SURVEY: Do you think Thailand is becoming less tolerant of foreigners?

[tonray]

It can't be any surprise. Pretty much every country in the world right now is looking inward and has become less enamored with foreginers. In Thailand, the effect is amplified because since Thais view conformity in behavior and beliefs as sacrosanct (religion, monarchy, etc) they tend to view all foreigners the same, so throw the good out with the bad.

[Don Mega]

11 hours ago, scammed said:

 and secondly we arent a burden either,

 

What about those that rack up large hospital bills and do a runner ?

[Raymonddiaz]

20 hours ago, ChipButty said:

The more Thai language you learn the worse it gets

Because you will realize how fake your so called Thai friends are ....55555 

[StayinThailand2much]

20 hours ago, ChipButty said:

The more Thai language you learn the worse it gets

Not to worry. Some Thais, at least in Bangkok, nowadays use English to taunt foreigners.

[StayinThailand2much]

44 minutes ago, Don Mega said:

What about those that rack up large hospital bills and do a runner ?

How about those who live here for years, never been to a hospital, but are still despised.

[ChakaKhan]

19 hours ago, rabas said:

If you speak so well you should know that the term farang refers to Westerners and is more often not used in a derogatory sense. Just like using the word Asian in the West is not derogatory. Did you see Crazy Rich Asians?

 

I'll give you an example of 'farang'.  A friend involved in immigration work one day told me "Immigration prefers farang (Westerners) because their paperwork is meticulous and they don't cheat as much as Asians especially Koreans." Farang is often complementarity in discussions about Western things. Google translates 'Westerner' as farang.

 

Since you get along with Thai so well, as do I, be proud to be Farang, you will never be Thai!

lol The lady at Cm immig thanked me for having tidy work and all my papers in order last visit----woo hoo!

 

I am curious how the koreans "cheat"...do tell!!!  love me some thai gossip!!!   jing jing!

[Boomer6969]

12 hours ago, DrTuner said:

Thailand is a country, it doesn't have any bias.

In the OP "Thailand" is a metonymy...

[Mr Meeseeks]

1 hour ago, 4MyEgo said:

Problem is he can't, the PM fears him as he has too much power. Could you imagine him at the raines, no thanks, but watch this space, hope I am wrong.

If there's not another major event beforehand (big if, I know), Anutin will probably be the next PM as you suggest.

 

That's when things will get really interesting for those still hanging on here.

[Aussie999]

20 hours ago, Sujo said:

Australia is also a racist country. US obviously is, dont know about canada.

It's a "legal" term, it simply means belonging to a foreign country, which has no bearing on the culture of a country. You seem to have a problem with words, and their meaning.

Edited July 20, 2020 by Aussie999

[Aussie999]

1 hour ago, Don Mega said:

What about those that rack up large hospital bills and do a runner ?

the actual figure is quite small, and is well and truly covered, by all the taxes/duties (on products airport taxs etc) they pay, and what they purchase, good, food, hotel accommodation etc while here...

[Raymonddiaz]

17 minutes ago, Aussie999 said:

the actual figure is quite small, and is well and truly covered, by all the taxes/duties (on products airport taxs etc) they pay, and what they purchase, good, food, hotel accommodation etc while here...

I agree with you . as the crimes that foreigners do in this country are just exaggerated. How many foreigners have lost all their savings here because of Thais ( females) ? so many but only few are on the news. Thai kids are taught at school that they are the best of people because they are never been colonized. They are Thais ( free). It's all about brainwashing and cult of personality.

[sandyf]

Lack of definition makes the question far too general.

Back in 2013 I think it was, TAT policy changed in favour of Asian tourists rather than the west and it strikes me that Thailand is very tolerant of Asian tourists.

Personally I have always found the locals very friendly and helpful. but then there are several different cultures within the kingdom and tar and brush come to mind.

[4MyEgo]

21 hours ago, Sujo said:

Australia is also a racist country. US obviously is, dont know about canada.

Racism is a worldwide phenomenon, if you think otherwise you are naive.

 

This is what happens when governments introduce multiculturalism in their countries.

 

Everyone judges, we have our dislikes about a particular race, be it an Asian, or someone from the Middle East who's cultures are different to ours, their dress codes, their language, etc, etc, etc.

 

I remember being called a <deleted> at school back in the 70's even though I was born in Australia, nothing changed, except now the list of ethnic slurs by ethnicity are longer.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ethnic_slurs_by_ethnicity

 

At the end of the day, we tolerate other races, as we are tolerated in Thailand.

