that everyone who stays in Thailand for a longer (or maybe shorter) time should participate in the Thai community. By that I mean society beyond one's own household and entertainment venues. An active task for the benefit of the wider Thai community and also for yourself. Learn and participate. Where, how and how much doesn't really matter. Roll up your sleeves.
I myself followed extracurricular education, which included, for example, cleaning up waste in public spaces, I taught English for many years, especially at a monks' school, until it became clear that a work permit was not available, helped with cremations with washing and dressing of the corpse and later volunteered to escort foreigners who often found themselves in trouble for medical and financial reasons. I also see examples of Dutch people tackling the plastic problem or promoting football. Let me not forget the expats who work here in business and education.
That's my reader's question. I am just very curious what the Dutch do in this respect and I hope that others can learn from this and also participate in Thai society. Any contribution, no matter how small, is very welcome.
Tell: "What are you doing in the wider Thai community?"
About this blogger
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Born in 1944 in Delfzijl as the son of a simple shopkeeper. Studied in Groningen and Curacao. Worked as a doctor in Tanzania for three years, then as a general practitioner in Vlaardingen. A few years before my retirement I married a Thai lady, we had a son who speaks three languages well.
Lived in Thailand for almost 20 years, first in Chiang Kham (Phayao province) then in Chiang Mai where I liked to bother all kinds of Thai with all kinds of questions. Followed Thai extracurricular education after which a diploma of primary school and three years of secondary school. Did a lot of volunteer work. Interested in the Thai language, history and culture. Have been living in the Netherlands for 5 years now together with my son and often with his Thai girlfriend.
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Came here with my wife in 2016, worked as a volunteer day and night for 4 years in Sanghklaburi in a children's home with 150 children, did a lot of relief work with the people who were between Burma and Thailand, old people who lived in a bamboo hut, we came with food, medical care and all that was needed. These are Karen or Mon people sent away from Burma and not welcome in Thailand.
After 4 years we moved to Phuket, Mai Khao to help for street animals, Soi Dog, did that for 7 years, now live separately and have 2 months of rest before I move on, of course always when I go to the beach clean up a bit of plastic, point people to their mess, it's only logical.
It's not about becoming Thai but more about just following the general worldly standards of decency, and of course I try to speak Thai as best I can, but now live in a community with all fisherman, mostly Muslim, but all good with each other even my dogs are totally accepted. Feel 1 with this community in Ban yid. Doesn't matter where you live, you just have to adapt
Dear Mark, pretty handsome you come to Thailand in 2016 and have done volunteer work for 4 years and then 7 years.
Then you think we live in 2027.
Bye Tina. I have been volunteering in Thailand since 2006. Until 2015 in a project that provides free wheelchairs to poor disabled Thai people. There I noticed that there is no social safety net for these people and that they have no money to purchase their basic needs.
That was the reason to look for local sponsors to help those disabled people. When those sponsors were found and there was money, I looked for disabled people with the help of social workers from hospitals and town halls (obotos). After that, diapers, pads, milk powder, etc. were bought and distributed free of charge. This is how Charity Hua Hin Thailand was born (see Facebook): currently 47 families receive monthly help from 10 Thai and foreign volunteers.
My motivation is that this work gives a lot of satisfaction and gives you the feeling that you can really make a difference. I also come into contact with people and visit places that I would otherwise never see. I therefore advise anyone who is looking for a meaningful daytime activity to start this same work in his/her hometown.
Nothing. I had not yet done that in my country of origin. Why would I do it here? Everyone lives their life the way they want and we should leave it that way. I'm not interfering with anything. I don't even know my neighbors. I don't say hello to anyone or wish anyone luck because it's normal that you think and want that and so don't have to repeat it over and over. I don't care what other people think of me. I live my life, they live theirs.
I participate in community work in our village.
This consists of repairing small streets and roads, pruning, maintenance of water basins, erecting tents, etc. at tambuns, working in the temple.
Feel good about that, it's much appreciated.
This way you are part of the community and you are not an outsider.
Dear Tino, I also include Thai immigrants in the Netherlands among the wider Thai community. The consequence of my choice of profession meant that I actually always had to be there for my fellow human beings and perhaps partly for that reason my holidays in Thailand are mainly intended to relax myself, of course taking my Thai partner into account. In the Netherlands, however, quite a bit of time is spent helping Thai acquaintances in the form of explaining the letters written in the Dutch language, contacting (government) authorities by telephone and in writing, advising on all kinds of insurance policies, applying for allowances, completing and printing forms for, for example, the DUO and IND services and help with a (for me) simple tax return. The vast majority of companies and government institutions use a selection menu for telephone contact and it is striking that at least my Thai acquaintances often cannot handle this. Let me say no more about the problems they encounter, for example to correspond digitally with the IND. My experience is also that an assertive attitude is required, especially in telephone contacts with government services, and unfortunately, in my opinion, that is
Sorry, hit send by mistake but didn't finish my sentence. Wanted to write that in my opinion assertiveness is not the strongest point of Thai people in general.
http://www.belgisaan.be
When I came to live here 15 years ago, I first voluntarily taught a year of English at a high school near me for a year without any financial gain.
This for three days a week.
I live here quietly and interfere as little as possible with what is happening around us.
If you actually need help, we will come and help immediately, but we will not force ourselves.
I have learned from experience that as a foreigner you are often seen by the local environment here as a person with a considerable piggy bank with money.
