# " Don't believe anything they say."



## Oneman (Aug 23, 2009)

Not a pleasant topic about my fellow expats here, but important:


Thai Bigfoot said:


> After 20 years of living here, I've found that unless a person has a real job, or is actually retired, they're here long term, because they're running/hiding from something. Don't believe anything they say.


Wise words from a 20-year veteran. Thank you, Thai Bigfoot. I'm in Thailand only 15 years, but I have come to the same conclusion.

Until recently, most foreigners in Thailand were from high-trust, Western cultures: Britain, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Northern and Western Europe. And Japan, a very high-trust culture. But that's changed.

In the past 10 years or so, many other foreigners pouring in here from all over the world, especially from low-trust cultures: China, Russia, Middle East, South Asia (India, Pakistan, Iran). 

And not just low-trust cultures in different nations, but low-trust social classes as well. Ten years ago a British football hooligan could not afford a holiday in Thailand. Now he and his mates can. It's been a huge change in expat culture here. 

The locals have certainly noticed and they have changed the way they treat foreigners here, both tourists and expats. I'm seeing: 
countless security cameras everywhere
plus "plain clothes" security in many stores
payment required before service, such as getting a haircut
cameras in taxis pointed inward, toward the passenger
taxi driver taking my picture on his smart phone
In the old days, foreigners here sometimes would greet each other, maybe strike up a conversation, perhaps get acquainted. Now (2019), nothing like that has happened to me in many years.

Other observations, please.
.


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