Going Down: All the times farangs were forced into humiliating apologetic 'wais'

[webfact]

Going Down: All the times farangs were forced into humiliating apologetic 'wais'

By Coconuts Bangkok 

 

 

BANGKOK: -- It doesn’t matter in which way they disrespected Thai culture  —  just that these foreigners were forced to do an apologetic “wai” in the press photos when they were caught.

 

After the public humiliation as a much-photographed public bowing sesh —  an act that many vacationing farangs don’t even understand but simply perform because they are told to — the case is closed and everybody leaves satisfied.

 

After a fine of THB500-1,000 is paid, of course.

 

To drive home the country’s culture of public shaming, when those arrested are not Thai, they are often told to do a “wai” as a traditional way to apologize and express regret to the whole of Thailand. Pro farang tip:  If you want to go above and beyond, you can also add that you “love Thailand.”

 

Whether they were arrested for simply wearing see-through beachwear or having drunken sex in public, here’s a round-up of farangs doing apologetic wais. 

 

Full story: https://coconuts.co/bangkok/news/going-times-farangs-forced-humiliating-apologetic-wais/

 

-- © Copyright Coconuts Bangkok 2017-05-15

[anotheruser]

Fascinating...

[chrisinth]

I think Coconuts will probably find that it is a voluntary action to do a wai, albeit having been told to do it.

 

It would be up to the individual not to wai, but that would be extremely inadvisable.

 

IMO, in the majority of cases anyway, it is fully justified to be a bit humble after making a complete ass of yourself.

[saakura]

"To drive home the country’s culture of public shaming, when those arrested are not Thai, they are often told to do a “wai” as a traditional way to apologize and express regret to the whole of Thailand"......

 

Is it also not the same when those arrested are Thai?

[lovelomsak]

None of those wai's  appear to apologetic to me. Their hands are way to low. It looks more like an insult. Showing little respect.

[colinneil]

Seven years ago the BIB told me to do that, well i told them .... off.

Enjoyed my time in Buriram prison.

[anotheruser]

It is sort of like when your mom makes you apologize and adds "say it like you mean it." 

Edited May 15, 2017 by anotheruser

[Peterw42]

I am sure there have been cases in the west where Asians have been forced to shake hands for the camera.

[tonray]

How is it any different than a person in the USA for example expressing remorse just before sentencing after conviction. Same thing different cultural norm. Judges often cite the expression of remorse or lack thereof as a factor in their sentencing decisions or whether they accept the prosecutor's 'deal' with the defendant.

[bkkcanuck8]

41 minutes ago, saakura said:

"To drive home the country’s culture of public shaming, when those arrested are not Thai, they are often told to do a “wai” as a traditional way to apologize and express regret to the whole of Thailand"......

 

Is it also not the same when those arrested are Thai?

Yes, but it is not humiliating for them because they are use to it 

 

Actually, it is not just Thailand -- most of Asia has some sort of physical way to express that they are truly sorry for the actions that they have done to cause others harm -- whether it be physical, emotional or a loss of face.  In doing so you are also recognizing that your actions caused a loss of face.  Not doing so would be taken very badly in multiple ways.  One Thailand (like the rest of Asia) is a hierarchical society - you have those above (which includes judicial), those below -- but really no equals (even if it comes down to age difference of a minute in Japan).  Not doing so would be akin to spitting in the faces of those that you wronged, and those that you will have to appear before in a court of law.  Even in western society you are expected to show respect for the judiciary, not rising when the judge enters the court could land you in a jail cell on contempt.  

 

Thais may give some allowance to westerners not knowing the culture when they are just visiting -- but if you have gone too far that you have to appear in a criminal or judicial setting.... that allowance no longer exists.  

 

It is not the wai that is humiliating, it is accepting that you have lost face by your actions.

[alant]

I have read Thai muslims do not wai. How does this fit?

[Crash999]

So much public sex. 

[Luckysilk]

Saw a falang Wai someone on the BTS the other day for stepping on their foot - I almost broke a rib laughing.

[Destiny1990]

I love the Thai wais and the rest of the world should ban the handshakes and copy Thailand..

[Borzandy]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

they disrespected Thai culture

No, they respected the Thai hypocrisy.

[DLang]

1 hour ago, Peterw42 said:

I am sure there have been cases in the west where Asians have been forced to shake hands for the camera.

You have no idea about Thai culture, do you.

 

Enjoy your holiday. 

[tonray]

27 minutes ago, Luckysilk said:

Saw a falang Wai someone on the BTS the other day for stepping on their foot - I almost broke a rib laughing.

