What Is The General Overseas Reputation/stereotypes Of Thailand?

[Q_Q_Dude]

When you mention Thailand overseas (outside of LOS) and the person is well educated enough to not confuse you saying Thailand with Taiwan, what would probably come to their mind (assume that they've never been to Thailand but know about Thailand)?

I did some research on this for my ethnography paper and here's my list of what some fairly educated people living in the USA/its territories usually think of when Thailand is mentioned and they already know about Thailand:

1. Thai food/Thai restaurants owned in the USA by overseas Thais

2. Tropical weather and landscape/prostitution/katoeys

3. Cheap overseas beach resort vacation

4. Messy third-world government/politics

5. The Royal Family

6. Buddhism & Thai language

7. Large numbers of tourists/"expats" landing into Bangkok to enter the Kingdom of Thailand

8. Thai embassies, consulates, and communities in the USA

I will cover each listed topic in my essay. There isn't a large Thai community in America and your average American's greatest contact with Thai culture will be eating at a Thai restaurant, topic number 1. But there are many more stereotypes of Thailand for those who choose to learn. In my ethnography I'm going to research and critically analyze the validity of every single stereotype. Is there any other general stereotype about Thailand from the overseas world outside of LOS that I've missed?

Edited May 22, 2008 by Q_Q_Dude

[britmaveric]

Pedophilia magnet!

[Jingthing]

Specifically about the food: hot and spicy

hel_l hole prisons (from western movies about this)

Drugs, poppy from the Golden Triangle, Thai stick ganja and I don't mean noodles

gay paradise (real gays, not katoeys)

Bangkok traffic jams

Tsunami

Not just prostitution, but "cheap" prostitution and exceptionally skilled prostitution

Edited May 22, 2008 by Jingthing

[Pepe']

Specifically about the food: hot and spicy

hel_l hole prisons (from western movies about this)

Drugs, poppy from the Golden Triangle, Thai stick ganja and I don't mean noodles

gay paradise (real gays, not katoeys)

Bangkok traffic jams

Tsunami

Not just prostitution, but "cheap" prostitution and exceptionally skilled prostitution

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Thanks, you saved me some typing.

Great minds think alike...

[cophen]

There isn't a large Thai community in America and your average American's greatest contact with Thai culture will be eating at a Thai restaurant, topic number 1.

The Thai community in LA is the largest gathering of Thais outside of Thailand.

[enyaw]

Agriculture.

[Prakanong]

In Singapore and many other parts of Asia

Women - the shopping

Men - the sex industry

Both - stupid western men marrying girls half their age with half their economic wealth but about the same level of education

[Pepe']

There isn't a large Thai community in America and your average American's greatest contact with Thai culture will be eating at a Thai restaurant, topic number 1.

The Thai community in LA is the largest gathering of Thais outside of Thailand.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Sonkran Day in LA was a total blast

Muay Thai, clasical dancing and the fooooood!

Also many sweet Thai girls on the prowl.

It was a great day.

Still is...

[PeaceBlondie]

Since this is about Western impressions, beginning with the USA, I checked. In 2002, the top 20 countries of origin of immigrants (out of a total of more than a million registered immigrants, Thais do not appear in the top twenty. Surely, Los Angeles is the exception. I ate at a hamburger place in Houston, and lived in the 99% Asian neighborhood there for years, without realizing the staff there was Thai. I only went to a Thai restaurant in Texas after I had been a tourist here.

As a gay man, I never heard of Thailand until a friend invited me to go. I came, I saw, and was conquered. The only person at the old office who had ever been here, did so on R&R during the Vietnam war. I had Vietnamese partners, Mexicans, Chinese, even a Malay, but no Thais. Most Americans, even well-educated ones, do not seem aware of Thailand. Even the sex addicts never mentioned it. Fortunately, this place is not the center of the universe.

[donna]

its unfortunate that whenever many men say they are going to thailand, that people get a funny little smirk on their face which says 'haha...i know why youre going there' implying that its for the hooker bars.

for many it is true. but for many it is not.

whenever a woman says shes going to thailand, bridget jones always comes to mind, and it is assumed that she is seeking some kind of inner peace trip.

the above assumptions may not be entirely true, but according to me, and many people i have asked during my time in the travel industry, that is what many people think.

[initiala4]

Well I did get the part where people think Thailand is Taiwan or the Thai language is Thailanese. How about this one....."Does Thailand accept god?"

[Ulysses G.]

its unfortunate that whenever many men say they are going to thailand, that people get a funny little smirk on their face which says 'haha...i know why youre going there' implying that its for the hooker bars.

for many it is true. but for many it is not.

It is usually true. Don't feel sorry for us!

[naka]

its unfortunate that whenever many men say they are going to thailand, that people get a funny little smirk on their face which says 'haha...i know why youre going there' implying that its for the hooker bars.

for many it is true. but for many it is not.

It is usually true. Don't feel sorry for us!

