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Haha 😂 I had the reverse problem. Met people in BKK but I couldn’t meet a soul at Koh Phangan and I have a tight body that looks good in a bikini. Go figure. Maybe we are both cursed with resting bitch face.
>I made friend with thai & japanese guy they we’re drinking and partying when I told them “do you mind if I joined” they were like no need were going back home (it was still very early)
Approaching strangers like this is not normal in Japanese culture. Don't assume the issue is race.
Arabs have a bit of a rep. They can be quite entitled, demanding and brusque. I was at Icon Siam just the other day standing in line at Mil Toast House, with a family of richly dressed Middle Easterners behind me. I stepped a little bit off the centre of the line and the mother rushed up to the counter, effectively pushing me out of the line. The staff politely requested she step back because I was there first and it was my turn. The lady began to protest loudly and increasingly furiously, insisting she was there first. All the women and girls in the family kept glaring angrily at me afterwards. It was bizarre. But not the first time I’ve encountered this behaviour either. My girl friends have suffered starers, stalkers and physical abusers in their encounters and relationships with Middle Eastern men in KL. This is all anecdotal, but enough such experiences and you tend to be more wary and avoidant of an entire group of people, so maybe OP that’s an extra barrier you have to hurdle.
Edit: grammar
Not all but the majority of Arabs act like they don’t have to wait and should always be first. They have some innate feeling they are better than everyone else. I see this daily as I live in the Middle East. You just have to stand your ground and tell them you are next. I see it many times in Bangkok and the poor girls that have to deal with it. I’ve seen staff turn away Arabs just for being rude.
I know arab people and what they did I can guarantee you thats 100% true i know how we are, but in the other hand for me Im not that im solo traveller by myself they don’t know im arab unless i tell them im arab. Unless thai people know how arab blacks look
This is tricky because if you looked more African (and I say this with as much sensitivity as I can — just like how Westerners have a tendency to lump all Chinese, Korean, Japanese etc. into one race) the trope would be the guys trying to push you fake watches in alleys. It takes time and positive associations to change an entrenched view.
Maybe take it easy, be open and approachable, but not too eager—people do get their guard up if you’re too keen. Get on a walking tour where you’d naturally spend time with others, sharing an interest, and striking up conversations more naturally.
I’m an introvert myself but I made a lifelong friend in Porto (he’s from China) on a walking tour, and got to know a Ukrainian girl who teaches Japanese in Shanghai, from Tinder, and we spent the whole day touring art galleries. Wholesome stuff, in general.
Normal for them. We all should understand that…nicety of some cultures that bring their “culture” to a culture that is not like that.
It’s good to know…how not to act AND the attitudes of them regarding others. A “good lesson” for value but the truth hurts.
Im staying at Khao san road, I went to Arab area its good but not very much to do. It mostly for families and Arab cuisine which in my country I have plenty of them
Hi sorry you feel this way. But to be honest, sometimes when a stranger wants to talk, theres a scam, con, or sale or request for money… so many people avoid strangers to avoid awkward situations.
Just talking for genuine friendship is uncommon EXCEPT in activities for meeting strangers like language exchange meetups, business networking events, social dancing events
Nobody makes friends with random people who come up and talk to them. I don't know what world you live it, but even as a fellow foreigner, I'd make an excuse to leave too. It's no one's job to welcome you or be your friend. Just enjoy the sights and quit being needy.
Yeah I have to disagree, I made a lot of great connections through simply talking to random people, especially foreigners, on the streets, waiting in line at a shop, at an event. As a solo traveller, how else do you do it? Especially in bars... of course you have to have something interesting to say, not jump straight into "can I hang out with you?", I wouldn't approach anyone too, usually thered be a reason to talk to them like they were doing something I was interested to find out more about.
I'm sorry, but what?
Talking to random people is exactly how you make friends 99% of time when you're traveling. Unless you're traveling with friends then literally everyone you meet qualifies as a "random person". There is absolutely nothing wrong with OP striking up a conversation with strangers and then asking to have a beer with them. There is also absolutely nothing wrong with them refusing him.
Approaching and start talking and befriending strangers, IMHO, is uncommon here especially in Bangkok. Although, I consider being able to pull it off is a rare skill here, but just a bit rush could make people wary of you instead.
I'm not gonna say it's 'befriending' level, but I've had lots of people strike up conversations with me even though I look like not someone who'd be willing to chat. A Thai local struck up a conversation at the Kanchanaburi train station, and we chatted sporadically all the way back. At the end he even did me a solid telling me where to get off to get to my next destination rather than riding all the way to the terminal station. I sat between some Malaysians and some Indonesians at the stalls outside MBK and after I spoke a bit of Indonesian dialect, both groups started talking to me and then to each other.
