good Thai girl

[jones the rice]

Jones you too would seem to be one of the lucky ones. Sadly there are far too many who are unlucky, often through their own making.

If the new arrivals would listen and learn from the advice they are given, there would be far fewer failures.

i agree with you 100%,you can take a horse to water but you carn't make it drink.

[nookiebear]

Nick it could be something too do with him having a 'farther' who has a broomstick!

[Paddyram]

Jones you too would seem to be one of the lucky ones. Sadly there are far too many who are unlucky, often through their own making.

If the new arrivals would listen and learn from the advice they are given, there would be far fewer failures.

i agree with you 100%,you can take a horse to water but you carn't make it drink.

Very true. 
Some guys will get lucky without even knowing the risks.
Some guys will get lucky despite of the risks.
Some will fcuk it up themselves
and some will get screwed.

All you can do is tell them and make them aware of the possible risks.  If they don't take it on board (.. 'But my girl is different' ..) then all we can do is sit back, get the pop corn out and watch the train wreck.

But these (maybe unwanted) nuggets of wisdom for the new guys are invaluable.  Even if they just make the farang in question a little more aware of his surroundings and avoid getting sucked in further.  Ask John the Traveller. 

[dundeemk6]

Paddyram : I stick to the popcorn nowadays and to be honnest I sometimes help the ladies to precipitate the trainwreck ... it is going to happen anyway, why don't get it over and done quickly ...

[BillH52]

Guess I am one of the lucky ones, as well.

Met my 'good Thai woman' in January of 2006. Her English left a lot to be desired.  Spent most of January and all of February that year, with her and family in rural Issan.  Family never ask for money.  Our agreement was for her to learn passable English in the following 6 months; I sent her 1000 baht per week.  She had to borrow a motorcycle to Nang Rong twice a week for classes and study like crazy; and that included the rainy season and mud up to her ears. 
After 6 months, her English was more than passable and she had proven her honesty beyond a shadow of a doubt and that she has a heart of gold.  She went to the USA; we got married; she got a drivers license; her English is now excellent and she is now a supervisor at our U.S. 'resort'. 

She is a penny pincher; I do help the family occasionally (typically from my wife's income); but, the work, help and honesty I get from each and every one of our Thai family is much more than I ever expected or could have hoped for; and sometimes am almost embarrassed at everything her family does for me and/or us - not for money, but because we are 'family'.  Her father does like a daily 'allowance' when we are in country - that being 10 baht per day. She won't give him more as she's worried he will spend it on alcohol.  Her 14 year old daughter gets 50 baht per day 'allowance' (school days only) and maintains a 4.0 gpa in Lahansai. 
I always wish and hope other "Gringo's" will have my experience here in LOS with the good, honest but simple people of Issan.

[Admin]

There are some good people here in Thailand,Isaan, reading your story I also think you are very lucky.

[F1ART]

It amazes me how some people talk about Thais in a generalised fashion and as they are beneath them.
Why would anyone come to spend time or live in a country then run it and its population down.
From what I have experienced it's these type of farangs that have the most problems because they never earn any respect. They obviously can't understand or comprehend the culture. They try to change it to the culture at their home and it doesn't work out.
All countries have good and bad but the majority are usually good when properly understood  

[Admin]

It amazes me how some people talk about Thais in a generalised fashion and as they are beneath them.
Why would anyone come to spend time or live in a country then run it and its population down.
From what I have experienced it's these type of farangs that have the most problems because they never earn any respect. They obviously can't understand or comprehend the culture. They try to change it to the culture at their home and it doesn't work out.
All countries have good and bad but the majority are usually good when properly understood  

So true.

[Vombatus]

It amazes me how some people talk about Thais in a generalised fashion and as they are beneath them.
Why would anyone come to spend time or live in a country then run it and its population down.
From what I have experienced it's these type of farangs that have the most problems because they never earn any respect. They obviously can't understand or comprehend the culture. They try to change it to the culture at their home and it doesn't work out.
All countries have good and bad but the majority are usually good when properly understood  

As you clearly understand the culture you will appreciate that the Thais are dab hands at generalising.

Notably re Farangs but I have seen it done with Cambodians or Laoatians, Muslims and Chocolate men. Not racially motivated but 'generalistic' and stereo-typical comments.

It is not unusual to talk generically about peoples or groups.  To talk of 'Thai drivers' in generalising, to talk about the average Thai driving standard being appalling is also generalising but it is generally true.

It is not a case of 'looking down' at all - we all arrived here by different routes and are making our lives with the locals, in their locality. It doesn't mean that we cannot observe objectively (and even be critical of some things we see/experience). 

In these parts 'respect' is often judged by money - respect is bought easily in Thailand. That is a FACT, not a generalisation. When people borrow money to create 'respect' (face) then it is easy for me to 'understand the culture' - it does not mean I have to agree with it or, worse, try and be wannabe Thai and embrace it !

Respect has to be earned whether you are a Thai or Falang.

[BillH52]

There are some good people here in Thailand,Isaan, reading your story I also think you are very lucky.

One thing I should have made clear, I went thru 5 other 'girl friends' before meeting the lady who would become my wife.
#3 was very, very good; just major communication issues - my lack of Thai; her lack of English. The others turned out to be looking for their own personal ATM.

[Paddyram]

I agree with you, CC.  As the outsiders, making observations is totally natural.  Things are different, people are different and we notice this.  Everybody generalises about groups of people at some point and there is usually some nugget of truth at the core.

I also agree that Thai's are partial to generalising themselves (isn't that a generalisation just there).  Just listening to my wife's friends when we go back on holiday, apparently: 
English men are too horny, want sex too much and drink too much,
German men are too stingey and too careful (careful as in untrusting),
Russian men are stingey (kee Nok) and angry, 
Americans are good because they are very rich and they can be stupid about money,
But the black americans are ugly.
Black men generally are smelly (and too big ?),
Arabs are smelly and stingey,
Indians always want to share the ladies with their friends,
Irish men are stupid when they are drunk (but just my wife said that !)
Oh, ya .. and according to them ALL Thai men have wondering eyes and can't be trusted.
Scandinavians and Swiss men seem to have a good rep with the ladies (why, I wonder ?)

Has anyone else heard these generalisations from their Thai partner ?
[and yes, I think it is obvious from the comments above that her friends put down a few night shifts in Walking Street)

[Vombatus]

Yes!  All of those. 

[olavhome]

[
Scandinavians and Swiss men seem to have a good rep with the ladies (why, I wonder ?)

To know us is to love us 
Very happy to see this, it what I have been telling my wife all the time...

But serious:
Scandinavian countries have long established equal rights (same as many other contries)
Many of the countries mentioned above is big countries and maybe think easily high of themselves.
Scandinavian countries had been relatively poor contries up to the last 50 years (just like us in Norway before we hit jackpot on december 23 with Northsea oil).
Also in Scandinavia there is a majority of middle class people, and no history for class society.
But of course, I have also seen /heard Scandinavians treat (and talk) of Thai people of both sexes in a very bad manner.

[Adam]

People are people, no matter where they are from, there are good and bad in every race....except the Germans!!!









Only joking

[urleft]

Americans are good

Amazing how intelligent Thai's are, it is why I have such respect for them.