Thread: Holier than thou Thaiophiles - The irony.

We all know Thais have different traits to us western bred foreigners. We view and process the world with our brain and they use their hearts (jai). We aim to be logical, efficient and adhere to common sense. They aim to keep harmony, avoid anything uncomfortable or confrontational, and just follow the senior person without thinking.

I feel that cultural and rote learning are the 2 main factors in our ‘different’ ways of acting and thinking.

But point out how illogical and inefficient the locals seem to us, or how little common sense (as we know it) they use and what do you get – holier than thou Thaiophiles calling you all kinds of names and claiming all matter of things about you – that you need to feel superior to people, need to insult people you feel are lesser than you, that you must surround yourself with Thai-gutter society etc etc ad nauseam.

The real irony being that while conveniently avoiding the matter, they need to try and look down on the realists who simply point out the differences between the two peoples via insults.

Weird huh.

Originally Posted by Chairman Mao

they need to try and look down on the realists who simply point out the differences between the two peoples via insults.

Both may be realists.

Two different perspectives...why do you assume yours is right? Or why the Thai perspective is wrong.

And just what facts or anything else did you point out...all you did was offer a topic..didn't provide any examples...pretty pathethic thread start to me.

Originally Posted by Chairman Mao

We aim to be logical, efficient and adhere to common sense.

Where is the logic, efficency and common sense in constantly moaning, bitching, and berating an entire nation on an anonymous internet forum?

Have you ever solved one single problem here that has made it easier for yourself? Have you ever even offered one single constructive criticism?

"Thaiophile" is simply a meaningless name given to those that choose to be proactive by those that can't so fruitlessly vent their frustrations.

Why is Smeg using two nicks? Is it so he'll finally have somebody to agree with him?

Originally Posted by CSFFan

Two different perspectives...why do you assume yours is right? Or why the Thai perspective is wrong.

What he said...

And just what facts or anything else did you point out...all you did was offer a topic..didn't provide any examples...pretty pathethic thread start to me.

... and it goes double for that. Shite thread, you're just trolling.

holier than thou Thaiophiles calling you all kinds of names

To call a group of people a name and then complain that this group also calls you names is a bit stupid.

claiming all matter of things about you

For example, you are a Thai basher, or Thaiophile.

And to finish off your complaint with the bit about thaiophiles claiming that Thai bashers need to feel a sense of superiority, you complete your badly thought out argument with...

they need to try and look down on the realists

....which means they need to feel a sense of superiority.

Every complaint you have made about this group you are guilty of in your own post.

Originally Posted by AntRobertson

"Thaiophile" is simply a meaningless name given to those that choose to be proactive by those that can't so fruitlessly vent their frustrations.

Who made you the expert on what a thaiophile is?

Actually, that does have a nice "ring"

Chairman Smeg TD's authority on everything related to farangs and the Thai culture and the expert on TEFL'ing in Thailand.

"off to sign that nic up now for my next troll..."

How one can group over 65 million people into one pigeon hole and the rest of us farang into another is macabre. Generalization and at its worst example.

Hearts and and heads?. I think every human being uses both and to come to their final decision no matter their ethnic background.

Not the type of post I want to read before my dinner.

Originally Posted by AntRobertson

Where is the logic, efficency and common sense in constantly moaning, bitching, and berating an entire nation

Discussing, Ant. Not bitching or berating. With a bit of moaning from time to time, the same way people all over the world moan when someone's ineffeciency causes them unneeded grief.

Have you ever solved one single problem here that has made it easier for yourself?

Of course.

Have you ever even offered one single constructive criticism?

To Thais? Of course - unfortunately they have been conditioned through cultural learning to view ALL criticism as something close to a personal attack.

To people on TD? Why would I? There's no Thais that I know of on here.

"Thaiophile" is simply a meaningless name given... by those that can't so fruitlessly vent their frustrations.

....and there we go. The insults.

Give a tag or name to the group of people who for some reason cannot accept that Thais and farangs have different ways of viewing and processing the world around us (see OP), and they need to insult and try to belittle those who accept that we have.

Mao -- Bail out your megahorn nic, the Chinese are complaining.

