Farang On Thai Television, Movies Etc

[technocracy]

Right, so the fact that we don't laugh at dying puppies now puts us in the moral, high ground caricature mode. I'm sure all I need to do is watch more Benny Hill, Monty Python, and Mr. Bean and I'll be infinitely more interesting.

Well hey it's not my problem you're all lacking a sick sense of humour! The fact that the US has to 'Americanise' most British Comedies that come to your shores to not offend or purely so the yokels can understand the jokes ain't my problem!

As for kids laughing at a dying puppy so what are they gonna do? Give it the kiss of life or open heart massage? Kids are kids and at there age they don't understand this death thing as well as older folks.

As I said it's the americans who have this problem - you need to develop your humour instead of just being so offended by everything.

[KhunDennis]

Lighten up everyone, it is just show biz Thai style.

How would the average falang actor feel playing the Thai man's role of a wimpy boyfriend, who is badgered, beat up, kicked, slapped, drugged, lied to, humiliated, and generally abused by his Thai sweetheart. And keeps coming back for more!!

Looks like a fun role for the ladies though. The wife seems to enoy it anyway.

[meadish_sweetball]

As an aside, I noted that a few months ago a Malaysian MP, was complaining about the lack of, as he described them if I recall correctly, traditional Malaysian models, as opposed to the almost dipped in bleach humans we all see on screens. Given that when I used to get photo's printed I was amazed as to how pale my Caucasian skin was, and how gleaming white my Thai friends were, how much is done by 'image processing' I wonder?

Apparently a sun-tan is becoming a fashionable mark of an international traveller in China, so wonder if that fashion will make it over here in time.

Regards

/edit typo//

Go to the women's clothing section at Tesco or Big C and have a look at the giant pictures of women wearing bras, lingerie, etc. (I thought that would get your attention ). Nearly all of the models in those pictures are Caucasian or extremely white looking 'luuk khreungs' ลูกครึ่ง

Why don't they have pictures of normal brown skinned Thais? It quite weird looking at all the brown skinned people shopping in those departments underneath huge pictures of white skinned people.

Are all the underwear salesgirls in your home country slim fashion models with high cheekbones, bright large eyes, full lips and perfect features? I'd be surprised if the answer is yes.

The difference is that here the beauty ideal focuses on skin colour as well as features and build. In all other respects, the situation is similar to back home - it is impossible for most normal people to look like the models, and the advertisements use this fact to sell products.

[meadish_sweetball]

Working in the industry I can tell you we are often portrayed as the villain. That is a given. We are also portrayed as stupid and goofy in lots of commercials meant to ammuse the Thai population at large.

Damian Mavis

That's the impression I got from the small selection of Thai films I've seen. A couple spring to mind, where the token farang role was a short scene as some muscly but gormless hoodlum who got beaten in a fight by the wilier and more skilful Thais lol

Actually, in all fairness things ARE changing... slowly but surely. Falangs are getting more and more "Bigger" if not better roles. I myself will forever be grateful to Phanakorn films that gave me a relatively large role in one of their movies, I did alot of horrible bad things in the movie (and rightly so, I'm falang!) but was definately a big character and that is something you didn't see too often in the past. Me and my gang of evil falangs even best alot of Thais until the end when the hero kills us all justly heh.

Damian Mavis

I'm actually pretty sure that when you get a completely farang looking talented actor who can speak Thai like a native and knows Thai culture inside out, he will be able to achieve the same status as the trusty black sidekicks and supporting acts in Hollywood movies.

[DamianMavis]

Thanks so much Kat! I miss Bendix too... is that bizarre or what? We keep losing people like him and getting people like farangnoi21 haha. Dangit.

Working in the industry I can tell you we are often portrayed as the villain. That is a given. We are also portrayed as stupid and goofy in lots of commercials meant to ammuse the Thai population at large.

