Thais Only: Bus companies, Bangkok temple bans foreigners citing COVID-19 restrictions

[GAZZPA]

2 hours ago, rob63 said:

I believe that you should be deported.....Thailand hasn't needed your kind for the last 15 years. The Thai authorities ar emaking it more difficult for foreigners to stay, because foreign expats are not wanted. Take a hint!

 

You are not a sexpat, so I assume you live in Thailand with your Falang wife?

No, I don't live there anymore. I got my family out of there quite recently.

 

So you think Thailand hasn't need my kind for the last 15 years? you know my kind on 1 post do you?..????

 

Think I touched a nerve with you perhaps. Well sorry but your points were nonsense and full of holes and you didn't address that so I will leave you with your head buried deep in that sand.????

 

 

[GAZZPA]

35 minutes ago, UncleE said:

I think the content of the news feed in ThaiVisa is very helpful.   Although the quoted response is a more or less positive one.   There are way too many cynical responses from folks who seem hell bent on slamming Thailand.

 

I've lived here for 30 years and during that time also lived part time in my home country as well as others.  I have decided to call Thailand my home because overall it's a great place to be.   

 

• I think Thailand is generally fair and Thai people are generally very friendly to foreigners.   
• Anyone who thinks their home country is better should leave immediately and chalk their negative feelings etc up to having been ignorant and unable to cope with living in a foreign culture or simply being underfunded.
• And those who have bad experiences generally bring it on themselves by failing to comply with laws, being derelict and inconsiderate of their actions.
• If they don't like it here, just leave.

 

Finally it is important to consider what the op quoted implied about Thai people simply being less educated (or maybe they implied it's the foreigners who post the nasty comments) and if anyone doesn't like any of this they should volunteer to be a teacher so the younger Thais have a better chance in life.  Thai people are taught to maintain the normal and follow orders.  It's just the way it is.

 

So screw all the negative comments and chill out.  Anyone who's not happy really should just leave.

 

Cheers

Many, many people have left, have you seen that? Why do you think that is? There are a lot of serious problems in Thailand, you have lived there 30 years, the country is not what it once was. If you are happy then fine, stay there, others are leaving and they will moan about things like this because it's unnacceptable, if you don't like reading negative comments about Thailand then stay off the forum.

[charmonman]

It’s either racism, stupidity, or both. I suppose racism is a form of stupidity so it definitely both. Glad I got to spend so many years in Thailand before they turned into this.

[GAZZPA]

Just now, charmonman said:

It’s either racism, stupidity, or both. I suppose racism is a form of stupidity so it definitely both. Glad I got to spend so many years in Thailand before they turned into this.

Me too, it used to be a special place when I went there many moons ago, its why I had no problem relocating there,,, however I got my family out of there not too long ago. I don't want my Son growing up around all that stuff, very ugly, very sad.

[rvaviator]

7 hours ago, mindfulness said:

Maybe they were fearing someone may be a spy ????

???? ... 5555  Probably .... I am sure it must be many cutting edge systems on that ship worth copying. 

[Prairieboy]

22 hours ago, webfact said:

Thais Only: Bus companies, Bangkok temple bans foreigners citing COVID-19 restrictions

Racism?  Perhaps!  Ignorance?  Certainly!

 

[GAZZPA]

13 minutes ago, Prairieboy said:

Racism?  Perhaps!  Ignorance?  Certainly!

 

My only comment would be there is no excuse for the number 1 country in SE Asia to be ignorant, especially in the digital information age. But I do agree that it is probably ignorance.

[metisdead]

Off topic posts, troll posts and the replies have been removed.  

[brommers]

Too late to try and wriggle out of what is clearly discrimination against farangs. But it must be remembered that farangs are dirty. This is true because o government minister said it!.

 

I live here, have not been out of the country for over 3 years and yet I am not clean enough to go to Wat Po. Well that is fine, I will just ensure that every potential visitor I know is made fully aware of the attitude of this temple. I hope that their enormous income from farang visitors never recovers once travel bans are lifted.  May these bigots rot in hell, because that is where the whole temple hierarchy will certainly go.

[spidermike007]

Astonishing ignorance based on fear of the unknown. Any logical person would conclude that any foreigners in Thailand have been here for months and therefore are just as healthy, if not more healthy than the locals. 

 

We get to re-live the early 20th century in the west. Except this time WE ARE the black man!

 

I expected some of this, watching the Americans and Europeans botch Covid to the extent they did. We will be radioactive worldwide, for at least the next year or so. 

Edited June 13, 2020 by spidermike007

[JCP108]

6 minutes ago, brommers said:

Too late to try and wriggle out of what is clearly discrimination against farangs. But it must be remembered that farangs are dirty. This is true because o government minister said it!.

