Farang friends in Korat

[mcmurphy]

Maybe you would attract more people by being more friendly.... and I agree, it's not the quantity, but the quality.

There's no better "friendliness" than honesty!

I hope it's not just me who prefers open and truthful approaches between people. But slimy and backstabbing farangs trying to make money pretending to be helpful friends are the ones I don't care for.

First when I came to Korat I was happy about seeing other foreigners, hoping to escape the feeling of being foreign in Thailand. Thought I was lucky to meet people I could trust and get good advice from. People who already have experiences here. Oh, I got contacts to farangs in Korat very fast. Almost everyone seems to be friendly when you meet him in person.

They told me at which shops I'd get the best deal - till I found out that not these shops were the best for me but for them alone - by giving them a high commission from the purchases of that new and stupid customer they could sell overpriced junk to!

They came often to visit my house - never bringing a bottle of drink, some fruits or so. My wife was disgusted by them. Looked at them as lower than trash Thais. She kept warning me of them. But really, what does a thai factory girl know about westerners, I thought then. :wink:

They told me a lot about themselves - till they asked me to lend money to them. Found out later why they never showed up again, probably forgot the name they'd given me and their life stories they'd told me. :wink:

Well, I'm glad to be rid of them (not of my money of course)! From time to time I see a guy posting on one of these tell-a-lot forums telling stories I heard before. I just wish the guys listening or reading to be wiser than I was.

I like reading forums! Though hardly anybody let's you know by his name who he really is. But just that idea to be completely anonymous gets people to show their "real" faces. You find out very fast, which people to stay away from. And when you meet them in a restaurant it doesn't take long to find out who the friendly guy is, no matter what he called himself then.

"Alex"

[roger rabbit]

Just be aware of the fact that there are a lot of expats here of all nationalities who can neither make it back home for one reason or another nor relocate elsewhere. We're not all just wealthy pensioners with garanteed income, besides that income being still too little for some to live the life they have in mind. And like at every "outpost of civilisation" there is also a high percentage of "misfits".

[KoratCat]

Well, I'm glad to be rid of them (not of my money of course)! From time to time I see a guy posting on one of these tell-a-lot forums telling stories I heard before. I just wish the guys listening or reading to be wiser than I was.

I like reading forums! Though hardly anybody let's you know by his name who he really is. But just that idea to be completely anonymous gets people to show their "real" faces. You find out very fast, which people to stay away from. And when you meet them in a restaurant it doesn't take long to find out who the friendly guy is, no matter what he called himself then.

"Alex"

Sounds like you spotted one of your debtors-in-disguise. Good luck catching him! Is "Alex" active on this board

[Isaan Rollie]

Not a special feature of farangs in Korat in general. There are some black sheep everywhere.

[Naam Jai (?2008)]

Adding my support to mcmurphy's thread "Farang Friends in Korat",he must recognise that there are some not very nice people.Extending ones hand in friendship,offering to get involved for the benefit of the community and recognising how easy it is to hurt peoples feelings,I repeat to those in Korat, even though they might not recognise themselves here, that before they say anything,consider if it is kind, true or necessary and if not please don't say it.

[issanrebel]

Don't know what people like to complain about all the time. For one they say "We need more facilities that serve foreigners' interests in Korat!", but when somebody is trying to set one up and run it professionally they complain about the costs. It's your own choice to use a professional service and pay for it or be a cheapskate and let a "friend" take care of your needs. Your own fault if you pay multiple then.

And there we're at the point: all the web forums around should be used to the benefit of people seeking information about where to get the best deals. Just be aware that not everybody who's posting advice does really serve your personal needs. Look at different sources and find out for yourself what is best for you and who to trust. Also be aware that not only there are people who are not very nice. There are also people who do arrange their lives very differently from yours. Their interests might not coincide with yours. The expat society is not less jungle than any other society, it is probably even more jungle with the "survival of the fittest" because it consists of very many different nationalities and people from different life situations.

