Why is there such a disdain of foreigners

[Mavideol]

you are correct but this type of debates will not get a clear winner.... it's like who came first, the chicken or the egg

[PatOngo]

1 hour ago, Bangkok Barry said:

why Thailand has such a disdain of foreigners,

It's their way of dealing with an inferior complex! Immigration is the classic example.

[NCC1701A]

6 minutes ago, Isaan Alan said:

Thailand is a hierarchical society and deference is given to everyone above you in the hierarchy. Farangs come along and don;t play by their rules. Because we are much more individualistic free thinking and find class system abhorrent (especially Aussies do) we don't fit in. It is no accident that nearly all government workers wear those brown uniforms. It's to show their status and to receive respect and deference. Then we come and (try) to tell them a better way and that upsets their worldview, which is really only a Thailand view because so few have travelled.

great comment. i have tried to make people on this forum understand this and how it affects you especially at immigration. 

 

you are constantly being judged by the Thais. your personal appearance is extremely important.

 

where they place you on the status scale is up to you. 

 

 

[Mavideol]

46 minutes ago, wotsdermatter said:

There is no such thing you mention, an inflated superiority complex.  A superiority complex is defined as an inflated sense of being better than others and a prime example of such is a person having the feeling of self-importance to always talk about how they can do everything better than others.  The best way to deal with such people is to not pick a verbal fight with them because you will lose.  Instead aim for short, sharp responses that will make them think hard about what they are doing (and give them time to do this).  In the end, if they cannot move from their self imposed position of superiority and insist on taking more than they give, then go elsewhere.  If they are friends, dump them.  The same goes for never arguing with an idiot, a person on the lowest level of any IQ scale.  Such a person will beat you down and win by experience.

 

Clinical Psychologist, retired.

good point....no idea why reading it made me think about Yinn 555

Edited April 2, 2020 by Mavideol

[Berkshire]

"Why is there such a disdain of foreigners?"

 

Maybe it's because of stupid <deleted> like this...

 

[Busted in Phuket: Foreigners, including Brits, flout Emergency Decree in rooftop drugs and booze party]

 

 

 

 

[Saltire]

Reading these comments made me think the easy answer to get respect would be to insist on a Farang uniform for all foreigners. I favour the white formal military ones but without all the epaulettes, medals and ribbons.

 

 

[stouricks]

1 hour ago, KhunFred said:

When you lack intelligence and the rule of law, the obvious path of least resistance is to blame non-Thais. This basic concept works well for people like Donald Trump, who demonizes the hardest working people in America. (Mexicans) In like manner, the Thais are past masters of scapegoating farang. The hatred for advanced legal systems and enlightened economic practice is an integral part of Thai thinking. 

Asked my Mrs and 21 yr old step-daughter who was boss of USA....No f...ing idea, or boss of UK, France, Canada, Russia. Same

They don't even know which is N, S, W or East.

[FarFlungFalang]

11 minutes ago, Mavideol said:

you are correct but this type of debates will not get a clear winner.... it's like who came first, the chicken or the egg

The rooster came first!Chickens and eggs don't come!

[BobbyL]

I wouldn't say there is a real disdain or hatred. There is just a 'we don't care' attitude that stems from the very top. 

 

[tonray]

5 minutes ago, Saltire said:

Reading these comments made me think the easy answer to get respect would be to insist on a Farang uniform for all foreigners. I favour the white formal military ones but without all the epaulettes, medals and ribbons.

 

 

Teachers at Government Schools have that same uniform for after school and formal events....

[tonray]

4 minutes ago, stouricks said:

who was boss of USA....No f...ing idea, or boss of UK

Most Americans and Brits are still trying to figure it out too....

[Saltire]

Just now, tonray said:

Teachers at Government Schools have that same uniform for after school and formal events....

Mmmm need to think again then..............(you do know I was joking right? ????

[Number 6]

1 hour ago, Bangkok Barry said:

Just imagine though, if the British had come into Thailand. The country might have a decent education system, a good rail service, proper rule of law.

Just like Myanmar? Bangladesh? Pakistan?

 

India is always one step to anarchy as well.

 

Kenya? Tanzania?

 

[phkauf]

The disdain of foreigners is driven by the government and the elite in order to protect their positions. You see it through the onerous restrictions on foreign owned business and investment along with the un-official requirement for some sort of kickback. This is everywhere from the obvious dual-pricing at government run entities to ridiculous rules for workers and immigrants. There are many reasons for this, but I think it all boils down to protecting one's turf when there are many, many better options available. Cast blame and derision on the foreigners to insulate yourself from criticism.

This dislike of foreigners from the top filters down to the ordinary Thais and they just repeat what they perceive as an accepted behavior. The same with the endemic corruption, "if those guys are stealing I can as well" mindset is well entrenched. 

But let's be frank, this is not just a Thailand problem. Most countries in Asia there is a dislike of foreigners. In most countries, they even hate other Asians. You should hear what the Vietnamese says about the Chinese and the Chinese say about the Japanese. And Koreans hate everyone.  While the Japanese are incredibly polite, in many places non-Japanese are explicitly NOT welcome. 

 

[Peterw42]

17 minutes ago, stouricks said:

Asked my Mrs and 21 yr old step-daughter who was boss of USA....No f...ing idea, or boss of UK, France, Canada, Russia. Same

They don't even know which is N, S, W or East.

Do you immediately know the leaders of Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos etc ?

Not sure if you have noticed but the street names in many Thai places are named "location" North, south etc, Pattaya Nua, Tai etc. 

