Two teenage boys came over to my table in a restaurant. They were dressed in the all-white uniform of Assumption College, a private school in Bangkok.
- Can we ask you something? asked the boys in English.
- Yes?
- Can we take our picture with you?
- Sure, but why?
- We need a tourist.
- I am not a tourist.
- You are not a tourist?
- I have lived in Bangkok for five years.
- It doesn’t matter. We just need a foreigner. And we have questions about where you are from, where you have been to on your holiday and so.
- I think you should go find a real tourist.
- It doesn’t matter. You are a foreigner.
- I am not on holiday. It is better if you find someone who is.
The boys made their apologies and went back to their own table. They had smiled and wai’ed and I had smiled and everything had been agreeable.
I was slightly uncomfortable having said no to their request. But I looked at the bright side of it. In one stroke I had changed Thai culture forever. No more half measures or cheating. None of this taking a random farang and pretending he was a tourist for their school project just because it was convenient.
No more making up the answers, pretending I had been to Samui and that I was from Holland and had a cat and a dog and a wife and five children and that I loved Thailand and would come back next year.
From now on Thais would know the value of truth and sincerity and commitment to quality in their work.
I was strict with the two boys but for the future of Thai civilisation it was worth it.
Tags: Thai culture, tourist
xxx
September 15th, 2007 at 4:26 pm
I have long thought it would be a good idea to get some T-shirts made that say ผมไม่ใช่นักท่องเที่ยว.
I’ll include one for you. Would that be XL or XXL?
September 15th, 2007 at 5:20 pm
Thai script? Oh no. Translation please?
I thought you knew my size by now. It is “sa-mall”.
September 15th, 2007 at 6:05 pm
Best not to get your photo taken with boys in school uniform in Thailand, even if they are university students. If the photo got onto the internet your countrymen would not understand. You could end up like Larson.
September 15th, 2007 at 7:16 pm
ผมไม่ใช่นักท่องเที่ยว= I live here, not on holiday.
September 15th, 2007 at 7:25 pm
Larson?? Who’s he!? lol
Haven’t heard much about him lately……or any of the characters in the ‘thriller’!!
September 15th, 2007 at 8:44 pm
Uhu yeah girls from Dusi university came to me today too asking, things about my health lol
September 16th, 2007 at 12:57 am
SF, you are a true altruist! Keep up “Tam dee”!
September 16th, 2007 at 5:12 pm
A normal photo with a student in a public place cause someone trouble? I don’t think so…
September 20th, 2007 at 7:05 pm
>> I thought you knew my size by now. It is “sa-mall”.
I was talking about shirt size !!
September 24th, 2007 at 12:23 am
correct translation:
ผมไม่ใช่นักท่องเที่ยว
phom mai chai nak thong thiaw
I am not a tourist