Racial perceptions influence on acceptable pricing for "ethnic" restaurant food ...

[Jingthing]

This is food for thought and I really think there is something to it.

While this article is related to American perceptions of "ethnic" foods, I have found the same attitudes widely broadcast on the forum by expats.

For example constant whining of the prices for Indian curries in Pattaya, like Indian should always be cheap because it's Indian but few people would talk that way about French food. Etc.

REFUSING TO SPEND MONEY ON NON-WESTERN RESTAURANTS IS RACIST.

Why is it that people are willing to spend $20 on a bowl of pasta with sauce that they might actually be able to replicate pretty faithfully at home, yet they balk at the notion of a white-table cloth Thai restaurant, or a tacos that cost more than $3 each?

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http://firstwefeast.com/eat/20-things-everyone-thinks-about-the-food-world-but-nobody-will-say/s/refusing-to-spend-money-on-non-western-restaurants-is-racist/

[David48]

Heck ... I'm still trying to understand why people would pay Bt100 + for a coffee here ...

(Just saw that you had no replies yet after a couple of hours and didn't want you to feel that your topic lacked any appeal amongst the members)..

For me ... quality ingredients prepared by a quality chef in quality surroundings do deserve a premium price.

.

[pdwarf1]

You must be kidding. What planet do you live on? This is Thailand. If you want to pay premium prices for Thai food that does not taste like Thai food should, go to any 5 star hotel here. You want authentic food, go to a street stall.

Get a life.

[Jingthing]

...

This is Thailand. If you want to pay premium prices for Thai food that does not taste like Thai food should, go to any 5 star hotel here. You want authentic food, go to a street stall.

...

(Truncated to remove the garbage.)

Actually in the context of living in Thailand, Thailand is the national local food. That's why I posted this in the INTERNATIONAL food forum and not the Thai food forum.

[Theo007]

Speaking of paying 100+ baht for a coffee , there is a very nice restaurant in Jomtien which offers an excellent all day breakfast for 99 baht which includes cappuccino. Went there one afternoon and ordered a cappuccino and was charged 125 baht, should have ordered the breakfast. This is just another case of TIT!

[kimbathewhitelion]

You must be kidding. What planet do you live on? This is Thailand. If you want to pay premium prices for Thai food that does not taste like Thai food should, go to any 5 star hotel here. You want authentic food, go to a street stall.

Get a life.

Seriously, most Thais don't even go to street Stalls unless incredibly poor. The stalls are disease factories & not recommended by the educated Thai. The Stalls are there are mainly for the tourists. Many a restaurants outside of tourist areas have good Thai food & of course stay clear of any Redlight areas for the best quality. Though can see the short lived or short researched here can think food stalls represent the country's base.

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[David48]

You must be kidding. What planet do you live on? This is Thailand. If you want to pay premium prices for Thai food that does not taste like Thai food should, go to any 5 star hotel here. You want authentic food, go to a street stall.

Get a life.

Are you referring to my post ... or the OP?

[David48]

You must be kidding. What planet do you live on? This is Thailand. If you want to pay premium prices for Thai food that does not taste like Thai food should, go to any 5 star hotel here. You want authentic food, go to a street stall.

Get a life.

Seriously, most Thais don't even go to street Stalls unless incredibly poor.

The Stalls are there are mainly for the tourists. Many a restaurants outside of tourist areas have good Thai food & of course stay clear of any Redlight areas for the best quality.

Though can see the short lived or short researched here can think food stalls represent the country's base.

WOW - I am not often this direct, but ...

but, if I was to award the most mis-informed Post of the Year (thus far) that I have read ... it goes to you oz893 ...

So, the basis of your argument is that the Thai Street Food Venders are patronised and maintain their business by selling to the non-Thais ...

Just wanted to replay your quote ... "Seriously, most Thais don't even go to street Stalls unless incredibly poor.." ...

I'll stop there ... but, just in-case you reply ... one more ...

[Ajaan]

You must be kidding. What planet do you live on? This is Thailand. If you want to pay premium prices for Thai food that does not taste like Thai food should, go to any 5 star hotel here. You want authentic food, go to a street stall.

