harrypatterson Posted October 27, 2010 Share Posted October 27, 2010 Everytime I watch Thai tv series, I notice that any farang is portrayed as a villain. Either they are a gangster or some kind of corrupt businessman. They are usually victimizing the poor Thais until the end when they are generally beat to death or otherwise killed by the Thai hero. Possibly an honest Thai policeman. If a character from any ethnic group is shown in a bad way on US tv, there are big protests. They do not even usually show Muslim terrorists, and if they do than they always have some good Muslims also. I asked my wife why all farangs on thai tv are bad. She answers that Thais did not used to like farang "long time to go." When i pointed out the tv show in question is in modern times, she says it was not. I told her the cars are all new and she says,"where they can get old cars"? As if all vehicles over 5 years old have been destroyed. Anyway I find it interesting that, although I admit I am treated very well by most Thais and they show no prejudice towards me, apparently there is still a fair amount of anti-western feeling in this country, at least it would appear so if you watch the tv. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulysses G. Posted October 27, 2010 Share Posted October 27, 2010 The guys who write Thai television scripts probably spend a lot of time reading the Thai Visa Forum. Considering some of what is posted here on a daily basis, who can really blame them for getting a bad impression of Westerners? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colinscarr Posted October 27, 2010 Share Posted October 27, 2010 Perhaps, being less mired in 'political correctness' than many Western nations, Thailand does not feel the need always to pretend racism doesn't exist. Before anyone calls me a racist for the above, I admit it. We are all racists, every one of the 6 billion plus of us, regardless of our ethnicity. But some people pretend not to be, perhaps because they recognise that racism is a failing, or perhaps out of hypocricy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angiud Posted October 27, 2010 Share Posted October 27, 2010 Talk for yourself.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SergeiY Posted October 27, 2010 Share Posted October 27, 2010 (edited) victimized poor farang turns into a hero Edited October 27, 2010 by SergeiY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doggie888888 Posted October 27, 2010 Share Posted October 27, 2010 To the OP: did you not read the thread from a few weeks ago about how important stereotyping and generalisations are? I hope the many farangs who posted there (who said stereotyping is both important and appropriate) also agree here that it is equally important and appropriate that Thai TV see fit to stereotype and portray farangs as villains. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlanetX Posted October 27, 2010 Share Posted October 27, 2010 I do believe there are scientific justifications for being hardwired to generalize and stereotype in order to group and categorize There are many on this forum that feel it is neccessary to turn a blind eye to these things because they have chosen to live in a foreign country and do not feel it is appropriate to criticize the hosts There are also ample examples of farang racism working in favor of the farang - ask any gentleman with a young, beautiful Thai girlfriend/ wife or farang teacher making 4x the salary of their thai colleagues Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carmine Posted October 27, 2010 Share Posted October 27, 2010 The guys who write Thai television scripts probably spend a lot of time reading the Thai Visa Forum. Considering some of what is posted here on a daily basis, who can really blame them for getting a bad impression of Westerners? Fair comment UG, although i reckon i'd be portrayed as a super hero. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted October 27, 2010 Share Posted October 27, 2010 Also in the movies. Here is a very extreme example -- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
domprz Posted October 27, 2010 Share Posted October 27, 2010 I'm a Farang - an alien. Compared to most Thais I'm huge, hairy, and ugly. I think my appearance perfectly suits the role of villain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carmine Posted October 27, 2010 Share Posted October 27, 2010 I'm a Farang - an alien. Compared to most Thais I'm huge, hairy, and ugly. I think my appearance perfectly suits the role of villain. Are you suffering from low self esteem? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
domprz Posted October 27, 2010 Share Posted October 27, 2010 I'm a Farang - an alien. Compared to most Thais I'm huge, hairy, and ugly. I think my appearance perfectly suits the role of villain. Are you suffering from low self esteem? Did you ever meet a villain with low self-esteem? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huangnon Posted October 27, 2010 Share Posted October 27, 2010 As someone pointed out above^^, the Thais are big on stereotypes and not so big on lateral thinking.. Q: What's the difference between a supermarket trolley, and a Thai? A: The trolleys occasionally appear to have a mind of their own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onnut Posted October 27, 2010 Share Posted October 27, 2010 As someone pointed out above^^, the Thais are big on stereotypes and not so big on lateral thinking.. Q: What's the difference between a supermarket trolley, and a Thai? A: The trolleys occasionally appear to have a mind of their own. It was not long ago that villans on our western TVs were mostly Blacks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
