What I really love about Thailand is Moo Krata. Friends, co-workers go to Moo Krata after work, spend time together talking and eating. It is the best way to relax and know each other.
There are 2 sides of the coin. Thai culture focus on harmony more than productivity, but the west point at productivity and competition. Harmony living is good but still having low income. At the end, it depends on what you value most.
The Thai philosophy; detachment, relax it doesn't really matter, enjoy the moment, and compassion. Classically Buddhist. I feel we had something quite like this in the West but lost it. The real problem is modernity
Modernity is not the problem. Modernity doesn’t equate to western culture or philosophy. Modernity allows us to live better, more convenient , and efficient lives. The problem is western societies have highjacked and corrupted the words freedom and democracy as propaganda for the benefit of the few, the fall of the family and community unit, respect for others, and unhinged greed.
If one is living in the moment, there is less chance of moaning. Harder to do that in the UK due to the weather, packed polluted cities and work work work.
@@amag5862 yep. All we seem to do is work. But isn’t that the same with most countries? We all need money, so we have to work. There is no way around that one…
Fantastic video, Olly. Glad I'm not the only creator where the viewers often click away at the 3 minute mark haha! It is sometimes hard to find direct translation from Thai culture to Western culture. However, I feel like you did a good job here :)
Thank you for sharing this prospective on Thailand. Having visited many times, I have witnessed the concepts you share. I appreciate you explaining them more clearly to me. May your day be filled with happiness. 😊
The climate difference has a big role on it. If you imagine the worst of the worst coming into your life in the UK then you'll be misery, you can't even survive, weather is harsh, lands do not offer anything and it is coded on western people's mind over the thousands of years, but in Thailand or in Mediterranean nature always gives something, sun always rises, people subconsciously know that nature backs them up. Philosophies are based on circumstances.
@@denizguler2942 how many homeless people are there in the UK? An extremely small percentage of the population. The UK is quite a mild country and is even warmer now than in my childhood in the 90s. If its 10C outside I can put on a coat and walk around with no problem. In Bangkok it's a struggle walking for 30 minutes, you're drenched in sweat and have less energy. Forget about running or playing sport outside. The four distinct seasons are also nice to have in the UK.
@@ronniep9272 Because your body is not built to withstand heat like Southeast Asians / The country's abundant resources came at the cost of losing much territory during the colonial era to England and France, which separated Thailand into Laos and Cambodia, as well as losing some land to Burma and Malaysia. The slow development was partly because there was less struggle, but to be honest, the slow development is also related to politicians who massively exploit and engage in corruption.
@@neoitd2588 I have lived in Thailand for 15 years Your knowledge of Thai history is total shit (I mean 100% garbage) Historically Thailand was actually much smaller than now, and neither UK nor France occupied any of it. Corruption is present - but really no worse than we see in Europe
You are so right! I am Filipino, and so I know what you are talking about. I have also visited Thailand more than 30 times. I love Thailand. The country is Ayuthaya resurrected.
Let me give you an example, if a Thai person goes to work and is not happy, is very stressed from work, they will consult their parents. Most parents will give them encouragement and some will tell them that they can come back to their home town to work easily and live together and just earn enough income to live on, so that they don't have to be stressed.
Hahahaha classic, young British lad goes to Thailand because of the favourable exchange rate that keeps locals poor, has a few Thai boxing lessons in a local gym, lays on a beach and has a massage by some poor lady who has to give happy endings to get by, and he thinks he has garnered new wisdom, next thi by is he will be getting a new Thai tattoo on a beach in “traditional method” hahahaha
After reading the replies and also from my own experience there, its fair to say you're in the honeymoon phase with the country even though it seems you've been there quite a lot for quite long durations. The expats predictably pile on with all the negatives, but arguably, it's also balancing out the dewy eyed gaze about Thai culture. I appreciate you highlight the positives, but there is certainly a shadow side to the Thai psyche, which is kept concealed by all the Sanuk and rules in how you interact publicly. Occasionally, it spills over.
How to free yourself from suffering 1.Fine the suffering that happened you 2.Fine the cause of the beginning of your suffering 3.Observed how suffering is slow disappear 4.Never do what causes that suffering again. Now Happiness is happening in side you Dharma guild the ways, see you in nirvana my friends.
The West is spiritually lost, focused on money and avaricious consumption. By contrast, Eastern countries, grounded win Buddhist philosophy, are full of love, compassion and the wellbeing of others
Quite a generalisation (of both parts of the world) I would say, based on extensive travel there. Both parts of the world have strong points and weak points, and shadow sides.
