Things I Don’t Understand

Why are people so against learning Thai in order to communicate? I attended AUA Thai language school in Chiang Mai and they force it down your throat so much I can guarantee anyone, and I mean anyone can learn Thai. After only a few weeks of instruction and practice, I could order food on the street, ask directions and hold basic conversations with my mother in law. It's no harder to learn than any other skill like playing a guitar or flying an airplane; it just takes some effort. Most of what Jayson was alluding to seems to be that people have to be able to communicate in order to understand each other’s feelings. So why would you live in Thailand and not learn Thai? No wonder Thai women prefer Thai men. Once you learn even some functional Thai, your interaction with the people becomes 2-way and interesting. As well, the bars lose their appeal immediately because you see through the charade. Just try saying “Khun chu arai” then “Phom kitwah khun suaii” and watch the smile disappear as they realize you are no longer the stupid tourist and they walk away. The cost to study is only 4500 baht for 6 weeks and the country will open up to you in ways you never knew.

Why do so many foreigners not want to look after themselves? 45 minutes a day is all it takes of exercise in order to stay fit. I see foreigners all over Thailand that are out of shape, sitting in bars and sweating. Can’t they get off their barstool for one hour a day just to use some exercise equipment? You feel better, sweat less and sleep better. Stickman’s survey of hi-so girls not wanting to date farang is no surprise to me. If you are educated, fit, hard working and a contributor to society, you probably won’t be living in Thailand. So of course what you have left is what I see day after day which is older, out of shape men staying in budget accommodations and hanging out with short, dark bargirls. And readers question this survey?

Most readers read Stickman because I presume they are interested in some aspect of Thailand and Thai women for the male readers. However, this belief that Thai women are so beautiful and desirable might hold true for Stickman readers but is not shared by the world at large. I’ve been married to a Thai girl for 4 years and sure, she is beautiful to me but as a race, Thai women do not rate high on a global scale outside on a general level. By that, I mean an average Westerner shown a line up of 10 beautiful women from all different races would not choose the Thai girl first. I’m not saying Canadian girls are so much better (outside of Shania Twain of course) but I don’t understand why Jayson says these hi-so girls are almost impossible to date for Western men. They are just normal girls and not even really desirable outside of Thailand so why does he attempt to portray them as the cream and unobtainable to normal farang when in fact they don’t rate highly anyways? Most men prefer a women who is intelligent, educated, rational, hard-working, self-motivated, sense of humour and understanding. Do these hi-so girls who party at Thonglor share even 2 or 3 of these traits? Do they talk about world affairs or think about climate change or even volunteer their time at a special needs school or contribute to charities? So why are these hi-so women considered desirable for a Thai man? Is it because if a Thai man went on-line to find a western girl, not a single attractive girl would even reply to him? Yet an attractive, normal, educated western man would have little trouble receiving replies from many beautiful Thai women.

I used to enjoy Thailand a lot but now I see the truth and I really question why someone would choose to make their home there. With little in the way of law and order, personal rights or even the right to own a home or work at any job I want, what is the attraction? If you did a survey of how many Thai people want to emigrate to Canada versus how many Canadians wish to immigrate to Thailand, the answer would be obvious. The day my wife arrived here, she had the right to work at any job she wanted, she did not have to ever visit an immigration office, she could buy her own home and if there was ever in a car accident or had any problems, she would have just as much right to justice as a person born in Canada. So what exactly is the attraction from a work perspective in relocating to Thailand? To be a contributing member to society, an immigrant is 100 times further ahead coming to Canada as opposed to moving to Thailand yet so many readers complain how hard they have it in Thailand. Even Stickman has questioned his own reasons for staying and has said that you will never be considered Thai or truly be accepted no matter how long you live there.

The attraction of Thailand to me used to be about having sex with many available, beautiful girls. Now that I learned some Thai and married a Thai, the attraction of moving there is fading pretty fast. Having said that, we are planning to move to Thailand because I think it's only fair to show respect to my wife by allowing her to pursue her own goals after she’s helped me realize mine. I’m not happy about it but I’m also not so selfish as to think that only my needs are important and ignore what my wife wants. I can accept all the Thai crap with living there as I know how much my wife put up with in having to adjust to life here. If people could just think things through a little more clearly, there wouldn’t be so many problems between Westerners and Thai girls after marriage.