Why Are There So Many Ex-Pat Writers in Thailand

There does seem to be a lot of talented ex-pat writers living in Thailand. I’m not only pointing to those who have published books either, but Thai based bloggers too. In recent months I’ve been following a lot of these blogs and the content is often impressive.

where to buy prednisone in canada My Views on What Makes a Talented Writer

For me it is easy to decide if a writer is talented or not; if they provide something that I find engaging then they get my vote. Of course there are also writers who are technically talented but this does not necessarily mean that they have anything interesting to say – at least not for me anyway. Some people are gifted at prose but I would struggle to read just a paragraph of their work. There are a lot of ex-pats in Thailand that I’d view as talented simply because they have something interesting to say along the fact that they say it well. Some of these bloggers have thousands of people reading their work every month; even some published writers would struggle to get that amount of exposure.

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There are cynical people who would claim that all the ex-pats in Thailand are here because they are losers in their home countries or stay here for the sex. I don’t agree with this at all. In my view many of the people who come to live in Thailand are dreamers; people who just can’t settle for normal life in their home countries. More than being dreamers though, ex-pats in Thailand are individuals who turn their dreams into reality. My experience has been that this kind of folk tend to be the most interesting writers.

As well as the ex-pat bloggers in Thailand there are also those who produce books. Some of these are self-published while others have their work put out by traditional publishers – both camps can produce some real gems. I have only read a couple of truly awful books put out by a Thai based writer; the rest have all had something interesting to say. Even those two that I didn’t like probably appealed to other people. It is great to see so many gifted writers in Thailand; I’m sure even more will appear over the coming years.

What do you think?
Are there some talented ex-pat writers in Thailand?

12 Replies to “Why Are There So Many Ex-Pat Writers in Thailand”

  1. Paul a very good question. I love to read some of the blogs and have even ventured into the print world about my adopted home.

    Perhaps Thailand warts and all just makes for good plot material.

    “More than being dreamers though, ex-pats in Thailand are individuals who turn their dreams into reality.”

    In many cases I agree with this comment, a sense of adventure is certainly handy as is an inquisitive mind. There is so much to see and do that doesn’t involve the seedy side of life.

  2. Paul, I have to agree there are a lot of talented writers in Thailand, unfortunately they don’t get the exposure they deserve. Most that have made it to print are lucky if they sell a few handfuls of their book.

    I have heard that a famous Hollywood screenwriter calls Thailand home but that could just be a rumor.

    I have to agree with Mike that a lot of Dreamers in Thailand have turned their dreams into reality. I’m hoping I can dream my way into something while enjoying the beauty and adventure my new home provides.

  3. Paul, 20 years ago I visited a friend who had moved to Alaska. She said that she and her husband found Alaska populated with many people who “just didn’t fit” into the “lower 48.” I’ve often thought about that comment since becoming an expat, that many long-term expats “just don’t fit back home” anymore.

    I like your idea that Thailand is populated with people who didn’t fit back in their home countries, but additionally are people who TURNED THEIR DREAMS INTO REALITY. I find this inspiring. I’d like to think of myself in that group. It’s an inspiring thought to keep in mind on the days things don’t work out so well!

    1. Hi Mary, I think you are right. The majority of ex-pats do tend to be people who are not afraid to go for their dreams – it’s not limited to Thailand. I think all ex-pats give up a lot when they leave their home countries. For many it is like they are driven to do it.

  4. I think Thailand offers resistance. And I think resistance makes for good writing. My ideas/ideals are challenged in this environment. I am confronted with another way of thinking and doing which gets me wondering why I do what I do and why Thais do what they do.

    Resistance is also coupled with inspiration here and that makes for an interesting marriage. But your question begs the question: Is it the environment/situation that makes the writer or does the writer make the (best of) the situation? 😉

    1. Hi Lani, you are right about the resistance. I think many people wouldn’t even consider that there is a different way of doing things; it is easy to just assume that our own culture is right. I think it was Socrates who said that the unexamined life wasn’t worth living – this sounds a bit harsh but there probably is a lot of truth in it. Maybe it is the unexamined life that makes writing not worth reading 🙂

  5. The expat prototype has changed considerably during my 9 years here because there is more and more pressure to “examine” as you mentioned, in particular the last few years when money has become such a challenge in the West.

  6. Thanks for visiting Erich. I do think that recent economic woes have made people in the west question a lot of things. I know that my home country (Ireland) has seen many people to fall into self-examination now that the Celtic tiger bubble has burst.

  7. Actually I don’t read as much as I used to when I arrived here 15 years ago. Blogwise and on twitter there is some amazing stuff as well as a fair bit of junk.
    I wish there could be more cooperation amongst bloggers here, especially in the information dissemination area. In Isaan the only other blogger that puts out good local info is hans at
    http://sakonnakhon-live.blogspot.com/ . Others do some info but none that is of any use trying to find wats or local happenings here, not to say that other blogs are not intersting reads. But there is never a dull moment that’s for sure

    1. Hi Tom, it would be nice if there was more cooperation between all the different Thai bloggers. I think the problem is that some people just like to do their own thing; there are also blogs like mine which aren’t really specifically Thai blogs at all. There are a group of Thai bloggers that I tend to follow but many that I don’t know much about. I only really became involved with other Thai blogging scene in the last six months or so, but overall I’m very impressed with it.

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