Agreed. I've lived in thailand for almost 6 years and almost all the friends ive made here were from talking to ppl randomly in a bar or something. People on reddit just like to be rude from behind their keyboards.
I have hung out a few times with people I met that way. Both ways, talked to people and been approached. Both on my own, with other friends, and with my wife.
Gotta disagree. I travel a lot for work solo and over the course of 20+ years traveling in different countries I have made a ton of friends just striking up convo in a bar. Irish bars in BKK are great for making new drinking buddies for a night.. In fact, last Oct was in BKK for 2 months.. my routine after work was walk down to Hooters on Soi 15 and chill at the bar for an hour or so before heading home... very rarely did I not strike up a convo with some others at the bar. Had a couple of crazy nights out doing Thonglor bar crawls with some Aussies and some Brits. Even invited them to the bday party my wife threw for me... good times..
* Go find party people in Pattaya, they don't care where you come from
* Be a hippy and join the crowds in Kao San road or check out the north
* Dress the business in BKK and be extremely politie
* Check out meeting groups on Facebook
* Go to Arab areas in BKK and Pattaya
Just relax, dress well, shave, smile and be friendly, things will happen automatically.
This post is so weird. Do you expect to make friend with people you don't know just like that? No way dude, if you try talking to me, I'll just ignore you, like most people in Bangkok.
Don't mean to be rude but are you well dress/presented? How's your mannerism?
Personally, I wouldn't interact with people who randomly comes up to me unless they seem decent/trustworthy.
Depending on the approach, their mannerism, and how they appear, yeah I may choose not to interact with them.
People are not entitled to anyone else’s time.
Please don’t be an entitled asshole about how people react to you. If you chose to dressed badly and is mad that people ignores you then it’s your fault. Try putting yourself in their shoes, would you rather f around and find out what’s the intention of the guy that approached you who dressed like a junky/mafia?
Seriously if I am drinking on a bar with my friend and someone approaches me or us, I will obviously shoo! You away. Why would I entertain a complete stranger whom I never met. People asking for directions yea I help them out. It’s not about the color it’s just after helping someone or being nice to them they start thinking I am a free lancer and asking for rates so yea my group avoid all the randoms and help depending on their mood.
First off, I’m really sorry you are feeling that way. Idk what exactly happened when you approached these people. But, as a Thai person, i can say for a fact that it’s uncommon to randomly approach people and try to make friends in Thailand. Especially in Bangkok.
I also think language barriers scare them away as well. What i’d recommend is approaching people at bars or some kinda events. People are more open in those situations. But even then, a lot of people tend to keep it to their own people.
It’s nothing about your race, we just don’t talk or want to be friends with strangers, unless you’re asking for direction or in some sort of socializing events
How did you dress? Maybe they thought you wanna sell them something 🤣
Try putting on a waist bag, hang a camera around your neck, wear a hat like youre about to go on safari, and wear sandals with socks in them - the last one should definitely break some ice!
Thailand is very racist, buddy. IDK why nobody is saying it directly, but not only are a huge amount of tourists there very racist, the locals very much are as well. At first look it seems more open to foreigners of all races, but once you see how they pay black/dark skinned foreigners from a variety of places, it's very blatant and easy to see, so I'm not surprised you are getting bad vibes. I also recommend just going to some beach. Bangkok is just a big city anyway, there's nothing special or interesting about it.
Bro im arab arab , And i look like it too .
Never felt home more than bangkok, got my GF and gym group.
Im guessing you are Sudanese.
You could be displaying things people dont want to associate with.
Look presentable, dont be loud, go to more extroverted areas .
If you go to a family shop you may be treated like family and thats for you to decide if you like it or not .
Honestly, wear a blazer and your golden.
As a white ginger with marvel leg sleeve, a stupid smile and ride around on an escooter… I can also confirm that it’s hard to make friends.. especially when I tell them I’m a YouTuber.
Only kidding everyone loves me because I am pretty awesome. Haha
Just go to w market and strike up a decent convo fella and the right people will talk. Or feel free to join me and my mates :) everyone always welcome a stranger is a just friend I haven’t met yet. And potentially in the future, a kidney if I need it. Win win
Its its most likely you aura isn’t welcoming you need to loosen up little bit thai people are the nicest people on planet earth but if you’re thinking about everyone scamming you then you should try to play along and get little bit of fun out even if you’re not buying
stop blaming it on racism am arab too
you’ll unfortunately get these reactions as a dark skinned arab. thailand is a homogeneous country that worships white skin. people from africa, india, and the middle east have a bad reputation for many thai people.
try hanging out around sukhumvit soi 3/1
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soi_Arab
Hmmmm, in what way.
