Farang Rak Thai. Do The Foreigners Like Thais?

[Nignoy]

getting sent to early 60,s esan was a great shock to me, pattaya was just being invented, patong was a tropical paradise no roads within 5kms of the beach, but what impressed me most of all ,was the smiling helpful people, and friends I made then if they have not passed on are still friends today, of course today,s thai are more materialistic and in some cases in your face,personally I love to see the look on the face of some thais when the fat old farang cripple they have been ridiculing and taking the piss out of for the last 10 minutes,replies to their comments in thai sometimes using curses that would shame a Laos Pimp thai people you got to love em!!a few of my mates from Op.Crown will remember the poor thai fella brought to our medical centre, he had been bitten on the foot by a cobra, mai pen rai was the comment from his thai mate with a smile on his face, I have cured him he cured him alright he had chopped his foot off

[Loz]

getting sent to early 60,s esan was a great shock to me, pattaya was just being invented, patong was a tropical paradise no roads within 5kms of the beach, but what impressed me most of all ,was the smiling helpful people, and friends I made then if they have not passed on are still friends today, of course today,s thai are more materialistic and in some cases in your face,personally I love to see the look on the face of some thais when the fat old farang cripple they have been ridiculing and taking the piss out of for the last 10 minutes,replies to their comments in thai sometimes using curses that would shame a Laos Pimp thai people you got to love em!!a few of my mates from Op.Crown will remember the poor thai fella brought to our medical centre, he had been bitten on the foot by a cobra, mai pen rai was the comment from his thai mate with a smile on his face, I have cured him he cured him alright he had chopped his foot off

:D

[ivowatson]

Silly question, really great and sensible answers (except for the Thai sense of humor but that's just me). This doesn't look like TV at all. Think I stop reading this post and keep the good feeling. People are people.

[carmine]

I think I like/dislike Thais I know in Thailand in about the same ratio that I like dislike people back in my home country - Like people back home Thais are busy living their lives, most of them living honest hard working lives, most of them honest people, some very good people, some very bad people and a lot of indifferent people.

The answer I was looking for actually, thanks Guesthouse

Yes this is the correct and sensible answer to, with no disrespect to the OP, a fairly pointless topic.

[jonclark]

Strange question, especially since the term farang refers to effectively any white skinned fella / gal (french, swedish, russian, israli, german etc.).

There are various cultural traits within the different caucasian groups, that make them behave differently in different situiations, whereas most Thais see all farangs as the same, physically, emotionally and culturally. Often this results in conflict or misunderstanding.

I think the OP would have been better if he asked - Do Thai people like Russians / English / Finnish etc. and vice versa - At least that keeps it to a nationality vs nationality type thing.

But either way its a devisive question which assumes people to believe the typical negative sterotypes portayed in the media and by gossips

[Bottlerocket]

Walter Mitties eh??

Let's see you say that when my ex-SAS mates (rounded up from various bars in Pattaya), come calling.

I don't think he's talking about your friends who may in fact be ex-SAS, but I know where he's coming from. It seems that if you meet an ex-marine then he was recon, ex-soldier was airborne ranger, and lots of Brits seem to have been SAS officers who stood on patrol, flew Hawker-Harrier aircraft, and helicopters but they're skint. Maybe they are, but their seems to be an awful lot of them roaming around for such elite services.

[Nignoy]

Walter Mitties eh??

Let's see you say that when my ex-SAS mates (rounded up from various bars in Pattaya), come calling.

I don't think he's talking about your friends who may in fact be ex-SAS, but I know where he's coming from. It seems that if you meet an ex-marine then he was recon, ex-soldier was airborne ranger, and lots of Brits seem to have been SAS officers who stood on patrol, flew Hawker-Harrier aircraft, and helicopters but they're skint. Maybe they are, but their seems to be an awful lot of them roaming around for such elite services.

