Decrimination Against Farangs By Thais

[roygsd]

I replied in an angry pissed off voice, so why don't you print on the poster in English, these accounts are for Thai people only?

The woman just stared at me with a stupid grin on her face and a security guard was almost splitting his sides with laughter. I was getting more frustrated and at the point of ripping off my clothes, turning into the incredible Hulk and smashing up the place, so decided it was best to leave. I sprung up from the chair and swiftly walked out the bank.

So that was it, final. The curse of the dreaded lurgy was on me.

In the meantime my wife was still in the bank talking with the woman. 10 minutes later she came out of the bank. I said to her, why the <deleted> hel_l was you still talking with that woman. My wife said, that it's not polite to just walk out.

I would be interested to know if anyone else has experienced discrimination from Thais in Thailand because you are a Farang?

Hi,

I stand to be corrected but didnt you post something recntly about a Thai man who worked in a pharmacy who refused to serve you so you sat down and proceeded to stare him out?

As I recall he still ignored you.

In my reply to your posting then I suggested that it seemed that you avitar maybe reflected the way you see yourself,

this posting seems to confirm your postings about your problems with thai workers stem from you rather than the workers.

Consider this, the advertisement was written in Thai, you dont read thai, ( 22 years of experience of Thailand I think you said?) you get your wife to speak to the clerk and you dont like the explanation provided.

You then proceed to throw a wobbler and insist the thai bank should print up a different poster in english telling you that you are not entitled to the service!

I can just nmagine your reaction if they had printed such a poster.

You made a laughing stock of yourself and left your poor wife to apologise for you being an arse hole, at the risk of offending you further I suggest you leave the shopping to the wife in future before you meet some little thai guy with a big gun who isnt going to take shit from you.

We all get grumpy at times, in fact I got a bit hot under the collar on this site today over a silly posting for no real reason, but I know I reacted with too short a fuse and I accept I was at fault, give it a try, a bit of humble pie isnt that hard to swallow.

Failing that, pick on someone your own size.

Yes I am a grumpy old b......d at times, it seems the older I get the less tolerant I become of <deleted>.

Roy Gsd

[roygsd]

I got over charged once

that must have been when you bought a burger in oxford st london, happens all the time I hear........

roy gsd

[roygsd]

I bought some furniture at a store in Bkk. They told me that if I paid with HSBC credit card I would get another 5%. I was going to pay cash but thought for the extra 5% I would use the card. After the usual 20-30 minutes of filling out paperwork to purchase my stuff she asked for payment.

I handed over my credit card. She then told me that as it was issued in the UK could not have the 5%. I have a HSBC account in Thailand and the UK but the card came from the UK.

So I asked if she was sure and when she replied that this was national policy I left. She was amazed!! She said I could still buy the furniture but would have to pay full price. I don't think she forsaw that I would leave without completingthe sale. They were not too happy having done all the work.

Did I spite myself? Yes! Did I care? No!

tht s the only way to deal with these situations, well done

roy gsd

[roygsd]

[quote I wish there was a website or a forum that listed racist establishments in Thailand that over charge foreigners.

Why dont you start one? Keep you busy for the next 100 years or so..................

[kiakaha]

I get called handsome all the time. I find this highly insulting. I am proud of my ugliness. Aesthetic discrimination.

[roygsd]

[quote

There is such a thing as universal human rights. No country has a right to treat foreigners inhumanely - and no foreigner

should be asked to leave if they don't like it.

Have you ever heard of Zimbabwi, China, Myanmar Cambodia Usa, and the Uk to name but a few,

Universal human rights my arse as they say in Liverpool.

Guatanamo Bay ring a bell?

As the counties that signed the agreement on universal human rights dont live up to them how do you expect third world countries to take them seriously?

Roy gsd

[qwertz]

I'm a blue eyed, light skinned Brit.

I should expect to visit Thailand and not experience discrimination?

It's not my turf and I never forget that simple fact.

Anyhow, you can always turn the tables on them - behave like a Thai and give them nothing.

And if you must have company, find your own among people who don't discriminate

You don't have to use their banks, visit their parks and pay double for rooms and taxis, or consort with their women or even eat their food.

There are plenty of foreign alternatives who will welcome your business.

[JSixpack]

I wish there was a website or a forum that listed racist establishments in Thailand that over charge foreigners.

Why dont you start one? Keep you busy for the next 100 years or so..................