 

[sandyf]

1 hour ago, Aussie999 said:

It's a "legal" term, it simply means belonging to a foreign country, which has no bearing on the culture of a country. You seem to have a problem with words, and their meaning.

It would appear that you have the greater problem with words and meaning.

 

"Racism is the belief that groups of humans possess different behavioral traits corresponding to physical appearance and can be divided based on the superiority of one race over another."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racism

 

It cannot be disputed that the whites in Australia consider themselves superior to the indigenous population.

[somtumwrong]

21 hours ago, rabas said:

If you speak so well you should know that the term farang refers to Westerners and is more often not used in a derogatory sense. Just like using the word Asian in the West is not derogatory. Did you see Crazy Rich Asians?

 

I'll give you an example of 'farang'.  A friend involved in immigration work one day told me "Immigration prefers farang (Westerners) because their paperwork is meticulous and they don't cheat as much as Asians especially Koreans." Farang is often complementarity in discussions about Western things. Google translates 'Westerner' as farang.

 

Since you get along with Thai so well, as do I, be proud to be Farang, you will never be Thai!

Exactly. Mentioned to my wife (high education, high corporate position) about the negativity associated with the word farang some years ago, she was a little surprised, could not understand the negative association. On the contrary, she is proud to have a 'farang' husband.

 

[Myran]

16 hours ago, BritManToo said:

COVID killed 60, Thai drivers killed 7,400.

You'd think they should restrict Thai drivers before they worry about the virus.

That's just common sense.

Stroke kills about 40,000 per year in Thailand, so with your logic they shouldn't worry about the road deaths until they've got that under control, right? No? Perhaps we should discuss like adults instead of making pointless comparisons that don't make any sense?

 

And the reason there's so few deaths are likely, at least in part, because they DID worry about it. In Sweden they didn't "worry" much about the virus, and are closing in on 6,000 deaths, which is quite bad with a population of only 10 million.

[rumak]

On 7/19/2020 at 11:40 AM, ChipButty said:

The more Thai language you learn the worse it gets

you must not be very skilled at putting the words into sentences.

 

the more thai i learned........ the better I got along with the Thais  ( tourist areas excluded, as there

it doesn't matter one way or the other)

IMO  when you reach a fairly high level ( no, i am not at expert level !   but pretty darn good) ...

life here gets much more enjoyable and rewarding.  

I hope nobody thinks i'm bragging....... but I have never met any farang who speaks Thai well say any

different than what I just said.   especially outside of the tourist areas

Edited July 20, 2020 by rumak

[4reaL]

6 minutes ago, rumak said:

you must not be very skilled at putting the words into sentences.

 

the more thai i learned........ the better I got along with the Thais  ( tourist areas excluded, as there

it doesn't matter one way or the other)

IMO  when you reach a fairly high level ( no, i am not at expert level !   but pretty darn good) ...

life here gets much more enjoyable and rewarding.  

I hope nobody thinks i'm bragging....... but I have never met any farang who speaks Thai well say any

different than what I just said.   especially outside of the tourist areas

 

Correct, it's a direct reflection of your IQ.

There are some dumb ppl who have been in TH quite sometime 

and cannot speak a lick of Thai.

 

 

[Rbanjo]

23 hours ago, NightSky said:

Things began to change not long after the 2014 coup

Things definately changed when the health minister made his remarks that we were dirty farangs who are dangerous in spreading the disease. The more remote your travels are the more the Thai people believe this minister's comments. It will do major damage to tourism and friendliness. 

[rumak]

Just now, 4reaL said:

 

Correct, it's a direct reflection of your IQ.

There are some dumb ppl who have been in TH quite sometime 

and cannot speak a lick of Thai.

 

 

well,  to be fair....... i have been here a longgg time and still can not cook Thai food.  Or change the engine on my motorcycle.       Not my interests.     BUT  speaking with the people where i chose to

live most of my life certainly was important to me.  ( plus i have a high IQ ) ????????????????????

[mikey88]

I live in Chiang Mai. Don’t do the bar scene or the commercial ‘friendship’ scene. 

Thai people are like people anywhere...they classify people.

My experience is that if you’re polite and respectful you get that back.

I love the Thai people generally... and I get that back.

 

[somtumwrong]

15 minutes ago, rumak said:

you must not be very skilled at putting the words into sentences.

 

the more thai i learned........ the better I got along with the Thais  ( tourist areas excluded, as there

it doesn't matter one way or the other)

IMO  when you reach a fairly high level ( no, i am not at expert level !   but pretty darn good) ...

life here gets much more enjoyable and rewarding.  

