Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Kwangjuchicken]

I have had my share of summer problems in Korea . Never been to Japan in Summer.

[Panda]

Does anyone really have to take a slogan that seriously.

All slogans are pretty silly, just like that one:

Seoul, soul of Asia..........

[Kwangjuchicken]

[Panda]

[MissSeoul]

[MissSeoul]

[catman]

Wow. Some guys here are really sensitive about Thailand.

[Kwangjuchicken]

[Kwangjuchicken]

[bixlerscott]

I see the Thai smile as their form of saving face and not to be confused with happiness like many Western tourists interpret it to be though they can have a real sense of humor and laugh to a joke quite well. It's sorta like how Koreans save face by giggling in uncomfortable situations though it's harder to get the Koreans to exhibit a sense of humor to laugh out of something being funny unless it's elementary kids. For Thailand, their style of face saving just happened to be a hit with tourists, because it comes off as a really cool fairy tale adventure the first go around.

When you travel through the real Thailand on local buses far away from tourist centers, it's not smiling; just average working class barely scraping by dressed in tattered rags of mostly old black shirts. I didn't get any strange looks or feel threatened in non-touristy areas though, but it felt like a very poor 3rd world country. Don't try to short cut from ayutia to Aranyaprathet bordering Cambodia without routing through Bangkok unless you want to take slow local buses and get a glimpse of what Thailand is like for average Thai people. It looked very blighted, under developed, and quite hard living well below almost any poverty line you every knew unless having taken a good look around Cambodia which is quite rough around the edges. Was interesting to get the perspective of Thai living outside of tourism, but disappointing considering Thailand is so filthy rich in natural resources.

Like many of us, when you get experienced with Asian cultures, you can't help, but to see past the smiles in tourist areas and unfortunately, it becomes apparent LOS means, "Land of Scams." How many times did they try to over charge you on beers in food and bars and restaurants or over estimate your tab? And then get intimidating when you correct them on it? How many times were you rushed into ordering food when you just wanted to enjoy a beer first or take a 10 minute breather before ordering off the ridiculously long menu? I actually got kicked out of a Chiang Mai restaurant for politely asking 6 times in 2 minutes to be given more time upon being approached in a demanding rude manner to order food a half dozen times in just 2 minutes with the head waiter blocking my exit to pay a 200 baht sit down fee and threatening police action if I didn't pay. It was a German themed restaurant aside the night market. This was during my 5th and last time to the land of scams.

Overall, it's more positive than negative to travel Thailand though don't go too many times trying to relive the thrill of your 1st visit, but I believe living there could get risky should someone locally not like you or you get into a disagreement with someone and they know where you live. I've been to SEA 5 times over the past 3 years and fixing to head home from this adventure through Asia, but not without doing the entire ring of fire in South Asia first though. Would love to also do New Guinea, but that seems out of reach at this time.

[Kwangjuchicken]

[MissSeoul]

[Summer Wine]

Miss Seoul has in the past posted some very good gramatical sentences. I do at times think she (?) is pulling a fast one.

But regardless, the hospitality industry desires us to smile at the customers.

The customer is not always right, but its imperative that the hospitality industry makes them think they are. Marketing wise, Thailand is doing a great job.

Is all Thailand supposed to be representative of your desires? A desire for fun and laughter?

Seriously, what do you know of Thailand and its history? How much Allied blood was lost in Thailand? (I do mean all prisoners). They have a bridge you can visit?

The country has a dark past, its current life isn't so great either.

People are nice, but all the time? Your expectations seem a little too high. Look, enjoy your time there, be nice, eat healthy food.

(post edditted)

[peter07]

The funny thing is, Thailand could do everything wrong in in its tourism industry and you'd STILL have hordes of people going there.

I'm not sure Korea would get more tourists to come even if it did everything right.

[TECO]