I first went to Thailand in 1969 when I was 13. My Dad worked there. One thing that has not changed in all that time is the generosity and friendliness of the Thai people. Another is they still drive in the cities like they're in the Monaco Grand Prix!
American farang here, Paddy. Thanks for your videos. Currently studying Thai language down here in Southern California. Sometimes when studies get boring, and I ask myself, "why are you doing this?" Going on your channel and watching your videos gives me the boost of inspiration I need to continue. Such beautiful people in that Country. Looking forward to being able to connect with them on a deeper level. Krap.
I've talked to a number of westerners who can speak Thai. They all learned it outside Thailand. That said, like Paddy, they talk Thai, but not like anyone born in Thailand. Some Thia I know don't even understand him. If you're learning outside Thailand, as your teacher to teach you proper spoken Thai. And ask them about ALL the tone rules. Eg., each word has a tone associated with it. In spoke clauses, the tone used belongs to the clause as a whole, such that individual tones in words blur together. Also, in 2-syllable words, the second syllable is always stressed, which can change the perceived tone. That comes from the textbook that was once used by the US foreign service department. Its why if you listen to Thais you do not hear the sing-song like Chinese.
my first visit to thailand was nearly 30 years ago. When i was in a bus and we passed one of those mini street temples, everyone on the bus, including the driver, would do a wai to the temple out of respect. Now nobody does. It's a small part of their culture that has been lost
Mini street temples, what do you mean? The little houses? If so, many Thais now know it is the SPIRIT HOUSES, not Buddha houses. If you mean the very small temples by the streets, we prefer to visit there. The WAI when we drive passed by seem unnecessary. It doesn’t mean we don’t respect the temples.
Friendliness has plummeted to an all time low to these devices that are glued to their hands. Unlike 20 years there was much more friendliness in the society towards foreigners.
Appreciate how you point out those topics pretty insightful even myself can’t think about. I’m a Thai fan and love you always bring up creative Thai contents!
I agree with most on your list Paddy, I have been coming to Thailand since 1979 and have been married to my Thai wife for 35 years, and live in Thailand full time, have definitely seen the change in the last 10 years, more than the previous decades, especially with the English language skills among the younger people. Good video and keep up the good work. Hope you can make it back here again soon🙏
Interesting facts, and I can see the difference between Thailand now and 49 years ago when I left for the UK with mixed feelings! Good and not so good but glad to see how far the country has become and proud of it.🇹🇭🙏 ❤ Thank you Paddy for another interesting vlogging.
What a great video that focus’s on real change whether for better or worse. However…so nice to see that most of them (in my opinion) are positive changes! Great Job Paddy!
Great clip Paddy ...and very astute observations. Living in the heart of it day in day out you don't really notice it but when pondering each point you brought up, they're pretty spot on.
@@ThaiTalkwithPaddy Thanks Paddy... the comment threads have become a battle zone. All I wanted to do was to teach people the lost art of how Thai used to be written. Great lesson...part of language learning is understanding the political baggage running below the surface too!
Paddy, I really enjoyed watching your Thai video series while you were here in Thailand. I always enjoy the conversations and adventures and find your Thai speaking very easy to follow. Enjoy your time back in OZ and do come back over here to Thailand soon for another series of adventures and to sharpen up your Thai language skills even more.
My first time in thailand i think was in 2007 as a young teen, don't really remember too much other than what things looked like and how much cheaper everything was. But since then i've been to thailand for 2-3 weeks each time in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2022. And the absolute biggest difference is noticing year by year how everything has gotten more and more overrun by russians. In 2015 there was this one side street where most of the russians were, my dad and i started referring to it as the russian street but then as each year passed they spread more and more and have now pretty much taken over the whole main street and all of the side streets. The russians are literally everywhere and everything is written in russian, seeing storefronts and advertising written in russian is often even more common than english. Many street food venders just default to thinking you're russian if you're a white guy. I'm not saying i haven't encountered a few nice russians, but it's been such a bad development. Most of them are so nonchalant and completely disregard their surroundings and the people around them. At hotel breakfast you see several different russians literally every day that fill plates to the brim, and put dozens of pastries and a mountain of fruit on a tray and then when they're done they leave enough food to feed a couple of families even though they're told over and over to take less and then get more if they actually want/need more. There has always been a substantial amount of trash on the ground, but the russians made it even worse, they were literally throwing trash everywhere. One year they had to remove the public sun lounger chairs and parasols and close a part of the beach because some russians were running this little mafia operation where they took over the whole public area of sun lounger chairs and parasols and were charging money from people to use it and the place was too littered with trash. I've asked many of the local thais what they think of the russians and they don't particularly like them but accept them because with their vast numbers they bring a lot of money to the economy. Anyways i can't be bothered to type anymore. Just google it and you'll find plenty of posts and articles about especially Phuket and probably Krabi as well being overrun by russians and that it has made it a worse place to visit
Oh I didn’t know it’s that bad nowadays. I went to visit Thailand with my family a month ago. We were in Pattaya for a week and the hotel we stayed at was 90% full of Russians. I thought they just preferred that particular hotel. Had no idea that there’s such a huge population of Russians these days 😮
Although I myself am Russian and live in a small non-tourist town in Thailand, I want to say that I am very upset by the large number of Russians in Pattaya and Phuket. There are a lot of ill-mannered and rude people among them, for whom I am always ashamed in front of the Thais. They often treat Asians with contempt, are not interested in their culture, and act arrogantly. But the most thing that makes me sad is that they actually kill the authentic spirit of Thailand.
@@ekaptsv What makes me sad about Russians is they expect the rest of the world to deal with the murdering dictator they allow to run their country, because they are too damn cowardly to do anything about it.
@@ekaptsv Unfortunately, this has been my experience with Russians in public in Pattaya as well. That said, within the confines of the condo grounds (pools, gym, common areas, etc.) where I stay, the Russian families and single men are just fine. I came to Pattaya for the first time last September and was completely shocked by the number of Russians that are here now. It has to be at least 10x as many as seven months ago. My family was going to move to Jomtien this year, so I'm glad we decided to come back as see the city again. I guess we'll check out Hua Hin next.
Very interesting. I have traveled to Thailand once or twice every year since 2010 and last year at a bar in Surat Thani it just hit me that Thailand is like many western countries probably was in the 1950’s or 60’s. So much in between the old and the new and so excited about becoming a richer country. There’s an interest and passion for the new mixed with warmth attitude and tradition. I’m from Sweden and in my fifties now and visiting Thailand is to me like experiencing the hopefulness of my own and my parents youth.
Really?? I d like to know what sector of Thai society you spoke with. As most of the Thais I know are nt very hopeful for the future. By the way I ve lived here permenantly for 17 years, have 2 teenage children, a business and experienced life here on many levels, far too numerous to go into here and now.
My first time to Thailand was in 1999 and my last in 2009. When checking out videos now, so much has changed. For example Pai was a quiet and sleepy village. Now it look like a circus. I also see much more luxury accommodations with swimming pools etc. I really want to go but but it really looks like a different place. There was no smartphone in 2009. You just went to a place and saw what happened. With UA-cam now there is less surprise and adventure. You can check everything before you go.
I really liked this video as I’ve been living in Thailand for close to ten years now. My favorite hobby is bicycle touring so while doing that a few big changes I’ve notice are 7-Elevens and PTT stations with a 7-Eleven and a Amazon coffee, they are both absolutely everywhere now. The quality of places to stay at out in the sticks. I haven’t used a squat toilet in years and every town of moderate size now has a very nice resort or two with a/c and hot water. Foreigners, we are everywhere now, this is maybe a bit more than ten years but I remember riding my bike for days across the NE and not seeing a single foreigner, now everyday I will see them. There are some others but even with these it still feels nice.
The toilet thing definitely. It is quite a recent change every place has western toilets with a sprinkler...Best thing ever. Toilet paper shouldn't really be used these days anywhere. On this point the thais are ahead of the restbof the world
Good day to you! I am a senior rider on HONDA motorcycle from Japan. I am enjoying camping ,touring and upload video. Your travel video is so nice! Awesome! Full supported ! Have a nice day my friend!
