Are Thais Racist?

[meadish_sweetball]

My reaction to being called farang is usually played down too a reply of pom mai farang, pom poo dii angrit. It usually works without anyone losing face or being offended again

= I no Westerner, I English nobleman.

If you want to avoid speaking pidgin Thai, try

pom mai chai farang OR pom mai dai bpen farang

pom bpen puu dee angkrit.

You can not negate nouns with only 'mai', only verbs and adjectives. When talking about nationality and occupation, Thai uses 'bpen' as a linker, just like in English.

I think you might want to say "supaab-burud" if it is 'gentleman' you are after. 'poo dee' is not quite the same thing.

[zaz]

Anyone hear about the story of an African-American who guest lecturered at one of the main 2 unis in Bangkok (Thammasat or Chula, can't remember) for a semester whose students walked out on him when they realised he would be taking the lectures?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Now I would say that was blatant racism and utterly disgraceful.

If this sort of thing was reported in the media and used to educate Thais that it is wrong then maybe that would be a step towards eradicating such instances - does this happen?

[jonik]

you become what you learn..............my father always commented black and yellow people.............that is why i am marrying a thai.

Revenge is sweeeeeeeeeeeet..............

[Neeranam]

QUOTE(toastwars @ 2005-11-08 21:43:23)

My reaction to being called farang is usually played down too a reply of pom mai farang, pom poo dii angrit. It usually works without anyone losing face or being offended again

*

= I no Westerner, I English nobleman.

If you want to avoid speaking pidgin Thai, try

pom mai chai farang OR pom mai dai bpen farang

pom bpen puu dee angkrit.

I agree Meadish, this sounds stupid. Saying you are one of the English aristocrisy.

Toastwars, whay are you special or don't you inderstand the language? I'd rather be a farang than an englishman!

ไม่ใช่ผู้ดี ตีนแดง

ตะแคงตีนเดิน

QUOTE(skylar @ 2005-11-09 02:24:53)

Anyone hear about the story of an African-American who guest lecturered at one of the main 2 unis in Bangkok (Thammasat or Chula, can't remember) for a semester whose students walked out on him when they realised he would be taking the lectures?

*

These students think they are the elite and they deserve better than a black lecturer.

Ignorance - they think blacks are 2 rate citizens, just like Isarnese.

I have asked many Thais why they hate blacks and the reply is that they are dirty and ugly. Fair enough? I don't like dirty,ugly people. I'm not going to be honest and give my opinion, as due to the conditioning of western minds and all that PC crap, I'd be considered racist, which I don't think I am. I prefer some races to others - Pakistanis over Papua New Guinis, I am I rascist?

I think that Thais are HONEST or SAY WHAT THEY FEEL, and this upsets some people whosay they can't do this as their culture is better, which is rascism itself.

Edited November 10, 2005 by Neeranam

[vjoe]

My reaction to being called farang is usually played down too a reply of pom mai farang, pom poo dii angrit. It usually works without anyone losing face or being offended again

*

Ignorance  - they think blacks are 2 rate citizens, just like Isarnese.

I have asked many Thais why they hate blacks and the reply is that they are dirty and ugly. Fair enough? I don't like dirty,ugly people. I'm not going to be honest and give my opinion, as due to the conditioning of western minds and all that PC crap, I'd be considered racist, which I don't think I am. I prefer some races to others  - Pakistanis over Papua New Guinis, I am I rascist?

I think that Thais are HONEST or SAY WHAT THEY FEEL, and this upsets some people whosay they can't do this as their culture is better, which is rascism itself.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Neeranam, why don't you go ahead and be honest and give your opinion.

I lived in west coast US for long time and I don't think I'm racist and most people I know do not really care about race.

Although, I do have an aversion to Indians now since my last Boss was one.

Edited November 10, 2005 by vjoe

[Heng]

Eastern Asians, Indians, etc... whether they stink or not (and yes, some indeed DO stink... I don't see how that's racist though) nevertheless are often welcome here as property owning citizens. So whatever people's preferences are, it's not like it's to the point where their right to live and enjoy life here is infringed upon.

[cdnvic]

My reaction to being called farang is usually played down too a reply of pom mai farang, pom poo dii angrit. It usually works without anyone losing face or being offended again

Or "Just Pom will be fine, thanks"

cv

[chownah]

Eastern Asians, Indians, etc... whether they stink or not (and yes, some indeed DO stink... I don't see how that's racist though) nevertheless are often welcome here as property owning citizens.   So whatever people's preferences are, it's not like it's to the point where their right to live and enjoy life here is infringed upon.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Perhaps I am not understanding this. Are you saying that people with only Indian citizenship can own property in Thailand just the same as a Thai citizen?

