How To Deal With Extreme Attitudes

[Huey]

another recent example...

i was asked to fill out a consumer research questionnaire at siam bts. it was about a chain of hotels. i passed all the 'screener' criteria - i.e. had been in thailand a certain amount of time, like shopping, have a combined income above a certain amount, and stay at hotels everytime i holiday in thailand.

right, so a couple of weeks later and a guy from the cr company phones and confirms that my details were correct. he says that i have won a prize, which is a holiday in one of their resort hotels in phuket. great. i need to come to the hotel in silom tomorrow and do a product testing session, and i can claim my prize. great. i said yes.

one final question - 'is your wife thai?' 'no'. 'what nationality is she?' i said 'burmese'. the tone changes. 'ok, i will email you later and give you details about where to claim your prize over the weekend' no email. nothing.

Now that HAS to be a sign of true Thai racism.

Seriously, some Thais do not like Burmese, some Brits are looking down on Thais, some Europeans are looking down on Americans, some westerners are looking down on Asians.

Racism is everywhere, from Bangkok to Ohio via Venice and Hanoi.

Hint, just take a look at this board, the amount of thai bashing here among expats can be pretty scary sometimes.

Oh and by the way, they were just screening you for Time Share, They figured that you did not qualify as a potential buyer so they never called you in for your "Prize" and your 4 hour Timeshare pitch. Less to do with your burmese wife than statistics of buyers. You never see indians win those trips either, they never even get asked on the street for the survey.

[loong]

Only normal because of bad experiences. Wow, interesting. Which ones don't you like then?

Its a simple learning process. If every time you encountered a certain breed of dog you either got bitten, growled at, barked at or drooled on you would eventually form a learned response that its best staying away from that type of dog. You might even advise friends to do the same. If however after some time you came across a few instances of that particular dog that didn't do these things you might realize that it wasn't the dog breed but the individual dogs and maybe they are actually generally ok.

People aren't dogs but the process works the same.

Its like another post said about Pakistanis and Indians not wanting to pay for things. I have a couple of friends in the UK who say the exact same thing. They now avoid dealing with them were possible. They have learnt a character trait of the Pakistani race and reacted to it. It's only natural. Is it racism? Maybe. When it comes to money exchanges with Pakistanis they are totally biased against them.

I don't think it means that you should treat those you dislike as dogs, as some say the Thais do with Burmese.

I think the fact that the first analogy in your thought process was to compare the object of your disdain, Pakistanis, with dogs really speaks for itself.

Look I don't particularly like israelis, Mostly because I don't like Judaism as a religion and I don't like the political stranglehold israel has on my Govt. USA.

However, individuals don't get judged on what their book or govt says and I enjoy the company of a Isreali friend on a regular basis.

Try not to Hate, Dislike if you must, but then try to keep in on a political or religious level. Nobody said you have to agree with a man's polotics or religion. But you can still befriend someone who is decent and respectful no matter where they are from or what their religous choices are.

I guess that this thread will be closed soon.

Huey, you are guilty of PC overkill in common with many Americans and Europeans. You have seized on a word (Dogs), and tried to twist it out of context.

Rich wrote the analogy about dogs and then stated that people are not dogs. End of paragraph.

New paragraph, new subject..

Referring to my post about Pakistanis and Indians being bad customers. Nowhere did he make any connection with dogs and Pakistanis. That was your connection, not his.

To the OP, unfortunately, there is little that can be done about the Thais attitude towards the Burmese. All you can do is demand the respect that a paying customer deserves. If that respect is not forthcoming, take your business elsewhere and tell the boss why. I don't see that it will have any effect on Thais racist attitudes to the Burmese Lao or Cambodian people (even Farang, when you think about it) though.

Edited April 2, 2009 by loong

[myauq]

To the OP, unfortunately, there is little that can be done about the Thais attitude towards the Burmese. All you can do is demand the respect that a paying customer deserves. If that respect is not forthcoming, take your business elsewhere and tell the boss why. I don't see that it will have any effect on Thais racist attitudes to the Burmese Lao or Cambodian people (even Farang, when you think about it) though.

hey, i think that's true. it's a matter of leaving the one's who make the nasty comments behind, and make an effort to reward those who are nice and friendly, reinforcing their positive attitudes and openmindedness. i find that that's the way to change your own attitudes, as if you keep focusing on the negative experiences you'll just get depressed. our philosophy is to make sure that the nice and friendly people we meet know that we appreciate their friendliness .

the other thing i've discovered is that if you don't know the people, and are perhaps concerned that they might be complete biggots, then it's better to speak absolutely no thai whatsoever. it seems that if we just speak english, or even burmese or another common language, they will think my gf is chinese and i can speak chinese (though sometimes korean or japanese). either way, it's a change in attitude.

