Thais Touching Your Kids

[Neeranam]

Here's the situation - my elder daughter(7) is walking out from her new school with me when a Thai man(parent) comes over and touches her arm saying, "look kreung, suey" or "beautiful half-caste".

What would you do or say?

This happens frequently with one or both of my girls - usually in the supermarket. With the 2 year old it's not so bad but as they get older it irritates me. No foreigner has ever done this.

I would imagine that I'd be arrested if I did the same in my country. Does this happen in the West - people touching your daughters?

I'll tell you what I did later.

Would you say/do the same in Tesco Lotus Bangkok and Tesco Birmingham?

Maybe I'm over-protective towards my girls?

Edited April 24, 2009 by Neeranam

[bkkjames]

Here's the situation - my elder daughter(7) is walking out from her new school with me when a Thai man(parent) comes over and touches her arm saying, "look kreung, suey" or "beautiful half-caste".

What would you do or say?

This happens frequently with one or both of my girls - usually in the supermarket. With the 2 year old it's not so bad but as they get older it irritates me. No foreigner has ever done this.

I would imagine that I'd be arrested if I did the same in my country. Does this happen in the West - people touching your daughters?

I'll tell you what I did later.

Would you say/do the same in Tesco Lotus Bangkok and Tesco Birmingham?

I would be more worried if a farang male in Thailand came over and did that.

Tesco Bangkok - I would say sorry don't touch, in Tesco in the UK : I would kick the guy in the stones and tell him the next time he does that I will hurt him...but hey that's just me, I like to give people the benefit of the doubt.

[Huey]

I do the same thing I do when ANY OTHER HUMAN BEING touches my kid. It just depends on the person and the circumstance. WTH dose the person's nationality have to do with it? If they were white or (insert favorite nationality here) would it make a difference????

[Neeranam]

I do the same thing I do when ANY OTHER HUMAN BEING touches my kid. It just depends on the person and the circumstance. WTH dose the person's nationality have to do with it? If they were white or (insert favorite nationality here) would it make a difference????

I agree.

So what would you do?

[bojo]

Here's the situation - my elder daughter(7) is walking out from her new school with me when a Thai man(parent) comes over and touches her arm saying, "look kreung, suey" or "beautiful half-caste".

What would you do or say?

This happens frequently with one or both of my girls - usually in the supermarket. With the 2 year old it's not so bad but as they get older it irritates me. No foreigner has ever done this.

I would imagine that I'd be arrested if I did the same in my country. Does this happen in the West - people touching your daughters?

I'll tell you what I did later.

Would you say/do the same in Tesco Lotus Bangkok and Tesco Birmingham?

Maybe I'm over-protective towards my girls?

No it doesn't happen in the West, most would be too worried about getting arrested as a nonse.

As I'm sure you are aware, Thai's are obsessed with beauty.

When approached and your daughter's arm is touched, it's nothing uncommon or untoward, just answer with a courteous 'thank you' and casually move on. That's what I do !

regards Bojo

[DP25]

I don't know. Option 3, or 5-9. Totally unacceptable for strange men to touch a girl they don't know unless she is in danger. Not being overprotective.

[aussiejosh]

Smack em in the eye lol. Not hard, enough to shock.

[cymruambyth1]

I do the same thing I do when ANY OTHER HUMAN BEING touches my kid. It just depends on the person and the circumstance. WTH dose the person's nationality have to do with it? If they were white or (insert favorite nationality here) would it make a difference????

Seems a tad harsh on the grandparents!

[sbk]

I do the same thing I do when ANY OTHER HUMAN BEING touches my kid. It just depends on the person and the circumstance. WTH dose the person's nationality have to do with it? If they were white or (insert favorite nationality here) would it make a difference????

I agree.

So what would you do?

so why make a poll and ask people's opinions about how they feel if you already have your mind made up?

[Dont Panic]

My two daughters are younger and wherever we go they will get a lot of attention. What annoys me is that it is only because of their skin colour……this is racism and I hate it. How will they be treated at school when they’re older? I’m guessing if they go to Thai school, they will be treated quite differently from the other Thai kids – and I’m guessing the extra attention will lead to jealousy from the other kids.

Back to the topic I find it hard not to be annoyed when someone steps in front of me when I’m carrying my baby and asks if they can ‘um noi’.

I just ignore and walk off.

I would feel like a t_at if I did that to a Thai mum or dad and their kid

[bkkjames]

I do the same thing I do when ANY OTHER HUMAN BEING touches my kid. It just depends on the person and the circumstance. WTH dose the person's nationality have to do with it? If they were white or (insert favorite nationality here) would it make a difference????

I agree.

