Are Thai people cool? by Jeezo
Posted by Jeezo | Blog, Reader Submissions | Posted on August 30th, 2009
I moved to Thailand from the USA 3 years ago for two reasons: to work out here and live with my fiancée for a year before getting married- highly recommended, by the way.
Thailand is an interesting country and from the first visit I had a feeling I wouldn’t mind living here, a feeling I didn’t get when visiting the likes of Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka & India. Well after living here for a while you inevitably start to see the cracks behind the façade start to appear and yes, they were there all along. This happens whether you stay as a long term tourist and certainly happens when you work here.
But this submission isn’t all about griping. Rather it’s about whether or not Thai people are cool.
What makes a person cool? While the definition will no doubt vary I’d like to think it has to do with the attitude of not caring about what other people think of you and not worrying about conforming. That is the opposite attitude of 99% of Thai people who are indoctrinated from birth into the hierarchical culture that is Thailand, where everyone is measured against another person from the top dogs all the way down to people just getting by. There is a tremendous pressure to please and respect the parents, something not usually associated with being cool.
The concept of Thai’s not being cool came to me when I was listening to Thai music. Honestly I don’t enjoy Thai music at all. Most modern Thai music is all about the power ballad complete with sappy lyrics and cheesy wailing electric guitar. Rhythmically it’s pretty lame with the standard 4/4 beat or the Isaan 2/4 beat with the looping bass line and 3 note guitar solo that repeats ad infinitum.
I used to play in a band for several years prior to moving out to Thailand – in addition to writing music, I played bass (my main instrument), guitar and a bit of drums. Point being I am a big fan of many musical styles: classic rock, progressive, punk, Indian / Arabic music & jazz. There is so much interesting music in the world that has melody and rhythm but it is sorely lacking in Thailand, at least for me. Is it me or has anybody noticed Thai music doesn’t have any bridges or multiple parts, especially the Isaan music? It’s just like one part that’s repeated 12 times. Chinese & Thai music just has nothing going for it. Japanese music is generally kind of boring but can be interesting with the different drum breaks & solos. Balinese music is cacophonous but extremely interesting and rhythmically advanced.
My first thought was that Thai people have no taste and that’s why their music sucks. But actually that just isn’t true. Thai people like beautiful things and can do a great job with presentation and decorations in buildings, gardens and food. So clearly there are many things where Thai people do have taste. So why is their music and art (like TV programs, movies) so lacking? I honestly think it’s because Thai people just aren’t cool.
Think about it- who is the Thai equivalent of James Dean, Elvis, Jimi Hendrix or Kurt Cobain? There isn’t any. Any threat to the establishment or anyone who goes against the grain is shunned. Mentally erased. Ignored. Certainly not revered as cool.
When I play music that is interesting my wife will be ok with it but I can tell there is no enjoyment for her. It’s ok though, we have enough other fun things in common to live a satisfied life.
Certainly I’ve met no Thai I would describe as cool. I have met though, some cool Germans, Brits, Aussies, Kiwis, Indians, Sri Lankans and Amercians. I would say bargirls are probably cooler than the ‘good girls’ but come with a lot of extra baggage as well. Most Thai men aren’t very cool – either the video game players / comic book readers or the hi-so wannabes. It is cool that men here are not pushed around by women but at the same time there is nothing in this culture to reward being an individual going against the grain, something that cool people usually do.
Foreigners here are already in a position where they will never fit in the country social structure the way a local would. So there may be some cool foreigners living here. But that attribute isn’t appreciated nor recognized so those people could really go anywhere. I don’t think there are enough foreigners here to make a critical mass to cultivate something more than a random group of folks going out for a drink.
If I meet some cool Thai people I’ll be sure to change my tune.
107 Responses to “Are Thai people cool? by Jeezo”
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Mango Fortnightly - 16th May
That 'free blowjob with first drink'....mmmm wheres that? Just curious.
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Good theme for the party DW, never tried a 'Four-Some', bucket list #38.
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Good read. Appreciate the effort. Thanks
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"A group of guys from the US Military descended upon us" - did everything suddenly become 'awesome' ?
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CTG - June 9th is the party. There will be a separate post about it soon - I am just waiting on some final details.
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Daywalker, have you confirmed the date for the anniversary party? Last I read was some time around June 8th or 9th.