[medic5678]

I've only been in Thailand for a few weeks at any one stretch.   Everyone has seemed very nice to me.  I don't stay in tourist areas at all.  I do know that a lot of Western men look at Thai women as objects to be used and generally make asses of themselves, which only reinforces the stereotype.   I've been respectful and everyone has respected me.   Of course, when we go to a hotel, my wife gets the room and I stay out of sight to avoid paying the Farang price :).  Thais know they're screwed day in and day out by the system.  But what can they do about it?  No use to dwell on it.

[garrya]

1 hour ago, 4MyEgo said:

Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil, trust us, farangs are dirty because we know and say so !

 

My wife has never seen Thailand so clearer since she lived with me abroad for 9 years, she hates it !!!

So has mine. Her rose-tinted glasses had shattered. 

In fact, she is the one who would like to leave and move back to Europe. Lol

 

[Mattd]

51 minutes ago, Isaan Alan said:

Thailand is a hierarchical society and deference is given to everyone above you in the hierarchy. Farangs come along and don;t play by their rules.

This is actually one of the bad things about the country, it has a very detrimental effect on the way things are done here.

I see it in daily life here, where no one will question their senior, regardless of what they think of the decision, this applies in every ward of life.

[tropo]

2 hours ago, KhunFred said:

When you lack intelligence and the rule of law, the obvious path of least resistance is to blame non-Thais. This basic concept works well for people like Donald Trump, who demonizes the hardest working people in America. (Mexicans) In like manner, the Thais are past masters of scapegoating farang. The hatred for advanced legal systems and enlightened economic practice is an integral part of Thai thinking. 

Never miss an opportunity to demonize Trump, hah? Believe it or not we don't all come from the USA...

 

Ironically, you're doing exactly the same with Trump as what Thais do with Farang. You blame him for everything that goes wrong.

 

People always like to blame someone or something for their suffering. That leaves Thais with a choice between an invisible virus or very visible Farang. We are the obvious and easy target.

Edited April 2, 2020 by tropo

[Tagged]

41 minutes ago, Saltire said:

Reading these comments made me think the easy answer to get respect would be to insist on a Farang uniform for all foreigners. I favour the white formal military ones but without all the epaulettes, medals and ribbons.

 

 

We already have, beer tank top for the Sex tourists, fisherman pants for the bac packers and low budget tourists and temple visitors have elephant pants. 

[Bramley]

1 hour ago, GalaxyMan said:

It seems to be a pretty prevalent attitude in Asia in general. They all think that they're the best, that anyone and everyone else is lower on the scale, an inflated superiority complex which is really just a cover for their basic insecurity about themselves. Thank you, Dr. Freud! ????

They all think they're the best. Isn't that exactly what we think too? Maybe people are all the same, wherever they are from.

[ramrod711]

1 hour ago, bkk6060 said:

Britain directly and indirectly had a massive amount of influence on Siam's modernisation during the late 19th early to early 20th

Yes, and complete control of the Teak trade was what they got in return.

[KhunFred]

1 hour ago, tonray said:

Yes...I can imagine them leaving it like India and parts of Africa, pillaged for her resources and left with some neat old colonial buildings for postcards

But they left India much more CIVILIZED than they found it. Conquest and brutal subjugation WORKS, unlike the wimpy, politically correct approach. Contrary to popular belief, you DO NOT have the right to be uncivilized.

[FritsSikkink]

What a load of BS. The British have robbed every country blind from their resources and treated the locals like slaves.

They are making a mess of their corona pandemic too. Their pensions are a joke. Once Scotland is independent and they lose their oil wealth they will go into an economic meltdown.

The disdain might be caused because you think you are better than them.

Edited April 2, 2020 by FritsSikkink

[Matzzon]

2 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

Just imagine though, if the British had come into Thailand.

Oh dear! Lucky they didn´t. Then the Thais would have been moaning all the time too.

[Nyezhov]

Nobody likes me and I dont care.

[Bangkok Barry]

1 hour ago, stouricks said:

Asked my Mrs and 21 yr old step-daughter who was boss of USA....No f...ing idea, or boss of UK, France, Canada, Russia. Same

They don't even know which is N, S, W or East.

A school teacher relative thinks that New York is on the west coast of America, And when a Thai recently asked me where I was from and I replied, "London". he said "Ah, America."

[4MyEgo]

34 minutes ago, garrya said:

So has mine. Her rose-tinted glasses had shattered. 

In fact, she is the one who would like to leave and move back to Europe. Lol

 

Same, same, I said ok then, you come up with 700,000 baht a year for the rent and I will pay for the rest, i.e. I am not going to waste my savings on rent when it cost us nothing to live in our 6 bedroom house, she said she would get a job, I said forget it as I wouldn't have anyone home to bust their balls ????

 

[petedk]

1 hour ago, Deserted said:

I never see disdain. They leave us alone or respect us I find. Are you hanging out in places with dubious reputations?

I don't think it is disdain.

 

I get on well with my extended Thai family and Thai friends, but they do have a certain dislike for some foreigners. It is mainly those that make themselves "visible" or stand out by shouting loudly, complaining, getting drunk and behaving badly, losing their tempers, dressing inappropriately  etc.

[Bangkok Barry]

43 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

Do you immediately know the leaders of Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos etc ?

Not sure if you have noticed but the street names in many Thai places are named "location" North, south etc, Pattaya Nua, Tai etc. 

No, but I do know the names of leaders who do play a major part in world affairs. And they don't include any of the above, or Thailand. All little backwater countries with no influence anywhere or in anything.