To What Degree Is Thailand Xenophobic?

[cm-happy]

I'm looking at the raw data. breaking the % catgories into groups as;

0,10,20.30 % = slightly xenophobic with 35.5 % of the votes

40,50,60,70% = moderately xenophobic with 25.8 % of the votes

80,90,100% = overwhelmingly xenophobic with 38.7 % of the votes

appears the jury is still out on this. The thread has been running for less than a full day wait and see what the final tally is.

With only 62 respondents actually casting a vote, when its over, i'll plot the results and expect to get a normal distribution, the classic bell shaped curve.

Wonder why some of the respondents did not bother casting a vote, just wanted to wing, whine.

Camerata is right in that perhaps xenopobic was too strong a term in the strict dictionary definition. Too bad there is no way of verifying that voters used the criteria of both gov't an private sectors in casting their vote. Don't think any one has mentioned private sector experiences, being told to GET OUT or WE DON'T SERVE YOUR KIND by Thai people, business'.

Looking at the raw data agin we now have a huge 98 votes cast.

using the same criteria as above

slight xenophobic = 34.7%

moderately xenophobic = 23.5 %

overwhelmingly xenophoboc = 41.8%

Plotting a bar graph it is so obvious that there are two extreme views either slight or overwhelming, very few moderates. But isnt this always the case.

in closing 58.2 % of voters believe that Thailand is either slightly or moderately xenophobic. 41.8 believe Thailand is ovewhelmingly xenophobic.

What do Indians and snakes have to do with this?? Unless Indians were used to demonstrate Thai prejudice. If this is the case surprised no one mentioned Burmese.

Anyway the numbers speak for themselves. Feel free to interpret the data anyway you please.

Edited December 28, 2007 by cm-happy

[PhilHarries]

Wonder why some of the respondents did not bother casting a vote, just wanted to wing, whine.

Well I didn't vote nor have I whined. I started to post a reply yesterday but kind of got lost in what I was trying to say. It depends a lot on your personal definition of xenophobia and whether we are talking institutionalised or intrapersonal xenophobia.

To be sure the politicians use xenophobia under the nationalistic barrier in order to whip up the masses and take their minds off the awful state the country is in at that particular time. It also sees service at election time portraying the politician as the great saviour of Thailand and all that's Thai. It is a useful political tool because it bashes those that have no status nor voice but just want to stay peacefully in Thailand - the farangs. Also the politicos may possibly harbour a fear that even a limited, controlled immigration may allow a significant power base of legally based foreigners to develope who would eventually start to wield some influence and upset the apple cart.

I don't feel the Thais, on a personal level, are particularly xenophobic. Yes sure you get the odd "farang go home" character but certainly no more than the "w_gs get out" brigade back home. I don't see double pricing as evidence of xenophobia, it is more just a plain old scam based on being able to easily select the targets. That the national parks also jump on the bandwagon is just a sign of how deep this type of scam is rooted.

So I conside Thailand to be xenophobic but to express it in a single percentage point impossible.

Institutional xenophobia : 90% (They do allow some PR and citizenships but little else)

Intrapersonal xenophobia : 30% (including the double pricing)

[Losangels]

Try the Indian test and report back ...

Alright. I'll do it. The Indian Test. But hold on this means I have to talk to complete Thai strangers, random Thais! I mean I live in this delightful little area full of highly educated, professional…well you know…and I am going to have to go and talk to the noodle seller, the tuk-tuk driver, the…well this all sounds rather unpleasant…ok I give in. You win…now where did I put my cocktail shaker…

Here is the best way to do the Indian test. Ask any of the people you described above- the highly educated professionals on down to the tuk tuk driver;

"What do you do if you see a snake and an Indian?"

They will all give you the same answer, and it will shock you.

If you have a Thai father-in-law, start with him!

--------------------

The way my darling little ex thai wife told it to me was

"If you see an Indian and a snake, which one do you kill?"

