thai chidrens fear of foreigners ????

[madmax6889]

many things strike you as odd in most 3rd world countries.. things just are always in a bit of chaos. but some times you just dont think of them as they are not something that you would ever pay attention to in your own nation.. 

 

ive stayed in thailand for several years on and off.. and other parts of asia the americas ect..

the other day it just struck me how...queer (not homosexual.. its kids come on!, queer as in odd and inconsistent) thai children are.

i was just watching the kids in indonesia on various islands their behavior and surprisingly how many could speak english and would just come up and talk some gibberish to you for the hell of it.. they were mostly quite bold and some could really communicate.. damn some of the isloated islands like the west part of timor and flores and  bali they really could speak english .. which suddenly contrasted them to thai children.. and here im talking about 7, 8, 9 ect year old kids.

 

the kids in the tribal areas in the philipines were pretty friendly and good with english too.. not the low land tagalogs, the poor people there...  desperate or sour nasty bunch the average inhabitant is in many places is.. but then looking at the poverty and overcrowding  they are living in they make indonesians look rich by comparison..

 

anyway... i never saw any kids who  would just ignore you and in fact most were very interested in talking to the foreigner.

i was in a hardware store the other day a little girl maybe 7 years old ...  in one of those head to toe blue and white school hijabs wearing a beauty and the beast backpack ..locks eye contact with me and just blurts out. "im learning english in school" her parents were rather amused,,  i burst out laughing it was really quite funny, granted this is a more isolated island..

 

actually if you know the local customs in indonesia many people can be quite friendly and hospitable, ive eaten and stayed in many houses as a guest or been invited to events just by striking a conversation..

 

 

so that little girl jogged my memory... ive never encountered that at all in thailand.. in fact the children there and ive noticed some adults too.. either totally ignore you or act as though they are afraid especially small children some are struck with total fear.

 

youd get the odd kid who was different but its very few..

 

anyone else notice this??

i honestly didnt think of it today.. but they do act really different than kids in any european country for sure.. but they also seem to act  far more timid than indonesians or malaysians for example..  or kids ive seen anywhere else as well.

in one way you dont get hoards of little kids following you around talking gibberish to you as soon as you throw a ball or something to them once.  no thai children give you a wide birth

 

 

 

 

 

 

[seajae]

actually yes, I find some little ones(under 2 or so) at times start crying when they see a farang, dont have to do anything, just look at them or them look at you, really have to wonder what the parent tell them or do with them. Then again you also get some that will attempt to talk to you but they are usually 5 plus years old

 

[cyberfarang]

When you go to live in someone else`s country, it`s up to you to step over into their world, not vice versa because they don`t owe you nothing. If Thais move to England, Australia or any other country where the first language is English, I am sure they would not expect everyone to speak Thai.

 

I have no problems with the kids where I live in a village community, they all address me as Uncle. In your case this is what happens to Farlangs when they prefer to live in their own comfort zones and find it difficult to interact with the native population, because it doesn`t work the other way around.

[AlexRich]

Perhaps their parents warn them about "stranger danger"? Or they are just a bit shy? Or ... you guys look like creepy paedophiles? 

[samsensam]

 

if you had children in your home country would you be happy with random adults either from your own country or from other countries approaching and trying to interact with them?

[Damrongsak]

I think they encourage shyness over inquisitiveness.

[Thian]

In our compound there are young kids who like to show their english skills to me, and they are really good.

But last 3 days all kids are staring at me, my wife also noticed it and wondered why. Even when i say some thai words to them they don't react at all, just stare.

 

Indeed in other Asian countries the level of english is much higher, especially among adult men.

 

My Thai is bad because i can't read their alphabet, in Indonesia i can learn much faster cause i can read their words.

 

Today in Siam Paragon supermarket the staff  run away when they saw me coming. And the shop was loaded with chinese expats, huge qeueu's at every cashier. But nobody can speak english.

 

Because of the superlong qeueu's i was sitting on a fence next to the cashier, the securitylady came to me and goes: You you, no no, pointing at me sitting on that thing....555

[nisakiman]

3 hours ago, samsensam said:

 

if you had children in your home country would you be happy with random adults either from your own country or from other countries approaching and trying to interact with them?

