So What Do The Thai People Think About Us Farangs?

[AndyDufrane]

Guys being bashful about asking women to sleep with them doesn't seem to be an issue in LoS.

As to what do Thais think of Farang, well - - what do YOU think of Farang in Thailand? It's not that simple is it. I also think that the setting is very important, my experience interacting with Thais individually has been rewarding. But in business situations or groups where maintaining face in front of their peers is important, it's more challenging and annoying. But the same can be applied to most people in general.

Although, the question of a general xenophobia is a legitimate one to ask, I haven't encountered it on the scale some complain of.

Edited June 16, 2011 by AndyDufrane

[Trembly]

In tourist areas the opinion of Thai's may range somewhere between welcome and respect and valuing our business to tolerating our presence to dislike, all likely to be based on their own individual experiences and that of their friends.

I'd like to imagine that each Thai evaluates me individually on merit and I'm sure that the majority of the time this is the case. There are obviously Thai's who for whatever reasons have a general dislike for foreigners, conversely there are obviously some Thai's who have a general like for foreigners.

When I was in Europe, I was fortunate to meet many people in Germany, Belgium, France, and The Netherlands. I was consistently told that I was not "like the others." When I asked what that meant, they meant that I was not like other Americans: I took time (hours, even) to talk with them about all sorts of subjects and even expressed a number of my own opinions as well. I feel that, when I am in Thailand, I will not have the rose-colored glasses that many people wear there. I expect differences. I expect various cultural differences. I am learning the language now for my next time there. I will also be real and not like the "Ugly American" at all. I have dealt with various cultures all of my life and have been honored to become an honorary Philipino and Indian! I was not even asked to pay dues to their organizations because of this "lack of expectation" as well as pre-conceived notions about any culture. I learn about each culture and try to do my best and they appreciate it a lot! So, the real answer is how people present themselves to others rather than just gaining some sort of treatment by the culture that they are now in that they simply do not understand and will not strive to learn from it as well. No fantasy here. Just honesty and sincerity and an open mind and heart.

My bold : Do you get their passports with that? Just wondering.