Damian Mavis

Dear Damian Mavis, you seem to have two main gripes. The first is that farangs are not offered the TV roles in Thailand they would like. Boo Hoo. So what you are saying is some farang actors, who wouldn't stand a snowball's chance in hel_l of gettng acting work in there home country, think it unfair that they are not given leading roles here. It is sort of like the Arab actor who goes to Hollywood and complains that he keeps on being offered the role of a terrorist instead of the cowboy hero role he wants to play.

NO NO! I wasn't complaining omg! I was just saying it like it is, sorry if that sounded like I was unhappy about it. I joke about always being the villain but I am completely happy with that and accept it. Like you said it is the same in hollywood for other races. I came here specifically bacause there was less competition (also like you said, not a snowballs chance in hel_l back home). I don't mind being villainous in Thai movies or even if they wanted me to be goofy and stupid, I also get to work on hollywood and Japanese productions here and they are not always villain roles so I get a good mix.

Your second gripe is the fact that Thai people don't make a sufficient fuss over you when you hurt yourself. Well, didums. I think that there is a misconception in the west that equates fuss with compassion. I worked as a nurse for many years and learnt quickly that laughter can be the most helpful thing sometimes. It is also should be noted that members of the public are encouraged not to physically help victims of accidents if there is any chance of a spinal injury.

No not a fuss at all, just please don't go out of your way to make sure I see and hear you laughing at me like I just put a show on simply to amuse you by almost dying heh. That is all.

I know where I grew up people would laugh when somebody hurt themselves. It didn't mean they didn't care. Just a way of easing the tension. I have seen Thai people to be very compassionate. I have literally had my life saved because of it.

I haven't seen it yet but I fully accept they are capable of it.

BTW, the fact that you use your real name is nice. The fact that need to have it posted twice seems like overkill.

Didn't realise I was posting it twice... I sign my name at the bottom, you mean my user name too? Ya I guess, but honestly, people ARE stupid and would not connect my user name as my real name, they've done that before heh. I've had people call me Mavis thinking I was a woman.

Waerth, although the movie was finished over 3 months ago... we are now going back to shoot a few more scenes.... grrrr, so it won't be out until probably March. Ah well.

NOSIGNINGPERMITTED

Edited October 21, 2007 by DamianMavis

[kat]

Right, so the fact that we don't laugh at dying puppies now puts us in the moral, high ground caricature mode. I'm sure all I need to do is watch more Benny Hill, Monty Python, and Mr. Bean and I'll be infinitely more interesting.

Well hey it's not my problem you're all lacking a sick sense of humour! The fact that the US has to 'Americanise' most British Comedies that come to your shores to not offend or purely so the yokels can understand the jokes ain't my problem!

As for kids laughing at a dying puppy so what are they gonna do? Give it the kiss of life or open heart massage? Kids are kids and at there age they don't understand this death thing as well as older folks.

As I said it's the americans who have this problem - you need to develop your humour instead of just being so offended by everything.

Actually, I've seen the original British comedy "The Office" because I lived in Asia. People who live in the states never get the the choice, because someone else sells and buys the rights to remake and Americanize it. Unlike the Brits and Europeans who do have the choice, but yet watch endless reruns of the American sitcom "Friends."

[chinthee]

Thanks so much Kat! I miss Bendix too... is that bizarre or what? We keep losing people like him and getting people like farangnoi21 haha. Dangit.

Damian, it's not bizarre, it's perfectly understandable why he and many other interesting and entertaining posters have left entirely, and why I rarely post here too.

[taxexile]

it's perfectly understandable why he and many other interesting and entertaining posters have left entirely, and why I rarely post here too.

could be a new topic in itself , that one.

[technocracy]

Actually, I've seen the original British comedy "The Office" because I lived in Asia. People who live in the states never get the the choice, because someone else sells and buys the rights to remake and Americanize it. Unlike the Brits and Europeans who do have the choice, but yet watch endless reruns of the American sitcom "Friends."

Ooh one series eh!