Come on, do you really believe that? Not every Thai lives the life of a Buddhist saint. In fact not even the monks do, going by the news which regularly feature stories about corrupt clergymen misusing donated money and committing crimes of all sorts. Thais are nice people, all in all, but still human, hence fallible and showing the same weaknesses as everybody else.
In Egypt there is an a expression: "Bukra fil mishmish". ("Mishmish" means apricots. "Bukra" means tomorrow.) It means "Tomorrow - apricots", because there will NEVER be apricots. Apricots are for "the other people". Keep promoting FREEDOM 🎉.
So right and also the building of roads! How many breaking up in the floods? All because no one cared or wanted to build correctly! Mai Pen Arai' promotes a don't care attitude that progressively worsens! Have you ever known Thais turn up on time? Be ready on time? Ho Hum!
Great video and all so true. We in the UK could learn so much from the community spirit and closeness of the Thai culture. Great comparison with Spain too which is the best place to live in Europe as a result. Maybe weather plays a role? People lose all motivation to go out. There are aspects of the west that are better - social structures, healthcare for all but it all comes at a huge price...high taxes..huge government debt which is not sustainable. Balance needed. Letting people die because they can't afford the hospital bill isn't the road any serious country should follow.
Much of what you say is spot on. Western life is just boring compared to the way Thais live. But the "land of smiles" concept is deceptive. Suicide rates are very high. Violence is quite common and can seemingly erupt out of nowhere. Many foreigners die in mysterious circumstances. I have been told that there are 12 types of smiles and that only 2 of them have a positive meaning. Onw wull often see Thais smiling at westerners while they are talking badly about them in Thai......
Spot on about the smiles. Same in China, Jaoan, Korea, parts of South East Asia. Back in the 90s, I was on a train journey in Northern China, and the train kind of shunted and ground to a halt. 15 minutes of smiles while looking out the window and lots of chatter, and it eventually resumed. A local 'peasant' had been hit by the train and then unceremoniously dumped in the side bushes. I saw his legs. More smiles......of shock, etc. It can hide embarrassment, cringe, fury, and a whole manner of emotions.
Suicide in Thailand is on the rise, some people here feel hopeless. My Thai friends says it’s called the “land of smiles” because everyone is so stressed all they can do is smile.
My bendrai (i know i butchered the spelling forgive me) that is my favourite thai expression. I lived in thailand for 7 months before moving to Vietnam where i currently live. My bendrai is like saying "never mind/ it's ok/ no problem" I miss the thai language and the feeling of thailand ❤
Mate, you've had an incident at the barber's. Did you leave in a hurry? Other than that, very interesting video. I kinda wondered about this, having heard - years ago - that Thailand was judged to have fallen into the 'middle-income trap' - where they hit 10K USD a year and stop 'developing' (IE not doing a China). Seems to me more like they enjoy life and don't need to be fixing their unbroken lifestyle. Great people to be around. Contagiously happy - yes.
You need to consider that you're a very attractive Caucasian English male, and in Thailand, people with your appearance are highly revered. It's not the same for someone who goes to live there without these attributes.
I was in manufacturing here in Thailand. As GM I banned 'mai pen arai'. You cannot entertain 'never mind' in any business if you wish to succeed! We succeeded !
This is such a very sort of naive way of looking at things. This idea that Thais are happier or less stressed. It really isn't the case, they just show a little less. They aren't going to wear their emotions on their sleeves. Are Thai people actually happier than those in the west? Not really, it's just very Thai to not get overly emotional and freaked out about situations that are often out of our control. Thais struggle in day to day life, and to the untrained western eye, it sort of seems like everyone is better off or living with less problems. Why is there this tendency to want to make it seem like the grass is always greener on the other side...I don't understand. Also, go talk to a young Thai person and ask them if they would rather live in Thailand or the west.....I would venture to say at LEAST half of the young folks would choose the west...
Half of them that you said (if it’s true)want to go to live abroad (not only in the west) because of money not for life 😂😂😂. We have group of Thais who lives abroad. Most of them plan to go back to Thailand after retirement or when they get enough money😅😅😅. Nowhere can compare to our motherland Thailand because we love สบายๆ(sabai sabai = chill, relax, take it easy)😇😇😇
@@babyboo7741 the ones I talk to want to move abroad because they feel that Thailand is lacking a future and the political situation. Of all the Thais that I have met abroad, MOST Of them have no intention on returning home. Also, for some reason, Thais are notorious for overstaying their visas. Go abroad on work and travel visas and overstay. It makes it hard for those who legit want to travel to get visas to places like US or UK because so many Thais abuse the system.
