Bangkok

On Sun, 27 Nov 2005 19:05:38 +0800, Chris Blunt
wrote:


Something I do like about Khao San Road is that its one of the few
places that have both ordinary Thais and foreigners mixing and
enjoying themselves. There are a couple of live music bars there which
during weekends are probably about 90% Thai and the rest foreigners.
The area certainly used to be little more than a backpackers ghetto,
but anyone who thinks its still like that is quite out of date.

I certainly agree with you here.


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On 27 Nov 2005 05:40:13 -0800, "Tchiowa" wrote:


The only Thai you'll see on Khao San Road are those who are "on the
game".

I think this Tchiowa character has run low on his Prozac prescription,
or else he is an absolute racist to make a comment like the above.
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On 27 Nov 2005 21:17:22 -0800, "Tchiowa" wrote:

Chris Blunt wrote:
Tchiowa wrote:
Chris Blunt wrote:

Something I do like about Khao San Road is that its one of the few
places that have both ordinary Thais and foreigners mixing and
enjoying themselves.

You can't be serious, Chris.

I'm absolutely serious.

I hope you're not getting into the
backpacker "you have to live poor to see the *real* Thailand" mantra.

You mean you wish I had.

No, I mean exactly what I said. I hope you're not trying to say that.
It's a pathetic attitude and it's beneath most people.

I said absolutely nothing about needing to be poor to see the *real*
Thailand. You know that, now quit trying to suggest I did.

I mix with and have a good time with ordinary Thai every day and never
get near Khao San Road. I mix with Thai in my apartment complex, at
work, in restaurants near my home, in my wife's village up north,
everywhere.

Of course you can do that. You can mix with Thai people in most places
all around Thailand.

Then why did you say that it is "one of the few places"?

It was said in the context of entertainment venues, as would have been
obvious from the sentence that followed had you not snipped it out.

Now you're
saying "most places". I agree with that.

What I'm saying is that in Bangkok there is
generally a polarisation of entertainment venues. Foreigners tend to
go to certain places and Thai people go to others and there's not that
much mixing of the two groups. What I liked about some of the places
in Khao San Road was the "melting pot" atmosphere where everyone
enjoyed themselves together.

But the melting pot atmosphere is a very deliberate fraud. The only pot
involved is the pot that a huge percentage of the farang are smoking.

How can it be any kind of fraud? At weekends there are literally
hundreds of perfectly normal Thai people in some of the bars in KSR.
They go there to listen to live bands and have a few drinks with
friends just like ordinary people do anywhere. They are neither
drug-takers nor prostitutes as you seem so keen to portray them as.


You don't have to hang out with unemployed drug addicts
travelling the world on their parents money in order to associate with
"real Thai".

The only Thai you'll see on Khao San Road are those who are "on the
game". Normal, average, ordinary Thai despise the place. The Thai that
go there know that a high percentage of the farang in Khao San Road are
drug or alcohol abusers and usually young, new to Thailand and
incredibly naive. Suckers waiting to be taken.

Total bull****, and what an insult to Thai people, the overwhelming
majority of whom are not "on the game". For example, just take a look
inside Susie Pub in Khao San Road on any Friday or Saturday evening
and see the dozens of quite ordinary Thai couples enjoying themselves
there.

And that is a total insult and a rather dishonest reply. I was very
clear that the normal, average, ordinary Thai weren't who I was talking
about. I was talking about the very tiny percentage of Thai who go near
Khao San Road. For you to say that that comment insults "Thai people,
the overwhelming majority of which are not 'on the game' implies that I
was saying that they were. And they're not and my statement was quite
clear.

Yes, your statement was clear. You said, QUOTE The only Thai you'll
see on Khao San Road are those who are "on the game" UNQUOTE.

That is a disgusting insult to the majority of Thai people who are not
prostitutes and simply go there to enjoy themselves at weekends. You
are just following the perception that many westerners have about most
Thais being prostitutes. You admit you haven't been to Khao San Road
for several years now, so how can you speak with any authority on what
goes on there these days?

"Nefarious" wrote in message
...
I think this Tchiowa character has run low on his Prozac prescription,
or else he is an absolute racist to make a comment like the above.


***** Yup...............That about sums him up.

He's been at it for years, just do a Google and you'll see what I mean.

"Chris Blunt" wrote in message
...
You admit you haven't been to Khao San Road
for several years now, so how can you speak with any authority on what
goes on there these days?

******The same authority with which he always speaks of Thailand. From his 5
star hotel room, the taxi to and from the Airport and frequently from some
sleezy a GoGo where he sneaks off to when his wife isn't looking.

It should be blindingly obvious that Tchiowa knows ABSOLUTELY NOTHING of the
real Thailand.