Edited November 10, 2005 by chownah

[Heng]

Eastern Asians, Indians, etc... whether they stink or not (and yes, some indeed DO stink... I don't see how that's racist though) nevertheless are often welcome here as property owning citizens.   So whatever people's preferences are, it's not like it's to the point where their right to live and enjoy life here is infringed upon.

Perhaps I am not understanding this. Are you saying that people with only Indian citizenship can own property in Thailand just the same as a Thai citizen?

Of course not. I'm saying Indians who have migrated to Thailand over the years, over time, have been typically allowed citizenship.

[kat]

Respnse to OP. It depends on how you define rasism. They may not like someone for a skin color or what have you butu they don't beat them up or drag them behind pick trucks or lynch 'em.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No, they just pile them up on top of tires and burn them - and get away with it.

It's the we've never been colonised,,, this is ours and we can treat all you forgiener anyway we want mentality

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

only cause you let the Japs in, otherwise they would have colonised you completly.

Have a nice day.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Actually, that's not really accurate because other countries were OCCUPIED by the Japanese without being colonized. However, I do think there was a group that quietly colonized this country, having arrived by floating downstream on the rivers

Anyone hear about the story of an African-American who guest lecturered at one of the main 2 unis in Bangkok (Thammasat or Chula, can't remember) for a semester whose students walked out on him when they realised he would be taking the lectures?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Now I would say that was blatant racism and utterly disgraceful.

If this sort of thing was reported in the media and used to educate Thais that it is wrong then maybe that would be a step towards eradicating such instances - does this happen?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oh, so NOW you say that's blatant racism, right? Maybe some people are more aware of it than you, although as a Malaysian, you must be really dense not to have noticed.

QUOTE(toastwars @ 2005-11-08 21:43:23)

My reaction to being called farang is usually played down too a reply of pom mai farang, pom poo dii angrit. It usually works without anyone losing face or being offended again

*

= I no Westerner, I English nobleman.

If you want to avoid speaking pidgin Thai, try

pom mai chai farang OR pom mai dai bpen farang

pom bpen puu dee angkrit.

I agree Meadish, this sounds stupid. Saying you are one of the English aristocrisy.

Toastwars, whay are you special or don't you inderstand the language? I'd rather be a farang than an englishman!

ไม่ใช่ผู้ดี ตีนแดง

ตะแคงตีนเดิน

QUOTE(skylar @ 2005-11-09 02:24:53)

Anyone hear about the story of an African-American who guest lecturered at one of the main 2 unis in Bangkok (Thammasat or Chula, can't remember) for a semester whose students walked out on him when they realised he would be taking the lectures?

*

These students think they are the elite and they deserve better than a black lecturer.

Ignorance - they think blacks are 2 rate citizens, just like Isarnese.

I have asked many Thais why they hate blacks and the reply is that they are dirty and ugly. Fair enough? I don't like dirty,ugly people. I'm not going to be honest and give my opinion, as due to the conditioning of western minds and all that PC crap, I'd be considered racist, which I don't think I am. I prefer some races to others - Pakistanis over Papua New Guinis, I am I rascist?

I think that Thais are HONEST or SAY WHAT THEY FEEL, and this upsets some people whosay they can't do this as their culture is better, which is rascism itself.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So, you think it's just a matter of HONESTY and not racism, when everyone from elites to sidewalk sweepers feel that they are justified on denigrating someone simply because of their race, without seeing any other indicators?

Thanks for your honesty

[Neeranam]

If I don't like, and don't want to associate with people from a certain country, am I racist?

[johnh101]

.......Ask a puu ying central Thai what they really think of the Cambo, Loation or Burmese construction worker., servant ect . I will not go into Africans or Arabs.

Agreed, my wife is the same. Cambos, Laos, Arabs and Indians, and sometimes the odd Scotsman.

I agree that racism comes from ignorance.

Again I agree with this but the general education levels in Thailand are very poor, History, Geography and Current Affairs are normally restricted to within the Thai borders so they are very ignorant to the outside world.

It's the we've never been colonised,,, this is ours and we can treat all you forgiener anyway we want mentality

When you write your history the way you want your people to understand it this is not surprising. Hitler did the same.

[cdnvic]

If I don't like, and don't want to associate with people from a certain country, am I racist?

