Discrimination

[boney]

Can anyone tell me if they have been to or got into the president hotel disco with out being charged because they were a Farang?

This is the first time I have encountered discrimination in Chiang Mai, this is also the first time that I have tried to get into the disco at the president hotel.

I was understood from my girlfriend that Farang have to pay the fee of 300 Baht and can exchange the ticket for drinks at the bar.

But all Thai men walk in as normal. ?

I said that I wanted to just buy my drinks at the bar like the Thai men and was told that was not possible.

This really grips me when this happens and it just really messed up my night.

maybe I just expect too much.

I hope that this discrimination can be sorted out in the next 10 years so tourists can be treated the same as the locals.

PS, I live in Chiang Mai and am not a tourist.

[jdinasia]

did you whip out that Thai Driver's License and speak to the doormen in Thai?

BTW -- Tourists and locals are never treated the same in tourist areas anywhere that I know of.

[britmaveric]

Never had an issue!

Normally from my experience it tends to be the other way around.. (not the particular disco you mention, never been there)

[Rinrada]

PS, I live in Chiang Mai and am not a tourist.

I used to buy T shirts that had that same /similar message when i lived ......in Hanoi-Saigon-Phnom P -

Basra-Lagos-Riyadh-Cairo..etc.......but eventually gave up...waste of time...

[kennkate]

I have to agree with the OP Blatant discrimination Unacceptable and against the Law in the real word

Unfortunately This is Thailand. Many Many things to put right before it can step into the modern world.

I doubt this is near to top of the things to do list If you live in Thailand you will have to live with it for who knows how long.

[Ulysses G.]

I agree with you that it is unfair, but we are visitors here. At least you can get drinks for the price of admission, instead of losing it all to pay a fee where you get nothing back like back home. That is Thai style and it is better than a lot of other countries and a lot of other places. Things are not perfect here, but they are pretty darn good.

[ChiangMaiFun]

You mean fabrique? we have been moaning about it for years - I never go and hate the place - the owner (thats what he said) replied to a similar thread but never came back to defend his clubs actions - it's full of young Thais around tables drinking 100 pipers amongst 10 of them - it's rubbish - stay away and don't pay!!! as soon as they do it with me I turn and walk

I say <deleted>!!!!!!!

(Farang Unfriendly)

We should make a list and post it - all the <deleted> places in Chiang mai - in fact I'll start the list in another thread

[clinique]

agreed , has to be th emost Farang unfriendly drinking establishment in town,,

the security are rude and abrupt,, even aggressive,,, they are off duty cops,,

when they got nasty with me after i refused to apy the 300 baht (we were carrying 3 bottles of booze in as well, which they wanted 200 each as corkakge) - i spoke to them in Thai and asked then what their names were,, they asked why ?,, i whipped out my phone and replied " so I can call your boss and ask him if its Ok for me to enter ??

noting the 'friendly ' looks on their faces we decided to leave any way ??

avoid it like the plague..

[KevinHunt]

agreed , has to be th emost Farang unfriendly drinking establishment in town,,

the security are rude and abrupt,, even aggressive,,, they are off duty cops,,

when they got nasty with me after i refused to apy the 300 baht (we were carrying 3 bottles of booze in as well, which they wanted 200 each as corkakge) - i spoke to them in Thai and asked then what their names were,, they asked why ?,, i whipped out my phone and replied " so I can call your boss and ask him if its Ok for me to enter ??

noting the 'friendly ' looks on their faces we decided to leave any way ??

avoid it like the plague..

The problem at Fabrique and some similar places is that they got too many Farangs that didn't know how to behave properly, so the 300 baht fee was to keep the Riff Raff out.

If you were bringing three bottles of booze in, and you weren't expecting to pay corkage, maybe they reckoned they weren't losing out anyway, espescially if it was Vodka or a spirit that doesn't require mixers.

Edited February 4, 2010 by KevinHunt

[uptheos]

I agree with you that it is unfair, but we are visitors here. At least you can get drinks for the price of admission, instead of losing it all to pay a fee where you get nothing back like back home. That is Thai style and it is better than a lot of other countries and a lot of other places. Things are not perfect here, but they are pretty darn good.

Sorry UG, can you use another word instead of visitor?

If someone came to my house for 20 years and made generous contributions, they would soon lose that visitor tag.