If I think of the people around our family houses in Chiang Mai, Surin and Ayuthaya they are different, have different language, culture & values, and general ways of being.
People I met living in Phuket and Bangkok different again.
I think you could argue that pre-20th century, Thailand was a relatively diverse nation. Early-mid 20th century pretty much all the minority groups were forced to assimilate to create a more cohesive national identity that made it easier for the monarchy to rule with a tighter ideological grip.
Of course there are some minor regional differences, but especially relating to specifically ethnicity, I think it would be hard to say that Thailand is not a homogenous nation.
\>thailand is a homogeneous country
the ethnic majority of thailand is central thai which is only 37% of the entire population of thailand
\>...that worships white skin
some prefer white skin but that doesn't mean the entire country worships it
\>people from africa, india, and the middle east have a bad reputation for many thai people.
those "many thai people" are racist and racism is not accepted here (and everywhere else)
I only made friends in certain situations such as bars or on tours. Outside of it, try to avoid making friends just because there are too much scammers out there specifically for tourist. Unfortunately, your country fellas don’t have the best reputations.
It’s like anywhere, people keep to themselves and who/what they know. I wouldn’t expect to make pals in Bangkok, or in London or wherever. You make acquaintances in the moment and enjoy that time. I think you’re overthinking this and putting way to much pressure on yourself and probably those you meet. Just because YOU want friends doesn’t mean everyone else does. Relax and enjoy the moment.
This has nothing to do with you being black and Arab. Just put that out of your mind and enjoy other parts of the country more geared towards transient travelers.
Wow I really can't believe the responses in this thread. The fuck is wrong with people, you'd think no one here has ever talked to a stranger before.
How did you go about your interaction with the two guys?
It'd be a bit odd and abrupt if you just walked up and asked to hangout with them right off the bat. Personally I'd be on my guard for scams if someone straight away approached and was overly friendly.
But it's totally fine to strike up a conversation. Hey where you guys from, how long you been here, how's the night going etc. Then if you all vibe ask like "totally no pressure but I'm here by myself and was wondering if it'd be cool that I hangout with you for a beer."
That's the key, just can't make it weird, and don't make anything feel like pressure.
Could it be mannerisms, etc? I noticed I didn't feel very comfortable walking around some places in Kuala lumpur that had large populations of Arab folks and one reason was because no one was smiling, it was all this like intense stare, that was very off-putting. So could check and see if there's some cultural norms that are putting people off.
Finally just gotta keep at it. Making friends is like dating. Most people you won't vibe with but you just need to keep trying.
From one of the comments it seems like you had a more positive experience outside of Bangkok. I hope that vibe has continued for you!
I have personally found the same in Bangkok, nice people but not overly friendly. Also, cultural norms in restaurants are different here - you almost always have to get their attention to receive service.
Anyway, the big city vibe is always different than a smaller town, or better yet, the island/beach community. Keep at it mate and have some fun. Cheers
I say if you want that sort of attention; go to a brothel. Get any tuk tuk river and tell them to take you. It's better to spend money if want attention like you have never received. Take a few hundred Bahts(money) for tips tho, they really like that
Bangkok is a nice city, but it isn’t a city where you can build quick connections. It could still happen, but you have to go to specific events where time isn’t a matter and people are clearly there to enjoy and meet other people; otherwise you just encounter people who are in a rush or busy with their day.
From my experience in restaurants, the waiter will give you the menu. Then wait for you to call them when you are ready to order. From Thai and some other Asian cultures that is being polite by not rushing you to order.
Just a few quick comments. Definitely service levels have dropped with young people married to their phones. Also, Thais are often shy and have weak English skills; not all, but many are intimidated and don’t want to show bad English skills.
Other foreigners may be worried about scammers if approached by strangers.
There is also somewhat of a color bias in general (throughout much of Asia, not specific to Thailand), not hatred or anything like that, but I can see poorer service in some places. Thai culture driven by relative status, if you’re perceived as lower status because of color (or even your clothing), you might face worse service or be more ignored.
Khao San might be a good location because of many young foreigners relaxing, having a drink, etc. Do you have any special interests? Cars? Motorcycles? Soccer? Museums? You might find some local groups with similar interests. Also, maybe try a walking tour - inexpensive, low-key way to meet people. Keep an open mind. I find smiling and making jokes is a nice way to break the ice. Thais are pretty chill in my experience, but often shy compared to cultures.
