I moved her in 2015 and since then have seen some changes from Thai's towards farangs. All of a sudden the LOS isn't smiling as it used too.

 

Not long after moving here, the "democratically elected government", formally the military, reintroduced an old draconian rule, I believe it was called the TM30 which was later cancelled. Then the Health Minister publicly stated farangs were dirty, when a passing by farang in Bangkok wouldn't accept one of his masks that he was offering him during a campaign promoting mask wearing, and now with regard to the vaccinations, with comments such as Thai's first.

 

Not looking to make an inflamed post, but just want to get other TVF members views on whether they have seen a shift, or is it just me, e.g. do you think Thai's are, racist towards farangs or is there xenophobia out there ?

 

The above said, I haven't had any direct problems with Thai's in general, am always courteous and smile, but I do feel an underlying shift.

 

Feel free to add anything that I may have missed, but let's keep it above board, as mentioned not looking for Thai bashing commentaries, thanks.

 

Real or perceived ? I would suggest its perceived and NOT real.

Its the way media hypes it or sensatiomalises it. (imho)

No, not generally.

 

But, the majority of the cases now almost 90% infecting mostly Thais are the UK variant.  So, maybe they in some way feel Falang are responsible for the current situation.

Nope, don’t notice it on any personal level.  Maybe other factors that have nothing to do with us (economic, personal, Covid etc.) are causing Thais to be less happy and more stressed than they used to be.  Personally, I think that the pervasive use of social media and the discontent (with ones own life) that it can cause those that are addicted to Facebook, Instagram, TikTok etc. is a major contributing factor also.

No...and the same after the other Coup d'état's  I have been through.

The reason people aren't smiling as much is because most of them

are up to the eyes in debt, like the rest of the World.

regards worgeordie

 

I came in 2006. The only difference I've noticed is Thais are BROKE, but they're still as friendly as ever.

I noticed it, but I think it is all related to pandemic. For example, some people don't want to sit with you in BTS/MRT, in the 7/11 line people tend to stay as far as possible. In restaurants staff seating you at the furthest corner away from everyone.  (and no, it is not related to body odor or "dirty backpacker" looks).

Yes. More friendly than ever.

5 minutes ago, clearance said:

I noticed it, but I think it is all related to pandemic. For example, some people don't want to sit with you in BTS/MRT, in the 7/11 line people tend to stay as far as possible. In restaurants staff seating you at the furthest corner away from everyone.  (and no, it is not related to body odor or "dirty backpacker" looks).

I suggest that is an educated "guess" at work by the Thai, you are a foreigner possibly(probably?) travelled from a more infectious country.

Of course totally wrong for those that liver here, but you can understand, to a degree, the reaction.

8 minutes ago, clearance said:

I noticed it, but I think it is all related to pandemic. For example, some people don't want to sit with you in BTS/MRT, in the 7/11 line people tend to stay as far as possible. In restaurants staff seating you at the furthest corner away from everyone.  (and no, it is not related to body odor or "dirty backpacker" looks).

 

That's what got me thinking, Thai's taking a wide birth of me and not smiling as they used too, not that I expected them too, but previously 99% of my smiles got 99% back, maybe it's the masks, who knows, but as others have said, broke, no work etc, these things will be a heavy burden for anyone to want to smile.

34 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

I moved her in 2015 and since then have seen some changes from Thai's towards farangs. All of a sudden the LOS isn't smiling as it used too.

ZERO change in my Thai moobaan (250 homes) or surrounding area.

Been in the same house since 2013 .................

 

But since the 'lockdowns' I get a lot more approaches on ThaiFriendly.

Which is probably to do with lack of customers.

2 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

ZERO change in my Thai moobaan (250 homes) or surrounding area.

Been in the same house since 2013 .................

 

Same here, it's just in the big towns or Cities, in stores like Big C, Tesco/Lotus, or Makro where they would literally be up your rear in the line, they are plus one back or go to another queue, kind of makes one feel, did I put on my deodorant this morning.

5 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

 

That's what got me thinking, Thai's taking a wide birth of me and not smiling as they used too, not that I expected them too, but previously 99% of my smiles got 99% back, maybe it's the masks, who knows, but as others have said, broke, no work etc, these things will not want many to smile.

I haven’t noticed them actively trying to avoid me (or any fearful eyes) but it’s pretty hard to avoid people on the sidewalk in my area of Bangkok (Onnut) as it’s pretty crowded.

 

I do miss the exchange of smiles with the mask regulations as that was one major aspect of Thailand that I find quite soothing to the soul in comparison with Los Angeles.

No. 

18 minutes ago, Airalee said:

I haven’t noticed them actively trying to avoid me

Apparently we've never crossed paths....I cross the street to avoid other foreigners usually...especially if they are wearing elephant pants and carrying a guide book

33 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

 

Same here, it's just in the big towns or Cities, in stores like Big C, Tesco/Lotus, or Makro where they would literally be up your rear in the line, they are plus one back or go to another queue, kind of makes one feel, did I put on my deodorant this morning.

I really think its the pandemic fear and foreigners are still assumed to be most of the carriers, another example along with stores you mentioned  -  I'm walking on Karon beach 3 weeks ago, I see maybe 6 people a long the 3.3 km stretch, coming in the opposite direction a Thai man moved his mask from his neck area to over his nose and mouth when within 30 feet of me. I would imagine he was just being safe, just odd I thought, and a strong Westerly breeze that day surely isn't blowing in anything viral from India.....

