Ladyboys and mixing with other races...

[Road Runner]

(doug @ Jan. 27 2009,19:00) But if you do encounter any racism while here........ It's directed at you because you're "not-Thai"

Very good post Doug.

You seem to have had a worse time with taxi drivers than me - mostly I have found them OK though some have had zero knowledge of even central Bangkok.

The simple fact is that 98-99% of Thais have never been outside Thailand and the sole experience of most of them about other cultures is Thai TV.
All 5 or 6 channels of game shows, advertisements, soap operas, advertisements, news about Thailand, advertisments and an occassional 3rd rate movie dubbed into Thai, followed by advertisements.
(If I have to watch more than 5 minutes of it I feel like... )

Young Thais perception of the west can be summed up in a 3 minute music video - that's all they watch.

Anyone remember the science fiction movie where the aliens come to earth after picking up TV signals for years?

Welcome to Thailand

RR.

[Stogie]

Taxi drivers, however, can all go to fucking hell, as far as I'm concerned. I hate those motherfuckers. Back in the States, my friends would always complain about taxi drivers not picking them up because they were black. I now know EXACTLY how that feels. Even worse are the guys who zoom past other people to pick me up BECAUSE I'm white. Those fuckers can all die with a hot pike up their asses.

Just because I'm white doesn't mean I want to take an off-meter tour of the city every time I get in a cab. Shockingly, sometimes I actually want to go in a straight-line to my exact destination...

Great inciteful post from Doug as usual...

[alan1chef]

All worthwhile advice. You'll be in a foreign country...just remember you are the foreigner. Respect that fact.