Collective / Hierarchical Society
As a foreigner it is hard to grasp the difference between a Western. Individualist society versus a Thai. Collective / Hierarchical Society.
In the west we base our decisions around our own selves or immediate family. Wife and kids.
In Thailand, particularly the north east region of Isan, decisions are made much more as a collective. Often a group of families living together or sharing resources. The individual's authority is laregly based upon what resources can be provided to the wider family structure.
So you will see working girls sending a good proportion of their earnings back the family. She is very much expected to contribute. This in turn bumps up her and her families status within the group. In the west we rarely or never do this, it just isn't part of our culture.
As Thailand is very much based on a Hierarchical Society. The chances of a lady from Isan, which is one of the poorest and lowest standing regions, meeting and marrying a wealthy white Thai man from a higher society Bangkok family would be rare. So the best chance of a lady from Isan is to marry a foreigner. Foreigners don't really care about the Hierarchical structure of Thai society. As long as she is hot that is alll we care about it.
Virtually every foreigner will have a relationship with a woman from Isan. It is so common that an industry within Isan has developed around this. There are several facebook groups with 100,000's + members all about how to have a relationship with foreigners, how to get money out of a foreigner, how to take advantage of a foreigner etc Every possible subject both good and bad can found within some group on the net. Even a new woman arriving in Bangkok will have some or even quite detailed knowledge about how to get the most out of her transactions with foreign men. The days where it would take new arrivals months or even a year to become wise to the little tricks are way gone. They pick it up in days now. Adding to this they will have their family back home reminding them on a daily basis how to extract resources for the collective from a farang.
I had a Thai GF for about a year and of course her family was from Isan. Everytime she would go back she would get shown all the big houses or farm extensions that foreigners had purchased in her vaillage for the family. Her mother used to ask her all the time "where is my house". If you have a Thai GF you are assumed to be part of their collective and are expected to contribute. As I did not have any intention of sticking with this particular girl for too long I just used to send a relatively small amount to the family and then just ignore the rest of the requests. My good little college girl from Isan turned out to be a nightmare after a year when she finally realised that she would be better off with another foreigner.
They move on very quickly and they always have a few options worked out before they go. They will also try to keep past boyfriends on the hook. They like to have a portfolio of options to maximise their chances of getting that house in Isan for mama.
As a foreigner I will never truly understand the intricate nature of Thai Culture. My overall strategy is to protect myself. Contribute a little to a girlfriends family and dodge the big ticket items. As a foreigner we never really get any credit from something contributed anyway.
Thai Bar Girl's Priorities List: (humour yes, but illustrative none the less).
1. Money.
2. Gold.
3. Food.
4. Sleeping.
5. Child or children.
6. Watching TV.
7. Grandparents, mother, father.
8. Her Thai boyfriend or husband, siblings and other family members.
9. Monks and temples.
10. Thai friends.
11. Every other Thai person in the world, down to the lowest Bangkok beggar.
12. The family buffalo.
13. Her pet dog, cat, bird, rabbit, squirrel or rat.
14. The fleas on the pet dog, cat, bird, rabbit, squirrel or rat.
15. You.
Good quality massage with extra services
Hi, will be travelling to BKK soon and was wondering if anyone can share a nice massage parlor, that offer really good massage with extra services?
Many time when you go to the cheap massage places, the massage is really average and even sometime very poor, but the extra is good. I'm looking for a place where you still get skilled therapists for both the massage and the extras.
Thanks for your help.