"The Indian, because if you don't it will come back"

Sabai, sabai krup...

If you see an americano and a snake, which one do you fear most?

The americano, because if you dont he will invade your country - eventually!

-----------

Can't say I've ever heard that one in Thailand before...

Reminds me of the lawyer joke

"What's the difference between a dead snake and a dead lawyer on the road?"

The dead snake has skid marks

[siam-i-am]

I expect the poll to start with 0 % meaning not xenophobic then 10% to 100% in 10% increments.

Please vote your opinion not just on gov't policy but everyday interactions in both the gov't and private sectors.

Mods if I'm successful posting this poll, my first time messing with polls,please close the other one i started about xenophobia in TH.

With nearly 1900 visits and only 123 votes, the chestnut being put to bed is polls on TV

[wintermute]

Thai xenophobia is a weird thing. It's a mixture of envy and low self esteem. I think they have an inferiority complex a lot of times and this is what leads to their xenophobia. They see moneyed expats from all over the world here spending more in a day than most of them make in a month. Also, Thailand's rep as a global sex tourism destination eats away at their own self image as well. All in all their xenophobia is annoying and contrite at times but it's not threatening to anyone. I've never seen gangs of thais roving the streets looking to jump some foreigners. On the otherhand I HAVE seen such behavior in the western world several times.

If you make a few comparisons I think Thailand is relatively tolerant. They have institutional discrimination but it's all rather benign.

[Jingthing]

Institutional xenophobia : 90% (They do allow some PR and citizenships but little else)

Intrapersonal xenophobia : 30% (including the double pricing)

That is a very useful distinction, thanks.

[pointofview]

Try the Indian test and report back ...

Alright. I'll do it. The Indian Test. But hold on this means I have to talk to complete Thai strangers, random Thais! I mean I live in this delightful little area full of highly educated, professional…well you know…and I am going to have to go and talk to the noodle seller, the tuk-tuk driver, the…well this all sounds rather unpleasant…ok I give in. You win…now where did I put my cocktail shaker…

Here is the best way to do the Indian test. Ask any of the people you described above- the highly educated professionals on down to the tuk tuk driver;

"What do you do if you see a snake and an Indian?"

They will all give you the same answer, and it will shock you.

If you have a Thai father-in-law, start with him!

--------------------

The way my darling little ex thai wife told it to me was

"If you see an Indian and a snake, which one do you kill?"

"The Indian, because if you don't it will come back"

Sabai, sabai krup...

If you see an americano and a snake, which one do you fear most?

The americano, because if you dont he will invade your country - eventually!

-----------

Can't say I've ever heard that one in Thailand before...

Reminds me of the lawyer joke

"What's the difference between a dead snake and a dead lawyer on the road?"

The dead snake has skid marks

Off topic but now you mention lawyers:

Why dont cannaibals eat the flesh of lawyers?

Because it takes to long to clean

[PeaceBlondie]

90% institutional xenophobism? They allow us to come as tourists, to marry their women, to teach their students, to live here year by year as retirees, and as workers. There are no zones we cannot visit. They treat us better than the Americans treated the American citizens of Japanese descent in world war two, better than the Aussie and Kiwi institutions treated their aboriginal peoples. The Thai institutions don't love us, but neither do they actively hate us.

[mrtoad]

The survey I posted earlier has been conveniently overlooked by most posters because it does not fit their agenda or viewpoint, however as it represents Thai opinion it is the most valuable and accurate measure of xenophobia in Thailand so far.

I would agree, given that the Survey was carried out by Taylor, Nelson, Sofres (TNS) and Gallup.

[bbkkandrew]

The survey I posted earlier has been conveniently overlooked by most posters because it does not fit their agenda or viewpoint, however as it represents Thai opinion it is the most valuable and accurate measure of xenophobia in Thailand so far.

I would agree, given that the Survey was carried out by Taylor, Nelson, Sofres (TNS) and Gallup.

