If I walked up to one of those dolly bird university girls in the
street and snapped her picture or started making a video there would
be trouble.

I wouldn’t doubt for one minute that my own image and name would be
plastered over social media and the police would probably get
involved.

I’d be Thai public enemy number one – another foreign pest to complain about.

I don’t of course – I don’t even ogle…well not much. I’ll keep my eyes
and my thoughts to myself.

Let’s face it anyone doing so would be harassing others – it seems obvious.

So why do people thing they have the god given right right to snap
pictures and make videos of my children – and expect me to suck it up
as they are grinning and leering, even handling my kids like fruit in
the market?

I know my offspring are adorably cute “luuk khreung”. I know their
skin is white and that is prized, their hair is a bit different and
I’m sure we agree they will be models and movie stars one day.

But can’t you ask me first before stealing their images and sharing
for likes with millions of friends on the internet.

I honestly don’t mind that much – but it would be polite to ask.

I have always believed that the Thais are a polite people – I read it
in a guidebook – and comparing them to people I’ve seen around Asia in
particular and the world in general I have no reason to change my
mind.

So why is it so many think they can do selfies with my kids as if they
were their own?

Would they do that if the parents of the cute offspring were Thai? I
don’t think so.

Are they not asking me because they don’t know how to in broken
English? Perhaps – but wouldn’t you think that a man with a Thai wife
is likely to understand “khor thay ruup noi kha” or words to that
effect?

Maybe they think that simple sentences in Thai are impossible for any foreigner.

Sunday at Dream World was not spoiled as a result. That would be
absurd. It was a great day out but got me thinking.

It started with those guys who snap your picture as you arrive so they
can flog you a crappy plate later. It has happened so often that I
don’t really expect them to ask and I don’t buy their wares.

In fact, it amuses me that they won’t get a baht and might waste money
as a result. He he…

But shouldn’t they ask.

Later it was the many people all over the park who spent their entire
day taking pictures of themselves.

Tiring of that and seeing a selfie opportunity they turned to my kids.
At least four or five times.

I said nothing. I didn’t forbid it. The wife would find it strange –
almost rude if I did. I certainly didn’t want to spoil anyone’s day by
making a song and dance of it.

But weren’t the people rude not to ask? What makes my kids somehow
your property to do as you like with?

Too often you see Thais hiding behind their culture in situations like
this. The culture says we all love children. The culture says we
should all be one happy family. The culture says we shouldn’t make
trouble, especially in public, for no reason.

But doesn’t the culture also talk about “grengjai” or imposing on
another person’s feelings? Doesn’t the culture also stress the need to
consider the needs of older people to a greater extent?

It seems a lot of that goes out the window when a foreigner is involved.

It’s fair game! Fair sport!

Is it an almighty leap of the imagination to think that I might object
to my kids being all over the internet, being shared by all and
sundry?

I think not.

My kids are only one and four but my point is you should ask. If they
were older – heaven forbid in bathing costumes at a water park perhaps
– then I’d certainly ask you not to.

As a teacher responsible for hundreds of children in public on school
trips we had a policy. We had to.

We’d ask people angling to take snaps not to do so. If anyone did we’d
ask them to stop – even delete the image and explain why.

If people were suspicious – men at a swimming pool perhaps – we’d have
to call the police. Fortunately in my experience it never came to
that.

Yes, this wasn’t a school trip. I was just having a day out. I kept smiling.

But I couldn’t help feeling that at the very least people should have asked.

And I was left with a sense that some people had left their famous
good manners at home.

And thought their behavior was just fine.

Is the internet and smart phone era responsible?

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