Be careful out there

[gobbledonk]

1. If I understand ANYTHING about Buddhism (and its possible that I dont), its that they take the whole karma thing seriously - how else would you explain the low incidence of street crime in Bangkok vs Manila/Jakarta ? Most Thais seem to genuinely believe that what goes around will eventually come around.

 

2. I dont understand the laughter thing either, but some claim that Asians will laugh when they dont know how to react - personally, I think thats being paternalistic and absolving them a little too quickly. Sadly, you may well find kiddies pointing and laughing at similar scenes here in Oz, and those little fuckers have no such excuse. I would gleefully garotte most of the Western Suburbs of Sydney given half a chance, so I guess I'm no better.

 

3. Big cities breed callous people - happy to hear otherwise - and the Thais bottle so much emotion up from birth. Mob scenes can and do happen in many parts of the world, and I'm sure that many of the individuals involved couldnt give you a rational explanation for their actions 10 minutes after it happened.

[limbo]

Although I've heard of all and witnessed some behaviour personally of the things mentioned by the OP, I also have a hard time believing something like this happening on a busy road in BKK and than not be able to find any reference about in a newspaper. The unhurt partner would probably make a stink out of it, even if it's back home in a local paper.

[buffalo_bill]

 

I'm as cynical as anyone about the "good naturedness" of the Thais and as aware as anyone of the low value with which many Thais hold human life--especially if that life happens to be farang.

 

 

 

Sir ,

 

over the years I have read virtually any literature that is available about the Tsunami desaster , Thai relatet . You would be very very surprised how many heartbreaking examples of Thais caring for falangs you find there . Truth be told , a big share of the falang tourists are human garbage . I understand them .

 

Respectfully

[doxx]

over the years I have read virtually any literature that is available about the Tsunami desaster , Thai relatet . You would be very very surprised how many heartbreaking examples of Thais caring for falangs you find there . Truth be told , a big share of the falang tourists are human garbage . I understand them .

 

Respectfully

 

Respectfully, you sound like a first time visitor to the kingdom. Do you also think that when service staff smile at you, they are sincerely friendly? I have a long post up my sleeve but I rather you live and learn yourself.

 

I'm not in any way saying Thai people are bad, to me they are just as bad or just as good at other people but there are differences to be acknowledge both in cultural and religious based perceptions and in the level of economic development they are living in (not wanting to say most of them live in a survival mode subsistence society)

[zeitgeist]

Why do people who disagree immediately go the 'you sound like a first time visitor to the kingdom' route?

Just because someone has a differing point of view doesn't mean they've been to/in Thailand less time.

 

Although, I whole-heartedly agree with your statement 'to me they are just as bad or just as good at other people'.

[doxx]

1. If I understand ANYTHING about Buddhism (and its possible that I dont), its that they take the whole karma thing seriously - how else would you explain the low incidence of street crime in Bangkok vs Manila/Jakarta ? Most Thais seem to genuinely believe that what goes around will eventually come around.

 

Agreed. At the same I'm sure you would agree that Karma and other Buddhist concepts allows Thais some great freedom in application: you can for example do a bad thing (sell your body for money) in order for a greater good (provide for your family). This also ties closely to an important point you missed: reincarnation! You do a few shitty things in this life for a few larger good things (above example) and then in next life your life is better and no more fucking for money (or having to kill and rob some farang woman). What's more, the ultimate result of believing in reincarnation is that life never ends (until nirvana?) as opposed to western culture wherein life is not only short but if you die you die and you go burn in hell. This means less value is put on human life or to be fair: less value is put on anyone reincarnation. Not a big deal then if you drive too fast with the minivan without a seat belt with 20 passengers. No big deal then if somebody dies or if you kill someone. All of you will have another chance. And life goes on.

 

2. I dont understand the laughter thing either, but some claim that Asians will laugh when they dont know how to react - personally, I think thats being paternalistic and absolving them a little too quickly. Sadly, you may well find kiddies pointing and laughing at similar scenes here in Oz, and those little fuckers have no such excuse. I would gleefully garotte most of the Western Suburbs of Sydney given half a chance, so I guess I'm no better.