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Translator
Oh boy, you are missing a lot. There are cool people in Thailand, but yes, most of them spent time abroad and are infected with western culture. Kids from Thai-Chinese families with US MBAs (not just hi-so wannabes), DJs, surfers and other X-Games sportsmen, musicans. Young businessmen such as “Tao Kae Noi” founder…
View all comments by Cosmo-Politan
if you think the thais aren’t cool try living in china, hk or taiwan (or korea for that matter). the North Asians are much worse. confucian society prevents coolness from happening (the nail that sticks out gets hammered down, “different is weird” [you can't imagine the zillions of times i heard someone called weird because they dared to do something slightly different...this is similar to the way 5 year old US kids behave]). imagine living in a place surrounded by engineers and mathletes, where someone saying to a new acquaintance that they sell water filters receives the response “that’s so cool (i kid you not). whereas if you were in a social setting in NY and said that to a hot girl that would be the end of the conversation.
there is just no concept of cool aside from the occasional random who simply copies a cool “type” they see in a magazine, with no originality and thinks that makes them cool.
it does explain why in the aforementioned places the dorkiest, most awkward foreigners (such as that water filter guy) are considered “cool” (for lack of a better term). the locals have no reference but for the fact that that 99% of the local dorks are exactly the same so to them that is “cool”
us kool kids refer to Taiwan as “dork island” as in “i just made my escape from dork island”
seriously, 10 years and i NEVER met 1 cool local. nice, maybe, but not cool
View all comments by brokenrecord
hahahah…oh yes, “thai chinese MBAs” are so cool…hahaha…you made my day. you’ll be very happy in china
View all comments by brokenrecord
If I get flamed for writing this, so be it… I call it as I see it.
Three other reasons Thai’s have a tough time being cool:
1. No free speech- try talking and complaining about the reason you are sitting in a 45 minute traffic jam without moving on the expressway because the road is closed for somebody more important… can’t even explicitly mention the topic on this very blog. Lack of free speech is pretty uncool.
2. Going out on your own and finding your own way is not encouraged in Thai society. It is the very rare Thai who travels alone and enjoys it (an exception is a book called ‘The Lonely Bike’ about a Thai guy who bikes around Northern Thailand, Laos & China by himself… I’d imagine he is pretty cool.
Most Thais are so worried about what other people think it makes them hard to be cool.
3. Tolerance of absolute authority- in the US challenging authority is the norm. In Thailand it is just not done, people don’t want to deal with having a ‘problem’. True, this often works to your advantage in many situations but makes it hard to develop people who are cool.
Thai culture is a blend of Chinese & Indian values…. so there elements of North Asian culture in Thailand.
Thailand has some great things going for it- don’t get me wrong.
But I stand by my submission.
Someone tell me how cool Thai music is next…
View all comments by Jeezo
cool cool cool! Hyper-tendance! Yeah! I don’t know shit ’bout Thai but I see lots of young hot chicks n dudes! So Thai people not cool but HOT. KapunKrap!
View all comments by katechon
jeezo – bodyslam is cool
View all comments by sideshowBOB
I will agree that Thai Music does indeed Totaly Suck.
View all comments by Radicalron
you guys gotta get up on some surichai sombatchareon. his shit rocks. it’s like slayer and marvin gaye had a bastard child in thailand. once i play his albums for lady guest the panties usually just fly off. no more work needed.
and cool is such an personal term. totally up to the dude using the word. why try an apply it to an entire race of people. even though like saying “all germans love scat porn, jackboots and knight rider reruns” i’m sure there are one or two that aren’t into that sort of thing.
and about music. not every group can sound like melt banana. many have tried… died trying. and Jrock is pretty much kicking the shit out of american bands now. with the exception of that awful anime punk rock a great many bands play circles around american bands.
View all comments by UnCochinoWetcunt
Your main thought – that repressive cultural norms block coolness – is probably a good argument and I have heard it applied here to other things, like creativity, innovation and design among others. It is reflected in the absence of invention and patents, not just music, which I agree is some of the worst ever.
I have a few Thai friends whom I would consider cool, but in those cases is has nothing to do with their Thainess or even because of their anti-Thainess.
This is really a country in a tough position. From an economic, social, political or most every other meaningful measure, we are in a challenging position. People do, and at the same time, do not care about those challenges all that much. The culture lacks energy and drive, and people want to avoid hard work and just kick back with friends.
The rest of the region is either gaining on Thailand or has already passed it by – I guess laid back and kicking off the flip flops really isn’t a plan to take over the world.
Lots of the babes are good looking, materialistic and can be bought for colour beads of one sort or another. Even the girls with what passes for a job and an education here are on the market for some baubles. Not the most loyal of creatures, but openly mercantile. If you have some cash, you can have a good time. But not cool, I would have to agree.
View all comments by Professor
first date wt a 7/11 gal tonight!
View all comments by katechon
Haha, I 90% agree, but Carabao is kinda cool.
View all comments by HTWoodson
remember when crocs were cool? dude, remember when feathered hair was cool? can you even remember when MC Hammer pants were cool? i think mullets were cool at one point also.
cool is stupid.
View all comments by UnCochinoWetback
There are certainly “cool” Thai people out there. However in my experience, they all have one thing in common: they studied abroad, usually to the Master’s level, usually in the US. And I’m talking MFAs, haha, not MBAs…artists, DJs, musicians, clothing designers, academics.
