Sat in the kitchen tonight having dinner we talked about this and that as we often do.
The topic came around to the recent clamp down and in particular how we thought this would affect the housing market in Hua Hin where we have been planning our retirement for a number of years.
The wife’s perspective was quite enlightening so I thought I would share her views.
1. She remains amazed at how many farangs, including those that had lived in Thailand for more than a few years, fail to understand the Thai people and their culture and how this failure is perceived as ignorance.
2. Yes of course it was easy for a farang to come to Thailand and buy cheap land from a farmer because the farang had money and the farmer did not but what does a farmer do with money? He doesn’t use it to create jobs, he may not even have a bank account.
3. Although building all these houses creates jobs in the short term in the long term it is not good for Thailand to sell land to foreigners to build houses for foreigners that at the current rate of development may never be sold.
4. Working Thais, the majority, like to live near or by a main road hence the concept of a shop house. All these new developments off the main road some in the hills are designed for and marketed to foreigners. Thais don’t want to be surrounded by expensive foreigner housing estates that they can't afford and they certainly don’t want to live in one.
5. Thaksin is unpopular with many Thais because he is accused of selling Thailand, even the sky above.
Foreign Ownership - A Thai Perspective
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malcolminthemiddle
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Interesting view!
My opinion after 12 years in TH to
Point 1 + 2: Ridiculous - If Thais and their culture weren't so greedy for easy money and western comfort, there would be no problem.
They could keep their land, and foreigners keep their money...easy, isn't it?
But "no"...our Thai-friends want to have all!
A lot of money, nice lifestyle, no hard work or even education, and control about their resources...this never ever will work!
Who wants to make business and good money must also offer something in return, which is it worth.
Only to be a “Thaiâ€
My opinion after 12 years in TH to
Point 1 + 2: Ridiculous - If Thais and their culture weren't so greedy for easy money and western comfort, there would be no problem.
They could keep their land, and foreigners keep their money...easy, isn't it?
But "no"...our Thai-friends want to have all!
A lot of money, nice lifestyle, no hard work or even education, and control about their resources...this never ever will work!
Who wants to make business and good money must also offer something in return, which is it worth.
Only to be a “Thaiâ€
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malcolminthemiddle
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- Location: Here,there and everywhere
I never have seen a Thai, which reject easy money and western comfort!
On the contrary, they even expect to get everything for free (natal right?), never asked why foreigners are "rich" (education, hard work, able to safe money etc.)!
Doesn't matter who was here at first.
We are living in a global world!
If they like, they can isolate themselves, but should make it public... living in a fishing hut and on a rice field again, but that seems also not comfortable enough, right?
On the contrary, they even expect to get everything for free (natal right?), never asked why foreigners are "rich" (education, hard work, able to safe money etc.)!
Doesn't matter who was here at first.
We are living in a global world!
If they like, they can isolate themselves, but should make it public... living in a fishing hut and on a rice field again, but that seems also not comfortable enough, right?
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silverbird
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What your wrote about your “family-discussion" is the view from most Thai people – whether we like it or not. Your wife must be a clever lady. I do however expect TRT to remain their power which is not likely to be of any benefit to farangs!
I am surprised to see farangs living here being very negative to Thai people as was expressed in one of the replies to your post. I fully understand why my Thai friends speak about some farangs being “no goodâ€
I am surprised to see farangs living here being very negative to Thai people as was expressed in one of the replies to your post. I fully understand why my Thai friends speak about some farangs being “no goodâ€
My response is this:
1. Sounds like the view of indigenous people everywhere?
2. Isn't this the way everywhere as well? Everything has a price - when I eventually sell my house, the money gained won't be used to create any jobs. Not sure in what context the lack of a bank account is mentioned?
3. So its okay to sell land if the developments are sold? Is it okay for Thai developers to build developments that at the current rate of development may never be sold? But agree half built sites will look awful.
4. Isn't this a gross generalisation? My wifes village isn't near a main road and nor are the majority of the very large villages that I have seen in that area. They tend to go into the town to buy things. There is one shop in her village, equates to a corner shop in the UK.
5. I don't know enough to comment.
Just my views.
1. Sounds like the view of indigenous people everywhere?
2. Isn't this the way everywhere as well? Everything has a price - when I eventually sell my house, the money gained won't be used to create any jobs. Not sure in what context the lack of a bank account is mentioned?
