biggunguy Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 (edited) And ex-pat Iranian married to a Thai woman and working here for 15 or 20 years has given up some of of his "Iranianness," and should have a more international outlook on life, just as I have given up some of my "Americanness" by living and working here. It is all part of being an ex-pat and living in Thailand. no, you cant compare your (american) international/crosscultural relationsships and views (which are politically founded), with the "relationsships" and views of the people in the middle east... imo, really not... it will be interesting to hear, how israelis or the "zionists" on this thread would have treated the iranian with muslim/iranian insignia on clothes when signing up at their gym... Edited August 9, 2012 by biggunguy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trembly Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 It sounds like the star on the shirt was the problem, if that's the case the place is definitely not worth patronising, spend your money with people who aren't prejudiced, against anyone. I've only ever seen anti-semitism once in Thailand, about 12 years ago in Pattaya. A Thai stallholder (on the side of the road opposite the beach), was waving at some tourists, telling them to "go Israel go", and other comments, (in broken English), while waving them away. There was no obvious indication to me how he could tell the people were Jewish or Israeli, but he wouldn't sell to them. I'd forgotten all about this episode until I read this, guess that's what getting old does to one. Some Thai stallholders / business operators can be anti-Israeli (note I didn't say antisemitic) for reasons borne of the less than charming behaviour exhibited by quite a lot of Israeli tourists. Having spent a bit of time in Tel Aviv, I think you could say the same thing about British there. A certain class of drunken dimwits looking for fights. They like to stay at the cheaper guesthouses/dorms by the beach. The Israelis definitely look down upon these troublemakers. Er . . . thanks for sharing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brit1984 Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 Does anyone know the telephone number for this gym? Some (prank) calls with enquiries from potential new members (with ostensibly Jewish names) would really wind him up. Sent from iPhone; please forgive any typos or violations of forum rules Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonobo Posted August 9, 2012 Author Share Posted August 9, 2012 And ex-pat Iranian married to a Thai woman and working here for 15 or 20 years has given up some of of his "Iranianness," and should have a more international outlook on life, just as I have given up some of my "Americanness" by living and working here. It is all part of being an ex-pat and living in Thailand. no, you cant compare your (american) international/crosscultural relationsships and views (which are politically founded), with the "relationsships" and views of the people in the middle east... imo, really not... it will be interesting to hear, how israelis or the "zionists" on this thread would have treated the iranian with muslim/iranian insignia on clothes when signing up at their gym... Of course I can compare. I am the one comparing, and I am stating that this is my opinion. I simply think people should put aside home-country stigmas when working in the international community in another country. Unless the gym is a hobby just to pass the time, a business is a business and is there to make money. To treat a paying customer in a way which makes him decide not to to be a paying customer any longer is hardly a recommended business practice. And that is the issue here, not whether Iranians like or don't like Israelis or Americans can understand an Israeli point-of-view. The thread is about customer service and prejudice, not the Palestinian/Israeli issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hearditallbefore Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 Sounds like a really weird bloke... did he really spray you down with air-freshener? That is shocking. I don't know if he is anti-semitic but he is definetely a nutter (and those two traits often go together) Unless there was something else about your shirt that scared him... do you work in a fish market? Yes, honest-to-goodness, he did. I was on the bench press, and he came up, sprayed over and around me, and made the comment that I stank. Now that's some funny sh** right there ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomTao Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 Sounds like anti-semitism, IF you go back ask the bloke if he is a muslim or has another reason to hate jews, or if he has had a bad experience with the company you work for, may be worth while leaving some company literature on hos counter. Sent from my GT-I9003 using Thaivisa Connect App Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 (edited) If this is going to be SPECIFICALLY about Iran-Israel relations and not a more general situation of an antisemitic incident then there may be mitigating factors. There is currently a soft war on between Israel and Iran. If someone is a pro regime Iranian they are not going to WANT to work out at a "Zionist" owned gym. So if I owned a gym and someone appeared to be a pro regime Iranian, I would shake his hand and welcome his custom but I would be concerned about how he would feel if he learned the gym was Zionist owned. This video should illustrate the issue. Watch the refusal of handshake at 1:38 Now Iran officially makes sure their athletes never have to compete directly with Israelis in international competitions. At the London Olympics, they even faked a sickness of a top athlete to avoid that. Edited August 9, 2012 by Jingthing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonobo Posted August 9, 2012 Author Share Posted August 9, 2012 Sounds like anti-semitism, IF you go back ask the bloke if he is a muslim or has another reason to hate jews, or if he has had a bad experience with the company you work for, may be worth while leaving some company literature on hos counter. Sent from my GT-I9003 using Thaivisa Connect App Several posters have mentioned that he might have had something against my company. We are a manufacturer, making things for other manufacturers so that they can in turn sell their products. While every poster here who has actually been in Thailand would have seen our products at some time or another, no one would be able to link that product to us. Physically, we are about 30 km away from his gym. I can pretty much guarantee that he does not know us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richard_smith237 Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 I knew this gym in the late 90's. I used to work out there before being blessed with multiple kids! From memory, he is Iranian guy married to a Thai woman. They have one son. It is their family business. Or at least was. The shirt logo is just like the Star of David, and that's why he acted like a prick. He should have respectfully asked you to change your top. The gym owner should have judged the person and not mistakenly judged the symbol on the Bonobo's t-shirt. In doing so he's made an ass of himself and lost business. In addition to this as a foreigner living in another country and married to someone of a different religion (I assume) he has simply proven himself to be a hypocrite. The gym owner did not fight for righteousness he has simply fallen into a trap and proven once again how humanity can shame itself by attacking someone out of nothing more than misunderstood belief (in this case religious confusion with a simple company badge). