Can you live longer in Thailand?

[strocube]

"I think Buddhism is the best religion in the world in that it's tenants help the practitioners of it better cope with the day to day stresses of life. I think this helps Thais a lot. They don't seem to so readily stress out and worry about things they cannot change or control, like a good number of westerners do. I would say, thank Buddha for that." --Lefty

[PanzerPorn]

(mister_smith @ Jun. 09 2009,23:30)

(jimslim @ Jun. 05 2009,01:04) The Thai diet is certainly healthier than the UK one , but then again that wouldn't be hard .

Thats a bit of a generalisation, A healthy diet is possible where ever you live.

So true and new generation thais are really into junk food and too lazy to cook for themself or looking for a healthy balanced diet.
Getting rid of milk, cheese and red meat could help but doesn't solve the problems if your life -style is....well thai!!!!!!!!

[indianajones]

(Lefty @ Jun. 09 2009,14:52)

(manarak @ Jun. 04 2009,13:18)
one thing is true, usually my appetite (for food!) becomes less if the weather is hot.
I also tend to eat more pineapple, melon and mango instead of sausage or grilled pork legs with the skin (damn this tastes good).

And regarding the stress... what I saw so far in Thailand is absolutely not stressful!
Asians make most things easy & convenient for everyone... at least when one is on holidays!
Maybe my opinion will change after a year or two.

I agree with a lot of what you say here. I notice most Thais seldom get stressed over things that upset many falang when back home. Does the concept of road rage like we can see back home, exist to any great degree in Thailand? I recall one particular taxi ride up Sukhumvit a few years ago at rush hour or close to it that seemed to personify to me how many Thais deal with situations that would get to a lot of farang if they are back home. The taxi driver was just so relaxed. When the traffic moved again, he would fly up the next jam of cars at the next light. Then once there, he stopped and went into some other mode, just humming some Thai song softly to himself, totally relaxed and at peace with the world, seemingly oblivious and unconcerned with the sea of bumper to bumper cars all around us. Once the traffic cleared a little, away we'd go as fast as possible to the next light, then again he was back in the relax mode. This continued over and over until we reached our destination.

I notice in Thailand, compared to Philippines, how most plates of food in Thailand have a fair amount of raw veggies as part of the deal, usually some cabbage and cucumber, two of the healthiest veggies in the world, both high alkaline foods, good for balancing one's PH. Thais probably for the most part do not know or care what alkalinity or PH is, but they naturally know how to help support it with diet.

I would often notice in Phils, for the most part if I'd see a group of Pinay friends sitting together, snacking and talking, they would often have a bag of some processed snack food not far from what is popular here in the USA. When I notice a group of Thai girls/guys/lbs or any mixture of, sitting around and talking, their snacks would usually be some of the sliced fruit from the food carts we see everywhere in Patts. Usually watermelon, green mango, and/or Rambutan. The cheaper ones, but fruits nonetheless.

The Thai diet as we all know, can be as spicy hot as we care to make it. It is a known fact that a generally spicy diet is much healthier, than a generally bland diet, such as most of us eat back home in USA, UK, etc. Spicy hot foods help to clear the sinuses, bronchial tubes, etc. Congestion can't so easily get a grip on us when eating spicy Thai food. Once we adapt to it, we should be breathing much easier than when we are back in falang land eating mashed potatoes and gravy, corned beef, sheep guts or whatever. Countries with typically bland diets have a much higher rate of conditions that affect one's ability to breath...asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, URIs, etc. Bland and Thai foods are the antithesis of one another.

I think Buddhism is the best religion in the world in that it's tenants help the practitioners of it better cope with the day to day stresses of life. I think this helps Thais a lot. They don't seem to so readily stress out and worry about things they cannot change or control, like a good number of westerners do. I would say, thank Buddha for that.

Good diet, good religion = better overall health and less stress, generally speaking.

Granted, some people move to Thailand and end up in trouble, but those people who do so would probably find trouble anywhere they lived.