I hope nobody thinks i'm bragging....... but I have never met any farang who speaks Thai well say any

different than what I just said.   especially outside of the tourist areas

I guess you are right, but when wife and son speak English with me, and I don't mingle with Thais much, and I spend half of the time in Europe, not so easy. Execuses excuses from me, but can you tell me how you learned the language? Did you go to language school?

[Sujo]

13 minutes ago, rumak said:

you must not be very skilled at putting the words into sentences.

 

the more thai i learned........ the better I got along with the Thais  ( tourist areas excluded, as there

it doesn't matter one way or the other)

IMO  when you reach a fairly high level ( no, i am not at expert level !   but pretty darn good) ...

life here gets much more enjoyable and rewarding.  

I hope nobody thinks i'm bragging....... but I have never met any farang who speaks Thai well say any

different than what I just said.   especially outside of the tourist areas

Try this, when meeting people pretend you dont speak the language and see if they talk about you the same way.

[rumak]

4 minutes ago, Sujo said:

Try this, when meeting people pretend you dont speak the language and see if they talk about you the same way.

OR............ try going into Macy's department store....getting a big smile from the pretty salesgirl.

 

Then say hello to her later when she gets off work.        ooopps

[rumak]

8 minutes ago, somtumwrong said:

I guess you are right, but when wife and son speak English with me, and I don't mingle with Thais much, and I spend half of the time in Europe, not so easy. Execuses excuses from me, but can you tell me how you learned the language? Did you go to language school?

thank you for a sensible and ego less response.    its like learning the violin .   years of practice,

starting with the basics and working your way up .   No magic ,  just diligence and it surely helps

if you are around musicians   thai speaking people for extended periods.  

Took me many years,  and a few non english speaking gf's  speeded up the process a lot !

If not for them,  maybe i would still be limited to  ordering  "kow pat"  and asking "taorai"

[Mavideol]

some unhealthy/xenophobic comments by some junta members,  contaminated some of the population and their feelings/ views about foreigners leading to a more negative approach/relationship, personal opinion others may have not felt it the same way,

[Aussie999]

3 hours ago, sandyf said:

It would appear that you have the greater problem with words and meaning.

 

"Racism is the belief that groups of humans possess different behavioral traits corresponding to physical appearance and can be divided based on the superiority of one race over another."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racism

 

It cannot be disputed that the whites in Australia consider themselves superior to the indigenous population.

Mate, stay on topic, we were discussing the word "alien."

[BritManToo]

1 hour ago, Myran said:

Stroke kills about 40,000 per year in Thailand, so with your logic they shouldn't worry about the road deaths until they've got that under control, right? No? Perhaps we should discuss like adults instead of making pointless comparisons that don't make any sense?

 

And the reason there's so few deaths are likely, at least in part, because they DID worry about it. In Sweden they didn't "worry" much about the virus, and are closing in on 6,000 deaths, which is quite bad with a population of only 10 million.

No, I think they should deal with the higher death problems first.

COVID is trivial, certainly not worth trashing the world over.

[Myran]

45 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

No, I think they should deal with the higher death problems first.

COVID is trivial, certainly not worth trashing the world over.

Then you support the idea that the Thai government should do absolutely nothing about traffic deaths, since many more die from stroke? Or does that logic only work when it fits your agenda? And why would a country only be able to tackle one issue at a time? As far as I know, there are many branches of the government who all work with different things.

 

The amount of deaths from Covid in Thailand is trivial, yes, for the simple reason that they have taken measures to contain it. Again, the almost 6,000 deaths Sweden has suffered is absolutely not trivial, the 140,000 deaths in the U.S. are not trivial, and the 75,000 deaths in Brazil are not trivial. Isn't it best to take preventative measures before something turns into a catastrophe rather than reacting to it after thousands of people have died?

 

The number of deaths in countries where the virus wasn't taken seriously is definitive proof of the devastation it can wreak, and Thailand is by no means immune to it. This kind of attitude is exactly why some countries have been hit so hard by the virus.

 

But congratulations on completely derailing the topic, which is about whether or not Thailand has become more intolerant against foreigners – not your personal views on what cause of death should be focused on.

[Rancid]

Traditionally incompetent governments will try to lay the blame of the problems they created on foreigners, to avoid their own scrutiny. Likewise if they want a war they need first dehumanize the "enemy" to get people riled enough to want to kill them.

 

Many societal beliefs are based on lies and propaganda, we are constantly molded to keep us compliant.