Thai Attitudes Towards Burmese

[GeneralAungSan]

I just wanted some thoughts from Farang about this issue.

Generally speaking, Burmese, Karen and other minorities from Myanmar are treated pretty poorly in this country, to say the least. At many hostels I've visited Burmese 'labourers' work more than 10 hours a day, for as little as a few thousand baht per month. Most employers don't sponsor them, and so if they leave the premises they can be arrested and sent back to Myanmar, as they have no passport.

I realise they are a cheap and exploitable source of labour, but what I don't understand is the Thai attitudes towards them. On many seperate occassions both educated and non-educated Thais have expressed their outright hatred of them. At work - an internationally outward looking company - my boss and co-workers have said some pretty strange things about Burmese people. I went for an interview at a University and the Vice-President told me not to associate with 'those' people, not realising my own research interests in the country.

Someone posted in this forum several months ago on this issue, and a farang said that many Burmese families are indoctrinated in the same way to hate Thais. I have lived in Myanmar for many years, and that is complete and utter rubbish.

Yes, the Burmese sacked Ayutthaya - but, come on, that was over 200 years ago! There has to be more to it to this than sour grapes, right?

[anthonyu]

The Arabs and the Jews have been going at each other for how long now? Don't think time will heal old scars here.

[sunreader]

Everyone needs a whipping boy...preferably one that won't strike back or is already down on their luck...

I don't think its anything personal...

God do the poor Burmese people need a strong civilian to lead an uprising, a lot of things would change, I understand its a beautiful country that could make so much from tourism if it got its act together.

Unfortunately these things don't happen overnight.

[petitechevre]

I see about 30 different burmese a day

Theres maybe 1 or 2 of them that doesnt act like a complete assholish tuktuk driver..

I have yet to see a male burmese not mad dogging anyone walking by them.

same same with tuk tuk drivers.

And let's not talk about their hygiene...

not bathing for weeks, throwing all their shit garbage in people's yard instead of throwing it in their house built in a garbage container.

[GeneralAungSan]

I see about 30 different burmese a day

Theres maybe 1 or 2 of them that doesnt act like a complete assholish tuktuk driver..

I have yet to see a male burmese not mad dogging anyone walking by them.

same same with tuk tuk drivers.

And let's not talk about their hygiene...

not bathing for weeks, throwing all their shit garbage in people's yard instead of throwing it in their house built in a garbage container.

This is exactly the kind of attitude I am talking about. Very ill-informed, and full of lies and prejudice.

The tuk tuk drivers you are talking about are not Burmese, because that is one of the many, many jobs that Burmese people are not permitted to do in this country.

[Naam]

Theres maybe 1 or 2 of them that doesnt act like a complete assholish tuktuk driver. I have yet to see a male burmese not mad dogging anyone walking by them.

the contractor and a bunch of his subcontractors who built our home used burmese and thai workmen. i could not detect any difference in behaviour except that most the Burmese did a much better job. forum rules (no insults ad hominem) do not allow me to call you an àsshole but i take the liberty to call your comments (using your word creation) "àssholish" generated by a biased and twisted mind

[kmart]

Thailand's immediate neighbors don't seem to be very well liked at all by Thais, do they?

Big charade to deflect blame and hostility over the borders, and not inward, imo. The generals and top politicos of all these nations do some very interesting business together.

Any time that budget funding for the military is on the wane, a few little border skirmishes are arranged from the golf course. eg.

[PhilHarries]

The Arabs and the Jews have been going at each other for how long now? Don't think time will heal old scars here.

Ethnic tensions in the Balkans have been festering a good bit longer than that (a figure of around 900 years lingers in my mind but I'm too lazy to google it). But yes time is not always a good healer, it depends on education and a national push for reconcilliation.

But anyway back to topic. Could it be because the Thais see the Burmese as cheap immigrants stealing work from the Thais? A bit like how the British saw the Indians and Pakistanis back in the '60's. The fact that they are doing work that no Thai would lower themselves to do is neither here nor there.

I don't think the sacking of Ayutthaya has anything to do with it otherwise they'd be welcomed with open arms down south.

How are the Cambodians that are in Thailand working illegally treated by comparison?

[Naam]

petite chèvre = nomen est omen!