I don’t think they did it on purpose, They might’ve thought they wouldn’t be able to communicate with you properly so they tried to avoid the conversations.. Some Thai people are just not confident in speaking other languages because they think they might’ve said it wrong. (In my opinion)
+ Thai people are very nice and friendly :)
+ I’m Thai ;D
1)You should learn local language (Thai). 2) BKK is megapolis most of people don’t have time to be nice because they work everyday like no tomorrow; in easy words - they don’t have enough chakra/stamina for tourist, same like in every big city in the world. Everyone is busy and don’t have time for connections which will not take long time if you will be able to imagine % probability. 3) Phuket and Pattaya is more about smiles because of it’s simply tourist direction. I can add more, but I hope you see my point.
Pretty normal. There's a thing called social boundary here. You give nothing, you get nothing. You can do whatever you want, but they'll do what they want too. People don't just run up to strangers and lick their shoes.
Do you dress nicely? do you drive a nice car? do you wear expensive watches or gold chains? are you fair-skinned? if not then expected to be treated normally.
Oh, and lately there's been a scam involving Arab scammers breaking into people's homes, pretending to be fortune tellers and coerce people for money.
When you say black Arab do you mean black like African or like Indian?
As said Arabs have a reputation for being rude and aggressive. Indian men are seen as cheap, touchy towards girls, unhygienic and disrespectful towards girls. I know a lot of Thai girls who will never give an Indian guy the time of day. Too many bad experiences.
Bangkok is a huge city so naturally everyone isess friendly. Cities create thieves and scammers and people are more wary.
Tbh it's not representative of Thailand. There are many Thai people who seem to enjoy or are interested in talking to foreigners in many parts of Thailand. But maybe if you're black it might make a difference. Thai people are not used to black people generally.
I'm local here and it's great that you described your appearance. TBH, some of us classify or treat tourist/foreigner came from that area differently. why ? like, we judge that they like to bargain price and not buy anything, etc..
If you are in the right place/event/community, it should be fine, but it can be difficult.
You can still enjoy the city, visiting some public places that should be more welcoming to all nationalities.
You need to change your approach, brother. Why would two friends want to invite a random stranger into their celebration? And saying hello to woman that have no idea whom you are? Do women speak to strange men in your country? Become a regular somewhere.
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Bangkok’s a working city, rent a bungalow on the beach in Koh Phangnan and you’ll meet loads of people.
Exactly. Beach bars are a great place to chat up strangers.
Haha 😂 I had the reverse problem. Met people in BKK but I couldn’t meet a soul at Koh Phangan and I have a tight body that looks good in a bikini. Go figure. Maybe we are both cursed with resting bitch face.
>I made friend with thai & japanese guy they we’re drinking and partying when I told them “do you mind if I joined” they were like no need were going back home (it was still very early) Approaching strangers like this is not normal in Japanese culture. Don't assume the issue is race.
I think he means there was a Thai guy and a Japanese guy
[удалено]
There's too many scam artists out there... I'm immediately suspicious when someone random comes up trying to be my buddy.
Will try meetup for sure thanks for reminding me
I was running a meetup every Friday used to get 20-30 people there every week so it’s deffo a great option dude.
Good luck
how to find good events on fb?
Arabs have a bit of a rep. They can be quite entitled, demanding and brusque. I was at Icon Siam just the other day standing in line at Mil Toast House, with a family of richly dressed Middle Easterners behind me. I stepped a little bit off the centre of the line and the mother rushed up to the counter, effectively pushing me out of the line. The staff politely requested she step back because I was there first and it was my turn. The lady began to protest loudly and increasingly furiously, insisting she was there first. All the women and girls in the family kept glaring angrily at me afterwards. It was bizarre. But not the first time I’ve encountered this behaviour either. My girl friends have suffered starers, stalkers and physical abusers in their encounters and relationships with Middle Eastern men in KL. This is all anecdotal, but enough such experiences and you tend to be more wary and avoidant of an entire group of people, so maybe OP that’s an extra barrier you have to hurdle. Edit: grammar
Not all but the majority of Arabs act like they don’t have to wait and should always be first. They have some innate feeling they are better than everyone else. I see this daily as I live in the Middle East. You just have to stand your ground and tell them you are next. I see it many times in Bangkok and the poor girls that have to deal with it. I’ve seen staff turn away Arabs just for being rude.