Anyone that disagrees with this perspective I would challenge to a night out in a thai nightspot with an independant translator to guage comments around them...

Edited December 28, 2007 by bbkkandrew

[Pepe']

Try the Indian test and report back ...

Alright. I'll do it. The Indian Test. But hold on this means I have to talk to complete Thai strangers, random Thais! I mean I live in this delightful little area full of highly educated, professional…well you know…and I am going to have to go and talk to the noodle seller, the tuk-tuk driver, the…well this all sounds rather unpleasant…ok I give in. You win…now where did I put my cocktail shaker…

Here is the best way to do the Indian test. Ask any of the people you described above- the highly educated professionals on down to the tuk tuk driver;

"What do you do if you see a snake and an Indian?"

They will all give you the same answer, and it will shock you.

If you have a Thai father-in-law, start with him!

--------------------

The way my darling little ex thai wife told it to me was

"If you see an Indian and a snake, which one do you kill?"

"The Indian, because if you don't it will come back"

Sabai, sabai krup...

If you see an americano and a snake, which one do you fear most?

The americano, because if you dont he will invade your country - eventually!

----------------------

And don't forget it...

[kmart]

Fair enough. I've never had a snake following me down the road, hassling me to buy a crap suit, btw.

[TheDon]

I love the poll results, just shows how many posters here are clueless hahahaha

[Seizhin]

70%

Most of them cant seem to accept foreigners or something similar as it's different from their culture and so on. blah blah, too many excuses.

[wolfmanjack]

The survey I posted earlier has been conveniently overlooked by most posters because it does not fit their agenda or viewpoint, however as it represents Thai opinion it is the most valuable and accurate measure of xenophobia in Thailand so far.

I would agree, given that the Survey was carried out by Taylor, Nelson, Sofres (TNS) and Gallup.

Anyone that disagrees with this perspective I would challenge to a night out in a thai nightspot with an independant translator to guage comments around them...

Right. I have heard comments about the stupid falang when all i was doing is eating breakfast in a restaurant. Also i have overheard a lot of nasty comments when the falang was not stupid enough to pay over the top prices.

[qwertz]

It's not xenophobia, they're just not keen on farangs.

[TheDon]

I think 80% to 90% of faranga are not keen on Thai's

[balo]

What ???? They do not love me ????

Im just a stupid falang???

This is shocking news!

It's not xenophobia, they're just not keen on farangs.

[aries27]

i voted because i wanted to see the results.. 10% for some allowance...

but i guess this does not apply so much to me. i look very thai so not until i talk to them in english, do they regard me as farang at all.

but when they discover i am not thai, things change a bit. some positive, like they befriend and get curious, some negative like i cant ask for a bargain anymore... cuz they think i must be rich, coming all the way to TH to buy plants! and i am not rich, btw.

well, for comparison again, compared to PH, thailand has a higher tolerance for farangs, again because there are so much more farangs there than in PH. will stop at "higher tolerance" comment and not delve anymore about whether the treatment is better or worse...

gday everybody...

Edited May 8, 2008 by aries27

[wolfmanjack]

It's not xenophobia, they're just not keen on farangs.

OK Ok Ok. I can not say that i have ever experienced a situation where a Thai has gone screaming into the night because of an overwhelming fear of Falangs. If you use this as the definition then i would have to say the xenophobia level of any country would be .00000001 % and the only place you will find these type of people are locked away in the looney bin or hiding at home.

If you take the unreasonable part into account then that would make the % extremely small also since most every one that fears or hates another person can come up with some kind of reason.

[qwertz]

What ???? They do not love me ????

Im just a stupid falang???

This is shocking news!

It's not xenophobia, they're just not keen on farangs.

Surprised you huh?

[Naam]

To What Degree Is Thailand Xenophobic?

the result of my scientific research is 27.853ºth.

