Whilst the smiles might not be as big as in the past I still feel the love as a foreigner in Thailand but maybe some don’t so let us see – do Thai people like foreigners?
The Land of Smiles
As the self proclaimed Land of Smiles, Thailand aims to show itself as a country where everyone is happy whether it is with fellow Thais or foreigners. But do Thai people like foreigners? I know this question will never get a definitive answer either way. There will always be Thais who don’t like foreigners and others who chose to spend their time with “farang”.
For me personally I think there is distrust from some who aren’t sure how to act around or communicate with foreigners which could be mistaken for dislike. There are also those who stare unashamedly at foreigners as if we are aliens. Maybe this is more common outside tourist areas but it happens to me everyday and I only live 20km from central Bangkok.
Of course there are people out there who don’t like the foreigners in Thailand, or maybe just people from certain countries. This situation of having a problem with foreigners in a country isn’t something Thailand has a monopoly on. Of course in every country there will be feelings of animosity towards foreigners by a select few. However Thailand has a way of throwing up situations which will leave you scratching your head and thinking – do Thai people really like foreigners?
Getting The Cold Shoulder
Whilst I’m not searching for 100% acceptance in my life and don’t want to make friends with everyone I see I do feel I get the cold shoulder a lot more often in Thailand than back in the UK.
For example at many shops I sometimes get worse service than Thai people. Whilst waiting in line at the supermarket I see the attendant looking after the Thai customer only to whip out their phone and chat with their friend without even a “Sawadee Ka” to me when it’s my turn to pay. Normally in my local 7/11 the girls keep chatting together when I approach the till. As I said I’m not bothered about this but the same happens in banks, department stores and restaurants with staff more interested in their Line conversation than serving me. It just feels like customer service sometimes goes out of the window when it comes to foreigners.
If I go out with Thai friends or my Thai girlfriend I often meet new people. Whilst my friend / girlfriend is there they are happy to chat in Thai and I’ll try to join in. However, when my friend / girlfriend goes to the bathroom or answers a phone call this is normally the cue for the other Thai person to make an excuse to leave or dive onto their phone too. This doesn’t always happen but it has happened enough times to me that I suspect that they don’t care about socializing with a foreigner. Again this isn’t a major worry for me but it is frustrating and seems disrespectful.
Basic Thai food vocabulary isn’t too difficult and I am more than capable of ordering almost anything I want. When I go to lunch alone or with foreign friends we always order in Thai and get what we ordered. However, when you go to a restaurant with your Thai partner or friends you are likely to be ignored by the waiters. I’ve lost count of the number of times I have ordered in Thai only for the waiter to look at me like I just talked to him in Egyptian. Then my Thai friends say the exact same thing I have just said and the waiter now seems to have remembered how to use his ears again. This is so frustrating – it’s not a pronunciation problem- and the only reason I can think of is that it’s too much effort to listen to the foreigner when there are Thai people in the group.
Next we come to the process of applying for visas and work permits. If you have ever lived in Thailand then you know it involves filling in about one tree’s worth of paper. There needs to be multiple copies and everything must be perfect or it is rejected and sent back to you to do again. You also see that when your file is filled in it is then added to a massive pile of applications which seemingly must just get added to the computer. Compare this to the quick easy service Thai people have when they lose their ID cards or want to apply for a new passport. I wont even mention the cost differences at this point between a Thai person getting a new ID card and a foreigner getting a work permit.
So what causes these problems that could make a foreigner feel disliked?
Social Class – Are You Hi-So?
From my first weeks in Thailand I heard the phrase “hi-so” being used a lot. Short for high society, it is used to talk about people who buy expensive things or go to pricey places. The class system in Thailand is ingrained in many people’s minds. People will ask your job and your company when they first meet you and from there some people use this information to judge if you are worth their time.
If you work for a famous company in a prestigious position you can expect a lot more attention than if you work for an unknown business in a junior role. To be honest this is the same for foreigners and Thai nationals so maybe it isn’t a slight against you if you are not working an exciting job for a multinational company.
