Farang, go home!

[PREM-R]

The myth of "educated middle class" in Thailand has taken quite a knock in the last few days, first they attack the police in Bangkok and now this from Chiang Mai.

[spirit47]

What is your problem? She can think what she want, it's her right. Who are you, that you pointing with the finger on her, and call her racist. She more honest than you.

[Zodaka]

you really think that the general Thai populace actually think any different to her? After being here for a long time, it is blatantly obvious that we are not welcome here, we are tolerated because we pay, we are just as unwelcome as foreigners are in our home countries... You will meet individuals that dont fit the mould certainly, but to Thais as a "collective" we are not welcome but our money is, perpetual paying guests, that is all we are and all we will ever be.

The sooner you accept that fact the better.

That's not my experience. However, I observe foreigners who inhabit the lower echelons of society by marrying uneducated poor women or even sex workers and their experiences are very different to mine.

I pay my way but nobody asks me for money. I can't think of the last time I knowingly paid a different price for something in Chiang Mai. I visited the zoo a few weeks ago and there is 2-tier pricing for foreign tourists. The girl behind the counter saw my wife and children and without asking charged me the same as a local.

I'm sure there are Thais that don't like me simply because I'm a foreigner. This would be no different to the attitudes of many people in my home country towards foreigners as well. I don't assume the attitudes of a few bigots represent the general feeling of most Thais.

I agree with everything you say.

I think there may be some resentment/dislike in Bangkok in recent years but have never noticed it here in the North. Also in places like Hat Yai, Pattani, etc. I never noticed it. I did see some absolute hatred for the Russians on my last visits to Koh Chang and Phuket, but the feelings were not directed at all farangs; only Russians.

I have to say that the woman in the article working on her Ph.D. can barely write in English. Mae Jo University has many, many butch lesbians including teachers so maybe the woman disliked the male farang English teacher for some other personal reasons. (Flame away, but true). I would not read too much into a facebook posting anyway.

I don't know why Mapguy bothered posting this at 3:00 (most likely after a few), only to stir up controversy as he always does, I'm sure. I see it as a non-issue.

Strangely enough I was imagining that it must be a butch lesbian who would say such things out loud. if so, this kind of talk is very typical of Thai Toms. They actually hate most things, not just foreigners but also work bosses, relatives, attractive men, etc.

[anon210]

I was surprised to learn from the biography The Ideal Man just how bitter Jim Thompson had become about Thailand by the time of his disappearance in 1967, having concluded that he was unwelcome. In fact jealous business rivals are among the leading suspects in that disappearance (aka death). This is brushed out of his contemporary image and the happy house tours.

I think every foreigner becomes bitter after spending too much time in TH. It is not a place for us to stay. Sooner or later, our being foreign turns against us. Their sick nationalism and xenophobia, indoctrinated since birth makes it impossible to stay here for long.

[Calach]

She forgot to mention the Jews and the Freemasons who are about to take over the country.

[Ulysses G.]

I think every foreigner becomes bitter after spending too much time in TH. It is not a place for us to stay.

I have been here for more than 20 years and still love the place. Foreigners get on my nerves a lot more than most Thais.

[lovetotravel]

What is your problem? She can think what she want, it's her right. Who are you, that you pointing with the finger on her, and call her racist. She more honest than you.

I think you are missing the point. This is a person responsible to educate kids and help them to be better people. She needs to lead by example.

It's OK to be a racist nut job (well, sort of), just not in a position like this. It shows a lack of intelligence and maturity.

[Wordworx]

The number of US residents who list themselves as Thai is more than 300,000 (Census 2009). What about them, the hundreds of thousands of Thai living in other Western nations and the thousands of young Thai studying abroad (and learning to speak actual functional English, btw)? According to the referenced dingbat, I guess they all should get back here pronto so they can drink their own (bottled) water. That said, I suspect were it not for the tourist and expat income infusion most Southeast Asians (the men, anyway) would be happy to see the foreigners pack their bags and get out of town.

[FiftyTwo]

I think every foreigner becomes bitter after spending too much time in TH. It is not a place for us to stay.

I have been here for more than 20 years and still love the place. Foreigners get on my nerves a lot more than most Thais.

Gotta agree with UG.

You just gotta laugh at the ones that say the funny things.

(Hitler Fried Chicken, etc.)

Edited December 3, 2013 by FiftyTwo

[uptheos]

What is your problem? She can think what she want, it's her right. Who are you, that you pointing with the finger on her, and call her racist. She more honest than you.

I think you are missing the point. This is a person responsible to educate kids and help them to be better people. She needs to lead by example.

It's OK to be a racist nut job (well, sort of), just not in a position like this. It shows a lack of intelligence and maturity.

Just google racist university lecturer and you will see it's prevalent around the world, in a much nastier form.

[Kruzon]

Pull your head out of the sand.

