I have to admit I stay in my cocoon a bit. I'm home most of the time.

 

But the last two days I've had horrible experiences at two Thai government agencies.

 

At the first one I was yelled at for asking a question and treated rudely by numerous Thai people. I even went into the manager's office and spoke to management about one particular person's actions. The managers were very receptive and they planned to talk to the person involved. They even asked if I wanted her to come in and apologize to me. I said that wouldn't be necessary.

 

Today I was at another government agency today. Same level of rudeness and dismissiveness. But when I complained the manager was worse than the employees. He waved his arm like "get out".

 

I don't believe I was out of line at all in either situation. The first time I got yelled at for asking a question and then I told her not to yell at me, which made her madder. The second time, again, tried to clarify something. 

 

I refuse to be disrespected by anyone, especially these Thai paper pushers.

 

So I believe that there is a definite anti-foreigner sentiment among Thais. These two experiences (3 actually, since I went to the same facility 2 days in a row) have sealed that idea in my mind.

 

What do you think? Do you find Thais, especially government workers, treating you badly, talking down to you, yelling at you and dismissing you like you don't matter?

 

I've lived here about 25 years and I've never felt this way before. I've had rude government people before, but not to this extent.

 

I'm wondering what your experience has been.

I've experienced that from time to time, a few weeks ago one of those Yellow cog car bike tax places, just rude, not farang friendly by default, these places are best avoided, some you can't, but i agree if it looks possible complain if not move on and you'll forget it. Don't take it personally, it's the cumulative effect other farang have had on that person

 

 

56 minutes ago, Nickcage49 said:

What do you think? Do you find Thais, especially government workers, treating you badly, talking down to you, yelling at you and dismissing you like you don't matter?

 

Yes at Immigration  and lessor at a Hospital  both of which I avoid like the plague    however Immigration is the unavoidable plague so just have to take a deep breath and jump through any and all hoops they present while firmly biting the lips...any other place I think we can just vote with our feet and not use the service frequent the business or double pricing establishment.

 

I have had only very good experience at the Yellow cog car bike tax place I use 100%  very friendly.

23 minutes ago, johng said:

 

Yes at Immigration  and lessor at a Hospital  both of which I avoid like the plague    however Immigration is the unavoidable plague so just have to take a deep breath and jump through any and all hoops they present while firmly biting the lips...any other place I think we can just vote with our feet and not use the service frequent the business or double pricing establishment.

 

I have had only very good experience at the Yellow cog car bike tax place I use 100%  very friendly.

I don't feel like I should have to take the abuse. If someone is very rude I get even. It's the American in me.

1 hour ago, scubascuba3 said:

I've experienced that from time to time, a few weeks ago one of those Yellow cog car bike tax places, just rude, not farang friendly by default, these places are best avoided, some you can't, but i agree if it looks possible complain if not move on and you'll forget it. Don't take it personally, it's the cumulative effect other farang have had on that person

 

 

Perhaps, but it's not my nature. I don't take well to being disrespected. Especially by a paper pusher.

25 minutes ago, johng said:

 

Yes at Immigration  and lessor at a Hospital  both of which I avoid like the plague    however Immigration is the unavoidable plague so just have to take a deep breath and jump through any and all hoops they present while firmly biting the lips...any other place I think we can just vote with our feet and not use the service frequent the business or double pricing establishment.

 

I have had only very good experience at the Yellow cog car bike tax place I use 100%  very friendly.

And Bangkok Pattaya Hospital tends to have very polite people. But I wish a few more of them spoke English. It's like 80% of their customers.

Just now, Nickcage49 said:

And Bangkok Pattaya Hospital tends to have very polite people. But I wish a few more of them spoke English. It's like 80% of their customers.

Very strange...I can't remember any doctors, nurses, Guest relations, receptionists. cashiers, etc not speaking english. Maybe you are talking about the cleaners!.

Just now, couchpotato said:

Very strange...I can't remember any doctors, nurses, Guest relations, receptionists. cashiers, etc not speaking english. Maybe you are talking about the cleaners!.