OK, OK


Thailand isn't stresfull if you are Thai. If you are falang and have to work with Thai's you have 2 choices, become an alcoholic or, ummm, hmmmmm

Falang who's money is on the line "OK, we need to get this new server up before the press conference"

Thai Engineer "hmmmm, have to make feel good first naaaaaaa"




Road rage is even worse here, the police are more ruthless than any street gang inthe west, there is rampant child prostitution (for the Thai's) and "social status jumping" just does not happen. Oh, and if you are a Thai guy, you can behave like you are 8 years old all your life, leaving dozens of single mothers behind you as you go.


Ok, so Buddhism is great for when your taxi is running late, but not quite so good when you are faced with economic meltdown or say the Khmer Rouge.



I supose you have to live here to see what its really like, so i wont try and convince you.


But remember, that behind all the smiles and wai's and happy go lucky "make feel good" horseshit, there isnt a country on earth that westerners have lost more money, in, in busines, than here.



anyway, im sure people who dont live here will tell me i'm wrong....

[pacman]

Thank you Indianajones, I would be happy if you cared to elaborate on what you know.

I am aware how the police force in LOS works & their primary role has little to do with crime prevention or detective work.

I have never seen road rage in LOS, can you cite some examples? You mention taxis & Buddhism, I always thought the traffic to be remarkably well behaved considering the cars on the road.

The child prostitution is a dirty secret that I have known about for many years. Not first hand I hasten to add, it is only for older Thais who keep it very secret. Plus the protection of minors in the villages leaves something to be desired. Ask the next girl you are with how old she was when she first had sex. You will be shocked.

At least the Thais enjoy a healthy diet, that is until the fast food giants thought to spread their toxic offerings to SE Asia. It was rare to ever see a pompui girl in the 70's. Not now.

I have never lived in LOS but I won't argue with those who do, Indianajones has offered a very interesting post.

[jadeite]

The life expectancy in Thailand is lower than the western world so that says something about it. Thai's are by and large content so may live happier however and that's what counts.

[Master Bator]

(pacman @ Jun. 13 2009,09:50) I have never seen road rage in LOS, can you cite some examples? You mention taxis & Buddhism, I always thought the traffic to be remarkably well behaved considering the cars on the road.

Road rage is normally a result of provocation.
Here ( in Pattaya) they don't need provocation to drive like maniacs.

They are far more behaved upcountry, Phuket and even Bangkok are better than Pattaya.

Probably a combination of lao kao and yaba.

[pacman]

Driving like a maniac & road rage are two different things by my definition.

What I understand to be road rage is when someone gets so angry at another driver they attack them, either physically or by driving their car into them.

Unheard of a few decades ago, it is now a serious problem in so-called civilised countries.

I personally know a fellow whose favourite party trick was to put his fist through the driver's window of the car that upset him.

A very nasty piece of work, the last I heard of him, he was in jail. Good riddance.

Does Thailand boast such behaviour? I guess there are a few bad bastards everywhere. Lock 'em all up I say.

[Lefty]

(indianajones @ Jun. 12 2009,12:07)
OK, OK


Thailand isn't stresfull if you are Thai. If you are falang and have to work with Thai's you have 2 choices, become an alcoholic or, ummm, hmmmmm

Falang who's money is on the line "OK, we need to get this new server up before the press conference"

Thai Engineer "hmmmm, have to make feel good first naaaaaaa"




Road rage is even worse here, the police are more ruthless than any street gang inthe west, there is rampant child prostitution (for the Thai's) and "social status jumping" just does not happen. Oh, and if you are a Thai guy, you can behave like you are 8 years old all your life, leaving dozens of single mothers behind you as you go.


Ok, so Buddhism is great for when your taxi is running late, but not quite so good when you are faced with economic meltdown or say the Khmer Rouge.



I supose you have to live here to see what its really like, so i wont try and convince you.


But remember, that behind all the smiles and wai's and happy go lucky "make feel good" horseshit, there isnt a country on earth that westerners have lost more money, in, in busines, than here.



anyway, im sure people who dont live here will tell me i'm wrong....

If you think Thailand is so awful perhaps the best suggestion would be to leave and never go back?

Perhaps you could find someplace else where you would not feel the need to express general negativity about virtually every aspect of the country and society.  

Some place as perfect as you are.  