It's funny that you started with " have you eaten yet?". Gin Khao laew reu yang kha?" (It will take me far too long to use the Thai letters as I'm still learning 555). You probably know this but your viewers might not: until world war II, Thailand did not really use "sawasdee". They asked if you had eaten rice yet indicating that the interaction should involve sitting down together over a meal. Just in case anybody was wondering how much Thailand's culture surrounds food. ❤
@@mythai05 I'm guessing sawastik? As in the sacred symbol and the Sanskrit word upon which "sawasdee" is based? I love everything you wrote btw! That was fantastic
Chinese people also use that greeting, especially the older folk. It's supposed to express concern for the others as a form of politeness, but one doesn't have to actually take it literally and see to their needs, sort of like how Americans casually ask "how it's going" without actually wanting to hear your whole life story.
@@mythai05 that he did. And he also rotated it. Also in yoga there is a pose called swastikasana - auspicious pose. It pops up all over. Btw since you mentioned that you are a Thai/ English translator, any tips that you recommend for becoming more proficient in reading, writing speaking?
@@mythai05 Your words: "Rice plays such an important role in the Thai diet, that you can't ask someone if they have eaten without using the word". It appears to be you that struggles with the English language (and the Thai language too obviously), not me. Please tell me you were joking when you claimed to be able to translate between Thai and English. LOL. There are a number of different ways you could ask someone if they have eaten (in Thai) without using the word rice. Perhaps if you spent less time trying to be smart on here and more time studying the languages you claim to be familiar with, you wouldn't make such a fool of yourself.
Paddy, love your videos. What are your thoughts and comments on the "long" burning season? it seems it never ends and all our health is in danger...................???
Welcome home Khun Paddy ! When will you go to Thai town or Chatswood again I just got back to my second home in Sydney n it’s sooo expensive !!!Tour co host Suai mak for Khun Paddy ❤
While one may have noticed changes in the fitness scene over the last 10 years with major running, cycling and trail events, for me, the first inflection point was sometime around 1980 when the first Clark Hatch gym opened in a parking garage across from the US Embassy. From there gyms started to open in major hotels and squash courts became more accessible. Thailand has a little bit of everything but it is not always apparent or visible to the general public or foreigners in particular.
I know thailand is treated as if it is a third world country, but in reality there is a huge middle class, and these people live as well as any in the west...maybe even better...not saddled with huge mortgages...I guess.
Hi Paddy! When will you be returning to Thailand? You should move there permanently! Carpe diem, my friend. I will be in Thailand early next month! It’s been nearly 12 years since I’ve been there. I’m so excited.
As a Thai who moved from Bangkok to Chiang Mai in 2013, the first few years, coffee shops were few; now they are at every street corner. Thais speak more fluent English by themselves as formal education fails to do so. I love your observation! 5555 (so you know only Thais use this)
About fitness culture getting bigger in Thailand, I still think it has a long way to go. As someone who recently started my fitness journey less than a year ago, it was nearly impossible to find a gym at my hometown in northeastern Thailand. My Thai mom and aunt aren’t supportive of my gym lifestyle because they are afraid of me becoming muscular and bulky 😅 (It’s VERY difficult for a woman to become bulky without absolute dedication to the lifestyle). They say young beautiful women should be thin and dainty. Still so much ignorance when it comes to fitness. 😢
My wife and I have been working out in Thai gyms for more than 20 years so it is not really new but some of the old way of thinking still persists in some circles. I guess before the Thais I met in the gym back then were more apt to be western educated and well-off. These days it has spread to a wider segment of the population and is still new for some.
My wife and I get out and walk almost daily, so I know that Thais are big into walking and jogging and have been for a long time. However, you rarely see them doing so on public streets. Go to a park, as we do, and in the mornings or evenings, it is packed. That said, in our village, during COVID, a lot of people were jogging around the village because we couldn't go anywhere. But now, it's been a long time since I've seen anyone out on the village roads. As for the gym. I have two close by, I make use of them from time to time, and I am usually the only one in there. They do get a bit busier in the evening, but nothing like back home in Canada; in any gym, it is absolutely impossible to get a good workout because you are always waiting to use the equipment. Never had that happen here.
@@tahiti1 While high end gyms in Bangkok can be expensive the nice gyms I use in Chiang Rai are 50 to 100 baht per day and cheaper for monthly membership.
Enjoy your video 1st time listener, S to your number of people starting a cake shop.I live in Chiangmai Im stund how much foreigners will pay for a cake its ridiculous 😅😅😂😂😂
Interesting. As a foreigner's view, Thai seems like it has changed toward the good ways for a decade. Although there is no PERFECT society and Thai still has some issues I hope it could improve constantly yeah
I love Thailand as much as most people here…I’m hoping that you can consider a video in the future to be about the change in the pollution of Thailand and what you can hope for/suggest to lessen it.
Interesting, the differences you see are sure not the differences I have seen, even in the past three years. For one, I do not find Thia the friendliest of people, not the most polite. I always heard how friendly they were, then I started coming hear (followed my wife home in 7 years ago). That was one of the first things I learned was not true, Thais are not the friendliest people. Well, if you go to touristy places, they are, but they have to be because they are relying on those tourists to make their income. Can't really say that I agree with you on these changes, though. I've got a good 7 year relationship with Thailand now, and if anything, I would say English in Thailand is going down the shitter fast. I am struggling to learn Thai because it is so rare to find anyone who speaks English. As far as the rest, entrepreneurship has always been big in Thailand, young or old. Young Thais dating young non Thais isn't really new. But the non Thais should be wary. Lots of horror stories out there, even heard some from a couple of younger friends of mine. It is best to always go very slow. And one thing I have noticed over the past three years is actually how rarely Thais we meet show interest in having a foreign boyfriend or girlfriend. There was a time four or five years ago where my wife's younger family and friends were always asking about meeting foreign/western men. Now you rarely hear that question, and many seem to be critical. Now my wife gets asked things like, does he smell? Does he bath? Does he force you to speak English or cook farang food? Thins like that... luckily I am well liked by our friends and family because I either try to speak Thai, but I don't talk English unless adressed in English, which is very rare now. I also eat Thai food, never compare Thailand to my home country, and try and help my wife look after her family. In other words, try not to be farang. In the 7 years I've been hanging here with my wife, I actually think the use of phones all the time is slowing down. We go out now with Thai friends, and many leave their phones in their cars. TikTok was a fad, but I don't see too many actively using it now. Most younger Thais I know, men and women, spend millions on skin whiteners. But you are right, Thais don't come up and gawk at your white skin like they used to. I think part of that is because I have noticed a decline in Thais fascination with westerners. So are my observations...
@@graduke1bro what are you saying? Seem you never used a Thai app of dating. Most Thai women prefer foreing men than Thai men. For many reasons. And it's not about money at all. I met more women than in my whole life in thailand. Even mature women want rape me😂 so come on. It's the paradise for foreing men if we speak about women.
Paddy I have seen so much change in the last 50 years with Thailand and unfortunately most for the bad in my opinion. Cell phones have reduced the youth of Thailand from once voracious readers to mindless YT watchers. I remember when life in Thailand was not just money, money and more money as a national motto for many Thais, but it has changed the culture of Thailand. Of course I do understand how hard it is for Thais today with the cost for everything going through the roof. I remember going to Thammasat University and having a really large bowl of noodle soup with just about anything you wanted to throw in it for only 6 baht. Yep 6 baht. Yes the introduction of first rate coffee is a positive change for Thailand. As for speaking English I have a funny story only viewed from the other way around.. It seemed my wife and her sisters were shopping downtown Thailand. When my wife went to the ladies room the sales person told her sisters "your friend speaks very good Thai". I guess she had been away long enough she was no longer up on the latest phrases and shifts in the Thai language.
I don’t and I am Thai. Now we mix the modernization with traditions in a balance way. We don’t want to go back to “backpack paradise” for White tourists.
I think in Thailand there's more and more western/white tourists so Thai people are getting used to it and its not a strange thing to them. Also, I think Chiang Mai (one of the bigger cities in Northern Thailand) is still pretty rural and not as "open" as say Bangkok. Chiang Rai is even more rural so people living there may not be as accepting to western culture.