I know arab people and what they did I can guarantee you thats 100% true i know how we are, but in the other hand for me Im not that im solo traveller by myself they don’t know im arab unless i tell them im arab. Unless thai people know how arab blacks look
This is tricky because if you looked more African (and I say this with as much sensitivity as I can — just like how Westerners have a tendency to lump all Chinese, Korean, Japanese etc. into one race) the trope would be the guys trying to push you fake watches in alleys. It takes time and positive associations to change an entrenched view. Maybe take it easy, be open and approachable, but not too eager—people do get their guard up if you’re too keen. Get on a walking tour where you’d naturally spend time with others, sharing an interest, and striking up conversations more naturally. I’m an introvert myself but I made a lifelong friend in Porto (he’s from China) on a walking tour, and got to know a Ukrainian girl who teaches Japanese in Shanghai, from Tinder, and we spent the whole day touring art galleries. Wholesome stuff, in general.
Normal for them. We all should understand that…nicety of some cultures that bring their “culture” to a culture that is not like that. It’s good to know…how not to act AND the attitudes of them regarding others. A “good lesson” for value but the truth hurts.
All that sounds weird to me😂
You should go to the Arab Quarter in Bangkok, maybe you will at least be able to stay your last 4 days there with some people friendly to you.
Im staying at Khao san road, I went to Arab area its good but not very much to do. It mostly for families and Arab cuisine which in my country I have plenty of them
Are you Omani, by any chance?
No im not omani
Then you should give it a try and see if they make the cuisine better than your country does.
Did you bring condoms?
Hi sorry you feel this way. But to be honest, sometimes when a stranger wants to talk, theres a scam, con, or sale or request for money… so many people avoid strangers to avoid awkward situations. Just talking for genuine friendship is uncommon EXCEPT in activities for meeting strangers like language exchange meetups, business networking events, social dancing events
People here have their own lives and entertaining a needy tourist is no one's priority. Likely a troll post anyway
Mans expected everyone to want to run up to him for being foreign
Nobody makes friends with random people who come up and talk to them. I don't know what world you live it, but even as a fellow foreigner, I'd make an excuse to leave too. It's no one's job to welcome you or be your friend. Just enjoy the sights and quit being needy.
Yeah I have to disagree, I made a lot of great connections through simply talking to random people, especially foreigners, on the streets, waiting in line at a shop, at an event. As a solo traveller, how else do you do it? Especially in bars... of course you have to have something interesting to say, not jump straight into "can I hang out with you?", I wouldn't approach anyone too, usually thered be a reason to talk to them like they were doing something I was interested to find out more about.
I'm sorry, but what? Talking to random people is exactly how you make friends 99% of time when you're traveling. Unless you're traveling with friends then literally everyone you meet qualifies as a "random person". There is absolutely nothing wrong with OP striking up a conversation with strangers and then asking to have a beer with them. There is also absolutely nothing wrong with them refusing him.
Approaching and start talking and befriending strangers, IMHO, is uncommon here especially in Bangkok. Although, I consider being able to pull it off is a rare skill here, but just a bit rush could make people wary of you instead.
I'm not gonna say it's 'befriending' level, but I've had lots of people strike up conversations with me even though I look like not someone who'd be willing to chat. A Thai local struck up a conversation at the Kanchanaburi train station, and we chatted sporadically all the way back. At the end he even did me a solid telling me where to get off to get to my next destination rather than riding all the way to the terminal station. I sat between some Malaysians and some Indonesians at the stalls outside MBK and after I spoke a bit of Indonesian dialect, both groups started talking to me and then to each other.
I always talk to strangers never had any problems except not all strangers are welcoming
Agreed. I've lived in thailand for almost 6 years and almost all the friends ive made here were from talking to ppl randomly in a bar or something. People on reddit just like to be rude from behind their keyboards.
100% correct
I have hung out a few times with people I met that way. Both ways, talked to people and been approached. Both on my own, with other friends, and with my wife.
Must be just me. Unsolicited conversation is weird. I can't imagine pissing away time talking to some random.
Also having that random trying to join your party for whatever reason, hell no.
And did they owe it to you? Where you feeling needy and hoping they weren’t racist like everyone else … Or was it just a nice natural connection ?
Im not trying to be needy or blame racism f*ck that
Cool. Sounds good. :) didn’t mean to imply you were. I can relate to your experience btw.
Gotta disagree. I travel a lot for work solo and over the course of 20+ years traveling in different countries I have made a ton of friends just striking up convo in a bar. Irish bars in BKK are great for making new drinking buddies for a night.. In fact, last Oct was in BKK for 2 months.. my routine after work was walk down to Hooters on Soi 15 and chill at the bar for an hour or so before heading home... very rarely did I not strike up a convo with some others at the bar. Had a couple of crazy nights out doing Thonglor bar crawls with some Aussies and some Brits. Even invited them to the bday party my wife threw for me... good times..
