when do you stop being a tourist

[r1 pet]

can you ever be enything but a tourist here?
every morning my wife and myself walk arround a nearby lake,about a mile and half,
then just yeterday she said why dont i carry my camera anymore (its an slr type)
and i thought i dont want to be seen as a tourist walking through the village!!! huge shock have i become a snob?
but realy is that the best we can ever be here?, just tolerated tourists?
i should add that i dont live here permently at the moment, 2 months out of every year if that makes a difference,
so did you get up one morning and say i am not a tourist?

[kingwilly]

then just yeterday she said why dont i carry my camera anymore (its an slr type) and i thought i dont want to be seen as a tourist walking through the village!!! huge shock have i become a snob?

and a few more years later, you'll carry it again, because you wont care about being seen as a tourist or not.

[panama hat]

I would think that being seen as a tourist holds one in higher esteem in Thailand . . .

[Norton]

2 months out of every year if that makes a difference

It does. In essence you are a visitor/tourist in the eyes of the locals. When you are staying in the village all but two months a year no body will take notice of you, camera or not.

[Humbert]

The slappers much prefer the tourists. The old jaded ex-pats know all their tricks.

[Marmite the Dog]

can you ever be enything but a tourist here?

If you come here to work, you're not a tourist.

If you retire here you're not a tourist.

If you visit for 2 months a year, you are a tourist.

[Loy Toy]

I don't know and with regard to the OP's question but I might think never and in the locals eyes.

I have been here a long, long time and I still feel like I am holidays.

When I lose that feeling I might just f..........k off!

[r1 pet]

i think your one liners dont address the question marmite,
apart frrom mr loy toy who with his life at the moment(and long may it continue)
would find contentment even on the moon,
i will be here for ever soon will this feeling of never quiet fitting in go away?,
how do you see yourselves, not tourists of course but not thai aether,
dont get me wrong i love it here what ever, just a thought

[kingwilly]

i think your one liners dont address the question marmite,

I dont see why not,

answered it perfectly well, I would have thought.

[withnallstoke]

You're a tourist if you find katoeys are a bit freaky. You've been here a while when you start to think "I'd nail that". You're not a tourist when you do.
I,m a tourist.

[Norton]

i will be here for ever soon will this feeling of never quiet fitting in go away?

Depends more on you than the locals. Fitting in 100% is not likely but fitting in to the point of comfort can be achieved. Being able to communicate in the local language is probably the most important.

[r1 pet]

i can see that spouting a few issan words (thanks mr dd) is a god thing, keeps the locals in fits,ime to old now to get to grips with the lanquage proper,
as for katoeys dont have a problem there

[somtamslap]

You know your not a นะกลองทีเอา anymore when you can attempt to spell it in the local script..

[r1 pet]

better start carrying my camara again then, and get to grips with just being a tourist

[somtamslap]

better start carrying my camara again then, and get to grips with just being a tourist

It appears I do to

นักท่องเที่ยว

[JoGeAr]

^ Thank you for that. I was trying to read your first attempt. Na - glorng - ti - ow???

[Norton]

better start carrying my camara again then, and get to grips with just being a tourist

Carrying a camera does not a tourist make. The missus and I always have one handy. Never know what odd photo op might present itself in the village.

[Loy Toy]

apart frrom mr loy toy who with his life at the moment(and long may it continue) would find contentment even on the moon,

Been to the moon have you?

That must be the most unqualified obsurd statement I have read on this forum up until today (even if it was made in jest).

Sir you don't know me nor about my quality of life here and to make such a judgement!

Take it back or be flambed!

[Norton]

Take it back or be flambed!

Inspector Clouseau?

[r1 pet]

sir i meant you no disresect, if that statement offended you then i opologise,
but if you feel you have to flame me, whatever that means, then go ahead,

[somtamslap]

Na - glorng - ti - ow???

Preferred to read it as Nak Long Tiaw, myself - hell I might even have it phonetically wrong, i was sure it was ล่อง as oppose to ท่อง - back to the drawing board.

[Loy Toy]

^^ Don't be so serious!

Only tourists act so serious! A dead give away.

Inspector Clouseau?

[Rattanaburi]

It's better to be a tourist here despite what some may say.JMHO

[DJ Pat]

You've been here a while when you start to think "I'd nail that".

Yeah, I thought that and did just that, for a fee of course.

[hooter]

Pat have you taken up carpentry in the UK?

I dont have the foggiest what your on about.