Fantastic article outlining the new trends evolving in relationships between Thais and foreigners...

It sounds like Thais are trying to distance themselves from the image of hooking up with foreigners for financial reasons. тАЬWhite AsiansтАЭ or "Far Eastern Asians" are replacing тАЬwhite EuropeansтАЭ as the leading object of desire because there are more similarities and is less negative stigma associated with them.

Have to admit... it bodes well for me! Probably explains why I get so many Thai boys hitting on me in Bangkok too.

It's a really long article and there's five main sections... IтАЩve only copied the gay section below as this is most relevant but the other sections are also very interesting and worth reading.

One section talks about how more Western men are migrating to Isaan but the role of money often underpins insecurities in their relationships. It says more younger Western men moving to Isaan now and they are more likely to invest in building their lives and integrating with the community and culture there.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/investi ... -of-desire

The new politics of desire

Sexuality meets globalisation - Thais are getting involved in more international relationships but the dynamics are changing

The face of Thai sexuality is changing in small fault lines that may soon represent a seismic shift in the way the Land of Smiles is viewed.

While the perception of international relationships here in some Western eyes may be of older, overweight, oversexed tourists trawling bars for Thai partners, the post-Vietnam era cliche of American servicemen on R&R is being challenged by and is also accelerating new trends.

The sexualisation of Thais in foreign eyes has had an effect on international partnerships, as Thais try to distance themselves from the misperception of being tied to a foreign partner for monetary reasons.

As citizens of a middle-income country where status is important, middle class Thais have much to lose or gain by being involved with a foreign partner. In this light, several trends are emerging. Thais seeking foreign partners are more often gazing over the fence at East Asian partners. The "white Asian" ideal is gradually replacing the "white European"...

----

THE NEW GAY MALE

This look to the Far East is especially apparent on the gay scene.

"Asians are more similar in culture," says Beer, a 32-year-old dentist. "It's easier to communicate. Their way of thinking is easier to understand."

Beer would still consider dating Thai or Western men, but he is largely attracted to "looks, way of thinking and status" _ which equates well with Far Eastern men. "If I love him enough I can adapt to anything," he adds. "But you simplify your life and there's less to overcome if you have similar status."

Ken, a 32-year-old travel writer, still prefers Westerners, and says he finds the Korean look "too fake and homogenous".

But when asked to name celebrities he finds attractive, he cites Nadech "Barry" Kugimiya and Pope Thanawat, who both have a "white Asian" look, as Mr Kang describes it.

Some gay Thais, just like straight people, enter relationships with foreigners to improve their socioeconomic status.

Thailand's position between wealthier and poorer countries in the region, he argues, shapes new partner preferences.

Mr Kang's research focuses largely on the changing choice of partners for Thai gay middle class males.

He loosely defines the middle class as earning between 7,000 and 70,000 baht a month.

He cites four main reasons for the gradual lean towards the East rather than West: the regional flow of media and commodities, the internet (notably sites such as gayromeo.com and fridae.com, both used by Thai men to find Asian partners), discount airlines (especially AirAsia) and regional alignments and politics.

Gay tourism has expanded greatly in the region in recent years, helped along by circuit parties that help connect Southeast and East Asian party-goers.

"East Asian partners are associated with high economic status, modernity and cultural similarity," Mr Kang says.

They do not have the nergative status attached to many Anglo-Saxons.

"Even when middle class Thais have farang partners, they often hide this fact from family or friends.

"Other Asians can be interpreted as friends while farang are more likely coded as sexual partners. Farang are sexualised via the very Western gazes that sexualise Thais."

According to Mr Kang, the list of partner preferences mirrors the economic status of its citizens so that Japanese, Koreans and Hongkongese are prioritised over Chinese Singaporeans and Taiwanese, who are preferred to Chinese Malaysians, mainland Chinese and Vietnamese, while other Asians, especially Burmese and Cambodians, are considered undesirable.

This results in some dissatisfaction when image doesn't match the reality, such as in relationships with Korean men, who in Korean soap operas are seen as soft, sweet and romantic but in life can also be aggressive, impatient and stubborn, says Mr Kang...

Read the rest: http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/investi ... -of-desire
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Similar Threads: