The Stare

[theblether]

Just ask " Can I help You".

As soon as they hear that they will put their heads down.

Alternatively if they make some kind of disparaging remark they may find themselves on the receiving end of a full on Thai Girl Tasmanian Devil Tirade. We've all seen that and that is one memory of Thailand they will never forget .

[mca]

From what I've read on this forum it's particularly bad if you happen to be walking anywhere with your daughter or granddaughter, they really don't like that.

Yeah !! that's so right, I have fun with that, you do get a lot stares for sure.

I went to Bangkok a few months back. We were going to meet my niece ( 19 year old uni student who looks young for her age )for shopping and a meal but some business came up my wife had to deal with so I went and met my niece and brought her back to the hotel. That was a long walk across the ( rather large and packed ) lobby I can tell you. Hulking great western bloke with a slim Thai teen in uniform who looks all of 16 in tow.

[MrMuddle]

There is another side to this. Many years ago, my wife and I went to Phetchabun for the day, taking 2 nieces and a nephew with us. The kids were about 6, 7, & 8 at the time. The boys Mum had given my wife some money to get him some gym shoes for school. She took one girl and the boy for the shoes, I went with the other girl to get a couple of football shirts for me, and we had arranged to all meet at KFC.

My wife told the niece that was with me, to keep hold of my hand, (as the traffic was busy in town, compared to the small village we live in). The looks we got from people, as we walked through the town, left me in doubt at what people were thinking, (all Thais - there were very few farangs in Phetchabun back then). When we met up with my wife, the girl that was with me was really upset, she couldn't understand why people had been giving us nasty looks. We didn't let the nasty barstewards spoil our day out though, The best weapon against any prejudice is to smile and be happy.

[fletchsmile]

Either I have become too used to it, too thick skinned that I don't recognise it. But, I don't think my wife and I attract these stares from other Westerners when walking around, We do however get one or two stairs from Thai's.

There is a 3 year age gap.

When my wife walked along side my father and I alongside my mother I did notice that my wife and father attracted a significant increase in stares from both Westerners and Thais.

I can only assume it could be a notable difference in age that attracts more stares.

I was thinking along similar lines too

While some foreigners stare at the age difference between a foreigner and a Thai, some Thais stare at the race difference. Our age diff isn't that great, so I noticed the Thai reaction more.

Yes, if you walk with family, people see it as more natural. I noticed also that since we had the kids, Thai society in general treats you with a bit more respect than the average foreigner.

Not unlike walking round Tesco shopping for nappies, family items and the like, which generates some nice smiles and reactions from Thai ladies. Even better if you've a young child with you, quite easily facilitating conversations for them to start. Had I known this before getting married, I would have been asking to borrow friends' children to go shopping at the supermarket

Edited December 3, 2011 by fletchsmile

[transam]

If you've got one leg or an ear missing folk will stare. Have noticed even the natives will stare at a fellow countryman with an affliction. Farang holiday folk who come here for hols are just having something they do not witness in their homeland, simple really.

Was in a hospital yesterday, up here in the sticks, where the locals rarely see a farang, l was stared at by everyone, no exception, well l am a handsome ol' thing , but l am used to it now, and no l don't have a young bird on my arm.

Was in a restaurant with the mrs, hi-so Thai's on next table. When we left the mrs said those Thai's commented,

''Look, farang with young Thai girl'', I said to her you should have informed them we have a 23 year old daughter , which we do.

Now if l understood Thai/Lao l would have fronted them if l had heard it, but the Thai way is no confrontation, sadly.

[Beetlejuice]

does that give the tourists right to give bad stares at farang/thai couples when they go out

They are just regretting that they brought their wife along on the holiday.

Yeah, twice the cost and half the fun.

Used to be in the old days.

But now women are probably the most expensive luxury in Thailand.

Think I would rather spend the holiday with the wife. At least we have a reasonable idea where she’s been and who with. Well, for most of us anyway.

[sandgroper2]

My wife,23 and I ,75, were out the other night , and the night was completely ruined by sad old farangs talking about me behind my back. What should have been a memorable 10th annaversary was completely ruined.

[transam]

My wife,23 and I ,75, were out the other night , and the night was completely ruined by sad old farangs talking about me behind my back. What should have been a memorable 10th anniversary was completely ruined.

Your lady was 13 and you 65 when you teamed up ?

[Ulysses G.]

My wife,23 and I ,75, were out the other night , and the night was completely ruined by sad old farangs talking about me behind my back. What should have been a memorable 10th anniversary was completely ruined.

Your lady was 13 and you 65 when you teamed up ?

Maybe they got married in Kentucky.

[p_brownstone]

My wife,23 and I ,75, were out the other night , and the night was completely ruined by sad old farangs talking about me behind my back. What should have been a memorable 10th anniversary was completely ruined.

Your lady was 13 and you 65 when you teamed up ?

I think you rather missed the deliberate humour in his Post transam!

Patrick

[transam]

My wife,23 and I ,75, were out the other night , and the night was completely ruined by sad old farangs talking about me behind my back. What should have been a memorable 10th anniversary was completely ruined.