Why?  That's the accepted way of saying 'sorry' in this culture. Those who ignore cultural norms get less respect here usually being the ones laughed at behind the scenes 

[rkidlad]

I knew an English girl here who had acid thrown on her. Somewhere on Lard Prao road. I think it was a serial acid thrower. She was told to come to the police station so she could identify the thrower. She was extremely shaken up by this incident and was even more nervous after she was told to come and point him out. I guess she wanted to identify him from a one-way mirror.

 

She arrived at the station and there seemed to be a big hoo-ha. She went in and they told her to sit down. Photographers came in and all the police stopped to get in a picture. She explained that she was very uncomfortable and wanted to do this privately and not in front of an audience. It all fell on deaf ears and she had to point at the guy who threw the acid. He was wearing a face mask so she said she didn't know for sure. They told her not to worry and that they have the right guy. Just point. They took pics, apparent acid thrower got pointed at, and the person who suffered even more from this ordeal was the victim. No wye was performed by the perpetrator and she was sent on her way.

 

Moral of the story - so often when you see these photo shoots or shaming, it has nothing to do with the crime or indecent act. It's purely just a show to make small people with inferiority complexes feel better about themselves. Oh, the guy who threw the acid got a fine. All that BS and humiliation so a dangerous and vindictive member of the public could be given a fine. 

[JaiLai]

Seven years ago the BIB told me to do that, well i told them .... off.
Enjoyed my time in Buriram prison.

Proper hard man.

[elgordo38]

1 hour ago, lovelomsak said:

None of those wai's  appear to apologetic to me. Their hands are way to low. It looks more like an insult. Showing little respect.

They are amateurs after all. Cut them a bit of slack. Do you want the powers that be to "instruct" them before the camera's roll to catch their humility for posterity??

[Mongk0l]

Being asked to do a Wai is hardly being shamed. There is nothing either demeaning or humiliating about joining hands together as a sign of respect and graceful dignity. Perhaps more farangs to do it.

 

Also, if you were a guest in someone else's house, it would be civilized to abide by their rules, whether they made sense to you or not. I find it vexing that farangs choose to come to Thailand — because they get treated here with respect and affection they would never see in their home countries — and then spend their time criticizing the country's customs, practices, laws and so on. I can think of worse 'punishments' than being asked to join your hands and saying sorry.

 

And by the way, you really can't have the fruits without the roots.

[elgordo38]

1 minute ago, Mongk0l said:

Being asked to do a Wai is hardly being shamed. There is nothing either demeaning or humiliating about joining hands together as a sign of respect and graceful dignity. Perhaps more farangs to do it.

 

Also, if you were a guest in someone else's house, it would be civilized to abide by their rules, whether they made sense to you or not. I find it vexing that farangs choose to come to Thailand — because they get treated here with respect and affection they would never see in their home countries — and then spend their time criticizing the country's customs, practices, laws and so on. I can think of worse 'punishments' than being asked to join your hands and saying sorry.

 

And by the way, you really can't have the fruits without the roots.

Don't forget Newbie there are 2 sides to every coin. Report back in a year or two or three. 

[Peterw42]

30 minutes ago, DLang said:

You have no idea about Thai culture, do you.

 

Enjoy your holiday. 

Please enlighten me sensei. 

A wai is a gesture of respect, an apology, a greeting, an acknowledgment of a persons higher status, or just a plain old thank you.

A hand shake in the west could be seen as a similar gesture.

The article is about forcing a gesture onto people who are not familiar with the gesture or its meaning.

 

Edited May 15, 2017 by Peterw42

[anotheruser]

The Thai Wai ™ the gold standard of oozing sincerity when one is in trouble. 

[roo860]

The Thai Wai [emoji769] the gold standard of oozing sincerity when one is in trouble. 

Normally used when they've just ploughed a car into innocent pedestrians, while been pissed out of their heads.

Sent from my SM-G920F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[anotheruser]

Not sure if this one was in the OP but here is a person that knows the art of the wai. 

 

 

[LawrenceN]

Love the photo of Ronald McDonald. Wonder what he was accused of.

[kannot]

i  dont  buy  into their hierarchy

[kannot]

5 minutes ago, anotheruser said:

Not sure if this one was in the OP but here is a person that knows the art of the wai. 

 

 

vomit  overload

[anotheruser]

Just now, kannot said:

vomit  overload

 

The fun thing about embedding a Mymatenate vid here is he is so hated. So hated that people can't help but click that little prick's link and make him richer. :)