Yes, and even if I don't partake, it's a lot better than sitting with my old

mates back in farangland, endlessly complaining about the weather, their pensions, the

price of a drink and the rowdy football fans at the other end of the bar.

Naka.

Edited May 23, 2008 by naka

[thaihome]

Agriculture.

That’s actually pretty funny. Most people don’t realize it, but mostly likely the hard drive in their computer is assembled in Thailand.

TH

[on-on]

Most Americans, even well-educated ones, do not seem aware of Thailand. Even the sex addicts never mentioned it. Fortunately, this place is not the center of the universe.

Yeah, I find this to be very true. When I'm back in Houston, even when I was living over in DC briefly, people just don't know anything about Thailand. I think the explosion of Thai food has really brought a lot of new interest, but still I run into people with some regularity that think I live in "Thaiwan."

[realmadrid25]

transsexual prostitutes and child sex slaves.

[mmushr00m]

Unfortunately from most males its..

Thailand eh? I hear the girls are nice *wink wink nudge nudge*

and..

So you're living there eh *wink wink nudge nudge sexpat*

Also Muay Thai.

from females its ...elephants, shopping and beaches.

Edited May 23, 2008 by mmushr00m

[Doza]

Tropical islands and beaches

Thai Food

Bangkok "Hilton" and drug smuggling

Ladyboys

Sex for sale and the men that come here for young girls and boys

[Shotime]

"Tropical weather and landscape/prostitution/katoeys."

Why would you put these two together under one topic. If they are somehow related, then include golf and massages. BTW, as far as the pedophile magnet remark, the OP wasn't asking about the Catholic Church.

[Jingthing]

Oh, did anyone mention GOLF, from the famous quote:

"Thailand has two comparative advantages -- sex and golf courses."

[Scott]

Your paper sounds interesting. I am always a little amazed at the perceptions that people in the States have of Thailand. The year prior to the coup, when I was back, basically nearly everyone had a neutral to positive attitude toward the country. Several years before that it was more 'negative' or at least people seemed know more about the sex trade etc. (Keep in mind that some of these folks didn't seem to see that as a negative). After the coup the comments or questions seemed to be a little more on the negative side and centered on politics.

One think I have noticed is that there is less and less talking about the sex industry over the years. A long time ago, that's what everyone seemed to associate with Thailand (and drugs).

[Galong]

"Prostitutes!" Oh my!! Are you sure?

I thought one of the MPs said a while back that there weren't any prostitutes in Thailand. That should have settled it.

[Eman]

When you mention Thailand overseas (outside of LOS) and the person is well educated enough to not confuse you saying Thailand with Taiwan, what would probably come to their mind (assume that they've never been to Thailand but know about Thailand)?

I did some research on this for my ethnography paper and here's my list of what some fairly educated people living in the USA/its territories usually think of when Thailand is mentioned

Just for the sake of completeness... How about a list of what some fairly educated people living in Thailand usually think of when the United States is mentioned.

[Briggsy]

The OP must either be a staunch Thai nationalist or totally missing the point in his/her studies because in my country, the UK, you cannot mention Thailand without somebody bringing up mail order brides (prostitution), sex tourism (prostitution), ping pong balls (prostitution) or AIDS (prostitution).

Oops sorry, prostitution was there, hidden in with tropical weather???????????

Edited May 23, 2008 by Briggsy

[jumnien]

I think the stereotypes I've come across revolve around rice fields, monks and water buffaloes. I think the image of prostitution is much more prevalent among the British. For Americans, we have TiaJuana just south of the border. Nothing special here...

[Pepe']

Hi.

My name is pepe', I am a sex addict.

I love Thailand because it's loaded with cheap beautiful young women.

When I'm not in Thailand, land that I love I'm in TJ 30 minutes from my home, same deal.

When I'm not in TJ I'm knockin' 'em down like bowling pins herein SD.

I'm formerly from Texas "Land of Steers and Queers."

No offence PB just goofing around.

That is why I'm here...

[jstumbo]

Most people in the US do not think anything about Thailand. Most could not tell you where it was and anything about it. People in the US have many other places they could go for beaches and sun that are much closer for vacation. Even with as many Americans that are here, it just is not popular in the US. Mexico, Hawaii and the Caribbean are all much more popular.

[Thai at Heart]

"Tropical weather and landscape/prostitution/katoeys."

Why would you put these two together under one topic. If they are somehow related, then include golf and massages. BTW, as far as the pedophile magnet remark, the OP wasn't asking about the Catholic Church.

Classic

[Pepe']

"Tropical weather and landscape/prostitution/katoeys."

Why would you put these two together under one topic. If they are somehow related, then include golf and massages. BTW, as far as the pedophile magnet remark, the OP wasn't asking about the Catholic Church.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

I'm glad I'm a recovering Catholic or that remark would offend me...

[donmac]

Have not asked everyone yet so i don't know what the general opinion is.

Don't care what people's preconceptions are that's there problem.

oh the stereotypes there must be more to life: Blur

Edited May 23, 2008 by donmac