This really pisses me off

[jp1]

Gadfly1,

 

of course it happens that a guy finds a gf very quickly in BKK. That was not my main point. From my experience in Japan, Korea and China I know that landlords always prefer Western diplomatic missions or multinational companies as tenants. If there is trouble with one of the sub-lessees it's much easier for the lessor to contact the main lessee and complain about this. Many companies and embassies take such complaints serious and will look deeper into the cause of the complaint. I agree with you that the manageress was not very diplomatic with her statement. In such a case I would just say that some other party is also interested and that a firm commitment has already been given.

 

Furthermore, inspite of the key-money or deposit being paid by all tenants, it's definately safer to have a tenant who is well known.

[think_too_mut]

>Perhaps such a couple has a higher probability of causing trouble for the landlord, but it IS nonetheless racist - a judgement is being made about the couple's desirability as tenants based on their race.

 

Racists? In my post, it was my gf, a Thai, who was to be thrown out, not me.

 

I just think they don't want any problems in the building.

[StoneSoup]

When I first arrived to live in BKK, I was working for a US company that provided me with a very healthy "package". I used a Thai lady real estate agent to help me find a place tolive - my Thai wife was 7 months pregnant with what emerged as a healthy 4.28 kg (9 lb 6 oz) son, so we wanted to keep searching for a home simple.

 

The agent's fisrt question was whether I minded living in a building that had Indian tenants - and it turned out that this included ethnic Indians who were born in Thailand, and had many generations of ancesters who were born here.

 

What really surprised me was that I ended up visiting serveral properties that were all owned by the same family/company - and some of these allowed ethnic Indians, and others did not.

 

By the way, I am talking in all cases above of apartments that started at about 40,000 baht per month, up to maybe 120,000 per month. Income or family composition was immaterial - ethnic Indian, and you were off-limits in some of the properties.

 

The real estate agent indicated that many Thais, and also many foreigners, would not remain as tenants in many places, if an Indian family was allowed to occupy a unit.

 

Yeah, it's racist.

 

The Fighting Fish

[Guest]

Wow very interesting thread. It seems to me that the whole racist issue is a very slippery slope indeed. My perception is that the Thais are indeed racist in the western sense of the word. But with that in mind there are only a few places where it seems to be in your face. Their racism seems to be much more economicly based. If they sense that a certain race will effect their job or business they have no problem using it. In the west racism seems to be much more viserel. One can actually get beaten or killed because of ones race. I don't sense this type of racism in LOS. I could be wrong though. I remember talking to a guy in the southern US. I was commenting, on how shocked I was about the racist remarks I was hearing. He said yeah it was no fun, but that it was better than the racism in the norhtern US. He said that down south you could easily see who was racist and who wasn't but up north it was much harder, because it was more of an unspoken thing. I think in LOS it is much closer to the southern style. You know what business's and people are an issue and then you just move on to a place that doesn't have that issue. Vote with your baht. Also I believe that we have to hold the mirror up to ourselves as well. Have we uttered things under our breaths in anger. It is such an easy thing to do. Even though we would never actually practice "racist" behavior, in the true sense. It runs deep and through many cultures, and I think it will take generations to completely eliminate.

[jasmine]

Hi,

 

[color:"red"] remember talking to a guy in the southern US. I was commenting, on how shocked I was about the racist remarks I was hearing. He said yeah it was no fun, but that it was better than the racism in the norhtern US. He said that down south you could easily see who was racist and who wasn't but up north it was much harder, because it was more of an unspoken thing. [/color]

 

This is exactly what my husband who is from upstate New York said also. I lived in Louisiana for 16 years and I do find the statements to be true.

 

Cheers!

[pattaya127]

but it IS nonetheless racist

------------------

maybe i read the title post too fast, but i see possible prejudices towards a thai/farang couple, but racism? Towards the mix of 2 races, instead of one? :: Anyway, could it be that it's the all white farang couples, who over the years, in BKK settings have intimated to many landlords they do not like to share premises with farang/thai (read prostitute) couples, and landlords get the drift? Just an idea....

[harlequinbkk]

[color:"blue"] all white farang couples, who over the years, in BKK settings have intimated to many landlords they do not like to share premises with farang/thai (read prostitute) couples,... [/color]

 

P127,

 

In this case, It would be the racist attitude of the farang couple causing the Thai landlord to implement a racist policy. There are many Farang male - Thai female couples where the female is not a prostitute.

 

I guess I take this issue a bit personally because I have several female friends in Bangkok, all very respectable ladies. I would like very much to be seen in public with them without having to worry that my race (farang) will damn them in the eyes of Thai society as prostitutes.

 

Also, we should call a spade a spade. Making judgements about people based on race is racism. One can make arguments that it is reasonable and justified, yet it is still racism.

 

Harlequin

 

 

[think_too_mut]

>I would like very much to be seen in public with them without having to worry that my race (farang) will damn them in the eyes of Thai society as prostitutes.

 

You don't have to worry, not at all. They will always be seen like that, nothing you or them can do about it. At least in BKK and other farang frequented places. The most you can do, but you don't have to, ask whether your presence is desirable or welcomed in the places you go together.

 

The difference is - p127 and most of us here on the board understand what you are saying but Thais don't.

 

Preaching to the converted, I would have thought.

 

GTG, Jasmine, 007, you are needed here. What do you think?

[jasmine]

Hi,

 

Well, it has been a sore issue for many of us who were not BG, I had a hard time on that stereo type in Germany, but in the States, it is not bad. For me, there were many times that due to their behavior, some people thought I was, just because I was with my husband. More experience for me was, I caused them to be confused, especially at the time I did not speak Thai at all, confusion, perhaps due to my English.

 

People will judge based on what they know or hear, if you are not a BG, so you are not. Most of the time I don't really care, I know who I am.

 

Chers!

[sayjann]

Jasmine,are you a natural born Thai?.

 

i have seen the attitude against the thai girl with a falang,and i do not like it.