3. So its okay to sell land if the developments are sold? Is it okay for Thai developers to build developments that at the current rate of development may never be sold? But agree half built sites will look awful.
4. Isn't this a gross generalisation? My wifes village isn't near a main road and nor are the majority of the very large villages that I have seen in that area. They tend to go into the town to buy things. There is one shop in her village, equates to a corner shop in the UK.
5. I don't know enough to comment.
Just my views.
Talk is cheap
I haven't a negative view to Thai people, and I never had any problems with them.silverbird wrote:I am surprised to see farangs living here being very negative to Thai people as was expressed in one of the replies to your post.
I just don't like people, which expect to have a "natal right" of being on the bright side of life, but aren't able to afford it by their own or aren't willing to offer anything suitable in return.
It doesn't matter from which country these people are coming!
Fortunately, it's just a minority of Thais which having the opinion as written by Malcom.
But it's unfortunately the majority of Thais we as foreigners normally have to do with!
houses
Try working in an isaan dirt poor farm for a year or in the standard thai job of long hours and little holidays and then tell them all how you earned all your money and expected nothing.
Total bollocks
ok you are over here and have more money than an ordinary Thai. I am sure that comes from your hard work intelligence and careful savings. Not the fact that there is a difference in spending power between countries.
I love the way someone in a shitty job with a shitty education in the west likes to come and lord it over the Thais. Makes them a big man. Its not enough, now we have to tell all the Thais that we earned it because of our superior qualities. Why not mix a little tourism with some basic racism too.
Total bollocks
ok you are over here and have more money than an ordinary Thai. I am sure that comes from your hard work intelligence and careful savings. Not the fact that there is a difference in spending power between countries.
I love the way someone in a shitty job with a shitty education in the west likes to come and lord it over the Thais. Makes them a big man. Its not enough, now we have to tell all the Thais that we earned it because of our superior qualities. Why not mix a little tourism with some basic racism too.
With all due respect Roberto, what you are talking about is a Thai issue, not a farang one. You can't have it both ways. Thats how Thai society and life is and would be with or without farang.
There are rich and poor Thais after all. Its not the farangs fault that the society here hasn't created the infastructures other countries have.
And just like in other countries people are moving en masse from the country to the cities - just look at the growth of Bangkok.
Maybe the farang influence will in due course have an input, but wasn't it the current pm that first offered a cheap health service for people in the country? The rich Thais in the city don't seem too concerned?
Different culture, different values.
There are rich and poor Thais after all. Its not the farangs fault that the society here hasn't created the infastructures other countries have.
And just like in other countries people are moving en masse from the country to the cities - just look at the growth of Bangkok.
Maybe the farang influence will in due course have an input, but wasn't it the current pm that first offered a cheap health service for people in the country? The rich Thais in the city don't seem too concerned?
Different culture, different values.
Talk is cheap
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hunterroute
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I spoke with one of my Thai-neighbors about Malcom's theme yesterday evening.
In his eyes it wouldn't be a problem to liberize Thai land-law for foreigners, because it would help to bring more money into the country and to develop it quicker more.
But he also said, no government can do it right now, because too many farmers and uneducated people would gamble their land and property away, as they do it already for rich Thais.
The education-level of countryside-people is too low, he added, and it's more comfortable for each government to keep restrictive laws, than to invest money into a better school- and education system.
It's the biggest inofficial joint venture in history between Thais and farangs, how to circumvent the land-law, he mocked.
When I wanted to know, whether he isn't afflicted or worry about the low-education level or bad living-situation of many of his compatriots, he looked highly surprised.
His statement was, he has nothing to do with those people and it can't be his business to find a solution. Therefore Thailand has a government, and it's the job of the politicians to look after problems.
That was exactly what I heard for many years from Thais, which could break out from agriculture- or low wage-jobs!
As Caller wrote, it's not a farang-made opinion!
But there even seems to be a big difference between the opinion of Malcom's wife and Thais, which are coming from/or reaching another society-level perhaps, isn't it?
In his eyes it wouldn't be a problem to liberize Thai land-law for foreigners, because it would help to bring more money into the country and to develop it quicker more.
But he also said, no government can do it right now, because too many farmers and uneducated people would gamble their land and property away, as they do it already for rich Thais.
The education-level of countryside-people is too low, he added, and it's more comfortable for each government to keep restrictive laws, than to invest money into a better school- and education system.
