Thailand: The Preferred Destination for "Working-Class" Travelers (page 3 of 10)

It's true, it's unbelievable. It's like Asians in Paris want to eat their own food, but no—they only go to restaurants serving cassoulet, choucroute, or potée auvergnate. In Chinatown, you can't find a single imported product...

I have the same opinion about Asians living in Paris who can’t adapt to the excellent French gastronomy😏

Ecologically, these "mimiles" are also a disaster!

Negative criticism can be constructive, but it’s even more so when it comes with suggestions. I’m sure the "mimiles" would be totally willing to follow some of your tips, adopt some of your habits, or even visit your favorite spots. Any ideas?

And here I thought it was the opposite—3-star hotels in Thailand almost deserve 5 stars in Europe. Switzerland, for example, has 98 5-star hotels according to Hotellerie Suisse, but only 42 are considered 5-star by Swiss Deluxe Hotels or international lists like TravelWeekly... It’s true that with just 14 m² for a room or no 24/7 reception, a hotel can still be rated 5 stars by Hotellerie Suisse...

In Thailand, the star ratings are a total mess! Actually, it seems like only France has strict controls for awarding stars.

There are even restaurants offering Marennes oysters for end-of-year meals when there are oysters in Thailand!

LOL

Have you ever tried Thai oysters? Because honestly, they’re not great in terms of taste.

In Thailand, the star ratings are total nonsense! Actually, it seems only France has strict controls for awarding stars.

The criteria in France changed a few years ago. Overall, they’re pretty much the same across Europe now.

Some of them are a bit ridiculous (for example, a three-star hotel must now *mandatorily* have a TV; apparently, that’s more important than a room with a view or a minibar... And before the criteria changed, a three-star hotel wasn’t *required* to have toilets in every room, even though in practice, they all did).

There are even restaurants offering Marennes oysters for end-of-year meals when there are oysters in Thailand!

LOL

Have you ever eaten Thai oysters, because honestly, they’re not great in the mouth.

Yeah, often—I love them! But to get the quality, you’ve gotta pay the price since they’re more expensive than Marennes ;)

Ecologically, these "posh backpackers" are also a disaster!

Any negative criticism can be constructive, but it’s even more so when it comes with suggestions. I’m sure these "posh backpackers" would be totally willing to follow some of your tips, adopt some of your habits, or even visit your favorite spots. Any ideas?

Of course, don’t do what I’m criticizing them for ;)

Do you categorize older Westerners who strut around (so sure of their sex appeal) with young Thai women as "mimiles" too? 😉

Hey,

You mean, with several people? But it's paradise!

Stop daydreaming

Sticking to the thread's theme, as our friend Obeoandpai would say, and to finally answer the original poster, Merck, here’s a little thought I didn’t even dare include in my latest travel journal about Thailand.

Back from sightseeing, we hurried to take a dip in the pool at our hotel in Ayutthaya. Two couples were already there with their kids, who we first thought were French, but given their accent, they were probably Belgian—though it doesn’t really matter. When we heard them talk, we were stunned. How to put it? Sometimes in life, you meet people who look like walking parodies, and sometimes their way of speaking matches. Well, this time, it was parodies of parodies. The height of unfiltered crassness. A naturalness and spontaneity bordering on simplistic, an ode to vulgarity. We’re not the type to mock these people, but we were suddenly hit with a wave of consternation. Just repeating what they said and how they said it would already be rude. More natural than that, you’d die. Afterward, you better understand why refined, well-off people try to distance themselves from the masses. Before your head starts hurting, your ears already do. At the same time, you feel a little sorry for them—it’s almost like they’re scary.

When I whispered to my wife that we’d finally found the missing link, in my head, someone said: "Aren’t you ashamed that such a thought even crossed your mind? Look at yourself with your long history of blunders, missteps, and mistakes. You’re just one person among all these others." But another voice immediately replied: "Come on, you’d have to be deaf and blind not to notice. And besides, it’s not mean—it’s just true!"

I settled the thesis and antithesis by concluding that, okay, more than five minutes next to them is unbearable, but it’s still great that these families could afford a nice vacation in the middle of a life of hard work. Or was it *labour*? I can’t remember...

My turn, Jojoone 😉: returning from Myanmar on a Bangkok-Paris flight, I was pretty surprised by the vacationers coming back from Thailand who had the look and speech of the Paris suburbs, let's say. And I caught myself—someone who thinks they're so open-minded—having slightly "condescending" thoughts (calling them "beaufs" is right, isn't it?). Ugh, I don’t like myself in those moments! Then I thought that those good folks probably saw me as some "country bumpkin" with my cheap clothes and my strong southern (or even Chalossais) accent 😛. Anyway, when it comes to prejudices, it’s a tie! All this to say we’re all someone else’s "redneck" (watch out, Merk99, you’re Belgian on top of it ). Beyond the type of visitors, what bothers me about Thailand is the sheer number of them (visitors in general, not just rednecks!) and the globalization that comes with it (I struggled to find a Thai restaurant on one island!). I don’t doubt there are more authentic spots in the country, but just the hotel in Bangkok and its mostly Western clientele makes me want to go elsewhere (I’ve had several layovers in different hotels, but it’s always been the same!). Anyway, Thailand is the country I recommend to anyone wanting to visit Asia for the first time. I discovered it a little too late—I should’ve started there 😛

You’re not wrong: a few years ago, I was wandering around Prachuap, and mid-conversation in the middle of the market, I made a comment to my wife that—taken out of context—sounded like it came straight from some redneck’s mouth. Nobody’s perfect all the time, anyway. That was exactly the moment we ran into a French couple, either regular vacationers or locals, and since I’m pretty observant, I overheard the guy say something to his girlfriend like, "Well, look at that—they even show up here." For a few seconds, I didn’t feel too proud. My wife, on the other hand, was just happy to be there, as usual, and didn’t notice a thing. Obviously, the people who *really* act like that—and do it all the time—don’t even realize it. Even if they did, they wouldn’t care.

Since then, I’ve been more careful about how I present myself and express things. Hopefully, the result lives up to expectations.

Do you categorize the older Western guys who strut around (so sure of their sex appeal) with young Thai women as "posh" 😉 ??

No 😏

I see we’re on the same page 😉

My turn! One day in Bangkok, I saw in a shopping mall one of those typical Western tourists from back home—bald at fifty to hide his receding hairline, wearing a checkered shirt that looked like a kitchen towel, baggy shorts, dusty Crocs, and a big camera slung over his shoulder... The classic *beauf*, really. Flushed, with dark circles under his eyes and exhausted features, he looked like he’d just stepped off his flight. Despite the air conditioning, he was sweating buckets. He was strolling alongside a Thai woman who was clearly younger than him, quite pretty, well-dressed, and looking fresh. They exchanged a few words in some kind of Franglais mixed with Thai, then walked into a KFC.

That’s when I glanced at a mirror in the room and realized that this guy—about to eat hormone-laden chicken with his companion—was me.

+++ My coworkers are gonna wonder again why I’m laughing to myself all day

Absolutely amazing! Luc

Hey Jojoone

Do you think Thais behave better around pools? Rudeness—they must say just as much while letting their kids jump almost in your face... and without even apologizing for their kids.

People with no manners exist in every country in the world... We just have to deal with it or go set up a Tuareg tent in the middle of the Sahara. Peace and quiet guaranteed😉