 

And therein lies the rot that has set into our society. The 'precautionary principle'. Wrap 'em in cotton wool.

 

The attitude of "...would you be happy with random adults either from your own country or from other countries approaching and trying to interact with them?" is borne of reading the gutter press and believing every word. According to the papers, there's a paedophile lurking under every bush, and for that reason we shouldn't let our kids talk to anyone, in case they're raging paedophiles.

 

What rot. It's attitudes like that that have created the current 'snowflake' generation, demanding 'safe spaces' and 'trigger warnings'.

 

I've found when in Thailand that kids react well to me, and many times I've had teenage (and younger) girls or boys come up to me and practice their English. It's great. Where I've lived for the past 15 years (Greece), it's the same. There's been no 'Paedophile Panic' whipped up by the gutter press, and kids roam freely. And it's not unusual at all to be sitting in a café and have some kid from another table come and chat. And mum will just look over and ask if he / she is being a nuisance. If not, she'll just go back to her coffee and friend(s) or smartphone and leave me to chat with her kid. No big deal. The kid learns how to deal with strangers, and mum gets five minutes peace.

 

And I say this as the father of four (now adult) kids who were encouraged to interact with other adults. Of course be sensible, but don't be scared. There's a big world out there full of all sorts of people, and kids need to learn how to deal with that.

[samsensam]

 

sure, children learn to interact with adults in a controlled safe environment. nothing to do with the gutter press. as an adult you have a duty of care for your and all children, if you are happy for your child to be approached by random strangers you are failing in your duty of care. you are the adult and the responsible individual. or not.

[Ulysses G.]

I have always found Thai children incredibly friendly. I noticed that Malaysian children were much less so. 

[Damrongsak]

I have a bushy beard, so I am used to scaring kids.  Most are not familiar with it.  But one time in the US, I was in line behind a lady with a tiny infant, maybe a month or so old.  That kid was so fascinated looking at me a couple feet away, and his attention span was long.  No fear.  I was impressed.

[pgrahmm]

I've noticed a shyness here from the little ones, but, usually a smile & a wave take care of that....Sometimes if the parents notice they'll have the child wai, but they are reserved...

 

In the Philippines a contractor wanted to show me some work he did at a country school....The children there encircled me & followed me everywhere, but wouldn't come up to me....I thought maybe my height was imposing to them so squatted down to there level talking with them and they came a little closer.....I asked the teacher if it was my height, (6'4"), and she said no - it was my blue eyes - they'd never seen a blue eyed person before....They ran down the length of the school fence waving as we pulled away waving in the car....Somewhere I still have a picture of a little guy just standing there with his head between the fence rails staring & smiling....

Also had a similar experience at a junior?/senior? high school there in the Phil's.....

 

I find the people friendlier here, but it's not an outgoing friendliness......

[FritsSikkink]

It is a good thing they don't talk to strangers who want them to play with them. Go talk to some grown ups and leave the kids alone.

[Dipterocarp]

I think there is something to this. The OP said nothing about approaching children and talking to them. Japanese and Thai no interest or hiding behind mothers skirts, even recently when I had a dinner at a CEO's vacation home. The kids who have education at the best international schools have to be prodded to say hello. Contrast recently I was in my condo elevator with a Korean lady and her small son. I'm pushing a wheeled cart with my purchases from supermarket. Suddenly the kid is showing off "Hello!, Where did you go? What is that? I LIKE TOMATO JUICE" The woman just starts laughing, I don't think she speaks English much.

Have had recent experience of being accosted by Chinese kids as well.

 

Perhaps a difference of indoctrination to be meek and conformal to inquisitive and assertive.

 

 

 

 

 

[chrisinth]

OP, I think there is a big difference being a tourist and actually living here as to the acceptance of the locals. When I first moved to Phitsanulok 18 years ago I underwent acceptance, not just the kids but everyone besides family. And after about 2 months (yes, that long) it was as if a switch had been made and everyone wanted to know me. That was something I will always remember about moving 'up-country' and the loyalty and support given afterwards from that acceptance.

