ccarbaugh commented : I am an American and I have 2 accounts at 2 different Thai banks. I haven't heard about any impending closures and, since Thailand has always been such a close ally with the U.S.A., I don't expect it- although it would show some definite "cajones" if they did!

ccarbaugh commented : Excellent (beginning of) discussions! I won't buy the shirt. I am an American and I do as much, if not more, "America Bashing" as anyone. However, I don't appreciate observing it in a country whose whole governmental systems enables and promotes a complete and systematic lack of personal responsibility.

ccarbaugh commented : Yes! I completely agree with all that has been said. My experience (beginning 35 years ago,) has been that we- "farangs" are completely invisible to the vast majority of Thais [b:34nsmslp]except when there is a perceived profit motive[/b:34nsmslp]. For me, the positives of living in Thailand still outweigh the negatives but I do feel that (most)Thais are blatantly racist and nationalistic. I cope by telling myself that "it's their loss." In nearly all interactions, [b:34nsmslp]they only want to relate to me as a "customer[/b:34nsmslp]" - exclusively. I do miss the personal level of contact though. Brilliantly and eloquently expressed by "MyThaiHouse"..... [color=#0000FF:34nsmslp]I've been doing my best to assimilate into Thai society the best I can, but at times find it increasingly dificult. The Thais in Bangkok are more sophisticated and therefore easier to communicate with but they don't allow you to get to close. In comparison, I have a home in Chiang Mai, which my wife and I have owned for the past twenty years. The neighbours have all been living there for the same time and I've seen children growing up and going on to University. My immediate neighbour's really have nothing to do with me, know matter how hard I attempt to make friend's, they just keep to their own. The language could be one factor, but my thai is not that bad, that I can't communicate. I befriended a shopkeeper close to my home in Mae Rim, where he advised me that Thai's and farang's don't mix, and I wondered why? You only have to live here a short time, not come as a walking ATM tourist, to really see how welcome you are in this country, and the indifference shown by Thais. I've very rarely seen a genuine smile from a Thai directed towards me, even if I should smile at them first, they just don't see us, it's like were invisible. Any political party which calls themselves TRT (Thais love Thais), has to explain an awful lot, about the psyche and personality of the Thai people. Even Thaksin used the word Farang often as PM, which in my opinion is a condescending racial word.[/color:34nsmslp]