It's the biggest inofficial joint venture in history between Thais and farangs, how to circumvent the land-law, he mocked.
When I wanted to know, whether he isn't afflicted or worry about the low-education level or bad living-situation of many of his compatriots, he looked highly surprised.
His statement was, he has nothing to do with those people and it can't be his business to find a solution. Therefore Thailand has a government, and it's the job of the politicians to look after problems.
That was exactly what I heard for many years from Thais, which could break out from agriculture- or low wage-jobs!
As Caller wrote, it's not a farang-made opinion!
But there even seems to be a big difference between the opinion of Malcom's wife and Thais, which are coming from/or reaching another society-level perhaps, isn't it?
hogus wrote:Interesting view!
My opinion after 12 years in TH to
[uPoint 5: We'll see how unpopular Mr. Thaksin and his party will be in October (next election-day).
I suppose TRT will get majority again, as in the last years!
Best regards to your wife
Toxsin will win. Just think how easy it is really to fake the results to show that he just barely wins in a country like thailand. It's just logic to do it and not a big deal just some show for the voters.
It's nice when the shophouse owners let the footpath be even outside their shophouse and don't eat into all the space in front of them and one can actually walk walk in front of them. If shophouses is what they want that's what they deserve with the constant potential for income with them.
Malcoms wife is, of course, correct in every case.
From China through to Burma, western people are seen as having screwed eastern societies for centuries. Farangs are not wanted, unless it is to the indigenous populations advantage. Is that not the case in EVERY country one is aware of? Politicians may have another perspective, look at Blair, but the people don't in the main.
Eastern dislike and distrust of the farang was probably started by the French/British and ended by the Americans but I'm sure others know more of the history. In the main, we only wanted to know them for trading advantage and treated them like scum.
It has been made quite clear to the farang that they do not want us to be part of their society by restrictions on buying land. Yet, still we came, expecting cheap beer, cheap sex and cheap land. Hey, another free lunch, selling villas in Spain (now expensive) to "invest" in villas in Thailand (hot but cheap). They are such a subtle people and we are so blind, we thought their niceness was like our niceness and we were welcome.
What do you lot really think you bring to Thailand that Thais want?
Money, no more no less. If you aint got it and merely want to have a cheap life and fuck the girls you have no right to be in such a lovely country.
I'm sorry to say this but such purile bleating makes me angry. Get a brain and open your eyes.
From China through to Burma, western people are seen as having screwed eastern societies for centuries. Farangs are not wanted, unless it is to the indigenous populations advantage. Is that not the case in EVERY country one is aware of? Politicians may have another perspective, look at Blair, but the people don't in the main.
Eastern dislike and distrust of the farang was probably started by the French/British and ended by the Americans but I'm sure others know more of the history. In the main, we only wanted to know them for trading advantage and treated them like scum.
It has been made quite clear to the farang that they do not want us to be part of their society by restrictions on buying land. Yet, still we came, expecting cheap beer, cheap sex and cheap land. Hey, another free lunch, selling villas in Spain (now expensive) to "invest" in villas in Thailand (hot but cheap). They are such a subtle people and we are so blind, we thought their niceness was like our niceness and we were welcome.
What do you lot really think you bring to Thailand that Thais want?
Money, no more no less. If you aint got it and merely want to have a cheap life and fuck the girls you have no right to be in such a lovely country.
I'm sorry to say this but such purile bleating makes me angry. Get a brain and open your eyes.
Thai me to the moon
Johnrxx99johnrxx99 wrote:.....It has been made quite clear to the farang that they do not want us to be part of their society by restrictions on buying land. ......
Just to maintain a little impartiality in this debate.....if you are Malay, Chinese, Singaporean, Burmese, Cambodian etc... you also cannot by land. I don't think there is a racist plot specifcially aimed at Farang!
Until receently, a Thai Girl with a Vietnamese husband could not buy land, so a similarly strict law has been in enforcemtn even for Thai people.
Irs a very protectionist attitude that is not unique to Thailand. Have you tried to buy land in Singapore? Or Vietnam?
However, you are legally permitted to buy property, its chunks of their country that they don't wish to sell. It's their country and I guess they can make this rule if they want to, even if we apply different rules in our home countries.
Whilst you complain bitterly about this, I bet you're not too chuffed about the large amount of your home country land that has been sold off to foreign owners are you?
Winkie