“Mmmmmmm” is a sound I often hear Thai people make when I say I am an English teacher. I know it’s not the most exciting job in the world and I guess there are so many foreign English teachers in Thailand. As such I think many people aren’t impressed with this career choice as in some Thai people’s opinion every foreigner from the west should be aiming to work in a million dollar job. Some Thais think foreign teachers must be unemployable back home or just here for a free ride. This means I get the cold shoulder or I can just tell the other person isn’t so interested in talking with me.
Tourists From Your Country – Lads or Gentlemen?
For some unknown reason many Thai people like going to Pattaya on vacation. As we know Pattaya doesn’t exactly have the best reputation in the world for wholesome family fun and good behavior from tourists. This scene of tourists drinking, dancing and doing whatever else might be the one time that Thai people see foreigners in the flesh (sometimes too much flesh….). Even if it isn’t Pattaya many Thai people see tourists in places like Chiang Mai or Bangkok and sometimes they see the negative side of tourism in Thailand.
Many will make decisions or have previous thoughts reinforced about foreigners based on what they see tourists doing. This video of a Thai woman complaining about Chinese tourists went viral and most of my Thai friends agreed with the points made in it even if they had never met or spoken to a Chinese person before.
If tourists from your country are generally well behaved then it may paint a better picture in terms of how you are perceived by Thai people. At the moment I think Japanese people have one of the best reputations among Thai people. I don’t hear stories of Japanese tourists getting into trouble here in Thailand and also many Thais go to Japan on vacation and have a great time.
Nationality – Which Country Are You From?
This is a big one. In general Thai people are very open with their feelings towards certain countries. There is definitely a ranking in Thailand as to which countries are good and which are not. If you’re from one of the “lower” countries you will experience a lot more dislike and negatives than if you are from one of the “better” countries.
As a teacher and a tourist I have heard so much racism in my time here it is unbelievable. People who I have met and like have said horrific things which I wouldn’t expect anyone to say. Then to make it worse it turns into a joke and everyone laughs and adds their own comment. I once planned a class about Africa and I had to abandon it after a few minutes as some of the things the students said were awful.
I know many Indian people have a hard time in Thailand and it is true that some Thai people have negative opinions of Indians. On a trip to Koh Samui my girlfriend told me she heard touts at the pier saying that they wouldn’t take Indian people or would charge them double. I have also heard that getting a taxi on the meter is very difficult for Indian tourists.
We can then add the migrant workers who are here in Thailand and end up working for lower wages and in bad conditions as shown by this article from the Guardian. Whilst is it fair to say many countries have arguments with their neighbors and might harbor some sense of dislike the feeling in Thailand is strong towards Myanmar and Cambodia in particular.
Obviously not everyone here in Thailand is racist and indeed I see many relationships, friendships and business between people of different races and nationalities.
From my observations Thai people tend to think more favorably of Europeans, North Americans, Kiwis, Australians and the richer East Asian countries such as Japan, China and Singapore. I wouldn’t say that people from these countries get a free ride and are universally liked but the impression is that they are more tolerated and find things easier.
Education – New York Is The Capital Of The USA Right?
If you have worked at a Thai school then you will quickly realize that world history and geography isn’t a priority. About half of my students think New York is the capital of the USA and that Coca Cola is a Thai company. These are 2 gems among many that I hear on a daily basis. Whilst I don’t expect 100% when it come to general knowledge there is a focus in schools of teaching about Thailand and ignoring the rest of the world to a degree.
Without understanding other cultures and methods it sometimes means Thai people are very reluctant to take advice from foreigners and they may become very defensive and negative towards you. It is almost a national insult to accept help in certain cases for example the Thai police were reluctant to accept British help during the investigation into the killing of the British backpackers Hannah Witheridge and David Miller on Koh Tao.
Language – Does Anyone Here Speak English?
Ok I know I should speak Thai and shouldn’t force other people to use their non native language but the recent report showing Thailand near the bottom of the English proficiency table shows the problems Thais have learning foreign languages. With a higher budget than many other countries above them in the list it goes to show that there is a reluctance to invest in foreign languages.
Compared to Korea, China and Japan who invest a lot in hiring native teachers, Thailand is moving in the opposite direction by planning to improve the current stock of Thai English teachers. Many people see this as short sighted and another example of how Thailand doesn’t need or want foreigners when they can get away with it. It’s this kind of attitude that makes many foreigners scratch their head and think do Thai people like foreigners?