Nope. Very few speak conversational English. I have lots of other complaints about the place, but that would be defamation, lol

1 minute ago, Nickcage49 said:

Nope. Very few speak conversational English. I have lots of other complaints about the place, but that would be defamation, lol

Maybe you have the wrong hospital, because this is definitely not the case at BHP. If you still insist this is the case then please list some examples.

12 hours ago, Nickcage49 said:

I refuse to be disrespected by anyone, especially these Thai paper pushers.

 

They probably just hate their jobs.

 

Don't take it too personally. Nobody cares about you. 

 

2 minutes ago, Nickcage49 said:

It's the American in me.

Well yes but you are not in Kansas any more.

I witnessed myself an entitled American use the F word with an Immigration 

official at Jomtien immigration the I/O was furious and  called for him to be

hauled to room number 9   I don’t know what that room is or if he ever was hauled there  but no doubt that the I/O would remember him and give him a very hard time if ever he turned up again...she sent him back to Bangkok for paperwork irregularities..

The Yellow cog or even hospital worker people are not in the same league   as Immigration  who  are the paper pushers with ultimate power

it is a no brainer to defer to to them  99.9999% of the time  they hold the power to remove you from the country.

12 minutes ago, Nickcage49 said:

Nope. Very few speak conversational English. I have lots of other complaints about the place, but that would be defamation, lol

It sounds like you have a lot of complaints about lots of places.

But I'm sure it's never you!

Reading your OP, it sounds like the issue lies more in how things were handled than in the staff themselves. Three similar incidents point to a pattern, something in tone or approach is setting people off.

People from the West play chess; Asians plays checkers. You can’t use the rules of one for the other. The way you deal with things “back home” doesn’t work the same way here.

 

And thinking it can’t be me, it must be them only confirms that the problem probably is you, because nothing changes until you do.😄

 

I live here for more than 30 years, and the last few years I do notice there is an increasing hostility against foreigners at the government level.

Was twice in Bangkok Hospital in CM. Never ever any issues, top correct, the staff all spoke english - maybe except the guys who drive the shuttle caddy...

 

Also official gouvernment run places like Tessaban for building permits or the district office to get needed documents - never a problem. Difficult maybe, as they wanted additional documents and translations - but just took it step by step and didn't show any anger (yes, I was angry - but in the end I want to have something from them...)

 

Immigration only once at the drive thru for the 90 days notification (TM47) where the unfriendly officer said I overstayed after returning from abroad. The 2000 Baht fine didn't have to be paid in the end. Costed me only time and smiles.

 

No yelling so far, but I'm only since 2 years here. And I try not to argue with a loud voice.

Sounds like the common denominator is you.

2 hours ago, Nickcage49 said:

What do you think? Do you find Thais, especially government workers, treating you badly, talking down to you, yelling at you and dismissing you like you don't matter?

Rude folks and people having a bad day happens all the time and exist everywhere on the planet and haphazard interactions with them are inevitable, just roll with it and smile then maybe they’ll have a better day. 

In Thai culture asking questions is generally frowned upon, even for school children in class with their teacher.  I meet this on a daily basis with my b/f.

 

Asking questions raises the issue of status: What happens if the 'high-status' person you ask a question of doesn't know the answer?

 

If he or she doesn't know the answer they lose face, which is the second-worst fate that can befall a Thai.

 

So you have to learn to phrase your 'question' indirectly (eg suggesting what you will do as a result of the information you now have and how you understand it).

3 minutes ago, Myran said:

Sounds like the common denominator is you.

Too many people now days seem to be easily offended and personalize things. Folks really need to lighten up more.

1 minute ago, mfd101 said:

Asking questions raises the issue of status: What happens if the 'high-status' person you ask a question of doesn't know the answer?

Nah, high status person just makes up an answer.

1 minute ago, BritManToo said:

Nah, high status person just makes up an answer.

That may work with fellow Thais, but not with Falangs who are seeking practical information for a particular purpose. The issue for Falangs is to elicit the information they need without risking sensitivity about status or 'face'. Not always easy but can be done with practice & good will.