One bad change I have noticed up in Nakhon Phanom is that the locals have replaced traditional Thai lemon tea with Nestea iced tea. They think Thai lemon tea is old fashioned. The chain Cafe Amazon used to have excellent Thai lemon tea...no more. 😞
I've been coming to Thailand over 40 years and in the last 10 years English has improved, that is I think do to everybody now has smart phones and are now more exposed to English. Though there are many areas of BKK were there are almost no tourist and the level of English is very poor! On the topic of skin tone, if you ask the average Thai they still want to be white. I would bet there are no decline in the sales of whitening products. Probably still on the increase for both men and women's products.
The economy has been growing so more thais become middle class and take on characteristics of middle class people everywhere...that explains the more cosmopolitan attitudes, baking skills/ coffee drinking, language learning , exercise etc. That's my take anyway.
I really like your observations about he changing trends and culture in Thailand. I love to make comparisons with my Filipino society from other ASEAN nations to see where we stand, and honestly, Thailand seems to be doing far better.
Yea are the young (and not so young) women still all going overseas to get decent paying jobs? Lots of them working as nurses, retail/F&B staff and domestic workers in Singapore.
I never really thought about the popularity of entrepreneurship among Thais, but my Thai ex owned a restaurant, and my current girlfriend owns a smoothie shop. And in all my 30+ years in my home city in Europe, I didn't even meet a girl who ran her own business, never mind date one.
Yeah massive culture shock as well when I came to Australia and there wasn’t a big start up culture and entrepreneurship. I know in Thailand creative entrepreneurship is out of need to survive and make better income, maybe it’s why Australia has no people doing side gigs as they have better average income.
Yes, time passes and the world changes. Profound knowledge you have sir 5555 World recessions, pandemics, uncontrolled population growth, limited resources, pollution, greed, and so many other factors causes constant change. B positive and grateful for what you have
You missed (probably intentionally lol) one important change: fewer people adoring or respecting the monarchy. It's not even a gut feeling; it's measurable. Go to any cinema and see how many people stand for the royal anthem now. Here's a hint: it's easier to count the people standing up.
Hello sir will you help me out and give me some advice regarding how to start learning Thai, as i live in a country where I don't have any Thai teacher around me for offline classes, so sir will you advice us how you started learning Thai and how you did progess? Sir basically I want you to share us your THAI LEARNING STORY💗 waiting for ur positive reply Thank You
I'm Thai. I think the best way to learn Thai language is talking (or texting) to Thai friends. I'm not sure about chat app. But I'm pretty sure many Thai people would love exchange language with you.😊
@@mythai05 Wow that's fascinating! Here in Australia almost all boys get into our sport culture so it's so strange to me that Muay Thai in Thailand used to be seen as something poor people do because over here, sports are what everyone does even if you have plans to be a lawyer or doctor
cool to adapt as you have Paddy! .. try an interview with .. Justketh ... on yt and twitch , shes a Thai French adventure girl from Thailand with a cool mix of native Thai and her unique English , known as kethlish ... 🙏 tia :)
I was commuting to Thailand from 2015 to 2020 to see my GF. We got married in 2022 and I moved to BKK in December 2022 and have been living here for 6 months. In that time, I have seen for myself a slight reduction in mask wearing in and around town. It's usually, but not always, younger people "freeing the nose". We went to Sattahip for a weekend. It was "Mask? What's a mask, mate?"
On the subject of entrepreneurship, it seems like Thailand is in a good position to join Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan in the ranks of highly-developed Asian economies.
Lmao absolute BS. Thailand’s economy is 100 times weaker than those countries and always will be. The corruption in Thailand is off the charts. Run by the friggen junta
Let me explain about whitening problem Paddy, it's just a misunderstood problem most tourists came here in Thailand and saw a lot of whitening stuffs and they just thought by themself that Thai people love their white skin and hate black skin Paddy and I have to say we Thai never thought like that my friend we do not have racist problems here like you know Paddy and we always love and welcoming every type of skins but in Thailand it is very hot so since the old day most labor-class who has to work outside in the rice fields such as a farmars most of them got the "BURNT Black" skin because of the sun NOT Black skin like Black people and when you got burnt skin people thought it's so ugly and looks poor and came from the poor family if you got Black Burnt skin so most of the Thai people love to I have to say whitening and lightenning their skins to make their skin clear and smooth and white/light not white like European white my friend because many people from the west came here to sunbathing too and if you ask Thai girls they'll say that those skin are ugly too because it's burnt and most of them who using these things are only Thai girls never a man Paddy and if you ask a Thai girl who want to be more white and light skin most of them want the have asian white skin it is white like k-pop idol like zombie white not white like European Paddy because many Thai girl they are already white Paddy like the girl in this Video but most of them they just wanted smooth and light and clear white so you'll see many Thai girl who already white like this girl still use those products Paddy. And if you are talking about black Thai, like I said we do not have racist problems here so people never thought that Black skin is not good so there are many Thai people that love and proud their Thai black skin my friend just like the most famous Thai MuayThai fighter in the world name "Buakaw" he really famous in the west too and he has a very very black skin and he love to called himself "DUM" or "DUM DOT COM" when talked with all his Thai fans which means Black skin people and joking about his funny fake website where he came from for decades. Lol
This didn't happen in a vacuum. There was always a preference for white skin, not just in Thailand, but pretty much throughout Asia. The Korean skin care industry taped into this preference big time. Thailand is but another nation obsessed with these products.
My first visit was 17 years ago & back then, it was Internet cafes, no tourist sim cards with a data package. For me it was much better as I run my own electrical firm & would only pick up emails every 3 to 4 days & and my clients knew this, nowadays I get bombarded no one cares that you're on holiday. Also, you could avoid the Premiership results & go into a sports bar on a Wednesday & watch a rerun of a game, like it was live.
I've been visiting Thailand yearly since 2006 (except for 2021) and last time this month in 2022. Despite the new fitness stuff these days, I nearly never saw an overweight Thai back then. Now they're everywhere. Probably Western junk food.
I'm sure the pandemic has spurred entrepreneurship. Lots of businesses closed, making many shops, stalls, paths available and lots of people whose finances were crushed are leaping at the opportunity to move into those spaces. (especially selling weed) Paddy, as far as masks, I think you are missing the extreme Thai desire to fit in. Even in Bangkok, it is possible to find quiet areas where few are wearing masks, but they'll put them on in places where everyone else is doing it.
True, I just had a reunion with a Thai friend who came from Thailand. We met in Chicago where I live. She told me she wanted to wear a mask but she didn't because nobody was wearing it! 😂
Two questions here 1. European guys? What is the exact difference between European and Australian or American guys for Thai women? 2. Only Korean guys? What makes Korean guys different from Chinese or Japanese guys for Thai women?
Maybe cultural differences. European guys don't tend to binge drink as much as brits/ Australians or be as loud as Americans. The popularity of korean men will be due to the rise of k drama and kpop..and being more handsome generally than chinese/ japanese ( well...the top guys )...
I am Thai, though adopted, and I can't eat that spicy food at all. My adopted parents don't like spicy food and the most exciting thing they ordered from a Chinese restaurant was chicken balls, rice and sweet n sour sauce 😂 and my husband is white British and 4 yrs younger than me. Our kids are luk kreungs
I saw Thailand 7 years ago. Another thing I noticed is that Thai people eat more and more occidental food. Like steaks, french fries, pizzas, nuggets,... I live in a small town in Thailand and the steak place at the market is always crowded. There are generally far less customers in traditional restaurants around. And all customers of the steak restaurant are quite young... therefore it's kind of very low quality occidental style food. So sad when Thai food is one of the best in the world! So when I go to a restaurant with pork steak on the menu I always ask for a kao pad and everybody look at me....wtf.... :D
You reminded me of a story my coworker told me. I’m Thai living in Canada and the colleague has Thai wife. There was a time when his wife’s cousin came to learn English in Canada and stayed wirh them. He told me the kid never ate Thai foods that his wife cooked and always ate junk foods like burger, french fried and pizza all the time. Unbelievable. On the contrary, my kid born and raised in Canada as well as many of her school friends love Thai and Asian foods.
i live in the U.S for over 35 years now. and what i notice about Thailand now was/is they're heavily influenced by what goes on here in the U.S. for example Starbucks, that got the coffee culture going there, tune import cars, that got the car shows n race going there, yoga pants, yoga, gym, made exercise a thing there, music, theres thai rappers now with dread? then America push the woke narrative, to love yourself whether its fat/skinny, white/black, lesbians gays should all be accepted and tolerated then out of nowhere it's acceptable there in Thailand. 😂😂 that's how things changed in Thailand because everyone's connected to the internet now and they see what goes on here in the U.S and around the world then they seem to get influence and sued by that.