They've murdered quite a few other series also - the reason they reshoot them is because they do test runs with audiences to see if people 'get' them. 99% of the time they don't - have a search for Fawlty Towers and it's remakes! As for watching Friends yes I am sure there is many people who do however personally I'd prefer to gouge out my own eyeballs than watch that Friends! I am not saying there isn't good american comedy - Cheers and Fraiser are two excellent series. The Family Guy cartoon is one of my favorites - which I thought was relatively tame but apparently when making it that had all kinds of problem with censors over it's content.

But you see that's the thing . .. . we will watch anything and find the humour pretty much no matter how dark.

I believe they are even remaking Father Ted! How the US audience will cope with a constantly pissed clergyman who hates nuns, chases girls and regularly shouts GIRLS, ARSE, <deleted>, DRINK - I really don't know. But I believe this character is being 'toned' down so not to disturb the many delicate souls there is.

But back to the main point - if western actors want to get jobs in Thailand they then have to do what they are given if they don't like the roles offered don't take it!

[madjbs]

I heard Benedix was out taking part in some midnight speed racing in his new Camry. No more time to post perhaps.

[taxexile]

They've murdered quite a few other series also

why are you so upset when a uk comedy series is re written to suit the tastes of another audience.

not everyone is a fan of british comedy.

and funny as father ted might be , the indiscriminate use of bad language has always been the refuge of the scriptwriter who has run out of ideas.

you seem to find material that deliberately tries to offend as being funny , whereas the british sense of humour has always been based on being less in your face or offensive for the sake of causing offence.

the graham norton "shotgun full of filth" approach has done nothing to further the boudaries of good comedy.

[chinthee]

I heard Benedix was out taking part in some midnight speed racing in his new Camry. No more time to post perhaps.

The Camry was a lie. I saw him tearing up Rama 9 on a Honda wave with a Pizza Company box on the back.

[madjbs]

[kat]

it's perfectly understandable why he and many other interesting and entertaining posters have left entirely, and why I rarely post here too.

could be a new topic in itself , that one.

Don't we know it, Tax

[Dakhar]

Regarding the white servant:

Take it for what it is, satire comic relief is a good thing.

Also, TV, the movies is far from reality, that is what makes it entertaining to a lot of folks.

I was watching a show once where a Thia guy wieghing in at around 105 beats the cr=ap out of a black guy that was around 275, my Thai wife even laughed at the obsurdity in that .

In Taiwan (15 years a go) I noticed that white men where always portrayed as violent etc. But when you think about it, at the time the popular moveis all had white men action heroes. So that is what they drew their conclussions from. Which in some respects worked to my advantage.... being a larger than most white fellow, I usually had seats all to myself, never waited for public phones etc. To be frank they were scared of me.

Heck even here, when I sit down next to a Thai they get up and find some other place.... No I don't stink etc. It is just thier fear of somthing different. They can't cope.

[meemiathai]

Well this thai attitude has nothing to do with asia . It is an example ; NO other place on earth would repeatedly refer to all foreigners(including 'permanent residents'), as aliens, lack of english language knowledge, or what.. Now just flying back i saw a thai movie that made me cringe, which should be a must for all foreigners , who decide to settle here .

i can't remember the title properly(was too tired) but it is something like (Thai renessance), about a thai gal going 100 years into the past .. Absolute must, for all thai residents ! Also will help you to understand the attitudes, they laugh at you, because you are alien, and thus deserve different treatment, not that they'd laugh if something would happen to their relatives, or friends ..

So you haven't been to HK or China?

Have you watched Bruce Lee's movies? He is not from thailand.

[meemiathai]

Most the posters here haven't a bloody clue about Thai culture. Do you really think they're laughing AT you? If so, you're paranoid.

Right, and nothing bad ever happens here and Thai people are always just great. Bloody hel_l.

Damian Mavis

In England we laugh at the Scots.... because they're Scottish, the Irish cos they're Irish, the Welsh cos they're Welsh, the Stupid cos they're stupid.

I wont even get into the immigrant discussion.

Exactly!

Isn't it unbelievable? It can be seen so easily a group of brits blatently mocking other nations and people complain about the thais?

Ooops, I think I've got off topic.

