I met Kendrix at the Bangkok Airport. We happened to be on the same flight from Japan and had noticed each other there. We tend to stand out on a plane full of Asian travelers. We started chatting at baggage claim and exchange information. We’ve been friends since, meeting up in Bangkok whenever our schedules permit. This includes us going to the greatest food court on the planet and eating KFC. Perpetuating the stereotype. lol

Kendrix comes from a very similar background as my own. I place a high value on his opinion regarding Thai race relations for two reasons. One, he LIVES in Thailand. I’ve only lived there for a grand total of 7 months. He’s got years under his belt in a rural environment. Secondly, he’s “blacker” than I am. I’m clearly American. I’m rarely mistaken for “African”. Kendrix on the other hand can easily pass for African or Jamaican with his darker skin and dreads. A distinct difference between my lighter skin and bald head. I asked him to share is story and experience in Thailand (and Asia). He graciously accepted.

Vietnamese Family

In April 2012, I accepted a position as an Installation and Commissioning Manager with a Thai based renewable energy company to help develop the first wind farm in Thailand and the biggest in Southeast Asia. I figured it would offer good photographic opportunities as well as a chance to live outside the USA.The FKW-KR2 Wind Farm project was a huge success and was completed in February 2013. Since then, we’ve started developing more wind farms in Thailand.

I live on a resort in the Nakhon Ratchasima province in central Thailand, about 3 hours north of Bangkok. My day includes getting to work at 8:00am and assisting the local Thais in learning how to service and maintain the wind farm while getting ready to start construction on our next project. Around 5:00pm, I leave work and go back to my room and play Xbox or try to find some dinner. My village of Huai Bong only has a couple thousand people in it and it’s far away from everything. If I want western food, entertainment, shopping, or just to keep from bouncing off the walls, I have to drive about an hour to either Pak Chong or Korat City. I also try to squeeze in some photography on the weekends. My company provides me with a vehicle and I have a valid international and Thai drivers license that makes getting around no problem.

With Buddhist Monk at Wind Farm Blessing 2

There are times I’ve noticed when the Thais have shown racism toward other Thais and dark skin people. The Thai people are very much into social standing and what others think of them, much more than other Asian countries I’ve visited. They don’t like dark skin people. It doesn’t matter where they’re from and they’re not shy about letting you know it. They look at dark skin people as being lower on the social ladder. If your skin is dark, it usually suggests that you’re a laborer or farmer or doing some type of work outside, which they attribute to having less education. If your skin is white, then it means that you work indoors like an office or bank or some type of place where education is needed. After talking to a young lady for a while, she told me “Even though your skin is black, I can tell your heart is white.”

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All the stores have skin whitening and lightening products. I was with a friend shopping at the Tesco Lotus and she’s asked me why do I keep reading the labels so closely. I told her I was looking for some lotion without whitening. She couldn’t understand why I wanted normal lotion. I explained to her that I did not want to lighten my skin and I am happy with my skin color. Later, at dinner, I explained this further to her and she was completely blown away that I am happy with my dark skin and didn’t want to change it.

The majority of Thais are also completely unaware of black Americans. They assume all Americans are 6ft tall white guys and all black people live in Africa, so therefore, I must be from Africa. Sometimes when I tell them I’m an American, they actually argue with me for a few seconds before they believe me. I’ve been told that I’m really from Africa and I only say I’m an American to get girls and special treatment. I stand out so much more than the average person, there is no blending in. Just sitting at the table in the corner of a shop, I’m still drawing so much attention. I feel like a pink unicorn or something. Some people just come upto me and start talking as if they’re 100% certain I’m from Africa. Like “What part of Africa are you from?”or“I like the way you Nigerians play futbol.”

With Muay Thai fighter in Lumpini Stadium, Bangkok

The mood totally changes when they find out I’m from the USA. Now its all “Yo homie Yo!” and “Are you in a gang?” and “Can you rap for us?” and all the stereotypical stuff they know from movies and TV. They want me to come party with them, take pictures, and talk to their English-speaking friends and relatives on the phone. Its like I get a pass for being black because I’m an American. I also speak more Thai than the average local foreigner or tourist, so that helps lighten the mood also.

With bar owner and British teacher in Hanoi

After living here for about 2 ½ years, I can say this is not true of all Thai people. Just as in other countries, there are people that judge what a person looks like instead of who they really are. I live and work with a wonderful group of people that treat me like any other person and we get along just fine. Although the Thais have many perceptions of what they think of people that look like me, I’ve never felt threaten or in any danger at all. Of course I get the foreigner tax, but I can’t remember (or just didn’t know) any time I was treated different because of my dark skin. Most of it is just ignorance and they’ve never seen someone that looks like me. Some do have racist views and believe the perpetuated imagery that they see and hear about black people in the media. I guess overall they are cautious of what they don’t know but it doesn’t take long for them to warm up to you.

Taking a picture of a man holding my photo of his family in Hanoi

 

Thanks Kendrix for sharing your experience. Check out his photography at http://www.freedomofphotography.com/