I think thailand has a lot more experience of trans issues than the US so the learning/ influence SHOULD be the other way around. I don't think thailand will be as affected by woke as other countries in Asia as these are not multicultural countries ...but what you are saying is generally true...we are all interconnected now due to the media and eastAsians are even more susceptible to influence from higher above ( eg unquestioning following of the rules..eg covid )bloody disaster unfortunately for rhe rest of rhe world!
I think it's fair to say that prepandemic alot of things were better. But now not so much. Many countries have changed.i think as more thai younger generation go overseas they also copy what they've learned overseas. I have noticed that along with learning things overseas. They also learned how to become very rude as well and alittle condescending with their tones as well. Which is why I like talking with the older generation alittle bit more. Because they're more down to earth and not show offish. As for the mask situation I think most thais are just paranoid. Whereas you got to other Asian countries they've ditched the mask for the majority of percentage. As for the exercise culture I think it's a bit of an obsession. I would ask some of my friends in thailand what they're doing on day to day bases. They would just say exercising but really have no clear goal as to why they're doing it. I think it's more of current trend.
Ever went to the run track at night? I wouldn't call that exercising. More like walk in the park. Except for the local jogging club which IS fanatic about it.
I personally don’t think the masks have much to do with covid anymore but it is a way for people (especially young) to hide themselves. I notice that there is a lot of acne and it’s an easy way to cover that. Beauty standards have moved from whitening to looking more korean. Smaller noses, bigger lips, eyelid surgery. Thinness still remains, unfortunately but being strong is pushing through. And in response to the gyms, they are the most expensive I have come across. I usually pay over £100 a month and (whilst at home, which I am currently) I’m paying £20 for a better gym. Crazy.
My Thai girlfriend is in her 20s and absolutely gorgeous. I asked her why she doesn't get a flight attendant job with Air Asia. She responded right away, "They won't hire me. They are looking for girls who look Korean."
@@Nordic_Sky air Asia dont pay well we used to have flight crews stay at my work resort etc and they play up with the captain if you know what I mean caught a few banging around the pool late at night 😊
I am Thai. In the past 10 years, Thailand has really changed a lot. both food and society There is less and less delicious Thai food. The taste drops. Food tastes sweeter ,The appearance and methods of cooking have changed. Socially, there are as many as 1 million workers from neighboring countries. Myanmar, mostly in restaurants in shopping malls More than half of the service staff and chefs are Burmese. and there were new Chinese(Bangkok ,Chiang Mai )and Russia(Phuket)people coming to live there That creates wisdom about real estate. There are more homeless people.
In my opinion, people decide to wear masks because 2 main reasons is that : 1. Of course Covid-19 pandemic 2. Air pollution that we called PM2.5, especially in Bangkok. Both of them caused directly to your lunge and health.
and those face diapers are ineffective at stopping a virus which is 97% propaganda and 3% lab based flu, as well as ineffective at topping any form of gas. but everyone else is doing it so it must be right.... except most of the rest of the world has woken up to reality. sorry for being a bit harsh - face diapers and coffee filters are a sore spot for me.
Not true - it's obvious most Thais are still wearing them because of Covid because even outside of Bangkok you see lots of people riding motorbikes with mask and no helmets. It will never stop and Thailand will eventually become notorious for being the only country on earth that never moved on from covid.
Yes, I couldn’t agree more. Since I have very sensitive allergy to air. Nowadays Thailand has covered by the fine dust ‘PM 2.5’ as like The Mists (movie), atmospheres around us are dulled and it affects our health if you inhale for long period like years. So, we still wear a mask even ever Covid was gone.
Great video Paddy. I think social media will cause more problems than it will solve. Thais are addicted in a very unhealthy way. Sill, I love it here, 50/50 BrisVegas is the dream life for me. Come back soon mate & I'll buy you s descent latte
I first went to Thailand in 1969 when I was 13. My Dad worked there. One thing that has not changed in all that time is the generosity and friendliness of the Thai people. Another is they still drive in the cities like they're in the Monaco Grand Prix!
C'est tout ce que vous avez à dire ? C'est un peu maigre
Bull sh..t. Yes that also has changed
@@crbbaldwin So you were also in Thailand in 1969?
@@MCFEROX6060 Nothing thin about the generosity and friendliness of the Thai people
@@SandfordSmythe Do you speak thaï ?
American farang here, Paddy. Thanks for your videos. Currently studying Thai language down here in Southern California. Sometimes when studies get boring, and I ask myself, "why are you doing this?" Going on your channel and watching your videos gives me the boost of inspiration I need to continue. Such beautiful people in that Country. Looking forward to being able to connect with them on a deeper level. Krap.
I've talked to a number of westerners who can speak Thai. They all learned it outside Thailand. That said, like Paddy, they talk Thai, but not like anyone born in Thailand. Some Thia I know don't even understand him. If you're learning outside Thailand, as your teacher to teach you proper spoken Thai. And ask them about ALL the tone rules. Eg., each word has a tone associated with it. In spoke clauses, the tone used belongs to the clause as a whole, such that individual tones in words blur together. Also, in 2-syllable words, the second syllable is always stressed, which can change the perceived tone. That comes from the textbook that was once used by the US foreign service department. Its why if you listen to Thais you do not hear the sing-song like Chinese.
my first visit to thailand was nearly 30 years ago. When i was in a bus and we passed one of those mini street temples, everyone on the bus, including the driver, would do a wai to the temple out of respect. Now nobody does. It's a small part of their culture that has been lost
I'm thai and if I see those temples I will always do a wai.
กำลังก้มหัวทำความเคารพไอโฟนอยู่ครับ..สังคมก้มหน้าเมื่อเทคโนโลยีเข้ามา..แต่เมื่อถึงวันสำคัญทางศาสนาพุทธ..ประชากรส่วนใหญ่ของไทยไม่ว่าจะเป็นเด็กหรือผู้ใหญ่ก็จะทำบุญสวดมนต์เข้าวัดกันเป็นครอบครัวนะครับ..
Mini street temples, what do you mean? The little houses? If so, many Thais now know it is the SPIRIT HOUSES, not Buddha houses.
If you mean the very small temples by the streets, we prefer to visit there. The WAI when we drive passed by seem unnecessary. It doesn’t mean we don’t respect the temples.
Friendliness has plummeted to an all time low to these devices that are glued to their hands. Unlike 20 years there was much more friendliness in the society towards foreigners.
Yes, they seem to have a resentment towards foreigners now and alot of laughing at us. Which I'm "sure' is just nervousness definitely not rude
I met Paddy once very briefly in Bangkok, he was an absolute bloody gentleman.
Love your work buddy
Appreciate how you point out those topics pretty insightful even myself can’t think about. I’m a Thai fan and love you always bring up creative Thai contents!
I agree with most on your list Paddy, I have been coming to Thailand since 1979 and have been married to my Thai wife for 35 years, and live in Thailand full time, have definitely seen the change in the last 10 years, more than the previous decades, especially with the English language skills among the younger people. Good video and keep up the good work. Hope you can make it back here again soon🙏
ขอบคุณที่มองเห็น
แต่น่าเศร้าที่คนไทยส่วนใหญ่หลงไปกับคำพูดนักการเมืองฝ่ายตรงข้าม ด่าว่ารัฐบาลที่พัฒนาประเทศในช่วงทศวรรษที่ผ่านมานี้ ทั้งที่ผลงานเห็นเชิงประจักษ์ด้วยสายตาได้ชัดเจน
Interesting facts, and I can see the difference between Thailand now and 49 years ago when I left for the UK with mixed feelings! Good and not so good but glad to see how far the country has become and proud of it.🇹🇭🙏 ❤ Thank you Paddy for another interesting vlogging.