Thailand's corruption, which exists all the way down to the school system, and in Thailand's political electoral system.

Education or rather lack of education is Thailand's biggest problem. Thailand schools teach subservience and obedience and not much else! Every school uses different books! No student fails! Students are allowed to copy fellow students exam answers and cheat all they want. I could go on and on but why?

Thai pride is so strong they even refused foreigner help to solve the flooding of a couple of years ago by refusing the offered help of two American aircraft carriers that were offshore. Why? Thai's can't have foreigners solving their problems for them.

Sending foreigners home will not remove any of the above basic problems.

[draftvader]

This just turned up in England on this very subject. Stop, listen, think.

[Calach]

Before, when I was a good Christian, whether in Europe or Asia, I tried to understand xenophobic pricks and try to convince them they were finding wrong and easy answers, but now that I am older and not much Christian anymore, I have only one answer for them: blunt despise (even though I try to save my despise, given the number of people in need).

There is no excuse for being that stupid (seriously, her arguments...), especially when you are a university lecturer about to be a PhD. It's pure intellectual lazyness and such dumb hatred is to be ignored.

Edited December 3, 2013 by Calach

[silent]

Bottom line is evident. A Thai teacher, (who like many "know English just about enough to be dangerous using it"), to farang teacher getting more than she does in her own country ..................... "just for being native English", in spite of all her superior education.

Unfortunately not much different than a crack dealer whining that they're only being hassled because they're black and the look when you say, " Ah shucks you're only saying that because I'm white but I'm sorry you think like that".

[Card]

you really think that the general Thai populace actually think any different to her? After being here for a long time, it is blatantly obvious that we are not welcome here, we are tolerated because we pay, we are just as unwelcome as foreigners are in our home countries... You will meet individuals that dont fit the mould certainly, but to Thais as a "collective" we are not welcome but our money is, perpetual paying guests, that is all we are and all we will ever be.

The sooner you accept that fact the better.

That's not my experience. However, I observe foreigners who inhabit the lower echelons of society by marrying uneducated poor women or even sex workers and their experiences are very different to mine.

I pay my way but nobody asks me for money. I can't think of the last time I knowingly paid a different price for something in Chiang Mai. I visited the zoo a few weeks ago and there is 2-tier pricing for foreign tourists. The girl behind the counter saw my wife and children and without asking charged me the same as a local.

I'm sure there are Thais that don't like me simply because I'm a foreigner. This would be no different to the attitudes of many people in my home country towards foreigners as well. I don't assume the attitudes of a few bigots represent the general feeling of most Thais.

The difference between Thailnd and your home country, though, is that racist messages, expressions, actions are legally sanctionable. Noone in the west would be allowed to get away with it. In Thailand - who cares?

[bobthomas]

I was surprised to learn from the biography The Ideal Man just how bitter Jim Thompson had become about Thailand by the time of his disappearance in 1967, having concluded that he was unwelcome. In fact jealous business rivals are among the leading suspects in that disappearance (aka death). This is brushed out of his contemporary image and the happy house tours.

The irony being that obligation, gratitude and reciprocity permeate the entire Thai cultural construct and that's what Thomson was lead to expect. Thompson was angry because he had done a lot for Thailand and it's people.

When things went wrong rather than help him- they treated him- at worst like a common criminal and at best- of no more value than a Kowsan road hippy. It was largely his own fault. You can't tell a high ranking Government official, that you (the Farang) have done so much for his country and now you want a favor. Thai people don't want to hear that the Farang saved the day. It's the ultimate slap in the face. It's like saying, Thai people were unable or unwilling to help the country so the Farang had to do it!! It brings up the deep seated Thai resentment against domination through class warfare which is mirrored and exacerbated by the their hatred of Colonization.

bt

[RichardtenBrinke]

Hmmm. Some controversy in this piece.

First of all. She says 'Leave my country and don't take our jobs etc.'

Not the best things to say. Racism is a big threat in the world.

Have a little bit understanding about her views. But even the government gives the farang the space to work in the places where Thai not in big amounts are able to.

Then she writes English. If you hate Farang why even take the effort to learn English in the first place....

All farang out means also the big investors like Honda, Toyota, Isuzu, Ford etc. Which gives many work spots for Thai.

So if all the farang and their companies would leave then Thailand will be in a big depression. Many people jobless.

Let's live together and make the best out of it.

We are all human and earth is our home.

[JakeSully]

Well in the US you have the Republicans. In the UK you have the BNP.

I'm pretty sure every country has their share of xenophobes. It even exists in the Philippines where I've been to many times.

What she says is no more important than the last fatal car accident you saw. Why? Nothing will change based on what she said.

It's a lot more interesting to see what the government will say and do (increase tax on beers and make my Leo beer 108 baht from 92) than what a few locals say and do. (foreigner go home).

