Thailand Expats Versus Expats Elsewhere

[WilliaminBKK]

There maybe some validity in what the OP is saying, lets face it Thailand has large numbers of foreign retiree's, hanger's on and wannbee's where as places like Singapore dont, the vast majority of expats in Singapore, HK etc are working there with reputable companies, therefore there would be a tendancy for there to be more undesirables in Thailand just based on numbers.

Based on my own observations of 10 years here and in comparision with other countries I have lived, worked in, Thailand does seem to have a lot more "damaged" , bitter, resentful, chip on their shoulder type expats floating around than I have seen on other places

You are obviously an expat who has experience of working in a number of regional locations. Your comments are well observed.

Many of my colleagues are based in HK, KL, Seoul, Tokyo, Sing, and Macao. The general consensus is that the man who has been transferred to BKK is the man who has drawn the short straw.

My contract is only for 6 months. After this, I'm back to Sing.

In my firm Manila is the shortest straw, most last 1 month and either quit or beg to come back to Tokyo/SIN/HK. The ones posted in BKK end up being in-house tour guides for the rest of the firm. You have to be very very careful suggesting things to do in BKK. I know one guy who ruined his career being posted in BKK and his big mouth.

That's interesting. What is it about Manila that's so bad? I've not been there, but I've heard terrible feedback.

I think I can understand the rest of your post. My wife and I have a Thai chauffeur. We are quite certain that he has been told where he can and can't take us. He won't take us to that market place PATPONG. We think it's because there are too many scams there.

From the moment you deplane in Manila you realise you pissed someone off hence the posting. Lack of decent food, pollution & crime are the main reasons my colleagues burn out. There is a very small working expat community and are usually rotated every 6 months. The Expats who live there tend to be from the US & live miles away from Manila for a good reason. I did my turn and almost kissed the ground arriving in Bangkok.

Edit - I want to add, having survived the experience I can easily handle most situations in Thailand. The experience in RP was like being in a war zone and now I look at most problems others complain about or I experience in Thailand is like two kids in a sandbox fighting.

Edited September 24, 2012 by WilliaminBKK

[Carioca]

There maybe some validity in what the OP is saying, lets face it Thailand has large numbers of foreign retiree's, hanger's on and wannbee's where as places like Singapore dont, the vast majority of expats in Singapore, HK etc are working there with reputable companies, therefore there would be a tendancy for there to be more undesirables in Thailand just based on numbers.

Based on my own observations of 10 years here and in comparision with other countries I have lived, worked in, Thailand does seem to have a lot more "damaged" , bitter, resentful, chip on their shoulder type expats floating around than I have seen on other places

And of course all of these expats from singapore and hk will end up in Thailand like other strugglring scums

sent from-would like to know

We have seen the enemy and he is us.

[tuky]

I have worked in Singapore several times, the money hasn't been as good as elsewhere but the accom is comparable.

Strangely enough, quite a few of the guys I worked with in Singas (Or South Korea, Russia, Azerbaijan etc etc) were married to Thai ladies and had their house in Thailand, just worked in Singapore. I wonder just how many of the upper class Singaporean expat the OP sees actually fall into the above catagory?

I have done my stints throught Asia and called Thailand home for 6 years. Now Batam is home for me (Even though I am not working there).

Now, Don't you think the Batam Expat is of a much higher class than the Thai expat?

[farang000999]

I wouldnt be a member of any club that would have me.

[topt]

You are obviously an expat who has experience of working in a number of regional locations. Your comments are well observed.

Many of my colleagues are based in HK, KL, Seoul, Tokyo, Sing, and Macao. The general consensus is that the man who has been transferred to BKK is the man who has drawn the short straw.

My contract is only for 6 months. After this, I'm back to Sing.

In my firm Manila is the shortest straw, most last 1 month and either quit or beg to come back to Tokyo/SIN/HK. The ones posted in BKK end up being in-house tour guides for the rest of the firm. You have to be very very careful suggesting things to do in BKK. I know one guy who ruined his career being posted in BKK and his big mouth.

That's interesting. What is it about Manila that's so bad? I've not been there, but I've heard terrible feedback.

I think I can understand the rest of your post. My wife and I have a Thai chauffeur. We are quite certain that he has been told where he can and can't take us. He won't take us to that market place PATPONG. We think it's because there are too many scams there.

From the moment you deplane in Manila you realise you pissed someone off hence the posting. Lack of decent food, pollution & crime are the main reasons my colleagues burn out. There is a very small working expat community and are usually rotated every 6 months. The Expats who live there tend to be from the US & live miles away from Manila for a good reason. I did my turn and almost kissed the ground arriving in Bangkok.