I’m finally going to go teach in Thailand next month, and I can’t wait to experience these changes and make my own list in ten years 🤩
WELCOME TO THE KINGDOM OF SMILES, RYAN!🙏🇹🇭🥰
I love that you always talk about pro and con about Thailand.
Only been once 1yr before... the event. Loved the place, people were and are so lovely. Great food and amazing culture. Respect
What a great video that focus’s on real change whether for better or worse. However…so nice to see that most of them (in my opinion) are positive changes! Great Job Paddy!
Great clip Paddy ...and very astute observations. Living in the heart of it day in day out you don't really notice it but when pondering each point you brought up, they're pretty spot on.
Thank Stu! Been loving the videos you’ve been putting out lately
@@ThaiTalkwithPaddy Thanks Paddy... the comment threads have become a battle zone. All I wanted to do was to teach people the lost art of how Thai used to be written. Great lesson...part of language learning is understanding the political baggage running below the surface too!
Nescafe introduced triple espresso coffee can in 2021 and it really elevated the game like Taobin.
I definitely noticed the phone thing when I was just there. Accidents waiting to happen all over the place
Coffee shop culture is such a thing in Thailand nowadays. And it's actually amazing!
It already was a decade ago. Seriously.
Your humor is so great and entertaining !!! A+
Paddy, I really enjoyed watching your Thai video series while you were here in Thailand. I always enjoy the conversations and adventures and find your Thai speaking very easy to follow. Enjoy your time back in OZ and do come back over here to Thailand soon for another series of adventures and to sharpen up your Thai language skills even more.
Already got my eyes on tickets for the next tour, Craig! Thanks a lot for the support 🙏
Very few people still wear masks in Canada anymore.
My first time in thailand i think was in 2007 as a young teen, don't really remember too much other than what things looked like and how much cheaper everything was.
But since then i've been to thailand for 2-3 weeks each time in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2022. And the absolute biggest difference is noticing year by year how everything has gotten more and more overrun by russians. In 2015 there was this one side street where most of the russians were, my dad and i started referring to it as the russian street but then as each year passed they spread more and more and have now pretty much taken over the whole main street and all of the side streets. The russians are literally everywhere and everything is written in russian, seeing storefronts and advertising written in russian is often even more common than english. Many street food venders just default to thinking you're russian if you're a white guy. I'm not saying i haven't encountered a few nice russians, but it's been such a bad development. Most of them are so nonchalant and completely disregard their surroundings and the people around them. At hotel breakfast you see several different russians literally every day that fill plates to the brim, and put dozens of pastries and a mountain of fruit on a tray and then when they're done they leave enough food to feed a couple of families even though they're told over and over to take less and then get more if they actually want/need more. There has always been a substantial amount of trash on the ground, but the russians made it even worse, they were literally throwing trash everywhere. One year they had to remove the public sun lounger chairs and parasols and close a part of the beach because some russians were running this little mafia operation where they took over the whole public area of sun lounger chairs and parasols and were charging money from people to use it and the place was too littered with trash. I've asked many of the local thais what they think of the russians and they don't particularly like them but accept them because with their vast numbers they bring a lot of money to the economy. Anyways i can't be bothered to type anymore. Just google it and you'll find plenty of posts and articles about especially Phuket and probably Krabi as well being overrun by russians and that it has made it a worse place to visit
Oh I didn’t know it’s that bad nowadays. I went to visit Thailand with my family a month ago. We were in Pattaya for a week and the hotel we stayed at was 90% full of Russians. I thought they just preferred that particular hotel. Had no idea that there’s such a huge population of Russians these days 😮
I heard the same thing!
Although I myself am Russian and live in a small non-tourist town in Thailand, I want to say that I am very upset by the large number of Russians in Pattaya and Phuket. There are a lot of ill-mannered and rude people among them, for whom I am always ashamed in front of the Thais. They often treat Asians with contempt, are not interested in their culture, and act arrogantly. But the most thing that makes me sad is that they actually kill the authentic spirit of Thailand.
@@ekaptsv What makes me sad about Russians is they expect the rest of the world to deal with the murdering dictator they allow to run their country, because they are too damn cowardly to do anything about it.
@@ekaptsv Unfortunately, this has been my experience with Russians in public in Pattaya as well. That said, within the confines of the condo grounds (pools, gym, common areas, etc.) where I stay, the Russian families and single men are just fine. I came to Pattaya for the first time last September and was completely shocked by the number of Russians that are here now. It has to be at least 10x as many as seven months ago. My family was going to move to Jomtien this year, so I'm glad we decided to come back as see the city again. I guess we'll check out Hua Hin next.
Very interesting. I have traveled to Thailand once or twice every year since 2010 and last year at a bar in Surat Thani it just hit me that Thailand is like many western countries probably was in the 1950’s or 60’s. So much in between the old and the new and so excited about becoming a richer country. There’s an interest and passion for the new mixed with warmth attitude and tradition. I’m from Sweden and in my fifties now and visiting Thailand is to me like experiencing the hopefulness of my own and my parents youth.
Beautifully written.❤
Really?? I d like to know what sector of Thai society you spoke with. As most of the Thais I know are nt very hopeful for the future.
By the way I ve lived here permenantly for 17 years, have 2 teenage children, a business and experienced life here on many levels, far too numerous to go into here and now.
@@SpearofDestiny-c8y "As most of the Thais I know are not very hopeful for the future."
What are their biggest concerns for the future?
My first time to Thailand was in 1999 and my last in 2009. When checking out videos now, so much has changed. For example Pai was a quiet and sleepy village. Now it look like a circus. I also see much more luxury accommodations with swimming pools etc. I really want to go but but it really looks like a different place. There was no smartphone in 2009. You just went to a place and saw what happened. With UA-cam now there is less surprise and adventure. You can check everything before you go.
Pai just gets worse year on year.
I like yer style Paddy, yer a straight shooter, will be tuning in more
I really liked this video as I’ve been living in Thailand for close to ten years now. My favorite hobby is bicycle touring so while doing that a few big changes I’ve notice are 7-Elevens and PTT stations with a 7-Eleven and a Amazon coffee, they are both absolutely everywhere now. The quality of places to stay at out in the sticks. I haven’t used a squat toilet in years and every town of moderate size now has a very nice resort or two with a/c and hot water. Foreigners, we are everywhere now, this is maybe a bit more than ten years but I remember riding my bike for days across the NE and not seeing a single foreigner, now everyday I will see them. There are some others but even with these it still feels nice.
The toilet thing definitely. It is quite a recent change every place has western toilets with a sprinkler...Best thing ever. Toilet paper shouldn't really be used these days anywhere. On this point the thais are ahead of the restbof the world
Great video Paddy. So very true. Looking fwd to your return to Thailand.
Good day to you!
I am a senior rider on HONDA motorcycle from Japan.
I am enjoying camping ,touring and upload video.
Your travel video is so nice!
Awesome!
Full supported !
Have a nice day my friend!
It's funny that you started with " have you eaten yet?". Gin Khao laew reu yang kha?" (It will take me far too long to use the Thai letters as I'm still learning 555). You probably know this but your viewers might not: until world war II, Thailand did not really use "sawasdee". They asked if you had eaten rice yet indicating that the interaction should involve sitting down together over a meal. Just in case anybody was wondering how much Thailand's culture surrounds food. ❤
@@mythai05 I'm guessing sawastik? As in the sacred symbol and the Sanskrit word upon which "sawasdee" is based?
I love everything you wrote btw! That was fantastic
Chinese people also use that greeting, especially the older folk. It's supposed to express concern for the others as a form of politeness, but one doesn't have to actually take it literally and see to their needs, sort of like how Americans casually ask "how it's going" without actually wanting to hear your whole life story.
