text: Kerry B. Collison Asia News: Thailand and The Expatriate Experience
  Over the last few decades Thailand has attracted expatriates to the country to work, stay long periods of time to explore the country, or retire. Thailand attracts many young professionals, particularly to Bangkok. Others work as teachers all around the country, some doing online business or some form of short or long term visa. Some operate small businesses with their Thai spouse. In addition, Thailand has always been a place of interest for the traveller within the SE Asian region, where many like to stay medium to long term, sight-seeing, travelling, and 'just hanging out'.
  Many expatriates marry local girls and settle in places like Issan where there is an embedded drinking culture.
  Boredom often leads to excess drinking in these remote villages, as expatriates find it very difficult to settle into the local culture. Many expatriates living in this region have alcohol issues, which escape assistance and treatment.
  Many foreigners run bars through proxy owners without the right visas. These establishments are sometimes a front for other activities, which are crimes on the books of Thai Law. These ventures have not followed Thai investment laws, and are flaunting the system in Thailand.
  Many farang never make any attempt to learn the Thai language, come and live in Thailand, building barriers of 'us and them'. The onus is on farang settling here is integrating and assimilating, at least to some extent in Thailand.
  This is expected of Thais living in their countries.
  Thais don't necessarily hate farangs. However in the more remote areas of the country not subject to the tourist trails, locals still believe in the media portrayal of farangs as wealthy people, hence the term 'walking ATM'.
  Consequently, there will always be a small proportion of people who will seek to take advantage. It's only when farangs move to and settle in an area that locals can see them close up, they make their own judgements upon observed behaviour. So in some parts of Issan, there is distain for farang drunks who behave badly.
  Murray Hunter has been involved in Asia-Pacific business for the last 30 years as an entrepreneur, consultant, academic, and researcher