Racism

[khunsanuk]

Hi,

 

The current thread in which DocThai talks about his experience when getting pickpocketed, and the Thais' reaction after that prompted me to create this poll.

 

Sanuk!

[jitagawn]

Personally I think most people if they are honest with themselves will admit to some degree or level of racism directed at certain nationalities.

 

Personally the Chinese in San Francisco push my weakness in this direction.

 

But the Thais are pretty universal IMHO and most have a distaste for dark skin-Issan,Indians,Blacks and Farangs of course.I think this is pretty obvious but people still debate it. ::

(Not all of course but an amazingly high percentage..)

Defenders of the perfect Thai people put on your rose colored glasses. ::

[buddha]

Racism is a sad condition of humanity. Name a period of time where one band of humans were NOT sticking it to another band of humans for differences as silly as skin color, language spoken, religion, etc. etc.

 

There needn't be a racist event for racism to be be prevelent. Racism exists everywhere on earth and we are all racists until it no longer exists. Sure there are people who are overtly racists, and others who are much more passive, some even consider themselves 'non-racists'.

 

Until this pervasive ugliness we all share in is truly wiped from our minds we as humans are racists.

 

As for me I am not overt, but I recognize that racism exists, and I am not doing anything about it but making the recognition. That makes me part of the problem. That makes me a racist.

 

Are Thai's racist? Of course they are human beings.

[Old Hippie]

"...Personally the Chinese in San Francisco push my weakness in this direction. ..."

 

DOn't get me started on this topic! they and the Pinoys here (who have taken over Daly City AND TRASHED IT!) really irk me to no end...proper manners? waiting in lines? taking a number? what is that? and always playing the "race card/game..." even my EX had issues with them, and she was a Chinese Pinay from Zambouanga...oh well...where's my white sheet...?

[soongmak]

It is about time we had a poll like this one. I think it is a subject that requires some extensive discussion.

 

 

IMO, Thais are extremely racist, even more so than in the West. Not because they are inherently more racist, but simply because racism is not so much frowned upon in thai society. Sometimes you can read the most outrageous racist articles in the thai press.

 

I think racism is less geared towards foreigners than to the dark people of thailand. If Pond's would sell its creams in the west advocating it would whiten your skin and label it "white beauty detox", the public ould be outraged and fuckin' rightly so. It is just a commercial, but it pinpoints clearly that thais see dark people simply as less pure, and it 'bugs the hell out of me. When my wife goes out shopping alone, she has been ignored on many occasions, simply because she's dark and people assume she has no money. If I compare that with the racism I had to suffer, mine is minimal. Hey, I am white, so as long as people think they can make a buck, they at least hold up the facade that they have some respect for me as a person.

 

For me the racism against my wife is increasingly spoiling my fun in thailand and at the moment I'm even contemplating not to return again. I've had it with the thais racist attitude. What happened to Docthai shows exactly what is wrong with Thailand and Bangkok especially.

[jxxxl]

I would chalk it up to emotional maturity, or in this case the lack thereof. Not all of course, but too many in this culture have a very strange concept of right and wrong. Character and integrity are rare traits in Thailand, certainly less present than what I've experienced in many western countries.

 

Yea Thailand is fun town, but when you are a victim or close to a victim of crime, corruption or blatant racism, you really see the ugly side of the culture. And sure, western counties have their fair share of ugliness... blah blah blah; it's how a society reacts to it that is telling.

[Steve]

My take may be a little different and surprising to some. Technically, yes, the Thais are racist if you note the fact we (westerners) get charged different prices, etc. However, for me, I think the reason for that is economic and not about not liking westerners. They emulate the west. We are far richer than 90% of the populace. A lot of us are working class and middle class stiffs in our respective countries but are wealthy by Thai standards on a dollar for dollar (or euro for euro) basis. When I'm charged higher prices, I'm not thinking "they don't like me because I'm western or black' I am thinking 'they know I can afford to pay double or triple what locals can pay'. In the west, I've been followed around stores and I've been followed around stores in Thailand while wearing the same exact clothes (I do wash them btw..haha ; ) but for two totally different reason: In the west its the fear I'll steal something and in LOS its the hope I'll buy something and they want to ease my visit to the store.

 

I've met middle class Thais who have wanted to introduce women in their family to black friends of mine I've known in LOS. That wouldn't happen with most non black middle class families in the west, no matter how nice of a guy they think I am or how rosy my job or career prospects. It is what it is. I am not bitter or anything, i'm actually a very jovial guy. So, I don't want to come off as 'angry'. I just try to be a realist and pragmatist and see things as honestly and truthful as can be.

 

Thai and Thai racism and the classism I've seen in the various countries in Asia is far worse and more blatant than the more subtle form I've seen in the west.

[thalenoi]

racism is part of our genes.

It's there to protect our bloodline.

Western/Christian education teaches us to take our distance from racial differentiation which we like to call racial discrimination.

 

A world where are races are equal and mutually respected is utopia.

 

There is no real solution I guess.

 

Seems some thais ladies like us for different reasons we like them.

We will need to do with that I am affraid.

[Julian2]

A lot of what we consider racism, particularly in the villages is fear of the unknown. If we settle in there as cent and myself have done we become accepted and make genuine friends among the locals even if, in my case, our language skills remain limited.

In Bangkok or Pattaya, a lot of what we call racism is more mutual antagonism. They see us as rich fools with no idea of proper behaviour and Westeners see Thais as lying thieves who don't know how to look after their children.

Finally I have never met an educated middle class Thai who didn't treat me with the utmost courtesy and have a genuine curiosity as to what I am doing and where I have come from.

[elef]

Hi guys,

 

in what you call racism is also included nationalism and an opinion of being superior. If for example people from a certain country believe that they're coming from a superior nation/culture do you call it racism too?