[meemiathai]

Working in the industry I can tell you we are often portrayed as the villain. That is a given. We are also portrayed as stupid and goofy in lots of commercials meant to ammuse the Thai population at large.

Damian Mavis

Dear Damian Mavis, you seem to have two main gripes. The first is that farangs are not offered the TV roles in Thailand they would like. Boo Hoo. So what you are saying is some farang actors, who wouldn't stand a snowball's chance in hel_l of gettng acting work in there home country, think it unfair that they are not given leading roles here. It is sort of like the Arab actor who goes to Hollywood and complains that he keeps on being offered the role of a terrorist instead of the cowboy hero role he wants to play.

Your second gripe is the fact that Thai people don't make a sufficient fuss over you when you hurt yourself. Well, didums. I think that there is a misconception in the west that equates fuss with compassion. I worked as a nurse for many years and learnt quickly that laughter can be the most helpful thing sometimes. It is also should be noted that members of the public are encouraged not to physically help victims of accidents if there is any chance of a spinal injury.

I know whrere I grew up people would laugh when somebody hurt themselves. It didn't mean they didn't care. Just a way of easing the tension. I have seen Thai people to be very compassionate. I have literally had my life saved because of it.

BTW, the fact that you use your real name is nice. The fact that need to have it posted twice seems like overkill.

What I hate and fear most is when I get hurt and people start gathering around and pull here pull there as if that is going to cure me! It just makes me suffer a lot more. Just stay away from me! Is it that difficult to figure out that the pain will go away after a while? I prefer people laughing around.

[JimsKnight]

Well this thai attitude has nothing to do with asia . It is an example ; NO other place on earth would repeatedly refer to all foreigners(including 'permanent residents'), as aliens, lack of english language knowledge, or what.. Now just flying back i saw a thai movie that made me cringe, which should be a must for all foreigners , who decide to settle here .

i can't remember the title properly(was too tired) but it is something like (Thai renessance), about a thai gal going 100 years into the past .. Absolute must, for all thai residents ! Also will help you to understand the attitudes, they laugh at you, because you are alien, and thus deserve different treatment, not that they'd laugh if something would happen to their relatives, or friends ..

So

Yeah I that film was on Thai TV about 2 years ago, it had english subtitles so I watched it!

This is what I remember of it.

It portrays this thai woman who single handedly (via a trusted the kings retainer) travels back time and tries to get the British and French (who are (apparently) up to no good in trying to do unfair trade agreements etc) diplomats to be wholly in the Thais favour. Basically it's very clever piece of subtle propaganda for unknowing thais who watch it.

It all culminates in the thai woman returning back to modern day Bangkok where history has gone in the favour of the English and French and a massive Eiffal tower has been built slap bang on top of bangkok! Everyones speaking french, Thais have been colonised end is nigh etc! Shock, horror etc.

Woman rushes back to Siamsville era via the time tunnel and manages to get everything fixed and back to normal.

It was made at the height of Toxins administration and is heavily nationist and paints the foreigner as a dangerous meddler ready to take over Thailand unless vigilance is used in dealing with them.

That was my take on it anyway.

There was me, another american and his thai girlfriend watching it with us. The thai girl pretty much believed that the film was real; the evil empire of farangs was defeated and Thailand is free today because of it!

Thais love the Thais

However, I have seen some thai tv dramas where the farang is portrayed as young and weathy expat who speaks thai (albeit slowly) and is a source of mystery to some of the thai girls

Nothing overt or romantic is shown but it seemed reminiscant of those characters who are in their 30s and 40s and have made their fortune and seek out travel in foreign lands.

Also I recently saw a Thai Kareoke video where one of the songs was being sung in thai by a farang, it was not dubbed and it sounded pretty good. I can't think of the artists name though

Edited October 21, 2007 by JimsKnight

[chinthee]

BTW, there is a casting call tomorrow in Bangkok for farang extras for a film now filming. It's between 9 and 3, but I don't have the details. It's being discussed on another forum right now and they pay 20k Baht for a day.