There used to be such a site--don't have the URL at hand, but I found it through the forums. Doublepricing.net? Something vaguely like that.

[wintermute]

I'm a blue eyed, light skinned Brit.

I should expect to visit Thailand and not experience discrimination?

It's not my turf and I never forget that simple fact.

Anyhow, you can always turn the tables on them - behave like a Thai and give them nothing.

And if you must have company, find your own among people who don't discriminate

You don't have to use their banks, visit their parks and pay double for rooms and taxis, or consort with their women or even eat their food.

There are plenty of foreign alternatives who will welcome your business.

This is true but don't be a hypocrite and whine when people do the same thing in your country.

[saraburioz]

I get nothing but benefits for being a farang.

[bratpack]

You sound as though you need a lesson or two in manners.I bet her very bad English is better than your best Thai i sugest you go back to the good old place you came from UK.A few anger management lessons also required.

Good point, but why assume he's from the UK? OK you may well be correct but the UK doesn't have a monopoly on bad manners.

no, but sometimes i almost think they have.

Of all bad behaving falangs i have seen here, screaming, cursing, tomatoe red in the face, i would say, 80% of them have been Brits.

discriminating against brits now.you are very condescending and are you german by the way.

[tuky]

Several anti Thai posts have been deleted.

Please bear in mind the forum rules, or the whole thread will be removed also.

[burman]

There's is always discrimination towards farangs in Thailand, and some of its good, and some of its bad. You need to learn to take the rough with the smooth.

[bkkjames]

Several anti Thai posts have been deleted.

Please bear in mind the forum rules, or the whole thread will be removed also.

I wonder if TV send topics such as these to their lawyers to see if it's ok to call someone a moron, just as long as they are not Thai? Anyways, hope they pay their lawyers by the hour if they do.

[raybingham]

Of all bad behaving falangs i have seen here, screaming, cursing, tomatoe red in the face, i would say, 80% of them have been Brits.

You obviously mix with the wrong company

[papajohn]

...I later tried my actual branch in the town and was told, no problem...

Thank you. This confirms what I suspected: the bank was not discriminating against you, but one of her employees is ill-informed and, judging from your description of your experience, appears indeed to be strongly xenophobic. No doubt she will be promoted until she reaches her level of incompetence.

--

Maestro

A little off topic but my experience with Bangkok Bank, Sridonchi branch in Chiang Mai, has been extrodinary. I only have to go inside the bank a few times a year as I use the outside ATM mostly. My

account is 2 years old have to maintain for immigration purposes, you know "The Letter".

Everytime the manager sees me in line he comes over and says hello John,sabaidee mai? Come with me and I sit down, he brings me a glass of water

and takes care of my business for me, great service

and no I do not have a ton of money in the bank just

enough to keep the Immigration people happy

All in all I have had many more discrimination problems with Farangs than I have ever had with Thais " and thats the truth". Sawadee Kup

[kiakaha]

There's is always discrimination towards farangs in Thailand, and some of its good, and some of its bad. You need to learn to take the rough with the smooth.

Even Bill Heineke, probably the most famous farang(caucasian) with Thai citizenship, will be subjected to it.

Just as my Thai wife(born, raised, schooled in New Zealand) will be called derogatory asian terms from time to time in New Zealand, although she is as kiwi as I.

This is life (well, at least until our species evolve a few thousand years more)

[qwertz]

I'm a blue eyed, light skinned Brit.

I should expect to visit Thailand and not experience discrimination?

It's not my turf and I never forget that simple fact.

Anyhow, you can always turn the tables on them - behave like a Thai and give them nothing.

And if you must have company, find your own among people who don't discriminate

You don't have to use their banks, visit their parks and pay double for rooms and taxis, or consort with their women or even eat their food.

There are plenty of foreign alternatives who will welcome your business.

This is true but don't be a hypocrite and whine when people do the same thing in your country.

"My country" is debatable as I live in Germany but point taken - and I never whine.

[Crushdepth]

Every country has discrimination. There's certainly no shortage of it in Thailand, but I'm sure there is plenty in the OP's country of origin too. The main issue to me is to make sure you jam it up the @r$e of the perpetrators at every opportunity - whether it be against yourself or a random member of the public. One thing to bear in mind is that when you face discrimination from 'the system', its usually not the fault of the people you are actually dealing with on the day - usually they are just implementing a (bad) policy decision made by the people above them.

