Just how poor is Surin ?

I would hardly call my description of my village Utopian. And the stalker is not even from my village.

It would be fair to say, as I have several times before, that the old hierarchic structure of the village has broken down. Villages in this part of the world used to be isolated units, with the abbot, if there is a temple, and the puyaibaan at the top, then the fathers of families, and so on down to the children. In general, the younger people obeyed the elders. (We have a large and quite important temple, a centre of the Khmer people)

Now this has gone. The rapid spread of communications of all kinds (TV, mobiles, motorbikes etc) and accessibility of the outer world (what you don't know about, you don't want) has changed all villages for the future.

I can fully understand the progression from this to the anarchy of Surin's village, and I think we, and probably Nick and Colin's villages, are somewhere between the two. We had our share of young layabouts (aided and abetted by their mothers), but the three I knew best seem to have settled down somewhat, and the current situation is better than it was.

I'm not all that optimistic, but so far, so good.
 
My wife's village is no different to the one that Surin described. Most of the older men are drunken bums, although on occasions they can do a job of work. Many of the older women are no better. If anyone has any cash to splash you can have a party at any time of the day or night (and I hate drinking before the sun goes down). They beg, steal or borrow to fuel their drunken habit. Many/most are alcoholics too. Once they have had their fill of Lao Kao they sleep it off where they fall. And that is by 10:00 in the morning - yuk!

I have virtually stopped going to the village nowadays, not because I am getting older, but because the drunkenness seems to be more apparent. As soon as they know there is a 'Farang' in the village they seem to creep out of the woodwork and come and ask for a drink. And, when I do not buy them a drink I am called tight-fisted (kee now), and that is to my face too. The village is 35 kilometers ENE from Surin.
 
nomad97 said:
My wife's village is no different to the one that Surin described. Most of the older men are drunken bums, although on occasions they can do a job of work. Many of the older women are no better. If anyone has any cash to splash you can have a party at any time of the day or night (and I hate drinking before the sun goes down). They beg, steal or borrow to fuel their drunken habit. Many/most are alcoholics too. Once they have had their fill of Lao Kao they sleep it off where they fall. And that is by 10:00 in the morning - yuk!

I have virtually stopped going to the village nowadays, not because I am getting older, but because the drunkenness seems to be more apparent. As soon as they know there is a 'Farang' in the village they seem to creep out of the woodwork and come and ask for a drink. And, when I do not buy them a drink I am called tight-fisted (kee now), and that is to my face too. The village is 35 kilometers ENE from Surin.
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I avoid all Thai events where I know I am going to be the only Farang.

I seem to be a magnet for drunks who want to come and practice their English - which invariably consists of one word "You"..... occasionally expanded to "You, you".

For those that preach Thainess and integration be careful what you wish upon yourselves.
 
CO-CO said:
I avoid all Thai events where I know I am going to be the only Farang.

I seem to be a magnet for drunks who want to come and practice their English - which invariably consists of one word "You"..... occasionally expanded to "You, you".

For those that preach Thainess and integration be careful what you wish upon yourselves.
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A magnet for drunks as well as khatoeys then, Co-Co.:smile:
 
Nick and Co-co, you may know the khatoeys by the company they keep. They never went after me (this would be in Chiangmai; I don't go to Pattaya).
 
CO-CO said:
I avoid all Thai events where I know I am going to be the only Farang.

I seem to be a magnet for drunks who want to come and practice their English - which invariably consists of one word "You"..... occasionally expanded to "You, you".

For those that preach Thainess and integration be careful what you wish upon yourselves.
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Having lived most my life in remote North Australia, I have developed a system over time that works with the aborigines. It was always cordial if approached, never initiate contact first and keep an air of aloofness. If you ever broke these rules they would be camping on your lawn and in your house. They really are not much different to the locals here. Feret knows what I am talking about. I very rarely have locals try to "Humbug" me, that is what it is called in remote Australia. I think I have it over them as well as I understand the language. I have had locals shout out to outsiders shut the f**k up he understands.

On a side note my best freind that died in Khon Kaen some years ago. His idea was to make all the villagers think he was quite mad. Was not too hard really as he had a stroke and his language center was scrambled, he used to speak Laos, Thai and English all at the same time.
 
Humbugging.

I still get humbugged here from time to time for smokes or grog which, on Groote is a big no no.
I know a few phrases in the local lingo, Annindilliagwa, and some pigin.
The few times the Thai derro's have put the bite on me, I revert to the little black fella phrases that I know and, it seems to confuse the shit out of them.
If that doesn't work, a polite " f**k off you idiot " does the trick.
 
I often respond in rapid Australian, French or German. If that fails I suggest they see Lek as she will understand.

