Here in Thailand, the populace thinks itself quite polite, but actually they are strangely rude when it comes to foreigners. Because their education system is so poor, few Thais speak English. They are painfully aware of this fact. Visitors from abroad abound and tourism makes up a significant part of the GDP. Europeans, Americans, Canadians, Chinese, Japanese, Koreans, all speak English to some degree, but not Thais. The reasons behind this are complex and not worth going into here, but take my word for it.
When I enter a store, especially a big store, with literally hundreds of employees, when they spot me walking down the aisle they all furiously pull out their cell phones and start scrolling away. I can’t get anyone to make eye contact with me. Why? Because they’re embarrassed that they don’t speak English well enough to communicate. If I enter a small shop slightly or even a few minutes ahead of a Thai person, they will wait on the Thai person first. Why? Because it’s easier than trying to communicate with me. They assume I speak no Thai, and they’re quite sure they speak little English.
Asians are very race conscious. The first time I noticed this was in Chinatown in Los Angeles. I was standing in line to order at a Chinese restaurant. The main front of me was a Caucasian about my age and height, also bearded with graying hair. He ordered and sat down. The lady behind the counter went into the kitchen then came back to the counter. She looked at me standing there and said “I’ll call you when it’s ready.” I pointed to the man who had just ordered who was now sitting at a table. “Not me,” I said.
We wall look alike to them. The first time I ever saw a whole bunch of Chinese people in one place was in San Francisco’s Chinatown. I concluded they all looked alike and were basically interchangeable, so I understood her error.
I’ve been living in Northern Thailand for seven years now, and speak Thai better than most foreigners. This has allowed me to become a real person to many Thais to whom a foreigner was simply a wallet with legs.
It has also allowed them to become more real to me, and I can be less focused on race.
retirecheaply 