And that some like to take advantage of that.
We notice this my Thai spouse and I ourselves when outsourcing all kinds of chores in the past.
We had no problem paying a lot more than they earn with a Thai employer for good work, but it was never good enough.
That's why we both do a lot around and in the house ourselves.
Apart from that, we still regularly give a financial contribution to charities such as the village school.
My spouse still regularly gives something to the temple, but I certainly don't, I'm not a fan of the local orange association at all.
Jan Beute.
Live and work here in the region since 2000. Mainly based in Thailand
Worked pro bono for Thai and regional charities from 2000 to 2014.
Since then it has calmed down a bit, partly because I work in China and Myanmar, Cambodia
Education, medical assistance and medical information were the core issues
I know that many farang would like to be involved in such activities, but the work permit prevents most of them, which is a great pity for them as well as for the locals.
My opinion is that you should always adapt yourself in the country where you work and live
Plastic is a global phenomenon, but Thai people don't care about the environment, in my opinion, it is not given any attention in education or by parents ...
I'm not chosen by the community where I live as the main resource for financial and support matters, but they don't skip me either…. and my partner decides on the how, what and why.
Ultimately, you can decide for yourself whether you want to be involved and to what level, fortunately you are…
From 2006 I was every year 4 weeks in Hua Hin
and every time I go to the beach
I walk from the Chinese temple past all the beach chairs
and look at the water's edge for pieces of glass, pick it up
and throw it in a garbage can.
Sometimes there are really dangerous pieces!
When I think of all those people and for all the children,
who go into the water there daily,
makes it feel good to know ,
that I have a whole ball of accidents with the broken glass
I was able to help avoid and it costs me a lot
no effort to do this.
I teach in Narathiwat in the southernmost part of Thailand. That's my job and I couldn't get out of bed without getting paid. My situation is different from that of many retired expats as I have to work for at least another twenty years.
Hmm Tino, few responses unfortunately. Perhaps the Dutch and Belgians are too modest for that. But fortunately I am not modest, even though my contribution is limited and then I also make a great appeal to my wife's contribution:
My wife and I both have state pension and some pension and we live relatively simply here in Thailand so we currently have some money left, also thanks to the friendly tax policy in Thailand. We save some of that (because we don't have health insurance) but part also goes to our fellow Thai people. My wife has a farm (vegetables, fruit, fish) and has three employees for it, whom she pays a bit more than what is customary here (it will be clear to everyone that the farm does not cover costs). The employees all have their own rice fields, but of course that does not yield enough. They only come if they have no work on their own land. But that means working on weekends and also on all public holidays. They desperately need the money for their children's education.
Students also work here now and then during the holidays, trying to pay for their studies with it.
We rarely give money away, but lending money is a regular occurrence and we usually get it back. But of course you shouldn't count on that.
What I do myself? Sometimes giving some English lessons to children, but not at school, just on weekends, at home. And I also donate some money to a football team in which I play football myself.
I like to see people around me who are happy. So it's kind of selfish on my part. I'm having fun with it.
Wonderful to read, Hans. Yes, the best way to be happy is to make others happy…
A German who currently lives in Ubon taught Thai people how to bake that typical sour German bread when he was still living in Hua Hin. They still send him some of those loaves every month, which he then picks up at the bus stop in Ubon. He also gave me such bread once: excellent bread!
If anyone happens to end up in that bakery in Hua Hin, ask if they remember Norbert.
It makes me happy that there are people without a 'it's about me, wouldn't it be crazy to help others (in addition, I've already worked for a lifetime so I come here for my rest and know my place as a 'guest', I pay and decide." Because indeed, even with a small hand and span of services, being ready for others makes them happy and with that yourself. And whoever does good, does not meet good?
The fact that it is also good for integration, you are not on the sidelines, is a nice bonus.
ทำดีได้ดี tham die; dai die: (showing middle, middle, descending, middle) Those who do good, meet well. Thai proverb.
Dear Tino, whoever does good, meets good is not an old Dutch proverb.
My mother taught me at an early age, when I didn't even know Thailand existed.
Jan Beute.
ทำดีอย่าเดี๋ยว, don't wait to do good, I know it as a Thai saying.
I have been retired for 5 years now, still live in Bangkok, and live largely as a Thai and with the Thais. There are days when I only speak Thai, sometimes English and sporadically Dutch.
I travel a lot in the country, often day trips from Bangkok and 3 to 4 times a year week trips to the less touristy destinations.
I will post the photos I take on my FB page https://www.facebook.com/Thailand.undiscovered/.
Furthermore, I would like to see a drastic reduction in the use of "single-use plastic", such as the bags at the 7-11, but also the plastic cups, lids and straws, etc. To this end, I have set up a FB group "https:/ /www.facebook.com/groups/384929215252402/permalink/508613572883965?sfns=mo”. The group has 242 members, including many Thais.
I am part of Thai society 365 days a year and like to leave volunteer work to people who have the time for it.
Like no other I realize that the financial part is of great importance now and for later, so I decided years ago to say goodbye to the Dutch wage slave thing and to freewheel here in business using the services of Thai who also want to move forward.
Life experience is more important to me than diplomas and I also help people privately where necessary, but if the grass is greener on the neighbour's side, then we will split up for business and that doesn't have to be the case in everyday life. The house is always open and food and drinks are ready for everyone.
Fortunately, that suits me fine because I still have about 15 years to go before I get free money and some pension.