Settling In

[chownah]

Can someone tell me what their impressions are of life in Thailand for the children who have a western parent? Is there a bias against them when they mature?

I think there is bias for them rather than against. Just look how many Farang-noi's re on TV or in the movies - the lighter skin and bridge to the nose is seen as attractive. They are often thought of as better educated and richer even when they are not (maybe just my opinion, but Its what I see).

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Thanks for the input. Is this acceptance, then, the tye of assimilation that people are talking about here? It seems to me that if the children of immigrants are accepted then they have assimilated and the pattern here in Thailand is just like the pattern for immigrants in America....or am I still missing the point?

[Thaiboxer]

This is an excellent topic!!! I have thought about this often and reflected on what many foreigners have said when it comes to this issue; many have said we will never be considered Thai no matter how long we live here or how well we speak the language. Perhaps it's because we physically stand out much more than other groups or maybe it's the nationalistic attitude often promoted by the corrupt government. Maybe it's both...who knows.

I still agree that learning Thai is a HUGE step towards being accepted here as part of the community. I've learned some Thai but I will admit that I'm way behind compared to some other foreigners who can have decent conversation with the average Thai person. I know just enough to get by in most cases but that's it. I often joke around and tell people that we Americans are lazy because our country is so big and English is the international language. Still, to really assimilate into a particular country/culture you need to know the language.

As one poster said, many foreigners are suspicious of each other which makes the creation of a foreign community difficult. I don't blame foreigners for being suspicious of their own kind considering the many shady characters who come to Thailand. It's not just dishonest locals you have to worry about; it's a dog eat dog world out there and many foreigners here have been screwed over they their own kind because they let their guard down. This issue is then complicated by the fact that good news travels fast but bad news travels faster. It only takes a couple incidents and then we all get labled as sexpats, druggies, etc. As for the locals and their perception of us it only takes a couple nasty foreigners to create problems for those of us who are not here for booze and sex.

I also think that in order for us to be accepted by the Thai community, we need to be accepted by each other. Getting rid of the sterotypes that are attached to us foreign residents would be a good start. There will always be shady characters who upset both locals and foreigners alike but as the community of decent foreigners grows, it will then be easier for the locals to not paint us all with the same brush.

[Heng]

Can someone tell me what their impressions are of life in Thailand for the children who have a western parent? Is there a bias against them when they mature?

I think there is bias for them rather than against. Just look how many Farang-noi's re on TV or in the movies - the lighter skin and bridge to the nose is seen as attractive. They are often thought of as better educated and richer even when they are not (maybe just my opinion, but Its what I see).

There is both "pro" and "against" bias. There are plenty in the entertainment industry, but that's pretty much where the "pro" side ends. Myself, considering how sleazy this industry can be, for my children I'd sleep much easier if it was the paint, steel, or oil industry.

You'll be hard pressed to find them climbing the ladders (much less at the top of any ladder) in any other industry.

[PeaceBlondie]

Heng: at least while the half-Thai, half-Western children are going through school, is the 'bias' pretty much positive, in their favor? Do they fit in well in a typical Thai school? I wouldn't know, since both of the provincial matayom schools where I've taught didn't half any such students.

[Ajarn]

Do you really think that the majority of long-term Farangs currently living in Thailand have immersed themselves in, and fully understand Thai society, language and culture?

In my own case, the more I learn, the more I see how little I really know. And that was a large part of what brought me here,- and sustains me. It's a challenge that I like, and that I can control..... And maybe control of my environment is what I strive for. If that's the case, then I can certainly see the attraction. I can have as much privacy as I desire here without offending anyone, because they're likely in the same mode. People of like philosophies seem drawn together. Too bad most of them here are idiots.

[phuketsiam]

There is both "pro" and "against" bias. There are plenty in the entertainment industry, but that's pretty much where the "pro" side ends. Myself, considering how sleazy this industry can be, for my children I'd sleep much easier if it was the paint, steel, or oil industry.

You'll be hard pressed to find them climbing the ladders (much less at the top of any ladder) in any other industry.

proves my point, Thai's no matter how well educated see farangs as one ethnic group, well the Brits built the early railways in Thailand, not the French. How do Thai's feel when we lump them in the Laoations and the Burmese? The only reason mixed children are in the entertainment industry is because the Thai's love em, and its easy money for young adults, not that i would be happy if my daughter was in that industry either, and for the same reasons as you Heng

[Heng]

Heng: at least while the half-Thai, half-Western children are going through school, is the 'bias' pretty much positive, in their favor?  Do they fit in well in a typical Thai school?  I wouldn't know, since both of the provincial matayom schools where I've taught didn't half any such students.

Haven't really heard of anything like that, but then again I didn't go through high school here. For my 20 something/30 something friends who are luk krungs though, sure, I'd say they fit in as well as anyone else... they're considered Thai, not foreigners. Then again, I also see that some times refer to luk krungs (at least the ones who "look" mixed) as falangs, not Thais.

Edited May 14, 2005 by Heng