Why do Phuket locals seem to really dislike Foreigners?

[marin]

12 hours ago, JetsetBkk said:

Maybe it's you.

It is him. On many occasions he has said he does not like Phuket. Advises against going there as well. So just continuing his attention seeking rants. 

[Kim Jones]

As a multi year expat here, it's definitely my feeling that almost all Thais dislike farang. For a variety of reasons. I don't let it bother me. 

[Captain Monday]

5 hours ago, ozimoron said:

It's probably got more to do with property price inflation, over development and illegal business operations than anything else.

 

I last went to Phuket when there wasn't a single hotel on either Nai Harn or Kata. Club Med was under construction. I stayed at Ao Sane in a beach side bungalow for 50 baht a night.

 

 

When was that?  My parents had some richy-rich friends who bragged about going to Club Med all the way from US to Thailand that would have been very late 70’s or maybe 80-81. I been to Kata once my ol’ buddy there said you’re 20 years late. He said he used to play basketball at Club Med there even though he stayed in some bungalow up the hill. 

[Yagoda]

12 hours ago, bob smith said:

I am looking for the reason why many people that reside in Phuket have a deep resentment towards the hand that feeds them..

 

bob.

Well then, instead of trolling because you are bored, take a walk through areas of Phuket and ask the locals. You can get there fast, right? Speak Thai?

 

[Jenkins9039]

Mass tourism.

[Thingamabob]

Locals were fine when I was last in Phuket over 40 years ago. Friendly and helpful. I am told they are now heavily outnumbered by non-local Thais. Additionally, the behaviour of many farangs now visiting/residing is apparently nothing like as good as it once was.

[stevenl]

They don't.

[Toby1947]

Once Bob Smith gets involved in a debate I instantly reach for the delete button. 

[Surasak]

13 hours ago, bob smith said:

mrs. smith wouldn't be seen dead in the place!

 

she can't stand Phuket.

 

bob.

So why do you insist on taking her there? She doesn't like the place, you obviously don't like the place. I'll give you a tip for free, STAY AWAY!

[LALes]

Could have something to do with a very, large nation to the north.

[simon43]

7 hours ago, ozimoron said:

It's probably got more to do with property price inflation, over development and illegal business operations than anything else.

 

I last went to Phuket when there wasn't a single hotel on either Nai Harn or Kata. Club Med was under construction. I stayed at Ao Sane in a beach side bungalow for 50 baht a night.

 

 

Those photos look so old that I expect to see King Rama V smoking a cheroot in that middle photo! 🙂

[sikishrory]

I've lived and worked a lot of places in Thailand over 12 years. Phuket a few times. In Patong as a bit of a delinquent years ago and then in Phuket Town as more of a eat/sleep/work kind of life. In my experience yeh I find people in Patong less desirable and just out to get money or sometimes rude and abrupt. However, living at Phuket Town I rarely experienced it. I eat out every meal and always go out doing stuff. It must have to do with your habits and what you do where you go and who you interact with as I find people pretty normal.

Pattaya I felt was the rudest most unfriendly locals.

[alex8912]

13 hours ago, bob smith said:

I am looking for the reason why many people that reside in Phuket have a deep resentment towards the hand that feeds them..

 

bob.

Why don't you give two examples of exactly what you mean?  I just spent 10 days there and have no idea what you mean. Give a real example. 

[Surasak]

3 hours ago, bob smith said:

dont like it then dont advertise yourself as a tourist hub.

 

close the doors. no more foreigners.

problem solved. 

 

bob.

A very narrow minded view of how to fix the perceived problem.

[sscc]

14 hours ago, bob smith said:

so close the island off to tourism then...

 

they wanted them to come in the first place, no?

 

bob.

 

Thai are not stupid to  "so close the island off to tourism then... "    as you suggested. 

[WilliamSmits]

Talk to a local in Amsterdam or Venice and its the same. Too much spoils the fun, drives up the cost of living and foreigners open businesses, (guesthouses & restaurants,) and drive up rent, replacing the small local shops.

[Chainsaw]

I've lived in Phuket for 22 years and always found the vast majority of Thais here to be pleasant and respectful. Maybe it's a reaction to you and your whinging attitude Bob. Just saying.

[Sandboxer]

I lived in Poocrap for almost a decade and only just recently made my "escape".......it was nice enough 2016-2021ish and of course the scamdemic made it absolute paradise to live as a small handfull of expats were basically blessed with our ow little private island.

 

Post-scamdemic the change in tourist demographics has come to the point where it's unbearable. The absolute worst of the worst of various nationalities infest the island (and no, I do not mean Russians, they are generally low profile). "French" Arabs on their gay big scooters endangering everyone on the street, louty "beer is perfectly ok at 9am" young Brits/Aussies etc., whiny Europeans, dorky yanks, annoying loud Chyner herds constantly getting in the way, etc etc.   

 

Generally bad quality pricey Thai and falang food (still laugh my azz off whenever I see a tourist forking over 180-200 bt for a lousy pineapple fried rice, lol).

 

Crappy condo quality. My 5 million bt "luxury" condo was, like almost all condo developments there, a total pig with lipstick. Looked nice but pathetic construction quality.  

 

The locals (most of whom don't come from the island anyway) are IMO the most aloof of all Thais I've been around, but I don't find too many of them "unfriendly"....just not very genuine in their smiles. Mostly just the give me money give me money smirk. Pattaya/BKK/CM etc. much better, and here in Khon Kaen I finally feel like I'm living among mostly perfectly normal well adjusted human beings 99% of the time. Also have a small handful of solid falang friends who don't spend the whole time whining about the place.