[sassienie]

Only normal because of bad experiences. Wow, interesting. Which ones don't you like then?

Its a simple learning process. If every time you encountered a certain breed of dog you either got bitten, growled at, barked at or drooled on you would eventually form a learned response that its best staying away from that type of dog. You might even advise friends to do the same. If however after some time you came across a few instances of that particular dog that didn't do these things you might realize that it wasn't the dog breed but the individual dogs and maybe they are actually generally ok.

People aren't dogs but the process works the same.

Its like another post said about Pakistanis and Indians not wanting to pay for things. I have a couple of friends in the UK who say the exact same thing. They now avoid dealing with them were possible. They have learnt a character trait of the Pakistani race and reacted to it. It's only natural. Is it racism? Maybe. When it comes to money exchanges with Pakistanis they are totally biased against them.

I don't think it means that you should treat those you dislike as dogs, as some say the Thais do with Burmese.

I think the fact that the first analogy in your thought process was to compare the object of your disdain, Pakistanis, with dogs really speaks for itself.

Look I don't particularly like israelis, Mostly because I don't like Judaism as a religion and I don't like the political stranglehold israel has on my Govt. USA.

However, individuals don't get judged on what their book or govt says and I enjoy the company of a Isreali friend on a regular basis.

Try not to Hate, Dislike if you must, but then try to keep in on a political or religious level. Nobody said you have to agree with a man's polotics or religion. But you can still befriend someone who is decent and respectful no matter where they are from or what their religous choices are.

This is the most hypercritical statement I’ve ever heard.

You say that this Israeli is your friend, so have you told him/her that you dislike his/her religion, his/her country, his/her politics and basically everything your so called friend stands for.

So what you’re really saying is, give the semblance that you are someone’s friend, but discretely one does not have to like them.

And here`s you giving advice on how to be on good relationship status with people of different persuasions.

Sorry pal, but you’re not qualified for the job.

And this is my point about why we cannot equate Thai prejudices with the extremes of Western racism, because we all carry the seeds of tribal racism within us like a disease, which can erupt at anytime.

Discrete prejudices can often be more dangerous than openness; because by laying our cards on the table, at least one knows what enemy he is up against.

Edited April 2, 2009 by sassienie

[Huey]

Only normal because of bad experiences. Wow, interesting. Which ones don't you like then?

Its a simple learning process. If every time you encountered a certain breed of dog you either got bitten, growled at, barked at or drooled on you would eventually form a learned response that its best staying away from that type of dog. You might even advise friends to do the same. If however after some time you came across a few instances of that particular dog that didn't do these things you might realize that it wasn't the dog breed but the individual dogs and maybe they are actually generally ok.

People aren't dogs but the process works the same.

Its like another post said about Pakistanis and Indians not wanting to pay for things. I have a couple of friends in the UK who say the exact same thing. They now avoid dealing with them were possible. They have learnt a character trait of the Pakistani race and reacted to it. It's only natural. Is it racism? Maybe. When it comes to money exchanges with Pakistanis they are totally biased against them.

I don't think it means that you should treat those you dislike as dogs, as some say the Thais do with Burmese.

I think the fact that the first analogy in your thought process was to compare the object of your disdain, Pakistanis, with dogs really speaks for itself.

Look I don't particularly like israelis, Mostly because I don't like Judaism as a religion and I don't like the political stranglehold israel has on my Govt. USA.

However, individuals don't get judged on what their book or govt says and I enjoy the company of a Isreali friend on a regular basis.

Try not to Hate, Dislike if you must, but then try to keep in on a political or religious level. Nobody said you have to agree with a man's polotics or religion. But you can still befriend someone who is decent and respectful no matter where they are from or what their religous choices are.

This is the most hypercritical statement I've ever heard.

You say that this Israeli is your friend, so have you told him/her that you dislike his/her religion, his/her country, his/her politics and basically everything your so called friend stands for.

So what you're really saying is, give the semblance that you are someone's friend, but discretely one does not have to like them.

And here`s you giving advice on how to be on good relationship status with people of different persuasions.

Sorry pal, but you're not qualified for the job.

And this is my point about why we cannot equate Thai prejudices with the extremes of Western racism, because we all carry the seeds of tribal racism within us like a disease, which can erupt at anytime.

Discrete prejudices can often be more dangerous than openness; because by laying our cards on the table, at least one knows what enemy he is up against.

Firstly if all you are is just a sum of your passport, religious book, and political favorites than your pretty damm shallow. Secondly, YES we did have this conversation, and while we agree on some things and disagree on others, its not big enough to stop us from hanging out and having a good time.

Sounds like I touched a nerve with you when I said I wasn't a big fan of isreal

[sassienie]

Only normal because of bad experiences. Wow, interesting. Which ones don't you like then?