Get a life.

Seriously, most Thais don't even go to street Stalls unless incredibly poor. The stalls are disease factories & not recommended by the educated Thai. The Stalls are there are mainly for the tourists. Many a restaurants outside of tourist areas have good Thai food & of course stay clear of any Redlight areas for the best quality. Though can see the short lived or short researched here can think food stalls represent the country's base.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

You are SO wrong. So many Thais--including middle class Thais--eat a huge number of their meals every week at street stalls, and so go out of their way to eat at specific, well-known street stalls. They're one of the greatest things about Thailand!

Apologies to the OP for encouraging/contributing to this guy's attempts at thread-hijacking, but I just couldn't let that one go...

[kimbathewhitelion]

You must be kidding. What planet do you live on? This is Thailand. If you want to pay premium prices for Thai food that does not taste like Thai food should, go to any 5 star hotel here. You want authentic food, go to a street stall.

Get a life.

Seriously, most Thais don't even go to street Stalls unless incredibly poor. The stalls are disease factories & not recommended by the educated Thai. The Stalls are there are mainly for the tourists. Many a restaurants outside of tourist areas have good Thai food & of course stay clear of any Redlight areas for the best quality. Though can see the short lived or short researched here can think food stalls represent the country's base.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

You are SO wrong. So many Thais--including middle class Thais--eat a huge number of their meals every week at street stalls, and so go out of their way to eat at specific, well-known street stalls. They're one of the greatest things about Thailand!

Apologies to the OP for encouraging/contributing to this guy's attempts at thread-hijacking, but I just couldn't let that one go...

No use arguing though just your opinion, but wrong and are you just looking in those tourist areas (CM, BK, Phuket) or have you traveled Thailand? Notice in all those many (nearly completely) Thai locales (most of Issan is a good example), there are NO food stalls. Even in Krabi Town (a backpackers paradise) you won't find them (as of a year ago), though except that large one at night by the river but it's specifically for tourists. Also what is a "middle class" Thai, there's the rich & the poor. Don't believe this country ever had a "class" system.

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[Jingthing]

Interesting way this thread has turned out to be nothing related to the actual OP topic.

[David48]

Interesting way this thread has turned out to be nothing related to the actual OP topic.

JT ... tis like that sometimes.

Just one of the joys of posting here.

[David48]

Seriously, most Thais don't even go to street Stalls unless incredibly poor. The stalls are disease factories & not recommended by the educated Thai. The Stalls are there are mainly for the tourists. Many a restaurants outside of tourist areas have good Thai food & of course stay clear of any Redlight areas for the best quality. Though can see the short lived or short researched here can think food stalls represent the country's base.

You are SO wrong. So many Thais--including middle class Thais--eat a huge number of their meals every week at street stalls, and so go out of their way to eat at specific, well-known street stalls. They're one of the greatest things about Thailand!

Apologies to the OP for encouraging/contributing to this guy's attempts at thread-hijacking, but I just couldn't let that one go...

No use arguing though just your opinion, but wrong and are you just looking in those tourist areas (CM, BK, Phuket) or have you traveled Thailand?

Notice in all those many (nearly completely) Thai locales (most of Issan is a good example), there are NO food stalls.

Even in Krabi Town (a backpackers paradise) you won't find them (as of a year ago), though except that large one at night by the river but it's specifically for tourists.

Also what is a "middle class" Thai, there's the rich & the poor.

Don't believe this country ever had a "class" system.

Just when you thought it couldn't get better ...

[kimbathewhitelion]

Seriously, most Thais don't even go to street Stalls unless incredibly poor. The stalls are disease factories & not recommended by the educated Thai. The Stalls are there are mainly for the tourists. Many a restaurants outside of tourist areas have good Thai food & of course stay clear of any Redlight areas for the best quality. Though can see the short lived or short researched here can think food stalls represent the country's base.

You are SO wrong. So many Thais--including middle class Thais--eat a huge number of their meals every week at street stalls, and so go out of their way to eat at specific, well-known street stalls. They're one of the greatest things about Thailand!