As I said, due to Thaivisa rules, I'm not allowed to mention the name of any other forum, but I can give you some hints maybe. Think of a wooden door.

[drenoi]

Well this thai attitude has nothing to do with asia . It is an example ; NO other place on earth would repeatedly refer to all foreigners(including 'permanent residents'), as aliens, lack of english language knowledge, or what.. Now just flying back i saw a thai movie that made me cringe, which should be a must for all foreigners , who decide to settle here .

i can't remember the title properly(was too tired) but it is something like (Thai renessance), about a thai gal going 100 years into the past .. Absolute must, for all thai residents ! Also will help you to understand the attitudes, they laugh at you, because you are alien, and thus deserve different treatment, not that they'd laugh if something would happen to their relatives, or friends ..

So

Yeah I that film was on Thai TV about 2 years ago, it had english subtitles so I watched it!

This is what I remember of it.

It portrays this thai woman who single handedly (via a trusted the kings retainer) travels back time and tries to get the British and French (who are (apparently) up to no good in trying to do unfair trade agreements etc) diplomats to be wholly in the Thais favour. Basically it's very clever piece of subtle propaganda for unknowing thais who watch it.

It all culminates in the thai woman returning back to modern day Bangkok where history has gone in the favour of the English and French and a massive Eiffal tower has been built slap bang on top of bangkok! Everyones speaking french, Thais have been colonised end is nigh etc! Shock, horror etc.

Woman rushes back to Siamsville era via the time tunnel and manages to get everything fixed and back to normal.

It was made at the height of Toxins administration and is heavily nationist and paints the foreigner as a dangerous meddler ready to take over Thailand unless vigilance is used in dealing with them.

That was my take on it anyway.

There was me, another american and his thai girlfriend watching it with us. The thai girl pretty much believed that the film was real; the evil empire of farangs was defeated and Thailand is free today because of it!

Thais love the Thais

However, I have seen some thai tv dramas where the farang is portrayed as young and weathy expat who speaks thai (albeit slowly) and is a source of mystery to some of the thai girls

Nothing overt or romantic is shown but it seemed reminiscant of those characters who are in their 30s and 40s and have made their fortune and seek out travel in foreign lands.

Also I recently saw a Thai Kareoke video where one of the songs was being sung in thai by a farang, it was not dubbed and it sounded pretty good. I can't think of the artists name though

So the point is that Falangs enjoy a variety of roles in Thai television and cinema.

As for the 'propaganda' movie, it's hard to believe white man could be seen as imperilistic conquers, right? A quick look at history revels that white man WAS the dangerous meddler at the time (not just in Thailand) and hats off to whoever fended them off so sucessfully. That said it would be nice to be able to get one of them french rolls from Laos in Bangkok..

[hellohello]

there is a farang on tv. todd- who appears to get allot of respect (well deserved) from the locals. http://www.toddeastwest.com/

i watch his culture show called 'Khun Prachauy' or "oh my god" anybody seen it?

[WAERTH]

Waerth, although the movie was finished over 3 months ago... we are now going back to shoot a few more scenes.... grrrr, so it won't be out until probably March. Ah well.

NOSIGNINGPERMITTED

Well good on you. I hope the movie does great! A Thai movie with farang main characters which does well a the boxoffice will create more parts for other farangs in movies and on tv (so also more for me ) . So I really hope it will be a wonderfull movie!

Waerth

[asiaworld]

Well this thai attitude has nothing to do with asia . It is an example ; NO other place on earth would repeatedly refer to all foreigners(including 'permanent residents'), as aliens, lack of english language knowledge, or what.. Now just flying back i saw a thai movie that made me cringe, which should be a must for all foreigners , who decide to settle here .

i can't remember the title properly(was too tired) but it is something like (Thai renessance), about a thai gal going 100 years into the past .. Absolute must, for all thai residents ! Also will help you to understand the attitudes, they laugh at you, because you are alien, and thus deserve different treatment, not that they'd laugh if something would happen to their relatives, or friends ..

