connda

Scottish ants at bleather house:

Ant McMurphy: "Jock look. Wee Robbie took a swim in thebleathers Scotch Whiskey and drowned."

Ant Jock: "Ahhh but Murph, look at the smile on the lad's face!"

Ah telt ye somdy'd been at the whisky. How much's the wee bugger drank?

SC

Honestly, by the way boys, where do these chaps learn to spell, kenwhitameenanatjimmy?

I guess I should really run my English version through the Google Scottish Brogue Translator.

Movie Theatre Operator:

You know, we should unlock the fire exits in case there is an emergency and our customers need to escape.

Fire Marshall: I can't take 2000 baht to ignore this gross violation.

Scottish ants at thebleather's house:

Ant McMurphy: "Jock look. Wee Robbie took a swim in thebleathers Scotch Whiskey and drowned!"

Ant Jock: "Ahhh but Murph, look at the smile on the lad's face!"

Me getting my morning coffee: Heyyyy. Hot water is on!!! <Phssssssst Phssssssst> Ohhhh goodie! Boiled ants -- extra protein with my coffee this morning!

Thai Ants looking at a Hot Water Machine: Yeah, you know, I don't think we should crawl up into the hole to get water. When the big people turn that thing on in the morning, everyone gets boiled alive. I've lost half my family up there!

Last thought about racism before I let this thread go. Something to think about by Martin Luther King:

"We must learn to live together as brothers or we are going to perish together as fools."

I think that pretty well sums it up. Ya'll have fun!

Connda, so your take on this is that racism or constitutional racism doesn´t exist in Thailand? Humbug... Of course it does and why shouldnt there be since Thailand is a developing country with many flaws. Think of the developed countries in the west where at some places racism thrives and then to say that the OP is way off base is a contradiction in terms.

The institutional racism is the problem since it spreads through channels with the only purpose of filling the common Thai´s mind with it. It´s done deliberaletly. Wasn´t it after the coup the rule about foreigners could only have 49% ownership in their own companies, that came into effect?

This is done to keep the grassroots where the elite want them to be. Like it or not, some can´t see why this is wrong or that it´s a false picture that the elite is trying to present.

I think some of the posters here must live in touristy places where it´s almost impossible to see the daily struggle when one tries to integrate into Thai society. Frankly with these conditions it´s virtually impossible since the conditions of being a Thai citizien doesn´t apply to most foreigners. How many foreigners can actually be farmers or working at McDonalds? How many people get Thai citizenship every year?A rough number would suffice...

Connda, not everyone lives the way you do or get the same treatment as you do. So to take your own example and then bash others who weren´t so lucky, make you being compared to a bully. Then you are not so much different from the uneducated people who tell foreigners to go home when their motives have been questioned.

Hummm. Reread the post. I'm not sure how you got, "your take on this is that racism or constitutional racism doesn´t exist in Thailand?". Those are you own words. They are not mine.

The point is that you have control over your perceptions and actions which make up your "experience". Our OP sees a racist farmer in the market. I see a lot of other possibilities. I don't rule out racism ["..maybe the farmer hates foreigners."]. But its up to you how you chose to perceive it and how you work with it.

I just don't have a lot of sympathy for individuals who feel victimized by racism including the OP. Now why would I say that? Because I'm been the object of extreme racial hatred based on the color of my skin. I walked into an all minority establishment with two minority friends of mine. I didn't get a half a dozen steps inside the place before I got "what the &lt;deleted&gt; are you doing in here?" and then proceeded to get the shit kicked out of me. My friends came to my aide but we were outnumbered and got stomped -- at gunpoint. Hummm! In another instance I was invited to a party at which I was only one of two whites. After my hosts left, I stuck around, talked with people and enjoyed the party. WIthin about 10 minutes, a couple of guys came up and suggested I leave. Marshmallow in the chocolate. As long as my host was there, it was good. My host left. Hummm! That's racism. How do I feel? I don't feel like a victim. People can hate all they want based on whatever criteria they wish. I doesn't mean I have to participate. I don't feel like a victim so I shrug it off and go about my life -- maybe a little bit wiser. I'm going to end it there. You either understand or you don't. If you can't grasp my perspective, that's OK too.