[elektrified]

You must be referring to the disco/club that is on the same premises and not the hotel club. There is no charge to get in. I've never been to Fabrique so I can't say about that.

[uptheos]

Do they do an OAP discount card?

[KevinHunt]

I agree with you that it is unfair, but we are visitors here. At least you can get drinks for the price of admission, instead of losing it all to pay a fee where you get nothing back like back home. That is Thai style and it is better than a lot of other countries and a lot of other places. Things are not perfect here, but they are pretty darn good.

Sorry UG, can you use another word instead of visitor?

If someone came to my house for 20 years and made generous contributions, they would soon lose that visitor tag.

Just out of curiosity, what word could he/we use? After 20+ years I'd like to think of myself as a 'resident', but I'm not!! So what am I? (keep it clean)

[uptheos]

I agree with you that it is unfair, but we are visitors here. At least you can get drinks for the price of admission, instead of losing it all to pay a fee where you get nothing back like back home. That is Thai style and it is better than a lot of other countries and a lot of other places. Things are not perfect here, but they are pretty darn good.

Sorry UG, can you use another word instead of visitor?

If someone came to my house for 20 years and made generous contributions, they would soon lose that visitor tag.

Just out of curiosity, what word could he/we use? After 20+ years I'd like to think of myself as a 'resident', but I'm not!! So what am I? (keep it clean)

Well just because we're not 'residents' in the legal sense, we are residents by virtue of the time we've spent here and the money put into the economy. I have no qualms calling myself a British national, currently a resident of Thailand - after all it's where I reside.

Not sure about scousers though.

[KevinHunt]

Just out of curiosity, what word could he/we use? After 20+ years I'd like to think of myself as a 'resident', but I'm not!! So what am I? (keep it clean)

Well just because we're not 'residents' in the legal sense, we are residents by virtue of the time we've spent here and the money put into the economy. I have no qualms calling myself a British national, currently a resident of Thailand - after all it's where I reside.

Not sure about scousers though.

Your title is not succinct or specific enough. I would have to use Scouse National, Resident of Thailand. Bearing in mind, that most posters here don't have their own teeth, that could quite easily lead to embarrasing mis-haps. 

Maybe we need to invent some sort of acronym.

Anyone who suggests SNOT (Scouse National Of Thailand) for me is banned from TRL, for life.

Edited February 4, 2010 by KevinHunt

[uptheos]

Just out of curiosity, what word could he/we use? After 20+ years I'd like to think of myself as a 'resident', but I'm not!! So what am I? (keep it clean)

Well just because we're not 'residents' in the legal sense, we are residents by virtue of the time we've spent here and the money put into the economy. I have no qualms calling myself a British national, currently a resident of Thailand - after all it's where I reside.

Not sure about scousers though.

Your title is not succinct or specific enough. I would have to use Scouse National, Resident of Thailand. Bearing in mind, that most posters here don't have their own teeth, that could quite easily lead to embarrasing mis-haps.

Maybe we need to invent some sort of acronym.

Anyone who suggests SNOT (Scouse National Of Thailand) for me is banned from TRL, for life.

I don't care what you call yourself.........anything but 'guest', that really makes me puke.

I think you are a LOSS(couse)

Maybe you should explain the acronym TRL, for those who don't know.

Edited February 4, 2010 by uptheos

[anonymouse]

did you whip out that Thai Driver's License and speak to the doormen in Thai?

BTW -- Tourists and locals are never treated the same in tourist areas anywhere that I know of.

Did not work, I tried it. They wanted something else, not sure what they were asking for in Thai, maybe a residence card? I bent over and let them have their 300B, even though it was very disheartening, now that I am married to a Thai and all. Got my 2 free drinks for the ticket that would have only costed 200B if I paid for them, and tried to have a good time. Would I go there again, yeah, I would. Do I think its right what they are doing, nope, its a right kick in the face for being a whitey. The thing that hurts the most, is I was with a Canadian who is Japanese, and they heard him speak, and know he is not Thai, yet, he does not have to pay.

The Japanese [Canadian] isn't a farang, the Thai's Asian cousins; Chinese, Japanese, Korean etc will blend in and also not make trouble like us Whitey's.