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mania Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 I would just like to mention that reading this thread it seems to me it is all speculation. Yes it could be as speculated & had to do with the shirt or the smell or any number of things. But this thread seems to be taking on a life of its own based on this speculation. Seems to have gone political? It now basically even has folks pointing out what business it is, what nationality the owner may be. I thought was not allowed under name & shame. But still I now see folks suggesting prank calls to the owner. I would just caution that it is after all speculation & nothing more. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dantilley Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 I would be semi-curious to hear his excuse for his rudeness It would be interesting to go and visit, in a nice way and non-confrontational, to hear his explanation. Not with a view to renouncing your decision to not return as a paying customer, but just to satisfy curiosity. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post F1fanatic Posted August 9, 2012 Popular Post Share Posted August 9, 2012 Most of us are prejudiced in one way or another. If I met someone wearing a KKK T-shirt (with a white hood as a logo), I'd assume he was Ku Klux Klan and walk away/ignore him. Admittedly though, I wouldn't spray him with cologne saying he stinked! But, my point stands - most of us are prejudiced in one way or another, and few of us are able to get past strongly held, prejudices to make money. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dantilley Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 I thought was not allowed under name & shame. But still I now see folks suggesting prank calls to the owner. No-one's named the gym or posted the phone number so 'name and shame' doesn't come into it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thelongshoot Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 Im absolutley amazed that you didnt <deleted> the guy right on the button of his jaw. no one is spraying air freshener around me, calling me I stink, and walking away without a broken jaw. Its actualy made me a little angry reading your post that you let him get away with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beetlejuice Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 (edited) if you do not look Jewish - What exactly do Jews look like ?. if you do not look Jewish - What exactly do Jews look like ?. As pictured below. Extremely easy to identify a Jewish person in the crowd. Unless bonobo was not wearing his hat, than there is no way that the owner would have surmised he was Jewish. Perhaps the owner and some of those in the gym at the time did find our bonobo`s body odour a little on the ripe side and the bosses attitude was his way of showing displeasure of the situation? It could be as simple as that? Sometime ago I was shopping in a Rin Ping supermarket when a young American couple walked up next to me also looking at stuff on the shelve. I’ll never forget it; both of them stunk to high Heaven, so bad in fact that I was almost throwing up. I had to quickly gain some distant between that couple and myself. Then I looked straight at them, squeezed my nose between my thumb and finger and waving my right hand over my face to let them know that I found them offensive and giving them the hint that they stink. Perhaps if the guy was wearing a Star on his vest, he may have conceived that I giving him an anti Semitic gesture rather than sending the message that he was rancid. I`m not implying that this applies to bonobo, only suggesting that there maybe a multitude of reasons. In the end it`s all down to logic, because if I ever found myself in a similar situation as bonobo where someone appears to have taken a severe disliking to me for no apparent reason, than I would confront the person head on and ask, WHAT`S YOUR PROBLEM, PAL? And as for the company logo, I certainly would not consider changing it because of what maybe the opinions of some A/hole. Edited August 9, 2012 by Beetlejuice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mania Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 (edited) I thought was not allowed under name & shame. But still I now see folks suggesting prank calls to the owner. No-one's named the gym or posted the phone number so 'name and shame' doesn't come into it. The OP said this......... On Saturday, I walked into a small gym near the now-closed CaliWow in Pin Klao (I will withhold the name here.) The owner/manager/whatever was a foreign guy, another posted said this... From memory, he is Iranian guy married to a Thai woman. They have one son. It is their family business. Or at least was. It does not seem too hard to figure out with exact location & nationality of owner given. But as I said, I would just caution that it is still all speculation Posts of calling immigration or making prank calls would suggest many think they know the reason. After all, I wonder what the OP actually wanted from this thread? Confirmation of a hunch? Edited August 9, 2012 by mania Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dantilley Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 So you're quoting a post in which the poster says "I will withhold the name here" to backup your theory that the gym's been named and shamed!?!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mania Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 So you're quoting a post in which the poster says "I will withhold the name here" to backup your theory that the gym's been named and shamed!?!? Yeah your right sorry I could never find that gym or know it by the previous description small gym near the now-closed CaliWow in Pin Klao My bad sorry will not comment further. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brit1984 Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 @mania... Regardless of his motivation, the guy sprayed (his paying customer) bonobo (whose good character has been confirmed by multiple posters on this thread) with air freshener! What possible good reason could there be for such outrageous and despicable behaviour? Sent from iPhone; please forgive any typos or violations of forum rules Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dantilley Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 So you're quoting a post in which the poster says "I will withhold the name here" to backup your theory that the gym's been named and shamed!?!? Yeah your right sorry I could never find that gym or know it by the previous description small gym near the now-closed CaliWow in Pin Klao My bad sorry will not comment further. No worries, apology accepted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soutpeel Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 I wouldn't spray him with cologne saying he stinked! But would you help him light his cross ?... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F1fanatic Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 I wouldn't spray him with cologne saying he stinked! But would you help him light his cross ?... Quite. Any Western/Arab person wearing a swastika/Star of David/KKK logo knows the reference... and should understand why some people will find this offensive. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mca Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 Quite. Any Western/Arab person wearing a swastika/Star of David/KKK logo knows the reference Reckon Arabs wearing the any of above would be a bit thin on the ground. " And a very warm welcome to our special guest at the new Stormfront sponsored radio station WKZ- KRACKER Grand Wizard of the Buttmunch Alabama Klavern Imam Abu Al-Hassan. I'm your host for the evening Rabbi Muhammad ibm J'Afar ". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harrry Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 Simple answer. He can refuse service to anyone for any or no reason. He did. He did it rudely. Bonobo has got even. Lets forget all these old conflicts. After all today a british soldier could walk into a pub in southern Ireland and not get abused. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacktrip Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 could have been simply a lack of social skills. you mentioned that he was over the top nice, then shouted out your name in a welcoming manner, the following day he appears to ask why you don't speak that and ackwardly tries to ask about your shirt. perhaps he has some personality problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geriatrickid Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 so he is from a country, which is permanently threatened to be nuked by israel? what if... an (jewish) israeli would run a gym and a guy with the iranian flag on the t-shirt / a kefiyah (shawl) would walk in? This may come as a shock to you, but jews and muslims are able to do business together. Arabs are often well integrated in various organizations and if one looks at the glowing reports about Qatar Airways, they can even successfully run an airline serving alcohol to naughty infidels that has a loyal non muslim clientele. What we have here is an incident of personal ignorance and bias. It has nothing to do with your claim of Israel threatening to nuke Iran. (Actually, the threat is the reverse as it is Iran that has been threatening to rain terror from the sky.) The fact of the matter, is that in the civilised world we are legally prevented from an overt display of discriminatory behaviour. Just as one can no longer block blacks from sitting at a lunch counter, or forbid Irish Catholics from moving into a town, or Chinese and dogs from walking in a park, the same holds for barring someone presumed to be jewish. Unfortunately, in Thailand, one can get away with the behaviour. I take comfort in the fact that at least it wasn't a Thai national espousing the hate. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaccha Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 Colonel, did you chat to him like this: GROUND 200 metres from CalWow. Enfilade from Tesco Lotus Pinklao. SITUATION One enemy enclosed in gym. Armed with odour eater. Friendlies located at TV forum. MISSION To Destroy the Iranian dude. EXECUTION -CONOPS To seek and destroy with some serious sweating. CO-ORD INSTR Move in through front door with grave intent. SERVICE SP COMD & SIG Use smartphone Thaivisa app. (Apologies to all who are not familiar with the NATO standard order system) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Banzai99 Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 Some Farangs do stink, badly. I was on a Thai airways flight and the Farang I sat next too really stank, luckily for me the aircrew knew he stank too and as there were no more economy seats gave me an upgrade into business class, it was that bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mca Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 . Arabs are often well integrated in various organizations and if one looks at the glowing reports about Qatar Airways, they can even successfully run an airline serving alcohol to naughty infidels that has a loyal non muslim clientele. Yeah I mostly fly QA and as I'm a nervous flyer need a tipple or two to calm the nerves. About 30 minutes into the flight I'm usually cruising about 5000 feet above the plane. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
namoi Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 (edited) Sounds like a really weird bloke... did he really spray you down with air-freshener? That is shocking. I don't know if he is anti-semitic but he is definetely a nutter (and those two traits often go together) Unless there was something else about your shirt that scared him... do you work in a fish market? Yes, honest-to-goodness, he did. I was on the bench press, and he came up, sprayed over and around me, and made the comment that I stank. I probably would have dropped him at that stage... Well me being the mild mannered, quiet, shy and unasumming? person that i am would of got another bashing, most likley, as i would of jumped up smacked him in the head and told him to shove the spray where Paddy put the puddin, probobly would wake up the next day wishing i would of learnt to duck and weave when i was a kid Edited August 9, 2012 by namoi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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