@@mythai05 that he did. And he also rotated it. Also in yoga there is a pose called swastikasana - auspicious pose. It pops up all over. Btw since you mentioned that you are a Thai/ English translator, any tips that you recommend for becoming more proficient in reading, writing speaking?
@@mythai05 You cannot have been a very proficient translator if you don't know any other words for food in Thai that don't mean rice.
@@mythai05 Your words: "Rice plays such an important role in the Thai diet, that you can't ask someone if they have eaten without using the word". It appears to be you that struggles with the English language (and the Thai language too obviously), not me. Please tell me you were joking when you claimed to be able to translate between Thai and English. LOL. There are a number of different ways you could ask someone if they have eaten (in Thai) without using the word rice. Perhaps if you spent less time trying to be smart on here and more time studying the languages you claim to be familiar with, you wouldn't make such a fool of yourself.
Paddy, love your videos. What are your thoughts and comments on the "long" burning season? it seems it never ends and all our health is in danger...................???
In 2015, during my first trip to Thailand, I definitely saw billboards for skin whitening products. I am not seeing that now.
Just enter any pharmacy.
Welcome home Khun Paddy ! When will you go to Thai town or Chatswood again I just got back to my second home in Sydney n it’s sooo expensive !!!Tour co host Suai mak for Khun Paddy ❤
While one may have noticed changes in the fitness scene over the last 10 years with major running, cycling and trail events, for me, the first inflection point was sometime around 1980 when the first Clark Hatch gym opened in a parking garage across from the US Embassy. From there gyms started to open in major hotels and squash courts became more accessible. Thailand has a little bit of everything but it is not always apparent or visible to the general public or foreigners in particular.
I know thailand is treated as if it is a third world country, but in reality there is a huge middle class, and these people live as well as any in the west...maybe even better...not saddled with huge mortgages...I guess.
Thanks for keeping an eye on the Thai “pulse” for those that have been away for too long.
Hi Paddy! When will you be returning to Thailand? You should move there permanently! Carpe diem, my friend. I will be in Thailand early next month! It’s been nearly 12 years since I’ve been there. I’m so excited.
Great video and I love your humor
As a Thai who moved from Bangkok to Chiang Mai in 2013, the first few years, coffee shops were few; now they are at every street corner. Thais speak more fluent English by themselves as formal education fails to do so. I love your observation! 5555 (so you know only Thais use this)
And the people with thai friends 5555 😁
lol I remember the first time I saw this… I started reading it in Thai and then started laughing for real.
เราเป็นฝรั่งคนแคนาดาพูดไทยครับ อยู่ประเทศไทย 6 ปี่แล้ว would love to meet you some time bro!
About fitness culture getting bigger in Thailand, I still think it has a long way to go. As someone who recently started my fitness journey less than a year ago, it was nearly impossible to find a gym at my hometown in northeastern Thailand. My Thai mom and aunt aren’t supportive of my gym lifestyle because they are afraid of me becoming muscular and bulky 😅 (It’s VERY difficult for a woman to become bulky without absolute dedication to the lifestyle). They say young beautiful women should be thin and dainty. Still so much ignorance when it comes to fitness. 😢
My wife and I have been working out in Thai gyms for more than 20 years so it is not really new but some of the old way of thinking still persists in some circles. I guess before the Thais I met in the gym back then were more apt to be western educated and well-off. These days it has spread to a wider segment of the population and is still new for some.
My wife and I get out and walk almost daily, so I know that Thais are big into walking and jogging and have been for a long time. However, you rarely see them doing so on public streets. Go to a park, as we do, and in the mornings or evenings, it is packed. That said, in our village, during COVID, a lot of people were jogging around the village because we couldn't go anywhere. But now, it's been a long time since I've seen anyone out on the village roads.
As for the gym. I have two close by, I make use of them from time to time, and I am usually the only one in there. They do get a bit busier in the evening, but nothing like back home in Canada; in any gym, it is absolutely impossible to get a good workout because you are always waiting to use the equipment. Never had that happen here.
I agree, health and fitness here in Thailand has a long way to go.
Fitness isnt just about gyms, which are expensive in Thailand, many Thais train in local parks or outdoors
@@tahiti1 While high end gyms in Bangkok can be expensive the nice gyms I use in Chiang Rai are 50 to 100 baht per day and cheaper for monthly membership.
Yes! Tiktok is shit, thank you for speaking the truth Paddy. Yet another great video from you. Welcome home and looking forward to the next one.
I like Paddy’s humor! | ผมชอบอารมณ์ขันของแพดดี้
Enjoy your video 1st time listener, S to your number of people starting a cake shop.I live in Chiangmai Im stund how much foreigners will pay for a cake its ridiculous 😅😅😂😂😂
Interesting. As a foreigner's view, Thai seems like it has changed toward the good ways for a decade. Although there is no PERFECT society and Thai still has some issues I hope it could improve constantly yeah
I love Thailand as much as most people here…I’m hoping that you can consider a video in the future to be about the change in the pollution of Thailand and what you can hope for/suggest to lessen it.
Interesting, the differences you see are sure not the differences I have seen, even in the past three years. For one, I do not find Thia the friendliest of people, not the most polite. I always heard how friendly they were, then I started coming hear (followed my wife home in 7 years ago). That was one of the first things I learned was not true, Thais are not the friendliest people. Well, if you go to touristy places, they are, but they have to be because they are relying on those tourists to make their income.
Can't really say that I agree with you on these changes, though. I've got a good 7 year relationship with Thailand now, and if anything, I would say English in Thailand is going down the shitter fast. I am struggling to learn Thai because it is so rare to find anyone who speaks English. As far as the rest, entrepreneurship has always been big in Thailand, young or old. Young Thais dating young non Thais isn't really new. But the non Thais should be wary. Lots of horror stories out there, even heard some from a couple of younger friends of mine. It is best to always go very slow. And one thing I have noticed over the past three years is actually how rarely Thais we meet show interest in having a foreign boyfriend or girlfriend. There was a time four or five years ago where my wife's younger family and friends were always asking about meeting foreign/western men. Now you rarely hear that question, and many seem to be critical. Now my wife gets asked things like, does he smell? Does he bath? Does he force you to speak English or cook farang food? Thins like that... luckily I am well liked by our friends and family because I either try to speak Thai, but I don't talk English unless adressed in English, which is very rare now. I also eat Thai food, never compare Thailand to my home country, and try and help my wife look after her family. In other words, try not to be farang.
In the 7 years I've been hanging here with my wife, I actually think the use of phones all the time is slowing down. We go out now with Thai friends, and many leave their phones in their cars. TikTok was a fad, but I don't see too many actively using it now. Most younger Thais I know, men and women, spend millions on skin whiteners. But you are right, Thais don't come up and gawk at your white skin like they used to. I think part of that is because I have noticed a decline in Thais fascination with westerners.
So are my observations...
A lot of the interest in foreign men will be economical. Now that many thais are doing OK they don't need a foreign partner.
@@graduke1 you nailed it. A few friends here bluntly state that if a Thai woman is interested in you, you better ask why?
@@graduke1bro what are you saying? Seem you never used a Thai app of dating. Most Thai women prefer foreing men than Thai men. For many reasons. And it's not about money at all. I met more women than in my whole life in thailand. Even mature women want rape me😂 so come on. It's the paradise for foreing men if we speak about women.
Paddy I have seen so much change in the last 50 years with Thailand and unfortunately most for the bad in my opinion. Cell phones have reduced the youth of Thailand from once voracious readers to mindless YT watchers. I remember when life in Thailand was not just money, money and more money as a national motto for many Thais, but it has changed the culture of Thailand. Of course I do understand how hard it is for Thais today with the cost for everything going through the roof. I remember going to Thammasat University and having a really large bowl of noodle soup with just about anything you wanted to throw in it for only 6 baht. Yep 6 baht. Yes the introduction of first rate coffee is a positive change for Thailand. As for speaking English I have a funny story only viewed from the other way around.. It seemed my wife and her sisters were shopping downtown Thailand. When my wife went to the ladies room the sales person told her sisters "your friend speaks very good Thai". I guess she had been away long enough she was no longer up on the latest phrases and shifts in the Thai language.
loving your videos.