Pricing – Why Should You Pay The Thai Price?
Double pricing happens in Thailand. Thais pay one price foreigners another.
Again this isn’t a big one for me – 200 Baht isn’t a lot of money for a day in a national park even if my girlfriend only pays 40 Baht. Actually I use my work permit and get the Thai price around 75% of the time. Dream World and Khao Sok National Park are two examples of places where I have got in for the Thai price – no questions asked by the management there.
The problem is places like the Grand Palace where foreigners are charged 500 Baht. The issue I have is that most Asian tourists pay the Thai price (0 Baht) and the decision is based on appearance not nationality. Again not a problem for me as I have been to the Grand Palace already and it isn’t as good as Wat Po in my opinion which only costs 100 Baht to get into.
Mickey Sheehan wrote the article My Take On Dual Pricing in Thailand on Ajarn.com which has plenty of opinions from foreigners about this practice and is worth a read to see some of the arguments.
This Land is For Thai People
The national anthem of Thailand says Thai land is for Thai people and as such foreigners can’t own land. Many people settle in Thailand and would love to buy a house but are severely restricted by the laws. Those married to Thai citizens aren’t allowed to buy land and it is technically illegal to give a Thai citizen money to buy land on your behalf.
Of course Thai people are free to buy property and land in many other countries around the World and this is the basis of many foreigners complaints that Thailand isn’t fair towards people who decide to make this country their home.
Do Thai people Like Foreigners?
In my opinion I think overall among the people I deal with on a daily basis most of them like foreigners or at least are indifferent at worst. As I have said I don’t need every Tom, Dick and Harry to be my friend and don’t really care too much about some of the reactions people have towards me.
Maybe these reactions aren’t based on being a foreigner and maybe they just don’t like me. I’m sure some aren’t impressed that I drink too much sometimes or cant speak enough Thai to talk in depth about Manchester United’s poor form this season. In the end I have Thai friends and colleagues who I get along with really well and don’t need to be universally popular.
Just remember that in your home country there will be people who don’t like foreigners. I remember the feelings and comments in the UK when Poland joined the EU and people were scared of too many Poles coming to the UK. Maybe that is how Thailand is now with the opening of ASEAN and the AEC.
Living in Thailand you will face difficulties that will leave you frustrated but remember all the positives about living here and all the nice people you have met. Think of all the people that try to speak English with you, the smiles you receive and the happy times you have.
Let me know what you think in the comments section – do you face any other problems?
I’m Thai person who lived in Europe for 30 years. Before i left as Thai person who can’t really speak English, foreigners are someone that I will try to avoid. Thai culture are quite complex and to find a foreigner who understand how Thais people think, I have not found one. Most of the time I would said foreigner misunderstood the Thais gesture or attitude.
I know my country got ‘ classes’ problem. The opportunities are not for everyone, just for the one that can afford. Soldier and police never really get along well. Politic are not really democratic as it suppose to be. Many parts in Thai society we are not allow to criticize but to accept. Law, basically is here for people to break them. Anything go around here and we Thais just seem to accept them. Understanding why we are like this you have to go back in history. Even I, want to know whose idea is it that we have to sing national anthem every school day at 8 am. or you have to stop what you doing at 8 am when you heard the national anthem and stand up to show your respect for the nation. Whose idea is it that we have to stand up before the cinema showing the film, to express our royalty to the royal family who make us who we are today. We did all that anyway, no question ask because it was that way since I was born. Every where we go we will see the royal family, news…activities what they did today for the poor people or for the nation. To go deeper in that matter, i ‘m not allow to talk much, might get put to jail. I can’t change it. I hate it, that i can’t do anything to open their mind. To tell all the hookers that prostitution is never an occupation and to make them have self worth. To make them understand that foreigners are not bank account and you WILL NOT always have a happy ending just to grab one get pregnant and hope for the best. To make them understand that they need education and some ambition to go far in life not just to be happy with what they have like the msg. that telling them everyday on tele.
I’m sorry to say, we are a nation of brain wash for century. Nothing will change. One who have opportunity to go abroad, study, mix with all the good and right things in life, their eyes open and they see the same thing as i. This topic you chosen to write about is kindna no conclusion in it at all. I love my country for the worst of it. Nothing i can do or anyone can do to change the way we are but yet there are still some goodness in our weakness. Just make sure you don’t step in the wrong foot at the wrong place then you will be fine in the land of smiles 🙂 .
