One of my mates described Bangkok as one of the most exotic places she'd ever been. She'd also been thoroughly intimidated by the city on arrival, but after seeing more of the country and returning there, found Bangkok much easier to negotiate.
I also found this to be true. Not so much, as my friend put, through a greater awareness of Thai Culture and it's traditions, but with a better understanding of the Thai Tourist Industry's relationship with Farang.
Yes, the calls of “Taxi Taxi!” and the aggression of and exploitation by vendors does become draining but there is some merit in the appreciation that to many, this is a livelihood and none of these workers will be going home to a waterside McMansion.
Most Western Tourists of Thailand can relate to jumping into a cab where the Taxi driver refuses to put his meter on. Tourist advice is to demand that they pull over, but there is no policy on how to handle said driver who wants to be paid for the privilege of letting your backpack out of his boot. I did find that episode a little difficult to resolve in my head.
There were a number of similar incidents during my month stay, but the biggest hit to my tolerance level however came when trying to leave a Hotel affected by a Power Outage on Railay Island. I had to argue for 45 minutes (no, that's not a typo) after the belligerent Hotel clerk tried to charge me for clearing out the mini bar – which, as I'd earlier informed her, had been empty on my arrival save from an opened tin of mouldy cashews and a half eaten Toblerone. She even had the nerve to switch from English to insult me in Thai - not realising I'd understood what she'd said. Despite this, I was still subjected to another 20 minutes of her looking through inconclusive Housekeeping records before I got my Passport back.
I understand the Fagin-esque survival instinct of the Thai Tourist Industry; slave to the bargain-seeking Farang who in turn, are rich pickings.
My Phang Nga Bay tour guide empathised with the plight of visitors being harassed for trinkets. But she defended the Industry explaining, in particular for remote areas, the only local money to be made was from the tourist trade. For the rest, it was often the case they would move out in order to send money back home. She herself was in a dilemma with the overall drop in Tourism and the oncoming Wet Season of needing to move away and find manual work in order to support herself.
Tourists are just a necessary evil. Foreigners with foreign cash arrive in hoards and a massive stake of the Thai economy has enslaved itself to this. The clash appears with the Farang expecting deals and bargains and the Thais feeling undervalued and/ or used for their Services and wish to be compensated accordingly – through legitimate means or otherwise.
I also found this to be true. Not so much, as my friend put, through a greater awareness of Thai Culture and it's traditions, but with a better understanding of the Thai Tourist Industry's relationship with Farang.
Yes, the calls of “Taxi Taxi!” and the aggression of and exploitation by vendors does become draining but there is some merit in the appreciation that to many, this is a livelihood and none of these workers will be going home to a waterside McMansion.
Most Western Tourists of Thailand can relate to jumping into a cab where the Taxi driver refuses to put his meter on. Tourist advice is to demand that they pull over, but there is no policy on how to handle said driver who wants to be paid for the privilege of letting your backpack out of his boot. I did find that episode a little difficult to resolve in my head.
There were a number of similar incidents during my month stay, but the biggest hit to my tolerance level however came when trying to leave a Hotel affected by a Power Outage on Railay Island. I had to argue for 45 minutes (no, that's not a typo) after the belligerent Hotel clerk tried to charge me for clearing out the mini bar – which, as I'd earlier informed her, had been empty on my arrival save from an opened tin of mouldy cashews and a half eaten Toblerone. She even had the nerve to switch from English to insult me in Thai - not realising I'd understood what she'd said. Despite this, I was still subjected to another 20 minutes of her looking through inconclusive Housekeeping records before I got my Passport back.
I understand the Fagin-esque survival instinct of the Thai Tourist Industry; slave to the bargain-seeking Farang who in turn, are rich pickings.
My Phang Nga Bay tour guide empathised with the plight of visitors being harassed for trinkets. But she defended the Industry explaining, in particular for remote areas, the only local money to be made was from the tourist trade. For the rest, it was often the case they would move out in order to send money back home. She herself was in a dilemma with the overall drop in Tourism and the oncoming Wet Season of needing to move away and find manual work in order to support herself.Tourists are just a necessary evil. Foreigners with foreign cash arrive in hoards and a massive stake of the Thai economy has enslaved itself to this. The clash appears with the Farang expecting deals and bargains and the Thais feeling undervalued and/ or used for their Services and wish to be compensated accordingly – through legitimate means or otherwise.
0 comments:
Post a Comment