globerunner4 Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 (edited) I can't get any news on Tiger Woods on Thai tv re his late night accident. Of course I can find lots on the net but I want to see how the story unfolds in Thailand. He is the number one most recognized athlete in the world, making more than double the #2 athlete. Why is he not a mega star here in Thailand? What do you think? addendum: ok it's 4 days after the incident and I'm just starting to get snippets on sports programs, not regular news and even then it's a 2nd segment story. Edited November 30, 2009 by Tywais Removed a reference that is against forum rules Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carmine Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 I believe it to be because he has shown no interest in ths place whatsoever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 Well Tiger had his nose bloodied. As far as his status in Thailand there are a lot of factors. I agree the race of his father is one of them. So is the perceived social status of his Thai mother and also the fact that Tiger hasn't really embraced Thailand enthusiastically either. From a purely commercial point of view, considering the massiveness of his personal brand, there isn't a lot to be gained for him to do that anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wintermute Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 I actually think the father's race doesn't have much to do with it and it's more the fact that Tiger Wood's completely disregards his being half thai in the media and the American media has embraced him fully as black. So that's the direction he ran with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilHarries Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 Tiger Woods is as American as Barak Obama, neither care much for Thailand except as it may help them in their own life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 (edited) Right, he's simply not Thai. If he had grown up here and gone to Thai schools, he'd be Thai. I recall reading that he has had bad experiences here and felt dissed (I think more about his mother's background than his father's race). Edited November 30, 2009 by Jingthing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wintermute Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 I recall reading that he has had bad experiences here and felt dissed (I think more about his mother's background than his father's race). That would make some sense. His mom (as charming a woman as i'm sure she is) is pretty dam_n lo-so looking and it's obvious she's from a poor background to marry a U.S. military man especially during the Vietnam era. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TallForeigner Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 Why should one who is not interested in Golf care about a golf player - no matter how rich he is? How many Thais are genuinely interested in Golf? - Yeah, right - not so many. The big majority of Thai look at Golf as a past time for the upper elite - something they don't have access to. There are so few Thai that could identify themselves with a rich golf player. There are so many more that could identify themselves with a top boxer or a top Muay Thai athlete. Personally I also would not call him an athlete - you really don't need much athleticism to play golf. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyh Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 Thailand offered him citizenship and he told them he did not want it so Thai people don't like him for this reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wintermute Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 Why should one who is not interested in Golf care about a golf player - no matter how rich he is? How many Thais are genuinely interested in Golf? - Yeah, right - not so many. The big majority of Thai look at Golf as a past time for the upper elite - something they don't have access to. There are so few Thai that could identify themselves with a rich golf player. There are so many more that could identify themselves with a top boxer or a top Muay Thai athlete.Personally I also would not call him an athlete - you really don't need much athleticism to play golf. It sounds like you chewed on some sour grapes there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkkjames Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 Why should one who is not interested in Golf care about a golf player - no matter how rich he is? How many Thais are genuinely interested in Golf? - Yeah, right - not so many. The big majority of Thai look at Golf as a past time for the upper elite - something they don't have access to. There are so few Thai that could identify themselves with a rich golf player. There are so many more that could identify themselves with a top boxer or a top Muay Thai athlete.Personally I also would not call him an athlete - you really don't need much athleticism to play golf. No need to start a debate about golf athleticism mate. Re Tiger Woods, I read somewhere that his mom advised not to marry a local for various reasons. Good thing I am not Tiger Woods. Would like to find out more about his lil accident at 2:45 am. Where was he heading at that hour, to the driving range? Seems to me he should have been heading to driving school. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wintermute Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 Re Tiger Woods, I read somewhere that his mom advised not to marry a local for various reasons. Good thing I am not Tiger Woods. She could have been talking about American women too and she would have been right about that as well. Tiger did the smart thing and married a scandinavian I believe. Would like to find out more about his lil accident at 2:45 am. Where was he heading at that hour, to the driving range? Seems to me he should have been heading to driving school. If it's not drugs or alcohol then i'm guessing he had a tiff with the wifey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carmine Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 Thailand offered him citizenship and he told them he did not want it so Thai people don't like him for this reason. Thats the nail hit firmly on the head Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huey Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 Yeah, who knows he has his reasons I'm sure. And it's not like he has to tell the world about it anyway. He's American, so long as he treats his momma and daddy right what difference dose it make. LOL I do have to laugh at the Kobe Special LOL he said he had to get a "House on a Finger" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wintermute Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 Thailand offered him citizenship and he told them he did not want it so Thai people don't like him for this reason. What did they expect him to say? Thai officials were blatantly trying to ride his coattails. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeaceBlondie Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 Here, Golf is only a Thai boy's nickname. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toptuan Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 Tiger Woods is as American as Barak Obama, neither care much for Thailand except as it may help them in their own life. Like most expats, huh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonobo Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 Some Thais obviously like him or what they think he can do for them. I don't know if it is still there, but there used to be a billboard in Phuket with a smiling Woods taking up half of it. In the background was an image of an elephant in the jungle, and the text was something to the effect that even Tiger Woods was happy when he was riding one of their elephants, and their elephants were happy to give him a ride. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkkjames Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 Some Thais obviously like him or what they think he can do for them. I don't know if it is still there, but there used to be a billboard in Phuket with a smiling Woods taking up half of it. In the background was an image of an elephant in the jungle, and the text was something to the effect that even Tiger Woods was happy when he was riding one of their elephants, and their elephants were happy to give him a ride. If any of you have the misfortune of watching Thai television, you might stumble across a new ad for Tiger Balm ad featuring a TW look alike. Actually very well done although I am sure Mr. Woods didn't sign off on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mobi Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 I am going to chance my arm here. I hope this post isn't deleted as it is being written in genuine attempt to examine the racial attitudes of Thais, hopefully, in a sensitive and meaningful manner. Ever since Tiger first came to prominence, I immediately noticed the lack of interest or press coverage over a person who is half Thai. Even amongst Thais who are aware that he is one of the greatest sportsman whoever lived, they show little interest or enthusiasm for the fact that he is half Thai through his mother. There is no question that Thais are racist, on the basis of skin colour. They even discriminate amongst their fellow countrymen who have darker skins, particularly those from Issan. How many movie stars or other celebrities do you know with dark skin? Not many, I'll be bound, and why is it that most women, and even some men desperately try to lighten their skins with cream etc. and hate exposing their bodies to the sun for fear of darkening it? When I first came here in the early seventies, the country was still "overrun" by GI's and of course many shacked up and married Thai girls. Being American GI's there was a good number of African Americans in their ranks, and even some of these managed to find Thai wives – as indeed did Tiger's father. But I remember it as clearly as if it were yesterday that the girls who chose to go with Black men were virtually ostracized by their friends and Thai society in general. I vividly recall the looks of revulsion on the faces of Thais whenever they saw a Thai girl walking down the street, hand in hand with a black man, to say nothing of the disparaging comments they would make behind their backs. Yes it is true that Tiger does not have much love for Thailand, and from the above and other reasons, who can blame him? But I do not believe this has anything to do with his lack of superstar status and recognition in this country. Not only was Tiger's father black, but his Thai mother dared to marry a black man, so in effect that is a double whammy of prejudice against him in LOS. Does anyone remember the Thai/Korean female twin golfers who started to do well in a few tournaments and make the headlines in the USA a few years ago? They were claimed as Thais and their names were hardly ever out of the press, who feted them at every turn. Yet compared to Tiger, their achievements were miniscule, but their skins were white, and they looked very pretty. And what did they do? Horror upon horror, they decided that they would be better off being Korean, and actually changed their names from Thai to Korean. Anyone heard of them since?? Not a chance. These days, racial prejudice on the basis of colour is still alive and well here, although some "modern" Thai ladies are sufficiently westernized to see black men for what they are on the inside and not for the colour of their skin, but unfortunately, they are few and far between. Don't forget that this is the country where women who contract HIV through their promiscuous husbands are kicked out of their homes and villages, and where HIV positive children are not allowed to attend the local schools and are shunned at every turn. There is a lot of ignorance here that a better education system and government public service campaigns could start to address, in time, but it will never happen because nobody cares. They just don't care. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimjim Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 (edited) I'm not going to read all the posts, sure there's not much to read. But I just to say I guess this is related to Thailand because Tiger's mom is Thai, right? Ha ha, ok, carry on. Edit: Ok, nevermind, interesting discussion here. I will not really get in to it, but I have talked with some Thai golfers who proudly mention Tiger's Thai mother. Amateur golfers, I mean. Also, Tiger has come to Thailand a few times for golf tournaments. He seemed to used to come here and do that earlier in his career but I never noticed him coming when I was in Thailand. He's more American than Thai, as many have already said. My friend said he remembered when Tiger came here and he was being presented to a crowd somewhere, I think in Bangkok, and Tiger shouted a few Thai words to the crowd that had everyone cheering. Edited November 30, 2009 by Jimjim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 (edited) But I just to say I guess this is related to Thailand because Tiger's mom is Thai, right? Yes, that's right. Edited November 30, 2009 by Jingthing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmushr00m Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 Maybe NO One Cares And why should they care?? So someone crashed his car in the middle of the night. What makes that so news worthy, just 'cos he is Tiger woods? Gruesome accidents happen everyday, do you read about them? No... why 'cos its not someone famous? I mean who cares, he plays golf for a living, its not like he's a leading AIDS researcher who died on ths cusp of discovering the cure..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mobi Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 Maybe NO One CaresAnd why should they care?? So someone crashed his car in the middle of the night. What makes that so news worthy, just 'cos he is Tiger woods? Gruesome accidents happen everyday, do you read about them? No... why 'cos its not someone famous? I mean who cares, he plays golf for a living, its not like he's a leading AIDS researcher who died on ths cusp of discovering the cure..... In think you've missed the point. Of course nobody cares about some stupid accident. Well many do, but not me for one, but that is not the point of discussion. Trust me, the Thais care very much about sporting superstars, especially any that they consider 'their own' but they have little interest in Tiger Woods for the reasons enumerated in my post above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midasthailand Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 Why should one who is not interested in Golf care about a golf player - no matter how rich he is? How many Thais are genuinely interested in Golf? - Yeah, right - not so many. The big majority of Thai look at Golf as a past time for the upper elite - something they don't have access to. There are so few Thai that could identify themselves with a rich golf player. There are so many more that could identify themselves with a top boxer or a top Muay Thai athlete.Personally I also would not call him an athlete - you really don't need much athleticism to play golf. No need to start a debate about golf athleticism mate. Re Tiger Woods, I read somewhere that his mom advised not to marry a local for various reasons. Good thing I am not Tiger Woods. Would like to find out more about his lil accident at 2:45 am. Where was he heading at that hour, to the driving range? Seems to me he should have been heading to driving school. John Daly, Laura Davies......Debate over Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyh Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 Maybe NO One CaresAnd why should they care?? So someone crashed his car in the middle of the night. What makes that so news worthy, just 'cos he is Tiger woods? Gruesome accidents happen everyday, do you read about them? No... why 'cos its not someone famous? I mean who cares, he plays golf for a living, its not like he's a leading AIDS researcher who died on ths cusp of discovering the cure..... He did get some cuts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wintermute Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 I bet if this thread were about some anglo English footballer all the "who cares" people would be wringing their hands with worry and gossiping like a sewing circle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hhgz Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 He was on his way to stand in line at Best Buy. I guess he didn't get the netbook for half-off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 (edited) I have heard racially oriented comments about Tiger in the US as well. As you know, a black golfing superstar was unheard of before Tiger. On the media I have heard silly comments like, Tiger, combining the athleticism of African Americans with the zen concentration to detail of the Asian, that sort of tripe. I also bet that he likely suffered crude jokes about Thailand's sex industry while growing up and that must have made an impression. Only his psychiatrist knows for sure ... Edited November 30, 2009 by Jingthing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
britadders28 Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 Tigers mum suffered so much abuse and racism from thailand do you really think he would want to embrace this country?????????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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