Discriminated Against.

[PoorSucker]

They stopped letting Falang on-board because they laughed to much.

[bartender100]

Recently I was in Carrefour , not realizing the time I picked up a couple of beers, at the check-out the Thai guy in front of me had 4 beers, he sailed though with them, next in line was me, and was refused the beers, i don't get annoyed easily but that did get me going.

Of course my moans fell on deaf ears, as did my polite email to the company, which was un-answered. Now that's discriminating

[F1fanatic]

At the end of the day - who cares?

We know we're not liked (unlike our money), but have our own reasons for enjoying living here anyway.

[toffo9]

It's a simple case of people in uniforms exercising their power. People with badges and guns and uniforms ENJOY having power over others. That is why they joined in the first place. Give them their day in the sun and enjoy your freedom to do what you wish and not having to follow orders from above.

stop talking nonsense..

[F1fanatic]

It's a simple case of people in uniforms exercising their power. People with badges and guns and uniforms ENJOY having power over others. That is why they joined in the first place. Give them their day in the sun and enjoy your freedom to do what you wish and not having to follow orders from above.

stop talking nonsense..

Sorry Toffa, but I have to disagree.

When coming here for holidays my hubby and I always laughed at how a uniform and, even better, a whistle, made the locals feel important.... even though they were only a car park attendant!

Ian is right on this IMO.

[JurgenG]

I entered once in a military base in Bangkok. They were selling trees. Yes, really, they were selling trees and flowers and they were advertising on the internet.

At the entrance they asked me if I were woking for the army, they mean a foreign country army. I said no and that was it, they let me in.

I'm sure the OP tried to be a smart ass and challenged the people at the gate. Usually they really don't give a dam_n unless you challenge them

[jdinasia]

So how did the Lao people get in then? They were exempt from showing their ID?

Easy, wife was asked for her ID card, nannies were asked, wife replied that they were the nannies, and didn't have them with them. No more questions.

Feel free to draw your own conclusions.

I observed another two or three families with nannies/child minders go through exactly the same process, before moving off to do some shopping in an adjacent "tourist" outlet that sold all sorts of military paraphanalia.

It's an obvious question when you claim that Lao and Cambodian nationals are very welcome.

Extra-polating to this assumption is a strech of the imigination, perhaps even trollish. Maybe "tollerated" would be a better word than welcomed, no?

So if I understand your second modification a Thai that did show ID vouched for them. My conclusion is that not all adults actually produced ID's and that there was no way to determine the nationality of the nannies.

[lovelaos]

Exactly how is it "easy" to tell a Lao from a rural Isaan Thai?

How long have you got?

[slapout]

In answer to the OP's question. I would retire to a local watering hole, have a cool one, possibly a bowl of peanuts to snack on, and enjoy the peace and quiet while the rest of the family made their tour. Life is too short to let minor things get to you. Yes, at the time it is irritating, but to let it work on you long enough to put it on Tv??? you might try a couple deep breaths and have another cool one.

[jdinasia]

In answer to the OP's question. I would retire to a local watering hole, have a cool one, possibly a bowl of peanuts to snack on, and enjoy the peace and quiet while the rest of the family made their tour. Life is too short to let minor things get to you. Yes, at the time it is irritating, but to let it work on you long enough to put it on Tv??? you might try a couple deep breaths and have another cool one.

As long as I wasn't driving, I'd be right there with you --- In fact, you weren't there .. but that is what I did

[transam]

My then future son-inlaw is a Captain in the Thai Navy, l stayed at a Thai Navy hotel in Sattahip using his authority. Took me to have a look around a fighting ship, they saw me and said NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. My Captain said why ?, they said it's the rules, no foreigners to look at their military stuff. Hmmmm, but l was alloyed to use a military firing range with a weapon of my choice.

[RogueExpat]

So if I understand your second modification a Thai that did show ID vouched for them. My conclusion is that not all adults actually produced ID's and that there was no way to determine the nationality of the nannies.

Considering that over the years (that I have been reading TV anyway ) you have made numerous posts on Thai Language and Thai Culture; would it be safe to assume that with all your expertly aquired in-sight, and considerable knowledge about Thai people, you could tell the difference between a Southern Thai, a Northern one, a person of Lao, Kymer, or Burmese extraction just by looking and/or listening to them? Or can you?

I can differentiate between Lao Issan and Lao nationality, but then again I live in sort of that area so maybe have an advantage, and if I can, how easy is it going to be for a native Thai to do so.

How do you think the police pick up all the illegal immigrants so quickly at road blocks? ID please. None? - dead give away. Next speak. One second - cha ching - illegal immigrant.

Nanny eh? ID? None? - highly likely not Thai.

Anyway, I would like to find out what an educated person like yourself do?

Make an issue with the relevant department? Forget about it? Put it up on a web-board for discussion? Nothing? Laugh? Complain?

Simple question: What would you do?

[RogueExpat]

My then future son-inlaw is a Captain in the Thai Navy, l stayed at a Thai Navy hotel in Sattahip using his authority. Took me to have a look around a fighting ship, they saw me and said NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. My Captain said why ?, they said it's the rules, no foreigners to look at their military stuff. Hmmmm, but l was alloyed to use a military firing range with a weapon of my choice.

Funnily enough, that is where I shoot on a regular basis. An army base 50 km from my house. Never hassled once.

[jdinasia]

So if I understand your second modification a Thai that did show ID vouched for them. My conclusion is that not all adults actually produced ID's and that there was no way to determine the nationality of the nannies.

Considering that over the years (that I have been reading TV anyway ) you have made numerous posts on Thai Language and Thai Culture; would it be safe to assume that with all your expertly aquired in-sight, and considerable knowledge about Thai people, you could tell the difference between a Southern Thai, a Northern one, a person of Lao, Kymer, or Burmese extraction just by looking and/or listening to them? Or can you?

I can differentiate between Lao Issan and Lao nationality, but then again I live in sort of that area so maybe have an advantage, and if I can, how easy is it going to be for a native Thai to do so.

How do you think the police pick up all the illegal immigrants so quickly at road blocks? ID please. None? - dead give away. Next speak. One second - cha ching - illegal immigrant.

Nanny eh? ID? None? - highly likely not Thai.

Anyway, I would like to find out what an educated person like yourself do?

Make an issue with the relevant department? Forget about it? Put it up on a web-board for discussion? Nothing? Laugh? Complain?

Simple question: What would you do?

See post 40 --- what I wouldn't be doing is having a whinge about discrimination on TVF about it

and if you can tell the difference in casual listening between a Thai from Nong Khai and a Laotian from just across the river .... I am impressed.

The same being said about a Thai/Khmer from SaKaew and just across the border .....

As for ID's ... there are certainly some very shady employers out there that illegally hold on to their employee's ID's

[lovelaos]

and if you can tell the difference in casual listening between a Thai from Nong Khai and a Laotian from just across the river .... I am impressed.

Ermmm...........one speaks Thai, the other speaks Laotian.

Are you impressed?

[jimbeam1]

Rather than being worried about a security risk, maybe they were more worried that if a foreign expert were to inspect the ship, they would be able to see the poor condition etc of some of the equipment, and maybe that would be influential in future bargaining on price for new equipment, since foreign nations might then know how badly Thailand needs particular upgrades etc.

Or maybe they have some super awesome modifications which they've made and didn't want to share with western countries, but only a western expert would be able to tell from a glance what some of these awesome modifications were (Since Lao / Cambodia / Myanmar aren't exactly known for their awesome ship building capabilities)

Maybe they don't want any Farang to see their new state of art Sextant?

jb1

[jdinasia]

and if you can tell the difference in casual listening between a Thai from Nong Khai and a Laotian from just across the river .... I am impressed.

Ermmm...........one speaks Thai, the other speaks Laotian.

Are you impressed?

Nope ... and I assume (hope!) you know why

Both tend to speak (not write) the exact same dialect casually. It is as common to hear (from Thais in Nong Khai) Sabaidee bor as it is Sawatdee ..... That people think there is only one regional dialect of Thai (particularly if they claim intimate knowledge of border areas) comes as a surprise to me. Even the OP notes the difference in regional dialects .... Pasaah Pak Isaan (generally) is almost identical to Lao particularly along the border regions with Laos.

The languages, in fact, are so closely related that someone who reads Thai can read casual Lao easily after a very short time

[onionluke]

Common sense would allow the childrens carers on board , ships are dangerous places and somebody should be keeping an eye on the babes .

[lovelaos]

and if you can tell the difference in casual listening between a Thai from Nong Khai and a Laotian from just across the river .... I am impressed.

Ermmm...........one speaks Thai, the other speaks Laotian.

Are you impressed?

Nope ... and I assume (hope!) you know why

Both tend to speak (not write) the exact same dialect casually. It is as common to hear (from Thais in Nong Khai) Sabaidee bor as it is Sawatdee ..... That people think there is only one regional dialect of Thai (particularly if they claim intimate knowledge of border areas) comes as a surprise to me. Even the OP notes the difference in regional dialects .... Pasaah Pak Isaan (generally) is almost identical to Lao particularly along the border regions with Laos.

The languages, in fact, are so closely related that someone who reads Thai can read casual Lao easily after a very short time

You are of course correct (almost):jap:

I agree it is common to hear Thais from Nong Khai speaking Laotian (usually business owners) maybe due to the fact that the large majority of their customers

are Laotian.