There are exceptions though. My employer has been banking with the UN branch of the Siam Commercial Bank for about 20 years and our admin staff know the people there quite well. You'd think the UN Branch would be used to dealing with 'aliens', but no. A few years ago we hired an Indian staff member. At the time you had to deposit $5,000 to open a US dollar account there, but they insisted that he had to deposit $10,000 just because he was Indian. Unfortunately he was too embarrassed to tell anyone until about a year down the track.

Edited June 24, 2008 by Crushdepth

[jingjoke]

So when you can, I suggest we vote with our baht, the only votes we have.

Excellent advice, Jingthing. Let your money do the talking. IMHO we farang pay usurious rates because we won't take the time to 'vote with our feet' (and our pocketbooks)and move on to another vendor. We seem to be too much in a hurry. We must learn to chill, give ourselves lots more time to make alternate decisions like going by baht-bus, etc...(time is plentiful here in the LOS, and free too).

BTW, I emphathize with the OP.

I walked away from a Bangkok Bank branch because my

$-transfers from my overseas account were taking at least a week and more to be credited to my account. I moved directly to Kasikorn where mt money is credited the same day.

Makes one wonder if some local (Bkk) Bank manager(s) typically credit their own accounts with remitances from overseas and release them only after a given time or inquiry. Typically when I asked why my remittance was not in my account, it was credited within the hour. I ceased all transaction when this happened for a full year. Am now a happy camper with Kasikorn!

'Vote with our baht' as the gentleman suggests.

[TheDon]

Well I think its the same anywhere you go, Whites go to a asian or black country they get the short end, asians go to white/black country they get the short end etc. So stop complaining.

Edited July 14, 2008 by TheDon

[tomuk76]

I've never had any problem opening an account or getting interest from a bank in Thailand but I have to say the Bangkok Bank (Sukhumvit Soi 12) foreign exchange counter staff were among the rudest people I've met in my life. I stopped going there a decade ago. I suggest you vote with your wallet and take your money to a friendlier bank.

Errrrrrrrmmmm, I would probably guess the counter staff you are talking about doesnt work there anymore if it was 10 years ago! Maybe they are the freindliest now!

[Tyke]

Well I think its the same anywhere you go, Whites go to a asian or black country they get the short end, asians go to white/black country they get the short end etc. So stop complaining.

Not the same at all. Western countries have a secure system of laws to protect everyone from discrimination. There is even a complaints system for companies and organisations that protects them. In Thailand there is nothing of the kind.

[TheDon]

Well I think its the same anywhere you go, Whites go to a asian or black country they get the short end, asians go to white/black country they get the short end etc. So stop complaining.

Not the same at all. Western countries have a secure system of laws to protect everyone from discrimination. There is even a complaints system for companies and organisations that protects them. In Thailand there is nothing of the kind.

what countries fall under the "western countries" plus we all know most of those systems and laws dont really do jack shit

[Sabum]

Well I think its the same anywhere you go, Whites go to a asian or black country they get the short end, asians go to white/black country they get the short end etc. So stop complaining.

Not the same at all. Western countries have a secure system of laws to protect everyone from discrimination. There is even a complaints system for companies and organisations that protects them. In Thailand there is nothing of the kind.

what countries fall under the "western countries" plus we all know most of those systems and laws dont really do jack shit

No..... in Canada its out of control. If you discriminate (or they think you did) against a woman, gay or a minortiy in any way you can lose your job almost instantly. White hetero males have to walk on eggshells around just about EVERYONE else.

[DirkGently]

She was only doing as she had been told to do. It is worth remembering that. She was not the chairman of the bank and therefore had no sway.

Plus Thais are very reluctant to think outside of the box, or in many cases to think at all. So she had no idea that her words were offensive. Thais put Thais first, not give hand over fist to non-natives.

Better to just shrug it off.

[Acomes2Siam]

So the bank said they would give the special interest rate if the account was in your wifes name. Why did you not do that? Perhaps you do not trust your wife? I fail to see how that can be the fault of a bank.

A black man is married to a white German woman. They go into a German bank in Germany where they live. The person behind th counted says with a smirk: "sorry, sir - we do not give this interest rate to blacks - it is only for real white Germans, not for Blacks (no matter how long you have lived in Germany). Your white wife can open an account and we will give HER the interest rate".

The black man is offended. Meanwhile the white person behind the counter and the white German security guard both have big smirks on their faces.