[PrBkkPr]

Actually most farangs need not feel so insecure here as compared to Indians......Almost All Thais hate Indians here although the same Thais (almost 80%) of them pray to an Indian (Buddha was from India), their brahmic rites and their alphabets are all derived from India and what other else and these days they are even praying to other Indian Gods such as the elephant deity etc. AEven ironic is that certain industries here like the Gems and Jewelry Industry and the Garment and Fabric Industries which are literally controlled by the Indians indirectly and now even the real estate and Hotel industries which have many Indian coming in. But the Thais simply hate Indians and actually workship the farangs.

What is even more ironic is that though the Thais hate Indians.....they will lick the rich Indian toes when they see the money...lol!

[Naam]

Almost All Thais hate Indians here...

minorities are always hated when they work harder and are more successful than the locals. by the way, the Indians in Thailand couldn't care less whether the Thais hate them or love them.

[TheDon]

Actually most farangs need not feel so insecure here as compared to Indians......Almost All Thais hate Indians here although the same Thais (almost 80%) of them pray to an Indian (Buddha was from India), their brahmic rites and their alphabets are all derived from India and what other else and these days they are even praying to other Indian Gods such as the elephant deity etc. AEven ironic is that certain industries here like the Gems and Jewelry Industry and the Garment and Fabric Industries which are literally controlled by the Indians indirectly and now even the real estate and Hotel industries which have many Indian coming in. But the Thais simply hate Indians and actually workship the farangs.

What is even more ironic is that though the Thais hate Indians.....they will lick the rich Indian toes when they see the money...lol!

Most Aussies hate indians, we tend to tease them all the time. UK has a rep of hating them too. Whats with that? everyone seems to hate them.

[uptou]

The lady in the 7 ereven (as they say in thailand),short changed me by 2 baht yesterday.I'm thinking xenophobia.Cant prove it,but i'm on to her.

[PrBkkPr]

Hi Don

I guess Aussies hate Indians and all other Asians as they can not stand hard working people who get richer than them or who are smarter than them....as you know most Aussies are slow and a bit st.... As for the Brits, you cannot blame them.....after all among the Indians its a joke as to who really won the war and who really invaded whom.....take a look around and see as to what the Indians own in Britain today and how many of them are there in UK today with a better standard of living than the locals.And even more interesting is to see that off those who have been granted British Citizenships.....how many claim for unemployment benefits as compared to the locals! ( an extremely small proportion!)

But you observations are really interesting...just sums up one thing.....racialism exists everywhere! Not just Thailand and among Thais.

[pampal]

Thailand is a country and cannot be xenophobic by definition,but if by Thailand the OP meant the Thai ppl, that is a different scenario

[qwertz]

Actually most farangs need not feel so insecure here as compared to Indians......Almost All Thais hate Indians here although the same Thais (almost 80%) of them pray to an Indian (Buddha was from India), their brahmic rites and their alphabets are all derived from India and what other else and these days they are even praying to other Indian Gods such as the elephant deity etc. AEven ironic is that certain industries here like the Gems and Jewelry Industry and the Garment and Fabric Industries which are literally controlled by the Indians indirectly and now even the real estate and Hotel industries which have many Indian coming in. But the Thais simply hate Indians and actually workship the farangs.

What is even more ironic is that though the Thais hate Indians.....they will lick the rich Indian toes when they see the money...lol!

Most Aussies hate indians, we tend to tease them all the time. UK has a rep of hating them too. Whats with that? everyone seems to hate them.

I don't think that's quite correct as in my experience the Indians, like the Chinese, have integrated very smoothly in England and

virtually everywhere else without turning their backs on their culture.

The xenophobia seems be directed at Pakistanis and Bangladeshis nowadays.

I can only report here the current comments and feelings of many Brits as I haven't been in Blighty for a long time so I can't claim first

hand knowledge but I do get the daily English news on TV.

[Heng]

It's pretty clear that there are many foreigners who fear living in the LOS. So much so they have to run away to the border every 90 days, not unlike children afraid of the dark. It's okay child, there's no such thing as monsters.