[clinique]

agreed , has to be th emost Farang unfriendly drinking establishment in town,,

the security are rude and abrupt,, even aggressive,,, they are off duty cops,,

when they got nasty with me after i refused to apy the 300 baht (we were carrying 3 bottles of booze in as well, which they wanted 200 each as corkakge) - i spoke to them in Thai and asked then what their names were,, they asked why ?,, i whipped out my phone and replied " so I can call your boss and ask him if its Ok for me to enter ??

noting the 'friendly ' looks on their faces we decided to leave any way ??

avoid it like the plague..

The problem at Fabrique and some similar places is that they got too many Farangs that didn't know how to behave properly, so the 300 baht fee was to keep the Riff Raff out.

If you were bringing three bottles of booze in, and you weren't expecting to pay corkage, maybe they reckoned they weren't losing out anyway, espescially if it was Vodka or a spirit that doesn't require mixers.

dont have the problem anywhere else..

and methinks its to keep out those who dont want to buy ANY drinks,,,since the 300 coupon is exchangable for drinks,,,

there were 10 of us - 9 Thais,,we would have probably spent 2-3 k on mixers etc...

will never go again...

[ManilaLover]

I agree with you that it is unfair, but we are visitors here. At least you can get drinks for the price of admission, instead of losing it all to pay a fee where you get nothing back like back home. That is Thai style and it is better than a lot of other countries and a lot of other places. Things are not perfect here, but they are pretty darn good.

Don't agree with 'being a visitor' after living here for 10 years, I think that's called 'expat', and a tourist is a visitor, someone who comes and goes without leaving footsteps. Expats run businesses here (some of the best running restaurants and other businesses in Chiangmai are owned by foreigners) we join NGO's, have Thai wives & children, build houses for families, send children to schools... Just in the local, generally xenofobic mind we will be strangers forever no matter our donations, and never get much position, but that is not in every country !

Just a very protective culture to deal with, no problem. I have a Filipina partner, 2 Burmese workers and I enjoy my job a lot

[uptheos]

I agree with you that it is unfair, but we are visitors here. At least you can get drinks for the price of admission, instead of losing it all to pay a fee where you get nothing back like back home. That is Thai style and it is better than a lot of other countries and a lot of other places. Things are not perfect here, but they are pretty darn good.

Don't agree with 'being a visitor' after living here for 10 years, I think that's called 'expat', and a tourist is a visitor, someone who comes and goes without leaving footsteps. Expats run businesses here (some of the best running restaurants and other businesses in Chiangmai are owned by foreigners) we join NGO's, have Thai wives & children, build houses for families, send children to schools... Just in the local, generally xenofobic mind we will be strangers forever no matter our donations, and never get much position, but that is not in every country !

Just a very protective culture to deal with, no problem. I have a Filipina partner, 2 Burmese workers and I enjoy my job a lot

I'm actually surprised at the number of people who refer to themselves and others as 'a guest in their country'. I've never been called a guest by a Thai, it seems to be some strange farang concept which falls just short of kow towing.

[Ulysses G.]

I agree with you that it is unfair, but we are visitors here. At least you can get drinks for the price of admission, instead of losing it all to pay a fee where you get nothing back like back home. That is Thai style and it is better than a lot of other countries and a lot of other places. Things are not perfect here, but they are pretty darn good.

Sorry UG, can you use another word instead of visitor?

If someone came to my house for 20 years and made generous contributions, they would soon lose that visitor tag.

Sorry Gents, but I am talking about the way it is, not how it should be.

[uptheos]

I agree with you that it is unfair, but we are visitors here. At least you can get drinks for the price of admission, instead of losing it all to pay a fee where you get nothing back like back home. That is Thai style and it is better than a lot of other countries and a lot of other places. Things are not perfect here, but they are pretty darn good.

Sorry UG, can you use another word instead of visitor?

If someone came to my house for 20 years and made generous contributions, they would soon lose that visitor tag.

Sorry Gents, but I am talking about the way it is, not how it should be.

I didn't know a visitor could own a chain of bookshops.

[KevinHunt]

Don't agree with 'being a visitor' after living here for 10 years, I think that's called 'expat', and a tourist is a visitor, someone who comes and goes without leaving footsteps. Expats run businesses here (some of the best running restaurants and other businesses in Chiangmai are owned by foreigners) we join NGO's, have Thai wives & children, build houses for families, send children to schools... Just in the local, generally xenofobic mind we will be strangers forever no matter our donations, and never get much position, but that is not in every country !

