Life in Thailand - Test Results

[Oliver2]

I've travelled all over Thailand with my partner and have yet to encounter anything like this. More relevant to the discussion, P.
is acutely sensitive to perceptions, aired or merely intimated about him and, by association, me. And, of course, as a native speaker he is more likely to pick-up on such things than me.

I would add, however, that the relatively small (for want of a better description) "hi-so" segment of Thai society may well have very negative views about us. Those educated in the US or the UK, for example, who may imbibed negative feelings about us, both Thais and falang visitors. And, bluntly, such people are not ones whom we encounter on our travels.

One of the things that made me feel comfortable on my first visit nearly thirty years ago was that the falang visitors (perhaps expats too- I wouldn't have been able to distinguish between them) seemed to be, in the main, well-educated and careful in their appearance and their general behaviour, Anecdotal but that is how I remember it. Similarly, I was struck by the exemplary manners of the young guys I met on thr scene, however under-privileged their background..

I was sensitive to this issue because, hitherto for decades, my annual holidays had been enjoyed in the sort of Caribbean hotels which required a jacket for dinner. Some of what I saw in non-gay areas was rather different.