[mardhi]

(PanzerPorn @ Jun. 10 2009,02:10)

(mister_smith @ Jun. 09 2009,23:30)

(jimslim @ Jun. 05 2009,01:04) The Thai diet is certainly healthier than the UK one , but then again that wouldn't be hard .

Thats a bit of a generalisation, A healthy diet is possible where ever you live.

So true and new generation thais are really into junk food and too lazy to cook for themself or looking for a healthy balanced diet.
Getting rid of milk, cheese and red meat could help but doesn't solve the problems if your life -style is....well thai!!!!!!!!

Hmmmm - most Thai's that I know are:-

1. Cant drink milk (lactose intolerence or whatever its called, unless of course its a milkshake with about 1% milk and 99% sugar)
2 Dont eat Beef (ok do eat Pork)
3. Cheese does not figure unless they eat pizzas or burgers(rare)

So I assume they must be doing well for the most part - however of course that takes no account that 90% of what they eat is cooked in Palm oil - if I am not mistaken Cholesteral/heart disease remains the number ONE killer in Thailand - probably to a large extent due to Palm oil blocking the pipes (even taking into account AID's, traffic accidents and jumping off balconies )

Cheers
mardhi

[stonefre]

Eating less processed foods have to be an advantage to one's heath. When I'm in Thailand I rarely eat any processed foods. As far as Thais not getting agitated or being more calm than westerners in situations that would really raise our blood pressure, perhaps that is being bottled up only to explode at a later date.

[manarak]

there isnt a country on earth that westerners have lost more money, in, in busines, than here.

well, that ought to be the USA.

About your other points, I'll comment after a couple of years in  the LOS.

1. Cant drink milk (lactose intolerence or whatever its called, unless of course its a milkshake with about 1% milk and 99% sugar)
2 Dont eat Beef (ok do eat Pork)
3. Cheese does not figure unless they eat pizzas or burgers(rare)

Funny, I share #1 and #3 with them.

[rxpharm]

Lactose intolerance is fairly common in Asians as dairy products do not constitute a significant part of the local diet.

[indianajones]

(Lefty @ Jun. 14 2009,04:27)

(indianajones @ Jun. 12 2009,12:07)
OK, OK


Thailand isn't stresfull if you are Thai. If you are falang and have to work with Thai's you have 2 choices, become an alcoholic or, ummm, hmmmmm

Falang who's money is on the line "OK, we need to get this new server up before the press conference"

Thai Engineer "hmmmm, have to make feel good first naaaaaaa"




Road rage is even worse here, the police are more ruthless than any street gang inthe west, there is rampant child prostitution (for the Thai's) and "social status jumping" just does not happen. Oh, and if you are a Thai guy, you can behave like you are 8 years old all your life, leaving dozens of single mothers behind you as you go.


Ok, so Buddhism is great for when your taxi is running late, but not quite so good when you are faced with economic meltdown or say the Khmer Rouge.



I supose you have to live here to see what its really like, so i wont try and convince you.


But remember, that behind all the smiles and wai's and happy go lucky "make feel good" horseshit, there isnt a country on earth that westerners have lost more money, in, in busines, than here.



anyway, im sure people who dont live here will tell me i'm wrong....

If you think Thailand is so awful perhaps the best suggestion would be to leave and never go back?

Perhaps you could find someplace else where you would not feel the need to express general negativity about virtually every aspect of the country and society.  

Some place as perfect as you are.  

Maybe you should actually live in Thailand and with Thai people before commenting on what its actually like to live here?



On this topic, someone like you, who does not and never has, lived in Thailand really isnt in any position to argue with someone that has for some time.



Thailand is the only country on earth where tourists know more than ex-pats.

[indianajones]

(rxpharm @ Jun. 14 2009,09:46) Lactose intolerance is fairly common in Asians as dairy products do not constitute a significant part of the local diet.

The Japanese also reckon we westerners smell of rancid milk, because we drink so much of it.


I thought that was bollocks untik i went back home after 5 years in Asia, and they were right. We bloody stink or rotten milk.


The Japs smell of fish tho, so its 50:50

[Stogie]

(indianajones @ Jun. 14 2009,20:11) Ok, so Buddhism is great for when your taxi is running late, but not quite so good when you are faced with economic meltdown or say the Khmer Rouge...

That's a great line!