So

Yeah I that film was on Thai TV about 2 years ago, it had english subtitles so I watched it!

This is what I remember of it.

It portrays this thai woman who single handedly (via a trusted the kings retainer) travels back time and tries to get the British and French (who are (apparently) up to no good in trying to do unfair trade agreements etc) diplomats to be wholly in the Thais favour. Basically it's very clever piece of subtle propaganda for unknowing thais who watch it.

It all culminates in the thai woman returning back to modern day Bangkok where history has gone in the favour of the English and French and a massive Eiffal tower has been built slap bang on top of bangkok! Everyones speaking french, Thais have been colonised end is nigh etc! Shock, horror etc.

Woman rushes back to Siamsville era via the time tunnel and manages to get everything fixed and back to normal.

It was made at the height of Toxins administration and is heavily nationist and paints the foreigner as a dangerous meddler ready to take over Thailand unless vigilance is used in dealing with them.

That was my take on it anyway.

There was me, another american and his thai girlfriend watching it with us. The thai girl pretty much believed that the film was real; the evil empire of farangs was defeated and Thailand is free today because of it!

Thais love the Thais

However, I have seen some thai tv dramas where the farang is portrayed as young and weathy expat who speaks thai (albeit slowly) and is a source of mystery to some of the thai girls

Nothing overt or romantic is shown but it seemed reminiscant of those characters who are in their 30s and 40s and have made their fortune and seek out travel in foreign lands.

Also I recently saw a Thai Kareoke video where one of the songs was being sung in thai by a farang, it was not dubbed and it sounded pretty good. I can't think of the artists name though

EXACTLY the movie i meant JimsKnight !! They have it now on Thai Airways business class selection ,, still not sure of what was title thou ..

[rychrde]

hmmm,no... nope that is not what Ive seen at all. When I almost died in a motocycle accident, about 40 Thai people pointed and laughed AT me (including police officers standing nearby). When I sprained my foot in a muay thai fight girls would imitate my limp and laugh AT me...... I pretty much came to the conclusion that Thai people like to laugh at others misfortune as they either cannot feel compassion or do not have the ability to put themselves in others peoples shoes. You really believe this is not true?

Damian Mavis

That is not typical Thai, that's human. If you go to the bottom of it, you always laugh at someone's misfortune.

I beg to differ on the Thais' ability to feel compassion. I my opinion, the do have a lot of compassion, even more than the average farang. The difference is how they express it.

On the role of farangs in Thai TV, I noticed that a disproportionate amount of "loog krueng" (mixed Thai) are among the movie stars. Thai people consider them as more beautiful than the typical Thai.

Me, for myself, I prefer the "typical" Thai beauty. But that's only me, and I am not the average Thai TV watcher.

Absolutely agree with you there Damian! Why, oh why are the Thais so OBSESED with the

'Westen' look that they employ so many Eurasians to promote their products? It seems that the Thais have a love-affair with white skinned, tall, skinny female actresses, at the expense of their OWN dark-skinned Thai female counter-parts. I love Thai women just for themselves, and not a copy of some Western 'ideal'.

YangYai.

This topic seems to surface regularly. I have come to the conclusion that it has nothing to do with white westerners. It is an accident that most westerners are white and that Thais prefer whiter skin. My reason for this? I was reading an old poem from the Rattanakosin period (I think if memory serves me right that's about 500 years ago) and the princess puts on whitening powder to make herself more beautiful. If anything, my guess is that this is a chinese thing rather than a western one. All of this rather lost in the mists of time, as every Thai I've asked has no idea why they wish to be whiter.

rych

[asiaworld]

Well this thai attitude has nothing to do with asia . It is an example ; NO other place on earth would repeatedly refer to all foreigners(including 'permanent residents'), as aliens, lack of english language knowledge, or what.. Now just flying back i saw a thai movie that made me cringe, which should be a must for all foreigners , who decide to settle here .

i can't remember the title properly(was too tired) but it is something like (Thai renessance), about a thai gal going 100 years into the past .. Absolute must, for all thai residents ! Also will help you to understand the attitudes, they laugh at you, because you are alien, and thus deserve different treatment, not that they'd laugh if something would happen to their relatives, or friends ..