 

I live here, have not been out of the country for over 3 years and yet I am not clean enough to go to Wat Po. Well that is fine, I will just ensure that every potential visitor I know is made fully aware of the attitude of this temple. I hope that their enormous income from farang visitors never recovers once travel bans are lifted.  May these bigots rot in hell, because that is where the whole temple hierarchy will certainly go.

I used to go to Wat Pho 2-3 times/year. Preferred to not get charged to enter as a Buddhist farang but didn't mind that too much as I donate to temples when I visit anyway. However, I don't expect that I'm going to be any more free of Covid 19 in the future than I am now. So, I'm going to protect Wat Pho from me and stop going there for good. They won't be getting my payment of the entrance fee.

[Peterw42]

Can people see the irony here,

According to Thaivisa comments, a large number of members go out of their way not to wear masks, avoid the check in/out at shops and tourist attractions, leave fake names and phone numbers at the check in/out, then complain when foreigners are not welcome.

Can people see the association here ? They are banning a group of people who openly admit to flaunting the current covid rules.

 

Are the people on their racist/victim soapbox, the same people that leave fake names and numbers when they visit a tourist attraction ?

 

Edited June 13, 2020 by Peterw42

[Macthehat]

Another nail in the coffin 

[LazySlipper]

23 hours ago, jonclark said:

Thailand really is very good at shooting itself in the foot. With BLM / racial discrimination being so high on the global agenda - and as a country that relies on tourism, this becomes high on the agenda of Thailands customers. These actions are clumsy at best and paint Thailand in a poor light, opening the proverbial barn doors to Thailand being seen as an unfriendly country to foreigners. 

unfortunately, despite the racism and discrimination in Thailand nothing is ever done about it and if you try to tell people back home what is going no one really gives a <deleted>. So same old same old and the beat goes on. Nothing will ever help these people join the mainstream...

[WineOh]

12 hours ago, 473geo said:

All these people 'who have been in LOS since before lockdown' suddenly want to visit this particular Temple while under repair and in the midst of a pandemic, well they don't appear very intelligent to my mind!! Good thing Thailand is saving them from their stupidity!!

What level of brainwashed is this?

have many thais told you they like you and want to be your friend?

 

did you fall for all their spiel?

guess so.. 

Edited June 13, 2020 by Liverpoolfan

[thailand49]

14 hours ago, Burma Bill said:

Exactly my thought - how do you distinguish between an ethic Chinese Thai and a Chinese visitor to the temple - by showing a Thai ID card????  Photos (from internet) - ethnic Chinese Thai girls left, mainland Chinese girls right.

 

 

Exactly,  yesterday was my Thai son Birthday so our normal routine is to visit the Temple at Sattahip. Now I don't believe but do it to make everyone happy.  I'm Chinese American,  in one area or room there is a monk I can't get on my knees so I just kind of stand or sit on a chair nearby the monk looks at me and speaks to my wife my wife lets him know I'm Chinese America, today that is like a double edge sword. He looks again I just smile!

????

[GAZZPA]

13 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

Can people see the irony here,

According to Thaivisa comments, a large number of members go out of their way not to wear masks, avoid the check in/out at shops and tourist attractions, leave fake names and phone numbers at the check in/out, then complain when foreigners are not welcome.

Can people see the association here ? They are banning a group of people who openly admit to flaunting the current covid rules.

 

Are the people on their racist/victim soapbox, the same people that leave fake names and numbers when they visit a tourist attraction ?

 

Is that the best you can do,, fake names given when they visit tourist attractions. So that's the reason for racism? Had it ever occurred to you that the vast majority of expats don't break the law or rules? So if the majority do indeed behave appropriately is it still acceptable?

 

When normal people kick off about disgusting treatment towards foreigners you accuse them of getting out their soap box! Sorry but I think you are behaving like a coward, too afraid to speak out about what is so obviously in front of you. Well Thailand will pay the price, the press is covering it nicely, information travels so well these days, so Thailand will get it's wish soon enough, there will be no more expats or tourists, except you of course.

[phetphet]

If one believes these are racist moves, it's quite simple really. Just boycott the temple and buses in future. Spread the news so it becomes well known, and then watch TAT spin it. It will then be explained away, and all will be welcome again.

 

To be honest, at this moment in time, with there being no international flights, there are hardly any tourists here. So there can't be many expats who would want to visit Wat Pho. Let alone while undergoing restoration. And as for the buses. The numbers of expats that use them must be really low. 

 

I

[petedk]

20 hours ago, Peter Denis said:

Are you, also being a foreigner, the proverbial exception?