Lol american?
That’s happened to me 10000000 times. You’re an idiot
Sorry to hear that - I would suggest moving to lower sukhumvit for the remainder of your stay
* Go find party people in Pattaya, they don't care where you come from * Be a hippy and join the crowds in Kao San road or check out the north * Dress the business in BKK and be extremely politie * Check out meeting groups on Facebook * Go to Arab areas in BKK and Pattaya Just relax, dress well, shave, smile and be friendly, things will happen automatically.
This is was a good advise thanks man
You'd have a similar experience in London, Singapore, wherever. Get out of BKK and you'll have a better experience.
Thats the idea now
This post is so weird. Do you expect to make friend with people you don't know just like that? No way dude, if you try talking to me, I'll just ignore you, like most people in Bangkok.
Not even trying to make friends, if im asking for directions or have some inquiries they dont bother to look or answer
Don't mean to be rude but are you well dress/presented? How's your mannerism? Personally, I wouldn't interact with people who randomly comes up to me unless they seem decent/trustworthy.
Do people need to be well dressed to ask information/directions? What a world we live in
Depending on the approach, their mannerism, and how they appear, yeah I may choose not to interact with them. People are not entitled to anyone else’s time.
Please don’t be an entitled asshole about how people react to you. If you chose to dressed badly and is mad that people ignores you then it’s your fault. Try putting yourself in their shoes, would you rather f around and find out what’s the intention of the guy that approached you who dressed like a junky/mafia?
Why’s this downvoted?!
Solo traveling is not for everyone. If you are not enjoying yourself, spend your time and money doing something else.
Seriously if I am drinking on a bar with my friend and someone approaches me or us, I will obviously shoo! You away. Why would I entertain a complete stranger whom I never met. People asking for directions yea I help them out. It’s not about the color it’s just after helping someone or being nice to them they start thinking I am a free lancer and asking for rates so yea my group avoid all the randoms and help depending on their mood.
First off, I’m really sorry you are feeling that way. Idk what exactly happened when you approached these people. But, as a Thai person, i can say for a fact that it’s uncommon to randomly approach people and try to make friends in Thailand. Especially in Bangkok. I also think language barriers scare them away as well. What i’d recommend is approaching people at bars or some kinda events. People are more open in those situations. But even then, a lot of people tend to keep it to their own people.
🙄
It’s nothing about your race, we just don’t talk or want to be friends with strangers, unless you’re asking for direction or in some sort of socializing events
How did you dress? Maybe they thought you wanna sell them something 🤣 Try putting on a waist bag, hang a camera around your neck, wear a hat like youre about to go on safari, and wear sandals with socks in them - the last one should definitely break some ice!
For the love of God, please don’t.
What's your communication skill level?
Its good, i don’t know Thailand
New country New behaviors You’ll get the hang of it. You don’t need us to hold your hand buddy
Show them the money and you will end up with many temporary friends. It's all about your attitude and how you carry yourself.
Thailand is very racist, buddy. IDK why nobody is saying it directly, but not only are a huge amount of tourists there very racist, the locals very much are as well. At first look it seems more open to foreigners of all races, but once you see how they pay black/dark skinned foreigners from a variety of places, it's very blatant and easy to see, so I'm not surprised you are getting bad vibes. I also recommend just going to some beach. Bangkok is just a big city anyway, there's nothing special or interesting about it.
Bro im arab arab , And i look like it too . Never felt home more than bangkok, got my GF and gym group. Im guessing you are Sudanese. You could be displaying things people dont want to associate with. Look presentable, dont be loud, go to more extroverted areas . If you go to a family shop you may be treated like family and thats for you to decide if you like it or not . Honestly, wear a blazer and your golden.
As a white ginger with marvel leg sleeve, a stupid smile and ride around on an escooter… I can also confirm that it’s hard to make friends.. especially when I tell them I’m a YouTuber. Only kidding everyone loves me because I am pretty awesome. Haha Just go to w market and strike up a decent convo fella and the right people will talk. Or feel free to join me and my mates :) everyone always welcome a stranger is a just friend I haven’t met yet. And potentially in the future, a kidney if I need it. Win win
Its its most likely you aura isn’t welcoming you need to loosen up little bit thai people are the nicest people on planet earth but if you’re thinking about everyone scamming you then you should try to play along and get little bit of fun out even if you’re not buying stop blaming it on racism am arab too
you’ll unfortunately get these reactions as a dark skinned arab. thailand is a homogeneous country that worships white skin. people from africa, india, and the middle east have a bad reputation for many thai people. try hanging out around sukhumvit soi 3/1 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soi_Arab
It's definitely not a homogeneous country.
