Midweek rant: The Right to Rant – it’s not bashing Thailand to criticize

[JLCrab]

To the post above, there are basically 2 kinds of debates: One where, if you are able to convince the other party of the soundness and rationale of your 'good ideas', they are in a position to do something about them, and one where, after you convince someone of the soundness of your good ideas, they say "Thal'll be 59 baht for the beer."

[overherebc]

Scouse guy I know in one of the local bars always argues on the lines of Eh eh eh eh angonamo eh eh eh eh!!!!!!

[NanLaew]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

One thing I really hate. ...

 

...is posts that take one-line per sentence, ranting or otherwise.

 

3 hours ago, lamyai3 said:

Indeed, nothing more tedious than to hear the line "if you don't like it here, go home"... usually uttered by the sort of person who would have made a great traffic warden back in their own country. 

Spoken like the atypical "I was only a couple of minutes on the double yellow line" person "back in their own country."

 

3 hours ago, vadid said:

The ways Thais react to the merest criticism of their country shows an underlying deep lack of confidence in the nation. 

Another example of the frustration wrought when trying to force non-Thai paradigms on Thailand.

 

3 hours ago, JLCrab said:

I do not care PASSIONATELY about Thailand. Makes life living here a bit easier.

As always (and like myself), an eminently sensible approach. I wasn't much good as a boy scout either.

 

1 hour ago, Raymonddiaz said:

I am amused to see how foreigners like to be called " Farang or alien ?" . We are called Farang to remind us that we don't belong here and we should shut up or go home...

Oh dear, another 'the 'f' word is the Thai equivalent of our 'n' word' advocate.

 

1 hour ago, Raymonddiaz said:

I always tell my thai friends that I was born in a country with freedom of speech and free to say what you think.

I bet they're impressed by their pet farang ,eh?

 

1 hour ago, impulse said:

It's different than the moral code where I come from, but there's a very strong moral code in LOS.  Not necessarily better.  Not necessarily worse.  But different.  

 

Problem is that many foreigners think that the codes their Moms taught them are universal truths.  They're not.

Agreed. Look out the window and reconfirm where you are before you post. And if your mum's basement bedsit in Nuneaton doesn't have a window, well there you are.

[oldhippy]

I very much like rants that contain humour.

Actually, they are not rants.

They are self defence strategies: rant and next go on with your life.

 

[ubonjoe]

A comment on moderation has been removed along with a off topic post and a reply to it.

[cumgranosalus]

The saddest of them all are the "if-you-don't-like-it-go-home" "you-are-a-guest" brigade.

 

They reveal to the rest  how vacuous their thinking is with this cliche'd non-argument. It is the tool of  those who simply don't understand that it is neither argument nor reasoned opinion..

 

These people love to use words like "rant" and "troll" especially when they have a gut feeling they don't agree, feel uncomfortable with the message or just don't like something.

Bereft of an argument - they resort to ad hominem attacks, and catch phrases like the above as if that justifies the dislike they are otherwise incapable of articulating.

It is very sad too that many people on Thaivisa don't seem to be able to tell the difference between a reasoned opinion and mere gainsaying , stereotyping or ad hominem attacks.

THey say everyone is entitled to their own opinion but so many times what people post simply isn't an opinion....it's just a rant?

[toddsaed]

this is one of the most reasonable posts, and all but one comment reasonable showing thought

the counterpoint, that Western view points are not all relevant was well taken too, something to think about

thanks

 

[gummy]

5 hours ago, lamyai3 said:

Indeed, nothing more tedious than to hear the line "if you don't like it here, go home"... usually uttered by the sort of person who would have made a great traffic warden back in their own country. 

Or maybe are members of the Tourist Police here in Thailand.

[mikiea]

5 hours ago, lamyai3 said:

Indeed, nothing more tedious than to hear the line "if you don't like it here, go home"... usually uttered by the sort of person who would have made a great traffic warden back in their own country. 

or a hall monitor in grade school , a stoolie .

[Happyman58]

Ok i got one Our village in ubonratchathani has not had water for  3 days Not one Thai has complained yet. Why That is how easy they accept

[marko kok prong]

A rant?  It's hardly Hitler in the Bunker stuff is it.

[cumgranosalus]

8 minutes ago, Happyman58 said:

Ok i got one Our village in ubonratchathani has not had water for  3 days Not one Thai has complained yet. Why That is how easy they accept

how do you know?

