2 Thais killed in Paris

[drogon]

I am a foreigner everywhere....

 

Unluckily I speak Spanish quite fluently (at least enough to work with Spanish people) -> which also means I understand the racist comments...

 

Sometimes I wish I didn't speak the local language.

 

[cavanami]

Me thinks that you could pass for 1/2 Spanish and 1/2 Asian...but that's just me...and I have no idea if that would help you.

 

Now if you were in certain parts of the USA, mai pen rai...hell, I was in a honky-tonk and I told the lady I was dancing with that I was 1/2 Japanese....and she believed me!!!

[drogon]

Ok you have a nice tan and you are not the typical tall blue-eyed blond guy but you don't look that Japanese to me...

 

[cavanami]

Agree...just proves you can fool some of the people some of the time

[Flashermac]

<< Sometimes I wish I didn't speak the local language. >>

 

 

That happens sometimes in Thailand too. My Thai is good enough to pick up the subtle insults the average Farang wouldn't. All you can do is ignore them and remember that the person making them is invariably uneducated and well below your social level in the Thai pecking order.

 

 

 

 

[WorldFun]

whats the best/typical reaction to being badmouthed as an 'outsider' by the locals when heard/understood?

 

curse back, kindly let them know you understood what they said, take the opportunity to chat up the rude chic (if it's a chick!) or simply ignore it as if not understanding?

 

I guess I 99% of the time ignore it, but given I only understand simple/basic Thai & I hear comments about the farang fairly often it just tells me Thai people generally are not shy about commenting pretty much everything without much of a filter/politeness am I close? However if I speak back to the ones who had thrown gossip at me they would typically be very surprised & suddenly become very shy/apologic...

[Flashermac]

I usually ignore it, since responding in kind would be viewed by Thais as lowering myself to the insulter's level. Last time I recall it happening, it was an upcountry prostitute looking gal who stood outside the local 7-11 drinking from a bottle of Singha with a straw. She kept refering to me as "man" - the pronoun used for animals (and formerly slaves). I just frowned and turned to the 7-11 clerks, who were clearly embarassed. My occupation and place of employment put me far above the ignorant Isaan buffalo, despite my being just a Farang. (Takes a secondary education to work in the 7-11, plus managers have to have a BA. Look at the clerks' ID sometimes and notice the ones in ratchaphat graduation gowns. )

 

Ironically, I've never been insulted by a BG. They seem to be above that.