Hi, thanks for sending us your opinion and experiences.
I think a lot is true and as you say those Thais who have been overseas act very differently and have a greater world view.
Most Thai people suffer from inferiority complexes.
A combination of never confronting the truth to lying is an easier way to solve problems.
Insults are common not only to foreigners but amongst themselves and it starts at a very young age.
Educated Thais don’t act this way if they are not amongst their Thai friends.
Racism is taught
We are Thais… they are foreigners.
There are strict rules with indians because they are known for not paying the bill, not all of them but enough to create a stereotype.
You talk about how Thais are not fair to foreigners, but I have seen first-handed many times where white people disrespecting and treating locals like dirt.
When you live in a country that is not your own, there will always be inconveniences. For me, I’m used to not getting greeted at when I go shopping in the US, or getting a bad vibe when people hear me speaking in Thai.
Do you teach Thai language free? 🙂 i want to learn 🙂
Hi I know some Thai teachers but it wont be free – send me a message your email if you are interested.
,
Welcome to culture shock 🙂 I lived in Thailand for 5 years and visit every couple years to see my wife’s family (and our kids to visit their cousins). I lived outside central Bankgok as well when I first moved there. I actually lived with Thai people, completely immersed myself in Thai language and didn’t really have any foreign friends for the first few months. My first impression was, wow, everyone smiles when you smile at them (still couldn’t communicate at that point). But then as I started to get better at Thai and tried to be more than just a farang, I began to be frustrated and found some resentment against farang in Thai society. You have to remember, you are a foreigner in a country that was never colonized by a European country, ever. All of Thailand’s neighbors were colonized by the French or the British, not Thailand. They don’t want or need to learn a colonial power’s language, they are very proud to be Thai. If a Thai person can do that job, why hire a farang? Once you actually become fluent in Thai, you will enter a new stage and find the real Thailand. While you will still and always be a farang, you will be able to interact at a much deeper level and many more Thai people you would have never gotten to know at all will open up. If you are willing to put in the effort to actually enter the Thai world (language, culture, attitudes, philosophy, etc.) you will be richly rewarded. And you have to live outside the Bangkok area and outside tourist areas if you want to really know Thai people. They will bend over backwards to help you and give you the shirt off their back. I married into a great family and have experienced some of the most generous Thai people on the planet (sometimes complete strangers). But it takes time, it’s not the UK or America, so you have to enter their world, otherwise you will only experience frustration and just be another farang. Best of luck on your journey and know that Thai people are some of the nicest on the planet if you get to know them.
I think a lot of your points are very important. The language barrier causes a lot of problems and makes Thai people wary of communicating with foreigners.
Also I feel there are 2 different types of people, those who work in tourism and those outside. I try to avoid tourist areas in Thailand as a lot of Thais are jaded with foreigners and often don’t have a good attitude. For example on Koh Samui I heard Thais being racist towards Indian guests when they were arriving from the boats. The crazy double pricing of local commodities such as food and drinks is also another sign of this.
When I’m in a non tourist location I always get food and drinks at the same price as Thai people and never have experienced racism at the same level.
I have been living and coming to Thailand for over 28 years. I am now an intermediate speaker of Thai, which also has its drawbacks. Many Thai’s consider foreigners who speak Thai of knowing too much, therefore they (Farangs) cannot be cheated or taken advantage of.
The idea that many Thai’s dislike foreigners are usually due to the hospitality area’s of Thailand. A few bad apples spoil the barrel, so to speak. In Thailands case, many bad apples.
Like any other major tourist destination in the world, the locals become very fed up with the whole scene, even when it’s their very lively hoods that depend on the very people they dislike. Most Thais do have a racist streak in them, Thais for Thais, and whether your black, white pink or blue, if your not Thai, you ARE a Farang.
Although this does not always apply to Asians, who are considered part of the same race, even if they are from other Asian countries. Even passport control segregates Asians from whites and black foreigners.
The feeling I get these days is they just want you to come , spend your money and go.
The new government’s policy of “Good guys in, Bad guys out”, mainly refers to Foreign men either overstaying their visa’s or just being in Thailand too many years without contributing anything. (No mention of foreign women).