Edit - I want to add, having survived the experience I can easily handle most situations in Thailand. The experience in RP was like being in a war zone and now I look at most problems others complain about or I experience in Thailand is like two kids in a sandbox fighting.

This really surprises me. I was sent there in 97 and absolutely loved it. Lived in Manila CBD and I was last there at the end of 2000 - has it changed that much?

Agreed the standard food is, to say the least, a tad disappointing.....

Edited September 25, 2012 by topt

[billd766]

The OP is either blessed with accute powers of observation or cursed with a severe case of judgementall prejudice.

On the basis of the evidence pesented by expats in Thailand it is impossible to discern if the OP has been blessed or cursed.

From what I've seen so far, the expat community here in BBK is very different to those in Sing and KL.

A quick look inside the pubs/bars dotted along Sukhumwit crystalizes this assertion.

The crem de la crem is of course in Pattaya a must see for all new expats. A short taxi ride.

The social misfits are hidden up in villages and in the hills up north. These are the type of folk one needs to be very wary off.

Oh really.

Do you know any of us at all?

[yourauntbob]

the majority are chang drinkers, sexual perversion inflictors, scumbag situation and rip off focusers, dragging around cans of lard sweaters...

And the rest are a thoroughly bad lot

fantastic line! best TV post i have seen in a long time

[bkkjames]

The OP is either blessed with accute powers of observation or cursed with a severe case of judgementall prejudice.

On the basis of the evidence pesented by expats in Thailand it is impossible to discern if the OP has been blessed or cursed.

From what I've seen so far, the expat community here in BBK is very different to those in Sing and KL.

A quick look inside the pubs/bars dotted along Sukhumwit crystalizes this assertion.

its true, we dont all have jamie oliver haircuts like sg.

[Soutpeel]

Do you know any of us at all?

Yes, a really scarey bunch... they make the cast of deliverance, look like upwardly mobile gentlemen

[chuang]

.

Reasons: expats doings -- drugs; smuggling; online porn businesses; online gambling businesses; prostitution; and (sometimes) worse.

[chuang]

,

.

This really surprises me. I was sent there in 97 and absolutely loved it. Lived in Manila CBD and I was last there at the end of 2000 - has it changed that much?

Agreed the standard food is, to say the least, a tad disappointing.....

Best time was during the Marcos's era....especially Mabini, rows of go-go bars....Chinaown Qiapo where pretty models paraded in the nude right in from of you..

[CNF55]

,

.

This really surprises me. I was sent there in 97 and absolutely loved it. Lived in Manila CBD and I was last there at the end of 2000 - has it changed that much?

Agreed the standard food is, to say the least, a tad disappointing.....

Best time was during the Marcos's era....especially Mabini, rows of go-go bars....Chinaown Qiapo where pretty models paraded in the nude right in from of you..

+ 1

Visited Manila once or twice a year between 1982 - 1985 - absolutely loved it.

[bkkjames]

,

.

This really surprises me. I was sent there in 97 and absolutely loved it. Lived in Manila CBD and I was last there at the end of 2000 - has it changed that much?

Agreed the standard food is, to say the least, a tad disappointing.....

Best time was during the Marcos's era....especially Mabini, rows of go-go bars....Chinaown Qiapo where pretty models paraded in the nude right in from of you..

+ 1

Visited Manila once or twice a year between 1982 - 1985 - absolutely loved it.

best mate works in manila for 5 years now, still prefers TH.

[topt]

,

.

This really surprises me. I was sent there in 97 and absolutely loved it. Lived in Manila CBD and I was last there at the end of 2000 - has it changed that much?

Agreed the standard food is, to say the least, a tad disappointing.....

Best time was during the Marcos's era....especially Mabini, rows of go-go bars....Chinaown Qiapo where pretty models paraded in the nude right in from of you..

+ 1

Visited Manila once or twice a year between 1982 - 1985 - absolutely loved it.

best mate works in manila for 5 years now, still prefers TH.

Yes I can understand having a preference but it was the seeminly extreme aversion leading to only just being able to take 6 months of the Philippines that I was questioning - and I was there when kidnapping's were rife!

[benever]

Some of those "undesirables" in t-shirt and flip flops who work in "online gambling" (or porn) might make 50 times what you make, without having to worry about "ruining their career" by saying the wrong thing to their boss. Just saying.

[chiangmaikelly]

Some of those "undesirables" in t-shirt and flip flops who work in "online gambling" (or porn) might make 50 times what you make, without having to worry about "ruining their career" by saying the wrong thing to their boss. Just saying.

I knew a lady who made $5 a minute. That's a lot of cash and she didn't even wear a t-shirt or flip flops.