Just a very protective culture to deal with, no problem. I have a Filipina partner, 2 Burmese workers and I enjoy my job a lot

I don't think Thais are Xenophobic, just Nationalistic. Quite a difference.

Just to keep this off-topic...Wikipedia: Expat..

In common usage, the term is often used in the context of professionals sent abroad by their companies, as opposed to locally hired staff (who can also be foreigners).

I thought of myself as an expat when I was working in Saudi, but I don't think the same about my stay here. I am living here with my wife and family, and I have a house and business here. Since I don't intend to live in England again, I'm not an expat in my view. 

I've met quite a few Expatriates who are also Ex-Patriots, which isn't true in my case. 

Edited February 4, 2010 by KevinHunt

[john b good]

I have to agree with the OP Blatant discrimination Unacceptable and against the Law in the real word

Unfortunately This is Thailand. Many Many things to put right before it can step into the modern world.

I doubt this is near to top of the things to do list If you live in Thailand you will have to live with it for who knows how long.

Thailand will never get it right. It is a 4th world country with aspirations to become 3rd world. And that is not gonna happen in our lifetime "or that of our grand childrens"

Why?? because "forgive them for they know not what they do"

Edited February 4, 2010 by john b good

[PeaceBlondie]

My visa is never for more than a year. It does not say Thai citizen, immigrated, migrating, etc. Doesn't even say retired. Expatriate in the broader sense means I live outside my country. Yes, I'm a guest; surely not khon Thai.

[ha55ha]

If a group of you go in just use the vouchers to get a bottle of whisky and all the mixers, so you are essentially paying nothing for entry. Then make sure you leave some of the whisky at the club when you decide to leave and get a bottle card from them. Next time you go just show them the bottle card and your group wont have to pay the 300 baht to enter. Get another bottle inside and leave some more, get another bottle card, rinse and repeat as many times as you want.

[dmax]

makes my blood boil, this is totally unacceptable and biast behavior towards us farangs

[KevinHunt]

PS, I live in Chiang Mai and am not a tourist.

I used to buy T shirts that had that same /similar message when i lived ......in Hanoi-Saigon-Phnom P -

Basra-Lagos-Riyadh-Cairo..etc.......but eventually gave up...waste of time...

The equivalent in Bournemouth was "I'm not a Grockle, I live here."

What a great word - Grockle!!!

[ferd54]

Maybe we need to invent some sort of acronym.

Anyone who suggests SNOT (Scouse National Of Thailand) for me is banned from TRL, for life.

If long-term residents are no longer visitors, perhaps they can be referred to as guest aliens (GALLS) -- those who are tolerated because they are clever in a strange way, usually have money, and are often entertaining, like easily enraged feral cats caught in a maze.

If that doesn't work, SNOT is my second choice.

Edited February 6, 2010 by ferd54

[barky]

did you whip out that Thai Driver's License and speak to the doormen in Thai?

BTW -- Tourists and locals are never treated the same in tourist areas anywhere that I know of.

Did not work, I tried it. They wanted something else, not sure what they were asking for in Thai, maybe a residence card? I bent over and let them have their 300B, even though it was very disheartening, now that I am married to a Thai and all. Got my 2 free drinks for the ticket that would have only costed 200B if I paid for them, and tried to have a good time. Would I go there again, yeah, I would. Do I think its right what they are doing, nope, its a right kick in the face for being a whitey. The thing that hurts the most, is I was with a Canadian who is Japanese, and they heard him speak, and know he is not Thai, yet, he does not have to pay.

This kinda example goes on all the time here. In the main if you are asian you fly under the radar and are more often than not treated as a local Thai. However we all know that with that big white face you are tagged for life here so you need to get used to the fact that you will always be the outsider who gets treated in many many instances in an utterly racist way. This is the price you pay for the "privillage" of living here. 555

Having brought this subject up with Thais from time to time, they just pretend they don't know what you are talking about, or they say yes... and your problem is?... Or, in an attempt to justify it, they say all westeners are rich and/or Thais are discriminated against in the west.

It's a losing battle. The best weapon you have is your money. Take it elsewhere. If every whitey did that they, and other establishments and organisations, just might change their racist policies.