The more modern Thailand becomes, the more you will notice the attitudes of the general Thai population change towards foreigners. The money will still always be the number one priority reason Thai’s welcome foreigners, though the facade behind the land of smiles is becoming more and more evident every year. Genuinely speaking, when you speak polite and correct Thai it cannot and does not, always anymore guarantee you a higher place of respect.
This is especially if you have learned the language, like me, not from a Thai girlfriend or wife or friend, but on your own, this they find just completely unbelievable, and truly believe I am lying.
When Thai’s ask me if I like Thailand? I tell them no, and wait for their reaction, then I tell them I love Thailand which usually gets a laugh. If you have progressed enough in speaking Thai, and are confident in speaking politely and correctly then my advice to you is be more assertive with them, (even with your Thai friends) if they jump on their phones or pretend not to understand you when you know you are correct, be assertive and tell them to stop what their doing and serve you, tell them to drop their phones and get back to work, tell the waiter politely, did you not understand what I just said? and repeat it until he gives up and agrees that he understands. Persistence is something they do not expect from foreigners, (most foreigners will back down) and it really will elevate your standing in the Thai community. Ohh and I do not ear Pad Thai.
Hi Graham
Thanks for writing such a detailed post of your experience.
I agree with some of your points, especially re tourists and money.
As I am a low level speaker I haven’t experienced what you have when it comes to Thais feeling you know too much. I have heard a few people mention it though.
Hi Richard,
Love the articles and some very positive contributions from your comment section. I am new to Thailand came for a two week holiday originally taking in Bangkok and Chiang Rai enjoyed it so much I have come back on a six month multi-trip visa and would like to work here eventually then retire in approx 6 years so using this trip as a information gathering exercise. I have traveled all over the world and experienced how different cultures treat foreign visitors and as your previous comments made if you make the effort you will get a different response from the host country and their people. It’s very easy to be a westerner and feel superior to Thai people with UK £1= ฿44 approx, I was in a market at the weekend buying some summer T-shirts I have no problem with paying the asking price ฿200 as it’s a ridiculously low price when converted, I paid and walked on only to come across a western gent with a ฿200,000 camera and smartly dressed bartering with a stall holder for similar items to those I had just bought and getting ฿40 off why?
Thanks Dave.
Glad you’re liking your time here!
Im not sure about that, I think some people just like haggling.
For me 40 baht won’t make a difference especially with the hassle etc.
There are definitely times foreigners get charged more but is it worth getting stressed for $1?
Indians are the highest spenders in Thailand, much more than whites and this is a documented fact research it. When thais charge double to indians they know that Indians can afford it but indians are cheaper than Jews and very smart people. India is the most dominant country in the world right now, the only growing economy with as many billionaires as europe, the whole world is running to India for business. Thais are uneducated and backward sometimes, why a lot of them work in the sex trade is because they have no other opportunities. India is bursting with opportunities , yes there is still a lot of poverty in India but there is also a lot more “hope” than anywhere else in the world. If Indians stop going to Thailand then thailand will collapse completely in a month….so they better learn to respect Indians.
P.s….whites in thailand are mostly white trash that cannot get even an ugly partner in their own countries for sex or marriage…they just use their white skin to get attention in poorer uneducated backward countries. And the older whites get the farther east they go looking for a fix to their miserable loneliness. I hope the thai govt recognizes the difference between high spending Indians and Chinese vs. Backpacker sex tourist white trash in Thailand. Go to any big luxury hotel in thailand, mostly u will see chinese and Indians, and go to khao san road all u will see is whites….for whites thailand is a cheap tourism destination with cheap sex…nothing else.
Indians are the highest spenders in Thailand, much more than whites and this is a documented fact research it. When thais charge double to indians they know that Indians can afford it but indians are cheaper than Jews and very smart people. India is the most dominant country in the world right now, the only growing economy with as many billionaires as europe, the whole world is running to India for business. Thais are uneducated and backward sometimes, why a lot of them work in the sex trade is because they have no other opportunities. India is bursting with opportunities , yes there is still a lot of poverty in India but there is also a lot more “hope” than anywhere else in the world. If Indians stop going to Thailand then thailand will collapse completely in a month….so they better learn to respect Indians.