F1fanatic: I can't quote your comment. I get: The number of opening quote tags does not match the number of closing quote tags. even when I don't add any quotes. It happens a lot.

Here's my reply:

Humm. A couple of examples of preconceived notions: I thought that the word Farang was derogatory. Now I feel it is a fairly general word to refer to foreigners of European decent (although there are TV members that will disagree). I thought that Buddhist monks were dedicated, meditation practicing, ascetics. I was really wrong on that one. I thought modern Thais were less ethnocentric than they are. I thought Thailand had a pretty good educational system. Now that I've worked within the educational system, I was way off on that one too. I thought petty crimes against foreigner was pretty rampant, but it seems to be localized, i.e., Phuket and Pattaya come to mind.

A typical preconceived notion a new expat may have is all Thais are friendly, smiling people. 555 to the TAT PR folk! Excellent PR campaign! The Southern provinces are a dangerous place to go (I still think that). It's socially acceptable to walk around the city drinking beer out of a bottle (you can but it really isn't). For younger tourists, its OK to drink, smoke dope, and drop X at the full moon parties (no it's not and it will get you thrown in jail, possibly for a long time). Thai food taste great (my God, there is some Lanna village dishes that just turn my stomach). We should ask thebleather. I'm sure he could come up with more, and probably funny ones at that. Oh, and I thought Thai women could actually be romantically enamored with their partners (a few years of marriage and her having one affair that I know of with a "rich" farang has changed my mind on that. And I've heard her talking with her friends, most of whom try to keep multiple farangs sending them money. And my wife's been doing the same over the years. Yeah, silly me for being naive. "It first of month honey. You have money?"

Thank God! We got a really drenching rain going on tonight. Maybe we'll get a couple of days of clean air out of this. One can only hope.

Me too, except to add just one thing...

Dear OP,

I am sorry if I (or other posters) were a bit harsh on this thread. I think your initial post was just asking to be ripped apart. I assume you now realise you are not a victim of racism, and I hope you are happy about that.

I also hope our paths meet again on TV as my view on life is very different to yours, which could make for some interesting debate and humorous banter.

Yours sincerely, brit1984

I think you should look into your own self, as to why you need to be in such denial

What is so extraordinary about someone experiencing racist ?

In every country you have people thinking that foreigners should not come to their land.

Why would Thailand be THE exception.

Thai people are just like everywhere.

You are not in Lalaland.

Deal with it

I am disappointed you did not accept my apology but would like to wish you good luck for the future

Dear brit1984,

Sorry you just had your head taken off. When I read your post, I though it was one of the more level-headed, genuinely compassionate, and supporting posts that I've read in this thread.

I've had similar situations. I've offered food to hungry soi dogs before, only to have them bare their fangs and growl. It's best to leave them be. There are hungry soi dogs everywhere. It's sad when they snap at you when you're only trying to help. But many others will take the food, and be your friend. But again...sadly not all.

Hopefully one bad experience will not put you off.

Sincerely,

connda

Lonely, bored female expat: I think I'll try to find some common ground with my fellow male Expats here in Thailand. First, I think I'll start by acknowledging that they are not all boring losers; second, I try to acknowledge that all Thais aren't racists; third, I think I'll enroll in a Thai language class -- I could learn the language and maybe meet some new friends; and fourth, I think I'll try to have a good laugh with them about the day-to-day ironies, frustrations, and wonders of our new home here in Thailand.

Angry Expat Feminist: I think I'll try to find some common ground with my fellow male Expats here in Thailand. First, I think I'll start by acknowledging that they are not all sex-crazed, drunken losers; second, I think I'll try to have a good laugh with them about the day-to-day ironies, frustrations, and wonders of our new home here in Thailand.

