Lampang

[glomp]

Hi

Has there been some sort of "farang event" in Lampang town? I have been driving around different towns that are barely mentioned on the internet and most places are welcoming or at the worst politely indifferent. I don't mess with them and they don't mess with me sort of deal.

In Lampang people looked daggers at me even before i reached town. From the south there is one of the green brand gas stations and they looked at me like i killed their dog. The manger lost his cool when i chose the wrong cup for the nescafe self service station. I wanted a smaller amount and no ice, still paid full price. He stalked me in the parking lot. I should have taken this a sign and driven on.

All the stores in town just gave dirty looks, the few bars open for a night cap just stared when i tried to enter. The place that had a sign in English and welcomed me charged bangkok prices for food and drink. Some lady had her ancle biter dogs chase me away from her store i wasn't even going to enter as i don't wear womens shoes.

Next morning i tried to get a legit/clean massage at a place with english signage, they just repeated "thai or oil?" until i left. "yes please" in 4-5 different ways in pidgin thai and english just didn't sink in. Clearly a way to ask me to leave.

Booked it out asap and on the gas station north of town they also gave me the i hope you die stare.

Same clothes, look, smell, shave, polite talk that works in the other regions. First time i have experienced this for real so to speak. Mai pen rai i guess.

[market trader]

Maybe its all in your mind.. I have been to Lampang many times and have never had any of the feelings you mention. Not saying they did not treat you the way you say. Maybe also it was your attitude.

[cooked]

Dunno mate, my wife is always with me when I go to Lampang and I had pleasant experiences there. However there is definitely a difference in mentalities that you tune into after passing Saraburi: aggressive, (even more) stupid driving for instance, a few other things.

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

[Kellynch]

I've lived in Lampang City for over 5 years and can't remember any experiences like you mention. Apart from 'My Signifcant Other' being a local girl, I find it a very pleasant place to live; the locals like to practise their English. As a Farang I do get a few stares from embarrassed kids, but it's usually because they don't meet that many of us. I love it for being off the beaten track and we don't have a Skid Row that caters for Farangs or Tourists. We do have a street of bars on the Southern side of the river and I'm more than happy to drink and mix with the locals. I've spent quite some time in Chiang Rai and Hua Hin, and I can't give specific examples, I just didn't feel that welcome - Sam's Cat Bar on Jetyod Road in Chiang Rai being the exception.

[eyecatcher]

All I can say is you must be pretty scary to look at

[glomp]

All I can say is you must be pretty scary to look at

Yeah that would be the fair conclusion

I'm in Phayao now and people smile back and the children thinks im a novelty. Blessedly anonymous.

Made me wonder if some farang axemurdered their family and they are now "skeptical" to our presence.

[naboo]

I have days like that. Turns out I'd forgotten to take my pills, paranoia kicked in.

Sent from my Oppo U7011 Gemini

[mesquite]

Yeah, I was there a couple of days ago. Sorry.

[Tywais]

Maybe things have changed but I used to go there nearly every week end for a year a long time ago to see a girl friend and didn't notice that kind of behavior. Even going to some of the local bars and night clubs where I was nearly the only white face around. Even had a cop stop me when the ladies in the car told me to 'go this way' only to find it was an illegal maneuver . They talked him out of ticketing me with the excuse I'm just an ignorant tourist. No handouts either and nice enough.

[hellodolly]

Maybe its all in your mind.. I have been to Lampang many times and have never had any of the feelings you mention. Not saying they did not treat you the way you say. Maybe also it was your attitude.

I have a friend who has a bad attitude towards Thai's.

He says he dosen't but Thai's can spot him and they react accordingly.

[eyecatcher]

All I can say is you must be pretty scary to look at

people smile back and the children thinks im a novelty. Blessedly anonymous.

not an Aussie are you?

[habfan]

Live in a small village 20 km's outside of Lampang and I'm the only farang, the people couldn't be nicer. We do the big shopping in Lampang (Makro,Big C ) 5 years ago when I first came many stares at the stores but all with smiles.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Was this you?

[jamhar]

Was this you?

shrtshts.jpg

Dude, thats just not right!

But very funny!

[junglechef]

Was there earlier in the week and found that it is not as cosmopolitan, I kid you not, as CM. People were not very helpful but not rude either, just seemed much more like the sticks and seemed not to know how to deal with a foreigner, but in general most are pleasant enough and some really nice (the horse carriage drive gave me a map for free when I asked him where a temple was but only after asking if I wanted to hire a carriage for me for 300 bht and another for my bicycle for another 300 bht which all the drives and I found amusing). I believe it does have a lot to do with how you come off to them, a smile goes a long way here!