The reason they all have this thing in common–studying abroad–is because that’s pretty much the only hope Thais have of broadening their aesthetic, social and political horizons and casting off the relentless brainwashing that goes on in-country.
As for music…there are some people doing experimental stuff out there, and lots of the “Indie” stuff used to be interesting, though now it’s mostly cookie-cutter (just like “Indie” in the West, of course)…if you can track down a copy of Exlectic Suntaraporn by DJ Seed (2000 or 2001), check that out, it is highly original and inventive…and of course it totally flopped in Thailand, only liked by folks like my overseas-educated artist friends…
View all comments by ratchada
What u guys do when u hear a girl being severely beaten by a guy in a room near yours? She’s screaming since 7 min like she’s being drilled by an army of YPs!
View all comments by katechon
UCW,
All those things you are describing are not cool, they are trendy. As the Thai’s would say “Intrend”…. Thailand is all about the fad and intrend. I was looking at a hotel project with units for sale (X2 in Kuiburi) and when I told the seller the interior design was kind of dark (not many windows) her response is that the guy who designed it is an award winning designer… As in, shut up don’t think for yourself and let the experts or what’s intrend dictate your tastes.
You shouldn’t confuse this with coolness.
View all comments by Jeezo
Katechon- Do you have any reeses piecs?? if you do, make a trail from their door to a homemade booby trap. you should always carry bamboo pungi sticks with you for times like this. the guy should follow the reeses pieces like E.T. into your trap. it works every time.
View all comments by UnCochinoWetback
talk about un-cool!
View all comments by katechon
That phrase is going to give me nightmares.
I mean, imagine the uniforms…
View all comments by Bangkok Bad Boy
Another comment inside the spam filter!
View all comments by katechon
Jeezo- so you mean cool like in the miles davis sort of way instead of the hannah montana meaning of cool? okay, gotcha.
View all comments by UnCochinoWetback
umm.. how old are you? of course there are cool Thai people. if you’ve never met them, you’re probably hanging out with the wrong people in the wrong places.
sure, Thais are great at copying things (and often improving on them), but i’ve met many creative and original thinking Thai musicians, artists and filmmakers.
you aint gonna meet them in nana tho.
View all comments by manwitheyes
One of the “Coolest” thai man I ever met was a Mr. Kob who owned the Bangkokney bar an was manager of Tony’s bar in soi cowboy.I have also met cool guys an women in the ChangRai and ChangMai area both foreigner an thai.
View all comments by Trapperjohn
i always thought Lam Morrison was pretty cool
View all comments by bobonzo
The heads of Empower, the sex-workers group, are very cool. They have fought hard for their beliefs and rights over the years. One of them is a cooky artist type too who would fit right in if he were living in Berkeley, California. Great people.
View all comments by pmmp
CAn you free my comment from the Spam filter please?
View all comments by katechon
I just think the idea of cool is subjective so not sure what I think is cool is what others think is cool
usually what others think is cool would be something I might avoid – like the plague
View all comments by sideshowBOB
k – buddy. go on ebay and buy a clue. thanks.
craiglist might have some for free but might be quicker to try ebay
thanks
View all comments by sideshowBOB
pmmp- anyone would fit in amongst the various weirdos in berkeley. i knew a guy that used to collect hair from salons and barber shops so he could make his own socks because buying socks somehow led to baby seals being clubbed in canada.
what country invented rap metal?? whichever country it was sure was uncool. fucking losers.
View all comments by UnCochinoWetback
What I find cool about Thailand is that little garden hose beside the toilet…. Back home we don’t have that.
Nothing cooler that tickling your own ass.
View all comments by Canadain Cunt
canadian cunt..
i second that…coolest thing in the world
View all comments by bobonzo
well if there were cool thais they would lap up all the hot bargirls , but since there are so many flying around loose, well says a lot for itself. but i love thailand the way it is , no changes wanted
View all comments by maximus
@ maximus – slightly sad if you think that is true. truth is most thais (especially any that have any hope of being considered cool) wouldn’t touch the bargirls that you think are ‘hot’.
View all comments by fortuner
I once played some of John Zorn’s Masada for a bar girl and even though that might be the world’s coolest music IMO, she acted as if she just got stabbed in the ear and didn’t wanna hear it. She, of course, preferred the sounds of ungrooving Isaan cheese.
Japan is one of the most robotic and seemingly uncool societies I’ve ever seen, and seems that if anyone went against the grain there, they’d be kicked out of the country, but some of the most inventive experimental/avant-garde music and modern jazz is coming outta there. Saw Otomo Yoshihide at the Shinjuku Pit-Inn in Tokyo doing solo guitar (some standards, and some improv noise stuff), and the audience was chock full of cute young J-girls. In America/Thailand/anywhere else, a cute girl wouldn’t last five seconds at a show like that. Perplexing.