WOW!!!!!!! SAS in thailand never!!!!! enrolled my aussie grandsons for a bit of diving instruction near Patong a few years ago,all the instructors were supposedly ex british special forces, was naturally interested, firstly because I had failed selection twice myself and had been on the permanent staff of the JWS at Kota Tingi johore bahru in early 62, all these young fellas had stories about the falklands, borneo and the malaysian campaign, boy could they talk the talk and when they started on about being on a secret operation in NE thailand called Crown I had to smile,they even invited me to their local boozer where supposedly ex regt members meet up, but I resisted the temptation the oldest of these fellas was 38 would have made him about 10 years old at goosegreen, not even born for crown and the malayan campaign,I passed their details on to AARSE( if you have to ask what aarse is then you probably were never in the military)but I digress the thais enjoy special forces stories as long as the storytellers are buying the drinks

[eurasianthai]

I think the OP would have been better if he asked - Do Thai people like Russians / English / Finnish etc. and vice versa - At least that keeps it to a nationality vs nationality type thing.

I actually do not think Thai people make any difference in between Russians, English, Finish, and other westerners, they're all farangs for them.

So it makes it easier to answer that part of the equation, do the Thais like foreigners?

The other part of the equation is indeed less obvious, because even if the Thais consider us as farangs, or aliens, all the same, we know we're not all the same, we're actualy very different from each others...

Edited February 1, 2010 by Farangrakthai

[William Osborne]

They all look like Viet Cong to me so can never really trust em 100%...... xmas and new year was particularly hellish for me with all the fire-works.... I was running around the house screaming "<deleted> GET DOWN..INCOMING"

Wife wasn't impressed but i told her she would be less impressed if she had to pick shrapnel out of her eyeballs

Although, must admit, was consuming a lot of Chang over the holidays so maybe affected my judgement of the situation...

Edited February 1, 2010 by William Osborne

[GucciLittlePiggy]

We like them for as long as we can afford them.

They like us for as long as we're paying them.

Let's just cut the crap here, eh?

[Loz]

Generally I like Thais as much as any other people. I'll tell you when I don't like them.

This morning I went into my local amazon, the lady greeted me with the usual small talk. The only other customer in the shop asked the lady behind the counter if "he speaks thai?" (twice actually, because the sweet lady serving knew better than to talk about me as if I wasn't there! - and she was the one selling the coffee, not the one who's husband was waiting outside in the expensive new 4wd!) . I am standing right there. You are so fascinated? fukking asking ME you silly sod!! Its not a ZOO!!

Touchy before I have my morning fix of bread sticks and tea, aren't I?

[eurasianthai]

We like them for as long as we can afford them.

They like us for as long as we're paying them.

Let's just cut the crap here, eh?

[choppertony]

I like to take my hols in Phuket , Where i know a lot of Thais and a lot know me , Great , very friendly but also some unsavoury characters around including the farangs !, same all over the world . Now when i go to my wifes neck of the woods Thungsong in ( Nakornsrithammarat ) Not many farangs get here , totally different experience , everyone can,t do enougth for me very very friendly and really nice people who hav,nt learnt to exploit the farang yet , Overall in my opinion I love the Thai , in tourist area,s i think they put up with us .

[SeanMoran]

I like to take my hols in Phuket , Where i know a lot of Thais and a lot know me , Great , very friendly but also some unsavoury characters around including the farangs !, same all over the world . Now when i go to my wifes neck of the woods Thungsong in ( Nakornsrithammarat ) Not many farangs get here , totally different experience , everyone can,t do enougth for me very very friendly and really nice people who hav,nt learnt to exploit the farang yet , Overall in my opinion I love the Thai , in tourist area,s i think they put up with us .

I truly appreciate that courtesy that they have at the traffic lights at Nakhon Si Thammarat where when the lights turn green, the straight-forward traffic waits for the right-hand turning lane from the opposite direction to turn first, before they take off on the green.

I can see why Nakhon Si Thammarat probably has the safest roads in all of Thailand, if not the planet. Perfect harmony, defying Thailand's reputation for road safety.