domprz Posted October 27, 2010 Share Posted October 27, 2010 Oh! I would be a villain on Western TV too. I smoke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harrypatterson Posted October 27, 2010 Author Share Posted October 27, 2010 Som Tam is only movie I know of here with farang hero. And even he is sort of an idiot, but at least good hearted. I do not remember most of villains on western tv being black. I must have missed this. As for farang being villains because we are big, hairy and ugly, if someone were to say it is okay for blacks on US tv to be villains because they are big, hairy and ugly there would be big riots over that. I do not think I am being overly sensitive or politically correct about this. I am not going to leave Thaialnd or lose sleep over it. I am just saying that there is more anti-farang sentiment here than there appears on the surface, and the tv provides much evidence of this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StreetCowboy Posted October 27, 2010 Share Posted October 27, 2010 So are you saying that the representation is unfair and that not all farang are villians? To be sure, some of us are not axe-wielding psycopaths (I'm speculating here a bit) - and some are retired rather than practicing corrupt businessmen... But its like the (now out-of-date) stereotype that all CHinese in Britain run or work in a fast-food restaurant - good enough for a first approximation... SC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasRanger Posted October 27, 2010 Share Posted October 27, 2010 Thai women are usually perceived on TV in other countries as hookers or mail order brides, it's the same streotyping. It's like they show all the high society rich brats on TV here to be white skinned and beautiful, certainly a lot of the ones I have seen in real life have been fat chinese looking ones. TV aint real, it's fiction, who cares. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StreetCowboy Posted October 27, 2010 Share Posted October 27, 2010 Thai women are usually perceived on TV in other countries as hookers or mail order brides, it's the same streotyping. It's like they show all the high society rich brats on TV here to be white skinned and beautiful, certainly a lot of the ones I have seen in real life have been fat chinese looking ones. TV aint real, it's fiction, who cares. To avoid confusing and ambiguous abbreviations, maybe you should've said 'television' Maybe not... SC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasRanger Posted October 27, 2010 Share Posted October 27, 2010 Thai women are usually perceived on TV in other countries as hookers or mail order brides, it's the same streotyping. It's like they show all the high society rich brats on TV here to be white skinned and beautiful, certainly a lot of the ones I have seen in real life have been fat chinese looking ones. TV aint real, it's fiction, who cares. To avoid confusing and ambiguous abbreviations, maybe you should've said 'television' Maybe not... SC Nice one ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
domprz Posted October 27, 2010 Share Posted October 27, 2010 I forgot about smelly. In Farangland we only wash our hands after going to the toilet. What more could they possibly need for a ready-made image of a villain. We are perfect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulysses G. Posted October 27, 2010 Share Posted October 27, 2010 The guys who write Thai television scripts probably spend a lot of time reading the Thai Visa Forum. Considering some of what is posted here on a daily basis, who can really blame them for getting a bad impression of Westerners? Fair comment UG, although i reckon i'd be portrayed as a super hero. Anybody who give a hard time to SergieY is a hero in my eyes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beetlejuice Posted October 27, 2010 Share Posted October 27, 2010 victimized poor farang turns into a hero He`s like a cross between a pet monkey and the incredible Hulk. My Thai neighbors say; nothing wrong with farangs; every home should have one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katana Posted October 27, 2010 Share Posted October 27, 2010 For a large part of the last century, the same was done by whites to foreigners in the movie industry. Anyone remember the series of 'Face of <deleted> Manchu' movies where the character of <deleted> Manchu was a Chinese villain and master criminal? There was also Anna May Wong, the first actress of Chinese ethnicity to gain fame in the USA and Europe in the 1920's and 30's. All her roles were generally negative and stereotypical. I guess it's karma now it's being done to farangs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bifftastic Posted October 27, 2010 Share Posted October 27, 2010 There's a good few American movies that have British actors as villains too. Maybe it's because we're all psychopathic murderers with bad teeth. Anyway I don't mind, I am a villain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onnut Posted October 27, 2010 Share Posted October 27, 2010 There's a good few American movies that have British actors as villains too. Maybe it's because we're all psychopathic murderers with bad teeth. Anyway I don't mind, I am a villain very true! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stkyricesf Posted October 27, 2010 Share Posted October 27, 2010 The guys who write Thai television scripts probably spend a lot of time reading the Thai Visa Forum. Considering some of what is posted here on a daily basis, who can really blame them for getting a bad impression of Westerners? Ha Ha Ha Ha I like this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theo007 Posted October 27, 2010 Share Posted October 27, 2010 I thought that we were all villains compared to the Thais! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shotime Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 Your wife's replies to your questions are a riot and so typical. When you ask them a question they're not comfortable with, they say the cutest, most irrelevant things. I'll ask her questions like that just to see what she'll say. Very funny. I'm sure the Thai's will love that movie. Stupid farang doind stupid things. It's a "must see." I could probably be a movie star here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zpete Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 PMPL..........ha ha Yeah, here in farangland, Thai guys are always drug lords, pushers. Thai gals, ladies for comforts...... he he Lotta garbage, but smells follow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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