(One of the good things about this forum . . . . . . it gives me confidence to find that I am not the only person in Thailand that cops this sort of cr@p. The Forum is supposed to offer mutual support and it does exactly that - usually).
 
Rice said:
Having lived most my life in remote North Australia, I have developed a system over time that works with the aborigines. It was always cordial if approached, never initiate contact first and keep an air of aloofness. If you ever broke these rules they would be camping on your lawn and in your house. They really are not much different to the locals here. Feret knows what I am talking about. I very rarely have locals try to "Humbug" me, that is what it is called in remote Australia. I think I have it over them as well as I understand the language. I have had locals shout out to outsiders shut the f**k up he understands.

On a side note my best freind that died in Khon Kaen some years ago. His idea was to make all the villagers think he was quite mad. Was not too hard really as he had a stroke and his language center was scrambled, he used to speak Laos, Thai and English all at the same time.
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My Grandmother was half caste Pitjinjinjarra, a Point Pierce native and would also make the same comments you have made Rice. She was very aloof and gave me a real insight in to equal opportunity and fairness. I grew up on the edge of the Nullabor Plain during the 50's and 60's as my Father was a Police Officer specialising in remoteness with a complete understanding of Aboriginal traditions and respect.
I cannot respect the Thais however as I feel it is all a fake and anarchy is here to stay. Nothing will change for the better and they will not be educated out of the mindset known as 'Thainess'.
 
Thainess.

You can take the girl out of Thailand but, you cannot take Thailand out of the girl.
My beautiful wife has been living in Oz for almost 9 years and, she adores the life style and culture.
Her day to day life is exactly Australian and, funnily enough, questions the lunacy that crops up in Thailand on a daily basis.
Unfortunately, give her a week back in Thailand her Thainess kicks in.
Even our daughters ask, " Dad, why is mum acting different "?.
It usually takes about 2 weeks back in Oz before she is " Normal ".
 
FERET said:
You can take the girl out of Thailand but, you cannot take Thailand out of the girl.
My beautiful wife has been living in Oz for almost 9 years and, she adores the life style and culture.
Her day to day life is exactly Australian and, funnily enough, questions the lunacy that crops up in Thailand on a daily basis.
Unfortunately, give her a week back in Thailand her Thainess kicks in.
Even our daughters ask, " Dad, why is mum acting different "?.
It usually takes about 2 weeks back in Oz before she is " Normal ".
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Good report Feret - I have to ask .... which one is "normal"? :smile:
 
CO-CO said:
Good report Feret - I have to ask .... which one is "normal"? :smile:
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Have to ask myself that question when we return to sunny Hobart next week. Sometimes, I am not sure where I want to be, either! As for the Gorgeous Lek, Feret's OP fits fairly well, except that we live mostly in Disneyland (oops, Thailand) so our thinking is probably in reverse.
 
CO-CO said:
Good report Feret - I have to ask .... which one is "normal"? :smile:
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Sorry to say that part will never change.. My wife spent 40 years in the US, and is a US citizen.. She was totally Americanized but it only took about 2 months back here in Thailand for the Thainess to kick back in.. After more then a year she's back in the mold that I remember when I met her, over 40 years ago.. The change is remarkable..
 
FERET said:
You can take the girl out of Thailand but, you cannot take Thailand out of the girl.
My beautiful wife has been living in Oz for almost 9 years and, she adores the life style and culture.
Her day to day life is exactly Australian and, funnily enough, questions the lunacy that crops up in Thailand on a daily basis.
Unfortunately, give her a week back in Thailand her Thainess kicks in.
Even our daughters ask, " Dad, why is mum acting different "?.
It usually takes about 2 weeks back in Oz before she is " Normal ".
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The first statement is absolute fact.. Been with my wife for over 40 years and that statement rings true today just as it did 40 years ago although you do have a nice, polite, diplomatic way of saying it.. As an old GI we used to say it another way..
Thanks Feret..
 
Why would you want to take the Thainess out of the girl (or boy, in my case)?

If you wanted a 100% American, or Oz, girl, surely you would have married one?

The difference can be maddening at times, but by and large it's part of the fun.
 
isanbirder said:
Why would you want to take the Thainess out of the girl (or boy, in my case)?

If you wanted a 100% American, or Oz, girl, surely you would have married one?

The difference can be maddening at times, but by and large it's part of the fun.
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"FUN" shrug1 Hair_Out1You must think pulling your on teeth is fun?//flagT.I.C.
 
Voodoo said:
The first statement is absolute fact.. Been with my wife for over 40 years and that statement rings true today just as it did 40 years ago although you do have a nice, polite, diplomatic way of saying it.. As an old GI we used to say it another way..
Thanks Feret..
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