 

To be truthful I think it is healthy for a child to be wary of strangers in this world we live in. I know my kids were taught that way; never approach, never accept anything.

 

You also have the fact that the majority of Thailand (commercial/tourist areas being the exception) do not have that many white faces in their communities and they will of course be apprehensive to strange faces. 

 

Where I live now, everyday (that I am there) I have 5 different kids saying Good Morning/Good Afternoon/Good Evening to me when I am either walking the dogs or just sitting on the porch and they are passing. There are only 12 houses in the soi and we have been there just over a year and would think that to be normal behaviour here.

 

That all started  with 'Sawadee krap' (but only after the nod or smile) from my side but the kids wanted to show off their English skills.

[chowny77]

I have lived here now for more than 10 years and I still gt treated from one spectrum to the other. Some kids will run up and hug me and want to converse and others will run a mile. I guess it is all down to how their parents represent us and also how we represent ourselves. It's not the kids fault and I hold no grudges as most of them come around and are friendly once they get to know me.

[pgrahmm]

Actually - it's nice to see a lot of kids....

In the states everybody is paranoid & either has their kids in supervised activities/programs or locked up inside the house....

The days of kids out playing games in the street or parks by themselves is pretty much forsaken in the western world....

[Gumballl]

I had a recent experience at a pizza restaurant at The Mall in Korat where a young lad, perhaps 7 or 8 years old, came up to my table and started conversing to me in English.  My two daughters, who are only a few years older, were also at the table and were amused by this.

 

I forgot the name of the school the kid goes to, but nevertheless it would appear that he is receiving an excellent education.  The boy's father is Thai, and did not speak any English whatsoever, so I have to assume the kid learned his second language from school.

 

Anyhow, I would never expect all children to act in a similar manner as the one I met.  Everybody is different, and should be respected for such.

[jeab1980]

Never had any problem re kids running away or crying. I expect is a case of once there used to you being around it becomes tge norm. 

[wildewillie89]

Some kids will be shy and hide away, where as others will run up to you as if you are an uncle or something (even though you are a complete stranger). 

Seeing as child napping can be quite prevalent here, then I think it is probably safer to teach the kids some sort of restrictions rather than just naturally accepting everyone. Not long back a kid was taken from a low security school in the city, all they had to do was tell the teacher they were family and the kid happily went with them, Luckily the kid was found safely and they were arrested. 

I have had the odd kid run up to me in restaurants (different cities) and jump up on me and try to talk to me. I would prefer my kids to be more suspicious than overly accepting like that. We wouldn't tell them to do things like that back home, so I wonder how allowing them to do it in possibly a more dangerous place is a smart thing to do. In terms of foreigners, walking around the place half the farang look pretty sex starved. Even the girls serving them at KFC look like a next meal to them. I wouldn't want my daughter being overly accepting of people who cant even keep their tongues in their mouth lol. 

 

Also depends on their level of education. I had to go to Korat yesterday, where I used to work so I know the schools are pretty good compared to where I live. Just walking through a shopping centre kids were happy to smile or try and talk to you. Whereas my hometown, the level of language is much lower so kids will just stare at you (unless village kids who see you regularly). Completely natural reactions. 

Just set up the home environment so all the visiting families can play in a safe area (not on the dangerous roads/diseased dogs). There doesn't have to be any sort of loss in socialisation in keeping the kids safe. Obviously, I would hope parents are with them when travelling outside. so would be supervised socialisation anyway. 

Edited September 11, 2017 by wildewillie89

[tonray]

I overheard a grandma telling her little one, who would not comply and come to her, "if you don't come now, the foreigner is going to eat you !". The kid gives me one look and runs to granny...yeah it does not surprise me. This is a 'we are the center of the world' culture, very similar to Japan in the way foreigners are referred to and considered.

 

When I lived in Malaysia, I have often said that the friendliest and nicest people I encountered were Indonesian and Sri Lankan. The Indonesian Muslims went out their way to smile and introduce themselves, much more outgoing and curious about America BTW than the Malay Muslims who kept a distance at all times.