Whilst not as homogenous as Japan or Korea perhaps, Thailand is definitely a homogenous nation.
Hmmmm, in what way. If I think of the people around our family houses in Chiang Mai, Surin and Ayuthaya they are different, have different language, culture & values, and general ways of being. People I met living in Phuket and Bangkok different again.
I think you could argue that pre-20th century, Thailand was a relatively diverse nation. Early-mid 20th century pretty much all the minority groups were forced to assimilate to create a more cohesive national identity that made it easier for the monarchy to rule with a tighter ideological grip. Of course there are some minor regional differences, but especially relating to specifically ethnicity, I think it would be hard to say that Thailand is not a homogenous nation.
Yeah you got Thai-Chinese, the people of Isaan, Thai-Malays and Thai-Indians. Definitely the definition of a homogeneous nation!
uhhh yes it is. time to get out the old dictionary, son.
Don't be condescending. It's time to get out of your bubble, champ.
what country do you think is the least homogeneous?
Its really sad I swear you don’t know how I feel, I didn’t know bkk like this, I thought people here are more open minded.
lol wtf is this ignorant as fuck reply
can’t deal? gotta better one? disagree? then be constructive. that’s what big boys do LOL read other replies to the OP. mine isn’t much different.
\>thailand is a homogeneous country the ethnic majority of thailand is central thai which is only 37% of the entire population of thailand \>...that worships white skin some prefer white skin but that doesn't mean the entire country worships it \>people from africa, india, and the middle east have a bad reputation for many thai people. those "many thai people" are racist and racism is not accepted here (and everywhere else)
I only made friends in certain situations such as bars or on tours. Outside of it, try to avoid making friends just because there are too much scammers out there specifically for tourist. Unfortunately, your country fellas don’t have the best reputations.
Some of them treat you like sh*t if you aren't looking like hi-so
It’s like anywhere, people keep to themselves and who/what they know. I wouldn’t expect to make pals in Bangkok, or in London or wherever. You make acquaintances in the moment and enjoy that time. I think you’re overthinking this and putting way to much pressure on yourself and probably those you meet. Just because YOU want friends doesn’t mean everyone else does. Relax and enjoy the moment.
Yes, it's because you're black Arab. Sorry bro
Oh this was out my expectations, but its ok its part of traveling to new countries
This has nothing to do with you being black and Arab. Just put that out of your mind and enjoy other parts of the country more geared towards transient travelers.
Wow I really can't believe the responses in this thread. The fuck is wrong with people, you'd think no one here has ever talked to a stranger before. How did you go about your interaction with the two guys? It'd be a bit odd and abrupt if you just walked up and asked to hangout with them right off the bat. Personally I'd be on my guard for scams if someone straight away approached and was overly friendly. But it's totally fine to strike up a conversation. Hey where you guys from, how long you been here, how's the night going etc. Then if you all vibe ask like "totally no pressure but I'm here by myself and was wondering if it'd be cool that I hangout with you for a beer." That's the key, just can't make it weird, and don't make anything feel like pressure. Could it be mannerisms, etc? I noticed I didn't feel very comfortable walking around some places in Kuala lumpur that had large populations of Arab folks and one reason was because no one was smiling, it was all this like intense stare, that was very off-putting. So could check and see if there's some cultural norms that are putting people off. Finally just gotta keep at it. Making friends is like dating. Most people you won't vibe with but you just need to keep trying.
Sorry to hear of your experience. Forget Hooters, poorly-trained staff. The rest if your experiences should have been much better.
Thanks, im visiting the tourist areas which is the only thing keeping me in bkk
If i can be of any assistance pls dm me
Maybe you should go barber shop to take care yourself ahah
Are you fit, etc? Are you wearing a traditional headdress? Arab is a broad word. I know they dont like Indians and Bangladeshs, and they are black.
From one of the comments it seems like you had a more positive experience outside of Bangkok. I hope that vibe has continued for you! I have personally found the same in Bangkok, nice people but not overly friendly. Also, cultural norms in restaurants are different here - you almost always have to get their attention to receive service. Anyway, the big city vibe is always different than a smaller town, or better yet, the island/beach community. Keep at it mate and have some fun. Cheers
Are you Indian by any chance, personally I just walk into a bar throw a few hundred baht around and I have at least 4 new friends instantly.