;-)

Chris Blunt wrote:
On 27 Nov 2005 21:17:22 -0800, "Tchiowa" wrote:

Chris Blunt wrote:
Tchiowa wrote:
Chris Blunt wrote:

Something I do like about Khao San Road is that its one of the few
places that have both ordinary Thais and foreigners mixing and
enjoying themselves.

You can't be serious, Chris.

I'm absolutely serious.

I hope you're not getting into the
backpacker "you have to live poor to see the *real* Thailand" mantra.

You mean you wish I had.

No, I mean exactly what I said. I hope you're not trying to say that.
It's a pathetic attitude and it's beneath most people.

I said absolutely nothing about needing to be poor to see the *real*
Thailand. You know that, now quit trying to suggest I did.

You said, and I quote: " its one of the few places that have both
ordinary Thais and foreigners mixing and enjoying themselves". By doing
so you are saying that a) those are ordinary Thais, and b) either Thais
don't associate with foreigners elsewhere or those that do aren't
ordinary Thais.

The fact is, as you have acknowledged (and I left the comment in just
so you don't forget), "you can mix with Thai people in most places all
around Thailand". Now, if you take those 2 sentences you are saying
that you can socialize with Thai people anywhere in Thailand but in
most cases they aren't "ordinary Thai". Except, of course, in Khao San
Road.

Khao San Road's primary drawing card is that it is cheap. It is for
those people who can't afford a more conventional place. It is loaded
with $2 and $3 per night guest houses.

So what you said was that unless you go to the poor part of Bangkok the
Thai you associate with won't be "ordinary Thai".

Now there is a good possibility that you just misstated something. I
was hoping that was the case. And that is what I said to you.

Is there any part of this you'd care to change or is that, in fact,
what you were implying?

didn't want to snip this

Of course you can do that. You can mix with Thai people in most places
all around Thailand.

Then why did you say that it is "one of the few places"?

It was said in the context of entertainment venues, as would have been
obvious from the sentence that followed had you not snipped it out.

No it wasn't. It was said in the context of Khao San Road which is
largely a tourist spot full of guesthouses and bars. It's a lot more
than just an entertainment place.

What I'm saying is that in Bangkok there is
generally a polarisation of entertainment venues. Foreigners tend to
go to certain places and Thai people go to others and there's not that
much mixing of the two groups. What I liked about some of the places
in Khao San Road was the "melting pot" atmosphere where everyone
enjoyed themselves together.

But the melting pot atmosphere is a very deliberate fraud. The only pot
involved is the pot that a huge percentage of the farang are smoking.

How can it be any kind of fraud? At weekends there are literally
hundreds of perfectly normal Thai people in some of the bars in KSR.

No there aren't. And that's the point. There are hundreds of Thai, yes.
But it is an insult to the vast majority of Thai who think that Khao
San Road is a sewer to claim that they have anything in common with
most of the Thai that frequent Khao San Road.

They go there to listen to live bands and have a few drinks with
friends just like ordinary people do anywhere. They are neither
drug-takers nor prostitutes as you seem so keen to portray them as.

I didn't say they were drug takers. It is the farang who are taking the
drugs. The Thai that are there are either supplying it or scamming the
stoners.

And that is a total insult and a rather dishonest reply. I was very
clear that the normal, average, ordinary Thai weren't who I was talking
about. I was talking about the very tiny percentage of Thai who go near
Khao San Road. For you to say that that comment insults "Thai people,
the overwhelming majority of which are not 'on the game' implies that I
was saying that they were. And they're not and my statement was quite
clear.

Yes, your statement was clear. You said, QUOTE The only Thai you'll
see on Khao San Road are those who are "on the game" UNQUOTE.

That's right. And it's true.

That is a disgusting insult to the majority of Thai people who are not
prostitutes and simply go there to enjoy themselves at weekends.

Except that is simply not the case.

You
are just following the perception that many westerners have about most
Thais being prostitutes. You admit you haven't been to Khao San Road
for several years now, so how can you speak with any authority on what
goes on there these days?

It hasn't changed. I live in Bangkok. I have dozens of Thai friends and
they all hold the same opinion of Khao San Road. Yes, ordinary Thai,
who would be insulted to see that you are saying that they are pretty
much the same as the Thai who hang out there. The local papers still
report on the drug sweeps, drug busts, fights, etc. that go on there.
Who do you think you're kidding?

Let me ask one question. If you answer it honestly then the argument is
settled.

Is it or is it not true that Khao San Road is "the place to go" for
foreigners to score drugs?

We both know that it is. And why does this settle the argument?