View all comments by IrishLager
“to work out here and live with my fiancée for a year before getting married- highly recommended, by the way.”
- but we don’t know your fiancée?
View all comments by Daywalker
@Canadian Cunt: second. I had one installed in my home dunny here. The only downside is that my asshole has lost 90% of it’s toughness… now if I have to wipe it with toilet paper it feels like I’m running a belt sander over it.
View all comments by human cuntsunami
The som tam lady in my soi is pretty cool, she can whistle a Biew Kalayani song with her nose while beating the beat with her pestle.
Kate – calling censorship a spam filter? You’ve lived here too long already…
View all comments by mart
Thai music ESPECIALLY FROM ISSAN rocks. if u dont get that u dont get music.
View all comments by Scott le Rock
or thailand
View all comments by Scott le Rock
Amaze your friends.
Install a bum gun in less than two hours.
Big city Home Depot’s sell bum guns.
However in order to avoid undue comment they have to market them as hand-held kitchen sprayers.
View all comments by Prufrock
When I first moved to Bangkok from Tokyo, my first thought was, “Damn, there are so many hot looking women here.”
My second was, “But why the hell do they all have to ruin it with such gaudy, outdated fashions?” Seriously, the only women who dressed like that in Japan were middle-aged housewives on a Shinjuku shopping spree. It seriously harshed my buzz.
The difference, I think, is that Thai fashion has not yet gotten beyond the goal of showing how rich you are. As opposed to showing how creative/original/intelligent you are.
View all comments by MrLucky
Haha.. I liked this post!
I was just telling my ex-gf the other day how much Thai music suck! I can’t stand to listen to it, though I actually prefer Isaan music over the standard lame Pop thing. If I hear another metro Thai singer whine his way trough another run of the mill love ballad, I’m gonna cry!
Japanese/Korean pop is pretty bad as well, but there is the occasional catchy tune or something with a bit of an edge.
And that;s the thing, there’s no edge in Thai society at all. It’s a mix of no free speech, group think and avoidance of conflict or disturbing thought.
So no, Thai popular culture is generally very bland and not what I would think of as cool. I think some Thais are cool though, Muay Thai fighters to name some, but then again they are low in the Thai hiearachy so what do I know?
View all comments by Jack
My buddies and I are watching “The Knowing” with Nic Cage & at the end of the movie there is a view from space as the alien ships are leaving with the ‘chosen ones’… There were ships leaving the atmosphere from each country my brother turns and says, notice you don’t see a ship leaving from Thailand.
We fucking pissed ourselves laughing…
View all comments by Canadain Cunt
Katechon,
Same thing happened to me. Yelling and screaming from the suite next door. A woman being seriously abused. Called seucrity in this mulit-star hotel several times, but nothing. Very strange. After that gave up multi-star hotels for an apartment.
As for art, one of the best writers I’ve come across is Thai. Check out Sightseeing by Rattawut Lapcharoensap. Haunting…
View all comments by Soi Dog
UCW- RE surichai sombatchareon,
Thanks for the suggestion. Can you send a link to his music, I’d like to check this out.
John Zorn rocks! The early Mr. Bungle stuff was pretty out there but good. Play that at a party in the USA and it’s like a neutron bomb for hot girls.
View all comments by Jeezo
I was looking at starting up a band (for fun and as a joke) that did experimental but creative music here. I was going to name the project “Phra Katoey Kwai” (Ladybody Monks)… the idea would be to perform in drag wearing the robes.
Every Thai I talked to about this concept said they wouldn’t buy it even if the music is awesome.
It’s all about the surface appearances here… you have to look hard to find cool.
View all comments by Jeezo
Cosmo-politan,
My experience is that Thai’s who have studied overseas in the US did it to come back and just tell the locals they studied abroad to gain huge face points. I had an employee (Sr Mgr) who studied in the US in the 80′s at a bumfuck college in Ohio. Hung out with the few other Thais for the most part and met his Thai wife over there. He moved back here years ago and acts like a hiso having studied in the US.
Another guy who studied in the US (high school friend of my wife) left Thailand because he was in a gang and was going to get knocked off… laid low, spent a few years in the US, all on his parents dime. Hung out with Thais there speaking Thai for the most part. Yes, his parents are rich. He teaches at a local college here but drives a BMW motorcycle- funny enough his english isn’t good at all.
Haven’t met a cool Thai who studied abroad- most just want to tick the box to gain face when they come back with the locals.
View all comments by Jeezo
I’ll have to admit there is one Thai that fits the description of being cool, that’s the #1 of the country. He can do whatever the heck he pleases (music, inventions, projects, etc) without giving a rip what people think and will always have legions of followers kissing the proverbial arse.
