Quote:
Originally Posted by AceCR9
no, I dislike anywhere in Thailand there are alot of tourists. Not only are most super ignorant and annoying, but the thai people who work in tourist areas do not act the same as thai people elsewhere imo.
And I would rather look down in disgust on sex tourists than be like many of them and look down on Thai people.
Agree with this. I came to Thailand with a Thai family living in US that were all going back to visit family in Isaan fell in love with it here and moved here. Pretty naive but it wasn't until well later I even realized Thailand was a tourist destination or there was a known sex industry here (very naive to all that).
Now I live here married with children (my wife worked doing electronics for 10,000 baht per month - never in a bar), pay my taxes here, have car, license etc. this is home. Anyways.. for a while I was going to Phuket, Chiang Mai, and Bangkok for holidays just because that's where people go and the flights are easy. After finally visiting non tourist places I was like wow, this is like home in terms of attitude, pricing etc, just nicer with beaches, history or w/e.
I find Thailand an amazing and fascinating country with such rich history. I also know school kids picked on because mother is a prostitute (it's not as social acceptable in all circles like everyone assumes it is - though I've seen that side too). Anyways not really the point of the post though. There is so much neat history, things to do, great food, cool people etc. I think most miss so much there is to experience here really due to marketing and tourist traps. The attitude is insanely different in tourist cities than non. Seriously, before getting married it was kinda neat talking to chicks who couldn't speak English and were super afraid of farangs or fathers who said no. Great experience I'm glad I had for just a little a while.
Anyways love this country in so many ways, dislike some things - but true of anywhere right? Just figured I'd chime in agreeing that the tourist area attitude is insanely different. And also to make a point: 19 out of 20 Isaan woman have no interest in prostitution, though probably 6 out of 10 think marrying a farang is a good plan for wealth - which some consider similar, but still leaves 40% that wouldn't even so much as consider. While probably true that's the highest concentration in the sex industry is Isaan natives, it gives a false impression that this is like a hooker breeding ground. A lot of men go off to work doing construction, woman in factories and things just like, and some not finding a job end up in that, some get recruited by friends, some are tricked, and some just want wealth and look forward to it. It's a bad rap though, honest working Isaan chicks are like the coolest chicks of any country I ever met. The honest are also great at managing money, don't stress much, more or less the complete opposite of the west.