 

Miss the beaches but overall a great decision I should have probably made years ago. Now I just fly to the Philippines for beach time. PI (7000+ islands!).

[FruitPudding]

15 hours ago, bob smith said:

considering Phuket is an island that is based on tourism and needs the tourist dollar to survive - you would think the locals would be happy about them being there,

especially after the pandemic when many phuket locals were out of work

 

They should start losing money soon as tourists from around the world start going to Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia,  etc etc 

 

Indonesia and Philippines have massive potential. Cambodia and Laos together probably have as much potential as Thailand. Vietnam has plenty of potential, probably lot more going for it than Thailand. 

 

Thailand has long been the gateway country to travel in this part of Asia, but it's only a matter of time before neighbouring countries that have more to offer take market share, (hopefully 🤞)

 

 

 

[Dan O]

13 hours ago, bob smith said:

they are on holiday in a tourist ghetto and have american express gold cards.

 

why should they follow any kind of local etiquette?

 

bob.

Thats the problem with you and your thinking Bob, you dont think. When you're in another country you should act appropriately not like some dirtbag just because your on vacation and think your entitled to do whatever you want to do and disregard cultural norms and local laws. Is that how visitors act in any of your supposed homes?  Its the people thinking and acting like that, that have turned it into a tourist ghetto as you call it. You should fit in fine there.

[Srikcir]

"Why do Phuket locals seem to really dislike Foreigners?"

Maybe because your governor wasn't elected by Phuket Thais? So more interested in complying with the national objective to increase tourism in the nation despite the minority population of Thai citizens in Phuket who will be directly affected.

Provincial Governors in Thailand are appointed by the central government and not elected. And who was the Thai government on October 1, 2023 when Sophon Suwannarat was "reassigned" from Governor of Chaiyaphum Province to Phuket - Military coup leader and PM Prayut. 

Don't blame the massive number of foreign tourists/- residents who the Thai government has invited into the nation.

[nausea]

Yeah, I noticed this too. Put me off even going near the place, haven't visited in years. What I would say is that a lot of these guys aren't really local; Phuket is a kind of magnet that attracts people from all over the country. Case in point, my current SO is from Petchaburi, but I met her in Phuket.

[Goat]

14 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Patong is not Phuket - its a bit of a cesspit but serves its purpose as a 'hedonistic party are'.

 

Phuket town itself is quite pleasant. 

Rawai has a nice little buzz.

Nai Harn is fantastic beach.

Laguana area and Bang Tao are nice residential area's.

Mai Khao has some excellent resorts for a weekend R&R getaway. 

Kata / Karen - very touristy and not unpleasant

Kamala - an ok area, plenty or residential expats there but not the same vibe as Rawai IMO.

 

 

Phuket has a lot going for it - its not my favourite place, but the island is 50km long and it takes 1.5 hours to drive from north to south, So tarring the whole Island and all communities on it is perhaps not the greatest show of critical thought. 

 

very good post.

Spot on.

[Goat]

16 hours ago, bob smith said:

considering Phuket is an island that is based on tourism and needs the tourist dollar to survive

Phuket has always been one of the wealthiest provinces in Thailand and that was long before tourists arrived. They used to trade a lot and the wealth in the early days came from tin mining mostly but also fruit, fishing and rubber.

I doubt you even know any Phuket locals Bob.

[zzzzz]

15 hours ago, JetsetBkk said:

I have spent 20 years here and have never noticed any animosity from the locals.

 

Maybe it's you.

I've been here since 85>
NEVER noticed this at all 

 

Quote

Kamala - an ok area, plenty or residential expats there but not the same vibe as Rawai IMO.

Thank God!!!!!
we live in a thai village here, not a tourist ghetto 

[Ralf001]

4 hours ago, findlay13 said:

Have you SEEN the foreigners in Phuket ? And you need to ask?

 

I doubt bob has ever been to Phuket !!

[georgegeorgia]

3 hours ago, marin said:

It is him. On many occasions he has said he does not like Phuket. Advises against going there as well. So just continuing his attention seeking rants. 

Marin , Please try to understand not, everyone likes everything you do .

I know you love Phuket and you mentioned about cookies etc but not every one does 

Everyone is different and we try to lead a healthy lifestyle away from smoking but if you wish to try up to you 

[Confuscious]

16 hours ago, bob smith said:

it seems that Phuket people have a real dislike towards farangs.

I have spent quite a bit of time there in the past and the animosity from the locals was striking!

 

There is a specific facebook gorup based in Phuket that advocates discrimination and even violence against farang.

 

I wont mention the name, but if you are in the know then you know!

 

what is it with Phuket specifically? why do the locals seem to have a deep dislike for farangs?

BKK, Patts, CNX, even Samui doesnt seem to have this level of distaste for the holidaymaker.

 

considering Phuket is an island that is based on tourism and needs the tourist dollar to survive - you would think the locals would be happy about them being there,

especially after the pandemic when many phuket locals were out of work.

 

what's it all about?

 

bob.

 

Thailand has always been ANTI-Foreigner.
I remember when I came first to Korat, on a day begin December, I was going to send the "Season Greetings" cards to my family and friends abroad.
At the Post Office, I took a queu number and lined up with the queu.
Suddenly a Thai woman came into the Post Office and skipped the queu right in front of me.
She stated to shout loudly that I was a filthy foreigner and I had to let Thai people go first.
You are here in MY country and you should respect Thai people.
The officers at the Post Office took the woman outside and warned her to not comeback to THEIR office.
But nonetheless, the message was clear.

 

[digbeth]

Not just foreigner, they seem to despise Thais tourist from other province coming in and complaining about the rip-off price and taxis mafias in Phuket too

[Andre0720]

Because the 'farangs' leave only the fat ones for them...