("fewer people" Paddy - though I do let "less" go in other cases.) 😉
I miss Thailand of 30 years ago
I don’t and I am Thai. Now we mix the modernization with traditions in a balance way. We don’t want to go back to “backpack paradise” for White tourists.
I've been to Thailand 8 times in the last 13 years. The value of the AUD has gone down plus prices have gone up....
7:46 true, but Bangkok's air isn't known to be the most clean or best smelling.
I think in Thailand there's more and more western/white tourists so Thai people are getting used to it and its not a strange thing to them. Also, I think Chiang Mai (one of the bigger cities in Northern Thailand) is still pretty rural and not as "open" as say Bangkok. Chiang Rai is even more rural so people living there may not be as accepting to western culture.
Great vid Paddy😀🔥🔥🔥
Agree with all of your points.
Always enjoy your videos Paddy
Thanks Rob!
Thanks for your observations. Although I don't live in Thailand, I can tell part of what you said is true.
One bad change I have noticed up in Nakhon Phanom is that the locals have replaced traditional Thai lemon tea with Nestea iced tea. They think Thai lemon tea is old fashioned. The chain Cafe Amazon used to have excellent Thai lemon tea...no more. 😞
I show up for the little comedy sketches. My kind of humour!
I've been coming to Thailand over 40 years and in the last 10 years English has improved, that is I think do to everybody now has smart phones and are now more exposed to English. Though there are many areas of BKK were there are almost no tourist and the level of English is very poor! On the topic of skin tone, if you ask the average Thai they still want to be white. I would bet there are no decline in the sales of whitening products. Probably still on the increase for both men and women's products.
I’d take anyone can I can get 🤣🤣🤣 that killed me
😂 Hope all is well Mike!
That was great. Thanks.
Nice one Paddy, Thx... keep smiling
The economy has been growing so more thais become middle class and take on characteristics of middle class people everywhere...that explains the more cosmopolitan attitudes, baking skills/ coffee drinking, language learning , exercise etc. That's my take anyway.
I really like your observations about he changing trends and culture in Thailand. I love to make comparisons with my Filipino society from other ASEAN nations to see where we stand, and honestly, Thailand seems to be doing far better.
Yea are the young (and not so young) women still all going overseas to get decent paying jobs? Lots of them working as nurses, retail/F&B staff and domestic workers in Singapore.
Hi, Paddy old are you? you seem like under 30 but you are really like an old man who encourages people to read books more, which I agree with.
Thank you for your video..Interesting to see Western perspective on Thailand. I also agree there are some noticeable changes in Thailand.
I never really thought about the popularity of entrepreneurship among Thais, but my Thai ex owned a restaurant, and my current girlfriend owns a smoothie shop. And in all my 30+ years in my home city in Europe, I didn't even meet a girl who ran her own business, never mind date one.
Yeah massive culture shock as well when I came to Australia and there wasn’t a big start up culture and entrepreneurship. I know in Thailand creative entrepreneurship is out of need to survive and make better income, maybe it’s why Australia has no people doing side gigs as they have better average income.
I born in Thailand but live in states now , last year came to visit Thailand a lot of change but one thing not change is sidewalk 😂
😂
ill take anyone I can get 😂 this is your promo for the new season of married at first sight. Just kidding bro great video as always
#metooo hilarious
Well done man if i.bump.into.ya out there ill buy ya a fosters at Big C
Yes, time passes and the world changes. Profound knowledge you have sir 5555
World recessions, pandemics, uncontrolled population growth, limited resources, pollution, greed, and so many other factors causes constant change. B positive and grateful for what you have
Cool observations about beauty standards being more open
You missed (probably intentionally lol) one important change: fewer people adoring or respecting the monarchy. It's not even a gut feeling; it's measurable. Go to any cinema and see how many people stand for the royal anthem now. Here's a hint: it's easier to count the people standing up.
That's a shame. Does it have anything to with the new King?
4:00 I feel you, man.
Hello sir will you help me out and give me some advice regarding how to start learning Thai, as i live in a country where I don't have any Thai teacher around me for offline classes, so sir will you advice us how you started learning Thai and how you did progess? Sir basically I want you to share us your THAI LEARNING STORY💗 waiting for ur positive reply
Thank You
I'm Thai.
I think the best way to learn Thai language is talking (or texting) to Thai friends. I'm not sure about chat app. But I'm pretty sure many Thai people would love exchange language with you.😊
@@pongkittikhun9603 I really want to learn Thai, so dear sir/ma'am can you help me out? Will you teach me ? Sir/ma'am 🥺
@@XxxGodz
E mail please
@@pongkittikhun9603 I'll be waiting for ur message friend
Do you have any discord or Instagram account so that i can contact you?
@@pongkittikhun9603 whenever i am writing my gmail it's getting removed
It's so strange that exercise culture wasn't prevalent 10 years ago when Muay Thai is the national sport
@@mythai05 Wow that's fascinating! Here in Australia almost all boys get into our sport culture so it's so strange to me that Muay Thai in Thailand used to be seen as something poor people do because over here, sports are what everyone does even if you have plans to be a lawyer or doctor
cool to adapt as you have Paddy! .. try an interview with .. Justketh ... on yt and twitch , shes a Thai French adventure girl from Thailand with a cool mix of native Thai and her unique English , known as kethlish ... 🙏 tia :)
I was commuting to Thailand from 2015 to 2020 to see my GF. We got married in 2022 and I moved to BKK in December 2022 and have been living here for 6 months. In that time, I have seen for myself a slight reduction in mask wearing in and around town. It's usually, but not always, younger people "freeing the nose". We went to Sattahip for a weekend. It was "Mask? What's a mask, mate?"
🙏🏻🙏🏻hey paddy thank you so much I like your videos 🙏🏻 from India 🇮🇳
On the subject of entrepreneurship, it seems like Thailand is in a good position to join Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan in the ranks of highly-developed Asian economies.
I doubt anytime soon.
Lmao absolute BS. Thailand’s economy is 100 times weaker than those countries and always will be. The corruption in Thailand is off the charts. Run by the friggen junta
Let me explain about whitening problem Paddy, it's just a misunderstood problem most tourists came here in Thailand and saw a lot of whitening stuffs and they just thought by themself that Thai people love their white skin and hate black skin Paddy and I have to say we Thai never thought like that my friend we do not have racist problems here like you know Paddy and we always love and welcoming every type of skins but in Thailand it is very hot so since the old day most labor-class who has to work outside in the rice fields such as a farmars most of them got the "BURNT Black" skin because of the sun NOT Black skin like Black people and when you got burnt skin people thought it's so ugly and looks poor and came from the poor family if you got Black Burnt skin so most of the Thai people love to I have to say whitening and lightenning their skins to make their skin clear and smooth and white/light not white like European white my friend because many people from the west came here to sunbathing too and if you ask Thai girls they'll say that those skin are ugly too because it's burnt and most of them who using these things are only Thai girls never a man Paddy and if you ask a Thai girl who want to be more white and light skin most of them want the have asian white skin it is white like k-pop idol like zombie white not white like European Paddy because many Thai girl they are already white Paddy like the girl in this Video but most of them they just wanted smooth and light and clear white so you'll see many Thai girl who already white like this girl still use those products Paddy.
And if you are talking about black Thai, like I said we do not have racist problems here so people never thought that Black skin is not good so there are many Thai people that love and proud their Thai black skin my friend just like the most famous Thai MuayThai fighter in the world name "Buakaw" he really famous in the west too and he has a very very black skin and he love to called himself "DUM" or "DUM DOT COM" when talked with all his Thai fans which means Black skin people and joking about his funny fake website where he came from for decades. Lol
For sure fair skin is preferred. Dark skin is teased, just like being overweight is. But people are getting better and more respectful than before.
Great comment!
This didn't happen in a vacuum. There was always a preference for white skin, not just in Thailand, but pretty much throughout Asia. The Korean skin care industry taped into this preference big time. Thailand is but another nation obsessed with these products.