Originally Posted by CSFFan

Two different perspectives...why do you assume yours is right? Or why the Thai perspective is wrong.

Why does one have to be right and one have to be wrong, where do I assume that?

Both are different and offer the best way of dealing with a given situation as their culture says they should.

Us with logic etc.
Thais with keeping harmony etc.

Originally Posted by Smeg

Originally Posted by AntRobertson

"Thaiophile" is simply a meaningless name given to those that choose to be proactive by those that can't so fruitlessly vent their frustrations.

Who made you the expert on what a thaiophile is?

Who said I was?

Originally Posted by Chairman Mao

Discussing, Ant. Not bitching or berating. With a bit of moaning from time to time, the same way people all over the world moan when someone's ineffeciency causes them unneeded grief.

Could've fooled me. Thread after thread of the same: 'Thais are stupid' guff.

....and there we go. The insults.

Give a tag or name to the group of people who for some reason cannot accept that Thais and farangs have different ways of viewing and processing the world around us (see OP), and they need to insult and try to belittle those who accept that we have.

There was no insult, stop being so precious. The only irony in this thread is that for all your talk of differences you're not prepared to accept others. If you feel that others are looking down on you perhaps you should stop for a minute and consider what it is you're doing; looking down on an entire country that you're in by choice.

Originally Posted by Chairman Mao

Why does one have to be right and one have to be wrong, where do I assume that?

So whats your issue with how they think then?

We view and process the world with our brain and they use their hearts (jai).

Incomplete (but common) definition of jai. In many cases, it means mind rather than heart. Strictly speaking, heart is hua jai and mind is jit jai.

Originally Posted by Smeg

A Thaiophile is a westerner whose life has been consumed by Thailand or Thai people for the forseeable future. In that respect, it is similar to alcoholism. The Thaiophile may be aware of his/her addiction, but enjoys it and is thus unable or unwilling to do much about it, and does not like to think about returning to his previous state of mind.

For him/her, day to day events in Thailand have become more important than those in his/her homeland, and Thai society & culture may be viewed as superior. The Thaiophile is keen to be accepted in Thailand and will make a thorough long-term effort to adapt to and please his/her hosts.

Living in Thailand offers geographical/cultural escapism in the same way that alcohol does chemically. It can also be seen as trading down or escaping the rat-race, exchanging the pace and demands of the developed world those of the devoloping world, in the same way that alcohol can lower stress.

Thaiophiles on forums purposely read threads that they know will contain criticism of Thailand or Thai people and then set out to flame and belittle the critic, because they cannot tolerate seeing what they love so dearly being attacked, and cannot tolerate that those who attack are free to follow their own personal reasons for doing so.

That doesn't apply to a single person I know.

^ Denial is another trait

I've added a bit to the last paragraph after thinking about you

Originally Posted by Smeg

^ Denial is another trait

I've added a bit to the last paragraph after thinking about you

Interesting, so in fact a "Thaiophile" is merely anyone that disagrees with your opinion.

Now that's ironic!

Originally Posted by Frankenstein

We view and process the world with our brain and they use their hearts (jai).

Incomplete (but common) definition of jai. In many cases, it means mind rather than heart. Strictly speaking, heart is hua jai and mind is jit jai.

True, khao Jai (enter mind - understand) etc. But I'd (and most too - I'm sure plenty will disagree here as they couldn't possibly bring themselves to agree with me) consider jai as the 'core' or 'centre' or 'their true being' or the metaphorical heart of their being (as person who wishes well).

Originally Posted by melvbot

So whats your issue with how they think then?

Where is there an issue about that in the OP. The OP is about the people who insult and belittle those who point out the obvious to all differences.

Originally Posted by Chairman Mao

The OP is about the people who insult and belittle those who point out the obvious to all differences.

Then the OP is disingenuous.

So Smeg is the prototypical anti "Thaiophile" ? When do people that spend so much time ranting about things in Thailand stop becoming interesting to listen to or just become boring in their never ending campaign.

Thanks Smeg and Chairman Dickforbrains! Thinks ain't perfect here. People are different here. People do things we find stupid. Foreigners do things that people that have lived here for generations find stupid.

Something NEW you want to add? For fucks sake!