How Black Men Are Treated in Thailand

If you are planning your first trip to Thailand, then you are probably wondering what to expect as a black man.

I’ve been to Thailand twice and spent time living in Bangkok and Pattaya.

Bangkok is the capital of Thailand where you will find the most black expats currently living.

Pattaya is a tropical beach resort located 1 hour away from Bangkok that is well known for its vibrant nightlife and relaxing weather.

In this article, I’m going to give my personal experience as a black man living in both these cities.

Bangkok: Great for Modern Luxuries, Food and Women

Bangkok is the most popular tourist destination in Thailand for a good reason: It offers the biggest bang for your buck in the entire country.

You’ll have access to everything you have back home: modern apartments/hotels, fast food, WIFI, restaurants, nightlife, and a city full of single women.

Bangkok residents are welcoming to black tourists because the city is already full of black people living there: mostly Africans.

You are treated just like any other foreign who Thai people sometimes view as a “walking wallet.” This is because Southeast Asia has a lot of poverty and people look up to foreigners who are seen as “rich” and “successful.”

Thai women, especially the darker skinned ones, will give plenty of eye contact if you dress nice and look like a foreigner. The darker skinned women come from poorer provinces outside of Bangkok so that’s why Thai people often associate darker skin as being lower class.

If you are black, then you don’t really have to worry about this because they know you are a foreigner with money.

Pattaya: Great for Weather and Women

I can still remember walking past many bars, restaurants and massage parlors in Pattaya hearing things like:

“Oh, Hello Chocolate man!”

“Hi, Come here!”

“Hello, Massage!”

Pattaya is well known as a red light district beach town of mostly male tourists, however the image has slowly changed a bit since my last visit. I’ve been to Pattaya twice and each time my experience has been different.

More black men are visiting Pattaya since I barely saw any black people during my first trip back in 2011. I saw and talked to many African American men who decided to come to Thailand and see what it offered.

Being black in Thailand feels completely different from living in most western countries. I didn’t have to worry about violence, guns or the police.

You experience a certain peacefulness that cannot be explained by words. All you have to worry about is staying under your financial budget during the trip.

Most Thai people cared more about my money than my skin color. It was easy to meet Thai women and hook up with them. There are plenty of Thai women in Pattaya looking for western men to provide financial support because salaries are very low in Pattaya.

I also saw quite a few black men walking hand in hand with beautiful Pattaya women. If you are financially secure, then you should have no problems meeting and dating Thai girls.

I did experience some racism on my most recent trip from mostly European and Indian tourists in Pattaya. I think they feel jealous of black men because Thai women view black men as sexually aggressive and “good in bed.”

One European tourist kept complaining that I was getting all the attention because of my hair. Many racists have deep emotional wounds.

Being black in Thailand is similar to most Asian cities as long as you take care of yourself, bring plenty of cash, and stay away from unnecessary trouble.

Read More: 10 Reasons Why Black Men Should Travel to Thailand

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17 Comments

  1. Nice post,

    You really hit the mark on a lot of things when compared to the “west”, and the attitude of some westerners you meet while traveling. As a black guy that has spent the last 15 years living in, and traveling around Asia; I find we are treated even better in Thailand compared to other Asian countries.

  2. There has been a precipitous decline in the number of foreign tourists visiting cities/areas popular for sex tourism as the Thai gov’t has begun suppression efforts. Soon enough there won’t be anymore black and white foreigners walking around hand in hand with beautiful Thai sex workers.

  3. So now it has become socially and morally acceptable for western black expats to actively participate in sexual exploitation and most likely human sex trafficking just because they have the financial means to do so.

  4. Thanks for the info, going for the first time in August. Can’t wait! I go to the Dominican Republic all the time but looking for a new experience, hope it goes well. How much $ would you recommend I bring if I’m staying two weeks?

  5. Thanks a lot! planning to move to Thailand from the US in October. I hear living off my VA disability there will be easier than the US. $1,500 a month should go a lot farther there than it does here. I just want to relax for once in my life.