Heading for disaster?

[khun_khon_neua]

Your post just as easily could have been titled â??have it made in the shadeâ? and go on about how you know 2 farangs that have an Issans lifestyle that sounds really great. They have a family that has shown to be extremely trustworthy that takes great care of them and with no money worries they can eat and do whatever they want. Instead you chose to portray it as â??heading for disasterâ?Â. As you have admitted yourself, it says more about you and your fears and values then 2 subject farangs.

[Tiger Moth]

Instead you chose to portray it as â??heading for disasterâ?Â. As you have admitted yourself, it says more about you and your fears and values then 2 subject farangs.

 

I think you are a bit inaccurate, harsh and unfair.

 

I posed a question (quote of my post in your sentence leaves out the question mark that is clearly in the topic heading). And, I was open to comments made in response to the question.

 

Not sure why you needed to inaccurately present what I had done and then to be inaccurately and inappropriately critical.

[Bangkoktraveler]

If it looks like the guy is going to become a disaster case, I would start distancing myself from him right now.

[shygye]

If you are living in Udon Nowhere, you can speak fluent Thai and still be lost. You will not understand the local dialect.

[khun_khon_neua]

I admit it probably came out a bit harsh, which is why I ended with bit of humor.

 

Nevertheless, I donâ??t think putting your question mark in the quotation would change what you were saying which is that someone in that position could be a heading for disaster, instead of saying you know a couple of guys that seem to have positioned themselves for a very comfortable retirement.

Cent probably said it much nicer, but my message was the same.

[Tiger Moth]

I don't live in Udon but I have been in areas where Thai is not the primary language. In my experience the younger people generally understand Thai but many of the older do not.

[Tiger Moth]

If it looks like the guy is going to become a disaster case, I would start distancing myself from him right now.

 

I am not close with either of the guys I mentioned that don't speak a word of Thai. Putting their relationships with their Thai wives aside, it seems really strange to me that one would live for years (in both cases) in a country and not try to learn a bit of the language.

 

There are half a dozen Thai guys in my area that I have brief conversations with every day. Makes me feel more "at home" and I expect it makes them more comfortable having a falang in the neighborhood. Similar to exchanging brief pleasantries that you might do with neighbors anywhere in the world.

[Tiger Moth]

Well, I was talking about Thailand a relationships with particular Thai women so, I really didn't make a more general point. That being, I would not put myself in a position where I had the level of dependance with anyone that these guys have with their Thai wives.

 

Cent did refer to having enough Thai ability to take care of normal everyday stuff (not his words exactly). That is all I am talking about in terms of Thai language skills. These guys can't do a thing on their own.

 

In the type of rough city environment I was brought up in, one learned to always be a bit cautious. Perhaps I am not as trusting as I should be. But, on the other hand, I don't live far from the place where the English guy was recently killed by his Thai wife and her boyfriend and of course, as was recently posted here, another English guy, a neighbor, packed it in and left his life savings behind, moving back to England, because he feared he was headed for the same ending.

[panadolsandwich]

I spent the last three months in Isaan. Learning to be understood in Isaan isn't easy. Once you've realised that everyone is speaking Laos for instance, instead of Thai you start getting a little bit disheartened. Even then it's not Laos - it's Isaan; and you'll find that being able to speak Laos wouldn't save you because the younger generation speak Thai, except with the Laos tones and (sometimes) idioms. Also if you actually do miraculously manage to speak the lingo, the first reaction of a street food seller for instance might be akin to a Soi Dog waltzing by and striking up a conversation with them, and asking how much would the Som Tam Isaan Pet Pet would be, if you please? They are literally shocked, and even if they understand you perfectly they'll probably pretend not to - and call you crazy!

 

So there is a steep learning curve and I've found people tend to go one of (say) three ways.

 

(1) There are the guys who have English speaking wifes or girlfriends, whom decide that it's not worth the trouble to learn the lingo; and after all they came here for the quiet, untroubled life - and retire into their cosy bubble. These guys are confident that they don't need Thai to chat up BG's. Some are smart enough as Cent suggests to set up a little trust for themselves and family and keep their real wealth locked up tight, safe, unknown about, and abroad. Some aren't smart, and we all know about these ones.

 

(2) Some go all out on a mission and learn the lingo - seriously studying ten hours a day; some can even recite the vocabulary of the Thai Buddhist dhamma, but these are few. These guys tend to be serious scholars and not particularly interested in the nightlife.

 

(3) Then there are the guys whom are still open to learning, recognise it's going to be a long haul, and keep their ears pricked and their mind open. Perhaps spending 10 or 15 minutes a few days a week on learning the lingo; more if they are motivated. These guys are partly motivated by the 'Sanuk' side of nightlife.

 

Ok I know it's a huge generalisation, but it's a start from which to discuss people's motivation for learning the language.

 

I found myself largely in number (3) category, while perhaps one day moving up into number (1) category.

 

I can speak intermediately. I was surprised how many converstations I had last trip where they were all in Isaan, no English at all. I agree with you Tiger, it can be great fun, and curiously insightful to speak a bit.

 

One little example was this little shop in the next village were I used to buy Heineken (a real luxury in this part of Isaan). The shop lady took a real interest in teaching me Thai, and a bit of the slang as well. Sometimes I would stay and chat a bit. One time there was this group of older Thai ladies hanging around and one said to her friend how white I was and how she wished her skin and hair was so white. I remembered a bit of slang and immediately told her I wished that I was as sexy and as expressive as she was. I suppose the story doesn't sound that funny now, but it was hilarious at the time. They were still laughing about it weeks later.

 

However, I did find it tiresome after a while. I started eating more farang food - even bought one of those electric ovens just to make pizza and cake. Even though I could order what I wanted in Thai - I found myself more and more just letting the girlfriend do it. Even though in Australia I am self sufficient at home - in Thailand I don't know how to wash a dish, or iron a shirt. It's just easier to let the girls do it - and it seems to make them happy too; so we both win.

 

As far as the 250,000 baht condo present to the daughter? Sounds like quid pro quo to me. Most people living in that bubble like situation wouldn't blink at that type of expenditure I would imagine. It's the price of the bubble - and is probably worth it. YMMV.

 

 

[Old Hippie]

My long term goal in life is to retire in Thailand, and have a fish/prawn farm, so in addition to learning about that, I would need to speak the language to a decent degree.