That’s pretty cool in my book. Too bad the other 63 million people get the shaft.
View all comments by Jeezo
There are many THINGS that are cool in Thailand, vs the individuals.
The bum gun rocks, but that started in India you know.
BJ bars are pretty damn cool
So is the cultural standard set for females that it is not unusual to have giks on the side.
Bottle service at the table is pretty cool
Infinity pools and private villas are cool as anything
Karaoke and 99% of Thai music sucks Chang balls bigtime.
View all comments by Jeezo
Meant to say Thai karaoke in the last post.
View all comments by Jeezo
The one thing that all of these “Un-cool” cultures seem to have in common, is the whole concept of “Saving Face”. There is no way you can be cool if all you worry about is keeping “Face”.
View all comments by Stewie
Bum Gun are certainly cool — and so is the capacity to BUY BEER at 2 in the morning at the Mart and to drink it in the street on our way home! Most countries on the West are prohibiting beer sells after midnight — in part due to the bar lobbies. And it’s not possible to drink it in the street — even in the after-noon. So that’s a cool cool point for Thais.
View all comments by katechon
Marshall McLuhan, who was as cool as a Canadian can be, once defined a cool medium as something that stimulate many senses at the same time (such as tv), as opposed to a medium whose effects are concentrated on one single organ (reading phonetic alphabet/the eyes). Phonetic Alphabet was supposedly uncool coze it captures every sounds into 26 visual signs.
The ultimate cool medium would create a complete synesthesic immersion of the user, where you can see what you hear, and remember birthdays date in various spheres of color elangantly disposed in the area you live in.
If we take this concept of cool as a quality that encourages more intertwined sensations and immersion and participation, i think that Thai culture can be defined as pretty cool. Maybe note the individual, but the culture.
For instance : Old people don’t live alone in state-run grey facilities like in the West. And you very seldomly see people eating alone, which is incredibly boring, for some reason. And boring is certainly uncool.
View all comments by katechon
Listening to issan music is like getting stabbed in the ear with a rusty knife. 90% of the fights I get in with taxi drivers, stem from the fact I want them to turn their shitty baan-nok music off, they refuse, I swear at them in Thai, and we end up punching each other in the head
I would certainly say that if you knock around JJ market on a weekend, or hit the bars in Ratchatweri/Ladprao you see some really cool Thai people there.
The coolest Thai person I know however, is a female friend of 2 years, who graduated from Chula and studied in Chicago for a year. She speaks flawless English, has a western sense of humour, and is filthy fucking rich. Shame shes fat
View all comments by Young Penfold
Good point K.
Only think you have to remember is you cannot buy booze between 2pm – 5pm any day… strange rule, whoda thunk it?
The pity of the matter is it’s too hot to drink out in the street usually…. witness Cheap Charlies on Soi 11/1 Suk with all the farangs sweating their ass off while hanging outside.
View all comments by Jeezo
K
Bangkok is a cool medium. By that definition getting a Soapy while high on LSD + V would be a transcendentally cool experience.
But as far as Thai people go are they cool? I don’t think self awareness / self reflection is a big part of the culture.
View all comments by Jeezo
On selling booze times, it’s actually only allowed between 11:00 a.m. until 02:00 p.m. and 05:00 p.m. until midnight. Most 7′s and Mart’s on side streets though tend to ignore this.
View all comments by pmmp
penfold- did the girls father work for thai airways and was a cabinet member in the chulanont government? i think i might know her as well.
View all comments by UnCochinoWetback
YP,
On your cool friend, why don’t you get her back into shape. Afterwards drop the soap and when she picks it up do what you do best…
Never hit the bars in Lad Prao / Ratchatewi so I must have missed those people. Have been to JJ on the weekend- hot as hell but I wouldn’t refer to the scene so much as cool rather than just plain transactional.
View all comments by Jeezo
For what its worth, I think the young ladies, belting down the soi riding side saddle on a motor cycle, with immaculate hair and clothes, while doing their make up and talking on their mobile phone is very cool…
View all comments by spats
@Imbringingsexywetback – Her and her family own 4 clothes shops and a leather factory aswell. Shes actually stunningly beautiful, its just a shame shes a bucket of lard.
@Jeezo – At JJ market, there are a a lot of open air bars that open as the sun goes down and theres a really cool Thai crowd that knock around there. Some serious tattoos, extreme hairdos and questionable clothing.
Ratchatewri is a lot more modest, but some cool people knocking around too. Not to mention the San Miguel promo girl who I am about to knock one out over as soon as I submit this comment
@Pmmp – I was duped into going for MK a few months back and the fuckers wouldn’t serve me a beer at 3pm. Cunt of a rule if you ask me. But no-one asked me, so my point os moot.
View all comments by Young Penfold
Penfold- how do you get duped into going to mk? did someone change the signs out on you or something? did they tell you it was a ladyboy convention?