 

Agreed. Farang land can be very cruel too. Also, smiling is strangely often a reaction in a fearful situation too or in any situation of lacking security and confidence. I give them that. Although in my example, I have no doubt the bar-girls enjoyed the show.

 

3. Big cities breed callous people - happy to hear otherwise - and the Thais bottle so much emotion up from birth. Mob scenes can and do happen in many parts of the world, and I'm sure that many of the individuals involved couldnt give you a rational explanation for their actions 10 minutes after it happened.

 

Indeed, indeed. There we have it. And this is universal.

 

[limbo]

 

I'm as cynical as anyone about the "good naturedness" of the Thais and as aware as anyone of the low value with which many Thais hold human life--especially if that life happens to be farang.

 

 

 

Sir ' date='

 

over the years I have read virtually any literature that is available about the Tsunami desaster , Thai relatet . You would be very very surprised how many heartbreaking examples of Thais caring for falangs you find there . Truth be told , a big share of the falang tourists are human garbage . I understand them .

 

Respectfully[/quote']

 

Very true Bill but on the same token, inbetween the two waves, there was a lot of ransacking and burglary going on, probably intensified after the 2nd wave.

 

This is most likely a universal human treat rather than a typical Thai one.

 

[buffalo_bill]

 

Do you also think that when service staff smile at you, they are sincerely friendly?

 

Yes , I do also believe that a decent blowjob proves true love .

 

I do not fully understand what you want to tell me .

[doxx]

Why do people who disagree immediately go the 'you sound like a first time visitor to the kingdom' route?

Just because someone has a differing point of view doesn't mean they've been to/in Thailand less time.

 

Although, I whole-heartedly agree with your statement 'to me they are just as bad or just as good at other people'.

 

I apologise. I had a really shitty day and its making me less tolerant than useful. My truth is not everybody else's truth. I do recognize that.

 

[dave32]

So many people are commenting about what the OP did or didn't do but I wonder how many of you would have helped.

 

Especially with the warning here on the forum not to get involved...

 

Interesting thing happened when I was in Berlin. Two friends of mine got orders to first Gulf War. Though they talked brash -- I could tell they were in a state of high anxiety.

 

We went out drinking hard the day they filled out their last will and testament/legal stuff, a few weeks prior to shipping out. Several bars later it was early morning and they left to go to a brothel and we split ways -- I was eager to get home to my warm bed and girlfriend (it was December). I had driven earlier in the evening but was now way too drunk to drive. There was another American there with a Corvette who offered me a ride. This guy was a fucking dipshit, always trying to be cool and 'one of the guys,' and I didn't like him -- but took the offer as I had little cash left and didn't want to stumble around the ubahn and buses.

 

Anyway, while I could gauge my own level of intoxication -- I didn't realize that he was pretty lit up too. He nodded off and crashed into a concrete post, I smashed his windshield with my face causing it to crack like a spiderweb.

 

He told me "You're OK" and gave me money for a cab, then he was gone. Left his car there, worried about trouble with the Polizei.

 

My mind was fuzzy. I had a Detroit Tigers baseball cap that I was trying to find in the snow -- it shot off in the accident. An old German man driving by slowed, then turned around and came back. He got out of his car and told me to sit down. I tried to get up to find my hat but he was adamant, told me to wait, then ran over to an apartment complex behind us. Came back and sat with me. An ambulance pulled up.

 

Went to a German hospital and had several blood transfusions. Eyelid half ripped off, lip ripped down the center (still bear both scars, though eyelid not visible), nose broken and twisted to the side. But the worst was the damage internal in the nasal cavity which was bleeding and causing me to vomit blood. Went into surgery where they straightened the nose and cauterized the internal wound. Lots of stitches around the face. 10 days in observation after before they let me go. I don't know if they were exaggerating, but the docs told me death wasn't far off had I lost much more blood.

 

Never knew who the German man was. He didn't give his name. I would pay a lot of money to find out and tell him: "Thank you."

 

It was also a firsthand experience with European healthcare, which turned out to be not too bad. But that's for a different thread.

 

As for the asshole that left me there, I was ambivalent -- hardly knew him and didn't want to. But my two friends, one crazy from Samoa, one crazy Iowa farm kidj -- took a crowbar and baseball bat to his car AFTER he got it repaired. The guy just hid.

 

And that was that.