[jdinasia]

You are of course correct (almost):jap:

I agree it is common to hear Thais from Nong Khai speaking Laotian (usually business owners) maybe due to the fact that the large majority of their customers

are Laotian.

I respectfully suggest you are wrong ........ (and right)

A Short History of Isan: The native people of Northeastern Thailand are ethnic Laotians and the language they speak is Lao, officially called "Isan" or "Thai-Isan". The name change from "Lao" to "Isan" came in the 70's when the Lao PDR was becoming Communist.

http://www.thailao.net/both_languages.htm

Lao or Laotian is the official language of Laos. It is the primary language of the Lao people, and is also spoken in the northeast of Thailand, where it is referred to as Isan language.

http://www.laos-guide-999.com/lao-language.html

I could go on with literally 100's of pages .....

It is of course a generalization because areas bordering Cambodia use a different dialect. I would also respectfully suggest that most people across the river in Vientiane can understand and to some fair degree speak Central Thai (due to it being in the same family of languages and from the constant exposure...) I concede that it isn't perfect Central Thai, but I know that I can survive in Vientiane speaking only Thai (Central) and only have an occasional issue and that issue will usually be with samlor drivers

The idea behind this whole side-show to the OP is that it wouldn't be readily noticeable to the casual listener if a person is Lao or Thai if they are from the border region and not being grilled for information

[sarahsbloke]

Aren't us white folk allowed on an Army Base?

Only asking because the other week I needed some cash out of the ATM, the one at the end of my road is in the army base.

I drove my m/c up to the guards, pointed at the ATM in the base, and they would only let me in after insisting I put on a m/c helmet that they handed me.

[Huey]

I'm normally one to get at that kind of BS. But dude, don't play with the Military, for what so you can walk around on the ship like the Lao maids and stuff?

Nahh not worth it.

[zzaa09]

At the end of the day - who cares?

We know we're not liked (unlike our money), but have our own reasons for enjoying living here anyway.

Well, if one feels unloved you probably would be better off being where the love is extended universally.

[Beetlejuice]

Well, RogueExpat, what happened to you regarding your experience at that place would make me feel pretty much pissed off too.

What I would have done is not allowed my family to participate and not have giving them the benefit of my money.

I would have asked someone there to explain to me exactly why I, as a farang, was not permitted to board the boat, when Thais and other foreigners including Laos are given the privilege of sightseeing on that shitty boat.

This is where I never understand why sometimes our Thai wife`s or girlfriend`s are not there up in arms about it, protesting on behalf of their farang husbands?

This is one of the not so good attitudes shown towards us living in Thailand and when these things happen it does leave us with a sour taste in our mouths.

You have done the right thing by mentioning this incident on Thai visa, but other than that, I don't think there is much else you can do about it.

These happenings are reminders of our status here in Thailand under the Thais. Sad but true.

Edited May 16, 2011 by Beetlejuice

[saraburioz]

I've been aboard with no hassle. What were you wearing?

Do you have a beard?

[Millard]

To the people who say they would have vocally protested, I think it would have been futile. The guards at the entrance do not set the rules, but are only following orders. It's like when people yell at airline staff when their flight is canceled due to weather or mechanical failure. As if a booking agent has control over any of that.

Edited May 16, 2011 by Millard

[anotheruser]

Exactly how is it "easy" to tell a Lao from a rural Isaan Thai?

The language would give it away. Issan dialect is a bit different than how Laos speak in Laos, When I took some of my Lao friends to BKK on the train they were immediately pulled aside by the police and asked for passports, which they had. I am assuming they were overheard speaking the Lao language and it is different to that spoken in Issan. I know this very well as I can hear the difference every time I go from Lao to Ubon. Of course Lao people can easily speak Thai so if they were speaking Thai or even the Issan dialect nobody would be able to tell. I have no idea if the nanny in the OP was speaking whatever language but just saying it is easy to tell the difference between Lao and Issan languages.

[stoneyboy]

One must always remember that loose lip's sink ship's.

Stick to visiting Thai Air Force bases,you get a round of golf,a day at the beach and top quality sea food at Thai Air Force base price's.

Go figure.

[moe666]

I think they did a quick security check and found out and saw his avatar at Thaivisa I wouldn't let someone into my business with a name like RogueExpat and a gun in his avatar.

I think let it go and donot go back

. I live in New Mexico which has a big native american population, I asked a Navajo man I know about using the name Geronimo for bin laden he says its a bit of a slam on americam indians but he wasn't loseing sleep over it.

[true blue]

Did you show them your Thai driving licence?

cracker that one,cheers made me laugh no end.