I don't think so. Some people, or cultures just grate on others and aren't too compatible. That's why we call it "tolerance". Nobody should be expected to artificially like anyone, but to acknowlage that they have the same rights as you and everyone else does.

cv

[The Gentleman Scamp]

Yes.

However you could also say they are honest, and by that they don't live in a rediculous PC society that convinces itself it's not racist.

[snoophound]

Yep

Go to the most PC countries and the weird thing is the presumed victims of racism are the worst at getting on with each other

EG ask a NZ maori about the tribes other than theirs....they all hate each other.

Yes.

However you could also say they are honest, and by that they don't live in a rediculous PC society that convinces itself it's not racist.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[cdnvic]

My view is that if everyone used good manners there would be no reason for political correctness.

cv

[Neeranam]

Why not have a poll about whether Thais are racist or not.

I'd vote a difinite NO, they are not.

[sbk]

My view is that if everyone used good manners there would be no reason for political correctness.

cv

Spot on. I think people who dislike the use of the term PC to describe considerate behavior and good manners only do so because they think by denigrating it that somehow excuses their own poor manners.

[bkkmadness]

This is the most ridiculous topic on the forum, as some Thais are racist and some Thais aren't.

By answering the question with either a 'yes' or 'no' means you are prejudging them by their race and therefore making you the racist which kind of makes this topic kind of pointless really.

I didn't read most of the replies, but I hope someone else had the sense to see that.

Edited November 10, 2005 by bkkmadness

[gburns57au]

By answering the question with either a 'yes' or 'no' means you are prejudging them by their race and therefore making you the racist which kind of makes this topic kind of pointless really.

I didn't read most of the replies, but I hope someone else had the sense to see that.

totally agree with this comment.

[chuchok]

My view is that if everyone used good manners there would be no reason for political correctness.

cv

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Spot on. I think people who dislike the use of the term PC to describe considerate behavior and good manners only do so because they think by denigrating it that somehow excuses their own poor manners.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I dislike the use of the term PC. It's crapola IMO.There is a huge difference between good manners and calling a spade a spade (no pun intended).

[The Gentleman Scamp]

Many TV members are extreemly racist.

They find it very hard to accept what is different and are very quick to label somebody they have never met as an alcoholic a loser or a juvenile.

Totally goes against what we're all about does it not?

[zaz]

Anyone hear about the story of an African-American who guest lecturered at one of the main 2 unis in Bangkok (Thammasat or Chula, can't remember) for a semester whose students walked out on him when they realised he would be taking the lectures?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Now I would say that was blatant racism and utterly disgraceful.

If this sort of thing was reported in the media and used to educate Thais that it is wrong then maybe that would be a step towards eradicating such instances - does this happen?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oh, so NOW you say that's blatant racism, right? Maybe some people are more aware of it than you, although as a Malaysian, you must be really dense not to have noticed.

Malaysian.....? Me? Do they have a Yorkshire in Malaysia.....? I was never good at geography...

Edited November 10, 2005 by zaz

[lamphun]

Many TV members are extreemly racist.

They find it very hard to accept what is different and are very quick to label somebody they have never met as an alcoholic a loser or a juvenile.

Totally goes against what we're all about does it not?

This is daft. How can you equate our concern with your drinking problems with racism.

[zaz]

I think there have been some informative posts here. I also agree with bkkmadness that trying to label Thais as racist or not is a sweeping generalisation and can be racist in itself. I would say most would agree that some people are racist and some are not regardless of being Thai or not. People form many parts of the world are racist to some extent.

@ Neeranam - re your comment "If I don't like, and don't want to associate with people from a certain country, am I racist?

" - what would you class that as? And out of curiosity why would you not like or want to associate with people from a certain country? It would be interesting to learn the psychology involved here.

[Eric Davis]

Has this thread run it's course? Me thinks so.

[zaz]

I think the subject of whether or not Thais are racist has run it's course but it would certainly be useful to learn why some people are racist, I think that would be very interesting.

[Guest endure]

I think the subject of whether or not Thais are racist has run it's course but it would certainly be useful to learn why some people are racist, I think that would be very interesting.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ignorance? Fear of the unknown?

[meadish_sweetball]

While it may be interesting to discuss why people are racists, it falls out of the scope of this forum, which is about Thailand.

I agree with Bkkmadness in that the question in the topic is posed the wrong way - just as wrong as asking 'Are Swedes old' or 'Are Uzbekians innovative'?

Some are, some aren't. And with that the topic is now closed.