[Forethat]

I have come to the conclusion that there is an enormous concentration of doubtful Thai characters in direct relation to any tourist dense area of Thailand. Interestingly enough, the exact same places are also home to most farangs referred to by the average local taxi driver as “bullshit farang”. Personally I couldn’t care less about their native origin; I can’t stand either one of them.

Edited February 2, 2010 by Forethat

[eurasianthai]

I have come to the conclusion that there is an enormous concentration of doubtful Thai characters in direct relation to any tourist dense area of Thailand. Interestingly enough, the exact same places are also home to most farangs referred to by the average local taxi driver as "bullshit farang". Personally I couldn't care less about their native origin; I can't stand either one of them.

My thoughts, exactly.

[SeanMoran]

I have come to the conclusion that there is an enormous concentration of doubtful Thai characters in direct relation to any tourist dense area of Thailand. Interestingly enough, the exact same places are also home to most farangs referred to by the average local taxi driver as "bullshit farang". Personally I couldn't care less about their native origin; I can't stand either one of them.

My thoughts, exactly.

It is human nature to take a good thing, and see that it is good, and love and admire it, and then finally rip it to pieces like we might do to a broken-down 302 V8, except this engine was not as broken as we thought it was/

My kind of people were the worst thing that ever happened to Thailand. I wish it could have been different. but my kind of people are the stupidest sort of tourist wanke_rs to ever walk this earth.

That's life, eh?

[Forethat]

A little OT, but here's a story that relates to the topic:

When I came to LOS I quickly made friends with a person who'd lived here for five years. I was a freshman here, and didn't know much, but it was obvious that his mindset was not exactly a perfect match with LOS. He spent the last six months in this country complaining about Thais. Lok this and lok that. He spoke so badly about Thais I sometimes felt really uncomfortable. In his mind, there wasn't a Thai person who wouldn't scam you if he got the opportunity. He used words as scumbags and useless idiots. One Friday he asked me for a loan, he was relocating back home in order to take care of his mother, and had already transferred all his funds to his native land. For this reason, he was out of cash and would reimburse me the following Monday as soon as the bank opened. I was later told his flight had departed 7am on Monday. I haven't seen the man since.

When I think about it, paying 50K baht to make sure the idiot stays away from this country is probably the best thing I have ever done to improve the reputation of farangs.

My point is (in relation to the initial topic): I don't think the question can be answered. Me myself, I have a bunch of Thai friends I wouldn't trade for anything. There are idiots in both camps. As for the "falang lok" who traded a good friendship for the pathetic sum of 50K baht: I doubt even a mother can love him...

Edited February 2, 2010 by Forethat

[eurasianthai]

We like them for as long as we can afford them.

They like us for as long as we're paying them.

Let's just cut the crap here, eh?

I actually love Thai people.

I do not pay them and they do not pay me.

But when you really know them, they're some of the nicest people on earth.

On average.

And well, you do not know them.

But obviously, they know you...

[tombkk]

Thais are a cute people. I love cute. So I guess I love Thai people. Superficial?

Yes, superficial. But if this is the way you are, that's OK.

For myself, the Thai people (and I mean the way they act, not the way they look) is my main reason for living here. Of course, there are bad apples in every basket, I don't kid myself. There are good and bad people in every country. But when I compare the pros and the cons, I still prefer to live here.

[tombkk]

I Laos, Malaysia, Philippines I have much more the feeling I'm communicating on a mature level with open minded people who are well able to listen, who are honest, intelligent, motivated and disiplined.

You can blame someone for his ignorance, it is not an excuse just a very bad habit, answer (in general) is no.

I grant that people in Malaysia and the Philippines speak better English than Thais in general. In Laos, you need to find wealthy people to speak English with. I do not agree that Thai people lack in communication skills (if you leave English out of the picture and agree to speak Thai with them).

I am simply not sure that you speak to people of the same social groups in all the countries you mention. I have had best experiences with honest, intelligent, motivated and disciplined Thai people.