Lonely Female Expat: God I feel like a fish out of water. Thank God I have the support of all these friendly and culturally accepting Thai folk to help me through the day. That, and those wonderful and witty Expat TV members who are just so funny!!! And that Bleather fellow just about put me in stitches with his Ten Things You Will Never Hear In Thailand......... I laughed so hard I just about passed my morning Frappachino though my nose!!!

Most Thai drivers: Humm, I've got to turn right up here in about 200 meters. Ok, right turn signal on, look in the rear view mirror, safely merge into the right hand turn lane, slow down for the corner but not so slow as to block the traffic behind me, make the turn with smooth acceleration and back up to speed again.

Thai bicyclist: I don't think I'll push my way to the front of this line of traffic stopped at the red light. If I did that, I'd block all of the cars and motorcycles and create a huge traffic jam when the light turns green.

Samlaw driver: I don't think I'll push my way to the front of this line of traffic stopped at the red light. If I did that, I'd block all of the cars and motorcycles and create a huge traffic jam when the light turns green.

Thai motorcycle rider: Ok, coming to the end of the Soi and turning onto the main road, slow down, full stop at the stop sign, turn my head and check to see if there is any oncoming traffic that may kill me, all clear and safely merge into traffic.

Expat at local clinic: Man, the doctor visit cost 200 baht and I got these 6 bags of medicine too. Total cost for the visit -- 500 baht. These doctors and clinics should be charging 20 times that amount. Don't these local doctors know that they could have vacation homes in Tuscany and Switzerland like their American counterparts? All they need to do is bleed the middle class dry.

Thai Singing Contestant: I know! I can't even hold the low notes without my voice breaking. I think I'll go back and sit with the audience and listen to the other contestants.

Thai male using a Western hong naam: I'll put the seat up before I take a leak.

Western man to guy next to him in the bar:

Well, I was a complete failure back home and everybody used to look down on me. Then somebody told me that the average wage in Thailand was about 5k baht a month. So I thought I'd come over here and look down on the locals. Unfortunately I soon realised that the ability to earn more money than a Thai factory worker still put me at the bottom of the pile as an ex-pat (and among many Thais as well). So now I bitch and moan on the Internet and deride everything Thai in a vain attempt to retain some sense of self worth.

Hummm... Talking about yourself again!

The Thai gov can't even get enough blankets to the people who live in the mountains. No way they are going to relocate 2 million of them. And even if they did, those same people would just destroy the new area they are in.

Dream on.

Why do they need blankets? What did they do before there was a magnanimous government to hand out blankets. Those folks were doing just fine by being left alone.

Primitive peoples have always destroyed the environment, England was once covered in ancient forests, now just a few tiny remnants remain. The Sahara desert was one the Roman granary. Legislation always fails in the face of human need and human greed. It is a battle that will never be won until we change the mindset of the people.

Actually, primitive people usually live in relative harmony with the land. The native North American people had close spiritual ties with the land. The traditional Karen agricultural practices maintained healthy forests. It is "civilization" that tends to harm the land. And one can make a strong argument that it is modern capitalism that is the primary cause of the worst environmental damage to the planet whether it be forests or the oceans. At its heart, capitalism is an extractive economic model that will extract until nothing remains. Whether it be major oil spills in Baku or the Gulf of Mexico, deforestation in Brazil and Indonesia, the Japanese fishing fleet's drift netting, or global warming, the one unifying root cause of the inevitable environmental collapse of the planet is that capitalism is the economic model of the ruling elite just about everywhere.

Yeah, just love the Shark Fin soap fisheries. Catch shark, cut off fins, toss shark back into ocean. How so modern and civilized. Hill tribes are just the latest scapegoats. Environmentalists good; Hill Tribe bad.