[Soutpeel]

Some of those "undesirables" in t-shirt and flip flops who work in "online gambling" (or porn) might make 50 times what you make, without having to worry about "ruining their career" by saying the wrong thing to their boss. Just saying.

Does it make them any less undesirable considering the fact they are involved in two industries which are illegal in thailand, therefore technically criminals in Thailand, one could rationalise the same arguement for farang drug dealers

[chiangmaikelly]

Some of those "undesirables" in t-shirt and flip flops who work in "online gambling" (or porn) might make 50 times what you make, without having to worry about "ruining their career" by saying the wrong thing to their boss. Just saying.

Does it make them any less undesirable considering the fact they are involved in two industries which are illegal in thailand, therefore technically criminals in Thailand, one could rationalise the same arguement for farang drug dealers

I don't think I agree with you but I really like the fact that you used the word Farang.

[Time Traveller]

This topic sounds like Uncle Tom syndrome, or is it Uncle Numnut syndrome? ..But don't worry I'm one of the good expats, not like those other expats we all like to look down on.

[omnilangur]

There maybe some validity in what the OP is saying, lets face it Thailand has large numbers of foreign retiree's, hanger's on and wannbee's where as places like Singapore dont, the vast majority of expats in Singapore, HK etc are working there with reputable companies, therefore there would be a tendancy for there to be more undesirables in Thailand just based on numbers.

Based on my own observations of 10 years here and in comparision with other countries I have lived, worked in, Thailand does seem to have a lot more "damaged" , bitter, resentful, chip on their shoulder type expats floating around than I have seen on other places

Don't forget the poor young teachers who make Thai ladies wash their polyester pants by hand!

I had the most reads on my topic than any other in the last 24 hours! thank you all! And a BIG thanks to my beautiful thai GF who washes ALL the clothes and dishes with her hands. I am quite the cook though! I also see a big number of negative, narcissistic expats who hate other westerners they hate the thai's and are only here because its cheap and the only place on earth they can find a woman to sleep with them for there pensions. Me I'm young and poor and have a sexy GF still working and not leaching off of me like many of your loved ones are here from TV>.

[omnilangur]

There maybe some validity in what the OP is saying, lets face it Thailand has large numbers of foreign retiree's, hanger's on and wannbee's where as places like Singapore dont, the vast majority of expats in Singapore, HK etc are working there with reputable companies, therefore there would be a tendancy for there to be more undesirables in Thailand just based on numbers.

Based on my own observations of 10 years here and in comparision with other countries I have lived, worked in, Thailand does seem to have a lot more "damaged" , bitter, resentful, chip on their shoulder type expats floating around than I have seen on other places

Don't forget the poor young teachers who make Thai ladies wash their polyester pants by hand!

I had the most reads on my topic than any other in the last 24 hours! thank you all! And a BIG thanks to my beautiful thai GF who washes ALL the clothes and dishes with her hands. I am quite the cook though! I also see a big number of negative, narcissistic expats who hate other westerners they hate the thai's and are only here because its cheap and the only place on earth they can find a woman to sleep with them for there pensions. Me I'm young and poor and have a sexy GF still working and not leaching off of me like many of your loved ones are here from TV>.

[meatballs]

There maybe some validity in what the OP is saying, lets face it Thailand has large numbers of foreign retiree's, hanger's on and wannbee's where as places like Singapore dont, the vast majority of expats in Singapore, HK etc are working there with reputable companies, therefore there would be a tendancy for there to be more undesirables in Thailand just based on numbers.

Based on my own observations of 10 years here and in comparision with other countries I have lived, worked in, Thailand does seem to have a lot more "damaged" , bitter, resentful, chip on their shoulder type expats floating around than I have seen on other places

Don't forget the poor young teachers who make Thai ladies wash their polyester pants by hand!

I had the most reads on my topic than any other in the last 24 hours! thank you all! And a BIG thanks to my beautiful thai GF who washes ALL the clothes and dishes with her hands. I am quite the cook though! I also see a big number of negative, narcissistic expats who hate other westerners they hate the thai's and are only here because its cheap and the only place on earth they can find a woman to sleep with them for there pensions. Me I'm young and poor and have a sexy GF still working and not leaching off of me like many of your loved ones are here from TV>.

No money no honey. Same everywhere. Doesn't matter how young or good looking you are. If you have no money you're not gonna have a woman. Fact of life like it or not.

If she is staying with you she probably thinks you'll buy her a house and car later on.

[bkkjames]

There maybe some validity in what the OP is saying, lets face it Thailand has large numbers of foreign retiree's, hanger's on and wannbee's where as places like Singapore dont, the vast majority of expats in Singapore, HK etc are working there with reputable companies, therefore there would be a tendancy for there to be more undesirables in Thailand just based on numbers.