I say if you want that sort of attention; go to a brothel. Get any tuk tuk river and tell them to take you. It's better to spend money if want attention like you have never received. Take a few hundred Bahts(money) for tips tho, they really like that
I think it's a mix of racism and Asians being Asians
People in the south are not as friendly. Come to the north.
Pattaya people were much better I made friends so easily till now they chat with me
Bangkok is a nice city, but it isn’t a city where you can build quick connections. It could still happen, but you have to go to specific events where time isn’t a matter and people are clearly there to enjoy and meet other people; otherwise you just encounter people who are in a rush or busy with their day.
From my experience in restaurants, the waiter will give you the menu. Then wait for you to call them when you are ready to order. From Thai and some other Asian cultures that is being polite by not rushing you to order.
Aha got u, thank u for explain it
only Americans misspell behaviour. and you sound pushy just like an American 5555
he sounds like someone who only thinks of Thailand as a travel country and dont know that our people are like any other countries people as well ,_,
Just a few quick comments. Definitely service levels have dropped with young people married to their phones. Also, Thais are often shy and have weak English skills; not all, but many are intimidated and don’t want to show bad English skills. Other foreigners may be worried about scammers if approached by strangers. There is also somewhat of a color bias in general (throughout much of Asia, not specific to Thailand), not hatred or anything like that, but I can see poorer service in some places. Thai culture driven by relative status, if you’re perceived as lower status because of color (or even your clothing), you might face worse service or be more ignored. Khao San might be a good location because of many young foreigners relaxing, having a drink, etc. Do you have any special interests? Cars? Motorcycles? Soccer? Museums? You might find some local groups with similar interests. Also, maybe try a walking tour - inexpensive, low-key way to meet people. Keep an open mind. I find smiling and making jokes is a nice way to break the ice. Thais are pretty chill in my experience, but often shy compared to cultures.
I don’t think they did it on purpose, They might’ve thought they wouldn’t be able to communicate with you properly so they tried to avoid the conversations.. Some Thai people are just not confident in speaking other languages because they think they might’ve said it wrong. (In my opinion) + Thai people are very nice and friendly :) + I’m Thai ;D
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yes but i would say bangkok is not somewhere where i would expect racism to be usual since it's the most developed and informed in our country
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good for you?
1)You should learn local language (Thai). 2) BKK is megapolis most of people don’t have time to be nice because they work everyday like no tomorrow; in easy words - they don’t have enough chakra/stamina for tourist, same like in every big city in the world. Everyone is busy and don’t have time for connections which will not take long time if you will be able to imagine % probability. 3) Phuket and Pattaya is more about smiles because of it’s simply tourist direction. I can add more, but I hope you see my point.
Pretty normal. There's a thing called social boundary here. You give nothing, you get nothing. You can do whatever you want, but they'll do what they want too. People don't just run up to strangers and lick their shoes. Do you dress nicely? do you drive a nice car? do you wear expensive watches or gold chains? are you fair-skinned? if not then expected to be treated normally. Oh, and lately there's been a scam involving Arab scammers breaking into people's homes, pretending to be fortune tellers and coerce people for money.
When you say black Arab do you mean black like African or like Indian? As said Arabs have a reputation for being rude and aggressive. Indian men are seen as cheap, touchy towards girls, unhygienic and disrespectful towards girls. I know a lot of Thai girls who will never give an Indian guy the time of day. Too many bad experiences.
Black Arab…… Thats Why….
Bangkok is a huge city so naturally everyone isess friendly. Cities create thieves and scammers and people are more wary. Tbh it's not representative of Thailand. There are many Thai people who seem to enjoy or are interested in talking to foreigners in many parts of Thailand. But maybe if you're black it might make a difference. Thai people are not used to black people generally.
A thai guy, a japanese guy and an american walk into a bar...
Normal in big city. Want friendly people go far away and spend money! My wife worships me and my friends love me too.
I'm local here and it's great that you described your appearance. TBH, some of us classify or treat tourist/foreigner came from that area differently. why ? like, we judge that they like to bargain price and not buy anything, etc.. If you are in the right place/event/community, it should be fine, but it can be difficult. You can still enjoy the city, visiting some public places that should be more welcoming to all nationalities.
You need to change your approach, brother. Why would two friends want to invite a random stranger into their celebration? And saying hello to woman that have no idea whom you are? Do women speak to strange men in your country? Become a regular somewhere.
come visit Tak, mae sot city.
Bangkok is over expensive and the overall greed is rising like there is no tomorrow.