[wintermute]

It was really just a twist of fate (and a military coup) that made Burma the sh*thole it is today. It should in all respects be the most successful country in SE Asia. It had the resources, the infrastructure, as well as the educated populace. That all falls apart when you are ruled by a military junta who doesn't care for the people's welfare though. If you look at history Burma has always outpaced Thailand be a decent clip when it comes to civilization. Not to mention it dealt some of the more serious ass kickings to Thailand.

Edited September 8, 2008 by wintermute

[toptuan]

I deal with hundreds of ("enlightened") university students weekly. They have utter contempt for ALL their close neighbors: Vietnamese, Cambodians, Lao, Malaysians and Burmese. Most of them cannot utter one single word in their neighbors' languages (except for many Isaanites who've inherited Lao).

They are a product of their skewed history classes/texts, parents' prejudices, and the Thai media--especially TV & movies.

In a similar vein, but from the other side of the coin, I went to a Cambodian movie at a new cinema in Phnom Penh a couple years ago. Can't speak Khmer, but it was definitely an action movie intertwined with a lot of Khmer legend and myth. At the end, my Cambodia friend turned to me and asked if I could figure out the theme of the movie, which I couldn't. His reply: "Don't trust a Thai!"

If things ever erupt (worse) in SE Asia between its neighbors, the media artists and pseudo-historians will have blood on their hands.

Edited September 8, 2008 by toptuan

[wintermute]

I deal with hundreds of ("enlightened") university students weekly. They have utter contempt for ALL their close neighbors: Vietnamese, Cambodians, Lao, Malaysians and Burmese. Most of them cannot utter one single word in their neighbors' languages (except for many Isaanites who've inherited Lao).

Thais generally don't have much to say about Vietnamese people. I think it's because they know if they messed with Vietnam they'd get their butts kicked pretty hard.

[12DrinkMore]

I have a lot of respect for the Burmese population, with the exception of the generals.

They suffer a lot, but are very resilient still and maintain a proud sense of self worth. I can see them working everyday on the building sites. They start work early and put in a fulls days' work, I have never seen them sloping off for a sleep in the corner. They are also reliable, perform work to a higher standard than the Thais and seem to be honest.

On the other hand the Thais come across as being arrogant, careless and disrespectful, referring to the Burmese as "dirty" and "dishonest", but I have never heard them call the Burmese lazy.

I would much prefer to work with the Burmese than the Thais.

Their country has a massive potential, but unless the junta is removed, the potential will never be realised.

[toptuan]

I have a lot of respect for the Burmese population....Their country has a massive potential, but unless the junta is removed, the potential will never be realised.

To get a feel for the wonderful potential of Burmese, it's quite interesting to read about the activities of Adoniram Judson in the early 19th century: creation of dictionaries, publishing houses, many schools established, etc. Yangoon University has a building on its grounds dedicated to this historical figure, and his written works are still in use today in Burma.

At that time, Burma was on the fast track to general enlightenment and modernization, a bit like Thailand under Rama V.

Where it went off the track, I don't know, but certainly the potential is there.

[sassienie]

It`s not to do with racism but classism if there’s such a word.

The better off view these people as bleeding their resources, polluters of the urban landscape and a threat to their security, who take no positive part within Thai society.

The level of respect given to individuals is determined by their status and wealth that mostly prevails over race and character, but of course there are still fanatical racists out there.

It`s the same attitudes towards the underdog the world over, sadly a fact of life.

Edited September 8, 2008 by sassienie

[Naam]

To get a feel for the wonderful potential of Burmese, it's quite interesting to read about the activities of Adoniram Judson in the early 19th century: creation of dictionaries, publishing houses, many schools established, etc. Yangoon University has a building on its grounds dedicated to this historical figure, and his written works are still in use today in Burma.

that's common knowledge that each and every thai citizen possesses because it is taught in primary school

[TAWP]

One of the more disturbing things a thai in my extended family told me was that one cannot go close to a Burmese [if having kids] because they have some [mysterious] disease that can kill kids. And it was just a 'fact' that they all had it...

[Maigo6]

I see about 30 different burmese a day

Theres maybe 1 or 2 of them that doesnt act like a complete assholish tuktuk driver..

I have yet to see a male burmese not mad dogging anyone walking by them.

same same with tuk tuk drivers.

And let's not talk about their hygiene...

not bathing for weeks, throwing all their shit garbage in people's yard instead of throwing it in their house built in a garbage container.

LOL....

Yet another funny but utterly useless post from petitechevre.

Useless, but still amusing, keep them coming!