So you haven't been to HK or China?

Have you watched Bruce Lee's movies? He is not from thailand.

To answer your question, i speak chinese, since i was a kid ! I have A LOT of friends among chinese everywhere, i'm greatful to HK,Macau,Taiwan, PRC for most of my fortune .. And let me assure you IT DOESN"T COME NEAR any thai attitudes !!

To be fair, yes PRC attitudes 10-20 yeas ago were Sh*t, maybe even slightly worse, than present day Thailand,but it was something to do with communism, rather than anything else !! And Amasing How SpeeDy the 'attitude recovery' was... Nowadays PRC, exept for the most backward villagers are completely redeemed

[rychrde]

there is a farang on tv. todd- who appears to get allot of respect (well deserved) from the locals. http://www.toddeastwest.com/

i watch his culture show called 'Khun Prachauy' or "oh my god" anybody seen it?

I think the guy has lots of balls trying to make it on Thai TV. I'm sure he gets lots of shit, sometimes looks silly, but good luck to him, he may make it easier for others to follow. My brother was very briefly on japanese TV and it was really tiring not to live up to a stereotype.

rych

[madjbs]

I am yet to see this huge anti farang attitude that some people love to rave about. Perhaps they once met a person who was having a bad day and from that they assumed that all Thai people hate farangs?

[asiaworld]

I am yet to see this huge anti farang attitude that some people love to rave about. Perhaps they once met a person who was having a bad day and from that they assumed that all Thai people hate farangs?

Maybe you don't understand what people mean, when they 'moan' about anti' attitude .. IMO what pisses me off explicitly, is the total inability to integrate properly into the mainstream society, and i recon, i'm not alone in that. You see people move here, work, do business, contribute greatly to the local economy. Get married here, what in every other country would be a fast track naturalisation prosess !! Here, all you are guaranteed to get , is the middle finger ! It's not that bad, and even as i often point out to my friends, comparing Thai to EU & Malaysia where everyone's treated as equial, but the treatment is NoT upto the standard of my liking .. Guess few others, esp. those coming from UK have similar grudge ..

That also makes me add to the previous comment from meemeeathai' ; he asked me abt. HK, (he seem to stay there), Don't get me started.. is that a small island, which combines the best of british & chinese, while minimising the worst .. is that, where anyone irrespectively of their race & color may set up the shop, and in no later than 7 years be fully integrated, with all the rights,duties & priviledges of the native born honkie !! So what exactly bugs you 'meemiathai', ?!? And if you were educated on Bruce Lee movies, why don't you go a couple of years back to europe during the WW II .. Now that was discrimination (and it wasn't in asia)

[JetsetBkk]

Go to the women's clothing section at Tesco or Big C and have a look at the giant pictures of women wearing bras, lingerie, etc. (I thought that would get your attention ). Nearly all of the models in those pictures are Caucasian or extremely white looking 'luuk khreungs' ลูกครึ่ง

Why don't they have pictures of normal brown skinned Thais? It's quite weird looking at all the brown skinned people shopping in those departments underneath huge pictures of white skinned people.

Are all the underwear salesgirls in your home country slim fashion models with high cheekbones, bright large eyes, full lips and perfect features? I'd be surprised if the answer is yes.

The difference is that here the beauty ideal focuses on skin colour as well as features and build. In all other respects, the situation is similar to back home - it is impossible for most normal people to look like the models, and the advertisements use this fact to sell products.

But I wasn't talking about the salesgirls, I was talking about the huge pictures of white skinned models wearing the women's clothes in a Thai superstore. Anyone shopping in these stores would think they were in Europe, if it wasn't for being surrounded by dark brown skinned shoppers.

I agree that in all other respects - i.e. ignoring skin colour - the pictures are the same as in the west. But isn't focussing on skin colour wrong? Would this be acceptable in a black neighbourhood in America?