JJ after dark is pretty awesome. there’s one place where we just take turns plugging in our ipods or switching cd’s in the changer. it’s the only place i’ve ever heard tv on the radio, mastadon or devin the dude get played. the girls there are quite nice too. i like when we play tattoo show and tell.
View all comments by UnCochinoWetback
Another thing that’s cool…
Is ordering pussy to be delivered like ordering a pizza.
I was waiting for my girl to show up around 1am. I’m bored and had the # of a girl from soi 7. So, I got a couple hours to kill… why not order a short time???
I tell her pay the bar fine and get over here. I’ll give ya the cash.
C’mon… thats pretty cool.
View all comments by Canadian Cunt
Cboy- If you spend enough time in sutthisan they actually deliver to your door. the girl shows up with a dude from the club to collect. you don’t even have to put on underwear. just make sure you specify the girl or else they’ll show up with one of the older chicks or a kathoey.
View all comments by UnCochinoWetback
Cool in Thailand??? Hmmmmmmmm….
I was invited to an art show for a budding Thai artist a few years ago as the escort of a Farang Chick. Everyone that attended was utterly convinced their picture was in the dictionary beside the word “Cool”. They were also in the dictionary under the word “QUEER”. And we are not talking a little queer. I mean exponentially Queer like too the X29.A massive gathering of Butt Welders. I guess I just have no appreciation of the arts!! Vincient Van Blow, Rimbrandt, Andy Cornhole etc. Very Very Uncool!!!
View all comments by dlkbkk
Odd isn’t it that Bangkok is arguably the coolest city on the planet but it is filled with Thais, almost none of whom are “cool.”
Re Thai music, what about that Poi Fi song that is strangely lyrically reminiscent of The Witch Doctor from 1958 “Ooh Ee Ooh Ah Ah Ting Tang walla Walla Bing Bang” and which is played repeatedly at Issan gatherings? And if you don’t like the song, what about the dancer to his left in the video…. she’s definitely cool….
View all comments by 24Hour Jack
I’ve seen some pretty cool artists and photographers here. Agree Thai music sux, but I like Endorphine (She’s hot) and Blackhead (definitely cool). Oh, and DJ Nakadia. She’s cool and hot at the same time.
View all comments by Leosia
I think SOME Thai films are pretty cool. Granted there is a hell of absolute shit, but the good stuff is cool as fuck. Their martial arts films, without all the wires and shit are awesome
’4 Praeng’ last year was a seriously fucking cool horror film, and they have ’5 Praeng’ coming out on the 9th, which looks to be even cooler.
Ananda is a seriously cool dude. Not only do i kinda fancy him, so does every girl in Thailand.
Jeeja Yanin (the girl who did Du Suay Doo & Choclate) is beyong cool. Not only is she a total fucking babe, but she can whoop that ass on a Fedor Emelianenko level
Mai Charoenpura is cool too, in a kind of fat, old but sexy kinda way
View all comments by Young Penfold
@UCW – I thought MK stood for ‘Many Katoeys’
I was gutted to find out it was a ‘cook your own bland tasting soup’ restaurant
View all comments by Young Penfold
YP,
You never saw that MK commercial where a bunch of uncool Thais all break out into song and put their vegetables into the bland water to have the nutrients get sucked out?
View all comments by Jeezo
YP fat broads never stopped you before, and your cool friend is rich, hows a little fat going to stand between you and a “lot” of money? Think about all those 1000B notes that you could get your hands on.
View all comments by THE MAN
I’d've fucked her.
With all that money I’d convert the floors in the house into a big treadmill.
Problem $olved.
View all comments by Canadian Boy
i reckon cool thais don’t hang out with sexpats
View all comments by 2muchfun
Ah, but if we struggle to define “cool”, how on earth do we define “sexpat”?
Is a sexpat a guy who goes to gogo bars once a week? Five times a week? Once a month? A guy who only sleeps with hookers? How about guys who date “regular” Thai girls, but help them out with uni fees, shopping trips, etc? How about guys with regular girlfriends who sneak off to the soapies when the missus is on the rag?
FWIW, I’d agree that “cool” Thais won’t often be found in the Nana/Cowboy corridor, although if weird tattoos and bad haircuts are your thing then there are obviously plenty of both…
Probably the most numerous that fit Jeezo’s definition were some of the Thais I’ve met down in Phi Phi/Krabi. None of those were Chinese MBAs though
Bangkokians seem more concerned about “face” than those in the provinces, particularly in the South, in my experience anyhow.