My first visit was 17 years ago & back then, it was Internet cafes, no tourist sim cards with a data package. For me it was much better as I run my own electrical firm & would only pick up emails every 3 to 4 days & and my clients knew this, nowadays I get bombarded no one cares that you're on holiday. Also, you could avoid the Premiership results & go into a sports bar on a Wednesday & watch a rerun of a game, like it was live.
I've been visiting Thailand yearly since 2006 (except for 2021) and last time this month in 2022. Despite the new fitness stuff these days, I nearly never saw an overweight Thai back then. Now they're everywhere. Probably Western junk food.
I'm 18 right now, can confirm things were much better back then, Pandemic and Politics ruined everything
I was just enjoying what a cute couple you both would make...
I love this video ❤
It uses to be so hard to find bread in the mid 2000's, now there's tons of bakeries.
You forgot vto mention that the ruling monarch changed...
I'm sure the pandemic has spurred entrepreneurship. Lots of businesses closed, making many shops, stalls, paths available and lots of people whose finances were crushed are leaping at the opportunity to move into those spaces. (especially selling weed) Paddy, as far as masks, I think you are missing the extreme Thai desire to fit in. Even in Bangkok, it is possible to find quiet areas where few are wearing masks, but they'll put them on in places where everyone else is doing it.
True, I just had a reunion with a Thai friend who came from Thailand. We met in Chicago where I live. She told me she wanted to wear a mask but she didn't because nobody was wearing it! 😂
Two questions here
1. European guys? What is the exact difference between European and Australian or American guys for Thai women?
2. Only Korean guys? What makes Korean guys different from Chinese or Japanese guys for Thai women?
Maybe cultural differences. European guys don't tend to binge drink as much as brits/ Australians or be as loud as Americans. The popularity of korean men will be due to the rise of k drama and kpop..and being more handsome generally than chinese/ japanese ( well...the top guys )...
I am Thai, though adopted, and I can't eat that spicy food at all. My adopted parents don't like spicy food and the most exciting thing they ordered from a Chinese restaurant was chicken balls, rice and sweet n sour sauce 😂 and my husband is white British and 4 yrs younger than me. Our kids are luk kreungs
It has always been changing...1985 was different than 1990, 1995 was different than 2005, etc.
Excellent Paddy but what about Cannabis? Will you be doing a video about it?
It will be an interesting topic since it's very controversial even though it is legal. I think things can change since there's an election coming up!
@Jan Songkum yes I agree on both of your points.
I saw Thailand 7 years ago. Another thing I noticed is that Thai people eat more and more occidental food. Like steaks, french fries, pizzas, nuggets,... I live in a small town in Thailand and the steak place at the market is always crowded. There are generally far less customers in traditional restaurants around. And all customers of the steak restaurant are quite young... therefore it's kind of very low quality occidental style food. So sad when Thai food is one of the best in the world! So when I go to a restaurant with pork steak on the menu I always ask for a kao pad and everybody look at me....wtf.... :D
You reminded me of a story my coworker told me. I’m Thai living in Canada and the colleague has Thai wife. There was a time when his wife’s cousin came to learn English in Canada and stayed wirh them. He told me the kid never ate Thai foods that his wife cooked and always ate junk foods like burger, french fried and pizza all the time. Unbelievable.
On the contrary, my kid born and raised in Canada as well as many of her school friends love Thai and Asian foods.
You speak Thai so well, I’m impressed.
i live in the U.S for over 35 years now. and what i notice about Thailand now was/is they're heavily influenced by what goes on here in the U.S. for example Starbucks, that got the coffee culture going there, tune import cars, that got the car shows n race going there, yoga pants, yoga, gym, made exercise a thing there, music, theres thai rappers now with dread? then America push the woke narrative, to love yourself whether its fat/skinny, white/black, lesbians gays should all be accepted and tolerated then out of nowhere it's acceptable there in Thailand. 😂😂 that's how things changed in Thailand because everyone's connected to the internet now and they see what goes on here in the U.S and around the world then they seem to get influence and sued by that.
I think thailand has a lot more experience of trans issues than the US so the learning/ influence SHOULD be the other way around. I don't think thailand will be as affected by woke as other countries in Asia as these are not multicultural countries ...but what you are saying is generally true...we are all interconnected now due to the media and eastAsians are even more susceptible to influence from higher above ( eg unquestioning following of the rules..eg covid )bloody disaster unfortunately for rhe rest of rhe world!
as I'm Thai, I agree with you about no.5
I think it's fair to say that prepandemic alot of things were better. But now not so much. Many countries have changed.i think as more thai younger generation go overseas they also copy what they've learned overseas. I have noticed that along with learning things overseas. They also learned how to become very rude as well and alittle condescending with their tones as well. Which is why I like talking with the older generation alittle bit more. Because they're more down to earth and not show offish. As for the mask situation I think most thais are just paranoid. Whereas you got to other Asian countries they've ditched the mask for the majority of percentage. As for the exercise culture I think it's a bit of an obsession. I would ask some of my friends in thailand what they're doing on day to day bases. They would just say exercising but really have no clear goal as to why they're doing it. I think it's more of current trend.
Ever went to the run track at night? I wouldn't call that exercising. More like walk in the park. Except for the local jogging club which IS fanatic about it.
I personally don’t think the masks have much to do with covid anymore but it is a way for people (especially young) to hide themselves. I notice that there is a lot of acne and it’s an easy way to cover that. Beauty standards have moved from whitening to looking more korean. Smaller noses, bigger lips, eyelid surgery. Thinness still remains, unfortunately but being strong is pushing through. And in response to the gyms, they are the most expensive I have come across. I usually pay over £100 a month and (whilst at home, which I am currently) I’m paying £20 for a better gym. Crazy.
My Thai girlfriend is in her 20s and absolutely gorgeous. I asked her why she doesn't get a flight attendant job with Air Asia. She responded right away, "They won't hire me. They are looking for girls who look Korean."
@@Nordic_Sky I’m not surprised at all. I work in fashion so I see it a lot. So sad and wrong.
@@Nordic_Sky air Asia dont pay well we used to have flight crews stay at my work resort etc and they play up with the captain if you know what I mean caught a few banging around the pool late at night 😊
I am Thai. In the past 10 years, Thailand has really changed a lot. both food and society There is less and less delicious Thai food.
The taste drops. Food tastes sweeter ,The appearance and methods of cooking have changed.
Socially, there are as many as 1 million workers from neighboring countries. Myanmar, mostly in restaurants in shopping malls More than half of the service staff and chefs are Burmese.
and there were new Chinese(Bangkok ,Chiang Mai )and Russia(Phuket)people coming to live there That creates wisdom about real estate.
There are more homeless people.
In my opinion, people decide to wear masks because 2 main reasons is that :
1. Of course Covid-19 pandemic
2. Air pollution that we called PM2.5, especially in Bangkok.
Both of them caused directly to your lunge and health.
and those face diapers are ineffective at stopping a virus which is 97% propaganda and 3% lab based flu, as well as ineffective at topping any form of gas.
but everyone else is doing it so it must be right....
except most of the rest of the world has woken up to reality.
sorry for being a bit harsh - face diapers and coffee filters are a sore spot for me.
Thais also wear masks (or don't) to fit in with those around them.
Not true - it's obvious most Thais are still wearing them because of Covid because even outside of Bangkok you see lots of people riding motorbikes with mask and no helmets. It will never stop and Thailand will eventually become notorious for being the only country on earth that never moved on from covid.
Yes!
Yes, I couldn’t agree more. Since I have very sensitive allergy to air. Nowadays Thailand has covered by the fine dust ‘PM 2.5’ as like The Mists (movie), atmospheres around us are dulled and it affects our health if you inhale for long period like years. So, we still wear a mask even ever Covid was gone.
Sawas dee krab Paddy! In which village did you live 10 years ago? Was it near Chiang Mai?
New subscriber here enjoying your content,
Thanks for watching along!
yeah,I agree all.
Great video Paddy. I think social media will cause more problems than it will solve. Thais are addicted in a very unhealthy way. Sill, I love it here, 50/50 BrisVegas is the dream life for me. Come back soon mate & I'll buy you s descent latte