The Status of Foreigners in Koh Samui

YOU would be excited if you were in Koh Samui too!

No individual can fully understand what life in a tourist destination is really like unless they’ve been born there, or at least have spent several years interacting with the locals. Koh Samui travel guides say the same can be said about Thailand, as well as its many islands, which have attracted countless foreigners over the decades.

Beyond the beautiful Koh Samui beaches, first-class hotels, exotic clubs, spas, and exciting snake shows is a wonderful lifestyle unique to those residing in the western world. In this island, the concept of status weighs heavily amongst every local and foreigner that sets foot on the island.

According to locals, those who bear the highest statuses are either members of the royal family or the Buddhist monkhood. Being a member of either group usually entails universal respect and even love from the majority of the populace.

On the other hand, the status of those who don’t have blue blood or belong to a Buddhist monastery is gauged according to a variety of factors, including the following: age, job and wealth.

Older folks – whether local or international – definitely gain a greater deal of respect as compared to younger individuals (especially if they so happen to work the same job and are more or less equal in terms of wealth.)

Koh Samui travel guides say that if two individuals were to cross paths, the younger of the two would technically have to walk by “shorter” than the older individual. Foreigners, however, aren’t expected to follow this particular show of respect.

Occupation is definitely a massive determinant of respect – although a teacher may not earn much, he or she is given the title “Anjan” (which means teacher). The holder of such a title is given massive admiration by Thais, even after retiring from the job.

Lastly, rich folks are regarded as prestigious members of society, and therefore boast high status as well.

Koh Samui travel guides say foreigners are generally stereotyped as wealthy people, especially if they come to Samui to retire. In this aspect, retirees instantly score big points in terms of wealth, and garner even more respect considering their age.

If they’ve retired from “admirable” or high-powered jobs, their statuses are boosted even further. With all that said, an example of a foreigner who’d be given high status by locals at the Koh Samui beaches would be a retired university teacher with a large bank account and a big stream of income from his or her pension plan.