• Got_Bent@lemmy.world
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    8 months ago

    I went to both countries in my twenties and thoroughly enjoyed both. Beyond some overly strong beer in the Philippines and maybe a joint or two in the rural parts of Thailand, I didn’t engage in any of the stereotypical behavior, though I definitely saw it.

    I guess now that I’m in my fifties, I’m not allowed to go back because it would be a matter of course that I’d pick up some teen bride, right?

    But seriously, both countries are so, so beautiful. I’ve got less than zero desire to ever go to Hawaii after island hopping in the Philippines. As to Thailand, it’s just so calm. Like you’re not even capable of being stressed there. (Unless of course, you’re smuggling drugs around and find yourself on the business end of a prison cell door. Then yer fucked)

    • SpaceCowboy@lemmy.ca
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      8 months ago

      Yeah a lot of the stereotypes come from people that spend their entire vacation in the red light district. Interesting that places in Europe that also have red light districts don’t get the same reputation. Wonder why that is…

      • TankovayaDiviziya@lemmy.world
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        8 months ago

        Coming from Philippines, there are plenty of gold diggers who see foreigners–especially white people-- as easy cash machine. And lonely white Westerners come to lap up the attention, whether or not they realise they are being sought after for money.

        Then on the much darker side, foreigners exploit the extreme poverty that locals suffer to exploit trafficked individuals–many of whom are minor pimped by their own family.

        • SpaceCowboy@lemmy.ca
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          8 months ago

          I mean it’s prostitution, it happens everywhere. Really bothers me that sex tourists that spend all their time in red light districts dominate the view on entire countries.

          Really it says more about the people that go there and do that than these countries. And it says something about our culture that we just go along with narratives that the sex tourists are laying down.

      • Obi@sopuli.xyz
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        8 months ago

        Amsterdam has a similar reputation in the sense (some) tourists come for the red light District and the parties, but it’s decidedly missing the “come take advantage of third world women just looking for a way out with any western man” and even less so the pedo side.

      • The Menemen!@lemmy.world
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        8 months ago

        Some parts of Europe do get that reputation. More eastern Europe (single German men travelling to the Czech Republic will have to run the gauntlet when comming back). So yeah, doesn’t invalidate your argument.

      • I Cast Fist
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        8 months ago

        Wonder why that is…

        SEA is easier and cheaper to exploit than a “first world country”, guess that hasn’t changed since the end of colonialism

      • afraid_of_zombies@lemmy.world
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        8 months ago

        White people made the stereotypes so they made sure it didn’t apply to their country.

        So freaken absurd. It is like thinking the entire US is Las Vegas.

    • Vodica@lemmy.world
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      8 months ago

      Strong beer? You must be American. Months Payton said:

      • Drinking American beer and making love in Canoe us the same.
      • How so?
      • Fucking close to water.
      • zod000@lemmy.ml
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        8 months ago

        I regularly drink American beer than is in the 9%-10% range, please don’t lump us all into the crap beer drinkers.

        • nomous@lemmy.world
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          8 months ago

          All the jokes about water beer are from before the craft beer scene blew up in the U.S. Give me a selection of craft beers and I’ll put them against any beer in the world.

          • cerulean_blue@lemmy.ml
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            8 months ago

            Yep definitely this. I was surprised that all the craft ales are like 10%! And there are lots of them!