Land of Smiles or Land of Snarls

Post by **beachyhead** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 10:37 pm

Now its probably that I am peeved at the moment over not being able to get a re entry visa due to the immigration office being closed for 3 days and finding I can't get one when exiting the airport, that it got me to thinking about my decision to settle in Thailand. I have lived here and been married here for three years and have two children born here with my Thai wife, so I am in for a penny in for a pound, so to speak. When I came here on many occasions on holiday it really was the land of smiles, I suppose being in holiday mode you over looked the odd over price etc, but living here you realize that apart from wanting your money Thailand doesn't really want you here as a resident. You get sick of the double pricing policy, when my wife phones for quotes " is your husband Falang " is the first question, even the local market which we try to support as oppose to Tesco, doubles the price when I ask and if I go to walk away they say " How much you pay" and when you say no it really does become the land of Snarls and do they make Visa's easy for you to live here etc. Thailand has had a good run over the last 10 years but too much bad press and too many bad remarks like this one will make people think twice about settling here, is that fair do you think or am I just Mr Angry at the moment.

Post by **Jim** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 10:46 pm

beachyhead wrote:, is that fair do you think or am I just Mr Angry at the moment.

both

Spitfire · Post by **Spitfire** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 11:16 pm

"Land of Smiles or Land of Snarls?"

Neither, it's "The Land of Lies."

Post by **hhfarang** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 11:24 pm

Yes, I've decided that LOL stands for Land Of Lies since I've been here.

Maybe we can come up with a new tourist slogan using that...

Spitfire · Post by **Spitfire** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 11:28 pm

Yeah HHF, I posted that "Liagra" pic in that 'After Dark' thread, most appropriate I think.

Edit: Typo, which is embarrassing in such a short post.

Post by **migrant** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 11:43 pm

I don't live in Thailand, but have been over often to various places.

About the only place I see outrageous double pricing is some of the areas with larger Falang populations.

Maybe familiarity breeds contempt, but what little double pricing I've experienced in lesser populated areas I've been able to get out of, or negligible.

I'm curious about areas like Bang Saphan, Chumphon and other areas you may have experienced.

Post by **chopsticks** » Tue Jul 07, 2009 12:15 am

Part of the problem (I'm reliably told) is the belief that all farangs
are mega-rich and in effect walking ATM's just waiting to be ripped-off.
The possibility that poorer farangs may also exist is received with some astonished looks.

Post by **Randy Cornhole** » Tue Jul 07, 2009 12:17 am

Beachyhead, What you are feeling is quite normal. I lived in HH for about five years and there comes a time when you hit a jaded spot.

It happens to all long termers believe me. You will get over it.

Just don't let it get to you or you'll end up wanting to jump off yourself...

Spitfire · Post by **Spitfire** » Tue Jul 07, 2009 1:07 am

chopsticks wrote:Part of the problem (I'm reliably told) is the belief that all farangs
are mega-rich and in effect walking ATM's just waiting to be ripped-off.

We all know which sections of farangs give them that impression and why, they screw it up for everyone and would never get away with it where they come from, one of the reasons Thailand is so popular. However, the locals are equally to blame for being so shallow and believing such ridiculous generalisations, nothing quite as good as money for encouraging people to act in an expedient or mercenary way that compromises their principles so completely.

It is a sad reflection on Thai society and culture that this is allowed to go so far and that so many locals are so hopelessly desperate that they believe it.

Both sides are at fault to bring about the unique situation we have here of both sides exploiting the other in a shameless fashion for their own ends and it's sometimes humorous to see both sides bitching about the other when the fault lays equally with both.

It takes two to tango.

There are many that do not fit into this on both sides, people just have to seek and they will find.

Post by **m_right** » Tue Jul 07, 2009 7:59 am

chopsticks wrote:Part of the problem (I'm reliably told) is the belief that all farangs
are mega-rich and in effect walking ATM's just waiting to be ripped-off.
The possibility that poorer farangs may also exist is received with some astonished looks.

I wonder how they would get that idea.

Post by **beachyhead** » Tue Jul 07, 2009 8:28 am

I think your right Randy, I have hit a Jaded patch, maybe two weeks in the UK will remind me of Rip Off Britain for a change, remind me of the cost of living there and why I made the to move to Thailand, I know at the end of the day it is a great place to live and maybe too much time on my hands gives me the time to be Mr Angry, when in the UK I was always to busy and if I did get wound up it didn't last as you have to get on. At the end of the day its their country to do as they like and if we choose to live here, then that's up to us. I remember when I first moved here someone said to me, remember that if you manage to change the thinking or driving skills of one Thai person there is another 70 million behind them that you will never change but it can be sooo frustrating.

Post by **migrant** » Tue Jul 07, 2009 8:46 am

When I drive in Thailand, I can remain calm even with some of the Thai drivers around me. Here in Suthern California I rant and rave at the drivers here.

When my wife made comment of that I thought about it and came to the conclusion that the drivers here are just plain rude, while the drivers in Thailand, well, that's the way they do it.

Maybe that two weeks in the UK will do the job!

Post by **MrPlum** » Tue Jul 07, 2009 9:09 am

I sympathise with the OP. I guess the market traders see easy money coming and when it doesn't materialize their smiles drop fast.

Best not to become angry yourself, though.

Last week I was obtaining a Thai driving licence. In the transport office an elderly German was shouting and waving his arms around and the tension was palpable. The staff's English was not good enough to explain to him what he had done wrong and he was too confused and frustrated to stay calm. He called the staff 'liars', in Thai, and complained that they should speak better English to help the many foreigners.

My Thai partner and I tried to help and upon investigation it turns out he had lost his driving licence and needed to go through the whole procedure again. He didn't have all the documents, so they couldn't pass him. He figured they had his records on the computer and he just needed a replacement. He was wrong.

We are going to give it another shot this week but I'm doubtful.

Thais don't like anger. They don't like waving arms and pointing fingers. They don't like being called 'liars' and I doubt very much if they will pass him ever again.

Post by **niggle** » Tue Jul 07, 2009 10:42 am

I couldnt agree more with the OP.
Dual pricing, bieng ripped off, LOS only when their hand is being filled, officious and corrupt systems.
Having just come back from 2 weeks in Cambodia, the difference couldnt be more noticable - happy, genuinly friendly, same prices for bikes/tuk tuks as for locals etc.
What a differnce

Post by **heretostay** » Tue Jul 07, 2009 11:15 am

Hua Hin must be one of the dearest places in Thailand to stay at the moment, just back from Laos, plenty of tourist, bars/ restaurants full, larger selection of beer, food portions twice the size, only problem rip off tuk tuks same as here.
but in the local paper there THEY ARE GOING TO LET FARANGS BUY LAND.

Cheaper beer, proper bread, good farang food, cooler weather.

So watch out for the exodus from Issan and northern Thailand.

So why not HERE.

Hua Hin Forum

Land of Smiles or Land of Snarls

Land of Smiles or Land of Snarls

Re: Land of Smiles or Land of Snarls

rip offs