42 minutes ago, clearance said:

I noticed it, but I think it is all related to pandemic. For example, some people don't want to sit with you in BTS/MRT, in the 7/11 line people tend to stay as far as possible. In restaurants staff seating you at the furthest corner away from everyone.  (and no, it is not related to body odor or "dirty backpacker" looks).

 

I don't get any of that. They seem to want to be as close to me as possible. Even my very obvious look doesn't seem to deter them. Even when I tell them, they seem to be reluctant to step back.

 

34 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

 

Same here, it's just in the big towns or Cities, in stores like Big C, Tesco/Lotus, or Makro where they would literally be up your rear in the line, they are plus one back or go to another queue, kind of makes one feel, did I put on my deodorant this morning.

 

Not my experience at all. They don't even want to keep even one metre from me in the queues. I literally have to turn around and keep looking at them. I even make an example of standing two metres behind the person in front on me, to little avail. Perhaps I have a magnetic personality.

I haven't experienced any changes in behavior. Most regular Thais have always been friendly and remain friendly to me. The officialdom, on the other hand, has always been infested with a..holes and that hasn't changed either.

 

During this pandemic in particular, I'm impressed how well most Thais are dealing with the hardship. If anything, many Thais I'm dealing with are even more friendly nowadays.

Very topsy-turvey messaging coming from the government in the last five years. At first foreign bad guys everywhere: APB bulletins for suspicious foreigners; daily news reports of foreigners shoplifting sunglasses and robbing temple donation boxes; English teachers working without permits being led away in handcuffs; one-week overstay arrests making for front page news.

 

Then came Covid. Thai economy tanks, tourism sector collapses, dreams of jet-setting billionaires flocking to Thailand go up in smoke. Thai people start to think maybe karma not just in next life, maybe karma comes around in this life too. Many Thais are worried Thailand is getting too close to China, maybe thinking Thailand needs to stay friendly with the West. Crazy orange faced man out of White House has probably helped people, including government officials, reconsider their attitudes toward the West. Maybe time to take a deep breath.

 

Going through all this adversity together has also helped build a certain sense of solidarity between Thais and those expats who managed to ride out the storm here in Thailand. Covid-19 has made everyone, including the expat community, more humble, which is a good thing. Like I said, unsettled times, but with occasional glimmers of hope on the horizon.

 

Didn't care before, don't care after.

1 hour ago, 4MyEgo said:

TVF members views on whether they have seen a shift, or is it just me, e.g. do you think Thai's are, racist towards farangs 

It's you and No. ????????

1 hour ago, bkk6060 said:

No, not generally.

 

But, the majority of the cases now almost 90% infecting mostly Thais are the UK variant.  So, maybe they in some way feel Falang are responsible for the current situation.

No variant before the source . 

Early on into the Coup, I notice a very marked tick up of both Xenophobia and Racism toward Farangs.

Several people high up the food chain seemed to be inciting this , but for the last couple of Years, both the Xenophobia and racism seems to have fallen away.

Whether this is down to people having bigger worries of their own, or a lack of direct hatred speeches from those that really should be Intelligent and Educated enough to not make them, I dont know.

Maybe in the cities but I don't live in the cities.
I live in Red Shirt county in the Lanna sticks.  In the 10 years I've live in the country (out of 14 years here) I've seen no change.  I'm an outsider but tolerated with amusement.

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

ZERO change in my Thai moobaan (250 homes) or surrounding area.

Been in the same house since 2013 .................

 

But since the 'lockdowns' I get a lot more approaches on ThaiFriendly.

Which is probably to do with lack of customers.

No you just got more hansum (just look at things positively) ????

I have seen a massive change on the part of nearly all government workers. From the national level, right on down to the amphur. A great deal of toxic xenophobia, emanating directly from the heinous army. 

 

Thankfully, it appears very few Thai civilians have bought into the nonsense. I find most to be friendly and kind. At worst, indifferent. 

 

I think at this point, anything this administration does or says is widely ignored and dismissed as silliness, sloppiness, unintelligible, and a form of surly wishful authority. 

2 hours ago, clearance said:

I noticed it, but I think it is all related to pandemic. For example, some people don't want to sit with you in BTS/MRT, in the 7/11 line people tend to stay as far as possible. In restaurants staff seating you at the furthest corner away from everyone.  (and no, it is not related to body odor or "dirty backpacker" looks).

did notice it last week when at Tesco pushing the cart the ladies at the entry counter came over to me sprayed my hand with their sxxx handed me a pair of gloves and took a photo doing so to show to their boss, while Thais just walked by without bothering them.... first time in over 12 years this happen to me (maybe more to come 555) I wouldn't say they racists per say but media coverage calling the virus a farang virus mostly young uneducated people associated any farang with infectious disease, they complete forgotten the Chinese version of it, now only the UK and India variant are their main concern

No, not in Chiang Rai. The Thais I know all say the PM is a thief and a liar.

I have very few problems with Thais, 99% are with other farangs. Thais have better manners.

I live in Buriram Province. Everyone where I live is still as friendly and helpful as they were when I came to live here in 2009.