So, of the pharangs here, do you feel this same shady tolerance to the people you know personally? It's one thing when you're a visitor and people respect you for your money.

 

I was wondering if pharangs living in Thailand, who have a better grip on their culture and customs, can still have a nice relationship with Thais.   

Well the philippines has been tolerating both good and bad. They are so far the only country to stick to the truth in the bible when it comes to big issues such as same sex marriage, which is clearly easy to see in other countries. You see, being tolerant is not about allowing everything, but also stepping up to stand against what is really wrong by moral standards of a normal person at the very least. That is all true.

So are you saying that opposing same-sex marriages is what you consider to be "tolerant"? 

If that's so, this is an all new meaning for the word "tolerant", not one I've seen before. 

Anyone who has been in Thailand and been in a non mongering situation for any length of time will soon realise Thais are very racist.  I put that down to their insular outlook and their many different Governments who are all like Dynasty's.  Much the same as North Korea.

Tolerant? I'm not entirely sure.

But certainly relaxed and non-confrontational.

So yes, it's very nice to live among them.

I can honestly say Thailand is the most tolerant country I have ever traveled to. 

Pretty much all Asians are racist in my experience.

The pent up anger amongst Thai guys mainly comes from young men in the lower classes, and only if you don't know them.

Most middle class and hiso Thais are at worst indifferent and at best curious and welcoming towards foreigners.  But the social experiences of most mongers are probably heavily skewered towards the working poor...

I wouldn't say Thailand is inherently tolerant, but it's more that people won't fuck with you if you don't fuck with them.  Live and let live.

It's weird - Thailand is a military dictatorship and in some ways a police state, but I've never ever felt more free than when I'm Thailand.

If you want to see real racism and xenophobia, try living here in Japan...

Reviving an old thread.

 

The way I see it, it does not matter which country you go to. If you are not there to benefit the country economically in some way, you are not welcome. Why should people accept you if you are just a burden to them and their country? If you come to my country, Australia and you are poor and require government assistance (using taxpayer's money) then it will be known you are not welcome here.

I guess I'm reviving to give my 2 cents too, nobody ever really posts in this subforum - wow. 
Anyways I think Thai people ARE tolerant to a lot, but that doesn't necessarily extend to shitty behavior from farang all the time. But the other side of the coin and what a lot of people perceive - especially on short trips, is privilege. We have a lot of privilege coming here because we have more money and Thai people have been brought up to be welcoming to guests combined with the money makes it easy for farang to shield themselves in a bubble of "tolerance". But it is just a bubble.

However if you look at Thai people's treatment of "third gender" and the LGBT community that's very tolerant. They're very tolerant to religious choices. Tolerant to other cultures intermingling with their own. A lot of the things that rile up other countries don't rile up Thai people. In my opinion they're even less susceptible to "face" issues than many other Asian cultures. 

10 hours ago, psi_starstorm said:

However if you look at Thai people's treatment of "third gender" and the LGBT community that's very tolerant. 

That's a tough one. On one side, I agree with you. The third gender, LB, PO are very tolerated in Thailand and to some degree also integrated, but there are multiple sides to this. They all tolerate it, but did you hear them talking about someone like this? You can hear how they put them to the lower level when talking. So, yeah, I agree, but to only like 40%.

10 hours ago, psi_starstorm said:

Tolerant to other cultures intermingling with their own.

I disagree hard on this. For Thai, there is no better culture than Thai. They're hard indoctrinated by school and monarchy. Ever had a deep talk about Thai society, the good and the bads? I never had one, that ended without an insulted Thai leaving the table and cursing me. I stopped talking with Thais about anything like that. Even one of my girlfriends, who was very very open to it, always fall back to the protection state.
The only reason they accept it is money. It's simple as that. If Thailand would not need a lot of Tourist to exist, they would care the fuck about other cultures.

They are tolerant to the extent of being non confrontational (usually) and not wanting to disturb the harmony of the collective (mostly) or lose face.

But I don't think they are truly any nicer than Westerners. Being quiet and polite is not the same as being good or moral.

I think Thais try to look good, rather than be good, bearing in mind it is a shame based society,  not guilt based society. 

As others have said, racism and discrimination are baked into society here, especially the lower levels.

The West is more tolerant in many ways, but look where that has gotten them.

Edited August 4, 20251 yr by NanAtSOL

Someone else already said it, but I'd go with the Netherlands as being the most tolerant country. Aside from a growing dislike of North Africans, they seem to be pretty laid-back and non-judgemental on pretty much everything else, especially relating to sex or drugs. I've spent a fair amount of time there in Utrecht, Rotterdam and Amsterdam and everyone seems so chilled. I also love the fact that at 6'4" I'm not even considered tall as it's the land of the giants as far as men are concerned!