So what would you do?

so why make a poll and ask people's opinions about how they feel if you already have your mind made up?

consider the source SBK

[dave111223]

If it's different people each time you can hardly go around punching or yelling at people every day outside the school.

If there is a repeat offender then it's probably time to have a word.

[rixalex]

My two daughters are younger and wherever we go they will get a lot of attention. What annoys me is that it is only because of their skin colour……this is racism and I hate it.

That's racism is it?

Seems like people just think your daughters are cute. You should be proud not pissed off.

[bkkjames]

I do the same thing I do when ANY OTHER HUMAN BEING touches my kid. It just depends on the person and the circumstance. WTH dose the person's nationality have to do with it? If they were white or (insert favorite nationality here) would it make a difference????

I agree.

So what would you do?

so why make a poll and ask people's opinions about how they feel if you already have your mind made up?

Excuse me?

I haven't made up my mind.

I haven't stated what I did OR what I'd do.

I'm seeking advice on an important matter to me of which I don't know the right thing to do - hence the poll.

Please keep on topic or don't bother posting at all

brave man there neer - taking on the owner like that.

anyways, you said you were gonna tell us what you did.... can you provide us with an approximate time that this may happen so I can set my alarm?

[Svenn]

This happens frequently with one or both of my girls - usually in the supermarket. With the 2 year old it's not so bad but as they get older it irritates me. No foreigner has ever done this.

Maybe I'm over-protective towards my girls?

No you're not being over-protective and yes most farangs know not to do this. Asian culture is awful and primitive when it comes to treatment of women and girls, even in a supposedly 'advanced' place like here in Japan. 10 years ago rape was barely prosecuted here, I can't imagine what the law is in Thailand. Thai men touching younger girls is not a harmless cultural ethos, as it say in perhaps Latin countries, it's the first direct step towards something much more awful and serious. Nearly every farang (obviously exceptions) knows not to even so much as look at prebusecent girls, FOR THE VERY reason that they don't want to alarm the parents. My Thai gf had some absolutely terrible things happen to her when she was a child, do not by any means take this lightly. You can be firm and aggressive without being too offensive to the thai man- just say a firm loud "sorry" to him and then tell your daughter to come to you now. It won't embarrasss him if he was just an innocent admirer but he knows you're serious.

Edited April 24, 2009 by Svenn

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I most certainly don't get upset.

I live in Thailand, where -thank god- common human interaction is still allowed.

That said, no situation is alike, and while I appreciate some kinds words meant in a kind way, there are also people that I prefer to keep my daughter away from. And they're not necessarily all Thai either.

[h90]

Here's the situation - my elder daughter(7) is walking out from her new school with me when a Thai man(parent) comes over and touches her arm saying, "look kreung, suey" or "beautiful half-caste".

What would you do or say?

This happens frequently with one or both of my girls - usually in the supermarket. With the 2 year old it's not so bad but as they get older it irritates me. No foreigner has ever done this.

I would imagine that I'd be arrested if I did the same in my country. Does this happen in the West - people touching your daughters?

I'll tell you what I did later.

Would you say/do the same in Tesco Lotus Bangkok and Tesco Birmingham?

Maybe I'm over-protective towards my girls?

My wife (Thai) is touching every farang or half farang kid and tell something nice.

Of course only positive feedback because nobody is thinking anything when a woman is doing that.

So basically you are over protective in 99 % of all cases, but how can you find out which is the 1 % which needs attention???????

[anonymouse]

I most certainly don't get upset.

I live in Thailand, where -thank god- common human interaction is still allowed.

That said, no situation is alike, and while I appreciate some kinds words meant in a kind way, there are also people that I prefer to keep my daughter away from. And they're not necessarily all Thai either.

The voice of reason

Totally agree

I have two half Thai children a boy and a girl they both are singled out [in a nice way] for the colour of there skin.

I don't believe this incident with the Thai man is anything to do with gender but all to do with the Thai's rather shallow infatuation with beauty.

And for the poster who wrote;

'Nearly every farang (obviously exceptions) knows not to even so much as look at prebusecent girls, FOR THE VERY reason that they don't want to alarm the parent'

I find this very sad , to me looking at happy young children is like viewing some breath taking countryside or snorkelling in a coral reef, it's a joy and there is nothing sordid about it.

I'd agree that approaching an unaccompanied child is a completer NO and I teach my kids not to talk to or go anywhere with strangers

[h90]

Here's the situation - my elder daughter(7) is walking out from her new school with me when a Thai man(parent) comes over and touches her arm saying, "look kreung, suey" or "beautiful half-caste".

What would you do or say?

