Thai attitude to foreigners: An all time low?

[bigrobtheactor]

On 1/25/2019 at 9:17 PM, Naam said:

i've been visiting Thailand since the 70s, live in Pattaya since 14 years and have neither experienced any hatred nor strong resentment. the latter also applies to a fistful of close friends. my only explanation for the negative impression some TV-members have is either paranoia or simply "tit for tat" reactions from the Thai side. 

Thanks Naam. I've been coming here since the 80's and have definitely noticed something weird, strange and hostile. It may be that you have already mapped out your "comfort zones" and stay mostly tucked safely within them. I don't know but what I see?  For example: the other night I was eating at one of the local road side kiosks and just after I paid the bill noticed a middle aged woman sitting by herself enjoying some soup that looked rather good so I asked the guy working there what it was. She piped in that it was red in color because she added chili but I shouldn’t eat it like that (because I was farang?) so I smiled and said that I like chili too at which point she seemed to grow angrier (she was none to pleasant from the start, I kept looking for a smile to show me she was teasing but it never came.. instead..) and threw a mock punch at my head - really - to which I, a bit startled asked her why she was angry to which she responded that she was not angry blah, blah, blah but I walked away. Just too weird and insignificant to give any more energy too but the anger appears frequently - from total strangers - or - mote often, like at the bank or other restaurants I used to eat at – or a lady I was discussing renting an apartment from just never calling me back, or my dentist never greeting me with even a “hello” – just coming into the room and getting right to work, suddenly ignored as if I did something to offend someone which if I had - have no idea - but it’s happed so often it just seems to me as if there’s an undercurrent of resentment here that is very hard to make any sense of. I’ve rarely if ever seen a tourist be rude and I certainly never am.. So?

Edited January 30, 2019 by bigrobtheactor

[madmen]

Thanks Naam. I've been coming here since the 80's and have definitely noticed something weird, strange and hostile. It may be that you have already mapped out your "comfort zones" and stay mostly tucked safely within them. I don't know but what I see?  For example: the other night I was eating at one of the local road side kiosks and just after I paid the bill noticed a middle aged woman sitting by herself enjoying some soup that looked rather good so I asked the guy working there what it was. She piped in that it was red in color because she added chili but I shouldn’t eat it like that (because I was farang?) so I smiled and said that I like chili too at which point she seemed to grow angrier (she was none to pleasant from the start, I kept looking for a smile to show me she was teasing but it never came.. instead..) and threw a mock punch at my head - really - to which I, a bit startled asked her why she was angry to which she responded that she was not angry blah, blah, blah but I walked away. Just too weird and insignificant to give any more energy too but the anger appears frequently - from total strangers - or - mote often, like at the bank or other restaurants I used to eat at – or a lady I was discussing renting an apartment from just never calling me back, or my dentist never greeting me with even a “hello” – just coming into the room and getting right to work, suddenly ignored as if I did something to offend someone which if I had - have no idea - but it’s happed so often it just seems to me as if there’s an undercurrent of resentment here that is very hard to make any sense of. I’ve rarely if ever seen a tourist be rude and I certainly never am.. So?

Why would a thai get angry and pretend punch [emoji109] you in the head for liking chilli?

If you asked a thousand farang if this ever happened to them 100% would think that you're a crazy person.

If you find yourself badly treated by a thai or farangs or your wife even you need to stop the blame game and look inwards and ask the question what am I doing to attract this hostility? The answer is there if you seek the truth grasshopper..

[Naam]

11 hours ago, bigrobtheactor said:

Thanks Naam. I've been coming here since the 80's and have definitely noticed something weird, strange and hostile. It may be that you have already mapped out your "comfort zones" and stay mostly tucked safely within them.

guilty as charged Your Honour!

[Naam]

10 hours ago, madmen said:

Why would a thai get angry and pretend punch you in the head for liking chilli?

soup with high yaba ingredient?

[luckyluke]

12 hours ago, bigrobtheactor said:

mapped out your "comfort zones" and stay mostly tucked safely within them.

Comfort zones may change according the age one is. 

 

Spent 15+ years in Pattaya.

 

Now at 70 years old, I am staying in Bangkok( Thonglor), where I like it very much. 

 

I am actually in Pattaya, have done my yearly extension here.

 

Don't feel myself comfortable anymore in Pattaya ( people, surrounding). 

 

Not only times are A-changin'. 

Edited January 30, 2019 by luckyluke