It’s all about education, of course, but that’s another topic…
View all comments by Bangkok Bad Boy
2much – not sure I get that. so I guy who partakes in the scene is a sex pat? what are all thais called who hit the soapie 3 times a week? normal
I reckon one can hang with cool people and still do there thing
View all comments by sideshowBOB
i know what you guys are saying and it’s true that these definitions are murky. i was trying to reason by analogy. let’s substitute “las vegas showgirl” for bargirl, which is an imperfect cross-cultural comparison (and it also does a favor to the bargirls). so i’m wondering how many cool people i know back home who would hang out with guys who were obsessed with dating showgirls, bouncing from chick to chick and paying for the company. basically, they’d see him as a tacky loser. why? not a question of money or education or background really, but more about choosing to be superficial–a choice ruled out by most definitions of cool. true, for some, cool is about the clothes you wear or music you like, but for most people it’s about attitude–the ability to forge your own path but still keep your integrity. in general though i agree that you don’t see widespread coolness in a culture that rewards conformity. i do feel that i know a lot of non-conformist, independent-minded Thais, and they just do their own thing and ignore the puzzlement of their countrymen.
View all comments by 2muchfun
wow..hot button issue..75 posts on ‘cool’…
maybe we should ask Chili Palmer
View all comments by bobonzo
It really does seem that Thais who are cool are out of the system as the avg Thai could give a rip.
The coolest Thai I met was this older guy who played guitar at the Hillary II bar, he could play all sorts of solos and had his own style too. He was hanging around the singer who I was thinking was his daughter, turns out it’s his faan… I bought him a beer. He was pretty cool but didn’t really have much else to talk about besides music so there were some limitations there.
I guess I’ll have to write a post on the top coolest things about Thais now.
View all comments by Jeezo
I am sure there are a lot of cool thai people. Why should there be less then in the western world and what should be the “normal” or “expected” ratio … 1 out of 10, of 100?
How many “cool” people did we meet or do we know in our home country or the place we grew up? And why should we as expats, tourists or other kind of aliens in Thailand and foreigner to the thai culture meet those “cool” thais? We probaly wont. I am sure cool thai people are not cool for us … and the thais we think are cool are not cool for them … just as in other comments: cool is very subjective … and we are talking about complete different cultures.
Thai music uncool? Maybe for us … but it sells … so it must be cool somehow for someone.
So most thais might be uncool, but so are most americans, germans, italians … and I guess we westerns are very uncool for most of the thais, especially in thailand … leaving money aside
View all comments by Brazoo
Love this thread. It’s something I’ve long wondered about. One of the few American things I missed, when living in Thailand, was my band and the Portland indie rock scene.
Hard to talk about Cool though, without sounding pompous. It is so hard to define, yet we all know it when we see it.
I suppose, on a Thai forum somewhere, they might well be wondering why Westerners think Cool is something worth spending your valuable time and money pursuing, when Sabai and Sanuk are so much more rewarding.
View all comments by MrLucky
“What makes a person cool? While the definition will no doubt vary I’d like to think it has to do with the attitude of not caring about what other people think of you and not worrying about conforming.”
Not sure that’s even a valid definition of “cool”.
Most of the Thai people I know are prostitutes and they don’t really seem bothered about conforming or what other people think of them.
The young Thai people I see in the street seem well dressed and fashionable. Thai music is incomprehensible to me but that’s just because of the huge cultural gap. It’s funny when a Thai song comes on in Spicy and all the girls go crazy and all the western blokes just … don’t.
View all comments by LMW
LMW,
Prostitutes do care what other people think of them That’s why they often go through a great deal of effort to ‘make face’ by wearing gold around their village and showing others how wealthy they are, courtesy of the punter.
View all comments by Jeezo
I remember this trainer at a Muay Thai gym I briefly took lessons at.
He was a former champion with almost 200 fights under his belt. Short (what thai isnt?) but good looking and built like he was made of granite, tattoos all over his body and he used to smoke between sparring sessions where he absolutely destroyed farangs twice his size despite only going like 50%. He had a charming personality and made a lot of jokes but there was something about him that was scary, the way he acted sometimes, there was something not right with his head. He got drunk most nights and made extra money by hustling farangs at pool. He had a thing for farang women too (what thai men doesnt?) he always had an english/aussie/swedish/german girl sitting on the back of his motorbike.
This guy was the absolute definition of cool and he didnt give a shit what anyone thought about him. And if anyone were to start trouble with him about it….well, I wouldnt want to be in that persons shoes…
View all comments by Hansum Boy
HB,
The guy sounds like a badass. Maybe I should take some Muay Thai lessons. Don’t want to mix it up too much with the bruisers though.
Violence attracts violence as they say, so sometimes it’s better to lay low.
View all comments by Jeezo
@TheMan – I’ve fucked a hell of a lot worse, for a lot less. However, you said ‘how is a LITTLE FAT going to stand…..’ This sister has more than just ‘a little’ fat, but then again, its all about those brown sheets baby
The day I snag Jeeja Yanin, I will bring her to the mango
View all comments by Young Penfold
I believe it was Dennis Miller that once said, “There is no reason to have a person because the color of his skin or his religion…for there are so many more reasons than those to dislike someone”.
