Lament of a Friend

A friend of mine wrote an article about how, since moving to Thailand some years ago, it had changed him in ways he was not real happy about. Especially since his home country is know for its orderliness and lack of corruption. This is the email I sent to him

Right after I graduated from college, I took a job with the federal government. In the few years I was there; I rose through the ranks and was doing quite well except I hated it; constant meetings, nothing getting done, etc. If I had stayed, I would be living off a nice pension by now. Instead, I have spent my career in business and have loved almost all of it. Today, I am happy, healthy, and savvy about how the real world. I am sure you have wondered about what your life would be like had you stayed in honest and hard-working New Zealand. But have you thought about how corrupt and crazy Thailand, which is how most of the world lives, has made you savvy about the “real” world? If, for some reason, you had to do business or even move to Vietnam, India, Russia, Columbia, or Ghana; you would be able to thrive thanks to of the real world lessons you learned in Thailand. I guess that’s why many newbie farangs are scammed out of their money in Thailand. Coming from their protected worlds, they are ill equipped to deal with the harsh realities of Thailand.