nah, I think you are onto something here.

A fair few comments about the Thai chinese here....mostly in a disparaging sense.

Most usually these comments come up when talking about politics and economics- the middle class urban 'elites' as some like to say etc etc holding down the average 'real' Thai person etc etc.

note to others: My grandfather was born in Shanghai and migrated to Thailand.

another note: the majority of historians claim that the Thai people originated in the chinese province Szechuan from where they migrated to present Thailand.

My wife's grandfather was Chinese. That makes her 25%. She's still dark skinned, but 100% Thai...if you get my drift...

Maybe that's the big difference. The Thai/Chinese act more Thai?

Definitively ! Foreigners (westerners) usually get it all wrong when they think "chinese" is related to the country of origin. It's someone who hasn't integrated yet the values that define "Thainess", as we said before usually someone rude, loud, with poor taste and poor manners.

When you think about it, the same can be said about newly arrived farangs

Thaksin is a Thai Chinese.

So is half of Bangkok. Your point being?

nah, I think you are onto something here.

A fair few comments about the Thai chinese here....mostly in a disparaging sense.

Most usually these comments come up when talking about politics and economics- the middle class urban 'elites' as some like to say etc etc holding down the average 'real' Thai person etc etc.

note to others: My grandfather was born in Shanghai and migrated to Thailand.

Exactly ----

There is a significant amount of racism that shows itself on TVF against Th-Chinese. A short look into history will explain why many (but certainly not the majority) of Thai people with Chinese ancestry are reasonably affluent, and do comprise a significant percentage of the tax-base (middle class). The people that label them as 'elite' seem to be missing the picture here (and tend to use the word 'amart' to describe them --- a truly fallacious argument.) In many ways it is similar to the stigmatization of Jews in the past (where Jews were limited to the occupations that they could have in many places, and those occupations by the very nature of them, helped make some (but certainly not all) more affluent than the average 'native' around them.

Additionally, you will hear statements about some of the Th-Ch being 'ultra-nationalist' while at the same time they are they are being derided for not being "Thai". Yes .... it just doesn't all add up. Scapegoating at its most obvious.

note --- my partner of 7 years is Thai and one of his grandfathers or great grandfathers (I honestly can't remember) migrated from China (Southern China -- rural folk ---Tai) and yes, his family is middle-class/upper-middle-class but that has nothing to do with the tiny amount of Chinese heritage they have

I actually way prefer the half Chinese/Thais...and most that I know have the best qualities of both being Thai (and think of themselves as Thai) and of Chinese (work ethic, morals, intelligence, class). They also tend to be much more open-minded and less controlled by culture, parents and beliefs.

and i prefer lhasa apsos mixed with some poodle: the stamina and hard work, guard dog abilities of a lhasa mixed with the poodle's 'sweeter' tempermant, 'want to please' trainability....