Its a simple learning process. If every time you encountered a certain breed of dog you either got bitten, growled at, barked at or drooled on you would eventually form a learned response that its best staying away from that type of dog. You might even advise friends to do the same. If however after some time you came across a few instances of that particular dog that didn't do these things you might realize that it wasn't the dog breed but the individual dogs and maybe they are actually generally ok.

People aren't dogs but the process works the same.

Its like another post said about Pakistanis and Indians not wanting to pay for things. I have a couple of friends in the UK who say the exact same thing. They now avoid dealing with them were possible. They have learnt a character trait of the Pakistani race and reacted to it. It's only natural. Is it racism? Maybe. When it comes to money exchanges with Pakistanis they are totally biased against them.

I don't think it means that you should treat those you dislike as dogs, as some say the Thais do with Burmese.

I think the fact that the first analogy in your thought process was to compare the object of your disdain, Pakistanis, with dogs really speaks for itself.

Look I don't particularly like israelis, Mostly because I don't like Judaism as a religion and I don't like the political stranglehold israel has on my Govt. USA.

However, individuals don't get judged on what their book or govt says and I enjoy the company of a Isreali friend on a regular basis.

Try not to Hate, Dislike if you must, but then try to keep in on a political or religious level. Nobody said you have to agree with a man's polotics or religion. But you can still befriend someone who is decent and respectful no matter where they are from or what their religous choices are.

This is the most hypercritical statement I've ever heard.

You say that this Israeli is your friend, so have you told him/her that you dislike his/her religion, his/her country, his/her politics and basically everything your so called friend stands for.

So what you're really saying is, give the semblance that you are someone's friend, but discretely one does not have to like them.

And here`s you giving advice on how to be on good relationship status with people of different persuasions.

Sorry pal, but you're not qualified for the job.

And this is my point about why we cannot equate Thai prejudices with the extremes of Western racism, because we all carry the seeds of tribal racism within us like a disease, which can erupt at anytime.

Discrete prejudices can often be more dangerous than openness; because by laying our cards on the table, at least one knows what enemy he is up against.

Firstly if all you are is just a sum of your passport, religious book, and political favorites than your pretty damm shallow. Secondly, YES we did have this conversation, and while we agree on some things and disagree on others, its not big enough to stop us from hanging out and having a good time.

Sounds like I touched a nerve with you when I said I wasn't a big fan of isreal

I am not a fan of Israel, nor that of the, we are fighting for all that is good and justice the American way people.

Behind the scenes Israel is just another state of the USA and I don`t see any difference between the 2 countries, except for their geological location.

Of course Israel could not exist without American financial backing, but it’s no use complaining because that’s the American way. This was true in both world wars. Us Brits were your cannon fodder at the beginning. We sacrificed our lives while Americans sat back, justifying their brave role in the wars by throwing money into it.

America has the worst record of human rights abuse in history. During the 18th and 19th century, 1 in 9 Americans were slaves, that’s not taking into consideration all the atrocities they committed against the native population of Indians and the horrors they perpetrated in Vietnam, all in the name of the American ideal. Apartheid was rampant in the States during the early to mid 20th century and still is in some American states.

And these are the people who claim that America is the land of justice and land of the free.

Now you know my feelings about America and its buffer state Israel, would you be comfortable socialising with someone like me?

Edited April 3, 2009 by sassienie

[Huey]

my feelings about America and its buffer state Israel, would you be comfortable socializing with someone like me?

Not only would I be comfortable socializing with you, but I would honestly LIKE too. I agree with everything you said except for one thing. I think it's isreal that is using America not America using isreal. As for the atrocities you mentioned, hel_l you don't have too tell me, I'm Black, I know first hand about allot of the drama you mentioned and 2nd hand stories of what it was like to be a slave.

As far as WWII, You spit in the face of our soldiers to say that all we did was through money at it you lost your mind. America lost roughly 418,000 service members in WWII to England's 318,000. Their Total Casualties related to civilian deaths are about 60K higher however because Hitler brought the war too England, as America brought it to Germany and the Axis powers. So don't be a dick to the soldiers that died and say some ignorant shit like that.

Where we would really have a good conversation about America would come in our Swift ability for social change (for the better) when compared to any other nation in history. Yes we dipped VERY low, but we come up quicker and stronger than any other in history.

Edited April 4, 2009 by Huey

[MiG16]

We seem to be stuck here in a revolving door

the question was not: ""are some/any/most Thais prejudiced?, nor was it "which nationality is the most biased?"etc etc

The OP has described a problem and asked for suggestions on dealing with it.

I've offered mine already.

Anyone else?

Because if not I think this thread has run its course...

I concur with Sheryl

seems the discussions got more extreme with each post

Im now closing this thread