I am joining the Navy and I plan on visting Bangkok Thailand in the next year, and was wondering how it is living in Thailand. I have many Thai acquaintances who live there, and I am pretty much fluent in the Thai language. I know racism is everywhere but is it more strong towards black people in Thailand? How did the majority of Thai treat you while in Thailand? Please share your experience. Thank you .
Thailand - 5 Answers
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1 :
I've never been to Thailand, but it seems like they value respect too much to treat African Americans any differently than they treat anyone else.
2 :
Well black people have dark skin and that's considered a sign of lower social class,so you might be found as ugly.Not to say you can't get the men or women.Some might not even care about your race.
3 :
Karly M. don't answer questions if you've never been to Thailand because then you just sound silly to those of us who do live here seeing you answer only so you get 2 points.Jezz. Okay,now an answer from someone who does live in Thailand.The question you asked is a difficult one.Some because of not being real educated about the outside world and only see TV believe the images that see and most are of rap videos and gangster movies.I asked my Thai my if she liked black folks some years ago and she said "No." I asked why and she it was because all she ever sees is black people making problems in America on TV.I explained the obvious mistake in this way of thinking and she woke up.It's not because their racist like some KKK man.It's just not the same here.Also,in the west the people with money are the people who have the time to go to some tropical beach and relax and get a tan and the people who work in the factory all day trying to make ends meet are the pale people and are a symbol of not being rich whereas here in Thailand it is the rich who get to sit in the shade all day and the poor rice farm workers have to bend over all day cooking black in the sun and Thai people like I have never seen before in a people go from being light tan to black fast as lighting and they hate it.They do anything and everything to keep from getting black.I swear to god that it will be 110 degrees out and they will being sock caps and I mean the kind you pull down over your face where you can only see the eyes and at the same time they will be wearing a winter coat.You and I would die of heat exhaustion but somehow they don't.It is funny to see 100 university girls walking along and everyone has the binder held up so the sun is not hitting their face.My wife will ride along with me on my motorcycle and have her face buried in my back turned opposite from the sun.She caught me laying in the sun out on our deck one day and freaked out.She was actually annoyed with me so needless to say I have never had a tan in Thailand other than my arms face and calves which would gross out any girlfriend I have ever had back in the states but my Thai wife lays her face on my not so tan stomach and rubs her fingers along it saying how much she wishes she could trade skin color with me.When I tell her about what my American girlfriends would think about it she says they are crazy.It's not just Thailand,years ago I was in Japan with some beautiful girls and they were all commenting on my skin color and how they wished they were the same then they said something that made me uncomfortable.They said "We don't like our skin color because we are yellow people and being white is a symbol of beauty."I just kind of sat there with my mouth dangling open.I was shocked to hear people saying things like that.In America we have coconut tanning oil in Thailand it is hard to find it.In Thailand every other billboard,commercial,or magazine is plastered with Thai celebrities advertising skin whitening cream.You have to be careful about what bottle of lotion you pick up or what deodorant you buy because 95% of them are loaded with skin bleach.Anyway,I asked my Thai friend last week what he thinks about black folks because I read many questions like yours and he said he does not care what anyone's skin color is as long as they are good people but he owed a restaurant/bar for 20 years in a very touristy area and is used to all of us.But if you or I are walking in a rural area we might as well both be glowing green aliens because we/you/me will be stared at daily.I live in a rural area and sometimes I feel like a panda bear in a zoo with all of the people coming to look at me and don't think racism is going to just be against you cause your black,racism is going to be against you because you are not Thai.I face discrimination everyday.I often say I feel like the black people did a 100 years ago in America here.Obviously not to that extent but all expats get it.Don't get me wrong they are some of the warmest,friendliest,welcoming,give you the shirt off their back people you will ever encounter but if your not Thai then your not Thai and it can be annoying.The Thais are nationalists.Okay,I just asked for 2 Thai boys playing football outside to come look at some pictures of Beyonce and Rhianna on my laptop and what they think and they both smiled big and said "Su'i" or "Suay." which means 'beautiful' in Thai.So there you go.You should be just fine here.No one will say anything racist to you. Have fun in Thailand.
4 :
Geez, lots of heavy wind above. You will surely be judged individually. Yes, they will know you are black as they know I am white and they may comment as they are not real politically correct. But, you will be judged on your smile and friendliness. Same as me. I had a black friend visit. He's a nice guy. I don't think he had an unpleasant moment in his 2 week stay and surely no racial issues. Come and enjoy, especially speaking Thai you will have a great time.
5 :
Many Thai people outside the major cities have little or no experience with foreigners. So if you come out here there will be stares and you will be talked about. But most of the questions will be because of ignorance rather than out of some racial prejudice. Many people have seen Michael Jackson and Tiger Woods(who they consider Thai, not African American). Once they know you are an American you will get treated somewhat better that other foreigners (Africans, Indians and Arabs) because they will expect that you have money are generous and not stingy. Again that has little to do with race but with cleanliness and perceived income. If you have money and are spending it everyone's your friend.
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