I love your content and fully support you in your mission to educate and find a better place to live as someone in the process of getting out of australia once i have sussed myexperience as a geologist in the mines. However you seems to be very fond of speaking in absolutes, what do you know about jesus? is it what you have been taught through media? have you traveled to western places outside of london. Come to golden bay in New Zealand, try the fusion.
The thai people struggle eveyday working to support family and friends They work all week for a pittance They are not as serious as western people In thailand you can walk around in flip flops and shorts and be a multi millionaire every one is on the same level In paris its all about new arcyteryx coat etc I feel free when I go thailand 1 month every year this year January Also big difference between western and thai western people can prosper very easily with hardwork etc Thais most thais all live on the poverty line Muaythai coaches old Nak Muays They have nothing sleep at the gym etc They learn to accept this sabaidee But is that a good thing Know many Thais for over 20 years they have a hard life compared to us They are happy because they have nothing and are very proud of Thailand
I've lived in TH for over 15 years. if you think that "In thailand you can walk around in flip flops and shorts and be a multi millionaire every one is on the same level" you clearly dont understand Thailand and Thai culture. Thats fine; enjoy the country as a tourist, but dont claim that 'everyone is on the same level' as that just means you havent encountered a lot of middle class and (so called) hiso Thais ... they will clearly not see you as on their level, but merely a 'flip flop farang' tourist.
Westerners have much higher expectations from life which can make them horribly privileged. It sets us up for disappointment. I've seen it many times whereby westerners try and impose their values and expectations on Thailand which is rather obtuse as we can learn so much from their way of life.
If this fella is so convinced on what he's saying then why not move to rural Thailand, work on a farm and live in poverty and see how you feel. It's easy to spill out all of this nonsense when your living in a glitzy apartment in Bangkok earning foreign currency.
I live in Thailand as an expat and it doesn't make me happy. I miss my family, I am lonely, anxious and miserable even surrounded in so called paradise. Olly is selling lies for his product. Thailand is fun for a while, but like everywhere else, it gets exhausting. I live in Pattaya because of work, I'm surrounded by tattooed dodgy chavs from western countries. The type of folk you'd avoid like the plague in the west.
I would argue that your primary mistake is living in Pattaya. Its a pit of dark energies of misery (of both service providers and service hunters), criminals and intoxicants. What on earth attracted you to choose there, of all the places there you could have settled? Having said that, yes, the honeymoon phase is very real. I have visited quite a number of times since the late 90s, the longest stay once being 2 months. Even after a string of short visits while in the wider region, I began to see the shadow side and Internet forums for years have been full of bitter, angry expats who clearly despise the place they once saw as paradise. While there are a handful of success stories, a lot of expats are lonely and resentful there, finding they are deemed by the system there to be 3rd class citizens. Thais 'tolerate' us for income because yes, many visitors waltz around dressed for the beach while in major cities etc, among a multitude of faux pax. I was last there in 2020 when early indications of lockdown were beginning. The health minister was on TV trying to blame foreigners - dangerous rhetoric for a government official to propogate in a population, which, overall, doesn't have a whole lot of respect for foreigners in the first place. Plus, its no longer the bargain it once was. I would suggest relocating to another part of Thailand if you are going to stay.
@@Makmak-yf4dt I can here to Pattaya because my company is located in an industrial park 40km. Pattaya seemed to be most convenient, which is has been in fairness. I didn't want to go really local when choosing a place to live.
You totally have this wrong The locals only care about money and status And this airheaded “live in the moment” attitude causes huge societal problems and it is severely effecting them
It isn't really, but what is practised by the average lay person in Thailand outside of monastic circles is hardly Buddhism. Rather how Hinduism is approached by the masses in India, its used as a way to seek consolations appeal for better material things, better outcomes and all that jazz, mixed in with various Chinese practices and deitys.
@@Gold.Circle. buddha didn't reject about God but god is not that much necessary to him. for instance, Pharkar Brahmin who think he's permanent and the universe is permanent (He know he created everything in the universe) then buddha teach him that there is no permanent in such this matrix game 😂 , the story is very funny and more fantasy however i think the moral of story is just ignore god , nothing permanent everything based on birth >> old >> hurt >> die ,in these day science confirmed that universe will end (but now it's still growing 😂 like a teenage)
You totally have this wrong The locals only care about money and status And this airheaded “live in the moment” attitude causes huge societal problems and it is severely effecting them