And..if we are defining cool…I’ll go with Steve McQueen…coolest motherfucker ever to walk this planet.
View all comments by Indu WangZi
Steve “Cool” McQueen — nuff said.
View all comments by Canadian Boy
Eldrick Tont Woods – nuff said.
View all comments by pmmp
YP I can always count on you for my laugh of the day. Remember money talks and bullshit walks, grab the loot, mo one said you have to kiss her!!
Steve McQueen was damn sure cool!
View all comments by THE MAN
I did not know steve mcqueen was thai
shit – that is cool
View all comments by sideshowBOB
surely Steve’s egg diet gave it away?
View all comments by doctorbond
The last name McQueen is cool, but McKing would’a been to cooler.
Steve McKing or Steve McQueen?
Stick to the original i guess. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.
View all comments by Canadian Boy
wasn’t steve mcqueen secretly banging dudes??
i always though crispin glover was cool after his appearance on letterman although i never did psychedelics again after viewing it.
View all comments by UnCochinoWetback
…. Steve McCunt?
View all comments by Canadian Boy
There are lots of cool Thai’s. But you must be cool to find cool.
View all comments by red barron
McQueen a poof…you gotta be shitting me, UCW. He got more female ass than a Beverly Hills plastic surgeon…there were a lot of stars that were suckin dick on the side, sure…but Steve McQueen wasnt one of them.
View all comments by Indu WangZi
Suck dick from the side… wtf?
Thank God the girls i know suck dick from the front…
View all comments by Canadian Boy
Agree wholeheartedly that Thais are not cool. But so what. What is important is that they thing that many Thai women “Farangs are cool” even those that are considered “slobs” back in Farangland
View all comments by 8 Ball
OK lets find some agreement as to who’s cool and then we can define the “cool” attributes that the Thais’ are lacking? I’ll start;
Dave Navarro?
Lenny Kravitz?
Snoop?
Randy Jackson?
View all comments by nurseRon
Navarro…very cool. Great musician..made great music..he was married to one of the most famous porn stars in the world…very fucking cool
Kravitz..not sure which way to go. He’s a great musician..married then divorced Bonet..she was hot..yeah, I’ll go with semi-cool.
Snoop…is there any doubt the dog is cool..yes, very cool. Awesome music..loves the chronic and knows KFC is open late.
Randy Jackson…no, not cool. Not a total wanker, but not cool.
View all comments by Indu WangZi
my dad is cool… but he ain’t thai
View all comments by sideshowBOB
how many of the ferangs that visit/live here can be classed as cool?
Chang vest, chinos, pidgeon english, wrap-around sandals and beerbellies could not be further from cool.
View all comments by Young Penfold
“Chang vest, chinos, pidgeon english, wrap-around sandals and beerbellies could not be further from cool.”
Its getting me laid…
Don’t copy my style.
View all comments by Canadian Boy
Ian Dury
“I’d rondez-vouez with Janet
quite near the Isle of Thanet
she looked more like a gannet
she wasn’t half a prannet
her mother tried to ban it
her father helped me plan it
and when I captured Janet she bruised her pomegranet
so you ask Joyce and Vicki
if i ever shaped up tricky
I’m not a blooming thicky
I’m Billericay Dickie
and I’m doing very well
you should never hold a candle if you don’t know where it’s been
the jackpot is in the handle on a normal fruit machine”
Billericay Dickie lyrics
now that’s cool
View all comments by 24Hour Jack
Penfold . . . once again trolls the board in a frantic quest (thinly bearded as cool) for men who believe that *he* and *his* giving up the occasional “Oh, what-the-fuck” hummer to one of his “sexy” ladyboys is cool.
Over forty is the norm here not sex with men
Pidgin (not pigeon) is the norm here, not sex with men
Paunchy is the norm here, not sex with men
Tits on women is still the the norm here, not tits on men
Your “home game” is clearly with LB’s, YP. Your “away game” is just for the fans, now isn’t it.
Sorry. But compulsory, well-publicized sex with the occasional beard doesn’t cover the play.
Not that I really give a rat’s ass.
Just sayin’
View all comments by Prufrock
Prufrock – Yet again you do prove you give a rats ass (or was it ‘sweet fuck’) as you wasted 2 minutes of your life writing a response – Although Im sure you have little else engaging to do with your time.
View all comments by Young Penfold
I would argue the one tenant of cool that we all agree on is the disregard of others opinions with respects to a cool ones actions. Not the norms or what is being done, but having done it and openly owning the act with no concerns of how it may groom the views of another?
View all comments by nurseRon
nr – interesting. for me what others think is cool is not so not sure this cool barometer even works
View all comments by sideshowBOB