[tombkk]

For the most part, I'm ambivalent about the thais; because last time I checked the country was called thai-land. As it has that name I've kinda resigned myself to being around a lot of 'em.

I mean where else are 60+ million of these ever smiling yet diminutive people gonna stay except in a place aptly named the "Land 'O Thaiz"?

I tolerate them much as they tolerate me, with a contemptuous indifference. As long as they don't impact me and I don't impact them we seem to manage to co-exist just fine.

Now askin' me do I like 'em? Hmmm, that'd be stretch of the imagination ; tolerate is far more accurate description for both sides (the indigenous natives and myself).

If you only tolerate the local people, the owners of the Thai country (a.k.a. Thai-land) but don't want to impact with them, I wonder what you are doing here.

[tombkk]

We like them for as long as we can afford them.

They like us for as long as we're paying them.

Let's just cut the crap here, eh?

You actually have to pay to have Thai friends? I feel sorry for you.

[GucciLittlePiggy]

We like them for as long as we can afford them.

They like us for as long as we're paying them.

Let's just cut the crap here, eh?

I actually love Thai people.

I do not pay them and they do not pay me.

But when you really know them, they're some of the nicest people on earth.

On average.

And well, you do not know them.

But obviously, they know you...

Didn't you roll-eye.gif me a while ago? It was a much better reply...

Why oh why do farang losers feel the need to bash their homelands from 6000 miles away?

Still, great trolling fella.

[GucciLittlePiggy]

We like them for as long as we can afford them.

They like us for as long as we're paying them.

Let's just cut the crap here, eh?

You actually have to pay to have Thai friends? I feel sorry for you.

Cheers. That helps immeasurably.

[GucciLittlePiggy]

Dang double posts.

Edited February 2, 2010 by GucciLittlePiggy

[GucciLittlePiggy]

I Laos, Malaysia, Philippines I have much more the feeling I'm communicating on a mature level with open minded people who are well able to listen, who are honest, intelligent, motivated and disiplined.

You can blame someone for his ignorance, it is not an excuse just a very bad habit, answer (in general) is no.

I grant that people in Malaysia and the Philippines speak better English than Thais in general. In Laos, you need to find wealthy people to speak English with. I do not agree that Thai people lack in communication skills (if you leave English out of the picture and agree to speak Thai with them).

Excellent. Good for you Tom! Finding out that Thai people are better at communicating in thai than english must've been a real revelation for you. Bravo!!

[BigWheelMan]

I think the question should be:

Do Farangs like other Farangs?

Most have no problem with the Thais and vice versa.

[phetaroi]

We like them for as long as we can afford them.

They like us for as long as we're paying them.

Let's just cut the crap here, eh?

You know, this simple little post of yours is a good one.

For some on each side it is a symbiotic relationship, isn't it? Although I know it's an oversimplification, both of those groups use each other. Both groups have a mix of positive and negative feelings toward each other. Both groups include "good guys" and "bad guys".

There are groups of Thais that I have a generally negative feeling about -- motorcycle taxi drivers, tuk tuk drives are two good examples. But then again, when I read some of the posts in this forum, there are at least as many westerners I have an equally negative feeling about.

On the other hand, I think the idea that all Thais spend much time thinking about westerners here is a little presumptuous. For most Thais we're no more on their radar than "foreigners" are to people in every day life in America. I just think many TV'ers obsess over the issue.

Edited February 2, 2010 by phetaroi

[GucciLittlePiggy]

I see thais as nothing more than farmers. Not necessarily in the agricultural sense - they merely employ the resources at their disposal in order to get the maximum return, be it from paddy fields, animals, wildlife and minerals on the one hand, to farang and attractive daughters on the other. The thai mentality is; eat first, ask questions later - same as all other peoples' who've known genuine hardship.

It is very easy for people from rich, democratic western countries to mystify what poor people have to do just to survive. There's a lot of decadent, morally bankrupt seams being mined on this board. To suggest we're welcomed into their country for any reason other than economic is facile.