'Lao are lazy': The problem with 'Thai superiority'

[Mister Fixit]

14 hours ago, taichiplanet said:

i guess it is similar to the Thai use of 'farang'. i am not offeneded by the term as i don't think it is meant in a racist way (as in the case of refering to LAo), but it shows a distinction in their thinking about Thai and the rest of the world. Even when Thais know my name they still refer to me as 'farang', i think i will start to call all Thais as 'Kon Thai' or 'Mai Farang' rather than use their names!

 

I find calling them 'saparot' when they call me farang is fun.  It either raises a scowl or a smile ...

[Johpa]

15 hours ago, Jools said:

I've never known a Thai who didn't think they were the "Master Race" of southeast Asia. Very common attitude,encouraged by the government and the elite.

 

I think you are mistaking the Sino-Thai population, the dominant group in Bangkok and in the larger business community, with the ethnic Thais. I have a home in a traditional Thai village and don't encounter the "master race" attitude in my villages or neighboring villages.  That being said, my good friends who recently built a large house in their neighboring village did give up on Thai workers and now swear by the attributes of the Burmese workers.

[anotheruser]

2 hours ago, Mister Fixit said:

 

I find calling them 'saparot' when they call me farang is fun.  It either raises a scowl or a smile ...

 

What does saparot mean? 

[Dexlowe]

11 minutes ago, anotheruser said:

 

What does saparot mean? 

 

It means pineapple, as in some people always get the rough end of the pineapple. 

[anotheruser]

Thanks for the explanation. 

[anotheruser]

I have lived in Lao for around ten years and can say there is no love lost. Thailand and Bangkok with it's skyscrapers will become stagnate now. There isn't an easy way out. The developing countries around Thailand have their work cut out for them.

 

The difference is the countries around Thailand are going through the first wave of development. Thailand has had it for years but have dropped the ball. The internet will be or is the same in surrounding countries and is not censored. 

 

I would say overwhelmingly that the Lao people have more energy and a better attitude. It is always fun when Thai people in Bangkok tell me that I speak "Isaan". 

 

Try to explain to a Thai that they speak a dialect and the language it is based upon is Lao.

 

Lao as a country is more open to foreign investment. After all they will make so many dams to power Bangkok. If any Thais say Lao people are lazy Lao is in the postion to put Bangkok in the dark. 

[Fithman]

11 minutes ago, anotheruser said:

The internet will be or is the same in surrounding countries and is not censored. 

 

Really?  What happened to the internet control/censorship law(s) imposed in 2014?

 

https://advox.globalvoices.org/2014/09/28/laos-joins-southeast-asian-neighbors-in-imposing-stricter-internet-controls/#

[anotheruser]

You can access pornhub in Laos I know this for a fact.

[fusion58]

In my experience,  the average man or woman on the street in Yangon, Phnom Penh and Vientiane has a better command of English than most Thais I've encountered in government offices (cough, immigration, cough.)

[BuckBee]

2 hours ago, fusion58 said:

In my experience,  the average man or woman on the street in Yangon, Phnom Penh and Vientiane has a better command of English than most Thais I've encountered in government offices (cough, immigration, cough.)

I bought duck eggs off an old lady in a remote isan village who spoke better English than immigration staff, few spotty twerps in 7/11 who can surprise you but there daddy can't get them job at cheangwattana lol .

[digibum]

22 hours ago, taichiplanet said:

i guess it is similar to the Thai use of 'farang'. i am not offeneded by the term as i don't think it is meant in a racist way (as in the case of refering to LAo), but it shows a distinction in their thinking about Thai and the rest of the world. Even when Thais know my name they still refer to me as 'farang', i think i will start to call all Thais as 'Kon Thai' or 'Mai Farang' rather than use their names!

 

And nearly every Thai will say, "But we don't mean it in a bad way."  No matter how many times you explain to them that even if they don't mean it in a bad way, at best it's impolite (to speak about someone using a noun) and at worst it's racist, they just answer, "But we don't mean it in a bad way."  

 

The idea that maybe they shouldn't do it, regardless of their intent, because it could be misinterpreted never seems to sink in.  

 

Most have no ill intent.  They just have zero awareness.  Pronouns are often replaced with names or nouns in Thai so they really don't seem to get why some people have a problem with it . . . until you turn it around and use it on them.  

 

My wife used to do it.  Well, she still does when she's talking to people back in Thailand.  But if we go out with Thais and she refers to me as "farang" I refer to her as The Asian.  That stopped her from doing it pretty quick.  When she realized how demeaning it sounded in English she quit using it in Thai.

 

 

[kaorop]

22 hours ago, Jools said:

I've never known a Thai who didn't think they were the "Master Race" of southeast Asia. Very common attitude,encouraged by the government and the elite.

And its a brilliant bit of social engineering, falsely empowering people over others who are so similar as to be "family" so they can be manipulated into "doing good for the country" but not reap the rewards.. 

IMO rampant nationalism in any country is just that.

[scorecard]

10 hours ago, Johpa said:

 

I think you are mistaking the Sino-Thai population, the dominant group in Bangkok and in the larger business community, with the ethnic Thais. I have a home in a traditional Thai village and don't encounter the "master race" attitude in my villages or neighboring villages.  That being said, my good friends who recently built a large house in their neighboring village did give up on Thai workers and now swear by the attributes of the Burmese workers.