Just to give one example.

Every year I have to send the "are you still alive document" to my pension fund.

I go to my local orbotor, and the document get completed and signed by the mayor right away.

This year there is a new mayor.

Staff at the info desk has changed, and refuse to speak English. Previous staff wasn't perfect in English, but they tried or they would get someone who spoke English.

Current staff just pretend to be deaf and dumb.

At the end got someone who wanted to speak, and answer was, we don't provide this service

32 minutes ago, Myran said:

Sounds like the common denominator is you.

 

They look down on ordinary Thai people like they're some kind of bug who managed to creep in from the street at certain government departments.

Questions are ignored completely, complete and utter contempt.

They hate everyone - not just you.
 

8 hours ago, johng said:

Well yes but you are not in Kansas any more.

I witnessed myself an entitled American use the F word with an Immigration 

official at Jomtien immigration the I/O was furious and  called for him to be

hauled to room number 9   I don’t know what that room is or if he ever was hauled there  but no doubt that the I/O would remember him and give him a very hard time if ever he turned up again...she sent him back to Bangkok for paperwork irregularities..

The Yellow cog or even hospital worker people are not in the same league   as Immigration  who  are the paper pushers with ultimate power

it is a no brainer to defer to to them  99.9999% of the time  they hold the power to remove you from the country.

Probably not room 9 that's residence certificates, room 7 is where you'll find a Nazi lady in full uniform, I've had the hair dryer treatment from her, uncalled for of course

8 hours ago, mfd101 said:

That may work with fellow Thais, but not with Falangs who are seeking practical information for a particular purpose. The issue for Falangs is to elicit the information they need without risking sensitivity about status or 'face'. Not always easy but can be done with practice & good will.

There's an insurance broker in Pattaya the staff can't handle questions, waste of time going there

Lopburi police ( North of Bangkok)  were the most inefficient police when I went to report an assault.

 

It was only when I requested tourist police and even contacted my local member of parliament in Australia was the offender spoken to .

11 hours ago, Nickcage49 said:

But the last two days I've had horrible experiences at two Thai government agencies.

Ha ha, get used to it, the good old days have GONE. 

Back in the day we were treated like KING'S, not anymore. 

 

Too many nasty, disrespectful foreigners arriving. 

 

The Thai's are fed up with all miserable, moaning foreigners. 

 

Instead of whining and arguing I would be GONE IN 60 SECONDS

 

After all this is BANGKOK DANGEROUS

 

Just because you are American it doesn't mean you are NATIONAL TREASURE

I've recently experienced a rash of what I consider to be terrible service from employees at the amphoe office, the post office, my bank, a 'drilling for dollars' dentist, and a courier who jacked me around about when a package would be delivered. These unpleasant experiences were largely offset by very positive interactions with another post office, my vet, gas station attendants, and convenience store counter clerks, etc.  I, too, have been wondering whether this perceived mistreatment can be attributed to anti-foreigner sentiment, but it is also possible that after feeling mistreated the first time, I developed a chip-on-my-shoulder attitude which bled into subsequent interactions. In other words, I may have become more prone to voice irritation after the first incident. The jury's still out, but I have to say in general that I echo the sentiment that I too have picked up a low-grade resentment towards foreigners from time to time and I think it might have to do with trade tensions and economic weakness that tariffs have done to the Thai economy. Sentiment towards foreigners does seem to fluctuate from time to time, and in the past I've observed negative sentiment does seem to correlate with weak economic conditions.

4 hours ago, Gecko123 said:

I too have picked up a low-grade resentment towards foreigners from time to time and I think it might have to do with trade tensions and economic weakness that tariffs have done to the Thai economy. Sentiment towards foreigners does seem to fluctuate from time to time, and in the past I've observed negative sentiment does seem to correlate with weak economic conditions.

So the clerk across the desk from you - in whatever office it may be - has been reading the financial & economic news for the last few years and loathes Falangs as a result?