Farang Harrassing Thais Overseas

[007]

Whenever I'm in a foreign country and I'm randomly approached by a local it's pretty much always a sign of trouble to come.

I assume they want to rob or con me. Thailand, China, Netherlands, wherever. If a random stranger approaches you for some unknown reason I would suggest that they normally have some ulterior motive and want something.

True. Whenever I'm approached by a Thai, talking to me in English, I think almost automatically (after eight years plus in SE Asia), that he/she either wants to sell me something (child porn, fake watches, body), or he/she is a mafioso... (Situation three years ago; old woman approaches me while I'm waiting for a taxi, trying to sell me spectacles for 20 baht. When I declined she offered herself for 200 baht...)

Honestly, here in Bangkok I can count the (stranger) Thais who struck up a conversation with me on one hand.

Then again, it's not always Thais; the other day a bearded Indian approached me at Seacon Square (of all the places), asking me whether I could give him baht for another currency (he didn't even mentioned), as he was out of the local money. As if! At the same time he looked at my cell phone, holding out a hand, as if he wanted to grab it...

I just walked away, amazed that there are obviously not only "farang" fallen on hard times in Thailand, but also Indians...

Edited November 19, 2010 by 007

[astral]

My experience was the opposite.

I heard a lady speaking Thai on the London underground, so I said hello in Thai.

She was delighted.

[carmine]

We were recently in the airport in Korea waiting to check-in for our flight when this old goofy farang came up to the sweet, innocent Thai girl behind us who was with her friend and couldn't have been more than 25 years old and goes "Sawadeekrap. Gin re yang krap". I guess he figured that he had her trapped and I guess the poor girl had no choice but to answer him. He then follows up with his next hum dinger "Pom Chob Kon Thai" and then "Sabai dee mi krap". After we made it through security I saw them duck into the bathroom to try and escape him but he was waiting outside of it. Hilarious. Poor girls.

I guess a couple of lines like that really floors the girls in Pattaya.

Oooooh chunks, we are such wicked wicked farangs arn't we. Broken record chunks, best change it. Your next troll topic should have a different hook rather than starting another anti farang pissing contest.

[barrybankruad]

My experience was the opposite.

I heard a lady speaking Thai on the London underground, so I said hello in Thai.

She was delighted.

Have had the same sort of experience. Was sitting at a bus stop when a Thai young woman who had been staring at me asked if I had bought the shirt I was wearing in Thailand. I replied in Thai that i had. She was delighted and we had a good chat until her bus came along. Note that she spoke to me first.

[Misplaced]

I don't know but in general I don't see anything wrong with trying to speak with native speakers in a language you are trying to learn.

Try spending the complete afternoon at a village wedding in the baking heat out in the sticks about 80 kilometres from Muang Roi Et with the drunk as a skunk Puu Yai Ban following you around all the time trying to utilize his entire English vocabulary of " Where you go?", " Hot hot" and " Football, David Beckham"

I'd rather drink industrial drain cleaner and rub my eyeballs with sandpaper than go through that again.

Enjoy the attention when you can. Farangs used to be novelties in small villages but not so much today. So when you get the attention smile and enjoy it. The mystique will eventually disappear and you'll miss that attention you're getting today.

Edited November 20, 2010 by Misplaced

[carmine]

My experience was the opposite.

I heard a lady speaking Thai on the London underground, so I said hello in Thai.

She was delighted.

Thats right. Whenever i visit London and see a Thai i always acknowledge in thai and the response is always very positive.

The OP, is a bit challenged, purile infact. Just because you are polite and friendly does'nt make you a perv.

Edited November 20, 2010 by carmine

[JurgenG]

My old colleague told me 25 years ago when he first arrived, all the nice, good looking, girls wanted to talk to him even if he couldn't understand a word of what they were talking about.

Now that he is fluent, nobody's interested.

Life is so unfair !