Based on my own observations of 10 years here and in comparision with other countries I have lived, worked in, Thailand does seem to have a lot more "damaged" , bitter, resentful, chip on their shoulder type expats floating around than I have seen on other places

Don't forget the poor young teachers who make Thai ladies wash their polyester pants by hand!

I had the most reads on my topic than any other in the last 24 hours! thank you all! And a BIG thanks to my beautiful thai GF who washes ALL the clothes and dishes with her hands. I am quite the cook though! I also see a big number of negative, narcissistic expats who hate other westerners they hate the thai's and are only here because its cheap and the only place on earth they can find a woman to sleep with them for there pensions. Me I'm young and poor and have a sexy GF still working and not leaching off of me like many of your loved ones are here from TV>.

Regarding your last sentence, she told me while naked, that she does this out of pity for you. Your are right though, she is pretty sexy.

[Swiss1960]

There maybe some validity in what the OP is saying, lets face it Thailand has large numbers of foreign retiree's, hanger's on and wannbee's where as places like Singapore dont, the vast majority of expats in Singapore, HK etc are working there with reputable companies, therefore there would be a tendancy for there to be more undesirables in Thailand just based on numbers.

Based on my own observations of 10 years here and in comparision with other countries I have lived, worked in, Thailand does seem to have a lot more "damaged" , bitter, resentful, chip on their shoulder type expats floating around than I have seen on other places

Don't forget the poor young teachers who make Thai ladies wash their polyester pants by hand!

I had the most reads on my topic than any other in the last 24 hours! thank you all! And a BIG thanks to my beautiful thai GF who washes ALL the clothes and dishes with her hands. I am quite the cook though! I also see a big number of negative, narcissistic expats who hate other westerners they hate the thai's and are only here because its cheap and the only place on earth they can find a woman to sleep with them for there pensions. Me I'm young and poor and have a sexy GF still working and not leaching off of me like many of your loved ones are here from TV>.

OMG OMG OMG... now you make soooo many of us feel sooooo bad...

[lovelaos]

If the OP thinks expats living in Thailand are bad, he should meet some of the inbreds currently residing in Laos.

A large majority of them couldn't even hack it in Thailand so reverted to Laos, this really is the end of the line for expats.

[Tchooptip]

Dear DrWho, Even though your question is not stupid at all

Expecting decent answers from a gathering of scummy people.... is not brilliant

[chiangmaikelly]

There maybe some validity in what the OP is saying, lets face it Thailand has large numbers of foreign retiree's, hanger's on and wannbee's where as places like Singapore dont, the vast majority of expats in Singapore, HK etc are working there with reputable companies, therefore there would be a tendancy for there to be more undesirables in Thailand just based on numbers.

Based on my own observations of 10 years here and in comparision with other countries I have lived, worked in, Thailand does seem to have a lot more "damaged" , bitter, resentful, chip on their shoulder type expats floating around than I have seen on other places

Don't forget the poor young teachers who make Thai ladies wash their polyester pants by hand!

I had the most reads on my topic than any other in the last 24 hours! thank you all! And a BIG thanks to my beautiful thai GF who washes ALL the clothes and dishes with her hands. I am quite the cook though! I also see a big number of negative, narcissistic expats who hate other westerners they hate the thai's and are only here because its cheap and the only place on earth they can find a woman to sleep with them for there pensions. Me I'm young and poor and have a sexy GF still working and not leaching off of me like many of your loved ones are here from TV>.

You know we are all interested in you. We would all like someone to handwash our clothes. Maybe not Guesthouse but the rest of us I'm sure. Were you quite the stud back in Bulgaria? Did you really go out with Bulgarian women? How do they wash clothes? You know there is a lot we could learn from you. Why have you switched threads? This one is from an Indian ex pat guy who just got to Bangkok. Do you know him?

[kennedy]

My once a year trip to the embassy in BK is truly the worst day of the year for me.It's like traveling to another country thats only 70 km away.I wouldn't live there for all the tea money in Thailand.

I can see why it attracts the undesirables.Please keep them.

[Chicog]

Ask your Chauffeur to take you to Poseidon when on your own, I'm sure it will change your mind about BKK

Is Poseidon the one in that documentary "Whore's Glory"?

[DrWho]

Dear DrWho, Even though your question is not stupid at all

Expecting decent answers from a gathering of scummy people.... is not brilliant

The response made in post number 83 exemplifies your point admirably. The guy wrote:

Regarding your last sentence, she told me while naked, that she does this out of pity for you. Your are right though, she is pretty sexy.

But most people who've replied come across as very decent.