I would discuss the blatant statement she made, to find out if it is due to her not being able to express herself well in english or whether it is thinly veiled racism or simple stupidity.

If not cleared up it would surely affect my friendship with her. 

I asked if I could go (not that I will) and she she mumbled something about the fact that I live here, so it should be ok. It was a longer discussion and I mentioned the fact that all the foreigners that are here at the moment have been here for at least 2 months.

 

She cannot express herself in English. We spoke Thai together.

 

I am not too close to her anyway. She is a friend of my girlfriend.

 

I think it is a case of pure ignorance, xenophobia or whatever.

Edited June 13, 2020 by petedk

[bunnydrops]

Does anyone know if the trains are also Thai only?

[petedk]

4 minutes ago, bunnydrops said:

Does anyone know if the trains are also Thai only?

According to Richard barrow foreigners can travel on trains.

[Benmart]

15 hours ago, ttrd said:

Right - no need at all especially if your presence in Thailand is of a spiritual nature - through TV ... 

My spiritual journey does not depend upon the ornate, idol dependent or mystic ritual of any belief. These manmade places, here and abroad, are often little more tourist attractions, and monetary collection points for a business mascarading as a portal to a spiritual connection. For some it may be, but not for me, a follower of casual TV. 

[Benmart]

43 minutes ago, thailand49 said:

Exactly,  yesterday was my Thai son Birthday so our normal routine is to visit the Temple at Sattahip. Now I don't believe but do it to make everyone happy.  I'm Chinese American,  in one area or room there is a monk I can't get on my knees so I just kind of stand or sit on a chair nearby the monk looks at me and speaks to my wife my wife lets him know I'm Chinese America, today that is like a double edge sword. He looks again I just smile!

????

As an American, any social-sword aimed at me is met with a side-step, smile and my moving on. Your smile is your best ally. Best wishes.

[Orton Rd]

23 minutes ago, Benmart said:

My spiritual journey does not depend upon the ornate, idol dependent or mystic ritual of any belief. These manmade places, here and abroad, are often little more tourist attractions, and monetary collection points for a business mascarading as a portal to a spiritual connection. For some it may be, but not for me, a follower of casual TV. 

Quite right the Buddha would have laughed at such places with their amulet sales, fortune sticks and people bribing God with promises of money, clothes, statues and even eggs if they get what they pray for. Nobody should be going into places anyway that make foreigners pay, even if Buddhist, while the locals get in for free.

Edited June 13, 2020 by Orton Rd

[Mr Meeseeks]

11 hours ago, GAZZPA said:

what will be next? 

From what I have heard on the grapevine it doesn't look good for expats and foreigners in Thailand going forward. 

 

If you have been paying attention they have just made a report into military spending classified as there's something in there they don't want the public knowing about. 

 

They need an enemy to direct all the dissatisfaction and ire that will no doubt arise from the economic misery and hardships yet to be endured. 

 

I expect foreigners to be in the firing line.

 

They have been losing face overseas due to protests, ongoing stories in European newspapers and TG bankruptcy. That will not have gone down well and there will be payback.

 

If you are not flying completely straight here I would expect repercussions somewhere along the line, i.e. land in company names, using education visas or tourist visas to stay here, running dodgy businesses like underground poker rooms etc. 

 

The squeeze most definitely will be on.

 

Good luck and God speed.

 

 

[jomtienisgood]

On 6/12/2020 at 8:37 AM, asiaexpat said:

The government owned interprovincial bus company states that all customers must use Thai ID to travel so they can track them should it be necessary. Many foreigners, myself included, have Pink ID cards that provide a ID number within the Thailand registry, so has anyone with a Pink ID tried to use the bus service?

The Wat Po exclusion is simply xenophobia and not very Buddhist in my opinion. 

I have the same being PR. Not tried yet, may be interesting....

[Bender Rodriguez]

16 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

foreign visitors might be disappointed if they paid Bt200 and saw nothing.

how much do thai people pay again, what?  nothing

 

they never shy of asking foreigners double, tripple price

 

face saving PR

[Purdey]

We could look at the positive side and be grateful to the government for realizing that Covid19 is rampant among Thais and we should be protected. To assist the government, we should help make foreign people aware that entering temples is extremely dangerous for tourists and they should stick to bars and massage parlours.

[Boomer6969]

Kudos to Ploenpote Atthakor for his piece in the BP. I feel like spending THB 4700 for a yearly on line subscription.

[Silent Number]

Let me throw a sausage on this bbq to get things sizzling.....Definition of a foreigner is a person born and residing in another country ie:- China so in reality the Chinese tourIt’s are foreigners (farang) So should be treated with the same courtesy or contempt as other foreigners.