Don't clamp on your "mates" too much!

[Damian]

Maybe you would attract more people by being more friendly.... and I agree, it's not the quantity, but the quality.

There's no better "friendliness" than honesty!

Honesty is just one part. The magic word is R-E-S-P-E-C-T

At another place on Korat's internet some people got to the point that some from the establishment who had been newcomers themselves not so long ago have bullfights with "newcomers". If they'd show as much respect to others as they were demanding then there weren't any problems at all. Bullying does only occur where respect is demanded. So the ones who demand respect should try to remember how much respect they paid to others.

It's just history repeating itself.

[Naam Jai (?2008)]

Do bullies demand respect or subservience and do those being bullied not show respect, but contempt? There are those "in another place" who may believe they are more equal than others, but others who know they are just ignorant, probably in the not learned sense. Being ignorant, those who do understand, know they have to compensate for their inadequacies. It has been diaganosed as a classic case of delusional grandeur. Of course what is necessary is for these people to recognise their problem and get help by talking openly about it. It should make them much better people and enable them to welcome new friends. So if you are one of the people who wants to keep Korat to a select few your wearing the cap that fits.

[Herb (?2009)]

Do bullies demand respect or subservience and do those being bullied not show respect, but contempt? There are those "in another place" who may believe they are more equal than others, but others who know they are just ignorant, probably in the not learned sense. Being ignorant, those who do understand, know they have to compensate for their inadequacies. It has been diaganosed as a classic case of delusional grandeur. Of course what is necessary is for these people to recognise their problem and get help by talking openly about it. It should make them much better people and enable them to welcome new friends. So if you are one of the people who wants to keep Korat to a select few your wearing the cap that fits.

Open and direct! It is a pity you cannot say that at the "place of occurrence". Their tolerance for openness and truth does not go that far!

[Harry]

Good word that fits

It is our responsibilities, not ourselves, that we should take seriously.
- Peter Ustinov

[Naam Jai (?2008)]

Herb
Those who want to leave the "other place" or House of Lords? could come to Korat-info. A domino effect possibly?

Harry
I have a great admiration for Peter U but don't we want people to take themselves more seriously and perhaps then they will be more responsible?

[Herb (?2009)]

Perhaps inconvenient or estranging to scroll over the german part first, if you cannot read german.

[KoratCat]

Perhaps inconvenient or estranging to scroll over the german part first, if you cannot read german.

Hi Herb,

D is before E in the alfabet; so having the german section on top is just natural. But anybody who wants to see the english section only can do so by using the address http://en.korat-info.com instead of http://www.korat-info.com. That fully opens the english section only. One even gets a list with the last 99 active topics in the english section beneath that. That is quite convenient to keep the overview of the topics recently posted to.



KoratCat

[KoratCat]

Ehm, I don't want to get too personal and direct on this; but I recently noticed an escalation in the behaviour of farangs (mark: not on this forum! We got this under control) in the way we mean in german by this: "If you don't want to be my friend, I'll knock off your head!" ("Willst Du mein Freund nicht sein, schlag ich dir den Schädel ein!"). Some people escalate their maligning and slandering, when they they didn't succeed in using somebody or that person's or group's facility for their own personal advantage: they try to force that person or group by becoming what the Thais call "ki gong" (false) not stopping short of becoming "khon gohok" (liars), trying to make that person loose its face. Or they try to take revenge for their unsuccessful attempt. Please don't let anybody use you or your "facility" for their fight by other people and third parties. The one who'll loose most by that is you, though you're really not involved at all.

We have to live in peace here in Korat. Since we are not just "streamlined" expats or farangs but still nationals of various countries speaking different native tongues and having different national identities this isn't easy but we should not let us get "used" for the personal fighting of someone who makes himself appear as "turncoat".

Happy New Year!



Klaus

[Isaan Rollie]

Ain't it a cruel world? Nobody loves me but my mother!