Racism in Thailand; How Nick Griffin and the BNP Have Won Followers in Thailand
Racism in Thailand often amazes me when I consider the type of people making these comments. I have always found it strange that people who come to live here are so worried about people going to live in their own country; it hits me as a big double-standard. You will often hear the claim that they have been driven out of their country because of "uncontrolled" immigration that has led to their country, "going to the dogs" and that is why they have moved to Thailand. Their own country no longer suits them so they moved to Thailand and why not? It is their right to live where they choose. Mind you, they don't have the same view of entitlement when it comes to people moving to their country.
I have previously met a few BNP sympathizers here in old Siam. They argue that this is the only group willing to stop the immigrants from taking their country over; turning everyone into Muslims and making the women cover their faces. They see the BNP as freedom fighters. It never seems to bother these people that their Thai wife or girlfriend would be a bit unpopular with your average BNP member, and that themselves would often be considered a race-traitor for being with their foreign wives. Nick Griffin might be their hero, but it is doubtful that he holds them in such high regard. They also don't seem to mind that their mixed-race offspring would never be welcome in their home countries if these fanatics ever gained the power to make such decisions.
These same people who are obsessed with immigration in their own countries will often be the loudest complainers when it comes to immigration laws that affect them, and will be the biggest accusers of racism in Thailand then. Mind you, if the rules don't affect them personally but work to eliminate the ex-pat that they view as undesirable then there will be loud cheers and compliments on how Thailand doesn't allow immigrants to take over. Racism in Thailand is fine so long as it doesn't affect their life.
Personally I find racial hatred as being one of the least appealing human qualities. I do understand that people do have concerns about immigration, and don't want the country they grew up in changing. The fact is that the country will change completely during our lifetime with or without the arrival of immigrants. The country we die in will never be the country we were born in; this change and often alienation is part of the cycle of life and voting for a bunch of ignorant dullards with only spite in their hearts isn't going to change that.
Published by Garro
I was born in Ireland, spent my twenties in England, and now live in Thailand. I work as a freelance writer, but I'm also a qualified nurse. I have one book published and another one due for release next year. View profile
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3 Comments
Post a Commenti hate the word racism, its as if nick griffin and the B.N.P are to blame, they are not, Racism is everywhere, what i hate most is when i am standing on the street in MY OWN COUNTRY and members of the ethnic community suck their teeth at me or whatever else they want to do, who the hell do they think they are? Remember RACISM comes in all colours
I agree that there are things that need to be discussed, but I just don't think that allowing hate merchants like the BNP to have a platform is going to help. Any person in the world is going to do the best they can for themselves and their family; I can't blame them for that. The same hysteria that the BNP are whipping up against the Muslims is virtually identical to what the National Front said about the Irish or anyone else who arrived in England.
Interesting article. However, I think there is another element to the issue of "immigration". In the UK, it has become politically incorrect to discuss immigration problems in terms of race, thereby avoiding the issue entirely and maing the problem worse.
The riots we're seeing in the UK are a natural reaction to the problem of rapid muslim integration in the UK, together with all the religious hatred that comes from the muslim community in the UK. The "bend over backwards" attitude of the labor government has led to immigrants taking advantage of the state. It's interesting that muslims complain so much about western attitudes but are incresingly moving into, and taking over, western nations.
You may call that racism, but it's a fact. I left the UK ten years ago because I was fed up with paying 51% tax so that other people (mostly immigrants if a visit the doctor's surgery is anything to go by) can benefit. Many of Europe's immigration issues are caused by the EU's open and welc