[puyaidon]

Without quoting some of the writers in this forum, the lady is just another windbag looking for her 15 minutes of fame and never heard from again. Why she says what she has said is probably some heartburn of some lost love who left her for another woman.

[lemoncake]

As OP said, the scary part is she is a senior lecturer.

Even more scary is her English

And to top it all off, her ignorance is beyond joke, does she not realize nobody is eating her rice, if people did, government would not have hundreds of tonnes rotting in some warehouse .

Nobody drinks her water from the rivers, it's filthy dirty, even fish dies from it.

Stealing the jobs? Thank god she is not an English teacher.

She drives Japanese car, uses Chinese computer, watches Korean tv, shops in Italian shops but she hates foreigners ?

Better she gives up all of it and supports local business. Oh but wait, locals do not produce cars or computers or phones or tv's .

University may want to make a public notice and remove said person to inactive post or may be provide some education for her

[FiftyTwo]

University may want to make a public notice and remove said person to inactive post or may be provide some education for her

More likely she will be appointed Dean.

Anyway, I've taken her advice and gone home to my wife and kids.

(In MaeJo, just by the university)

Edited December 3, 2013 by FiftyTwo

[JakeSully]

http://asianracism.blogspot.com/2007/03/xenophobia-in-thailand-on-rise.html

Written 6 years ago. How much has changed since then?

[seajae]

I see it now and then but maybe not as blatant as this. The thing is I see exactly the same thing in Australia with the red necks that hate anyone not born in Australia or of a european/english background. There are racists everywhere, Thailand is no worse or different to every other country, the biggest exception is the fact that students are not taught the truth about the rest of the world, the true history(thai & world) and that Thailand is not the leading nation in the world and they are not better than everyone else.

I find the majority of thais like to associate with farangs and they are forever asking you to talk english with them. In most cases it is a matter of treat others how you want to be treated, smile and be friendly and it is returned in kind.

[arminbkk]

Funny (but familair) how she says she does not like foreigners, but quickly makes an exception for the foreign guy (David Chisholm) she is talking to:

"******: “Serious, very serious. In fact, I hate forienge for a long time. You come to my country for use my resource. You is not mean Dave but forienge.""

I'm sure there are Thai people that do not like foreigners (in this case non-asians): one just has to go outside and observe Thai attitude and demeanor, specifically the

change in those when seeing a foreigner or having to deal with one.

But there are also Thais that are indifferent toward foreigners, Thais that like foreigners and even Thais that love foreigners.

But I think the first two (dislike and indifferent) make up a very large part, based on own observations during 10+ years (of which 6 living and working in Thailand).

Also a thought: maybe the Thais are just like foreigners: blame the foreigners in your country for the problems in your country.

A lot of foreigners do that in their own country without really thinking it through what they say. Although it is usually not about drinking their water and eating their potatos.

[unanimosity]

Where is Siam Legal on this? TIT and this looks ripe for a foreigner class action against the professor and Maejo U. for defamation.

[unanimosity]

I see it now and then but maybe not as blatant as this. The thing is I see exactly the same thing in Australia with the red necks that hate anyone not born in Australia or of a european/english background. There are racists everywhere, Thailand is no worse or different to every other country, the biggest exception is the fact that students are not taught the truth about the rest of the world, the true history(thai & world) and that Thailand is not the leading nation in the world and they are not better than everyone else.

I find the majority of thais like to associate with farangs and they are forever asking you to talk english with them. In most cases it is a matter of treat others how you want to be treated, smile and be friendly and it is returned in kind.

They will associate with whoever picks up the tab.

[Calach]

you really think that the general Thai populace actually think any different to her? After being here for a long time, it is blatantly obvious that we are not welcome here, we are tolerated because we pay, we are just as unwelcome as foreigners are in our home countries... You will meet individuals that dont fit the mould certainly, but to Thais as a "collective" we are not welcome but our money is, perpetual paying guests, that is all we are and all we will ever be.

The sooner you accept that fact the better.

Absolutely, I don't think the general Thai populace is xenophobic and mentally besieged (even behind the smile), she just belongs to the share of paranoids all countries have.

[Thaddeus]

What she says is no more important than the last fatal car accident you saw. Why? Nothing will change based on what she said.

She's a teacher, affecting young minds.

Such an open racist would not have a job as a teacher for long in most civilised countries.

[Sam Gold]

Just shows politicians sometimes slip up and say the most outrageous c**p. Last time I heard anything that stupid was when one of them last year publicly recommended Thai women marry foreigners and go to live with them abroad.

Thais don't want foreigners to go home, they have worked hard on building the "Welcome to Thailand, the land of Smiles" thing, as well as one of the top airports in the world in order to sustain the growth experienced since the early 2000s.

[sawadee1947]

Well, as a Limerick man I know the feeling of having a lot of people from East Europe in our country. Why Thais should not feel the same? It's their own country and nobody invited us to come over here to Thailand. We are tolerated...NOT welcome.