 

Interesting, the large Thai construction company who built our house (slightly up-market moo baan, Northern area) consisted of:

 

- 2 middle aged pleasant Thai men, both civil engineering graduates, both speak good English, Thai and Burmese, always looking for conversations with owners to ensure owners are happy. Good listeners in terms of owners and all of their workers, and they speak pleasantly to their workers who are quite relaxed to point our any equipment of other problems.

 

- 1 Thai and 3 Burmese supervisors, all very pleasant, all qualified (one of the Burmese men has a masters degree in civil engineering, The Burmese supervisors speak good Thai and English. Thai supervisor speaks Thai and a little Burmese. 

 

- About 100 construction workers, all Burmese, all speak native level Burmese, fairly good Thai, and maybe 25% speak good to excellent English, another 40% speak beginner English up to good English. All well focused on their work and very proud of the quality of their work. They like their Thai bosses because the bosses take care of them well, any sickness and straight to the doctor or hospital, boss pays. Boss provided good food every day. Boss always pays on time, overtime always paid accurately, etc.

 

I asked the 2 Thai owners 'why all Burmese construction workers?'

 

Quick answers: they work, they are never lazy, they are honest and trustworthy, they do good work....

 

 

Lao folks: I've taught many Lao students in MBA programs in both Chiang Mai and in Bangkok. Always good focused students, good listeners, always polite but no hesitation to ask good questions and contribute to productive discussions, never lazy, good to excellent English, good attitude, good attendance, always on time. Most of them politely keep some separation with the Thai students who on many occasions have been quite impolite to them. But it's the Thai female students who, in my experience, are more quick to be impolite compared to male Thai students. 

Edited October 6, 2016 by scorecard

[Mister Fixit]

11 hours ago, anotheruser said:

 

What does saparot mean? 

 

Pineapple.  Farang is a fruit, the guava, so when I'm called that I call them after a fruit in return.  

 

Like I said, it either raises a scowl or a smile once they get it.

[Gainsbourg]

7 hours ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

 

I believe the earliest French colonial settlers while exploring the Mekong expressed that the Siamese were good for nothing and one even said the Siamese accompanying on the expedition should be beheaded as they brought nothing but dishonesty, disharmony and immorality to the camp.
 

 

Immorality as in offering special "revitalising" massages ?? 555

[Gainsbourg]

11 hours ago, fusion58 said:

In my experience,  the average man or woman on the street in Yangon, Phnom Penh and Vientiane has a better command of English than most Thais I've encountered in government offices (cough, immigration, cough.)

But in thai offices they have more decorum and F.A.C.E. and that's all that matters in FACEland. 555

 

One of my last visits to immigration the female chief's English vocabulary was limited to: YOU.PAY. all other orders/info was given in the international language known as PassaaThai which i of course refuse to understand when dealing with an unfriendly arrogant clown... the lower officers were friendly though but bossy had to boost her ego in front of a minivan full with humble burmese.

[fusion58]

16 hours ago, BuckBee said:

I bought duck eggs off an old lady in a remote isan village who spoke better English than immigration staff, few spotty twerps in 7/11 who can surprise you but there daddy can't get them job at cheangwattana lol .

 

Re: 7/11: Amazing how you can pay your electric bill at 7-11 with no problems, but try paying the same bill at a Thai bank and, more often than not, the tellers have no clue how to manage this simple task.

 

Of course, the tellers will never admit that they don't have a clue what they're doing - they'll simply say "sorry - you cannot here."

 

The guy at 7/11 and the bank teller should trade places.

[fusion58]

16 hours ago, digibum said:

 

And nearly every Thai will say, "But we don't mean it in a bad way."  No matter how many times you explain to them that even if they don't mean it in a bad way, at best it's impolite (to speak about someone using a noun) and at worst it's racist, they just answer, "But we don't mean it in a bad way."  

 

The idea that maybe they shouldn't do it, regardless of their intent, because it could be misinterpreted never seems to sink in.  

 

Most have no ill intent.  They just have zero awareness.  Pronouns are often replaced with names or nouns in Thai so they really don't seem to get why some people have a problem with it . . . until you turn it around and use it on them.  

 

My wife used to do it.  Well, she still does when she's talking to people back in Thailand.  But if we go out with Thais and she refers to me as "farang" I refer to her as The Asian.  That stopped her from doing it pretty quick.  When she realized how demeaning it sounded in English she quit using it in Thai.

 

 

As another TVF member noted, referring to all Occidentals as "farang" is like referring to all Asians as "Chinamen."

[The Dark Lord]

On 06/10/2016 at 9:50 PM, fusion58 said:

As another TVF member noted, referring to all Occidentals as "farang" is like referring to all Asians as "Chinamen."

Didn't Jeremy Clarkson, formerly of Top Gear, have a generic expression to counter the Farang jibe?

 

didnt JC get severely berated by the PC Brigade for doing so even though not proven

 

i cannot find the picture I took right now but in the local supermarket I visit a lot, there is a sign in a Thai and "English" warning the unsuspecting to "Beware of the Slope"

 

i kid kid you Not!