_____________________________

Would you say to the black man - "I fail to see that it is any fault of the bank, why didn't the black man let his white wife open the account?"

[Acomes2Siam]

I'm a blue eyed, light skinned Brit.

I should expect to visit Thailand and not experience discrimination?

It's not my turf and I never forget that simple fact.

Anyhow, you can always turn the tables on them - behave like a Thai and give them nothing.

And if you must have company, find your own among people who don't discriminate

You don't have to use their banks, visit their parks and pay double for rooms and taxis, or consort with their women or even eat their food.

There are plenty of foreign alternatives who will welcome your business.

If you would discriminate or condone discrimination against Thai's in your country, then you have no right to complain about the racist Bank episode.

If howver, like myself, you would go out of your way to protest it if anyone in your country would discriminate a Thai in your country, then you have the right to expect the same treatment from Thais.

Another issue: Ae the generic human rights? Of course!!! "Human right my xxx, look at Guantanamo Bay". And so what? Do you think Guantanamo Bay is a sign that there are no generic human rights? No, it is not - Guantanamo Bay is a breach of basic human rights most likely (we do not have enough information in my estimation to say for sure). Is Hitler a sign that genocide is not bad just because he did it? No, of course not - just because it exists doesn't mean it is right. The United Nations has already defined a set of basic human rights that all countries should strive to live up to. The fact that not all countries (or maybe vey few countries) are able to live up to them is not a reason to abandon them. That would be childish and like saying "if I can't get a Palace then I don't want a house at all". Of course there are basic human rights and although it is hard it should be the aim of all nations to live up to them. Thailand ha also ratified these basic human rights and also Thailand should live up to thm. I have lived abroad some 20 years now and I know that there ae some issues that have to do with culture and we have to be flexible, but it can also go too far in the other dirrection where we accept everything as "cultural differences". Imagine - "Oh, they are killing foreigners at will now - well, the real question is - why do farangs complain so much!". There is a limit and racism is not right and any reasonable Thai can be brought to understand that. In my experience it is harder to bring the die-hard expatriat to commit to any value or moral at all after having been through the cultural and moral flexibility school-of-life for a sufficient number of years abroad.

[qwertz]

I'm a blue eyed, light skinned Brit.

I should expect to visit Thailand and not experience discrimination?

It's not my turf and I never forget that simple fact.

Anyhow, you can always turn the tables on them - behave like a Thai and give them nothing.

And if you must have company, find your own among people who don't discriminate

You don't have to use their banks, visit their parks and pay double for rooms and taxis, or consort with their women or even eat their food.

There are plenty of foreign alternatives who will welcome your business.

If you would discriminate or condone discrimination against Thai's in your country, then you have no right to complain about the racist Bank episode.

If howver, like myself, you would go out of your way to protest it if anyone in your country would discriminate a Thai in your country, then you have the right to expect the same treatment from Thais.

Another issue: Ae the generic human rights? Of course!!! "Human right my xxx, look at Guantanamo Bay". And so what? Do you think Guantanamo Bay is a sign that there are no generic human rights? No, it is not - Guantanamo Bay is a breach of basic human rights most likely (we do not have enough information in my estimation to say for sure). Is Hitler a sign that genocide is not bad just because he did it? No, of course not - just because it exists doesn't mean it is right. The United Nations has already defined a set of basic human rights that all countries should strive to live up to. The fact that not all countries (or maybe vey few countries) are able to live up to them is not a reason to abandon them. That would be childish and like saying "if I can't get a Palace then I don't want a house at all". Of course there are basic human rights and although it is hard it should be the aim of all nations to live up to them. Thailand ha also ratified these basic human rights and also Thailand should live up to thm. I have lived abroad some 20 years now and I know that there ae some issues that have to do with culture and we have to be flexible, but it can also go too far in the other dirrection where we accept everything as "cultural differences". Imagine - "Oh, they are killing foreigners at will now - well, the real question is - why do farangs complain so much!". There is a limit and racism is not right and any reasonable Thai can be brought to understand that. In my experience it is harder to bring the die-hard expatriat to commit to any value or moral at all after having been through the cultural and moral flexibility school-of-life for a sufficient number of years abroad.

Well said. I've been an expat for more than half my life in various lands and cultures.

It's not even the one Europe we were promised.

Would you believe I can't get pies, baked beans or Cheshire cheese in Germany without paying through the nose?