Greng Jai

[johnnyk]

Makes total sense and totally logical from the Thai perspective.
Enjoy the sanuk, get some jai dee going and things will go much easier.
It's Thailand so make the best of things in the Thai way or stay unhappy or go somewhere else.

[DawnHRD]

I do think smiles made a very good post, and I do see that we are possibly looking at things from the wrong point of view as far as Thais are concerned (we see lack of greng jai on their part, where they might see lack of sanuk on ours).

However, I must admit to being sick of the "if you don't like it, go home" mentality.

Number one: In my own case, I can't go home without abandoning my son. So, even if I hated LoS (which I most certainly don't) that is not an option for me.

Number two: I think it is perfectly reasonable for people (of any nationality) living in any country to occasionally get a little disgruntled about the place and have a moan. For goodness' sake, I moaned about UK enough while I was living there & I grew up with that culture. Had they been booming out a movie soundtrack at 3 in the morning anywhere, I would have been a little pi$$ed off. I'm sure there are people who will get a little fed up in the next few days at all the water, while others of us will be partaking of the sanuk & festival atmosphere.

Anyway, Happy Songkran to all or sawasdee bpee mai, ka!

[buksida]

However, I must admit to being sick of the "if you don't like it, go home" mentality.

Totally agree, not all of us are wealthy holidaymakers with the luxury of just hopping onto a plane back to the land of our birth every time we get narked about something in this fair land.

Nice explanation there by Smiles, yes Sanuk does come before all else in this country - plenty of examples of that today - happy Songkran!

[johnnyk]

HHDRC, I understand your feeling about that mentality but you are not a bitcher, whiner and griper about Thailand.
There are many, as you know and I experienced them in France as well, who come to live somewhere and do nothing but piss and whinge about it.
Every country is better off without them.

[nevets]

Respect is a two way door and as such losing face effects us all. So why is it when a wife or girl friend gets up set usually from something lost in translation, she will shout and use bad language for all to here in the next soi ,and poke and prod and some times try to mame us farangs. We stand there and take it like the gentlemen that we are, and dont hit back just lose face and walk away, they know this and feel safe to abuse us because i know a Thai man would give them one big back hand across the mouth.

[Winkie]

Perhaps not totaaly spot on Nevets, but a good point.

We all see (at least in BKK anyway), Thai people blowing fuse.

Sometimes in a big way!

How does Greng Jai and Jai Yeng fit into such a situation?

[DawnHRD]

I've often wondered that too.

[redzonerocker]

some interesting opinions though a bit to much generalising.
travel to anywhere in the world as a tourist & you will be greeted with smiles whilst your spending your money.
i think you can only judge people & places on your own personal experiences. i found thailand a beautiful country & the thais to be friendly & welcoming whether in the major cities or in the rural areas of the north & east provinces.
as for living there? its a distinct possibility.As for those of you that do live there & are aggrieved by some of the minor irritations, maybe if you spent 6 months back living in the uk you would realise that thai living aint so bad after all.
old blighty aint what it used to be, courtesy & respect for others isnt high on the menu these days trust me. but thats only my opinion.

[DawnHRD]

Nobody's saying their home country is better rzr. If we felt that, we wouldn't be here. As I've said before, though, I reserve the right to have a gripe about life's minor (or major, if they happen) irritations, wherever I live. Thailand is a lovely place, but, same as everywhere else, it isn't perfect.

[appleman_thai]

As for those of you that do live there & are aggrieved by some of the minor irritations, maybe if you spent 6 months back living in the uk you would realise that thai living aint so bad after all.
old blighty aint what it used to be, courtesy & respect for others isnt high on the menu these days trust me. but thats only my opinion.

I left THailand about 2 months ago and you are right!! THings have changed back here and life in Thailand is WAY better than you think it is!!!.....
Grass is always greener - but thats cause there is so much shite on the other side!

[redzonerocker]

i agree dawn, nowhere is perfect & i'm not suggesting thailand is.
in my experiences of living abroad i try to take on board the local customs & habits of the locals however annoying & sometimes bizarre they can be.
my biggest gripe at the moment with the uk is that a high percentage of migrants that come here don't want to do that.
i am looking at elsewhere to live & thailand is an option. i think if the positives out weigh the negatives its worth looking at it.
at the moment i am a lost soul swimming in a fishbowl year after year!

[sargeant]

RNR i agree with you

Quote RNR
my biggest gripe at the moment with the uk is that a high percentage of migrants that come here don't want to do that.

Thats my gripe with a lot of the farangs here as well

Quote RNR
in my experiences of living abroad i try to take on board the local customs & habits of the locals however annoying & sometimes bizarre they can be.

Welcome my friend you will fit in

[DawnHRD]

i agree dawn, nowhere is perfect & i'm not suggesting thailand is.
in my experiences of living abroad i try to take on board the local customs & habits of the locals however annoying & sometimes bizarre they can be.
my biggest gripe at the moment with the uk is that a high percentage of migrants that come here don't want to do that.

Afraid I wouldn't know about the UK, these days, so can't comment on that.
Please don't get the odd gripe on a forum confused with a wish to keep seperate & not assimilate. This thread is about greng jai. At the moment, for various reasons, I am thinking a lot about my BF (my son's father) who died more than a year ago. I'm researching the best way to let his "essence" move to a better plane of existence & transferring merits earned in my life to him. I've also been considering selling his motorbike (which legally belongs to me), but have decided to let his friends have it permanently. I gripe & I reserve my right to do that. But I live with Thais, I research, I think & I try to assimilate. So do many others on this forum.

When you move to Thailand, they don't make you sign anything saying you'll never have a moan again. Much as I don't want to be in UK, & will freely admit that, I'll also freely admit there are things about life here that drive me crazy. It's not negativity, it's human nature.

[redzonerocker]

yes dawn it is human nature to gripe & i'm not knocking that.
i too am researching & trying to learn a little more of the thai customs & way of life & this forum is an ideal way to stay in touch with that whilst i am in the uk.
there have been differing opinions on various subjects & all are valid in their own way.
on the subject greng jai; the interpretations vary from different situations either for or against but seems to be overall, consideration & respect towards others. not to difficult to adhere to.however i did find more disrespect & less consideration from farangs, particularly towards the poorer thais.
perhaps those farangs have superiority complex? the vast majority of these are tourists & these people create a bad impression for the people that have made thailand their home.

[sargeant]

quote RNR
however i did find more disrespect & less consideration from farangs, particularly towards the poorer thais.

Halleyluja a soul mate unfortunately RNR there are some full time farangs with the same attitude few in number yet getting larger i despair sometimes