Your lady was 13 and you 65 when you teamed up ?

I think you rather missed the deliberate humour in his Post transam!

Patrick

Think not.

[Ricardo]

does that give the tourists right to give bad stares at farang/thai couples when they go out

No worries, as I know they'll go home to their home-countries, at the end of their holidays, whereas I'll continue to be here in LOS !

Perhaps one ought to feel sorry for them, really, poor dears.

Edited December 3, 2011 by Ricardo

[Beetlejuice]

My wife,23 and I ,75, were out the other night , and the night was completely ruined by sad old farangs talking about me behind my back. What should have been a memorable 10th anniversary was completely ruined.

Your lady was 13 and you 65 when you teamed up ?

I think you rather missed the deliberate humour in his Post transam!

Patrick

In Thailand, we never know for sure.

[drdaveperry]

We get strange stares from Thai women. My wife tells me they are just jealous. The Thai ladies look at me with this great big smile then the moment they make eye contact with me wife the smile turns to a grimace. I tell her that's what she gets for marrying James Bond.

[bunta71]

does that give the tourists right to give bad stares at farang/thai couples when they go out

They are just regretting that they brought their wife along on the holiday.

Never bring a hotdog to a steak BBQ.....

[bunta71]

My wife,23 and I ,75, were out the other night , and the night was completely ruined by sad old farangs talking about me behind my back. What should have been a memorable 10th anniversary was completely ruined.

Your lady was 13 and you 65 when you teamed up ?

Maybe they got married in Kentucky.

I was thinkin' about a vacation in Kentucky myself before I found SE Asia

[Hooters]

does that give the tourists right to give bad stares at farang/thai couples when they go out

They are just regretting that they brought their wife along on the holiday.

Don't bring a bag lunch to a buffet.

I know of one farang couple that like to sample the local buffet together

[doggie888888]

if the girl was full-blooded Thai.....yeah, I'm sure this guy would be getting some seriously evil stares from all quarters.

Only from bitter women and beta males.

Or from well meaning people who are conflicted between minding their own business or expressing disgust that this might be a dirty old pedo intent on fiddling with the child he is with?

Of course, we all end up minding our own business, but I have to admit sometimes I get a wee uncomfortable that perhaps it's not just an innocent father-daughter relationship and you've gotta be blind if you don't see these "doubtful" cases in Pattaya. It's more convenient to assume the Thai minor is older than he/she looks or that he/she is a relative...because doing anything invite accusations of being a religious nut, bitter woman or beta male.

[maxme]

Maybe you should tell your wife to go easy on the cleavage and hotpants, and you should try to cover your tattoos in something more than a string vest?

Maybe you should get a personality...

The mrs happens to be a dentist from Chula so I doubt that she would even try to wear something like that or behave like yours do.

But thank you for assuming thoughts.

There is a big difference in having an education and being educated. Now if I were like the old farts in Phuket and got myself someone 20 years younger but this one happened to be a westerner... well that would be more acceptable wouldn´t it?

Now if you behaved like this by shouting out loud and accusing people, interferring in their businesses to the left and the right well wouldn´t there be a chance of getting sued back in the west?

Looks more like its open season for crazy, racist and uneducated foreigners to come here and do what they want since they can´t do it back in their own countries. Now personally I don´t like old geezers running around with 50 year younger gals but it's not my business. Some western women who come to Thailand look like they could use a heavy face lift up but hey that's not my business either.

Point is that westerners do come to third world countries because they can and will what they want what they can't do at home and who like false assumptions or accusations? Does no one value the western creed anymore or have we become uneducated?

[thaimate]

Same happens when you are walking with your son. Maybe their is a badge you can wear that says "It's not what your thinking!"

Yes i notice that especially now that my son is 17 and as tall as me ,but its usually holidaymakers ,as local Thais in the shops recognise us ,i do notice that my wife gets a few looks as she is 42,well dressed and attractive with a good figure ,but then hey ime 66 with the body of a god(i wont say which one)

[tutsiwarrior]

I was upstairs at the food hall at the Suphan tescos last week drinking beer on my own and my 8 y.o. niece and 2.5 y.o. grandson came up and joined me for some kwiteo, they had been downstairs shopping with the rest of the crew...there was a group of middle aged thais sitting at the next table and they smiled and nodded delightedly watching us together...nice, for a change...

Edited December 7, 2011 by tutsiwarrior

[farang000999]

I think alot of the starring is not out of jealousy but out of confusion, as in, what is that beast you have on your arm? I have to admit that I have been in Thailand a decade and still stare a bit, it is like watching a train wreck. Yike!

[Mooner]

If a Farang guy is with a Thai girl Thais may think she is a working girl and other Farang think you are paying. Go to the Islands and your see many European girls with Thai and Cambodian guys and nobody bats an eyelid!

[Berkshire]

We get strange stares from Thai women. My wife tells me they are just jealous. The Thai ladies look at me with this great big smile then the moment they make eye contact with me wife the smile turns to a grimace. I tell her that's what she gets for marrying James Bond.

The stare can mean a great many things, but I doubt very much it's "jealousy." But then, what else is your wife going say.