In Thailand, the farang is immediately taken for full
Western expats like to complain about the double price displays, noise and air pollution, dangerous driving, unscrupulous taxi drivers, corrupt police, Thai commentary on the World Cup football, street dogs, etc., but they still stick around in our country. Why actually?
In general, the Thais respect the Westerners, Thais are friendly, polite and helpful to them, so that the farang can feel important. But why do the Thais look up to the farang?
When the Europeans arrived in Ayutthaya about 500 years ago, they brought beautiful ships, cannons, telescopes, matches, compasses, pocket watches, personal firearms. The Siamese were completely under the spell of all that beauty. The Europeans were welcomed by the king himself. They just stood up and talked to the king face to face, something unimaginable for the Siamese. The only privilege the Siamese ever had was to prostrate himself with his nose to the ground before the king. The Siamese felt that the westerners and the king were on an equal footing.
This attitude has passed from generation to generation among the Siamese and still applies today. Later, in the 20th century, Hollywood, Elvis, the Beatles, Rolls-Royce, Mercedes Benz, Ferrari, the Apollo space project and Coca Cola are added, bringing even more prestige to Westerners.
Expats explain their presence more rationally. They say they care about the Thais. They say they bring money, work, technology, and we should be thankful to them for that. They will not admit that they are just ordinary citizens here in their country of origin, but here in Thailand they are a gentleman, the good husband of a Thai woman, or an English teacher, or the jovial uncle who loves children. I haven't even mentioned the low cost of living, the cheap sex and drugs and the Thai culture of "anything is possible"
That is why Westerners like to choose to stay in Thailand.
Letter submitted by Meechai Burapa of Chiang Mai in The Nation on January 6, 2013
He/she (Meechai Burapa ) has a point here! I think this kite goes for a lot of farang…
Meechai Burapa is, in my humble opinion, not far off the mark……………..
Thais don't know that in general, that the vast majority of Westerners in their
own country are not so rich. Tourists who stay here for 3/4 weeks spend a lot of money.
The Thai do not know that they have put aside every Euro cent here for a whole year
If a farang, for example, comes to NL with a Thai girlfriend, his girlfriend will soon get it
because her boyfriend is not as rich as when they met in Thailand.
And let's be honest, every farang has it very well here … AOW plus a small one
pension is enough to make it seem to the Thais that we are very rich. What we here
also be.
In other words: do you also think that the writer is completely right?
Cornelis
Yes, totally agree with Meechai-Burapa's letter submitted in the Nation.
Whining, while every farang has a very good financial life here…….That doesn't fit!!!
Gringo, I think the writer was right indeed.
I have a bit of trouble with one sentence. But they remain “nevertheless” in our country. Giving an example. My country is the Netherlands. Your country is Thailand?
We are expats and have a temporary residence permit every year (as long as you have enough income or a sufficient bank account). Why we linger here is a question that is answered differently by everyone.
J. Jordan.
Well I think the farang in the picture with his yellow Singha t-shirt is definitely taken for full, and a little thai is in the shadow when he faces this farang !!
I don't care about these kinds of things at all. I understand paying double as farang, but my wife who does the finances complains about it. So the Thai can also complain. Sometimes I drive too fast, I've had three fines in 10 years, so it's not too bad. But then my love always manages to reduce the price to half. Now let's face it, that's beautiful. And back on the road she whines, and immediately concludes that they buy whiskey there. I think this is so beautiful here. It gives you a feeling of freedom and mutual respect. And if you can't live with that, you have no business here. Air pollution, only in the big cities, does not bother me in our village. But I think a week of shopping in Bangkok is fantastic and then back home quickly, not because of the air, but we prefer to sit on the terrace at home with the whole family.
This kind of thing makes thailand so nice to live, especially better than all those rules here.
Mr. Meechai writes an ironic-sarcastic piece in which he pokes fun at the farang idea that the Thai respects and esteems the farang just because he/she is a farang. Don't believe the Siamese thought their kings were on an equal footing with the Westerner. The Westerner might not prostrate themselves, but they would kneel with a high wai, speak only when asked, etc. The Siamese at that time thought that the farangs were arrogant, ill-mannered and ugly. They stank because they didn't bathe 2-3 times a day like the Thais.
Read the last paragraph: the farangs think that the Thais should be grateful to the farangs and the farangs here feel superior to the common people. And why do they stay here: cheap living, sex and drugs! Mr. Meechai doesn't think much of the farang.
Tjamuk,
The writer understands very well why 'so many complainers' stay here: everything is cheap.
And I am indignant that you say again that complainers should leave this beautiful country. You don't really like this beautiful country. You like the easy life here and you don't want to be disturbed by 'complainers', also called whiners and whiners. I personally have nothing to complain about here but I see and hear that the average Thai suffers from a lot of abuses and just because I really love this country I won't stop pointing it out. Please stop calling that "complaining." Try to imagine how the average Thai lives in this country.
Respect has to be earned, you don't get it automatically. This also applies in Thailand.
The writer seems to confuse respect with the often stage-like, submissive behavior of some Thais in mainly tourist business locations where the farangs usually reside. That takes into account the nature of their profession and that is how they are trained.
This does not alter the fact that most Thais are, according to their tradition and culture, very polite people who treat the elderly in particular with almost reverence.
Here I don't like a hairy fat Farang, in a Singha T-shirt and especially shorts.
What an advertisement for Westerners. and a Thai should respect that.
During Temple visits I also saw offensive Clothing several times.
One forgets that one is only a guest in that beautiful country.
Unfortunately, I can no longer afford holidays to Thailand.
age and finances,
But enjoy this blog daily and also the mutual squabbling.
Greetings to all the lucky ones who may be there and behave yourself.
Mr. Meechai does not have a high opinion of most Thais either. The fact that this country has a culture of “everything is possible” is mainly due to the Thais themselves. That cannot be denied. They let it happen and offer their services for money. The god of money is simply more important than the Buddha in practice.
As a resident of a country with a young culture that is still developing, mainly under the influence of maligned but unstoppable Western influences, you live in a schizophrenic world. You are not directly part of Western traditions, but only of derivatives thereof. On the other hand, you see your own culture being destroyed at a rapid pace. Too bad for Mr. Meechai, but he tries to make the best of it by suggesting that he sees through and understands it all.