Think about this for a bit. Some people like to do drugs. That doesn't
necessarily make them bad (but it's certainly a hint). Some people like
to have a few drinks. Again, doesn't necessarily make them bad. But
what would you say about someone who goes to Saudi Arabia and finds a
place to have a few drinks? Given the laws and penalties for doing
that, either the person has a serious problem (i.e. addiction) or he's
just plain a moron. No one in his right mind would take that kind of
chance in Saudi Arabia.

Now change that to drugs and Thailand. Given the severity of the
penalties for getting caught with drugs in Thailand then anyone who
goes to Thailand as a tourist and takes drugs has a serious problem.
Either with drugs or with common sense. Or both. (They seem to go
hand-in-hand.)

So why would anyone want to go to Khao San Road to associate with
farangs who have serious drug problems or to associate with the locals
who are supplying them?

If you choose to do so, be my guest. But don't get on a forum like this
and start pretending that a place like Khao San Road is someone an
idyllic paradise of diversity and enlightened social interaction. It's
a cesspool loaded with drunks, addicts, scammers. And it's a great
disservice to people reading these forums who might be considering a
trip to Thailand.

"Tchiowa" kirjoitti
glegroups.com...

How can it be any kind of fraud? At weekends there are literally
hundreds of perfectly normal Thai people in some of the bars in KSR.

No there aren't. And that's the point. There are hundreds of Thai, yes.
But it is an insult to the vast majority of Thai who think that Khao
San Road is a sewer to claim that they have anything in common with
most of the Thai that frequent Khao San Road.

You possibly don't know the opinion of the majority. Actually I am inclined
to believe such an opinion does NOT exists. Why should Thais be concerned on
the street at all. You better pick up those marbles which sprung out from
your head. You should stay in s.c.thai. Your friends are there.

Markku Grönroos wrote:
"Tchiowa" kirjoitti
glegroups.com...

How can it be any kind of fraud? At weekends there are literally
hundreds of perfectly normal Thai people in some of the bars in KSR.

No there aren't. And that's the point. There are hundreds of Thai, yes.
But it is an insult to the vast majority of Thai who think that Khao
San Road is a sewer to claim that they have anything in common with
most of the Thai that frequent Khao San Road.

You possibly don't know the opinion of the majority. Actually I am inclined
to believe such an opinion does NOT exists.

Which demonstrates how little you know about it. If you spend much time
in a place (like Thailand, like you don't) and your respect the people
and their beliefs (rather than thinking you're superior to them, like
you do) you can learn quite a bit about the people and their general
beliefs. Just like you can say that the majority of Americans don't
like racists (like you are) you can also say that the majority of Thai
don't like drugged out stoners. And the company they keep.

Why should Thais be concerned on the street at all.

Because Thai people care about their country.

You better pick up those marbles which sprung out from
your head. You should stay in s.c.thai. Your friends are there.

And you'd better stick to the Jew-haters you hang out with. You are the
one who openly boasted about being a racist and used a series of racist
terms to describe Jews, as I recall. So you'd should stick in
alt.no-class.brownshirts where your friends are. Leave Thailand to the
decent folk.

In article .com,
says...

Khao San Road's primary drawing card is that it is cheap. It is for
those people who can't afford a more conventional place. It is loaded
with $2 and $3 per night guest houses.

So what you said was that unless you go to the poor part of Bangkok the
Thai you associate with won't be "ordinary Thai".


Cheapness is not the key selling point of KSR. It's full of travel
agencies, restaurants catering to westerners, hotels, internet cafes,
fellow travellers etc. It's an ideal base for organising trips, getting
visas, exchanging ideas with other travellers. Plus it's centrally
located, in walking distance of the Grand Palace and other attractions

How can it be any kind of fraud? At weekends there are literally
hundreds of perfectly normal Thai people in some of the bars in KSR.

No there aren't.

And how would you know if you haven't been there for years ?

snip

Is it or is it not true that Khao San Road is "the place to go" for
foreigners to score drugs?

I have never seen anybody selling drugs in KSR, nor have I been offered
drugs in KSR. But I've been offered drugs, even heavy ones in Europe
(Amsterdam, just to make an example). I guess Europe must be a cesspool?
Or perhaps KSR is not as drug-infested as you like to think ?

By the way, not all foreigners are on drugs and prostitutes.

snip

So why would anyone want to go to Khao San Road to associate with
farangs who have serious drug problems or to associate with the locals
who are supplying them?

Maybe you are the one who has a problem.
--

Alfred Molon
http://www.molon.de - 6500 photos of Asia, Africa and Europe

In article .com,
says...

And you'd better stick to the Jew-haters you hang out with. You are the
one who openly boasted about being a racist and used a series of racist
terms to describe Jews, as I recall. So you'd should stick in
alt.no-class.brownshirts where your friends are. Leave Thailand to the
decent folk.

You really have a problem.
--

Alfred Molon
http://www.molon.de - 6500 photos of Asia, Africa and Europe