P.s….whites in thailand are mostly white trash that cannot get even an ugly partner in their own countries for sex or marriage…they just use their white skin to get attention in poorer uneducated backward countries. And the older whites get the farther east they go looking for a fix to their miserable loneliness. I hope the thai govt recognizes the difference between high spending Indians and Chinese vs. Backpacker sex tourist white trash in Thailand. Go to any big luxury hotel in thailand, mostly u will see chinese and Indians, and go to khao san road all u will see is whites….for whites thailand is a cheap tourism destination with cheap sex…nothing else.
Some interesting points. You make a lot of generalisations which I don’t agree with.
When it comes to foreign overseas spending you may well be correct but I know a lot of Chinese people spend nothing here. Thailand isn’t seen as a luxury 5* retreat for most westerners they would go to the Maldives etc
I’ve been out with groups of Indian people here in Thailand and there can be negative responses but then your response is not the way to improve relations.
The average tourist from the west is probably here to explore the country in a different way than Indian or Chinese people. You see a lot of Indian people in Bangkok but not at the beach or in the mountains. I can also tell you a lot of Indian people visit the whore houses here too.
Overall you seem angry, geuss you had a bad experience, hope things get better for you 🙂
I have Thai people ignorant and cruel to animals
No sure about cruel to animals. A lot of people look after abandoned animals here.
Do Thais like foreigners? In my experience, some love us, others hate us, but most are pretty much indifferent.
On the one hand, there are the “inter” Thais that have lived or studied abroad, or have otherwise had plenty of exposure to foreigners, and so have become more adapted to Western ways of thinking. These Thais will often have mixed friendship groups of other inter Thais and Westerners. You can often meet them on Khao San, Meetup events, or at work. It might take a little time to work your way into their friendship groups – they are also wary of your typical backpacker or sex tourist – but over time they could become solid friends.
Then you have your farang-crazy Thai girls that absolutely LOVE foreigners, of course, especially foreigners with nice abs, lots of money, and who will take them on constant holidays to the beach (or at least 2 out of the 3!)
Finally, you have Thais you really don’t like foreigners at all, possibly because they work in the tourist industry and have to deal with drunken and culturally ignorant louts on a daily basis.
And that leaves about 97% of Thai people who are generally indifferent to foreigners. They probably can’t speak much English, and have no contact with foreigners other than the occasional passing on the street. They also tend to avoid contact with foreigners – not out of dislike per se – but simply because they are terrified to speak English and generally have no clue how to act or what to say around those outside of their own culture. As in every country, Thais learns social norms for how to behave around other Thais, depending on their position, age, relationship, and so forth, but these rules don’t apply to foreigners. So these Thais generally feel uncomfortable around foreigners and generally do all they can to avoid this discomfort. The only way to break through the ice, in my experience, is to both (A) speak Thai at a conversational level, and (B) discover shared interests in common. For example, if you meet a Thai person that loves football, and you can carry on a decent conversation in Thai about how various teams are doing, then you’ll find that the initial reluctance melts away and most Thais will become quite friendly
Pretty good points and reasoning there Danny
Hi Richard,
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Pretty much agree with the points made.
Though I haven’t been in the region for some 20 years, I used to live there the better part of the 10 years before that.
You get “funny looks” and all sorts of “receptions” wherever you go; sometimes just around the corner or down the local pub.
Been there, done it, travelling the globe for 40+ years, I believe to know a thing or two if it comes to being “classified”.
One may feel irritated first; perhaps even angry; but for me personally that’s long since a thing of the past. Instead, I’ve come to actually enjoy being the “strange beast”.
You may find some locked doors, but a lot more open ones, simply; possibly only; because you’re the exotic alien and not just another Joe.
It’s in the nature of man to be curious. If I were to count or compare the “bad” and “good” moments, the latter would surely win.
I was all set to return to Thailand last October but had to run a last-minute re-schedule to early next year.
Dying to get all those “funny looks” once again 🙂
That all said, wishing you a jolly good time and plenty of good moments.
Kind regards,
Peter
Thanks Peter. For sure there are a lot of good moments here, hope you make it back here sometime!
Just a quick follow-up. Flight’s are booked, so I’ll be over throughout March.