Apologies to the OP for encouraging/contributing to this guy's attempts at thread-hijacking, but I just couldn't let that one go...

No use arguing though just your opinion, but wrong and are you just looking in those tourist areas (CM, BK, Phuket) or have you traveled Thailand?

Notice in all those many (nearly completely) Thai locales (most of Issan is a good example), there are NO food stalls.

Even in Krabi Town (a backpackers paradise) you won't find them (as of a year ago), though except that large one at night by the river but it's specifically for tourists.

Also what is a "middle class" Thai, there's the rich & the poor.

Don't believe this country ever had a "class" system.

Just when you thought it couldn't get better ...

yes the bully showed his true face... I know your type, the ones which won't stop quacking until they feel they've won, and though off topic, think it's better to let less informed people make up their own minds by hearing all opinions the members have to offer. I consider my argument closed but DO advise people to consider the lack of ANY sanitary measures taken with food stalls.

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[David48]

^^ Bully ... hardly.

I'm just waiting for the many people who agree with your observations to step forward and agree with your posts.

Sadly, to date, not even the OP has liked your posts.

OH ... before you try to belittle my supposition ... I live with the Thai people ... 24/7

There isn't a Westerner for a long way from where I live.

Hundreds ... no Thousands of Thai people eat from the street food stalls every day in the area I live.

Go into Bangkok ... the CBD where many middle class, professional Thais work ... Bankers, Accountants, Managers ... all come out at lunchtime and eat 'street food'.

My Thai gf ... middle level manger, had a team of 15 working for her and also head of documentation for the International Company, used to eat Sticky Rice and Pork as a breakfast before hopping on the Baht Bus (for you JT) to go to work.

Her immediate Boss who owns a &lt;deleted&gt;' Restaurant and also works in that company would join us sometimes for luch ... where ... at the street food trolley.

Mate ... do you even speak some Thai?

Know how to order food in Thai?

When you dig your hole so deep ... a wise man would down his shovel and realise that his hole was going nowhere.

[Jingthing]

What was this thread supposed to be about again?

[kimbathewhitelion]

Yes to "what was the OP" & was the OP satisfied days ago? Pissing matches are pointless, just egos uncontrollable.

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[Jingthing]

I am never satisfied. No, I don't think the actual topic has actually been touched as yet.

If there is no interest in it, so be it.

Edited March 2, 2014 by Jingthing

[besth]

Seriously, most Thais don't even go to street Stalls unless incredibly poor. The stalls are disease factories & not recommended by the educated Thai. The Stalls are there are mainly for the tourists. Many a restaurants outside of tourist areas have good Thai food & of course stay clear of any Redlight areas for the best quality. Though can see the short lived or short researched here can think food stalls represent the country's base.

You are SO wrong. So many Thais--including middle class Thais--eat a huge number of their meals every week at street stalls, and so go out of their way to eat at specific, well-known street stalls. They're one of the greatest things about Thailand!

Apologies to the OP for encouraging/contributing to this guy's attempts at thread-hijacking, but I just couldn't let that one go...

yes the bully showed his true face... I know your type, the ones which won't stop quacking until they feel they've won, and though off topic, think it's better to let less informed people make up their own minds by hearing all opinions the members have to offer. I consider my argument closed but DO advise people to consider the lack of ANY sanitary measures taken with food stalls.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

As with so many absolute truisms, it is simply not true that food stalls (all food stalls) have no sanitary measures, nor that they are not patronized by Thais.

In Bangkok I would be happy to show you more than a dozen that are cleaner than many "proper" restaurants and most customers are office staff, mid class if you consider income (although I agree that there is no real class description here).

Sorry to go back on topic (it seems almost wrong), but I think the OP has a good point with his comment. When I was in Europe last Christmas, my nephews insisted in going to a Thai restaurant. The food was excellent - best masaman curry I've had in a very long time - and the price quite reasonable, but I remember I did resent a bit paying for it because it was, understandably, more expensive than it would have been here. I guess some cuisines are traditionally accepted as expensive, like French for example, others are not, without a good reason.