One of the favorite activities that expat barflies love to do is complain. In fact, one of the favorite activities that most any expat living in Thailand likes to do is complain. Some are loud and obnoxious about it, some (like me, I hope) are more subtle and kind, but it’s important to know that at its heart, all of this complaining is borne out of a love for Thailand. Most conversations begin with, “Why don’t they do it this way…” which is not a critical attack; more often than not its an attempt to offer alternatives. But what bugs me to no end is the worst, most lazy retort imaginable: You just don’t understand Thailand. I don’t hate many things in life, but I really hate that.
Let’s face it – no country is perfect, and not every complaint someone makes is valid; sometimes they’re just being a douche. But a lot of times, complaining about something in Thailand is valid. The first thing that comes to mind is the endemic corruption here – from the fruit vendor to the highest levels of the judiciary, everyone wants a little extra on the side. It’s a problem that’s preventing Thai society (any society) from achieving its true potential. But complain about it too loudly and you’ll likely hear: “You just don’t understand Thailand.”
It can be carried into other areas too: terrible customer service; stepping in front of the door of an elevator before it opens; blatant discrimination; too many plastic bags at 7-11; respect that’s bought instead of earned; the fact that Mount Everest has 3G phone service and Bangkok does not… I could go on. And at the end of it all: You just don’t understand Thailand.
“Another goddamn plastic bag from 7-11…”
I hate this statement. It’s an indicator of a stunted mind that operates too slowly to invent a coherent, sensible retort, akin to telling a child, “Because God wanted it that way, go to sleep,” when they ask “Why?”
A recent press release by the Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce of Thailand summed it up about as perfectly as one could hope when it said, in part:
There is nothing so different about Thailand which makes universal global experience inapplicable here.
Thailand is not the first country to have corruption; or ignorance; or racism; or pollution; or nepotism; or government incompetence. But most countries that have experienced these negative things have done something to stop them or at least reduce them.
This little kid is actually doing a pretty decent impression of what it’s like applying for a work permit.
And that’s where many of these complaints are coming from. Not from a desire to complain just for the sake of complaining, but to suggest alternatives that have worked successfully elsewhere. It’s from love, people. We just wants the bestest for our adopted home.
My wife's favourite justification for her outlandish superstitions and rules is "every Thai person thinks like that!". Us farangs must have missed the memo.
Amen brother! Well said. I'm experiencing a special kind of frustration stuck here in Hat Yai, trying to get to Penang for a visa run amidst a tropical storm & flooding. I understand things are at a standstill, but things like friendliness, helpful service, or even just communicating WTF's going on the expats at all would be nice 🙂
Point well taken, Greg. I appreciate the respectful and sincere tone of this post. It's when expats express themselves this way that they have any chances of being taken seriously. It's the asinine, snarky comments from some stupid (certainly not you) ones that make even the most westernized and open-minded Thais shake their heads in disgust. What I hate the most is when expats cry xenophobia every time they feel they're not heard or appreciated. Well, sometimes — many times actually — it has nothing to do with their race and everything to do with their ignorance and haughty attitude. The more they cry xenophobia, the more likely it's going to prove to be self-fulfilling.
Sadly, you're in the minority. I'd encourage you to keep on complaining in this way so that the complaints might someday lead to positive changes. If you could also educate your fellow expats who aren't as enlightened as you, I'd be grateful. The blogosphere and Twitterverse are so full of legitimate, yet stupidly and haughtily expressed, comments from expats that makes me to want to throw the baby the hell out with the bath water.
More thoughtful expats like Greg, please.
Anyone making a statement "you don't understand Thailand" better be prepared to eloquently and at length explain what was misunderstood, and provide insight leading to improved understanding. If they can't do that, they obviously don't understand it either. Unfortunately, this excludes most Thais, as they're not fond of critical discussions.
Well-informed outsiders can often understand a place better than those swimming in the pond who have too many emotional attachments and little opportunity to take an objective view.
Thanks everyone. I may have misrepresented myself as something of a Zen superstar when it comes to complaining, which is definitely not the case, let me tell you. Sometimes I'm as big a douche as anyone, BUT! it all comes from a desire to see things work smoothly and efficiently.
Anyway, IC, funny you mention the pollution of the blogosphere – before I came to Thailand reading about it online really depressed me; it seemed that every single expat here was a sleazy and/or gullible drunk. Glad to see that's not the case… for the most part.
dbkk, true dat. It's like my boss says: "I don't mind you disagreeing with me, just have a good reason as to why and I'll probably see things your way."
Lach: I feel your pain. 🙂
Jai yen yen!
What is worse is when those same words come out of the mouth of some idiot tourist who has been here two weeks.
You totally nailed it! I suspect that expats in places like Burkina Faso don't share the same degree of concern about where they live, adopted home or otherwise..
Absolutely spot on post (and yes, I'm one of those farangs who bitch – albeit kindly I hope :)) I even have extremely well-educated quite hi-so Thai friends who still give me the "You just don't understand Thailand" line, which coming from someone who, I believe, is well-educated enough to know better is very frustrating.
Thailand unfortunately changes slowly in many ways and, in today's fast-paced world, it's to its detriment as other south east Asian countries leave it behind.
I still love Thailand though, even though some days I'm happy I don't own a gun 🙂
One of the great paradoxes of Thailand for expats is, that never having been colonized, the country has largely maintained the deep, rich, compelling culture that so fascinates but has also left it maddeningly closed off to political, social, and economic ideas from the rest of the world. Unfortunately, it seems that Thai exceptionalism is becoming the officially entrenched, even the officially sanctioned, worldview at a time when the demands of the global economy require precisely the opposite and when information technology makes it necessarily a losing battle. But never mind: just enjoy the Tour De France as it trundles through Kanchanaburi and celebrate Siriraj Hospital’s single-handed triump over Ebola, and everything will be alright.
Well put. I will take the official state-sanctioned response: you don’t understand Thailand. 😛