 

[David Walden]

I just love Thailand

 

This a rant and rave I've been going on about for 6 years with no effect on the Thai Tourism Industry. This post and my previous posts are to bring attention to the inconsistencies for people seeking 60 day +30 day Thai Tourist Visas....like sending application forms, to the Thai Consul in Perth Australia, including your passport, extra passport photos less then 6 months old, photocopies of your personal information page of your pass port, being precise about you arrival date in Thailand and departure date (E-ticket copy required) a confirmed printout of a hotel booking, a current copy (no more then 3 days old) of a bank statement showing you have Aus $800 in an account (Aus $8,000 for a multi entry tourist visa). All his mostly takes a week and in my case when they changed some rules  a few times back it took 18 days (they had my passport for 18 days).  If you want to extend your visa in Thailand for the additional 30 days you will spend the best part of the day doing this all over again at a  immigration office.  Oh! I forgot  $45 application fee in Aus, Bt 1900 + a day stuffing around for the 30 day extension in Thailand.  In Malaysia and many other countries  this whole procedure takes about  one (1) minute only and it's free, you just arrive and it all happens.  You get a 90 tourist visa without even asking and they are all 90 day tourist visas.

 

The amusing part about all this is when your Tourist visa is granted it states that you can arrive on any day you like during the next 90 days. The arrival date is optional so the E-ticket and hotel booking is irrelevant but Australian Consuls will not issue the visa unless you are precise about your arrival date and flight.  Thousand of inexperience tourists apply for these everyday with never ending confusion......When will they ever learn, when will they ever learn...TIT

 

Further to my above I think it is just common sense.  The tourist Industry is suffering due to in action by Thai Immigration.

[SamT]

Good article. I absolutely agree with the right to criticise, but in some of the online expat forums there are some people who are just not happy with anything about Thailand. 

 

Some posters see it as their role as "superior" westerners to exercise their God given right to criticise all aspects of Thai people, culture and society and apparently can't see any good points about Thailand. In that respect, I think it's completely fair to question why they are still living in Thailand If they apparently hate it so much. If their home country is so much better then surely that's the place for them? 

 

I'm from NZ, and yes there are some things about Thai society that are frustrating but the pros far outweigh the cons so I generally look on the brightside. Some ex pats don't seem to see the brightside and just want to complain or make snide comments about Thais  (despite still being happy to be in relationships with them). This is half the reason I don't bother with many of the online forums, as they are generally negative, snide and sarcastic. 

[tryasimight]

Many times though you seem the same old posters knocking Thailand and the Thai people in every thread every time they post.

They're not ranting - they are seriously obsessed and not in a good way. Perhaps suffering from undiagnosed depression?

[StraightTalk]

2 hours ago, Raymonddiaz said:

I am amused to see how foreigners like to be called " Farang or alien ?" . We are called Farang to remind us that we don't belong here and we should shut up or go home......

I always tell my thai friends that I was born in a country with freedom of speech and free to say what you think. Background is important to know to understand someone's mind. There's no moral in Thai culture me think.....

You know very little about Thailand, their cultural values and terminologies!

[Happyman58]

15 minutes ago, cumgranosalus said:

how do you know?

 

Ok  How i know is because we still dont have water Sound like a good reason

[retarius]

When in Rome.....

Exercise your right to rant and you may get assaulted or worse. It's a cultural thing where bullying and losing your temper are childish. It's your choice but don;t complain if your rant doesn't help the situation.

[David Walden]

19 minutes ago, SouthernDelight said:

You know very little about Thailand, their cultural values and terminologies!

I believe just about all Thais like or love tourists.  It's only bureaucracy that is a problem, they are the only problem.

 

[oldhippy]

24 minutes ago, SamT said:

Good article. I absolutely agree with the right to criticise, but in some of the online expat forums there are some people who are just not happy with anything about Thailand. 

 

Some posters see it as their role as "superior" westerners to exercise their God given right to criticise all aspects of Thai people, culture and society and apparently can't see any good points about Thailand. In that respect, I think it's completely fair to question why they are still living in Thailand If they apparently hate it so much. If their home country is so much better then surely that's the place for them? 