This happens frequently with one or both of my girls - usually in the supermarket. With the 2 year old it's not so bad but as they get older it irritates me. No foreigner has ever done this.

I would imagine that I'd be arrested if I did the same in my country. Does this happen in the West - people touching your daughters?

I'll tell you what I did later.

Would you say/do the same in Tesco Lotus Bangkok and Tesco Birmingham?

Maybe I'm over-protective towards my girls?

No it doesn't happen in the West, most would be too worried about getting arrested as a nonse.

As I'm sure you are aware, Thai's are obsessed with beauty.

When approached and your daughter's arm is touched, it's nothing uncommon or untoward, just answer with a courteous 'thank you' and casually move on. That's what I do !

regards Bojo

Well I saw in Vienna, very small supermarket. A group of 2 or 3 Russians went into it, bought some things. They looked like mafia or bodyguards (tall, muscles, complete black clothes, dark sunglasses). There was a girl 12-14. One Russian bought an APPLE!!!! Put it in her hand, said "for you" and they rushed out of the supermarket again.

From the situation, clearly they thought looking lovely so they gave her an apple.

They didn't tried to communicate and they weren't interested in anything else....

So it happens in Europe. Just we are over afraid of pedophiles.

[TAWP]

Touching the arm is bad? Stroking it or what are we talking about?

[anothertorres]

as a guy, i find everyone elses kids annoying

[loong]

I'm amazed that so many people would actually be violent because somebody touched a girls ARM and said that they thought she was cute.

I think that most people can tell whether it's a creepy thing or not.

Political correctness out of control again.

[rixalex]

I'm amazed that so many people would actually be violent because somebody touched a girls ARM and said that they thought she was cute.

I think that most people can tell whether it's a creepy thing or not.

Political correctness out of control again.

Indeed. These days people look for reasons to get offended.

The world has gone mad.

[chiang mai]

I'm amazed that so many people would actually be violent because somebody touched a girls ARM and said that they thought she was cute.

I think that most people can tell whether it's a creepy thing or not.

Political correctness out of control again.

Indeed. These days people look for reasons to get offended.

The world has gone mad.

Agreed. 'tis a sign of our times.

[mauGR1]

I'm amazed that so many people would actually be violent because somebody touched a girls ARM and said that they thought she was cute.

I think that most people can tell whether it's a creepy thing or not.

Political correctness out of control again.

Indeed. These days people look for reasons to get offended.

The world has gone mad.

It's a relief to hear this comments.Many people in western countries have gone paranoid.Please if you come to Thailand,leave your paranoia at home.

[MidoriApple]

I will give him 2slap..

How dare he touch a 7y/o girl? this age is about to be young lady this soon.

I, myself avoid touching to nobody's kids, tho they are extremely cute..

Well, really afraid of louse on kids' heads..White skin can be dirty also..

[bkkjames]

I will give him 2slap..

How dare he touch a 7y/o girl? this age is about to be young lady this soon.

I, myself avoid touching to nobody's kids, tho they are extremely cute..

Well, really afraid of louse on kids' heads..White skin can be dirty also..

Very true, and especially important for those who work in the field of sausage making, and other fine foods. Do you wear a hairnet?

Edited April 24, 2009 by bkkjames

[fred2007]

My two daughters are younger and wherever we go they will get a lot of attention. What annoys me is that it is only because of their skin colour……this is racism and I hate it.

That's racism is it?

Seems like people just think your daughters are cute. You should be proud not pissed off.

I agree you should be proud having such nice kids and by the way what is wrong with

touching a kid? As long as it is done in the propper manner. I don't have any kids but if some one

touches my kid on the head and tells me you have a nice kid I would be very proud

[LooseCannon]

Here's the situation - my elder daughter(7) is walking out from her new school with me when a Thai man(parent) comes over and touches her arm saying, "look kreung, suey" or "beautiful half-caste".

What would you do or say?

This happens frequently with one or both of my girls - usually in the supermarket. With the 2 year old it's not so bad but as they get older it irritates me. No foreigner has ever done this.

I would imagine that I'd be arrested if I did the same in my country. Does this happen in the West - people touching your daughters?

I'll tell you what I did later.

Would you say/do the same in Tesco Lotus Bangkok and Tesco Birmingham?

Maybe I'm over-protective towards my girls?

Done in a public place, surrouned by hundreds of people, with his child in tow - smile, be polite, thank him, compliment his child, move on.

If you are going to get irritated everytime this happens after a few more years you are going to end up having an extremely sour demeanor everytime you step out your front door with your kids.

Just make sure you keep them close when out in public & accept the compliments in the spirit that they are given.

[PeaceBlondie]

You overly protective Westerners know nothing Thai culture and arrived yesterday - right?