gobbledonk Posted March 17, 2012 Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 There are several threads on Ajarn and various emails on Stick's site about the 'cowardice' of those Thai men/juveniles who attack people, usually Farang, in groups rather than the time-honoured one-on-one fight we associate with 'real men'. I am also from a generation which associates mob attacks with cowardice, but I'd like to make a few points which seem to elude many of the aforementioned Farang: 1. This isn't restricted to Asia - there have been numerous cases of groups attacking lone males (and, bizarrely, couples) here in Oz. One of the worst was captured on CCTV and showed an off-duty cop and his GF being bashed by a large group of juveniles, some as young as 12. Look for footage of the Cronulla riots if you want to see how 'brave' Aussie youth will gang up on lone 'opponents'. Mob beatings have become a regular blight on our cities, and the Indian media has done a good job of demonising Australians as violent racists prone to unprovoked attacks on their citizens. We also have major problems with bouncers inflicting serious damage on hapless nightclub patrons. I doubt that there is a Western country where these things don't happen. but I guess its easier to tar all Thai men with the same brush when you have an axe to grind. 2. Social norms aren't unversal. If I go to a country where animals we see purely as 'pets' are slaughtered in full view of the public and sold for human consumption, I'm not going to like it but I'm equally unlikely to be able to change it. That's how things are - I can accept it or I can avoid places where I'm likely to be confronted by it. If it still concerns me, I am free to leave. I've said it before, but we seem to want to escape our own nanny states without accepting that there might be a downside to a society which doesnt wrap us in its comforting (and suffocating ..) embrace. 3. A lot of the indignation appears to be around the fact that our cowardly 'brawlers' are inclined to congratulate one another on their ability to beat up a lone Farang, but its naive to think that this doesn't happen to other Thais. When a group is confronted by another group, as is the case with the feuding tech schools, my understanding is that the level of violence is ramped up with the addition of weapons. I vividly recall the way irate Malaysian taxi drivers beat one of their own viciously after he ran into another cab and tried to drive off - this was in full view of the general public at about 11pm in KL. If the guy is still alive, I doubt that he escaped without serious internal injuries. 4. While BKK/Pattaya dont have a monopoly on violence, I'm guessing that most of these incidents happen in areas that centre on Farang-oriented nightlife. The same areas where Farang seem to want to butt heads with other Farang, often over very little. I havent seen a whole lot of 'Queensbury' in these fights, unless there is a rule in boxing that says you can pound your opponent into the ground and try to pry his eyeballs out with your thumbs. I'll check the Wikipedia entry for that one ..... None of this is about being a 'Thai apologist' - I don't buy any of the BS about 'I fight for my country' or assorted other reasons that might get thrown around - but if we know that this is 'how it is', keystrokes aren't going to change it. The English teachers out there probably see the foundations of the 'macho' culture among Thai males, but are schoolyards in Aust/UK/US any better ? Not if the reports of systemic bullying are anything to go by. I see this as a generational thing, however abhorrent we Boomers might find the spectre of seeing an individual being punched and kicked by a mob of 'heroes'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elef Posted March 17, 2012 Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 I don't question what you say, but the only mobs I've seen (in Pattaya) were english young men 18-25 years old and mostly coming from Manchester and Liverpool. (OK there were aussies too...) I know some a little more because one of those married a niece of my ex-TW. While the two thais were shopping I followed him and had beers with 4 or 5 of his friends.... This happened in Liverpool! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julian2 Posted March 17, 2012 Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 I've never personally seen a foreigner being attacked by locals, either one on one or mob handed, in Thailand or any other other Asian countries. Plenty of verbal disputes, mainly over bar bills or taxi fares, but they never came to anything. Rule of thumb is that if you pick a fight with anyone there's always a chance you will get more than you bargained for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gobbledonk Posted March 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2012 My understanding. before I even set foot in an Asian country, was that to fight one local was to risk having to fight the entire 'village'. For some bizarre reason, many of the young Farang in Thailand see the country as somehow exempt from repercussions - similar shit happens with Australians in Bali. I would rather sit in an empty bar than drink with this particular brand of idiot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huumlaar Posted March 18, 2012 Report Share Posted March 18, 2012 My understanding. before I even set foot in an Asian country, was that to fight one local was to risk having to fight the entire 'village'. For some bizarre reason, many of the young Farang in Thailand see the country as somehow exempt from repercussions - similar shit happens with Australians in Bali. I would rather sit in an empty bar than drink with this particular brand of idiot. So your repeating something third hand? Having lived in a village, group violence, as it occurs in UK/USA/Australia happens there too. And people who are bad, in a good village get drummed out if there is a majority who want that to happen, if there's a minority, then the bad guys stay there. If you also lived for years in a village, feel free to debate with first hand experience. Many times in First world Sex Ghetto's I've seen a bunch of locals jump on a visitor, why would we be surprised that it doesn't happen in Pattaya/Nana/Patpong? Just because there is a slogan "Land of Smiles?" How many times have you seen the murderer in the line up smile sheepishly? The Thai smile is OFTEN a mask, stop confusing it with a when your playing in a place that anywhere else in the world you'd be a lot more careful smile. To say this to old hands is odd. Why do you think the Thai girls are so good at pretending to do the girlfriend thing? They all know how to do a mask. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julian2 Posted March 18, 2012 Report Share Posted March 18, 2012 The Thai village I live in has a number of ethnic groups and during the drinking seasons things can get out of hand. The Thai police generally sit back and wait till it's over, bayonet the wounded, arrest the survivors and recommend each other for medals. All in all it's a good reason not to get involved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gobbledonk Posted March 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2012 So your repeating something third hand? I thought I made that obvious in my initial post, hence the references to Ajarn and Stick's site. I have seen fights in Thailand, but always Farang on Farang. I doubt that there is a nightlife precinct on the planet which doesn't feature violence - I'm convinced that people go to the Cross in Sydney in the hope of seeing someone beaten up. FWIW, there is a strong undercurrent of 'Thai people are treacherous' in many of the Ajarn/Stick posts, but one would hope that these (alleged) expats understood that there are '200 smiles'. Its their willingness to lump every Thai in with the thug element that I find hard to swallow - not sure why these people remain in Thailand if they hate the locals so much. I guess they dont want to go back to their nanny states as badly as they thought they did - dont want to, or simply cant afford to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elef Posted March 18, 2012 Report Share Posted March 18, 2012 I don't doubt there can be mobs turning against foreigners in rural districts and muslim provinces. Who volunteer to walk around with an american flag in Pattani in the night (could be dangerous in the daytime too)? But not in Pattaya and not in parts of Bangkok where tourist come (maybe except Lumpini Park after dark). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BelgianBoy Posted March 18, 2012 Report Share Posted March 18, 2012 The Thai village I live in has a number of ethnic groups and during the drinking seasons things can get out of hand. When is the drinking seasons please ? BB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elef Posted March 18, 2012 Report Share Posted March 18, 2012 When is the drinking seasons please ? BB That one was easy BB, all year except NY Eve because that's party time... Belgian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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