Westerners in Thailand

Vocabulary

Video: Westerners in Thailand

Transcript

Justin Raines and his fiancee Eve live here in the northeast of Thailand. Together the Australian-Thai couple run a small clothing business, and are expecting their first child together.

Justin Raines, Australian Businessman: “Doesn’t matter whether you’re fat you’re ugly, you got spew hanging out of your mouth or whatever else; there is some lady who will want to take care of you.”

There are an estimated sixty- to seventy-thousand (60,000 to 70,000) cross-cultural couples living in this region. Few tourists pass through the rural area, which is the poorest part of Thailand.

Justin’s fiancee, at 21 half his age, says it’s not always smooth going with her husband and his mates.

Nirruttaya “Eve” Yapha, Justin Faine’s Fiancee: “He’s not single anymore — and when they go out at night, they stay out until the morning. It’s not acceptable. So we fight regularly.”

 
Researchers say both partners may pay a price in marriages that often stand more from convenience than love.

John Burdett, Novelist: “If the girl is 30 years younger than you. And maybe you buy her a house for not very much money — But it’s all going to be in her name in a village where she knows everybody — where there are plenty of attractive young men her own age.

I mean that’s part you have to be to realize that this could be a bit of a trap.

 
Ronnie from Brisbane in Australia met his wife Logi on holiday to Thailand. He says he thought carefully before moving to her northeast hometown.

The husband-and-wife team have set up a fish farm in their quest for a simple country life.

Ronnie Behnke, Runs a Firsh Farm in Thailand with his Wife: “I think I’ve been pretty lucky to meet Loggy, and to have the trust, and that’s why things have worked.”

Ronnie volunteers with the tourist police, offering guidance to visitors on Thai culture. He also hoped the farm will generate wealth for the very poor local community.

Parnom “Logi” Behnke, Runs a Fish Farm in Thailand. “You know I think I’ve found a good man. He takes care of me.”

The couple hope they’ve created a rural haven in this lesser-known corner of Thailand.

Questions

Baby, Infant. Justin and Eve are from Canada, and work as school teachers in Thailand. Is this correct or incorrect?

Child, Girl, Boy. In order to attract and marry a Thai woman, does a Westerner have to be young, tall and handsome?

Adolescent, Teenager, Teen. Is northeastern Thailand a popular travel destination? Are there lots of industry, finance and high-tech there?

Young Adult, Woman, Man. Because northeastern Thailand has no coastline or shoreline, foreigners are rare here. Is this right or wrong?

Middle-Aged. White men and local women are a perfect match for each other. Is this entirely true, mostly true, in the middle, yes and no, largely false, entirely false, or it depends?

Senior Citizen, Elderly, Old. Did Ronnie from Australia meet Logi through social media (like Facebook)? Did they meet on an online dating platform?

Daughter, Sister. Do Ronnie and Logi own and operate a language center?
 
 
 
Son, Brother. I know people who are married to foreigners or people of a different ethnicity. Yes or no? If yes, who are they? Describe their backgrounds.

Wife, Mother. Is it very common, common, not very common or rare for people in your country to marry people of other nationalities? Has it been changing?

Husband, Father. Do some men and women complain about women and men in their community?

Uncle, Aunt. Do many women and men wish to marry foreigners or someone of a different nationality, race or ethnicity?

Grandparents, Grandmother, Grandfather. Many people emigrate or move to other countries and marry locals there. True or false?

Grandchildren, Granddaughter, Grandson. Has the reality turned out to be different that what they had expected?

Great-Grandmother, Great-Grandfather. What will happen in the future?