 

Thai kids cross the street to avoid you, Vietnamese and Lao kids chase you down on their bikes to ask you questions.

[amvet]

Ask any new teacher.  It's embarrassing how the little kids want to crawl all over you and touch your hair and feel you all over.  Friendliest kids in the world.  I can only think there must be something else at work if Thai kids don't walk up to you and talk.  Happens to me all the time. 

[Dipterocarp]

I had a recent experience at a pizza restaurant at The Mall in Korat where a young lad, perhaps 7 or 8 years old, came up to my table and started conversing to me in English.  My two daughters, who are only a few years older, were also at the table and were amused by this.

 

I forgot the name of the school the kid goes to, but nevertheless it would appear that he is receiving an excellent education.  The boy's father is Thai, and did not speak any English whatsoever, so I have to assume the kid learned his second language from school.

 

Anyhow, I would never expect all children to act in a similar manner as the one I met.  Everybody is different, and should be respected for such.

I met one of these Kids

Friend of a friends son, 8 or 9 years.

The parents do not speak much English. They have him in an international school.

He sounds exactly like a little American kid (no accent, unless you think Americans have an accent).

 

 

[pgrahmm]

6 minutes ago, Dipterocarp said:

I met one of these Kids
Friend of a friends son, 8 or 9 years.
The parents do not speak much English. They have him in an international school.
He sounds exactly like a little American kid (no accent, unless you think Americans have an accent). :cheesy
 

We don't = everyone else does.....

[TPI]

On 9/10/2017 at 2:25 AM, nisakiman said:

 

And therein lies the rot that has set into our society. The 'precautionary principle'. Wrap 'em in cotton wool.

 

The attitude of "...would you be happy with random adults either from your own country or from other countries approaching and trying to interact with them?" is borne of reading the gutter press and believing every word. According to the papers, there's a paedophile lurking under every bush, and for that reason we shouldn't let our kids talk to anyone, in case they're raging paedophiles.

 

What rot. It's attitudes like that that have created the current 'snowflake' generation, demanding 'safe spaces' and 'trigger warnings'.

 

I've found when in Thailand that kids react well to me, and many times I've had teenage (and younger) girls or boys come up to me and practice their English. It's great. Where I've lived for the past 15 years (Greece), it's the same. There's been no 'Paedophile Panic' whipped up by the gutter press, and kids roam freely. And it's not unusual at all to be sitting in a café and have some kid from another table come and chat. And mum will just look over and ask if he / she is being a nuisance. If not, she'll just go back to her coffee and friend(s) or smartphone and leave me to chat with her kid. No big deal. The kid learns how to deal with strangers, and mum gets five minutes peace.

 

And I say this as the father of four (now adult) kids who were encouraged to interact with other adults. Of course be sensible, but don't be scared. There's a big world out there full of all sorts of people, and kids need to learn how to deal with that.

Agreed! I'm not sure who or what has prompted this horror of "men" but it's influence is stronger in places where "women" have taken control of the media.

My great grand children are ok although their mothers and fathers tend to twitch a bit when I pick their little darling up! Maybe in the future, when things calm down a little, common sense will rule again and we can all get on with our lives??

[1FinickyOne]

On September 9, 2560 BE at 9:59 PM, madmax6889 said:

in fact the children there and ive noticed some adults too.. either totally ignore you or act as though they are afraid especially small children some are struck with total fear.

Not sure I get some of your post as you point out "there" but not sure where you are referring to... I surely do not see kids reacting in fear and I am living up country for a long time... most are quite engaging. 

 

Yes, Thai children can be shy and they can also be engaging in a proper situation. When I pick up my niece at school every day, some of the children willl come over and say hello and giggle and want to try out some English... most barely notice as I am just another parent. Sometimes the parents are the same and have English language questions. 

 

As to PPI. it is quite common for people to speak English there, so, I don't get the comparison. 

[balo]

I think its more to do with the Thai culture, shyness towards strangers is a big part of it, especially if your a foreigner.  They will not stare at you and look in another direction, unless they really know you.