 

I'm from NZ, and yes there are some things about Thai society that are frustrating but the pros far outweigh the cons so I generally look on the brightside. Some ex pats don't seem to see the brightside and just want to complain or make snide comments about Thais  (despite still being happy to be in relationships with them). This is half the reason I don't bother with many of the online forums, as they are generally negative, snide and sarcastic. 

When a government official asks me for a bribe, I comment.

When 100 other government officials do not extort me, I do not comment.

Does that make me a ranter, a whiner, a negativist?

 

PS. Carefull with your answer, do not tempt me.

I just might start posting everytime that an official does not extort me, everytime the sun shines, everytime I am not charged a double price, to prove I am such a positivo.

 

[oldhippy]

6 minutes ago, retarius said:

When in Rome.....

Exercise your right to rant and you may get assaulted or worse. It's a cultural thing where bullying and losing your temper are childish. It's your choice but don;t complain if your rant doesn't help the situation.

Who says the purpose of a rant is to help the situation?

 

[StraightTalk]

Talks, rhetorics, rants (call it what you want) in public fora might generate responses which may or may not please the OP;  Communication is a multi-way road.

[StraightTalk]

18 minutes ago, retarius said:

When in Rome.....

Exercise your right to rant and you may get assaulted or worse. It's a cultural thing where bullying and losing your temper are childish. It's your choice but don;t complain if your rant doesn't help the situation.

+1

Well observed!

[Zyxel]

Thais are taught not to criticize from a very young age. Even suggesting something to the boss is seen as criticizing. Asking a question to the teacher means his/her teaching is bad. Criticizing your father is taboo what ever how bad he is. In an English/Thai dictionary I bought years ago a special comment was added for the word "criticize".

 

 

[oldhippy]

6 minutes ago, Zyxel said:

Thais are taught not to criticize from a very young age. Even suggesting something to the boss is seen as criticizing. Asking a question to the teacher means his/her teaching is bad. Criticizing your father is taboo what ever how bad he is. In an English/Thai dictionary I bought years ago a special comment was added for the word "criticize".

 

 

And yet Thailand has red and yellow shirts, and not much in between / above.

Weird.

[maxcorrigan]

3 hours ago, YetAnother said:

agreed; 'liking it here' and addressing select issues are very different things; thailand is a 3rd world country; those of us that come from advanced countries have perspectives and references that point out the many failings here;

so often the 'dont like it leave' is an attempt by the person saying it to conclude a conversation; after those people are at their logical end

Yes something like US saying "Get Over It" meaning end of conversation!

[StraightTalk]

6 minutes ago, Zyxel said:

Thais are taught not to criticize from a very young age. Even suggesting something to the boss is seen as criticizing. Asking a question to the teacher means his/her teaching is bad. Criticizing your father is taboo what ever how bad he is. In an English/Thai dictionary I bought years ago a special comment was added for the word "criticize".

 

 

+1

Excellent pick; This shouldn't be too challenging to comprehend!

[spidermike007]

Nearly every time I see someone complaining, or observing a shortfall within Thailand, some lame guy, who has not taken the time to think things through, nor to devote any focus or effort to a reasonable reply, says something like "Perhaps Thailand is not for you", or maybe you should leave, or the top prize, "if you do not like it here, go back to your own country". Hard to even respond to such inane statements. Why? Because I have some issues with the place? Sorry to inform you, but the nature of a discerning mind, is to have issues. Though absolute contentment must be a beautiful state of mind, it is not something most of us are blessed with, in case you have not noticed. The fact that I complain, does not mean I do not love Thailand, nor most of it's people. I do. I love my life here. I have a very good life here. But, I do have some complaints, and there are some things I would love to see improved. I should leave because of that? Please.

[holy cow cm]

6 hours ago, Thian said:

Mate if you don't like it here you know where Swampy is now don't you?

 

I hate that line...

Over 4000 posts in 3.5 years??? Seems like the only thing you like in Thailand (if you live here) is sitting in your chair. Ever heard of living a real life in Thailand other than behind 4 walls and voicing a one way opinion? Why are you truly here? Very curious!

[xylophone]

13 minutes ago, Zyxel said:

Asking a question to the teacher means his/her teaching is bad

Ahh and this is the source of many comments on other forums..........basically accepting what you are told whether it is right or wrong, never questioning!!

 

Some have suggested that this is a way of keeping the poor and "lower classes" in a state of ignorance and subservience thereby maintaining the power of the elite and upper classes.........just saying!